Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

When Jiang Sese came out of the main house, she looked noticeably brighter.

Princess Anning prepared a pair of white jade bracelets as a gift for Jiang Sese when they first met.

Wang had forced a smile at the hanging flower gate, but now she seemed to have realized what was going on and sent over another gift. A set of red gold headdress inlaid with rubies, hairpins, hair ornaments, earrings, and a necklace were all neatly arranged in a brocade box.

Jiang Sese thought that was the end of it, but Princess Anning looked at the jewelry that Wang had sent, frowned and thought for a moment, then asked Cuiwei to bring out a tray, saying that it was a few pieces of jewelry that she had worn before she got married, and asked Jiang Sese to pick the ones she liked.

Jiang Sese originally wanted to be polite, but when Princess Anning said, "If your mother were alive, these things would have been yours anyway," she swallowed all her polite words and obediently stood there while Cuiwei adorned her with the gifts.

So when Xie Jue came out to greet her, she saw from afar a human-shaped jewelry display stand covered in jewels standing under the corridor.

Xie Jue paused, unusually stunned for a moment.

Jiang Sese turned around when she heard footsteps. Around her neck hung a red gold necklace with a ruby ​​pendant that rested perfectly between her collarbones. Her hair was adorned with a complete set of red gold hairpins and hair ornaments inlaid with rubies. Her earrings swayed back and forth, and on her wrists were two or three bracelets, made of gold, silver, jade, and agate—all kinds of precious stones.

Jiang Sese knew that her appearance was a bit exaggerated, so she gave Xie Jue an awkward smile, raised both hands and waved them at him, the bracelets on her wrists jingling loudly.

Xie Jue suppressed a laugh as he walked up the steps, raised his hand and gently touched the hair ornament in her hair. Watching the delicate gold tassels sway by her ear, the corners of his lips curved slightly, and he spoke with a rare hint of mischief in his tone: "If you didn't know better, you'd think the jewelry had come to life."

Jiang Sese looked completely innocent. "These were all given to me by your mother."

Xie Jue had already guessed a bit, but he still showed a slightly surprised expression: "Really? I didn't expect our Sese to be so amazing, even Mother likes you so much."

Jiang Sese blushed as she listened to Xie Jue's tone of praising her like a child.

"Actually, it has nothing to do with me; it's because of Consort Chen," Jiang Sese said.

Those who liked Consort Chen extended their affection to her as well, because they loved her so much.

Xie Jue smiled noncommittally: "How could it not have anything to do with you? Sese, don't underestimate yourself. If you weren't Leng Danxia's daughter, it would just take them a little longer to like you."

Jiang Sese actually felt that she wasn't as good as Xie Jue described... but since it was Xie Jue who said it, it made her very convincing!

Jiang Sese: "I just heard about Consort Chen from your mother. Would you like to hear it?"

Xie Jue glanced at Jiang Sese's deliberately tantalizing expression and replied, "I want to hear it."

Jiang Sese was delighted and told Xie Jue what she had heard from Princess Anning.

Xie Jue had also heard about the matter concerning the divine tree.

However, the inside story, such as how Leng Danxia knew it was a trap, was something Xie Jue couldn't possibly know. It was only because Leng Danxia told Princess Anning that no one would have imagined someone would be so audacious.

Was she certain that Emperor Jingyuan loved and doted on her and wouldn't do anything to her, or did she simply not care about life or death?

A strange look flashed across Xie Jue's eyes.

Aunt Sun had already received the news that Sese was still alive, and now she knew that she had been granted the title of Princess Chenjia and that she was going to return to the Xie family to see her today.

From early morning, Aunt Sun was restless, pacing back and forth in Tinglan Courtyard with a handkerchief in her hand.

Xie Xun was incredibly excited. From the moment she woke up in the morning, she kept pestering her mother, asking why her sister Sese hadn't come yet. She would run to the courtyard gate to peek out, and then run back to ask, "Mother, Mother, is Sister Sese really coming today?"

Unable to answer the question directly, Aunt Sun could only reply, "It's true. When have I ever lied to you?"

Xie Xun blinked twice and retorted earnestly, "Mother lied to Xun'er last time. Mother said that Sister Sese had gone to heaven, but actually she is still alive."

Aunt Sun was taken aback by his words, then couldn't help but laugh and scold, "You have a good memory."

Aunt Sun reached out and pressed down the tuft of hair that was sticking up on his head. She then asked a maid to bring a handkerchief to wipe his face. Xie Xun obediently tilted his head back and let her wipe it.

But just then, Jiang Sese finally arrived.

Aunt Sun stood there, tears welling up in her eyes.

Aunt Sun rushed forward, grabbed Jiang Sese's hand, and cried out in a trembling voice, "Sese...it really is you, it really is you! You're alive, you're alive!"

Aunt Sun held Jiang Sese's hand tightly, refusing to let go. She looked her up and down, from head to shoulder, from shoulder to hand, repeatedly muttering, "Let your aunt take a good look—you've lost weight, your chin is so sharp, and your complexion is terrible. You must have suffered so much outside..."

"Auntie, I'm fine." Jiang Sese's nose tingled, but she still smiled and held her hand, letting her touch it back and forth. She laughed and said, "I just haven't been sleeping well lately. I'll gain weight if I eat a couple of good meals when I get back."

"You silly child..." Aunt Sun looked at Jiang Sese's jewelry and felt like crying and laughing at the same time. It turned out that she had worried for nothing.

"Your aunt worries about you every day, she eats vegetarian food and chants Buddhist prayers, hoping for your safety. Now it's all right, now it's all right—"

Xie Xun looked up at Jiang Sese with pleading eyes, "Sister Sese, have you forgotten about Xun'er?"

Jiang Sese lowered her head and pinched his cheek: "How could that be?"

Xie Xun's face flushed slightly. He thought to himself that he was no longer a child and shouldn't have his face pinched so easily! What would the servants think if they saw this... But then he thought better of it and decided to let it go this time, and never do it again.

Aunt Sun quickly wiped away her tears, her face still streaked with tears, but she was already beaming with joy.

Xie Jue did not come in because Aunt Sun was Xie Bo's concubine, not Xie Jue's birth mother or stepmother. Although she was of a higher generation, she was considered to be his uncle's concubine.

As Xie Jue's nephew, he should have taken the initiative to stay away from him after he came of age.

Aunt Sun had her maid take Xie Xun out to play, while pulling Jiang Sese aside and asking her what had happened after she left the Xie family.

Jiang Sese then recounted the whole story, but omitted the part about the brothel, which was not a glorious matter to begin with, and telling it would only cause Aunt Sun unnecessary worry.

When the topic of meeting Emperor Jingyuan came up, Aunt Sun unconsciously gripped her handkerchief tightly, her face filled with fear and trepidation.

In the eyes of an ordinary woman like Aunt Sun, who was cautious and timid and confined to the inner quarters of her home her entire life, the emperor was a god high above the clouds, a being who held the power of life and death! A being whose very appearance could shorten one's lifespan!

Meeting the Emperor? That's worse than climbing mountains of knives or plunging into seas of fire! Ordinary people might never even get to see a county magistrate in their entire lives, and yet Sese was summoned by the Emperor?!

Aunt Sun's heart leaped into her throat, and her body trembled slightly with fear, terrified of hearing any horrifying words like "the emperor's wrath" or "being thrown into prison" from her mouth.

It wasn't until she heard Jiang Sese chatting casually with Emperor Jingyuan that Aunt Sun finally let out a long sigh of relief.

This has to be Se Se.

Ordinary people might never even see a county magistrate in their entire lives, let alone the emperor. And to stand up to the emperor without flinching... well, Aunt Sun knew she definitely couldn't do that.

"Good child! Such a good child!" Aunt Sun couldn't help but reach out and lovingly stroke Jiang Sese's cheek again. "Now that you're alright, my heart... can finally be at ease! Thank God!"

At this point, Aunt Sun glanced at Jiang Sese again, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

"Sese, tell your aunt the truth. Was this marriage your own choice, or was it the eldest young master... or was someone else forcing you? You lost your parents when you were young, and your aunt has to find out for you—the eldest young master seems like a good person, but he's a man who does great things, and his mind is all on the court. He doesn't seem like someone who would care for others."

In the past, Aunt Sun would never have dared to say such a thing. To be able to marry Xie Jue and become his principal wife was a dream come true.

But Sese is now a princess.

That's a different story.

Jiang Sese was surprised by Aunt Sun's question and couldn't help but find it amusing.

See, she's not the only one with a stereotype about Xie Jue.

Jiang Sese looked at Aunt Sun and said, word by word, "Aunt, I love him. No one forced me."

Seeing Jiang Sese's appearance, Aunt Sun's eyes reddened again. Yes, even if the eldest son is not considerate of women, there are still plenty of girls willing to marry him.

It's just that people are different.

What Aunt Sun wanted was a simple life with a husband, children, and a warm bed, not what Xie Bo did. Even when Xie Bo wasn't busy, he wouldn't linger in the inner quarters.

Most of them stayed in the outer quarters.

Such days are truly meaningless.

Aunt Sun really didn't want Jiang Sese to live such a life.

Even so, Aunt Sun still reached out and pulled Jiang Sese into her arms, gently patting her back: "Good, good. As long as it's what you want, your aunt is relieved."

The little girl in her arms now speaks of her beloved with her eyes crinkling, showing none of the timidity she once had.

If my sister is watching from heaven, she should be at peace seeing her daughter like this.