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

Hongdou came in and reported, "Princess, someone outside is requesting an audience. They say they are from the Jiang family of Jiangdu, Yangzhou."

Jiang Sese was surprised: "There are still people from the Jiang family in Yangzhou?"

The book doesn't mention the Jiang family.

Jiang Sese naturally assumed that all members of the Jiang family were dead.

Otherwise, why would the original owner, an orphan girl, be forced to come to the capital alone?

People never came before, but now that she's a princess, they're popping up everywhere... Jiang Sese couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Jiang Sese continued writing her storybook, saying, "I won't see you."

Hongdou responded with a "Yes," and just as she turned to leave, she remembered something and added, "But Princess, the messenger said... they also brought some things from their homeland, which they wish to present to you as a token of their appreciation."

Things from one's homeland?

Jiang Sese was somewhat surprised.

According to Jiang Sese, for these kinds of extraordinary relatives who suddenly appear in novels, giving gifts is just like going through the back door; it's nothing more than giving them some gold, silver, and valuables.

After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Sese changed her mind, curious about the gifts from their homeland they had brought: "Alright, let's invite them in."

A short while later, Hongdou led in a man in his early thirties who was well-dressed but not ostentatious.

The man was quite tall, with a shrewd look in his eyes, but he was extremely humble at the moment. He was Jiang Qian's eldest grandson, Jiang Lai.

In the future, he followed Hongdou in without looking to the side and immediately saw the extremely beautiful girl sitting in the main seat.

Jiang Lai glanced at her once, then dared not look again. He immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "This humble subject, Jiang Lai, greets Your Highness. May Your Highness be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and peace!"

Jiang Sese: "No need for formalities."

Jiang Sese noticed that he addressed her as Princess, rather than with other terms that implied kinship.

Jiang Lai got up as instructed, but kept her eyes down, not daring to look directly at Jiang Sese.

Jiang Lai took an exquisite camphor wood box and a scroll from the attendant behind him, presented them with both hands, and then, after Hongdou accepted them, respectfully said, "This humble subject has brought some local products from Yangzhou on the orders of my master. These include pickles, dried tofu, velvet flowers, and Qionghua cake, all of which are local Yangzhou specialties. I dare not call them valuable, but I hope that Your Highness may occasionally taste them to ease your homesickness."

Jiang Sese's gaze swept over the box that Hongdou had placed to the side, and then looked at the scroll.

Jiang Lai immediately explained, "This scroll contains a copy of the page from the family genealogy... uh, the page from the Princess's parents. The head of the family said that this is the foundation and he dares not forget it."

Jiang Lai paused, then spoke with even greater humility, carefully saying, "Furthermore, the patriarch has ordered the clan to renovate the tombs of the princess's parents and has also set up a pavilion outside the princess's old residence. The patriarch said that this is not to seek credit, but to express gratitude to our roots. No matter whether the princess has time to return to her hometown to visit, the Jiang clan will never forget this old residence and tomb."

After saying this, Jiang Lai bowed again and said, "This humble subject has completed his mission and dares not disturb the princess's peace any longer. I will take my leave now."

Jiang Lai left without warning, not at all like someone trying to coax Jiang Sese into staying. Only after Jiang Lai left did Jiang Sese blink.

In Jiang Sese's imagination, when the Jiang family appeared, they would inevitably burst into tears, lamenting their blood ties, or eagerly demand official positions or business opportunities, or at the very least, ask for some gold and silver.

But Jiang Lai's behavior was completely different from the mercenary, greedy, and sycophantic persona that Jiang Sese had imagined.

Even Fuyun showed a surprised expression.

Fu Yun has seen too many people, but it is truly rare to see the Jiang family travel such a long distance just to bring some local specialties and nothing else.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 12199.99]

Hongdou laughed and said, "Did this person really come to claim kinship? They sat there for half a day, silently delivered the gifts, and left just like that? But they did deliver these gifts at a good time."

Jiang Sese didn't say anything, but looked at the local specialties that Jiang Lai had brought. She asked them to be divided into several portions, sent three portions to the Xie family, one portion to the eldest and second wives, one portion to Aunt Sun, and one portion to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

Although it's a cheap gift, it was given thoughtfully, conveying a deep meaning despite its small size.

Jiang also brought fresh shad and hairy crabs from Yangzhou on this trip.

Shad dies easily once it's out of the water, and its flavor is ruined if its scales are broken. As soon as the fishermen catch it, they immediately wrap it gently in clean, soft bamboo leaves, without scraping off a single scale.

Thin willow ice baskets are prepared outside, with blocks of ice taken from the winter ice cellar at the bottom, and layers of crushed ice and bamboo leaves drizzled with lard separating the fish. Thick cattail mats are then placed on top to block out light and insulate against heat, and the baskets are tightly wrapped and sealed with layers of oilcloth.

Crabs cannot be exposed to wind or pressure. Use fine bamboo baskets, with a thin layer of moist lake mud at the bottom and a little white sesame seeds sprinkled on top to prevent the crabs from biting each other. Tie the crab claws tightly, arrange them belly down, and stuff the middle with fresh aquatic plants soaked in river water to keep them moist. Cover the basket with a thick, damp straw bag and tie it tightly to prevent the crabs from moving around, spitting out water, and wasting their energy.

The Jiang family entrusted a familiar merchant to deliver the goods via the Grand Canal, instead of using the usual shipping fleet.

The ship was stocked with ice in advance. Along the way, it would stop for half an hour at the folk ice warehouses near the major sluice gates in Huai'an and Jining to replenish the ice. The waterway continued until it reached Zhangjiawan in Tongzhou. There, it hired two mule carts with reed canopies, carefully loaded the ice baskets and crab baskets onto the carts, and rushed to the Princess's Mansion in the capital.

To transport Yangzhou's shad and crabs alive to the capital in June, the labor and resources required for the transport boats to be on ice piers and the horses to travel non-stop were a hundred times more valuable than the two baskets of fish themselves.

But Jiang Lai didn't mention either of these things.

Princess Anning and Lady Wang both received gifts from Jiang Sese.

Princess Anning said disdainfully, "Is this all the stuff you've got? Is it really worth the trouble of sending it all over here?"

Knowing that Princess Anning had changed her attitude towards Jiang Sese, Cuiwei smiled and replied, "What you say is true, Madam. It's just some simple country food. However... the princess's filial piety is truly admirable."

Princess Anning glanced at Cuiwei, pursed her lips, and said, "Forget it, let her stop wasting her time on these pointless schemes."

That being said, the dish of Yangzhou pickled cucumbers was secretly placed closest to the princess during dinner.

Li Mama, the old nanny from Wang's side, also reported: "It is said that the princess received some local gifts from her hometown. One set was prepared for the eldest son's family, one set for the second son's family, and a separate set was also prepared for Aunt Sun's family."

The head maidservant glanced at Madam Wang's expression and carefully added, "If Madam does not wish to accept it, this servant will have someone return it."

After a long silence, Wang said, "Why return it? Keep it."

She initially disliked her because of her merchant background, because she was an orphan, and because she was not good enough for Zhang'er. She wanted nothing more than to find something to hold against her and drive her away immediately.

But now that Jiang Sese has become a princess, she still remembers to send things to the second wife's family.

The more Wang thought about it, the more upset she became.

I knew so...

But back then, Jiang Sese was just an orphan. Who could have imagined that she would have such a fate?

Wang got up and left the main courtyard, heading towards Aunt Sun's courtyard with her maid.

She hadn't set foot in Aunt Sun's residence for many years—she was the principal wife, and Aunt Sun was a concubine. Normally, only concubines went to the principal's courtyard to pay their respects; there was no reason for the principal wife to go to the concubine's courtyard.

Aunt Sun was sitting in the main room. She had just chased away those relatives from the Sun family who had come to freeload, a rare occurrence for her. Before she could even catch her breath, she heard a maid announce that Madam had arrived. Startled, she hurriedly stood up and rushed to the courtyard gate to greet her. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling, "Madam, what brings you here? I was unaware of your arrival. I have failed to greet you properly—"

Wang paused slightly when she saw the girl's fearful and apprehensive appearance.

She used to think that Aunt Sun was not presentable, timid, and petty.

But this lowly concubine insisted on fighting for Jiang Sese, which allowed Jiang Sese to move into the Xie family.

"No need for that." Madam Wang entered the main room, sat down in the guest seat, and glanced at the teacups on the table that hadn't yet been cleared away—

Madam Wang withdrew her gaze and looked at Aunt Sun, her tone unusually gentle, "Were your family members here just now?"

Someone had already informed Wang about this matter; without Wang's approval, those people wouldn't have been able to get in the door at all.

Aunt Sun stood cautiously to the side, carefully choosing her words, and said, "Yes, it was some distant relatives from my maternal family who came. They brought some things, but I didn't dare to accept them and asked them to take them back. I was thinking that Sese is now a princess, and her every move is being watched. If I accepted anything I shouldn't have, I was afraid it would cause her trouble."

Wang hadn't expected that someone like Aunt Sun wasn't so stupid.

Wang Shi never really thought much of Aunt Sun.

But at this moment, Wang praised him, which was rare for her: "You did the right thing. From now on, you should have less contact with those sycophantic relatives of yours."

Aunt Sun looked at Madam Wang with surprise, her gaze somewhat flattered.

In the past, Wang treated her with disdain, speaking in a sarcastic and sarcastic tone, never knowing how to speak properly.

But today I suddenly acted like a normal person.

Wang herself was also embarrassed for a moment, and remained silent for a while before finally saying, "What happened back then was my fault."

Aunt Sun stared wide-eyed at Madam Wang, somewhat bewildered, and for a moment didn't know how to respond.

Madam Wang glanced at Aunt Sun and said, "I'm not afraid to tell you this, but back then, Zhang'er was very fond of Se Se, and I was the one who interfered and did everything I could to stop him. But now, it's different..."

The first wife and the second wife separated their households.

Jiang Sese became a princess, and the eldest son of the main branch of the family married her.

As she spoke, Madam Wang stood up and said, "If you need anything in the future, just tell the steward. You are now the princess's aunt. I was wrong to you before, but I won't be anymore."

After Wang finished speaking, she turned and left with her maid, leaving Aunt Sun standing alone in the main room. She stood there for a long time before slowly sitting back down in her chair, her eyes red-rimmed, and remained silent.

In fact, Wang did not wrong her.

Wang treated her badly, but over the years, she never lacked food, clothing, or other necessities.

She took her husband away, so how can you expect her to treat her well?