Chapter IBMLS Ch.5 Just a Substitute (5)
Mu Mingtang didn’t want to hear any more and turned back. Before she could get far, she bumped into the maidservant who had been sent out to look for her. The latter immediately raised an eyebrow in disdain and scolded, “Second young miss, the madam said that you should refrain from walking around. How could you forget something so simple?”
The maidservant’s back was facing the trees, so she failed to notice the couple standing between them. Xie Xuanji and Jiang Mingwei both stopped talking when they heard her voice. The man’s face sunk, and they quickly entered the cloister just in time to see Mu Mingtang disappear around the corner.
Truthfully, whether it was her style of dress or the feeling that she gave off, she really did resemble Jiang Mingwei a lot.
But he knew that she wasn’t Jiang Mingwei. Xie Xuanji frowned slightly, wondering why Mu Mingtang was there.
Mu Mingtang had never dwelled on it before, but now that she thought about it, even the servants in the manor dared to openly show their disdain of her. She was not noble enough, not elegant enough, not beautiful enough. Yes, because she was a substitute. She was Jiang Mingwei’s substitute, an imitation of the Prince of Jin’s first love. She would never be good enough, or real enough.
The maidservant chattered endlessly, but Mu Mingtang silently ignored her. She was waiting for the Jiang family’s next arrangement. However, when night fell, all she got was a cold “Second young miss, this room belongs to the first young miss. The first young miss doesn’t like it when other people touch her possessions, so please move out.”
After a moment, Mu Mingtang stood up and nodded. “That’s reasonable. This room belongs to my elder sister. Now that she’s back, there is no reason for me to continue living here. I will gather my things immediately.”
“No,” the nanny said indifferently. “Everything in this room, including the clothes and jewelry, belong to the first young miss. You just need to step out, second young miss.”
Mu Mingtang recalled how the Jiang family had adopted her and provided her with rich food and clothing and endured the humiliation as they moved her from the place she had lived in for an entire year to the cold guest chamber. The time she’d spent as a refugee had taught her the fickle nature of humans and gave her a practical mindset. So what if she was humiliated? It didn’t matter as long as she could live well.
She thought that since she was being so obedient, someone from the Jiang family would arrive to see her soon.
In the end, she realized that she had overestimated herself. They left her in the guest room for three days until finally, in the afternoon of the fourth day, someone came to get her. “Second young miss, the lord has sent for you.”
Obediently, Mu Mingtang tidied herself up and walked to the study. Jiang Honghao was already seated inside, and, to her surprise, Xie Xuanji was also present.
She glanced at him very briefly before looking away and softly greeting Jiang Honghao.
As for Xie Xuanji, she no longer had any reason to concern herself with him. Moreover, Jiang Honghao hadn’t spoken, so she couldn’t take the initiative to greet Xie Xuanji.
“Mhm.” Jiang Honghao simply nodded before looking at the girl standing in front of him and thinking about the news he was about to deliver. For the first time, he pitied her, then he decided to make up for it by preparing a generous dowry for her marriage that would take place after two days.
Pleased with his own benevolence, he stroked his beard and said, “You should have heard that your elder sister is back. The bride for the engagement with the Prince of Jin was originally Jiang Mingwei and we had no choice but to use you as her substitute, but now that she’s back… Do you understand my intention?”
Mu Mingtang meekly bowed her head. “Yes, this daughter understands.”
“Very well. But rest assured, since you have become my adopted daughter, I will not treat you unjustly. A few days ago, Lord Jin asked His Majesty for permission to let you marry the Prince of Qiyang, and His Majesty agreed to it today.” Jiang Honghao continued, smiling, “Although you were adopted, the Jiang family is by no means a family that favors one daughter over another. After you marry the Prince of Qiyang and become his princess, you and your sister will be related through the imperial family. When that happens, the two of you must remember to look out for each other and uphold my teachings. You are truly fortunate to have this day, Jiang Mingtang.”
It took Mu Mingtang a few moments to register what Jiang Honghao had said. She would still become a princess, but to the Prince of Qiyang instead? And the underlying meaning was that she, a merchant’s daughter who later became a pitiful refugee, should be thankful to the Jiang family for the grace they’d given her?
Mu Mingtang slowly raised her head.
“Father, isn’t the Prince of Qiyang… dying?”