Chapter 142

Du Ruo's hands were a bit itchy; she wanted to poison this old witch to death.

The Da Zhao dynasty governed the world through filial piety; unfilial descendants were not allowed to participate in the Imperial Examination, and even if they had passed, their status would be forcibly stripped by the government.

This was the reason why Jiang Zhan had always endured Yan Pozi's actions without retaliating.

Yan Pozi likely knew this clearly, which was why she was so fearless in forcing Jiang Zhan to marry Hao Jinzhi.

For the 101st time, Du Ruo doubted whether Yan Pozi was actually the biological grandmother of the Second Branch, or whether her father-in-law, Jiang Mo Nian, was even born to Yan Pozi.

"Grandmother, do you really have to be this ruthless?" Du Ruo said, while pretending to be anxious and touching Yan Pozi, simultaneously calling the system in her mind.

The system quickly provided the answer.

"Host, after genetic comparison testing, it is confirmed that Yan Shi and Jiang Zhan do indeed have a kinship relationship."

Damn, she really was his biological grandmother.

Du Ruo pulled her hand back, filled with disappointment.

She really didn't understand; since he was her own grandson and so promising, where did Yan Pozi's malice toward the Second Branch come from?

Could it be just because she didn't like Su Shi, the daughter-in-law, that she vented her anger on the children she bore?

That was too far-fetched.

Of course, Du Ruo couldn't really poison Yan Pozi to death; after all, she was Jiang Li's biological grandmother. Even if Yan Pozi had to die, she couldn't die by her own hands.

Furthermore, there was the most important reason.

Once Yan Pozi died, as her grandson, Jiang Zhan would have to observe mourning for at least one year before he could continue with the Imperial Examination.

That would be very disadvantageous...

Seeing Du Ruo knitting her brows, Yan Pozi thought she had grasped her weak point, and her whole body relaxed, a look of triumph flashing in her eyes.

"It's not that Grandmother wants to be so ruthless; I am doing this for Erlang's own good. Erlang is like his father, excellent in his studies and steady and ambitious, but he has one flaw: his luck is a bit poor. If his father had listened to me back then and not married that jinx Su Shi, perhaps he wouldn't have encountered those bandits and ended up with no remains left."

Speaking of her second son's death, Yan Pozi's tone was full of schadenfreude, without a hint of sadness.

How could Jiang Zhan endure others slandering his parents like this? He finally couldn't hold back his anger.

"Grandmother, please be careful with your words! Father's death was an accident; the ones at fault were those desperate bandits, it has nothing to do with my mother!"

Yan Pozi didn't argue with Jiang Zhan, as she still needed to coax him into marrying Hao Jinzhi, "Fine, if you say it has nothing to do with her, then it doesn't."

She looked at Du Ruo again, "Dalang Fu, I have already picked the date. The sooner the better, let's make it three days from now. You should prepare."

"Prepare what?" Du Ruo asked with a half-smile.

"Prepare for the wedding, of course. Time is a bit tight, so I won't require the Three Letters and Six Rites. Just a simple exchange of betrothal gifts and a wedding banquet will do."

Yan Pozi had the air of someone who had already won.

Hao Jinzhi could not hide her joy, staring eagerly at the beautiful young man opposite her.

Thinking that this handsome cousin would soon be her man, her toes curled up in excitement.

Du Ruo rolled her eyes and then signaled to the dog nearby.

"Tie Dan, see the guests out."

The dog immediately locked its eyes on the two, baring its teeth and revealing a fierce look.

Hao Jinzhi was stunned, "Cousin-in-law, what do you mean by this?"

Du Ruo smiled, "It means you can get lost."

With ill intentions and still wanting to marry Jiang Zhan? In your dreams!

This was said quite bluntly, and Hao Jinzhi's white-rimmed eyes widened, her head steaming with anger.

She panted heavily, suddenly rushing toward Du Ruo and raising her hand for a slap.

If this slap had landed, Du Ruo's beautiful face would likely have been deformed on the spot.

Unfortunately, Hao Jinzhi had misjudged the dog's strength.

A dog is a dog, and Tie Dan is Tie Dan; the two cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

Tie Dan had been guarding against this woman for a while. Seeing her really trying to make a move on its mistress, it leaped forward and decisively kicked the woman twice.

Hao Jinzhi's slap missed, and her bear-like body couldn't help but tilt to the side, crashing heavily against the door.

Bang, a loud noise.

Both of them screamed at the same time.

Hao Jinzhi cried out in pain, "Hiss, my waist!"

Du Ruo stomped her feet, "Ah, my door!"

Tie Dan barked twice, sorry, didn't get the angle right.

Yan Pozi stood up shakily, pointing her stick at Jiang Zhan, "Erlang, do you really not want your future anymore?"

The young man's body stood straight, and he said firmly, "My father once said that a person should have backbone and pride, and must never bow for a few grains of rice. For the sake of a future, I cannot bring myself to go against my conscience and marry someone I do not like."

"Good, very good," Yan Pozi sneered, "Don't you regret this."

After saying this, she called Hao Jinzhi and walked out in a rage.

Once they were out of the Second Branch's courtyard, Hao Jinzhi said unwillingly, "Aunt, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Yan Pozi kept a gloomy face and said nothing.

After a long while, she finally spoke, "Jinzhi, do you want to marry Jiang Zhan?"

"Of course I do!" Hao Jinzhi didn't hesitate at all.

She had long been desperate to marry.

In fact, Hao Jinzhi did not have a husband-prospering fate, but a husband-killing one.

She was already nineteen years old; logically, she should have been married and had children long ago, but she looked fierce, and ordinary men couldn't handle her.

After finally getting engaged, the unlucky fiancé got drunk, fell into a cesspit, and drowned!

Hao Jinzhi was not discouraged and later had two more engagements.

Unfortunately, both met with disaster after getting engaged to her: one was beaten to death by a husband for peeping at his wife bathing; the other fell to his death after injuring his eyes while climbing a tree to steal bird eggs.

From then on, men turned pale at the mention of her name and walked around her, let alone marrying her.

Hao Jinzhi suffered all the cold looks from those around her and became ruthless.

As long as it was a man, she would marry whoever would have her!

After waiting and waiting, she finally waited for Yan Pozi.

With such a good family background and such a good man, could she let go? Impossible!

Yan Pozi naturally knew that Hao Jinzhi couldn't bear to give up, "If you want to marry Jiang Zhan, then you must listen to me."

Hao Jinzhi gritted her teeth, "Fine, I will do whatever you say!"

"Good, then let's wait and see." A sinister sneer curled up on Yan Pozi's lips.