Chapter 251

Du Ruo's plan to go to Fengyang Prefecture is known to only a few so far.

Besides family, it's just the Jiang Clan Head's household next door.

But the Jiang Clan Head's household is strict; it's unlikely to leak, and even Yao Yulan, who loves gossip, always knows what's appropriate and never says what she shouldn't.

Then there is only one possibility.

It must be Du Ruo's conversation with Lu Gong at the homestead this morning, overheard unintentionally by others, and then spread.

For example, the woman.

This woman, her heart isn't bad, but her mouth isn't tight; she lets everything slip out, can't keep secrets.

Since everyone knows, Du Ruo also doesn't bother denying: 'Yes, my second brother went alone to Fengyang Prefecture to take the exam; on the way there was no one to look after him, and my husband was worried, so he specifically asked me to accompany him.'

Du Ruo certainly wouldn't say it was her own insistence to go.

She and Jiang Zhan are in an uncle‑sister‑in‑law relationship, close in age, so rumors could easily spread. Jiang Zhan is a scholar; his reputation matters more than his life—this is no joking matter.

Yan Pozi didn't harp on this point to pick a fight; she merely nodded lightly.

'That's right.' She paused, then spoke in a matter‑of‑fact commanding tone, stating her request: 'I want you and the second son to bring Zongbao along to Fengyang Prefecture.'

Du Ruo: '??'

Bringing that scumbag Jiang Zongbao to Fengyang Prefecture to do what? Castrate him?

'Zongbao accidentally injured his vital parts earlier; the doctor diagnosed that he basically has no hope of having offspring. You know, Zongbao is the sole male of the main branch, and he has no sons or daughters; as his grandmother, I can't just watch the main branch die out.'

Yan Pozi continued, 'So I thought, let you guys bring Zongbao along to Fengyang Prefecture to have a look; there are many famous doctors there, surely someone can cure Zongbao's illness.'

So that's how it is.

Du Ruo chuckled.

If you ask me, with that bad bloodline of the main branch, there's no point treating it; better let the line die out.

Bah, except for the children born to Qin Shi.

Du Ruo's eyes curved, 'Sorry, grandmother, we're going to take the exam; time is tight, we don't have enough energy, really can't attend to anything else.'

'If you really want to cure your cousin's infertility, why don't you bring him yourself?'

Yan Pozi's old skin on her face twitched as if cramped, and she suddenly shivered.

'Du Clan, what do you mean by that?'

Du Ruo bluntly, 'The meaning is, I can't bring him.'

Yan Pozi snorted coldly, 'Is it that you can't bring him, or that you don't want to?'

'Both can't bring him and don't want to.'

「You! 」 Yan Pozi sprang to her feet, pointing at her, her gray-white eyebrows bristling one by one, "Good you, Du Clan, do you still have any sense of seniority? To make you do such a tiny thing, you keep obstructing, showing no regard for brotherly affection, fraternal duty! Where is your virtue? Your filial piety? Is that how your mother raised you?"

Hey, if you're going to insult someone, just insult them—why drag their parents into it?

This is unbearable.

Bang! Du Ruo slammed the table and rose as well, "Fine brotherly affection, fraternal duty! When Jiang Zongbao ran to our second house to steal a mouthful of grain, didn't he remember that our husband is his brother? When he used scheming tricks against Ah Zhan, did he ever recall that Ah Zhan is his brother? Hah, now he needs us, so he comes calling us brothers—on what basis?"

One old, one young—two women facing off like needles, neither giving an inch.

Seeing the situation turn tense, with swords drawn and bows bent, the atmosphere grim, several clan elders hurried out to act as peacemakers.

"Ah dear, let's talk this out calmly, calmly, don't get angry."

"We're all family; fighting hurts feelings. Let's just discuss what we need to, without bringing up old sesame seeds and rotten grain, okay?"

"Dalang Fu, you're a junior—how can you challenge the grandmother like that? This is not good, not good…"

Interestingly, the youngest and most clear-headed of the six elders sensed something off, and asked doubtfully, "What scheming tricks? What did Zongbao do to Er Lang?"

Du Ruo's lips twitched up slightly, "Well, that's something to ask the grandmother herself."

The clan elders all turned their gazes in unison toward Yan Pozi.

Yan Pozi silently seethed.

Little ***, she's good at throwing the pot—how is she supposed to explain this?

Saying that Jiang Zongbao gave Jiang Zhan drugs to make him have an illicit affair with Hao Jinzhi, only to end up harming himself instead?

One would rather die than say it!

Don't think those old fogies are on her side now just because they're giving face to the deceased Jiang Changhe; once they learn she had a hand in framing the clan's most promising junior, they'll surely bite her to death!

"Not much." Yan Pozi had to hem and haw, "It's just that the two brothers had a little quarrel over some trivial matter."

Is that really the case?

The clan elders turned again to the silently listening Jiang Zhan, and the sixth elder said, "Er Lang, you speak."

Jiang Zhan gave a faint smile, "If Grandmother says so, then it is."

It wasn't that he was wary of the grandparent-grandchild bond and refused to expose Yan Pozi on the spot; rather, he is now the county examination top scorer and about to take the prefectural exam, and being linked to such a sordid scandal would reflect poorly no matter how it got out.

Anyway, times have changed, and the instigators, Jiang Zongbao and Hao Jinzhi, have already received their due lesson, so there's no need to bring it up.

If that's the case, the clan elders saw no reason to keep harping on it.

Soon they steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.

The third elder spoke first, "Dalang Fu, I know the exam is paramount—this concerns Er Lang's future and is key to whether our Jiang clan can revive; other matters must wait."

"But we also need to consider both sides—if Zongbao's illness isn't cured, the main branch will truly be cut off. Your grandfather, if he has spirit in heaven, would likely not rest easy either."

The elders nodded in agreement.

Du Ruo was speechless—she actually invoked the deceased ancestors to pressure herself.

Her eyes shifted, she quickly formed an idea, and then affected a sigh: "Having me accompany you is fine, but what if something happens to your cousin on the road…"

The third elder immediately took over, "Rest assured, he's grown enough that if something happens, it wouldn't be your fault."

Then he turned to Yan Pozi and asked, "Isn't she your sister-in-law?"

Yan Pozi dared not reply, "How could anything go wrong? You and Er Lang are fine, so why can't Zongbao be okay?"

"That's not comparable." Du Ruo rolled her eyes, "Second brother, be more obedient—does Elder Cousin listen? He sometimes doesn't even listen to your words, so how can I expect him to listen to mine? If Grandma can't even guarantee that, then forget it."

Yan Pozi gritted her teeth.

"Fine, if anything happens, don't blame you!"

Du Ruo's eyes lit up, "Really? Even if he dies, it's nothing to do with me? You sure?"

Yan Pozi: "......"

This little *** isn't planning to kill Zong Bao halfway, is he? Zong Bao may be hot-headed and not very bright, but he's no match for the Du Clan.

Yan Pozi was momentarily speechless.

Du Ruo rubbed her hands, eagerly urging, "Then Grandma, quickly write me a guarantee saying that if Elder Cousin encounters any mishap on the road—whether he dies or is crippled—it's all his own fault, nothing to do with me or our second branch! This is settled!"

Seeing Du Ruo's impatient look, Yan Pozi felt even more uneasy.

"The Du Clan is so ruthless, they'd do anything—don't end up with the illness uncured and the person dead instead."

The more she thought, the more anxious Yan Pozi became, hesitating, "Maybe we should just forget it......"

Before she could finish speaking, a furious roar came from outside the door: "Jiang Lao San, Jiang Lao Si, Jiang Lao Liu, get out here, damn it!"