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Jiang Xi stepped into the carriage, and Fong Yang followed her inside.
The two chatted casually along the way, and before long, they returned to Feng Yang.
However, Jiang Xi's good mood came to an abrupt halt the moment she stepped into the estate.
The butler had been waiting in the front yard. Seeing them return, he hurried over to greet them, first bowing respectfully to the Regent, and then lowering his voice slightly, with a hint of urgency, he said to Jiang Xi, "Miss, you have finally returned."
Jiang Xi frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. She quickly asked, "What happened to my father this time?"
The entire Prime Minister's Residence relied on Madam Jiang to distribute the servants' monthly wages, and she paid them more generously than even those in noble families. Therefore, the butler naturally leaned towards the lady.
After hesitating for a moment, he spoke honestly, "The master wants to hire a tutor for the young master, but the lady refuses to part with any silver. As a result, the master is currently raging in Listening Rain Pavilion."
Jiang Xi immediately understood. It was just hiring a tutor; how much silver could that possibly require? Perhaps her father was using this as an excuse to demand an exorbitant amount.
Upon returning to the Prime Minister's Residence and learning that her father was making things difficult for her mother again, she turned to Fong Yang and softly said, "Your Highness, please return to Regent's Palace and wait for me."
However, Fong Yang frowned slightly, concern and determination evident in his eyes. He quickly replied, "I will go with you. I want to support you and also take this opportunity to meet Mother-in-law."
Hearing this, Jiang Xi felt warmth in her heart. After thinking it over, she agreed with a nod. The butler then led the way as they headed toward Listening Rain Pavilion together.
Before they even arrived, they could hear her father Jiang Xingzhi's furious voice echoing through the courtyard.
"You come from a merchant background; your status is already lowly enough. Over these years, you've only given birth to a daughter—there's not even a hint of maternal privilege! You spend all day fiddling with trivial matters; where is your grace compared to other noble ladies? If it weren't for our past as husband and wife, I would have divorced you long ago!"
These words reached Jiang Xi's ears, causing her expression to darken instantly. Anger surged within her as she unconsciously quickened her pace. In just a few steps, she burst into Listening Rain Pavilion and shouted loudly, "Father! What nonsense are you spouting here? What a heartless Chen Shimei! If it weren't for my mother providing so much silver back then so that you could live comfortably and focus on your studies, how would you have achieved your current lofty position as Prime Minister?"
Jiang Xingzhi had been venting his anger when he suddenly saw Jiang Xi return. His heart skipped a beat with guilt at first; however, upon hearing her unrelenting accusations, he became furious and embarrassed. His face flushed red as he shouted back angrily, "Impudent! Who gave you the audacity to criticize me? Do you even know who your father is?"
Jiang Xi scoffed coldly, her eyes filled with disdain and disappointment. She stood her ground and replied defiantly, "If I had a choice, I would rather you were not my father. I would prefer my mother to marry an honest hunter from the mountains than see her sincerity trampled by you like this."
Jiang Xingzhi was infuriated beyond measure; he trembled with rage and was about to explode when his peripheral vision caught sight of a figure in a dark black robe.
The person exuded an aura of elegance and nobility that commanded respect at first glance. Jiang Xingzhi's expression changed instantly; the angry words that were about to escape his lips got stuck in his throat. He hurriedly bowed awkwardly and stammered out, "I... I pay my respects to the Regent."
Fong Yang stood quietly, his expression one of indifference, without uttering a word.
Madam Jiang took this opportunity to observe Regent Fong Yang up close for the first time. She couldn't help but admire him; his demeanor and appearance were impeccable, a stark contrast to that good-for-nothing Huo Xingwen. It was as if one were a celestial crane while the other was merely a toad.
She silently praised her daughter's good taste and, coming back to her senses, was about to bow when she heard Regent Fong Yang's refined and pleasant voice: "There is no need for such formalities, Madam."
Upon hearing this, she felt no need to be overly polite. With a gentle smile, she raised her hand in a gesture of invitation and said, "Please, Your Highness, come in and take a seat."
Fong Yang nodded slightly and walked into the room with steady steps. He made his way directly to the chair beside Jiang Xi and sat down gracefully, exuding elegance and composure.
Jiang Xingzhi was left standing awkwardly to the side, feeling ignored. His face flushed with embarrassment as he cleared his throat and tried to adopt an air of cold authority. "Xi'er, come here with me. I have something to discuss with you."
Jiang Xi merely lifted her gaze slightly but did not move an inch. Her tone was calm as she replied, "Father, if you have something to say, you can say it here."
The more Madam Jiang looked at the outstanding Fong Yang and his extraordinary presence, the more satisfied she became, praising her daughter’s discerning eye.
A mother-in-law's affection for her son-in-law only grows with time; however, Jiang Xingzhi stood awkwardly by, feeling trapped—neither able to leave nor stay comfortably.
Madam Jiang ignored him completely, while Regent Fong Yang didn’t even spare him a glance. Even Jiang Xi remained distant.
On one hand, Jiang Xingzhi felt humiliated; on the other hand, he was determined to prevent Jiang Xi from marrying Regent Fong Yang. He spoke again with authority, insisting that Jiang Xi accompany him outside while emphasizing, "I can only discuss this privately."
Jiang Xi recalled his earlier rude attitude towards her mother and retorted deliberately, "Your Highness has just arrived at the Prime Minister's Residence, yet Father is eager to leave? Aren't you afraid of losing your manners?"
Jiang Xingzhi seethed with anger but dared not express it openly; he could only stand there grinding his teeth in frustration.
Fong Yang remained silent throughout this exchange, quietly picking up the tea that Madam Jiang had prepared and savoring it gently.
The crisp and unique aroma of the tea slowly spread in his mouth, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
Finally setting down the teacup, Fong Yang complimented, "Madam's tea is excellent."
Hearing this praise made Madam Jiang beam with joy. She quickly responded, "This is this year's early spring tea—Lingshan Cloud Mist. If Your Highness likes it, please take a few canisters home."
Jiang Xi looked at Fong Yang, her eyes filled with laughter as she teased, "Although my mother is generous, it's the first time she's used top-grade cloud mist to entertain guests."
Fong Yang raised his gaze to meet hers, his deep black eyes soft and warm. He replied gently, "It is my honor."
Jiang Xi pressed her lips together in a light smile, a hint of a blush blooming on her delicate face, making her all the more enchanting.
Seeing Fong Yang so natural and approachable with her mother, as if he were just an ordinary son-in-law meeting his mother-in-law, Jiang Xi felt a surge of joy. She turned to her mother and asked with a smile, "I heard that the prince came to propose this morning. What do you think, Mother?"
Madam Jiang, noticing her daughter's ease, happily assured her, "Xi'er, don't worry. I will make sure your wedding is splendid."
Jiang Xingzhi, who had been left out of the conversation, could no longer hold back and quickly interjected, "Xi'er, what I wanted to discuss with you is precisely this matter. Regarding your marriage, I think we need to consider it carefully and discuss it thoroughly."
Jiang Xi slowly stood up and glanced at her father. In a calm tone, she said, "Since Father insists on discussing it, let's go to the study."
After speaking, she turned back to Fong Yang and gave him a sweet smile. "Your Highness, please excuse me for a moment. You can discuss the specifics of the marriage with my mother."
Fong Yang nodded slightly and replied, "Alright."
Seeing this, Jiang Xingzhi could only suppress his rising anger. He bowed respectfully to Fong Yang and said, "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I have some matters to discuss with Jiang Xi and will take my leave for now."
Fong Yang remained silent, merely lowering his gaze slightly as he picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea, seemingly ignoring Jiang Xingzhi's words.
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