Chapter 34: Pondering Countermeasures

Chapter 34: Contemplating Countermeasures

After intimidating her younger sister, Jiang Wan squatted in the courtyard, pondering her next move.

The current known plot reveals that her father has truly outdone himself this time, somehow skyrocketing directly to the highest rank of nobility! This is indeed excellent news.

Of course, there's a downside too. Unsurprisingly, it attracts the attention of those in power, leading to their family being labeled as ambitious schemers seeking to dominate the court. Wasn't it precisely this fabricated charge in the book that led to the entire Jiang family being eliminated by that scumbag male lead?

So, there are only two solutions.

Either follow Old Zhao's example and make something of herself, seeing if she can pull off a "yellow robe accession" and become emperor. Or, place her bets early on a potential rising star and directly take down Li Laoliu!

Jiang Wan didn't think the former was very feasible.

No matter how much of a scoundrel he is as a husband, Prince Yihuai is undeniably a capable leader. The civil and military officials under him, including her own father, are incredibly loyal. If she dared suggest rebelling against the Prince of Huai, her own father would probably be the first to uphold righteousness and turn against his family.

Besides, although she's a science major, she's spent quite some time in a psychiatric hospital. As the old saying goes, every trade has its master—and mastering rebellion and politics wasn't her forte!

That leaves the second path: she needs to carefully consider which powerful patron to align with in the future.

Squatting on the ground like a soothsayer, she counted off on her fingers while mumbling indistinctly.

"Coming back too early isn't great either. The plotline is still light-years away, and there's no sign of that bastard Li Laoliu! If I hadn't heard Ji Yunzhi's name and caught that scumbag's stench from three miles away, I really wouldn't have put it all together."

A cold glint flashed in her eyes.

As the male second lead in the book, Lord Ji, who colluded with the male lead, happened to be the fiancé of the eldest daughter of the Duke of Ling's household. He was also the heartless wretch who conspired with the male lead to destroy the Jiang family and stood by as his fiancée was drowned to death.

If he truly disliked his fiancée for being a fool, he need never have proposed in the first place! After relying on the Duke of Ling’s connections to weather his family’s crisis, if he had openly broken off the engagement, Jiang Wan wouldn’t have cursed him so fiercely back then.

The male lead and the male second lead—both of them are a pair of despicable scum! Seriously, no arguments accepted.

Under the pretext of secretly admiring the female lead, they helped the male lead annihilate her entire family, old and young. Just how shameless do you have to be to tarnish the beautiful words “secret admiration”?

"You just wait!"

She suddenly stood up from the ground, startling Jiang Han, who had moved over to squat beside her.

"Wh-what's wrong now?"

"I'm hungry. Let's go eat first."

After saying that, she led the way. Everything could be pondered in detail once she'd eaten her fill. Anyway, there was still plenty of time, and she had ample opportunity to set traps in advance.

The whole family, young and old, gathered at Baosong Hall. Today, the old lady had made preparations in advance, instructing the main kitchen to prepare a table full of delicious dishes.

She was now picking up food one chopstickful after another for her eldest grandson, muttering words of heartfelt concern.

"My eldest grandson has been studying so hard. Look, his little face has thinned from hunger. Hurry and eat more to nourish himself.

Our family isn't short on food now. No one can stingily stop us from eating this or that anymore. Not only can we eat, but we can also have one bowl and then another!

All the delicious food is saved for Grandma's precious golden grandson. Hmph, none for those worthless girls..."

Old Wang Shi liked to find things to nitpick when she had nothing better to do, as if not being contradicted made her uncomfortable. But today, Jiang Wan had other things on her mind and couldn't be bothered to engage the old lady.

This made Old Wang Shi somewhat insecure. Was her provocation too subtle? Why hadn't this dead girl come out to retort?

"I say, Zhao Di, you..."

Bang!

"Grandma!"

The sound of Jiang Wan slapping the table and Jiang Yaozu's scream echoed simultaneously. Only then did Old Wang Shi withdraw her gaze, satisfied.

This was more like it.

If you're unhappy, just vent it directly. Who are you pulling a long face for?

This dead girl had been silent all evening, and Old Wang Shi couldn't shake the feeling that she was plotting some mischief to target her eldest grandson!

Old Jiang hurriedly smoothed things over.

"Look at you, old woman. With so much delicious food, can't you just keep quiet? The kids have been busy all day at school—of course they're tired! Let them finish eating quickly and go rest. Why say all those unnecessary things?"

Xu Shi also reached out to serve a bowl of soup and handed it to her mother-in-law.

"Mother, the kitchen's chicken soup is quite good today. Please have a taste, Old Lady."

"What does an old woman like me need to eat these things for? Save it all for my eldest grandson."

She glanced at her eldest granddaughter, whose expression still wasn't great, and grumbled an addition:

"Give these two girls a share too. Let them eat their fill and then go do whatever they need to do. Don't come bothering me, old woman, all day long after returning."

Jiang Han puckered her lips.

Grandma was indeed as biased and unreasonable as ever. Clearly, she started the trouble, yet she ended up blaming Elder Sister.

Xu Shi still wore a filial and gentle smile.

"Father, Mother, please eat first. There's plenty more on the table! The weather is hot these days, and these things won't keep. We must eat them quickly, otherwise it would be such a waste if they spoil."

"Well put!" Old Jiang, who had always been frugal about such things, took the chicken soup served by his daughter-in-law and started eating without any hesitation.

"Everyone, hurry up and eat. After finishing, go rest. We can also save some lamp oil."

With the patriarch's words, everyone quickened their pace. After eating, drinking, washing up, and lying in bed, Jiang Wan tossed and turned for half the night before finally roughly settling on a plan for the future in her mind.

Right now, the people she knows best are Li Laosan and Li Laosi. The latter is an unreliable fool not worth investing in. So, she needs to carefully observe Li Laosan and see if he has the potential of a dragon in the rough.

Her mind was a chaotic jumble of thoughts until well past midnight when she could no longer keep her eyes open and finally fell asleep. It felt like she had just dozed off when Jiang Laoser came scratching at her door.

"Sister, Sister, wake up! It's daylight. We need to hurry up, wash up, eat, and go to school!"

"Got it. You go eat first; I'll be right there."

Sporting a pair of dark circles under her eyes, like a worried Squidward, Jiang Wan resolutely climbed out of bed. Yawning, she called out toward the door.

"Oh, then I'll go first. Sister, hurry up! If we're late today, the master will hit our palms!"

"Okay."

After Jiang Han's footsteps pattered away, Jiang Wan's personal maid, Sister Hong Zhu, entered holding a set of clothes.

"Young Mistress, would you like to wear this ivory-colored set today? I will also do your hair into a simpler bun; it will look more refreshing."