The Double
Chapter 164 - 164 88 Hall Meeting

164: Chapter 88: Hall Meeting 164: Chapter 88: Hall Meeting The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival.

This day was no different from ordinary days, if anything, it simply meant that the Jiang Residence had a family dinner together.

But even calling it “together” wasn’t entirely accurate, given that Jiang Yue had been sent to the village to “recover from her injuries,” and she had to head to Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion next spring.

She was actually quite young, but due to Lady Yang’s fear that dragging it out would work against Jiang Yue, the decision was to let her get married first and discuss the rest later.

Jiang Youyao had eventually come to understand that there was no turning back on this matter, and even though she was not resigned, being grounded by Madam Jiang the Elder every day, there was nothing she could do.

In less than a month, she had lost a lot of weight.

The once charming and attractive girl now looked as if a breeze could knock her over, pitifully delicate.

However, this made Jiang Yuanbai all the more distressed for her.

At dinner, Jiang Li noticed that Jiang Yuanbai’s attitude towards Ji Shuran and her daughter was extremely gentle, probably feeling that Jiang Youyao had been wronged by the Zhou Yanbang incident, and was compensating her.

Seeing their family happy together, Jiang Li didn’t feel much of anything.

Lady Lu, however, couldn’t stand it and deliberately targeted Ji Shuran, saying, “Everyone’s going to the Mid-Autumn lantern fair tonight, right?”

“Youyao won’t be going,” Ji Shuran said, “Youyao caught a cold, and these past days, it hasn’t gotten better.

If she goes out and catches a breeze, it will only cause more trouble.

The rest of you go, I’ll stay at home and keep Youyao company.”

Madam Jiang the Elder had not yet lifted Jiang Youyao’s house arrest, considering Jiang Youyao’s temperament and her feelings for Zhou Yanbang, it was inevitable that she might seek him out if let out.

The old madam hoped Jiang Youyao would give up; if she continued to pester Zhou Yanbang, it would also reflect poorly on the Jiang Family from the perspective of Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion.

Jiang Youyao herself did not wish to go out, even though being grounded was quite irritating.

But the thought of others looking at her with pity once she stepped outside made her feel extremely humiliated.

The Zhou Yanbang incident, although unrelated to her, had implicated her, turning her into a joke within this scandalous affair, a pitiful fiancée.

Rather than dealing with others’ gazes, she preferred to stay in the residence, where out of sight meant out of mind.

“I won’t go either,” Jiang Yuanbai said, “I still have court duties to handle.” Now feeling that he had let Jiang Youyao down, he was determined to make it up to his little daughter.

With Ji Shuran and her daughter not going, there was no way Jiang Yuanbai could justify leaving his wife and daughter to go alone.

Lady Lu’s eyes darted around as she said, “If you all aren’t going, what about Lili?

You can’t possibly expect Lili to go alone, can you?”

Off to the side, Jiang Yuanping coughed softly.

“It’s no trouble,” Jiang Li said with a smile, “I don’t particularly want to go either.”

“Little Miss Li, go with your second aunt,” Madam Jiang the Elder suddenly spoke up, “You’ve just returned to Yanjing City this year; the Mid-Autumn lantern fair is worth seeing.

You’ve worked hard these past days too, so take the time to rest and relax.”

With the old madam speaking up, Jiang Li naturally couldn’t refuse, although she was extremely reluctant, she had to accept.

Now, Jiang Yuanbai found himself in a dilemma: on one side was his eldest daughter, who had only recently returned to the capital, and on the other, his wronged youngest daughter.

He was torn, as both were his treasured children.

In the end, however, he decided to stay at the mansion.

Jiang Li seemed sensible and generous, while Jiang Youyao had never suffered any hardship.

In the future, he would make it up to Jiang Li.

Seeing his eldest son only caring about Ji Shuran and her daughter, obstinately oblivious, Madam Jiang the Elder sighed inwardly, shook her head, and left after the meal.

It was Jiang Jingrui who was the happiest; after the old madam left, he kept winking and making faces at Jiang Li.

After the dinner dispersed, he deliberately walked behind and said to Jiang Li, “You said you didn’t want to go, but at a single word from the old madam, aren’t you obediently following along?”

Jiang Li, already in a state of frustration, couldn’t be bothered with him.

Jiang Jingrui then started going on by himself, “You’ll definitely have your eyes opened; the food on the way, the sugar figurines, the riddles on the lanterns, and I heard the Golden Mansion is holding a variety hall tonight.

I’ll take you to see the sights, hey, don’t walk off—”

Jiang Li quickly left Jiang Jingrui behind, her pace quickening; she just couldn’t shake him off.

She had thought that staying in tonight would help her avoid heartbreaking sights, but then the old madam had to speak up, and any attempt to avoid the fair would seem overly intentional.

However, going out wasn’t all bad; seeing her attend the lantern fair while Jiang Yuanbai, Ji Shuran, and Jiang Youyao were absent, people would surely gossip.

In front of others, Jiang Yuanbai always had to maintain a pretense, trying his best to keep the scales balanced.

She would just have to take it one step at a time.

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