Chapter 360

Jiang Chenghua found out that General Jiang had returned late at night. She got out of bed almost immediately, called Xiaoqiao to dress up, and went to pay her respects to her father.

"I've lost some weight recently. Don't let me wear clothes that are too thin. Apply more lipstick so Father doesn't worry," she said hurriedly, unable to contain her excitement. "And bring the knee pads I sewed for Father. I don't know if he'll be back for long this time, whether two more pairs will be enough."

She rummaged through boxes and cabinets as she spoke.

Xiaoqiao stood by sympathetically, mouth opening a few times before saying, "Miss, it's late. Why not go tomorrow?"

"No, I always pay my respects as soon as Father comes back," Jiang Chenghua said, holding two pairs of knee pads. "I found them. I'll take them to Father now."

She hurriedly turned and bumped into a screen.

The knee pads scattered and she fell to the floor.

"Miss, don't go," Xiaoqiao cried, throwing herself over. "The General isn't at the residence. He hasn't returned."

Even if he had returned, would the General really want to see this cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest?

Xiaoqiao didn't know.

Jiang Chenghua didn't know either.

She clutched her chest, ignoring her aching knees. She hugged herself anxiously and helplessly, "Father will come back, he will return to Jiang House. Every time he comes back from the imperial city, he returns home."

But that night General Jiang really didn't come back.

Jiang Chenghua sat from the hour of the dog watch until the hour of the ox, the sky as thick as ink. Jiang House's gates were tightly shut, all the courtyards had extinguished their lamps, and the whole world sank into silence.

She sat limply at the edge of her bed, waiting until her eyelids ached, until her heart grew cold, until Mrs. Liao heard the news and came rushing over.

"Foolish girl, he is always your father. He has pampered and protected you for over ten years. How could a mere blood relation be severed so easily?" Jiang Liao was furious at her lack of fighting spirit. "Just because he didn't come back tonight, what of it? He has to come back eventually. Why make a fuss over one or two nights?"

"Is that true, Mother?" Jiang Chenghua struggled to smile. "Father won't abandon me, will he?"

Only when Mrs. Liao gave her affirmative answer did she collapse limply into slumber.

In her dreams, Father strode powerfully ahead, as if urgently chasing something. No matter how Jiang Chenghua tried, she couldn't catch up. Though she wanted to call for him to wait, she couldn't open her mouth.

The chase lasted the entire night. When dawn broke she was utterly exhausted. "Miss, sleep a while longer. I'll wake you when the General returns," Xiaoqiao advised.

Jiang Chenghua shook her head. She insisted on dressing up and sent someone to find where General Jiang had gone.

After a while, the servant reported that Old Lady Jiang had gone to the Imperial Examination Hall. It was the first day of the tests.

Jiang Chenghua had a strong premonition that Father would be at the entrance of the hall, and also for Jiang Sheng.

She couldn't say what she felt—was it jealousy, admiration, or an indescribable bitterness? Even knowing she was a cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest, she still thirsted for her father's affection.

This intense desire prompted her to call a carriage and take two pairs of knee pads to the entrance of the hall.

She saw Father smiling at Jiang Sheng, saw Father ruffling Jiang Sheng's hair, saw Father observing Jiang Sheng from afar. She felt dizzy and unreal.

"Miss, are you alright? Stay strong," Xiaoqiao cried. "You knew the General didn't come back for you this time. Why did you still come? Why?"

Perhaps...because deep down, she still had that shred of hope.

Jiang Chenghua steadied herself and stared blankly ahead. She felt she should leave, but without a definite answer she couldn't give up hope.

Her internal struggle led her to close her eyes. When she opened them again, someone was standing before her.

It was Father.

He was still tall and sturdy. His face was stern when he didn't smile, but his laughter was hearty and unrestrained. He had a general's bold spirit, and also cared deeply about his children.

Even though he was stationed on the borderlands, he could perceive the discord between his mother and granddaughter. At times like this he would give her small trinkets from the battlefield, buy her the most delicious pastries, take her out to relax when he had free time, and talk to her about human connections, past and present.

In Jiang Chenghua's heart, General Jiang was the best father in Dayu, without equal.

But now, was he still her father?

Jiang Jizu had the same question in his heart.

Logically, Jiang Chenghua had only been a baby when she was swapped. She had no power to influence events. She steadfastly believed Jiang House was her home, Jiang Jizu and Mrs. Liao were her parents, and Jiang Chengyuan was her elder brother.

In that sense she was innocent.

Yet emotionally, her arrival had cost Jiang Sheng too much. This had nothing to do with bloodline anymore—it was a daughter of Jiang House's life, exchanged for her safe and smooth existence.

How could Jiang House members swallow this?

Over a decade of deep affection, jumbled true and false heiresses...the complex emotions made it hard to choose. Jiang Chengyuan was young enough to opt to serve on the borderlands, to choose to avoid and refuse to meet.

But Jiang Jizu could not.

He was Jiang House's helm, the Jiang General of the Dayu Dynasty, and above all Jiang Sheng's father.

"Chenghua," Jiang Jizu sighed. "Go home. Live properly. Jiang House will not mistreat you."

After raising her for over ten years she was still a young lady. Truly stripping her status as a Jiang House female and sending her to her alcoholic biological father would be akin to telling her to die.

Raising an extra girl wasn't difficult, and Jiang House was tolerant enough.

However, there was an implicit meaning in his words. There would be no lack materially, but emotionally it would be difficult to be as before.

Jiang Chenghua's tears flowed like rain as her final hope shattered. She reached out tremulously but could no longer grasp that wide palm. "Father... Father..."

Jiang Jizu was unable to spare her more attention. Originally sharing stories of days gone by, the five siblings suddenly rose as if to board their carriages and leave.

He hurriedly followed, unwilling to miss any chance.

"Father..." Jiang Chenghua cried her heart out. She hurriedly and desperately flung herself into the belated Mrs. Liao's embrace. "Mother, I have no father left. I have only you. Father doesn't want me anymore. Brother doesn't want me anymore. Mother please, please don't leave, don't leave."

"I won't leave. I won't," Mrs. Liao stroked her in her arms, hiding in the carriage.

The coachman cracked his whip, and the couple who had bowed to heaven and earth together twenty years ago left, now back-to-back.

One supported her false daughter of ten thousand years.

One rushed towards his true daughter of ten thousand years.

In the crowd, Old Lady Jiang sighed, having anticipated this.

"The General and Eldest Young Master are tolerant, willing to keep Third Young Lady," Tan Yue remarked with a nod. "It's a pity Third Young Lady doesn't understand. The life she grasped was stolen in the first place. Giving it back is normal."

"In matters of the world, the actors are confused while the onlookers see clearly," Old Lady Jiang gently shook her head. "Treasuring familial bonds is a good thing, but clinging too tightly will only harm yourself."

That's right.

Tan Yue considered deeply. "Old Madam, will you return home, or follow the General?"

"Let's go back," Old Lady Jiang smiled. "The remaining time is for father and daughter."

The weather was sunny and bright.

Before the small courtyard's carriage, the plump young lady climbed onto the carriage shaft into the compartment.

The man with muttonchop whiskers appeared again, a little aggrieved and confused. "Won't you even thank me?"