Chapter 366

Arrived at Famen Temple.

The Jiang family were already waiting in the carriage for a while. When Jiang Sheng jumped off the carriage, Tan Yue timed it right to help Old Lady Jiang walk down.

"Grandma." She laughed happily and threw herself over, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"Not long, not long." Old Lady Jiang stroked her head, "Where's your father?"

Jiang Sheng held back her smile and pointed at the middle-aged man with a white complexion who was lifting the carriage curtain. Turns out not only she would mistake him, even Old Lady Jiang as his mother would mistake her son.

"This..." Old Lady Jiang stared blankly.

Tan Yue widened her eyes.

Along with Mrs. Liao behind, Jiang Chenghua, and the four people from the second room, they were all stunned in place.

Who would have thought that General Jiang with a full beard could have such a white and beardless day. Not only did his original imposing manner disappear, he also gained some Confucian elegance, with a 60% resemblance to Jiang Jizong.

"Eldest uncle is as handsome without the beard as father is." Jiang Chengyu exclaimed to the side, seemingly flattering.

The Jiang family all held back their smiles, only Mrs. Liao had complex feelings inside.

When they first got married, Jiang Jizu was also elegant and handsome like this, which deeply captured her heart.

Later after several battle defeats, his white and tender appearance aroused doubts in the army, and also brought shame to the Jiang family’s reputation. Out of resentment, and to conceal his tenderness, he grew a full beard that he hadn’t shaved for twenty years.

Although Mrs. Liao didn’t say anything, what woman doesn’t wish for her husband to be handsome and carefree, and like scholarly men with white complexions, it was just that the Liao family’s status was too low back then for her to say much.

She really didn’t expect that after twenty years, she could still see her husband's Confucian and elegant appearance.

"Eldest brother dislikes the messy eating with a beard." Jiang Jizong said jokingly, "Have to wash his face every time after meals."

Jiang Jizu smiled and stroked his cheek, "My daughter doesn't like it."

So it was for his daughter.

Jiang Jizong nodded in realization, the others also smiled lightly.

Only Mrs. Liao clenched her fists and stared coldly at Jiang Sheng before lowering her eyes.

The maid behind the mistress also let out a contemptuous snort.

Jiang Sheng's smile disappeared as she unconsciously snuggled closer to Old Lady Jiang.

"Alright alright, let's go offer incense." Old Lady Jiang's eyes flashed a cold sternness as she put one arm around her granddaughter, "Our girl should also meet her grandfather."

"The young miss probably doesn't know what kind of person the old general is. Although I haven't seen him many times either, I can still tell you about him from what I heard from Old Lady." Tan Yue cleverly changed the topic, "Listen to me..."

The group slowly walked up. Even the oldest Old Lady didn't call for a sedan chair. They climbed over the steps, trudged through the mud, and finally arrived at the temple halfway up the mountain.

Unlike the small temple where the Gong Prince's Crown Son kept his beloved concubine like a precious jewel, Famen Temple was the biggest temple most aristocratic families in Fengjing visited. It housed hundreds of ancestral tablets from aristocratic families, with dozens of monks chanting scriptures and praying for them.

The aristocratic families would donate some incense money and come to commemorate their deceased relatives during New Year's and Qingming.

Since today was neither a festival nor holiday, there were almost no worshippers, and the entire Famen Temple seemed to be opened just for the Jiang family.

"Amitabha, the patrons have arrived." The young attendant monk put his palms together.

"We're here." Old Lady Jiang greeted him, "How have you been, little master?"

"All is well." The little monk lowered his head, "Everyone who should come has arrived."

"That is good, very good." Old Lady Jiang nodded, "Then let's go in. Haven't seen the abbot in a long time."

The little monk echoed the Buddha's name and led the way ahead.

Jiang Jizu followed behind expressionlessly, occasionally glancing at Jiang Sheng. Seeing her only being curious and looking around with her little head swaying left and right, he put his heart back in his stomach.

The group passed through the bluestone path, the dense bamboo forest, climbed three flights of stairs, and finally reached the main hall of the temple.

The abbot with all white hair and beard opened his eyes, "Congratulations Old Lady, congratulations General, for finding your lost granddaughter and restoring your family ties."

He also looked at Jiang Sheng and revealed a faint smile, "Young lady is quite a lucky person."

With a round face and chubby limbs, how could she be so plump without luck?

The brothers behind thought to themselves.

"Abbot knows physiognomy too?" Jiang Chengyu became interested and rushed to the front, "Look at me, am I also very lucky?"

The old abbot did study him carefully and nodded seriously, "Round face mean good fortune, teeth gaps mean talkative."

Jiang Chengyu hurriedly closed his mouth to hide his not so neat teeth.

"What about me, what about me?" Jiang Chengfeng also came over.

The abbot smiled, "Broad forehead, prosperous fortune."

Since he already looked at so many, why not look at the few left.

The abbot's gaze swept over Jiang Chenghua and saw her slender figure and sharp chin. He shook his head and sighed, "Too frail to shoulder fortune."

Mrs. Liao was a bit displeased but didn't have time to say anything before the eager Zheng Ruqian pulled his brothers over.

"Look at us too." The four boys straightened their chins.

The abbot started evaluating them each indeed, "Broad face and big mouth, great wealth to come."

That's Zheng Ruqian.

"Angular eyebrows and dignified air, born to be a general."

That's Fang Heng.

"Male fortune and female body, meticulous." That's Wen Zhiyun.

When he saw Chang Yan, the old abbot obviously froze, examining him back and forth several times. His expression changed from solemn to strange and then sighing.

"Abbot, what's wrong with my brother?" Jiang Sheng asked anxiously and rushed over, "Is he alright?"

The abbot weighed his words, "His life is not at peril."

But it was just his life not in peril.

Jiang Sheng did not detect any hidden meaning, extremely delighted, "It's fine as long as he lives, what else to worry about?"

"It's even better if he can live a well fed life."

Everyone laughed at the simplicity of the girl's outlook on life.

"Amitabha." The abbot finally finished with the children and brought his palms together, "The meditation room has been tidied up, and all uninvolved personnel have left. Please, this way."

He moved slightly aside to make way for the small door leading to the meditation room.

Jiang Sheng didn't understand not having been here before and eagerly went ahead.

Those who understood a bit would be puzzled since the ancestral tablets were in the side halls and they offered incense in the side halls as well. What business did they have in the meditation room, a place to rest, which was even cleared of unnecessary people? It seemed like they were going to do something serious.

The feeling intensified as they reached the back garden as the small monk closed the door behind them.

Built against a mountain, the meditation rooms of Famen Temple were also staggered, connected by a winding bluestone path that led up to a jutting cliff.

It was surrounded by nine-foot high walls that blocked out the steep mountains and enclosed the disturbances inside and outside the meditation rooms.

No outsiders, no stray gazes.

Tan Yue brought over rattan chairs and helped Old Lady Jiang sit down.

Jiang Jizu finally turned to face his wife, "I have already sought permission from His Majesty to let Tan Yue Pavillion take over Liao’s lychee business."

The bored Zheng Ruqian suddenly became spirited.

"His Majesty has also agreed to take away all official positions from the Liao family."

"The other powerful families have also gotten wind of this and would cut off all business ties with the Liao family."

If Jiang Chengyuan’s actions were just a light shower, then Jiang Jizu was a thunderstorm.

"Why?" Mrs. Liao was shocked speechless, "How has the Liao family offended you, you want to destroy Liao’s livelihood!"

"Aren't you clear what you've done?" Jiang Jizu laughed, "Are you truly unclear?"

Replacing the Jiang’s eldest daughter, abandoning the Jiang’s eldest daughter, ignoring the Jiangs’ eldest daughter.

Every single detail, every clause, which wasn't an offense?

The Jiang family isn't paper tigers, nor Saints that turn the other cheek. They were just gathering evidence, just waiting for the one with real authority to return.

And now, he has returned.

Not just to salvage the bond between father and daughter, but also to obtain justice for Jiang Sheng, to compensate her for twelve years of bitter loneliness.

"For your niece, you threw away your own daughter and made her beg for seven years, at death's door starving for seven years, insulted and beaten for seven years. Are you even a real mother, how could you have such a cruel heart!"

"Mrs. Liao, answer me, why are you so heartless?"