Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 27 The Gears of Fate Begin to Turn

Given the unexpected turn of events today, the school dismissed students early so they could go home and calm their nerves.

Jiang Se had two broken ribs and was not suitable to be moved, so he was temporarily placed in the rest room of Mr. Wenhan Pavilion. Everyone went back, and Le'an did not want to stay too long. He told him to rest well and asked the eunuch to take good care of him.

After watching Le'an leave, he disliked having outsiders around, so he instructed the eunuch to wait outside. He was left alone in the quiet room, idly staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

He knew, of course, that Suhe's method of rescuing people was the safest. However, although the separation between men and women was not strictly enforced, hugging and rolling around in public, especially for someone like him, would only damage Le'an's reputation.

Although this method is a bit foolish, as long as Le'an is safe, breaking two ribs is worth it.

Just then, I caught a glimpse of someone coming in out of the corner of my eye.

"Didn't I say it wasn't necessary... Your Highness?"

The visitor was none other than Le'an's father, Prince Que De of Xiangnan.

"No need for such formalities," the Prince of Xiangnan stopped Jiang Se from getting up.

"I have heard about what happened today. Thank you for saving Le'an."

"The county magistrate has also helped me a lot on a regular basis."

"You did a very thorough job today, and you are now at peace with yourself."

Jiang Se's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Was it really that obvious? Her fingers clenched the corner of the blanket, her eyes lowered, and she said, "I wouldn't dare. I'm not worthy."

“Indeed, you are not worthy.” The Prince of Xiangnan did not mince words with him.

Jiang Se's eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head even further: "I know my own limitations."

The Prince of Xiangnan glanced at Jiang Se without showing any emotion, then looked away and continued, "You currently have no official position, no noble title, and not even your own residence. How are you going to get married?"

"Huh?" Jiang Se looked confused, then suddenly realized what she meant and a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, "If I could achieve something great..."

"I am not such a shallow person. A hero's origins are irrelevant. Le'an will be of marriageable age next month. You should consider it carefully."

The King of Xiangnan stopped there and didn't linger any longer. He turned and left, leaving Jiang Se to think alone.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the gauze window onto half of Jiang Se's face. The shadow cast by his eyelashes concealed the emotions in his eyes, and only his slightly trembling fingers betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

The Prince of Xiangnan's Mansion

Que De picked up some food with his chopsticks and casually said, "I just visited Jiang Deyin and asked him if he likes you."

"Cough cough cough~"

Le'an nearly choked to death, staring wide-eyed at her father in disbelief.

"What, you don't even like him?" Que De glanced at Le An and continued eating.

Le'an's concern for Jiang Se stemmed from her desire to protect a beautiful gem from being tarnished. As she said, it was simply her righteous statement based on the facts, without much consideration for romantic feelings between them.

After all, her marriage was not her own decision, and she didn't want to add to her worries. She opened her mouth, then hesitated and asked, "Father, don't you mind that Deyin has a bad reputation?"

"You can't eat empty words. As for our royal family's empty title, with no power or money, do you think it's easy to find you a good husband?"

"..."

Que De earnestly advised Le An, "Heroes emerge in chaotic times. In this world, no family background or wealth is as important as military power."

“You must remember, with soldiers comes power, and with power comes money. Jiang Deyin has both literary and martial talents and a good background; he just needs an opportunity.”

Le'an nodded in agreement, "However, the military power of Marquis Wu'an is inherited by his heir. Now that the states are at peace, even if one were to join the army, there would be no opportunity to make military achievements in recent years."

Que De smiled slyly and said meaningfully, "Right now there is a great opportunity, it just depends on whether they can seize it."

Le'an pondered the political situation and seemed to have found a clue, but he wasn't sure, so he asked, "What if we can't catch them?"

“Then let’s not talk about it,” Que Deguang said. “Did I promise him anything? No? Of course I’ll find you a suitable husband.”

"..."

Le An bowed respectfully to Que De.

Wenhan Pavilion Quiet Room —

Consort Jiang, accompanied by her maids carrying food boxes, entered the quiet room and hurried to the bedside, asking with concern, "Brother, are you alright?"

"It's alright, sister." Jiang Se smiled at Jiang Qin.

No one knows a younger brother better than his older sister. Jiang Se rarely smiles, and even when she does, it's just an expression. But at this moment, Jiang Se is radiant, and her smile goes deep into her eyes.

Jiang Qin raised an eyebrow, giving him an inquiring look. Could something good be happening?

Jiang Qin also knew Jiang Qin well, and without her having to say anything, she replied, "The Prince of Xiangnan just came by."

Jiang Qin teased, "Could it be that the Prince has agreed to marry the Princess of Le'an to you?"

Jiang Se was a little embarrassed. "No, it's just that he doesn't dislike me. In his eyes, I'm the same as everyone else."

Looking into Jiang Se's bright eyes, Jiang Jieyu felt a pang of sadness. He didn't need any special treatment; all he wanted was the same opportunity as everyone else.

“Sister, I’ve lived a muddled life for fifteen years, never thinking about earning anything, but this time I want to.”

Looking at the determination in Jiang Se's eyes, Jiang Jieyu felt a mix of emotions. Her younger brother lost his mother at birth and grew up amidst harsh words and insults. No one recognized him, he had no friends, and his temperament became increasingly melancholic, even showing some self-loathing and self-destructive tendencies.

What do you want to do?

"I want to find a job in the army. Although there is no major war now, bandits and roving bandits are still rampant. I will always have the opportunity to make a name for myself."

Jiang Qin lowered her eyes and pondered for a long time before gently touching Jiang Se's face and whispering, "Sister will help you."

Chunhui Hall of Shen Mansion —

Shen Che sighed, "Third Sister was right. There are always times when guards can't cover everything. It seems that it's really necessary to learn some martial arts to protect yourself."

She glanced at her son in the swaddling clothes again: "When Lang'er is older, let him go and learn a few moves from Instructor Yue."

Li Su agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "He should be rewarded."

Faced with the unexpected reward and flattery, Instructor Yue could only laugh awkwardly and say, "It's all thanks to the lady's intelligence."

Shen Qing said, "It's all thanks to Master Yue's excellent teaching."

"..." Instructor Yue fell into self-doubt.

·

The next day, two imperial edicts were issued from the palace.

Consort Jiang, with a strong sense of righteousness, requested that the Fifth Prince Que Shu be sent as a hostage to the Yu Kingdom for the sake of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and was promoted to the rank of Second-Rank Imperial Consort.

Jiang Se was exceptionally skilled in martial arts and rendered meritorious service in saving the Princess of Le'an County. He was granted the title of Viscount and appointed as a Fifth-Rank General.

Upon hearing the news, Shen Qing was astonished. What a powerful woman!

The outcome of the Fifth Prince's hostage situation was not unexpected by Shen Shi. Although Consort Rong was not favored, her maternal clan's influence was deeply entrenched and not easy to deal with.

The only surprise was that Jiang Qin was so courageous as to volunteer herself, thus saving face for the emperor and maximizing her benefits by gaining his pity and remorse.

Now that the Fifth Prince's hostage situation in Yu Kingdom is a done deal, Shen Che frowned and pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind and saying, "Father, I wish to be the chief envoy of this delegation!"

"My lord!" Qin Zhen said anxiously, "The mountains are high and the rivers are far, and the world is not peaceful. What if..."

She dared not continue. Li Su felt that a man's ambition should be to travel far and wide. If Shen Che wanted to go further in the future, he would need to enhance his resume. Moreover, now that the countries were at peace, it was the safest time to make contributions.

But she couldn't say much; being a stepmother was difficult, and if anything went wrong, she would be blamed.

Shen Shi remained silent, and the atmosphere became tense for a moment.

The Iris Palace of the Imperial Palace —

The fifth prince was locked in his room, crying and making a scene, while Jiang Se stood outside the door, feeling extremely guilty.

"elder sister……"

Consort Jiang, no, she's now a Noble Consort, raised her hand to interrupt him, and said with a wry smile, "Do you know what His Majesty likes most about me? I'm so understanding."