Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Chapter 210: Chapter 210: "I’m Afraid Brother’s Temperament Is That of a Powerful Minister Who Stirs Up Storms.

Qin Lingzhi stormed away from Qinglong Temple, and Ming Lingyi met up with Jiang Yuchuan and the others.

Once they met, Cai Jie couldn’t help but look at the only young woman among them wearing a veil.

Although Lord Jiang had never told her anything about Mrs. Ming, she had a gut feeling that this was the woman responsible for the long period when he had been so dejected.

Cai Jie knew why Jiang Yuchuan had broken off their engagement years ago. In truth, with so much time having passed, she had long forgotten the resentment she felt for him when she first heard the news.

It’s hard to resent someone you’ve barely met. It’s even harder to hold on to strong feelings for a stranger for so long.

As an outsider, she was genuinely curious about what kind of woman Lord Jiang had ended up falling for.

"After today, the Qin and Xie families will surely have a complete falling-out," Ming Lingyi said, looking at Jiang Yuchuan. "Will that cause any trouble for you?"

Jiang Yuchuan chuckled. "Didn’t we anticipate this before we acted? Even without today’s incident, hasn’t he always been looking for trouble with me? Today, we just struck back a little." After saying this, Jiang Yuchuan cupped his hands toward Zhang Sifan and Ming Chengyu. "Thank you both, and Young Master Xu, for assisting me."

If Ming Chengyu hadn’t approached him with the idea of cooperating, he might have been injured during his meeting with Qin Lingzhi today.

Even if he could have made Qin Lingzhi apologize to Cai Jie later, an injury is still an injury. An apology wouldn’t have lessened the pain.

Xu Qian waved his hand with a nonchalant expression. "She is far too arrogant. Even if I were just passing by Qinglong Temple today, I wouldn’t have stood by and done nothing."

He really felt Qin Lingzhi needed to be taught a lesson.

’To be so brazen, right under the Emperor’s nose... she clearly has no regard for the law.’

Jiang Yuchuan cupped his hands in thanks again.

"Now, we just have to see how the Xie family handles the Qin family’s provocation," Jiang Yuchuan said.

If he’d once had some concern for the Xie family’s plight, he was completely disillusioned after what Xie Jupu had been doing lately.

"Then we’ll wait for them to cripple each other," Ming Chengyu said. "This is just like when Zhang Sifan and I engineered the Xie family’s internal strife. All it needs is a spark, and the sharks will start circling at the smell of blood."

The merchant guilds of Shangjing City were a pie up for grabs. If the Xie and Qin families clashed, every noble house and major merchant in the city would spring into action.

Who wouldn’t want to profit from the chaos?

Ming Lingyi looked at her brother.

Sensing her gaze, Ming Chengyu glanced down. His expression shifted in an instant. As he looked at Ming Lingyi, any trace of the coldness he’d shown while discussing the Xie and Qin families vanished. "What is it?" he asked, his tone a world away from what it was moments ago.

Ming Lingyi shook her head. "...No wonder Grandpa doesn’t want you involved in court politics."

"Hm?"

"With a personality like yours, you’d end up as a powerful, scheming minister, manipulating everyone," Ming Lingyi said.

Ming Chengyu: "..."

At his side, Zhang Sifan heard this and immediately burst out laughing.

"That assessment is perfect! Absolutely spot on! Every word a gem, cutting right to the heart of it!" Zhang Sifan hadn’t forgotten that Ming Chengyu had roped him into this today. ’Sure, the Zhang Family might gain a lot from this, but what do the family’s benefits have to do with me? I’m still the one who has to go "debate the Dao" with that tiresome Xu Qian, aren’t I?’

Ming Chengyu didn’t get angry at his sister’s "slander," but hearing his friend chime in, he retorted without holding back, "I’ll be sure to pay your mother a visit. I’ll tell her how troubled you are that you can’t seem to spend your entire monthly allowance, and that she absolutely must not increase it in the future. Wouldn’t want to add to your burdens."

Zhang Sifan: "You!"

After sputtering and grinding his teeth, he flicked his sleeve in frustration. "Shameless! Despicable! To think my name is even mentioned alongside yours! It’s enough to make me keel over!"

Ming Chengyu laughed out loud.

Ming Lingyi shook her head with a helpless sigh. Out of the corner of her eye, her gaze met Cai Jie’s.

Ming Lingyi paused, slightly taken aback.

"The day is still young," Ming Lingyi said suddenly, looking at Cai Jie. "Miss Cai, you’ve been in Shangjing City for some time now. Have you ever visited Qinglong Temple?"

Cai Jie hadn’t expected Ming Lingyi to initiate a conversation with her. ’A woman capable of winning Lord Jiang’s affection must be extraordinary,’ she thought.

She had been trying to observe Ming Lingyi discreetly, but she’d been caught after all.

Now, not only had she been caught, but the other woman was speaking to her. Cai Jie felt her face grow warm.

"I haven’t..." she said softly. Her trip to Shangjing City wasn’t to stay with relatives or to hold Jiang Yuchuan to their marriage contract. She naturally didn’t have the leisurely mood to wander around the most prosperous city under heaven.

"Why don’t we explore a bit now, then?" Ming Lingyi invited. "As it happens, I haven’t had a chance to get out for a stroll in a long time either. I’m usually so busy."

Hearing this, Ming Chengyu couldn’t help but say with a sigh, "I told you before to let the Store Manager handle the restaurant..."

When she heard Ming Lingyi’s invitation, Cai Jie instinctively glanced over at Jiang Yuchuan.

’She wasn’t sure if Jiang Yuchuan would want her spending time with Ming Lingyi.’

’After all, this is the woman Lord Jiang truly loves. Would my presence make her uncomfortable?’

However, after seeing Jiang Yuchuan nod his approval, Cai Jie gave a discreet smile and stepped over to Ming Lingyi’s side.

When she heard the elegant young man mention something about a restaurant, Cai Jie’s eyes widened in surprise.

’A restaurant?’

’A merchant woman who runs a restaurant?’

’The woman Lord Jiang loves is a merchant woman?’

"Hey now, I’m already looking for someone, aren’t I?" Ming Lingyi retorted. After speaking, she seemed to sense the astonished gaze beside her. She turned and gave Cai Jie a friendly smile. "I run a restaurant in Huaided Fang, near the West Market. I wonder, has Lord Jiang ever mentioned it? If you ever find yourself bored in Shangjing City, Miss Cai, you’re always welcome to come by."

Cai Jie and Ming Lingyi walked ahead, side by side. The Endless Summer hydrangeas on the back hills of Qinglong Temple were in full bloom, a beautiful sight that Ming Lingyi had long wanted to see.

"Are you surprised?" Ming Lingyi asked with a smile, seeing that the woman beside her was silent.

Cai Jie nodded hesitantly. "I just... never expected the woman Lord Jiang loves would be... like this..."

As soon as the words were out, she seemed to realize they could easily be misunderstood and hurriedly added, "That’s not what I meant! It’s just... it’s just..."

Flustered, Cai Jie’s face flushed bright red, and she looked helplessly at Ming Lingyi.

Ming Lingyi laughed. "It’s alright, I know what you mean. You thought Lord Jiang would be with a well-read lady from a great family, or perhaps a gentle, virtuous maiden, right? You’re not wrong to think so. After all, the woman he loves in the future probably will be someone like that... someone like you, Miss Cai," she said.

’What’s past is past, but the future can still be hoped for.’