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Jiang Peihuan seemed oblivious to the dispute between her two Jiang brothers. She casually strolled to the window and pushed it open.

To her surprise, as she opened her window, the window across from her swung open too.

Lin Mengyao didn’t anticipate seeing Jiang Pei Huan on the other side, which left her momentarily stunned. After a few seconds, she managed to give Jiang Peihuan a warm smile.

Jiang Peihuan returned the gesture, a faint, delicate smile gracing her face.

“Elder Sister, look! Father, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle!” Jiang Sijin suddenly cried out, her voice ringing in the air. Jiang Peihuan swiftly looked down, her eyes met by the sight of streets brimming with enthusiastic townspeople, all cheering in unison.

Perched on the horse at the front was Jiang Hong. He was in his forties this year but years in the military had added a touch of ruggedness to his appearance, making him look older than he actually was. Yet, his refined facial features lent him a scholarly aura, contrasting his status as a general.

Following Jiang Hong were Jiang Yuan and Jiang Ren.

Jiang Yuan had a stern countenance and seemed reticent, while Jiang Ren, with his delicate features and handsome face, was undoubtedly the most attractive among the three brothers. Despite being clad in armor, his demeanor resembled more of a young nobleman than a warrior.

Behind the trio trailed a carriage, which Jiang Peihuan knew carried her mother, Xue Yan.

“Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle?” Jiang Sijin, with her youthful innocence, voiced out her excitement as she noticed the approaching group. Her voice echoed through the street, reaching her father.

Upon hearing his youngest daughter’s voice, Jiang Hong instantly raised his head.

Inside the carriage, Xue Yan, unable to contain her curiosity, gently lifted the curtain.

“Mother, I’m here,” Jiang Sijin called out, her arm waving vigorously upon seeing Xue Yan opening the carriage curtain.

Xue Yan, from inside the carriage, smiled at her daughter’s excitement, her eyes misty and reddened. She waved back at them.

“Father, Mother,” Jiang Peihuan whispered, her gaze fixed on Jiang Hong and Xue Yan who were now directly beneath her window. Her voice trembled, she was unsure if she was calling out to her current parents or those of her past life. Overwhelmed by the moment, tears began to stream down her face.

Jiang Hong, mounted on his horse, initially maintained his stern demeanor befitting of an army commander. But upon hearing Jiang Pei Huan’s voice, he couldn’t resist turning his head repeatedly.

Seeing Jiang Peihuan with tears welling in her eyes, he felt a lump in his throat. His own eyes reddened as he waved back at her, mouthing “We’re home.”

“Big brother, remember there are a lot of townsfolk watching. You mustn’t cry,” Jiang Ren cautioned as he waved at his son and nieces and nephews. He chuckled lightly, finding the sight of his usually composed older brother teary-eyed rather amusing.

Before Jiang Hong could even open his mouth, an irritated Jiang Yuan shot him a sharp glare. “You’re impudent! Watch how you speak to our elder brother.”

“Second Brother, though you’re not much older, you seem more like an old man than our elder brother does.”

“You…”

“Don’t force me to slap you in front of so many people.”

“In front of all these people, don’t provoke me to slap you.”

At the forefront, Jiang Hong, hearing the squabbling behind him, shot Jiang Ren an icy stare.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ren immediately quieted down.

Inside their private quarters.

“Elder Sister, Father and the others have already left. Should we head back to the mansion now?” asked Jiang Sijin.

“Mm,” Jiang Peihuan murmured, still somewhat lost in her thoughts. Hearing Jiang Sijin’s voice, she nodded softly.

As she lifted her gaze, Jiang Peihuan met Lin Mengyao’s eyes, filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Seeing Lin Mengyao’s gaze, Jian Peihuan felt a flicker of confusion, but she chose not to voice it. She simply nodded in acknowledgement and closed the window.

Jiang Sijin, who had observed the entire exchange, turned to Jiang Peihuan, perplexed. “Elder Sister, why was Miss Lin looking at you in such a peculiar way?”

“What kind of look?” asked Jian Peihuan.

Jiang Changbai and Jiang Songbai, noticing the stranger was a woman, had averted their eyes without giving much thought. Now hearing Jiang Sijin’s comment, they both turned to her in unison.

“I can’t quite describe it… it just seemed odd,” Jiang Sijin said with a slight frown, responding to her brothers’ questions.

“What’s so odd about that?” Jiang Ruyun interjected. “Both the Lin family and our family come from a line of warriors. Lin Mengyao has been compared to our Elder Sister since childhood. It was only recently, when she moved to her maternal grandfather’s house, that people stopped drawing comparisons.”

“Now that she’s back and has seen Elder Sister, it’s only natural she wants to size herself up against her.”

Upon hearing Jiang Ruyun’s explanation, Jiang Changbai and Jiang Songbai wore expressions of resignation, evidently at a loss to understand the intricacies of the female mind.

Jiang Sijin, though, appeared unconvinced. She frowned and retorted, “Even though the Lin family also descends from military officers, Miss Lin seems like she’d wilt in the wind. She’s nothing like Elder Sister. There’s no comparison at all.”

She paused and then looked at Jiang Ruyun with a slight smirk. “Actually, come to think of it, Miss Lin’s temperament is quite similar to yours, Second Sister.”

“Don’t dare to compare her with me. She’s not even close,” Jiang Ruyun responded without hesitation. Despite the Lin family also being of military descent, they paled in comparison to the Jiangs. Moreover, the Lin family didn’t prioritize their daughters. As the sole legitimate daughter of the second house of the Jiang family, she was far superior to Lin Mengyao.

“Enough, no more gossiping about others. Father and Second Uncle should be on their way to the palace. Let’s head back.”

Jiang Peihuan’s voice cut through Jiang Sijin and Jiang Ruyun’s brewing conversation.

Once Jiang Peihuan spoke, the other two fell silent.

Across the room, Lin Mengyao was staring at the now closed window, a dark look clouding her eyes. The Jiang family’s reputation was on the rise once again, and Jiang Peihuan’s standing among the noble ladies was also sure to ascend.

Sharing a similar background as a general’s daughter, Lin Mengyao felt a burning jealousy. How did Jiang Peihuan get so lucky?

In the Imperial Palace.

“We offer our greetings to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor.”

Jiang Hong was at the forefront, followed by a dozen or so generals.

Emperor Qi Ming, seeing the sea of people kneeling before him, wore a smile that filled his eyes. He stood from his throne and approached Jiang Hong. He lifted him up personally, “Minister Jiang, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“Your Majesty, you flatter me. As a citizen of Qi State, I was born to defend it.”

Jiang Hong’s eyes were brimming with sincerity. The Emperor was momentarily stunned by his earnest gaze, and then, his smile deepened.

Addressing Jiang Hong, Emperor Qi Ming chuckled, “Splendid, it’s the Great Qi’s fortune to have a capable minister like you. Indeed, it’s my luck.”

“Jiang Hong, heed my command.”

“I am at your service.”

Upon hearing Emperor Qi Ming’s words, Jiang Hong quickly dropped to his knees.

“Jiang Hong has proven his valor and prowess in quelling the recent rebellion. Reflecting on the substantial contributions of the Jiang family, today I bestow upon Jiang Hong the distinguished title of Great General King, entrusting him with the command of our three armies. His wife, Lady Xue, is henceforth granted the esteemed title of First Rank Lady of the Decree. Jiang Yuan is promoted to the position of Minister of War, with an official ranking of third grade. Jiang Ren is appointed as a military officer, ranked at fifth grade. Meng Yi is given the title of Chief of a Thousand Households, also of the fifth grade…”

“We express our deepest gratitude to the Emperor!”

“Esteemed ministers, please rise.”