When the rooster crowed in the east, the youth on the bed straightened his clothes and stood up. After a night's rest, coupled with the fact that Xiao Shao's recovery ability was slightly better than an ordinary person's, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him. Jin San, who was outside, leapt in through the window. Still somewhat worried about his injuries, he hesitantly asked, "Master …"
Xiao Shao waved his hand and Jin San shut his mouth. He thought for a moment before saying, "Miss Jiang has already woken up and is outside the room."
After Jin San left, Xiao Shao surveyed his surroundings. Yesterday, he had been in a hurry, so he hadn't noticed anything. Now that he had woken up, the entire room seemed to be lingering with a faint fragrance. Only now did he realize that this was indeed a girl's boudoir.
Ever since Xiao Shao had taken over the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he had received all kinds of missions. It wasn't that he had never seen a girl's boudoir, but in his heart, it was just an ordinary place, no different from a garden or a lake. Today, however, was the first time he realized that it was different. Thus, Xiao Ye Xiao, who never wasted time on senseless matters, seriously surveyed a girl's boudoir for the first time.
Although it was a boudoir, it didn't really seem like one. Unlike other girls, there were no flowers or plants, no gorgeous gauze curtains, and no exquisite or beautiful decorations. For a young girl who had just reached marriageable age, it seemed a little too austere. Even Mo Cong, as a man, seemed to be more particular about decorating the room than Jiang Ruan.
Xiao Shao had heard of Jiang Ruan's miserable life when she had been sent to the rural residence by Jiang Quan. If it was because of her thrifty habits, then it was understandable that she was unwilling to decorate the room too extravagantly. However, the gloomy jet-black color was somewhat unusual.
The eldest di daughter of the Jiang family usually loved to wear red. She also had a charming appearance. She should have been as passionate as a red fox, but her temperament was as cold and indifferent as a green snake. Looking around the room, the colors were mostly deep black. How could an ordinary girl like black? Xiao Shao himself liked dark colors because his temperament was cold and cheerless and he matured a little earlier than his peers. However, Jiang Ruan was only a young girl after all. Xiao Shao was slightly startled, as if he could see the deepest secrets in Jiang Ruan's heart through these dark colors.
There was also a pile of books on the desk. Xiao Shao casually flipped through them and discovered that they were books on the Jin dynasty's laws and military strategy. Only the older people would read such rigid and stiff things. However, the military strategy book had been flipped through so many times that it had yellowed. Clearly, the owner had read it often. Not only that, Xiao Shao also discovered that these law books were not only the latest, but also those books that were also collected. He did not know why Jiang Jiang Jiang Ruan was reading them.
He stood there quietly and pondered for a while before he looked away and slowly walked out of the door.
In the outer room, Jiang Ruan was sitting in front of the window. However, the book on the table was not opened. With one hand supporting her chin, she looked out of the window, lost in thought. It was unknown what she was thinking about, but her expression was somewhat cold.
Hearing footsteps, Jiang Ruan turned around and saw Xiao Shao. She asked, "Why don't you rest more?"
Ruan Ju could be considered an iron fence in the Jiang fu. No one dared to interfere. Jiang Ruan did not like to set excessive rules. Usually, the maids and older women were lazier than the people in the other courtyards. At this hour, she was awake, but some of the maids and older women in Ruan Ju had not yet woken up.
Xiao Shao was somewhat puzzled. However, the rooster had just crowed, yet Jiang Ruan looked like she had been awake for a long time. His gaze fell on the faint dark circles under Jiang Ruan's eyes and he understood. In the end, he felt a little apologetic and said, "You … have worked hard."
These words were said without rhyme or reason. Bai Zhi, who was at the side, almost could not hold back her laughter. She lowered her head and quickly found an excuse to leave so that Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao could speak.
Jiang Ruan nodded. She had always been a light sleeper. In fact, since her rebirth, although she looked calm and indifferent, she could not forget the nightmares of her previous life at night. Once she was awakened in the middle of the night by a nightmare, she could no longer sleep. If there was something on her mind, her sleep was even shallower.
Last night, Xiao Shao had suddenly appeared. After she had settled down, she went to the outer room. There were many thoughts in her mind, and she did not feel sleepy. If it were not for Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao's repeated coaxing, she would not have been able to sleep for a few hours.
Xiao Shao sat opposite Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan's gaze fell on his chest and she asked, "Are your injuries better?"
Xiao Shao nodded, "I will leave in a while."
"There is no need to be so anxious," Jiang Ruan looked at him and said, "It is not too late to leave after drinking a bowl of brown sugar water."
Speaking of brown sugar water, Xiao Shao's expression became somewhat stiff. It was not as if he did not know the effects of the brown sugar water. These days, Jiang Ruan had been drinking brown sugar water because of the Kui Water. However, he was a man. If the Brocade Guards heard that he drank brown sugar water, how would he be able to convince them in the future?
Jiang Ruan looked at his unnatural appearance and felt that it was somewhat funny. She changed the topic and said, "How many days will you be staying in the capital this time?"
Hearing this, Xiao Shao's expression became serious. Seeing him like this, Jiang Ruan understood a little. She only heard Xiao Shao say, "Recently, the capital is not peaceful. You should also be more careful in the fu. If something happens, just use the whistle I gave you."
Jiang Ruan's eyes narrowed, "The people of Nanjiang are going to make a move?"
Xiao Shao was surprised. This was originally a secret of the palace. Even if an ordinary woman knew, they would not think about it in any other way. However, Jiang Ruan seemed to be very sensitive to these matters. His gaze towards Jiang Ruan unconsciously had a few more traces of admiration, "Yes."
"I understand." Jiang Ruan did not say much. She paused and then said, "You are already the target of public criticism. Since the people of Nanjiang are rampant in the capital, most of them will come for you. You should also pay attention."
In her previous life, Jinying Wang Xiao Shao's name often seemed to be linked to the Nanjiang. In her previous life, when the late emperor was poisoned and Xuan Li seized the throne, Xiao Shao was also in the Nanjiang and could not rush back. If Xiao Shao had still been in the capital at that time, she did not know how the situation would have developed. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruan was momentarily disappointed and frustrated. When she noticed Xiao Shao's gaze on her, she slightly calmed down. Although she did not know the specific reason, she felt that Xiao Shao and the Southern Frontier had some kind of indescribable relationship. She did not know whether it was because of a feud or some other reason, but in short, when Xiao Shao faced the people of Nanjiang, he always carried a layer of viciousness. That layer of viciousness was very, very faint, but because Jiang Ruan was someone who had died once, she was very clear about that feeling.
The corners of Xiao Shao's mouth curved, his gaze softened, and he said, "Alright." After a moment of silence, he said, "What do you plan to do with the Xia family? Do you want me to help you? "
After Jiang Ruan had left yesterday, Tian Zhu had come to the room and clearly explained everything that had happened in the Jiang fu these days, regardless of whether it was big or small. When Xiao Shao heard that Yu Ya had schemed to frame Zhao Feizhou, he was very displeased. These people were like flies, always hovering around people, and it was very annoying. If Jiang Ruan agreed, he could think of a way to completely destroy the Xia fu and eliminate any future troubles.
"No need, I have a way." Jiang Ruan said. When it came to matters like revenge, there was no need to rely on manpower. If they were really to be like Xiao Shao and completely annihilate them, wouldn't that be letting them off easy?
Seeing her like this, Xiao Shao did not insist and only said, "Alright."
The two of them continued to talk about matters unrelated to romance, which made Dewdrop, who was peeking from the window outside, want to bang her head against the wall. However, at this moment, Bai Zhi hurriedly pushed open the door and came in, anxiously saying, "Miss, Fourth Young Lady has come to the courtyard."
At such an early hour, moreover, Jiang Dan usually did not come to the Ruan Ju. Now that she was acting like this, it was indeed suspicious. Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, "Since she is so concerned about me, she must have heard some news last night. Now that she has rushed here without stopping, it is natural that she wants to block all escape routes."
She looked at Xiao Shao, "I am afraid that you will not be able to leave now."
Xiao Shao stood up, "I will go out now."
"There is no need," Jiang Ruan smiled, "This Fourth Younger Sister of mine looks like a delicate little flower that does not reveal the mountains or dew the waters. The things that she does will make you drop your glasses."
"If she finds out that I am here, it will affect your reputation." Xiao Shao pursed his lips. He understood very well what reputation meant to a girl's family. Moreover, Jiang Ruan was now Hong 'an Junzhu, and there were countless pairs of eyes staring at her. If something really happened, the spittle of the common people would be enough to drown her.
"Do you really think that this Fourth Younger Sister of mine is just trying to tarnish my reputation?" Jiang Ruan smiled and shook her head, "I am afraid that the person who harmed you last night will also have to find an excuse to search for you. I think it should be an assassin. If my guess is correct, Jiang Dan should have suspected my courtyard last night. At this moment, the outside of the Jiang fu is probably already surrounded by several layers of people, just waiting for you to come out. As for me, the crime of harboring an assassin and being in cahoots with an assassin is much more serious. "
Because of his relationship with Empress Dowager Yi De, if he had a relationship with an ordinary man, he could still defend himself. However, if he had a relationship with an assassin, even if the common people could tolerate it, the imperial family could not. The person who set the trap and Jiang Dan had only cooperated, thinking that once Xiao Shao went out, he would not wait for him to reveal his identity before forcefully abducting him. He did not know whether he was too naive or stupid.
Xiao Shao frowned. He had not thought so much last night, and did not know that even a shu daughter in this fu had such complicated thoughts. She wanted to kill Jiang Ruan at every turn. Although he was slightly angry in his heart, he also felt a little more pity for the young girl in front of him. He paused, lowered his eyes, and said, "Then I will blackmail you to go out now to prove that you have nothing to do with this matter."
"It would be better for you to go out and kill all those people." Jiang Ruan said.
Xiao Shao stared blankly. It was not that he had not thought about it, but killing people at the door of the Jiang fu might attract a lot of trouble in the future. There were some things that could not be exposed for the time being, so as not to alert the enemy.
Jiang Ruan patted his arm, "Don't worry. Since I dared to make you stay last night, I have already made preparations."
Xiao Shao stared at her, and the guilt he felt towards her deepened. He did not expect that a moment of impulsiveness would bring trouble to Jiang Ruan. He naturally had ten thousand ways to escape, but none of them were secure enough. It was inevitable that he would leave behind something that could be used against him, and it would also bring trouble to Jiang Ruan in the future. At this moment, hearing Jiang Ruan say this, he thought that she had some good idea, and immediately listened attentively.
Jiang Ruan walked to the front of the soft couch in her inner room, and lifted the thick mattress to reveal the thick and heavy bed board inside. She reached out and patted the bed board, and felt along the edge of the bed board. That bed board, which seemed to have no gaps, was touched by her touch. Impressively, a crack appeared in one corner of the bed board. She pulled it down forcefully, and the bed board was firmly lifted, revealing a small iron door with a small lock on it.
Jiang Ruan felt a small silver key from the foot of the bed on the other side, and opened the iron lock. She lifted the iron board up, and said to him, "Go in."
Impressively, it was a small secret passage.
"It's not a secret passage." Seeing Xiao Shao's startled appearance, Jiang Ruan explained, "I don't have that much ability, it's just a storage room. Go in and stay for a while. "
This storage room had been built bit by bit since she returned to the fu. In her previous life, when she was in the palace, she was fortunate enough to see a noble do this, but it was a secret passage. The Jiang fu was besieged on all sides, and it was inevitable that someone would take advantage of her absence to ransack her room. Although she would not leave behind anything that could be used against her, this storage room could occasionally be used for emergencies.
Xiao Shao was also startled by Jiang Ruan's sudden entrance into the storage room. Hearing Baizhi's urging voice, he did not hesitate and immediately jumped in. Jiang Ruan then restored the bed board to its original appearance. She put down the mosquito net.
Lian Qiao's voice was somewhat anxious, "Fourth Miss, Miss has not woken up yet. Wait for Miss to freshen up before coming out. At present, her makeup has not been done …"
"We are all sisters," Jiang Dan's voice came from afar, still as delicate and gentle as usual, but if one listened carefully, there was a trace of joy.
Lian Qiao's anxious appearance fell into Jiang Dan's eyes, and she felt a little more confident in her heart. Last night, when her servant girl went to pour water, in the middle of the night, she saw Lian Qiao hurriedly walk out of the Ruan Ju next door, but she was heading towards the small kitchen. With some curiosity, she followed all the way, but heard Lian Qiao instructing the small kitchen to make a bowl of brown sugar water.
There was nothing strange about this. Jiang Ruan had brought the sunflower water, and it was good to drink a bowl of brown sugar water in the middle of the night to nourish her body. But the strange thing was that Baizhi also sent someone to fetch hot water. The servant girl thought that Jiang Ruan wanted to wash her body in the middle of the night, so she turned around and unintentionally mentioned it to Jiang Dan. Jiang Dan, on the other hand, was somewhat scheming. Jiang Ruan had never been someone who liked trouble, and she had never felt uncomfortable because of the sunflower water. In the middle of the night, it was really too much work for the servant girls. She paid attention and sent someone to investigate. Sure enough, she bribed the old woman who was in charge of cleaning and guarding the Ruan Ju, and found out that Baizhi had poured out a basin of water, and that the water had the smell of blood.
Jiang Dan's intuition told her that there must be a reason for this. Coincidentally, her personal servant Yu 'er had an elder brother who was on duty at the gatehouse. When she returned at night, she met the gatehouse's manservant, who said that the capital's city gate commander, Yan Dong, was leading troops to catch the assassin. As if enlightened, Jiang Dan immediately had a guess in her heart. She was afraid that the assassin was currently in Jiang Ruan's room.
Although she did not know why Jiang Ruan wanted to save the assassin, the brown sugar water and clear water should have been prepared for this moment. Jiang Dan herself guessed that the assassin was threatening Jiang Ruan to do this, but for Jiang Dan, this was a hard-won opportunity. As long as Jiang Ruan was alive, she felt very uneasy. Now that there was an opportunity that was delivered to her doorstep, how could she not use it? Immediately, an idea formed in her heart.
However, Jiang Dan had always been a calm person, and she was even more unwilling to beat the grass and alert the snake to Jiang Ruan. Moreover, it would take some time to find the city gate commander. If something unforeseen happened and the assassin escaped, it would be like drawing water with a wicker basket, and it would also cause the city gate commander to be unhappy. After thinking it over, Jiang Dan decided not to say anything for the time being. She calmed down and waited until the next morning to make plans.
She only secretly sent someone to unintentionally 'remind' the city gate commander that someone seemed to have seen the assassin in the vicinity of the Jiang residence. The city gate commander was not stupid. Yan Dong did not have an official document from the government, and he knew that he was in the wrong. He could not casually enter the Jiang residence to capture someone. Moreover, Jiang Quan's rank was much higher than his. Even so, he could wait at the entrance of the Jiang fu and catch a turtle in a jar.
If this had happened in the past, it would have been impossible for Jin Er and Jin San to see it. However, it just so happened that Xiao Shao had been injured last night, and the two of them had left the fu to do what Xiao Shao had instructed them to do. Tian Zhu had been busy helping Jiang Ruan, and this had given Jiang Dan's people the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. The gatekeeper had been standing guard all night, but no one had come out of Jiang Ruan's courtyard. This had made him even more certain that the assassin was still in Jiang Ruan's room.
Jiang Dan felt a burst of joy in her heart. Harboring an assassin and hiding him in her own boudoir. Even Empress Dowager Yi De would not be able to protect Jiang Ruan, and she might even take away her jade disk. Moreover, with Jiang Ruan's reputation completely ruined, what good prospects would she have in the future?
Thinking of this, her footsteps quickened. When she reached the door of Jiang Ruan's room, she did not wait for Tian Zhu and Lu Zhu to speak. She took the initiative to lift the curtain and said with a smile, "Da Jiejie."
It was extremely quiet in the room. The uniquely shaped bronze deer at the corner of the table slowly exhaled the bitter fragrance of the Duruo. The dark-black curtain swayed gently, and a shadow of a woman could be vaguely seen in it.
Jiang Dan's gaze swept over the incense, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curled. Everyone knew that Jiang Ruan usually disliked using incense. Every month, Ruan Ju did not want the incense that was distributed to her. Today, for the first time, she had used the fragrance of the Du Ruo. Her purpose was clear. If it was not to conceal the smell of blood, then what was it?
As she thought of this, Jiang Dan took a few steps forward, "Da Jiejie?"
"Fourth Miss," Lu Zhu stopped her, "Miss is still resting. Yesterday, her body was not feeling well, so she woke up a little late today."
Jiang Dan laughed, "What kind of joke is this? Just now, Lian Qiao said that Da Jiejie had already woken up, but she had not dressed yet. Why is she lying down now? Could it be that Dan Niang is not welcomed? " As she spoke, she wanted to move forward again, but Lu Zhu was in front of her. When Jiang Dan laughed, Yu 'er grabbed Lu Zhu with surprising strength. She laughed and said, "Da Jiejie and Fourth Miss are blood sisters. Could it be that you still want to be angry over such a small matter?"
"Exactly." As Jiang Dan said this, she had already walked to the side of Jiang Ruan's bed. A glint flashed in her eyes, and she immediately reached out to lift the dark-black curtain.
As soon as the dark-colored curtain was lifted, the scene inside was revealed. Each of the four corners had an exquisite flower pouch hanging, and the fragrance was fragrant. Jiang Ruan was lying on the bed, wearing only a light-colored undergarment. Her hair was slightly messy, and her eyes were closed as she rested.
Hearing movement, she opened her eyes, and a pair of black and white eyes stared at Jiang Dan. Her eyes were as moist as a clear mountain spring, but there was an inexplicable deep meaning flowing within them.
Jiang Ruan's voice was slightly cold, "Fourth Sister really does not regard herself as an outsider. You even dare to lift my curtain at will."
Jiang Dan stood rooted to the ground, and her eyes widened in disbelief. She saw that the curtain was empty, and besides Jiang Ruan, there was nothing else.
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