When Steward Lin knew that Jiang Ruan was coming, he ordered the servants to clean the main gate of Jinying wangfu until it was brand new. He instructed the manservants to wipe the floor three times in a row and even applied wax. Even when the Emperor came, he had never experienced such an honor.
However, this was because Jin Er had said, "In short, the court's decree of marriage should be coming soon. For the first time, the entire fu will respectfully welcome Young Furen, so shouldn't it be more dignified?"
Head Steward Lin seemed to have become ten years younger in the span of a single night as he took care of everything in the estate. Seeing how enthusiastic Head Steward Lin was, Jin Si could only shake his head, "How is this a proper steward? Even wet nurses aren't this hardworking."
When Jiang Ruan, Dewdrop, and Tian Zhu arrived at Jinying wangfu, she saw that everyone was in sync, "Greetings, Young Furen." The imposing manner reached the sky, startling the birds in the garden and causing them to flutter and fly away in disorder. The vicious dog that guarded the house barked in confusion.
Dewdrop lowered her head and snickered. Tian Zhu's mouth twitched. Jiang Ruan's expression was calm as she said, "The Empress Dowager instructed me to send something to Wang Ye." It was as if the person who had just called out "Young Furen" was not her.
The manservants and maids of Jinying Wang fu were all stupefied by the shock of the future Young Madam's unwavering and unwavering attitude. While they were still unsure of how the following play would play out, Xiao Shao had already walked out. Without even looking at Steward Lin and the others, he said to Jiang Ruan, "Follow me."
Without saying a word, he pulled her into the fu.
The manservants and servants in the fu consciously scattered like birds and beasts.
Jiang Ruan blindly followed behind Xiao Shao. The last time she had come, the situation had been hurried and she had not carefully looked at the scenery in the fu. At this moment, when she looked carefully, she felt that the scenery was very similar to Xiao Shao. Black stone and white water, as cold as ever. However, the trees were lush and scattered in a picturesque manner, giving it a unique elegance.
The tailoring was free and unrestrained, and even somewhat casual. Compared to the flowers and plants that the furens and yiniangs in the Jiang fu meticulously tended to in their courtyards, this simple scenery seemed to move her heart more easily.
Xiao Shao's back was as cold and elegant as ever, but today, he walked somewhat slowly. Along the way, Jiang Ruan was lost in thought as she looked at the garden scenery and did not notice when Xiao Shao had stopped. She accidentally bumped into Xiao Shao's back.
"…"
When Xiao Shao turned his head, he saw Jiang Ruan rubbing her temples. He was tall, his hands were long, and his legs were long. Jiang Ruan only reached his chest. It was rare to see her make such a mistake. Her action of rubbing her forehead reminded Xiao Shao of the sika deer cub he raised in the back mountain when he was apprenticed to Jia Nan Mountain. He couldn't help but want to touch its head.
As a matter of fact, Xiao Shao had indeed done so. The feeling of the furry touch on the palm of his hand suddenly made his previously somewhat unhappy mood clear up in a flash. When he looked down, he met Jiang Ruan's somewhat dazed gaze. He coughed lightly and retracted his hand as if nothing had happened.
"The Empress Dowager has decided to bestow marriage." Jiang Ruan went straight to the point. She did not say anything else and went straight to the point, "Do you have anything to say to me?"
"Jiang Xin Zhi's army has been defeated. If Xuan Li and Xuan Hua want to fight for the military power under Jiang Xin Zhi and Guan Liang Han, they will definitely send reinforcements. At present, the military generals in the imperial court are mostly divided into two factions. Xuan Li's men are Xuan Lang's men. The Zhao family cannot act rashly. Although the Xi Rong have bowed their heads and pledged allegiance, they seem to be ambitious this year. Once the troops are deployed, I fear that the Xi Rong will make a move. The southern border is already difficult to deal with. When the time comes, there will be internal and external troubles. I fear that the Jin Kingdom will be in a great crisis. " Xiao Shao paused and looked at her, "Xuan Li is interested in you. If you are betrothed to him, the Zhao family will be held hostage. Even if Jiang Xin Zhi is still alive, he will be under his control. If the wind doesn't go in the right direction, the only person who will be pushed out will be you." His gaze was as black as ink as he said faintly, "Your situation is very difficult. I want to protect you."
"Xiao Shao, do you not understand what I am saying?" Jiang Ruan said, "I don't want protection, I want revenge."
"I will help you." Xiao Shao said.
"You are not afraid that I am a demoness who brings calamity to the country." Jiang Ruan smiled lightly.
"I owe you a life. Now, this life is yours." Xiao Shao's tone was solemn, "I will not stop you."
"Is this how you repay other people for saving your life?" Jiang Ruan asked, "You agree to marry whoever saves you?"
"You are the first." The youth's eyes were like a painting. His posture was cold and clear, but it seemed to be affectionate. His eyes contained a little indulgence that even he himself did not know. Like the sweet dew of spring rain, he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Only you."
...
Lu Zhu stood outside the pavilion and looked at the two people talking from afar. She was so worried that she pulled out more than ten strands of hair. "This... can it be done?"
A figure suddenly appeared in front of her, hanging upside down from the beam. Lu Zhu was caught off guard and jumped in fright. She screamed, but she saw that person quickly turn around and stand in front of her. Without thinking, he reached out to cover her mouth, "Shh, lower your voice, don't disturb Master!"
Lu Zhu looked at Jin Er in front of her with hatred and said angrily, "Lecher!"
Only then did Jin Er let go of her, "What lecher? This master is valiant, heroic, and elegant. Countless women adore me... Hey, don't go! "
Lu Zhu walked away without looking back. Jin Er still wanted to chase after her, but he was blocked by someone in front of him. It was Jin San. Jin San flipped his long hair and said in a flirtatious manner, "What? Are you trying to please a young lady? "
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Jin Er waved his hand and casually plucked a blade of grass and put it in his mouth, "It's boring."
"You're an experienced playboy, but there are times when you fail." Jin San mysteriously moved closer to Jin Er's ear and said with a smile, "You have to watch carefully. The Embroidered Uniform Guards in the residence are eyeing that young lady covetously. Young Madam's servant girls are in high demand now. Moreover, Lu Zhu is very cute. There are many people who want to lay their hands on her. Don't say that I didn't warn you." With that, he leaped and disappeared from Jin Er's sight.
Jin Er's expression was complicated and stiff for a while before he spat out the blade of grass in his mouth and strode forward.
On the tree, Jin San held a basin and rubbed his hands, "Come quickly, come quickly. Let's see if Jin Er will slip up this time. Bet on the big ones and the small ones. Hey, hurry up when you place your bets. If you're late, it'll be too late."
…
No matter what, the quiet and cold Jinying Wang fu had become much livelier because of the arrival of Jiang Ruan and her entourage. Jin Si attributed this matter to the fact that there were too few women in Jinying Wang fu. Even the total number of women and servant girls in the Embroidered Uniform Guards did not exceed ten people, and they could only look but not eat.
The few servant girls that Young Madam had brought along each had their own specialties. For a moment, the Embroidered Uniform Guards, who had been vegetarians for more than ten years, rubbed their palms together and were eager to give it a try. Lu Zhu, Lian Qiao, and the others were simply overwhelmed by the favor in Jinying Wang fu. If one guard didn't bring a box of pastries, another would bring a bouquet of fresh flowers. Strangely, Lu Zhu complained, "Subordinates are all quick-witted, but why is Master so dull?"
Although Master was dull, in the end, she could not withstand a group of lively and enthusiastic subordinates. For example, on this night, Jiang Ruan was supposed to go back, but as soon as she stepped out of the door, she heard Steward Lin shout exaggeratedly, "Aiya, god damn it, who damaged Young Madam's carriage? Oh, this horse seems to have eaten something bad. The heavens have pity on it, hurry and find a veterinarian to take a look at the horse. " After saying this, he ran over to apologize to Jiang Ruan with an apologetic face, "Young Madam, I am really sorry, that carriage is damaged. There are no other carriages in our fu, and this horse also needs to rest. Moreover, Young Madam, look at the weather, the weather is definitely going to change. If there is a heavy rain and the road is slippery, what if there is an accident? Ah pei, this old servant is talking nonsense, how could there be an accident? However, it's better to be safe, isn't it? "
Lu Zhu listened to Steward Lin's rambling, speechless. Why did this horse have to eat something bad at this critical juncture? The grand Jinying Wang fu did not even have a carriage, wasn't that a joke? Moreover, with this weather, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, how could there be any signs of a change in the weather? This Steward Lin's intentions were really too obvious. However, Lu Zhu was still quite satisfied with Steward Lin's actions. At least, it showed that Jinying Wang fu still valued her Miss, right? Immediately, she followed Steward Lin's words and said, "That's right, Miss, it's already late at night, I'm afraid the road is not safe."
It was clearly evening, how could it be late at night? Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao listened to Lu Zhu's nonsense and simply pretended not to know.
Finally, it was Tian Zhu who walked over with a solemn face and said to Jiang Ruan, "Miss, the Empress Dowager has sent an imperial edict from the palace, saying that it's late tonight, so Miss can rest in Jinying Wang fu."
"…."
She even brought up the Empress Dowager, did she even care about her reputation!
...
Fortunately, although she rested in Jinying Wang fu, she did not see Xiao Shao for the whole night, which saved her a lot of embarrassment. However, Lu Zhu was disappointed. She felt that on such a rare night, Xiao Shao was actually not around, which was really disappointing.
The entire Jinying Wang fu, on the other hand, was very respectful towards Jiang Ruan. The marriage document had not yet been issued, yet they all regarded Jiang Ruan as' Young Madam '. Jiang Ruan naturally accepted it without being surprised by the favor or disgrace. However, only she herself knew what she felt in her heart.
That night, all the servants of Jinying Wang fu retreated, but Jiang Ruan did not feel the slightest bit sleepy. She let Lu Zhu light the oil lamp, and her mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts. She simply went to find a lantern, put on her coat, and wanted to walk around the fu.
It was almost mid-autumn, and the moon was bright and round. Jiang Ruan carried the lantern and only took Lu Zhu with her. Both of them were preoccupied with their thoughts, so they did not pay attention to the road under their feet. They casually walked and walked until they reached the pavilion by the lake.
They could vaguely see a figure standing in the pavilion with his back to them, but they did not know what he was doing. The moonlight flowed down, reflecting the clear and crystalline ripples on the surface of the lake. It also made the figure in the dark even clearer. Looking closely, it was Xiao Shao.
Jiang Ruan thought for a moment, then said to Lu Zhu, "You stay here." She carried the lantern and went forward.
The person in the pavilion heard the movement behind him and turned around. When he saw that it was Jiang Ruan, he was slightly surprised and said, "Why aren't you resting?"
Jiang Ruan's gaze fell on the table. There was a jade pot, but on top of it were three wine cups. There was also a wet stain on the ground, and there were some traces of burnt paper money on the lakeside. He was …. Who was he paying his respects to?
Xiao Shao sat down in the pavilion. Jiang Ruan was sensitive enough to perceive that Xiao Shao's mood was somewhat abnormal. She did not know if it was her misconception, but Xiao Shao's expression unexpectedly carried a bit of hostility that was not usually present.
All along, when Xiao Shao appeared in front of everyone, he was quiet and cold. In Jiang Ruan's view, there were times when Xiao Shao was even gentle and adorable. Such an obvious hostility seemed to coat his entire person with a layer of chill, causing fear to grow in people's hearts.
The people he was paying his respects to should be people who were very important to him. If there were two wine cups, then there were two people. However, the memorial day of the old Jinying Wang and Jinying Wangfei was in winter, not now. Jiang Ruan pondered in her heart. She picked up the wine pot on the table and weighed it. There was only half of the wine left, and he had also drunk quite a bit.
Xiao Shao suddenly opened his mouth and said, "I have already asked His Majesty for an expedition."
Jiang Ruan abruptly turned her head to look at him, but Xiao Shao was staring at the moon in the lake. The moon was big and round, and the moonlight was hazy. It mischievously skipped over his elegant nose, tightly pursed lips, and skipped over his well-defined chin. Finally, it fell into a pair of deep and cold eyes.
As the moonlight entered his eyes, perhaps because he had drunk some wine, Xiao Shao's voice was low and hoarse, "Three hundred thousand Jinyi Guards, withdraw one hundred thousand and follow me to Tian Jin." He slowly turned his head and looked at Jiang Ruan, "Jiang Xin Zhi will be fine."
"Why do you have to do this?" Jiang Ruan looked at the lake, "You should not have gotten involved in the affairs of the imperial court. You can also stay out of this matter."
"It is only a matter of time before we break off our relationship with the Southern Frontier," Xiao Shao said, "It is not entirely because of you." Jiang Ruan was speechless. Just as she turned her head to continue to look at the lake, she felt her hand being pulled by someone. Someone forcefully tugged at her, and the strength was just right, causing her to fall into Xiao Shao's embrace. Looking down, she saw that she was sitting on Xiao Shao's thigh.
In the distance, there seemed to be the sound of someone drawing in a low breath.
Jiang Ruan wanted to get up, but Xiao Shao's strength was very ingenious. It was not enough to hurt her, but it also made her unable to move. Sitting on someone else's thigh like this was something that had never happened before in her previous life. However, Jiang Ruan was no longer a hot-tempered young girl, and she would not make a fuss about nothing. She just stared at him without saying a word.
Xiao Shao looked at her appearance, and his lips raised into a smile.
With this smile, the moonlight in the courtyard flowed into his eyes. His lips were red, his teeth were white, and he was beautiful beyond compare. This young man, who was born to be an absolute beauty, unconsciously carried a sense of temptation, but it also seemed to contain a trace of sorrow and imperceptible pain.
Jiang Ruan was slightly absent-minded when she felt her lips and teeth become cold. The clear fragrance of wine assaulted her nostrils, and the strong scent of a man gently covered her lips.
She was startled, and before she could react, she felt someone supporting her head and deepening the kiss.
Her lips were as cold as his, but the kiss was gentle and firm. He licked the tip of her tongue and pearly white teeth, and the warm fragrance of wine swept over, bringing with it an unfamiliar touch. It made people fear, but they did not know how to let go.
After the kiss, Xiao Shao released her. However, before Jiang Ruan could stand up from his thigh, Xiao Shao pulled her into his embrace, and resting his chin on the top of her head, he said faintly, "Now, you are my wangfei."
Jiang Ruan was locked in his embrace, so she could not see Xiao Shao's current expression. If she could see it, she would find that this young man's deep eyes revealed a rare gentleness, and a faint blush appeared on his handsome face, as well as a smile. No matter how intoxicating the moonlight was, it could not compare to the splendor of that pair of clear, cold, and deep eyes.
Only when the young girl was in his embrace like this, could he clearly feel that the body in his embrace was thin, as if a gust of wind could blow it away. However, Xiao Shao knew that it was this thin body that could shake the deepest foundation of the Great Jin dynasty. In the past twenty years, Xiao Shao had never felt this way. In fact, every year on this day, the past would take root in his heart, and within it, there would be huge waves, almost causing him to lose control.
He was young and mature, and his temperament was calm and low-key. He was born with good looks and a good mind. Even though his family had suddenly met with great changes, he had adjusted his mentality in the shortest time possible, and outsiders only knew that he was in the limelight. However, in this world, there was nothing that could be accomplished overnight. The pain hidden in the depths of his heart slowly subsided, almost isolating him from the world of mortals. However, he did not know when, because one's mood had softened, the pain and hatred buried deep in the darkness, had dissipated little by little in this warm embrace and light kiss.
How fortunate, a person's life had lasted for a hundred years, but it was only a moment of loneliness. Hope, which she thought would never come, was now in her arms.
Feeling the embrace tighten, Jiang Ruan was slightly startled.
Her muddled mind gradually sobered up. She did not know if it was because of the remnants of the strong alcohol in Xiao Shao's mouth, but for a moment, she did not react. Until now, when these firm and overbearing words came out of the young man's mouth, she did not know how to respond.
Xiao Shao was indeed not himself today. Jiang Ruan pondered, but she did not know if it was because of the person he was paying respects to. However, was his current behavior because he was drunk?
Xiao Shao had taken advantage of her time and time again, so if Jiang Ruan were to make an expression of anger out of shame, it would seem pretentious. However, at this moment, her heart was in a mess and she could not think properly. Thinking that Xiao Shao was drunk and heartbroken, she sighed in her heart. For the time being, she decided to be a wooden stake and let him hug her. It was good to calm down.
Jiang Ruan herself did not know what this tacit agreement meant. In this life, although she did not care much about these matters between men and women, in the end, she would not fall into the hands of others. If it had been someone else, how could they have taken advantage of her with a clear conscience? However, if it had been Xiao Shao, his angry words would have seemed superfluous.
She thought about it again and again, but in the end, she was still somewhat discouraged. Xiao Shao hugged her very tightly, so tightly that she could not break free. She could not see the other's expression at this moment, and she did not know what mood Xiao Shao was in when he hugged her. There seemed to be a lingering warmth on her lips. Jiang Ruan's gaze paused, and her fair cheeks quietly blushed.
She took a deep breath and said coldly, "Xiao Shao, since you are drunk, I will also pretend that you are awake. I will not refuse the Empress Dowager's bestowal of marriage. After entering Jinying Wang fu, we are on the same boat. "After a pause, she said," Since you also do not like Xuan Li very much, how about I get rid of him for you? "
She was always unwilling to suffer the slightest loss. Originally, she had taken advantage of him, but she still said that she was helping Xiao Shao get rid of Xuan Li.
"You kissed me, but it was only because you were drunk, so I will not haggle over it." When she said this, her expression was magnanimous and magnanimous. However, she did not know that the person holding her in his arms slightly raised his eyebrows. His eyes moved, and there was an indescribable romantic charm.
En, she probably did not know that the men of the Xiao family would never get drunk even after a thousand cups.
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