Jiang Ruan observed with admiration. Beauty, especially from a person whom she did not dislike, would never make people unhappy. A certain person who pretended to be indifferent finally could not stand that overbearing gaze. After enduring it for a while, he finally put down his book and raised his eyes, meeting Jiang Ruan's gaze for the first time since returning to the room.
Jiang Quan gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging. If not for the fact that they were in public, he would probably have killed Jiang Ruan. Not only that, but Jiang Ruan's actions also caused a trace of panic to arise in his heart. Jiang Ruan's gaze was filled with indifference and hatred, as if she did not care at all whether he was a member of the Jiang family or not.
As she was thinking, Xiao Shao lightly patted her hand. Jiang Ruan raised her head to look at him. Xiao Shao walked forward unhurriedly. His black clothes did not seem out of place next to Jiang Ruan's crimson dress. The intertwining of black and red actually revealed a kind of cool and elegant splendor. Jiang Quan did not want to directly clash with him, but he really could not swallow this anger. In an unfriendly tone, he said, "Does Xiao Wangye have something to warn this old official? This old official only teaches his own children, so Xiao Wangye does not need to worry about household matters. "
Jin San and Tian Zhu quietly stood behind Jiang Ruan. Their gazes slightly wavered, but no one stepped forward to stop him. Jiang Ruan had already told them about her plans. This was the reason why she did not immediately tell Xiao Shao. Once Xiao Shao knew that she had made this decision, he would definitely stop her. Although Jin San was Xiao Shao's man, he now wholeheartedly obeyed Jiang Ruan. As a husband, Xiao Shao naturally had to protect his wife. However, Jin San also knew that Jiang Ruan's method was the best. That was the courage to announce to the world that she had severed ties with the Minister's fu. Jiang Quan wanted to use blood ties to threaten her, but from now on, it would be impossible. She wanted to sever the last bit of connection with the Minister's fu. This might require a lot of courage, but it could also be seen how much she hated the fact that her surname was Jiang.
Housekeeper Lin had just returned to the small kitchen when Jin San ran out, sweating profusely, "Hey, Old Lin, the medicine for Young Madam is ready. Let Lian Qiao send it over."
Lu Zhu came back to empty the bowl and happened to hear Jin San's words. She could not help but be shocked and asked, "What medicine?"
Even after many years, when the people of the capital talked about the blossoming of blood in the heavy snow, they could not help but sigh. In the snow, the red-clothed woman's face was as beautiful as a flower, and the two men's cold and resolute backs were deeply engraved in everyone's mind. That unintentionally revealed elegance was enough to be talked about for a lifetime, and it would never fade no matter what.
…
He did not say anything. His tightly pursed lips looked serious and handsome. The young girls around him recognized him and started to discuss, "Isn't that Jinying Wang? He must have come specially to support Wang Fei this time. "
The surrounding people immediately fell silent and stared at Jiang Ruan in disbelief. There were many women in the world with strong and resolute temperament, but none of them were as resolute and decisive as she was. Jiang Ruan was the first since the Great Jin Dynasty had established its territory.
Jiang Ruan frowned. She had never thought that Jiang Xin Zhi would come. His actions were understandable. However, as the commander-in-chief of the army, his actions today would inevitably be criticized by his colleagues in the court in the future. If someone deliberately wanted to add insult to injury, perhaps they would use this matter as a ruse. Thinking of this, she could not help but blame herself. She should have found an excuse to hide it from him. She did not want the news to be leaked so quickly.
No matter how the Brocade Guards mingled in private, Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao were completely unaware. After Xiao Shao entered the room, he did not say a word and only sat in front of the table looking for a book to read. No matter how Jiang Ruan thought about it, she felt that he was angry. However, Xiao Shao usually had an expression regardless of whether he was angry or not. Although she could not see it, she could still feel his displeasure.
Tian Zhu rolled her eyes at him and said, "Young Madam is someone worthy of my admiration."
As expected, the coldness on Xiao Shao's face eased a little. Jiang Ruan took the medicine, and when Xiao Shao averted his eyes, Jiang Ruan obediently drank the medicine.
Jin San thought for a while, then took out a few pearls and threw them into the bowl. He said, "I'll buy Young Lord. Young Madam isn't an ordinary woman. I have a feeling that Young Madam will definitely take advantage of Young Lord. Hey, hey, why are you guys looking at me? I'm also a woman. My woman's intuition tells me that … "
"That's awesome! To be so protective of his own younger sister, no wonder he is the War God of the Great Jin Dynasty! "
"Wrong," Someone retorted, "That Jinying Wang is a heartless and cold person. Look at the way he treats wangfei, it is too gentle. There's no such thing as being cold. "
Jiang Xin Zhi didn't want to return to the Minister's Mansion. The new mansion that the Emperor had bestowed upon him hadn't been built yet, so he decided to go to the General's Mansion. Now, he was on good terms with Zhao Guang. Whenever they talked about the art of war, it was as if they were old friends. After Jiang Xin Zhi left, Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao were left alone in the carriage. Xiao Shao did not say a word. It was unknown what he was thinking, but it made Jiang Ruan feel a little guilty.
"Fine, fine, as you wish." Jin Er waved his hand and said, "I'll buy Young Madam to take the initiative to reconcile." As he took out a banknote and threw it into the bowl, he said, "In any case, Young Lord is a man. No matter how much he dotes on his wife, a man will always have self-esteem. How can he take the initiative to coax a woman? He will spoil her. No matter what, he is still our Young Lord. When have you ever seen the Young Lord take the initiative to apologize to someone? "
Jiang Ruan saw that his attitude had softened and hurriedly said, "I have thought about it. I am not a fool. If so much blood were to flow out, wouldn't it cost me my life? My life was saved by you and your teacher with great difficulty. How can I lose it because of an unimportant Minister's fu? I am not someone who does not have a sense of propriety. Didn't you see the chicken blood? That was all prepared by me. I know how to protect myself. "
"What illness! Sick! " Housekeeper Lin was momentarily sluggish. Then, his face contorted. He did not know whether to laugh or cry. He stamped his feet and said, "That was the medicine that I asked Divine Doctor Xia to brew for Young Lord. Today, I wanted to brew it for Young Lord to drink, but I did not expect that Young Madam would be injured. Ah, now is not the time to drink that medicine. Ah, no, I can't tell Young Lord. What should I do? I will go out and hide. Jin San, if Young Lord asks, just say that I have a cold. Don't slip up! "
"Ah Ruan is my wife." Xiao Shao did not seem to hear Jiang Quan's words and said indifferently, "Husband and wife are one. If she wants to return Minister Jiang's blood, this Prince will do it." Just as he finished speaking, he saw an exquisite dagger slide out of his sleeve. He played with it in his hand and lightly cut the back of his hand.
"This is the medicine that Divine Doctor Xia prescribed for Madam." Jin San said, "Wasn't Young Madam injured today? What is that empty bowl in your hand?"
Xiao Shao stared at her indifferently, "You never thought that I would be worried."
A trace of disdain flashed across Jiang Xin Zhi's face. This kind of father, even if he did not want it, it would be fine. Ever since he was born, he had not fulfilled his duties as a father for a single day. What he had given the three of them, mother and son, was only endless humiliation and pain. Now, he actually wanted to use the word 'filial piety' to overwhelm Jiang Ruan. He only felt sorry for his younger sister, who had been forced to the point that she did not hesitate to harm her own body in order to draw a clear line between herself and the Jiang fu. Since Jiang Ruan wanted to do this, how could he not agree?
Jiang Xin Zhi already had an excellent reputation among the common people. At this moment, when he said these words, his expression was naturally open and aboveboard, and his action of protecting his younger sister from being wronged caused everyone to exclaim in their hearts. If one were to say that Jiang Ruan's actions just now had made everyone feel that she had gone a little overboard … But when it was Jiang Xin Zhi, it was very different. Everyone felt that for this God of War, who was a fair and just gentleman, to be so disgusted, the Minister's fu was indeed not a clean place. They were afraid that they had really gone too far.
But they did not know when it had started, but the cats and dogs that were kept in the fu had also grown sharp claws and teeth. It was probably when she had returned from the rural residence that her temperament had become eccentric. She seemed to be steady and calm, and no longer relied on the entire Jiang fu as she had in the past. Jiang Quan did not care. Even if the matter of the Xia family and Jiang Su Su seemed to be related to Jiang Ruan, he had always firmly believed that no cat or dog would personally destroy their own nest. In the end, Jiang Ruan needed a maiden family. Besides Jiang Xin Zhi, her only family was him, Jiang Quan. And as long as there was this bit of kinship, Jiang Ruan would never be able to stir up much of a storm. As long as filial piety was at the tip of her tongue, Jiang Ruan would forever stand at the disadvantage of justice.
How could a person who could even disregard life and death be trapped by the small word 'filial piety'? At this moment, Jiang Quan knew that Jiang Ruan was not going to turn back. The light burning in her eyes was hatred. She hated this Minister's fu, and indeed, she deeply loathed the blood that flowed in her body with the surname Jiang. At this moment, Jiang Quan was actually speechless. He did not know what to do, and could only stare at Jiang Ruan without blinking.
"No."
Jiang Ruan's words stopped in her mouth. Admittedly, Xiao Shao had done this for her, but more importantly, it was to prevent anyone from using this matter to pressure Jiang Xin Zhi in the future. Because of Jinying Wang, Jiang Xin Zhi would not become the target of everyone's attacks. At least, the people under heaven would not first think of the overbearing siblings.
Housekeeper Lin stared blankly and his face immediately scrunched up, "Injured again? Aiyo, my Young Madam, why are you injured every day? If the Lord and Madam in heaven were to see this, they would blame our Jinying Wang fu for not taking good care of you. Jinsan Tianzhu, do you not want to stay in the Jinyi Guard? If you can't even protect Young Madam well, how can you take on missions in the future? Sooner or later, the reputation of the Jinyi Guard will be ruined in the hands of you two girls! "
Xiao Shao pursed his lips, his face still cold. Although when he heard Jiang Ruan mention the chicken blood incident, he was both angry and amused. What he remembered more was the shock and heartache he felt when he and Jiang Xin Zhi rushed over and saw the bright bloodstains on the snow-covered ground. That moment of overwhelming worry.
"Jiner investigated it." Xiao Shao answered indifferently, still not shifting his gaze to Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Quan was almost thrown off his feet by Jiang Xin Zhi. He looked at the tall young man in front of him. In his memory, the young child who was always timid and wanted to curry favor with him had already disappeared. Today, Jiang Xin Zhi's ability was completely revealed. As a court official, even he had to be awed by Jiang Xin Zhi's prestige. But these two siblings had joined hands to deal with him, which was really a big taboo for Jiang Quan. He clutched his chest with one hand and panted as he pointed at Jiang Xin Zhi, "Treason and heresy …. Treason and heresy! "
This was clearly anger. Seeing Xiao Shao's awkwardness, Jiang Ruan moved her chair closer to the table. With one hand on the table and the other supporting her cheek, she was practically half lying on the table as she stared unblinkingly at Xiao Shao. The young man's expression was indifferent, as if he was not affected in the slightest. His long eyelashes drew a graceful arc, and his eyes were as deep as the vast sea of stars. Only his side profile was so handsome that he did not seem like someone from the opposite world.
All along, Jiang Quan had regarded Jiang Ruan as a dispensable daughter. She was Zhao Mei's daughter, which was like a constant reminder of those oppressive days when he had been suppressed by others. He loathed Jiang Ruan and deliberately ignored her. He knew that Jiang Ruan's temperament was soft and easy to manipulate, just like the cats and dogs that were kept in the fu. Usually, they were only kept for the sake of being put to good use one day. As long as he treated her a little more gently, they would happily come up and wag their tails.
Jiang Ruan saw that he was not speaking and knew that this person was extremely angry today. She wanted to say a few more words of comfort, but then she saw Lu Zhu walking in with a bowl of medicine and said, "The medicine that housekeeper Lin ordered is ready. Young Madam, quickly drink it while it's hot." She also wanted to ease the stiff atmosphere between the two of them. She thought that mentioning Jiang Ruan's injury would make Xiao Shao's heart ache a little, and perhaps he would not be so angry at her own Miss.
Lu Zhu looked at her blankly, "Just now, there was a bowl of medicine here. I thought it was for Miss, so I brought it into the room for Madam to drink."
But how could she dare? Jiang Quan's eyes were somewhat red, like a trapped beast on the verge of death. That woman's smiling face was like the legendary Red Spider Lily, beautiful yet cruel, as if the skin of a beauty had grown out of eerie white bones. The blood on her wrist dripped noiselessly into the snow-covered ground, but she did not seem to feel the slightest bit of pain.
"Are you angry?" Jiang Ruan asked.
"What's the matter?" Jin San turned to look at housekeeper Lin, "Old Lin, is there someone else in the fu who is sick?"
When she raised her eyes again, Jiang Ruan's gaze had already regained its calm. She looked at Jiang Quan, who already did not know how to end the situation, and said with a faint smile, "Father, after this blood has been repaid, we brother and sister will no longer have any relationship with the Jiang family. From now on, we will no longer be members of the Jiang family. The benevolence of father and son has been exhausted, and we shall sever all ties! "
At the side, Jin Yi silently shouldered his knife and was about to leave when he was pulled back by Jin Si, "Hey, hey, you should also say something, Jin Yi, which one do you want to buy?"
Jin Yi looked at the bowl and silently fished out a gold ingot from his sleeve. He only said three words, "I support my master." Then, he turned around and carried his knife away.
"I should not have kept it from you." Without waiting for Xiao Shao to speak, Jiang Ruan took the initiative to say, "Today, I only cared about myself and did not consider your feelings. I am sorry." She sighed, "But Xiao Shao, if I had told you about this, you would certainly not have allowed it. I originally thought that it would not be too late to tell you after what was done was done. I was wrong … I am used to dealing with these matters alone and forgot that you are my husband. I never thought that you would be worried about me. "
She thought about it, this matter was still her own fault. Anyone would be unhappy to be kept in the dark by their own wife like this. She had always been very magnanimous in these matters, and when she knew that she was in the wrong, she wanted to admit it. However, Xiao Shao did not speak to her, and Jiang Ruan was in a difficult position. She only felt that at this moment, Xiao Shao was extremely similar to Xuan Pei, who had quarreled with her in her previous life. However, as long as Xuan Pei was angry, he would make a few sweet pastries and praise him for being obedient. Now, she was going to tell Xiao Shao that he was his little darling? Jiang Ruan shivered.
The crowd was quiet for a few seconds, and suddenly, someone clapped and shouted, "Good! You're a real man! "
"Truly loyal." Jin Er gave a thumbs up and was slapped aside by Steward Lin. When he saw the gold, silver, and jewels in the bowl, he immediately flew into a rage, "I already said that gambling in the wang fu is not allowed, and it has caused such a bad atmosphere! I want my master to deduct your monthly allowance! Quickly go and brew the medicine! "
With great difficulty, they returned to the wang fu. As soon as Xiao Shao entered the fu, Steward Lin came to greet him. He was about to speak when Xiao Shao said, "Young Madam has suffered a knife injury, let Xia Wu brew some medicine."
"I'll bet on my master." Tian Zhu was usually a rather proper person, and basically, she would not participate in such a gamble. However, today, for the first time, she took out a silver yuan from her sleeve, "Young Madam is such a patient person, and Master dotes on her very much. Naturally, he cannot bear to be angry with her all the time. As long as Young Madam furrows her brows, all of Master's anger will disappear. " When Jin Er heard this, he burst out laughing and said, "Tian Zhu, you are Young Madam's maidservant, but now, your eyes are filled with Young Madam's shadow. Back then, I didn't see you worshipping the Young Master so much. "
These words were full of sarcasm, but just as she finished speaking, Jiang Xin Zhi took a big step forward. Although he had inherited Zhao Mei's bright and handsome appearance, the longer he had lived in the army these past few years, the more he had tempered a steel-like cold and resolute temperament. At this moment, in the snowstorm, he was like a statue, and immediately, like a mountain, stood in front of Jiang Ruan to protect her. He stared fixedly at Jiang Quan, and Jiang Quan could not help but feel a little guilty under this sharp, sword-like gaze. Jiang Xin Zhi suddenly laughed and said, "Younger sister, why didn't you call me when you were doing this? I am also a son of the Jiang family, and half of the Jiang family's blood flows in my body. Similarly, I am also extremely disgusted by this. Since I am a man, I will definitely not let my own younger sister bleed. " He cupped his hands towards the surrounding crowd, "I would like to trouble everyone to be a witness. My younger sister's blood, I will return it on her behalf!"
Before he finished speaking, another black silhouette appeared by her side. Xiao Shao's gaze was unusually cold, and he only glanced at Jiang Quan indifferently. He did not say anything, but Jiang Quan felt a deep sense of pressure. He turned his head, and without saying a word, he pulled Jiang Ruan's hand, took the medicine bottle and bandage from the secret guard, and carefully applied the medicine to Jiang Ruan.
When Jiang Ruan saw that Xiao Shao had rushed over so quickly, she could not help but feel a little guilty. However, she was determined to succeed in today's matter, and even if Xiao Shao was there, he would not be able to change her resolve. She shook her head and said, "There is no need to trouble yourself, I will eventually return half of his blood."
Jiang Ruan nodded, "Today's matter was my fault. I should not have hidden it from you. "She admitted her mistake very quickly, and there was almost no hesitation. She had always spoken directly in front of people she was familiar with, and would not hide anything.
Two men stood side by side in the snow, and the ground was covered in a dense spray of blood. One was beautiful beyond compare, cold and elegant, and the other was bright and handsome, firm and resolute like a mountain. The scene was surprisingly harmonious. Heavy snow fell silently, and among the crowd, there was an emotional woman whose eyes were wet. She covered her mouth and murmured, "To have such a brother, to have such a husband, what else can one ask for?"
Old Lin broke out in a cold sweat. Who would have thought that the medicine that he had specially instructed Xia Wu to prescribe, because Xiao Shao's body was weak, would now be used by Jiang Ruan? He did not know what effect that medicine would have on a woman. Today, it could be said that he had poked a big hole in the basket, but when he thought about it, why did he feel some anticipation?
Later, she had asked Tian Zhu Jin San to take advantage of the time when he was supporting Xiao Shao and Jiang Xin Zhi to stuff the blood packet in. In the end, half of the blood had flowed out. Jiang Quan was so angry that he was in a complete mess, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch helplessly as they left behind a sentence of "no more relations" and left in the carriage.
Jiang Ruan slowly lowered her eyes. She did not feel the slightest bit of pain from the wound on her hand, but her heart felt sour and astringent. Two such outstanding men in this world had bled for her. In this life, what had she done to deserve them to make such sacrifices for her?
…
As he finished speaking, Jiang Xin Zhi did not hesitate to snatch the dagger from Jiang Ruan's hand and ruthlessly slashed the back of his hand. His attack was heavier than Jiang Ruan's, and blood almost spurted out. Jiang Ruan could not help but be startled, and subconsciously reached out to bandage his wound.
Jin San and Tian Zhu silently looked away. However, Jiang Ruan was not in the mood to bicker with Steward Lin. She only lowered her head and followed Xiao Shao back to the house. Jin Er jumped down from the tree and said, "Is Master angry with Young Madam? You don't look happy. "
After a while, she finally stood up and walked to Xiao Shao's side. Xiao Shao did not even raise his head, and his gaze only fell on the page in front of him. Jiang Ruan moved a chair from the side and sat beside him. She said softly, "Xiao Shao, how did you know that I went to the Minister's fu?"
Jin Si had just finished nibbling on a fruit and casually wiped his mouth. When he heard Jin Er's words, he immediately took out a silver bowl from his bosom and said, "Let's bet, let's bet. Let's bet on who will take the initiative to admit their mistake first. "
Until the bloodstains on the ground almost dyed the small area where Jiang Ruan was standing red, and her face became increasingly pale, she suddenly heard the hurried sound of horse hooves approaching from afar. A figure, mixed with the snowflakes stirred up by the wind, appeared in front of Jiang Ruan in a flash. That person had probably just rushed over from the military camp. He was still dressed in military attire, and his brows were cold and hard, full of hardships. Jiang Xin Zhi pulled Jiang Ruan over and angrily said, "Ah Ruan, what are you doing!"
Xiao Shao looked down, "You did not do anything wrong."
That night, when Xiao Shao and Jiang Xin Zhi returned, their faces were only slightly pale, but nothing else could be seen. Both of them had gone through so many years of hard work, and they also had a foundation in martial arts. Even though half of their bodies were blood and flesh, how could they be sure when they investigated? It was originally just a gimmick, so it was better to know when to stop. Jiang Ruan never made a losing trade. Earlier, she had already stored some blood packets made of chicken blood in her sleeves. Even if Xiao Shao and Jiang Xin Zhi did not come in the end, she still had a way to escape unscathed.
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