In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the year. On New Year's Eve, Jinying Wang fu became busy, especially Housekeeper Lin. He was so busy all day that not even his shadow could be seen. It was probably because Xiao Shao was either outside the capital or busy with government affairs that everything was simple. Now that Jiang Ruan was here, Jinying Wang fu gained a lot of liveliness. The servants of Jinying Wang fu also found that their master was more popular than before. This place finally felt like a 'home'.
Jiang Ruan wore a peach blossom jacket with a narrow waist and a flowery crepe skirt. Her hair was tied up in a bun and there were no unnecessary decorations on her body. She only had a rose hairpin and two pearls on her earlobes, which made her skin as fair as jade. Her usual attire was bright and moving, but there was also a certain charm to it. The color was gorgeous on the surface and she was dressed in bright red. It was rare for Lian Qiao and Lu Zhu to dress her up like a well-behaved little girl. She had lost some of her sharpness and retracted her vicious aura. Instead, she became gentle and looked like a beautiful young lady who had yet to be married.
It was already dusk. Tian Zhu opened the door and a smile appeared on her usually expressionless face, "Young Madam, it's snowing lightly outside."
Snow at this time did not make people feel cold. Instead, it felt like the New Year. Jiang Ruan got up and went out. Xiao Shao was standing in the courtyard, giving instructions to Ye Feng. Hearing the sound, he turned his head and could not help but be slightly startled when he saw Jiang Ruan.
Since Xuan Hua was beheaded, the court was in chaos and Xiao Shao became busy. He often went out in the morning and returned in the middle of the night. Every time he returned, Jiang Ruan was already asleep. It was rare for the husband and wife to meet face to face. Xiao Shao's early return was already unexpected. Ye Feng and the others were also busy these days and rarely stayed in the fu. When they saw Jiang Ruan, they greeted her warmly, "Young Madam, happy New Year."
Jiang Ruan smiled and walked to Xiao Shao's side. Ye Feng looked at Lian Qiao and said, "This subordinate will take his leave." He left first. Jiang Ruan said to Lu Zhu and the others, "You can rest as you please. I will go out with him for a while."
Dewdrop knew what to do and hurriedly pulled Tian Zhu and Lian Qiao away. Xiao Shao pursed his lips and said, "Shall we go out for a walk?"
"I have heard that every New Year, the capital city's festive lanterns are also very beautiful," Jiang Ruan said, "In the past, I did not have the luck to see it, but today, you should accompany me to take a look."
Xiao Shao couldn't help but laugh. As he thought of Jiang Ruan's past, his expression slowly became solemn and his eyes carried a gentleness that even he himself couldn't detect. As the two of them spoke, they walked towards the fu's entrance.
It happened to be the end of the year, and many people came out to buy new year goods and jewelry. The capital was also very lively. After dusk, every household lit up their red lanterns. Looking from afar, one could see a row of bright red lanterns hanging from the beams of the houses. It was a very beautiful sight. Even though it was snowing lightly, the streets didn't feel cold. Instead, there was an ordinary warmth that came from the flow of people.
Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao walked side by side. The two of them were born with outstanding looks and outstanding bearing. From time to time, there would be people sneaking glances at them. The men would be stunned by Jiang Ruan's beauty and secretly be jealous of Xiao Shao's luck with women. The women became even more daring and took the silk flower in their hands and threw it at Xiao Shao. However, Xiao Shao was really very cold and cheerless. He walked over without looking sideways and stepped on the silk flower, crushing the hearts of the crowd for no reason.
Jiang Ruan was a little curious. In her previous life, she had never had the opportunity to come into contact with such a lively scene. She had always been thrown into the fu by Jiang Quan. It was impossible for her to go out and play with her sisters because the vulgar actions of growing up in the wilderness would lose the Jiang fu's face. In this life, she had come for revenge, so she had no interest in it. After marrying Xiao Shao, the hostility in her body had been restrained a lot. It was rare that she didn't reject things that ordinary people might find interesting. In the words of Dewdrop, she had become more worldly.
"You have been very busy recently. Did something happen in the palace?" Jiang Ruan asked. She had never asked much about Xiao Shao's matters. It was just that it was rare to see Xiao Shao leave early and return late. Something must have happened. As his wife, it was only right for her to ask, even though she might not be able to help.
Xiao Shao shook his head and said, "The people of the Southern Frontier have infiltrated the capital and have not made a move for a long time." Pausing, he lowered his head and whispered in Jiang Ruan's ear, "The Emperor is seriously ill."
Xiao Shao's hot breath still lingered in her ear, but Jiang Ruan was shocked by his words. The Emperor actually fell seriously ill. In her previous life, the Emperor did not fall seriously ill at this time. Even though she was slandered for poisoning the Emperor and becoming a demoness who brought disaster to the country, she still thought that Xuan Li had something to do with it. Now that Xuan Hua had died prematurely, perhaps Xuan Li would wait for an opportunity to make his move. Then, the final juncture of the fight for the throne had actually begun in advance? Jiang Ruan was lost in her thoughts and did not pay attention. For a moment, she bumped into someone, sprained her foot, and fell to the ground.
"Be careful." Xiao Shao frowned and shouted. He quickly grabbed Jiang Ruan's waist and pulled her into his arms. Before Jiang Ruan could look up, she heard a familiar voice, "Third brother, third sao."
Mo Cong and Qi Feng stood in front of them. Mo Cong smiled and hit Xiao Shao's shoulder, "Third brother, I didn't expect you to come out for a stroll. It's really different when you have a lovely wife in your arms."
Xiao Shao did not speak. Qi Feng glanced at Jiang Ruan, who was being supported by Xiao Shao. Just now, Jiang Ruan had bumped into him. He smiled and asked, "Is third sao okay?"
"It's okay." Jiang Ruan said, "Why is Xia Qing not with you?" Guan Liang Han was a man of martial arts and was naturally not willing to come out for a stroll. Xia Qing and Qi Feng often stayed together, so it would be strange if they did not see each other.
"How could he still care about his brother?" Without waiting for Qi Feng to answer, Mo Cong himself rushed to say, "Now he has taken a fancy to the young lady of the Zhangshi family. Today, he also went to court her." Mo Cong muttered, "I don't know how his eyes are made, but he has taken a fancy to that young lady. Her mouth is very fierce, and she doesn't know the ways of the world. It's really … really a reckless waste of God's gift." Noticing that Jiang Ruan was looking at him, Mo Cong scratched his head again and smiled, "Oh, in the end, a person who has a peach blossom is not comparable to us lonely people." The two brothers clung to Qi Feng and said, "It's really shameful for two men to come out for the New Year."
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, and Qi Feng also smiled. His gaze fell on Xiao Shao's hand that was holding Jiang Ruan's waist, and he appeared a little unnatural. He only said, "Lao Qi and I still have some things to do. It's probably not on the way, so we won't disturb the two of you."
Mo Cong was inexplicably pulled away by Qi Feng. Only a faint voice could be heard, "Ah, Fourth Brother, what are we going to do? Where are you dragging me …"
After the two of them walked away, Jiang Ruan stood up straight, but her hand was held by Xiao Shao. She turned to look at Xiao Shao. Xiao Shao's handsome face appeared particularly deep in the changing light and shadow, and his expression was not clear. Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows and did not speak. Just a few steps, they saw a shop selling lanterns in front of them. The owners of the shop were an old couple. Among the various large shops, they appeared inconspicuous. However, Jiang Ruan had taken a fancy to a fox lantern.
The fox lantern was small and exquisite, lifelike, and appeared somewhat exquisite. Jiang Ruan recalled a fox cub that she had once saved in the rural residence, and felt a little interested. Xiao Shao followed her gaze and paused for a moment before saying, "Wait for me here." Then he walked towards the crowded shop.
There were many young girls in front of the shop, but when they saw Xiao Shao, they all blushed and made way for him. Jiang Ruan stayed where she was. Suddenly, the tip of her nose smelled a fragrant wind. This fragrance was somewhat familiar. She looked up and saw a young woman wearing a green coat and skirt standing in front of her, accompanied by a few servant girls. The woman had delicate features and an indescribable aura. It was the daughter of the Governor of Binhai, Yao Niannian.
Yao Niannian must have recognized Jiang Ruan long ago. She stopped in front of Jiang Ruan, smiled at her, and said, "Xiao Wangfei."
"Miss Yao." Jiang Ruan nodded in acknowledgment. Yao Niannian had probably come out for a stroll, but there were no guards following her, and she had no other friends, only a few servant girls. It was rare for a daughter of a rich family to go out alone. However, she was not afraid of being criticized by others, and Yao Niannian's reputation was already good enough, so she could not use this to stir up any waves.
Yao Niannian smiled and looked at Xiao Shao, who was talking to the old couple, and said to Jiang Ruan, "Wangye and Wangfei are indeed deeply in love. Wangye also treats Wangfei with absolute sincerity, which makes one envious." When she said this, her gaze did not reveal any other meaning, as if it was just a casual compliment, and it was sincere.
"Miss Yao is joking. In the future, when Miss Yao marries an ideal husband, you will not fall short of that," Jiang Ruan replied with a smile. In any case, Yao Niannian was the best Jinying Wangfei in the Emperor's heart. Speaking of which, she was also her rival in love, so Jiang Ruan would not have too much of a good impression of her. Ordinary unmarried girls would have blushed when they heard this, but Yao Niannian was calm and did not feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.
"Then I will not disturb Wangfei and Wangye." Yao Niannian nodded slightly, and when she did this ceremonial action, there was a kind of reserved beauty. When she passed by Jiang Ruan, she looked at Jiang Ruan with a smile, and her gaze seemed to be somewhat meaningful.
Guessing at Yao Niannian's smile, Jiang Ruan's intuition told her that something was wrong, but she could not figure out what was wrong. She was lost in her thoughts, and did not even notice that Xiao Shao had returned to her side after buying the lanterns. Xiao Shao saw that she was in a daze, and knocked on her forehead, "Why are you in a daze?"
The women who had been watching Xiao Shao walk to Jiang Ruan's side saw Xiao Shao's actions, and immediately became extremely disheartened. A man who had a sweetheart immediately scattered like birds and beasts. Jiang Ruan returned to her senses, took the lantern from Xiao Shao's hand, and said, "Just now, I saw Miss Yao."
Xiao Shao frowned, he probably did not have much of an impression of the Miss Yao that Jiang Ruan had mentioned. After thinking for a long time, he suddenly understood, but he misunderstood Jiang Ruan's meaning, thinking that she had done this because she was jealous. He paused, and then said, "There is no need to pay attention to outsiders." Without saying anything, he held Jiang Ruan's hand in his and walked forward.
The two of them strolled around the streets a few more times. Jiang Ruan was no longer a little girl, and naturally, she would not speak when she saw something novel. Only Xiao Shao's temperament was steady, and his eyes were very sharp. Whenever Jiang Ruan's gaze fell on a little toy, he would immediately take out his silver and buy it. Finally, Jiang Ruan accidentally saw a zither, and he almost bought it. Only when Jiang Ruan said that it was inconvenient to carry it did Xiao Shao drop the matter. But even so, Xiao Shao still gave her the banknotes, and instructed someone to wrap it up and send it to the fu the next day.
Ordinary passersby did not know the identity of the two of them. Xiao Shao had always dressed in a low-key manner, and today, Jiang Ruan was acting like a well-behaved girl. Others only thought that they were newlyweds, and it was precisely the time when they were deeply in love with each other. In reality, this was not wrong. After all, weren't they newlyweds?
In both her past and present life, Jiang Ruan had never been treated like this. Even though she had long known that Jinying Wang fu was rich, she could not help but feel somewhat stiff. She thought that it was no wonder that even though Xiao Shao's temperament was cold, and he had the reputation of being a rebel and a traitor, there were still so many young ladies who flocked to him like ducks. A man who was handsome and willing to ask for money to win the hearts of women was generally still attractive.
It was not until it was late that the two of them returned to the fu, and when the people on the streets had begun to gradually disperse. When Steward Lin saw that the two of them had returned, he naturally instructed the kitchen to bring over the sweet soup that had been prepared. After Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan drank a little, Steward Lin and Lian Qiao came to inform them that the General fu had sent something over. Ever since Jiang Quan had been imprisoned, the General fu and Jiang Ruan's interactions had increased. Perhaps they also understood Jiang Ruan's taboo. Although they did not contact each other often, they still had to be thorough in their etiquette during the New Year and other festivals. Zhao Guang and Jiang Xin Zhi were congenial. The grandfather and grandson pair had endless things to talk about regarding the war. Jiang Xin Zhi did not even ask about the renovation of the mansion that the Emperor had bestowed upon him. Whenever he had time, he would go to the General fu.
After Jiang Ruan finished washing up, she saw that Xiao Shao had already finished bathing and had changed into a snow-white inner garment. He was leaning against the headboard of the bed, reading a book. Jiang Ruan casually took the book from his hand and climbed onto the bed. She brushed her hair and said, "If you have some free time in the next few days, come with me to the General fu."
Xiao Shao pursed his lips and said, "Alright." Now that the Minister's fu was completely gone, the General fu was also Xiao Shao's father-in-law's home. Naturally, he would have to go there.
Jiang Ruan suddenly thought of something and said, "That's right, I would like to borrow Jin Er for a while and ask him to help me investigate someone."
Xiao Shao raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who?"
"The fu's Da Yiniang." Although the brazier in the room was still burning charcoal, Jiang Ruan still felt a little cold wearing only a thin inner garment. Jiang Ruan unconsciously leaned against Xiao Shao's chest, using him as a big warm stove. She frowned and said, "You should also know about the situation in my fu. Now that the Minister's fu is gone, I have not heard any news of Da Yiniang seeking refuge with anyone. For so many years, she has been like a transparent person in the fu. She never fights or fights, yet she is safe and sound. I have always felt that it is very strange … "It was not that there were no people in the world who did not fight or fight, but that such a person should not appear in the Minister's fu. Zhao Mei's character was simple, so she had not been able to survive the struggle in the Minister's fu. For Da Yiniang to be safe and sound under Xia Yan's eyes, she must have some special methods. She did not know why, but Jiang Ruan always felt that it was a little strange. Perhaps it was because people who had died once had an indescribable intuition about these things. No matter what, Jiang Ruan could not ignore Da Yiniang.
Xiao Shao also saw through her thoughts, so he covered her with the quilt a little more tightly. He muttered, "Leave this matter to me."
Jiang Ruan was also very clever. Taking advantage of the situation, she leaned her head against his chest and said, "Also, that Miss Yao, I felt that there was something wrong with her today. I can't put my finger on it … I just feel a little uneasy."
Xiao Shao moved slightly, and a trace of a smile flitted across his eyes. He glanced at Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan sensed his gaze and said, "Don't think that I am speaking carelessly. You did not see it at that time, and even if you had seen it, you probably would not have been able to see anything. "
"Then how did you see it?" Xiao Shao asked in a low voice.
"Intuition." A woman's intuition was always inexplicable, and women always believed in their own intuition without reason. Jiang Ruan herself could not clearly describe her feelings towards Yao Niannian, but in the instant when they had passed each other, the meaningful smile that Yao Niannian had shown her did not seem to be that simple. This meeting was different from the last time on the hunting grounds. It seemed that something had quietly changed.
"Ah Ruan is so concerned, are you jealous?" Xiao Shao's cold and stiff face immediately revealed a somewhat mischievous smile. Hearing this, Jiang Ruan's face heated up and she angrily said, "When was I jealous? It's just … oh …" Before she could finish speaking, the rest of her words were blocked by someone else's lips. The room slowly warmed up, and it seemed that even the snowflakes clinging to the window were about to melt.
At the same time, in the capital's imperial prison.
The jailer fiddled with the charcoal in the brazier. Even if a fire was lit, the cold and damp accumulated in the imperial prison over the years was not so easy to dispel. Especially in this cold winter, it was even colder. It was the end of the year, yet they had to stay in such a damned place. It was inevitable that they would feel resentful. A few jailers were gathered together, and the table was piled with some food and wine. They were somewhat drunk.
From the depths of the imperial prison, there seemed to be a low whimpering sound. Although it was said to be a whimper, it was more like a curse. The echo of the whimpering sound was somewhat strange in this place. One of the jailers cursed a few times and only said, "It's really f * cking unlucky, crying for funerals all day long."
"Forget it." Another pulled the jailer who was about to go and teach him a lesson and said, "In any case, he won't be able to live for long, so as to avoid annoying people. Come, come, come, don't worry about that. Brothers, let's drink another cup." As he said this, he took a big gulp of wine, as if he had also forgotten the voice at the back of his mind.
In the last cell in the depths of the gloomy imperial prison, a stooped figure was lying on the floor. His entire body emitted a foul stench, and his long and messy hair seemed to be mixed with a lot of lice. He stretched out his hand and scratched his back. Most likely, he had contracted some kind of skin disease, as his originally tattered clothes were scratched with many seams. No one would have thought that this beggar-like person, who was even dirtier than a beggar, was the former Minister of War, Jiang Quan.
Jiang Ruan raised her head with difficulty. From the daily gossip of the jailers, she had heard a lot of news from the outside. When he heard that Jiang Dan had died and Xuan Hua had also fallen, he even cheered in his heart. Jiang Dan was just a little concubine's daughter. After entering the palace and becoming an imperial concubine, she thought that she had ascended to the heavens in a single bound. She did not care about her father in the slightest. As for Xuan Hua, he was also dead, and the Crown Prince was gravely ill in bed. This country would most likely fall into Xuan Li's hands. Jiang Quan had originally hoped that Xuan Li would think of a way to save him on account of their old friendship. However, after such a long time, he had never heard any news of this. Fortunately, he had asked the jailer about it, and the jailer had looked at him with a mocking gaze. Jiang Quan's heart slowly began to understand. Now that the Minister of War's household had fallen, he was of no use. Once the cunning hare was killed, the hound would be boiled. To Xuan Li, he was just a useless chess piece that had no value in being kept. Naturally, he would be discarded without hesitation.
Jiang Quan suddenly recalled the dream he had just had.
In that dream, he was the high and mighty Minister of War, a loyal official of the imperial court, and an upright scholar in the hearts of the common people. In that dream, Xuan Li had become the Emperor, Jiang Su Su had become the Empress, and Jiang Chao had a bright future. He was a first-rank official, and was promoted to nobility. Xia Yan became a first-rank titled Madam, and the Minister of War's household flourished and flourished.
In that dream, Second Yiniang was still there, and so were Jiang Li and Jiang Dan. The only ones who were not there were Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi. In that dream, Jiang Xin Zhi had died prematurely, and Jiang Ruan had been sent to the palace to be a chess piece that had been arranged from the beginning. In the end, she had become a stepping stone for the entire Minister of War's household. The Minister of War's household had stepped on Jiang Ruan's flesh and blood to rise higher and higher. That dream was so beautiful, and it was practically the most wonderful dream that Jiang Quan had had since entering the imperial prison. The glory, splendor, wealth, rank, and rank in the dream had been so real, as if that life had really existed. It was precisely because of such splendor that when he woke up, he was unable to accept the sight of ruin before his eyes.
Could it be that the debts of a previous life had been repaid in this life? If the dream was his previous life, it was precisely because he had harmed Jiang Ruan to such a state in his previous life that he had been defeated by Jiang Ruan in this life. Jiang Quan wiped his face. The nights in the imperial prison were especially cold, and he seemed to be able to hear the sound of firecrackers and fireworks outside. This was already the end of the year. If it was in previous years, if it was the previous years in that dream … That was precisely the residence of the Minister of War's household, where he lived in luxury and lived in luxury.
But now, it had become a wisp of dust for others to trample on. He, the new nobleman of the imperial court, who had great ambitions, had now become a prisoner. Jiang Quan's gaze slowly fell on a blackened, thin blanket on the ground. That thing had already turned somewhat black, and even after a long time, it seemed that he could still smell the stench of blood from it. Jiang Quan naturally knew what it was. It was a piece of human skin that had come from the youngest shu daughter of the Minister of War's household, Jiang Dan.
Someone had completely peeled off her skin and given it to him as a gift. Jiang Quan was well aware of who that person was. When he had first seen this human skin, he had also felt nauseous and vomited. He had been so frightened that his face had turned deathly pale. Every day, he had endured enormous torment, and now, his mind had become somewhat deranged. This was exactly what Jiang Ruan had wanted to achieve. This was a blatant threat, but it also seemed to be a warning. She had borrowed Jiang Dan's face to tell him that those who had harmed Zhao Mei would not have a good ending. Jiang Dan and Xia Yan had already paid the price, and now, it was his turn …
Jiang Quan had never regarded her as his own daughter, so that beautiful young girl, who was always dressed in bright red, had unhesitatingly replied in such a manner. Her viciousness and mercilessness were not inferior to Jiang Quan's, and she was even crueler and more ruthless. How could they be father and daughter? They were clearly enemies from the previous and current lives. Even if they were enemies, then so be it, but he had still lost.
It was the new year, and from one of the cells in the imperial prison, a man's low cursing could be heard. That cursing seemed to contain a trembling, sobbing plea for mercy, mixed with the whimpers of fear, as it slowly dissipated into the night of the Great Jin dynasty's capital.
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