Early the next morning, Jiang Ruan had just eaten breakfast and had yet to reach the study when someone from the gatehouse came to report that he was carrying a bundle in his hand. He only said that it was for the master of Jinying Wang fu. When she asked who it was, the gatehouse could not answer and only said that it seemed to be the carriage of the Mo family fu. This Mo family was naturally Mo Cong's fu in the capital. The master of Jinying Wang fu was indeed Xiao Shao, but now that Jiang Ruan was in charge, the gatehouse did not hesitate and handed it over to Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan returned to the study and threw the bundle on the desk. However, Tian Zhu said, "Young Madam, why don't you open it? If there are other important matters, it would not be good to delay it. "
In Tian Zhu's view, if Mo Cong came to deliver something, it was probably related to official business. Jiang Ruan was not an ignorant housewife. There were some things that she could deal with very well. Now was a troubled time and time was very precious. Xiao Shao would probably return late at night, so it was better for Jiang Ruan to open it now and see what it was.
Lian Qiao also hurriedly said, "Yes, Young Madam, after all, it is a matter of the fu." Lian Qiao's thoughts were not as profound as Tian Zhu's. She only thought that Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao were somewhat estranged and could not continue to be so indifferent. This matter might be an opportunity. Jiang Ruan thought for a moment, then brought the bundle in front of her eyes and slowly opened it.
There was nothing in the bundle, only a coat. This coat was a jet-black embroidered robe. The corner of the robe was embroidered with a dark golden qilin. It was Xiao Shao's robe. Next to the robe was a letter.
Mo Cong returning Xiao Shao's robe for no reason was a strange matter. Moreover, there was also a letter. Jiang Ruan did not hesitate and opened the letter at the side. When the letter was unfolded, there were only two simple words on it: Many thanks. It was the graceful small regular script that women often used, but the handwriting was neat and full of charm. With just a superficial glance, one could already feel that it was a good handwriting. It was just a letter of thanks, but the handwriting was already so unusual. The content itself was also very thought-provoking. As soon as Dewdrop saw it, her expression changed greatly. She had no choice but to think about it. Perhaps she would have found it strange in the past, but now, when she saw these things, she could not help but have a thought. With Jin Er as an example, how could she not be nervous? Her expression changed immediately.
Tian Zhu's gaze also moved, but he did not speak. Lian Qiao opened her mouth, obviously not knowing how to deal with the current situation. Before the three of them could open their mouths, they saw Jiang Ruan pick up the robe and slowly bring it to the tip of her nose. Lian Qiao and Lu Zhu stared at her nervously. Although Tian Zhu's expression was not as nervous as Lian Qiao and Lu Zhu, she did not even blink, refusing to miss a single expression from Jiang Ruan. After a moment, Jiang Ruan put down Xiao Shao's robe. From beginning to end, her expression had not changed. She threw the robe back into the bundle and asked Lu Zhu, "Where is the gift for the General fu that I prepared a few days ago?"
A few days ago, the Zhao family's Third Mistress had a pregnancy pulse. Zhao Feizhou was already so old, yet the Third Mistress was still pregnant. This was a matter that made the entire General fu happy. When the good news came, Jiang Ruan also ordered people to prepare the gift and was prepared to personally make a trip. But recently, she had almost forgotten about this matter.
Lu Zhu was surprised, "It has already been prepared. It is exactly according to the gift list that Steward Lin gave. Does Miss want to take a look now?"
"No need," Jiang Ruan stood up, "Let's go to the General fu today."
"Eh?" Lian Qiao's heart thumped. Obviously, she had faintly guessed in the direction that Lu Zhu was thinking. Although there was some hesitation, Jiang Ruan did not wait for them to speak and took the lead to leave. The few of them looked at each other. Finally, it was Tian Zhu who walked forward and stood in front of the desk. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to pick up the robe. She imitated Jiang Ruan and waved it under her nose.
"What is it?" Lian Qiao asked anxiously.
Tian Zhu's brows were tightly knitted, but she did not seem to fully understand. She asked with slight doubt, "Orchid?"
…
Just like that, Jiang Ruan left the door. Steward Lin was angry but did not dare to say anything. He probably wanted to go forward and dissuade her, but in the end, when he saw Jiang Ruan's cold expression, he did not dare to go forward. In the end, he could only shrink behind the vermilion pillar of the Wang fu's main gate and use his fingers to scratch the paint. Jin Si stood at the side with his arms crossed. Watching Steward Lin's actions, he could not help but say, "Hey, Old Lin, if this pillar is scratched, will it be deducted from your salary to repair it?"
Steward Lin's actions stopped abruptly, but he immediately put on a stern face and lectured, "What do you know? This old man is just worried. You, little girl, do not understand. How can you share this old man's worries? All day long, you don't know what you should do and only know how to make noise." In the end, he was lecturing Jin Si. Jin Si was stunned for a moment and did not know whether to laugh or cry, "Is there a need for you to be so nervous? Young Madam is only going to the General fu. It's just a trip to her maiden home. Why do you act as if something big happened? Those who don't know would think that something happened to Young Madam. "
"That's why I said that you're blind." Steward Lin clasped his hands behind his back and looked at her. "Do you know why Young Madam returned to the General's fu?"
"I do. Third Young Madam of the Zhao family is pregnant, so Young Madam went to congratulate her. This is a joyous occasion," Jin Si replied.
"If she really wanted to congratulate her, why would Young Madam wait until you arrived? She would have brought Young Master back with her a long time ago. Today, when she returned, it was obvious that she went back to her maiden home in a fit of pique after an argument. I heard from Lian Qiao last night that it really made me anxious. " As Steward Lin spoke, he became a little angry. "Everything was fine, but he angered his wife all the way to her maiden home. Young Master really hasn't learned any of my cleverness. Women need to be coaxed. I don't think he's willing to coax her anymore."
Hearing this, Jin Si began to ponder seriously. He looked at Steward Lin and said, "Speaking of which, I also feel that too many things have happened recently. First, it was Jin Er and Lu Zhu. Now, it's Young Madam and Young Master. This is quite a coincidence, but I don't know how it all happened. Is it because the fengshui is bad? "
"Let's hurry up and have someone go to the temple to burn the incense of marriage. This fu cannot tolerate such a thing." Steward Lin also expressed his agreement.
…
On the other side, Jiang Ruan brought Tian Zhu and a few others to the General fu. Her arrival was also very sudden, and she did not have any plans for the invitation. She did not even let the manservant go to greet her eldest brother in advance. However, the Zhao family members were still very happy to see her, especially the few grandmothers of the Zhao family, who happily went out to welcome her.
Jiang Ruan ordered people to carry the gift for the Third Daughter-in-law out. Naturally, there would not be a lack of guests. Everyone in the Third Branch was courteous, and the gift had been written very thoughtfully. No one could find any fault with it, and it was very generous. This was Steward Lin's handiwork. Steward Lin had always been good at writing gifts.
When the Eldest Grandmother led Jiang Ruan into the fu, she first wanted to see the Master of the fu, Zhao Guang. However, Zhao Guang was not in the main hall. The Eldest Grandmother smiled and said, "Father is playing chess in the backyard. Ah Ruan, follow me." When she really led them to the backyard, Jiang Ruan was slightly startled. This was because the person playing chess with Zhao Guang was Jiang Xin Zhi. The two of them had not seen each other for a long time. Ever since the end of the year, Jiang Ruan had been busy helping Xuan Pei gain a firm foothold. Jiang Xin Zhi's daily official duties in the military camp were also rather busy. Perhaps it was because of Zhao Jin, but he did not have to keep Jiang Ruan under his eyes like he used to do in the past. Thus, this meeting between the siblings was rather sudden.
However, it was obvious that feelings would not grow distant just because of the distance. When Jiang Xin Zhi saw Jiang Ruan, he immediately ignored his unfinished chess game and stood up to take large strides towards Jiang Ruan. He said happily, "Ah Ruan, why did you suddenly come? Why didn't you find someone to tell us in advance?"
Zhao Guang was so angry that he stomped his feet behind him, "Stinky brat, hurry up and come back. This game is not over yet, where are you going to run off to!"
"That's enough, Grandfather," another voice interrupted, "With your lousy chess game, only Cousin Ge has the patience to play chess with you. So what if it's over? In the end, it's still a loss."
Zhao Guang could not tolerate others saying that he was not good at chess, so he immediately scowled at Zhao Feizhou and scolded him. However, Zhao Feizhou made a funny face and ran away like a wisp of smoke. Zhao Feizhou's temperament was one hundred percent inherited from Zhao Yuan Feng's temperament. In short, he was a rash and reckless person. Zhao Guang did not chase after him. When he saw Jiang Ruan, he coughed, unable to suppress the joy in his eyes, "Ruan girl, you're back."
Jiang Ruan nodded and stepped forward to exchange greetings. The satisfied expression on Zhao Guang's face deepened. In all fairness, although Jiang Ruan did not spend much time at the General's fu, this was actually more beneficial to the General's fu. Maintaining an appropriate amount of time would not bring any trouble to the General's fu. Although her attitude was usually polite and distant, the gifts she gave during the New Year and other festivals were always very thoughtful. It was said that one's intentions could be seen from a person's gift list. It was from these gifts that one could not pick out anything wrong with, it really made one unable to get angry. One would only feel that this young lady was compromising to protect them, and that she was only doing this. On the contrary, it made one feel even closer to Jiang Ruan and feel sorry for her. Of course, the people of the General's fu naturally did not know that every gift list was drawn up by Housekeeper Lin. In their opinion, Jiang Ruan was exceptionally intelligent, so it was not strange that the gift list came from her. However, it was somewhat impossible for a housekeeper to draw up such a gift list. One must know that drawing up a gift list was not an easy task. Many young ladies of noble families began to learn how to manage a household by drawing up a gift list. If it was done well, they might be able to establish a good relationship. If it was not done well, they might miss out on an important opportunity to climb up the ranks.
After Zhao Guang and Jiang Ruan spoke, Madam Li came over again. She pulled her into the main hall and could not help but ask about the recent situation. Madam Li truly loved Jiang Ruan. She had doubled the amount of regret she had with Zhao Mei to compensate Jiang Ruan. Zhao Yu Long and Zhao Yi had also returned. Zhao San 'er was somewhat surprised. Originally, she had thought that Jiang Ruan would not come, but today, she had suddenly come. The entire Zhao family had gathered together. Madam Li was very happy and ordered people to go to the kitchen to prepare more dishes. However, Zhao Yuan Ping asked, "Ruan girl, why did Xiao Wangye not accompany you today?"
Everyone looked at Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "He is very busy. Today, I suddenly came on a whim. I will have to ask him to come and meet Grandfather and Grandmother another day."
Xiao Shao was indeed very busy. The Zhao family all attended court, and they knew that he had always been busy in the capital. He was not in the capital all year round, so Zhao Yuan Ping did not ask any more questions. When it was time to eat, the whole family toasted each other and it was very lively. Jiang Ruan sat in the middle of them and was slightly absent-minded. These past few days, the atmosphere in Jinying Wang fu had been foul and chaotic. Whether it was the Brocade Guards, the maidservants by her side, or even herself? The lively and amiable atmosphere in front of others formed a sharp contrast with the cold and distant atmosphere behind others. She had never felt it before, but now, she could feel the difference more and more. Perhaps she did not know when, but her heart had also begun to be warmed by others, at least towards those who were close to her.
While eating, Madam Li asked tentatively, "Ah Ruan, it is getting late today. Why don't you not go back tonight?" Her words were said with some caution. She stared at Jiang Ruan's expression without blinking, and her gaze was filled with unconcealable expectation. Jiang Ruan suddenly smiled and said, "Okay."
Madam Li breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ordered the servants, "Hurry, hurry, hurry, clean up the room in Fragrant Garden. I just had people sweep it a few days ago, so it must have accumulated dust these days." Fragrant Garden was the courtyard that Zhao Mei had lived in when she was a young lady in the fu. After Zhao Mei left, the courtyard had not been abandoned. For more than ten years, it had been waiting for a person who would never return. Every few days, she would have people clean up the room. It seemed that only relatives could do this.
"Mother, why are you in such a hurry?" The Second Daughter-in-law smiled and said, "Who would have people clean up the room when they are eating? There is no need to rush. After dinner, Eldest Sao, Third Sao, and Mother can continue chatting. I will have people clean up the room over there. I still have a lot of interesting stories here, but I don't know if Ah Ruan will like them." She was a straightforward person, and her words were full of smiles, which always made people feel refreshed. Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "Xiao Shao has been very busy these past few days. Almost every day, he is not at the fu. I also intend to stay here for a few more days. I only hope that Sisters-in-law will not mind my intrusion."
"It's no trouble, no trouble," Third Daughter-in-law was pleasantly surprised when she heard this. "That's great. Every day, I am trapped in the room and have no one to talk to. It's good that Ah Ruan is here, I finally have company."
When Second Daughter-in-law heard this, she pretended to be angry and said, "What are you saying? Am I not a person every day? I have been accompanying you all these days in vain. "
Third Daughter-in-law hurriedly smiled and begged for mercy. For a moment, the room was filled with cheers and laughter, and it was very lively. When night fell, she accompanied a few of her sisters-in-law and had a good chat. By then, it was already late at night. Jiang Ruan returned to Fragrant Garden and was about to freshen up and rest when she suddenly heard Tian Zhu call out in alarm, "Who is it?"
Jiang Ruan turned around and saw a person walk out from the shadows of the lamp. It was Jiang Xin Zhi. He glanced at Tian Zhu and said, "You can leave first."
Tian Zhu was stunned, but he also knew that Jiang Ruan and this brother of his had always had a close relationship, so he withdrew without a word. Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi walked to the stone table in the courtyard and sat down. Jiang Ruan smiled and asked, "Eldest Brother, you are not sleeping at this late hour. Could it be that you want to chat with me?"
"Ah Ruan," Jiang Xin Zhi's expression became serious, "did he bully you?"
Jiang Ruan was startled for a moment before she regained her senses. The "he" that Jiang Xin Zhi was referring to was naturally Xiao Shao. She smiled, "Eldest Brother, how could he dare to bully me? It has always been me who bullies others. You are worrying too much … "
Without waiting for her to finish speaking, she was interrupted by Jiang Xin Zhi, "Ah Ruan, you and I are siblings born from the same mother. In this world, only the two of us are the closest. Ever since we were young, you have loved to stick to me. Although we have been separated for many years, it is not that I do not understand you. Today, in this fu, you have behaved abnormally. When you were young and angry with me, you did not cry or make a fuss. You always quietly walked away. You are used to using silence to express your dissatisfaction and avoid direct conflict. Ah Ruan, what problem did you and Xiao Shao have? "
Jiang Xin Zhi really understood her. Even though many of her thoughts had changed in this life, after a long period of interaction and the connection between siblings born from the same mother, Jiang Xin Zhi could still see that something was wrong with her at a glance. However, Jiang Ruan was somewhat helpless, "Eldest Brother, there is indeed a little problem between me and him. However, if I cannot even deal with such a small problem, then you are underestimating me too much. Eldest Brother can't possibly interfere in the matters between husband and wife. He did not bully me, but I saw that he was a little unhappy, so I bullied him. " Seeing that Jiang Xin Zhi would not give up until he achieved his goal, Jiang Ruan told him the ins and outs of the matter, only hiding the part about the quarrel with Xiao Shao. She said, "In the end, the Jinyi Guards are his people. Love me, love my crow. Similarly, I am not happy with him joining the Jinyi Guards, so naturally, I am not happy with him. Therefore, I wanted to come out to relax and at the same time let myself calm down and think about the cause of the matter."
"You think …" Jiang Xin Zhi looked at her in bewilderment. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying, "This matter is indeed a little strange. I will pay attention to it. Since this is the case, you should stay here for a few more days. Since that Xiao Shao did not stand up for you, you deserve to be angry." He said angrily, "I should teach him a lesson."
Jiang Ruan smiled. Suddenly, she thought of something and said, "Eldest Brother, there is something I need to tell you."
Jiang Xin Zhi smiled and said, "What is it?" He suddenly looked at Jiang Ruan with surprise. "Could it be that I am going to have a nephew?"
"What are you talking about?" Jiang Ruan did not know whether to laugh or cry. "I want to tell you that in this struggle for the throne, between the Thirteenth Prince and the Eighth Prince, even if they can reluctantly maintain a neutral stance, as time goes on, it will definitely be impossible. They will have to declare a side. Eldest Brother, I am standing on the Thirteenth Prince's side."
"Oh," Jiang Xin Zhi was somewhat disappointed. Jiang Ruan was talking about such an important matter, but he said, "If you did not tell me about this matter, in the end, I would still have chosen the Thirteenth Prince's side."
"Why?" Jiang Ruan asked doubtfully. Jiang Xin Zhi had always been a gentle and upright person. Even though he had become resolute on the battlefield, it had not obliterated the righteousness in his bones. For such a person to support another person and step into the disputes of the court was not an easy matter.
"Xuan Li has done things that are disadvantageous to you. Why would you choose him?" Jiang Xin Zhi snorted. "Although that Xuan Pei does not appear to be easy to deal with, at least he has helped you out of trouble."
"Your reasoning is simple," Jiang Ruan could not help but laugh again. After exchanging a few words with Jiang Xin Zhi, she felt much more relaxed. After Jiang Xin Zhi left, she returned to her room to rest and slept well that night.
For the next few days, Jiang Ruan stayed in the General fu. It was also the first time that the people of the General fu had seen Jiang Ruan move in. They could not wait to take out all the good things for her to make her happy. Everyone here was full of kindness towards her. This kind of kindness was not the kindness of strangers on the street, but came from the bottom of their hearts, from the kindness of family members. Therefore, Jiang Ruan was actually much happier here than in Jinying Wang fu. The General fu only sent someone to Jinying Wang fu to inform them that Jiang Ruan would be staying here for a few more days.
In Jinying Wang fu, Xiao Shao was sitting in the study when a manservant came over and reported, "Master, there is another letter from the General fu saying that Young Madam will be staying there for a few more days." The manservant also wiped away his sweat. These days, Housekeeper Lin had tormented these manservants who passed on the message miserably. Ever since that day when Jiang Ruan went to see the Zhao family's Third Mistress, she had not returned. If the first day could be said to be because it was too late to travel, then the second day could be said to be because the family had gathered together to chat. However, after this series of events, it was somewhat unbearable. The people of the General fu were naturally open-minded and crude, so they could not see the knack behind it. However, everyone in Jinying Wang fu knew the reason behind it. Jiang Ruan only lacked a few words to clearly tell them: This Wangfei is angry and wants to return to her maternal home!
Jiang Ruan still did not return. Every time the manservant sent out by the fu to urge her, he would only bring back one piece of news: Wangfei does not want to leave and wants to stay for a few more days. In fact, it was not good for a married daughter to stay in her maternal home for too long. However, with the status of the General fu and Jiang Ruan's identity, no one dared to say anything. However, Housekeeper Lin was scratching his ears and cheeks in his heart. He could not wait to tie Xiao Shao up and bring him to the General fu to offer a humble apology so that he could coax the mistress of the Wang fu back.
Housekeeper Lin probed, "Master, when are you going to personally go to the General's residence to take a look? It's already been more than ten days, it's not good to continue like this." He forcefully swallowed the words' open up branches and leaves' at the end of his sentence.
Xiao Shao did not speak. He was used to having an expressionless face. Housekeeper Lin, on the other hand, did not know what he meant at the moment. A few days ago, Qi Feng came to look for Jiang Ruan once. Qi Feng did not know that Jiang Ruan had returned to the General fu. He only brought a large box of novelties with him, saying that it was specially left for Jiang Ruan by a friend. At that time, Xiao Shao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. His attitude towards Qi Feng was also surprisingly cold. Housekeeper Lin felt a little guilty and did not know how Qi Feng felt about it. However, Qi Feng left very quickly. The expression between the two of them was very unpleasant.
Xiao Shao's relationship with his martial brothers had always been good. His conduct could be considered righteous. This was the first time that he had a black face with Qi Feng. Housekeeper Lin muttered in his heart, Xiao Shao's appearance clearly showed that he cared about Jiang Ruan. But why could he not put down his pride?
Just as he was thinking, he saw Jin Yi hand over a post. The posts here were generally under Housekeeper Lin's control. Jin Yi felt a little strange when he took the post. Housekeeper Lin was shocked. Could it be that Jin Yi wanted to steal his work? He quickly stole a glance. With his superior eyesight, he could tell with just a glance that the invitation was from the Mo residence. There were probably a few other people casually mentioned on it. There was a name that Steward Lin felt was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't recall it no matter how hard he tried. While he was still in a dilemma, he heard Xiao Shao take a look and say, "Prepare the horse."
Was he going to go just like that? Jin Yi quickly brought the cloak. Xiao Shao left in a hurry and did not stop. Housekeeper Lin stood there in a daze. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and said, "Hey? Yao family! Isn't that the bandit family that wanted to destroy young master's flower? "
….
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The night was as dark as ink. Lian Qiao went outside to prepare hot water for Jiang Ruan to bathe. Tian Zhu stood outside while Jiang Ruan stood in the courtyard. The early spring wind was still somewhat chilly, but it was not as painful as it used to be. The night air was also fresh. The walls of the courtyard were covered with moon radishes. The flowers were small and thin, emitting a faint fragrance. In the night, it was very enchanting.
Lu Zhu walked under the moon radish, wanting to pluck a few petals. Suddenly, there was a 'putong' sound on the opposite side of the wall. She jumped in fright. Just as she was about to shout, she saw a big black tabby cat running nimbly from that side.
"So it's a cat," Lu Zhu patted her chest. When she turned her head, she heard Jiang Ruan say, "You go in first, I'll sit for a while."
Lu Zhu carried the basket back to the house. Jiang Ruan then turned around. The moment Lu Zhu entered the house, there was already an additional slender figure under the moon radish vines. That figure stood under the moon radish vines. His posture was tall and straight, as if he had been standing there since the beginning. Jiang Ruan was not surprised. She just stood a few steps away from him and looked over in silence.
The dark clouds gradually dispersed and the moonlight gradually fell. That faintly discernible figure also became clearer. It was a young man, elegant and heroic. Dressed in embroidered clothes, he walked in the night. The moonlight fell on his face, making him look even more handsome than a mortal. It was as if he was a graceful immortal who had walked out of some Qiong Lai fairyland, indifferently overlooking the mortal world.
Today, Jiang Ruan was wearing a bright red dress with a thin quilt. The hem of the dress was long and slashed down, dragging out a winding scene on the ground. It was also embroidered with large golden flowers. In an instant, it actually dazzled and dazzled people. Moreover, her appearance was beautiful and alluring. In the dim light of the night, it was even more enchanting.
In the air, there seemed to be a stray cat meowing softly. Jiang Ruan's appearance was beautiful and alluring. Her red dress was like fire. She was graceful and graceful, yet she gave off a layer of austere aura. She said, "What matter does Wangye have to pay a visit in the middle of the night?"
The young man's black clothes were like brocade. His appearance was elegant and heroic. He lowered his eyes and said indifferently, "The di daughter of Duo Wen General's fu is born with a bewitching bone. I specially came to pay a visit."
"What does being born with a bewitching bone count for? Why don't Wangye find a bronze mirror and look inside for yourself. Only then will you know what is called a natural evildoer." Jiang Ruan said coldly. After she finished speaking, she did not wait for the other party to reply. She turned around and returned to the house. With a 'peng' sound, she closed the door.
The face of the cold and cheerless young man, who had remained where he was, suddenly showed a trace of a crack. Her guts had grown fat, and she actually slammed the door? It was one of the imperial bodyguards who stretched out his hand. Xiao Shao looked at him with an unfriendly expression. Jin San's legs turned to jelly as he whispered, "Master, this won't do. Young Madam will definitely not forgive you."
Sure enough, she was still angry. Xiao Shao pursed his lips. His gaze towards the door suddenly became somewhat at a loss.
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