This bitter summer in the Great Jin Dynasty was exceptionally long. Because of the effects of the war, it seemed to have turned into a scorching hot desert, devoid of life. Xuan Li's men finally withdrew from the capital and reached the edge of the city gates. In the end, they were outnumbered. Xuan Pei's subordinates were not lacking in military officers. The old General's household had Zhao Guang and his sons, the young and brave God of War, Jiang Xin Zhi, the civil officer Lin Wei, Liu Min, and Xiao Shao's hundreds of thousands of Embroidered Guards. Xuan Li's men retreated step by step. Among them, Jiang Xin Zhi and Xiao Shao's Embroidered Guards were especially ferocious. They were as cruel and unreasonable as the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Sometimes, when faced with Xuan Li's army, they were clearly evenly matched, and sometimes they were far inferior. In the end, it almost became a one-sided massacre.
Xiao Shao had always brought the habits of an assassin to the battlefield. In the eyes of the Embroidered Guards, the enemy could not be considered an enemy, they could only be prey. Thus, slaughter became an instinct. Everyone knew the reason why Jiang Xin Zhi and Xiao Shao were so crazy. It was because Xuan Li had kidnapped Jiang Ruan and caused her death.
The reason why Xuan Li was willing to make this decision was probably because he had Jiang Ruan in his hands. As long as the Embroidered Guards did not appear, Xuan Pei's men could only fight him to a draw. Who would have thought that Yuan Chuan's final scheme would actually include him? Thus, he and Xiao Shao became mortal enemies, and those who went against the Embroidered Uniform Guard would find it a bit more difficult to walk the earth for no reason.
In addition, with Xuan Pei overseeing the court, everything was handled in an orderly manner. Even those officials who were unsure of their positions and had initially harbored wishful thoughts during the fight for the throne were all dealt with by Xuan Pei. Xuan Pei vigorously supported the loyal officials. Among them, there was no lack of confidants who had followed him from the start. He was clear in his rewards and punishments. Moreover, his settling of accounts after the autumn also made the officials realize that this young Son of Heaven was not someone who was easy to deal with. Every move of the court had long been seen by him, but he had previously restrained himself.
However, no matter how fierce the war was, no matter how frequent the reports of victory were. Whether it was the Emperor, the General's household, Jiang Xin Zhi, or Xiao Shao, there was no trace of joy on their faces. Especially Xiao Shao, who did things coldly every day and ate icily. His temperament was even colder than before. It was as if nothing in the world could be reflected in his eyes.
"Still no news?" Housekeeper Lin should be a new official of the imperial court. Lin Wei glanced at Xiao Shao, who was standing in the pavilion in the courtyard, thinking about something.
Qi Feng shook his head. These days, Xiao Shao had never given up searching for Jiang Ruan's whereabouts. The Embroidered Uniform Guards in every area had been notified, but even such a large scale search yielded no results. Perhaps it meant something. Xiao Shao was a calm and rational person. It was impossible for him not to know this, but he insisted that Jiang Ruan was not dead. At that time, the Brocade Guards had wanted to find some ashes from the temple that had been destroyed by fire to erect a cenotaph for Jiang Ruan. After Xiao Shao had seen this, he had been unable to restrain his anger and had actually chopped the cenotaph into pieces. Afterwards, he had ruthlessly punished those Brocade Guards who had acted on their own. From then on, no one dared to mention Jiang Ruan's whereabouts in front of Xiao Shao.
Since Xiao Shao insisted on this wish, what else could they do? It was just that he had to guard a hopeless hope by himself. It was probably a little sad for others to see it.
Lin Wei also sighed and said, "Let's go." Just as he was about to leave, he saw Jin Er running out of nowhere. His expression was extremely agitated, holding something in his hands. He did not even care about his qinggong and hurriedly ran as he shouted, "Master, Master, there's news!"
Qi Feng and Lin Wei were startled at the same time and immediately walked towards the two of them. Xiao Shao turned his head. Jin Er was so excited that he did not care about the etiquette between master and servant. As Qi Feng and Lin Wei approached, they heard Jin Er's voice, "Young Master, someone found Young Madam's jewelry in a pawn shop in the south of the city!"
Jiang Ruan finished sewing the last stitch on her small gown. She used her mouth to bite off the end of the thread and skillfully tied a knot. She was very skilled in doing this, and Gui Sao could not help but praise her. She also said that she looked like a young lady of a wealthy family with delicate skin and flesh. Presumably, she had not done any rough work in her daily life. Who knew that this garment was so exquisitely sewn that it was even better than the tailors in the village.
Jiang Ruan smiled. She had also lived in the rural residence for a long time. At that time, there was endless embroidery work to be done every day, so naturally, she had also practiced needlework. After returning to the Minister's fu, she rarely touched needlework. However, now that she thought of the child in her belly, she was filled with joy. Doing needlework was also fun. From spring to summer, these few days, she rushed to make some small cool summer gowns. They were all made of cotton and were very comfortable to the touch.
Gui Sao said, "However, although you have done well, Ruan niangzi should not do too much. You must know that the day of your labor is approaching, so you must not have any mishaps because of this. Rest well these few days, the weather is also hot. Leave these matters to me. " She looked at Jiang Ruan's belly and reached out to touch it lovingly, "Look at this big belly, it must be a big fat boy."
Jiang Ruan also lowered her head to look at her lower abdomen and reached out to touch it. It seemed that she could still feel the child kicking her. The days here were actually much more relaxed than in the outside world. Perhaps it was because this place was remote and isolated from the rest of the world, but the people here did not calculate how to live. In any case, it was very suitable for her to nurture her pregnancy here.
At this moment, they heard a reproachful voice coming from outside, and it seemed that there was also the soft sobbing of a child. Jiang Ruan and Gui Sao were startled and looked at Dashan pulling Xiao Shan over. Xiao Shan's head was drooping and there were still beads of tears on his face.
"What happened?" Gui Sao asked, "Dashan, did you bully Xiao Shan again?"
"Mother, I did not bully Xiao Shan!" Dashan's face was still full of anger. He looked at Xiao Shan and said, "You tell mother and Ruan niangzi yourself, what did you do!"
Gui Sao and Jiang Ruan looked at each other. This matter actually had something to do with Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Dashan, don't be anxious. Xiao Shan is still young and insensible. You scare him so easily. What happened to Xiao Shan? " She had been staying at Gui Sao's house for the past few days. Dashan and his brother were her saviors, and they treated her very sincerely. In return for a plum, she should be grateful to them. It was just that she had no way of repaying them now.
When Xiao Shan heard this, he burst into tears, which made Jiang Ruan feel even more puzzled. Dashan sighed and stood in front of Jiang Ruan with an ashamed expression. He bowed to Jiang Ruan and said, "I'm sorry, Ruan niangzi. This boy stole your jewelry and sold it."
Gui Sao stood up with a 'Teng' sound, and the expression on her face changed as she looked at Xiao Shan. She said angrily, "Xiao Shan! What have I taught you on normal days? We don't steal, we don't rob, and we don't do anything sneaky. How can you be so useless? Are you worthy of your father! " As Gui Sao spoke, her eyes reddened with anger, and tears almost fell. She was so angry that she reached out to hit Xiao Shan.
"Gui Sao, don't be angry." Jiang Ruan hurriedly comforted. She was pregnant, and it was not good for her to directly protect Xiao Shan. She said, "Xiao Shan definitely did not do it on purpose. Let's listen to what the child has to say first. "
Xiao Shan sobbed and said, "Qionghua's grandmother is sick, and she needs expensive medicine to prolong her life. Doctor Wang does not have that medicine, and it can only be found in the capital. Qionghua's family is poor, and they can't afford it. I, I saw that Ruan niangzi's jewelry looked valuable, so I stole it and pawned it. But I am a pawn, and when I have money in the future, I will definitely redeem it for Ruan niangzi. "
Jiang Ruan had lived here for a long time, so naturally, she had heard about Qionghua's family. In Qionghua's family, only she and her grandmother depended on each other. Qionghua's grandmother was now very old, and she had one foot in the grave. Qionghua had probably complained to her friends. Xiao Shan had grown up with Qionghua, but he did not have that much money. When Jiang Ruan came over, she brought some jewelry with her, but later, because she was pregnant, she took it off.
Gui Sao was stunned. She probably did not expect that Xiao Shan would steal Jiang Ruan's jewelry for such a reason. This behavior was indeed unjustifiable, but it was also out of good intentions. She said angrily, "But you shouldn't have stolen Ruan Niangzi's jewelry!"
Xiao Shan cried and said, "Mother taught us to repay a drop of water with a gushing spring. After father passed away, the three of us had a hard time. Grandma Qionghua helped us a lot. Now that she is in trouble, we can't just stand by and watch. But I don't have any money, and those ornaments are non-living things. I'm just borrowing them from Ruan niangzi, and I'll definitely return them in the future. "
Jiang Ruan pondered for a moment before saying, "Xiao Shan, this place is very far from the outside world, and it's about a dozen li away from the capital. How did you get out?"
There were still tears at the corner of Xiao Shan's eyes. "I walked out on my own. A few days ago, I said I was going to play with Buttface in the mountains. In fact, I was going to pawn something. "
Aunt Gui gasped. After all, Xiao Shan was still a child. Walking for a few days was tiring for him. Which mother did not care for her son? Especially Gui Sao, who was dependent on her two sons. Naturally, the resentment in her heart quickly dissipated. He looked at Xiao Shan and scolded, "What a fool! Why didn't you tell Mother and Big Brother? "
"I, I was afraid that Mother and Big Brother would not agree, but only Ruan niangzi's ornaments can save Grandma Qionghua."
Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, Aunt Gui. Saving a life is better than building a seven-storied pagoda. Those ornaments are not worth much money. Moreover, I'm pregnant now, so it's not good for me to use them. They're all non-living things. It's better to exchange them for money to treat illnesses. My life was saved by Da Shan and Xiao Shan, and Aunt Gui, you've given me a place to stay. You've been taking care of me for so long, and I have nothing to repay you for. I originally wanted to give those ornaments to you as compensation for these days. Xiao Shan is still a child. The important thing is that he's kind-hearted, and he didn't deliberately steal them. I think that Aunt Gui shouldn't blame him. "
Xiao Shan rubbed his eyes and looked at Jiang Ruan without saying anything. On the other hand, Aunt Gui was a little embarrassed and quickly said, "How can we do that? Ruan niangzi, Da Shan and the others should have saved you. What compensation are you talking about? Aren't you treating us like outsiders? We really can't accept these things. Later, let Xiao Shan tell me the amount of money, and we'll redeem them. "
Jiang Ruan shook her head, "But they're just worldly possessions. They're not important, so there's no need to redeem them. On the other hand, Xiao Shan, did you encounter any danger when you went out? Did you meet anyone? " She was worried about another matter. Previously, she was afraid that Yuan Chuan's people were still lingering outside, so she didn't dare to go out and show her face. She didn't want to fall into the tiger's mouth again. Would Xiao Shan be discovered taking her ornaments out?
Xiao Shan shook his head, "No."
Jiang Ruan thought for a moment, "Then, has anything happened in the capital recently?"
Xiao Shan thought for a moment, "There's a war in the capital, and there are people everywhere." They were in the depths of a secluded place, so they weren't very clear about the fight for the throne in the imperial court. Naturally, they didn't know Xuan Li's name.
When Aunt Gui heard this, she became anxious, "There's a war, and you still ran out. Don't you think about what would happen to me and your eldest brother if something happened? Are you hurt? " Just a moment ago, she had looked like she wanted to eat someone up, but now, she couldn't help but worry about the safety of her child. The more Aunt Gui thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She pulled Xiao Shan's ear and walked into the house, "No, I have to take a look." She instructed Da Shan, "Da Shan, look after Ruan niangzi, don't let her carry anything heavy."
After Aunt Gui and Xiao Shan left, only Da Shan and Jiang Ruan were left. Da Shan looked at Jiang Ruan helplessly, but finally, he gathered his courage and said, "I'm sorry, Ruan niangzi, I didn't teach Xiao Shan well."
Jiang Ruan returned to her senses and smiled, "What's the matter? Xiao Shan didn't do it on purpose. Moreover, it was all for the sake of saving people. Da Shan, you don't have to take it to heart. " As she said this, she recalled what Xiao Shan had said about the situation in the capital. Xiao Shan said that there was a war in the capital, but he didn't say what the situation was. She didn't know how Xiao Shao was doing now. What about Xuan Pei and eldest brother?
Da Shan also guessed that Jiang Ruan was distracted because of Xiao Shan's words. However, Da Shan thought that Jiang Ruan was thinking about her husband, the cruel husband who abused her, lied to her, and wanted her life. In Da Shan's eyes, Jiang Ruan's temperament was gentle and kind. She must have felt sorry for her husband. In his heart, Big Mountain felt a little indignant for Jiang Ruan. He thought that Jiang Ruan deserved someone better, so he said, "Ruan niangzi … actually, actually, you don't have to think about the past. You should look forward.
After he gathered his courage to say these words, his face immediately turned red. Jiang Ruan looked at him with some astonishment. She could naturally see the affection this youth had for her. These days, he had taken great care of her, and Jiang Ruan had politely kept a distance from him. However, this child was probably also a one-track mind. Moreover, he had lived in such a simple and honest environment, so his single-mindedness had never changed.
Da Shan looked at Jiang Ruan's bright face and said, "Ruan niangzi can actually stay. I... Xiao Shan also likes you very much. As for the child in Ruan niangzi's womb, I, I can also help take care of it. I can teach it archery... "
This kind of implicit confession was almost the limit of what Da Shan could say. This was the first time he said such words to a woman. For him, it didn't matter that Jiang Ruan was married before, and it also didn't matter that she had his own child. He wanted to sincerely take care of this woman.
Jiang Ruan was also momentarily stunned. If she was in the outside world, with her identity, she would definitely be a mistress. No matter how pitiful her background was, there would not be a man from a good family who would be willing to marry her. But here, it was different. Da Shan was so young, he could have found a better girl, but he still confessed his feelings to her.
Jiang Ruan looked at the youth in front of her. He was full of vitality, like a sun that had not been contaminated by the outside world. She smiled and said, "Thank you, but Da Shan, I can also take care of him myself."
Her tone was calm, without the slightest fluctuation. Obviously, her state of mind had not changed in the slightest because of Da Shan's words. She was not moved.
Da Shan looked at her disappointedly and asked unwillingly, "Is it because... Ruan niangzi still can't forget him? "
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly and was about to reply when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She couldn't help but stretch out a hand to cover her abdomen, but the pain only grew stronger and stronger. She couldn't help but let out a moan and leaned against a pillar at the side to bend down.
"Ruan niangzi?" Da Shan was stunned at first, but when he saw Jiang Ruan's uncomfortable appearance, he also panicked. He hurriedly walked over, and without caring about the etiquette between men and women, he supported Jiang Ruan and said, "Ruan niangzi, what's wrong?"
"It hurts." Jiang Ruan frowned, and in an instant, her face was as pale as paper. Da Shan saw that the situation was not right and hurriedly shouted, "Mother! Mother, Ruan niangzi is not good! "
Gui Sao was in the room scolding Xiao Shan. When she heard Da Shan's words, she hurriedly ran out. When she saw Jiang Ruan's appearance, she was also shocked and hurriedly said, "What's the matter?" As she spoke, she came to support Jiang Ruan. When she saw Jiang Ruan's expression, she was also shocked and immediately said, "Not good, I'm afraid she's about to give birth." She hurriedly said, "Da Shan, go to the village and call Matron Yu over. Tell her that Ruan niangzi is about to give birth. I will take her back to the room first."
Da Shan complied and went out the door. Gui Sao carefully supported Jiang Ruan to the bed in the room. At this moment, Jiang Ruan was in so much pain that her forehead began to sweat, but she clenched her teeth to prevent herself from crying out. Gui Sao's heart ached when she saw this, and she said, "Ruan niangzi, you must not hold on. It's just that the child has just started to move, and we don't know when it will start to give birth. Don't use up all your strength now. I will immediately ask someone to cook some brown sugar eggs. In any case, Ruan niangzi should eat some to regain her strength. Later, the child will be born smoothly. "
In both her previous and current life, this was the first time Jiang Ruan had given birth. No matter how calm and composed she was usually, there was not a trace of fear in her heart. However, she had always been rational and calm, so she obediently nodded to Gui Sao and said, "Okay."
Gui Sao hurriedly went to ask the young wife next door to help cook the eggs. She personally sat by the bed to accompany Jiang Ruan. She held Jiang Ruan's hand and comforted her not to be afraid. Jiang Ruan was a little absent-minded from the pain, and unconsciously called out Xiao Shao's name, "Ah Shao …"
At this moment, Xiao Shao, who was rushing over from outside the capital, was whipping his horse at lightning speed. For some reason, his expression suddenly froze. Jiang Xin Zhi, who was following closely behind him, saw it and asked, "What's the matter?"
Xiao Shao pursed his lips and shook his head, "Nothing."
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