The butterfly flower pendant inlaid with bright jade was on the ground. Bai Zhi was about to bend down to pick it up when Xiao Shao had already picked it up and held it in his palm. Bai Zhi's fingers trembled slightly and her tone was full of suspicion. "How come you have Miss's things?"
Xiao Shao also seemed to be slightly startled. "Jiang Ruan?"
"This is my Miss's pendant." Bai Zhi said, "I haven't seen it for many years. How come you have it?"
Xiao Shao turned to look at Ye Feng. Ye Feng looked back at him stiffly.
Zhao Yuan Feng and the others looked at him in confusion. Xiao Shao walked to the edge of the cliff and to everyone's surprise, he suddenly lifted the corner of his robe and rushed down. His movements were too fast and no one could stop him. Ye Feng only had time to shout, "Master!"
Clouds and mist curled up from the cliff. Only the dense forest of the mountain stream could be seen, quiet and distant, but it seemed to contain infinite murderous intent.
Ye Feng rushed to the edge of the cliff with a look of incomparable self-blame. After a moment of shock, Guan Liang Han gradually calmed down. He walked over and patted Ye Feng's shoulder. "Xiao Shao's qinggong is outstanding. You go back first. Zhao daren and I will send troops down to search. "
Although he was also shocked why Xiao Shao suddenly rushed down the cliff, he also understood that this fellow disciple had never been a willful person. Something must have happened. Ye Feng listened to his words and understood that with Xiao Shao's skills, no accident would occur. He collected his emotions and walked back to Guan Liang Han's side. When he passed by Bai Zhi, he could not help but look at her with a complicated expression.
When Bai Zhi heard that Guan Liang Han was going down to search, she breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly went to check on Lian Qiao. She was also suspicious. Jinying Wang was not related to Jiang Ruan, so why was the pendant on him? The butterfly flower pendant inlaid with bright jade was Zhao Mei's favorite pair of earrings. It was brought from the General's fu before she married and she had always loved it. The craftsmanship of the earrings was very exquisite and the materials were also rare. When Jiang Ruan gradually grew up, Zhao Mei gave the pendant to Jiang Ruan. When Jiang Ruan first received the pendant, she wore it all the time. Later on, when she went out, she only had one pendant left. Naturally, she could not wear one earring anymore, so she kept it. Later on, because it was Zhao Mei's belongings, Jiang Ruan locked the remaining one in a box and wiped it from time to time.
Now, the earring in the box was still there, but the other one was with Xiao Shao. What was the meaning of this?
Baizhi couldn't figure it out.
Zhao Yuan Feng and Zhao Yi, who were present, were also unable to understand. In their eyes, Xiao Shao had leaped down the cliff for Jiang Ruan's sake. However, based on their understanding of Xiao Shao's temperament, he was definitely not the kind of person who would have tender and protective feelings for the fairer sex. If one were to say that the two of them had some sort of friendship, based on the expression of the maidservant beside Jiang Ruan, it did not seem like it.
Zhao Yuanfeng waved his hand and said, "I'll take Li An and the Red Thunder Battalion's captives back to the city. Yi 'er, you follow General Guan and look for Ruan' er's whereabouts." After thinking for a moment, he added in a serious tone, "You must find her."
Although Jiang Ruan had only been close to the Zhao fu for a short period of time, the Zhao family had truly treated her as the young miss of the General fu. As her maternal uncle, he was already so distressed. If Jiang Xin Zhi were to find out … Zhao Yuan Feng shook his head and sighed in his heart. He was afraid that there would be another big mess.
…
Deep in the jungle, the terrain of the cliff was too high, and the snow in the middle had not melted yet. Half of the accumulated snow and ice was half a foot high, and when one stepped on it, it felt as if a needle had pierced one's bones.
The rain continued to fall, and the colder the wind, the colder one's body felt.
Jiang Ruan walked along the bottom of the cliff with one foot at a time. The clothes on her body had long been dirtied by the mud and snow, and she cut an extremely sorry figure.
She ignored the gloomy environment around her and kept walking until she saw a cave in the distance. Only then did she stop.
She tightened the clothes on her body, found the entrance of the cave, and walked in. The cave was not spacious, and the entrance was covered with dense shrubs, which could barely block some of the cold wind.
The sky gradually darkened. Jiang Ruan sat down in the depths of the cave, leaning against the cave wall. She gently breathed a sigh of relief, and then rolled up her sleeves to reveal the wound on her shoulder.
Her plain clothes had long been soaked through and stuck tightly to her arm. She could faintly smell the scent of blood. She used her hand to pull, and a slight sound of flesh tearing could be heard. The clothes were slowly pulled apart, and the area that adhered to the wound gradually became visible.
There was a deep bloodstain, and her flesh was exposed. She had been cut by the sharp shrubs when she had accidentally fallen. She had brought medicine, but it was unknown whether it had fallen out when she had fallen, but at the moment, it was nowhere to be found.
Jiang Ruan allowed her wound to be exposed to the cold air, but her eyes stared at the entrance of the cave, lost in thought.
The mouth of the bottle gourd of the cliff was a dangerous location, and the clouds at the top of the cliff were the most romantic. Especially on a spring morning, when the clouds and mist had yet to disperse and the sunlight came first. Standing at the top of the cliff, one could see the blood-red rays of the sun spreading across the horizon, the sound of the wind, the steam of the rain, and the fragrance of the flowers and grass. It was truly a paradise on earth.
In her previous life, Xuan Li had brought her here to see the sunrise.
She was shocked at the beauty of the scenery at that moment, but Xuan Li had held her waist and jumped down. She was so frightened that she cried out in alarm, but then she heard Xuan Li's clear laughter. It turned out that there was always someone better than you, and there was always someone better than you. The bottom of the cliff also had such a scenery. Under the cover of the clouds and mist, there were not jagged rocks, but rather, the slope was smooth and even. Even if one stepped on air and fell, they would only fall onto the stone platform that was not too high.
She had always cherished every moment she had spent with Xuan Li, especially after entering the palace. From time to time, she would recall the beautiful scenery in her mind. She was clearer than anyone else about the layout of the cliff.
Because of this, she had jumped down the cliff without hesitation, landed on the stone platform amidst the clouds and mist, and then climbed down step by step along the path in her memory.
The officers and soldiers had descended from the other side of the cliff, but they could not see the stone platform. They would only call out her name along the way as they searched the bottom of the cliff.
Along the way, she tore her skirt and tied it to the branches along the way to leave a mark. As long as the people sent by the Zhao family saw the mark, they would be able to find her.
She closed her eyes in exhaustion. Privately raising troops and plotting rebellion, these crimes were enough to make the Prime Minister's fu unforgivable. Moreover, her various actions would arouse suspicion, so she could only pretend that she had been forced down the cliff by Li An. In this way, Li An's crime would be even more serious, and he would be charged with the crime of murdering the family of an official. As for her, she could cleanly remove herself from this matter and remove all suspicion.
However, even though she had calculated everything, she had not considered that her body would be a hindrance at this time, so she had no choice but to find a place to hide from the wind.
She had been weak and sickly since she was young, and after being sent to the rural residence, she had been abused by the Zhang Lan family for a few years, causing her illness to linger. Later, because of Chen Zhao's fall into the water, it was like adding hail to snow. In this life, she had returned to the fu earlier than usual. In the Jiang fu, Lian Qiao and Baizhi had paid attention to her, and her body seemed to be much better than in the past. Who knew that after today's bumpy ride, coupled with the chilly wind, she had already felt extremely weak. If she had waited in the forest for help, she was afraid that before the officers and soldiers arrived, she would have fainted and been carried away by wild beasts.
She had no choice but to find such a cave. Although it could slightly shelter her from the wind, she still felt her body go cold. Her close-fitting clothes had been soaked by the snow, and at this moment, there was no other thing that could keep her warm. If she really had to wear cold clothes and freeze for an entire night, she really did not know what would happen in the end.
Jiang Ruan rubbed the space between her brows. Just as she was thinking about whether or not she should go outside and find some stones to block the entrance of the cave more tightly, she heard the sound of light footsteps.
Her expression changed, and she quickly sat up to carefully listen to the movements outside.
The footsteps were light and steady. Each step was slow and firm, but there were no shouts or other noises. It was not the officers and soldiers. Jiang Ruan's heart sank. It was already late at night, and normal prey would not come here. Who could it be?
The sound of the footsteps was coming straight towards Shandong.
Jiang Ruan's hand reached into her sleeve. The dagger that she had taken with her when she had left was still there. She gripped the ice-cold dagger tightly and stared at the entrance of the cave, which was hidden by the bushes.
Step by step, step by step, each step hammered on her heart.
The footsteps stopped a few steps away, and Jiang Ruan breathed a sigh of relief.
The next second, the bushes were pushed aside by something, and a slender figure appeared at the entrance of the cave.
The sky was gloomy, and it was already evening. In the dim light, his face was clearly reflected in Jiang Ruan's eyes.
In an instant, the two of them looked at each other. One was astonished, and the other was slightly startled.
Jiang Ruan stared fixedly at him. Xiao Shao was dressed in a black brocade robe. His tall and slender body was like jade. His outstanding appearance, coupled with his innate elegance, made this dark and dirty cave seem like a great honor.
Xiao Shao was also sizing up the person in front of him. The young girl's clothes were tightly stuck to her body, and her black hair was disheveled. Her eyes were vigilant and surprised as she stared at him. She had always been gentle and calm, smiling as she toyed with people in the palm of her hand. This was the first time that she was in such a difficult situation.
After pondering for a moment, he walked in with large strides.
"Xiao Wangye." After a long while, Jiang Ruan regained her composure and looked at him. "Why did you come here?"
"It's already late, and it's not appropriate to continue on the road here. Your body is extremely weak, and you can't walk. It's best to stay here and wait for the soldiers to arrive," Xiao Shao said lightly.
Jiang Ruan understood the meaning behind his words and smiled. "Xiao Wangye wants to save me?" She still had doubts in her heart. Xiao Shao was an unfathomable person, and no one could guess his thoughts. Last time, he had helped Jiang Su Su, and now, he had helped her again and again. What exactly did this mean? She couldn't understand.
However, Xiao Shao turned his head to look at her. His beautiful eyes were like the night sky sprinkled with diamonds, and they shone like stars. "To kill ten thousand enemies, you lose three thousand of your own. Is this your method?"
Looking at the way she had dealt with the Grand Chancellor's fu, without batting an eyelid, pressing forward step by step, luring the snake out of its hole, and finally taking down the Grand Chancellor's fu in one fell swoop. Her methods were ruthless, and her thoughts were meticulous. At such a young age, she had never seen such a person before. And at this moment, it seemed that even jumping off the cliff was within her calculations. For such a plan, if it had been even a little off, it would have resulted in death. It was fine that her methods were ruthless, but she was also ruthless to herself. She had the guts to defecate, but she was still so audacious.
"Wrong, to kill ten thousand enemies, you lose three thousand of your own." Jiang Ruan corrected him. Thinking of the desperate situation that the Grand Chancellor's fu was in, she felt a little pleased. However, she knew that this was far from enough. The pain that Li Dong had given her and Pei 'er had to be returned.
Xiao Shao looked pensive. "What deep hatred does the Grand Chancellor's fu have with you?"
At first, he had thought that she was Xuan Li's person, but after seeing her make Xuan Li suffer miserably at every step, he knew that it wasn't the case. In the case of the reservoir, the spearhead was directed at the Grand Chancellor's fu. Not hesitating to bury the entire Grand Chancellor's fu, there was naturally a deep hatred between them. However, the Brocade Guards that he had sent out had not been able to find out what had happened between Jiang Ruan and the Grand Chancellor's fu. Furthermore, when Li Yang and his son had gone to the Jiang fu, it was the first time that Jiang Ruan had met the Grand Chancellor's fu. Was it really that simple?
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "No comment." With regards to Xiao Shao, it was really difficult for her to feel at ease. However, just as she finished speaking, she suddenly coughed. Her body was unusually cold, and her mind felt dizzy.
Xiao Shao stood up. Before Jiang Ruan could clearly see what he was going to do, she felt her body warm up. Xiao Shao's black gold rain-silk crane cloak lightly fell on her body.
This crane cloak was obviously extremely warm, but it was light without a trace of weight. Because it had just been taken off Xiao Shao's body, it still carried his warmth. Jiang Ruan was startled. Xiao Shao walked out.
Jiang Ruan hugged his crane cloak. This crane cloak was like charcoal in snowy weather. Just now, her ice-cold body finally had a trace of warmth. But after a moment, Xiao Shao walked back. She didn't know where he had picked up some dry firewood. The rain on the cliff had not stopped, and the accumulated snow had not melted. Finding firewood that did not get wet was harder than ascending to heaven. Xiao Shao, who was covered in frost and snow, placed the dry firewood on the ground and lit it with a match. The firewood crackled as it burned, and the dark cave was immediately lit up. It was so warm that it made people feel like they were hallucinating.
Xiao Shao said, "Sit here and dry your clothes. Otherwise, the cold will penetrate your bones, and in the future, you will become ill."
Jiang Ruan did not decline. She hugged the crane cloak and walked forward to sit in front of the fire. Sure enough, as soon as she got close to the fire, her body felt very comfortable. She could not help but move her hands closer, wanting to warm them.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Shao suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Jiang Ruan was startled. Before she could react, Xiao Shao had already quickly taken her pulse. Frowning, he let go of her hand and stared at her thoughtfully.
When Jiang Ruan saw his expression, she was astonished and asked, "Does Xiao Wangye have something to say?"
Xiao Shao shook his head, and his gaze fell on her shoulder. Jiang Ruan's shoulder was injured. Although she endured it, there was still something strange about it. Xiao Shao's attention was astonishing, and with a glance, he discovered the abnormality. After thinking for a while, he took out a small celadon bottle from his bosom and threw it into Jiang Ruan's arms. Jiang Ruan took it, paused, and pulled out the cork. A cool and refreshing smell gushed out. Xiao Shao's voice was cold and clear, "Golden Wound Medicine, it will not leave a scar."
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Many thanks." But in her heart, she became even more suspicious. Xiao Shao's help seemed even more strange. This person's conduct was cold and indifferent, so why was he so considerate? But, he actually had medical skills? Xiao Shao was a mysterious and unfathomable person. Even Xuan Li, who had the intention to rope him in, did not know Xiao Shao's ins and outs in his previous life, not to mention that he also had medical skills.
Seeing that Jiang Ruan had taken the medicine, Xiao Shao did not stay any longer. He got up and left the cave. When Jiang Ruan changed the dressing, in order to avoid suspicion, Jiang Ruan quickly sprinkled the medicine in the celadon bottle on her wound and roughly bandaged it. She did not know what kind of miracle medicine it was, but the effect was surprisingly good. The wound no longer hurt, and there was a cool and comfortable feeling.
Jiang Ruan was relieved.
After a while, Xiao Shao walked in again, holding the newly found firewood and a skinned hare in his hands. He threw the firewood on the ground, picked two branches, and tore the hare meat, and roasted it on the fire.
Jiang Ruan stared at his actions in a daze.
Xiao Shao roasted very seriously. His appearance was originally very good, and at this moment, he happened to be in front of the fire. The firelight reflected on the side of his face, and she only felt that he was beautiful beyond compare, but also incomparably heroic. His eyes were like dots of paint, his eyebrows were like ink, and his thin lips were tightly pursed. Even at this moment, the appearance of him roasting a hare in the wilderness of Jianghu was as graceful as floating clouds and flowing water. The black embroidered clothes outlined his tall and slender figure. He was originally cold and aloof, but the firelight softened his appearance a little, showing just the right amount of gentleness.
This youth's appearance was really peerless, and his style was unparalleled.
He handed the roasted hare meat to Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan looked at him strangely, raised her eyebrows, and said, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Ruan returned to her senses and stared at the roasted rabbit meat, which emitted a rich fragrance. The rabbit meat was a mouthwatering golden yellow. She was already extremely tired today, and her stomach had long been rumbling with hunger. Seeing this delicacy, she unreservedly took it, temporarily forgetting her vigilance against Xiao Shao, and said with a smile, "Xiao Wangye's culinary skills are excellent."
Xiao Shao roasted his own portion. His long eyelashes drooped down, concealing the emotions in his eyes, and he did not say much.
Jiang Ruan took a bite of the rabbit meat and said, "Xiao Wangye is noble like gold and noble like jade, but he actually knows these trifling matters. It's unexpected."
As a son of nobility born with a golden spoon in his mouth, not only did he have medical skills, but he also knew how to do these things. Jiang Ruan could not help but think of the rumors about Xiao Shao in her previous life. After the death of the old Jinying Wang at the age of ten, he took over the Embroidered Uniform Guard. At that time, everyone was waiting to see him make a fool of himself, thinking that a youth still wet behind the ears would only make a fool out of himself. Who knew that after he took office, he would be ruthless, and not long after, he established an absolute prestige in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Three hundred thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards bowed their heads to this Young Master. People had always seen glory, and not the sufferings behind it. For Xiao Shao to have such achievements, it could be assumed that he had suffered a lot. A person with such a tenacious temperament was even more so not to be underestimated.
She tilted her head to look at the youth by the fire. He was only in his early twenties, and the calmness of his body made it extremely easy for people to overlook his age. That was the calmness that had been accumulated over the years. He was domineering and reserved, arrogant to the bones, and as he walked in the night, he was naturally distinguished. Even in this gloomy and windy land, it seemed that because of this person, there was a trace of security.
However, in the end, it was difficult to distinguish between friend and foe.
Could it be that Xiao Shao had saved her because of the Prime Minister's fu?
In her previous life, Xiao Shao had later stood on the side of the Crown Prince, and he and Xuan Li could not live under the same sky. She had dealt with the Prime Minister's fu, so she was equivalent to Xiao Shao's friend. Was that so?
Jiang Ruan gently opened her mouth and asked the question that she had always wanted to ask, "Xiao Wangye, why did you save me?"
…
At this moment, in the Jiang fu, it was as if the sky had been turned upside down.
Four identical carriages headed in four different directions. Apart from Jiang Ruan's carriage, the other three ended up crashing into stone walls or tall trees, and the people in the carriages rolled along the mountain.
Guan Liang Han had sent people to rescue them. Jiang Li and Jiang Dan were more or less injured, but it was unknown whether it was intentional or unintentional. In the end, they found Jiang Su Su, and Jiang Su Su's injuries were the most serious.
The butterflies and dragonflies had scratched their foreheads, but Jiang Su Su's carriage had toppled over on a steep slope. When the carriage had flipped, Jiang Su Su had fallen out and coincidentally landed in a thicket of thorns. The thickets were full of barbed thorns, but because she was wearing thick clothes, she had not suffered any injuries. Instead, her face, which had already healed under the veil, had been pierced by the thorns and riddled with thousands of holes. When the imperial bodyguards found Jiang Su Su, her face was already covered in blood. Her expression was horrified, and she was screaming for help in a hoarse voice, like a ghost.
Guan Liang Han ordered people to send the injured Jiang family's young miss back to the Jiang fu.
Xia Yan was waiting anxiously when, out of the blue, a manservant came to report that the soldiers had returned with a carriage. Her heart thumped.
How could it be so fast? Even if the officials walked to the Xuanyi Cliff, it would still take half a day. How could it be so fast?
Clearly, this was not the only thing that caused her heart to palpitate. The manservant said, "Second Miss is also injured."
Xia Yan immediately stood up. When she saw Jiang Su Su's unconscious appearance, her heart churned and she almost fainted.
How could Jiang Su Su have suffered such a serious injury? Moreover, she had been injured on her face. In the future, who would dare to marry a disfigured woman as the wife of the head of the household?
She pulled back a soldier and asked, "Sir, what exactly happened?"
Seeing that she was the mistress of the Jiang fu, the soldier's attitude was gentle. "Li An of the Prime Minister's fu privately raised troops and plotted a rebellion. He has already been arrested. Several young misses have been injured, and the general has ordered us to send them back."
Already arrested? Xia Yan's face was deathly pale. Li An had failed? Such elite troops had actually failed? However, she suddenly became anxious. If Li An had really been arrested, would he betray her? Just thinking about the crime of colluding with a serious criminal of the court, she felt her heart palpitate.
She cautiously asked, "Why would there suddenly be a rebellion?"
Seeing that she was not concerned about the injured young miss of the fu, but was instead concerned about these insignificant matters, the soldier could not help but look at her suspiciously. Seeing this, Xia Yan immediately said, "What does this scoundrel's rebellion have to do with my family's young miss? Why did he cause my family's young miss to suffer such grievances? I wish I could skin him alive and send him to prison."
The soldier did not suspect anything and said, "He has already been escorted back to the capital. The other young misses of the fu are safe and sound, but eldest young miss …"
Xia Yan's heart jumped. Only now did she realize that Jiang Ruan had not returned. Forcefully suppressing the joy in her heart, her face was full of anxiety. "Sir, what do you mean by this? What happened to Ruan 'er? "
The soldier looked at her apologetically. "The eldest young miss of the fu was forced into a dangerous situation by Li An and jumped off a cliff. The general has already sent people to search for her. Madam, please do not worry too much."
Xia Yan's heart swept away the haze of disfigurement on Jiang Su Su's face, and she could not help but want to laugh out loud. Jiang Ruan was dead! Jiang Ruan was dead! How could she have survived jumping off a cliff? Most likely, her corpse had been devoured by wolves until not even the bones remained.
The expression on her face changed. Suddenly, tears streamed down her cheeks, as if she had suffered a great blow. She muttered, "My Ruan 'er …"
"Madam, do not worry. If you really want to worry, you can worry about the fu's Second Young Master."
"Chao 'er?" Xia Yan's laughter froze as an ominous premonition flashed through her heart. "How is Chao' er?"
"That group of rebels chased after the fu's four young misses, but did not touch a hair of the fu's Second Young Master. When the general found the Second Young Master, he was still leisurely sipping tea in the carriage. The general suspects him of colluding with the rebels and has already imprisoned him together with Li An. "
Xia Yan was somewhat unable to regain her composure. "What? How could Chao 'er be a rebel? You must be mistaken, Chao' er is innocent. "
The soldier saluted her. "The truth of the matter will only be known after interrogation." He was about to turn and leave when he suddenly thought of something. Turning back, he said, "Although the fu's eldest young miss has fallen to the bottom of the cliff, Jinying Wang has already personally gone down to rescue her. He should be able to return safely. Madam, please be at ease."
Xia Yan stood in a daze for a moment. Suddenly, her vision darkened and she fainted.
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