Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Skin Intimacy

The evening wind was a little chilly, and it blew on Jiang Shu's red and swollen face, causing her excruciating pain.

In addition to the physical discomfort, Jiang Shu was also very embarrassed. She didn't know where the courage came from, but she snatched the veil from Lu Changji's hand and put it on her head to cover her red and swollen face.

With both hands tightly gripping the brim of her hat, Jiang Shu's voice was also a little cold: "Uncle, you have lost your sense of proportion."

Lu Changji was not angry because of her anger. His originally elegant face seemed even kinder.

He bent down and looked at Jiang Shu, and said softly, "I thought you had prepared everything, so why did it become like this?"

He pointed out the key points in a sharp manner, which made Jiang Shu feel even more ashamed. Jiang Shu had been planning for a long time, and all the shameful sides of her heart were seen by Lu Changji, but she still made herself look so embarrassed, which was really a bit cowardly.

Jiang Shu lowered her eyes and fixed her gaze on her flying phoenix embroidered shoes inlaid with jade. Her lips moved several times, but she didn't speak in the end.

Lu Changji took a step forward, almost touching Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu could even smell the elegant green bamboo fragrance on him.

The oppressive feeling from the superior was too strong. Jiang Shu instinctively wanted to stay away from him, but her feet felt like they were filled with lead and she couldn't move at all.

She froze in place, looking up at Lu Changji. Lu Changji was tall, and the two of them were so close that from Jiang Shu's angle, she could only see his jawline. He had a superior bone structure, and the curve of his jawline was unparalleled, as if it had been carefully outlined with a brush.

People only think that Lu Changji is extremely intelligent and powerful, but they often overlook that in addition to his extraordinary intelligence, he also has an appearance like a banished immortal.

Lu Changji seemed to have seen Jiang Shu's eyes through the veil of his hat. When Jiang Shu looked at him, his jaw tightened little by little, and his dark eyes locked with Jiang Shu. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end he didn't say it. He only said: "I have some excellent ointment. I will ask Cheng Yong to give it to you later. Where are you staying today? Are you going back to Xinchun Garden?"

When she was a child, Jiang Shu and Lin lived in the back room of Jiang's house. That small room that never saw the sun was the place where she felt most at ease.

Later, she married into the Xinyang Marquis Mansion. Lu Changyi took good care of her and even quarreled with Zhao for her many times. He protected her from wind and rain, and Xinchunyuan became her outer shell.

She was too embarrassed to show her face, and her first reaction was to shrink into her shell. But she overlooked one thing. Lu Changyi was weak and sensitive, and he would be very worried when he saw her face. It would not be worth it if he became ill because of this.

Jiang Shu shook her head and whispered, "I look so miserable, I don't want the prince to see me. I won't be going back to Xinchun Garden tonight, I can just stay in Xiaoliang Garden for one night."

She was afraid of heat, and just thinking about the coolness of Xiaoliangyuan made her feel refreshed.

The night swallows up the light. Everything that wants to be hidden from the eyes and ears, everything that cannot be seen in the light, can ferment quietly at night.

Taking advantage of the night, Yang and Jiang Ran returned to Jiang's house. After this disaster, Jiang Ran seemed to have lost his soul. He was unwilling to say a word, and his eyes were empty and scattered.

Looking at Jiang Ran's appearance, Yang burst into tears with heartache. This bitch Jiang Shu had ruined her sister Ran like this. If she didn't skin Jiang Shu alive, she wouldn't be qualified to be the mistress of the Jiang family.

Yang was afraid that Jiang Ran would see her tears and hurt her, so she turned her back and wiped away her tears. Then she gathered Jiang Ran in her arms and gently comforted him, "My child, don't be afraid. Your mother will take care of everything for you. Just take a good rest. Everything will be fine when you wake up."

Jiang Ran remained silent, his eyes like a pool of dead water, even if a huge rock was thrown into it, no ripples would be created.

Yang sighed heavily, tidied Jiang Ran's slightly messy hair, and tucked Jiang Ran into the quilt.

After settling Jiang Ran down, Yang was about to leave, but worried that Jiang Ran might be upset, she summoned Qingyu, who usually kept watch for her, to come into the house. With Qingyu safe and sound, Yang could rest assured.

After doing all this, Yang finally had time to investigate what had happened during the day.

She arrived at the flower hall and hadn't even had a cup of tea when she heard the doorman say that the governor's wife wanted to see her.

The main gate was wide open, and Pan, accompanied by her guards, brought the bound criminals to Yang. The three criminals, with bruised faces and noses, had clearly been given a good beating. After entering the house, they knelt on the ground without Pan saying a word.

It’s not that Pan values ​​Jiang Ran that much. She is the mistress of the governor’s family. The incident happened in her villa, and she must give an explanation to Yang.

She had her own ideas, but since it concerned Jiang Ran's reputation, how to deal with the matter depended on Yang's opinion.

She said to Yang in a gentle voice, "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault that I didn't guard the door well and this scandal happened.

Fortunately, I had these scoundrels apprehended. Since this concerns my sister's reputation, I can't make the decision on my own. Madam, what do you think, should we report this to the authorities or deal with it privately?"

Although the guards at the villa were not as strict as those in Bian Jing, it was still not easy to get in. If it weren't for Yang's people acting as an insider, those three scoundrels wouldn't even be able to get through the villa's gate.

The aristocratic families have their own established procedures for doing things. Those thieves were too soft-hearted, so Pan pried open their mouths in no time.

Yang had shot herself in the foot. Pan secretly admired Jiang Shu's clever tactics and then sent the thief to the Jiang family. Jiang Ran had a bad reputation, so she didn't want to add insult to injury, so she played dumb.

Yang had a guilty conscience and although she was filled with resentment, she did not dare to make a big deal out of it and could only swallow her anger.

She said to Pan in a gentle voice, "Thank you, Madam. I appreciate your kindness. However, since this concerns my sister's reputation, it is best to keep the matter under wraps."

Leave these scoundrels to me. From now on, whether they are round or flat, this matter has nothing to do with Madam."

The meaning was clear: she wanted to deal with this matter privately.

Pan had fulfilled her duty, so she followed Yang's wishes and left Jiang's house with her guards.

"Useless things, your heads are stuffed with pig brains. You have a human face but your mind is not even as good as that of an animal." Yang suffered a loss in silence and had to vent her anger. She raised her fat palm and slapped the thief's cheek hard.

She was tall, fat and very strong. She slapped the thief dozens of times, making him see stars and spit blood. The thief was unconscious except for mumbling to admit his mistake.

Yang finally vented her anger and kicked the thief closest to her to the ground, threatening him sinisterly: "I know about what happened today, and you know about it. If anyone else finds out, I will tie you up and take you to the government office.

Do you know the punishment for the crime of □□? The lighter ones are imprisonment and the heavier ones are hanging. If you still want to live, keep your mouth shut."

Yang's sharp tongue and extraordinary fighting power completely conquered the criminals. They knelt on the ground and kowtowed, their heads bleeding profusely, leaving a small bloodstain on the bluestone floor.

The smell of blood filled her nose, and Yang felt unlucky. She covered her mouth and nose, raised her eyebrows, and said unhappily, "Get out of here!"

The criminals were as if they had been pardoned. They didn't even have time to loosen the ropes and stumbled out of Jiang's house.

The night was windy, shaking the lanterns in the courtyard unsteadily. Jiang Wenhuan hurried over, his face sullen, and entered the hall. He was pale, and when he was angry, the veins on his forehead were particularly noticeable, bulging and looking as if they were about to burst.

"I was drinking with my colleagues when I overheard a whisper from the other side. The language was so rude and unbearable that I thought it was some girl who had lost face, but when I listened carefully, it turned out to be Miss Ran."

As Jiang Wenhuan spoke, he moistened his face with a wet handkerchief. He stared at Yang with eyes that seemed to burn. "I, Jiang Wenhuan, have been an official for twenty years, and I've never felt so embarrassed and ashamed as I do today. Tell me, what exactly happened today?"

What could Yang say? She couldn't just let herself suffer the consequences of her own actions. She stammered for a while, then whispered, "Ran'er has a miserable life. While admiring the flowers in the crape myrtle forest, she was molested by a few scoundrels."

With a "bang", the copper basin filled with water fell to the ground and rolled several times. When the water was about to spill out, it quietly stopped.

Jiang Wenhuan's face flushed red, and he trembled with anger. He raised his finger and pointed at Yang, saying in a trembling voice, "How can you be a mother? A woman's reputation is so important. How could you let my sister go to the Crape Myrtle Forest alone?"

Yang had nothing to say and lowered her head with a stern face.

Jiang Wenhuan grew even angrier upon seeing her like that, but things had already come to this point, and even if he was furious to death, he couldn't do anything to change the situation. He could only think of ways to minimize the damage: "Ran Jie'er has ruined the Jiang family's reputation. You must keep her under control from now on, and never let her step out of the house again.

Outsiders can't see her, and with time, maybe she can put this matter behind her."

Not allowed to leave the house? Yang's eyes widened in disbelief: "Ran Jie'er is at the age of getting married. How can she not go out and socialize..."

"Marriage, marriage! Sister Ran lost her virginity, so how could any respectable family dare to marry her?" Jiang Wenhuan interrupted Yang impatiently. "I was kind enough not to let Sister Ran die to protect the family's innocence. As for her marriage, don't worry about it anymore. There will always be a widower who is willing to marry her."

Ran Jie'er is as beautiful as a flower and has talent. How could she be someone's concubine? Yang was indignant and hugged Jiang Wenhuan's arm, whispering, "Master, I was depressed for a long time after Dalang passed away. I was not happy until Ran Jie'er was born. Ran Jie'er is like my sweetheart. I can't help but consider her future!"

Although Yang was plain-looking, she had a slim figure when she was young, so it was okay to glance at her occasionally.

Now that she is old, she is as big and strong as a bucket. When her fat arms touched Jiang Wenhuan, he couldn't help but get goose bumps.

He waved his arm, forcefully shaking Yang's arm away, and said unhappily, "What do you mean by 'long hair but short knowledge'? I'm talking about you."

"Our family is now related by marriage to the Xinyang Marquisate, and our future is limitless. We can't let Sister Ran become a laughing stock. You should lock her up for now. If I hear that she has left home, I will hold you responsible."

Yang was a materialistic woman who never took her reputation seriously. Jiang Wenhuan knew he couldn't explain anything to her, so he didn't waste any more words. He called the doorman and ordered in a deep voice, "From now on, the Second Young Lady is not allowed to leave the house without my order. Anyone who dares to disobey will no longer be allowed to serve me."

In the end, Jiang Wenhuan still had the final say in the Jiang family. Yang was helpless and collapsed on the ground. Her tears kept flowing, almost forming a river.

She secretly clenched her fists. It was all Jiang Shu's fault. It was all that bitch Jiang Shu's fault. Jiang Ran was having a hard time, and Jiang Shu couldn't expect to live a peaceful life either.

She must avenge Ran Jie'er.

The cool evening breeze passed through the hall. Jiang Shu sat among the flowers, drinking fruit wine and admiring the moon. The fragrance of evening primrose touched her body, making her clothes full of fragrance.

The yard was as quiet as autumn water, and the knock on the door seemed particularly crisp. Jiang Shu ran to the gate, opened the wooden door a crack and looked out. She thought it was Cheng Yonglai who brought her medicine, but she didn't expect that the person who came was Lu Changji.

If Cheng Yong had delivered the medicine, she would have just said thank you, but the person who came was Lu Changji, and just saying thank you would have seemed a bit disrespectful, so she had to invite him to sit in the courtyard.

Jiang Shu opened the courtyard door and asked Lu Changji to sit on the other side of the small table. She said gently, "For such a small matter, Guard Cheng can just come over. Why would I bother you to come in person?"

Lu Changji said it was fine. He placed a small green porcelain bottle on the table and said, "This ointment is made by the Imperial Pharmacy. Its usage is different from others. If something goes wrong, I'm afraid it will be twice as effective for half the result."

While Lu Changji was talking, he picked up a pen and wrote down the steps for using the ointment. He sat upright, his eyes were sharp, and his posture was very straight, but the words he wrote were vigorous and unrestrained.

Jiang Shu had not received much education and did not know how to appreciate calligraphy. She just thought that Lu Changji's handwriting was very beautiful, much more beautiful than Jiang Wenhuan's.

Jiang Shu looked at the words written on the rice paper and thought to herself that it was no wonder that Lu Changji came in person. If Cheng Yong came to translate the words, there would probably be some mistakes.

Lu Changji pushed the rice paper to Jiang Shu's side and repeated the precautions in a gentle voice.

Lu Changji came all the way to deliver medicine, and Jiang Shu couldn't accept his kindness for nothing. She had to express her gratitude. She raised the plum wine in her hand and asked tentatively, "I brewed this plum wine myself. It's sweet and sour, and not intoxicating. Uncle, would you like to try it?"

Plum wine, though called wine, was no different from fruit juice, and was mostly a girl's pastime. Few men liked sweet and sour flavors, and Jiang Shu should have treated Lu Changji well. However, Xiaoliangyuan was usually deserted, and there was no other food available, so Jiang Shu could only resort to plum wine.

She looked at Lu Changji expectantly, her eyes sparkling like a galaxy.

Lu Changji glanced at Jiang Shu's eyes, reached out to smooth out the wrinkles on the hem of his clothes, and nodded slightly.

Jiang Shu was overjoyed. She threw the plum wine she had just drunk aside, fished out a hoe from the peony bushes, and said with a smile, "I'll open a jar of new wine for uncle. Newly opened wine tastes the best."

The Xinyang Marquis Mansion covers a large area and has many vacant courtyards. Xiaoliangyuan is located in a remote area and few people visit. Jiang Shu likes the water pavilion in the courtyard and comes here quietly to have fun whenever she has free time.

In the small hall of the courtyard hung a shell wind chime she had made, tinkling pleasantly in the wind. She had fed the carp in the lake until they were small, round balls, swimming very slowly. Hidden in a shady corner was a bottle of plum wine she had brewed herself.

She didn't come to Xiaoliangyuan very often, but her traces were everywhere.

Xiaoliangyuan is Jiang Shu's own space. She can do whatever she wants and do whatever she wants.

Jiang Shu stood up briskly, carrying her hoe and walking towards the corner. Her summer clothes were as thin as cicada wings, and the moonlight poured down, casting a faint glow. Her walking outlined her exquisite figure, with a plump figure and a waist as slender as a willow, slender and graceful, a beautiful sight.

Jiang Shu squatted in the corner and dug out the plum wine in no time. She wiped the dust off the mouth of the jar with a wet cloth, held the wine glass in her bare hands, and brought the first glass of wine to Lu Changji.

The wine glass was fired in the Xing kiln. Its wall was as white as jade, transparent and flawless. However, because Jiang Shu was too fair-skinned, the flawless wine glass was dimmed by her white fingers.

The bright moon was in the sky, and the colorful clouds were blown by the wind, blocking the bright moon. The light gradually dimmed. When Lu Changji reacted, he found that his hand had covered the back of Jiang Shu's hand.