Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Shu'er, be good!

Lu Changji's figure was frozen at the door, elegant and upright, like a clump of green bamboo, letting the breeze blow him, he had his own style.

Jiang Shu wasn't sure if he saw her, let alone if he recognized her.

She held her breath, folded her hands together, and rubbed them unconsciously, her eyes fixed on Lu Changji, quietly waiting for him to go deeper, waiting for him to get closer and closer to her.

A cool breeze caressed Jiang Shu's skin, stirring a small shiver. Feeling a little cold, Jiang Shu instinctively crossed her arms. She was completely confident in her body. If it were any other man, she was sure they would fall head over heels for her the moment they saw her.

Unfortunately, the person who came was Lu Changji, who was as deep as the abyss. Facing him, her heart was suspended in mid-air, and she had no confidence at all.

The night was dim and she couldn't see his expression, but she could see his movements clearly. He turned around silently and tried to go out the door.

Jiang Shu knew that she should chase after him, but she couldn't think of a reason to chase him in a short time. She was anxious and a layer of sweat broke out on her forehead.

As she was hesitating, she felt an itch at her ankle. She lowered her head and saw a pitch-black cat licking her ankle. The cat seemed to have noticed her gaze and raised its head sharply. Its two green pupils widened and emitted a sharp light.

Jiang Shu shuddered, her body trembling slightly. Perhaps the trembling startled the cat slave, which meowed, raised its front paws, and quickly scratched Jiang Shu's ankle.

Jiang Shu has been afraid of raccoon dogs since she was a child. After being grabbed by the raccoon dog, she became even more frightened. She let out a low cry and ran away.

She was a little flustered at first, but after seeing Lu Changji's figure, she had an idea. She ran straight towards Lu Changji, and the Sushan in front of her swayed up and down like surging waves.

"Help, help!" Jiang Shu cried out twice and rushed straight into Lu Changji's arms. She huddled around his waist and sobbed, "There's a raccoon slave, there's a raccoon slave, please save me quickly."

Lu Changji instinctively stretched out his hand, wanting to hold Jiang Shu in his arms, but when he thought of their identities, he quickly stopped and put his hand on Jiang Shu's shoulder.

Although it is forbidden to look at what is inappropriate, when Jiang Shu was running just now, the white waves inevitably caught his eyes. Her breasts were majestic and magnificent, but her shoulders were very thin, smooth and tender, lying in his palm, as if they had no bones.

His fingers subconsciously stroked the soft skin. Lu Changji held Jiang Shu's shoulders and changed their positions.

Animals have the instinct to seek benefits and avoid harm. The raccoon slave was aggressive when facing Jiang Shu, but it shrank back after seeing Lu Changji. It meowed, ran to the wall, and escaped along the base of the wall.

With the soft and fragrant jade in his arms, the faint sweet fragrance penetrated Lu Changji's nose, disturbing his thoughts.

Lu Changji tilted his neck upwards and didn't dare to lower his head. He couldn't see Jiang Shu's expression, and his sense of touch became extremely sensitive.

He could clearly feel the warm steam soaking through his robe and sticking to his skin.

She was frightened and cried.

Logically, he should have stroked her back and comforted her gently, but she was, no, worried, so how could he find a place to do so?

He put his hands behind his back again and asked her in a low voice, "Why are you so afraid of the raccoon? Did that beast hurt you?"

She was still holding his waist, so even if he wanted to separate from her, he was powerless. Jiang Shu's arms were getting tighter and tighter, and her body was pressed tightly against his.

She didn't lie, and recounted her childhood experiences in detail: "My mother was jealous of my aunt's beauty, so she sent my aunt and me to live in a village for a few years."

"Life in the village was poor, and the houses were shabby. When I went to bed at night, I could often hear rats running on the roof."

"My aunt was a light sleeper, always disturbed by mice. Later, she asked someone to find a raccoon and kept it on the farm to catch mice."

"That raccoon is really capable. In just five or six days, it's wiped out most of the rats in the farm. Auntie was so happy that she even had half an extra bowl of rice."

"One night, my aunt was doing embroidery in the side room. I went to the bedroom to sleep. As soon as I entered the door, I saw two figures flash before my eyes."

"The raccoon was incredibly agile and quickly pinned the mouse under its claws. It lowered its head and bit off one of the mouse's hind legs before releasing its claws and letting the mouse escape."

"The mouse scurried away in panic, its limbs scraping against the ground, leaving a trail of crooked red marks. When the mouse reached the door, the raccoon quickly leaped over, pinned it down, and bit off another leg."

Jiang Shu paused, her eyelashes fluttering, her voice trembling. "The raccoon teased the mouse again and again, until it was bitten beyond recognition, bleeding profusely, and unable to escape."

"I'll always remember the look in that raccoon's eyes: fierce yet smug, as if poisoned. The corners of its mouth were stained with blood, yet its posture was lazy and graceful."

"Since then, I can no longer see the raccoon slave. Whenever I do, I get cold all over."

Jiang Shu's voice got lower and lower as she spoke, and she gradually began to sob. Tears welled up in her eyes, and a bright red tinge clung to the corners of her eyes. That red tinge was like a hook, piercing straight into one's heart. "Uncle, I'm scared, I'm scared."

Her soft body was like a sieve, shivering against Lu Changji. Although there was a layer of clothes between them, he could still clearly feel her outline.

The two of them were already intimate, but he wanted to be closer to her, wanted to rub her into him, wanted to...

The place where he slept was so hot that the originally smooth clothes were stretched into a crease.

A light red appeared on Lu Changji's fair ears. He took a half step back, separating his lower body from Jiang Shu. However, his hands behind his back could not help but touch Jiang Shu's waist and held her tightly.

He said in a hoarse voice, "Don't be afraid, the raccoon has escaped and will not hurt you again."

Jiang Shu nodded obediently, twisting her slender waist twice in Lu Changji's palm, as smooth as a fish, and her voice was so soft that it could drip water: "Uncle, I'm so cold."

The night was deep, and even in summer, a hint of coolness was brewing. Lu Changji took off his coat, covered Jiang Shu with it, and lowered his head to say to her, "Can I carry you to the pool?"

The warm breath sprayed on Jiang Shu's neck, itching, and penetrated deep into her core. In front of her was his solid chest, his slender and powerful hands were on her waist, and above her head was the scorching breath...

Jiang Shu had experienced life. Lu Changyi was frail, and before she could even begin to desire him, he had given up. Now that Lu Changji was still fully clothed, she felt a deep sense of emptiness.

She nodded heavily and said softly, "Uncle, hold me!"

One of the hands around her waist loosened and hooked onto her knees. He was strong and lifted her up easily with just his hands.

She could feel his scorching heat through his thin clothes. It was clearly time for things to come to fruition, so why was he still acting so modest?

She was completely naked, his body temperature rose sharply, and the two of them were tightly pressed together. If they couldn't have a perfect union in this situation, she was afraid that she would never have another chance in the future.

Jiang Shu took a deep breath and pretended to tidy up her hair. Her forearm slid across Lu Changji's cross collar. The inner garment was not as exquisite as the outer garment. With a slight force of her forearm, she lifted his cross collar.

Her elbow slid slowly across his chest, and she could clearly feel Lu Changji's body temperature becoming scorching hot. Jiang Shu's confidence soared, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Lu Changji walked to the edge of Panchi, bent down and put Jiang Shu on the cushion. Jiang Shu's hands were originally clutching her outer shirt, but as Lu Changji bent down, she deliberately let go of her hands, and the thin shirt flowed down from her body like flowing light, revealing skin whiter than mutton fat.

When he first entered the courtyard, Lu Changji deliberately controlled himself and tried to look around. Now that he was bent over, he had no way to avoid it, and his eyes fell directly on Jiang Shu.

Towering snow-capped mountains are surrounded by white snow, and two clusters of red plum blossoms are in full bloom on the mountains, with a sweet fragrance that even Lu Changji couldn't help but hold his breath.

"Uncle!" Jiang Shu called out at the right moment, whispering, "My ankle was scratched by a beast. Can you help me take a look?"

She stretched out her white legs and put her ankles on Lu Changji's thighs.

She stared at him eagerly, hoping that he would grab her ankle and pull her into his arms. Unfortunately, he turned away again.

Lu Changji turned his back to Jiang Shu and said softly, "It's cold, hurry up and put on your clothes."

Wear clothes? His short words dragged her from heaven to hell again. If she put on clothes, how could she borrow one from him?

According to Jiang Shu, she must have sex with him, but he turned his back to her and refused to look at her again. What could she do?

Her ankle was still touching his thigh, and she really wanted to put her foot into his clothes and slowly stroke it upwards.

Unfortunately, she didn't dare.

If she is not careful, she will be doomed. If she arouses his suspicion, she will have no chance to live. She dare not take the risk.

My heart grew colder and colder, and my surging blood slowly solidified.

Totally hopeless!

Jiang Shu reluctantly picked up her clothes and put them on slowly. After putting them on, she still didn't give up. She stretched her ankle in front of Lu Changji again and whispered, "Uncle, it hurts so much here!"

Lu Changji lowered his eyes and saw a few scratches on Jiang Shu's fair skin, with drops of blood oozing from the scratches, like a red spider lily blooming on her ankle.

If a man was scratched by a cat slave, it would not be a big deal, but the scratch marks on Jiang Shu's body were not the same.

Lu Changji looked at Jiang Shu's scratches and wanted to wipe them, blow on them, and then apply medicine to them himself. Unfortunately, his rationality had returned and he could no longer let himself go.

He forced himself to look away from Jiang Shu's legs, stood up, took a few steps forward, and said softly, "I'll ask the doctor to go to Xinchun Garden to check your injuries. It's getting late, sister-in-law, you should go back early!"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Although the Biyun Terrace is quiet, it's not without visitors. My sister-in-law, please don't bathe here in the future, lest you be offended!"

After saying this, Lu Changji said no more and strode out of the courtyard.

His back was neat and straight, and he didn't seem to have any intention of lingering. Jiang Shu felt a little disappointed, but still didn't give up. She strode up to Lu Changji and reached out to grab his sleeve.

Lu Changji didn't say anything, but his eyes were cold, and his gaze fell obliquely on her hand.

Jiang Shu knew that he was warning her, but in a moment, he turned into the polite Minister Lu.

Her heart sank to the bottom, her hopes completely dashed. Jiang Shu timidly loosened her hand and took out the prepared words: "I have a question I want to ask Uncle, do you have time?"

Jiang Shu was used to making preparations for both situations. Tonight, if she could get what she wanted, she would just indulge in full-on sex with Lu Changji. If she couldn't succeed, she would have to make plans for Jiang Rong in advance.

There are many true gentlemen in the world, and there are also many people who seek fame and reputation. Although the ladies attending the banquet are well-informed, they have never lived with Minister Lin. If they want to understand a person's character, in addition to getting along with him, they still have to ask more people he is familiar with.

Lu Changji is the Minister of Justice. As Lin Shilang's immediate superior, he must know Lin Shilang's character.

She coughed lightly, distanced herself from Lu Changji, and said seriously, "There are many officials in the Ministry of Justice. I wonder if you have noticed a minister named Lin?"

Lu Changji nodded.

Normally, when asking for help, one should clearly state their purpose. However, since nothing had been done yet, Jiang Shu didn't want to drag Jiang Rong into this for no reason, so she asked directly, "What is Minister Lin's character like?"

Lu Changji replied, "Minister Lin has a noble character and is very upright. The Lin family has been a wealthy family with five generations of farming and studying."

Not only did he answer her question, he even mentioned Minister Lin's family background, obviously guessing what she was thinking.

This is a mature and steady man, wise and considerate. Although he doesn't talk much, he can solve problems like a gentle breeze and rain, and it is hard not to be moved by him.

pity……

Jiang Shu looked at Lu Changji's back, wanting to say something but stopping herself. She opened her mouth, but in the end, she could not say anything. She stood there in vain, feeling sad.

Jiang Shu did not sleep all night. The next day, after paying her respects to Zhao, she went back to her room for a nap. Just as she closed her eyes, she heard someone knocking on the door.

Fang Yu pushed the door open and walked in, saying softly, "It's a nice day today, and the prince wants to take a stroll in the garden. I wonder if Third Madam is free?"

Jiang Shu yawned, forced herself to stand up, and accompanied Lu Changyi for a walk in the garden.

Lu Changyi was weak, so Jiang Shu deliberately slowed down her pace to walk with him. The two of them walked slowly along the bluestone path, but after walking a short distance, Lu Changyi's face became a little gray.

Jiang Shu knew that he was strong-willed and would not show weakness in front of her, so she said, "Prince, I'm a little tired. Let's go to the pavilion and rest for a while!"

Lu Changyi naturally had no objection, so the two of them walked towards the pavilion again. As soon as Jiang Shu stepped into the pavilion, she saw a pitch-black raccoon sleeping beside a stone bench.

The raccoon was very similar in shape and fur color to the one Jiang Shu saw at night. She was frightened and instinctively took a step back, staring at the raccoon vigilantly.

At this time, the raccoon slowly opened its eyes. It was obviously very relaxed, but the moment it opened its eyes, it saw something. The black hair on its body immediately stood up, its eyes were filled with panic, and it ran out of the pavilion in a flash.

Cats and people were equally panicked. Jiang Shu was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Lu Changyi and asked softly, "But did I scare that raccoon?"

She was now certain that the raccoon was the same one she had seen at Biyuntai.

Lu Changyi shook his head, his expression didn't change, but he didn't want to take a rest in the pavilion anymore. Jiang Shu had no choice but to accompany him back to Xinchun Garden.

Jiang Shu was unconscious, but Changshun's face turned pale and his legs were unsteady when he walked.

He recognized the raccoon. The person the raccoon was afraid of was not Jiang Shu, but its former owner Lu Changyi.

When Lu Changyi was a teenager, he liked Li Nu and always held Li Nu in his arms. Li Nu was naturally wild and could not stand being shackled all the time. Therefore, even though Lu Changyi provided Li Nu with delicious food every day, Li Nu was unwilling to get close to him and even ran away in panic when he saw him.

After a long time, Lu Changyi became disheartened and handed the raccoon slave to Changshun. Changshun thought Lu Changyi wanted to change the raccoon slave's owner, but he didn't expect Lu Changyi to put the raccoon slave in a sack and throw it to death.

At that time, Changshun was only a fifteen-year-old boy. He couldn't bring himself to kill the cute raccoon, so he secretly took the raccoon to the wild and released it into the wild.

Five years had passed since the incident, and Changshun had never imagined that the raccoon slave would return to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion and appear in front of Lu Changyi.

He knew that Lu Changyi recognized the raccoon slave. Although Lu Changyi looked weak, he was actually violent and cold-blooded at heart.

Since Lu Changyi knew that he had been hypocritical, he would never let him off easily.

Changshun returned to the back room and paced around the room anxiously, waiting for Lu Changyi to make his decision.

The palace soldiers arrived quickly and tied Changshun to a long bench without saying a word. They stuffed sackcloth into his mouth, raised their long swords, and chopped off his right hand with a clean stroke.

The veins on Changshun's forehead seemed to be bursting, and a dull growl came from his throat.

Pain assaulted his nerves, and just as he was about to faint, the voice of a palace guard rang out in Changshun's ears: "If you are unfaithful once, you will be disqualified for life. The prince said that since you are unwilling to obey his orders, you should never appear before him again. You should pack up your belongings and leave the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion!"

Just leave the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion, just leave the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion... The voices of the palace soldiers kept circling in Changshun's ears, and the only light left in his eyes gradually went out and turned into ashes.

Changshun was sold to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion by human traffickers at the age of eleven, and served Lu Changyi at the age of thirteen. He served Lu Changyi for seven years. He originally thought that he was different, but it turned out that in Lu Changyi's heart, he was no different from those cats and dogs.

Drops of blood fell to the ground. Changshun carried his valuables and walked out of the Xinyang Marquis Mansion step by step.

The figure is lonely, like a setting sun.

On the second day, Lu Changyi had a new servant around him. Jiang Shu was puzzled. Changshun was like Lu Changyi's right-hand man. Lu Changyi always kept Changshun by his side no matter what he did. Why did he suddenly change the servant?

She asked, "Prince, why is Changshun not on duty today?"

Lu Changyi said calmly, "His mother is ill, so I sent him back to the countryside to take care of her."

He was calm and even smiled at Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu didn't think much of him. After Lu Changyi fell asleep, she got up and went to the east end room for a nap.

One day, Jiang Ran went to Yueying Pavilion to buy rouge and met Zhu Ningxue.

Most people are like this. The more inferior they feel, the more competitive they become. They think that if they can gain a little verbal advantage, they can be superior to others.

Jiang Ran looked down at Zhu Ningxue and sneered, "I heard that you went to the Zhao residence with the Ling family's eldest lady for a banquet the other day. You are very beautiful, so you will definitely win the favor of the ladies at the banquet and find a good marriage."

The circle of officials' wives is clearly divided into different levels. With Zhu Ningxue's status, being able to attend a banquet at the Zhao family is a step up in the ladder. Zhu Ningxue once boasted to others that she was going to attend a banquet at the Zhao family, but she didn't expect that she would become a scapegoat for Jiang Ran to ridicule her.

Zhu Ningxue was not one to be bullied. She immediately retorted, "I am of low status and truly don't have the ability to find a good husband. Unlike you, you have an older sister who married into a wealthy family to arrange a marriage for you."

When Jiang Ran heard about the marriage plan, his eyes suddenly lit up.

At this time, Zhu Ningxue continued, "Your eldest sister loves you very much. In order to spare you the pain of childbirth, she found a widower with children for you."

"You've heard of Minister Lin of the Ministry of Justice. Although he's killed two of his wives, he has a promising future. If you marry him, you'll definitely be granted an imperial title. Even the empresses in the palace will look up to you."

Jiang Ran had no doubts, a raging fire burning within him. Jiang Shu was now the Crown Prince's wife, enjoying immense glory, yet he wanted to marry her to a widower who was unlucky in marriage. It was clear he wanted to grind her down in the mud and expose her to ridicule.

This is simply too much!

Jiang Ran stopped chatting with Zhu Ningxue and ran back home.

When she told Yang about this, she also flew into a rage. She put her hands on her hips and scolded, "Jiang Shu must have forgotten that I still hold her aunt and sister in my hands. How dare she be so ignorant as to mistreat my son? I will definitely let her have a taste of my power."

After saying this, he looked at Mrs. Wu and said, "Go to the Xinyang Marquis's residence and tell them that they have brewed plum wine and would like to invite my eldest sister to come back and taste it."

What's the point of trying something new? Yang was clearly trying to be nice to her, with no good intentions. Jiang Shu didn't want to see Yang at all, but thinking of Lin and Jiang Rong's situation, she had to play along with Yang.

When they returned to Jiang's house, the banquet had been prepared in the flower hall. The banquet was more sumptuous than ever before, and Yang was more enthusiastic than ever before.

She led Jiang Shu to the dining table, and then asked someone to summon Lin and Jiang Ran to the flower hall to keep her company.

Yang narrowed her eyes and smiled. As she poured wine for Jiang Shu, she said, "A family is one and the same, and we all prosper together. You've married well, so you'll have to take care of your family. I wonder if you've found a good husband for Ranjie'er?"

As Jiang Shu's status improved, Yang's attitude towards her also changed. She no longer advocated for war and killing, but instead practiced the principle of using courtesy before force.

She stared at Jiang Shu intently, waiting for Jiang Shu to introduce Minister Lin's family background and personality. As long as Jiang Shu dared to say that she wanted to match Jiang Ran with Minister Lin, the widower, she would show Jiang Shu her true colors.

Lying is like a snowball. If you try to cover up the lie, it will only get bigger and bigger.

Jiang Shu lowered her head and thought, trying to find a good excuse, but she was silent for only a moment before Yang ordered Lin and Jiang Ran to stand by the table and serve the dishes.

Yang's intentions were obvious: she wanted to tell Jiang Shu that Lin and Jiang Ran were in her power, at her mercy, without resistance. Even though Jiang Shu was now the Crown Prince's wife, she was still constrained by her mother.

Things have come to this point, and all I can do is continue to lie.

Jiang Shu's fingers were clenched tightly, but her expression remained normal. She even managed a smile. "A few days ago, my mother-in-law and I went to Xiaoquan Mountain for a boat trip. She told me that her family had a nephew who was born out of wedlock. He was the fifth child in the family. He was very handsome, studious, and motivated. He passed the imperial examination at a young age."

"Wulang is a rare talent, but unfortunately he has a disappointing mother. In order to win Mr. Zhao's favor, his aunt poisoned and killed his favorite concubine. In a fit of rage, Mr. Zhao sent her to the government."

"Wu Lang has a mother who is a criminal. Families of equal status are unwilling to marry their daughters to him, so the marriage has been somewhat difficult. The other day I mentioned my second sister's situation to my mother-in-law, and I saw that she was very willing to mediate between the two. But I don't know if my mother would be willing to let my second sister suffer."

What? The person Jiang Shu wanted to introduce Jiang Ran to wasn't Minister Lin, but Zhao Wulang, who came from a wealthy family?

Yang sighed secretly. Jiang Ran was becoming more and more impulsive. He even begged her to punish Jiang Shu without finding out the real news.

Fortunately, she asked one more question and avoided any disaster. If she had punished Jiang Shu directly, the marriage might not have been possible.

Zhao Jia Wulang just has a bad reputation, but his family background and talent are both excellent. Yang is a practical person and she cares least about reputation, so she will not care that Wulang has a criminal mother.

She was extremely satisfied with Wu Lang, but she spoke in a pretentious tone, putting on an extraordinarily superior attitude: "Ran Jie'er is a person who has her own ideas. Even if I agree to her engagement, it won't count. Whether this marriage will be successful or not depends on her meeting Lang Zi first."

A lie must be seven parts true and three parts false to gain people's trust. The Zhao family did have a Wulang who was implicated by his biological mother, but even if Wulang's biological mother was a criminal, she would definitely look down on Jiang Ran, the daughter of an eighth-rank county magistrate with a bad reputation.

While others can clearly see the pros and cons of a situation, mothers, blinded by maternal love, may unconsciously overestimate their own children.

Jiang Shu secretly uttered a "Pah" in her heart, and continued Yang's words, "Second sister is a legitimate daughter, and her status is noble. She can't rush into marrying in such a hurry.

It just so happens that my mother-in-law is going to Qingyang to worship Buddha tomorrow and will be back in half a month. We are a respectable family, so we should be a little proud. The matter of Second Sister and the young man from the Zhao family meeting each other should be discussed after my mother-in-law returns from the worship!

Yang had originally just wanted to make a gesture to show off Jiang Ran's nobility, and after Jiang Shu's persuasion, she would have given in. Unexpectedly, Jiang Shu actually followed her wishes and postponed the meeting between Jiang Ran and Zhao Wulang to half a month later.

She didn't think much about it, and just thought that Jiang Shu was afraid of her authority, so she spoke according to her wishes.

Jiang Ran had already wasted a lot of time, so another ten days or half a month wouldn't make a difference. Yang said nothing more and just nodded.

Jiang Shu was afraid that Yang would tell the Zhao family about the matter, so she made up for it by saying, "Mother knows my mother-in-law's temperament. She was raised in a noble family, and no matter what she does, she must follow the rules.

The marriage between our family and the Zhao family has not yet been finalized, so we should not publicize it and must not let others know about it."

Jiang Ran's reputation is worse than a stagnant ditch. If anyone with a red eye knew that she wanted to marry into the Zhao family, they would definitely do something bad in secret.

Yang prided herself on being smart, and for Jiang Ran's future, she would never reveal a single word.

She said to Jiang Shu, "The Zhao family is a well-off family, and we are not one of those poor families. We will not rush to push our daughter out. You can just put your mind at ease."

With that, the two of them were settled. Although Jiang Shu had passed another level, she didn't dare to relax.

Lies will eventually be exposed one day, and she must arrange a good marriage for Jiang Rong before the lie is exposed, so that she can put her mind at ease.

The carriage rumbled away, and as soon as Jiang Shu left, Yang went into the side room.

He scolded Jiang Ran, "How can you believe everything you hear? You are so soft-hearted and have no sense of judgment at all."

"I've confirmed with Jiang Shu that the man she wants to introduce you to is Zhao Jia Wulang. Zhao Wulang is top-notch in both family background and talent. He's definitely not comparable to that idiotic Minister Lin."

Yang had only one daughter, Jiang Ran. She usually held her in her hands for fear of dropping her, and kept her in her mouth for fear of melting her. She spoiled her to the extreme and had never said a harsh word to Jiang Ran. But when she scolded her today, Jiang Ran was very unconvinced.

She retorted, "Since Jiang Shu didn't want to bring me and Minister Lin together, why did she ask about Minister Lin's family background and personality at the banquet?"

Yang curled her lips, secretly blaming Jiang Ran for being stubborn, and said unhappily, "Jiang Shu isn't your only sister. Her younger sister hasn't found a husband yet. Since she's not asking about Minister Lin's personality for you, she's definitely asking for Jiang Rong's.

Given Jiang Rong's background, she's a good match for Minister Lin. I just don't know if she'll be lucky enough to become the Lin family's mistress. I hope she doesn't get killed by Minister Lin before she even gets married."

Yang's words enlightened Jiang Ran. She curled her lips and said, "Didn't Mother want to give Jiang Rong to someone else as a concubine? Isn't Jiang Shu's efforts in vain?"

Yang sighed lightly. Jiang Ran was indeed a hopeless person. If she had not been born in her womb, she would never have wasted a word talking to her.

Yang patiently explained, "If I can control Jiang Rong's marriage, I can control Jiang Shu. If we really allow Jiang Rong to be a concubine, Jiang Shu will definitely turn against us. Then we will be doomed. How can you marry into a wealthy family?"

Although Jiang Ran wanted to marry into a noble family through Jiang Shu, she didn't want to see Jiang Shu have her way. Jiang Shu had ruined her reputation, and she must retaliate.

Jiang Ran curled up the corner of his mouth into a smile, took out a heavy red gold Huasheng from his dressing box, stood up and walked towards Zhu's house.

Jiang Shu returned to the Xinyang Marquis' Mansion exhausted. Before she could even sit down, Fang Yu, who was usually quite calm, became anxious and spoke much faster than usual: "Second Madam, the prince has woken up and doesn't seem to be in a good mood. Can you please go back to his bedroom and take a look?"

Fang Yu was still a little reserved in her words. Lu Changyi's mood was not just bad, it was clearly extremely terrible.

When Jiang Shu returned to the room, she saw two broken teacups lying on the floor. The tea had soaked into the carpet, leaving dark marks.

Jiang Shu looked at Lu Changyi and saw that his brows were furrowed, his lips were pressed together, and his face was pale without a trace of blood. It was obvious that he was terrified. She hurriedly asked, "What's wrong, Prince? Did you have a nightmare?"

As Jiang Shu spoke, she walked to the bedside and reached out to touch Lu Changyi's back, gently soothing him. She treated him with tenderness and consideration, but that tenderness lacked the affection and lust that should exist between husband and wife. Instead, it was like a sister treating her younger brother, full of tolerance and doting.

Jiang Shu guessed correctly, Lu Changyi did have a nightmare. In the dream, Jiang Shu despised him for being immoral, and secretly had an affair with someone else, making him a cuckold.

After the incident, not only was Jiang Shu despised by others, but his reputation was also ruined and he was severely ridiculed by Lu Changfeng.

The Lu family has three young masters, all of whom have different mothers, so they are somewhat disunited.

Lu Changji was older and more exceptional, so Lu Changyi and him had no issues. However, because he and Lu Changfeng were of similar age and their mothers did not get along, they had always loved to compete with each other since childhood. Being ridiculed by Lu Changfeng was more painful to Lu Changyi than killing him.

Although it was a dream, Lu Zhangyi felt like he had something stuck in his throat. He suddenly hugged Jiang Shu, put his chin on Jiang Shu's shoulder, and asked in a low voice: "Will you dislike me?"

Because Zhao urged Jiang Shu to get pregnant and have children many times, she also had some grudges against Lu Changyi. But if you think about it carefully, who would want to have a sick body?

Lu Changyi was not wrong, she was just too narrow-minded.

She quickly shook her head and said softly, "You don't despise me for my humble origins and poor family background, so how could I despise you?

We are husband and wife, meant to be together for life. As long as we understand each other and care for each other, what does physical pleasure matter?"

She was sincere, but he was still uneasy. The scene of being ridiculed by Lu Changfeng in his dream suddenly appeared before his eyes again. For some reason, he felt a desire to compete with Lu Changfeng.

Lu Changyi sat up straight, staring at Jiang Shu, and asked seriously, "Who do you think is better, me or my third brother?"

"Of course it's the prince." Jiang Shu and Lu Changfeng had only met a few times. In her impression, Lu Changfeng was young but his face was flushed and his eyes were cloudy. Only someone who had been addicted to alcohol and sex for a long time would have that kind of facial expression.

Lu Changyi is just weak, but his lifestyle is upright, and I wonder how much more noble he is than Lu Changfeng.

The decisive answer made Lu Changyi very happy. His confidence increased immediately, and he asked, "How do I compare with my eldest brother?"

Lu Changyi is just a willful and weak nobleman, but Lu Changji is like a green pine standing tall in the snow. He is noble and dignified, and just one look at him will make people look up to him.

Fireflies and the bright moon cannot compete for brilliance, but Lu Changyi is Jiang Shu's husband and the person closest to her, so she must protect him.

Jiang Shu smiled softly, her eyes falling on Lu Changyi's: "In my heart, no one can compare to the prince."

After hearing Jiang Shu's words, Lu Changyi felt relieved, lay down on the bed again and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Jiang Shu received an invitation as soon as she got up. The invitation was from Mrs. Lin of the Wen family, inviting Jiang Shu to have tea at Guangyu Tower.

That Lin was the aunt of Minister Lin. Jiang Shu had just intended to introduce Minister Lin to Jiang Rong when Lin handed over an invitation. It was no exaggeration to say that it was like someone handing you a pillow when you were sleepy.

Things went incredibly smoothly, and Jiang Shu had to be on guard.

She took the invitation and examined it carefully. The gold-plated logo of the Wen Mansion was clearly printed on the lower right corner of the invitation. Every well-known mansion in Bianjing City had its own specially made invitation logo. The logo was complicated and exquisite and extremely difficult to forge, in order to prevent people with ulterior motives from using the invitation to do evil.

Since there was no problem with the invitation, Jiang Shu put her mind at ease and secretly decided that no matter what Lin's purpose was in inviting her to tea, she would point out her purpose and extend an olive branch to Lin.

As Minister Lin's elder, Lin Shi would definitely convey Jiang Shu's intentions to the Lin family. If the Lin family was interested, they would take the initiative to come and talk. If not, Jiang Shu didn't want to send her sister to be looked down upon.

Even if we take a step back and say that we really can't find a good family for Jiang Rong, we can take her to the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion to live. Even if she has to depend on others for food, it is better than being a concubine of He Sima, who is over 40 years old and has a womanizing nature.

When meeting someone for the first time, it is inevitable to prepare a gift. Lin is the elder, so Jiang Shu is reluctant to prepare a gift that is too luxurious. After much thought, she decided to give Lin an inkstone.

The Lin family has a tradition of passing down poetry and literature, and even girls have to go to school. Although giving a Lin family inkstone is not outstanding, it will not go wrong.

Before leaving, Lu Changyi suddenly walked in. Seeing Jiang Shu's going-out outfit, he immediately frowned. Reluctantly, he took Jiang Shu's hand and rubbed it against his cheek, muttering, "Are you going out again?"

To be fair, Jiang Shu rarely goes out, except for important matters, and spends most of her time with Lu Changyi every day.

She didn't want to argue with Lu Changyi, so she patiently explained, "I'm going to Guangyu Building to have some tea with Mrs. Wen. I'll be back soon."

After saying this, You felt it was not enough, so he added: "You know, even the ladies in the cabinet need to socialize."

Lu Changyi certainly knew that the women in the cabinet needed to socialize. For example, his mother, Zhao, was as busy as a top when she first took over the family, and spent half a year out of the year socializing with women.

But Jiang Shu was different from Zhao. He married her to the Marquis's Mansion not to let her support the family.

Lu Changyi grabbed Jiang Shu's hand and refused to let go no matter what, acting like a spoiled brat.

Seeing that the appointed time was approaching, Jiang Shu was extremely anxious and had to use her trump card. She said to Lu Changyi like coaxing a child: "As long as you let me out, I will accompany you to the rooftop to fight crickets in the evening."

Lu Changyi had invited Jiang Shu to play with him many times, but Jiang Shu disliked the bloodiness of fighting and refused all of them.

Now that Jiang Shu agreed to fight crickets with him, Lu Changyi was overjoyed and reluctantly agreed to let Jiang Shu go out.

Zhu Er couldn't hold back her words and started nagging as soon as she left the house: "Second Madam, why is my son-in-law as clingy as a child? It's as if he wants to tie you to his side and you can't leave him for even a moment!"

Zhu'er is honest and straightforward, and always speaks directly to Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu sighed silently. Who said it wasn't true? Although Lu Changyi treated her very well, he was restraining her all the time.

It was as if there was an invisible rope tied around her, making it difficult for her to breathe, but she couldn't get rid of it no matter what.

She smiled bitterly and didn't say anything more.

How could one live in this world and have everything go as planned? He had provided her with food and clothing, and a respectable status, so she had to give something in return.

The carriage soon arrived at Guangyu Tower. Guangyu Tower has two floors, exquisite decoration, elegant environment, and the taste of tea and snacks is also very good. However, due to its remote location, not many people come here to drink tea.

The second floor was quiet as Jiang Shu took Zhu'er to the agreed private room.

Zhu Er was puzzled. "Although drinking tea is a refined activity and shouldn't be noisy, Guangyu Tower is a place for business after all. Why is it so quiet?"

Jiang Shu also felt something was amiss and felt a little uneasy. She immediately stopped, turned around, and went back downstairs with Zhu'er.

Just as I reached the lobby on the first floor, I suddenly saw a carriage stopped at the door of Guangyu Building. The logo of the Wen Mansion was clearly engraved on the shaft of the carriage.

The logo on the invitation might be forged, but no bad guy would dare to ride in the carriage of Wen Zhanshi's family in broad daylight.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a plump old woman got out of the carriage carrying a set of tea sets. The old woman was well-dressed and behaved politely. At first glance, she was obviously the head nanny of a wealthy and respectable family.

The old woman looked at Jiang Shu for a few times and asked, "Are you the wife of the prince of Xinyang Marquis's Mansion?"

Jiang Shu nodded. The old woman's smile widened, and she said gently, "My mistress arrived two quarters of an hour ago. She found the tea set at Guangyu Tower not quite to her liking, and, fearing she might offend you, she sent an old servant back home to fetch a set of sweet white porcelain."

"This sweet white porcelain was given to Madam by the Sovereign. It is of first-rate quality, both in appearance and texture. It is perfect for brewing tea. Please come upstairs and taste it."

Jiang Shu did not suspect anything, she just thought that she did not know anything about tea and was afraid of disappointing the kindness of the Lady of the Chancellery. She went upstairs while talking to the old woman.

The old woman led Jiang Shu to the box and pushed open the door with a smile. Jiang Shu looked inside and saw a large screen with flowers and birds, with two or three pieces of clothing visible from under the screen.

The hem of the dress was dark brown in color and made of rough material. Even a decent farmer would not use this material to make clothes, let alone a noble lady like Lin.

Jiang Shu knew she had fallen into a trap and turned to escape, but the old woman moved swiftly and with great strength. She not only pulled out the jade hairpin from her head, but also pushed her into the house with great force. Zhu'er was quite strong, but because she was not on guard, she was also pushed into the house by the old woman.

The two men stumbled and fell to the ground. Before they could get up, they heard a "click" sound and the door was locked from the outside.

At this time, two men walked out from behind the screen. They were both very strong and stared at Jiang Shu with eyes flashing like hungry wolves.

Inside the compartment, the well-dressed maid was speaking to Jiang Ran with a nod and a bow, "This old servant has locked the Crown Prince's wife inside the room, and things are going very smoothly."

As she spoke, she handed the jade hairpin she had pulled off Jiang Shu's head to Jiang Ran. Jiang Ran was very proud. He took out a heavy purse from his waist and handed it to the old woman, then waved his hand to send her away.

After the old woman closed the door, Jiang Ran turned to look at Zhu Ningxue and said with a smile, "Today's matter is thanks to your help. If you need me in the future, just ask. I will never refuse."

Zhu Ningxue is narrow-minded. What she hates most in her life is that people who are not as good as herself rise to prominence. After Jiang Shu married into the Xinyang Marquis Mansion, Jiang Ran's status also rose. Even though his reputation was ruined, he often looked down on others.

Zhu Ningxue wanted to pull Jiang Shu down from her perch and stomp her into the mud. That way, not only Jiang Shu, but even Jiang Ran would never be able to raise his head again.

Zhu Ningxue was proud, but her smile was humble. "It's all thanks to Mrs. Zhu's son who's ill and needs expensive medical treatment. Otherwise, with my aunt's connections alone, there's no way she could have risked stealing Madam Wen's invitation, let alone letting the head of the household ride out in Madam Wen's carriage."

Jiang Ran had spent all her savings, so naturally she had a lot to ask for. She didn't bother to chat with Zhu Ningxue anymore, and called over Li Si. Li Si was plain-looking, the kind of man you wouldn't be able to spot in a crowd.

Jiang Ran handed him the jade hairpin and whispered, "Take this hairpin and go to the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion. Tell them that the Crown Prince's wife has encountered a difficult problem and needs the Crown Prince to come forward and solve it."

Everyone knows that Lu Changyi treats Jiang Shu as his sweetheart. If Jiang Shu is in trouble, he will definitely not stand idly by.

Jiang Ran felt refreshed just thinking about Lu Changyi seeing Jiang Shu being humiliated.

Jiang Shu had ruined her reputation, and she also wanted to make Jiang Shu taste the excruciating pain.

Li Si came back quickly. It turned out that Lu Changyi had a high fever and was unconscious. He didn't even see Lu Changyi before he was kicked out by the servant.

"Lu Changyi is such a waste!" Jiang Ran cursed softly, and the figure of Lu Changji suddenly appeared in his mind.

She raised the corners of her lips and smiled, then said, "Lu Changyi is not here, so go find Lu Changji."

Losing manners in front of her uncle is more shameful than embarrassing herself in front of her husband. Jiang Shu would be so ashamed and angry that she would most likely commit suicide on the spot.

The more Jiang Ran thought about it, the happier he felt, as if he had already seen the scene of Jiang Shu's death.

Li Si entered the Canaan Courtyard and presented the jade hairpin to Lu Changji, saying, "The Crown Prince's wife has encountered a difficult situation and has been detained in Guangyu Tower. Her movements have been blocked, so she brought out the token and asked me to ask you to come and help her."

Lu Changji picked up the hairpin and took a look at it. The hairpin had a warm color and was worn by Jiang Shu in her hair when she paid her respects to Zhao a few days ago.

His eyes suddenly changed, and he immediately stood up, called over a dozen followers, and rode at full speed towards Guangyu Tower.

The second floor was quiet. As soon as Lu Changji climbed up the stairs, he heard a woman's scream. The voice was made by Jiang Shu.

A layer of frost covered Lu Changji's warm cheeks. He strode forward and kicked the carved wooden door in front of him open.