Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Aphrodisiac

"What did you say?" Zhao suddenly stood up straight, looked at Lu Changyi in disbelief, and said in surprise, "You like Jiang so much, how could you bear to let her go, how could you bear to let her go..."

"Mother!" Lu Changyi interrupted Zhao. "My son is short-lived. Shu'er is so young and beautiful. What will happen if I can't keep her? My son can't let her marry someone else."

The current dynasty was open-minded and it was not uncommon for widows to remarry. Moreover, Jiang Shu and Lu Changyi had not registered their marriage at the Ministry of Household Affairs. If Lu Changyi had gone there and Jiang Shu insisted on remarrying, no one would have been able to do anything to her.

But it would be different if Jiang Shu could give birth to children. With the support of children, she would always be able to hold on.

Giving birth to a child is a big deal and requires a lot of effort. Lu Changyi is seriously ill. Logically, Zhao shouldn't bring up this topic now, but when she thinks of Jiang Shuhua's beautiful face, she feels reluctant.

She hesitated and said, "If Jiang can give birth to a child..."

"If she can give birth to a son, she will live. If she gives birth to a daughter, she will not live either. She can only die with her son." Lu Changyi and Lu Changfeng have been competing for half their lives. What he worries most is that Lu Changfeng will take over his property and wife.

If Jiang Shu could give birth to a child, she would be the mother of the future marquis, and how could Lu Changfeng dare to covet her again?

As long as he can make Lu Changfeng unhappy, Lu Changyi will not hesitate even if it means handing over the Marquis's estate to outsiders.

Lu Changyi was relieved, and Zhao also breathed a sigh of relief. She sat down next to Lu Changyi and comforted him feebly: "You are blessed. Don't let your imagination run wild. Just take good care of yourself. Maybe you can live in harmony with Jiang for the rest of your life!"

The words sounded nice, but both mother and son knew that they were just a beautiful wish, and the prophecy of the director of the Imperial Observatory was about to come true.

Zhao walked out of the room dejectedly. When she reached the corridor, she saw Jiang Shu coming out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of sweet soup.

Jiang Shu was wearing a green shirt and looked so tender that water could be squeezed out of her.

Zhao paused where she was. When Jiang Shu came to her side, she stopped her and scolded her in a low voice, "You have been married to my Xinyang Marquisate for more than half a year. Even a hen should be laying eggs. Why are you so useless?"

Jiang Shu was more anxious than anyone else because her life and property were at stake. Facing Zhao's wrath, she could only humble herself and said, "Mother, please calm down. I'm recovering now and will definitely not let you down."

Zhao stared at Jiang Shu. The woman before her was respectful, polite, dignified, and virtuous. Besides being childless, she had no real faults. Not wanting to embarrass Jiang Shu, she scolded her a few more times before stalking off.

Jiang Shu returned to the bedroom listlessly, lay down on the chaise longue dejectedly, and pondered silently.

After thinking for a long time, I finally made up my mind.

Jiang's house was located in Tongque Lane, and most of the neighbors were rough people. When the aunts and uncles were chatting, Jiang Shu overheard many things that a girl in the boudoir should not know.

For example, the madams in brothels often use aphrodisiacs to seduce female schoolmasters. After taking a bag of aphrodisiacs, even the most strong-willed female schoolmaster would submit.

No matter how successful Lu Changji is, he probably can't resist the aphrodisiac.

After all, it was not an aboveboard affair, so when it was getting dark, Jiang Shufang put on her bamboo hat and went out. She bought a set of men's clothes from a clothing store, put them on, and went to the most famous brothel in Bianjing.

The brothel was elegantly decorated with the sound of stringed instruments. Some of the proofreaders in the hall were refined, some were elegant, and they were dressed very decently, which was very different from the prostitutes that Jiang Shu had imagined.

Jiang Shu found the madam and whispered, "I have a new concubine at home. She is very stubborn and will never let me into her room.

No one can compare to you in terms of training women. I wonder if you have anything good that can make this concubine bow down to me?"

The madam was a smart person. When she learned the purpose of Jiang Shu's visit, she took out a small porcelain bottle.

She smiled and said, "This medicine is called Xiaoyao Powder. It's very potent. One spoonful can make the person who takes it lose consciousness, their muscles and bones become weak, and they feel as if they are floating in the air and don't know what the world is. When the medicine reaches its peak, even a person as strong as stone will turn into a puddle of water."

Jiang Shu was happy, but still had some reservations. She asked, "Can anyone who takes this medicine remember who they had sex with?"

The madam shook her head, rolled her eyes, and said with a smile, "It seems that the young master is a man who keeps himself clean and does not understand the subtleties of romantic affairs.

There are many ways to do things in bed. Blindfolding your partner during sex is also a kind of fun. This kind of thing can only be understood but not explained. You will know it when you try it."

"Blindfold your eyes" and "float in the air, not knowing what the world is." The madam solved Jiang Shu's problem with just a few words.

She took out a bag of silver and money, handed it to the madam, and walked out the door neatly.

After returning to Xinchun Garden, Jiang Shu first hid the Xiaoyao Pills in the east room and then stepped into the flower hall.

Zhu Er approached her mysteriously and said with a smile, "Miss, Mrs. Wu just came over. What do you think she came to the Marquis' Mansion for?"

"It is said that tomorrow is the day when the second young lady will be married. At dusk, the Zheng family will send someone to pick her up. The master specially invites you to go back and watch the ceremony."

"Thank goodness that Mrs. Wu said that. The Second Miss was sent to be someone's concubine. How could it be considered a wedding? Ordinary families would send their concubines away without even setting a feast. But our family honors the Second Miss and even specially invites you back."

Although Jiang Ran is not good enough, she is the only legitimate daughter of the Jiang family after all. She grew up with Jiang Wenhuan since she was a child, so Jiang Wenhuan still loves her in his heart.

She had planned it all, and it had all gone to her satisfaction, but for some reason Jiang Shu wasn't as happy as she'd imagined. She didn't feel the slightest bit of the satisfaction of revenge. She didn't sleep well that night, and got up at daybreak.

Zhu'er was quite spirited. She leaned on the small couch, watching Fang Yu combing Jiang Shu's hair while saying, "Evildoers will be punished for their evil deeds. When I think of what the Second Miss did to you, I am filled with rage.

Now, the second young lady has received her retribution in this life and will become a concubine in the Zheng family. I wonder how she will be able to maintain her prestige in the future."

After she finished speaking, she jumped up from the small couch, opened Jiang Shu's wardrobe, rummaged through the items, and finally took out a bright red shirt with large sleeves and gold weaving.

She held the dress in front of Jiang Shu and said, "Young lady, wear this dress when you return to the Jiang family today. The gold-woven material is luxurious and will make you look elegant once you put it on.

The Second Young Miss is a concubine, and can only wear a pink wedding dress under the most extreme circumstances. If you wear this bright red, it will surely suppress her arrogance, and she will be so angry that she will die."

Zhu'er became more and more proud as she spoke, and in no time she put the bright red, gold-woven, wide-sleeved shirt on Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu was a little amused and helpless, but she couldn't bear to reject Zhu'er's kindness, so she wore the clothes and returned to the Jiang family.

Yang was Jiang Ran's mother. Jiang Wenhuan didn't want to ignore the mother-daughter relationship between Yang and Jiang Ran, nor did he want the Zheng family to look down on Jiang Ran, so he released Yang at dawn.

Yang had been living in the house for many days, and she looked like a frost-bitten eggplant, wilted and listless. When she saw the sunlight, her eyes were blurry and she was even a little dazed.

After a woman's blooming period, she will wither away at a speed as fast as dead trees and rotten wood. If she is blessed with wisdom and virtue, she may still be pleasing to the eye. But if a woman has neither beauty nor virtue, she will only be despised.

Jiang Wenhuan squinted at Yang, then closed his eyes in disappointment. He didn't know what had happened to him that he married such a demon.

If he hadn't been concerned about his reputation as an official, he would have divorced Yang and sent her home.

He coughed lightly and said unhappily, "Sister Ran is getting married today. For the sake of her dignity, I'll let you out for a while. Please don't do anything that will make you laugh."

Seeing that Yang had no reaction, he became even more arrogant: "Shu Jie'er will be back soon. She is now the wife of the prince of Xinyang Marquis's Mansion. Her status is much higher than yours. You must respect her and treat her with respect. You must not treat her with disrespect like before."

After being trapped in the house for a few days, Yang was like a hedgehog with its quills pulled out. Having lost its weapon, she naturally became docile. She did not refute Jiang Wenhuan, but replied "yes" softly, and followed Jiang Wenhuan to the door.

A luxurious carriage stopped at the gate, and Jiang Shu, dressed in gorgeous attire, stepped down slowly. Yang stared at her clothes, as if she saw a sea of ​​blood.

She was stunned again. What a fool! Jiang Wenhuan pulled Yang's sleeve and took her to meet Jiang Shu.

Like a Sichuan opera actor, Jiang Wenhuan's expression changed when he faced Jiang Shu. He looked at Jiang Shu and asked with a smile, "It's so hot, is there an ice jar in the carriage?"

Jiang Shu said, "There are two ice jars in the car, which is very cool. My daughter doesn't have a fever, but it makes her father worried."

After Jiang Shu finished speaking, she waved to Zhu'er, and Zhu'er brought a pair of black boots to Jiang Wenhuan.

Jiang Shu said, "I heard that father is highly regarded by his superiors and will definitely be promoted during next year's assessment. I would like to congratulate you first and wish you continued success."

Jiang Wenhuan ordered the servant to take the black boots and attentively led Jiang Shu into the flower hall. After they sat down, he said, "There are only a few jobs in the government office, and they are all based on regulations. If colleagues work according to the regulations, most of the time there will be no mistakes."

He paused, waved his left and right, and whispered, "The reason my father was given such an important position was entirely due to the support of the censor. I was also puzzled at first, why did the censor support me when there were so many colleagues in the yamen?

After some inquiries, I learned that the Lord Censor had the honor of having a meal with Prime Minister Lu. During the meal, Prime Minister Lu mentioned my father's name. The Lord Censor understood what he meant and transferred my father to serve on his side.

The most important thing in officialdom is to know how to repay favors. The censor has helped me, my father, and I cannot be ungrateful.

You and Prime Minister Lu are close relatives, so see if you can introduce him to the Censor and have him join Prime Minister Lu's school."

"If this goes through, the Censor will surely be promoted, and I, your father, will also be promoted. Your father's higher position will also benefit you."

Although Jiang Shu likes fame and fortune, she also has her own principles. She shook her head and rejected Jiang Wenhuan: "Father, I am just a woman in the inner chamber. How can I have the ability to meddle in official affairs?

Prime Minister Lu is the most cautious. If my daughter behaves well, he might support my father out of kinship. But if my daughter really works hard for him, it might disgust him, and then it would backfire.

Although the words were very thoughtful, Jiang Wenhuan did not take them seriously. He thought Jiang Shu was unwilling to help and was just making excuses.

He originally thought that Jiang Shu was a filial son, but he didn't expect her to be an ungrateful person. She really let down all the love he had shown her over the years.

He wanted to act like an elder and scold Jiang Shu, the unfilial daughter, but he still needed Jiang Shu now, so he didn't dare to have a quarrel with her. After all, it would take time, so he could just take it slow.

He laughed dryly and said stiffly, "I just mentioned it casually. If you think it's inconvenient, we can discuss it later. Please don't worry about such a thing."

After saying that, she turned the topic to Jiang Ran: "Sister Ran is getting married. Although you have had some misunderstandings in the past, you are sisters by blood after all. In the eyes of outsiders, you are always one. If Sister Ran looks good, you will look good. For the sake of face, you must take good care of Sister Ran in the future."

In Jiang Wenhuan's eyes, the plot to take someone's life was just some small misunderstandings. He believed that one would not feel pain unless the knife was stabbed into his own body. No matter how his children fought in private, he could always keep the peace.

Jiang Shu was no longer at the age of being competitive. Although she felt aggrieved, she would not show it. She curled her lips into a smile and said softly, "Father is right. My second sister and I are of the same blood and should help each other."

Jiang Shu's attitude was gentle, so Jiang Wenhuan felt relieved and ordered his servants to invite Jiang Ran to the flower hall.

When Jiang Shu saw Jiang Ran for the first time, she was shocked. After not seeing him for a few days, Jiang Ran was thinner than a bamboo pole. His originally bright face became pale and thin, and he looked sick, as if he could be blown down by a gust of wind.

Jiang Ran stared at Jiang Shu blankly for a while, then suddenly curled his lips into a smile, suddenly jumped to the high table in the corner, picked up the scissors on it and rushed towards Jiang Shu.

Jiang Wenhuan strode forward, grabbed Jiang Ran's waist and restrained him. While trying to grab the scissors from Jiang Ran, he cursed: "You evil creature, what do you want to do? Do you have to turn the house upside down before you will settle down?"

Jiang Ran had not eaten properly for many days and was weak. The scissors in his hand were snatched away by Jiang Wenhuan in a few seconds.

She sat down dejectedly on the ground, sneered at everyone in the room, and finally fixed her gaze on Jiang Shu: "Big sister is really powerful now. Not only has she established a firm foothold in the Marquis' Mansion, but even my father is wholeheartedly on your side.

I have been badly hurt by you, but don't be complacent. There is still a long time to go by, and karma will eventually pay off, and you will get your retribution."

Jiang Shu knew very well that it was best to strike the snake at its weakest point. She did not respond to Jiang Ran's words and instead said, "Second sister is really spoiled. Now that she is about to go out, she must control her temper.

You are a concubine and must serve the mistress in the future. If you displease her, you will surely suffer."

Jiang Shu had harmed her to this state, yet she still dared to mock her. Jiang Ran was so angry that she was shaking. She wanted to hit Jiang Shu with the vase beside her, but was noticed by the servants, who took the vase away first.

Jiang Wenhuan felt a headache when he saw the scene in front of him. He originally wanted the two sisters to put aside their past grudges, but he never expected that they would end up fighting each other.

He had invited Jiang Shu home through a letter, so it was difficult to turn her away. So, he winked at Yang and whispered, "The Zheng family will be here to pick her up soon. Take Ranjie to the bedroom to rest and dress properly. Even if she's going to be your concubine, she can't be too sloppy."

Yang was unusually docile. She nodded, helped Jiang Ran up from the ground, and the two of them went back to the side room together.

"Mother!" After returning to the side room, Jiang Ran turned his gaze to Yang. Seeing Yang's dull look, he felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife.

She held Yang's hand and asked, "Mother, what did father do to you? How did you become like this?"

There is no greater sorrow than a broken heart. Although Yang was domineering, she had no selfish motives towards Jiang Wenhuan. Without her wealth and support, the Jiang family would never have been able to survive.

She never thought that Jiang Wenhuan would suppress her for the sake of his illegitimate children. The man was cold-hearted, and she had given her true heart to the wrong person after all.

She gently stroked Jiang Ran's back and asked, "Sister Ran, how do you think your father treats you?"

Jiang Ran said, "Father used to treat me very well, but now he is only close to Jiang Shu and doesn't treat me as well as before."

Yang shook her head: "Your father doesn't really love Jiang Shu, he's just afraid of the Xinyang Marquis' Mansion."

In the past, Jiang Wenhuan did not truly love Jiang Ran, but was coveting the dowry in Yang's hands.

Jiang Ran didn't understand the deep meaning in Yang's words. Her eyes sparkled. She shook Yang's hand and said happily, "Mother, according to what you said, I am still the one that father loves the most!"

Yang smiled bitterly and nodded gently. She picked up the comb beside her and combed Jiang Ran's hair. As she combed, she said, "You are very proud, but you must also learn to be humble. When you come to the Zheng family, don't stand out and try to get ahead. You must learn to protect yourself!"

Yang was an experienced person and had already anticipated Jiang Ran's future life. She loved her daughter and didn't want Jiang Ran to be so sad at the moment. Life was too long, so she should be happy as much as possible.

She said to Jiang Ran, "Mother read your fortune and the fortune teller said you have an excellent destiny. No matter what happens, you will be able to turn misfortune into good fortune. You are inferior to others now, but you may have great fortune in the future."

Jiang Ran was raised in the palm of Yang's hand and still had some innocence. After hearing what Yang said, he immediately became full of hope for the future.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Although the person in the mirror was a little thinner, she was still graceful. She was so beautiful. What if Zheng Zuhe changed his ways and treated her like a treasure?

After all, she is an official's wife. If she uses some means and plans patiently, it is not impossible for her to become the official in the future.

After some self-admiration, she began to dress up carefully. She could choose any headwear she wanted, but she could only wear pink clothes.

Even though the embroidery on the clothes is full of colorful patterns, it cannot cover up the thinness of pink. After all, red is still the brightest and most solemn color.

Jiang Ran sighed deeply, put on his clothes reluctantly, and pinned a large red gold and gem-emblazoned phoenix on his hair. Then he followed Yang into the flower hall.

It was already dusk when the Zheng family's sedan chair arrived. The person who came to pick them up was an old woman who was wearing a coarse linen dress. She behaved rudely and spoke in a rough voice.

She walked over to Jiang Ran and gave him a perfunctory bow. "It's getting late, please get into the sedan chair!"

As the old woman came closer, Jiang Ran smelled a pungent fishy odor. She frowned and asked, "I wonder which nobleman Madam is serving?"

The old woman curled her lips and said, "I am a kitchen maid, responsible for killing fish and chickens, but I don't have the blessing of serving the master."

The Zheng family actually sent such a thing to welcome her home, and they were too lazy to even send out a housekeeper. They really don't take her seriously!

The hands tucked in her sleeves suddenly clenched, and Jiang Ran turned her gaze to Jiang Wenhuan. Even though there had been a quarrel just now, Jiang Wenhuan was her father after all. As father and daughter, he would always support her.

Jiang Ran stared at Jiang Wenhuan, but she didn't expect Jiang Wenhuan to ignore her gaze.

He sat on the armchair and said in a pretentious tone, "Sister Ran, once you leave home, you will belong to someone else's family.

When you arrive at the Earl's residence, you must be careful with your words and actions, be gentle and virtuous, serve your master and his mother-in-law well, and help your master to have children and offspring. This will be considered as fulfilling your duty."

Her expectations were suddenly dashed, and her heart sank. Jiang Ran felt as if she didn't recognize her father. When she was young, her father often held her on his knees and taught her to recite poems and learn to read. This was a treatment that no one else had, and she was always proud of it.

Didn’t her father love her the most? Why did he become so indifferent now?

The remaining warmth in my heart cooled down little by little until it froze.

Jiang Ran said no more, walked out of the flower hall in silence, and stepped into the small sedan chair.

The sedan chair went away little by little, and the Jiang family returned to peace. Jiang Shu did not stay any longer and took a carriage back to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion.

The Xinyang Marquis Mansion covers a very large area. One has to pass through Baichun Garden, Qianbu Corridor, and Bird Pavilion to reach Xinchun Garden. When Jiang Shu reached the Qianbu Corridor, she met Zhang Qiu who was walking in a hurry.

Zhang Qiu smiled and bowed to Jiang Shu, saying gently, "The prince guessed that Second Madam would be back soon, and was afraid that she would be missing, so he sent me here to greet her."

Jiang Shu didn't doubt him and asked, "Isn't the prince in Xinchun Garden?"

Zhang Qiu nodded. "The camphor trees in Baijing Garden are lush and fragrant, and the scent is delightful. The prince has gone to Baijing Garden to enjoy the scenery."

After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Zhu'er and said softly, "Baijing Garden is on high ground and cooler than other places. The prince's body can't stand it. Could you please go back to Xinchun Garden and make a bowl of warm ginger soup for the prince?"

Zhu'er looked at Jiang Shu, and seeing that Jiang Shu had no objection, she quickly returned to Xinchunyuan.

Jiang Shu followed Zhang Qiu to Baijing Garden. Baijing Garden was secluded, shaded by green trees and filled with chirping birds, which was very interesting.

Zhang Qiu led Jiang Shu to the viewing room, pushed open the door, looked inside, then put his index finger to his lips and made a gesture of silence.

He lowered his voice and said to Jiang Shu, "The prince has fallen asleep. Why don't you wait outside for a while, Madam?"

Lu Changyi's body became weaker day by day, and he slept longer and longer, regardless of day or night, and would go to bed when he was tired.

Jiang Shu didn't think much of it and turned around to sit in the octagonal pavilion next to the wing room to enjoy the cool air. Zhang Qiu brought a pot of tea at the right time and poured it into the Tianshui teacup for Jiang Shu to taste.

It was seasonal jasmine tea. It was not precious, but it was elegant and fresh. Jiang Shu drank two cups in a row. Only after finishing them did she realize something was wrong. She felt dizzy and her legs were so weak that she couldn't even stand up.

She pinched her palms hard, trying to keep herself awake. She held her forehead and looked at Zhang Qiu, saying in a deep voice, "Zhang Qiu, you've just arrived at the Xinyang Marquis' Mansion, so you probably don't understand my personality."

After she finished speaking, she took off her jade bracelet and threw it on the ground. The jade bracelet shattered, and the emerald residue shone with fragmented light in the setting sun.

Her consciousness was becoming increasingly hazy. Jiang Shu bit the tip of her tongue fiercely. The stinging pain finally brought her some clarity. She said, "I'd rather die than live in disgrace. I don't know why you drugged me, but one thing is for sure: unless you kill me, as long as I can leave Baijing Garden, I will definitely take your life."

Zhang Qiu had lived in Xianggu Mansion for many years and had developed a pair of eyes that could judge people. He had long known that Jiang Shu was a woman of many talents and not as gentle as she appeared.

He also knew that this was a very risky move and that he could lose his life if he wasn't careful, but what else could he do? He couldn't let Lu Changyi beat him to death.

Rather than dying, it is better to give it a try. If it succeeds, Lu Changyi will give him a lot of money, and Jiang Shu dare not spread the news. In this way, it can be said that he has the best of both worlds.

He strode over to Jiang Shu and said in a deep voice, "Second Madam, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."

After saying that, he grabbed Jiang Shu's slender waist and dragged her into the house with brute force.

The water-red gauze curtain swayed slowly, and the goose pear-shaped tent inside the curtain exuded a sweet fragrance. Jiang Shu lay on the couch, her skin as white as snow and as fresh as a peony dripping with dew.

Zhang Qiu stared at Jiang Shu in a daze, and couldn't help feeling pity for her.

He leaned over and whispered in Jiang Shu's ear, "Second Madam, Second Master is not in good health. You have been married for such a long time and I'm afraid you haven't even had sex!

Life should be enjoyed while it lasts. You are so beautiful, why should you compromise yourself? Enjoy yourself today. I will definitely serve you comfortably and make you want to die.

Zhang Qiu stared at Jiang Shu while undressing her. His strength faded away little by little, and Jiang Shu couldn't even lift a finger.

Her eyes were wide open as she stared at Zhang Qiu. The hatred that burst out of her eyes made Zhang Qiu shudder.

He shuddered and felt his body go limp. He quickly freed one hand to cover Jiang Shu's eyes.

The bright red wide-sleeved shirt with gold weaving, the scarlet shawl, and the smoky-colored undergarment were piled on the ground one by one, and the surging mountains appeared before Zhang Qiu's eyes.

Zhang Qiu stared at the mountain and swallowed twice unconsciously. He could no longer hold back and pounced on it like a hungry wolf.

Just as he was about to kiss her, he suddenly felt a huge force coming from behind. Before he could react, he was thrown to the ground.

A piece of clothing embroidered with sky-blue mountain, sea, cloud and cliff patterns appeared above Zhang Qiu's sight, and then a pair of black boots stepped towards his chest.