End of main text (Part 2)

These past few days, Jiang Mian has been sleeping until she naturally wakes up every time.

Each time she woke up, Shen Ji was no longer beside her. She had long been used to it, and last night she almost fell for his trick.

Fortunately, it was stopped in time at the critical moment.

Jiang Mian got up from the bed, intending to wash up, but an unexpected sound suddenly rang out.

"Miss!"

Jiang Mian looked up, and almost instantly her eyes reddened.

It's Bletilla striata!

I actually saw Yunji here.

She had no idea when Shen Ji had brought Yun Ji over.

“Miss, I thought you really…” Yunji’s eyes were filled with tears. When her mistress was kidnapped by thieves and her whereabouts were unknown, she was almost in despair, but she still did not give up hope, thinking that her mistress was a lucky person and would definitely be safe and sound.

Later, someone reported that some of the thieves who kidnapped the young lady were actually secretly instructed by the third young lady.

The eldest son was furious, and the master was disappointed in her. He sent the third young lady back to her hometown, ostensibly as punishment for her to reflect on her actions, but in reality, it was the best he could do to save her life.

Yunji still remembers it.

The eldest son, who usually disliked getting involved in trivial matters, opened the ancestral hall and enforced family discipline on that day. However, in the end, the real beatings did not fall on the third young lady. But being removed from the family genealogy was tantamount to completely abandoning her, rather than the pain.

From then on, Shen Tang was no more in the Shen family.

Jiang Mian was stunned. If Yun Ji hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have known. She thought that all those thieves were Shen Ji's men, but she didn't expect that someone would take advantage of the chaos to try to kill her.

She and Shen Tang had always kept to themselves, but the other party had actually bribed the thieves. Even if she managed to save her life, she would be utterly disgraced when she returned.

She pursed her lips and remained silent; Shen Tang still disliked her after all.

Yunji also said that the fourth young lady was engaged and originally wanted to come to the capital to visit her, but she was to get married after the spring. Now she was being kept at home by the old lady to learn how to manage a household.

Almost two years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Mentioning her fourth sister finally warmed Jiang Mian's heart.

She left without saying goodbye and hasn't been seen since. With her fourth sister's wedding approaching, she's afraid she won't be able to go back. Who knows when they'll meet again?

Jiang Mian felt somewhat melancholy.

Back then, although there were many things she couldn't control while living in the Shen family, the time she spent with Shen Yan was the happiest period of her life.

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, my fourth sister is getting married.

Yunji told her some interesting stories about Shenyan, such as how Shenyan was unwilling when the marriage was first arranged. She wanted to be a chivalrous heroine in the storybooks, and how could she give up her dream of the martial arts world for a man?

I heard that she met a sorcerer who, from who knows where, learned some tricks to fool people. He started pretending to be a ghost and sneaking into the young master's study in the middle of the night.

Bright lights shone, and oiled paper fluttered down.

In an instant, it was as if a deity had descended to earth, bestowing down words of wisdom with great pomp and circumstance.

—You must not marry a woman from the Shen family, or it will bring disaster.

This move terrified the young master, causing him to faint. However, during the cleanup, the young master's family discovered Chen Yan and almost arrested her as a thief.

The Shen family lost face, and the old lady had no choice but to go to their door to apologize. She thought the engagement would be called off, but when the young master woke up, he said that he had seen a celestial maiden descend to earth. Not only did he not cancel the engagement, but he also regarded Shen Yan as a goddess from heaven and cherished her dearly.

If Shen Yan said east, he would never dare to go west.

After a while, Chenyan gradually became less resistant to it.

Jiang Mian couldn't help but chuckle as she listened; she could almost imagine how her fourth sister had fooled her.

Those little tricks can only scare children.

Most ordinary people who can go along with her antics are probably already invested from the very beginning.

The master and servant had not seen each other for many days, and when they met again, it seemed they had a lot to say.

Jiang Mian said she is three months pregnant and has a baby in her belly.

Yunji was very worried and said that she should come to her side as soon as possible. She couldn't imagine how her mistress had spent the days when she wasn't by her side.

Around noon, Shen Ji finally finished his work.

The palace servants here were very perceptive; upon hearing footsteps, they bowed and then left.

Although Yunji was somewhat concerned, she left with the palace servants.

Sure enough, the people in the imperial city were all replaced by his own men.

Jiang Mian looked at him and suddenly felt a little melancholy.

This man, no matter when you look at him, is as stunningly handsome as ever.

These past two days, he has been extremely busy handling government affairs.

During the reign of Emperor Chengming, he levied excessive taxes, making life difficult for the people. Every year, they had to pay back nearly half of their family fortune in taxes to satisfy the emperor's selfish desires.

Building tall pavilions is merely for extravagance.

"Why haven't you eaten?" Shen Ji finished washing his hands, looked at the delicacies laid out on the table, and raised an eyebrow.

"Wait for you."

Jiang Mian's words were concise and to the point.

As soon as she spoke, Jiang Mian felt something was off; it sounded a bit like a wife waiting at home for her husband to return.

And doesn't this table of food seem more like it was specially prepared for him to come back for dinner?

But she was indeed waiting for him. She was too tired last night and there were some things she hadn't finished saying. He left early this morning, and wasn't she waiting for him?

Upon hearing this, the man paused in his chopsticks, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Don't do that again. I'm not back yet, you'd better eat first."

after……

Jiang Mian slowly rolled the two words over her tongue, unable to describe the feeling for a moment.

Because what she was about to say was related to those two words.

"Cousin." She hesitated, unsure if it was the right way to address him.

"Hmm," Shen Ji replied softly.

"Never mind, let's eat." Jiang Mian felt a complex mix of emotions.

She picked up a piece of fish for herself; indeed, the food in the palace was better than what she could find elsewhere.

Shen Ji has been eating these kinds of foods since he was a child.

“Mianniang, please feel free to tell me what you need.”

Shen Ji looked at her intently.

Jiang Mian felt a pang of sadness. Indeed, the two of them had never had a formal conversation, and now they were sitting together for a meal without really understanding what was going on.

She lowered her eyes and asked the question.

"Cousin, will you become an emperor?"

Since he woke up, he has been preoccupied with national affairs. He not only has to deal with the mess left by Emperor Chengming, but also issue decrees to officials in various regions. He does indeed have the air of a monarch.

But the thought of her cousin becoming emperor in the future gave her an inexplicable sense of distance.

In an instant, it seemed that the person beside her was not her closest confidant, but the king sitting on the high platform, holding the lives and deaths of thousands in his hands.

Such a change in identity is something I haven't been able to adapt to all at once.

“Mianniang, I want to hear what you’re thinking.”

"These past few days, you've been deliberately avoiding me, just for this?"

He spoke so casually, as if the throne, which was within his grasp, was something he could do without. So, could he really give up the throne that he had painstakingly bided his time for and was about to obtain?

Jiang Mian found it absurd.

However, she still smiled and said, "I support whatever decision you make."

"Mianniang, will you be disappointed if I don't become emperor?"

Upon hearing this, the girl, who had been prepared, suddenly brightened her eyes, which had been lowered, but then frowned again.

Not wanting to be emperor?

Isn't this a bit too hasty?

“Mianniang, you may not know this, but my father did not like the position of Crown Prince at first.”

"He loved poetry and wine, but disliked politics. His lifelong wish was to lay down his burdens and live in seclusion with my mother and me."

“These past few days, I have also experienced what my father felt back then. What I think in my heart is what my father thought back then.”

"But if you don't become emperor, then Xie Heng..."

“He won’t either,” Shen Ji said confidently.

If Xie Heng had ambitions to seize the throne, he would never have joined forces with him. He would have been with Xie Zheng long ago, even though the two of them wouldn't have been able to cause any trouble.

“There are always suitable candidates among the princes.”

"What if they come after you?"

"Then I'll have to rely on my wife to support me," Shen Ji said sarcastically, revealing her many concerns.

"Don't talk nonsense, I'm serious."

"The day you and Xie Heng killed Xie Zheng, will his men come back for revenge...?"

"Also, if you lose your power, a whole bunch of people will kill you..."

"Besides, being an emperor not only means having money, but also having a harem of three thousand beauties..."

"How wonderful!"

Jiang Mian sighed sincerely. She even seriously considered that if she were Shen Ji, she would regret it for the rest of her life if she gave up such an opportunity.

She didn't understand the thinking of rich people.

"That depends on whether you are willing to accept me when I have nothing."

"Who's your wife?" Jiang Mian said reproachfully.

It sounds natural, though.

She didn't see any of the traditional betrothal gifts, marriage arrangements, or the grand red sedan chair.

"It will happen sooner or later."

...

In the third month of spring, there is the Shangsi Festival.

Suitable for marriage.

The Shen family residence in Yangzhou was bustling with activity.

Even from a distance, one could hear Chen Yan making dissatisfied noises inside the house.

"This crown is too heavy, change to that one..."

"Oh my young lady, today is your wedding day, you can't do anything reckless."

Shen Yan frowned. Wearing this all day would probably put pressure on her neck, and then her neck would hurt again.

Getting married is such a hassle.

"Fourth Sister!"

Suddenly, Shen Yan's eyes lit up. Before her makeup and hair were even finished, she couldn't wait to lift the curtain and immediately saw the bright and beautiful girl.

"Fifth Sister!"

The two sisters held hands warmly; though they were not related by blood, their bond was stronger than that of blood sisters.

Today is her wedding day. I originally thought I couldn't come, but fortunately, Shen Ji had taken care of everything in the capital three months ago, so now the two of them are free of any burdens.

He ended up traveling around and living a truly free life.

Shen Yan sighed at her experience. When she was kidnapped by thieves, she was secretly heartbroken for many days and vowed to avenge Jiang Mian.

Now, time has passed and I see Jiang Mian again.

Chen Yan felt an indescribable excitement.

*

Today, the Shen family mansion is filled with guests, and among them are quite a few powerful and influential people.

The orphan of the former crown prince was raised in the Shen family, and the Shen family became wealthy and powerful from then on.

Standing in the crowd, Jiang Mian vaguely recalled that year, in a similarly lively atmosphere.

She stood outside the crowd, isolated from the world, watching the liveliness that didn't belong to her, when unexpectedly, she saw a cold and indifferent man.

He also remained uninvolved.

Jiang Mian at that time was far less daring than she would be later.

But Shen Ji noticed her at a glance.

"Mian girl, come here quickly."

The old lady looked around but couldn't find anyone. Suddenly, she saw Jiang Mian standing alone on the covered bridge and called out anxiously.

"You've arrived, Grandmother."

Putting aside her emotions, Jiang Mian walked into the surging crowd.

This time, she was no longer alone. She had a lover, family, things she cared about, and people she couldn't let go of.

After many twists and turns, she finally found her place.

After Shen Yan's marriage came to an end, Jiang Mian and Shen Ji officially got married at the end of September.

The matchmaker's etiquette was observed in every way.

The marriage certificate lists Xie Chaochen and Jiang Mian; this is truly their wedding.

Many guests attended the banquet, and they became husband and wife in front of their relatives and friends.

This fulfills the destiny of our love in this lifetime.

Three days later.

A painting shop opened in Yangzhou. It is said that the proprietress is even more beautiful than the fairies in the paintings. On the first day of opening, guests came in an endless stream, and seven or eight out of ten of them came to see the real person.

However, the proprietress married too early, and her husband would always stand on the platform with a child in his arms, causing many young scholars who came from afar to leave disappointed.

That man possessed an extraordinary temperament and elegance, far surpassing that of ordinary people.

Jiang Mian looked at the crowd gathered outside and then glanced up at the second floor.

Why did it have to happen today of all days?

She sighed, wondering if the art shop was doing well.

She opened many shops but eventually closed them all. If things continue like this, she's afraid she won't have the courage to continue doing business.

"lady."

In the evening, Jiang Mian returned to her room and saw two people who looked almost identical, which immediately dispelled her worries.

Even if things don't go well, Shen Ji has been running his business for so many years, he must have a lot of money. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given up being a carefree prince to come here and keep her company.

Thinking of this, she stepped forward with a smile.

"Husband, what if I accidentally spend all our money?"

"Then we'll just have to send this little guy out to earn money."

he?

Jiang Mian frowned as she looked at the little crawling figure: "No way."

Shen Ji stroked her hair and finally stopped teasing her: "I have a villa in Yuncheng. If all else fails, the money I've saved over the years should be enough to support you for the rest of your life."

She knew that Shen Ji must have a backup plan.

Jiang Mian couldn't help but hug him.

“So, tonight…” He raised an eyebrow, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"No, Ling'er is still here."

Shen Ji casually tossed a pillowcase over his shoulder, which conveniently covered the little boy's face.

"..."

Is this okay?

Three months later, the painting shop closed down, and Jiang Mian resigned herself to her fate and embarked on the road to Yuncheng. She always felt that she could find other businesses to do.

But I never expected it.

This journey...

It has been many, many years.

Pine blossoms fall halfway down the spring mountains at dusk, clouds fill a stream where spring water flows leisurely.

Perhaps happiness is watching many springs with the one you love.