One can only imagine what kind of unexpected situation must have occurred for it to turn out like this.

Looking at the other shops, there wasn't a single person there.

The air was so still it was unsettling. The entire street, a hundred meters long, was deserted, with only the cold wind howling through it, carrying snowflakes and stirring up fallen leaves and a desolate atmosphere.

Meanwhile, from the next street, shouts of "selling tea!" and "selling soup!" kept coming, along with the laughter and chatter of tourists, rising and falling incessantly.

Compared to the bustling neighborhood next door, this place really resembles a graveyard.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet.

Just then, Jiang Shuwan heard the sound of shoes stepping on the ground behind her.

Turning around, she saw Song Yi slowly walking towards her.

Song Yi is not a businessman like other businessmen. He has a gentle and elegant personality and a scholarly air that he can't shake off.

At this moment, however, he looked sharp and piercing as he stared at her.

Behind him followed a group of fierce-looking guards, each with a menacing look in their eyes and an aura of killing intent. They were clearly battle-hardened warriors, with long swords at their waists.

“Princess, our lord would like to invite you for a cup of tea.”

Looking at Jiang Shuwan, Song Yi spoke softly. As soon as he finished speaking, two guards escorted Jiang Shuwan into a black carriage without saying a word.

The guard was very big, and her struggles were in vain, so Jiang Shuwan gave up and stopped trying.

"Where are the green apricots?"

"If anything happens to Qingxing, I will kill you!"

She has always been a very good-tempered person and never says anything harsh unless she gets really angry.

Song Yi glanced back at her, said nothing, and drove the carriage forward.

The black carriage had no windows, so Jiang Shuwan couldn't see anything. She didn't know where Song Yi was taking her. When she tried to lift the curtain in front of the carriage, the guards inside immediately drew their long swords.

The gleaming blade flashed, blurring Jiang Shuwan's vision for a moment.

She withdrew her hand, stopped looking, and sat in the carriage with her arms crossed.

The carriage traveled for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick before it stopped. Before she could even see the address clearly, Jiang Shuwan was pushed and shoved into a courtyard by the guards.

She didn't even have time to look around the courtyard; all she knew was that it was extremely large and heavily guarded, with guards patrolling every few steps and palace maids coming and going.

The key issue is that with so many people, there wasn't a single sound.

Worried about Qingxing and Naige's safety, Jiang Shuwan didn't look around much and quickened her pace. In the end, without the guards pushing her, she strode forward, flicking her sleeves, while the guards lagged behind her.

She didn't look like she had been kidnapped, but rather like she had returned home, which only made the passing palace maids stare at her in surprise.

Even Song Yi would glance at her from time to time.

Jiang Shuwan must have been terrified when she was on the street.

Now, she doesn't show any sign of panic.

"As expected of the county princess."

Song Yi sighed inwardly.

Soon, we reached the end of the covered walkway. As far as the eye could see, weeds grew wildly, covered with a thin layer of snow, making it look very desolate.

There was a small pond in the yard, its dark surface still and undisturbed, without even a goldfish. The wild grass grew tall, though it was already withered.

At the end of the pond was a house with its door closed. From inside came creaking sounds and the sound of drums, like a theatrical performance.

Jiang Shuwan composed herself as she was about to meet the kidnapper. Just as she stepped onto the roof, a palace maid crawled over to take off her shoes and wiped her feet with a handkerchief before allowing her to step on.

"..."

Does this person have obsessive-compulsive disorder related to cleanliness?

Jiang Shuwan stepped onto the wooden floor with a puzzled look. The touch was icy cold, as if she had stepped into an icy river. She shivered from the cold.

...

Where did this devil come from? Kidnapping is one thing, but that's another.

And she even had to go barefoot in the dead of winter...

Song Yi was also taken aback. Remembering Jiang Shuwan's cold constitution, she immediately ordered her men to heat up the floor.

Jiang Shuwan gleaned a lot from his words.

First, this house didn't used to have a heated floor; otherwise, according to the rules of the house, the servants would have been dragged out and beaten to death long ago.

Secondly, Song Yi holds a special position here; otherwise, he wouldn't be qualified to give orders like that.

Sure enough, upon hearing Song Yi's words, a palace maid responded with a "Yes."

The floor heater would need to burn for a while before it got warm, but Jiang Shuwan was afraid of the cold, so she went straight into the house.

Upon entering the house, you find that it is a layout of three rooms combined together. The windows of the two rooms on the left are closed, making it very dark. You can only vaguely see a few bookshelves piled with books, and there are also some colorful items on the display shelves, which should be objects that the owner of the house usually likes to appreciate.

Although it's not clear, it shouldn't be a cheap item.

The right side was much brighter, with two windows wide open, letting in plenty of light. At the same time, snowflakes mixed with the cold wind blew in, making Jiang Shuwan hug her arms to keep warm.

There was a soft couch by the window, an exquisite and expensive mahogany couch with soft cushions. Without thinking, out of instinct, Jiang Shuwan almost instantly ran over, sat on the couch, lifted her legs, and then curled up on the couch, letting out a comfortable sigh.

It's so cold! It's so cold!

Having lived for so many years, this was the first time she had ever seen a temperature below minus ten degrees Celsius without the need for underfloor heating or burning charcoal.

Are they really cold-blooded animals that aren't afraid of the cold?

"Bring the brazier inside."

As she was thinking, she heard a noise at the door. It was Song Yi directing the palace maids to bring in two charcoal braziers.

With amusement, Jiang Shuwan was about to speak when another voice rang out from outside. It was an elderly woman who walked in, smiling as she looked at Song Yi.

"Young Master Huaizhang is back."

As soon as she finished speaking, the old nanny saw Jiang Shuwan sitting on the soft couch. She was clearly stunned for a moment, and Jiang Shuwan was also stunned for a moment.

She had seen this old nanny in the palace.

At that time, the Dowager Consort had just passed away, and she went to the palace to pay her respects. She got lost in the Imperial Garden and was caught in the rain. It was this old nanny who gave her a sip of hot water and lent her an umbrella.

The umbrella had been in her room all along, and she had been looking for an opportunity to return it, but she never expected to run into her here.

So, the encounter in the Imperial Garden at that time was not as simple as a chance meeting?

And then there's Song Yi.

The old nanny actually called him Young Master Huaizhang.

so.

Is Song Yi an alias?

Thinking about all this, Jiang Shuwan's heart sank, and the smile in her eyes disappeared when she looked at Song Yi, or rather, Song Huaizhang.

"Huai Zhang passed through Yue residence, and raised his banner to guard Wu Gate."

"With such a good name, how could Chairman Song bear to use a pseudonym?"

She looked at Song Huaizhang, speaking slowly and deliberately, her eyes holding a half-smile, her tone relatively gentle, yet it sent shivers down Song Huaizhang's spine.

But he wasn't easily intimidated. He even personally placed a brazier next to Jiang Shuwan and said with a smile,

"The county princess is also a woman of great talent and hidden abilities."

"When Huai Zhang passed through Yue, he erected a banner to guard Wu Gate. I always thought that the county magistrate was not good at poetry and literature, but I never expected that the county magistrate was hiding his talents."

Jiang Shuwan simply chuckled in response.