Chapter 40 Chapter 40 "I'll never like it."...
In fact, Xie Yun only took a part of the people with him when he went to Wuyang County by carriage. The villagers spread rumors and made Zhang Jingxian mistakenly believe that all the people had left her house.
Suddenly spotting Gong Chengyue, she managed to calm herself down and said she would take Chun'er and Xia'er home first. Although it wasn't too late, with the sun still halfway down, Zhang Jingxian instinctively became wary of the young man before her.
In her memory, Gong Chengyue was sometimes a bit more cold and ruthless than Xie Yunyi.
He is a strategist, and to outsiders he seems to be just talking big, but Zhang Jingxian has witnessed the bloody cruelty behind those few words.
Gongcheng Yue had once used the old, weak, sick and disabled as bait to lure the enemy troops deeper into his territory. In front of Xie Yun's tent, he personally proposed to remove the weapons from those people, allowing them to escape empty-handed and not to offer the slightest resistance to the enemy.
After that, whenever Zhang Jingxian saw Gong Chengyue, she couldn't help but feel the hairs on her body stand up.
Especially when he is polite to others.
"It's okay. I'll be waiting for you at the place where I first met Madam Zhang. Can you wait for Madam Zhang before the sunset ends?" Gong Chengyue smiled and glanced at the two girls next to him. His elegant and easy-going appearance was very popular.
Chun'er's cheeks flushed. This tall and thin man seemed to be the gentleman Zheng Xin'er had talked about, the orchid and the green bamboo.
Xia'er was young and didn't feel much. She just stared at the feather fan in Gong Chengyue's hand, thinking that the chickens, ducks and geese she raised at home also had such feathers.
But it’s not this white, there are gray and black.
"Don't worry, Mr. Gongcheng, I won't break my promise." Zhang Jingxian understood the toughness implied in his words, and whispered something, asking Chun'er and Xia'er to follow her closely.
Gong Chengyue looked at her nervously protecting her two cousins, and tapped his nose with his feather fan with a little doubt. This shouldn't be the case. Is he that scary?
It's understandable that Madam Zhang is afraid of the envoy, but Qilang only sneers at people and puts on a gloomy face. It's not right that he is afraid of himself.
"But, Madam Zhang's emotions are so easy to guess, why does the envoy think this is love?" Gong Chengyue said to himself. This was also the reason why he took the initiative to talk to Zhang Jingxian. The peasant girl he saw seemed to be not the same person as the one Xie Yun mentioned.
Gong Chengyue smelled a hint of something unusual. For the envoy Xie whom he followed, falling in love was a very dangerous thing.
He had to find out whether this peasant girl had any feelings for the envoy.
If her attentive care for the envoy was just because she needed his help, rather than out of any romantic relationship, then things would become a little tricky.
He knew Xie Yun, a proud and picky person. If he met someone who suited his taste one day, he would get him no matter what.
Fight or grab, use all means.
But Gong Chengyue wasn't worried about Xie Yun's competition; he was only worried about whether this peasant girl would become his weakness. Those who achieve great things shouldn't have weaknesses.
…
"Big sister, Mr. Gongcheng is so handsome, and his smile is so gentle." Chun'er walked away and immediately started to praise Gongcheng Yue.
Zhang Jingxian had something on her mind and nodded casually. People from wealthy and aristocratic families live a life of luxury and don't have to worry about the wind and rain, so there is nothing ugly about them.
"Big sister, who do you think looks more like a bandit, Mr. Gongcheng or the noble man?" Chun'er asked curiously and boldly. There were only three sisters around, so she was not afraid of being heard.
"Neither is a gentleman." Zhang Jingxian's expression froze as she searched her mind for words to describe him. "One is like winter snow, pure on the outside but filthy on the inside. The other is a venomous snake, with mysterious and beautiful patterns, waiting to kill its prey."
In order to survive, to have peace and stability, both types of people must be kept away.
Fortunately, they will leave Xishan Village soon.
Chun'er seemed to understand, but not quite. The elder sister seemed to know them very well. Was it her illusion?
"Don't think about it. It's almost time for dinner. You and Xia'er should stay at home and don't run around. I'll be back soon." Zhang Jingxian sent her two cousins to the gate of her uncle's house. Without stopping, she went to the place where she had agreed to meet with Gong Chengyue.
Gong Chengyue wanted to talk to her about Xie Yun, and no matter what he asked, she was not going to lie to him.
While she still has the reputation of being Xie Shijun's savior, she should explain everything clearly. He probably won't do anything to her.
On the contrary, if I deceive him and Gong Chengyue finds out, the consequences will be unpredictable.
"It's getting late, where are you going, Ah Xian?" Zhang Jingxian frowned and thought as she walked. On the way, she met Liu Tu, the son of the village elder, and was stopped by him to ask questions.
"Uncle Tu, I'm going to take a walk by the stream and catch some fish." She answered calmly.
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Wuyang County.
It was the first time in Xie Yun's life that he bought clothes for a girl. He went into two shops but left both times extremely dissatisfied.
In his opinion, the clothes sold in the shops in Wuyang County were made of poor fabrics, had poor dyeing, and were ugly in appearance. There was nothing good about them.
But there were only these two shops selling women's clothing in Wuyang County, so he had no choice.
Finally, Xie Yun bought a green dress and a blue skirt from the shop. He also found a piece of white gauze that was rare and dust-proof, so he ordered the shopkeeper to cut it up and wear it over the dress.
Just like this, the mottled and uneven coloring becomes a hazy beauty, which looks very charming.
"You have a pair of sharp eyes!" After seeing the results, the shopkeeper couldn't help but admire loudly.
Hearing this, Xie Yun curled the corners of his lips slightly, and his eyes darkened as he imagined the delighted look on the peasant girl's face after she put on the clothes.
"Let's go back." He said to Xie in a calm voice. If they turned back now, they could return to Xishan Village by dusk.
Xie responded immediately. He saw that the envoy was in a happy mood and silently quickened the whip.
A horse-drawn carriage is several times faster than an ox-drawn carriage.
At dusk, the carriage arrived at the entrance of Xishan Village. Xie Yun put away an ordinary piece of linen and ordered the carriage to stop.
"Alang, although the road leading inside is narrow, it is not impossible for a carriage to pass through." Xie explained.
Xie Yun ignored him and pushed the new chariot down from the carriage with no emotion on his face. When he leaned back slightly, Xie suddenly realized that the reason why the carriage stopped had nothing to do with the road in Xishan Village.
Looking at the chariot again, Xie wondered for some reason, could it be that the envoy did this on purpose?
There was something odd in his eyes.
"Huh? The nobleman didn't leave?"
The carriage at the entrance of the village quickly attracted the attention of the villagers. When they saw Xie Yun sitting in the carriage, their expressions were surprised and fearful. Why did the nobleman turn back? Did something happen?
"The noble man is coming to the village. Go and tell the village elders."
"well!"
"Wait, the noble man saw us... and won't leave."
The villagers nervously made way for the strange chariot, but it did not move. Xie Yun looked at each of them quietly, making their hands and feet tremble.
"There's a man in Wuyang County named Gongshu who's skilled in carpentry. Ah Xian asked Gongshu to make this chariot for me. What do you think?"
He stopped strangely and asked the villagers what they thought of the chariot.
“…Excellent!”
"Your Excellency likes it, which shows that the craftsman Gongshu is truly skilled!"
"Yes, this is the first time I've seen such craftsmanship in my life."
"Ah Xian treats noble people with such care and consideration. We, the rough folks, could never have imagined that!"
The villagers suppressed their fear and praised the chariot, Gongshu who made it, and...Axian, who they thought had angered the noble.
Finally, Xie Yun's dark eyes fixed on a villager. He mentioned the peasant girl who secretly drew the chariot pattern with charcoal sticks.
“Thoughtful and considerate, indeed.”
He nodded and smiled at the villager, then pushed the sedan chair away.
As a result, a rather strange scene appeared in Xishan Village. Some people were obviously trembling with fear and cold sweat broke out on their backs, but the smiles on their faces were enthusiastic and all the words they said were praises.
Until Xie Yun met Liu Tu, the son of the village elder of Xishan Village.
"Your Excellency's sedan chair truly opened my eyes." Liu Tu heard the same question and answered stiffly, but he added one more sentence than the others, "Your Excellency, are you going to look for Ah Xian now? She is not at Shuanghu's house."
Xie Yun paused, her tone unrecognizable as either joy or anger, and asked softly, "If she's not at the Zhang family, where did she go?"
"I just ran into Ah Xian on the road. She went to the stream in the valley to catch fish." Liu Tu praised Jing Xian for being very capable and proficient in hunting and fishing.
Hearing this, Xie Yun's heart moved. He remembered that when he was recuperating from his injury, he had a meal with this peasant girl, and she caught a fish from the stream.
That day, the faint scent of green grass was mixed with the sweetness of stream water.
Xie Yun took a deep breath, nodded to Liu Tu expressionlessly, and controlled the direction of the wooden wheel.
He knew the way to the col.
Xie followed behind him, but was waved away by him not long after. Sometimes, the presence of a third person is redundant and an eyesore.
When Xie Yun reached the lower reaches of the stream, the last ray of sunlight in the sky dissipated, allowing him to see the figure of the peasant girl.
She sat high on the rock, with her green hairband hanging naturally behind her shoulders.
There were dense trees nearby, and Xie Yun had to push the sedan forward to see her profile clearly.
The sound of flowing water continued, she half lowered her head, her eyes focused.
Xie Yun heard her talking to someone again. He was about to stand up, but after the word "Mr. Gongcheng" came out, he sat calmly and silently on the sedan chair.
She went to the stream not to catch fish, but to meet Gong Chengyue.
Why? His fingers gripped the wooden wheel with increasing force.
Xie Yun was in the dark, and his expression was calmer than the last time he ran into the two of them. He had already told Gong Chengyue about the peasant girl's expression of liking him. Gong Chengyue probably wanted to meet her to find out what had happened before.
This is a necessary requirement for a qualified strategist.
He doesn't care.
But not only did she not catch any fish, she also met a strange man without any vigilance. Xie Yun felt that his teaching was not enough.
It is indeed a big omission to only study the "Book of Songs" without reading the "Book of Rites".
…
Zhang Jingxian and Gong Chengyue had been standing aimlessly by the stream for a quarter of an hour.
When she arrived at the agreed place, Gong Chengyue put the feather fan aside and was cleaning it with a brush in his hand.
The feather fan was pure white, but his brushstrokes were a thick black. Seeing this, Zhang Jingxian's eyes could not help but follow the traces of ink.
Using stream water as an ink pool was considered by scholars and literati to be an interesting thing worth writing about in an article, but she suddenly felt that the drifting black color was a bit ominous.
"Has Madam Zhang ever eaten ink?" Gong Chengyue asked her suddenly after washing the brush for a while.
Eating ink, this is a rumor that is not far away.
As a child, a renowned contemporary calligrapher, so absorbed in his calligraphy practice, accidentally swallowed ink, mistaking it for food. Originally a seemingly insignificant act, his fame grew, and the act of swallowing ink became a celebrated tradition, attracting countless emulators.
It seems that as long as they swallow the ink, they can become world-famous figures like calligraphy masters.
Zhang Jingxian didn't bother to figure out what Gong Chengyue really wanted to express. She shook her head honestly and said that she had never eaten it.
Hearing this, Mr. Gongcheng sighed with regret, "Without any knowledge, how can I be a match for you, Lord Envoy?"
Even if it's just pretending like most of the mediocre people in this world.
She answered so quickly that she didn't even pretend to think. It must be said that Gong Chengyue guessed correctly.
"Mr. Gongcheng, there's no need to resort to literary metaphors. I'm just a commoner, busy with labor, unlearning writing and etiquette. Of course, I can't be compared to the envoy Mr. Gongcheng is talking about."
Hearing Gong Chengyue's sigh, Zhang Jingxian found a clean rock to sit on and spoke more bluntly.
Yes, she was born in a humble family, had no talent or learning, and was not worthy of Xie Yun. She was even inferior to the "Mrs. Zhang" who was a thorn in her throat in her previous life.
The "little lady" in this life is of an even lower status.
Faced with Zhang Jingxian's calmness, Gong Chengyue finally put down the brush in his hand. The ink had been washed clean, and the water droplets dripping from the brush were transparent.
It was as if her eyes did not contain any concealment.
Gong Chengyue found a rock and sat on it like her. His profile and figure also appeared in the bottomless black eyes.
"It seems that Madam Zhang knows what I want to discuss with you."
Zhang Jingxian nodded, "I'm not the young lady that Mr. Gongcheng mentioned."
She is not Xie Yun's concubine, not in her previous life, and certainly not in this life.
Hearing this, Gong Chengyue laughed meaningfully. He didn't have a feather fan in his hand, so he casually flicked his sleeves and said, "So, Madam Zhang has no feelings for the envoy."
Zhang Jingxian nodded again without hesitation.
The air in the forest shifted slightly, and in the hazy air, she seemed to hear the squeaking cries of a little monkey. She glanced in the direction of the sound, feeling an inexplicable panic in her heart.
When a monkey screams like this, it means it has encountered danger or something incomprehensible.
"Alas, Madam Zhang's frankness really makes Gongcheng at a loss as to what to do. Blame me for being rude by calling you Madam earlier." Gongcheng Yue's long sigh drew Zhang Jingxian's attention back. She looked at him seriously and nodded.
"Luckily, no one else heard it. Otherwise, if people misunderstood me, my reputation would be ruined when I wanted to get married."
Once her reputation is ruined, even if she hunts ten geese, she will not be able to find a man who will accompany her for the rest of her life without any grudges.
It doesn’t matter whether this person exists in the end or not. What matters is that Zhang Jingxian wants Gong Chengyue to know that this person cannot be Xie Yun.
Absolutely not!
The corpse of her previous life was still looking at her with its eyes open. She would not be stupid enough to go down the same path of no return again.
Gong Chengyue was so smart that he understood her determination in an instant. He felt incredible but also curious.
She was a commoner, a peasant girl, an illiterate fool. How could she dare to look down on a gifted child?
His good friend Qilang was impeccable in every way except for his somewhat gloomy temperament. If it weren't for a chance misfortune, this peasant girl would never have had the chance to meet him in her entire life, let alone spend time with him and gain his true love.
"Excuse me, Madam Zhang, why do you dislike the Envoy? From what I understand, you've done a lot for him, and you've put so much thought into every one of them."
Gong Chengyue asked this question with a hint of indifference in his tone.
Maybe anger.
His friends may dislike or even despise this peasant girl, but how dare she do the opposite!
A lowly peasant girl, speaking nonsense.
At this time, no sound could be heard in the forest, as if it had become a forbidden place where all things were silent.
The leaves didn't sway, the flowers and grass huddled together, and even the insects hidden under the rocks stopped moving. No sound, no breath, not even a beat of the heart!
Zhang Jingxian looked up at the direction where the sun disappeared and laughed sweetly. "Is it difficult to understand, Mr. Gongcheng?"
"My dear, the Lord Xie you mentioned is cold-hearted and cruel. I can't even avoid him, so how could I like him?"
"I'll never like it."
People will always live facing the sun.
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The author has something to say: Muah, I really like the last sentence.
People will always live facing the sun. For everyone~
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