Chapter 44 Chapter 44 "Because I am cold and indifferent, because I am cruel...
Four years ago, in order to let her marry her cousin and keep a trace of her cousin's bloodline, her aunt knelt down and begged her.
At that moment, Zhang Jingxian's world became dark. She lost her family, with whom she had lived for more than ten years, and became an ungrateful person who repaid kindness with enmity.
After her cousin was conscripted, she was driven out of her home. But at that time, Zhang Jingxian didn't feel any resentment in her heart. She was only afraid that her uncle and aunt would never forgive her.
Over the past four years, she had countless nightmares of her aunt kneeling before her. And today, her uncle asked her if he had to kneel down. Of course not. Zhang Jingxian's face turned pale and she shook her head.
If she were to experience the same nightmare again, she would never forgive herself.
"Uncle, my husband and I are leaving together to thank the guests of your mansion." She lowered her eyes to look at the ground and clearly heard a sharp buzzing sound coming from her heart.
The future that I tried my best to reverse stagnated for just one day before heading back to the same path again.
As the words fell, the sharp sword returned to its scabbard.
Xie Yun tasted the sweetness from the tip of his tongue, and then the more astringent and spicy taste. His expression relaxed slightly and his body suddenly relaxed.
Does it hurt? Ah Xian, listen to your uncle say that the home that made you feel at ease no longer wants you.
How could you refuse? You couldn't refuse. You had no way out.
On the contrary, your uncle is grateful for entrusting you to me. From now on, you will be forever branded as being associated with me in the hearts of those who know you, and you will be bound to a person with a cold heart and cruel means.
From then on, I depended on him.
Just as Xie Yun expected, when the villagers heard that the girl they had forced had turned into a distinguished guest, they began to fear Zhang Jingxian as much as they feared Xie Yun, and left in a hurry like the tide.
Many people covered their faces with their sleeves as they ran away, fearing that the people they had offended today would remember them and retaliate against them.
After the two village elders glanced at Xie Yun tremblingly, their attitude towards Zhang Jingxian became visibly respectful.
The village elder of Xishan Village also asked his son Liu Tu to get some silk from home as a parting gift.
As if, what happened just now could be written off.
She is no longer a scourge, but a blessed person who is favored by noble people.
Zhang Jingxian seemed silent about this change. The gap between identity and class was once again exposed nakedly in front of her, but she didn't want to say anything.
In the eyes of the village elders and others, she was lucky and was no longer the same as before. Just with a word from Xie Yun, she became a "noble person" in their eyes.
But Zhang Jingxian, who had experienced it once, knew best that Gongcheng Yue, Xie and even the people she met later never considered her "noble".
She is as lowly as ever and that will never change.
Xie Yun personally felt the sadness emanating from her, and a hint of gentleness appeared on his cold and handsome face, making him completely different from his previous gloomy appearance.
"Since Ah Xian is my guest, I will give her an hour. Please don't delay your journey."
From the perspective of Zhang Shuanghu and others, his gaze was also gentle.
But when Zhang Jingxian's eyes met his gaze, she could not see clearly and her head felt dizzy. The feeling he gave her changed again.
Elusive and difficult to guess.
She remained calm and asked softly, "Isn't one hour too short? Why don't you start your journey tomorrow?"
Time goes back, and now the person who doesn't want him to leave soon has become Zhang Jingxian.
"If this is Ah Xian's request," Xie Yun's lips curled up slightly with a hint of meaning upon hearing this. When she showed a hint of expectation on her face, he suddenly changed the subject and said coldly, "No!"
"Because of you, Ah Xian, we've already wasted quite a bit of time on this trip back. We'll set off in an hour."
Those who were in his control now lost the right to make demands on him.
After being ruthlessly rejected, Zhang Jingxian froze for a moment, nodded nonchalantly, and accepted the fact calmly.
Even though she went to the mountains to find the source of the phthisis, she found it in him. But what was the point of complaining and accusing him? No one would listen.
She turned around and went into the house to pack her luggage. Zhang Shuanghu knew that she was sad, so he did not go forward but spoke to Xie Yun.
"Could you please leave me your address so I can visit Ah Xian in my free time?"
Zhang Shuanghu hadn't said another word yet. When the time was right and the villagers had forgotten about the holy medicine, he would rush over and take his niece back.
Although he believed in the character of Lord Xie, he felt that his niece was a girl after all and was not married, so it was not appropriate for her to stay in Lord Xie's house for too long.
Xie Yun saw the implication of his words and ordered Xie to produce a handwritten warrant. "This is written by me personally. With this, you can enter and exit any county without any hindrance."
Xie handed the warrant to Zhang Shuanghu, and he felt a little relieved.
He had personally taught Ah Xian archery, and it would keep her alive no matter where she was. Furthermore, with Xie Shijun's personal promise, he believed that even if another four years passed, Ah Xian would still be alive and well.
She is not a weak and useless person, but a little tiger raised by Zhang Shuanghu.
"Don't worry, warrior. Madam Zhang is our envoy's savior. When she arrives in Changling, everyone will treat her as a guest of honor. However, warrior, you must also know that things are unpredictable. If something unexpected happens or Madam Zhang makes a mistake, then we can't be blamed."
At this time, Gongcheng Yue, who had been watching the fun, also spoke up. There was no other way. As a counselor, he always had to plan for his lord and act like a bad guy.
Make the interests clear in advance so that even if unexpected situations occur in the future, Madam Zhang and her family will have to accept their fate.
The implicit threat in Gong Chengyue's words made Zhang Shuanghu frown. He wanted to say something else but was stopped by Zheng Fu beside him.
"Ah Hu, the family's rules have always been like this, and it's not just targeting Ah Xian."
"That's exactly what the warrior said."
Gong Chengyue finished speaking with a smile, then turned to look at his friend, only to find that Envoy Xie had not listened to him at all, but was only staring intently at a peach tree in the yard.
The peaches on the peach tree had long been picked clean, and the only thing worth Xie Yun's attention on the tree was, oh, by the way, an oriole.
This little bird chirps a few times a day and is quite spiritual. Gong Chengyue is quite fond of it and has fed it insects several times.
-
After entering the house, Zhang Jingxian found the powdered fenugreek and almost bit her lips to draw blood.
If she had turned a blind eye to the injury on his leg and just waited for Xie and the others to come, she would not be surrounded by the villagers today, nor would she be forced by him.
He went and came back because he must have known that she would be in the situation she is in today, and he wanted to threaten her with this.
In the final analysis, it's her fault for being soft-hearted for a moment!
But Zhang Jingxian couldn't really leave with him, she wanted to live a few more years.
She pursed her lips, took a few breaths, and suppressed the bitterness in her eyes. Don't panic, there is always a way out. She can still find a chance to escape his control.
After standing there blankly for a while, Zhang Jingxian put the medicine powder into a basket, separated the gold she got from Xie Yun, and went around to the backyard.
The person guarding the backyard was Yi Yu, who took the initiative to ask her where she was going.
"Before I leave, I want to say goodbye to my family and my friends."
"Why don't I go with Madam Zhang?" Yi Yu looked as if he was afraid that she would run away.
Zhang Jingxian looked at him strangely, not understanding why he had such an idea, but still agreed.
Yi Yu followed her not far away, all the way to Aunt Qin's house.
As the only nearby neighbors, Zhang Jingxian could only ask them for help with some things.
For example, clean the house and yard and pull weeds every few days.
"My family has paid the capitation tax, land tax and one hu of fine grain for the millet and wheat. We still have half left. Aunt Qin and second uncle, please accept it." Zhang Jingxian said sincerely. She didn't want to see the abandoned and dilapidated house when she came back again.
"How can this be? They are just small things, I did them casually. I can't take your millet, Ah Xian." Uncle Liu was an honest man. He rubbed his hands stiffly and was unwilling to accept half of the millet.
"Ah Xian, don't listen to him. Just go ahead and don't worry. I want the wheat." Aunt Qin reacted faster and agreed immediately.
There needs to be give and take between people. Ah Xian would feel uneasy if she didn't accept the wheat.
Zhang Jingxian smiled at them, waved her hand and walked out. The next place she was going to was her uncle's house. She did not carry her uncle's back because she knew there were some things that her uncle would not accept.
Yi Yu was also waiting outside the yard. When her aunt saw her, she reacted calmly.
She seemed not at all surprised that Zhang Jingxian would leave with the nobleman, and said calmly, "It's good that she left. In my life, I have never heard of a woman over 20 who has not married."
Over the past century, frequent wars have led to a sharp decline in the population. To increase the population, the government has resorted to various means. Currently, it's just a fine of one dou of grain, but in the future, it might lead to forced marriages or even criminal punishments.
Zhang Jingxian hummed softly, handed the basket containing the medicine powder and gold to her aunt, and then knelt down to her.
"I owe this to my aunt."
Liu Pingniang turned her face away, her eyes a little moist, and she only said one sentence for a long time.
"Ah Xian, come back alive."
…
Knowing that she was leaving, Chun'er and Xia'er burst into tears. Cousin Zhang Rulin also wiped his tears with the back of his hand, calling him "big sister" over and over again.
When Yi Yu heard the crying, he felt a little sorry for her. Madam Zhang was actually quite pitiful, but she had severely offended the envoy.
After coming out of her uncle's house, Zhang Jingxian's eyes were red and a little swollen.
Yi Yu saw it and looked a little uncomfortable.
"Don't be sad, Madam Zhang. Being the envoy's guest is what many people dream of. As long as you don't anger the envoy, you will be rich and prosperous."
"My dear... I don't understand how I angered him."
Zhang Jingxian walked back in a depressed mood.
Hearing this, Yi Yu did not answer. Of course, he could not answer. The envoy's temperament was unpredictable, and no one knew what he really thought of Madam Zhang.
At first, he valued and cared about her. He personally decorated her room, bought clothes for her, and stayed with her in such a remote mountain village.
But it was also the envoy who cut off Madam Zhang's retreat and forced her to leave her hometown.
The cruel and efficient means made Xiedu, who always put his lord first in everything, feel sympathy for Madam Zhang.
Back in the backyard, Yi Yu still didn't speak. When Zhang Jingxian silently took a wooden spoon to water the vegetables, her figure as desolate as a fallen leaf, he glanced at her and said, "Everything will be in accordance with the Lord's wishes."
This is both a warning and a reminder.
Soon, an hour passed.
Zhang Shuanghu helped Zhang Jingxian pack most of her luggage. Just like when he sent his eldest son away from home four years ago, he explained every aspect of his life away from home to his niece.
Be generous and don't be stingy with others, but don't be too harsh. Be soft when necessary and firm when necessary. Don't put yourself in a difficult position, but don't be too arrogant either.
Zhang Jingxian had never felt her uncle was so nagging, but she remembered every word of his words, hanging on to them. In her previous life, her uncle had said the same thing, the only slight difference being that this time he'd urged her to practice archery diligently, whereas he hadn't done so the previous time.
"Ah Xian, the foundation of your life is yourself, the bow and arrow in your hand."
"Yes, uncle, I remember."
After this sound, Zhang Shuanghu fell silent. He watched with his own eyes as his niece followed Envoy Xie into the carriage and did not move for a long time.
"Okay, Ah Hu, don't be sad, this day will come. You said it yourself before, Ah Xian has no father and no mother, so it's better to raise her as a son." Zheng Fu comforted him, thinking that when a child grows up, he will inevitably leave the nest and go out to explore the world.
"But, Fu, Ah Xian's favorite place is the mountains, the land beneath our feet."
Zhang Shuanghu wiped his face and muttered.
-
The carriage was spacious, more than enough to accommodate two people.
Envoy Xie, who is temporarily unable to ride a horse, and a peasant girl who doesn't know how to ride a horse at all.
Zhang Jingxian sat quietly by the window, trying hard to reduce her presence.
But the presence of the other person in the car was too strong. Whether she held her breath or looked out the window, she could feel the air around her being squeezed inch by inch. When the entire car was filled with his aura, she also stood out.
The experience of being on the verge of suffocation made Zhang Jingxian couldn't help but let out a light breath. She quietly moved her body and went to the shaft outside the car door.
The person driving the car was Xie, and she would rather sit outside the car with Xie.
The mountain road was bumpy, but perhaps because the carriage was large enough, the speed was very steady. Soon, Zhang Jingxian's fingers touched the door. With just a little force, she could get out of the carriage.
Xie Yun stared at her figure, and just before she was about to open the car door, he reached out and grabbed the hairband behind her shoulders.
The moment her hair was scattered, Zhang Jingxian fell backwards onto the straw mat because of the push. She subconsciously supported herself with her hands, but the man behind her leaned over her, trapping her between him and the straw mat.
"Ah Xian, do you feel uncomfortable being in the same room with me?" Xie Yun stared at her with creepy eyes.
"No, I just feel that as a guest, it's not appropriate for me to be in the same carriage with my husband." Zhang Jingxian didn't look at him and tried her best to make her breathing steady.
"It would be more proper to sit outside the door on the shaft of the carriage."
Hearing this, Xie Yun laughed sarcastically, his voice contemptuous. "Properties? Ah Xian, have you ever learned these two words? If you really knew etiquette, you wouldn't shamelessly rip open a stranger's robe."
He was referring to the incident of applying medicine to him that day.
"Second uncle is not here, and my uncle can't come over because of my aunt. I can't just watch you, my dear, stink."
Her explanation was very reasonable, but the man standing right in front of her seemed not to hear her. He turned around and accused her, "It's all your fault. There's no point in trying to argue."
Zhang Jingxian never expected that he would convict her for this. She opened her lips, but finally said that she would do the same if it were someone else.
Before she could finish her words, a few fingers pinched her jaw, and he moved closer to her with an expressionless face.
Finally, the day came when she had no place to hide. Xie Yun took a deep breath, his surging anger intertwined with the joy in his heart, and his eyes grew darker and darker.
It was as thick as a ball of ink, and if it got any closer, it would dye her black.
Zhang Jingxian's heart was beating wildly. Something was wrong, very wrong. He shouldn't be like this. Even if she had angered him unknowingly, he shouldn't have... hatred towards her.
She suppressed her heart palpitations and decided to test him.
"I haven't thanked you for what happened today. You used the excuse of being my guest to get me out of this difficult situation..."
"Ah Xian, you're pretending again. You clearly don't want to thank me." Xie Yun affectionately tapped the small mole on the tip of her nose, his eyes cold. "Also, Ah Xian, you don't have to thank me. I was able to know in advance that Ah Xian was trapped because I set up this trap."
He spoke the truth openly, shocking the woman under him so much that she broke out in a cold sweat.
"Why? I don't understand."
There was a slight tremor in Zhang Jingxian's voice. She just didn't want to leave with him. Why would he keep hurting her?
"Because I'm cold and indifferent, because I'm cruel, because I just want to see you cry, Ah Xian."
Xie Yun spoke slowly.
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