Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Are you looking for me?
Shen Tingxue was not surprised when she learned that the mansion was going to hold a crab feast, as if she had known about it for a long time.
"Princess, the maidservant beside you is here." Qiaozhi walked in and whispered a few words in her ear.
Shen Tingxue, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, put down the white jade emerald hairpin she had chosen and nodded slightly, "Let her in."
The big show is about to begin, how can we miss the most important supporting role.
As dusk sinks to the west, the faint candlelight mixed with the bright moonlight filtering in through the window, creating a cold and isolated scene.
The woman lying on the bed was about to open her eyelashes like a butterfly with its wings spread, when she first heard a voice full of worry and concern.
"You're awake. Do you want some water? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat?"
After waking up, Jiang Wu didn't want to talk or move. He just stared at the tassels hanging beside the bed with his eyes that seemed to have lost focus, as if he was still trapped in his own world.
Gradually, Jiang Wu felt the sound in his ears gradually become smaller, until it disappeared, and he found that the whole room was terrifyingly empty.
It was so empty, as if she had been abandoned by the whole world.
When she was almost unable to breathe due to panic, a warm and strong hand helped her up, put a soft pillow behind her, and asked her, "Do you want to go out for a walk?"
"Not in the mansion, but outside."
Jiang Wu slowly tightened his fingers without saying a word, but just nodded in response.
Xie Ji did not let the maid in, but chose clothes for her to wear. It was his first time to serve someone, and he was wearing women's clothes, so his movements were inevitably a little unfamiliar, and even more so, his fingertips were slightly delayed and his ears were shy.
But he still did not delegate the task to others.
Fortunately, the moonlight was dim and the candlelight was dim enough to cover up some of the noise.
When I left the yard and arrived at the mansion gate, I saw a carriage waiting outside for a long time.
Jiang Wu got on the carriage without asking where he was going, just like a duckweed drifting with the current.
She floated wherever the water flowed, which made Xie Ji feel even more guilty.
The carriage wheels rolled over, occasionally crushing a few dead branches with a creaking sound, or scaring away a few night birds and wild cats.
Soon, the carriage left the city and went farther and farther, as if it was following the moon.
Finally, we stopped at a lake with shimmering waves, like a white mist, and in the lake there was a lonely boat and lotus leaves that had not yet bloomed on the edge.
"This lake is called Broken Gold Lake. It was originally named after a stranger who passed by the lake in the evening while traveling. He saw the afterglow of the setting sun shining on the lake, and the ripples sparkled like crushed gold, dazzling and dazzling. Over time, this became the lake's name."
"Madam, be careful." Xie Ji got on the boat first, and only after he stood firmly did he extend his hand to his wife who was still standing on the shore.
Jiang Wu pursed her red lips and looked down at the hand extended to her. It was undeniable that his hands were particularly beautiful, with bony fingers as thin as green bamboo and palms broad and strong.
My eyes moved slowly upwards along his hand, to his thin but not frail wrist bones, his rolling Adam's apple, and finally to his face, which had lost its former aloofness and coldness under the moonlight and was instead filled with tenderness and sweetness.
Her husband has a very handsome face, as beautiful as a crown of jade, and as beautiful as a reed leaning against a jade tree.
While she was hesitating, Xie Ji had already bent down and hugged her waist and picked her up. When she was about to scream, he pursed his lips and said, "I'm sorry, I scared you just now."
Jiang Wu, whose cheeks flushed from his hug, didn't dare look at him and just whispered, "It's okay."
Even though he had let go of her hand, Jiang Wu could still feel the warmth on her waist that he had left when he hugged her earlier.
It is different from his coldness, but has warmth.
As the boat left the shore, it slowly drifted toward the center of the lake. A swaying of the cattails startled hundreds of thousands of fireflies into flight from the shore, filling the sky with stars. That was all.
"If you come in August, there will be even more fireflies here." Xie Ji turned his head to look at his wife beside him, who finally smiled. He felt a greedy urge to reach out and touch her, but when he was about to touch her, he restrained himself and pulled his hand back.
"How about we come here to cruise the lake again next August?"
Jiang Wu, who was reaching out to touch the fireflies, was unable to respond to his invitation.
Because in the dream, her life will end this winter.
Besides, the promises he made to himself now were nothing more than a short return to his family out of guilt, so how could he really keep them?
The day of the crab feast arrived in the blink of an eye. Although it was just an ordinary autumn crab feast, it was the first banquet held by the Prime Minister's residence in many years, and it was organized by the Prime Minister's newly married wife. Whether they knew each other or not, everyone tried to use their connections to get an invitation.
These days, Jiang Wu is not learning arithmetic with Nanny Cui, but is learning with the housekeeper the various things that need to be paid attention to when hosting a banquet in the mansion.
Jiang Wu didn't understand why the tea cups couldn't be of the same style, and even the seats for each person had to be different. It wasn't like the banquets in the village, where you could just sit down wherever there was a seat and wait for the meal.
In addition to these, it is also necessary to sort out which family has dirty dealings with which family, and which seats should be avoided during the banquet. It is also necessary to note down what the distinguished person does not eat or is allergic to. If they are good friends, they should be arranged to sit together.
As a result, these days, Jiang Wu was so tired that she fell asleep immediately after returning home, and she didn't even notice when Xie Ji moved from the couch to sleep on the same bed with her.
During this time, Xie Ji saw that she was so tired that she didn't even have time to talk to him, so he suggested that she take it slow and rest if she was tired. There would be plenty of times to host banquets in the future, so she wouldn't be exhausted like last time.
But she said that this was a hard-earned opportunity to exercise, and she couldn't miss it. So, he couldn't persuade her anymore, so he could only ask the kitchen to make some more nourishing soup for her.
Ji Xiao, who is going to attend the banquet today, is dressed up gorgeously, like a peacock spreading its tail.
When he stood up and walked out, his elbow accidentally hit the table, and the rosewood carved box on the table rolled to the ground because it was not placed properly, and the contents were scattered all over the floor.
Two sachets and a dried straw butterfly.
Ji Xiao picked up one of the sachets and rubbed it in his palm, only to find that although she kept saying that she liked him, the things she actually gave him were pitifully few.
But after today, he thought, since she loved him so much, he could reluctantly forgive her for what she did to him in the dream.
I just hope that after she marries me, she can behave herself and not always think about making things difficult for Tingxue.
Before Song Jin left, he did not forget to hide the sachet he had taken from her that day in his sleeve, with the corners of his lips raised with malicious intent.
Sister-in-law, I don’t want to treat you like that either.
If you want to blame someone, you can only blame yourself for blocking Tingxue's way.
When the guests holding invitations took their seats one after another, Jiang Wu, who was already nervous, looked out the door frequently.
Xie Ji held her hand to comfort her, "Don't be nervous, you did a good job."
He could clearly see her efforts these days and knew how seriously she took it.
Xie Ji thought she was nervous because she was afraid that she would not do well, but she was not nervous about this, but about the turning point that would determine her fate.
She was so actively involved in planning the party because she wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate all possible situations in her dream.
She had already made so much effort, it was impossible for her to end up like in her dream, but...
Jiang Wu, whose throat was blocked, lowered her eyes and stared at the hand that was being held by the man. Her heart felt as if it was being pricked by needles, and then she pulled her hand back without mercy.
No matter how good he was to her these days, it couldn't change the fact that he in her dream was the one who most wished she would be ruined so that Shen Tingxue could take her place.
The main culprits were those three despicable men, but as her husband, he just stood by and watched, so how could he not be considered as aiding and abetting the evil?
After the little hand in his palm was pulled away, a trace of bitter loss flashed across Xie Ji's eyes, and his fingertips curled up and retracted.
Is she still resisting my approach?
Although it was just an ordinary autumn crab feast, there were male and female guests. Even the number of people who came was far more than expected. Fortunately, we had made preparations in advance, so the people below did not panic and get confused.
Everyone had originally prepared themselves for the unexpected when attending the banquet hosted by the Prime Minister's wife for the first time. However, after arriving, they found that the mansion was in perfect order. Even the tea, cakes and pastries used to entertain the guests avoided what they liked and disliked, and were quite elegant and graceful. It seemed that the Prime Minister's wife was not as foolish as the rumors said.
"If you ask me, it must have been the steward and you, Sister Tingxue, who did it. Who would have thought that the one who picked the peaches in the end would be that woman? She's really shameless." Ji Xiao's sister Ji Ruyue rolled her eyes at Jiang Wu who was surrounded by the crowd. She really didn't know why the Prime Minister would marry such a woman. Even if it was a marriage contract set by his grandfather, he could easily break it with his ability.
Besides, the marriage contract didn't say that he had to marry her. Why not let any other member of the Xie family marry her? Anyway, no matter who from the Xie family married her, it would be considered marrying above his station for that woman.
"This banquet was indeed organized by the Master's wife. The steward and I were just assisting." Shen Tingxue advised softly, "After all, she is the Prime Minister's wife. You should say less. Otherwise, if the news gets out, it will inevitably give people with ulterior motives a chance to make a fuss."
"What Prime Minister's Wife? I would say she is not worthy of this position at all. If she had any self-awareness, she should have resigned earlier!"
Ji Ruyue's sudden rise in voice made her the focus of everyone's attention in an instant.
Then they all turned to Jiang Wu, wondering what she would do. Everyone in Chang'an knew how she had become the Prime Minister's wife, and many of them were eager to watch the fun unfold.
Jiang Wu wasn't angry at her words, but only raised her eyelids with sarcasm, "Miss Ji, you have such a strong opinion of me. Could it be that you think I'm not going to be the Prime Minister's wife anymore? Do you think you can do it?"
Unexpectedly, Ji Ruyue, who was talking bad about someone behind their back and was overheard by the real person, did not feel guilty at all. Instead, she opened her voice and said, "Although I can't be the prime minister's wife, I know myself well and will not take things that do not belong to me by taking advantage of a favor."
"My husband has never regretted marrying me, but you regret for my husband. If this were to get out, people who don't know the truth would think you are my husband's biological mother. Otherwise, how could you have the audacity to think that you are my husband's master?" Jiang Wu's red lips curled up with a cold sneer, "Or, did you eavesdrop on those words while hiding under my husband's bed? Otherwise, how could you have guessed what my husband wanted to say?"
Ji Ruyue, who was almost scolded, was stunned for a moment, her face flushed with anger as she retorted: "What nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever think of that?"
"As for what I said, everyone in Chang'an who has eyes and ears thinks the same as I do."
Unable to bear it any longer, Shen Tingxue stood up and gave Jiang Wu an apologetic smile: "Miss Ji was in a hurry and said something without thinking. I hope Master's wife can not take her childish nature seriously."
Ji Ruyue was dissatisfied with her speaking for that woman and was furious: "Sister Tingxue, I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize to her? If it were me, she should have had the self-awareness to leave the marriage earlier."
Who in the whole Chang'an City doesn't know that if it weren't for the master-disciple relationship, the person the Prime Minister should marry is Princess Changle? You know, they are in love with each other, but there is a monster like Jiang Wu.
"Who is the one who has no self-awareness here? Doesn't Miss Ji know it? Since Madam Ji teaches her daughter to humiliate me in this way, I have to have a good talk with my husband about this matter. Is it the Ji family that looks down on me, or does it look down on the Prime Minister and our Prime Minister's Mansion?" Jiang Wu had just finished speaking when a maid carrying a tray bumped into her rashly.
The tea on the tray instantly spilled all over Jiang Wu, soaking a large piece of cloth.
The maid's face turned pale, and she fell to her knees and kowtowed, begging for mercy, "Madam, this servant did not mean it."
"I know I have done something wrong, please punish me, Madam."
Seeing that the maid's forehead was about to bleed from the impact, Shen Tingxue couldn't help but help her up, "Okay, you were just careless. I think the master's wife is kind and will definitely not embarrass you."
She was roasting Jiang Wu directly on the fire. If you didn't do what she said, she would be a cruel and vicious woman.
"I'm not as kind as the princess." Jiang Wu changed the subject. "It's okay if you bumped into me, but what if you accidentally bumped into another noble today? Since you did something wrong, how can I easily absolve myself of responsibility? Otherwise, if everyone becomes like you in the future, how can I survive in the mansion?"
"Go down and find the steward to get ten beatings with boards. If you do it again, you will be expelled from the Xie Mansion." Jiang Wu knew that her punishment was severe, but if she didn't do that, how could these people regard her as their master?
The tea in the maid's hand was not spilled earlier or later, but was spilled all over her at the banquet. Jiang Wu dared to say that no one instructed her to do so, so her name was written upside down.
The maid, believing she had escaped a disaster, bowed her forehead to the ground and said, "Thank you, Madam."
"Master's wife, the little maid was just careless, why did you punish her so severely?"
"May I ask all the ladies present here, do you think my punishment is too severe?" Jiang Wu didn't wait for them to speak, but instead sarcastically said, "It seems that all of you ladies are kind-hearted people who can forgive a maid who spilled tea on you without batting an eyelid."
Just a few words immediately caused many ladies to change their expressions.
You have to know that sometimes using servants to establish authority is the best way to intimidate disobedient subordinates and to take control of the housekeeper's power. Not to mention just a few beatings, their hands will more or less be stained with blood.
"Madam, your clothes are soiled. Let the maid take you downstairs to change clothes first." Shen Tingxue acted like the real mistress of the Xiangfu, marginalizing the so-called real mistress.
Jiang Wu was about to say no, but the ladies sitting next to him started talking at once.
Even if Jiang Wu didn't want to go anymore, he still had to change his wet clothes.
What's more, this is in her own mansion, and she has made so many preparations.
At the same time, on the male guest side.
"Prince, your clothes are dirty. You'd better go downstairs and change quickly." Someone shook his head and joked to the young man whose clothes had just been wet by the maid.
"If you don't go now, hang your clothes out to dry later. They will definitely be dry soon."
"Okay, just wait and see if I can't beat you to a pulp." Ji Xiao had a hint of pride in his eyes when he received the note she handed him.
He knew that the stupid woman loved him deeply, otherwise why would she want to meet him in such a large party to relieve her so-called lovesickness?
"Brother Song, the sachet you are wearing looks very unique."
Song Jin also caressed the sachet on her waist lovingly, "This sachet was given to me by my beloved. When I wear it, it's as if she is always by my side."
The person asking the question was stunned for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "It seems that Brother Song and your sweetheart are about to get married. I wonder which daughter has won Brother Song's favor."
"When there's a chance, I'll introduce you to each other, but it's not the right time yet." Song Jin also looked at the empty seat that originally belonged to Ji Xiao. It seemed that the plan was proceeding in an orderly manner.
The women in the family were worried because Jiang Wu hadn't returned for so long. "The Prime Minister's wife has been gone for so long, could she be drunk?"
"He didn't drink before, so how could he be drunk? I guess he's busy with other things. You know, there are quite a few people attending the banquet today."
Chen Tingxue stood up and smiled at them. "There is an orchid garden in the mansion. It has collected all kinds of orchids in the world. If you ladies don't mind, please follow me to the orchid garden first."
She paused, then continued, "I think my teacher's wife will come over after she changes her clothes, because she has decided to hold the banquet in the Orchid Garden."
As soon as Shen Tingxue said this, someone immediately echoed: "I've heard that the Xie Mansion's orchid garden is unique. Today I can really feast my eyes on it."
"I also know that the princess loves these orchids, so the prime minister collected all the rare orchids in the world and put them together in one garden."
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Shen Tingxue's face, but she hid it well: "How can the matter be as exaggerated as you say? Besides, if this matter gets out, it will inevitably cause the master's wife to misunderstand."
"I just wonder if the princess would be willing to give up one or two of the trees she likes."
Shen Tingxue, who was holding a high position, did not refuse. She just pursed her lips and smiled: "I may not be able to make the decision on this. I'm afraid I have to ask my master first. You know, my master usually treasures his orchids very much."
The orchid garden covers a vast area, with a pavilion and a stream flowing inside. In the distance, there is a bamboo house that fits the scene, with green vines and creepers hanging down.
But this time, as soon as they approached, they heard shameless sounds coming from the bamboo house that made them blush and their hearts beat faster.
Newly married brides and unmarried young ladies all shyly avoided it, and some women looked embarrassed. Who would have thought that they would encounter such a thing when attending a banquet.
"How dare some slutty couple mess around in the Prime Minister's residence in broad daylight? They're totally immoral and shameless."
"You said, the Prime Minister's wife went to change clothes and hasn't come back for so long, could it be..." Someone in the crowd said this, which immediately caused an uproar.
Although that person just said it unintentionally, the fact that the Prime Minister's wife had gone out to change her clothes and hadn't returned for so long inevitably made people think about it.
Shen Tingxue immediately stood up and angrily scolded: "Nonsense, although my master's wife comes from the countryside, she will never be such a person. This princess will not allow anyone to slander the innocence of my master's wife!"
"If you want to know if it's her in there, just push the door open and take a look." Ji Ruyue crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with impatience to watch the show.
If that woman was inside, it would be a perfect opportunity to ruin her reputation. Otherwise, she would just be a spectator anyway.
The wife of the Minister of Revenue nodded. You should know that her master and Prime Minister Xie did not get along in the court, so she would naturally be happy to see a fire in the other party's backyard.
Just as a group of people were about to rush in, a maid suddenly rushed out with a pale face and opened her arms to stop them: "No, you can't go in!"
Shen Tingxue looked at the person in front of her with shock and confusion: "Juan'er, what are you doing?"
Then Shen Tingxue explained to the confused ladies and young ladies, "She was a personal maid serving my master's wife. I think she got drunk accidentally and came here to talk nonsense."
Then he sternly shouted at the other maids and servants, "Why don't you take her away quickly? Do you want her to continue talking nonsense and tarnishing the reputation of Master's Wife?"
Although her series of actions were impeccable and perfect, they also confirmed her guilty conscience.
"I'm not drunk, but you can't go in anyway." Even when the old women came forward to take her away, Juan'er still stood in front of the door with a fearless attitude.
"If you want to go in, you have to step on my body first." Anyway, she would never allow them to go in.
The commotion in the Orchid Garden naturally reached the male guests as well. When they learned that someone was so audacious as to have an affair in the Prime Minister's residence, it was like throwing a small stone into a calm lake, causing ripples.
They also speculated who was so bold as to do such a thing in the prime minister's residence.
"Make way, my master is here." Xie Yu's eyebrows jumped when he saw Juan'er guarding the door and not letting anyone in, and he could not find any trace of his wife around.
Then everyone's eyes turned to the host of the banquet, and then quickly dropped when they met his cold and gloomy black eyes.
"Shut up these traitors, punish them according to family rules, and lock them up in the woodshed." No one knew how Xie Ji suppressed the rage in his chest when he said this.
Of course he believed her. He hated and was angry at those people who were so dirty and filthy as to reach out to the prime minister's mansion.
Juan'er broke free from the old woman's shackles and knelt on the ground with a thud. She banged her head heavily on the ground and cried, "Sir, the lady was just confused for a moment. She definitely didn't do anything to let you down."
Shen Tingxue frowned: "What do you mean by this?"
Juan'er was trembling but didn't speak.
Xie Yu couldn't bear to watch it any longer and kicked her in the chest. "You lowly slave, you're about to die, why don't you just tell me!"
Juan'er, who had been kicked in the heart and spit out several mouthfuls of blood, suddenly closed her eyes with a fearless attitude: "Because, when I was at Yuanyin Temple before, I saw Madam and a man struggling with each other. Madam, Madam even threw herself into the arms of that man."
With blood dripping down her forehead, Juan'er crawled to Xie Ji's feet, crying and saying, "Sir, the lady must have been seduced by some wild man outside. You should know that the lady only has you in her heart."
"Please forgive my lady for once, sir. My lady just made a mistake because she was confused for a moment."
"How come this lady didn't know when I became involved with another man?" Jiang Wu's sudden appearance was unexpected to everyone.
At this moment, the person who had pushed the door open after Juan'er was pulled open also let out a scream that resounded through the sky.
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