Chapter 251 Princess Jiacheng, wearing a straw hat, others can't see her expression, but they know that she is
At the same time, the birds and beasts sent to stalk the Governor's Mansion flew back and circled in front of her, trying to lead her somewhere else.
When Ruan Mian saw this situation, he guessed that Ruan Jiao might have a new whereabouts.
After explaining things to his aunt, he followed the birds and beasts and headed towards Wuheng City again.
However, this time, at the gate of the Governor's Mansion, there were unexpectedly some people gathered there to watch the fun.
She hid in the crowd and soon saw Ruan Jiao kneeling at the door and crying.
"My Lady, I am pregnant with the Governor's child. Please show me mercy and don't drive me away! No matter how big my fault is, the child is innocent."
Princess Jiacheng was wearing a straw hat, and others could not see her expression, but they all knew how angry she was at the moment.
At this moment, Chen Bochong also rushed over after hearing the news. His face changed drastically and he walked quickly to the princess and said something.
The people around Ruan Mian were whispering.
"It's normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Moreover, this woman is pregnant. How can she be kicked out of the house?"
"As soon as this princess arrived at the Governor's Mansion, she drove away all the women there. She's incredibly jealous and I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to tolerate this poor mother and son."
"The Governor is a good official. How could he let his only son wander around without any status? No matter how humble the mother is, she must give birth to the child and then drive him out." In this life, offspring are more important than anything else.
In the original book, Princess Jiacheng had not been able to conceive for a long time, and like the late emperor, she believed in ghosts and gods. Later, when she was helping the fifth princess, she often used the theory of ghosts and gods.
In addition, she attaches great importance to her reputation. Now Ruan Jiao is pregnant and kneeling at the door of the mansion to ask for marriage. If Ruan Jiao encounters any problems, her reputation as a princess who persecutes her children will soon spread.
If the news were to be passed back to the fiefdom, it would be so embarrassing for my father.
Normally, he couldn't tolerate other women, but now he couldn't even tolerate his own offspring...
Ruan Mian saw Ruan Jiao kneeling on the ground, kowtowing hard on the ground with great concentration, not caring at all about the bleeding wound on her forehead.
This made other people feel distressed, and Chen Bochong couldn't bear it either.
As the discussions around her grew louder, Princess Jiacheng angrily left the scene with a flick of her sleeves.
Chen Bozong quickly asked someone to help Ruan Jiao up and brought her into the mansion.
When Ruan Mian saw this scene, he guessed that Ruan Jiao must know Chen Bozong's pain, so she was willing to show up in public and risk damaging her reputation to threaten him with her offspring.
Now, it is not easy for her to escape back from Lanqiang alive.
So what is there for her to worry about that so-called reputation?
I just don't know whether the baby in her belly is real or fake.
But it didn’t matter to Ruan Mian. She had an idea.
Since she tried every possible means to find a backer, she would just "help the other person achieve his goal".
Inside the Governor's Mansion.
Princess Jiacheng held a cup of hot tea and sat on a chair, blowing gently. She took off her straw hat and had no expression on her face. For a moment, it was impossible for others to tell whether she was happy or angry. Even Chen Bochong could not grasp her psychology.
But he knew that as long as he coaxed her gently and loved her more, she would stop making a fuss.
Hasn't it been like this since we got married?
Besides, she has been childless for many years and he has never formally taken a concubine. The princess must feel guilty and would not make things difficult for him.
Ruan Jiao acted very well. She did not play the victim in front of Chen Bochong, but knelt in front of the princess and spoke with all her sincerity.
"Madam, the matter of the child was not my wish. I am a military prostitute in the camp and have no choice. I am just a worthless life, but the child... the child is innocent."
"I don't intend to stay in the Governor's Mansion, but now that Madam has given me a way out, I will be grateful."
"I only hope that the child will be born safely. As soon as the child is born, I will leave this place immediately. The child... will be handed over to the princess and the governor."
Hearing this, Princess Jiacheng stopped drinking tea and looked up at her for a few seconds.
Then, without changing his expression, he poured the cup of hot tea on Ruan Jiao's face!
She was so frightened that she trembled and lay on the ground, not daring to move.
Chen Bochong felt sorry for the child and wanted to go forward to help Ruan Jiao up, but when he met Princess Jiacheng's gaze, he had to give up.
He sighed softly and spoke slowly, "Cheng'er, she's just a lowly dancer. Why are you bothering with her? You can just send the child away as soon as he's born."
Princess Jiacheng snorted, but then she thought that she had been childless for so many years and had long been a laughing stock in her fiefdom.
Even her father often mocked her for this. If this time... she took the child as her own and returned to her fiefdom in the future, no one would dare to laugh at her for being a hen that didn't lay eggs.
Her eyebrows moved slightly, and she looked down at Ruan Jiao condescendingly.
"If you don't want to die, then stay calm."
…
As soon as the farce in front of the Governor's Mansion ended, Ruan Mian also left with the crowd.
At this moment, she already had a plan in mind.
While in the city, she took the opportunity to go to the post station.
But when they arrived at the post station, they found that Xie Huaian had locked himself in the study and did not show up.
Just when Minister Dong was at a loss, he saw Ruan Mian and hurried over as if he saw hope.
"Madam Ruan, you're finally here. I was thinking of going to see you in person."
"What happened?"
"My lord... he hasn't eaten for a whole day and night, and he won't let anyone into his study. I'm so worried."
Hearing this, Ruan Mian frowned slightly, realizing what had happened.
Minister Dong took advantage of the situation and said, "Han Ling... was murdered in the water dungeon."
"Han Ling was killed?"
As one of the evidences of the Xuanjia Army's collusion with foreign enemies, Han Ling was arrested by his secret guards and taken to the water dungeon, where he must have been strictly guarded and did not even have the chance to commit suicide.
Even so, he was still assassinated.
Doesn't that mean...
"Sir, have you checked all the people at the post station? Has everything been peaceful recently?"
Minister Dong truthfully replied, "There must be a spy among the secret guards. I've already found a way to dispatch new personnel to maintain security around the post station."
"It's just... because of this matter..."
"It's okay, I'll talk to the adults, you don't have to worry."
If she were Xie Huaian, her mood would probably not be very good at the moment.
It was like a duck in his mouth, and he was sure to get some useful information out of Han Ling's mouth, but in the end he was killed silently.
The interruption of evidence is one thing, but the key point is that the spy may be among his secret guards, so his previous deployment is likely to be leaked.
That's why he was secluded in his study and didn't even think about eating.
Ruan Mian was not very clear about his plan, nor did he understand the internal struggles within the imperial power. All appearances could only be discerned based on the little information in the original book, which was always incomplete.
There wasn't much she could do now.
Just as she was thinking, the door of the study suddenly opened, and Xie Huaian walked out with a gentle expression. When he came to her, he took her hand.
"Why are you here today?"
Seeing that he was in better condition than he had imagined, Ruan Mian told him the truth about the purpose of his visit today and also told him that Ruan Jiao was pregnant with the Governor's child.
"Husband, I'm afraid I'll have to stay in the post station for a few more days."
Hearing this, Xie Huaian's expression brightened at a visible speed: "That's what I wish for."
"However, since you're here to resolve Ruan Jiao's issue, it's probably not that simple. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Ruan Mian quickly shook his head, holding his hand tightly, and said sincerely: "I can handle my own problems, they are all trivial matters, but it's you who is at fault."
"I heard from the Minister that there was a traitor among your secret guards who killed Han Ling?"
Xie Huaian restrained his expression and nodded: "Indeed, as long as the person behind this is not investigated, I will never have a peaceful day in Wu Heng."
"I previously thought the Governor was assigned by His Majesty, but I received news these days that Chen Bozong was recommended by Prince Shuo's confidants."
Ruan Mian's eyebrows twitched slightly, seeing through his suspicions: "So, my husband is worried that Prince Shuo and Prince Yan are secretly colluding?"
In the original book, she had no impression that King Shuo and King Yan had an affair, but she did not read the second half of the book.
But now, considering what happened before, his worries are not unreasonable.
If King Shuo really participated in King Yan's rebellion in private, the whole country would be in trouble. After all... King Shuo's fiefdom is outside the north of Kyoto. Once he raises an army, he will go straight to Huanglong.
Cooperate with the King of Yan in the east, and the reinforcements from Xin'an will definitely not be able to arrive in time to provide support.
It is still unknown how many of their followers are now in the court.
The new emperor has a long and arduous task to do in consolidating his regime.
But time waits for no one, and one can imagine how much pressure Xie Huaian is carrying on his shoulders.
Ruan Mian thought for a moment and was about to speak when suddenly a servant came to report.
"Sir, the governor is here." Ruan Mian didn't expect that such a big thing had happened in Chen Bochong's mansion, and he was not at home to deal with it, but had the leisure to go to the post station?
Is there something important that he wants to talk to Xie Huaian about?
With this idea in mind, the couple went to meet Chen Bochong.
But he was fine, he just brought two cups of wine, and when he saw Ruan Mian, he offered it to her with both hands.
"Madam Ruan, I saw you here, so I came looking for you with this. Smell it and see what kind of wine it is."
I didn't expect that he came here for Ruan Mian.
Xie Huaian's eyebrows moved slightly, and he approached Ruan Mian calmly and stood beside her.
Ruan Mian understood what he meant and took it, but immediately handed it to Xie Huaian and said in a friendly manner, "Husband, please smell it."
The word "husband" really touched Xie Huaian's heart.
He smiled gently, and in front of Chen Bochong, he gently held Ruan Mian's hand, leaned over and smelled it, and Ruan Mian also leaned over without hesitation.
The tips of their noses touched, and Ruan Mian smiled at him shyly.
To others, it looked like a young couple flirting, which was really disgusting.
Chen Bozong's eyes indeed darkened a little.
At this time, Ruan Mian smelled that this wine was ginseng wine that he brewed himself.
"Governor, this is..."
Seeing them separate, Chen Bozong narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "I underestimated Madam Ruan. You've managed to get your business to that place."
He looked at them both meaningfully.
It seems that he has deliberately inquired about his own background and has probably figured out his business affairs thoroughly.
After all, the ginseng wine business was not big to begin with, so he just sold it to the owner of the restaurant next to the pharmacy.
If he knew about this matter, he must have found out about all the other businesses.
"Before I was transferred to Wuheng, and this place had suffered natural disasters and man-made calamities, the control over border exports was lax. But now that I have received orders from the imperial court, I must implement strict regulations on cargo exports."
"I came here today to inform Madam Ruan in advance, so that my appreciation and admiration for you will be justified."
Chen Bochong's words sounded nice, but in fact he was just trying to cut off her bridge with one blow.
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