19
When I woke up again, it was much quieter.
When Jiang Yunshu groggily opened her eyes, she seemed to see Chu Shuangfeng's big face.
"You're awake?" The big face approached with surprise.
Immediately afterwards, the maidservant next to her went out and called her mother.
"You're awake? Ah Yun, you're finally awake! You've been unconscious for so long, I thought..."
Ruan Qingshang raised his sleeve and gently wiped away his tears, his smile a bittersweet mix of joy and surprise.
"Is there anything else that's bothering you? What would you like to eat? I'll have someone make it for you."
She said a lot, but she couldn't respond to a single word. She was too weak. When the sword pierced her, she fainted before she even had a chance to feel the pain.
Now that she has recovered, she feels a persistent, dull pain in her chest. With the slightest movement, her whole body feels as if it is being torn apart.
I didn't even dare to breathe too hard.
She could only blink as she looked at Ruan Qingshang.
Tears welled in Ruan Qingshang's tired eyes as she choked out, "Are you feeling really unwell? I'll have someone make you some light porridge."
She suddenly remembered A Yao; A Yao was there that day too. She wondered if A Yao had returned safely.
She took a deep breath and asked urgently, "Where's A-Yao?"
She coughed violently from exertion, and the pain in her chest intensified. Tears streamed down Ruan Qingshang's face as he supported her, gently patting her shoulder.
“Ayao is fine. She went back with the second young lady of the Zhong family that night. The streets are not safe now. They said they would send Ayao back after the thief is caught.”
She was relieved to see that Ayao was alright.
"You should rest well. It seems the streets are in turmoil because of those two," Ruan Qingshang said with a worried expression. "I wonder what will happen after we arrive..."
After saying that, she walked out. Chu Shuangfeng asked a couple of questions and was about to leave. She didn't know much about the matter, so she thought about it and asked him anyway.
"Why are you wandering around aimlessly? Someone must have gotten wind of it that day, knowing that the two princes were coming unprepared, so they came to assassinate them."
Once Chu Shuangfeng started talking about this, he went on and on, giving a detailed account of what happened back then.
It turned out that the Second Prince and the Third Prince had arrived early that day, but they were traveling light, intending to first observe the local customs and conditions in Jiangnan.
Unexpectedly, their itinerary was discovered, and the assassination attempt began during the parade.
At that time, the Second Prince and the Third Prince were standing not far behind her and Jiang Shuyue.
Later, chaos broke out in the streets, and the government sent people to maintain order. Because the thieves were not caught, the Qixi Festival activities were also canceled.
The streets have been quiet these past few days; the government is preventing them from gathering in large groups.
Of course, not many people came out. The solar term only comes once a year, and you only have one life.
She cursed the Third Prince in her heart, thinking he was a real jinx; getting even a little close would result in being accidentally injured.
"You should just rest," Chu Shuangfeng said, looking at her worried expression. "Uncle Jiang and Aunt Ruan have been exhausted these past few days. They haven't slept for days. Uncle Jiang almost fainted today, so Aunt Ruan had someone send him back to rest."
“I have to go back. My family insists on arranging a marriage for me. I was thinking of coming out to hide for a couple of days and see you, Brother Ling, and Brother Li.”
At this point, he sighed again: "When these people saw that I wasn't going back, they forced my sister to marry Zhuang Si."
She didn't know how to comfort Chu Shuangfeng. Zhuang Si was a playboy who had gone out of his way; he didn't just gamble, drink, and frequent brothels.
Zhuang Si was younger than them, but he already had more than ten concubines in his backyard, including women from brothels, women he had forcibly taken, and young orphans.
But he doesn't treat them well after he steals them; he beats and scolds them at the drop of a hat, and he won't stop until he draws blood.
The poor women in his yard would be carried out every few months.
If Chu Shuangfeng's sister were to marry into that family, she would only face certain death.
Chu Shuangfeng's mother only left him this one younger sister, whom he has protected since childhood. How could he bear to let her enter the tiger's den now?
She could only look helplessly at Chu Shuangfeng. The relationships within the Chu family were intricate and complex, especially the concubines and mistresses who were brought in later; each of them was formidable.
Otherwise, how could Chu Shuangfeng have stayed outside for so many years?
After Chu Shuangfeng left, Jiang Shuyue came running over with a bitter face.
"Yun Shu, it's all my fault. If I hadn't pulled you forward..." Jiang Shuyue's shoulders twitched slightly, her words incoherent.
She shook her head gently, too weak to speak, and could only let Jiang Shuyue sob in her ear.
Jiang Shuyue cried for a while longer until Qing Shuang brought in some congee, at which point she finally stopped crying.
Jiang Shuyue snatched the porridge from Qing Shuang's hand and insisted on feeding her.
Eating the light, hot porridge really made me feel much better.
"Miss, Young Master Ling is outside."
She looked over suspiciously. If Ling Jingchu is here, he should come in. Why is he standing outside?
Qing Shuang smiled and said, "Then I'll have someone come in."
Ling Jingchu only glanced at her briefly after entering, while Su Ye placed a large pile of things on the table.
"Miss Jiang, this servant will take his leave now."
Su Ye immediately turned around, but Ling Jingchu turned away from her.
Jiang Shuyue found it all rather strange.
"Cousin Jingchu, what are you doing?"
Ling Jingchu's expression remained unchanged: "Men and women should not touch each other, let alone..."
Jiang Shuyue and Jiang Yunshu exchanged a glance, then silently tugged at the corners of their mouths, both of them old-fashioned.
Who visits a sick person like that?
Jiang Yunshu suddenly thought of Ling Jingchu's sweetheart and realized that it was because he had a sweetheart that he was deliberately keeping his distance from them.
but……
Even after she finished her bowl of porridge, Ling Jingchu still didn't leave. He just stood there blankly, like a wooden sculpture.
Jiang Shuyue didn't think much of it. She stayed for a while and then left, intending to take Ling Jingchu with her.
But Ling Jingchu's expression was serious: "I have some important matters to discuss with Jiang Yunshu."
Jiang Shuyue clicked her tongue and left.
Jiang Yunshu felt a mixture of curiosity and a hidden fear.
She was afraid he would tell her that the Third Prince had already noticed A Yao.
She waited for a long time, but Ling Jingchu stood there coldly. After a long while, he sat down in a chair and his gaze finally fell on her.
The voice was deep.
"Jiang Yunshu".
He paused, and Jiang Yunshu became even more nervous.
"Did you know that the Chu family is going to arrange a marriage for Chu Shuangfeng?"
She paused for a moment, then nodded.
Although she didn't understand why Ling Jingchu asked that question, she did know about it.
Do you know who he's going to marry?
I don't know.
Ling Jingchu's expression darkened further, his eyes becoming deep and unfathomable: "It's the one from the Zheng family."
The Zheng family has three or four sons, but only one daughter. The eldest son retired after serving as an official in the court for many years, and now has an older brother who works in the capital.
Zheng Lan had a fiery temper, and in the past, countless suitors came to propose marriage, but she persuaded them all to turn them away.
This was because she forbade her husband from taking a concubine.
However, Jiang Yunshu remembered that she was a pretty good person, and she and someone as stubborn as Chu Shuangfeng might actually make a good couple.
Seeing that she had no reaction, Ling Jingchu said in a deep voice, "If you marry her, Chu Shuangfeng will no longer be able to have any involvement with other women."
It's great!
Ling Jingchu's eyes grew even deeper, and a sudden surge of emotion gripped him tightly, tightening little by little.
It left him speechless.
My throat feels tight.
Do you like it that much?
Although he knew that Chu Shuangfeng had been closer to Jiang Yunshu since childhood, and the two often secretly went out to play together.
He was always the one to cover for them.
But after Chu Shuangfeng went to the mountains, Jiang Yunshu was sad for a few days and then went back to eating and playing.
It looks no different from usual.
He assumed that Chu Shuangfeng was just a playmate, like Jiang Shuyue.
He looked at Jiang Yunshu with a calm gaze. She was composed and showed no anger whatsoever about the matter.
She was actually willing to become Chu Shuangfeng's mistress, a woman who couldn't be seen in public?
She loved him to this extent!
Or is it that Chu Shuangfeng mistreats her because she's divorced?!
What are your plans?
Ling Jingchu's tone was icy, and his eyes were fixed on her.
Jiang Yunshu was stumped by his question.
What are your plans?
who?
Chu Shuangfeng is getting married, what are her plans?
She looked at Ling Jingchu incredulously, then thought that Ling Jingchu would never ask her such a trivial question.
On second thought, I remembered that I had mentioned A Yao's past life to her.
He must be asking about the current situation and what plans he and A-Yao have!
"You mean A-Yao?" she asked softly. "Let her stay at the Zhong residence for now."
Ling Jingchu narrowed his eyes, having already decided where A Yao would go.
Does Chu Shuangfeng really dislike her and A Yao that much?
"If you don't want to take Ayao with you, you can adopt her under my name, and I will treat her well."
Moreover, he didn't want to get married; spending the rest of his life with her child was a kind of solace for him.
Jiang Yunshu racked her brains but still couldn't understand what Ling Jingchu meant.
"If you want a child, go have one yourself! Why are you trying to steal someone else's child?"
Ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest, she whispered angrily.
"Get out of here!"
While Ling Jingchu was still in a daze, Jiang Yunshu had already made up her mind that she would never let Ayao have any contact with Bailichuan and Ling Jingchu again!
It would be best if none of these men got close to her, Ayao!
Why does everyone want to take Ayao away from her?!
Thinking of that damned third prince made her feel even more uncomfortable.
The assassins must be blind. They attacked such an obvious girl right away. Are these people really assassins?
Does he really deserve to be an assassin?
If men and women are no longer distinguished, how can they get any work done properly?
No wonder the Third Prince was able to ascend to the throne; with such opponents and enemies, how could he not win?
After Ling Jingchu left, her parents came twice more. As it was getting late, she told them to go back to their rooms and rest.
With Qing Shuang looking after me, there's really nothing to worry about.
The room was quiet. Dr. Li prescribed her painkillers, which might also have a drowsy effect.
Anyway, as she lay there, she felt so sleepy that she couldn't keep her eyes open.
Qing Shuang then covered her with the blanket.
Then she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, an arrow had shot straight into the head of her bed.
As Qing Shuang reacted and shouted angrily, several arrows were fired from outside the window. She endured the pain in her heart and rolled over into the bed.
The wind from behind her whipped her hair, and when she looked again, an arrow was hurtling straight toward her.
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