Chapter 46 "Don't move... let me hold you for a while..."
After seeing Wan Niang off.
Jiang Fushi summoned a servant from the Su family to fill the bathtub with hot water and added some calming flower petals. The steaming water, carrying a sweet fragrance, filled the clean room. The fatigue of the past few days seemed to be washed away by the warm water at this moment.
After taking a bath, I came out wearing a plain nightgown. A few wisps of spring breeze carrying the fragrance of peach and plum blossoms seeped in through the window, bringing a touch of coolness.
Just as I was about to close the window, my waist was suddenly tightened as someone hugged me tightly from behind.
The man's breath, slightly tinged with alcohol, pressed hotly against her bare neck.
Jiang Fushi tried to pull away the hand on her waist, wanting to turn her head, but the person behind her held her even tighter in his arms. A deep, slightly hoarse voice sounded in her ear:
"Don't move... let me hold you for a while."
She said coquettishly, "Why are you drinking so much?"
The man nuzzled the back of her head, his voice carrying a rare, unguarded languor: "It's been many years since I last saw Wenjing, and I feel so happy."
This reason was irrefutable. Jiang Fushi was slightly taken aback, suddenly realizing that this seemed to be the first time she had seen Zhan Xiao reveal such a... almost dependent and genuine state of mind.
Before she could think it through, he turned her around and captured her lips with his. The tipsy feeling of alcohol, along with his burning breath, quickly spread between their pressed lips.
He held her, deepening the kiss as he led her to the bed and gently laid her down. Then he released his arms from her waist, knelt on one knee on the edge of the bed, and leaned down to gaze at her.
Jiang Fushi's cheeks burned under his gaze. She closed her eyes shyly and instinctively pulled the quilt next to her to cover them.
After a moment, she couldn't help but quietly lift a corner of his eye and found that he was still looking at her with that focused and burning gaze, as if he wanted to etch her image into his heart.
From the day she chose to follow him, she knew this day would come.
She thought he would arrive quickly, but throughout their escape, Zhan Xiao always exercised restraint and never truly overstepped his bounds.
Although she was inexperienced in matters of the heart, she was not entirely ignorant.
Before the marriage alliance, the palace specially assigned a governess to show her pictures and books explaining matters of the young ladies. At the time, she only felt her face turn red, but now those blurry images suddenly became clear, making her lose her rhythm of breathing. She was so nervous that she gripped the quilt under her and could clearly feel his weight pressing down on her.
Her heart pounded instantly, the thumping sound heavy and rapid, as if it were about to shatter her chest. The intense noise caused her to experience tinnitus.
She opened her eyes groggily, and there was his handsome face so close to hers. His eyelashes seemed to be covered with tiny specks of light, and the emotions in his eyes were as thick as ink that could not be dissolved, yet they were also filled with a careful and precious affection.
In a daze, a soft yet fiery flower seemed to bloom before her eyes, enveloping her entirely in its scalding tenderness. The blooming flowers, layer upon layer, would shrink back when gently poked by the branches below, vanishing in an instant.
The moonlight, like a thin veil, quietly peeked into the room through the half-open window. Its gentle glow spread over the edge of the bed and onto the overlapping garments of the two people, softly enveloping the room in a tender atmosphere. Even the fragrance of flowers floating in the air was imbued with a touch of the clear, moonlit white.
Jiang Fushi finally couldn't help but kick Zhan Xiao's shoulder.
He looked up, his eyes moist, his Adam's apple bobbing as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat. In the end, he said nothing, only pulling her closer into his arms.
"Your Highness..."
He mumbled to himself, whether it was drunken talk or not, Jiang Fushi's heart softened, she raised her hand to stroke his cheek, and rubbed his brow with her thumb.
After a long and tender night, I felt utterly exhausted.
Their breaths mingled, and bathed in the soft moonlight streaming through the window, they drifted off to sleep.
The next day.
When Jiang Fushi woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. She opened her eyes groggily and found only a cool breeze to the touch. There was no one beside her. She paused for a moment, not in a hurry to get up, assuming that Zhan Xiao had gotten up early to discuss important matters with Su Wenjing.
Recalling last night, her cheeks flushed, and she shyly covered her face. Although she felt a little strange and confused by Zhan Xiao's behavior, she understood that he had ultimately restrained himself and kept his bottom line, and had not actually touched her.
However, she didn't think too much about it. She got up as usual, washed up, and sat at the desk by the window, writing down a prescription for Wan Niang's treatment. Just as she was considering the dosage of one of the herbs, there was a soft knock on the door.
It was Wan Niang's personal maid who came to summon her for a chat.
Just then, Jiang Fushi put away her brush and ink and followed the maid to Wan Niang's courtyard.
Wan Niang had already had incense, cosmetics, and face powder brought out and placed on the table.
"Your Highness, these are what I use every day."
Jiang Fushi immediately grasped her hand and said sincerely, "Sister, please don't refer to yourself like that. I am now a fugitive, a commoner. How can I speak of Your Highness? If you don't mind, we can address each other by our names from now on, okay?"
A gentle, touching light appeared in Wan Niang's eyes, and she nodded with a smile: "Then... I'll listen to my sister."
Jiang Fushi held her breath and picked up the items one by one, carefully smelling and examining them. Finally, she found a clue on a seemingly ordinary snail-shell inkstone: "If I'm not mistaken, this item has been laced with 'Cold Condensation Powder.' Long-term exposure to even small amounts can lead to uterine coldness and blood stasis, making it difficult to conceive."
Wan Niang's face turned pale instantly: "This...this was purchased from 'Jinxiu Pavilion' in the west of the city. The shopkeeper is a distant relative of the Su family. Could it be..."
Jiang Fushi gently pressed her trembling hand and whispered:
"Sister, don't make a fuss yet. I suggest you pretend you know nothing about this, continue with your usual attire, but secretly make a note of everyone who has come into contact with this item. Only by planning carefully can we find out who is behind this."
Wan Niang understood, suppressed her fear, and nodded solemnly.
After exchanging a few more heartfelt words, seeing that it was getting late, Wan Niang invited Jiang Fushi to have lunch together, partly to catch up on family matters, and partly to ask her to help check if the food had also been tampered with.
Su Wenjing returned during the banquet, but Zhan Xiao was nowhere to be seen. Jiang Fushi asked him about it, and Su Wenjing only vaguely replied, "Brother Zhan has some private matters to attend to, so he may not be able to return for the next few days." Jiang Fushi was puzzled, but she couldn't ask any more questions at the banquet, so she could only silently swallow her unease.
During their conversation, Su Wenjing shared some news from the court: the Sheng Dynasty had launched an attack on Qiongle under the pretext of the 'death of the princess sent for a peace marriage,' and had won a series of victories while the country was in mourning and leaderless. The situation was now settled.
This result was within Jiang Fushi's expectations.
Her father was ambitious to begin with, and the marriage alliance was merely a pretext for him to start a war. Now he has achieved his goal, while she, the "victim" princess, is ultimately just a pawn to be used and discarded.
She didn't say anything more, but simply lowered her eyes and quietly finished her meal.
Time slipped by quietly.
If Su Wenjing has no children, according to the clan rules, Su Wenlang, as the eldest son of the second wife, will be the most likely successor. At that time, he will be able to rightfully take over the Su family's trade routes and industries that are spread throughout the north and south.
By bribing the accountant of "Jinxiuge" to send medicated snail-shaped eye drops to the Su residence, Liu also secretly colluded with the head maid of Wan Niang's small kitchen to add trace amounts of "Han Ning San" to Wan Niang's daily nourishing soups. With these two methods, she hoped that Wan Niang's body would collapse and she would no longer be able to have children.
The matter was quietly resolved within the Su family. Su Wenlang's branch of the family was quickly sidelined and sent to remote areas to manage insignificant businesses, making it difficult for them to recover.
Jiang Fushi then began to develop a personalized treatment plan for Wan Niang based on her physical condition, including acupuncture, prescriptions, and medicinal diets, to gradually dispel the remaining toxins in her body.
Several more days passed, and Zhan Xiao remained missing. She finally couldn't suppress her anxiety and unease any longer.
That day, while Wan Niang was admiring the newly blooming peonies in her courtyard, Su Wenjing happened to return from the outer room. Upon seeing this, she could no longer contain herself and stepped forward to ask, "Young Master Su, it has been almost ten days. Why has Zhan Xiao not returned yet? Has something happened?"
Seeing Su Wenjing's troubled expression and shifty eyes, and his reluctance to speak, Jiang Fushi's heart sank. She became even more certain that he was hiding something. The worries and anxieties of the past few days surged into her heart instantly, her eyes reddened, and her voice choked with sobs: "He...he's not coming back, is he?"
Su Wenjing sighed and took out a plain-colored envelope from his pocket: "Your Highness, Brother Zhan repeatedly instructed me before he left that this item must be given to you after fifteen days from his departure... But seeing Your Highness so worried, I really can't bear it."
Jiang Fushi quickly took it and discovered that inside was a huge amount of silver notes, enough to ensure her a worry-free life for the rest of her days. Also attached was a letter written by him, with only two words on it: "Don't worry."
Jiang Fushi was struck dumb, frozen on the spot, her fingertips trembling, her eyes instantly reddening. Wan Niang worriedly supported her arm, her voice gentle: "Don't overthink it, Young Master Zhan must have his reasons, he won't abandon you."
She shook her head and closed her eyes tightly: "No... he probably won't come back."
She knew him too well. Given Zhan Xiao's character, he must have known that his cold poison was deep-seated and his days were numbered, and he didn't want to be a burden to her, so he chose to leave in this way. At this moment, he had probably already embarked on the path of revenge alone. The deep-seated hatred that had accumulated in his heart for many years had long become the only obsession that sustained him in his life.
Su Wenjing, who was standing to the side, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but after a moment he let out a helpless sigh.
Jiang Fushi forcefully wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and looked at him intently: "Young Master Su, please tell me the truth, do you know where Zhan Xiao has gone?"
“Your Highness, please forgive me, I truly did not know. Before Brother Zhan left, he only repeatedly instructed me to take good care of Your Highness. If Your Highness is willing, you may make Su Garden your place of residence.” Su Wenjing spoke earnestly.
Jiang Fushi slowly shook her head: "No, I want to go find him."
“This…” Su Wenjing hurriedly dissuaded him: “Your Highness, please think it over! The situation outside is extremely tense. The court and various forces are searching for your whereabouts. Going out at this time would be tantamount to walking into a trap!”
Wan Niang also advised, "Sister, what my husband says is right. Why don't we stay here for now and discuss this further?"
“Sister,” Jiang Fushi said, “if the person who left without saying goodbye today, whose fate is unknown, were Young Master Su, would you feel at ease waiting for him in this garden?”
Wan Niang was speechless for a moment. When she looked at Su Wenjing, his gaze was also on her, and everything was understood without words.
Su Wenjing pondered for a moment, knowing that he could not stop it: "If we talk about things in this world, there is nothing more effective than 'wind matchmakers'. Your Highness may go and give it a try."
Wind-driven?
Jiang Fushi had never heard of such an organization before and was filled with doubts, but she also knew that this was the only clue to finding Zhan Xiao. After finding out the exact location, she immediately bid farewell to Su Wenjing and Wan Niang, changed into a plain cloth dress, and took a carriage to the west of the city.
This was an inconspicuous teahouse. Jiang Fushi got off the carriage in front of the door and was led into a quiet room by a waiter.
Following the rules of the martial arts world that Su Wenjing had told her, she arranged three copper coins in a triangular formation on the table. Before long, a middle-aged man dressed like a Confucian merchant pushed open the door and entered, inviting her into the inner room with a humble smile.
The man suddenly turned around and bowed to her, saying, "Your Highness, Yuhe."
Jiang Fushi was shocked and subconsciously took half a step back, her hand already on the silver needle hidden in her sleeve: "How...how do you recognize me?"
The man smiled calmly, his expression composed: "I am Wen Yuan, the head of the matchmaking department in Huizhou. To be honest, we have been waiting for Your Highness to come to us."
"What?"
To Jiang Fushi's surprise, Wen Yuan slowly raised his hand and gave an order to the door. Soon, a servant came in with a tea tray and served two cups of tea.
The aroma of tea is refreshing and lingers around the nose.
"This is this year's freshly picked Mao Feng tea. It's sweet and refreshing, Your Highness, please enjoy it." Wen Yuan raised his hand and gestured for him to sit down in the chair opposite him.
“Your Highness need not be alarmed or on guard. Although Fengmei is a Jianghu organization, it has always only recognized information and not people. Since we know about the affairs of the world, we naturally know about Your Highness’s dealings with Hanren.”
"Hanren fought fiercely for Your Highness, and this friendship is known throughout the martial world."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Fushi was overwhelmed with emotion. "Since you already know I will come to your door, you must also know what I want. State your conditions."
Wen Yuan rose from his chair and bowed deeply to Jiang Fushi: "Please follow me, Your Highness."
Passing through a carved hidden door, one enters a simply furnished bedroom, the air filled with a faint medicinal fragrance. Lifting the plain-colored gauze curtain hanging beside the bed, one sees a pale-faced man lying quietly on the bed, his features young and handsome, but lifeless.
"Who is this?" Jiang Fushi frowned and stopped in front of the door.
Wen Yuan's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "The person on the bed is Shui Lingyu, the leader of our Fengmei. Our leader has been traveling the world for many years and inevitably has made enemies. Many years ago, he was ambushed and poisoned with a strange poison, and he has been unconscious ever since. We have searched for famous doctors everywhere but none of them could help. We learned that Your Highness is skilled in both medicine and poison, so we took the liberty of setting up this trap to lure Your Highness here and earnestly request Your Highness's assistance."
He bowed deeply again: "As long as Your Highness is willing to help, regardless of success or failure, the entire Fengmei will be grateful for your great kindness and will tell you everything about Hanren's whereabouts without any falsehood."
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