Chapter 76 Chapter 76 "You're crazy."
Sheng Puzhu's eyes moistened as she stared at him in disbelief: "You're crazy."
"I'm not crazy. This has always been the Xie family's rule for a hundred years."
"Why?"
Sheng Puzhu didn't know whether he was asking him or questioning himself.
To say I wasn't moved would be a lie.
The most handsome and beautiful man in Dayan is not only her bedmate, but is also willing to pretend to be a loving model couple with her. But is this a bit too much?
She was injured and he went to the ancestral hall to receive punishment. What kind of thing is this?
We can't let every beating he receives be in vain.
He was the youngest general of Dayan, a man who was even more trustworthy than the gods at Yumen Pass. Once he thought about it, he would go to the ancestral hall to be punished because of her injury.
Sheng Puzhu felt that she really deserved to die. She couldn't bear such a heavy cause and effect, and she wanted to live a long life in the future.
"Madam, what do you think it is for?" Xie Zhiyan fixed his eyes on her, raised his thin lips, and then quickly lowered them.
This question was so profound that Sheng Puzhu didn't know how to answer it. Her watery almond-shaped eyes seemed to have been washed by rain, so clean that only the dark pupils were visible, with a luster like glass.
She seemed to have grasped something, yet also seemed to have grasped nothing.
The girl who seems to be good at loving, as lovable as a flower, has a beauty that can captivate everyone. But in fact, only she knows that the word "love" is too precious, just like the girl's freedom.
"I have no idea."
Sheng Puzhu lowered her head, which had been raised high, and her neck, as white as jade, curved back into a crescent shape as her body moved. She gradually calmed down and refuted the question clearly and logically.
"My dear, I should be grateful for protecting you."
"You asked Cangguan to follow you, it was out of your good intentions, I have no way to repay you. It's just that the whipping was too harsh. You are the prince, you shouldn't lose your dignity because of me."
"So, next time, my dear, please don't mention the flogging again."
"I will just assume you never said such a thing."
Xie Zhiyan seemed to laugh out of anger. He stared at those soft eyes that looked ready to be wet with tears at any moment, and said in a cold and unkind tone: "The Xie family's ancestral precepts say that anyone who wants to be a pillar of society must first be upright, have a harmonious relationship with his wife and children, and have a harmonious relationship with his clan. He must be a good wife and a happy family."
"Madam, are you asking me to abandon my ancestors' teachings?"
How dare she.
Sheng Puzhu couldn't bear his heavy gaze, her body trembled helplessly, surging emotions fluctuated violently in her eyes, her hands and feet seemed to be frozen, and every word Xie Zhiyan said was filled with a hot breath, hitting her heavily, and there was no escape.
"That's not what I meant."
"What does that mean, ma'am?"
"I……"
Sheng Puzhu opened her mouth. She felt very annoyed. She shouldn't have rejected him so strongly just now. It would have been better if she had been more gentle.
But no matter whether it should be said or not, it has already been said, and she naturally cannot take it back.
Unable to think of a better reason, she could only sit there in silence, trying to minimize her presence.
Xie Zhiyan waited for a while, and seeing that she remained silent, he didn't get angry. Instead, he curled his lips good-naturedly and smiled slightly with his eyes lowered.
The carriage swayed, but he continued to look at her, bluntly and boldly.
Sheng Puzhu wanted to avoid it, but unfortunately the originally spacious carriage became crowded because of him, his tall and broad body, and his long, bent legs.
She felt uncomfortable sitting there, and was afraid that she would lose her momentum and be caught by him again. Her heart was in turmoil, and she curled up her palms. She simply lifted the curtain of the car to look at the bustling street scene outside.
It would have been fine if she hadn't opened it, but once she did, she almost couldn't breathe.
The big signboard with three characters "Linlang Pavilion" hit Sheng Puju's eyes directly. She was startled, and her body reacted faster than her brain. Her fingertips seemed to be burned and suddenly loosened.
"What did Madam see?" Xie Zhiyan supported his chin with one hand and turned sideways to raise the curtain again.
The street was crowded and the carriage was not moving fast. He even glanced at her slowly before glancing at the very conspicuous wooden sign of Linlang Pavilion, his eyes narrowed slightly for a moment.
"Nothing."
"I just lost my concentration and thought I saw someone I knew."
Sheng Puzhu smiled guiltily, biting her lower lip lightly with her pearly teeth.
"Oh, Madam, do you have any acquaintances in Linlang Pavilion?" Xie Zhiyan tilted his eyes downward and asked with a smile.
"No, absolutely not."
"It's just an ordinary jewelry store. I usually go there when I have nothing to do."
At this point, she suddenly changed the subject and asked in a very stiff tone, "I heard from my mother that you went to Boling a few days ago?"
Xie Zhiyan nodded and waited for her next words.
"Boling is nearly a thousand miles away from Chang'an, and it's only been less than seven days since you left home. You..." Sheng Puzhu's breathing became a little rapid. After hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you tired?"
"Madam, are you concerned about me?"
Sheng Puju nodded. This was her responsibility as a wife, and she did not deny it.
"Not too tired. Before, at Yumen Pass, the military situation was critical and it was common for us to travel day and night. I'm used to it."
Xie Zhiyan raised his eyes and looked at it carefully.
The first thing that caught his eye was her thick, dense eyelashes that were still trembling gently, her porcelain-white skin with a faint pink, her lips naturally red, her delicate and charming features, her every frown and smile, even when she frowned, was so beautiful that people could not help but indulge in her.
He knew that she was trying to change the subject abruptly, but instead of pointing it out, he answered in a very cooperative manner.
Speaking of Yumen Pass, Sheng Puju had many curious questions in his heart, but unfortunately the carriage had already stopped steadily in front of Princess Duanyang's door.
Princess Duanyang's voice was consistent and lively.
"Bozhu."
"My dearest, I waited till the flowers were cold before you came."
"Come down quickly and see what good things I have prepared for you."
"My dear, I'm here." Sheng Puzhu stood up, looked at him cautiously, and pointed behind him.
oh.
It turned out that he was blocking her way. Xie Zhiyan thought maliciously that if he didn't get up today, would she have the courage to step over him if she was forced into a corner?
Even though he thought so, he still stood up considerately and said gently, "No hurry, I'll go down first and then help you."
"Oh, okay."
Princess Duanyang was standing outside the carriage with a smile on her face, when the curtain was lifted and a slender and broad hand stretched out.
Her heart skipped a beat for no reason, and then she saw Xie Zhiyan get off the carriage with an expressionless face.
Princess Duanyang felt like the sky was falling, but fortunately God saved her life. She did not get depressed and asked the lovers in the mansion to dress up and go out to welcome her.
"Madam." Xie Zhiyan stretched out his hand, tapped the shaft of the carriage with his knuckles, and made an invitation gesture with his palm facing up.
"Thank you, my lord." Sheng Puzhu lowered her eyes, took his hand, and stepped down from the carriage.
"Why is Xie Sanlang here?" Princess Duanyang had an expression as if she had seen a ghost. She quietly pulled Sheng Puzhu aside and asked in a voice that only the two of them could hear clearly.
"He wants to send it, and I can't stop him." Sheng Puzhu was also helpless.
"My ancestor, he is the living King of Hell. You have to stop him even if you can't."
"Your dear aunt, I don't want to stay at Tianchang Temple again. I'm almost vomiting after eating all the food there."
Sheng Puzhu: "..."
Princess Duanyang simply threw up her hands and said, "Forget it. Things have come to this point. We can only take it one step at a time."
Sheng Puzhu made an understanding expression and nodded heavily: "Don't worry, if he dares to send you to Tianchang Monastery this time, I will make trouble for you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Zhiyan suddenly looked at her.
Although Sheng Puzhu knew that he couldn't possibly hear her because they were too far away, she was still so scared that she hid behind Duan Yang and said dejectedly, "The food at Tianchang Temple is delicious. I've tried it before."
"If it really doesn't work, would you mind being a little bit aggrieved?"
"roll."
"I won't eat it." Princess Duanyang seemed to be gritting her teeth, but in fact she was doting and tapping her forehead. "You little heartless girl, I've been so kind to you for nothing."
Sheng Puzhu smiled and tried to hide, with an expression more varied than ever before.
Xie Zhiyan took the reins from Cangguan and jumped on the horse.
"Goodbye, my dear." Sheng Puzhu suppressed his emotions, and bowed politely and dignifiedly in his direction from a distance.
Xie Zhiyan pursed his lips, sitting upright on the horse's back as straight as a pine tree. The sunlight fell through the glazed tiles, casting mottled colors on his shoulders, like broken gold light, making him indescribably handsome.
"Has Xie Sanlang left?"
"Um."
Princess Duanyang cheered. She didn't care about that and quickly took Sheng Puzhu's hand, saying happily, "To welcome you, I've had the mansion cleaned up inside and out."
"I've also added a few new camellia plants, which I'll be growing in the yard where you usually live."
"And the cook in the mansion, I have a new aunt who makes delicious pastries."
Princess Duanyang introduced herself to him in a rambling manner. After they walked around the screen wall, they entered the flower hall hand in hand. She waved to her husband, who was still dancing, and said, "You can go ahead. There's no need to wait on me here."
Sheng Puzhu was a little surprised: "You won't let us dance the Huxuan today?"
Princess Duanyang pinched her with a look of dismay: "The scar has healed and the pain has been forgotten. What's the point of dancing?"
"Are you stupid? If your husband comes to kill you, will you die or me?"
"Hmm." Princess Duanyang asked herself, "I think the chances of me dying are higher. He won't be willing to touch you."
Sheng Puzhu's eyes were blank: "It shouldn't be that serious, right?"
"That's just you don't think so."
"This is a matter of life and death for me. How can I not be cautious?" Princess Duanyang frowned at this. "Didn't the letter you sent me say that Sanlang was not in Chang'an?"
Sheng Puzhu took a cup of tea to moisten his throat and complained with regret, "He was definitely not in Chang'an the day I delivered the letter. I'm afraid he only returned from Boling this morning when I went to pay my respects to my mother."
"If I had known, I would never have bothered you."
Princess Duanyang nodded seriously: "If I had known he was here, I would never have let you come even if you put a knife to my neck."
"Oh, let's not talk about this. If he really gets angry, you can just try to comfort him. But we still have business to deal with."
Seeing that the lighting in the hall was dim, the dancing and music were chaotic, and the incense was heavy, Sheng Puzhu suggested, "Why don't we go to the study?"
The midday sun is soft and warm, like free gold scattered on the ground.
The study was spacious, with windows that opened outwards. There were pens, ink and various booklets on the desk. In the middle of the rosewood table was a thin stack of rice paper, flattened with a paperweight.
Sheng Puzhu pointed at the picture on the rice paper with her fair fingertips and nodded gently, "This is a necklace. I referenced the Dunhuang murals in the book. The chain is made of pure gold, and I plan to use glass, pear, jade, red pearls, and amber for the hanging beads."
Then she pointed to the two pearl chains she had drawn separately. "This one was added at the back, starting from the chest area downwards. The length can be adjusted as desired."
Princess Duanyang nodded, her eyes sparkling. She pulled out a few smaller sheets of rice paper from under the paperweight and asked, "What about the rest?"
Sheng Puzhu smiled and said, "These are some of the jewelry that girls wear in the spring and early summer."
"Although the collar is not commonly used, it is acceptable. There are also hairpins, hairpins, armlets, bracelets, and jade pendants. These must be made in a hurry."
"Although we already have a regular customer base for custom-made jewelry, most of them are ladies you know well, so we don't need to advertise it. However, there are many young women in Dayan, and they are still willing to spend money to buy fashionable gadgets."
Princess Duanyang agreed very much.
"Although we have many princesses in Dayan, not all of them have concubines. Young ladies are shy, so naturally the jewelry they wear on a daily basis is more to their liking."
"Just in time?"
Sheng Puzhu thought for a moment and said, "Time is a bit tight, but if nothing unexpected happens, we can still make it to the end of spring."
"OK."
"Then we'll follow the style on your drawing. Yingluo doesn't have to worry. But for the accessories needed in spring and summer, I'll ask the craftsmen to make samples first. We'll discuss how to adjust them then?" asked Princess Duanyang.
Sheng Puzhu nodded, then added with some worry, "For now, the various gemstones we purchased at great expense are sufficient, but by next season, the store's inventory will probably be tight."
"Then send another batch?"
Sheng Puzhu's raven-feathered eyelashes blinked, and after a long moment of deliberation, he said, "Although peace is now in our hands, we can buy gemstones from India and Persia from the foreign merchants. However, the prices are simply too high, and we'll make a killing."
"If possible, I actually still want to go to the port in Dengzhou by myself."
Princess Duanyang's eyes widened: "This won't do. It's too dangerous."
"Don't even mention that Sanlang disagrees. Even if the elders in the family knew, they wouldn't agree."
Sheng Puzhu sighed in disappointment, "I know it's dangerous to leave home, but if Linlang Pavilion wants to grow bigger, we must at least have a stable source of goods instead of always trading with foreign merchants."
"Good Puzhu, I know that's the truth, but in this situation, if anything happens to you, Sanlang will definitely be the first to go crazy."
Sheng Puzhu didn't believe it. She didn't respond to Princess Duanyang's words. Instead, she lazily propped up her forehead and muttered, "I'm almost tired of living in Chang'an. When I was a child, my grandmother told me there was a port in Dengzhou. When merchant ships docked, they would not only sell jewelry and jade, but also many imported goods that Dayan didn't have."
"If you're lucky, you might even encounter a merchant ship sailing out to sea. It only takes three or four days to reach Penglai from the port."
Princess Duanyang was immediately delighted: "You want Sanlang to take you there?"
Sheng Puzhu almost shook his head like a rattle: "No, this is not allowed."
The two discussed the blueprints and made some improvements to the details. They had a few bites of lunch and quickly finished their dinner.
Late at night, Sheng Puzhu yawned. "I'll still have Aunt Wei hand over the blueprints. She'll be in charge of contacting the craftsmen. If there's anything Aunt Wei can't resolve, I'll have her come to the Princess's Mansion to look for you first."
Princess Duanyang smiled and said, "Don't worry, your workshop is well hidden, and I have people watching over it, so nothing will go wrong."
At night, the spring wind is chilly to the bone, the cold dew is thicker, and frost has formed on the grass.
Sheng Puju curled up on the bed. The hot water bottle in her arms had become cold. She turned over in a daze.
At the same time, the window frame made a very light "creaking" sound.
Xie Zhiyan, with his body covered in cold dew, walked into the inner room with a dignified manner. He tiptoed to the bed and quietly looked at his wife who was sleeping soundly behind the curtains.
It was a chilly spring day, and she curled up softly, as quiet and obedient as a cat. On the contrary, he was suppressing his emotions and tossing and turning in bed.
Xie Zhiyan's eyes were red from staying up late. In the darkness, he was like a wolf staring at its prey, with danger hidden in his sharp pupils.
Sheng Puzhu closed her eyes and was completely unaware. The collar of her plain white dress opened up, and the front slid to her collarbone, revealing a large area of her snow-white shoulders.
"lady."
Xie Zhiyan called her, bent his knees and pressed against the edge of the couch. It looked like a gentleman's action, but in fact, it was more like gathering strength before hunting.
"Um?"
Sheng Puzhu opened his eyes drowsily and looked at him not quite clearly. Although he felt it was very strange, he instinctively moved to the inside.
"My dear, go to sleep." She patted the empty space, subconsciously getting used to his scent.
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