Inside the prison cell, Wang was having her meal. She had been eating much better these past few days and had gradually gained weight.
A guard-like man approached the jailer, spoke a few words, and then opened the cell door. Wang was overjoyed; was this an offer to let her leave?
"Madam, let's go," the man said, taking out a rope and binding Wang's hands tightly.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" Wang asked hurriedly. Why was she tied up? Was that damned brat going to use torture? She struggled.
Too lazy to explain to her, the guard knocked her unconscious with a single slash and carried her out like a sack of potatoes.
When Wang woke up again, she found herself lying in a bed. She got up, rubbed her head, and looked around. The room was fully furnished and had a rather elegant feel to it.
Wang walked to the door, intending to push it open and go out to see what was happening, but found it locked. She pounded on the door and shouted, "Someone come here! Someone come here!"
The door opened, and a nanny came in: "Madam, you should stay here and rest during the days before giving birth. It's best not to think about going outside. Just tell me if you need anything."
Wang understood the threat in the old woman's words, forced a smile, nodded at her, and walked into the courtyard.
She pretended to be taking a walk in the courtyard, looking left and right, and found that not only were there guards in the courtyard, but there were also people watching outside the gate.
It seemed she was under house arrest. Wang thought to herself that she had seen this kind of treatment many times before. If a mistress of a slightly respectable family had a child, this was probably how she would be treated.
Find a yard to keep an eye on her, and then find an excuse to get rid of her after she gives birth. If she dies during childbirth, just wrap her in a straw mat and throw her out.
Wang sneered. To take the mother away and leave the child behind—what a vicious heart! She would not sit idly by and wait to die.
In recent days, Wang has been trying to escape from this house, but she has failed and has not been able to send out even a single message.
Since Wang was imprisoned by Zhou Jingzhi, Prime Minister Jian seems to have accepted reality and stopped causing trouble for Jian Yang.
That day, Jian Yang set up a barbecue stall in the yard, waiting for Jian Hong to come back so they could eat together.
"It's been a long time since I've had skewers," Jian Yang thought to herself, and casually skewered the marinated chicken wings and put them on the charcoal grill.
"Ayang, what are you doing? It smells so good." Jian Hong smelled a delicious aroma from afar after returning home, which whetted his appetite.
After saying that, he picked up a skewer of sizzling, oily pork belly and put it in his mouth, not caring whether it was hot or not. While eating, he handed Jian Yang a letter and said indistinctly, "Xiahou gave this to you."
"Given by Xiahou?" Jian Yang asked, somewhat puzzled, before wiping her hands and accepting the gift.
The letter mentioned that he had recovered well and wanted to meet with Jian Yang. The meeting place was a teahouse near the Prime Minister's residence, and he would wait for her in a private room on the second floor.
Jian Yang hesitated for a while, but after thinking about it all night, she decided to go and keep the appointment. It was time to make some things clear, Jian Yang thought to herself.
Early the next morning, Xiahou was waiting at the teahouse, constantly looking out the window, afraid of missing it.
Around noon, Jian Yang arrived at the teahouse.
"A-Yang, you've arrived." Xiahou hurriedly poured Jian Yang a cup of tea.
Jian Yang sat down, took the tea, sipped it, and asked, "What brings Lord Xiahou here to see me?"
After a moment of silence, he bit his lower lip and said hesitantly, "A-Yang, have you and the Emperor... made up?"
Seeing Xiahou's submissive expression, Jian Yang was utterly astonished. Wait, what's going on? Why does his expression make her look like some kind of heartless woman who started something and then abandoned it?
Jian Yang nodded without showing any emotion.
"So, do you still want to leave the capital?" Xiahou asked, looking dejected. In his view, Jian Yang didn't belong in the palace; she deserved a wider world, and staying here was like being trapped.
In fact, he already knew the answer, but he still held onto a sliver of hope that Jian Yang would remember him after leaving the Emperor.
“Lord Xiahou, I don’t plan to leave the capital. I can’t let him go. Even if I leave, my heart will always be tied to him,” Jian Yang said with a smile.
She could leave so easily before because she had no attachments. Now, even if she were to leave again, she would be like a kite with a string, unable to fly far. And the person on the ground holding the kite string is Zhou Jingzhi.
Seeing Xiahou's hesitant expression, Jian Yang sighed inwardly.
Although she's never been in a relationship, she's watched TV dramas for a reason. Xiahou has helped her so many times and even risked his life for her despite past grievances, so he probably has feelings for her.
That won't do. What if he confesses his feelings to me later? That would be so embarrassing!
Thinking of this, Jian Yang said earnestly, "Lord Xiahou, you are a really good person, but I already have someone in my heart. I apologize for the many foolish things I did to you before."
Xiahou Riyue's face paled. He hadn't expected Jian Yang to be so direct, exposing his most secret to the light of day. Seeing Jian Yang's open and honest expression, Xiahou suddenly smiled.
"No need to apologize, A-Yang. I hope you are happy. If you encounter any difficulties, come to me anytime. I will always be your friend."
Jian Yang suddenly felt a lump in her throat. No wonder the original owner of this body relentlessly pursued Xiahou. Such a good person was indeed worthy of being liked wholeheartedly, it's just that this person wasn't her.
She nodded and smiled brightly, saying, "Thank you. I'll be troubling you a lot in the future, my friend." With that, she offered Xiahou a cup of tea instead of wine.
The two chatted for a long time, until the afternoon, before Jian Yang left. She didn't go home, but instead went to the palace.
Zhou Jingzhi sat in the imperial study with a gloomy expression. No one knew what had happened. Eunuch Zhang didn't dare to utter a sound until Jian Yang arrived.
As if he had seen a savior, he hurriedly pulled Jian Yang and said, "Miss, you should go in and see the Emperor. I don't know what's wrong with him; he's been sitting there without saying a word all morning."
Upon hearing this, Jian Yang hurriedly pushed open the door and went inside.
As expected, Eunuch Zhang was right. The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was so gloomy it could suffocate anyone. Zhou Jingzhi sat expressionless in his chair, and Jian Yang could almost see a dark cloud floating over his head.
"What happened? Why do you look like that?" Jian Yang asked, frowning. Could it be that Zhou Jing'an had stirred up trouble again?
Zhou Jingzhi didn't speak, but just looked up at her and then lowered his eyes again.
Seeing him like this, Jian Yang became anxious: "What's wrong? Tell me! What happened?"
"It's nothing," Zhou Jingzhi finally spoke.
It would have been better not to say anything at all; Jian Yang was furious.
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