Chapter 71 I Will Kill You
Yunsheng went to the kitchen and brought over some sesame cakes.
After Zhao Changning washed up, he ate slowly, "You're not going to quit your job as a tutor in the palace, are you?"
Mingxuan shook his head. "No, I just covered a lot of classes recently and hired someone to help me out for a while. It's nothing serious."
Zhao Changning nodded. She ate a sesame cake and half a bowl of porridge, then felt a little exhausted and went back to rest.
She didn't know when she woke up from her trance.
The green tent fluttered in the wind. The dim light made her lose track of the world, let alone the sun, moon, stars, and time. She only felt a great fear enveloping her heart. The whole world was so quiet that it seemed as if she was the only one there.
Zhao Changning sat up in fear, sweating profusely, but found a figure sitting by the window, a woman.
She thought it was a dream and she hadn't woken up yet. What time was it now? How long had she slept?
"Yunsheng? Yunsheng? Yunsheng..."
"Are you awake?" The woman heard the voice and turned around quickly. "Changning, are you awake?"
Zhao Changning leaned on the edge of the bed, looking at Wen Xiaoning, who was combing her hair in a woman's style, with narrowed eyes. "Sister Xiaoning?"
Wen Xiaoning smiled and said, "It's me. What? Don't you recognize me?"
"How could I not recognize you?" Zhao Changning sat up with difficulty, his heart already alert. "I've always been thinking about you."
Wen Xiaoning reached out to help her fix her hair, but was dodged. She didn't care and just smiled gently, "Changning, you are sick. Since I knew it, how could I not come to see you?"
Zhao Changning said in a hoarse voice: "Thank you for your kindness, you can go back now."
Wen Xiaoning smiled, "I just arrived and haven't said much. Changning, you're so powerful now, you've even become the Imperial Female Secretary. I thought..."
Although she spoke with concern, her actions showed no concern at all.
"Did you think I was dead?" Zhao Changning leaned against the soft pillow and smiled at her. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sister Xiaoning."
Wen Xiaoning could hear her displeasure, but ignored it. The smile on his face remained unchanged, and he said sadly, "Changning, you are still angry with me, right?"
Zhao Changning shook his head, feeling a little annoyed. He also felt that her smile was particularly glaring. "No, you don't deserve it, you don't deserve it. Go away."
The smile on Wen Xiaoning's face faltered, and Qi Wan complained, "It's been so long, Changning..."
Suddenly Yunsheng rushed in, "Auntie, Auntie, what's wrong?"
Mingxuan and others followed in.
When Zhao Changning raised her eyes, she saw the two brothers of the Qiao family. Before she could move, Qiao Da suddenly raised his foot and walked towards the bed.
"Why are you crying?" Qiao Da put his arm around Wen Xiaoning's shoulders and said softly, "Didn't you say you haven't seen Changning for a long time and missed her? Why are you still crying?"
Zhao Changning stiffly turned his eyes and looked over. He didn't know when Wen Xiaoning had already wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She had always been gentle, timid, weak and pretty.
She couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth into a cold smile.
Wen Xiaoning wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, "Yes, I'm too happy. I really shouldn't be crying."
Mingxuan keenly sensed Zhao Changning's impatience. He was very familiar with this impatience, just like the day when he broke into the basement and was severely scolded by her.
She must be offended at this moment and is very alert.
Realizing this, he immediately asked the two brothers and Wen Xiaoning to leave.
"Miss Changning is not well yet, let's not disturb her rest..."
Qiao Da took the initiative to move his feet, and he was still patiently comforting Wen Xiaoning, "Don't cry, let's wait until Changning is better next time to come and visit, silly girl, why are you crying?"
Wen Xiaoning turned around with a sad face, and when she saw Zhao Changning's cold eyes, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned her head and whispered, "Okay, husband, I'll listen to you. Let's go."
She didn't say to her husband until she left softly, "My dear, Changning is an official now. Will she be of any help to you? I'm so useless. I should have just..."
Qiao Da shook his head and smiled dotingly, "Don't worry, take care of yourself. After all, we were friends before. Even if you can't help me, you won't hurt me. That's enough."
Wen Xiaoning was terrified when he heard this, and he almost couldn't maintain the expression on his face.
Zhao Changning looked at Qiao Er and said, "Thank you, Mr. Qiao, for coming to see me."
How could Qiao Er not know about the relationship between her and Wen Xiaoning? He sighed, "You always called me Brother Qiao Er before, but now you don't even want to call me by my given name?"
Zhao Changning smiled faintly, his eyes slightly cold, "People will eventually grow up."
Mingxuan looked up at the two of them, and thought of Zhao Changning calling him "brother" in the middle of the night. Only then did he realize that the two of them were old acquaintances, but he didn't know how they knew each other.
After the others left, he didn't ask anything, but Yunsheng spoke instead.
"Aunt, did you know them before?"
"Yeah." Zhao Changning nodded and took the tea from Mingxuan without further explanation. "Did you get a letter?"
Mingxuan shook his head, "Not yet."
Zhao Changning sighed. There must be something going on in the court, otherwise the emperor would not delay.
Since she was already here, she decided to make the best of it. After sending a letter to Song Huan and others, she had no choice but to stay and recuperate.
But this day, Wen Xiaoning came alone.
It rarely rains. After the thunder, the air is filled with a smell of dust. Raindrops as big as beans hit the window frames. The hot wind in the past finally brings a cool breeze.
Zhao Changning wore no makeup, her hair cascading down her shoulders, and she looked noble and elegant. She sat leisurely on a recliner, swaying leisurely.
Wen Xiaoning didn't smile at this moment, but sat quietly aside.
"Changning..." She couldn't wait for Zhao Changning to finish her words, so she spoke first with difficulty, "Don't take the past to heart. We were still young back then..."
Zhao Changning laughed, "Sister Xiaoning, don't you think it's ridiculous when you say that?"
She said calmly, "There's no one else here right now, so just say what you want to say."
Wen Xiaoning said nervously, "Now that you've made great progress, my husband and I are truly happy for you. Changning, it hasn't been easy for my husband to get to where he is now. You..."
Zhao Changning looked at her with sarcasm and waited for her to continue, but she didn't.
"You think I'll take revenge? That's why you come here to apologize today?" She raised her lips, feeling happy. "Are you afraid of me?"
Wen Xiaoning lowered his head and said nothing.
Zhao Changning sneered, "Back then, you stepped on me, got entangled with Qiao Er, and even let me see it. Then you stepped on him and hooked up with his brother. I don't want to care about all that, but there is one thing I want to ask you. Did you kill Xiao Hei?"
Wen Xiaoning shook her head repeatedly, "No, Changning, I didn't. I know how much you cherish those two cats..."
Zhao Changning raised his hand to stop her, "You don't have to deny it so quickly. Nian Yao and Sun Yue, oh, you don't know yet? They were buried alive with the late emperor. Before they died, they said a lot."
Wen Xiaoning's face turned pale when he heard her casually mention this. "They...are, are you?"
Zhao Changning stood up, neither denying nor admitting, his eyes as cold as ice and his tone chilling.
"Wen Xiaoning, I've seen through your heart and soul a long time ago, so don't come hanging around me again. I'm sparing your life not because of our past affection, but for the sake of the Qiao family. Do you understand?"
Wen Xiaoning's face turned sad, "Changning, I..."
Zhao Changning looked at her wiping her tears with disgust. Thinking of how he had been deceived in the past, he couldn't help but grit his teeth.
"If you don't care about the Qiao family, you can tell others what you have to say. It will also let others see what kind of heart you have. It will also let your husband see how you hooked up with his brother Qiao Er and how you got to be with him."
Wen Xiaoning shuddered all over and dared not say another word.
Zhao Changning closed his eyes tiredly, "Go away, don't come to see me again. Next time we meet, I won't forgive you."
She looked straight at Wen Xiaoning, her pale lips moving up and down as she said angrily, "I will kill you."
Mingxuan came over with a lot of vegetables and happened to see Wen Xiaoning running out, as if he was fleeing in panic, without even an umbrella.
He went upstairs with some doubts, but saw Zhao Changning giving him a ostentatious smile. He was speechless for a moment.
"I, I bought some things and will make you something delicious."
Zhao Changning smiled and nodded. "I feel much better today. It's rare for me to spend a few days in Zhejiang, so let's have some drinks tonight. You've been in Zhejiang for a long time, do you have any good wine?"
Soon a table full of delicious dishes was prepared, mostly by the inn's kitchen helpers, but one dish of stewed pork ribs with yam was made by Mingxuan.
Mingxuan poured wine for Zhao Changning, "This Shaoxing daughter red is a must-have for wealthy families when they give birth to or marry off daughters. Try it."
Zhao Changning drank some. "It's not as mellow as the one sent to the palace, but it's slightly sweet and sour, without the bitterness of the spiciness. Not bad."
Mingxuan couldn't help but laugh when he heard her praise.
It rained heavily during the day and the night became cool. At some point, the moon came out.
Yunsheng and Anyi did not drink any alcohol. After eating, they went back to rest.
Zhao Changning's mood was unstable because of Wen Xiaoning, and after drinking, he also felt some emotions that he had never felt before.
"Master Ming, you lost your official position and your talent is not appreciated. You can only be a teacher. Do you feel bad?"
Mingxuan shook his head. He stood up and poured another glass for Zhao Changning, saying with a smile, "The night is clear and dust-free, the moonlight is as bright as silver. When you pour wine, make sure it's ten-tenths full. Fame and profit are vain and exhausting..."
He held the wine pot, waved his hand gracefully, and recited aloud, "... sighing for the colt in the gap, the fire in the stone, the body in the dream. Although I have a literary talent, who will be close to me when I open my mouth? I am content and happy, enjoying the innocence. When will I return and be an idle person? Facing a zither, a pot of wine, and a stream of clouds." [1]
Zhao Changning leaned against the window, supporting his forehead with one hand. The bright moonlight, as clear as jade, fell on Mingxuan, adding a touch of poetry to him, not to mention that he was reciting lyrics that she had never heard of, which made him, the third place winner in the imperial examination, even more graceful and elegant.
"What does this mean?" Her eyes were fixed on Mingxuan's handsome and flawless face, with a smile on her lips.
Mingxuan patiently explained to her, "Enjoy the beautiful scenery, the wine under the moon, and enjoy it to the fullest. Fame and fortune are like fleeting clouds, changing and volatile, consuming all your energy and effort. Life is but a fleeting moment, a fleeting thought, a fleeting thought, a fleeting thought..."
He sat on the ground, looking up at Zhao Changning, their eyes met. Although they never spoke, he felt that she understood him.
"Changning, are you willing to be my confidant?"
Zhao Changning lowered his eyes, smiled and shook his head, "Master Ming, you are drunk."
Mingxuan was indeed drunk. He leaned against the armrest with his eyes closed, as if he was asleep.
Two days later, the sun was shining brightly.
It was like the sky cleared up after the rain, and the emperor's decree finally arrived. Zhao Changning did not hesitate and immediately went to the provincial government to ask for ships.
Zhou Mi had no choice but to give the boat away after hesitation.
"Do you know how many letters the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War have written to me?" After Zhao Changning left, he looked at Mingxuan who had followed him and sighed, "Forget it, let's see how far she can go."
Mingxuan laughed, his eyes gleaming, "She will get out."
Zhao Changning didn't want to waste time, so he prepared to rush back to Jiangxi overnight and said goodbye to Mingxuan before leaving.
"Master Ming, you are going back to Yujing as well, right?"
Mingxuan nodded. The dim light from the candlelight could not reveal his reluctance. He wanted to persuade her to stay for a few days to take care of her health, but he also knew that time was running out and she had no time to waste.
Thousands of words are reduced to one sentence, "Miss Changning, have a safe journey."
"Have a nice trip." Zhao Changning lowered the curtain with a smile and said to Yunsheng, "Let's go."
Mingxuan suddenly took two steps after her, "Mother Xu is very worried about you, remember to send a letter back."
He didn't wait for Zhao Changning's response and could only watch the carriage rumble away.
Anyi was a little worried, "We've been gone for so long, I wonder how they are doing?"
Zhao Changning closed his eyes and rested, not too worried. There were only two situations now: one was smooth sailing, and the other was not smooth sailing. The biggest reason might be money.
She sighed inwardly. After worrying about the boat, she now had to worry about money.
Sure enough, nothing goes smoothly.
In the middle of July, I braved the scorching heat and rushed back to Jingdezhen. I found that there were people hanging around at the gate of the courtyard on Wazi Street from time to time.
After seeing Zhao Changning, these people looked at each other, and no one knew what they were discussing, and then they all left.
Song Huan and Zhou Miao breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her come back. "Aunt, how much silver did the Ministry of Revenue allocate? We are out of money."
"The remaining 100,000 taels have been used up?" Zhao Changning frowned. It was so fast.
Zhou Miao nodded. "Auntie, you should have seen some people when you came in, right? Those are the people who haven't been paid yet. They already owe quite a lot. Hey, how long will the Ministry of Revenue drag on? It's only 500,000 taels."
Zhao Changning knew that the matter could no longer be delayed. After the head of the Zheng family expressed his position, she had already thought of this situation.
"I'll be going to Nanchang Prefecture soon. Don't worry, I'm here."
The arrow is on the string and must be shot. The porcelain must be shipped out to sea. There is no turning back.
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The author has something to say: [1] Su Shi - "Xingxiangzi·Shu Huai"
My period is here [burst into tears][burst into tears], it’s killing me, I’ll write more tomorrow, thank you babies!
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