Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The string called virtue suddenly broke...
Jiang Shu originally wanted to take advantage of the opportunity when Lu Changji was combing her hair to pretend to be intimate with Lu Changji unintentionally, but looking at the ambiguous shadow, her heart was beating like a drum, and she didn't dare to seduce Lu Changji anymore.
She took out Lu Changji's handkerchief and handed it to him politely, saying softly, "I've been quite busy these past few days, and I've finally found the opportunity to return it to you today."
The handkerchief was a small matter, but it was unreasonable for the sister-in-law to take her uncle's handkerchief. Lu Changji took the handkerchief, which was stained with Jiang Shu's scent. The fragrance in the goose pear tent filled his nose, sweet and fragrant.
Jiang Shu returned to Xinchunyuan later than expected. Although she suffered a setback at Lu Changji's place, at least not everything went wrong. She received an invitation from Zhao Yingyun.
The Zhao family is of high status, and their contacts are all high-ranking officials and dignitaries. Pregnancy is too unlikely, so it is not impossible for her to find a good marriage for Jiang Rong when she attends the banquet.
On the day of the banquet, Jiang Shu bought an outfit according to Zhao's dressing style. Her cheeks were still a little tender, but because of the luxurious fabric, she looked quite dignified like a lady.
The lotus viewing banquet was organized by Madam Zhao. The guests attending the banquet included both the mistress of the house like Madam Zhao and Zhao Yingyun's close friends. The banquet was packed and lively.
After admiring the lotus flowers, everyone gathered in groups of three or four to chat. Miss Wu said, "Did you hear? Last night, the prince of the Kaiyang Marquis's mansion beat another concubine to death. I heard that the concubine was three months pregnant. She was beaten to death just because she accidentally broke the prince's glass flower cup."
The girls in the boudoir were not as busy as the wives of the head of the household, and their only concern was marriage. The Zheng family had a title, and the Earl of Kaiyang held the title of the third rank, so the status of the prince Zheng had risen accordingly. Young ladies who were well-matched with him were very likely to become his marriage partners, so everyone present was paying close attention to the developments of the Zheng family.
As soon as Miss Wu finished speaking, Miss Wang took over. She trembled and held up four fingers, whispering, "I heard that Prince Zheng has already beaten four concubines to death. Including the one from yesterday, that makes five."
After he finished speaking, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and the young ladies whose family backgrounds were slightly inferior to the Zheng family were even more terrified.
The young ladies were silent, but the table of the wives who were in charge of the household was very lively.
They were talking about the family affairs of Minister Lin of the Ministry of Justice. Minister Lin was a man of noble character. He was always clean around him, both before and after his marriage. Apart from his wife, he had never touched any other woman.
Unfortunately, such a conceited man had an unlucky fate. He married two wives within four years, and both wives died of illness.
People at that time believed in fate and said that Minister Lin was destined to be unlucky in marriage. No respectable family would dare to marry a good young lady to him.
Jiang Shu didn't believe in those supernatural theories. How could people not get sick if they ate all kinds of grains? Death from illness could only be considered bad luck, and Minister Lin shouldn't be blamed for everything.
Others were unwilling to marry the young lady to Minister Lin, which actually gave Jiang Rong more opportunities.
Jiang Shu joined the conversation with a smile, and seemed to unintentionally inquire about Minister Lin's situation. She was very satisfied with his family background and personality.
Everyone thought Jiang Shu was just chatting, but Zhu Ningxue was paying attention to her every move. Zhu Ningxue was not familiar with Jiang Shu, but she often interacted with Jiang Ran.
According to Zhu Ningxue's status, she was not qualified to attend the Zhao family's banquet, but because she had reached the marriageable age, Zhu's mother asked her eldest sister who married into a wealthy family to take her to the Zhao family to socialize.
She attended the banquet but was ignored, so she turned her attention to Jiang Shu. Jiang Ran was of marriageable age, and seeing that Jiang Shu kept bringing up Minister Lin, she guessed that Jiang Shu was trying to set them up.
She secretly uttered a "tsk". Ever since Jiang Shu married into the Marquis' Mansion, Jiang Ran often boasted to her sisters, saying that even though she had a bad reputation, she could still marry into a wealthy family with the power of the Marquis' Mansion.
Minister Lin's official position was not low, but he was a widower who was unlucky in marriage. How could he be considered a good family? When she found the opportunity, she would definitely ridicule Jiang Ran.
The sun was setting in the west, and the banquet was coming to an end. Everyone gradually dispersed. Attending a banquet was the most tiring thing. When they returned to Xinchun Garden, Lu Changyi had already gone to bed. Jiang Shu simply leaned on the chaise longue and took a nap. At this time, Zhu'er tiptoed into the room.
Zhu'er pulled Jiang Shu to the side room, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Third Madam, I just went to the waterside pavilion to digest my food. Through the window, I heard Mr. Cheng talking to someone. He said that the master would go to Biyun Terrace to enjoy the moon in the evening, and asked the servants to clean Biyun Terrace."
Biyuntai is a courtyard in the Xinyang Marquis Mansion. There are rockery and Panchi in the courtyard. The terrain is high and open, which is perfect for watching the moon.
Jiang Shu stroked her flat belly, and all the tiredness in her body was swept away. She said to Zhu'er, "Hurry up and get two buckets of hot water from the bathroom. I need to wash and dress."
Zhu'er was born thin, but she was full of strength. She didn't need to tell the servant anything. She went into the bathroom carrying a bucket of hot water in one hand.
Jiang Shu soaked in the bathtub. The fragrant water gently moistened her skin, sweeping away her fatigue. Jiang Shu's tired cheeks gradually turned rosy.
After bathing, Jiang Shu sat at the dressing table to put on her makeup. Her eyes were like a pool of spring water, bright and dazzling. She applied some imperial rouge to the corners of her eyes, raised her eyes sideways, and walked with a charming look.
The night covered the sun, and Jiang Shu quietly entered Biyuntai. The courtyard was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and there was no servant around.
Lu Changji liked quietness, so Cheng Yong probably sent the servants in the courtyard elsewhere in advance.
Mist shrouds the pond water and the moon covers the sand. The moonlight is soft, not as bright as before, but it can perfectly illuminate the curves of people.
Jiang Shu tensed her body and dropped her coat to the ground. Summer clothes were thin, and underneath her coat were only her undershirt and panties. Jiang Shu glanced at the exquisite buildings in the courtyard, gritted her teeth, and untied her belt.
With her body exposed to the air, Jiang Shu couldn't help but tremble slightly. She raised her chin and slowly stepped into the Pan Pool.
The summer sun was the most scorching, and the pool water, which had been heated all day, was still warm even at night. Unfortunately, the warm water didn't make Jiang Shu relax. Her body became more and more tense, like a string that seemed ready to break at any moment.
Shame filled her heart, and Jiang Shu clenched her hands together. Her eyelashes trembled constantly, like a pair of butterflies flapping their wings.
Shame aside, she would not waver no matter what. Nothing was more important than being alive.
Everything was silent, and the sound of footsteps outside the yard seemed particularly clear. Jiang Shu's heart beat faster, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on her palms.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and her heartbeat was getting faster and faster. Jiang Shu took a deep breath, raised her foot, and was about to go to the bank of the pool, but Zhu'er's voice suddenly rang in her ears.
"Third Auntie, you haven't had your evening meal yet. Please have some before Master comes!"
Jiang Shu's nerves suddenly relaxed, and she turned to look at Zhu'er. Zhu'er put the food box by the pool and took out a plate of plum cakes from it.
Jiang Shu always likes sour and sweet tastes, but she has no appetite today. She has something on her mind and can't eat.
Jiang Shu shook her head and said to Zhu'er, "Take the plum cake back. I can't eat it."
Zhu'er didn't force Jiang Shu and put the plum cake back into the food box. At this time, footsteps were heard outside the yard again. The voice was deep and steady, and it must be Lu Changji.
Zhu'er picked up the food box in a hurry and hesitated, not knowing where to go.
Jiang Shu was also very nervous. She pointed to the main house and whispered to Zhu'er, "Go inside quickly."
Lu Changji would never go into the house to admire the moon. Zhu'er nodded and flew to the main house.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer to Jiang Shu. Although she had prepared herself mentally, her heart beat faster and her face flushed when she thought of her naked body.
The image from the fire-avoidance diagram emerged in my mind: a voluptuous woman and a muscular man...
The scene became more and more intimate. Jiang Shu didn't dare to think about it anymore. She forced herself to collect her thoughts. At this moment, she felt her throat dry and an indescribable feeling surged in her chest.
She pursed her lips, stepped out of the Pan Pool, and knelt on the cushion. Her upper body leaned out like a sideways flower in an extremely graceful posture. She assumed the posture she had imagined before, raised her arms and wiped the water stains on her hair.
Lu Changji pushed the door open and walked in. The courtyard was dark, and the woman with graceful posture and glowing white body standing by the pool caught his eye instantly.
He was good at fine brushwork and had sketched landscapes with beautiful lines, but he had never seen such charming outlines as the one before him.
With a "buzz" sound, the string called "virtue" in the body suddenly broke, and all the blood in the body rushed in the same direction.
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