Chapter 230: Does the Jiang Dynasty Really Possess a Secret Treasure?
Su Zhenzhen was certain she had never seen the person in the painting before, but for some reason she had a feeling of familiarity.
It felt like this person had come incredibly close to me, like someone I'd just brushed past in a sea of people.
Su Zhenzhen frowned, deep in thought; the wrinkles between her brows could trap a fly.
"Zhenzhen, what's wrong?" Hensheng's gaze darted back and forth between the person in the painting and the person in front of him. "Do you know this person?"
"It's like looking at a flower through the fog. You know what you're seeing is a flower, but you can't quite make out what kind of flower it is. That's how I feel about this person. He could just reach out and clear away the fog, but the fog just keeps looming over him, like a shadow."
If the live chat were still active, people would definitely be calling Su Zhenzhen crazy.
What's this about "seeing flowers through the fog"? It just means knowing that the picture shows a person, and possibly a villain, but not knowing exactly what kind of villain or what evil deeds they're planning. It's practically saying nothing at all.
However, Hensheng was very understanding and took everything upon himself.
"There must be something wrong with my drawing. If my drawing skills were better, Zhenzhen wouldn't have this feeling."
Su Zhenzhen was speechless. This was too much like Versailles. If Hensheng's painting skills were considered bad, then the other painters in Jiangchao might as well not admit to being able to paint at all.
“It’s none of your business, it’s my problem.” Su Zhenzhen looked away from the portrait.
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Su Zhenzhen guessed it might be because she was pregnant, having heard that pregnancy causes significant mood swings.
Hensheng pulled the woman into his arms, rested his chin on her head, and spoke in a gentle and tender tone.
"Zhenzhen, why do I feel like you've suddenly become downcast?"
Su Zhenzhen moved her lips, hesitated for a long time, and finally took Hensheng's hand and brought it to her lower abdomen.
At first, Hensheng didn't understand what it meant, but after touching the thick, fleshy texture, he seemed to realize it belatedly.
"Zhenzhen...you?" Her tone was filled with barely concealed excitement and exhilaration, even with a hint of uncertainty and hesitation.
Su Zhenzhen looked up, not missing a single emotion in the man's eyes.
"Yes, I was pregnant that very night."
Hensheng was so excited that he didn't know what to say, and hugged Su Zhenzhen again and again.
"Zhenzhen, thank you."
Su Zhenzhen hugged Hensheng back, but said nothing.
If only time could stand still at this moment, there would be no deceit or treachery, and we would simply cherish the people in front of us.
Unfortunately, time is like the water in a river, destined to flow eastward and merge into the sea, never to return.
“Zhenzhen, let’s hold our wedding in Yangcheng. This time, I want to go through all the procedures with you, personally lift your red veil, and drink the wedding wine with you.”
Su Zhenzhen simply smiled and agreed.
However, things rarely go as planned, and all the good things in the world don't go according to our wishes.
Another group of people from Huzhou headed south, and there were also movements in the capital.
Instead of the imperial court intervening in the capital, they used the banner of a collateral branch of the Jiang family as a front.
The Jiang clan's collateral branch claimed that their members had been kidnapped by bandits from Yangcheng, denied any marriage alliance with the Yangcheng prefect, and threw mud at them.
The reason for requesting the court to send troops to attack was twofold: first, to find the lost members of the clan; and second, to vent their anger and let the world know that the Jiang clan was not someone that could be bullied by just anyone.
As for the previously circulated information about Hensheng's background, both the imperial court and the collateral branches of the Jiang family refused to acknowledge it.
Hensheng got busy again.
Chunzhi, who hadn't even had a few days of rest, was already back in battle.
The enemy was coming in a fierce manner, but Yangcheng was a fortified city with high walls and strong defenses. With proper deployment, repelling the enemy would not be a problem.
But things have developed to this point, and it's no longer as simple as just defeating the enemy.
If the enemy cannot be completely eliminated, they will inevitably return.
A siege is also a war of attrition; if it drags on, the city will eventually become easy prey.
Therefore, Hensheng decided to take the initiative, while Chunzhi stayed behind in Yangcheng to deal with the troops of the Jiang clan's collateral branch.
Since it wasn't in the name of the imperial court, even the collateral branches of the Jiang family needed to protect their reputation.
Chunzhi could use the marriage arrangement as an excuse to slow down the progress of the Jiang family's collateral branches.
Meanwhile, Hensheng personally led his troops north.
If Huzhou can advance south to attack Yangcheng, then Shanxian can also launch a northern expedition against Huzhou.
He wanted to see if, after the fall of Huzhou, they could still remain calm and serve as pawns for the imperial court.
This time, Su Zhenzhen decided to go north with Hensheng.
The obvious reason, of course, is that she is worried about Hensheng being in danger while she is not by his side.
Meanwhile, Su Zhenzhen was thinking that she had met General Huo, Li Xuanji, Xu Guanshan... in various ways.
General Hu Buwei, though renowned, lives on in people's mouths.
Su Zhenzhen subconsciously felt that she should find a way to meet him.
General Hu Buwei was stationed in Huzhou, and perhaps his legend can be found there.
If the goal is to decipher the mystery, then no secrets should be left unsolved, and no corner should be overlooked.
On the day the army set off, Jiang Sijin suddenly appeared.
Su Zhenzhen then learned that Hensheng had fabricated a story about a secret treasure of the Jiang royal family in order to keep Jiang Sijin in Xijun.
When Hensheng returned to Yangcheng with his men, Jiang Sijin was still searching all over Xijun.
"I found it." Jiang Sijin held a small wooden box, looking smug. "This is what I, the princess, found. I will not give you anything inside, and don't even think about taking it from me just because you are the Crown Prince."
Su Zhenzhen glanced at Hensheng; he really did possess a Jiang Dynasty treasure.
Hensheng lowered his brows and looked down, making it impossible for others to discern his emotions.
The small box that Jiang Sijin was holding was about the size of two adult hands. The wood looked like high-quality agarwood. It had probably just been dug out of the ground and still had a slight earthy smell. There was nothing particularly special about it.
"What's in here? Aren't you going to open it and take a look?" Su Zhenzhen looked at Jiang Sijin. With her smug personality, if it were something good, she would have taken it out to show off long ago.
Jiang Sijin looked strange. "Do you think I don't want to? It's just that this wooden box is very strange. It's not locked, but I can't open it no matter what I do."
Su Zhenzhen didn't believe it. "With your abilities, you can't even split it open?"
Jiang Sijin rolled her eyes. "What if I split it open and damage what's inside? This crop contains a secret treasure of the Jiang Dynasty!"
“I heard that top-tier treasures are bound to their owners,” Su Zhenzhen said with a mischievous smile. “Just because you can’t open it doesn’t mean others can’t. Why don’t you let Hensheng try? He’s a pure direct descendant of the Jiang Dynasty. Maybe the Jiang Dynasty’s secret treasure recognizes him as its master and opens on its own once it’s in his hands.”
Jiang Sijin's face turned green instantly. "Stop dreaming! It has no master whatsoever! I found this thing, and it can only recognize me as its master. I'll study it for a few more days, and I'll definitely be able to open it!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
