Chapter 54 Lick yourself, and you'll die from poison...
Peony was practically Zhao Xian's mouthpiece: "When did the young master have another savior? I've never heard the young master mention it before?"
Chi Lan shook her head and said, "If Young Master Qi hadn't brought people into the manor today, the eldest young mistress wouldn't have known either."
Jiang Wei was very tight-lipped.
Zhao Xian didn't want to hear any of this: "Since that young lady doesn't want to stay and won't wait in the manor, let's send her to an inn and let the eldest young master handle it himself when he returns. Lian Niang is in charge of the household, can't she even do this little thing right?"
Upon hearing the words "savior," Zhao Xian instinctively didn't want anyone to stay in the mansion.
He also felt that Li Lianniang was too soft-hearted; how could she be controlled by these things when she was in charge of the household?
Sensing the displeasure in her mistress's tone, Chi Lan, fearing her mistress would be angry, quickly explained, "That young lady once shielded the eldest young master from a knife, and she has repeatedly mentioned it. Furthermore, Young Master Qi corroborated this, so my young mistress..."
The meaning behind those words was clear: with Qi Zhengheng present, Li Lianniang couldn't forcibly drive people away.
"Go and take a look."
Peony instructed the sedan chair to follow Chi Lan.
Before long, they arrived at the flower hall where the female guests were to be received. Upon entering the flower hall, Li Lianniang saw Zhao Xian and hurriedly got up to greet her, "Mother, you're back."
Zhao Xian nodded slightly, her gaze falling on an unfamiliar girl in the main hall. The girl was wearing a worn-out jacket and an outdated skirt with footprints on it, indicating that at least half of it had been in dirty snow water. She had a silver hairpin and a pink silk flower in her hair.
The girl sat in the chair with her head down, her hands gripping her sleeves, her body trembling slightly.
This doesn't match the image of the aggressive girl that Chi Lan described.
"This young lady says her surname is Lang and her given name is Zhizhi. She is my husband's savior," Li Lianniang explained as she helped Zhao Xian to the head of the table.
As Zhao Xian was listening, the girl happened to look up as she passed by and suddenly said, "I didn't, I didn't save anyone."
Their eyes met, and Zhao Xian sensed from the other person's gaze that he wasn't the kind of person who would cause trouble.
The next moment, the girl stood up, took a few steps back, bowed to Zhao Xian and Li Lianniang, and said gently, "I'm so sorry, I've caused you all trouble. I'll be leaving now, I'm truly sorry."
He apologized as he walked out.
Li Lianniang spoke up: "Wait, where is my husband?"
The girl's face paled slightly, and she hurriedly shook her head, saying awkwardly, "No, no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come. I have no favor to do for Lord Jiang."
Danruo immediately put her hands on her hips and said in a sharp tone, "No gratitude? You just kept saying, 'I took a knife for Young Master Jiang and almost lost my arm. I'm the young master's savior.'"
Danruo's learning was exaggerated.
Before the girl could speak, Danruo continued, "We'll repay the life-saving grace. The young mistress gave you silver and cloth, but you said we insulted you by giving you money. When we saw your clothes were dirty, we told you to go to the guest room to change and wait for us, but you refused, saying you were afraid my mistress would harm you and that you had to see the eldest young master. You even said that men and women shouldn't touch each other's arms, and that the eldest young master had seen you and you'd never be able to get married. You were implying that you were using our gratitude to make the eldest young master take responsibility for you. Now that you've left, we can't explain ourselves."
Zhao Xian sat down without saying a word, just watching quietly.
He couldn't help but curse Jiang Wei in his heart. How could a grown man like him, with guards and servants by his side, need someone else to save him?
If you've saved someone, you should repay the favor properly; why make a scene at their home?
Zhao Xian was genuinely afraid that if someone moved in, a second vicious female supporting character would emerge.
If the plot cannot be changed, will another villain appear in the future?
Jiang Wei and Li Lianniang are destined to divorce!
Dan Ruo's sarcastic remarks made the girl sway unsteadily. She bit her lip and kept apologizing, "No, no, it's a misunderstanding. My relationship with the eldest young master is completely innocent, and he doesn't need to take responsibility. Young mistress, please don't misunderstand."
Danruo stared blankly at the person who had suddenly changed her expression and was now crying with tears streaming down her face. "What trick are you trying to pull? You didn't say that just now."
Li Lianniang patted Danruo, signaling her to shut up, and looked at the girl, saying, "Miss Lang, I have already sent someone to invite my husband. Let's talk things out face to face. Don't rush, sit down and wait a bit."
"No, no, no, I was just talking nonsense. Lord Jiang has done me no favor. My brother is waiting for me at home. I... I can't stay any longer. I have to go back now."
After saying that, she tried to run out, but was stopped by the maids and servants. They didn't touch her, they just wouldn't let her go.
The girl pursed her lips, unable to break through the obstruction of the maids and servants. She turned to look at Li Lianniang, clearly terrified yet stubbornly gentle, and said, "Young Madam, I truly did not intend to threaten you and the young master. I was just possessed. Please believe me, Young Madam, and please let me leave. My brother is a scholar who passed the imperial examination in the 27th year of Jin Yuan. He is studying at home and waiting for me to return."
Danruo was very angry, but the young mistress wouldn't let her speak, so she bit her lip and remained silent.
Zhao Xian was somewhat surprised. This girl's actions and words were very different from what Chi Lan and Dan Ruo had said. Could it be that she changed after seeing her?
But why does she recognize herself?
Looking at Miss Lang, whose eyes were brimming with tears and who was about to cry.
Li Lianniang looked down at Zhao Xian, "Mother."
"You're in charge of the household, and it concerns your own husband. How to handle things is entirely up to you, the young mistress." Zhao Xian couldn't always make decisions for her.
If this is part of the plot, then no matter how many saviors they eliminate, new saviors will keep appearing.
Whether or not it's part of the plot, Li Lianniang needs to learn to solve problems on her own.
Seeing that even bringing up her scholar brother was useless, and that they showed no fear whatsoever, Lang Qingwan panicked.
She raised her hand, pulled out the silver hairpin from her hair, and held it to her neck. "Let me leave, young mistress. I am really not your husband's savior."
Li Lianniang was startled by her sudden action, but her eyes were full of confusion: "But just now you yourself said that you are my husband's savior."
She didn't say she wouldn't repay the kindness; it's just that this girl didn't want gold, silver, or silk, she only wanted to see Jiang Wei.
She sent someone to invite her, but now she's making a scene and wants to leave.
Even the most good-tempered person, Li Lianniang, couldn't help but be annoyed by her unpredictable thoughts.
As soon as Li Lianniang finished speaking, the girl spoke up anxiously, "I'm having hysteria, I'm talking nonsense, I'm not, I'm not, let me leave, let me go."
Her actions made it seem as if the Jiang family had forced her, and the maids and servants dared not step forward, fearing that she might hurt them and blame the Jiang family.
Li Lianniang pursed her lips. "Since you insist on leaving, then you may go. Chi Lan, see her out."
As soon as the person left, Danruo said to Zhao Xian, "Madam, that woman is so good at changing her expression. She wasn't like this before you came back. She acted like she wouldn't move an inch until the eldest young master returned. Now she's forcing me to leave by threatening to kill myself."
Li Lianniang also looked puzzled; the girl Lang was completely different before and after.
Zhao Xian, having not witnessed the entire event, declined to comment and instructed her maid, "Go and invite Young Master Qi here."
Qi Zhengheng came carrying Xiujie'er. "Auntie, you called me."
"Zheng Heng, I'd like to ask you about Wei'er's savior."
Qi Zhengheng looked around. "Where's Miss Lang?"
Zhao Xian: "I went home."
Qi Zhengheng asked in surprise, "Her home is in Changzhou."
Are you sure you want to send a girl back to Changzhou without even looking for her now?
Li Lianniang explained, "It's not that she's going back to Changzhou. Miss Lang's brother is in Jin'an and will be participating in the imperial examination next year. She said her brother is waiting for her at home, so she didn't want to delay any longer and went back."
Qi Zhengheng was dumbfounded: "Didn't she say she came alone?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances, feeling that nothing this young lady Lang said seemed reliable.
Zhao Xian brought the topic back: "Let's talk about how Miss Lang saved Wei'er's life."
Qi Zhengheng frowned, seemingly lost in thought. "I don't know much about the matter of the life-saving grace. I only heard that Miss Lang injured her hand while shielding Brother Jiang Wei from a knife."
Zhao Xian: "How did you two meet?"
Qi Zhengheng said, "Today I went to the shop to pick out jewelry for my sisters. She was being harassed by several girls. I didn't recognize her at first, but I couldn't stand their evil deeds and helped them out. Only after asking did I find out that it was her, and that she was looking for Brother Jiang Wei all by herself."
If the other person really has an older brother, why lie to him?
Qi Zhengheng: "Auntie, many people in Changzhou know about Miss Lang saving Brother Jiang Wei. I am not lying to you."
Zhao Xian nodded: "Zhengheng, don't worry, I don't doubt you. The Jiang family will investigate this matter. The debt of gratitude must be repaid, but we can't let anyone get away with it."
The servant who had been summoned by Chi Lan to deliver the message returned half an hour later, carrying Jiang Wei's exact words: "The eldest young master said that he had no savior in Changzhou, but had offended many enemies. Anyone who tries to hold him hostage with a promise of gratitude is definitely a fraud. He told the young mistress not to pay any attention to them and to just throw them out. The eldest young master is busy with a case and won't be able to come back for a while. He asked me to fetch some clothes and send them over."
Li Lianniang: "Is that really what the eldest young master said?"
The servant replied, "Yes."
While Li Lianniang and her maid were packing their clothes, Zhao Xian sent someone to summon Lou Bai to the mansion.
Lou Bai was still dressed like a scholar, except he now wore a gray cloak: "What are your orders, Madam?"
"Go investigate a girl; investigate everything she does in Changzhou."
...
As night fell, after having dinner, Jiang Liangxu got up from his wheelchair and slowly stood up, holding onto a chair.
Zhao Xian had mentioned last time that he should undergo rehabilitation, but it's been so long and it's only just begun.
Zhao Xian, standing to the side, said with some concern, "Lord Jiang, are you sure you don't want to call the servants in to help? If you fall, I won't be able to help you up."
Jiang Liangxu gripped the back of the chair with considerable force, his voice strained as he said, "Madam, do I look like an old man who has just had a stroke and is standing up? If the servants see this, what will become of my authority?"
"Pfft..." Zhao Xian, who was originally very worried, suddenly burst out laughing. "Lord Jiang, lick your lips and see if you will be poisoned to death."
That's too ruthless; they don't even spare themselves.
"Would the lady like to give it a try?"
Zhao Xian shook her head repeatedly and laughed, "I don't want to, I value my life."
However, she still reached out to support Jiang Liangxu, afraid that he would fall.
After walking back and forth several times, Zhao Xian didn't know if Jiang Liangxu was tired, but she was. "Why don't we take a break? These things can't be rushed; we have to take it slowly."
"Alright, please help me to the bed, madam."
Without holding onto the chair, Jiang Liangxu put most of his strength on Zhao Xian.
As she approached the bedside, Zhao Xian was exhausted. "It's over."
Instead of the pain she had imagined, Zhao Xian realized that Jiang Liangxu hadn't fallen on her side; instead, he had pulled her up and acted as a cushion for her.
The two were unlucky; they fell not far from the bed.
Zhao Xian quickly stood up. "Are you alright?"
Jiang Liangxu was pulled up by her to sit up. "It shouldn't be a big deal."
Zhao Xian glared at him with some dissatisfaction, "I told you I couldn't support you. Tomorrow you go to the study to train and let Qin Da keep an eye on you, otherwise, with your injuries getting worse like this, who knows when you'll recover."
As Jiang Liangxu tried to stand up, he said, "That won't do. If the servants see this, I, as the master, will lose face."
Zhao Xian helped him sit on the edge of the bed, but something felt off. "I've read a lot of stories. Women see the most pathetic side of men, and in the end, after men gain power, women are always purged."
Jiang Liangxu: "Aren't these all stories about vicious female supporting characters who are reborn and then turn the tables on their scumbag boyfriends?"
Zhao Xian: "...You even know that."
Looking at Jiang Liangxu's ambiguous smile.
Zhao Xian was a little annoyed and was giving her another hint.
“Lord Jiang, I think you should train secretly, and then suddenly stand up and amaze us all.”
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