Pingkangfang
"Doesn't Ah Jin feel lonely eating alone?" Wei Shu pushed open the door and looked at Jiang Jin's ink-black hair falling over her shoulders.
"Abei, get the general a new set of bowls and chopsticks." Jiang Jin took a sip of porridge. "Abei, you can go downstairs and have someone heat up a few more dishes."
"Yes." Abei left and closed the door. Jiang Jin put down her chopsticks. "My fourth sister has dealings with the Second Prince, but is the Second Prince really as unruly as he seems?"
"Do you suspect he's pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger?" Wei Shu asked, taking the porridge Jiang Jin handed him.
“How many people in the royal family are naive, let alone grown princes?” Although Jiang Jin felt it was unlikely that the Second Prince would do such a thing, she still had some doubts for the sake of the Jiang family.
"Perhaps, but he certainly has no desire for power." Wei Shu understood what Jiang Jin meant, so he told Jiang Jin everything he knew.
"The Second Prince's mother is Consort Zeng, but he is actually the child of Consort Zeng and Prince Han." Wei Shu's words almost made Jiang Jin choke on her porridge.
"Didn't Prince Han die more than a decade ago?" Jiang Jin's thoughts slowly connected. "So, Consort Zeng brought Prince Han's child into His Majesty's harem to mislead him?"
"Do you think the Second Prince is filial to Consort Zeng?" Wei Shu asked only one question.
"She's filial, though unruly. On her birthday, Consort Zeng always personally goes to the Buddhist temple to pray for blessings and personally prepares the meals." Jiang Jin didn't understand why Wei Shu asked this question.
"Do you remember how close they were in front of everyone?" Jiang Jin hesitated for a moment and then shook her head. "It seemed like they were more respectful and less affectionate."
"The real Consort Zeng always stayed in the palace and never left. Back then, the late emperor's sons would use any means to seize the throne, even resorting to assassinating Prince Han with secret guards. It wasn't the kind of assassination we encountered; it was a bloodbath that wiped out the entire Prince Han's residence. Prince Han's concubine was pregnant and went home to visit her family, thus escaping the massacre. His Majesty, out of consideration for their relationship, kept the concubine in the inner courtyard to be cared for by the late Empress." Wei Shu was still young at the time, but he remembered that Prince Han's concubine almost miscarried in her terror.
"Didn't those people kill off the concubines?" Jiang Jin discovered a loophole in the story.
"The concubine's return home was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. Besides, she was free to run away without any constraints. One of her personal maids, fearing that Prince Han would discover her, disguised herself as the concubine, and another accompanied her home." From Wei Shu's words, Jiang Jin seemed to glean some of the royal family's murderous intent.
"Who was the murderer?" Jiang Jin was too young at the time to remember such a horrific incident.
"The late emperor found out it was Your Majesty, and Your Majesty was subsequently imprisoned. Fortunately, evidence was found, and it was eventually discovered that it was a scheme by the eldest prince and the powerful family behind him to kill two birds with one stone. At that time, in order to protect the only bloodline of the Prince of Han, Your Majesty registered the child under your own name."
"Now that the matter is settled and His Majesty has ascended the throne, why not announce the Second Prince's identity and allow him to be recognized as a member of the royal family and inherit the title?" Jiang Jin didn't understand why they would choose such a roundabout way instead of doing something so simple.
"After all, there's a significant difference between being a prince and becoming the heir apparent of a princely family. Besides, it wouldn't be good if others speculated that the second prince had angered His Majesty and was thus removed from the succession struggle. It would be an honor for him to receive favors from the new emperor after things have settled down." Wei Shu couldn't offer any further comment on this.
"However, as long as he's not actually trying to seize the throne and is just playing dumb to deceive me, I can let go of my fourth sister's matter." Jiang Jin took a sip of porridge when there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Madam, the meal is ready," Ah Bei's voice came from outside the door.
"Come in," Jiang Jin said loudly. Abei pushed open the door and entered, followed by two maids carrying food.
"The kitchen has made pork rib soup, shrimp soup, and eight-treasure glutinous rice duck." Ah Bei carefully placed the dishes on the table.
"This servant will not disturb the master and mistress's meal any longer." Abei left with two maids.
"This pork rib soup is good, you can try it." Wei Shu ladled a bowl of soup for Jiang Jin and placed it in front of her.
"General, please eat more." Jiang Jin drank the soup in his bowl, but his mind was still on Tanzhou and the Fifth Prince.
"Is Ah Jin preoccupied? Why does she seem so distracted?" Wei Shu looked at Jiang Jin with some concern.
"It's nothing, it's just that a lot has happened lately, and I haven't been getting enough rest." Jiang Jin continued to conceal the matter of Tanzhou.
"By the way, I'll be training with the Imperial Guards today, tomorrow, and the day after. If you need anything, just go find Zhou Cong." Wei Shu was afraid something might happen to Jiang Jin under his watchful eye.
"Don't worry, I have secret guards around me, and I travel between the government office and the guard post every day. It's impossible for someone to assassinate me in the street. This isn't the late emperor's reign anymore. His Majesty hates the aristocratic families and is eager to find fault with them. The aristocratic families can only act secretly with their tails between their legs." Jiang Jin had some understanding of those aristocratic families.
"It's better to be safe than sorry. Remember, never be reckless." Jiang Jin nodded nonchalantly.
"If I can't even handle these things, what kind of official am I? Wei Shu, I know you're worried about me, but I'm not a lamb to the slaughter." Jiang Jin's gaze fell on the bows and arrows in the room.
"So what if you're a master archer? You can take on ten at once, but do you expect to take on a hundred?" Wei Shu was somewhat annoyed by Jiang Jin's nonchalant attitude.
"Who do you think would use so many assassins on me?" Jiang Jin put down her spoon and looked at Wei Shu quietly.
"Ever since we returned to the capital, you've been worried about me. Are you afraid that what happened to Prince Han will be repeated?" Jiang Jin immediately grasped Wei Shu's deepest concern.
“Yes, back then, although Prince Han was not favored, he was still a prince. Under such circumstances, his entire family was wiped out. Ah Jin, I have to admit that I was afraid before. I was the only one in the eye of the storm, and I didn’t care about life and death anymore. But now that I have you, I am really scared.”
Wei Shu sometimes wondered if he had been too cruel before, and whether disaster would befall Jiang Jin. He constantly prayed that if disaster were to strike, he would bear it alone and not let Jiang Jin be implicated.
"Wei Shu, the blood on my hands is no less than yours." Jiang Jin always felt that in Wei Shu's eyes, she was like a flower that needed to be carefully protected.
"You don't need to think of me as an naive child. You really don't need to worry about me too much." Jiang Jin picked up a spoon and fed Wei Shu a spoonful of pork rib soup.
"I dare to marry you, what else could I be afraid of?" Wei Shu chuckled upon hearing this. "That's true. When we first met, you seemed fearless, saying you would get revenge someday. But I later found out that you really are the calamity I can't escape."
"Please, with your brain, Wei Shu, it shouldn't be difficult for you to come up with a win-win solution, right? Why insist on injuring me? Isn't that just a show of force? I think you just want to scare me out of my wits so you can keep me locked up in the backyard like a decorative vase." Jiang Jin had already gleaned some of Wei Shu's underlying intentions from the moment they met.
“Of course, I don’t want my wife to be a reckless person. If you’re scared, then behave yourself. If you’re not scared, I have ways to make you scared.” Wei Shu lifted Jiang Jin’s chin.
"To be honest, I still think Ah Jin looks better now, being all spoiled." Jiang Jin also became interested. "But I still prefer the way you used to be when you were being stubborn."
"Really? Then, Ah Jin, would you like us to relive what happened on our wedding night?" Wei Shu pulled Jiang Jin close, using a clever move to hold her firmly in his arms.
"Ah Jin, do you still remember what you said back then?" Wei Shu's large hand grasped Jiang Jin's shoulder.
"It's been too long, I don't remember, but my lord can remind me." Jiang Jin traced her finger along Wei Shu's Adam's apple down to his chin.
"Has anyone ever said that the general's lips are beautiful?" Jiang Jin covered Wei Shu's lips with her finger.
"Just looking, don't you want to kiss me?" Wei Shu pulled Jiang Jin's hand away, and the next second Jiang Jin flew away from his embrace like a bird.
"I don't want to kiss you right now. General, please take your time to remember. I'll be going now." Jiang Jin patted her skirt and ignored Wei Shu.
"Curfew is about to begin, where are you going?" Wei Shu asked, watching Jiang Jin put on her veil.
"Pingkang Ward, General, are you also coming with me?" Jiang Jin tilted her head and looked at Wei Shu, but Wei Shu could tell from her words that Jiang Jin would be somewhat unhappy if he went with her.
"I still have official business to finish, so I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer, Madam." Wei Shu tactfully left the courtyard.
"General, should we send someone to follow the lady?" Zhou Cong followed behind Wei Shu, watching Jiang Jin's departing figure.
"No need, she'll make a scene if she finds out." Wei Shu knew Jiang Jin wouldn't go to Pingkang Lane at night for no reason; she must be going to see someone important.
Jiang Jin walked alone on the street, a dagger in her hand, heading towards Pingkang Ward without stopping.
Several foreign women stood in front of a magnificent building. As soon as Jiang Jin entered, she was stopped by the madam. "Young lady, you've come to the wrong place. The male prostitutes are at the Sajinlou next door."
Without further ado, Jiang Jin placed a gold coin in the madam's palm. "I'm looking for Xiao Niang. Is she here?"
"Yes, yes, but Xiaoniang hasn't been seen lately. What should we do?" Seeing the madam's greedy look, Jiang Jin readily stuffed another gold ingot into her hand.
"Now, can Xiaoniang see me?" The madam, beaming with joy, led Jiang Jin upstairs. As soon as she pushed open Xiaoniang's door, she saw a emaciated woman sleeping on the couch.
"Xiao Niang, someone has come to see you." The madam sighed softly and then looked at Jiang Jin. "If you have nothing else to say, I can return the gold to you. Xiao Niang cannot bear any more shock."
"No need, I'm not here for revenge. Please go downstairs. Xiaoniang and I are old acquaintances; I won't harm her." The madam had no choice but to leave and close the door.
"Xiao Niang, do you still remember me?" Jiang Jin knew Xiao Niang had woken up, but she couldn't understand why the once beautiful and charming Xiao Niang had become like this.
"Xiao Niang, what happened?" Jiang Jin sat down on Xiao Niang's couch and looked into Xiao Niang's lifeless eyes.
"Did someone bully you? I'm Little Moon, and I can protect you now." Xiao Niang's eyes flickered as if she recognized Jiang Jin.
"Little Moon?" Xiao Niang's hoarse voice made Jiang Jin feel uneasy. "Why are you here?"
"I'm more at ease now that I'm married, so I wanted to come see you." A tear fell onto Xiao Niang's arm.
"That's a good thing, don't cry." Xiao Niang's withered fingers lifted slightly but then fell back down.
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