Chapter 11
Tingzhu Pavilion was very large, and it was her first time here. She got lost after walking for a short while.
Fortunately, there were maids passing by along the way. She randomly stopped one of them, asked for directions to the washroom, and then eagerly lifted her skirt and ran forward.
She must have had some herbal tea in the morning to cause her stomach discomfort. However, the bathroom wasn't in a remote location, and she soon came out.
Just as they were about to return along the way they remembered, suddenly, behind the artificial hill ahead, two figures were entangled together.
"Good sister, please let me take a look."
"Young Master Feng, this is in broad daylight, I'm afraid someone might come."
The woman's voice was soothing and captivating; though it was a refusal, one could sense a hint of coy reluctance.
Jiang Mian immediately stopped in her tracks. Her aunt had said she was coming to a poetry gathering, so how could there be such a dissolute person there?
"What's there to be afraid of? This poetry gathering was organized by my father, all to please that lord." The man's voice was nonchalant as he lifted the beauty's chin with his fingertips and chuckled, "But I've heard that lord suffers from homosexuality. Sending a beauty like you there would only result in her being tortured to death. What a waste! Don't you think so, beauty..."
"Ugh... How annoying! My heart belongs to you, young master. Please don't tease me."
The teasing sounds reached my ears, followed by a burst of loud noise.
Jiang Mian had never seen such a scene before, and she was immediately stunned. When she came to her senses and tried to leave, the man spoke again: "Most of the families and daughters who brought them to today's poetry gathering are unfavored concubine daughters who are given to the nobleman to play with. If the nobleman is pleased, he will say a few good words to His Majesty, and then he will have hope of being promoted and making a fortune."
"Young master knows a lot."
Frustrated by the praise, Young Master Feng became even more pleased with himself, leaning on the beauty's shoulder as his clothes fell to the ground.
Jiang Mian paused slightly as she was about to leave, accidentally stepping on a tree branch and making a soft sound.
Feng Liangyu keenly caught the sound and immediately looked up: "Who is it? Who's there?"
"..."
Feng Liangyu casually draped his outer robe over his shoulders and took a few steps forward, arriving at the spot where Jiang Mian had been hiding. The beauty behind him also put on her outer robe, looking terrified: "Young master, you must have misheard. There's no one here. Perhaps a wild cat ran by..."
**
After leaving with lingering fear, Jiang Mian couldn't stop her mind from wandering.
She knew that today's poetry gathering was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. She had guessed it was related to her marriage when her aunt specifically told her to dress up. However, she never expected her aunt to be so heartless.
She clutched her chest, suddenly feeling a pang of heartache. Memories flooded back: her aunt had abandoned her without hesitation, and the fat, pig-headed magistrate had given her a cup of sleeping potion. Now, with the memories overlapping, was her aunt going to do the same thing?
Jiang Mian dared not think any further, feeling her mind growing increasingly chaotic, and a sense of suffocation rising in her chest.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out: "Fifth Miss, this old servant has been looking for you for a long time."
She turned around and saw that Granny Zhang beside Madam Jiang had a concerned look on her face, but there was an indescribable calculation in her eyes.
"Fifth Miss, are you feeling much better? Master and Madam have been waiting for you for quite some time. All the distinguished guests attending the poetry gathering today are important people. Fifth Miss, please don't be late and upset them."
Jiang Mian frowned, suddenly finding it somewhat laughable. She had genuinely thought that her aunt was just a bit materialistic, but now she realized that she was no different from her aunt, and even the people around her were hypocritical.
She tried her best to hide her thoughts and put on a gentle smile: "Granny, I've lost my bracelet, and I want to go back and look for it."
"What bracelet? Don't make us late." Granny Zhang said, somewhat displeased.
"It's a bracelet my mother left me, and it means a lot to me. If it's gone, I... I'm afraid I won't have the face to see her." As she spoke, Jiang Mian suddenly broke into tears.
Seeing that she was about to give in to her, Granny Zhang quickly changed her tone: "Fifth Miss, you should go back first. This old servant will find you a bracelet."
"In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Granny." Jiang Mian's eyes flickered, and then she prepared to leave.
Granny Zhang, still worried, instructed, "Fifth Miss, keep walking straight ahead, then turn into another corridor. Madam and Master are waiting for you there."
"I know, Granny, you must help me find the bracelet."
"Yes." Granny Zhang gritted her teeth and watched her figure disappear around the corner before reluctantly returning the way Jiang Mian had come.
**
In the pavilion, Song Mingyan leaned lazily against a soft chair. Today's poetry gathering was hosted by the Feng family. If it weren't for the fact that Feng Yi was the Crown Prince's man, he wouldn't have wasted his time here.
Ever since Changqiu said that his Mian'er was still alive, his desire to go to Yangzhou has become more and more urgent. As soon as the poetry gathering ended, he set off immediately. It had been three years since he last saw her, and he wondered if her appearance had changed, and whether his own appearance would frighten her.
"Changqiu, am I that scary now?"
Song Mingyan suddenly felt a little insecure. Over the years, in order to get rid of the control of the Marquis's mansion as soon as possible, he had stained his hands with countless blood. The Song Mingyan who used to blush when he smiled had now become a hypocritical prince with the power of life and death. He was afraid that Mian'er would not like this version of him.
Changqiu looked at him and said respectfully, "No one is afraid of you; they all respect you."
Song Mingyan scoffed. Others' awe and fear had no effect on him. As long as Mian'er still had him in her heart, that was enough.
He will definitely find her.
No matter how long it takes, as long as she is alive, he will not allow anyone to take her away from him.
Song Mingyan's eyes darkened; he found everything outside utterly boring.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he spotted a figure.
"Mian'er! It's Mian'er!"
"Changqiu, quick, bring that woman here."
As the familiar figure walked down the corridor, Song Mingyan could hardly believe it. Before he could think too much, the words had already slipped out.
"Your Highness, you are mistaken. Miss Jiang is still in Yangzhou and could not possibly be here."
Changqiu also looked in that direction, but the veranda was empty, with no one in sight.
Song Mingyan's eyes dimmed. Over the years, he had seen a figure that resembled her more than once, but each time he went to look for her, he found an unfamiliar face.
Yes, his Mian'er is still in Yangzhou, how could she possibly appear in Tingzhuxuan in Jizhou City?
He pursed his lips, thinking it must be a hallucination caused by his intense longing.
"Your Highness, Lord Feng requests an audience."
Suddenly, a guard appeared and said respectfully.
A hint of impatience flashed across Song Mingyan's brow. Feng Yi was a greedy man who was dissatisfied with being a mere prefect and had repeatedly tried to persuade him to speak well of him to the Crown Prince.
But even if he didn't want to deal with it, he couldn't afford to break off relations now. Thinking of this, Song Mingyan got up and walked out.
Shen Yuan happened to be coming up with his family. When he saw Song Mingyan appear, he hurriedly went up to pay his respects, but Song Mingyan didn't even glance at him and walked straight past him.
A gentle breeze blew by, and Shen Tang happened to look up, her eyes revealing amazement.
Besides my cousin, there is no other life in this world that is so beautiful.
Is this the benefactor my father spoke of?
Song Mingyan didn't notice the three of them. After he left, Shen Yuan looked at Madam Jiang with dissatisfaction: "Didn't I tell you to bring Jiang Mian over? Where is she?!"
"I don't know where she went either."
"Women are useless; they always fail at crucial moments. I shouldn't have listened to you. Now look what's happened! We've missed the best opportunity. That prince is leaving tomorrow, and he'll get promoted and make a fortune? Dream on!"
"Why is the master blaming me? It wasn't me who made Jiang Mian leave."
“Perhaps Fifth Sister wasn’t meant to be. Father can’t entirely blame Mother,” Shen Tang said. Seeing that the matter was settled, Shen Yuan decided not to argue with them and left.
Being scolded for no reason, Madam Jiang was also a little angry: "You little slut, where did you go at this crucial moment? Where is Granny Zhang?"
The maid shook her head.
Just as Madam Jiang was about to leave, Granny Zhang suddenly came running up, panting: "Madam..."
"Why are you alone? Where is Jiang Mian?"
Granny Zhang was taken aback by the question: "Hasn't Fifth Miss already returned?"
She looked up behind Jiang Shi but didn't see Jiang Mian. She realized that she had made a mistake and had been tricked by the Fifth Miss. She went back along the way but not only did she not see any bracelet, she also accidentally bumped into the young master of the Feng family having an affair with a woman. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and didn't let the young master of the Feng family find her. She thought that the Fifth Miss had returned, but judging from the current situation, it seemed that she had messed things up.
Thinking of this, Granny Zhang lowered her head: "It's all my fault. I should have stayed with Fifth Miss."
**
After leaving Granny Zhang's side, Jiang Mian dared not linger and quickly left Tingzhu Pavilion according to her memory.
She told the driver that she was feeling unwell and left first. Jiang Mian's mind was in a mess the whole way.
When her aunt handed her over to that county magistrate before, she was able to escape at all costs. Now that her maternal aunt has the same idea, she may have left temporarily, but what about the future?
She lives in the Shen family mansion. Although her maternal grandmother can protect her, she can only protect her for a while, not forever. How can she escape this kind of life?
As she pondered, she suddenly felt a wave of sorrow. All she wanted was a place to settle down, to not have to wander aimlessly, and to not have to watch helplessly as those around her left one by one. But now, she didn't know what to do.
In this vast world, is there not even one safe and secure place?
Jiang Mian was in a gloomy mood and had no interest in looking at the scenery on the street. She returned to the mansion almost numbly. As soon as she got off the carriage, she suddenly saw Shen Ji coming in from outside.
Jiang Mian instinctively stepped back, but the other person seemed not to see her at all. After getting off the carriage, they walked straight past her.
Almost instantly, an idea popped into her head: perhaps she could ask her cousin for help.
She didn't want to live that kind of nomadic life anymore. Since the Jiang family wanted to use her, if they couldn't do it today, they would definitely have other schemes in the future.
Moreover, since Madam Jiang has this idea, she must also have a way to deal with her maternal grandmother. Now, in this Shen family, she doesn't know who to ask for help. Although her cousin is aloof, she roughly understands his temperament from their time together on the cliff that day, and he is not as cold as he appears.
If I could get my cousin's protection, life in this Shen family mansion would be much easier.
As Shen Ji's figure was about to disappear, Jiang Mian didn't have time to think much and almost subconsciously blurted out.
"Cousin."
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