suspicion
Meng Zheng's purpose was very clear. He just wanted to ask her what she thought about the Princess Diary.
But just as the conversation ended, the question that had been weighing on Jiang Nian's heart came up again.
Since this belongs to the eldest princess, why is it in Meng Zheng's hands?
Did the eldest princess allow it, or was the diary placed in this room, and she happened to misunderstand it according to her own meaning and read it. In fact, Meng Zheng didn't intend to ask this?
This doubt only flashed through her mind. Meng Zheng, who was standing in front of her, had already stepped back across the threshold. He raised his eyelids and smiled at her, saying, "It seems that the doctor knows what I want to ask."
Jiang Nian suppressed the complex emotions in her heart and said calmly, "How could it be? I am a simpleton, so please explain it clearly, Your Highness."
Meng Zheng looked at her deeply, as if to confirm whether what she said was true or not, but he didn't think too much about it and continued speaking.
"——You know this mansion belongs to Princess Meng Zhi."
Meng Zheng directly said her name.
Although it is not certain whether the eldest princess has become a taboo in the country, since Jiang Nian traveled here, he has never heard anyone mention the eldest princess's deeds.
Perhaps it was because of the attitude of the people around her when talking about things, she always felt that the name of the eldest princess was not suitable to be mentioned.
The reason why she had such thoughts was probably due to the subtle influence of the surrounding environment.
Could it be that Xiao Yingzhu has a complicated relationship with Emperor Changde, which is the reason why she has such thoughts?
"...I know." Jiang Nian stopped her wandering thoughts.
"So now, you should understand why I came to talk to you this time?"
Meng Zheng tilted his head, still looking at her steadily, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes, like a bottomless black hole.
Although he was still smiling, and even that willful attitude was still there.
But Jiang Nian still felt a chill for no reason, which slowly spread up her spine until it stuck tightly and seamlessly to the back of her neck.
The strings in his mind subconsciously tightened. In the empty room with only the two of them, Jiang Nian heard his answer echoing in the quiet atmosphere.
"Your Highness, do you wish to inquire about the relationship between me and the sect? Or..."
Thinking of the speculation she had just made, her heart was pounding. After hesitating for a long time, she finally asked.
"What are the similarities between a common woman and the clan leader?"
“…”
Meng Zheng lowered his eyes, as if thinking about something. After getting the answer he expected from her, he didn't want to ask the question he wanted to ask originally. A question that he had never intended to ask explicitly took a detour and said it out lightly as if repeating it.
"Are you sure you are really a female doctor?"
Rather than asking a question, it sounded more like he had already known the final answer and was looking for her to confirm it one last time.
Jiang Nian tried to find out what she wanted to know from Meng Zheng's eyes, but unfortunately, her recent mentality was influenced by Xiao Yingzhu, and the answer she came up with in her heart could not convince herself.
She wasn't sure if she was right.
Xiao Yingzhu came with Meng Zheng just now, and the atmosphere was harmonious compared to before, so they must have talked about something that made both parties willing to give up their trust.
But judging from Meng Zheng's current reaction, Jiang Nian wanted to overturn the conclusion he had just reached.
Perhaps it was not trust between them, but something Xiao Yingzhu said that dispelled Meng Zheng's doubts.
Although Xiao Yingzhu's concealment of the Fifth Prince's affairs had reduced Meng Zheng's original trust in him, judging from the fact that he had returned to find him, his identity was actually more important to Meng Zheng than the Fifth Prince.
So now, how should she respond to restore Meng Zheng's trust to the level before their conversation?
What can I say to dispel his suspicion of me at this moment?
Jiang Nian paused for a moment, ready to compromise on this issue and then call it back.
"Since Your Highness has already recognized my identity, why do you need to ask further questions? Everything I do is in the service of the court. I hope Your Highness will not doubt my sincerity."
She lowered her eyes slightly and leaned forward, as if she was waiting for Meng Zheng to make the decision.
Meng Zheng, who had guessed about 70% of Jiang Nian's answer, was not surprised by her answer at this moment. His eyes glanced at her movements lightly, and suddenly the corners of his lips curled up.
"This prince is visiting you alone, yet Duke Xiao actually allows you to go here alone. Does he trust you too much, or is it that you two are superficially harmonious but actually at odds?"
Before Jiang Nian could be distracted by this sudden change of topic, he slowly continued with his previous sentence, sounding quite happy.
"You are a medical woman with both talent and virtue. If you are having trouble staying with Duke Xiao, why not consider joining my army?"
“!!!”
What does Meng Zheng want to do?
This attitude clearly showed that he didn't intend to investigate her identity, but he still had some doubts. However—
It's not like they're poaching people all of a sudden.
Even if Xiao Yingzhu's cover-up was not successful and Meng Zheng found out her true identity, according to the task given to him by Emperor Changde, she would be completely unable to help, right?
Jiang Nian was so shocked by Meng Zheng's inexplicable tactics of winning him over that her head was buzzing and all the words she had prepared were completely invalidated. When she was speechless, she turned her eyes away and her body stiffened reflexively.
“——”
Noticing Jiang Nian's abnormality, Meng Zheng frowned slightly, turned his head, and was stunned for a second. Shu Yue laughed.
"Duke Xiao has finished his discussion with Young Master Qin?"
The garden outside the corridor is spacious, and the wind makes the bamboo forest rustle.
In the green scenery that should have been unobstructed and pleasing to the eye, Xiao Yingzhu, who had just gone out to discuss something with Qin Lan, came back at some point.
Their eyes met, and Jiang Nian remembered that when he was talking to Meng Zheng just now, he felt a little dissatisfied with Xiao Yingzhu's behavior of walking away directly. Now that he saw her in person, he felt a little guilty as if he had betrayed her.
This person appeared here quietly. If one only listened to what Meng Zheng said just now, she could easily be mistaken for a traitor by someone who didn't understand the details.
A traitor who uses others as stepping stones and turns to others like a fence-sitter when things don't go his way.
Feeling that the idea he came up with was also strange, Jiang Nian suppressed the complicated emotions in his heart, shifted his gaze and looked at Meng Zheng.
Meng Zheng was not surprised by Xiao Yingzhu's appearance. Facing the real person who just tried to steal someone else's girlfriend, he did not look embarrassed or uncomfortable. Instead, he waved at him very naturally and friendly.
"What a coincidence! I just mentioned you to her."
"I didn't expect you to come now."
Meng Zheng turned around and walked forward a few steps. Facing Xiao Yingzhu, who seemed to be smiling but did not respond to his words, he spoke again:
"Since Duke Xiao seems so interested, why don't we talk about it together?"
He was weak and looked a little pale, perhaps because he had not had enough rest. After talking for an entire afternoon, his eyebrows and eyes were already stained with a hint of fatigue, and he looked frail.
Standing in front of Xiao Yingzhu, with such obvious provocation, he looked as if he was not afraid of being stabbed by Xiao Yingzhu.
After saying this, he saw that Xiao Yingzhu still didn't respond, raised his eyebrows with interest, stopped within five steps, and spoke again as if inviting.
"Honestly, Duke Xiao, if you encounter any unpleasant things at work, you might as well talk to me. I am willing to take over some people who you may use temporarily but will later turn into ashes."
"This way, we can form a friendly alliance, right?"
Meng Zheng's gaze fell on Xiao Yingzhu's face without fail, and he smiled meaningfully.
"It saves time and effort, and retains talent."
“——”
Under Jiang Nian's somewhat complicated gaze, he seemed afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the garden and whispered softly, "What do you think? Duke Xiao, would you like to consider it?"
Open the camera close to your face.
The wind suddenly stopped, and Jiang Nian, who was some distance away from them, had these four words appearing meaningfully in his mind.
—
Before meeting Meng Zheng, Jiang Nian always felt that no one dared to assert his authority in front of Xiao Yingzhu himself, deliberately provoking him and poaching people in public.
As if he is not afraid of death.
And she wouldn't think that way.
After all, it's unimaginable.
However, the more outrageous and unimaginable something seems, the more likely it is to actually appear before your eyes.
——Like now.
To be honest, from the day he saw Meng Zheng and Xiao Yingzhu facing off for the first time, Jiang Nian felt that there was a vague smell of gunpowder between the two of them, but this smell of gunpowder was invisible and could not be seen or grasped, and even the fuse could not be found.
This is a very hollow state.
Both sides are on the edge of maintaining friendly peace, and both are careless. Although the relationship is maintained, cracks may appear at any time.
No one can tell whether the crack is big or small, whether it can be repaired or not, or whether it is broken into pieces.
During these conversations in Cang County, whenever the two met, Jiang Nian would always be subconsciously on edge, observing them intentionally or unintentionally, fearing that one of them would suddenly become playful and break the thin thread that barely maintained peace.
The thin line was sometimes tight and sometimes loose, and it seemed like it was about to break at any time.
But before the epidemic in Cang County was resolved, Jiang Nian felt that it would be better if such a thing did not happen again.
If that happens - she will feel that all subsequent developments will break the cause and effect and lead to irreversible consequences.
So, now there is no one else who can smooth things over, and the object of the dispute is oneself.
Even if she didn't want to have too much contact with Xiao Yingzhu, she had to go now.
—
Xiao Yingzhu lowered his eyes slightly, the indifference between his brows disappeared, and his eyes became more unfathomable, as if he was brewing something that was about to explode.
The killing fan he saw in Pingzhou, which represented his special identity in his words, was also held in his hand, and his index finger lightly stroked the edge of the fan.
The smiling lips made people feel cold. Although she still didn't say a word, looking at her beautiful, dazzling and cold face, it seemed as if she had said everything.
The relaxed atmosphere around them suddenly dropped. Neither side wanted to back down. Meng Zheng didn't even seem to be worried that Xiao Zhu would stab him. Because he tilted his head, the blue blood vessels on his fair and fragile neck were exposed to the air.
Xiao Yingzhu was waiting for an opportunity.
A perfect timing.
And for this opportunity, he was weighing things in his heart.
When the balance that maintains peace is about to crumble and is torn apart by both sides, the estimated things will come to a conclusion. In the struggle, Chi Ran puts the result between the two of them and draws his sword against them in an instant.
What deep hatred do they have?
Jiang Nian felt suffocated by this invisible sense of oppression, and his gaze drifted away. His attention had just been on Xiao Yingzhu, but now he realized that Meng Zheng's hand was also loosely resting on the hilt of the knife. The trust between the two parties seemed to be on the verge of collapse at any time - he really couldn't wait any longer!
The taut string in her mind snapped, as if someone pushed her from behind. She took a few steps and then ran towards them, fearing that if she was a moment late there would be irreversible consequences, and her clenched heart was twitching with fear.
They were standing a little far away, and only by running could she quickly close the distance. The two people in her sight were getting closer and closer to her.
Jiang Nian opened his mouth and wanted to say their name, but was afraid that his external intrusion would cause something worrying, so he had to go around from behind and approach them by taking advantage of the blind spot blocked by the scenery.
Fortunately, both sides seemed to be concerned about something, and although the thread was cut, they had not yet taken action.
When the snow-white color in front appeared in his eyes, Jiang Nianxin made up his mind. He didn't care about etiquette or tranquility anymore. He stretched out his hand and pulled Xiao Yingzhu back a few steps, then blurted out.
"--What are you two trying to do...!" She took a deep breath, grabbed the corner of Xiao Yingzhu's sleeve, and when the other party looked back at her, she only took a step back.
My heart is beating like thunder.
Jiang Nian tried to calm down and looked at the two of them with a frown.
"Now is not the time to argue."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
