Jiang Yuanyi sat back on the bed and opened the wooden box next to the pillow.

A black jade and a small piece of paper lay quietly inside.

She picked up the black jade, which was warm to the touch, smooth and delicate, and tied it around her waist.

There was a sudden knock on the door. Jiang Yuanyi frowned slightly: "Who?"

Xiaoshu's timid voice came from outside the door: "Miss, the lady, please go over..."

Jiang Yuanyi walked over and opened the door, and saw Xiaoshu's little face was red, and her eyes were also red. It seemed that she was scolded.

Jiang Yuanyi rubbed her face: "Scolded?"

Xiaoshu was about to nod, and then immediately shook her head: "No, no, it's just..."

Jiang Yuanyi patted her head: "Go and play, I can go over by myself."

Xiaoshu said: "Oh", and then stared at Jiang Yuanyi's back blankly.

Xiaoqing happened to meet Jiang Yuanyi on her way back. She leaned over to Jiang Yuanyi and whispered in her ear, "I looked through them all, and there's nothing from the Duke of Ying's Mansion."

Jiang Yuanyi nodded, "I see."

Without Tongyuan coming back to report, she probably guessed that it was Chu Huan who was interfering.

————

The tea in the celadon cup had become weak, and the maid hurried over to change a cup. When she raised her eyes, she inadvertently glanced at the jade-like profile of the famous Mr. Chu in the capital. The young man lowered his eyes slightly, his nose was straight, his jaw was clear, his eyes were soft, and his temperament was elegant, which was very suitable for her own lady.

She respectfully changed the tea and retreated.

Chu Huan picked up the tea and took a sip.

There were soft footsteps outside the door. Chu Huan raised his eyes and saw Jiang Yuanyi coming.

She was wearing a simple white dress, with no extra decoration on her hair. Her black and smooth hair was casually tied back with a wooden hairpin. She didn't wear any makeup on her face, but her lips were naturally pink, her skin was white as snow, and her nose was rouge. Her sparkling eyes were like the morning mist that had not yet dissipated in the mountains in the early morning, quiet and mysterious.

When Jiang saw Jiang Yuanyi like this, she hurried over and asked anxiously, "Why did you come out like this?"

Jiang Yuanyi said indifferently, "What did my mother ask me to do?"

Jiang Yuanyi had never spoken to her in such a cold tone, and Jiang knew that she was unhappy. He quickly pulled her to sit aside: "What else can it be? Of course it's your marriage."

Jiang Yuanyi never looked at him from beginning to end, and his tone was neither salty nor cold: "Marry into the Chu family?"

Chu Huan didn't know what to say to Jiang, her eyes and eyebrows were full of joy: "Yes, Master Chu said that he has dismissed the concubine who bullied you before, and he will never take a concubine in the future."

Jiang Yuanyi suppressed the anger and hatred in her heart, lowered her eyes and said: "Master Chu has already been engaged to the young lady of the He family, and he will marry her as his wife in the second half of the year." Jiang Yuanyi raised her eyes to look at her mother, her eyes were cold: "Mother, do you want me to marry over and be a concubine?"

Chu Huan looked at her: "If Miss Jiang is willing to marry, Chu can cancel the engagement with the He family."

Jiang Yuanyi frowned slightly, unable to believe that this was what Chu Huan said?

He Huilan was the younger sister of the current favorite concubine, and Lord He was also well-known in the court. Chu Huan and He Huilan were engaged, which was a union of two big families. If they said they would not marry, then they would not marry?

Besides, whether to marry or not? Who to marry was none of her business.

He Huilan, who was hypocritical and ruthless, was a perfect match for Chu Huan.

"Heh..." Jiang Yuanyi sneered, "Master Chu, do you think I should be grateful?"

Chu Huan stood up and walked to Jiang Yuanyi: "Yuanyi, you know I don't mean that."

Chu Huan was insidious and cunning all his life, and he got rid of Liu Ruyan, the only handle he had. Jiang Yuanyi lifted her skirt and knelt down suddenly, saying in a clear voice: "My parents' orders, I dare not disobey them."

Jiang and Chu Huan were just relieved when they heard Jiang Yuanyi say: "But if mother insists that I marry him, I will immediately become a nun."

She knelt upright in the hall, looking weak, but incomparably strong. Her face was cold, and she didn't see the familiar look at all.

Jiang suddenly remembered what Jiang Yuanyi said when she was joking that day. She didn't take it to heart, but it seemed that she had made a mistake.

All the women in the capital admired Chu Huan. Even when men mentioned him, they would praise him. Praise him for his outstanding talent and wisdom, and praise him for his integrity.

Jiang thought her daughter would like it.

She always loved her, but it seemed that for the first time, she had made her most beloved daughter really angry.

Jiang stared at Jiang Yuanyi in a daze, and after a moment, she came back to her senses and looked at Chu Huan: "Mr. Chu, my daughter is stubborn. Wait for me to talk to him, you go back first."

Chu Huan frowned slightly, looking at Jiang Yuanyi's back and a small part of her white chin.

His voice was slightly hoarse: "Why?"

Jiang Yuanyi stood up, and her clear eyes looked straight at him, with undisguised sarcasm and coldness: "Chu Huan." This was

the first time she called her name so calmly. Chu Huan looked at that haunting face, and watched her pink lips slightly open and close.

Chu Huan heard her say: "You can fool the whole world, but you can't fool me."

Chu Huan once again had an extremely strong feeling. He looked at Jiang Yuanyi: "We knew each other before, right?"

Jiang Yuanyi said lightly: "Qian Sheng, show me out."

Chu Huan grabbed her wrist, his heart was churning, his calm and gentle eyes seemed to be filled with shock and waves, he stared at her intently, his voice hoarse: "...right? ? ! "

Jiang frowned and stepped forward: "What are you doing, Master Chu? ! "

Chu Huan came back to his senses when he heard Jiang's voice. He let go of Jiang Yuanyi's hand, his face returned to normal, and he apologized: "I'm sorry, Chu was anxious and lost my sense of proportion."

Jiang's voice was cold: "Master Chu, please go back."

Chu Huan lowered his eyes and stared at Jiang Yuanyi. After a long while, he turned around and left under Jiang's impatient urging again.

Jiang Yuanyi looked at Chu Huan's back as he left.

His steps were a little shaky, but it was useless for him to think. As long as Jiang Yuanyi didn't admit it, he couldn't find anything.

When Chu Huan's figure disappeared in the courtyard, Jiang Yuanyi looked at her mother and asked softly: "Why did mother return the red book of the Xiao family?"

Her sister clearly told her that at the tea party, her parents had a much better impression of Xiao Tuo. Why the sudden change?

Jiang pulled Jiang Yuanyi to sit down, her eyes full of pity and anxiety: "You told mother not to believe in rumors, and mother listened. She sent people to investigate, and what was the result? Isn't this Mr. Xiao just like the rumors? When I went out that day, those people were talking about me, saying, saying..."

Jiang Yuanyi frowned: "What did they say?"

Jiang said with some embarrassment: "They said that if a family marries their daughter to Xiao Tuo, they must be...not chaste...not clean."

When Jiang went out to Liu Street, she got off the carriage and heard people around talking.

It was said that there was a girl who had a close relationship with Xiao Tuo by the Nanwu River. As they talked, someone said which girl it was from the Leng family. Another said it was a girl from the Wang family.

Jiang was relieved, and then she heard them say that Xiao Tuo was a lecherous man. If a family married a girl to him, something must have happened a long time ago. Maybe, everything happened.

Jiang was sweating coldly, and went in to get what she wanted.

When she returned home and saw it, she was so angry that she returned the red book the next day.

Jiang Yuanyi also knew the crux of the matter when she heard it.

"Is it the spy in Liu Street that mother is looking for?"

"Number 48."

Jiang Yuanyi winked at Xiaoqing, and Xiaoqing understood and quietly left.

Jiang Yuanyi looked at her mother with soft eyes: "Mother, Chu Huan can treat Liu Ruyan like this today, and he can treat me like this tomorrow. Don't you understand this truth?"

Jiang's eyes were slightly stunned, and she looked away in shame. After a moment of silence, she said: "Mother is not forcing you to marry Chu Huan, but I really don't want you to marry someone like Xiao Tuo..."

Jiang Yuanyi said: "Mother, I know Xiao Tuo better than you. I know what kind of person he is."

Jiang Yuanyi talked for a long time, and every word was to defend him.

Jiang looked at Jiang Yuanyi, angry, annoyed and helpless. Jiang Yuanyi is not as weak and indecisive as Jiang Xirong. She seems weak, but in fact she knows everything and is very stubborn.

"Do you mean that you will not marry Xiao Tuo?"

Jiang Yuanyi looked at her mother and nodded without hesitation.

Jiang was so anxious that tears were about to come out, but she couldn't lose her temper at this time. She just held Jiang Yuanyi's hand tightly: "Yier, what's wrong with you this time? Mother has already told you, I sent spies to investigate, he is as evil as the rumors say! Why are you still stubborn!"

——————

No. 48 Liu Street.

The green flag fluttered in the wind. The deep alley was silent, with only damp stone bricks and occasional grass popping out of the cracks.

The tightly closed door was kicked open by someone. The person who came in was wearing navy blue clothes, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, and his eyes were full of anger.

"Li Changge! Get out of here!"

The "pawnshop owner" who was about to go out and scold someone was surprised to hear that someone was calling the name of the real boss behind the scenes.

No one has mentioned this name for many years...

The shopkeeper ran out in panic and was grabbed by the collar. He raised his eyes and met a face with sharp and clean lines. He trembled and said a few words: "Xiao, why is Mr. Xiao here?"

Xiao Tuo grinned and said: "Call the man named Li out for me."

The shopkeeper wanted to cry but had no tears. It was good enough for their boss to be in the capital for one month a year. How could he know whereabouts? But Mr. Xiao's eyes were like a poisoned blade, and the shopkeeper was so scared that he trembled: "Mr. Xiao, don't you know me, our boss? He might be playing in some deep mountain now, aren't you making things difficult for him?"

Xiao Tuo grabbed his collar tighter and threatened coldly: "You can't call out the surname Li, and you, the No. 48 spy, don't tell me you can't find him?"

The shopkeeper was of course unwilling to hand him over casually, and asked with a stiff face: "What did he do to offend you?"

Xiao Tuo smiled and said: "He investigated and slandered me."

When the shopkeeper heard it, he immediately said: "I'll catch him for you!"

After that, the shopkeeper felt something was wrong.

He was the first checkpoint for receiving guests. If someone asked someone to investigate Xiao Tuo. He would not be able to pass the test, and he would not be arranged at all.

He raised his head: "Mr. Xiao, can you tell me who you are talking about?"

Xiao Tuo said: "The wife of Jiangnan Sheng, a tea merchant in Jiangnan."

The shopkeeper had some impression that Mrs. Jiang was beautiful and dressed luxuriously.

He asked her who she wanted to investigate, and Mrs. Jiang did not hesitate and said directly: "Xiao Tuo."

Everyone knows Xiao Tuo, he is fearless, and investigating him? Wouldn't it turn the store upside down?

The shopkeeper quickly refused politely.

"Mr. Xiao... I rejected Mrs. Jiang, did you make a mistake..."

Xiao Tuo smiled faintly: "If there is any problem with your store, go and investigate it yourself, now hand over the person to me."

He looked cold, and completely restrained his loose and casual expression. The shopkeeper was so scared that he couldn't speak. He nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, yes! I'll be there right away!"

Xiao Tuo waited for a cup of tea, but still no one came. He stood up, took out his sword, and was about to destroy his place when he saw the shopkeeper running over in a hurry: "Mr. Xiao, wait a minute!"

The author has something to say: Jiang's mother finally woke up, hahahaha