Zhenniang: The Three of Us (Twenty-One)
Lan Shuyan stuffed large mouthfuls of pastries into her mouth, clearly starving. She ate a whole bag of long, thin cakes in one go, and only after finishing them did she gulp down a large bowl of tea.
Zhao Zhenniang had never seen her so disheveled before, and hurriedly poured her tea: "Drink slowly, drink slowly, Miss Lan, what are your plans now?"
Lan Shuyan finished a large bowl of hot tea and finally caught her breath. Although she looked disheveled, her eyes were more determined than ever before.
"I'm going south! To a place where ideas are more passionate, to find the meaning of my life!"
Zhao Zhenniang fell silent.
She had never left home. The dock in Nangang was the southernmost place she knew, but she didn't know which direction the ship would sail.
Lan Shuyan's words instinctively filled her with fear: "How did things come to this? Your parents were always good to you. Talk to them nicely, and they might not necessarily force you."
"Besides, the young master of the Song family doesn't like me, but he likes you. Even if you marry him, there's nothing wrong with that. Don't you two love each other anymore?"
Lan Shuyan: ...
She didn't know how to tell Zhao Zhenniang how she felt. Everyone thought it was a good thing for her to marry Song San, and she used to think so too, but it wasn't until things actually happened that she realized there was something wrong with it.
She thought her love was her freedom, but she never imagined that one day it would so easily become her cage.
Her parents and brother became the people who drove her away with sticks, and the person she once loved became her master, holding a golden cage and watching her from downstairs.
That feeling was terrifying. Love tainted by the shadow of power is like a guillotine with carved flowers—it's clearly a tool for killing, yet it's decorated with some artistic value.
She couldn't remain indifferent under that terrifying shadow; she couldn't continue living in that house. All she wanted now was to escape, to escape to a place where she still held hope, and try living alone.
She can write, speaks foreign languages, and knows many things. If she goes to a place where the literary scene in the south is thriving, perhaps she will become a great writer?
She'll definitely pay the money back once she makes it!
Lan Shuyan's words sounded very sincere, but Jian Yu'an, who was watching from the side, was furious.
What Jian Yu'an disliked most about the female lead was that she talked about lofty principles but took it for granted that she would cause trouble for others. Her progressive ideas only existed in slogans; in reality, she was a walking troublemaker.
Having just stolen Zhao Zhenniang's fiancé, how dare she ask Zhao Zhenniang for help?
And can't you use your brain to think about it? How far could a pampered young lady like her, who can't carry anything on her shoulders or lift anything with her hands, go if she runs away from home in such a chaotic and war-torn era?
Now that she's asking for help, if we don't help her, she'll probably resent Zhao Zhenniang for being heartless.
If we help her, and she ruins her life after she gets out, and gets beaten down by life, she might even resent Zhao Zhenniang for not advising her back then, ruining her chance to marry into the Song family and become a wealthy lady and enjoy a life of leisure.
Jian Yu'an had already thought through the whole troublesome future. She hated people who entrusted their crucial fate to others. Why should others be responsible for your fate?
As expected, Zhao Zhenniang was also hesitant. This was no small matter, and she couldn't make a decision on her own.
After settling Lan Shuyan in, Zhao Zhenniang got up and began to invite the "immortals".
The spirit within her had actually been gone for several days, but since it was the first time Zhao Zhenniang had been able to eat her own food, dress herself, and be fully conscious all day, she pretended not to notice and prepared to enjoy those few days.
Now that something big has happened, they finally remember to cram at the last minute.
I'm putting on this ceremony out of guilt. I hope the two deities aren't angry; they were the ones who didn't come first.
Granny Wang created her own ritual for invoking the spirits, and Zhao Zhenniang followed along every day, learning quite a bit as well.
Watching that foolish ritual of invoking the immortals, Jian Yu'an felt a sense of redemption for the first time.
Whether Ye Xiqing's theory is true or false is unknown, but if their situation truly indicates multiple personality disorder...
Now that Zhao Zhenniang has taken the initiative to invite the immortal, does that mean she is voluntarily giving up her body so that she can have a chance to regain control of it?
Jian Yu'an was eager to say something to Zhao Zhenniang about the female lead, so he was very anxious and decided to try anything, even if it seemed hopeless.
But despite her efforts, she couldn't get in, and Zhao Zhenniang did indeed look different.
After Ye Xiqing leaned down, she slowly reached out, picked up a long strip of cake, and savored it.
The pastries sold at the shop were all homemade in the countryside. Because of the lack of sugar, they were not particularly sweet and could not be considered high-end pastries, but they suited Ye Xiqing's taste perfectly.
Ye Xiqing finished eating before she started writing.
The long cake placed in the center of the formation is for her; I'm sorry.
Jian Yu'an: Hmm?
When Zhao Zhenniang came to her senses, she saw the long cake that had disappeared from the table and the note covered with writing, and she immediately became happy. It was her third aunt!
She had neglected her third aunt for so many days, but fortunately, her third aunt was not angry and still gave her a divine decree.
After learning to read, communicating with her third aunt became much easier. Zhao Zhenniang quickly picked up the slip of paper to see what her third aunt had written.
Unfolding the slip of paper, he read it aloud, word by word: "Three years of bad luck, ten years of great fortune, everything will be auspicious, no need to worry about anything."
No need to ask?
Zhao Zhenniang looked up at the sky, never expecting such an answer.
Upon careful reflection, she suddenly remembered that her third aunt had initially descended to help her ward off evil spirits, and now she had managed to avoid them.
Recalling what my third aunt had said, delaying the marriage for three years could also avert bad luck.
I thought that after three years, getting married would be fine, but it turns out that after three years, breaking off the engagement would be fine too.
When fate comes to pass, those who are controlled by it will only suddenly realize its meaning.
No wonder my third aunt and second sister suddenly disappeared. I thought they were giving her a break, but it turns out she has completed her tribulation and the two immortals have retired after their mission is accomplished.
Upon realizing this, Zhao Zhenniang was instantly filled with remorse.
Her aunts and sisters had helped her so much; how could she be secretly pleased just because of a few meals and their departure?
When Zhao Zhenniang realized that her aunts and sisters were really leaving, she panicked and begged them not to go! She just wanted to have a few days of meals alone; she didn't really want her aunts and sisters to stop coming!
Seeing Zhao Zhenniang crying so sadly, Ye Sangu softened and descended into her immortal form again, picking up a brush and leaving a message: If you really want to keep us here, offer us whatever you think is delicious. This great immortal will decide based on the situation.
Not only did she go from occasionally not eating to occasionally eating, but she was also willing to stay. Zhao Zhenniang was overjoyed.
After respectfully thanking his third aunt, he looked at the note she left behind and was overjoyed: "Everything will be auspicious, no need to worry about it."
He slowly raised his head.
Does that mean she can do whatever she wants from now on?
...
Given the magnitude of Zhao Zhenniang's annulment of the engagement, the Song family couldn't possibly ignore the cause and effect.
The entire Zhao Family Village was under Zhao Zhenniang's control, forming an impenetrable fortress with shared interests. No one dared to gossip about the Song family, and the Song family only now learned what had happened during Zhao Zhenniang's mourning period.
When I found out, I was completely stunned. What is all this about?
Looking at his former fiancée, whom he had once despised, now a completely unfamiliar figure, Song San felt a mix of emotions.
Song Da looked at him with amusement: "How about it, regretting it now? You thought she was just a plain country girl, but she turned out to be an unparalleled heroine, a hundred times better than your neither-Chinese-nor-Western girlfriend, right?"
Song San's face stung, but no one would contradict themselves, so he forced a smile and said, "Who said that? I don't care what kind of heroine she is. In my heart, Shu Yan is the best!"
Song Da snorted lightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and looked at the two hundred silver dollars that Zhao Zhenniang had brought.
The two hundred silver dollars are neatly stacked and have not been opened to this day.
Song Da looked at it and called over his adjutant.
“Give the silver dollars back to Miss Zhao. The Song family doesn’t need her little bit of annulling fee.”
...
Song Da was very generous, but Zhao Zhenniang was very nervous after receiving the money: "This is the money I gave to the Song family to annul the engagement..."
The adjutant immediately said, "Our warlord said that the marriage will be called off and the money will be refunded, so Miss Zhao doesn't need to worry."
Zhao Zhenniang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she reached for the money in the adjutant's hand, she pushed it back to him: "I'm sorry to trouble you, sir, to make this trip in person. Please tell the warlord that I have accepted the money."
Song Da's adjutant glanced at the two hundred silver dollars that had been stuffed into his arms and immediately refused, saying, "Miss Zhao, this..."
Zhao Zhenniang stopped him, revealing a faint smile: "To be honest, there is something I need to ask of you."
...
Zhao Family Village earns a lot, but also spends a lot. For the past three years, there hasn't been a single penny left in the accounts. They thought they would finally have some savings this year, but the head of the household spent all the money again.
Everyone looked at Zhao Zhenniang curiously: "Honey, what are you buying this time?"
Zhao Zhenniang didn't hide it from others: "A gun."
When the word was uttered, the room fell silent; not a single person was naive enough to ask why someone would buy a gun.
The adjutant was also very helpful, getting Zhao Zhenniang ten rifles and three hundred rounds of ammunition. In addition to these guns and ammunition, he also obtained a legal gun possession permit for their village.
Although illegal gun possession is as simple as eating and drinking these days, having a license makes all the difference. Having a license means you have connections, and everyone who comes here has to think twice.
A gun cost eighty silver dollars, and a bullet cost twelve cents, which was exactly the price of a bottle of sesame oil. Zhao Zhenniang was extremely grateful and presented him with one thousand silver dollars.
Of course, it wasn't a physical thousand silver dollars. A thousand silver dollars weighs more than ten kilograms, and no one would use a thousand silver dollars for underground transactions.
Zhao Zhenniang exchanged her silver dollars for gold bars in advance. At that time, one tael of gold could be exchanged for forty silver dollars, and 1,000 silver dollars were exactly enough for two large yellow croakers and five small yellow croakers.
The gleaming gold wrapped in red cloth looked exceptionally beautiful.
Zhao Zhenniang said sincerely, "I was really ashamed to face the Song family after breaking my promise and canceling the engagement. Please keep this a secret for me, sir."
Song Da's adjutant tapped the gold bar to check its purity, a smile he couldn't hide spreading across his face.
Anyone who can reach the position of adjutant is a shrewd individual. Zhao Zhenniang's request for secrecy was not only for her adjutant to keep it a secret for her, but also for her to keep it a secret for her adjutant.
The two people were making a deal in private, completely detached from reality.
In a society where everything is governed by men, no one is honest, not even Zhao Zhenniang, let alone an adjutant to a powerful warlord.
The adjutant accepted the gold bars with a broad smile: "Don't worry, Miss Zhao, no one else will know."
...
The long-awaited trip to exchange gold reminded Zhao Zhenniang of the bracelet she owed her godmother.
She kept this matter in her heart and always wanted to get it back for her godmother, but the world was not peaceful and the price of gold remained high.
Forty silver dollars for one tael of gold was outrageous; I had never been willing to exchange it before, but this time I exchanged so much at once.
While wondering if the price of gold could ever return to the level of thirty silver dollars, Zhao Zhenniang went shopping.
She went to the foreign firm and bought a briefcase and men's clothing and hats, which cost her quite a bit of money.
Under the watchful eyes of what appeared to be an empty house, but was actually filled with spectators, Zhao Zhenniang found Lan Shuyan and handed her not only a suitcase but also another item.
When viewers saw what she was holding, not only those watching on screen but also those watching off screen were shocked.
With its sleek design and silver-gray body, it was an exceptionally brand-new Colt revolver.
Following the adjutant's example, Zhao Zhenniang loaded the gun and chambered it, the gun making an unusually crisp click.
A small handgun is more expensive than a rifle.
Lan Shuyan looked at Zhao Zhenniang in utter shock, but Zhao Zhenniang remained calm: "This gun can only hold six bullets, so I prepared twelve for you."
"If you really have to go, take it with you."
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