Chapter 41 Resentment "Don't touch me."
The room fell silent for a moment. Jiang Xu saw that she had finished her medicine, so he turned back and picked up an apricot. "The medicine is bitter, don't push yourself."
Seeing this, Shi Wan subconsciously wanted to take the apricot, but saw that Jiang Xu just stubbornly held it in his palm, as if he wanted to feed her?
After a two-breath standoff, she finally opened her lips, and Jiang Xu got his wish. His expression softened slightly, but the gloomy atmosphere around him lingered for a long time.
"This medicine is harmful to your health, but don't worry. In a few days, I will definitely welcome you into my household as a concubine."
The two were vastly different in strength, and Shi Wan was exhausted both physically and mentally, so she was too lazy to argue with this person.
The sweet taste of apricots filled her taste buds, instantly masking the bitterness of the medicine. Her mood had calmed down a bit, and she said with a normal expression, "As expected of the King, you are flexible and resilient, truly a great man."
A favored concubine?
She was also possessed before, digging her own grave here.
but......
Ultimately, it's still much better than being a runaway slave.
The border region is extremely cold, and it is now the dead of winter. Even if one manages to escape by chance, they will probably die on the way.
Shi Wan didn't want to die, nor did she want to spend the rest of her life in this mansion. Jiang Xu hadn't openly taken her into his family yet, so even if others made many guesses, they couldn't produce any substantial evidence.
Let's just muddle along like this for now.
Jiang Xu knew he had been a bit harsh earlier, and seeing that this was the first time she had done it, he couldn't help but feel relieved and swallowed his anger. "I will keep my promise. You don't need to be so sarcastic."
"Mockery? I'm praising Your Majesty, expressing my admiration." Shi Wan remained noncommittal, and as she spoke, she chuckled softly twice, her beautiful face beaming with a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.
Jiang Xu was taken aback by these words, and the displeasure he had just managed to suppress began to resurface. "Are you saying the opposite of what you mean? Do you think no one else can understand?"
He had been thinking that she was a sensible and obedient person, so why did she suddenly become so temperamental after making love?
Shi Wan was unaware of Jiang Xu's thoughts. However, since the two of them had already broken through the barrier between them, she couldn't help but feel impatient if they continued to do so repeatedly.
The man said she was just playing along, but wasn't he the same? He just wanted to slap her, then offer her a sweet treat, and then cover up the whole thing.
He had done this before.
She simply snorted coldly, "I am of humble origin and uncouth. If I have said anything offensive, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." Although her words were meant to show weakness, her posture showed no intention of yielding. "In any case, I am now a woman who has had intimate relations with Your Majesty, and can be considered half a mistress. Although I have been in this state of being neither servant nor mistress for a long time, now... shouldn't that be even more certain?"
Seeing Jiang Xu frown, Shi Wan's smile widened. She stretched her body and shifted to a more comfortable position. "My worth is much higher now, certainly more than a thousand gold coins."
"Besides, the soldiers under the king all call me 'Madam'."
Jiang Xu was speechless for a moment, staring at her smug expression. After a long while, he chuckled and said, "You are indeed paying a high price."
Shi Wan was not afraid at all. Seeing that he meant something, she followed up and said, "Since it is a high price, Your Majesty should, as before, provide all kinds of jewelry, ornaments, gold ingots and the like."
"You used to bestow rewards, but now you don't. Wouldn't that... make people outside say that Your Majesty is too stingy?"
Before? She doesn't even know what she was like before, and what kind of behavior she is now!
Jiang Xu stared intently at her, only to see her casually close the bed curtains as if she intended to continue sleeping, which fueled his anger.
A moment later, there was a flick of a sleeve, and when Shi Wan turned her head again, she was the only one left in the room.
After a while, a faint sound came from outside. Hua Lan returned and saw Shi Wan in a daze. She walked over to her side and waited. "Miss, the kitchen has prepared some new dishes. Would you like to eat later?"
Shi Wan had just finished two bowls of medicine. Although she had eaten sour apricots, there was still a slight astringent taste left in her mouth. She glanced at the setting sun outside, nodded, and casually said, "Thank you for remembering me."
Hua Lan hurriedly said she dared not, the young lady was always kind, but the two of them were still master and servant. She was already fifteen years old, and this morning, basins of warm water were carried in and out of the room, changed one after another. Although she had never been intimate, she was not stupid.
She hesitated for a long time before finally mustering her courage to ask, "Miss... do you have a grudge against the King?"
Shi Wan was surprised by her sudden question. Recalling how the two maids had spoken well of Jiang Xu openly and secretly for some time, she sighed and said, "It's nothing serious, don't worry." Thinking that the other party was going to persuade her again, the forced smile in her eyes faded a bit by the end of her sentence.
Seeing the worry in Shi Wan's eyes, Hua Lan continued, "The world is in chaos these days. It's good enough to have a place to stay. It's inevitable that someone of the king's status will have a temper. Don't take it to heart, young lady. Just focus on taking care of yourself first."
"If I have a son or daughter in the future, then I will have survived and have someone to rely on."
"Girl, please don't throw a tantrum."
Jiang Xu's child? Shi Wan felt nauseous just thinking about it, but she knew Hua Lan meant well, so she forced herself to say a few words. After exchanging a few words, Hua Lan saw that she was indeed in poor spirits and left.
......
*
In early November, the cold wind outside the window was like a blade, slapping straight at people's faces. Inside the study, the north window faced the desk, and a bamboo curtain hung there. At noon, the sunlight shone through the gaps, casting slivers of light onto the blue bricks on the floor.
Inside, the charcoal brazier emitted a slight crackling sound, and heat quickly spread throughout the room.
Jiang Xu sat upright at one side of the table, carefully examining the bamboo scroll in his hand. Although the war with the Turks was a temporary victory, once winter was over, Ashinaerge would surely invade the border again in the spring of next year. At that time, in order to seize horses, cattle, sheep, pastures, and other resources, the Turkic royal court would definitely unite against the enemy.
Not to mention the Tatars and Xianbei, who also occupy the area surrounding the Turks and live on the grasslands. Although these two tribes are not as powerful as the Turks now, if they cause trouble again and again, a struggle is inevitable.
First, pick a tough spot and weaken one side, then continue to stir up trouble and sow discord. Perhaps this time, he won't have to take action himself. After making up his mind, Jiang Xu put pen to paper. After thinking for a while, the document was completed.
Unlike the uprightness of regular script, this time the handwriting leaned more towards the unrestrained style of cursive script. Three large sheets of paper were written, which were a bit dazzling. After checking them carefully twice, Jiang Xu ordered the scouts to disguise them and send them to the Tatar royal court at full speed.
Upon receiving the order, the scout immediately went to contact his brothers who were lying in ambush under the command of the Grand Marshal of Youzhou, and tried his best to send the letter out as soon as possible. As soon as he went out, he unexpectedly met another person. When he saw that it was Xiao Chijie, his face turned solemn. "Supervisor Xiao."
Knowing that Jiang Xu had important business to attend to, Xiao Chijie greeted him and waited for him to leave before entering. He respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Wan Houyi has sent a message that he will arrive in four days."
Jiang Xu was pondering when he heard this and raised an eyebrow. "His pace is much faster this time." After a moment, seemingly uninterested in the matter, he added, "How is it in Youzhou?"
"I was just about to mention this matter. The assassin who carried out the assassination was originally under the command of the Grand Marshal of Youzhou. It is said that he was an advisor named He Chuyun, who was quite favored by him." Xiao Chijie was also a scout by training. Now that he has been promoted and has fought in many battles, he is still mostly responsible for gathering intelligence. "As for the assassin that Miss Wan'er mentioned, his appearance is indeed the same as He Chuyun. He is the only one under the Grand Marshal of Youzhou."
Jiang Xu remained noncommittal, saying calmly, "In the capital, people from Youzhou will likely be involved as well."
Luoyang was an ancient capital with abundant grain fields, thriving commerce, and a large number of scholars and literati. It was a place with a rich cultural atmosphere and was also very suitable for living. Over the years, countless nobles and officials emerged from it.
Therefore, corruption is equally commonplace among them.
The Southern Yuan court was essentially controlled by the emperor's maternal uncle, Ning Hong, who always championed legitimate heirs and protected the young emperor. However... the Minister of Personnel, Pei Sheng, was different. He hadn't received the money he'd been paying for the official position, and he was on good terms with Mao Maochong. Furthermore, Mao had wiped out their covert operations in the north. It was impossible for him to remain completely inactive.
Jiang Xu recalled the assassin's appearance, and after a moment, he picked up his pen again. This time, neat regular script appeared on the paper. After the ink dried slightly, he handed the letter to Xiao Chijie.
He regained his composure and said, "You should personally deliver this letter to His Majesty the Emperor." He also intended to deliver it to the Emperor's brother-in-law.
"If all goes as expected... if they agree, they will surely send an envoy to guard the border soon."
Only then can we follow the clues and eliminate them one by one.
*
As the Beginning of Winter approaches, a cold wind occasionally blows through the corridor. A new plum tree stretches out into the window, its branches still covered with thin ice around the unopened buds, floating in the morning mist and shimmering with an amber-colored halo.
Hua Lan extinguished the candle and waited to the side, just waiting for Shi Wan to get up and wash. But after a long while, she still didn't get up. Instead, a soft cough came from inside the room, familiar and worrying.
She lifted the curtain and saw that Shi Wan's face was flushed, her eyes were glistening with tears, her hair was disheveled and her eyebrows were furrowed, clearly indicating that she had fallen ill again. Hua Lan was startled. Seeing Hua Hui return with breakfast, she quickly told her to stay and ran to the main courtyard.
When she arrived, Jiang Xu had just returned from his martial arts practice. After bathing and changing, he was discussing matters with Jing Yin and Jing Yan when he suddenly heard that Wan'er was ill. He was slightly taken aback, but then seemed to remember something and gave a few instructions before sending a military doctor to see her.
Even in the afternoon, Shi Wan's head was still dizzy. After taking two doses of medicine, she felt even more drowsy. Outside the room, she could hear several low voices talking, as if they were discussing her condition.
She listened intently, but felt dizzy and couldn't make out anything.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Shi Wan's heart pounded. She managed to concentrate for a moment.
A tall, slender figure stood by the bed, casting a large shadow and blocking the scattered light from outside the window.
Jiang Xu's voice came through the layers of curtains, very soft, as if incredulous, mixed with obvious doubt, "Is he sick?"
Shi Wan forced herself to open her eyes, her vision blurred, and it took several breaths for the familiar outline of the man to gradually appear. Her throat was sore and her face was burning. Without even thinking about it, she knew that he must be in a terrible state right now. As she thought this, she subconsciously closed her eyes and avoided looking at him.
However, this pitiful appearance of being weak and submissive greatly pleased Jiang Xu, who said gently, "It seems you are indeed unwell. You look... much more obedient."
She was only wearing a plain nightgown, her figure slender and her appearance delicate, which stirred his heart. The two had parted on bad terms the day before, and if it were anything else, Jiang Xu would certainly not be so amiable.
Shi Wan felt disgusted by his blatant gaze, so she mustered all her strength and turned her body to the side, her back to him.
Seeing this, Jiang Xu's anger subsided somewhat. "The military doctor said your illness came on strangely; it's a psychological problem."
It was clear that Wan'er was not as calm and composed as she appeared on the surface.
Coming to his senses, he said gently, "If you have a past with someone else, it's still acceptable to tell them now." The man sat down on the edge of the bed and, as he spoke, reached out to touch Shi Wan's forehead. "It's never too late to mend your ways."
No sooner had he finished speaking than his large hand was slapped away by a pale back of the hand. Jiang Xu was stunned, his hand hovering in mid-air as he looked up.
Wan'er seemed to be further away, her voice faint and weak, carrying the scent of medicine as it drifted into my ears.
"Don't touch me."
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The author says: "Her hair was carved like cicada wings and her eyebrows were furrowed" comes from "Taizhen Lying Ill" and was painted by Hu Zhonggong of the Song Dynasty.
His voice, still carrying the lingering scent of medicine, held a hint of determination before finally dissipating in a suppressed cough.
"Cough cough..."
Shi Wan suppressed the itch in her throat, pursed her lips, and vaguely sensed the gaze behind her. Unconsciously, she leaned closer again, trying to avoid it.
A light blue gauze curtain hung low, and a gilded incense burner gently emitted wisps of smoke. Another sandalwood screen separated the bedroom into two worlds. Jiang Xu sat sideways on the bed, his face as usual, his expression still indifferent. But this calmness inexplicably sent chills down the spines of those around him.
A moment later, Shi Wan vaguely heard an order coming from outside the curtain, followed by barely audible footsteps. The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
She suddenly realized something was wrong, looked up, and met Jiang Xu's dark eyes. He didn't speak, only gave a cold laugh, and repeated her words in a low voice, "Don't touch you?"
He thought of Wan'er's previous words, and seeing that she still dared to act this way even after knowing the fate of those who were punished, his expression turned even colder.
These words seemed to have touched some hidden mechanism, giving Shi Wan a bad feeling. She simply remained silent, lowering her eyes and staring blankly at a corner of the bedding.
Jiang Xu's gaze was like a venomous snake, gentle yet not to be ignored. The cool touch coiled around the soles of his feet, then his ankles, calves, and upwards, growing increasingly cold.
Despite the ample warmth of the charcoal fire inside, she broke out in a cold sweat, which clung to her hair and temples, mingling with the heat from the medication she had taken and the resulting sleepiness. The alternation between the two was incredibly irritating.
He stared at her intently for a moment, then suddenly got up and went to the windowsill to the side, where he picked up a stack of papers. Shi Wan immediately sensed something was wrong and forced a smile as she scolded, "What are you doing?"
But she was too weak now, having already exhausted most of her strength with that one strike. The words she uttered now sounded like a soft inquiry, lacking some of her aggressive edge.
Jiang Xu remained unmoved, simply placing all those items on the dressing table beside the bed.
The dressing table was hidden in the shadow of the curtains, its inlaid tortoiseshell gleaming and shimmering with a lustrous sheen. Jiang Xu placed the stack of paper-like objects on it, and only then did Shi Wan realize that they were silver notes.
It's not just banknotes.
There were also gold ingots and a lot of silver scraps.
Shi Wan was slightly stunned. She sat up and leaned against the side of the bed, looking towards the dressing table. Seeing Jiang Xu calm and composed, her unease intensified. "Jiang... what are you doing?"
When Jiang Xu heard Shi Wan try to call him by his name again, his sarcasm deepened. "It seems I haven't yet... settled all the old scores with you?"
"What do you mean...?" Shi Wan stared at him intently before a sudden surge of fear rose within her.
The man's lips curled slightly, yet it gave her a familiar chill. His ambiguous smile, coupled with his words, struck Shi Wan's heart like a hammer: "How dare someone who hasn't even revealed their real name call others by their given names with such confidence?"
Jiang Xu had initially found it strange, but he thought that in such a chaotic world, with so many people and so many eyes, it would be difficult to trace the source. However, after several investigations, it seemed that a piece of the story about Wan'er was suddenly missing.
It was as if... he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and landed in a crowd of refugees.
Furthermore...
He said coldly, "I've heard that the young man from the Zhang family is quite generous, spending a fortune to help you."
Zhang Yiwen? Shi Wan was taken aback by what she heard. She secretly glanced at Jiang Xu's expression. He still maintained his calm and composed demeanor. When he saw her looking at him, the curve of his lips deepened. This gentle smile was even more unsettling.
Shi Wan told the truth, "Zhang Yiwen thought I was short of money, so he lent me the bicycle frame to avoid inconvenience when traveling in the middle of the night."
He paused, then said, "What do you mean by 'spending a fortune'... Why are you making unfounded accusations against others?"
"Inconvenient to travel?" Seeing her explanation, which seemed to be turning black into white, Jiang Xu was even more annoyed. He sensed that she was subtly defending that kid in her words, and his tone was icy. "As you say, he really is 'kind-hearted'."
These words sounded completely absurd. Shi Wan listened, her lips moving several times, but she ultimately remained silent. She changed the subject, trying to remain calm, "Didn't Your Majesty say that this matter was over? Why are you bringing up old grievances again?"
"I have always kept my promise." Jiang Xu looked at her. "Now, I should not punish you severely for your concealment, should I?"
"Do you know... what the consequences are for the crime of deception?" Before he could answer, Jiang Xu sneered, "You are not unaware, but you have repeatedly acted recklessly because of the preferential treatment I have given you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan subconsciously shrank further in. Jiang Xu's words were exactly what she was thinking. Although she hated his behavior, she had to admit that he also had many good qualities.
Preferential treatment for her? Shi Wan snapped back to reality, her tone turning cold as she retorted, "Now that you've achieved your goal, you're starting to lecture me?"
"Your Majesty, crossing the river and then dismantling the bridge... cough cough, that's not how you dismantle it."
Unexpectedly, Jiang Xu smiled again upon hearing this, this time very softly. Shi Wan was completely confused and was about to refute him when she heard him say, "I'm a traitor who crosses the river and then burns the bridge... That Zhang family member is just helpful and chivalrous."
"Really..." He didn't continue, his tone pausing slightly, his dark eyes reflecting her somewhat flustered expression.
After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Is that so?"
The man's long, slender fingers landed on the gold ingot, his palm covering it. Shi Wan could not discern anything further. Faced with this man's clearly abnormal appearance, she subconsciously softened her tone, "I am ill and currently feeling drowsy. Your Majesty, please leave first."
"Since you're tired, why not wake up for a bit?" Jiang Xu ignored him, simply moved a chair from the side of the rosewood screen, sat down with an air of authority, and then seemed to toss something over.
Shi Wan didn't want to provoke him, so she instinctively tried to dodge, but that thing was almost aimed at her. Feeling weak all over, she stretched out her hand and, by some strange coincidence, caught it. When she unfolded it, a gold ingot landed in her palm.
She was momentarily stunned, her amber eyes staring blankly at him, only to see Jiang Xu's face full of amusement as he teased, "So it seems you are indeed worth more than a thousand gold pieces." After speaking, he casually tossed a few more pieces of silver towards the bed.
This time, Shi Wan did not reach out again.
She huddled alone in a corner of the bed, most of her body hidden under the mattress, trembling involuntarily. As her fear gradually faded, she was now overwhelmed by a profound sense of sorrow.
In Jiang Xu's eyes, she was of humble origin and had a life of hardship, unlike those noble ladies who lived in luxury. She was the only one worthy of being his "official wife".
But... she's no saint either.
Why use such a picky tone...?
Why humiliate her like this?
She's a living, breathing person; she has her own thoughts.
Suddenly, without warning, Shi Wan burst into tears, large teardrops rolling down her cheeks and leaving two streaks of varying depths.
At the bottom of the dressing case was a gold hairpin with twin lotus blossoms that Shi Wan had taken with her when she fled. At this moment, Jiang Xu was casually playing with it, and the two beads on the hairpin were about to fall off with his movements.
Seeing Shi Wan suddenly sob, her chest heaving uncontrollably, his tone grew even colder, "Aren't you short of money?"
"Otherwise, why would someone carrying so much gold, silver, and beaded jewelry be using a strange man's bicycle?"
"What? Aren't I rewarding you with money right now?" Jiang Xu suddenly stood up, his expression calm. "Instead of praising me, you're just crying?"
He scoffed coldly and said sarcastically, "Wan'er, isn't this a case of repaying kindness with enmity and kicking away the ladder after crossing the river?"
"I'm an idiot? Fine, very well."
Jiang Xu is a bastard, while Zhang Yiwen, a good-for-nothing who lives off his family's influence, is a righteous gentleman who lends a helping hand.
"I have even more despicable tricks up my sleeve, which I haven't used yet," Jiang Xu said coldly, grabbing a few silver notes from the dressing table with his men and walking towards the bed.
Shi Wan was having trouble breathing, her eyes were stinging, and tears blurred her vision. She could only vaguely see Jiang Xu coming towards her. She subconsciously wiped her cheeks, and her whole body tensed up even more.
In an instant, Jiang Xu suddenly pulled her up. Shi Wan felt a chill on her chest, and with a tearing sound, several silver notes were suddenly stuck diagonally into her chest.
She was already prone to feeling cold, and the silver notes must have been placed on the window table long ago. Now, through Jiang Xu's hands, they emitted a heat that penetrated the thin layer of clothing, almost... scorching her.
It hurts a little.
A sore, astringent feeling kept gnawing at most of her heart.
Shi Wan's eyes seemed somewhat lost, and she looked over in a daze. Her face was slightly raised, glistening with moisture, and a few tears slowly dripped down her chin, landing on Jiang Xu's clothes and soaking the fabric.
The two were so close that Shi Wan's face was clearly visible, a deathly pale color, beautiful yet fragile. But somehow, her other hand gripped his collar tightly with a strength she didn't know she possessed, her voice hoarse and trembling with tears, "Use it...!"
"You use it!"
Her amber eyes seemed to be shrouded in mist, her tone fluctuated wildly, but her face suddenly calmed down. Perhaps she was exhausted, because the knuckles of her fingers gripping his clothes trembled uncontrollably.
Jiang Xu was still holding the remaining silver notes in his other hand, and somehow, he let them slowly slip to the ground.
A dull ache suddenly arose in my heart.
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