Chapter 96: The tangled web of expelling people is hard to unravel.
After New Year's Eve, the festive atmosphere becomes increasingly intense, reaching its peak.
As travelers returned home and people came and went, the Jiangnan region, already a bustling area, saw a significant increase in the number of people in Fuji Village compared to usual.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people visit relatives and friends.
As usual, Shi Wan selected some vintage wines and pastries, and together with Tang Yun, visited the neighbors.
As the saying goes, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. When Shi Wan first came to this place, the shop was not as famous as it is now. Fortunately, the neighbors saw that their family was not doing well and often came to patronize the shop. Word of mouth spread, and gradually the business improved. Therefore, during the holidays of the past two years, Shi Wan or Cai Yue would always bring Tang Yun to buy some trinkets and visit the shop.
Tang Yun is about seven years old this year. She is beautiful and adorable. The little girl is very quick-witted. During the Spring Festival, she carries a basket of gifts to each door and says auspicious words. The people who receive the gifts are naturally happy.
There weren't many households living on the streets and alleys, only a dozen or so in total. Shi Wan led Tang Yun, and the two of them knocked on doors one by one to visit them.
As soon as the door was opened, a middle-aged man, about eight feet tall, dressed in ordinary clothes, appeared before her. Upon seeing Shi Wan, he showed a slight look of surprise on his face. "Excuse me... what brings you here?" His gaze swept over the object in the other woman's hand, and then he seemed to realize something. "I just moved here recently, so you two may not be familiar with me."
Shi Wan showed no change in expression and said gently, "It's alright. As we get to know each other better over time, we'll become familiar with each other."
"May I ask your name, elder brother?"
The middle-aged man smiled amicably and said, "My surname is Zhang."
"Brother Zhang, I have prepared some food and a small gift to celebrate the New Year. I hope we can get along well as neighbors in the future."
After speaking, Tang Yun handed over the gift in her hand, "Uncle, this is homemade sugar cake, please try it! It's delicious!"
Upon seeing this, the middle-aged man quickly offered many auspicious New Year greetings before thanking him repeatedly and accepting the gift.
After saying goodbye, Shi Wan and Tang Yun continued their visits. In the vicinity of her own courtyard, without exception, all the households had been replaced by new people. The old neighbors were either short of money and in a hurry to sell, or had something urgent to attend to and had to return to their hometowns. The reasons were varied, but the result was the same.
Among them, some of the new neighbors were so tactful in their explanations that they were even subtly overly respectful to her. By the time Shi Wan finished visiting them inside and out, it had been almost half an hour.
After walking a distance and returning to the vicinity of her own courtyard, Shi Wan finally calmed down a bit and turned to Tang Yun, saying, "Yun'er, go home first and tell your mother that I will be back later, so that she won't worry."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yun hesitated for a moment, her fair face scrunched up, but after a while, she still managed to nod obediently and instructed, "Then Daddy, you must come back as soon as possible."
Shi Wan glanced at him and knew that the little guy must have thought about being rushed away a few nights ago. Although she and Caiyue had tried to cover it up these days, Tang Yun was smart enough to probably have noticed something.
She sighed inwardly, then squatted down and gently comforted the little guy for a while. Once the gloom in his heart had dissipated, the tenderness on Shi Wan's face vanished instantly as soon as she left.
She randomly chose a secluded courtyard, looked around to make sure she wouldn't attract too much attention, and then knocked on the door.
The door opened, and the middle-aged man who had just been seen looked bewildered. Seeing Shi Wan visiting again, he asked in confusion, "Didn't you just come to visit? Why have you returned? May I ask why...?"
Shi Wan said calmly, "Let him come out."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's expression became even more puzzled. "This... what do you mean by this, young man?"
Shi Wan glanced at his face full of confusion, her eyes gradually turning cold, and simply said bluntly, "Let Jiang Xu come out."
Seeing him address His Majesty by his given name, the middle-aged man found it difficult to maintain his composure, but he still stubbornly said, "This... I don't know this person. Are you sure you're not mistaken...?"
Seeing that this person wouldn't admit defeat until faced with dire consequences, Shi Wan sneered and bluntly said, "What kind of coincidence is this? Several families around my house just happened to sell their houses and courtyards in the last few days?"
"I found an excuse to go into the yard of the next two or three households to check on them. Not only did those households not refuse to let strangers I was meeting for the first time into their houses, they were extremely respectful."
"Do I need to go on with all the details?"
In an instant, the middle-aged man's mind raced. Thinking of His Majesty's instructions, he was preparing to rise to the challenge again when a soft sigh suddenly came from behind him.
"Step back." As soon as the words were spoken, a man stepped forward slowly. He was handsome and tall, and it was Jiang Xu.
Seeing Shi Wan's indifferent and wary expression, he spoke, his tone unconsciously softening by three points, "...It's just changing places to live, why get so angry? What if you ruin your health?"
Shi Wan felt extremely conflicted. She had vaguely anticipated this when she visited the first house, and now, hearing him ask a question he already knew the answer to, the frustration of being powerless to change the situation mixed with anger suddenly surged up. "Change your place to stay?"
She laughed angrily, "So you bought up all the houses and yards of the families around me just to move to a new place? Is that what you call moving to a new place?"
"Jiang Xu, are you getting old and going crazy?" As she spoke, Shi Wan thought of his unrepentant behavior over the past few days, and subconsciously lowered her voice. If you listened closely, there was a hint of gritted teeth in her voice. "You have to make this a public spectacle, don't you?"
So...
What's the difference between keeping her confined and keeping her like this in the past?
Shi Wan was overcome with grief, feeling that ever since this person found her, their relationship had been a tangled mess.
As soon as she finished speaking, she instinctively wanted to leave this place of trouble and turned to leave.
Jiang Xu panicked and quickly followed. Behind him came his pitiful explanation, "I just wanted to be closer to you... Don't be angry."
Shi Wan turned around and glared at him. "What? Now it's my fault?" Her tone carried a hint of resentment she herself wasn't even aware of. "Do you have to do this... ruin my reputation?"
Even if he buys the houses and courtyards of several neighboring families, if he continues to make such a fuss, it's hard to guarantee that he won't attract other prying eyes.
Shi Wan took a deep breath and strode towards her own yard. "Come here," she said casually, with a hint of smugness, as if she were teasing a cat or dog.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, Shi Wan knocked on the door and went in first. When she saw Cai Yue opening the door, she smiled reassuringly at her, and Jiang Xu followed closely behind.
As soon as the person entered, Shi Wan slammed the courtyard gate shut to ensure that all outside views were blocked. Shi Wan turned to Cai Yue and said, "You go back to your room first. I have some things to discuss with His Majesty."
Upon hearing this, Caiyue seemed to recall the past, and a hint of worry flashed across her eyes. After a moment, she still left as instructed.
Jiang Xu stayed obediently to the side. This was the first time he had the opportunity to spy on Shi Wan's life. When he caught a glimpse of Cai Yue talking to her, he subconsciously made himself even more inconspicuous.
Inside the courtyard, snow piled up in the corner of the wall, a white expanse covering the ground. Occasionally, a few birds, seemingly from nowhere, would fly by, leaving a few plum blossom-shaped footprints on the ground, creating a unique and charming scene.
But most of the time, there are only a few simple decorations.
A broom rested against the wall, and not far away, garlic sprouts were planted in a soil pot. After winter, the green onions were somewhat wilted from the cold. Cured meat, sausages, red peppers, and other food items hung under the eaves.
She lived like this for nearly a thousand days.
Thinking of this, Jiang Xu felt an even greater dull pain in his heart. He looked up and saw Shi Wan turn back, glaring at him angrily. He felt a jolt in his heart and his lips trembled.
Unexpectedly, Shi Wan suddenly raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
The crisp sound of the slap was extremely jarring in the otherwise quiet environment.
This time it was fast and powerful, and filled with resentment, she used all her strength.
Jiang Xu was knocked unconscious, his face turned to the side. He slowly turned his head and looked at him again, his eyes filled with complex emotions, surging wildly. Looking at him, it seemed as if he was in a heart-wrenching pain.
The man's gaze was deep, and he remained silent. However, Shi Wan was already annoyed by this series of actions and said coldly, "You are supposed to be the emperor, can't you stop being so fickle?!"
Perhaps it was that this complex gaze that stirred up some memories of the past, for she remained silent for a few moments before continuing, "Jiang Xu, ask yourself honestly, how is this any different from locking me in that dark room before, forcing me to jump off the high platform... how is this any different from everything in the past?"
Jiang Xu raised his hand, his fingertips gently wiping the stinging corner of his mouth. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying an air of trying to explain, "There's a difference." He stepped forward, his gaze following her intently, "I didn't force my way in, but... I bought a house nearby."
As he spoke, he seemed to realize his words were somewhat ridiculous, and subconsciously promised, "I won't disturb your life, and I certainly won't act like I did in the past..."
At the end, his voice suspiciously lowered, "I forced you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan paused, took a deep breath, and scoffed coldly, as if she had heard something utterly ridiculous. "You really think... you didn't force me?"
She gazed at the other side of the wall, her words carrying a pointed meaning: "This is just a bigger cage."
Realizing that Shi Wan's attitude had grown even colder, Jiang Xu's words took on a somewhat clumsy attempt to appease her, and he carefully chose his words, "Shi Wan, I'm changing in a way that you can accept, could you... smile at me too?"
Don't have such a cold face, as if she and that damned Caiyue are family, while his four years of love and hate with her are just a light page that will be turned over without a trace.
As he spoke, a hint of confusion crossed his face. "Why an even bigger cage? Even in the past, if you hadn't insisted on leaving, I had already given you a great deal of freedom."
"You are free to go out, but if you give birth to our child, then..."
“That’s enough,” she interrupted.
"Jiang Xu, you should go back." Shi Wan's voice was extremely tired. "You can go out freely, shop freely, and in the future you might be able to attend banquets freely and get to know the wives and relatives of high-ranking officials."
"From beginning to end, it's all about these 'freedoms'."
This time, Shi Wan's mockery was undisguised, and in Jiang Xu's eyes, it strangely overlapped with that moment more than two years ago: "If you really mean what you say, then according to my way, you should go back to Luoyang right now."
"Go back to the palace."
"Why do so many things have to be left in my little courtyard?"
Her words were fast and urgent, with a clear sense of expulsion, yet Jiang Xu always managed to find a strange comfort in them, a touch of sweetness.
For a moment, Jiang Xu felt a twisted, somewhat eerie sense of pleasure welling up inside him. "...Are you... concerned about me?"
Worried that his prolonged absence from court might cause disloyalty among the officials? Before Shi Wan could refute, he continued, as if deceiving himself, "Don't worry, I have my own arrangements in court."
Shi Wan glanced at his expression and suddenly chuckled softly.
In an instant, the beauty smiled, and the surrounding ice and snow melted away.
Jiang Xu felt a sudden stirring in his heart, and then heard her say, "Okay, let's talk outside."
He was momentarily flattered. Seeing her gesture, he subconsciously stepped out the door first, and the next moment, the door quickly closed.
Not a single crack was left.
Jiang Xu: "......"
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Author's note: Self-deception is unacceptable [glasses]
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