Chapter 44 A Little Sweet
“Unwilling?” Zhao frowned.
Jiang Shiyao said with a humble expression, "Thank you, Duke, and Madam, for your kind words. I am truly unworthy of such praise."
"Fu'er is the Crown Prince's child, so she is naturally blessed. How could I dare to take credit for her? Fu'er's current maturity and good manners are also thanks to Madam."
"I have no merit, so how dare I enter the ancestral hall with the mistress?"
Zhao couldn't suppress her smile. "After all these years, I never realized you were such a wonderful person. No wonder Xian'er insisted on taking you as his concubine back then."
The Duke put Fu'er down and patted her head. "Good girl, go back to your mother."
Fu'er toddled over to her mother and hugged her leg tightly.
Holding her mother in her arms, she completely forgot her promise to He Amu to be well-behaved and polite.
"My lord, if I say you can endure it, then you can endure it."
"If anyone dares to utter a single word, Madam will immediately order the family discipline."
Jiang Shiyao readily agreed, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency."
The Duke paused again, then said to Zhao, "Let's raise the monthly allowance as well, and rewards and punishments must be clearly distinguished."
Zhao, "She should have her price increased. She's young and has a beautiful face; she should dress up more."
As she spoke, she looked at her mother and said, "Didn't you receive a few silk flowers at the Empress Dowager's banquet? Pick one for Lady Jiang."
Xiang's mother immediately understood, "That pink one is perfect, its bright color is just right for Jiang Niangzi."
During the palace banquet, the Third Miss said that Miss Song likes pink.
"Okay, pink it is!" Zhao's smile deepened.
When Jiang Shiyao came out of the flower hall, she had a very fruitful day.
This misunderstanding is actually quite good.
Fu'er skipped along, holding her mother's finger. She was so happy that she could sleep with her mother!
Shuangjiang followed slowly behind, and even now, when she recalls the scenes from the daytime, she can't help but tear up.
It's not dark yet, and the mansion is full of people.
She can't cry.
Jiang Niangzi, holding Fu'er's hand, chatted and laughed as they walked very quickly, and soon they disappeared from sight.
When Shuangjiang arrived at the courtyard, Wei Xun was standing at the door.
He stood with his back to her, completely blocking the doorway.
Seeing him during the Frost's Descent reminded her of Zhang Lang, and her anger was inexplicably ignited.
"What are you doing blocking this way! Are you trying to be a doorman?!"
Wei Xun was startled, but when he turned around, he saw that Shuangjiang's eyes were red and she looked like she had been crying.
"You...you cried?"
Shuangjiang wiped her eyes, "I didn't cry! Who cried!"
This touch only made the tears fall even more.
During the day, that feeling of grievance welled up in my heart instantly.
Wei Xun panicked; no girl had ever cried in front of him before.
He was immediately at a loss, not knowing how to calm her down. "You, you shouldn't cry. People who don't know the situation will think I'm bullying you..."
Shuangjiang turned around, leaned against the moonlit wall, buried her face in her arms, bit her lip, and cried bitterly to vent her emotions.
Wei Xun stood beside her, so awkward that he didn't even know where to put his hands.
Hearing her suppressed sobs, I wanted to say a few words of comfort, but I didn't know where to begin.
In the end, all I could do was silently stay by her side and wait for her to finish crying.
When Shuangjiang cried until she was exhausted and could barely keep her eyes open, she leaned against the wall and slowly stopped sobbing.
As the sun set, the dim sunlight shone on the two of them, casting long shadows.
Shuangjiang didn't look up, her voice thick with nasal congestion, "You've seen all the jokes, you can leave now."
Wei Xun said seriously, "Miss Shuangjiang, I'm not laughing at you."
Frostfall doesn't want to talk to him now; she's already seen enough of the joke.
She walked past him into the courtyard and went back to her room.
Wei Xun had visited the courtyard countless times, but had never gone inside.
From where he is standing now, he can see the house of Shuangjiang.
Her eyes were red and swollen, and she closed not only the door but also the window.
He waited for the prince until the moon rose above the willow branches, and the prince came out, but the room in Shuangjiang never lit up.
Zhou Congxian looked at him, who was staring blankly, and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Wei Xun opened his mouth and said, "Look at Miss Shuangjiang... ah, no!"
He snapped out of his daze. "No, I saw Miss Shuangjiang crying..."
"Crying?" Zhou Congxian followed his gaze to the side room, and finally his eyes fell on the guard who had been with him for several years.
A faint smile played on his lips. "Then you'd better try to coax her."
"Eh? No, Your Highness!" Wei Xun's face flushed red.
Zhou Congxian patted his chest and gave him advice, "Didn't you just receive your salary? Take it out and use it, don't be so stingy."
He walked a few steps forward, then turned back and added, "I'll give you a day off tomorrow, and let Wan Quan take your place."
Wei Xun, “…”
Taking time off is nice, but it shouldn't be like this...
If Shuangjiang finds out, she'll grab him and start crying again, and he'll be at his wit's end!
The next day.
Wei Xun still couldn't get a divorce, and another batch of new recruits joined the Yan Guard Camp.
He and Wan Quan were going to train the new recruits again.
Before I even reached the door, I saw that bunch of oddly shaped and cracked fruits at the entrance.
"Our Yanwei Camp has finally started to look somewhat organized, where did this stuff come from? Is this a mass grave? They just throw all sorts of things here!"
This is the second batch this month.
Wei Xun patted Wan Quan's arm. "Alright, stop complaining, let's go."
As soon as the two got off, a scholar-looking man came forward and said, "Sir."
Wan Quan glanced at him with considerable disdain, "You even cram a scholar in?!"
"No, no!" the scholar quickly waved his hand. "It's not me, it's my brother-in-law."
Wan Quan: "Then what's up with you?"
The scholar straightened his hands and bowed respectfully. "I am a student of the thirty-seventh year of Chengwu, and a candidate for the imperial examination in the thirty-eighth year of Chengwu. I am awaiting the examination this year..."
"Alright, alright, just tell me what you want to do!"
The scholar then stood up straight. "Sir," he said, "my younger brother is still quite young. Could you please take care of him?"
Wan Quan had long been fed up with these people who used connections to get in, and now they needed him to look after them?
"You came here looking for favors?! If you're afraid of hardship, go home early!"
He snorted and turned to enter the camp.
"You!" The scholar's face flushed red.
Wei Xun looked at the scholar thoughtfully, "Who introduced your brother-in-law?"
The scholar's expression softened somewhat when he saw him speak.
"My brother-in-law's name is Zhu Chang. It was Lord Song Yitang who helped write the letter of recommendation."
Wei Xun hummed in agreement. "You can go back now."
The Yanwei Camp is now like a tattered sack; anyone can be stuffed inside.
At least half of them got in through connections.
This doesn't even include those who couldn't endure hardship and ran away on their own.
The people behind these individuals are all treacherous villains who will be eradicated in the future.
In the crown prince's words, these people will be guarding the imperial city in the future, making it easier for him to fight them.
Before noon, a number of people were already standing at the camp entrance, bringing food to their precious child.
Wan Quan has a bad temper; he can't help but swear when he goes out.
Wei Xun led Ji Xiaoman in and brought in the food boxes. "You are not allowed to come to the camp again in the future, otherwise you will be expelled from the capital."
Chunniang, heavily pregnant, handed a bundle of clean clothes to Wei Xun.
"Sir, my younger brother is named Zhu Chang. He has been prone to catching a cold since he was a child when he sweats. There are two sets of clean clothes here. Please help me get them for him."
Zhu Chang? That name sounds familiar.
He refused to take the burden, saying, "Madam, there are rules in the camp that forbid this. If your brother can't endure the hardship, you should let him go home and study."
Chunniang sighed, "I want to too! But he just won't study!"
"Sir, please help me, just this once!"
Wei Xun said no more, and led Ji Xiaoman back to the camp.
Chunniang stomped her foot in anger, then cautiously touched the baby in her belly.
Back on the oxcart, she angrily punched Zhang Lang on the back.
"Didn't you say they would take care of Chang'er? Why didn't they even give me any clothes to bring!"
"Go and beg that Lord Song again!"
Zhang Lang turned away impatiently, "What are you begging for? Do you think begging doesn't cost money? We've spent all our money just to get your brother into this camp!"
Chunniang grabbed his arm, "Didn't you say that maid named Shuang was very easy to fool?"
"Wealthy families have so much gold and silver treasure that they wouldn't even notice if one or two were missing. Just coax her and let her steal some!"
Zhang Lang glanced back at her. "I tricked her out of fifty taels last time. Do you think she'll fall for it this time?"
Chunniang said, "Didn't you say it was some Duke's mansion? If the master just slips a little money through his fingers, it'll be enough for us to live on for years!"
Seeing that she couldn't persuade her, she immediately threatened, "Do you still want your son or not!"
Zhang Lang gave in, "Alright, alright, I'll go find it, I'll go find it!"
Wei Xun was leading his horse back to his residence when he passed by the two people. He overheard their conversation and chuckled.
What kind of maid is so stupid that she could be fooled by such a person?
Wei Xun returned to the manor and found the young master in the courtyard, where he presented the secret report.
As I came out, I glanced at the side room subconsciously.
The doors and windows were open, but there was no one in sight.
He needed to arrange patrols in the afternoon and had to go back to the camp.
As I exited through the side door, I saw two familiar figures at the alley entrance.
That swindling scholar.
Silly girl, it's Frost's Descent.
Wei Xun narrowed his eyes. Yesterday, he cried so hard in front of him that he couldn't catch his breath, but now he was completely disoriented in front of a liar.
He didn't know what the two were talking about.
All I saw was that Shuangjiang seemed to be crying again, and the swindler was trying to pull her away.
He drew his dagger and threw it at the two men.
The dagger grazed the swindler's hair and then plunged deep into the tree trunk.
The dagger's handle trembled slightly with a faint clang.
Zhang Lang didn't know where the knife flew from. He stared at the dagger on the tree trunk and fell to the ground in lingering fear!
Shuangjiang realized what was happening and looked over, only to see Wei Xun casually walking towards the two of them, toying with a scabbard in his hand.
"you……"
As soon as Shuangjiang opened her mouth, Wei Xun pulled her behind him.
When Zhang Lang saw that it was actually an official from the Yanwei Camp, he suddenly realized and got up from the ground.
He pointed to the frost-covered tree hiding behind, "Well, so it's climbed up a high branch!"
Wei Xun looked at the fingers so close to his eyes and inserted the scabbard in his hand into them.
Zhang Lang was puzzled, but his face hardened, and he twisted the scabbard in the opposite direction!
He immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Wei Xun stuck out his little finger and picked at his ear. "Shut up!"
He kicked Zhang Lang two meters away, almost knocking over a roadside vendor.
Frost opened its mouth wide, and its anger and grievances vanished instantly.
As she watched his retreating figure, she suddenly realized that he wasn't so bad after all...
Wei Xun pulled the dagger from the tree trunk, turned around, and threw it into Shuangjiang's arms.
"What are you looking at? People like that will dirty my dagger!"
"I'm going to the camp. Remember to wash it before returning it to me."
Wei Xun rode his horse for a mile before his ears turned slightly red and he touched his heart, which was pounding like a drum.
He couldn't help but turn around and glance in the direction of the Duke's mansion.
Gritting his teeth, he said, "Stupid!"
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