Chapter 51 Sharing Life and Death
Jiang Shiyao stared expressionlessly at Fu'er, who was bouncing around in Zhou Wanqing's arms.
When Zhou Wanqing realized that one plan had failed, she devised another.
She immediately took Fu'er out, which made Fu'er insist that her mother accompany her on the boat trip.
This person, who kept saying "we're going out to play, not to bring children," was now willingly holding Fu'er.
Fu'er had never been on a boat before; she had only ever seen boats on the Fengshui Bridge.
The little girl's eyes crinkled with laughter; she hadn't been out to play in a long time.
Jinming Lake is extremely large, and one corner is even planted with lotus flowers.
It's not yet the season for lotus flowers to bloom, so from a distance, all you can see is a lush green landscape.
Several pleasure boats were boating on Jinming Lake.
Jiang Shiyao chuckled. "Where is Lord Liu?"
"..."
Zhou Wanqing decided not to talk to "Chestnut Ball" anymore.
She picked up Fu'er and said, "Fu'er, come on, let's go boating!"
Jinming Lake is connected to the Feng River, and in addition to small boats, there are also large pleasure boats.
The grand pleasure boats would cruise all over the capital, with constant music and banquets throughout the boatyards. The boats would stop whenever someone called them, and if a house was located by the water, they could even take the boat right to the door, saving the need for a carriage.
Boating on the lake, only on Jinming Lake.
The boatman can catch the freshest fish and have the boatwoman cook them.
If you come in the summer, you can even take a small boat to walk among the lotus flowers.
The boat had two decks, and the group went straight up to the second deck.
A refreshing lake breeze blew by, stretching far into the distance, bringing a sense of tranquility and joy.
Fu'er leaned on the railing, watching the boatman at the bow preparing bait.
"What is this?" she asked, blinking her curious eyes.
The boatman looked up and saw a beautifully sculpted little child. "Replying to Miss," he said, "this is bait for fishing."
Shuangjiang squatted down beside her, "Sister, would you like to go down and take a look?"
"Yes!" Fu'er nodded vigorously, the butterfly on her small crown trembling slightly with her movements.
Since Fu'er moved into the main courtyard, Zhao Shi has completely changed her from head to toe.
Apart from Zhao herself, whose eldest and second daughters are already married, who else has ever received this treatment?
Seeing her daughter's happy expression, Jiang Shiyao instructed Shuangjiang to take good care of her.
"She's so lucky..." Zhou Wanqing couldn't help but sigh.
Although Zhao Shi did not mistreat her illegitimate children, she truly did not care about them.
If it weren't for her stepmother's anxiety about her marriage and her repeated urging, she wouldn't have chosen to send over the portrait.
Jiang Shiyao glanced at her. "Lucky?"
Zhao was a straightforward person and never gave anyone a kind look.
Including Fu'er.
This current action is simply because they value Fu'er.
"Does the Third Miss think that only Madam has the discerning eye to recognize the talent of a rising star like Lord Liu in the court?"
Zhou Wanqing looked at her.
Jiang Shiyao continued, "You and the Fourth Miss are about the same age, so why was this portrait given to you alone?"
Zhou Wanqing frowned. "What...do you mean?"
"You are born beautiful, which makes you even more valuable."
Jiang Shiyao met her gaze, "Just like you, this is Fu'er's good fortune."
Zhou Wanqing had never thought about it in depth.
After a while, she smiled with relief, "I'm going to get married anyway, so it's better to marry someone I like than someone I don't."
"You're quite good at comforting yourself." Jiang Shiyao now understood why Zhou Wanqing was so carefree.
Zhou Wanqing recalled the scene when she delivered the purse, and her chin lifted slightly again.
"Who can say for sure what will happen in the future? What if the tide turns?"
Jiang Shiyao looked at her for a long time, then just smiled and didn't say anything more.
Cheers erupted from Fu'er on the deck.
She leaned against the railing and looked down; it turned out the boatman had caught a big fish.
"I want fried fish balls!"
Fu'er's smile was as bright as the morning sun, as if any troubles in the world could be dispelled.
The faint sound of string and wind instruments could be heard not far away.
The boatman quickly rowed away to avoid it.
The two ships were not far apart, and Jiang Shiyao spotted the figure holding a wine glass on the deck at a glance.
Perhaps sensing someone's gaze, the person turned around.
After a long while, the man raised his glass and shook it in acknowledgment.
Zhou Wanqing, who was standing next to her, was stunned.
So, it turns out that Lord Liu was on this kind of boat...
Jiang Shiyao slowly sat down. "Stop looking, or the fish balls won't taste as good later."
She actually saw another person.
Zhou Congxian.
He was sitting by the window on the third floor; just seeing the back of his head, she was certain it was him.
Zhou Wanqing's lips wouldn't move no matter what she did.
They are all reflections in the water.
Knowing something is one thing, but actually seeing it is quite another.
Thinking of this, she curled her lips into a smile. "I knew Miss Li was so kind as to tell me about Lord Liu's whereabouts. So that's what she wanted me to see."
"Miss Li told you that?" Jiang Shiyao could only sigh in admiration.
Zhou Wanqing then recounted the scene of delivering the purse that day, adding a final sentence.
"She just can't stand seeing Lord Liu accept my purse!"
Jiang Shiyao frowned slightly. "But it was Lord Liu who went on the pleasure boat tour, not Miss Li who sent him. She just made sure people saw a fact."
Zhou Wanqing opened her mouth, but remained silent for a long time.
The boatwoman worked quickly, and soon a plate of golden-fried fish balls was served.
Fu'er followed behind.
The boatwoman smiled gently, "Miss is hungry, so I've made some food for you."
Fu'er snuggled into her mother's arms, "Mother, Mother, Mother scrapes and scrapes with a small spoon, and the white flesh is in the small spoon!"
Her tone was full of wonder.
“Wanqing”.
As the two fishing boats drew closer, a soft voice came from the neighboring boat.
As if by conditioned reflex, Jiang Shiyao hugged Fu'er tightly.
Shuangjiang also stood warily beside Jiang Niangzi.
"Row away quickly!" she immediately ordered the boatwoman.
It's too late.
With a "bang".
The two boats were moored together.
Zhou Wanqing didn't understand why Jiang Shiyao reacted this way, but the moment she saw Song Jiyun, her previous discomfort vanished.
"Sister Cumulus Cloud!"
She leaned against the railing and noticed that Song Jiyun seemed to have lost a lot of weight.
"Sister Jiyun, how come you've lost so much weight?"
Song Jiyun's gaze swept lightly over Jiang Shiyao, as if this woman was no longer important.
"I was sick a few days ago and was afraid of passing on my illness to you, so I didn't accept the invitation."
If you're afraid of getting sick, why aren't you even replying to posts?
Zhou Wanqing felt a little strange, but when she saw how thin Sister Jiyun looked, her little bit of emotion dissipated.
"Sister, come and travel with us."
"no!"
Jiang Shiyao said sternly.
Zhou Wanqing frowned and turned around. "Madam Jiang, this is Sister Jiyun, not someone else."
My feelings for her have plummeted these past few days.
Sister Jiyun is the true matriarch; hasn't she even figured out her place yet?
Jiang Shiyao's hands trembled slightly.
The scene from my previous life seemed vivid in my mind.
The child came back looking for her, and coincidentally, Song Jiyun arrived on the cruise ship.
Her gaze instantly turned angry as she glared at Zhou Wanqing. "Did she tell you to trick me into coming here?!"
"What are you saying!" Zhou Wanqing's brows furrowed even deeper.
Could it be that our interactions these past few days were all fake? Why have you suddenly become so sarcastic?
"Even if Father agrees to let Sister Jiyun marry into the family and then promotes you to a concubine, you will still only be a concubine. How can you be so arrogant!"
Song Jiyun's usually calm eyes finally moved.
A strange smile appeared on her lips.
"A concubine?"
"Are they going to keep an eye on my position from now on?"
Perhaps it was because her voice was too strange that Zhou Wanqing finally noticed.
Her lower lip trembled slightly.
"Sister Jiyun, what's wrong..."
Song Jiyun's smile deepened.
At this moment, several servants appeared behind Song Jiyun. They first lowered the deck, and then poured buckets of oil onto the ship!
Zhou Wanqing was shocked and exclaimed, "What are you doing!"
Song Jiyun then looked at Zhou Wanqing and said, "You'll find out soon enough."
"Don't worry, I'll come and stay with you."
Zhou Wanqing didn't understand, since the two of them used to be best friends who could talk about anything.
It's only been a little over a month since we last met, how did it turn out like this!
"Why??!"
Song Jiyun walked straight over on the wooden planks set up by the servants, seemingly not worried at all about falling into the water.
"Why?"
Her expression was as if Zhou Wanqing had asked a ridiculously funny question.
"Why is it so hard to kill a concubine? Everyone is protecting her, and now even you are on good terms with her."
"If we can't kill them, then burn them! If we still can't burn them, then drown them!"
"He's gone mad! He's gone mad!" Zhou Wanqing never expected Song Jiyun to turn out like this.
"I'm telling you, brother, a madman like you can never set foot in my house again!"
For a moment, Song Jiyun's expression cracked.
She then returned to normal, and nothing could enrage her now.
Moreover, it's such a trivial matter.
She slowly approached Zhou Wanqing, her voice chilling as if it came from hell.
"Then go and complain to the King of Hell."
This was no longer the proud Song Jiyun that Zhou Wanqing knew; he was practically a demon from hell!
Jiang Shiyao had already pulled Shuangjiang and Fu'er to the stairwell. She remembered that there should be a small boat in the cabin.
I stopped abruptly at the top of the stairs!
The boatman and his wife have died tragically!
Xu's mother and a man in black were standing on the stairs.
Shuangjiang held Fu'er in her arms, burying her head in her chest to prevent her from seeing the bloody scene; it seemed to be the last thing she could do.
Song Jiyun didn't move. "Don't struggle anymore. This place is far from the shore. I've already doused it with oil. Just wait to die."
Even Zhou Wanqing, who was usually quite carefree, started crying out of fear at this moment.
"This is murder! The law stipulates that murderers must pay with their lives!"
Song Jiyun laughed. "Who said I'm a murderer?"
"I am a victim too, I am a victim who escaped death!"
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