Chapter 84 Xiao Shu is moved
She Erniang was tied to the frame.
She had already undergone one round of torture, but still refused to utter a single word.
"Sir, this woman is too stubborn!"
"If it weren't for the people from Youma Market recognizing the portrait and having seen it at She Erniang's stall, we could search the capital ten times over and still not find any clues."
Zhou Congxian glanced at She Erniang's face, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a scene flashed through his mind.
White Horse Temple, books that have fallen to the ground.
He couldn't remember the name on the book.
"She bought her fake citizenship certificate from you."
Zhou Congxian felt a chill run through his body, and his eyes were as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cellar!
She Erniang finally reacted; she smiled, as if she were in her own little house.
"Who are you talking about, sir? I've sold at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, books."
"With money exchanged for goods, who would remember someone trying to escape?"
A person who wants to escape...
These words stung Zhou Congxian deeply.
He took the red-hot branding iron from the soldiers and said, "According to the laws of our dynasty, a runaway concubine is punished the same as a runaway slave, and those who harbor or assist in such acts are punished even more severely."
"If you explain the whole story clearly, I am not unwilling to let you off the hook."
She Erniang chuckled twice, "I, She Erniang, have been traveling the world for so long, what haven't I seen?"
"As long as you don't kill me, I will greet you and pay my respects when we meet on the street in the future."
"Hey, you bitch, let's see if your mouth is tougher or your whip is tougher!"
A soldier standing nearby swung his whip, the end of which swept across the ground.
The prisoners held here all trembled.
"grown ups!"
Ji Xiaoman hurriedly ran down the stone steps by the wall.
He leaned close to Zhou Congxian's ear and said, "She Erniang's daughter said that She Erniang has close ties with Wen Niangzi of Yubaolou."
Jade Treasure Pavilion, a property of King Cheng.
The eyes he had seen in Hezhou flashed through Zhou Congxian's mind.
Madam Yao...
Is it Yao or Yao?
A murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
well.
That's quite an achievement; to actually dare to deceive everyone right under his nose!
Zhou Congxian snorted coldly, "Lock her up."
"Put aside what you're doing and set off for Yuzhou."
Ji Xiaoman hadn't reacted yet.
Going to Yuzhou? Why are we going to Yuzhou again?
As soon as Zhou Congxian returned to his residence, he was stopped by the Duke himself.
Now, no one in the entire mansion can stop him.
"Zhou Congxian, look at yourself now!"
"You'd throw away your future for a woman?!"
The Duke snorted coldly in displeasure, "You fabricated a false identity for Lady Jiang, and you still want to elevate her to the status of a secondary wife?!"
"The one General Meng left behind was his grandson, not his granddaughter!"
"Thank goodness that woman is dead. Even if she weren't, I would have sold her off anyway!"
The Duke was furious.
My son, who was excellent in everything, has become like this; it's all because of that beautiful but troublesome woman.
“She’s not dead!” Zhou Congxian’s eyes were slightly red.
From childhood to adulthood, he was praised by everyone in the capital as a young man.
Only Jiang Shiyao was someone he argued strongly for to stay by his side.
This woman had unknowingly captured his entire heart and soul.
He only now understands that his striving for advancement was to give her more confidence.
So much so that even if she were nothing, as long as he wanted to marry her as his principal wife, no one else would dare to say a word.
He had so much to say to her.
But she wouldn't give him that chance.
The Duke did not argue with him, saying, "I originally did not want to interfere in your marriage, and I wanted you to marry a woman who suited your taste."
"Since you're still so stubborn, I'll make the decision!"
"We should take advantage of the ongoing mourning period and marry Li Ruoshuang, the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Li, as soon as possible."
Zhou Congxian's expression had turned cold. "If you don't want Li Ruoshuang to become the next Song Jiyun, you're welcome to try."
He flicked his sleeves, walked past the Duke, and strode towards the small courtyard.
"You!—You unfilial son!"
The Duke nearly fainted as he watched his son's departing figure!
"I'll go to the palace and request an imperial decree! Let's see if he dares to disobey!"
*
July is already halfway over, and there are only a little over two months left until the harvest season.
Yao Shisan specifically sent someone to inspect the local granaries.
Not only must it be fireproof and moisture-proof, but it must also be theft-proof.
The site was chosen to be high, dry, and flood-proof, with specially constructed rammed earth walls that were raised three feet off the ground for ventilation and moisture dissipation.
There were even cellars at the foot of the mountain where they were stored.
Once the location was chosen, construction of the grain warehouse began.
Once construction started, she realized that money was flowing out like water, and she might not even have enough to pay for the harvest!
It's much easier to collect grain in the capital; just find a warehouse and move it in!
Storing grain in Yuzhou was still a troublesome matter!
Yao Shisan counted the silver notes in his hand with a pained expression.
No, Xiao Shu wants a share of her profits, how could she not contribute money!
She tucked her little ledger into her pocket and rushed out again.
Shuang'er held Fu'er close, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched her movements.
"Slow down! You're pregnant!"
Qingwu immediately stood up, "Sister Shuang'er, don't worry, I'll stay with Madam!"
She dropped her crooked embroidery and chased after him.
It's fine if Qingwu doesn't run, but once she starts running, her ankle starts to hurt again.
She gritted her teeth and followed.
Lately, she's been trying to curry favor with anyone but has been unable to find anyone. Now that Sang Qi has finally taken a break and gone home, she's seizing the opportunity.
Yao Shisan felt a weight on his arm.
Was Qingwu supporting her, or was she pulling Qingwu along?
“Go back and rest before your foot is fully healed. I’m already carrying one in my belly, and now I have to carry another one on my arm.”
Qingwu was so frightened that she immediately let go. "My foot is healed, but I just couldn't keep up with Madam's pace for a moment."
Yao Shisan glanced back at her but didn't expose her.
Since she's willing to follow, she can't just force her to leave, can she?
In addition to the people we usually see, there were also quite a few people we had never seen before in the main courtyard today.
Yao Shisan knew that Xiao Shu was busy right now.
She simply sat down to rest in the pavilion by the small pond.
This pregnancy was much easier than Fu'er's; she often forgot that she was carrying twins.
She walks even faster than Shuang'er.
Yao Shisan had never felt so fulfilled; she had so many things she wanted to do.
Shuang'er is going to take Fu'er with her.
Wenxi didn't know where Xiao Shu had transferred her to.
Sang Qi is not trustworthy, and Qing Wu is not only equally untrustworthy, but even more delicate than her.
She's practically unavailable now, so she has to get to work herself.
On the contrary, it was much more fulfilling than when I was in the Duke's mansion.
There's no need to worry about who might try to harm her; everything she's doing now is proving that she can do it.
She doesn't need to be a parasitic vine.
Qingwu stood beside Yao Shisan, her eyes unable to resist scrutinizing him.
This was her second time entering the main courtyard.
Last time she was thrown out by a blind guard, but this time she will finally see His Highness Prince Cheng.
Madam Yao is currently pregnant, and there are no other women in the household.
She refused to believe that His Highness Prince Cheng would remain unmoved upon seeing her.
When Governor Zheng of Yuzhou came out of the house, he immediately saw Qingwu in the pavilion.
He gritted his teeth.
Zheng Xier ran away, and the two people who brought her in...
The clever ones are disobedient.
Obedient people are not smart.
He would continue to give Sangqi a warning in a couple of days.
As for that idiot Qingwu, just don't cause him any trouble!
He had just thought that.
"Ahhh!—"
"thump!--"
Two screams followed by the sound of someone falling into the water.
Two figures in the pavilion fell into the pond next to it.
Qingwu saw Lord Zheng, and she was scolded by him several times.
She wanted to prove that she was more useful than Sangqi.
So after Madam Yao got up, she quickly helped her up.
As a result, when she went down the stairs, her ankle hurt and her legs went weak.
The act of helping someone up turned into a pulling or tugging at them.
Startled, Yao Shisan turned around to grab the railing of the pavilion, but Qingwu knocked him into the pond.
This scene was witnessed clearly by everyone in the courtyard.
The pool wasn't deep, but the moment water got into my nose, the suffocation and fear from my near-death experience in my previous life rushed back to me!
"Help!"
She clutched her stomach with one hand and thrashed about in the water with the other.
Qingwu was also terrified.
"thump--"
In a flash, a figure in dark blue jumped down and carried Yao Shisan ashore.
"Get a cloak! Call a doctor!"
Lord Zheng now wishes he could strangle Qingwu.
He should have known long ago that King Cheng wasn't the type to be unable to resist beautiful women.
Yao Shisan clutched her stomach with trembling hands, crying out, "The baby! The baby!"
Xiao Shu wrapped the cloak around her body, "The child is fine, the pool is shallow."
He slowly stood up, holding her in his arms, and looked coldly at Zheng Changyi.
"Take your people and get out."
Not only Qingwu is his person, but Sangqi is too.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Her bedroom was extremely simple, and the rising incense smoke by the bedside gradually calmed her down.
Yao Shisan lay on her side on the bed, her slightly cool fingers resting on her protruding lower abdomen.
The "freedom" of the Prince's mansion almost made her forget the bloodless power struggles within the inner quarters.
In the capital, she is real; here, she is fake.
Whether it's true or false, she can't escape the harm it causes.
Shuang'er carried Fu'er and rushed over with clean clothes.
She glanced at His Highness Prince Cheng by the window, quickly bowed, and hurriedly entered the inner chamber.
Xiao Shu didn't turn around, but simply hummed softly.
Then, the sound of two people speaking softly came from inside the room.
He stepped out.
Chief Steward Qing hesitated for a moment, but finally reminded him, "Your Highness, she is merely a pawn in your game."
Xiao Shu was taken aback at first, then said calmly, "I just don't want this important pawn to fall into trouble."
Steward Qing opened his mouth, but swallowed the words he wanted to say.
Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.
He had never seen His Highness so flustered with anyone before.
When Yao Niangzi was kidnapped by bandits, he sent men to follow her and even went up the mountain himself.
When Prince Zhou arrived in Hezhou, he learned that the two had attended the banquet together and needed to find an excuse to help them out.
Once in Yuzhou, Madam Yao could do whatever she wanted.
This is no longer within the scope of a chess piece.
Madam Yao is very good and intelligent.
But she is not suitable for Your Highness.
She was not only Zhou Congxian's concubine.
They also had two children, Zhou Congxian.
Your Highness, he deserves a better woman.
Xiao Shu pursed his lips, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He stopped looking at Steward Qing and walked out.
"You don't need to come along today."
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