Chapter 33 Is it a ghost?
The next day, Jiang Yanyi woke up and saw the pomegranates all over the yard. She was completely dumbfounded.
She and Qiu Kui stared at each other.
"How strong a wind must be to blow down half of the pomegranates on the tree?" Qiu Kui looked up at the pomegranate tree on the other side of the courtyard wall.
And did the wind only blow the pomegranates?
How come not even a leaf was blown down?
Jiang Yanyi found that none of the pomegranates that fell to the ground were broken, as if someone had deliberately picked them and put them in the yard.
She asked suspiciously, "Could someone be trying to frame us?"
As a neighbor, she stole half of the pomegranates from the pomegranate tree in someone else's yard. Once her reputation was ruined, wouldn't her shop be drowned in the saliva of neighbors?
Jiang Yanyi was frightened by his own thoughts, and quickly called Qiu Kui to help pick up the pomegranates into the bamboo basket, and then carried the bamboo basket like a dog to the next door to return the pomegranates.
The mastermind had to bring people to steal the people and clear his suspicion before he was captured!
The doorman was a little impatient when he heard the knock on the door early in the morning. He opened the door and saw that it was the young lady who came yesterday. His face instantly changed to a warm expression. He glanced at the half basket of pomegranates she was holding, and was a little puzzled: "Miss, what are you doing?"
Jiang Yanyi explained: "I woke up this morning and found so many pomegranates dropped in the yard. My shop is next door and is close to the Protectorate. I was really scared and worried that there was some misunderstanding. So I picked up all the pomegranates and returned them."
The doorman took a look at the newly green stems of the pomegranates, and thought of Feng Shuo's subtle attitude towards the cook yesterday, and was afraid that there was some connection. As
a small doorman, he did not dare to make a decision for his master, so he said: "Miss Lao, please wait a moment, I will go and report to the steward."
Jiang Yanyi thanked him.
Soon, the concierge led a fat steward with a white face and no beard and a kind face.
The concierge said to the fat steward, "It's this girl."
Jiang Yanyi quickly knelt down and bowed to the fat steward, which was considered a courtesy.
Before Fu Xi came, he had heard the concierge explain the whole story. He felt that this new neighbor was a polite person. Because two pomegranates fell in the yard yesterday, he made a plate of cakes as a return gift. Today, there were more pomegranates falling in the yard, so he picked them up and returned them.
He wanted to let the concierge pass the message directly and give the basket of pomegranates to the other party, but when the concierge said that the cakes sent by the cook yesterday were taken away by Feng Shuo, Fu Xi was surprised and decided to come and take a look.
He saw that Jiang Yanyi was not only good-looking, but also well-mannered. Even he, who had worked in the palace, could not find any fault with her. He could not help but look up to her.
In this border area, even the girls from the noble families are wild. There are not many girls who are truly well-educated and well-mannered.
Fu Xi looked at Jiang Yanyi calmly. When he saw the basket of pomegranates she was holding and thought of Feng Shuo who had been running to the west wing for the past two days, he immediately had a guess in his mind.
Did the prince fall in love with this girl?
He always had a smiling face when treating people, and his deep thoughts were all hidden in his eyes. At this moment, he just smiled and bowed, saying, "My neighbor moved here, and I haven't congratulated you on your relocation yet. I'm sorry."
As soon as he spoke, Jiang Yanyi realized that he was a eunuch.
"No, no, I was busy with trivial matters in my shop and failed to come to visit you earlier." Jiang Yanyi had a perfect smile on his face, not too flattering nor too unfamiliar: "I came to bother you today to return this basket of pomegranates."
Jiang Yanyi said as he handed the basket forward.
Fu Xi saw that she had a good character and her speech and behavior were quite decent, so he nodded secretly.
Although her status is lower, good character is important. After all these years, his own prince finally has a woman he likes. Fu Xi could vaguely guess that the pomegranates that fell were all the work of Feng Shuo.
He naturally hoped that Feng Shuo would have someone close to him sooner, so he said, "Since these pomegranates have fallen into the neighboring courtyard, they belong to the neighbor."
Jiang Yanyi did not expect him to say that, and hurriedly said, "What should we do..."
Fuxi interrupted her, "The west wing has been idle all the time, and no one has taken care of the pomegranate tree. It's a pity for the fruits to fall to the ground."
Seeing that Jiang Yanyi still had some hesitation on her face, he said, "The Grand Empress Dowager of the mansion will be celebrating her birthday in a few days. I heard that the neighbor is good at cooking. I hope he can come over and help then. These pomegranates are my advance thank you gift." Since
everyone said so, Jiang Yanyi couldn't refuse anymore, so she had to thank him.
The servants of the Protectorate, from the gatekeeper to the steward, are all very friendly and polite in their dealings with others. Jiang Yanyi suddenly felt that if the servants in the mansion were like this, the master of the mansion should not be much worse, right?
When she didn't know that Feng Shuo was the general, she thought that the general must be so kind and amiable. After knowing that Feng Shuo was the general she was grateful to, she was still upset about the time when he broke into the military tent and took the token.
But to be fair, whether he paid out of his own pocket to improve the food for the soldiers or pardoned the prostitutes in the camp, he did good things.
Jiang Yanyi exhaled softly. At this moment, she really let go of her previous prejudice against Feng Shuo.
She returned to her own courtyard with the basket.
Qiu Kui was very happy because he got so many pomegranates, but Jiang Yanyi stared at the pomegranate tree in the next yard and suddenly thought of their initial question:
"Qiu Kui, how did these pomegranates fall down?"
The housekeeper next door said that the cross yard next to their yard was idle, but so many pomegranates inexplicably fell into their yard, and they were still intact...
The wall of this yard is at least ten feet and a half high, and ordinary people can't climb over it.
Jiang Yanyi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat: "Qiu Kui, do you think that the cross yard next door is haunted?"
Otherwise, why would it be idle?
Jiang Yanyi didn't believe in ghosts and gods, but since he could travel through time and space, it was possible that Ah Piao really existed in this world.
Qiu Kui was holding a pomegranate and was about to peel it. When she heard Jiang Yanyi's words, she was so scared that she immediately put it back into the basket and trembled, "Hua... Huahua, don't scare me."
Feng Shuo specially came back from the barracks half an hour earlier today just to see what the young cook had sent back today.
When he entered the mansion, he specially asked the doorman, "Has the cook from the shop next door come today?"
The doorman immediately flattered, "She came, holding a basket of pomegranates to return, saying that they fell into their yard last night. But the housekeeper confiscated the basket of pomegranates and gave it to her."
Feng Shuo's face was a little dark when he heard the first half of the sentence, but it looked a little better when he heard the second half.
Xing Yao, who was standing behind him, couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.
He said that the master had picked too many pomegranates last night.
Feng Shuo seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, and he glared at him instantly. Xing Yao quickly suppressed the smile on his face.
Feng Shuo said, "If she sends something, take it directly to the study."
The doorman quickly agreed.
Feng Shuo thought that Jiang Yanyi had accepted the pomegranates and came all the way to return them, which meant that she had already noticed something was wrong.
If she was smarter, she should be able to guess something, right?
If she continues to return the gift, it means that she is not indifferent to him.
If she doesn't return... If she doesn't return...
Feng Shuo stopped this assumption, how could she not return.
But there was still a trace of uneasiness in his heart.
While waiting, he went back to the study to deal with the memorials and letters that had accumulated in the past few days.
There was an invisible network throughout the Great Xuan Dynasty, with lines crisscrossing and coming from various forces, and each line affected the whole body.
He and the new emperor were the biggest players in this network. His people were always watching the new emperor, and the new emperor was also watching him.
He processed the letters at a glance, and wrote another letter if he needed a reply. Unknowingly, an hour had passed, and there was still no news from the gatehouse.
Feng Shuo's brows gradually showed some impatience, and there was a sharp coldness in his beautiful phoenix eyes.
Xing Yao glanced at the lunch that the man beside him had heated up several times, and advised: "Master, you have to take care of yourself, eat first."
Feng Shuo suddenly put down his pen, his expression gloomy: "Get out!"
Xing Yao saw that he was unhappy, wanted to say something but didn't dare to open his mouth, so he had to bow and retreat.
After all, he had been with Feng Shuo for so many years, and he could roughly guess why he was upset.
He said yesterday that "I don't want to be alone and confused", and deliberately picked so many pomegranates, just to let the cook in the yard over there find out that something was wrong.
But today, the cook first came to return the pomegranates, and now there is no movement at all. The master may think that the cook does not want to respond to his thoughts.
Xing Yao shook his head to himself, thinking that it would be strange if the cook could understand his thoughts.
If he hadn't gone with him to pick pomegranates last night and heard Feng Shuo's words, he wouldn't have understood his master's actions.
How on earth could someone who was so skilled in deploying troops come up with such a weird plan?
Feng Shuo was now as irritable as a cat that had finally taken the initiative to show goodwill but was ignored.
He always sat with his back straight, but now he slumped over in the chair, his hands on the armrests of the armchair. The door was closed and the room was a little dark. He seemed to have merged into the darkness, with a hint of self-mockery on his handsome and noble face.
After a long time, he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Do you really think I care?"
He was no longer the young man in the palace who was full of fear and tears just to beg for mercy.
Now he has a thousand ways to get what he wants.
Today he just chose the dumbest and most obscure one.
Maybe it was the humility that was once engraved in his bones.
If he was not the King of Liaoning, what would he have now and what would continue to belong to him?
Feng Shuo closed his eyes, and the words his mother said when he was a child echoed in his ears again:
"Yannu's wife is the one who will walk through your life hand in hand, so you must treat her well. Your mother hopes that you can have a smooth life. But if you have to walk through muddy places, Yannu must carry her on his back and don't let her suffer. If Yannu falls into the mud, don't be afraid, she will help you stand up. This is how husband and wife support each other throughout their lives."
"There are many good girls in the world, but there are also many girls who can lie. Yannu must make a good distinction and don't recognize the wrong person."
He has committed too many sins in his life and has walked through mountains of corpses and seas of blood to get to the present. Feng Shuo no longer expects to meet such a person.
However, people who have stayed in the darkness for too long will have a moment when they long for the sunlight to shine on them.
He didn't know if she was the right person, but being with her gave him a moment of peace of mind. Over the years, he had only had some unspeakable and beautiful thoughts about her.
"Knock knock--"
The knock on the door interrupted Feng Shuo's thoughts.
He said in a deep voice: "What's the matter?"
Xing Yao said: "Master, the Grand Concubine sent someone to tell you to come over."
Feng Shuo was slightly startled, and then the gloom between his brows faded away, and there was even some joy in his eyes.
The Grand Concubine would occasionally be sober, and only at this time would she take the initiative to ask to see him.
All the unhappiness of the day disappeared at this moment. Feng Shuo took a few steps forward, opened the door, and shouted, "Xizi!"
Fuxi heard the voice and hurried forward, "Prince."
Feng Shuo's feet were flying, and he ordered as he walked, "Ask the kitchen to prepare the food that mother likes most, and I will deliver it myself."
Fuxi had to trot to keep up with Feng Shuo's pace. Seeing him like this, he also thought that the condition of the Grand Concubine Dowager had improved, and went down to prepare with a happy face.
Feng Shuo walked into the Grand Concubine Dowager's courtyard carrying a bowl of steamed yogurt with sugar. The maids in the courtyard knelt silently to salute him. It was obvious that the owner of the courtyard was a quiet person.
When he entered the room, the Grand Concubine Dowager was half leaning on the couch reading a book, and the maids beside her were pounding her legs and rubbing her shoulders.
Fang Qing knelt under the couch with a miserable expression.
Feng Shuo was a little worried that this was a dream. He called out softly, "Mother..."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he called out, a cup of hot tea was thrown at him. He turned his head to avoid it, but half of his shoulder was soaked by the spilled tea.
The cup of tea fell to the ground and broke into pieces.
The Grand Empress Dowager slammed the table and looked at Feng Shuo coldly: "You are so brave. How dare you touch my people?
The tea poured on you was boiling hot, but Feng Shuo's heart had already turned cold.
Facing the Grand Empress Dowager's cold gaze, he finally realized that his mother had not regained consciousness. She just knew about the matter of the First Palace Maid Fang Qing and called him over.
The Grand Empress Dowager sat on the couch, her face still showing anger. Several maids who were kneeling under the couch to massage her legs and shoulders knelt on the ground trembling
with fear. "Madam..." Nanny Song was startled by her throwing the teacup, and her eyes became wet again after she came to her senses. This mother and son are obviously the closest people in the world, how come they are like enemies?
Feng Shuo glanced at Fang Qing who was kneeling in front of the Grand Empress Dowager, and his eyes, which could not be calm, frightened Fang Qing so much that she trembled like chaff.
He did not answer the Grand Concubine Dowager's words. He walked forward like nothing happened and handed over the steamed yogurt that he had carried all the way. "Mother, I brought your favorite sweets."
The Grand Concubine Dowager waved her sleeves in disdain and knocked over the bowl of steamed yogurt with red beans, crushed almonds and raisins.
The sound of the jade bowl falling to the ground was crisp.
The whole room fell into a dead silence, and no one dared to make a sound.
Fang Qing's face was as pale as paper, and she knelt on the ground and trembled uncontrollably. She didn't want to complain. She was beaten with a stick the night before, and she couldn't get out of bed yesterday and couldn't serve the Grand Concubine Dowager, but when she came today, the Grand Concubine Dowager discovered something.
She told the truth not because she wanted the Grand Concubine to teach Feng Shuo a lesson, but because she was unwilling to accept it and wanted Feng Shuo to see how much the Grand Concubine valued her and let him know that she was not dispensable. However, she did not expect the Grand Concubine to treat Feng Shuo like this.
Nanny Song was afraid that Feng Shuo would be alienated from the Grand Concubine and her son, so she hurriedly said, "Prince, please don't bother with the Queen..."
Feng Shuo did not rush to answer Nanny Song's words, nor did he look at Fang Qing, who was kneeling on the ground with a pale face. He just glanced at the other maids who didn't know what to do, and said gloomily, "You all leave."
Although the maids usually served the Grand Concubine, they also knew who was the real master of the house. After hearing his words, they left as if they had been pardoned.
Seeing this, the Grand Empress Dowager's gorgeous and bold face was full of anger: "Rebellion! All of you rebelled!"
"My queen, this is Yannu, your Yannu..." Nanny Song burst into tears.
When the Grand Empress Dowager heard the word Yannu, her expression was dazed for a moment, and then she was covered by sharp sarcasm: "Born by that bastard, but the late emperor let me raise this bastard?" Feng Shuo
has heard a lot of scolding in his life. When he dealt with that group of court officials, he had heard scolding that was ten times sharper and more unpleasant than this.
But only today, every word and sentence could pierce his heart like a steel needle.
This is his mother.
In order to protect him in the cannibalistic palace, she played another woman in front of the late emperor, using the most vicious words in the world to curse herself and her son... so much so that she was driven crazy.
Something seemed to be blocking his throat, and he was so hoarse that it hurt. Feng Shuo couldn't stay any longer. Before he left, he said, "Mother, I will change someone to serve you personally." Yan Jue
bowed and prepared to leave, but unexpectedly, the Grand Empress Dowager stood up suddenly, raised her hand and slapped him: "Asshole!"
Feng Shuo's face was slapped to one side.
The well-maintained nail was very sharp, and it scratched a cut under the corner of his eye, and soon tiny drops of blood oozed out.
When the Grand Concubine Dowager saw the bloodstains and then looked at her own hands, she froze, and something blurred her vision. She blinked and was surprised to find that she was crying.
The Grand Concubine Dowager felt a sharp pain in her head and her chest was clenched into a ball. She could hardly stand: "Madame Song, I'm in pain..."
"Mother..." Feng Shuo was startled and hurried forward to support her, but as soon as he touched the Grand Concubine Dowager's hand, he was thrown away. The
Grand Concubine Dowager fell back on the couch, one hand tightly covering her chest, her face pale: "Madame Song..."
Feng Shuo looked at his hand that was pushed away by the Grand Concubine Dowager, and suppressed the sadness in his heart, and shouted to the outside of the house: "Call the doctor!"
Someone outside the house had already run to ask for the doctor.
The Grand Concubine pointed at Feng Shuo and looked at Nanny Song who said with difficulty: "Let him go..."
Nanny Song supported the Grand Concubine. Seeing this, she had no choice but to say to Feng Shuo with red eyes: "Prince, you go back first. I will take care of the queen here."
Feng Shuo glanced at the Grand Concubine who was suffering from a headache. His eyes were red. For the first time in his life, he realized that even if he had power over the court, what would it matter?
His mother didn't recognize him...
At this moment, he seemed to have become the boy who had nothing and could only pray for mercy from God.
Feng Shuo didn't know how he walked out of the yard.
Xing Yao and his men quickly dragged Fang Qing out.
Her hair was already untied, her cape was loose, and she knelt at Feng Shuo's feet, crying bitterly: "My Lord, I know I was wrong, please have mercy on me, I will only serve you from now on, and never have any other thoughts..."
Feng Shuo didn't even look at her, his voice was as cold as a blade: "Drag her away, and beat her to death!"
Fang Qing's heart and eyes were full of regret. At this moment, she was really scared. She crawled towards the room of the Grand Empress Dowager: "Your Majesty, save me--"
Before she could finish her words, she was gagged and dragged away.
Feng Shuo never looked back from beginning to end, and his heart was suffocating.
The autumn wind was rustling, and the dead leaves hanging on the branches were rolled down, swirling and falling at his feet.
After Feng Shuo left the house, Xing Yao wanted to continue following him, but he pushed him away: "Go away, I want to walk alone."
Feng Shuo was good at martial arts and could take down the enemy's general in an army of 100,000.
Xing Yao was not worried about his safety. After receiving his order and knowing that he wanted to be quiet, he retreated silently.
Feng Shuo walked aimlessly, his feet seemed to be filled with lead. He wanted to go to Lai Fu Restaurant to get drunk, but when he saw a beautiful figure busy in the small shop, he realized that he was at Jiang Yanyi's place.
The tables, chairs and benches that Jiang Yanyi had ordered were delivered today. She was wiping the table with okra. When she turned around, she was shocked to see Feng Shuo standing outside the door.
However... this general seemed a little bit wolfish.
Why is he so dispirited?
Jiang Yanyi greeted him politely, "General."
Feng Shuo looked up at her.
She was standing at the door of the store, wearing an apron around her waist, with her sleeves rolled up, revealing a white jade-like wrist, and her smiling eyes were full of vitality. The sunlight poured down from her head, making her look as if she had walked out of the light and shadow.
He just looked at her like this, with his lips tightly pursed, and didn't say a word for a long time.
Jiang Yanyi felt uncomfortable being stared at by him, "What's wrong?"
Feng Shuo moved his dry lips: "I want to sit here for a while."
He said "I" instead of "this king".
Jiang Yanyi was stunned for a moment, and seeing that he was in a very bad state, he guessed that he might have encountered something, and quickly made way to the side: "Please sit down.
Remembering that he met him at Lai Fu Restaurant last time, he seemed to be getting drunk as well.
Jiang Yanyi suddenly felt blessed - had he been beaten up by that girl again?
Jiang Yanyi had seen a lot of such situations in his life, such as heartbreak, finding a barbecue stall or a hot pot restaurant, eating while crying, and preferably with two bottles of beer.
After eating and crying, the heartbreak would be over.
It was a pity that the copper pot that he asked the craftsman to make had not been delivered yet, otherwise it would be possible. Cook him a lovelorn hotpot.
While wiping the table, Jiang Yanyi looked at Feng Shuo calmly. He sat there quietly, with his eyes half-closed, like a statue. At the moment, he was scratched by something, and the dried blood marks were left on his jade-like face, like a flaw in a beautiful jade, which made people feel pity. There was
a sense of loneliness in his whole body, as if he was the only one left in the world.
Why is he so pitiful?
After wiping the table, Jiang Yanyi thought for a while and said, "General, please sit down for a while. I'll go to the backyard to move some things and entertain you later."
Unexpectedly, Feng Shuo heard what she said and suddenly raised his head: "I'll help you."
Jiang Yanyi didn't dare to let him help, and hurriedly said, "No, no! "
But Feng Shuo had already stood up and walked towards the backyard.
Qiu Kui was trying to move the pickled cabbage jar in the yard, but when he saw Feng Shuo coming in, he was so scared that he immediately hid in the kitchen.
Feng Shuo picked up the half-person-high pickled cabbage jar with one hand, turned his head slightly and asked Jiang Yanyi: "Where are you moving it to?"
It was at this turn of his head that he saw the yellow talismans pasted on the courtyard wall. The pomegranates he picked last night were also piled on the ground, and the one on the top had three incense sticks inserted in it.
Feng Shuo's eyelids twitched: "What is this?"