Chapter 212 Mistaking Cousin-in-Law for Lord Lu
The next day, when Jiang Zhi woke up, she received a message from Ye Liangze saying that Lu Yuan's fleet had already set off for Kyoto in the early morning.
Jiang Zhi sat on the bed, still somewhat dazed.
I had originally planned to see Lu Yuan off today.
Unexpectedly, he left overnight without saying goodbye.
Jiang Zhi chuckled, got dressed, washed up, and had breakfast.
I wanted to practice calligraphy at my desk, but I couldn't calm down and ended up wasting several sheets of fine Xuan paper.
Unwilling to admit that Lu Yuan had affected her mood, she crumpled up the paper and threw it out the window.
"Ouch! What's that?" Feng Yuan, who had just entered the courtyard, was hit and came in rubbing her head. "Who upset our cousin Ya Ya?"
When Jiang Zhi saw that it was Feng Yuan, her expression softened slightly, but her tone remained cold. "Sorry, I didn't see you come in. Are you alright?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Feng Yuan waved her hand dismissively, and asked her, "Cousin Ya Ya is usually so gentle and kind, what's wrong with her today? Did your Master Lu offend you?"
Feng Yuan's mention of it only made Jiang Zhi angrier. "I have no relation to him whatsoever. What do I have to do with him?"
"Cousin Ya Ya, don't hide it from me. I could tell that your relationship was unusual the day we went up the mountain to offer incense." Feng Yuan winked at her ambiguously.
Jiang Zhi's face stiffened.
As expected, nothing good ever comes from running into Lu Yuan.
Now even Feng Yuan knows about their relationship.
She said irritably, "Don't mention him, he's already back in Kyoto."
"What?" Feng Yuan was startled.
How could she leave so quickly? What will happen to my cousin Ya Ya?
Could it be that he returned to the capital to prepare betrothal gifts and propose marriage?
But judging from the way my cousin Ya Ya is sulking now, it doesn't seem like it.
Jiang Zhi tugged at the corners of her lips through her veil, "Don't mention him on a good day. I'm happy today, so Yuan'er, come have a drink with me."
Since she couldn't practice calligraphy anyway, and Ye Liangze's spices were all ready to be used on time, she had some free time for the time being.
Seeing her cousin's depressed look, Feng Yuan could only instruct her maid to fetch a lot of good wine from the storeroom.
She herself has a good alcohol tolerance and originally thought her cousin was the same.
Unexpectedly, after only two or three drinks, my cousin started to feel dizzy and clung to me, cursing the heartless and ungrateful men of the world while still pouring more alcohol into her mouth.
Feng Yuan then realized.
My cousin Ya Ya is drowning her sorrows in alcohol.
"Cousin, you can't hold your liquor, so don't drink anymore. If something happens, I'll be the one who gets scolded." Feng Yuan was at her wit's end.
But Jiang Zhi clearly wouldn't listen to her advice, letting go of her and laughing and cursing as she held onto the wine jar.
Feng Yuan had no idea what had happened between her and Lord Lu.
Now that Lord Lu has left Xuzhou, what should we do?
She thought of Shen Ci'an.
My cousin's husband definitely knows the inside story; I have to find him and get to the bottom of this.
She told her maid to take good care of her cousin and not let her leave the house, then hurriedly went to find Shen Ci'an.
Fortunately, Shen Ci'an lived not far from the Feng residence.
Upon hearing that Jiang Zhi was drunk, Shen Ci'an's brows furrowed deeply.
"I'd like to trouble Miss Feng to take me to her. I'll try to persuade her," he said, pinching his brow.
I was originally planning to find an excuse to visit her at the Feng residence today, but now I don't need to.
"I'm so sorry to have troubled you, brother-in-law." Feng Yuan wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
Although men and women should not have close contact, my cousin's husband is considered half a relative of the Feng family, and he is the only one who knows the most about my cousin Ya Ya and Lord Lu's relationship. It would be best if he were the one to persuade them.
Led by Feng Yuan, Shen Ci'an entered the backyard through a side gate under the pretense of being a doctor who had come to treat Ji Zhiya.
As soon as they entered Jiang Zhi's courtyard, they could hear the maid's voice from inside, "Miss, please don't drink anymore. Drinking any more will harm your health."
Jiang Zhi ignored him and poured herself another cup, tilting her head back to gulp it down.
But a slender, jade-like hand pressed down on the rim of the cup.
"Enough." He stood tall and elegant in front of her, his face refined and his eyes cold and detached, his pupils reflecting her image like a statue devoid of joy or sorrow.
Jiang Zhi looked up and saw the person's face clearly. She was stunned for a moment, then immediately abandoned the wine glass in her hand and threw herself into his thin and strong arms.
"Master! Why are you so late? Waaah..."
She wrapped her arms around his waist, her flushed cheeks from the alcohol rubbing against his clothes as she cried, quickly wetting a small patch.
Seeing that she was quite drunk and was holding him while sobbing softly, Shen Ci'an felt as if she had finally found a safe haven after suffering great injustice outside. His heart instantly crumbled and softened beyond belief.
He said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Miss, it's my fault for not protecting you."
During the time he lost her, he was filled with deep regret and self-blame every time he woke up in the middle of the night.
He knew perfectly well that Xiao Xuanyou coveted her, yet he still took her to the East Palace.
Even though she was right in front of him, he still watched helplessly as she was kidnapped.
He was almost driven mad by the torment of his own remorse and self-blame.
Seeing her safe and sound before me now, I suddenly realized that as long as she was alive, nothing else mattered.
When Feng Yuan, who had followed them in, saw this scene, her jaw nearly dropped to the ground in shock.
What kind of development is this?
How come my cousin Ya Ya and her husband are hugging as soon as I look away?!
Cousin Ya Ya must have been drunk and mistook her husband for Lord Lu!
"Cousin, wake up! He's not Lord Lu! Let go!" Feng Yuan stepped forward to persuade her.
Jiang Zhi clung to Shen Ci'an's waist and refused to let go. "I won't let go. He is my teacher. I must hold him. I should hold him."
She mumbled, looking up at Shen Ci'an, "Am I right, Master?"
Feng Yuan was extremely worried for her cousin.
Although my cousin's husband seems gentle and easy to get along with, he is actually aloof and proud. He has always remained chaste for his cousin who lives far away in the capital. He has no concubines or maids, and there isn't even a maid in his courtyard.
Cousin Ya Ya hugging him like that will definitely make him disgusted!
To Feng Yuan's surprise, her arrogant cousin-in-law simply patted her head and said helplessly, "This can't go on. To prevent your uncle and aunt from finding out, please go out and keep watch. I'll try to persuade her."
Feng Yuan glanced at her cousin, then at Shen Ci'an, and only after confirming that Shen Ci'an's physique wouldn't allow her cousin to force herself on him did she leave with her maid.
Shen Ci'an bent down and squatted in front of Jiang Zhi, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his sleeve.
"Miss, I feel like I'm dreaming." He lifted the veil from her face and saw the crisscrossing disguise on it, and his heart ached terribly.
He had no idea what she had gone through in the Eastern Palace.
That's why, even though she's so far away from Kyoto, and even at her trustworthy uncle and aunt's house, she has to constantly pretend to be someone she's not.
He cupped her face, made her lower her head, and kissed her from bottom to top.
The taste of alcohol filled his mouth and teeth, and he felt as if it were nectar, finally giving his restless heart a place to belong.
Feng Yuan, who came out of the house, told the maid to go down and quickly make a hangover soup, while she stood guard at the courtyard gate.
Hopefully, my cousin's husband can persuade my cousin Ya Ya.
Just as she was filled with apprehension, a faint sound suddenly came from the wall.
She looked in the direction of the sound and was startled once again.
"Lord Lu Lu Lu Lu, you haven't left?" She almost bit her tongue off.
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