Jiang Yuan was so drunk she couldn't tell which way was which. She slumped over the table, her pearl hairpins scattered all over the floor. She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Meng Xizhi, her voice slightly naive and reproachful, "Why aren't you drunk? Only I'm in such a mess. It's so unfair."
"To drink without getting drunk is the highest form of skill." Meng Xizhi leaned closer to her and laughed, "Yuan Yuan isn't afraid of me now."
"Yes, I am afraid, but not that afraid." Jiang Yuan tilted her head to meet his gaze, adding defiantly, "If you don't kill me, I'm not afraid of you at all."
After drinking, Jiang Yuan's face flushed red, her smile and frown radiant. Even Meng Xizhi, who had seen many beauties, couldn't help but admire her.
"What if I kill you?" he couldn't help but ask. Even after all this time, her smile from that day seemed still vivid in his mind, pure and without a trace of impurity. He had seen too many people near death; some were terrified, some begged for mercy, and some were utterly despondent. Only she, with the joy of a rooster, seemed to have been waiting for this moment of release.
"Then kill him." Jiang Yuan didn't even think about it. Anyway, it was a stolen life. She wanted to live but was also afraid to live. "Without me, perhaps the ending would be different."
"The ending? What ending?" Meng Xizhi asked in confusion.
"I won't tell you." The wind blew the grape ribbons on her clothes. Jiang Yuan put her index finger to her lips and shook her head, her almond eyes half-curled. "This is my secret, and I can't tell anyone."
Whether in the netherworld or the netherworld, she would bury this secret deep in her heart until death. The more she spoke, the more drunk she became, until finally her head tilted and she collapsed onto Meng Xizhi's shoulder.
He held her soft body in his arms, and Meng Xizhi looked down at the woman in his embrace. The beauty was slightly flushed, her face slightly rosy. He just watched her quietly, not even noticing Lu Rui coming over.
"Sir, it's getting late."
"I know, you may leave." Meng Xizhi had a high alcohol tolerance, so he immediately got up, put her in his arms, and walked into the room.
He had lived in this room for over a decade until he inherited the Marquis's estate, and his parents went to Chongqing and Guizhou to retire. Only then did he leave Anhe Garden. Now, seeing it again, it felt somewhat unfamiliar. The quilt on the bed had been changed to a light pink color, typical of his daughter's home, and a few pomegranate blossoms had appeared on the table, adding a touch of life.
He placed her on the bed. As soon as Jiang Yuan's body touched the bed, she instinctively snuggled closer to it, revealing a small portion of her fair arm.
Her light-colored dress, made of thin silk, cast a gentle and silent light on her face.
For some reason, Meng Xizhi lowered his head as if possessed, their lips met, carrying a faint scent of wine. He gently sucked and rubbed them together.
Suddenly, the person beneath her stirred. Jiang Yuan opened her eyes groggily and met Meng Xizhi's gaze. She was so drunk that she couldn't even recognize him. She gently nuzzled his forehead and called out, "Zhongli."
The man on top of her was startled, seemingly realizing his lapse in composure. He hurriedly got up, pulled the quilt over her again, and then quickly disappeared into the hazy moonlight.
That night, Jiang Yuan had a very long dream. In her dream, she returned to the age of thirteen, and her brother Zhongli treated her very, very well. He said, "When you grow up a little more, I will come and marry you." Then she smiled, her eyes crinkling, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips. At thirteen, her eyes still held a touch of childishness, and her voice was as sweet as summer cherries. She said, "Brother Zhongli, you mustn't lie to me." She saw him nod, his smile clear and bright, a side of him she had never seen before.
"It really was a dream," Jiang Yuan thought to herself.
In the days that followed, Meng Xizhi would occasionally come to visit again, but he never urged her to drink again.
Jiang Yuan wasn't idle either. If he told her not to run, she wouldn't run, wouldn't that be very embarrassing? However, she never succeeded in escaping after that.
"Sick again?" Meng Xizhi looked at Lu Rui with some helplessness.
"Should we call a doctor?" Lu Rui calculated that this was Jiang Yuan's third illness. However, she always used a little trick every time she was sick. Once, she knocked out the boy who was preparing medicine and disguised herself well, which almost made Jiang Yuan escape.
"Why this time?"
"She was out in the courtyard all night, exposed to the wind, and we couldn't stop her." Lu Rui had worked with the old lady and Lu Qiong, but she had never seen a woman as difficult to serve as Jiang Yuan.
"She really went to any lengths to get out."
"Cough cough..." Jiang Yuan woke up groggily under the curtain. She carefully reached out from under the quilt to touch her forehead, which was burning hot.
No one could enter Anhe Garden except doctors. Jiang Yuan had come up with another good idea, but one had to be sick to see a doctor. Helpless, he had no choice but to make himself sick again.
The bed curtains were lifted, and Meng Xizhi looked at Jiang Yuan lying on the bed with her face flushed. He couldn't quite describe his feelings. With a wave of his hand, Lu Rui bowed and left, leaving only the two of them in the room.
"I'm sick, I need to see a doctor," Jiang Yuan said, sniffling.
"I've had prescriptions before, so I'm taking the previous ones."
“It was a cold before, but this time it’s a fever,” Jiang Yuan said hurriedly. What did he mean by that? Was he not going to call a doctor for her?
“Same!” Meng Xizhi sat on the edge of the bed, reached out and touched her forehead; it was frighteningly hot.
"They're not the same! How can they be the same!"
Seeing Jiang Yuan's flustered state, he suddenly spoke up, "Why are you running? Isn't this place good enough for me?"
“My family is all in Nanliang.” After a moment of silence, Jiang Yuan slowly spoke.
Her father, mother, brother, and sister-in-law were all in Nanliang. The longer she stayed in Wei, the more suspicious Song Yanji became. They could have started over, and they had clearly reached some kind of tacit understanding, but in the end, they ended up on the same path again.
Whether it was because she was sick or because Jiang Yuan was truly wronged, her nose tingled and tears streamed down her face. She reached out and grabbed Meng Xizhi's sleeve, shaking it gently a few times, her voice choked with sobs, "Please, let me go."
She needs to go home.
This was the first time Jiang Yuan had cried in front of him. Unlike Lü Qiong's tearful beauty, her crying was not beautiful at all, but it struck his heart hard, making him waver.
"You should rest for a while." He brushed her hand away, stood up, and stopped looking at her, practically fleeing.
Jiang Yuan had been ill for a long time. That's how people are; once they lose their most important inner strength, they can't hold on any longer. Meng Xizhi, on the other hand, often came to see her, bringing her many novelties, including a rare bottle of Baizhihong wine.
Jiang Yuan held the medicine bowl and looked at the small porcelain bottle in his hand, listening to Meng Xizhi explain in detail, "This thing is rare in the world, but it is something I played with when I was a child. As long as you apply some to your skin, it will make your body extremely hot. If you get an acute illness, you will recover completely in a few hours without harming your body."
Why are you giving me this?
"If you really want to fake illness in the future, then use it." Meng Xizhi looked at her increasingly thin cheeks, her round chin becoming slightly pointed, and her already round eyes looking even bigger. "I'll pretend I don't know."
He still didn't want to let her go. Jiang Yuan looked at the empty bowl of medicine in her hand, blinked, and handed it back to him. Then she lay down under the covers, turned over, and stopped talking.
"Lord Marquis went to Anhe Garden again." Tao Cui hesitated for a moment, but continued massaging his shoulders. "I heard that Xue Sheng found two more women and sent them to the garden."
"The Moon-Snatching Courtyard?" Green Jade was taken aback; these two had never been under her control!
“Dengyun Pavilion.” Tao Cui dared not hide it from her. “The Marquis has not been to Duoyue Courtyard for a long time. These days, apart from going to Anhe Garden to see that woman, he stays at Dengyun Pavilion.”
"identity."
“She came from the Red Mansion in Nanyang. She had just been registered when she was brought back.”
“My cousin isn’t picky at all.” Lü Qiong had been feeling uneasy these past few days, and her words were tinged with sarcasm after hearing Tao Cui’s reply.
Chapter 37 Saying One Thing and Meaning Another
"Miss, be careful what you say." Tao Cui quickly glanced around before gently tugging at Lü Qiong's hem and shaking her head.
"I was just angry." Lüqiong realized that she had been a bit rude just now, but she still felt wronged and resentful when she thought about it. "My cousin would never have treated me like this before."
"Don't worry." Tao Cui's eyes swept over her still flat stomach as she softly comforted her, "You will always be the most important person to me."
"Let's go to Dengyun Pavilion." She wanted to see what the two women that Meng Xizhi had hidden away looked like.
The Dengyun Pavilion was exquisitely built. As soon as Lüqiong stepped into the courtyard, she saw two graceful figures.
When Jie Xiaochun saw the two women, her hair was piled high with peach blossoms, her lips were like cherry blossoms, and her teeth were fragrant. Only when she saw their faces did Lüqiong pause for a moment, her hands and feet feeling as cold as if she had fallen into an ice cave. Even Tao Cui looked surprised.
"Who are you?" Lin Lerong's face was as beautiful as a flower. When she saw someone staring at her, she didn't flinch but met her gaze directly.
"Ah Rong, how dare you be so rude." Lin Leyi was more thoughtful than her younger sister. Seeing Lü Qiong's imposing manner, she knew that her status was beyond what the two sisters could match. She quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "My sister and I are new here and don't know any better. Please don't take offense, sister."
As soon as the word "sister" was uttered, Tao Cui frowned and immediately put on airs, saying, "Who is your sister? What is your status? This is Lady Zhuang Ji."
"It was my rudeness, please forgive me, Madam," Lin Leyi quickly apologized to Le Rong.
Le Rong was young and had been pampered by her mother since childhood because of her face. Seeing Tao Cui's haughty attitude, she felt somewhat displeased and couldn't help but complain in a low voice, "What kind of Lady Zhuang Ji is she? She's just from the backyard, what's with the arrogance?"
When the sound reached Tao Cui's ears, she was about to get angry when she saw Lü Qiong wave her hand. She had no choice but to stand behind her, holding her breath, and glared fiercely at Lin Lerong.
"I've come to see the Marquis today, I have something important to tell him." Green Jade came back to her senses, smiled gracefully, and reached out to help the two of them up. "I went to other courtyards but couldn't find her, so I came here to see you two. Peach is impatient, please don't blame her."
"lady."
"Peach Extract!"
"It's alright, it's alright." Lin Leyi took the opportunity to back down and quickly replied with a smile, "Master isn't here right now either; he usually comes at night."
"That's such a pity." Green Jade's hand trembled slightly in her sleeve, but her face remained calm and composed. "In that case, I won't stay any longer."
"Take care, Madam." With light steps, Lin Leyi watched Lady Zhuang Ji leave. Only after she had left did her expression change drastically, and she slapped Lin Lerong across the face, the impact making her palm hurt.
"Sister!" Lin Lerong covered her face, staring at her incredulously, "Why did you hit me!"
"You idiot!" Lin Leyi said, exasperated. "There are so many guards in and out of this courtyard. When have you ever seen any other concubine dare to come in? But this Lady Zhuang, no one stopped her or informed you or me. You should know that she is no ordinary person. And yet you dare to go and bump into her! The Marquis has been pampering you for a few days. Does that make you lose your senses?"
"Madam." Tao Cui followed her quickly. As soon as they entered the room, Lü Qiong smashed the teacup on the table onto the ground. Tao Cui was startled and quickly closed the door.
"You saw it, you saw it all! It's only been a few days!" Green Jade's chest ached with anger, and she quickly pressed her hand to it. "No wonder she wasn't sent to the Moon-Snatching Courtyard. With those two faces, they would have caused a huge uproar if they had been put there!"
"Madam, please calm down." Tao Cui quickly went to her side and took her arm. "Please take care of yourself."
"What do you mean 'care about my body'! My cousin's heart is almost captured by Jiang Yuan!" They look so alike, so similar, Green Jade couldn't help but tear up. "He treats that woman like a treasure, and even plays this double trick."
"Don't worry, Madam, you are absolutely number one in the Marquis's heart."
The first one? Hah, she might have believed it a few years ago. Green Jade didn't say anything, just patted her chest and looked at the ground. Peach Blossom didn't understand; people will always only yearn for what they can't have.
She was the one Meng Xizhi had sought for many years, while Jiang Yuan was the one he had not yet obtained when he was interested in her.
There was no time to delay. Through her clothes, Lüqiong's hand gradually slid down to her abdomen, which was flat and showed no signs of life.
That night, under a bright moon and a gentle west wind, Jiang Yuan was fast asleep when her tightly closed bedroom door was suddenly kicked open. Before she could react, she was forcefully pushed onto the bed. A strong smell of alcohol hit her, and the man's body temperature was frighteningly high. Jiang Yuan had been married before, and in an instant, she understood the situation, a chill creeping up her spine.
"Get away!" she screamed, struggling desperately. If she made a mistake here, she would be finished.
Jiang Yuan, being a woman, was no match for the man on top of her. Her hands were tightly bound above her head, and his drunken kisses continued to fall on her neck. The heat of his lips moved further down, forcing Jiang Yuan to suddenly lift herself up and bite his shoulder hard.
She exerted force, and soon her mouth was filled with the taste of blood.
"Yuan Yuan, please agree." Meng Xizhi's voice rang in her ears, but his kisses continued to brush against her cheeks.
"Why?" Jiang Yuan shook her head, suppressing her sobs. Blood filled her mouth, and the hairs on her body stood on end. Was there anyone who could save her? Meng Xizhi didn't stop. Finally, the moment his hand slipped through her clothes and touched her skin, Jiang Yuan couldn't help but let go, her voice trembling with tears, "Zhong Li."
Zhongli, Zhongli, Zhongli, Jiang Yuan had never missed Song Yanji as much as she did now.
Meng Xizhi wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do. Tonight, he was summoned by Lü Qiong, the woman who had been his greatest pursuit in the first half of his life. But when she knelt before him with tears in her eyes and said that she was pregnant with his child, he suddenly felt utterly worthless.
He had been eagerly anticipating this child; the unknown always piqued his interest. This was his child, yet he would be registered under Huo Zidu's name, possessing imperial blood mixed with his own—how interesting that would be!
Few people in this world can truly understand him, not even himself. Jiang Yuan is the same; he can't understand her either. It's precisely because he doesn't understand her that he suddenly becomes interested. She's clearly someone who doesn't care about life or death, yet she has a desperate desire to live, a contradiction that delights him immensely, like finding a new and interesting toy.
Lü Qiong is right. That's just the kind of person he is. He doesn't cherish what he has, and what he can't have is what he desires for his whole life. Perhaps he'll be the same with Jiang Yuan. The moment he gets him, he might lose interest and stop liking him.
"What is it about him that's so good? Why do you worry about him day and night?" Meng Xizhi stopped what he was doing, leaned against Jiang Yuan, and rested his head gently on her shoulder.
"Who?" His voice was still choked with sobs. Seeing that he had finally calmed down, Jiang Yuan didn't dare to move and just stared at the bed with teary eyes.
“Song Yansi.” Meng Xizhi’s voice gradually calmed down.
“He’s no good at anything.” Jiang Yuan said, tears welling up in her eyes, thinking of that man again. Between them, it was always her who kept chasing and chasing, only to lose everything in the end. Jiang Yuan felt that she must have owed Song Yanji too much in her previous lives, which was why she had to keep repaying him in this life.
After all this time, she loved him for half her life, and hated him for the other half.