boyutpedia Chapter 156 The Princess Enters the Mansion, What Will Happen to the Former Families?
Chapter 156 The Princess Enters the Mansion, What Will Happen to the Former Families?
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A few days later, Jiang Mian had nothing to do, so she bought a stove and sat in the courtyard to make tea.
The fire wasn't very strong, and only wisps of steam rose from the tea stove.
She fiddled with the peanuts beside her, occasionally tossing a few to the little wild cat lying in the distance.
From morning till night, no one bothered me.
It's rare to have some peace and quiet.
She thought that if it weren't for the Spring Bitterness Powder, life would be just fine as it is.
After nightfall, she clapped her hands and stood up.
Just as I was about to go back inside, I suddenly heard a series of unhurried footsteps coming from outside.
She was startled and subconsciously looked up.
At the courtyard gate, a figure in black stood in the moonlight. The cold winter moonlight reflected the snow on the person's shoulders, but made their face unclear.
Jiang Mian approached and asked, "Who are you?"
The person walked slowly, the snowflakes rustling as they left a deep imprint.
He looked up: "Jiang Mian."
The moment she spoke, Jiang Mian saw his face clearly.
She stood there, stunned.
It was Xiao Hengzhi.
He was covered in snow, with dark circles under his eyes, his face as cold as ever, his brows furrowed, exuding an imposing aura without anger.
It had been so long since we last met that I felt a little dazed.
The person in front of me was clearly familiar, yet it was as if I were looking through a thick fog, as if I had never truly met him before.
Jiang Man came to her senses and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Xiao Hengzhi glanced around and saw the general's mansion where he had lived for decades.
The past events came flooding back, making it hard for him to breathe.
But he had no time to pay attention; his gaze was fixed on her old robe.
"Come back with me."
Jiang Mian stepped back without saying a word.
He took a step closer, suppressing his emotions: "I will consider you to have been away on a trip for several days. Now it's time to go home."
Jiang Wan looked up: "Your Highness seems to have forgotten that the General's Mansion is my home."
He lost his patience: "Have you made enough of a scene?"
Their eyes met, neither willing to give in.
"Making a scene? Isn't it the prince who's making a scene? The prince is about to get married, and he wants me to go back and be disliked by everyone."
Are you complaining about me?
Jiang Mian didn't speak; she didn't know what to say.
Reason reminded her that the effects of the Spring Bitterness Powder were still lingering in her body, and she should return to the Prince's Palace.
Emotionally, she thought that since the Prince's mansion already had a mistress, why would she want to go and make a fool of herself?
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Xiao Hengzhi felt a tightness in his chest, his chest heaving deeply. He opened his mouth to argue with her, but in the end, he said nothing.
"Let's go back." He pulled her outside.
"Let go!"
Jiang Mian struggled, but then caught a glimpse of the moon in the sky.
The nearly full moon seemed to be reminding her—
It's almost the fifteenth.
So she swallowed her words and let Xiao Hengzhi drag her out the door.
Xiao Hengzhi squeezed very tightly, so tightly that Jiang Mian could feel the fine calluses on his palm.
She suddenly remembered the various scars she had seen on his body.
The events in the mountains a few days ago, the name of the Red Slave, the blood of my heart, the beast cage... all flooded my mind again.
She looked at the person in front of her, a familiar face, an unchanging aura of authority, yet suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
The King of Beiqin?
Chinu?
She couldn't tell the difference.
That thin mist is right in front of me, separating the past from the present, the truth from deception.
It was already late at night when they returned to the Prince's residence.
Jiang Wan remained silent the entire way, and even the bit of her usual sharp tongue that used to clash with him seemed to have been extinguished by the rain and snow.
Looking at her like this, Xiao Hengzhi felt a strange unease welling up inside him.
He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why do you always look so preoccupied? If you have any complaints about me, you may speak up."
Jiang Mian lowered her eyes and changed the subject, saying, "I was thinking about Qianqian, wondering how she's doing in the palace..."
Xiao Hengzhi replied calmly, "The Grand Tutor will protect her, you don't need to worry."
"Ah."
A single response rang out, without a ripple.
He was about to ask again when he saw her suddenly raise her eyes, which were filled with weariness: "Today... I want to rest alone."
Xiao Hengzhi's throat bobbed slightly. Looking at her tired face, he couldn't bear to make things difficult for her any longer.
He turned and walked out of the house.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang in an instant.
The wind blew in from under the eaves, and the snow, which had not yet melted, covered his shoulders.
Xiao Hengzhi stood there, his breathing becoming rapid and labored, as if something unknown was gripping his heart tightly.
He stared at the wooden door, his knuckles slowly tightening.
—What exactly did Jiang Man learn when she went to the mountain villa?
The next day, the sky cleared up.
With the snow still lingering and sunlight piercing through the thin mist, the Prince of Beiqin's Palace was bathed in a long-awaited clarity.
Rong'er had been waiting in the courtyard since early morning, glancing at Jiang Mian's room every now and then.
Finally, Jiang Mian emerged, dressed in a light blue long gown. Her hair was slightly curled due to dampness, and her face looked very gentle in the sunlight.
"Miss Jiang!" Rong'er's eyes lit up, and she quickly stepped forward, her voice filled with surprise and joy. "You're really back! Last night, Yulan said she saw the Prince leading you back, and I said she must have been mistaken. How could you possibly be..."
She stopped mid-sentence, as if afraid to continue.
Jiang Wan curved her lips into a smile: "What, are you afraid that I'll never come back once I leave?"
Rong'er paused for a moment, then lowered her head and murmured, "After you left, the Prince didn't say a word. I thought... the Prince didn't care about you anymore..."
She paused for a moment, then quickly looked up and explained, "However, the day after you left, the prince sent people to collect all the red silk sent from the palace, and told us not to decorate the palace."
Jiang Mian was taken aback, then smiled gently: "The prince has always been unpredictable and his actions are hard to fathom."
“But that day… the prince stood alone in front of your house for a long time.”
Jiang Mian lowered her eyes and said slowly, "Rong'er, don't overthink things. You must remember that I am just an old acquaintance of the Prince, staying at his residence. Now that the Prince's residence is about to welcome a new Princess, you must not forget your place."
“But…” Rong’er seemed to have something else to say, but was gently interrupted by Jiang Mian.
“People should know their place, and I think I’ve figured that out.” She looked at the first light of dawn on the horizon. “This trip has been good; at least I’ve seen some things clearly.”
Before the words had even faded, the shouts of a nanny came from the gate of the mansion.
"Quickly, gather all these bottles and jars together, so they don't trip people up!"
Wen Yin is about to enter the mansion.
Jiang Mian lowered her gaze slightly and turned to look at the front yard.
The group hurriedly entered the Prince's Mansion.
Leading the way was Wen Yin.
She was dressed in plain clothes and a fur coat, with her hair simply styled in an updo.
His clothing was no longer as flamboyant and high-profile as before, and his face also lacked its former arrogance.
She did not wait for someone to lead the way as required, nor did she perform the entrance ceremony. Instead, she walked straight through the hanging flower gate with the help of her maid, her expression indifferent and her eyes not glancing left or right.
Jiang Mian's eyes flickered slightly as her gaze fell on a vermilion letter in her hand.
If I'm not mistaken, that was the Empress Dowager's decree.
Jiang Wan looked around and asked, "Where is the Prince?"
Rong'er smiled and said, "I saw someone go to invite him just now, but the prince wasn't at the manor. I guess he's deliberately avoiding him."
Jiang Mian didn't say anything, and sat in the courtyard pouring tea for herself.
She wasn't the mistress of the Prince's mansion; at best, she was just a guest. There was no reason for her to receive Wen Yin.
Besides, her relationship with Wen Yin wasn't particularly good before, so there was even less need for her to get close to her.
Although she thought that way, it was clear that some people didn't think that way.
"Miss Jiang."
A soft call came from afar behind me.