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Chapter 81: A Plate of Wontons

  Listening to her casual tone, it was as if she had completely let go from the moment she received the divorce papers and no longer avoided him, even asking him to stay a while longer.

  Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips, his hand clenched into a fist at the cuff of his sleeve.

  Should he stay to watch the river flow or should he stay to witness her wedding with Lu Jinghang? It's better that he left, if he was present, I really don't dare guarantee what would happen.

  Is this also a kind of revenge?

  A chill crept in from the window, freezing him stiff, but the person in front of him seemed to have noticed something and pushed open the window to take a look, letting out a startled "wow".

  It's snowing!

  It's been years since the city, which was once a single line of rain and snow, has seen such weather. Fine snowflakes are falling gently, sparkling white, drifting onto the windowsill. She pinches her sleeve to catch some, turns around with a smile, and hands it over to him: "Look!"

  For a moment, Jiang Xuanjin felt as if he had returned to the main building of Moju, and the long separation was just a nightmare. When he woke up, she was still by his side, laughing and making trouble, wanting to watch the deep winter snow scene with him.

  He stretched out his fingertips in a daze and lightly touched the white on her sleeve, but as soon as he touched it, that bit of fine white disappeared.

  Her eyelashes fluttered, Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips, and the ink color surged in his eyes.

  Can't touch, once touched then gone.

  He withdrew his hand and put it behind him, clenched his jaw, wanting to say coldly "Your Highness, please leave", but the words were on the tip of his tongue, he thought for a moment, and swallowed them back.

  He has a long life ahead of him to slowly enjoy himself, so why not indulge in a little more now?

  Li Huaiyu seemed to be unafraid of the cold, standing by the window and catching snow for a long time, still feeling it was not enough, and wanting to climb onto the nearby soft couch, so that her hands could stretch further.

  Jiang Xuanjin endured it once and again, but still couldn't hold back, stepping forward to press her down: "Don't move!"

  Hua Yu raised an eyebrow and turned her head to smile: "What? Afraid I'll get hurt? Didn't you say it was the child of Lu Zhuanggui? What's the hurry?"

  With a stiff face, Jiang Xuanjin said in a cold voice: "There is a low table on the soft couch, and there are many corners. If Your Highness gets hurt, Lu Zhuang will definitely put it on my head."

  "It doesn't matter." Huai Yu waved her hand carelessly, "He can't do anything to you."

  "Even if he is of no use, there's still Yu Wu, still Chi Jin, and all the people in this Marquis Manor, I wouldn't dare to offend them."

  "You are too humble." Almond eyes sparkled with amusement, and she said with a playful tone, "You really think deeply, not to mention this princess's mansion, I couldn't even protect the entire city of Yicheng."

  Having said that, let's continue moving.

  However, just as his knee had barely touched the soft couch, a cyan-colored sleeve suddenly appeared in front of him.

  Jiang Xuanjin's movements were very restrained, her arms crossed in front of her collarbone, pinching her shoulder, pulling her entire body back.

  He smiled and took a few steps back, sticking it to his chest.

  A slight vibration came from his back, she could hear the sound of him taking a light breath, it was gone in an instant, his body stood straight up, and his hands also let go.

  "Is Your Highness unsteady?"

  "Hmm." Huai Yu let out a long sigh, "Ever since I got pregnant, my feet have been swelling, and every day my waist and back ache, often making me unsteady on my feet."

  Qing Si would definitely spit blood if she heard this. Can't even stand steady? Who was the one running faster than a rabbit on the street last time?!

  Jiang Xuanjin listened, but his jaw clenched tightly, looking down at her, wanting to reach out and support her, but not knowing where to put his hand.

  This man suddenly let out an "ah" and his heart skipped a beat, furrowing his brow: "What?"

  She sat down on the soft couch with her arms around her stomach, looking strange and frowning silently.

  "Speak!" Jiang Xuanjin stood in front of her, his expression calm and collected, but the fear in his tone was unmistakable.

  Hua Yu slowly raised her head and pointed to her belly.

  Jiang Xuanyin didn't care about anything else and reached out to put his hand on it to feel around.

  This belly seems to be much more solid than he imagined, heavy and bulging. When he touched it, the things inside moved a little, a small tactile sensation that fell right into his palm.

  Jiang Xuanjin was startled and hastily withdrew his hand, forcing himself to calm down and say: "I'll let Cheng Xu go summon a doctor."

  "Never mind." Hua Yu's expression returned to normal, "It was just fetal movement, it's normal."

  What's with that expression?! Jiang Xuanjin turned around and glared at her.

  Li Huaiyu said with a smile: "Every time the fetus moves, I'm very scared, afraid that it will suddenly break through my belly and come out."

  This feeling of fear, she had to let him experience it too, so that her heart could be at ease.

  Jiang Xuanjin fell silent, and after a long while, he slowly let out a breath.

  Injustice.

  The urgent letter of eight hundred miles was sent back to the main city of Ziyang in less than a day, and Lü Qing was dug out from his quilt, thinking that something big had happened, and hastily opened the letter.

  However, after finishing the letter, his mouth twitched and he couldn't help but slam the letter to the ground: "Does he really think Ma is not tired to death by sending a doctor with an 800-li express?"

  His subordinate reported weakly: "The horse you rode is a thousand-mile horse and hasn't died of exhaustion."

  Lü Qing's cold eyes swept over, and his subordinates immediately fell silent.

  "Let Qi Jin set out today, find a few people to escort him, and ride horses to hurry over."

  "Yes."

  After finishing the order, Lü Qing walked back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back, so angry that he almost stomped the tiles to pieces. As he turned, he muttered: "Every day urging, every day not coming back, not coming back is nothing, but it's like wanting to settle down in Yīxiàn City, let him directly draw Yīxiàn City to Zǐyáng, he wouldn't be happy either, I don't know what he's thinking!"

  "Just because he's busy, I'm not busy? I still want to marry a daughter-in-law, but I'm so busy that I can't even leave the gate of the prefecture, who is this Prince Ziyang after all!"

  The silent subordinate couldn't help but speak again: "Your Highness has prepared many portraits of young ladies from noble families for you, they are all placed in your study."

  Lü Qing glared: "What's the use of putting up a portrait? He actually put up a beauty instead!"

  The subordinate was silent, thinking that you were just loud and fierce, but actually a beauty. With your temperament, you must not dare to enter the door.

  However, he was still considerate and when Qi Jin's medical team set out, he had someone bring Lord Lü's words to the Emperor as well.

  Qī Jǐn got on his horse with a trembling body, feeling very excited in his heart.

  Calculating the days, Madame's pregnancy should be around six months now. She hadn't received any news previously and had already made the worst preparations. As a result, she was suddenly summoned by the Emperor now.

  The imperial physician is everywhere, if you must give a reason why she can only go there, it's because the emperor knows that the madam is pregnant and has called her over to interrogate her.

  It's fine even if I'm blamed! Qi Jin thought with red eyes, as long as the master and madam can make up, she doesn't mind being punished.

  But judging from your temperament, if you knew you had a child, you might be so happy that you wouldn't even scold her.

  Optimistically thinking, Qi Jin followed the guards and galloped quickly along the road.

  After a light snowfall in the city, the water flow in the moat became increasingly large. The common people stood on the riverbank and cheered, some of whom couldn't help but lie down to scoop up water with buckets.

  "Our fields are saved!"

  "Hurry up and lend a hand, come on! The water is ready!"

  "Oh, so much water!"

  More and more people gathered by the river, with some even jumping directly into it. The joyful shouts spread from the city gate to the entire city, and finally, the city was thoroughly revived.

  Huai Yu stood on the city wall, smiling as she looked at Jiu Wu and others beside her, who reported: "The construction of the Qu Lin River canal has begun. Once it's completed, the remaining branches in the three counties of Dongping will also be cut off. Even if there is less rain, the city won't suffer from severe drought again."

  "Very good." Hua Yu nodded, just wanting to say something else, when she saw a group of civilians gathered under the city tower, each holding a plate in their hands, with steamed buns and dumplings on it, as if they wanted to send them up, but were blocked by the guards, who were shouting loudly.

  "Come on, Wu! Come on, Wu!"

  "Miss Xü, we've come to offer our thanks!"

  "General Tongjun, let us go up!"

  Holding the jade, he smiled and said to the people beside him: "You are now also good officials who are loved by others. The good intentions of the people must be accepted. Go ahead, it won't be considered bribery."

  Several old men felt a bit embarrassed, scratched their heads, and Xu Chuyan saw an old woman who couldn't stand steadily below, so he hurriedly led the way to welcome her.

  Hua Yu glanced over and thought this scene was truly beautiful, this is the treatment a good person should have, not being spat at by others but instead being treated like one's own child by the common people, who were shoving food into her hands while saying: "Try some, it's made by our family, we especially added more sugar!"

  Hua Yu withdrew her gaze and stood alone on the city wall, continuing to look at the river below, with a hint of envy in her eyes.

  She could help them, but she couldn't help herself. In the eyes of the common people, she was still the evil Dan Yang Princess.

  A cold wind blew up, messing up her hair, and Hua Yu stretched out his hand to tuck the strands behind her ear. She thought magnanimously that it didn't matter; after four years of living recklessly, she would have to pay the price eventually.

  There were some irregular footsteps coming from beside her, and Li Huaiyu thought it was someone who had returned, without even turning her head.

  However, a moment later, an old pair of hands holding a plate of steamed buns appeared beside her.

  Heart skipped a beat, Huai Yu suddenly turned around.

  The old woman's face had deep wrinkles, and when she smiled, her eyes were invisible. She had lost many teeth, and her words were not very clear, but Huaiyu still heard them.

  She said: "Your Highness, my son and daughter-in-law are all carrying water to irrigate the fields, I came to thank you."

  Blinking her eyes, she looked at the steamed buns in the plate and swallowed hard, then smiled again: "Old man, you should give to whoever you want, don't listen to them and give it to me."

  The old woman stared blankly and asked her: "Are you Princess Chang?"

  The guard beside her frowned and was about to step forward to rebuke her for being rude, but Li Huaiyu stretched out his hand to stop him, nodding slowly at her.

  "That's for you." The old woman smiled, showing her gums, "You're a good person."

  A whole plate of steamed buns was stuffed into her hands, and Huaiyu looked dazed with a full eye, even looking at the just cooked osmanthus under her head, suspecting that they were specially invited to make her happy.

  However, the old woman said: "I came here from Jiangxi more than two years ago. You saved my family once before, this is the second time."

  The six-year drought in Jiangxi has led to the spread of the plague across seven counties, and it is about to engulf the entire province with unstoppable force. If not for Princess Chang's timely decision to seal off the city, the incurable disease would have claimed even more lives.

  The old woman didn't understand the intrigue of the imperial court; all she knew was that her family had been saved thanks to the eldest princess.

  And this time, thanks to the Princess, the first-line city that had been dry for many years has water again. They can irrigate their fields, plant grain, and continue to live on.

  A plate of steamed buns, enough for a family's daily food, she brought it all over, wiping her hands on the apron full of patches, looking a bit awkward.

  Li Huaiyu was stunned for a while, picked up a bun and took a bite.

  The dry taste was far inferior to the craftsmanship of Chi Jin, but she swallowed it and took another bite.

  "Your Highness...?" The guard beside him tried to persuade, Huai Yu shook his head and forced himself to finish a large bun, finally hugging the plate towards the old woman: "I will eat it all."

  The old woman smiled and nodded repeatedly.

  "Where is your home?"

  "It's not far, just outside the western suburbs." The old woman pointed and said, "I should be going back too."

  Hua Yu nodded in that direction, gestured to the guard beside her, who understood and helped Grandma down from the city wall, bringing along a few bags of rice, and sent them back home together.

  Jiang Xuanyin came up and saw Li Huaiyu holding a plate of steamed buns in a daze.

  He didn't understand and walked over to take a look. The plate was rough, the bun was also rough, but there were crumbs on her fingers, apparently she had already eaten one.

  "Your Highness?"

  Hearing his voice, the person in front of him raised his head, with a pair of eyes shining like stars.

  She held up the plate in her hand like a child, opening her eyes wide to show off to him: "This was given to me by an old auntie!"

  Jiang Xuanjin didn't understand, she hastily pointed to the group of people still surrounded by the commoners below, and then pointed to the plate in her hand, grinning: "I have some too!"

  Jiang Xuanjin's eyes dropped slightly: "One plate of steamed buns and you're so happy."

  "You don't understand!" Yu Zhuo couldn't stop laughing, her eyes shining brightly, "She said I'm a good person!"

  For so long, she had been living in the intrigue of the imperial court, and she was used to hearing the curses of the officials and the people, as well as the comforting words of those around her. For the first time, someone was sincerely and simply praising her.

  Someone as prestigious as Jiang Xuanjin is accustomed to being revered and admired by others. Unlike her, who waited eight years for this one opportunity.

  The person behind him frowned and wanted to speak but hesitated.

  How could the master not understand? If he didn't understand, he wouldn't have gone to great lengths to help her achieve this current situation.

  "I don't understand." Jiang Xuanjin replied calmly, his expression unchanged.

  Li Huaiyu was in a good mood and smiled as he asked, "Sir, would you like to follow me down and take a look? We can also discuss the matters of Danyang and Ziyang along the way?"

  "No." He refused without hesitation.

  However, after two sticks of incense, a horse-drawn carriage slowly moved forward along the moat, with thick bedding inside, Huaiyu nestled in the corner, propped up a pillow for her waist, and let out a comfortable sigh.

  The purple-robed young master sat on his knees on the soft quilt in front of him, his body still straight as a pen.

  "Aren't you tired?" Hua Yu raised an eyebrow. "This car is meant for reclining, sitting up straight is actually uncomfortable."

  "Your Highness, speak your mind." He said coldly.

  Li Huaiyu smiled lightly, propping up her chin to look at him and said: "Lu Ji is currently supplying goods to the first line of cities, but the source of goods in Danyang Biancheng is not enough, and some need to be transported from Ziyang Biancheng. However, Ziyang is very strict with Danyang, and it's hard to get things out of the city gate, so please help facilitate this trip."

  Was traveling with him just to plead for Lu Jingxuan?

  His face tightened, Jiang Xuanjin sneered: "What if I don't play along?"

  "Hmph!" Hua Yu's expression was full of momentum as she opened her mouth: "If you're not going to make it convenient for me, then I'll..."

  She shifted her body slightly, moved closer to him, stretched out her hand and hooked his fingers, Li Huaiyu smiled: "Then I'll ask more of you."

  The suddenly gentle tone was like a pair of warm hands that supported his sinking heart.

  Her chest felt tight and aching, Jiang Xuanjin stared at her, grasping his own hand, silent for a long time before speaking again, his voice somewhat hoarse: "You're doing this, aren't you afraid of enraging Lu Jinghang?"

  Hua Yu thought for a moment and shook her head: "He won't get angry."

  "It's also." Jiang Xuanjin nodded, "So many years have passed, he can always be by your side, there must be something special about him."

  That's for sure! Lu Jinghang is indeed exceptional when it comes to making money.

  She secretly smiled, looking at his wanting to shake her off but couldn't bear to do so expression, and gradually reached out her hand, slipping it into his fingers, just like a long, long time ago, their ten fingers interlocking.

  Jiang Xuanyin's face looked very unsightly: "Your Highness."

  "Huh?"

  It seemed like she found it hard to speak out, Jiang Xuanjin stared at her hand with wide eyes.

  "What's wrong? Is something not right?"

  Nothing is right! Didn't you already agree to break up? Didn't you promise to marry Lu Jingxuan? Why are you being so intimate with him all of a sudden?

  He could sense her teasing him, Jiang Xuanjin felt annoyed, his thin lips pursed tightly, and his eyebrows also furrowed.

  "Is it fun?" he asked.

  Hua Yu smiled and nodded, tightening his grip on his hand: "It's going to be fun."

  "Halt!" he growled.

  The horse outside let out a long whinny, and Hua Yu's body leaned forward with it. The horse suddenly cried out "Aiya".

  Jiang Xuanjin was about to get off the bus, but upon hearing the commotion, he froze for a moment before turning his head and asking, "What's going on now?"

  "Holding her stomach and groaning, Li Huaiyu said: 'It hurts.'"

  The carriage drove along the riverbank, with no village ahead and no shops behind. Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth and ordered Cheng Xu: "Return to the Princess's Mansion!"

  "Ah, never mind." Holding his hand, Huai Yu smiled lazily, "Just keep walking forward."

  Jiang Xueming: "......"

  He sat back in his original position, silently gazing at her for a long time, and rubbed his brow with some fatigue: "Can't Your Highness let me off?"

  Since we're destined to be apart, why tease him?

  Li Huaiyu sighed and said: "Jun Shang, I'm not using much strength at all. If you don't like it, you can completely break free."

  Is it because he won't be able to win, so you came to play this kind of trick on him? Jiang Xuanjin was furious but smiled instead: "Alright, Your Highness's request, I'll grant it."

  "Thank you!" Yu Le smiled, but still didn't let go of his hand.

  What was this person thinking? Jiang Xuanjin couldn't understand.

  In the Jiang family's rules, having a husband who is close to others is considered a violation of etiquette and morals. According to the rules, such behavior should be punished by tattooing on the forehead and expelling from the household. He was well aware that such behavior went against propriety and moral principles, and if he didn't break free, he would also be guilty.

  As if possessed by a ghost, he didn't move.

  Li Huaiyu's smile grew bigger and bigger, her almond-shaped eyes staring at him, like a mouse that had successfully stolen something, she couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

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