A Lady’s Tranquility - Chapter 22

Chapter 022 Unworthy

　　After leaving the Youhuang Pavilion, Yan Lin took her for a while.
Such as gold and silver jade, rouge sachets, and even brush and ink calligraphy and painting, when I go to a store and see a few good ones, I always ask her if she likes them or not. Jiang Xuening didn’t notice anything at first, but when she saw Yan Lin take another jade Ruyi and asked her, she had a faint feeling in her heart.

　　The expression of the teenager has always been straightforward.
However, at the moment, it seemed reserved.
When he asked her if she liked it or not, his eyes were smiling, but his eyes were a bit dodgy as if he was hiding something for fear of being discovered by her, and there was a hint of shyness that was not obvious.
Yan Lin really didn’t want to be known by her.
Seeing that September is coming to an end, it will soon be October, and then will be his crown ceremony in November.
Once the crown ceremony is over, we can talk about marriage.
At that time, he will be able to go to the Jiang Mansion to propose marriage, so the dowry list must be prepared in advance: he wants to know what Ning Ning likes and what he does not like. If she likes it, she will buy it quietly after today and put it on the dowry list when she comes back. I think she will have a little surprise when she sees it.

　　The young man’s mind is really not deep.
When Jiang Xuening didn’t see it, he could still say that he liked or disliked it, as usual, he just thought he was asking himself as usual; but after seeing it, he said that he liked it or not, and kept saying that it was not good if he didn’t like it…
She followed him to two more stores.

　　In the end, he finally stopped in front of the third shop selling beads and green faces, and said to Yan Lin, “I’m a little tired.”
Yan Lin looked up and saw that her face was indeed sad.
Only then did I realize with hindsight that I was having a good time shopping alone, but I forgot that she was going to the palace tomorrow, and I forgot to ask her if she wanted to stop and rest, and I felt a little guilty for a while: “It’s all my fault, I forgot again. Anyway, there is still a lot of time in the future. When you enter the palace to read with the princess, I can also come to you. Go back early today, and I will take you off.”

　　Jiang Xuening came out by carriage.
Yan Lin was riding a horse, and only slowly followed her car when he went back.
Occasionally, when she lifted the curtain of the car, she could see the golden and red afterglow of the sunset falling on the tall and straight figure of the young man, the bridge of the nose, the corners of the lips with a slight smile, and even the slightly moving eyelashes. When she was lit, when she looked back at her, it was fiery and dazzling.
But her heart was filled with sourness.

　　almost.
It’s time to find a suitable time and make it clear to Yan Lin.

　　*

　　After returning to the mansion, Jiang Xuening asked people to take out all her things, and also asked people to go to the accountant of the mansion to check what her parents had bought for her in recent years.
She doesn’t have an account herself, but the manor does. The maidservants who had been punished for stealing things from her were shivering with fear, thinking that the second girl was going to start turning over the old accounts again, and even the Wang Xing family was terrified.

　　Jiang Xuening only said: “I said that I will not pursue you again. This time it is none of your business. If you should move things, you should check your accounts.”

　　The maids and ladies in the room were relieved.
After a while, several boxes were moved out.
Jiang Xuening, facing the list in her hand, divided her valuables into two sides: one was her own, which was basically bought by the house as a gift; the other was given by Yan Lin over the years, which accounted for the majority.
She made a new account book by herself and recorded it clearly.

　　The Yongyi Hou family had a great career and was very prominent for a while, but when the sage decreed to raid the house, there was no hint of rumors. Even the night before, the Hou family was still preparing for the next day Yanlin’s crown ceremony.
So once the house was raided, there was no preparation.
All property was confiscated and confiscated, they were thoroughly checked, and people were directly imprisoned. Even though there are people outside who are trying to clear things up, there are restrictions on the money, and there is no way to see Lord Hou and the Prince. In addition, Jin Yiwei later found out that the Yongyi Hou Mansion was indeed in contact with the Nanwang rebellion by letters, and the saint was furious. Then no one dared to run away for Yongyi Houfu.
In the end, he remembered that the Houfu had served the country and spared the death penalty of genocide.
But how desolate is it after the exile?

　　In the last life, Yan Lin was still facing the back, as if he had changed his personality.
The fiery teenager in her memory seemed to have never existed.
Only in the dead of night, when he lay on the bed in her bedroom, gently held her hand, and told her about what he saw, heard, and experienced when he was exiled to the Northwest Territory, did Jiang Xuening could feel that this was Yan Lin— ——A

the boy who told her about the magnificent mountains and rivers when he was young.

　　It’s just that the story told is different: when he was young, he was a noble little prince, dressed in fresh clothes and angry with horses. He looked at the mountains and rivers, full of high-spirited spirits, and what remained in his eyes were those splendid and beautiful; after his exile, he Not only is no longer a noble family, but he has become a culprit. When he goes to a place of bitterness, it is the same mountains and rivers. His eyes are full of depression, and what remains in his memory is the difficult world and his changeable heart.

　　Now, God has given her a chance to reverse the long river of time and let her see the sincere and enthusiastic young man in her memory.
She can’t repay this kind of love.
But how touching would it be if this young man could always be as beautiful as he remembered?

　　During the daytime, Yanlin bought a qin as a gift for her and kept it on her desk.

　　Jiang Xuening raised his eyes and stared silently for a long time, and then put this qin into his account, and wrote a line in small words at the back, “Three thousand taels of silver”.
When it was over, he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
This guy Yan Lin really spends money without blinking an eye, can’t he empty her out? I bought this piano for 3,000 taels, but I don’t know what the price will be when I want to sell it. Then Lu Zhaoyin is a real profiteer!

　　Lian’er and Tang’er didn’t know why she suddenly counted things again, but they suddenly remembered something, and they came together and said: “By the way, girl, because you were chosen as the princess’ companion, both the master and the wife will not reward you. Little things. In the afternoon, the eldest girl also sent a set of four treasures of the study, would you like to take a look and order?”

　　Jiang Xuehui?
She looked towards Lian’er.
Lake brushes, Duan inkstones, Songyan inks, and a piece of paper from Chengxintang are all excellent things.

　　So he was silent for a while, and only said: “Let it go.”

　　*

　　The fact that Jiang Xuening was summoned to the palace to become the princess’ companion naturally caused a lot of discussion in the Jiang mansion. After all, she was coddled and did not learn well, so she was far from the eldest young lady Jiang Xuehui in every way.
But in the end, it was her.

In the beginning, the name of the eldest lady was passed on in the house, and no one expected such an unexpected situation to occur.

　　For a while, everything was said: some said that the palace might have made a mistake in the name; some said that Jiang Xuening had complimented the princess and used some means to make the princess cross out Jiang Xuehui’s name and give her the opportunity; It is also said that she went to the master in private to make trouble, and forced the master to be changed to her before submitting the candidate, and also said that Jiang Xuehui was not qualified enough, so the palace did not like it…

　　But anyway, the words didn’t reach Jiang Xuening’s ears.
She doesn’t care.
They are going to enter the palace early tomorrow morning. Although Jiang Boyu and Meng Shi also felt that the result this time was really confusing and confusing, they still put food in the house in the evening and called Jiang Xuehui and Jiang Xuening to use it together. .

　　This was the first time Jiang Xuening saw Jiang Xuehui after the companions in the palace were selected.
It looked no different from usual.
She was still dignified and virtuous in the past, and she would take the initiative to prepare food for her parents during the banquet. There was no injustice or loss between her brows, but it seemed that this incident had never happened, and she had not heard any rumors outside.

　　Jiang Boyu was very worried, and he didn’t have much hope for Jiang Xuening’s entry into the palace this time. He only said earnestly: “Father is an official in the court, and his political achievements will also be completed. After you enter the palace, you don’t need to fight for anything. , as long as you are good, control your temper, and don’t cause trouble. As for whether the princess likes it or not, it doesn’t matter whether the gentlemen like it or not. It’s all you can do perfunctorily. Remember, see more and say less, Just bury your head and do things.”
Jiang Xuening answered them one by one.
But what she thought in her heart was: Jiang Boyu didn’t need to worry so much when she entered the palace tomorrow and started to learn etiquette. After all, if the “passive sabotage” plan goes well, I’m afraid that she won’t be able to pass the test of etiquette and qualifications, and she will be able to go home sooner rather than later.

　　Jiang Boyu looked at her casual look and was really worried. He didn’t say more, but he thought about it: When I go to court tomorrow, I want to talk to Ju An and ask him to take care of him in the palace.

　　Meng Shi was also worried about the unexpected changes in the candidates for companion reading, and his face was not very good during the banquet. He glanced at Jiang Xuening several times and wanted to ask her if she did something in the middle, but Jiang Boyu winked at her by the side. She didn’t ask.
When explaining the words, they can only deal with two sentences.
After all, Jiang Bo lobbied for real words, and he didn’t say a few words to Jiang Xuening from beginning to end.

　　It was only three-quarters after the meal was eaten that they dispersed.

　　When I came out of the main house, the lights were already on in the house.

Jiang Xuening came out to salute together with Jiang Xuehui, so walking on the porch, one in front and the other in the back normally.
As usual, he would just walk away without any reason.

　　But today, Jiang Xuening stopped her and said lightly, “I don’t like what you gave me.”
Jiang Xuehui stopped and didn’t look back: “Then sister Ning just throw it away.”

　　Jiang Xuening laughed sarcastically: “If I were you, all the names were put up, but I lost the election, but my ignorant sister was selected as a companion, I must think about whether I am You’ve been tricked. You’re hypocritical, and you still want to send me a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. Do you think I can’t see that you actually want to enter the palace?”

　　Jiang Xuehui finally turned to look at her.

　　The porch is full of wisteria flowers, but the flowering season has passed early, and it is this late autumn season, the flowers and leaves are withered, and the branches are sparse, so the frosty white moon above the head hangs from the gaps between the branches. flowed to her.
The simple moon-white shirt and skirt, standing there, are beautiful and charming.
Even the sarcastic smile on the corner of his lips has a moving gesture.

　　Her joy and anger were not concealed, and she seemed disdainful to conceal it.

　　Jiang Xuehui actually felt a little envious, and said slowly: “I want to enter the palace, which woman in the world has never loved prosperity? This is not a shameful thing to me. It’s just that it doesn’t work out in the end, and there’s nothing to complain about. Everything has its own fate, and now I have neither the ability nor the fate.”

　　Jiang Xuening couldn’t stand her calm expression when she spoke, the smile on her lips gradually disappeared, but the sarcasm in her voice became stronger: “You know, why I don’t like it as soon as I enter the manor. Are you?”
Jiang Xuehui did not speak.
Jiang Xuening then folded a small section of dry branches hanging down on the porch, and with a “snap”, in this silent night, there was a different kind of shock: “It’s not just because you are better than me, better than me, I enjoyed everything that I should have enjoyed. More importantly, after four years, you both know your own life experience and who is your biological mother. Wan Niang has never asked me a single word, not even a single word.”

　　Jiang Xuehui’s palms folded in front of her were slowly clasped, and she lowered her eyes slightly as if she had something to say.
But after all, did not say.
Jiang Xuening then threw the dead branch away and smiled at her: “Before Wanniang returned from her illness, she took my hand and put her family heirloom bracelet into my hand, and told me to go back to the house and see you. , I’ll give it to you. But I haven’t given it to you. Because I think – you don’t deserve it.”