Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Contradiction

Chapter 24

It turns out that Jiang Yu didn't know nothing, but she had been tolerating in her heart. This kind of tenderness that no one could see really made Du Haoyu amazed. He felt that he had always regarded Jiang Yu as a sister who needed to be taken care of, and he had underestimated her.

He just held Jiang Yu's hand and said, "She has never had a good life with me. We lived in the deep mountains, surrounded by snow, and the water we drank was snow water. Sometimes we couldn't eat decent food for several days. Later, she fell ill and couldn't get up. I went over the mountains to find a doctor, and when I came back, I saw a pool of blood on the ground."

Jiang Yu could imagine that scene and couldn't help sighing.

"This is the only thing she left me."

"Ayu, that's all in the past. We will live well in the future and raise Qing'er."

Jiang Yu nodded, but saw Du Haoyu gently kissed her forehead and said softly, "Ayu, thank you."

Jiang Yu couldn't help thinking that she should be thanking him for not abandoning him in the most difficult times.

After that, Jiang Yu and Du Haoyu seemed to have pushed open an invisible wall between them, and they became closer and closer.

***

The weather was getting hotter and hotter. Princess Jialan liked to eat steamed crispy cakes with sugar the most, but she liked them iced. Last year, she was still in the nunnery, and she didn't know what her future would be like, so she naturally had no time to care about it. Now, things are different. As the most honorable princess, she naturally has everything.

The maid Baoping was the head maid who helped Princess Jialan manage the meals. She had prepared this dessert a long time ago. When she saw the princess calling her over, she brought it over.

Perhaps it was the bitter summer, Princess Jialan became thinner and thinner. Madam Shen was instructing the maids to put ice in the hall, and asked someone to bring a four-season screen carved with agarwood to block the cold.

Baoping breathed a sigh of relief. It was hot outside, but the Crown Princess' room was always filled with ice, which was very cool. If it weren't for Princess Jialan's fickle temper, she would lose her temper at any time. She really didn't want to stay outside.

Since the last time the princess took the initiative to show her goodwill but the Crown Prince didn't soften, Princess Jialan's temper has been getting worse and worse.

However, Baoping is meticulous in his work. Princess Jialan saw the milky white crispy cake served in a beautiful pastel bowl, which was unusually beautiful, and nodded with satisfaction. After

just one bite, Princess Jialan frowned slightly. Baoping was nervous and couldn't think of what was wrong. There was ice in the food box, and this temperature should be exactly what the princess liked. As for the taste, she had tasted it a long time ago, and it would not be wrong.

But Baoping also knew that Princess Jialan would often lose her temper for no reason recently, and it had nothing to do with whether you did things well or not.

It was obvious that Princess Jialan was unhappy. Just as she was about to speak, Nanny Shen suddenly came over and whispered something in Princess Jialan's ear. Princess Jialan immediately showed a serious look and said, "Call him in."

Baoping took a look and saw that it was the eunuch Wu Tong.

Wu Tong bowed to Princess Jialan and stood up, then looked around. Princess Jialan said, "You tell me, there are no outsiders here."

Wu Tong then said, "I've checked. Your Highness often goes to the tavern called Jiang's. It's just a coincidence that every time your Highness goes there, the lady of the owner's house is not in the store. I thought about it carefully, and there is something fishy here."

Princess Jialan asked, "What's fishy?"

"It's as if she's deliberately avoiding me."

Princess Jialan sneered and put down the small bowl of milk cake. Nanny Shen beside her hurriedly wiped her mouth and advised, "Your Majesty, you should eat less cold food."

Princess Jialan was disdainful of what others said, but she still gave Nanny Shen some face, nodded and said, "Go away."

Baoping then breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had escaped a disaster.

"What's my problem? The prince is so respected, it's normal for that woman to feel ashamed and want to avoid him."

After hearing this, Wu Tong immediately followed Princess Jialan's words and flattered him, saying, "Your Majesty is right, the prince is so majestic, who wouldn't be in awe of him?"

Princess Jialan nodded with satisfaction. Seeing that she was happy, Wu Tong immediately followed suit and said, "But in my humble opinion, this approach is too deliberate. If you have no guilt in your heart, why do you deliberately hide like this?"

Princess Jialan sat up straight, a little jealous in her eyes, and said, "Isn't the owner of Jiang's already married?"

"I felt that this matter was not simple, so I went to check the background of that Jiang. The result really surprised me. She was actually from Lin'an." Wu Tong was also quite capable. He specially asked someone to go to Lin'an to inquire about this matter, and he really found out the truth. The main reason was that Jiang Yu had never concealed this matter, so it was not difficult to find out.

"This Jiang is the former Crown Prince's wife."

Princess Jialan was stunned. "Really?"

"Absolutely true. I can guarantee it with my head."

Princess Jialan fell silent. She knew that Lin Bozhi had a wife in Lin'an, but she said they were divorced before she came. She didn't take it seriously. She just thought that a country girl, whether in terms of talent or appearance, could not compare with her. She was not even worthy of carrying her shoes. Otherwise, why would she ask to leave the palace like this?

But now she appeared in the capital, and the Crown Prince often visited her? Just like Wu Tong said, this was a bit unusual.

"I want to see what she looks like."

Wu Tong looked at Princess Jialan and didn't dare to speak. He lowered his head. This reaction made Princess Jialan's heart skip a beat. She asked, "Why? Is she beautiful?"

Wu Tong still remembered the first time he saw Jiang Yu. She was wearing an ordinary lake green plain pattern jacket, with a goose yellow skirt with a few plum blossoms embroidered on it. It was a very plain dress, but she had a graceful figure and beautiful eyebrows and eyes. Especially when she turned her head and smiled, it felt like thousands of pear trees were in bloom, and she couldn't see anyone else.

Compared with Princess Jialan, she was naturally beautiful, but there was a hint of hostility in her eyebrows and eyes. Although she was more graceful and dignified, it was still daunting.

"Of course she is not as good as the princess."

"How can a country girl with a humble background compare to our princess? Our princess is the cloud in the sky, and she is the mud on the ground. She is not even qualified to carry shoes for our princess!" Seeing that Princess Jialan's face was not good, Shen Mama hurriedly said, "Wu Tong, how can you do this job? If your eyes are not good, then don't do this job."

Wu Tong knelt down in fear and admitted his mistakes repeatedly.

But this matter still made Princess Jialan think about it. She used to think that there was nothing wrong between her and Lin Bozhi, but both of them didn't like to give in. She was used to being coaxed and had long been accustomed to this, but she forgot that the two of them were no longer the same as before, and they had experienced a lot of things, which was naturally different from the past.

But Lin Bozhi still had her in his heart. It was obvious that he married her when he was summoned back to Beijing. He just needed an opportunity.

Who knew that she took the initiative to show her goodwill, and Lin Bozhi didn't care, which made her feel very depressed, but also a little flustered, because Princess Zhou had urged her several times.

If she continued like this, sooner or later Princess Zhou would be dissatisfied.

This whole afternoon, Princess Jialan seemed a little absent-minded and had a lot on her mind. Finally, she called Nanny Shen over and said, "Go and help me find out who this Jiang is and where she comes from."

Nanny Shen naturally agreed, but she was thinking in her heart that she was just a country girl, so what else could she do?

***

Madame Shen did not dare to make too much fuss. She only brought a little maid with her to Jiang's. When she arrived at the door, she saw that the restaurant was actually full. As expected, the waiter came over and asked with a smile, "Sir, I'm sorry, we are full."

"Is it full now? Aren't there empty seats over there?"

The waiter had seen many people like Madame Shen. To be honest, he couldn't afford to offend anyone here, so he had to bring in other people to suppress her and said, "Look, the empty seat over there is reserved for Grand Scholar Li, and the empty seat upstairs over there is reserved for the Prince of Pingyang, and the seat over there is..."

Madame Shen withdrew her gaze embarrassedly. She couldn't help thinking that this Jiang's restaurant was really surprising. It could actually attract so many important officials in the court and nobles in the capital to linger.

The Jiang family must be quite extraordinary. Thinking of this, she wanted to see Jiang family even more. She said, "I'm here to see your boss."

The waiter couldn't help but hit Shen Mama twice. Seeing that she wore a red gold apricot flower hairpin as thick as her little finger, but walked around carelessly, as if she didn't mind if it slipped off and got lost, he knew that this mama was probably not simple. But their wife was not someone that anyone could see, right?

"Who are you?"

Shen Mama raised her head with a haughty look. The little maid next to her immediately said, "You are really a dog-eyed person who looks down on others. Shen Mama works for the Crown Princess."

The waiter didn't dare to delay and ran in directly. Jiang Yu was changing the menu in the back. She was staring at the dessert, thinking that adding iced mung bean soup should sell well.

After listening to the waiter's words, she smiled faintly and said, "Just say I can't leave."

Shen Mama thought Jiang Yu would come to greet her personally, but the waiter came out and said, "I'm sorry, our wife is busy right now and really can't leave. If you have anything, just tell me." Shen

Mama was very angry, but she couldn't get angry. The waiter just introduced a few names and frightened her. It was mainly because the Crown Princess repeatedly told her not to be an accomplice to the tiger because of her status, and she should be humble. In addition, because she had lived in the nunnery for several years, she was actually a little scared in her heart.

She walked back angrily, but she didn't notice that there was a ragged woman at the door, sleeping in her curled up, but she stepped on the back of her hand with her foot, and she woke up with a cry of pain.

Shen Ma was startled. Seeing that the other person was covered in mud, she covered her mouth and cursed, "Where did the beggar come from?"

The woman didn't look big, but her face was covered in mud and dirt, and her face couldn't be seen clearly. Only a pair of eyes with wolf-like vicious hatred, Shen Ma panicked and cursed, "Why are you staring at me? I'll beat you to death if you're careful."

Some people came to watch, but Shen Ma didn't want to make it known to everyone, so she cursed a few words and left.

But this time she was really angry. After returning, she couldn't help but add fuel to the fire and said a lot when she saw the Crown Princess Jialan, "You really don't take you seriously. I said I was working in the

Crown Prince's Mansion, but you just said you didn't see me." Shen Ma was the most capable confidant of Jialan Princess, and naturally she was flattered by many people. This was the first time she was bullied like this since she came out of the nunnery.

Jialan Princess didn't take Jiang Yu seriously at all, and asking Shen Ma to go and see was just a word. What bothered her more recently was how to get Lin Bozhi and her to reconcile.

But after hearing this, she suddenly became angry and said, "She is just a divorced woman, but she is so shameless. You should ask someone to call her over."

Nanny Shen hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, Jiang's husband is a scholar of the Hanlin Academy after all. It's not appropriate to call her over for no reason."

Princess Jialan was stunned for a moment, then she remembered that Jiang Yu had remarried. She couldn't help but said in a cold voice, "Married? You are so unwilling to be lonely. Such a married woman actually dares to covet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. She is really despicable! I gave her my business card, and she dared to refuse it?"

Nanny Shen never thought that the Crown Princess, who was always gentle and elegant, would curse like this, and the curse was so ugly. She couldn't help but sigh, thinking that things were different from before. Not to mention Princess Jialan, even her state of mind was different from before.

***

In the afternoon, Jiang Yu was sewing in the yard. Today, she had finished her work in the store and went home early. She remembered that she hadn't made clothes for her daughter for a long time, so she went to the warehouse to pick out a few patterns. Du Qing was still young, so she was suitable for bright colors. Water red, light yellow, and lake green were all good.

Jiang Yu picked a few colors, then took out the scissors to cut them out, and then it was time to sew.

Cuiping was picking thread for Jiang Yu and said, "Madam, this color is good."

At this moment, footsteps were heard suddenly and someone outside shouted, "The eldest girl is back."

Jiang Yu looked up and saw Du Qing jumping into her arms like a happy little bird. She tilted her little head and said happily, "Mom, the teacher praised me today!"

Jiang Yu was accustomed to it. Du Qing's intelligence was no longer ordinary, but she was still full of pride and asked, "Why did he praise you?"

Du Qing talked incessantly and took out an ink stick to show Jiang Yu, saying, "Mom, this was given to me by Li Shaodong. He said that although I am young and a girl, my handwriting is better than his. We will be classmates in the future." Jiang Yu knew

that Li Shaodong was the grandson of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He was a proud and arrogant man. It was not easy to make him bow his head.

Du Haoyu's regular substitute teaching at the school was naturally effective, especially for Du Qing, who became more and more energetic. She learned from Jiang Yu, "Mom, Daddy is so knowledgeable. Those who were not convinced were speechless. Later, when they knew I was Daddy's daughter, they were no longer like before."

Jiang Yu knew that this was probably all due to Du Haoyu's credit, and she was naturally grateful to him.

The mother and daughter talked for a while, and Jiang Yu asked Du Qing to pick a few patterns. After she finished choosing, Du Qing tilted her head and said, "Mom, when will the uncle we met last time come again?"

Jiang Yu was stunned and asked, "Which uncle?"

Du Qing described the man's face. Jiang Yu's heart skipped a beat when she heard it, and she asked calmly, "How do you remember this uncle?"

"I don't know, I just felt very close to him."

Jiang Yu sighed in her heart, thinking that after all, blood ties are always different from strangers. It's a pity that Lin Bozhi didn't care about her at all, and even looked down on her. He touched Du Qing's head and said, "You can't say these in front of your dad."

Du Qing blinked cunningly and said, "I know my dad will be jealous."

Jiang Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and tapped her daughter's forehead. Du Qing pestered Jiang Yu to learn needlework. Not to mention that Du Qing learned everything very quickly. Her little hands held the tiny needle, and she threaded the needle very well.

"Mom, I will also embroider a handkerchief for Dad, so he won't be jealous!"

Jiang Yu couldn't help laughing, and felt that Du Qing was really a smart kid.

When Du Haoyu entered the room, he saw the mother and daughter standing next to each other, doing needlework seriously. The setting sun cast an orange-red sunset glow, shining on the two people, as if they were coated with a layer of gold, like a dream. He felt tenderness like water in his heart, and his eyes were full of tenderness.

"Daddy, you

are here!" Du Qing was the first to discover Du Haoyu, and shouted happily, then stood up and walked over, holding the embroidery frame in his hand, waiting for Du Haoyu to pick Du Qing up, and asked, "Qing'er, what is this?"

Du Qing took it to Du Haoyu like a treasure, and said, "I embroidered a handkerchief for Daddy. Here, I chose a picture of green bamboo. Isn't Daddy's favorite bamboo?"

Du Haoyu's green bamboo painting is very famous, and people often come to ask for it with a fee.

Jiang Yu glanced at the handkerchief. The pattern was drawn by her, but Du Qing was still young after all, and the embroidery was all crooked and unreadable. One could only barely make out a bamboo. Du Haoyu praised without blinking, "The bamboo is embroidered really well. You are worthy of being my daughter, Du Haoyu. Daddy likes it very much."

Du Qing couldn't help laughing happily.

Jiang Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

After dinner in the evening, Du Haoyu took Du Qing to write in the study, while Jiang Yu continued to do needlework. Suddenly, she saw the maid Cuiping come in, whispered a few words in her ear, then showed her a note and said, "This is the name card of the Crown Princess. She asked you to come into the mansion. She said she has something to ask. Look at this..."

Cuiping looked at Jiang Yu with some concern, but she sneered and said, "Go, why don't you go."