Chapter 61: Missed

  Thanks for the rewards and support from everyone, I'll keep updating more chapters of "The Fairy's Garden"!

  Many high-ranking officials in the court could not see through this situation, blindly following Anqing Hou's opposition to the marriage alliance, but she saw through the emperor's mind at a glance!

  Xiao Yu's heart skipped a beat as he looked up and scrutinized Zhen Shi Niang carefully.

  I had never taken a close look at her, she was really beautiful, with a faint smile on her face, and a serene gaze that held a unique quiet beauty. Being with her, just sitting quietly without saying anything made one feel at peace, making one unknowingly let down their guard, and unintentionally revealing many past events that had never been shared with anyone before.

  This is still his first time in life!

  Xiao Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he muttered vaguely, "Just pacifying the Yi Yue, years of war have left the national treasury empty, General Shen will need to recover for at least three to five years..." Without saying whether or not to attack Yan.

  For years, An Qing Hou had relied on his achievements in clearing the way for the Crown Prince to ascend to the throne and had borrowed the power of the Empress Dowager and the Grand Crown Prince to become a force to be reckoned with. If he were not removed, it would be difficult for the Emperor to dare use military force again.

  Zhen Shining's concern was not that Shen Zhongge had gone out to fight someone, but when he would leave the capital. Upon hearing this, she felt a pang of disappointment in her heart.

  The air fell silent.

  Feeling someone was watching her from outside, Zhen Shiniang raised her head to see Hong'er beckoning to her from outside the pavilion. She hastily stood up, saying, "I should go and change the dressing for Old Madam."

  Xiao Ye also let out a sigh of relief and stood up to send her off as she left Mei Ting.

  They stayed for another two days until Old Madam's breathing returned to normal, then Xiao Ye let Gu Mai arrange for Zhen Shiniang to return to Wutong Town.

  Jian Wu's small face was red and puffy as he played with a spinning top on the ice. When he saw Zhen Shi Niang get out of the carriage, he threw down his whip and ran over to her, "Mother! Mother!" Jian Wu hugged Zhen Shi Niang's waist and burst into tears. Seeing his brother cry, Jian Wen also started wailing loudly, attracting a crowd of onlookers.

  "The daughter is back, it's a happy thing. Brother Wen and Brother Wu, stop crying quickly." Qiuju hurriedly pulled the two to comfort them, then looked at Zhen Shiniang, "Miss doesn't know, since you left, Brother Wen and Brother Wu have been stretching their necks every day, waiting for you, and after eating, they stand here watching. When they see a horse carriage, they shout 'Mother is back'..." As she spoke, Qiuju also felt her nose getting sour, so she lowered her head and pulled Jianwu and Jianwen hard, "It's cold outside, Brother Wen and Brother Wu, stop bothering Mother. We can talk at home."

  Never having been apart from her children for so long, Zhen Shiniang's heart was also sour, and she tightly hugged the two children, reluctant to let go.

  There's Hong'er over there. He hastily took out a box of caramel candies from the car, "Brother, have some candy." He opened the box and handed it over.

  After all, it's the children. Upon hearing that there was candy to eat, Wen Ge and Wu Ge immediately wiped away their tears, looked up and saw that Zhen Shi Niang didn't object, so Jian Wu took it and said, "Thank you, sister!"

  "Huh?" Facing the small, delicate face of Wu Ge's fan, Gu Maibei exclaimed in surprise. "What's this kid's name? He looks so familiar..." he muttered to himself, "I think I've seen him somewhere before." He really started thinking with his head tilted.

  Gu Mai must have seen Shen Zhongge!

  Originally, she didn't pay attention. When Gu Mai's voice was heard, Zhen Shiniang suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. "Call Wen Ge... Wu Ge..." She smiled and introduced them, but didn't let the two of them go to pay their respects. Instead, she seemingly unintentionally pulled Wen Ge and Wu Ge, who were curiously studying the sugar nest, into her arms, covering the sugar box with one hand. "... Hurry up and tell Ji Kuai's wife a message, and have Uncle come over to pick me up."

  "Hmm!" Jianwen and Jianwu hugged the sugar box and ran back with their legs spread apart.

  Jian Gu Mai Ban stood there, staring at the back of Wen Ge and Wu Ge with a frown. Zhen Shi Niang spoke up, "I'm home, let's send off Gu Mai Ban."

  Interrupted in his thoughts, Gu Mai Ban turned around and said, "Where does Jian Dafu's family live? I'll help you deliver the goods." On the way back, Xiao Lao Furen rewarded him with some swallow's nest cakes and other gifts. However, Xiao Yun deliberately gave him brocade, wild chicken, pork, and other large quantities of New Year's goods, wanting to take the opportunity to investigate the specific address of Zhen Shiniang's family.

  "Thank you for your patronage." Zhen Shi Niang declined him without batting an eyelid, "The alley is too narrow, the carriage can't get in."

  Gu Mai Ban still insisted, Li Changhe had brought his younger brother Li Changhai and pulled a cart to hurry over. Gu Mai Ban was helpless and could only order the driver to help unload the car.

  After dinner, Xiwu stayed at his ancestral home for the first time and coaxed Jianwen to sleep before whispering with Zhen Shiniang.

  "...I heard that Xiao Daren's wife has passed away?" Li Qi's wife somehow found out about this and kept buzzing around Jixiao's ears, repeatedly mentioning it these days, as if to instigate Zhen Shiniang to become a concubine, making Jixiao's back feel chilly.

  "Hmm..." Zhen Shi Niang nodded, "She's the second daughter of Lu Daren, the Deputy Minister of War. She entered the palace four years ago and died in childbirth last year when she gave birth to Peak's brother."

  Governor Lu?

  The magpie flapped its wings and sat up, "Is it Lu Heng?"

  "You've stirred up the fetal energy." Zhen Shi Niang hastily supported her, "It's him, what's wrong?" Looking at Xi Que in confusion.

  "Amitabha... " Xi Que joined her hands together and said a prayer, "Miss has really forgotten, Young Mistress Lu's birth name is Lu Ying, she was once your best friend, you often played with her before you got married... It was she who advised you not to marry General Shen, saying he had someone in his heart and wouldn't treat you well afterwards." Remembering what Lu Ying said back then all came true, Xi Que let out a sigh.

  Zhen Shiniang was drenched in sweat.

  It was really a narrow escape for her.

  The house fell silent.

  “……Miss used to have more exquisite hand warmers than this one.” Xīquè picked up the cloisonné crane-patterned hand warmer that Xiao Yù had given her, “At that time, Miss used a different hand warmer every day, competing with Lù èr Miss to change them.”

  She has never enjoyed such luxurious days.

  Zhen Shining didn't want to mention these things, her eyes fell on Jixiao's belly, "...these days are okay, do you have any feelings?" She reached out and grabbed her arm, "I was worried about you carrying a belly with two children in the Zhongtang Fu."

  "Slave is doing well, Wen Ge and Wu Ge never bother me, only bother Qiu Ju..." Looking at the sleeping face of Jian Wu and Jian Wen, who were red and puffy, Ji Ku suddenly remembered something, "Miss!"

  "What's wrong?" Hearing her tone change, Zhen Shiniang stopped her pulse-taking movement and looked up.

  "The general saw Brother Wen and Brother Wu yesterday."

  "What!" Zhen Shining's voice rose a few degrees without realizing it, and upon hearing Jian Wu and Jian Wen turning over behind her, she quickly turned around to pat them, then turned back with a suppressed voice, "Did you recognize him? What did he say?" Her voice trembled slightly.

  She'd rather die than give him the child!

  "I don't know..." Ji Yu shook her head, "When we heard the knock on the door, Wen Ge and Wu Ge thought it was you, so they rushed to open the door. Fortunately... Wen Ge and Wu Ge were quick-witted, when they saw it was General, they turned around and ran towards the backyard as if they had agreed on it beforehand..." She recounted the scene at that time, "I was so scared that I didn't notice the general's expression, it was Qiu Ju who said he stared at Wen Ge and Wu Ge's backs for a long time..."

  "Was it just a glimpse?" Zhen Shi'niang muttered to herself. Suddenly she looked up and asked, "Didn't the general ask anything at that time?"

  "He didn't say anything, but Rong Sheng asked where the child came from, and the slave replied that it was from a neighbor."

  "He didn't recognize me!" Zhen Shi Niang thought for a moment and then burst out laughing.

  Otherwise, with his overbearing personality, he would definitely pursue the matter to the end and at least catch up with Jian Wu and Jian Wen to take a good look. With his unparalleled martial arts skills, if he really wanted to see the child's appearance clearly, how could Jian Wen and Jian Wu escape from him?

  The magpie was anxious in her heart, but when she saw Zhen Shiniang smile confidently, she let out a sigh of relief.

  "... What did he come for?" Zhen Shi Niang asked again, "When is he leaving?"

  "The servant didn't dare ask, the general saw you weren't there and asked where you went. The servant said a divine doctor came to Lin Town, you went to see him, he stayed at the inn in town for one night, and this morning he came again. Seeing you hadn't returned, he left. Xīuè stretched out her hand to cover up the quilt that Wén Gē had kicked off," ào Jú has been hiding outside the inn watching, the general probably left the town around 4-6 pm."

  Zhen Shiniang frowned and tightly closed her eyes.

  Even if he wanted to get rid of her, couldn't he at least let her have a peaceful New Year's? It's already the year-end holiday, what is he doing now?

  ……

  "......The general is back!" Chu Xinyi suddenly stood up. "Where is he?" Asked Chunhong, who was standing on the side with her hands down, "Is his expression good?" She lifted her legs and went out.

  "Always gloomy." Chun Hong followed behind and helped Chu Xinyi adjust her collar. "As soon as she came back, she went to the study room."

  "So things didn't go smoothly?" Chu Xinyi suddenly stopped in her tracks.

  Although Shen Zhong did not tell her, she knew that under the urging of the old lady, he went to Wutong Town this time to prepare for a divorce with Zhen Shi Niang.

  "It seems like something's wrong." Chun Hong said in a low voice, "Usually when the general returns, he would first go to pay his respects to the elderly lady, but this time he went straight into the study room."

  "Could it be that that cheap person disagreed?" Chu Xinyi turned around and sat back.

  She'd better think it over carefully.

  Unlike divorce and writing a letter of separation, it must be signed by the woman to take effect.

  "This goes without saying, the general is handsome and majestic, a young man who has achieved great things, whoever gets him in their grasp won't let go..." Chun Hong sneered, "Otherwise, she wouldn't have used such despicable means to seduce the general in the first place."

  "It's also." Chu Xinyi nodded and then shook her head, "I don't believe she's not afraid of the power of the General's mansion, dare to disagree with the divorce!" Just a daughter of a guilty minister, being able to live until now is thanks to Shen Zhongjie's blessing, provoking him would result in death by his sword, who dares to say anything?

  He went with great momentum but didn't get divorced, there's only one possibility, Shen Zhongge himself didn't want to get divorced!

  An idea flashed through her mind, and Chu Xinyi's face suddenly turned extremely ugly.

  "The general has always been soft-hearted." Chun Hong suddenly realized, "She must have cried and begged on her knees to make the general's heart soften."

  In my impression, Zhen Shiniang has always been flying high and never lowering her head to admit mistakes. Even when she was abandoned and moved out of the champion's mansion, she was still proud and arrogant. Chunhong's words made Chuxin Yi really think, she stared at Chunhong blankly, "...... Has she also learned to lower her head?"

  "Auntie didn't hear the general say that she had a very hard time these years?" Chunhong sneered, "Such a poor and humble life, even with a strong waist, it would still be broken!"

  Chun Hong's words were unintentional, but Chu Xinyi felt a hint of fear.

  After all, she was a beautiful woman with national color and heavenly fragrance. If Zhen Shiniang really learned to bow her head and endure, once Shen Zhongge discovered the old lady's plot behind her back, she would not agree to divorce, it's hard to say what would happen to them... Shaking her head, Chu Xinyi dared not think about it anymore.

  Suddenly, she gritted her teeth fiercely, "I'd like to see what a helpless and unsupported daughter of a criminal can do, dare to separate!"

  The night is long and dreams are many, in order to sit on the position of the eldest grandmother, she must quickly force Zhen Shiniang to leave.

  Shen Zhong's handling of affairs was unfavorable, so she had no choice but to make a trip herself.