The Hidden Beauty

Chapter 4: Street Market Appearance
As the year draws to a close, Meng Tingzhou becomes increasingly busy, with social engagements every few days, and his visits to Wanyuan are increasing in frequency.

Wanyuan is located in the western suburbs of the capital, and it takes an hour to go there and back.

Every time he arrived late at night, Jiang Shiwan would stand up to greet him when he heard his voice, take off his crane cloak for him, and then hand him the warm sobering soup.

"Did you drink all the medicines that Doctor Li prescribed?"

"I drink it every day. It tastes very bitter."

"I heard that the candied fruits at Xinghualou are quite good. I'll bring you some someday. It can help you take away the bitterness when you drink the medicine."

"The governor is busy with affairs, but he doesn't have to rush around every day."

Meng Tingzhou hugged half of her body and let her lean on his chest: "It's okay if you don't let me go back and forth. It will be more convenient for you to move to the Governor's Mansion."

I don't know what his intention is, but when I think about moving to the Governor's Mansion, there will be so many people in the capital and it will be difficult to get away.

"It might be inappropriate for me to rashly move to the Governor's Mansion with my status."

Seeing that she didn't look happy, I felt like something was stuffy in my chest, as if something was wrong.

From her initial resistance to her current humbleness, she seemed to have adapted to this kind of life, but her years of experience in leading troops in battles made Meng Tingzhou always feel that she was hiding something from him.

"The Governor's Office will invite several staff members to attend the year-end banquet in two days. You will be bored here alone, so I will have someone take you to the New Year's Market during the day. If you don't want to show up at night, stay in the inner courtyard. When I'm done, we can go back to Wanyuan together."

I thought she would look happy at this moment, but she still said "OK" lightly.

Did she guess the purpose of going to the market?

This woman doesn't seem simple!

He looked at her quietly. At this moment, her slender white fingers were fiddling with the buttons on his collar. He couldn't help but think of the way she clung to him with both hands last night.

Meng Tingzhou was a little anxious: "It's getting late, let's get settled early."

On the day when the Governor's Mansion hosted a banquet for his staff, Yu Feng sent someone to prepare a carriage to take Jiang Shiwan into the city.

Jiang Shiwan wore a veiled hat and covered her face with thin silk.

She hadn't set foot in the capital for several months, and she felt as if she was in a different world.

I remember that in previous years, my father would take a few days off at the end of the year and take my sister and me to visit the New Year market and go horseback riding in the suburbs. But now things have changed.

Yunshang and Xueying didn't know this. They seldom saw such a lively scene, so they couldn't help but feel excited: "This New Year's market is really lively."

Jiang Shiwan slightly opened the curtain and said, "We'll be at Lancaifang soon. Let Yufeng buy some soup for you to try."

Yu Feng naturally couldn't take his eyes off her. The governor had repeatedly reminded him today that someone should go to the governor's office to report the situation every hour. If there was any mistake, he would be dead.

Seeing that he looked hesitant, Jiang Shiwan did not force him and said to the two of them, "We are out anyway, let's go together after we get off the carriage." He then asked outside, "Yu Feng, did you bring any silver?"

"Miss Jiang, the Governor's Office has enough silver."

Hearing the word "enough", Jiang Shiwan swallowed his saliva. His current situation was difficult and he needed money in the future, but Meng Tingzhou gave him jewelry and other things that were not easy to cash.

"You will follow us later, and just give me the money. I will spend it myself."

Yu Feng didn't think much about it. He thought it would be inconvenient for a man like him to follow a woman around to pay the bill, so he handed all the silver in his hand to her.

Holding the silver in his hand, Jiang Shiwan felt for the first time how much he needed it.

When a few girls entered Lancaifang, they started thinking about what soups and drinks to drink, and they chattered with great interest.

Yu Feng was not interested in these things so he stood at the door and waited.

"Miss Jiang, you seem to be very familiar with this place." "Yes, I used to come here often."

Jiang Shiwan took a sip of the perilla drink. Oh, this is the taste.

"It's late?"

Hearing the voice, Jiang Shiwan was slightly startled.

She didn't expect to meet Shen Yunqi here.

Shen Yunqi accompanied his younger sister to the Tangyinzi shop and observed from the sidelines for a long time. He was certain when he heard the maid next to him call him Miss Jiang and heard her voice.

I had thought she must be in a sorry state and in distress, but now I saw her wearing a cape with a collar and an eight-treasure necklace pattern. Although I couldn't see her face clearly through the veil, I could still tell that she was living a good and pampered life.

She is attractive in itself, and not seeing her for some time makes me miss her even more.

Shen Yunqi couldn't help but take a step closer: "I heard that you came to see me that day. I found out later and immediately scolded the servants. I chased you out but I didn't expect you were gone."

"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Master Shen." Jiang Shiwan took a step back and said, "I don't deserve it."

Yunshang and Xueying naturally didn't dare to let the strange man get close to them, and they supported Jiang Shiwan on both sides: "Miss, let's go."

Seeing that she was about to leave, Shen Yunqi sneered, "Why, after not seeing you for a while, you don't look dispirited but still look as dignified as ever? Or..." He looked her up and down, "Have you found someone to back you up, to ensure that you have a worry-free life?"

"What do you think?"

Before Shen Yunqi could speak, his sister Shen Yunxiang looked at him with disdain.

"Is there any need to say this? Your father hanged himself out of fear of punishment, and you sold yourself for wealth. I wonder which family you became a concubine of?"

Jiang Shiwan had always disliked the young lady from the Shen family. He was unwilling to pay any attention to her ridicule and was about to leave.

Shen Yunqi stretched out his hand to stop her, and became more and more annoyed that he had not met her that day, otherwise how could someone have got there first.

But the reputation of a noble family is so important. He gritted his teeth and said, "If you have any difficulties, tell me, I will try to help you. After all, no one dares to offend the Duke's Mansion easily."

Jiang Shiwan said in a cold voice: "If I remember correctly, the Duke's Mansion has always been affectionate to others, but your Mansion avoided us that day, fearing that we would get into trouble. How could I dare to speak up again?"

Seeing that she was merciless, Shen Yunqi and his sister's faces suddenly changed. At this time, some people gathered around them in twos and threes.

Shen Yunqi's pride began to play tricks on him, and he grabbed Jiang Shiwan's wrist and said, "I want to see who dares to touch the woman that the Duke's Mansion has arranged to marry. Even if the Japanese prince wants you to be his concubine, it won't be his turn!"

A hand pressed on Shen Yunqi's shoulder. He felt a sharp pain and turned around to see Yu Feng staring at him fiercely. He commanded in a tone: "Let go of your dog's paw!"

How could a young master of the Duke's Mansion be humiliated like this before? He pointed his finger angrily and said, "Do you know who I am?"

With a "click", Yu Feng twisted his index finger off expressionlessly.

Shen Yunqi screamed like a pig in pain.

Yu Feng turned a blind eye and escorted Jiang Shiwan out.

Shen Yunxiang supported Shen Yunqi and chased after him. He felt very unwilling to see Jiang Shiwan being carefully helped into the carriage.

He said frantically to the carriage: "Jiang Shiwan, do you know how much your father sacrificed to save you? Sooner or later, you will regret it!"

Hearing this, Jiang Shiwan stopped.

Yu Feng reminded her: "Miss Jiang, it's time to go."

Looking at the carriage going away, someone among the onlookers said, "That looks like the carriage of the Governor's Mansion."

(End of this chapter)