swear not to be concubine

Chapter 97

After dinner, Jian Yan ordered Si Yue to close the two screen doors, and then she sat on the kang by the window and played with Si Yue, while Bai Wei sat beside her doing needlework.

Si Yue raised her eyes and saw a pair of intertwined mandarin ducks embroidered on the light pink plain silk in Bai Wei's hands, then she turned her head and winked at Jian Yan and said with a smile: "Girl, look at what Sister Bai Wei is embroidering. It's a mandarin duck. I think sister Bai Wei can't wait to get married with Brother Zhou, so she's starting to embroider her dowry now."

Hearing this, Bai Wei blushed, dropped the embroidered bandage in her hand, stood up and raised her hand, and was about to hit her in a hurry, and at the same time said angrily: "I tore the mouth of you little hoof, look at you How dare you talk nonsense here."

Si Yue hurriedly shrank back, took advantage of the opportunity to hide behind Jian Yan, and at the same time said with a smile: "Miss, save me. Sister Bai Wei is ashamed, she is going to tear my mouth."

Jian Yan hurriedly held Bai Wei's hand, and persuaded with a smile: "Si Yue is still young and ignorant, what are you fussing about with her?"

Bai Wei did not follow her, her face was still red, she just gritted her teeth and said angrily: "If Si Yue is spared, I will not be alive anymore. If I don't pinch her mouth today, this little hoof will not be like this in the future. nonsense?"

Si Yue hid behind Jian Yan, raised her head at this moment, looked at Bai Wei and said with a smile: "Sister Bai Wei, what am I talking about? Could it be that you don't want to marry Brother Zhou? It's just that you don't want to marry, Big brother Zhou is also against it. Maybe big brother Zhou wanted to marry you back and take care of you."

"Listen, girl," Bai Wei pointed at Siyue, her face was as red as a cooked shrimp, and she said, "Listen to what nonsense she is talking about? She is only a child , where did you hear these bastard words?"

After saying that, he will fight again.

Jian Yan hurriedly stopped her, and said with a smile: "I don't think Si Yue's words are considered assholes. Although I want to keep you for two more years, you and Brother Zhou are not young. Yes, it would be good to let you get married earlier. It also saves Brother Zhou from waiting outside every day, looking forward to it like passing through the autumn water. The feeling of lovesickness is not good."

Hearing this, Bai Wei blushed as if she was about to drip blood.She squinted at Jian Yan, and said angrily, "Young lady also came to make fun of this servant girl."

The corners of her brows and eyes couldn't hide her daughter's shyness and joy.

The joy emanated from her heart, which made her look like a shining pearl, extraordinarily radiant.

Jian Yan was slightly taken aback.

This is the love between two people, right?The most beautiful love in the world is the gratification of two feelings, right?It's just that she has never experienced such a feeling before.

Her heart was slightly astringent, and the smile on her face faded a little.

At this time, Si Yue was behind her and asked suspiciously: "Girl, why does it seem like someone is knocking on the screen door in our courtyard?"

When Jian Yan and Bai Wei heard it, they also listened attentively.Suddenly, rhythmic knocking on the door was heard.

Bai Wei also said puzzledly: "It's getting dark outside, and it's snowing so much, who would come here?"

Yin told Siyue to get off the kang again, took up the lantern, and went with her to the screen door to see who was knocking on the door.

After Bai Wei and Si Yue left the house, Jian Yan thought about it, then pushed open the window sideways, revealing a slight gap, and lay on the edge of the window to look out.

Immediately, a icy wind and snow came in through the gap and hit her face directly, causing her whole body to shiver from the cold.

The next moment she saw Bai Wei took down the two bolts on the screen door, opened the two screen doors, said something to the people outside, and then two people walked in.

One is the little maid in Ningcui Xuan, holding a lantern in front, and the candles inside are flickering.One is Green Bamboo, with an oil-paper umbrella in her forehand, and she is talking to Bai Wei with her head turned.

Jian Yan was surprised in her heart, she only thought about such a snowy day, and it was dark again, what is Qingzhu doing here?Then I thought that today is Xu Zhongxuan Xiumu's day, could it be that he sent Qingzhu over, what would he like to say to her?

Thinking of it this way, she felt that the heart in her chest was beating much faster than before.

She hurriedly sat up straight, waiting for Qingzhu to come in.

Bai Wei just opened the curtain of the green gauze cabinet at this time, and turned sideways to let Qingzhu in.

Jian Yan sat on the kang, nodded kindly to her, although she couldn't wait no matter how impatient she was, she still pretended to be very calm, with a slight smile, she asked, "Why are you here in such a cold day?" Yes? But do you girls need me? "

Qingzhu knelt to her and blessed her body, then straightened up and said: "Our girl asked the servant to come and tell the cousin girl that she had a cold and a high fever, and she was lying on the bed and couldn't move. But the eldest son has a cold stomach. I also committed the same old problem, the whole body is so painful that I can't even speak, and the maids in the whole Ning Cui Xuan are panicked, and don't know what to do. We girls are thinking about you and Cousin on weekdays. Be kinder, so I specially sent my servants to invite Biao girl to come over and help her take care of the affairs of Ning Cui Xuan for the time being."

Jian Yan immediately stood up when she heard the words, and asked Qing Zhu eagerly: "Have you invited the doctor over?"

Where is the calm just now?
Qing Zhu was taken aback by her appearance, after being startled for a moment, she just shook her head and said: "Not yet."

"Bai Wei, get my cloak." Jian Yan turned her head to order Bai Wei, and then said to Siyue, "You stay and look after the house. When Bai Wei and I leave, close the screen door and don't hit the latch. I don't know when Bai Wei and I will come back, you just sleep on your own."

Si Yue nodded, and replied: "Girl, slaves understand."

At this time, Bai Wei was already busy taking out a pink satin cloak with wind-fur fur and put it on for Jian Yan, and ordered Si Yue to bring a pair of sheepskin boots to put on for Jian Yan. Yan raised her foot and was about to leave immediately, she was still somewhat hesitant, because she took Jian Yan's arm and said in a low voice: "Girl, the eldest son is also with the fourth girl, if someone knows about your elder I still go there at night, but what should I do?"

If you say it out, it's a private meeting.I'm afraid that the girl's reputation is really ruined.

Jian Yan understood Bai Wei's meaning, but she couldn't care less now.She was a little bit broken and thought, if she really taught people to know, then her reputation would be ruined.Left and right people live in the world and want to be willful and reckless once or twice. What's the point of just blindly following the rules?
And for Xu Zhongxuan, she would rather be willful and reckless.

So she turned her head to look at Bai Wei, and said in a deep voice: "Bai Wei, don't stop me."

Bai Wei knew that she couldn't be stopped.So she sighed softly and said, "Your maidservant, go get the umbrella and lantern."

It was windy and snowy outside, and the candles in the lanterns that Bai Wei and the little maid were carrying couldn't help shaking, how could they still illuminate the road in front of them clearly?In the end, it was simply blown out by the wind.Fortunately, a thick layer of snow had already accumulated on the ground, and with the faint light of the snow reflected, it was barely possible to see everything around.

But even so, Jian Yan still staggered, half-kneeling towards the snow ground with an unstable figure, only bluffed Bai Wei, and stretched out her hand to support her in a hurry, anxiously Called out: "Girl, did you fall?"

Jian Yan supported her hand and stood up. There was a dull pain in the knee of her right leg, but she still shook her head: "I'm fine. Let's go, we'll be there soon."

She knew how uncomfortable it was when her stomach hurt.As long as she thought of Xu Zhongxuan's indescribable appearance because of the cold stomach, she felt that the pain in her knee was nothing at all.

Seeing Jian Yan's appearance at the side, Qingzhu only cried out inwardly.

What will happen if the girl teaching my cousin finds out that she is lying later?In fact, the cousin girl is fine, but if the eldest son knows that she lied and tricked the cousin girl to come here...

Even though it was such a cold day, Qingzhu still felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.

Ning Cui Xuan will arrive soon.Qing Zhudang stepped forward to pat on the courtyard door, Xing'er came over and opened the door, and welcomed the group of them in.

"How are you girls doing now?" Jian Yan asked Xing'er.After Xing'er replied that Xu Miaojin was fine now, and was just lying down and resting in the bedroom, Jian Yan was slightly relieved, because she immediately asked her: "How is the eldest son now?" ? But it still hurts badly?"

Xing'er looked up at Qingzhu suspiciously.

Just now when Xu Miaojin ordered Qingzhu to go to Jianyan's place, Xing'er was leading the little girl to set a brazier in the study room of Xicijian. She didn't know what happened at all, so hearing Jianyan's question, she felt I really don't understand, I just think that the eldest son is reading a book in the study right now, why is it so painful?
It's just that although she didn't know the reason, she didn't dare to answer indiscriminately, so she just looked at the green bamboo.

Qingzhu shook her hand secretly, motioning her not to tell the truth, and asked her again: "Where is the eldest son now?"

Xing'er said: "The eldest son is in the study right now."

Qingzhu nodded, then turned to Jian Yan and said, "Cousin girl, the eldest son is in the study. I will accompany you to the study now?"

Jian Yan nodded.

Qing Zhu ordered Xing'er to entertain Bai Wei well, and she accompanied Jian Yan to the study.

Bai Wei looked at Jian Yan's back and sighed secretly.

The girl is really concerned and confused.No matter how careful he is on weekdays, how come he didn't notice these abnormalities now?Just now when Miss Cai asked the Eldest Young Master whether the pain was severe, Xing'er's expression was obviously startled, obviously she didn't know about it.Looking at the brightly lit Ningcui Pavilion, there is no maidservant in a panic, and how can there be the flustered look of panic in Ningcui Pavilion that Qingzhu said earlier?It can be seen that Qingzhu is lying, just to trick her girl into coming.And now Qingzhu deliberately distracted himself, isn't it because he was afraid that he would get in the way by being next to the girl?

Bai Wei originally wanted to go there with Jian Yan, but then she thought about it again, the eldest son is a heartache in the girl's heart, and she is so distracted every day, she and Si Yue are uncomfortable watching .It's better to talk about it together today, either to stay together well from now on, or to simply let go from now on, which is better than the girl's daily discomfort now.So that's all, I still don't follow, let the girl have a good talk with the eldest son tonight.

So Bai Wei followed Xing'er to her room and sat down, chatting with Xing'er while waiting for Jian Yan.

Jian Yan followed Qingzhu to the study in Xicijian.

Qing Zhu didn't dare to open her mouth to inform the inside that Biao girl was coming, if the eldest son became angry at that time, who knows what would happen?She was very apprehensive.But fortunately, Jian Yan was very worried about whether Xu Zhongxuan's stomach hurt badly now, and she didn't care about these abnormalities for a while, and she didn't need Qingzhu to lift the curtain in front, she hurriedly lifted the curtain and walked in.

So at a glance, she saw Xu Zhongxuan, who was wearing a satin gown with a round neck and dark pattern of bamboo leaves in crow blue, sitting in the armchair behind the desk, holding a book in his hand, looking down at the candlelight in front of him.

Xu Zhongxuan didn't like being disturbed when he was reading.Hearing the sound of lifting the curtain, he just thought it was a little maid who had no eyesight coming in, so he frowned slightly, and looked up in displeasure.

But when he saw Jian Yan standing there with his hands on the door frame, he thought in a trance that he was hallucinating.

After staring for a while, the person in front of her has jade-like skin and picturesque features, isn't she Jian Yan?
He turned his head and glanced out of the window again. From the half-opened window, he could see that the snow was falling heavily and densely, and the sky was completely dark.On a snowy night like this, the road is hard to walk on the one hand, and it's cold on the other. Others wish they could huddle under the quilt and never come out again. How did she escape?

So he frowned and asked her, "Why are you here?"

Originally, when Jian Yan caught sight of him, she froze there in a daze.

She hasn't seen him properly for more than a month.Seeing him suddenly, I felt that he was a lot thinner than before, and I was feeling sad in my heart, but suddenly I heard him ask such a sentence.

She couldn't help but pursed her lips tightly, and curled up her right hand holding the door frame tightly.Due to the force, the fingernails were congested and red.

Did he really not want to see her?
A sour feeling immediately appeared in my heart, and I only felt that the eye circles were also a little sour.

But she still tried her best to hold back, just lowered her head slightly, looked at the water-polished green bricks on the floor, and said in a low voice: "I, I just heard that Qingzhu said that you had the old problem of cold stomach, so I thought Come over and have a look. If you are fine now, then I will go back."

When Xu Zhongxuan heard the words, his eyes turned to the green bamboo standing with his hands down.

Just after Jian Yan came in, Qingzhu saw that it was not a problem, and it was impossible to keep hiding, so she also slipped over behind Jian Yan, and stood against the wall holding her breath, hoping that Xu Zhongxuan would never ask about this at all. thing.But now Xu Zhongxuan still asked about it.And seeing his cold eyes glance over coldly, she was trembling all the time with her heart in her heart, she hastily plopped and knelt down.

"What's going on?" Xu Zhongxuan asked her in a deep voice.

Qingzhu's mind turned sharply, thinking that this was originally the kindness of her girl, she just hoped that you and the cousin girl will have a good life from now on, if she said everything at this moment, it would not be a disappointment Did she win the favor of her girl?That's all, she has shouldered the responsibility for this crime, and she will receive the punishment of the eldest son later.It's just that this lie has to be corrected now, otherwise, if the cousin girl knows that they are deceiving her, she will turn around and leave indefinitely.

So Qingzhu hardened her heart, and said with a stiff neck: "It was just now that the servant girl went to tell the cousin that your old problem of cold stomach has happened again. When the cousin heard this, she rushed over immediately. The road was not too bad Down. The servant knows that the servant is talking too much, so she shouldn't have said such things to the cousin girl, and is willing to be punished by the eldest son."

After finishing speaking, he bent down and bowed down.

But vaguely, he brought over the matter of whether Xu Zhongxuan had the old problem of stomach cold or not.Even if Jian Yan is standing by and listening now, she probably won't suspect from her words that she and Xu Miaojin are deceiving her to come here.

Xu Zhongxuan's mind was clear, although Qingzhu's words were vague, he knew immediately that Xu Miaojin was instigating this matter.It must be for Qing Zhu to tell Jian Yan that he is suffering from the old problem of cold stomach, and tricked her into coming here.

But she actually came over right away, regardless of the strong wind and heavy snow outside.

Is she still caring about him in her heart?

Xu Zhongxuan's heart moved, and he looked at Jian Yan again.

Jian Yan is not in a panic right now.

Because the road was slippery in the snow, she just fell down on the road, and the knees of the long honey-colored satin jacket were full of snow, and a large part of it was soaked.And because he heard Qing Zhu's words, he was anxious and rushed over immediately, so he didn't dress up carefully.It's just a homely bun, no jewelry, only black and shiny hair.But because she took off the hood too hastily just now, the bun was messed up a lot, and a few strands of hair hung down and scattered on her temples on both sides.

But now she just stood there with her hands on the door frame, lowered her head slightly, and didn't look at him, just looked down at the ground in front of her.Xu Zhongxuan could see her slender eyelashes trembling slightly like butterfly wings, and she was biting her lower lip tightly, with a stubborn and pitiful look.

Xu Zhongxuan waved Qing Zhu back out, and then said to Jian Yan: "Come here to the charcoal basin, and dry the wet parts of your clothes."

A square cast copper charcoal basin was placed beside the desk, and the charcoal fire was burning vigorously inside.There is also a bamboo smoke cage outside, which can be used to dry clothes or quilts.

Jian Yan didn't move, she just stood there, looking down at the ground, and asked in a low voice: "Does your stomach still hurt? If it doesn't hurt, I'm going back."

Xu Zhongxuan reached out and rubbed the center of his eyebrows.

It seems that Xu Miaojin still has to live up to the lie that Xu Miaojin told.

So he said, "It still hurts."

As soon as Jian Yan heard it, she raised her head and looked at him immediately, with an eager look on her face: "But it hurts so much? Where is Qi Sang? I'll let Qingzhu tell him, let him go and invite him right now." Have the doctor come to show you?"

Seeing the eager look on her face, Xu Zhongxuan's heart moved violently.

She really cared about him.But isn't she as close as Qin Yan?She obviously liked Qin Yan in her heart, but why did she care about him so much?If she cared about her like this again, he would never let go.Even if he uses tricks to make her hate him in the future, he will not let go, and he will definitely imprison her by his side for the rest of his life.

After turning this thought in his heart for a few times, he forced him to suppress it.

He still wants to see her showing a bright and carefree smile every day, even if that smile is not blooming towards him.But as long as she is happy, he can choose to let go, don't look at, don't think about it, just silently watching her behind her back is enough.

And Jian Yan saw the color of Xu Zhongxuan's eyes changed several times, she only thought that he was suffering from a severe stomachache, and just insisted not to say anything.So she couldn't help but started to worry again, and asked: "How are you, but the pain is unbearable?"

After finishing speaking, he turned around and was about to lift the curtain, thinking of going out and calling Qi Sang to invite the doctor.

At this time, Xu Zhongxuan's slightly raised voice could be heard behind him saying: "Come here."

Jian Yan paused for a moment, but the hand that was going to lift the curtain finally retracted, and turned around again.

Xu Zhongxuan's complexion was gloomy, and his eyes were as deep as a pool under a cloudy sky, and he just stared at her fixedly.

Jian Yan became flustered for no reason.

At this time Xu Zhongxuan said again in a deep voice: "Come here."

Jian Yan pursed her lips lightly, but in the end she still moved slowly and walked over, and stood still three steps away from the desk.She didn't dare to look up at him, but just looked down at the floral decoration on her sleeve.

Xu Zhongxuan got up and put a round embroidered pier around the charcoal basin, and said: "The hem of your clothes is wet, come here to dry it."

Jian Yan still pursed her lips tightly, but she sat down on the embroidered pier with her head bowed as she said.

For a moment neither of them spoke.The room was silent, only the occasional crackling sound of the charcoal in the charcoal basin being cracked.

After a while, Jian Yan heard Xu Zhongxuan sigh softly, and then she heard his lonely and cold voice slowly: "Is Qin Yan treating you badly?"

Why is she much thinner than before?The whole person looked extremely thin and thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

When Jian Yan heard his words, she was taken aback for a moment, but then felt very wronged in her heart.

Regardless of the wind and snow and the girl's family's reserve, she ran to see him in the dark because she was afraid that he would have a severe stomachache, but he came up to ask Qin Yan if he was treating her well.What is this?

So she said with some anger: "Don't worry, he treats me very well."

After Xu Zhongxuan heard this, he felt a sharp pain like thousands of needles in his heart, which was unbearable for a while.

After a while, he just said sourly: "That's good."

After a pause, he said in a low voice again: "It's night, if people know that you are here with me, it will always be bad for you. You should, you should go back earlier."

When Jian Yan heard this, she felt that the heart in her chest was hit hard by a big hammer, which shook her internal organs and made her feel unspeakably uncomfortable.What's more, the discomfort has spread to all parts of the body, as if it has been lingering for three days.

Does he mean to drive her away?

So she suddenly got up and stood up suddenly, turned around and left without saying a word.

It's just that when he walked to the door, he couldn't hold back after all, and staggered a bit.She hastily stretched out her hand to hold the door frame and stabilized her figure, but tears rolled down uncontrollably.

A lifetime is so long and so short, she finally fell in love with someone sincerely, but why does he think she loves someone else?That is, the two of them really have no destiny in the future, but is it possible that this wish of mine will be brought into the coffin together with him when he dies?Why didn't you go all out and just tell him clearly.

The hand holding the door frame curled up tightly.

"Xu Zhongxuan," she straightened her back and tried her best not to sound like she was crying, just as calm and indifferent as before, "Even if you choose not to be with me because of your power, you You can't slander me like this. I, I..."

Even though she knew that she shouldn't be crying like a complaining woman, she seemed to be begging the man behind her to love her, but when it came to her, she was still choked up with tears, and the tears rolled down unsatisfactorily.

She bit her lower lip desperately, trying to calm herself down, but the last words she said were still choked with tears: "But Xu Zhongxuan, I, I love you."

Like a thunderbolt on the ground, Xu Zhongxuan's whole body froze on the spot, his eyes opened slightly in shock and disbelief.

Seeing that Jian Yan reached out to lift the curtain and was about to go out, he rushed forward to grab her arm, pulled her back, and made her turn to face him.

But even though she was facing him, Jian Yan still lowered her head and refused to look at him.

Xu Zhongxuan grabbed her arm with one hand, and pinched her chin with the other hand, forcing her to look up at him.

"What did you just say?" He asked in a deep voice.Because of shock and disbelief, the hand holding her chin trembled slightly.

Jian Yan just bit her lower lip firmly, without saying a word, she just kept crying silently.

"You, what's going on with Qin Yan?" Xu Zhongxuan looked at the tears on her face, only to feel that his heart was also wet, and his voice became hoarse, "You, weren't you right at that time?" I said do you like Qin Yan's?"

With tears in her eyes, Jian Yan raised her right hand, pointed to her heart, said in a low voice with tears streaming down her cheeks, "There has never been any Qin Yan here, only Xu Zhongxuan."

The hand clasping her chin tightened suddenly.

(End of this chapter)