When Ding Yan, the wife of the Zhou family, spoke, Yuan Xianger was actually a little wary of her.
Yuan Xianger can understand Ding Yan's thoughts better than anyone else here.
If she were to choose one of the two identities, she would definitely not want to live in the back house under the shackles of etiquette and spend a life of depression without any freedom.
As a woman who grew up soaked in traditional feudal thought, Ding Yan can quickly adapt to the new identity environment after encountering such a legendary experience, without revealing flaws, and maintain her life so well, it must be A strong and capable person.
Such a person also often means having a determined heart, and the human heart is the most complicated and unpredictable.
Yuan Xianger's mind began to play all kinds of ancient costume dramas, such as the glorious and wealthy general who refused to recognize his wife, and when he dropped the cup, a group of warriors armed with swords and axes rushed up at any time outside the tent, intending to kill people. Or the champion with the title of the Golden List is unwilling to be exposed, and while pretending to deal with it, he holds a glass of poisonous wine and breaks his liver.
She was taken aback by her own brain tonic, and she didn't dare to drink tea or eat snacks indiscriminately.
At this moment, Ding Yan looked at the familiar face sitting in front of her with mixed feelings in her heart. Although it was her own face, it seemed so unfamiliar. I really don't want to go back to the dark and depressing years I used to be.
Her fingers flicked the handle of the chair back and forth, and she heard her own voice so obscure,
"Excuse me, is this General Qiu himself?"
Qiu Yueming clasped his fists in a salute, "Like you, I am full of emotions. I never imagined that I could see my face face to face like this."
"Actually, I wonder if we have met once," Ding Yan said, "Just when I was in a daze, I felt in a trance that a man pulled me, and then I arrived here, that person must be General you."
Qiu Yueming remembered the first moment: "I never knew if it was an illusion, but now it seems to be true."
Ding Yan crossed her hands in salute, "After I arrived here, I have heard the deeds of countless generals in the past, and I am very respectful to you. Fortunately, what I did during this period of time did not cause you to be overly overwhelmed and did not discredit your reputation."
When she said this, she paused for a moment, and finally said, "Do you have any way to deal with me when you find me this time?"
"Madam, you can exchange it back." Zhou Deyun stood up excitedly, wanting to get closer to the hand holding his wife, but looking at the general sitting on the seat in front of him, he finally dared to rub his hands and pointed at Yuan Xianger. , "This Mr. Yuan is a master disciple of Mr. Nature, and he is very wise. I specially invited her to come all the way. She has a way to make you return to normal."
His wife finally set her eyes on him, her eyes softened a little, no longer as strange and indifferent as in the morning, with a little helplessness in her eyes, and a faint sadness in her eyes.
Zhou Deyun seemed to be encouraged, and hurriedly took a few steps forward, "Ayan, during your absence, the house was in chaos. I didn't know how much I suffered, but I managed to find you. Let's go to my house, what?"
Ding Yan looked at him for a long time, but did not take up the topic, but looked at Yuan Xianger, "Does this lady really have the confidence to change her mind?"
It was the first time that Yuan Xianger had spoken to the lady who Zhou Deyun had been talking about all the way, but she did not intend to hide it from her.
"I haven't practiced it. When I left, my friend gave me a magic weapon that can restrain the soul. I tested it with undead and animals several times along the way, and nothing went wrong. But I can't be sure."
Ding Yan smiled a little at her, "I see, thank you for being so frank."
"Are you... really sure that you want to return to your place?" Yuan Xiang'er couldn't help but ask.
Ding Yan's willingness to agree so readily made Yuan Xianger a little more affectionate and curious about her. Frankly speaking, if it were her own, it might not be so easy to be willing to return the free identity that she had used for more than a year. .
"I don't want to." Ding Yan lowered her eyelashes, clenched her fists tightly, and whispered, "To be honest, when I saw you in the morning, I was both panicked and scared. My heart was in chaos, and even some vicious thoughts occurred. , I thought about summoning soldiers to drive you out of Datong Mansion. Or simply... arrest you, charge you with meticulous work, and put you in jail."
Cold light and struggle flashed in her eyes, and after a while, she let out a long sigh, then turned to a relieved look,
"Fortunately, I finally figured it out and didn't become that horrible person. In fact, it's been good to have this year's experience, it made me see what I really want and need. Now, even without this identity , I believe I can live the life I want to live.”
"I am willing to return to my place with General Chou." Ding Yan finally raised her eyes to look at everyone with clear eyes, "But I will not be Mrs. Zhou again, nor will I go back to Dingzhou."
"Ayan, you, you, what are you talking about? Where can you go if you don't go back with me?" Zhou Deyun was shocked, and he couldn't say anything.
Ding Yan looked directly at him, her eyes calm, "Husband, you Zhou Zhongding family pays the most attention to etiquette and education. On weekdays, when I see my shopkeeper's account, there are a dozen or so women waiting by the curtain. Even so, There are still rumors at home. Now I have lived in this military camp for more than a year, and it is not suitable to be the daughter-in-law of the Zhou family. You can give me a letter of divorce and let me go. "
Zhou Deyun didn't think of this level, blushed, and stomped his feet for a long time, "I... I don't despise you. Just go back with me, and we are still living in harmony as before."
Ding Yan burst out laughing, she lowered her head and gently stroked the saber on her waist, "Langjun, Langjun, let me ask you, do you know how I suddenly changed souls with General Chou?"
Zhou Deyun stammered: "I was listening to music in Miaoyinfang that day, and I accidentally drank too much. When my family came to look for me the next day, you would already be General Chou. Your parents said that you have lost your footing. Shui, was frightened, and this is the sudden hysteria."
"I didn't stumble, it was the lake I cast myself. It's Linchun Lake in the back garden of my home." Ding Yan interrupted him suddenly.
"To cast, cast to the lake?" Zhou Deyun was beaten several times in a row, almost stunned, "Madam, our family is well-off, there are many servants and maids, and the relationship between you and me has always been very good. ?"
Zhou Deyun could not have imagined that his wife, who he always thought was living a happy life, would throw herself into a lake. Not only him, but Yuan Xianger and Qiu Yueming were puzzled. What kind of pressure could make such a strong woman choose to give up her life
"Many people think that my life is very good, and I married into the Zhou family of a famous family. My husband is a famous person and has a good temper. Not only did he not take a concubine, but he never beat me." Ding Yan sat on the main seat. , Talking about the experience of being a woman in the form of a man seems to make it sound a bit more uncomfortable, "Not only you, my husband, but also my parents, I used to think that I shouldn't have any complaints anymore. place."
"But do you know how Mrs. Zhou, who everyone admires, spends her days? My mother-in-law is getting old and wakes up very early. The Zhou family's requirements for etiquette are very strict, so I have to get up every day before 90 hours. I was waiting outside my mother's door to greet me early in the morning. However, when my mother saw me, she would cover her head and face for half an hour, saying that I had not been seen for many years, that I had occupied the position of my daughter-in-law for nothing, and that I had delayed the incense of the Zhou family. It was a heinous crime. Sometimes when I get angry, I even hit me in front of all the servants."
Hearing this, Zhou Deyun felt uncomfortable and comforted in his heart, "Mother has a bad temper, but as children, we can't say the fault of our elders, and we can only grieve you and be patient."
"Yes, as a daughter-in-law, how can I disobey my parents-in-law? Naturally, I can only be patient. I used to think like this." Ding Yan calmly recounted the past. Eat breakfast with my sister-in-law. They will be picky while they eat. After they finish eating, I can go back to my house and eat in a hurry under the service of the maid. After that, the big housekeepers in the family will take the right Cards, answering trivial chores at home, buying daily necessities, buying dowry for aunts, entertaining people, punishing servants and wives who make mistakes, there are many, many messes. After a short afternoon break, I went to the front hall to pull up the screen and meet those from the shops and farms outside. Shopkeeper Zhuangtou. At dinner time, I have to go to my mother-in-law to make a rule again, and my husband may come back drunk in the middle of the night, so I have to get up and serve carefully."
Ding Yan smiled bitterly, "You may think this is nothing, but there is a little trivial matter in the back house. Which family's daughter-in-law doesn't come here like this."
"No, no, it's not easy." Yuan Xiang'er shook her head again and again, "If it was me, I wouldn't be able to do it at all."
"These are not the most difficult things," Ding Yan glanced at Yuan Xiang'er, "The most difficult thing is that when I married into the Zhou family, the Zhou family was already empty, and it was enough to make ends meet, and there was no shortage of pomp outside. My parents-in-law are not able to do daily affairs, and my husband has no choice but to take care of my husband. Who knows how many somersaults I have fallen. In recent years, I have been walking on thin ice, careful planning, consolidation of stores one by one, and settlement of accounts bit by bit. It has slowly grown to what it is today, allowing the whole family to spend their days freely and easily.”
Zhou Deyun opened his mouth, but was speechless. For the first time, he realized that behind his unrestrained and unrestrained romance, his wife was putting in hardships and efforts. And he took it all for granted.
"Every day, I can only move around in the small garden of Zhou's house, I can't get out of this door, and I can't see the sky outside. However, no matter how hard I work and how well I do, no one will ever be able to. They agree with my ability. They don’t praise a woman for her hard work and wealth, as if these are all things that should be done. The elders always accuse and scold, the husband complains, and the servants often whisper behind their backs, laughing at me for not being able to carry on the Zhou family’s fault. As long as I fail to give birth to a bloodline for the Zhou family, no matter how well I do, I will still be an incompetent woman." Ding Yan lowered her head and clenched the hilt at her waist, "I once cried to my mother, who told me that every Women come here like this, and even if there is grievance, the only way is to endure. But I don't want to endure it."
Qiu Yueming also frowned. He had been trapped in the Zhou family's backyard for a year, and he knew how depressed and aggrieved the family that strictly demanded etiquette was. He couldn't help wondering if he would let his wife live like that in the future.
"Once, in order to get rid of all this, I cowardly gave up my life. I thank the gods for giving me this opportunity to repent. Now I already know what I want and what kind of life I want to live." Ding Yan's voice reverberated in the empty hall. She looked directly at Zhou Deyun, "Husband, I won't go back with you again. Give me a letter of divorce, and you and I will be separated from each other. Let's forget about each other in the rivers and lakes."
Until this moment, seeing Ding Yan's firm and unhesitating eyes, Zhou Deyun realized that his wife really wanted to leave his side and leave that house.
In the past, in his mind, his wife depended on him to survive, even if he was occasionally beaten and scolded by his mother and aggrieved, even if he occasionally couldn't control his emotions and vented a few words to her, it was not a big deal. Just because she has married herself, she has no way out and can never leave her side. What is good to her is that she is gentle and observant, some is not good, it probably doesn't matter.
But now, he saw his wife's resolute expression and listened to those resolute words in his ears. Suddenly realized that I may have lost her forever. I lost this person who I never valued before, but who was always gentle and by my side. His heart suddenly seemed to be empty.
"That's not true, lady. I didn't pay attention to it in the past, but I changed it later, did I change it?" Zhou Deyun's eyes were red, "I will listen to you whatever you want."
Ding Yan smiled at him gently, "You can't give what I want, it's not your fault, it may be my bad. I shouldn't be so strange, I should learn to be patient like all women in this world. But What else can I do, I have seen a wider world, I can never go back again, please forgive me, please let go."
From Zhou Deyun's first request to Yuan Xianger's door, until today, a long time has passed, and there are many twists and turns along the way. Yuan Xianger thought about all the possibilities after arriving here, but did not think that in this era of tight women's thoughts, there are still children A woman like Yeon who dares to fight her fate directly in order to fight for her freedom.
While looking at the bewildered Zhou Deyun with some sympathy, she admired the calm and brave Ding Yan.
The sound of the exquisite golden ball sounded, ethereal and elegant, with a sense of being detached from the world and flying far away. Two ethereal souls, pulled by the bell, closed their eyes, and wandered out of the misty body. Yuan Xianger sat cross-legged in the middle, reciting the calming soul mantra in a low voice, carefully escorting the two souls to their own bodies.
The bell gradually stopped, Qiu Yueming opened his eyes first, he first looked down at his hands, then raised his head to see Ding Yan beside Yuan Xianger, and then he showed an ecstatic look.
Ding Yan also opened her eyes slowly at this time, she just looked at her hands calmly.
"Success?" Yuan Xiang'er asked.
Qiu Yueming stood up, knelt down on one knee, bowed his head to Yuan Xianger.
Yuan Xiang'er hurriedly supported her with both hands, "What's wrong, how could the general give such a great gift."
"I was trapped in the back house of the Zhou family that day. I couldn't bear the humiliation, and I wanted to die. If it wasn't for Xiang'er, you saved me from the fire. How could I see the sun again now?" Qiu Yueming looked at Yuan Xianger and insisted on bowing three times before getting up. "I don't want to say thank you, I just look forward to reporting it in the future."
Seeing that they were successfully exchanged, Yuan Xianger was also relieved. Although she had done various experiments on the way, she was still nervous and sweating when it came to the real and living souls of each other. For her, the main purpose of this trip was to help Qiu Yueming find her body. As for Ding Yan's willingness to go back with Zhou Deyun, Yuan Xianger felt that it was not something she could interfere with. In fact, although the contact was short-lived, she admired Ding Yan's decisiveness and bravery for daring to separate the past and pursue freedom.
The two souls returned to their places, Qiu Yueming took the initiative to discuss with Ding Yan, and summoned Xiao Lin, Zhu Xinyi and the housekeeper Cui Niang.
The three looked at the general sitting in the hall and the mysterious guests beside him, feeling a little confused.
What a strange day. In the morning, the general lost his temper and turned these people away, locking himself in the house for a day like never before. When I was holding the lantern, I rushed to invite the guests back. They would sit together in the main hall.
Only Cui Niang, who served closely, felt that the general was a little different from usual, relying on the keen intuition of women.
Cui Niang has only entered the mansion to serve in the last year. She has a delicate mind and keeps all the general's favorite actions in her heart. The general at this moment seems to show subtle differences in his sitting posture and his speech. The general, who has never been close to women, showed an unusually gentle approach to the 16- or 17-year-old girl sitting beside him. The former generals were gentle and quiet. The general at this time has an extraordinary temperament and is as serious as a mountain.
It's not right, it's really not right everywhere. Cui Niang thought to herself.
But I saw the general speak slowly, "In the past, I regarded this as a great shame, and swore that even if I died, I would never let my friends know. My most trusted friend. I hope you will calm down a little and listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Qiu Yueming calmly recounted his experiences over the past year.
The three people in front of them heard this, and their hearts were no different from setting off a storm. If it wasn't for the general's own words, they would not have believed that there were such bizarre stories in the world.
Over the past year, there has always been something wrong with the general. They couldn't understand it before, but now that I think about it, I suddenly realize it.
It turned out that the generals who had been with each other for more than a year, the generals who were gentle, generous, and docile, the generals who practiced diligently and did not avoid the cold and heat, had no fear in the face of the enemy's siege, and the general who guarded the city was actually just a weak woman.
The three looked at Qiu Yueming and Ding Yan next to him, looking at each other, unable to speak for a while.
"That's right, it was this lady who guarded Datong Mansion for me during my absence, helping the people in the fire." Qiu Yueming pointed at Ding Yan beside him, "I should have made what Lady Ding did to the public. In the world, let more people remember her achievements. But the theory of ghosts and gods is too bizarre and inconvenient to publicize. But I think, at least a few of you close people should know that the person who has been with you for a year is not me , but her."
Cui Niang heard the words and took the lead in bowing to the ground and bowing. Xiao Lin and Zhu Xinyi glanced at each other and bowed to each other.
Ding Yan's eyes were slightly red and she pulled them up.
Cui Niang wiped her tears and said, "I never thought that the general was actually a girl. No matter what, the general saved Cui Niang. No matter what the appearance of the general, Cui Niang will always serve the general in her life."
…
The scenery of the frontier fortress is very different from the Jinxiu Jiangnan, and it has a vast and magnificent state.
Three or five days have passed since Qiu Yueming and Ding Yan's soul returned to his place. Yuan Xianger has also completed her task. She only took Nanhe Wuyuan and others to enjoy the desert scenery all day long, ate all the delicacies outside the Great Wall, and set off for her hometown in preparation for two days.
On the thick city wall, the Qiang flute is lingering, and the winter snow is covered.
At a glance, you can see the city walls lingering for thousands of miles, like a giant snake crawling on the rolling ground.
Nan He closed his eyes and sat on the wall to condense star power.
Yuan Xianger leaned against the wall not far away, holding a straw in her mouth, overlooking the long sunset river and the wilderness.
"Ah Xiang, you are here, I searched for you for a long time." Qiu Yueming stepped on the city head.
"How is it, General Chou? Zhou Deyun still can't convince Ding Yan to go back with him?" Yuan Xianger jumped off the wall.
Qiu Yueming smiled wryly and shook his head again and again, "Ms. Ding is a strong-willed person. She has made up her mind not to look back. I'm afraid that Brother Zhou will have no way to take her. She even asked me to help her get registered as a merchant in Datong Mansion. From now on, I plan to settle here and do business for a living.”
"Is she going to do business for a living? Alone, in this day and age? She really has the courage. If she lacks capital, I still have some savings, which can be borrowed first."
"With her ability, it's not difficult, and I can always take care of her when I'm stationed here." Qiu Yueming accompanied Yuan Xiang'er along the city wall and said, "I'm just sorry Brother Zhou couldn't let her go, and he was pulling me last night. I've been drinking all night, and I'm so drunk that I haven't woken up yet."
"Hey, I sympathize with Lao Zhou, but it's actually not easy for him to walk this way." Yuan Xiang'er couldn't help but sigh, "But I also admire Lady Ding's courage. It's a pity that people like her are not easy to be seen today. She is tolerated by the world. It is estimated that only a monster like me can understand her better."
"You are not a monster, Axiang, you are better than anyone else." Qiu Yueming said suddenly.
At this time, the wind was blowing, and the young general stood on the city wall, with majestic hair, bright eyebrows, and burning eyes.
"It may be a little abrupt, but you are going to set off in two days. If I don't say it, I'm afraid I will regret it for the rest of my life." The fearless general who entered the ranks of thousands of enemies was embarrassed and rushed, "I know that your world is different from I'm waiting, but I don't know if I can let me... let me know more about it."
With his back to the mountains and rivers, his eyes were full of young and hot emotions. He didn't need to say anything, Yuan Xianger already understood everything.
Such sincere feelings are touching, but along the way, Qiu Yueming got along with Yuan Xianger as a woman, and Yuan Xianger didn't notice that he had a different feeling for her, so naturally she couldn't give any response.
"I'm so honored to hear the general's words. It's just that we cultivators are hard to fall in love with the world. Maybe... we can only live up to the general's heart." Yuan Xianger sincerely and firmly declined the emotion that he didn't want to accept. .
In the distance of the city, Wu Yuan, whose hearing is extremely sensitive, pricked up his ears,
"Despicable human, actually trying to hook Axiang away. Brother Nan, just let me kill him."
Nan He pursed his lips and said nothing.
"Brother Nan, you can't be careless." Hu Sanlang added fuel to the side, "Once a human male takes a fancy to a female, there are endless ways to court a mate. You can't go on like this, you must take the initiative, otherwise Axiang will really Kidnapped by humans. To know that their human favorite mate is their own kind."
Nan He blushed and said with difficulty, "Active? How to take the initiative?"
"There are many ways to take the initiative. You listen to me, I know human beings best." Saburo stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "You can be coquettish with her, begging for touch, then seduce her, seduce her, put yourself Wash it up and present it to her…”
The author has something to say: Although everyone has had a heated discussion, I can only write what I want, sorry.
As a reader, it's normal to want to see perfect characters, but in fact, there are no perfect people in my series, starting with the protagonist. Zhou Xiaoxiao's appearance is controlled, Cheng Qianye is weak, Chu Qianxun is indifferent (all referring to the first time), Yuan Xianger's wretched plush control? Cross it out (it's better to save her face before she's finished), anyway, I don't think there are perfect people in this world.
In addition, let me talk about Ding Yan's timeline. It was more than a year ago that she wore the general's body, and the war happened recently, so she used the general's strong physique to master some basic skills during this period. She didn't go directly to the battlefield, she just organized manpower and walked around the city. Although this plot may seem a bit ridiculous, it is a real case that has happened to women in history, so I think it is feasible.
I love you all, I’ve been too busy lately to chat, but I’ve cherished everyone’s comments and read them one by one, and touched each one of you.