The eldest lady of the Marquis's Mansion, Zhang, is the mother of Xiao Tuo and Xiao Xiao.
Hearing the old man's instructions, Zhang shook her head gently, "Why rub salt into the wound?"
The Marquis looked at her calmly, "You have always been sensible, so there is no need for me to explain the reason clearly. This concerns the lives and property of hundreds of people in our Xiao family. Even though we have been low-key and restrained our edge in recent years, the emperor is still afraid of us. Now that the princess has learned the truth, if she goes to find Xiao Xiao, can Xiao Xiao resist?"
He looked around and lowered his voice and said, "The emperor is just sick, he is not dead yet!"
Zhang was silent. Yes, Xiao Xiao had no ability to resist the princess. If the princess said a soft word in front of him, he would even give her his life.
If the two of them get entangled, there will be endless trouble.
Especially in recent years, the princess's power has become more and more astonishing. Behind her are the Regent, Prince An, Prince Li, the Chen family, the Hu family, and most importantly, she is financially strong. How could the emperor let Xiao Xiao marry her
Once the misunderstanding between the two is resolved and they are back together, no one can stop them. How will the emperor treat the Xiao family
Zhang arrived at the door of the princess's mansion with extreme helplessness and grief.
She got off the carriage and forced a smile. When the doorman heard that it was the wife of the Marquis, he went to report first and then came out to lead Zhang in.
When Zhang saw Zhuangzhuang, her heart ached slightly. This princess who was once full of vigor and vitality had now become so pale and thin.
"Zhang pays respect to the princess!" Zhang bowed politely.
"Madam, there is no need to be so polite. Please take a seat." Zhuangzhuang looked at Zhang calmly. She was almost going to become his mother-in-law.
Almost there!
Zhang thanked him softly, and after sitting down, she looked at Zhuangzhuang and said, "Princess, you don't look well. Please take care of yourself."
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Madam." Zhuangzhuang looked at her, "Madam, why are you here today?"
The people of the Xiao family had not had any contact with her for many years. Zhuangzhuang was very surprised that Zhang came today, but he had a vague feeling that her intention was not good.
Zhang hesitated for a moment, and could hardly bear to say what the Marquis had ordered.
Zhuangzhuang said calmly: "Madam, if you have anything to say, just say it directly."
Zhang smiled and said, "Nothing special, I just remembered that the Xiao family and the princess's mansion are related by marriage. Qingqiu is the princess's maid. Since she entered the mansion, she has been a good wife, working hard to take care of the household affairs, and has managed the general's mansion perfectly. I came here specially to thank the princess for her guidance."
Zhuangzhuang smiled softly after hearing this, his smile was cold, "No need to thank her, it's her good fortune!"
Zhang didn't say anything. Her throat felt like it was blocked by a ball of cotton wool. She couldn't swallow it or spit it out. She felt extremely uncomfortable.
Qionghua was a hot-tempered person. She said angrily, "Your coming here today is to make things worse. Why? The princess and the lady had a friendship in the past. There is no need to hurt her like this. Your Xiao family's affairs have nothing to do with the princess's mansion. There is no need to come and thank the princess."
Zhang was so ashamed that she said, "Princess, please forgive me. I... well, forget it. I'm sure you understand what I mean. Although what I did was selfish, I had no choice. I hope you can understand."
Zhuangzhuang stretched out his hand, rubbed his brow, and said tiredly: "Yes, everyone has no choice, and everyone has their own difficulties. Go, Madam, Xiao Xiao and I ended our relationship eleven years ago. Go back and tell the Marquis that there is no need to worry. I will not hurt the Xiao family. I am not the girl who valued love more than anything else eleven years ago. I know what to do and what not to do."
Zhang felt very upset after hearing this. She felt very despicable in front of Zhuangzhuang.
She was too embarrassed to see Zhuangzhuang again, so she stood up and left.
Xiao Xiao was naturally warned by the Marquis. Xiao Xiao did not say a word throughout the whole process, but at the end, he said, "Grandson knows what to do."
After he left, he didn't know where to go. He didn't want to go back to the Marquis' Mansion, and he didn't want to go back to the General's Mansion. From his grandfather's mouth, he knew that Zhuangzhuang had already known what happened, but what could he do? They couldn't be together eleven years ago, but could they be together now
He came to Juxianju, found a private room to get drunk, and drank five kilograms of liquor by himself. He lay on the table and drank until he felt nothing in his heart.
In his dizziness, he seemed to hear someone coming in and sitting down gently next to him.
Someone was holding him and talking in his ear. He couldn't hear clearly what was said, but he missed this tenderness, this long-lost tenderness.
Just like the first time he hugged Zhuangzhuang and kissed her, he was so desperate. How much he wanted to find himself again.
There is no going back. They no longer have the courage and innocence they had before.
"Zhuangzhuang!" He chewed the name between his lips and teeth, feeling the hot tears on the face of the person holding him.
Zhuangzhuang did come. The secret guard found him, so she came.
She hugged him, without any other extravagant thoughts, she just hoped that she would remember this feeling, she had forgotten for a long time, the feeling of skin touching.
He finally regained his focus and looked at her.
Zhuangzhuang stepped back and looked at him with a smile, "I know you are here, I came over to talk."
Xiao Xiao felt dizzy, and he didn't know if it was because of her smile.
He stretched out his hand, and his rough fingertips brushed across her cheek, wiping away her tears, and murmured: "In my heart, you are like a treasure to me, why would others hurt you like this?"
Zhuangzhuang laughed with tears in his eyes, "Look at you, you are so stupid!"
"Ever since I entered the palace, you've said I was stupid. Now that I think about it, I'm probably really stupid!" He laughed childishly, his eyes tinged with drunkenness and pain. "You're such a foolish person, and you've been thinking about me for so many years. Aren't you even more stupid?"
Zhuangzhuang smiled even more, "Yeah, we are not on the same path, so we can't go together."
"Yes!" He looked at her infatuatedly, unwilling to take his eyes away.
"Do you remember? One time we left the palace to attend a temple fair and were separated by the crowd. How did you find me?"
Xiao Xiao smiled, "Remember, I was standing on the tower holding a torch, and then I lit the fireworks, and you came towards the fireworks, and I looked down and saw you, sliding down along the row of big red lanterns hanging on the tower, and landed in front of you."
"Yes, you looked so beautiful at that moment, falling from the sky!" Zhuangzhuang reached out and touched his beautiful eyebrows. Her face was full of smiles, which were sweet yet bitter.
It was also at that moment that she decided in her heart that she would marry no one else but him.
How I wish time could stop forever on that night.
She poured herself a glass of wine and drank it. The wine was so bitter that she trembled all over.
They talked about the past, and finally found out that they had already fallen in love with each other during their youth and vowed to be together for life.
He was stupid and she was crazy. They were childhood sweethearts made in heaven, but they did not end up well.
Zhuangzhuang finally placed his hand on his lips and said inaudibly: "Xiao Xiao, if there is a next life, I am not a royal daughter, and you are not a young man from a military family, then we may have a good ending."
Xiao Xiao's handsome eyebrows were filled with tears. "Yes, I just want to be an ordinary citizen, get married, have children, and live a peaceful life."
Zhuangzhuang stood up with a smile on his face, "I'm leaving."
Xiao Xiao stood up and leaned against the table, watching her look back every three steps, disappearing from his sight and disappearing from his life.
(End of this chapter)