Ji Shihuan envied Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu.
Ever since Zhao Luoning entered the mansion, Ji Shihuan had thought that he, too, wanted to find a wife like her, someone to understand and support him, and to walk through life hand in hand.
His second elder brother had found his beloved and was living a harmonious life with his wife. This had inspired Ji Shihuan from a young age to live a fairy - like life with Ji Jianxue.
Yes, Ji Shihuan had fallen in love with Ji Jianxue many years ago.
As soon as Ji Jianxue entered the mansion back then, Ji Shihuan had taken a fancy to this niece who was only a few years younger than him, gentle and elegant like a chrysanthemum.
However, Ji Jianxue had always been cold towards him.
At first, Ji Shihuan never doubted whether Ji Jianxue had feelings for him.
He was used to the way Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu got along. His second sister - in - law had also been cold to his second elder brother at first.
But his second elder brother had always stuck to his second sister - in - law and kept her by his side. Over time, his second sister - in - law had accepted him.
So, Ji Shihuan believed that where there's a will, there's a way.
As long as he was determined, even an iceberg could be melted.
However, seeing Ji Jianxue in heavy makeup today, Ji Shihuan's confidence began to waver.
His second sister - in - law had always preferred plain clothes, but she was in perfect harmony with his second elder brother, and her plain clothes didn't make her seem cold.
But Ji Jianxue was cold - hearted.
No matter how she dressed up or made up, she always looked cold and aloof.
There was no sign of vitality.
Ji Jianxue didn't want to stay in the same room with Ji Shihuan. She took off a few gold ornaments from her hairpin and got up to go out.
Ji Jianxue had never successfully escaped.
This time was no exception.
As she passed by Ji Shihuan, he grabbed her arm tightly.
Red marks immediately appeared on her fair and slender arm.
"Do you hate seeing me so much that you don't even want to talk to me? Then who do you want to see? That poor scholar Xu?"
Ji Shihuan mentioned this scholar Xu for a reason.
In fact, it was this scholar Xu who had driven him crazy.
A few years ago, Ji Jianxue had met Xu Chang, a scholar.
Scholar Xu was a classmate of Bai Zhaomo. He had taken the imperial examinations several times but was still only a provincial graduate.
After getting to know Bai Zhaomo and learning that there were many books in the Bai Mansion, and being too poor to buy books, he had to come to the Ye Mansion shamefacedly to borrow books.
Zhao Luoning liked scholars. There was a Knowledge - Seeking Pavilion in the Bai Mansion, and there was a couplet at the entrance: "Among those who talk and laugh, there are learned scholars; among those who come and go, there are no uneducated people."
So every time Scholar Xu came to borrow books, Zhao Luoning would readily agree.
Later, after she was pregnant with Cheng Zhaoshu, she didn't have so much energy, so she handed over the management of the books to Ji Jianxue.
The usually silent Ji Jianxue then had a second friend besides Ji Shihuan.
Scholar Xu was only in his twenties, with a handsome face, which was very pleasing to the eye.
Most importantly, he was very talented, which made Ji Jianxue quite envious.
When Ji Jianxue didn't understand something in her studies, she didn't dare to bother Zhao Luoning, so she would occasionally ask Scholar Xu a few more questions.
Ji Jianxue was also quite good - looking. She didn't seem special when she was a child, but as she grew up, she gradually showed her mother's charming features.
As time passed, Xu Chang had secretly fallen in love with Ji Jianxue.
After all, Ji Jianxue was a girl. She rarely contacted strange men on weekdays and knew little about the ways of getting along between men and women, so she naturally didn't notice Xu Chang's feelings.
But Ji Shihuan was different.
Since the first time he saw Ji Jianxue when he returned from the capital, he had made up his mind: this woman could only be his.
But he wasn't stupid. He knew that there were numerous difficulties between them.
So from that time on, he had started to prepare to break away from the family.
He had grown up in the Ji Mansion and knew better than anyone else that it would be harder than climbing to the sky to marry Ji Jianxue.
Only by becoming completely independent and getting rid of the family's control like his second elder brother could he marry the woman he loved.
So from that time on, he had focused on helping his elder brother manage the business.
His elder brother had his wife and children to take care of, so he gradually let go of some of his responsibilities.
His father had also become idle after having several grandsons. He played with his grandsons every day and ignored other things.
Taking advantage of this situation, Ji Shihuan had found many loopholes.
In the Ji Mansion, even a small loophole could mean thousands of taels of silver.
In addition, Ji Shihuan had invested in other commercial firms under another identity.
His interest rate wasn't as high as that of the money - shops. He had invested in shops that were restricted by the Ji family and needed the Ji family's support to survive.
Even without a credit guarantee, he wasn't afraid of not getting his money back.
With compound interest, he had made a fortune.
Although he wasn't as rich as his second elder brother and second sister - in - law, he and Ji Jianxue would never run out of money in several lifetimes.
At first, he had used the first sum of money he earned to build this Dream Garden.
It was a beautiful and secluded place, away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
It was the kind of life Ji Jianxue dreamed of.
Ji Shihuan had originally planned to live a carefree and fairy - like life with her.
But unexpectedly, Scholar Xu had appeared out of nowhere to compete with him for Ji Jianxue.
What made him even more angry was that Ji Jianxue seemed to have a good impression of this Scholar Xu.
He had originally planned to develop their relationship slowly and gradually make Ji Jianxue accept him.
But one day when he went to the Bai Mansion to find Ji Jianxue, he saw her holding a book, whispering with Scholar Xu as they read the eternal love poem.
"Though I have no wings like the colorful phoenix, yet our hearts are linked like a divine犀. Brother Xu, what does this mean?"
Her tone sounded innocent, but Ji Shihuan could hear the hidden meaning in her words.
Scholar Xu was obviously overjoyed.
He took out a piece of white paper, copied the poem for her, and explained it word by word.
Ji Shihuan couldn't listen anymore.
From then on, a sinister thought had haunted him day and night.
He wanted to imprison Ji Jianxue. Once she was imprisoned, she would never be able to leave him and fall into someone else's arms.
And that time, when Ji Jianxue had accidentally asked him for help, it had given him the perfect opportunity.
He had taken the unsuspecting Ji Jianxue back to the Dream Garden, and for a whole year, he had never let her leave the garden.
He wanted to see how they could be "linked in heart" if they never saw each other again in this lifetime.
If it weren't for the deep friendship between Xu Chang and Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu, and Ji Shihuan was afraid that the shrewd Zhao Luoning would notice something, he would have already dealt with Xu Chang.
Otherwise, Xu Chang might not have seen the sun rise long ago.
"Brother Xu is poor but has high aspirations. Unlike you," Ji Jianxue retorted.
Even the most gentle person would get angry after being imprisoned for so many days.
Moreover, he was now slandering Brother Xu, whom she respected the most.
Ji Jianxue actually fought back.
Little did she know that this resistance only confirmed Ji Shihuan's suspicion.
She liked that Scholar Xu!