Ji Jianxue shook her head.
Only then did Ji Shihuan heave a long sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness. Jianxue, don't blame me. I knew you were coming and that you didn't want to see the elders, so I managed to persuade the others to leave. But the second sister - in - law is the apple of the second brother's eye and a titled lady. I really couldn't order her around."
Persuaded them to leave?
Ji Jianxue finally understood.
Why she hadn't seen a single elder on her way here.
Ji Shihuan could actually be so considerate?
Ji Jianxue opened her eyes blurred with tears and looked up at Ji Shihuan.
This tearful look melted Ji Shihuan's heart.
"Jianxue, don't cry, don't cry. I was wrong."
Ji Shihuan was flustered. In his haste, he tried to get up from the bed, but Ji Jianxue quickly stopped him.
"You're still bleeding. Don't move around."
Ji Shihuan tightly grasped Ji Jianxue's hand and placed it on his chest, right where his heart was pounding.
"Jianxue, I was really afraid you'd leave."
"Afraid I'd leave?"
Jianxue was a clever girl. Thinking of Zhao Luoning she saw at the door, she quickly understood.
It should be that today's incident of her being imprisoned by Ji Shihuan had reached the ears of the Ji family elders.
That's why Ji Shihuan was punished.
And Ji Shihuan was worried that his powerful father and mother would find the Dream Garden, so he was in a hurry to call her here. He could only feel at ease when she was right under his nose.
Ji Jianxue looked at Ji Shihuan and asked, "Shihuan, did you tell your family about us?"
Ji Shihuan hugged Ji Jianxue's arm and nodded contentedly, saying, "Yes. Father promised to let me marry you into the family."
"Grandpa... he really agreed?"
Ji Jianxue never expected that Lord Ji would nod in agreement.
This... this was incest!
Lord Ji, who attached so much importance to ethics and moral principles, actually agreed to such an absurd thing?
Soon, Ji Shihuan's next words confirmed Ji Jianxue's thoughts.
"However, Jianxue, you'll have to委屈 yourself to be a concubine with a changed name. But don't worry. I swear on my hand that besides you, there'll be no one else in my life, Ji Shihuan!"
Ji Jianxue looked at Ji Shihuan.
In this situation, she actually gave a faint smile.
This smile of Ji Jianxue's stunned Ji Shihuan.
Ji Jianxue hadn't smiled in the past year.
He actually saw her smile.
Ji Shihuan was as happy as a child.
"You're smiling? You're happy too, right! When I recover from my illness, I'll discuss with the second sister - in - law to let you marry from the Bai Mansion in style. Don't worry. I'll marry you in with an eight - sedan chair. No one will look down on you."
Ji Jianxue just looked at him tenderly. She sat on the low stool beside the bed and listened to his rambling.
"Okay."
"Do you think what name you should change to? How about taking the surname Jun like the second sister - in - law? I think the second sister - in - law is very nice to you, and the surname Jun sounds nice too."
"Okay."
"After we get married, we'll move out of the family. Do you like the Dream Garden?算了, it's too remote. If you're pregnant, it'll be inconvenient to see a doctor. I'll buy a mansion in the city. Jianxue, wait for me. I'll be able to afford it soon."
Jianxue didn't say anything extra the whole time. She just nodded and smiled gently.
Ji Shihuan hugged Jianxue's hand. With beautiful visions of the future and a smile on his face, he fell into a dream.
After coaxing Ji Shihuan to sleep, Ji Jianxue stepped out of the room.
Only then did she find that Zhao Luoning was still waiting outside.
It was too late. She was probably too tired and was dozing off with one hand supporting her head.
Ji Jianxue was worried that she would catch a cold, so she took off her cloak and wanted to put it on her. Unexpectedly, the vigilant Zhao Luoning woke up soon.
Looking up and seeing Ji Jianxue, Zhao Luoning rubbed her swollen eyes and asked, "Is Shihuan asleep?"
Ji Jianxue nodded.
Suddenly, when Zhao Luoning was completely off - guard, Ji Jianxue knelt down in front of her.
Zhao Luoning immediately woke up.
She quickly squatted down to support her.
"Jianxue, what are you doing?"
"Mother, Jianxue wants to ask mother to do her a favor."
"Do you need help?"
"Jianxue wants to leave here."
Zhao Luoning was stunned.
On the way here, Zhao Luoyu had told her how Ji Shihuan had gritted his teeth and endured the punishment.
Zhao Luoning was quite touched after hearing that.
Zhao Luoning herself had done many extraordinary things. She didn't care as much about ethics and moral principles as Lord Ji and the others.
She was angry when she first heard the news because of Ji Shihuan's excessive actions towards Ji Jianxue.
No matter how much one liked someone, one couldn't imprison a girl in the yard.
This was not the way to like someone.
However, after hearing Luoyu's words, Zhao Luoning's heart wavered a little.
After all, she had watched these two children grow up. Zhao Luoning knew Ji Shihuan's temper well. Just like Ji Shisu, once he fell in love with someone, he would spare no effort and act without considering the consequences.
Of course, his stubborn temper was the same.
Ji Shihuan had done such a thing, so it was no wonder that Ji Jianxue wanted to leave.
Zhao Luoning left the choice to Ji Jianxue.
"Jianxue, have you really thought it through? If you really want to leave, mother can help you and ensure that Ji Shihuan will never find you in his life. But then your fate with him will be cut off. Are you really willing?"
Ji Jianxue lowered her head and tugged at the corner of her clothes.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Luoning still tried to save a little impression score for Ji Shihuan and said, "You saw how Shihuan was today. Actually, if you really have feelings for him, maybe..."
Unexpectedly, Ji Jianxue, who had been hesitant and silent just now, shook her head definitely after hearing this.
"No, mother. I've thought it through. I want to leave him."
"Jianxue?"
"Actually, I won't hide it from you, mother. I really have feelings for uncle, oh no, Shihuan. Seeing you and father deeply in love, I've not never thought of finding someone like that to go hand in hand with. But, mother, I know that I'm not you, and Shihuan is not father. I'm not as decisive and strong as you, and he's not as considerate and gentle as father. We're different. I shouldn't envy your life with father."
Ji Jianxue sighed and continued, "Mother, I've served Buddha since I was a child. I didn't grow up in a big mansion. Although life was hard, it was free. I don't like rules and regulations. I don't like to be well - behaved. I don't want to be restricted, no matter in what name."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning understood.
She didn't expect that although Ji Jianxue looked gentle and weak, she was actually a girl with her own ideas.
This was good.
It was too hard to accompany a man through the process of growing from a boy to a man.
If Ji Jianxue could really let go of the worldly fetters and be a little snowflake freely floating in the mountains and fields, it would also be a good choice.
Zhao Luoning didn't persuade her anymore. She nodded to Ji Jianxue and said, "Okay, I understand."
Ji Jianxue bowed to Zhao Luoning, then turned around and walked into the boundless moonlight alone.
Zhao Luoning looked at her back, then at the dimly lit candle in the room, and sighed.
...
After Ji Jianxue left, Ji Shihuan flew into a great rage. After learning from the maids in the Dream Garden that a man had had a tryst with Ji Jianxue, he even went to look for Xu Chang.
Fortunately, Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu stopped him, so Ji Shihuan never caused a big stir.
After a serious illness, Ji Shihuan no longer mentioned Ji Jianxue all the time. He followed Lord Ji's arrangement and married a young lady from Lady Ji's natal family.
However, every time it snowed heavily in winter, he would disappear for a while. No one knew where he had gone.
Every time this happened, Ji Shihuan's wife, Lady Zhou, would be bored and go to the Bai Mansion to pay respects to Zhao Luoning.
Zhao Luoning knew what Lady Zhou meant.
The Bai Mansion was now at the height of its prosperity. Although the Ji family could rely on the blessings of their ancestors, if they wanted to go further, they still needed the support of Zhao Luoning, the titled lady.
She was a smart woman and was indeed a capable assistant to Ji Shihuan in business.
No wonder Lord Ji had chosen her as his daughter - in - law.
Looking at the heavy snow outside, Zhao Luoning covered herself with a quilt and sat by the charcoal fire, chatting casually with Lady Zhou.
As they were chatting, Ji Shihuan was mentioned.
Zhao Luoning asked, "He's been gone for more than half a month. Aren't you worried about where he's gone?"
Lady Zhou smiled gently, lowered her head and wound the thread, and said, "If my husband doesn't say, I won't ask. Moreover, I know where he's gone. As long as my husband is safe, I'll be at ease."
Yes, everyone knew where Ji Shihuan had gone.
The Dream Garden.
That courtyard that had always been empty but Ji Shihuan had never sold.
Zhao Luoning also smiled. "You're really open - minded."
Although the matter between Ji Shihuan and Ji Jianxue had been stopped from spreading further because of Ji Jianxue's timely departure, Lady Zhou was from Lady Ji's natal family. If Lady Zhou knew nothing about it, Zhao Luoning wouldn't believe it.
It was rare for Lady Zhou to be so calm and generous, not impatient.
At such a young age, she had such a mind. Even Zhao Luoning admired her.
"When I was still in my boudoir, my mother told me that some people are suitable for getting married and living a life, while some people are suitable for being kept in one's heart. As long as my husband can tell the difference, there's nothing I can't think through."
Zhao Luoning nodded.
Lady Zhou might not have any feelings for Ji Shihuan, but living a life of mutual respect like this for a lifetime was actually not bad.
It was better than Ji Shihuan and Jianxue torturing each other before, using love as a prison, making both of them restless.
Zhao Luoning held the ginger tea and looked at the fluttering snow outside, sighing.
"The snow is really heavy."
On the other side, in the Dream Garden hidden deep in the forest at the foot of the mountain, the window of the bedroom was pushed open. A man in a black - fur - trimmed cloak stood in front of the window, looking at the fluttering snow outside.
A snowflake was blown into the window by the wind and landed right on his brow.
Ji Shihuan reached out to touch it. The snowflake melted instantly when it met the warmth, turning into a drop of water that dripped down.
Ji Shihuan's heart suddenly twitched.
He couldn't keep the snow on his brow.
Nor could he keep his Jianxue.