Half in the river wind, half in the clouds

"Madam, I like Yi Ye, but I am not his appendage. We are independent and equal. Is the princess nobler than the wife of an ordinary person? Is a concubine lower than the wife? All people are born equal. Being a concubine involuntarily is not a matter of being inferior to others. However, if there is a choice, who wouldn't want to be carried in from the main door with a phoenix crown and a veil?" Jiang Feng suppressed the trembling in his voice.

"Is becoming Yi Ye's legal wife what you call equality? Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but since you love him, can't you make some concessions?" Mother Shen's question was sharp and pointed, without any mercy in her heart.

The incense offered in front of the Buddha has burned out, and the last upright column of incense ash collapsed with a loud bang. The remaining hope in Jiang Feng's heart also collapsed, and she lost the desire to defend herself and fight for it.

She knelt on the ground, looking at the kind mother Shen in the candlelight, and said resolutely: "I already understand Madam's intentions, and I know what to do. After I go down the mountain, I will beg mother to come to my house and reject my marriage with Mr. Shen, and I will never embarrass Madam."

Jiang Feng is described as a delicate flower, but her heart is so strong! Thinking of Shen Guxing's deep affection, Shen's mother only sighed for the debt of her children in this life.

She put down the Buddhist beads and helped Jiang Feng up. "You can't bear to see me embarrassed, and I can't bear to see Yi Ye embarrassed, so I'll fulfill his wish! What will happen in the future depends on your luck."

Jiang Feng looked up in surprise, his face full of disbelief, "Madam..."

"I have said these words to Yi Ye, and he rejected them without hesitation. I have lived half my life, and now I don't believe in love. But young people have to experience it themselves before they know whether the choice they made is worth it..."

Jiang Feng understood what Shen's mother meant. Compared with Shen Guxing's desperate efforts, Jiang Feng simply enjoyed the fruits of his labor and did not give up even a little when it came to his core interests. Can such a cold-hearted girl be worthy of Shen Guxing's deep affection?

"Madam, I know you still doubt me. If you don't agree, there are some things I will never say!" Jiang Feng's chest rose and fell. She didn't dare to express her feelings at first, because she didn't want to affect other people's decisions because of her determination without any cost. But when Shen's mother reluctantly accepted her, she could finally speak out without any scruples. This was her oath in front of the Buddha: "The career is suitable for me, just like fish to water, like light in the dark night! I am willing to stay with him for my whole life, support each other in times of hardship and never leave each other, and respect each other in times of wealth and honor."

"Good! Good! Good!" Shen's mother sighed three times. It was rare for her to have such a big emotional fluctuation. "The road ahead is destined to be bumpy! Sometimes I dare not even think about what kind of storms we will encounter! I hope you are well prepared, and I hope you will never forget the promise you made to me today!"

Jiang Feng raised his eyes, his gaze firm, and nodded heavily.

The only witness of this conversation was the standing Buddhist shrine. Jiang Feng was confident that sincerity would work today, and he couldn't help but feel a little more awed towards the gods.

After closing the door, Shen Guxing stood under the magnolia tree. Its shape was like a bamboo, its face was like jade, and its character was like an immortal.

Shen Guxing walked quickly towards Jiang Feng, his voice a little nervous, "What did mother tell you?"

Jiang Feng was in a playful mood, frowning, "Madam wants me to play for two or three more days, so I should go down the mountain early."

Shen Guxing's face changed drastically, "I'm going to find my mother!"

He turned and left before he finished speaking.

Seeing that he was really anxious, Jiang Feng grabbed his arm, and jokingly took out a jade pendant with a carved mandarin duck pattern, held it in the palm of his hand and held it in front of Shen Guxing, looking up with a somewhat proud expression.

"Mother gave it to you!" Shen Guxing showed surprise, and rubbed the jade pendant with the girl's raised hand, "This thing has a great origin. My great-grandfather followed my great-grandfather to fight in all directions, and my great-grandmother stayed at home alone to do housework and serve the elderly. Unexpectedly, her hometown was hit by war, so my great-grandmother had to leave her hometown. In the end, it was because of this jade pendant that she was able to reunite with my great-grandfather. In order to appreciate the hardships of starting a business and urge future generations to work together, this jade pendant was passed down from generation to generation. My grandmother gave the jade pendant to my mother, and you got it, which shows that my mother has decided that you will be her daughter-in-law."

Jiang Feng's cheeks flushed slightly, and he pretended to be angry and said, "How could I be worthy of becoming the daughter-in-law of the Shen family? I didn't expect it to be so valuable. I'd better return it to Madam." After saying that, he really turned around and was about to leave.

Now it was Shen Guxing's turn to pull her with a smile, "Please have pity on me, young lady. If you don't marry me, I'm afraid I will become a monk."

Jiang Feng's heart felt like it had been touched by a jar of honey, and it felt sweet all over. She lowered her head, and even the night could not hide the blush on her face. Her voice was also tainted with sweetness, "That's why I have to go down the mountain early to report to my mother..." As she spoke, her voice became almost inaudible.

Shen Guxing was excited as he finally got what he wanted.

He rustled and untied something from his waist, which turned out to be the jade pendant he always wore. Jiang Feng was surprised to find that the jade pendants were actually a pair, Shen Guxing's was a mandarin duck with the words "永受嘉福" engraved on the back, and Jiang Feng's was a duck with the words "長乐未阳" engraved on the back, and together they formed a complete circle.

No wonder the ancestors of the Shen family were able to reunite with the help of a jade pendant; it turned out to be another version of “a broken mirror reunited.”

Shen Guxing scratched the girl's delicate nose and said lovingly, "You made me anxious by saying half a sentence, and it made me become a monk in vain."

Jiang Feng smiled and put away the jade pendant, then leaned over and tied the other one back to Shen Guxing's waist. There was a look of joy between his brows, as if he had accomplished his mission. "If you become a monk, I will never allow you to do so."

The naked declaration of love was expressed by the girl with a coquettish look, as if countless tiny bugs were crawling and biting in the boy's heart and body, making him itchy and restless. Who could stand this!

Shen Guxing leaned over and kissed the girl's lips, passing all his desire to her!

This was their second time kissing. Jiang Feng was completely at a disadvantage and felt dizzy from being bitten by Shen.

She regretted kissing him first that night to comfort his wounded heart. She opened Pandora's box, but lost control of the "devil" and could only let him do whatever he wanted.

Why does such a gentle and refined man turn into a domineering big bad wolf the moment he kisses a girl?

Jiang Feng touched his swollen lips, tossing and turning, his face becoming hotter and hotter, his cheeks looked as if they were painted with rouge, making his skin look whiter like the bright moon and his eyes brighter than the stars.

On the second day, Ruye, who was as perceptive as she was, sensed the change in Shen's mother's attitude towards Jiang Feng, from politeness and observation to closeness and acceptance. Shen and Jiang were also not feeling right, each hiding their joy and trying not to show it at all.

But the smile can't be hidden in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows!

She failed to bring her aunt to her side after all, but how could she accept that? At the dinner table where Shen and Jiang were flirting with each other, Ruye had no appetite.

Two days later, Jiang Feng and Chu Yan were preparing to go down the mountain, but they suddenly received an invitation from Princess Taiping's Mansion.

Mount Zhongnan has a beautiful environment, surrounded by mountains and water, and is a place to cool off in summer and avoid the cold in winter. It is loved by the nobles, and many of them built villas here. Princess Taiping's villa is only a few dozen miles away from Qingchuan Villa, and it occupies a small part of Mount Zhongnan.

The popular Xiangji Temple was near the Princess's Villa, and it was hard for Mrs. Shen not to be tempted by it because she would worship Buddha and sweep temples. The Princess's Mansion also invited the sons and daughters of the Shen Mansion to go together, and Ruye and Ruojin urged them to go - Princess Taiping's invitation was like pie in the sky.

The five-room, three-leaf vermilion animal-head gate of the princess's mansion was not open, so they went through the corner gate on the east side.

Led by a female historian, they walked along the path of carved beams and painted pillars, carved railings and jade bricks. Everyone in the group praised her, and Chu Yan couldn't help but feel reserved. Jiang Feng pulled her and whispered, "The princess's villa is magnificent, but if you have money, you can build an identical one anywhere. However, the Qingchuan Villa where we lived for half a month took advantage of the power of nature, and no matter how skilled the craftsmen are, they can't build a second one. For example, the big stone at the entrance was originally ordinary, but after being carved and set off by two ancient pines, it looks like a mountain gate. There are pavilions by the water in the valley, and houses against the mountains. There are willows on the embankment, lotus in the lake, you can play the zither under the bamboos, and you can enjoy plum blossoms under the hills. The two mountains are used as walls, and the streams, mountains and scenery divide the courtyards. Everything is natural, without any traces of artificiality, but it is very comfortable to stay. Sister, what do you think, which of these two places is better?"

"Of course they each have their own advantages. But after what you said, I really think that the high walls and mansions of the mansions can be constructed according to the drawings, but Qingchuan Villa is not something that everyone can do. One must have a keen mind to do it." Chu Yan thought carefully and answered seriously.

"That's right." Jiang Feng clapped his hands gently in affirmation, and then said in a very low voice: "It's the same with people. Some people enjoy wealth and luxury, are used to seeing delicacies and jewelry, and the streets are filled with BMWs and carved carriages; some people are like idle clouds and wild cranes, although they have nothing but freedom under the moon and in the wind, they sing when they are happy and sleep when they are tired. How can we say that the former is better and the latter is worse? It's just that everyone has a different way of seeing the world."

Chu Yan seemed to be easy-going since he came to Chang'an, but he was actually very careful, fearing that others would look down on him. Before he set out today, he was ridiculed by Ruye and wanted to back out.

Chu Yan nodded after thinking for a while. Jiang Feng squeezed her hand tightly. Although it was still cold, she shook her hand back to indicate to Jiang Feng.

When Shen Guxing heard Jiang Feng praising Qingchuan Villa, he thought he was a close friend and came up to him and asked, "Are you praising me?"

Jiang Feng blinked his eyes, looking innocent, "Really?"

Shen Guxing raised his hand as if to knock his head, and Jiang Feng quickly blocked it with his hand, "Don't mess it up! You Ran spent the whole morning on this hair."

Several people were talking quietly as they entered the hanging flower gate. On both sides were corridors, and in the middle was a hall, where a large lapis lazuli screen with a lady inlaid with various gems was placed. After turning around the screen, there was the outer room of the three halls, and behind the hall was the main hall for receiving guests.

The female official went in to report, and heard the sound of stringed instruments. After a while, she was allowed in. She bowed her head, knelt down, and finally sat down at the bottom. She looked around and was surprised: Li Longye was there too!

It's only been a few days since the prince's coup, and the matter has been settled?

Li Longye was also looking at her, with a smile that looked like he was asking for trouble. Was he being sarcastic? Playful? Sinister? In any case, he had bad intentions. She looked away, pretending not to see.

Princess Taiping said that the grass on the polo field in the palace was still green, so they could have a game in the autumn. The male guests in the hall were eager to try and stood up to leave. Shen Guxing made eye contact with her and left with Li Longfan, the Prince of Baling.

The women started to move around freely, gathering in groups of two or three. Madam Shen nodded to Jiang Feng, indicating that she could move freely.

Jiang Feng saw two pots of lotus-petaled white orchids in the hall, so he took Chu Yan to see them. Ru Ye was chatting with a young lady from an unknown family, and Ru Jin was uncomfortable, so she followed him. But he saw that the two pots of orchids were both flat and broad, with thin stems and clean petals, lush flowers and leaves, and a subtle fragrance.

"I think the flowerpot is prettier than the flower." Chu Yan said with a smile while admiring it. As soon as he finished speaking, a sneer came from the side, right from Ruye's direction.

Chu Yan's expression suddenly changed. Jiang Feng said quickly, "A good horse deserves a good saddle. This pair of flower pots is also top-notch." He moved closer to Chu Yan, with his back to Ru Ye and the group, and said patiently, "Orchids are difficult to grow. Their roots, branches, and leaves are not well developed, and their seeds are even harder to germinate. Rare things are valuable, so orchids are naturally precious. This orchid is called Lotus Petal Suxin Orchid. Orchid growers say, 'You can choose a thousand plums for a thousand years, but you can only find one lotus.' There are very few varieties of 'plum petals', and even fewer varieties of 'lotus petals'. These two orchids are extremely rare!"

"But I still think red peonies and red plum blossoms are beautiful." Ruojin was not very interested.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Everyone has different aesthetic tastes.

"Have you ever grown orchids?" Chu Yan's complexion recovered and he asked softly.

Jiang Feng waved his hands hurriedly, "This thing is delicate, I can't take care of it." She herself didn't understand life well, okay? Her knowledge of growing orchids was mainly because she had read Comrade Shen Fu's "Six Records of a Floating Life" in her previous life, and Lin Jinran's neighbor was a retired professor who loved orchids like his life, and whenever he had time, he would grab her to his house to appreciate orchids.

"Books contain golden houses and beautiful women. I read this in books," said Jiang Feng.

"Reading?! It would be better to grow an orchid." Ruojin got a headache when she saw the books and said with a frown.

As they were talking, a female member of the family said, "They are playing polo in the backyard. My maid said that the Prince of Baling, the Prince of Zhongshan, the Duke of Guo, and Mr. Shen are all on the field. Let's go and take a look."

The group of girls were overjoyed and left in a short while. Chu Yan and Ruo Jin looked at her eagerly, and Jiang Feng waved his hand and said, "I won't go. I can't stand the dusty place."

Seeing Chu Yan was disappointed, she bowed to Ruojin and said, "You can take Sister Yan with you, but you must bring her back safely."

Ruojin pulled Chu Yan and patted his chest and said, "Can you still fly, Sister Yan?"

Jiang Feng smiled and said, "Please, little sister."

The two of them went there excitedly.

Jiang Feng looked around and saw that most of the beautiful girls were gone, only middle-aged women were left.

The phrase "It's the mating season for all things" underestimates animals' desire to mate. Any time can be the mating season.

Jiang Feng thought about it, then sat down below Aunt Shen, sipping tea, eating cakes, and listening to the piano in a leisurely manner. He felt extremely comfortable. He really didn't know what those girls were thinking to insist on eating dirt.

Madam Shen turned around and smiled at her, then said to the other ladies, "This is the sister of the newly-appointed Jinshi Xiao Jiang. I was lonely in the mountains, so I asked her mother to let her accompany me for a few days."

The women at the table were all shrewd people, and of course they knew the rumor that Shen Guxing had even quit his job as an official because of this little girl. They smiled and nodded, while looking at Jiang Feng from a distance, and praised him sincerely or falsely, because it didn't cost money to praise people.

"The Lord Xiao Jiang that Madam is talking about, is it Jiang Zuo, the proofreader of the Ministry of Secretariat?" asked an elderly woman.

After receiving Madam Shen's affirmative answer, the woman smacked her lips and said, "I heard that Prince Linzi wanted to marry Master Jiang Zuo's sister as a concubine, but it was delayed because of the rebellion of the Crown Prince."

Everyone was shocked, some were fakely shocked, some were genuinely shocked, and the most genuine ones were Mrs. Shen and Jiang Feng.

The woman changed the subject and said, "I just wonder how many sisters Master Xiao Jiang has?"

No wonder cousin Xing Jian arrested someone and brought him home in the middle of the night! No wonder the Prince of Linzi's men came to the Jiang residence to deliver a letter!

Could it be Jiang Fei? It can only be Jiang Fei!