Jinwei joins hands in rebirth: villains can also eat at the table

Wang Chan was very well prepared. Not only was there enough gold and silver in the carriage to last them ten lifetimes, but he also packed up the precious things in Jinzhong's room and put them in the carriage.

It was a box of medium size.

When I opened it, I saw all the familiar things.

The handkerchief she gave him when he was reborn, the paintings she later drew, the pajamas and wristbands she made for him...

"Why do you keep all these things?"

After looking through them one by one, Yan Wan picked up the painting that she had used to coax him.

Many years have passed, the marks on it have long been old, and the paper has turned slightly yellow.

"This is the first time that this servant has been in a painting with Master Ling, so naturally I must keep it well."

The painting only showed a simple cluster of flowers and a small snake wrapped around the branches, but he actually thought there were two people in the painting together.

Yan Wan then remembered that in the palace, only the emperor and the empress could be painted together, and if she and Jinzhong had not escaped, they would never be able to be painted together in their entire lives.

She glanced at him sideways: "Now that I have left the palace, I am no longer the master, and you don't have to call yourself a slave..."

"Yes, slave... I'm used to it..."

The sudden freedom made him feel a little at a loss.

"Since you like it, let's settle down in the future and ask the painter to paint us together. He can paint as many as you want. Then he will hang them all over the house so you can see as much as you want..."

Yanwan leaned lightly on his shoulder and spoke softly.

Hearing the second half of her teasing, Jinzhong, who was a little nervous, finally relaxed. He raised his hands to hold her and gently rubbed her hair with his chin.

"Yan Wan, you really don't regret leaving everything behind to go with me?"

They have been striving for that position in both of their lives, and now that they have finally got it, she has abandoned everything in the blink of an eye. How can he feel at peace?

"Why should I regret this? In these two lives, what flavors have I not tasted? Since I've already been to such a high place, there's nothing to be nostalgic about. The only thing is this freedom, which you and I have never tasted in our two lives. God has given us this opportunity, so we should burn our boats and visit places we have never been to..."

Yes, after finally being reborn, I should use it to acquire things that I have never possessed in both lives.

Trapped in two lives, it would be too narrow-minded to only pursue the cold power at the top.

It seems that they are just one step away from power and status, but freedom is something they have never been able to possess in both their lifetimes.

"Okay, then let's go out together more often and experience what it's like to be an ordinary couple in this world..."

......

Next, the two of them traveled around, but after three years they got tired of this wandering life and finally chose a place to settle down.

This place is Hangzhou, where Jinzhong was buried in his previous life and where the two became husband and wife for the first time in this life.

As luck would have it, after the three-year national mourning period was over, Emperor Jiaqing, accompanied by the retired emperor and the concubines, went on a southern tour. Passing through Jiangnan, they stopped at the Hangzhou Palace.

"Your Majesty... Young Master Huang, I heard there's a new herbal medicine restaurant nearby. It sounds very interesting. Would you like to try it?"

When he heard the word medicinal food, Yongyan paused slightly.

He remembered that his mother loved to make medicinal food.

It’s a pity that he never tasted it again after his mother passed away.

"Go ahead. I'm tired too."

The restaurant doesn't look big, but it's a different world inside.

There is a platform on the four sides. When I went in, someone was telling a story. Looking up, I saw that it had three floors. It didn't look like an ordinary small restaurant.

The herbal medicine restaurant is located on the main street where every inch of land is worth a lot of money. Such a place either has someone from the imperial court as a backer, or is owned by a business family.

"Is there a private room upstairs?"

"Yes, yes, please come up, sir."

Several people followed the servant upstairs, and someone next to Yongyan spoke casually.

"Your place is quite unique. A herbal medicine restaurant is like a teahouse. Is it fashionable nowadays?"

"No, this was originally a teahouse, and later the owner bought it and opened this restaurant. As for the stage, it depends on what Madam likes. Sometimes it's Kunqu Opera, sometimes it's singing and dancing, and today it's storytelling. What's on every day depends on Madam's mood..."

"Then your master is quite caring..."

"That's right. Madam has always had the final say here. Even if the master comes, he has to listen to Madam..."

The more Yongyan listened, the more he felt something was wrong. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a delicate cry.

"Daddy, Mommy, Nian'er is back..."

A little girl of six or seven years old rushed into the hall as soon as she got off the carriage.

"Nian'er is back. Will you listen to your master today?"

"Look at how fast you're running. Come quickly, let mother wipe the sweat off your face."

Hearing the familiar voice, Yongyan's body trembled violently.

Through the window sill of the private room on the third floor, he saw the familiar figure.

She looked at the girl and smiled kindly.

It was mother. She hadn't changed over the years, but she had also changed a little. He had never seen mother smile so happily.

Is this a laugh from the heart?

Is it really as Empress Shu said, that she has never been happy in the palace all these years?

"The child?"

"Oh, I heard that the master and his wife had no children, and later a group of people fled here from famine. This girl's family all died on the way. She caught a cold and had a high fever. When she woke up, she forgot everything. The master and his wife kept her and raised her as their own child..."

"You gentlemen are so lucky! Usually the cook is here, and my wife rarely cooks. But today, she was in a good mood and cooked a pot of excellent codonopsis and pigeon soup. My wife's soup is better than those of some of the old friends who have been working in the kitchen for decades. Others don't have this blessing. Would you like to try it?"

Yongyan stared at the happy family of three downstairs and said absentmindedly, "That's it. Bring on a few trendy side dishes."

"Yes, please wait a moment, the food will be here soon."

After the servant left, Yongyan was still staring at the family of three below in a daze.

The little girl was very naughty at this time. She chattered non-stop around Yanwan and then pestered Jinzhong, holding their hands and wanting to go out and play.

"Daddy, Mommy, let's go quickly. If we're any later, the Lantern Festival will start soon. Let's go..."

March Flower Festival, Hangzhou Lantern Festival.

"Slow down, it's not even dark yet, how can there be a lantern festival? You're really getting tougher and tougher..."

The few of them walked farther and farther away and soon disappeared from Yongyan's sight.

The fragrant food was soon served, and Yongyan ate so quickly that mist lingered in front of his eyes.

He also finished the pigeon soup in the bowl. It was indeed the taste he had been thinking about day and night. He thought he would never have the chance to taste it again, but he never thought he could have it again.

By nightfall, the private room where they were staying was already empty.

Yanwan and Jinzhong took Nian'er back to the pavilion, and Jinzhong was holding various lanterns in his hands.

"Madam, a strange young man came today. He left after dinner and left these things behind..."

The shopkeeper came over quickly and pointed at the counter and said with some concern.

Following the sound, I saw a thick stack of silver bills, on top of which lay a shiny gold ring and a emerald green jade ring.

"That young master said this was dropped by you..."

Yanwan's heart sank, and she turned her head to look at Jinzhong, who was also surprised.

I heard that the emperor was on his southern tour to Hangzhou, but I didn't expect to meet him so soon.

"Ma'am, he..."

Yan Wan shook her head, walked forward, took the ring and put it on her hand, then put the ring back on his hand.

"It seems that he has really grown up. Let's go, Nian'er, let's go back..."

Since he chose to leave the things behind, it meant that he would not disturb them.

Yanwan looked towards the palace with relief, then turned back, took Jinzhong's hand and got into the carriage.

The sound of horse hooves rang out, and everyone went their own way.

Soon the imperial ship set off and left Hangzhou.

......

On the third day of the first lunar month in the nineteenth year of the Jiaqing reign (1799), Emperor Qianlong Hongli, the retired emperor, passed away in the Old Summer Palace.

In the same year, Concubine Yu died.

The text is finished.

2024年6月9日——2025年1月2日。

This is the end of writing.

Thank you all for your company, see you in the sequel~