After the arranged marriage, she farms and survives under the tutelage of the villainous boss.

She often felt that Xie Shuheng sometimes had a bit of a mental illness.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Xie Shuheng said, "My wife used to avoid me like the plague, and even wanted to save up money and leave. Now, she actually dares to tell me to shut up."

Jiang Zhiyun simply couldn't stand Xie Shuheng's behavior.

I don't want to say more, because I feel like if I say more, they'll immediately stick to me, which is terrifying.

Xie Shuheng held her tightly in his arms and said earnestly, "Yunniang, this is the only way I can guarantee you won't leave."

"An explanation is definitely needed. We'll put on an act during the day, and I'll explain at night. I've even prepared a washboard."

Jiang Zhiyun thought he had learned some glib talk from somewhere.

Who knew he actually brought it? Jiang Zhiyun watched as he took it out from behind his back.

……

No wonder he had one hand behind his back the whole time; he was getting ready to use the washboard.

She wanted to laugh, but was afraid of ruining her composure, so she stared at Xie Shuheng with a complicated expression.

"Then explain. I want it clear and concise. If you can't explain it well, or if you're hiding something, a washboard won't help; I'll just pack you up and kick you out."

"You'll never see Little Rice Ball again."

Jiang Zhiyun frowned deeply.

Xie Shuheng held her soft hand, which was a little cool, and warmed it in his palm.

He held Jiang Zhiyun tightly in his arms, not letting her run away.

He has a very pleasant voice and speaks very logically.

“Continuing from what I just said, she came to Huamanlou very early, around the same time as us, to the Northwest. But she never looked for me.”

“If I had a relationship with her, look at how long Hua Manlou has been here and she has never contacted me. She would rather go to Xiao Su than come to me.”

"This shows that what she wanted was never me. She only tried to curry favor with me because Hua Manlou was shut down."

"Have you asked her if she has any contact with Xiao Su?" Jiang Zhiyun asked.

"I asked, and she said no."

Jiang Zhiyun understood: Gu Wanzhi had a hidden connection, and the visible connection was Xie Shuheng.

"Was she coerced?" Based on these things alone, it's hard to say that Gu Wanzhi is a bad person. Jiang Zhiyun thought that as a lady from a prominent family, it was more likely that she was coerced.

Xie Shuheng shook his head: "I've tested them and checked carefully. There's nothing there."

"Even so, it is only right to give her a place to stay. Yunniang, I need to make this clear to you."

“The Gu family was on good terms with my family back then. Although I have investigated and found out that my family was not implicated in the imprisonment, there was still some connection. So, unless I am forced to, I will take good care of their only daughter.”

Xie Shuheng spoke with great sincerity.

“I arranged for her to be cared for without any other feelings; she was just an old friend. I have always simply treated her as an old friend and taken care of her.”

"Ah."

Jiang Zhiyun nodded: "That's understandable. If you don't care, I'm afraid my husband will abandon his wife and children and give up everything for a little official position."

Marriage has always been about marrying a gentleman who is polite and virtuous.

"This matter has been explained. There's no problem arranging the room, and there's no problem with her coming to find you. But what about leaving a mark on your clothes?"

Jiang Zhiyun said, "They deliberately told me all this, and they even managed to do it right in front of me, which shows that they have spies around you."

"Xie Shuheng, I reckon the Censorate and the Emperor are also involved in this battle. It's not just a duel between you and Xiao Su."

Jiang Zhiyun didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse. In her previous life, Xie Shuheng was all alone and didn't have these kinds of problems. He was the only one causing trouble, and Jiang Zhiyun had no idea about any of it.

Therefore, it is impossible to determine.

Now that she's here, it's a completely new direction.

I originally thought things might be heading in a positive direction, but it seems like this has only made him more enemies.

"I don't know if it's right or wrong for me to come with you like this."

Jiang Zhiyun felt a little flustered.

Xie Shuheng wasn't worried at all: "Yunniang, there's no mistake. It will only be better if you come."

"If you don't come, it's perfectly normal for the entire imperial city to turn against me."

Speaking of this, Xie Shuheng said, "Do you know why I'm so sure that Gu Wanzhi's family affairs have nothing to do with my father?"

"And you won't be blamed for something just because you have a good relationship with someone."

As Xie Shuheng said this, a mocking smile appeared in his eyes.

Jiang Zhiyun shook her head.

Then she tentatively asked, "Is it...is it that my father-in-law didn't die because of treason?"

"Treason is just a pretext."

Jiang Zhiyun was really just guessing based on her gut feeling. She just felt that something was off.

To everyone's surprise, Xie Shuheng nodded and said, "Mm."

"Indeed."

"There are many secrets in the palace, and all sorts of miscellaneous books with various versions, but you always manage to stumble upon one that suits your taste by sheer luck."

“My parents were a harmonious couple. My mother had an older sister, a twin sister, who married the emperor.”

"The person she loves is my father."

Jiang Zhiyun rubbed her head, somewhat expecting that such things might happen in the palace.

Even now, hearing Xie Shuheng say it like that still gives me a headache.

"Have they... kept in touch?"

Jiang Zhiyun's question was already quite veiled.

"Even if we take a step back and say that the emperor has three thousand beauties in his harem, can't he just let our aunt go?"

Now that Jiang Zhiyun has married into the family, she has already taken the initiative to speak on Xie Shuheng's side.

Xie Shuheng rubbed her head.

"The Emperor really likes my aunt. What young girl doesn't dream of love? When my aunt was young, she admired my father, but my father was deeply in love with my mother. After my aunt entered the palace, she let go of her feelings. Later, when she learned that my parents were getting married, she sincerely blessed them and continued to treat us and my family well."

Jiang Zhiyun nodded.

"Later, after my aunt gave birth to my eldest son, the emperor discovered her feelings and found the letters she had written to my father when she was young, expressing her love for him."

"So, my aunt died tragically."

"She died right after giving birth to her eldest son?"

Jiang Zhiyun found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Yes." Xie Shuheng nodded. "My aunt passed away, and the secret went with her. After that, my father was constantly targeted. My mother was naive by nature, and it was only by getting information out of her that I learned the key to this matter."

"But I learned everything. When I knew my father was in danger, he had already been killed to protect me."

Xie Shuheng smiled bitterly: "Yunniang, sitting in that supreme position, you can hold the power of life and death, bully others at will, and even take their lives."

"A single sentence caused trouble for our whole family."

Xie Shuheng laughed and said, "And the reason is just that absurd."