Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

Chapter 134 Talking with the Grand Tutor

Jiang Man came to her senses and heard the sound of horses' hooves outside.

A soldier outside the sedan chair reminded, "General, the ice has been cleared."

"Oh, I see."

Li Zhijing got up and walked out of the sedan chair.

The honor guard continued their journey and finally arrived at the temple before dark.

The Emperor always respected Buddhist disciples, so he did not build separate residences for the royal family. Instead, the abbot arranged for them to stay in several ordinary courtyards, just like ordinary laypeople.

As night fell, at 5:15 PM, there was a knock on Jiang Mian's door.

A maidservant announced in a low voice from outside: "Miss Jiang, the Grand Tutor requests your presence."

Jiang Wan's heart skipped a beat, and she replied, "I understand, I'm coming right away."

She put on her cloak and followed her maid.

The temple was quiet, and the Buddha statues along the roadside cast long shadows in the candlelight.

The maid led her through several corridors and finally stopped in front of a quiet room.

As you push open the door, a warm atmosphere greets you.

Inside the room, a fire was burning brightly in the stove, and tea was being brewed on a bronze stove. Wisps of steam rose into the air, mixed with a faint sandalwood fragrance.

Duan Zhi'an sat by the fire, holding a book in his hand, his gaze lowered, seemingly completely absorbed.

Several Buddha statues hung on the wall behind me, solemn and dignified, creating an atmosphere so solemn it was almost unsettling.

"Miss Jiang, didn't you have something to say? Why are you standing at the door?" he suddenly asked.

Jiang Wan was slightly taken aback, then quickly stepped forward to bow, her voice low and gentle: "I apologize for disturbing the Grand Tutor's peace."

Duan Zhian nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the pages of the book, and said calmly, "Sit down. Since you're here, you might as well speak frankly."

Jiang Mian sat down, her gaze falling on the leaping flames in the stove, the words spoken by the Marquis of Pingnan and his wife that night flashing through her mind.

It's really hard to say this; to say it bluntly would sound like I'm here to complain.

Duan Zhi'an asked, "What exactly happened at the Pingnan Marquis's residence?"

Jiang Mian swallowed hard, hesitated for a long time, but still told Duan Zhi'an the truth about the conversation between the Marquis of Pingnan and his wife that she had overheard that night.

"..."

She finished speaking in one breath, feeling inexplicably nervous.

"I didn't tell Wen Qian these things directly because I was afraid of causing her more worry. But I didn't know what to do, so after thinking it over, I came to bother the Grand Tutor."

After saying it out loud, she finally felt a little better.

Surprisingly, Duan Zhian didn't react at all.

He simply nodded, then asked in return, "Why not tell Li Zhijing? He is Qianqian's husband and the father of her child; he will surely help her."

Jiang Mian was taken aback, and before she could answer,

Duan Zhian suddenly looked up and stared intently at her.

His gaze carried no anger, yet it sent chills down one's spine.

"Why did Miss Jiang go to the trouble of seeking me out?"

Jiang Mian felt inexplicably nervous under his gaze and involuntarily sat up straight: "Zhijing... I was busy with the Emperor today and had no chance to speak."

Duan Zhian chuckled lightly: "I see. I thought you knew he wouldn't side with Qianqian."

Jiang Wan frowned slightly: "Grand Tutor's words have a hidden meaning, as if there's something deeper behind them..."

"Didn't you really feel it? Although Li Zhijing has outwardly restrained his feelings for you, he has never truly let go of them in his heart."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mian froze.

Seeing her reaction, it seems she truly hadn't noticed.

Duan Zhian then became a little more friendly and smiled, "Alright, just take it as me saying too much."

Jiang Mian lowered her eyes slightly, some recent details flashing through her mind, and her mood became complicated.

She said softly, "Thank you for the reminder, Grand Tutor. It's just a minor matter. I still hope she can have a peaceful life."

Duan Zhian nodded, glancing sideways at the sandalwood incense burning slowly in the incense burner: "A quarter of an hour has passed, Miss Jiang, please return."

Jiang Mian lowered her eyelids but showed no intention of getting up.

She knew that it was no easy feat to see Duan Zhi'an this time, and if she left now, she didn't know when she would see him again.

Now that we've finally arrived, there are some things we naturally need to ask.

After a moment's hesitation, she tentatively began, "This humble woman would like to ask, since the Second Prince returned to the palace, I have heard that some ministers in court have become sycophants. Your Highness's situation must not be easy..."

“Miss Jiang,” Duan Zhian interrupted her, “you should be careful what you say. How dare you presume to discuss matters of the imperial family?”

Although these words were spoken calmly, they struck Jiang Mian's heart like a warning bell.

In her previous life, she was the empress, but Duan Zhi'an never took her seriously.

Besides, she was just a young lady from a general's mansion at that time.

Discussing the current crown prince with him is indeed an overstepping of boundaries.

What he didn't want to talk about, naturally, was a thousand ways to keep her from speaking.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Mian composed herself and changed her tone: "Grand Tutor is right, I have spoken too much."

Duan Zhian closed the book in his hand and rubbed his temples.

This means seeing someone off.

Jiang Mian pursed her lips, slightly unwilling.

She changed the subject to a casual conversation and said, "Recently, Wen Qian has also been reading medical books. She mentioned that she wanted to find a certain medicine, but I couldn't figure it out for a while, so I wanted to ask the Grand Tutor for advice."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhi'an raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly showing some interest: "Oh? What kind of medicine?"

"She said it's a kind of medicine that makes one's mouth taste bitter all the time. I wonder if Grand Tutor has heard of it?"

Duan Zhian glanced at Jiang Mian discreetly before replying, "There are many medicines that can make people taste bitter. Sophora flavescens and Rehmannia glutinosa are both examples."

"It seems to be related to the flowers and fruits of the Trichosanthes kirilowii tree, and it is a medicine that makes people taste sweet but bitter."

"..."

"Does the Grand Tutor know?"

"I don't know."

Jiang Mian wanted to press further, but Duan Zhi'an had already turned his gaze back to the pages of the book.

Finally, he rose and bowed, saying, "I have troubled you, Grand Tutor. Farewell."

After she left, Duan Zhi'an put down the book in his hand and suddenly felt a little emotional. Xiao Hengzhi's understanding of Jiang Mian was much deeper than he had imagined.

He recalled the day he went to the Prince's mansion on short notice, when he faced Xiao Hengzhi with swords drawn.

However, they did reach an agreement on one thing: that each side would compromise.

"...Regarding the Lion's affair, and that Red Slave...I wish to express my apologies. I have informed Your Highness that you must remain in the palace and are not allowed to approach the Prince's residence. I will also ensure that Your Highness's marriage to the Chi family will ensure that you have no further involvement with Miss Jiang. Your Highness, could you please show mercy?"

"Is it because the Emperor wants to bring the Second Prince back to the palace, and the Grand Tutor is afraid that the Crown Prince will lose the Emperor's favor, that he decided to give up the Jiang family's military power and turn back to the Chi family for marriage?"

"Since Your Highness has guessed, I won't beat around the bush. As long as Your Highness agrees to no longer be an enemy of His Highness, I will speak well of you before the Emperor and arrange your marriage to Miss Jiang as soon as possible."

Duan Zhi'an thought that Ning Zhi's situation really couldn't afford to have another enemy, the Red Slave.

Moreover, the political situation in the court is currently very unpredictable. It would be a real loss to lose the emperor's trust for the sake of the Jiang family.

Xiao Hengzhi only needs to spare Ning Zhi's life to achieve his wish of marrying Jiang Mian.

No matter how you look at it, it’s not a loss.

He originally thought Xiao Hengzhi would agree immediately.

But he said, "In that case, I have one more request."

"Your Majesty, please speak freely."

"If Jiang Mian asks the Grand Tutor any questions about herself from now on, or if she asks on behalf of someone else, please do not answer."

"..."

Duan Zhian didn't understand what he meant at the time, but seeing it today, he realized that Xiao Hengzhi had thought things through very far.

She will probably never know the secret of this bitter spring.

Want to escape?

It's unlikely they can escape.

Closing the book, Duan Zhian thought of Wen Qian again.

If what Jiang Mian said is true, then this matter is indeed quite troublesome.

Now, Wen Qian's heart is still tightly bound to Li Zhijing, and she is carrying a child in her womb. How can she let go of him?

He stood up and watched the flames flicker slightly, reflecting off the statues covering the walls.

The interplay of light and shadow blurs the line between compassion and cold-bloodedness.