Chapter 137: Blocking The Snow

Jiang Xuening almost jumped three feet high in excitement but managed to maintain a dignified demeanor in front of Xie Wei. However, the joy and smile in her eyes were unmistakable. 

She didn’t hold back her praise, “Master, you are so understanding and considerate!”

Xie Wei waved his hand for Jian Shu to fetch the silver notes for her and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of others gossiping when you make such a big fuss?”

Jiang Xuening’s eyes sparkled as she replied, “Lord Zhang saved my life, so I’m repaying his kindness!”

Repaying kindness. Xie Wei repeated the words in his mind and glanced at her, “That’s a good excuse. I thought you were going to take this opportunity to express your feelings to him.”

Jiang Xuening was stunned. 

The words “express your feelings” hit her like a few beads suddenly dropping onto her heart, causing a moment of chaos. 

“How… how could that be?” she instinctively denied, as she had never had such a thought.

Seeing her flustered expression, Xie Wei smirked inwardly: she has the heart but not the courage. 

Just then, Jian Shu returned with the silver notes. Jiang Xuening quickly took them, calmed herself, bowed to Xie Wei, and left the courtyard. 

Only after stepping out did she realize how tense she had been in front of Xie Wei.

Jian Shu handed over the silver notes and stood silently. Xie Wei watched her figure disappear around the corner, then released his grip on the door frame and returned inside. The light reflecting off the snow outside had left his eyes feeling dazzled. He slowly closed his eyes to rest.

Then he said, “Call Xiao Dingfei.”

*

As expected, the restaurant manager sent someone over in the evening. With the thousand taels of silver notes in hand, Jiang Xuening felt unusually wealthy. Under Xiao Bao’s astonished gaze, she immediately paid the bill. The restaurant staff discussed the menu with her. 

Knowing that Zhang Zhe preferred light flavors and wasn’t fond of extravagant dishes, she decided on a refined and innovative menu. As for the wine, Zhang Zhe had a low tolerance, but the doctor said a little wouldn’t hurt after a few days of rest. 

In the cold weather, the best choice was premium Shaoxing Huadiao wine, warmed on the stove.

Jiang Xuening hadn’t expected to use her skills from organizing palace banquets in such a situation. Planning a small feast was no challenge after handling grand palace banquets. 

She finalized everything in less than half an hour. The restaurant staff, recognizing her noble status, didn’t dare to be careless. 

They sent the chef to inspect the kitchen at Shangqing Temple and delivered the necessary utensils and wine for the New Year’s Eve feast in advance.

*

Originally, Xiao Yuan and the others were going to reward the soldiers who had not returned to the capital, so the comings and goings of people were not much noticed. Jiang Xuening was watching them move things into the kitchen but soon got lost in thought.

“I thought you were going to take this opportunity to express your feelings to him…” Xie Wei’s earlier words echoed in her mind like a haunting ghost. 

Her heart inexplicably beat faster. Although she knew she hadn’t originally had that thought and shouldn’t think in that direction, Xie Wei’s words were irresistibly tempting.

Jiang Xuening found she couldn’t shake off those words. As the saying goes, “A man chasing a woman is like climbing a mountain, but a woman chasing a man is like a thin veil.” 

She liked Zhang Zhe. What’s shameful or wrong about pursuing what she wanted and revealing her feelings?

So, tomorrow night…

“Second Miss Jiang! Second Miss Jiang!” A hand suddenly patted her shoulder, nearly scaring her out of her wits. She shivered, and the thoughts in her head vanished. She turned around to see Xiao Dingfei.

This scoundrel had been shot through the shoulder by Xie Wei a few days ago and was miserably taken down as a traitor of the Tianjiao sect. Due to his special status, he was placed under house arrest. 

His name, “Dingfei,” had caught the attention of the court officials during the initial interrogation. They noticed his resemblance to Duke Xiao Yuan and speculated about his identity. It was said that Duke Xiao Yuan had visited him once, entering anxiously and leaving with a face like thunder.

Although he was a prisoner, no one in Shangqing Temple dared to disrespect him, so his days were more carefree than when he was with the Tianjiao sect. His shoulder injury didn’t stop him from wandering around. 

Yesterday, he even took two guards to a brothel, boasting to the courtesans, “I’ve made it big this time. Do you know who I am? I’m the illegitimate son of Duke Xiao Yuan, who even the emperor fears!”

When this news reached Xiao Yuan, he was furious. However, since Xie Wei had captured him, Xiao Yuan couldn’t do anything before returning to the capital, fearing it would arouse Xie Wei’s suspicion. He had to swallow his anger.

In contrast, Xiao Dingfei continued to wear luxurious clothes and carried a gilded fan in the middle of winter, pretending to be elegant.

 He had been standing behind her for some time, looking at her with a strange expression. “What are you thinking about so seriously?”

There was no sound from inside the door. Xiao Dingfei stood for a while, then stomped his foot and left. Jiang Xuening listened carefully, and only when she heard his footsteps fade away did she open the door a crack. 

Seeing that the courtyard was indeed empty, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had finally gotten rid of that pest.

*

The next day, Xiao Dingfei didn’t show up either, which made Jiang Xuening feel much more at ease. By evening, the chef from the restaurant had already prepared the feast and set it up in a quiet corner of the Daozang building at Shangqing Temple. 

She then sent Xiao Bao to inform Zhang Zhe and changed into her light blue dress, draped in a crane cloak, planning to pick up Zhang Zhe on the way.

But as she walked halfway, a figure suddenly jumped out from the side, smiling, “Ah, I caught up just in time. I heard the feast is ready. Shall we go now?”

In that instant, Jiang Xuening’s face darkened. She stopped and gritted her teeth, “Young Master Dingfei, I told you I didn’t invite you!”

Xiao Dingfei, as sly as a fox, waved his hand, “Oh, it’s fine. I already invited Lord Zhang on your behalf this afternoon. Now we can all go together, isn’t that perfect?”

He invited Zhang Zhe this afternoon?!!!

Jiang Xuening was so angry her nose almost twisted. She pointed at him, her hand trembling, “What right do you have to invite him to my feast? And how can you be so shameless!”

Xiao Dingfei shrugged with a helpless expression, “Lord Zhang said he would join us later. If Second Miss Jiang really doesn’t want me there, I’ll just have to apologize to Lord Zhang and tell him the truth…”

Jiang Xuening was speechless, “You—”

In this world, the shameless always bully the decent, and the thick-skinned bully the thin-skinned. In this regard, Jiang Xuening was no match for Xiao Dingfei. She was so angry she almost exploded. She gritted her teeth, glared at him, and finally suppressed her anger, forcing a smile, “Fine, fine, fine.”

It had snowed heavily again today. The unswept areas of Shangqing Temple were buried in snow, leaving footprints with each step. Standing in the snow, holding an oil-paper umbrella, her light blue dress wrapped in white fox fur, she smiled, looking breathtakingly beautiful. 

Xiao Dingfei felt half his body go numb. He had no resistance to beautiful women and almost said, “Then I won’t go,” but managed to hold back at the last moment, smiling awkwardly, “I just don’t have a place to eat. Please forgive me.”

His appearance was truly infuriating. Jiang Xuening took a few steps forward, her temper flaring. She bent down, scooped up a handful of snow, and threw a snowball at Xiao Dingfei! 

Xiao Dingfei, caught off guard, shouted, “Hey, what’s wrong with you? Can’t win an argument, so you resort to violence? Are you a gentleman? This is a new outfit I just bought, and the girls at Xingchun Pavilion praised it yesterday! Stop, hey, stop hitting me!”

Jiang Xuening ignored him, silently throwing snowballs at him to vent her anger. 

Xiao Dingfei, trying to protect his clothes, ran towards Zhang Zhe’s residence, shouting, “Help! I’m being attacked!”

Jiang Xuening followed him unhurriedly, knowing he wouldn’t dare fight back. They soon reached Zhang Zhe’s place, where Xiao Bao was standing under the eaves, and Zhang Zhe had just come out. 

Seeing Zhang Zhe from a distance, Jiang Xuening stopped, acting as if nothing had happened. 

She walked past the snow-covered Xiao Dingfei and stood under the eaves, greeting Zhang Zhe warmly, “Lord Zhang, you look much better.”

Zhang Zhe walked down the steps, noticing the fine snow still falling outside, and frowned slightly. He said, “Second Miss, did you come out without an umbrella?”

“Of course, I had an umbrella. But just now…” Jiang Xuening began to explain that she had forgotten, but before she could finish, Xiao Dingfei, standing behind her, suddenly grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at the back of her head!

Jiang Xuening couldn’t see what was happening behind her and didn’t notice. However, Zhang Zhe, standing in front of her, saw it clearly. 

His already furrowed brows tightened further. He pulled Jiang Xuening a step forward, raising his wide sleeve to shield her head.

With a “swoosh,” the snowball hit Zhang Zhe’s sleeve, scattering and making a mess. 

Jiang Xuening almost bumped into his chest. It wasn’t until she felt the sleeve blocking her and the light dimming that she realized what had happened. 

She looked up at Zhang Zhe’s stern face, her heart pounding like a deer.

She was stunned for a moment before she reacted, stepping out from under Zhang Zhe’s protective sleeve. 

She glared angrily at the grinning Xiao Dingfei, “Are you looking for trouble?!”

Xiao Dingfei, with a mischievous smile, took advantage of his long legs and ran away. Jiang Xuening, her face flushed, didn’t dare look at Zhang Zhe’s expression. 

Seeing Xiao Dingfei run, she pretended to chase him with a snowball.

Xiao Dingfei, not daring to fight back this time, shouted, “You’re really merciless!”

Jiang Xuening retorted, “People usually feel indebted when they eat or take something from others, but you dare to fight back after freeloading at my feast!”

Zhang Zhe watched her retreating figure, his eyes lowered in silence. He gently brushed the snow off his sleeve before following. His residence was not far from Xie Wei’s, and the path to the Daozang building passed by it.

Jiang Xuening hit Xiao Dingfei on the back of the head with a snowball, venting her anger. 

Looking up, she saw Jian Shu standing outside with his sword. The courtyard behind him was almost completely cleared of snow, and the house was dark, as if no one lived there.

Jiang Xuening was puzzled, “Aren’t you going with the master?”

Jian Shu, seeing them approach, asked, “Going where?”

Jiang Xuening replied, “To reward the soldiers for New Year’s Eve.”

Jian Shu coldly said, “The master isn’t going.”

Xie Wei isn’t going? Jiang Xuening was slightly surprised and glanced at the dark house behind Jian Shu. Not going to reward the soldiers on New Year’s Eve, and with his parents deceased and no other known family… She wanted to say something but held back.

Xie Wei wasn’t like Xiao Dingfei. 

She slowly said, “Oh,” ignoring the strange feeling in her heart, and smiled, “Then we won’t disturb you. We’ll go ahead.”

No one dared to speak loudly here. Jiang Xuening and Xiao Dingfei, who had been chasing each other with snowballs, quieted down. The three of them, along with Xiao Bao, walked through the thick, crunching snow to the Daozang building.

In front of the small courtyard, Jian Shu remained standing. Every year at this time, they never dared to stray too far and had to endure it together. 

Remembering the scene he had just witnessed, Jian Shu muttered, “Second Miss Jiang is quite heartless.”

From the shadows on the courtyard wall, a voice retorted, “She has a heart.”

Jian Shu turned to look. Dao Qin’s figure was barely visible in the darkness, but he was clearly awake, adding, “Just not for the master.”

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