Before Shen Dingzhu could answer, Xu Huaisong had already spoken calmly on her behalf: "She is from White Lion City."
The fourth prince looked at the two of them, narrowed his eyes slightly, but did not ask any more questions. After a while, the jar of wine was finished, and the fourth prince asked Xu Huaisong to call the shopkeeper.
"Tell him to bring over the jug of grape wine that I have stored here. If you don't drink it now, I'm afraid that after the city is destroyed, the grandsons of Jin will be taken advantage of."
Xu Huaisong nodded, got up and went out to find the shopkeeper.
Not long after he left, as soon as the door closed, the fourth prince suddenly grabbed Shen Dingzhu's wrist, dragged her directly, and pressed her down on the low couch for people to rest under the window!
"Ah——!" Shen Dingzhu exclaimed, raised his hand and resisted desperately.
The fourth prince exerted great force and held her wrists firmly. He also ordered the guards around him: "Come here and hold her shoulders for me!"
Three men came over and directly fixed Shen Dingzhu on the low couch beside him.
The fourth prince turned around and poured all the wine in the cup into his hands, then stepped forward and scrubbed Shen Dingzhu's cheeks hard.
The turbid wine was mixed with yellow dirt. After it was washed away, an originally white face was revealed.
The fourth prince threw away the wine glass, with a arrogant sneer on his rough face.
"You're a little girl, you're quite strong. I've played with hundreds of women. I could tell what you looked like as soon as you walked in. You have yellow powder on your face and thick eyebrows. Do you really think you can deceive me?" "
He said, looking down, which made Shen Dingzhu feel obscene and disgusting.
The fourth prince looked at the body under the rough clothes, as if he could see through his eyes. He sneered: "This bitch knows how to hide. If I hadn't been more experienced, I would have almost been deceived by her."
Shen Dingzhu struggled unmoving and was controlled into a "big" shape, lying on the low couch in humiliation.
Her dark eyes filled with tender anger: "Why do you, Your Highness, embarrass me, a weak and powerless woman like me? What do you want?"
The fourth prince snorted coldly: "I just like people who disobey. The more fierce a woman is, the more I like her."
He said, pulling at the wound on his face: "Hiss, damn, the claws are so sharp."
The guard next to him stepped forward and took a look: "Your Highness, this woman gave you three marks on your face."
The fourth prince was a little angry: "Hurry, before Huaisong comes back, tie her up and throw her into the carriage. On the way back to the capital, I need a woman by my side to relieve my boredom."
The guards looked at each other a little hesitantly.
"How should I explain it to my cousin?"
"Explain it!" the fourth prince spat, "Does he still dare to fight with me over a woman? Hurry up and stop talking nonsense!"
After he finished speaking, he turned around and went to the copper basin to look at the mark on his face.
Two guards took out ropes and tied up Shen Dingzhu.
Shen Dingzhu did not hesitate, opened his mouth and shouted: "Help! Help... ugh!"
A handkerchief was stuffed into her mouth.
The guard scolded fiercely: "If you scream again, I will knock you out."
Her strength was no match for theirs, so she was pinned down on the couch and her hands were forced to be cut behind her back. The guard quickly tied a rope around her wrists.
Sudden!
There was a "bang" sound, and the door was kicked open.
Shen Dingzhu couldn't look back and only heard the fourth prince shout in surprise: "Huaisong."
Then there was a shattering sound of "pop".
Someone threw a jug of wine on the guard's head. The guard fell limply to the ground before he could tie Shen Dingzhu tightly.
Shen Dingzhu was grabbed by the arm by a big hand and pulled up from the low couch.
Xu Huaisong's face remained unchanged, but he quickly removed the rope from her body, and then took off the handkerchief from her mouth.
When the fourth prince came over, Xu Huaisong pulled her behind him.
"Huaisong, she is just a woman. I fell in love with her because of her beauty. Since you have nothing to do with her, I just teased her. You won't be angry, right?" The fourth prince apologized and said with a smile.
Both of them are cousins. Although the fourth prince behaves absurdly and frivolously, Xu Huaisong is not qualified to say anything to him.
Xu Huaisong's eyes were a little cold, but his words were still as calm and calm as before.
"Cousin, Miss Xibao is my guest, and I have to rely on her to protect my antique calligraphy and paintings."
The fourth prince looked gloomy.
He was about to speak, but Xu Huaisong said: "Besides, she is indeed mine. I treat my cousin as a family member, so I brought her to meet you. You treat her like this-"
Xu Huaisong paused and showed a rare sneer.
"Do you think I'm angry or not?"
Shen Dingzhu was slightly startled behind him.
The fourth prince was surprised: "Your people?"
He was just confused for a moment, and then quickly figured it out.
No wonder it was kept hidden and dared not be announced loudly to the outside world, probably for fear that Mrs. Xu’s mother-in-law would be unhappy if she found out.
It is perfectly normal for men of their status to have a wife outside.
The fourth prince had countless wives. One look at Shen Dingzhu's figure and guessed that she might have given birth to children by Xu Huaisong.
He immediately reacted: "You didn't tell me earlier! It's my cousin's fault that you are so alienated from me. You can return to Beijing someday and I will apologize to you."
Xu Huaisong pursed his thin lips into a straight line, and his cold narrow eyes looked particularly cold.
It looked like he was really angry.
The fourth prince looked at Shen Dingzhu behind him and shouted with a smile: "Brothers and sisters, don't be angry with your cousin."
It was such an embarrassment that the Fourth Prince couldn't let go of his anger. He simply said: "It's getting late. I'm going to leave for Beijing. Huaisong, see you in Kyoto."
After saying that, he cupped his hands and left with the guards.
As soon as they left, Xu Huaisong let go of Shen Dingzhu's wrist.
Seeing that her body was stained with wine, her face was also washed with yellow and white patches.
Xu Huaisong lowered his head: "Sorry, it's all my fault for being careless and letting you be alone with him."
Shen Dingzhu rubbed her sore wrist. She felt a little nauseous.
At that moment, I couldn't help but think of Xiao Langyan.
If he were here, the fourth prince's wrist would have been cut off long ago.
Shen Dingzhu suppressed the feelings in her heart and said to Xu Huaisong: "You don't need to apologize. It was the fourth prince who was wrong. You have done your best. However, I think I should leave early and ask you after I leave White Lion City." Pay me the remaining wages, I want to set off home."
Even if she had passed it before, there was still a way to return to the Jin Dynasty, but it was a little slow.
That is to go to the inn to buy a carriage, and then buy a maid. She can drive the carriage, but she can't run fast.
But the prerequisite for riding a carriage was to avoid the border line where the war was ongoing and start from the south. Shen Dingzhu had seen the topographic map from Xu Huaisong. She only needed to go around two prefectures and counties before giving up the carriage. Take the waterway directly to Hanzhou of Jin State.
When Xu Huaisong heard this, he asked calmly: "Why are you so impatient? The current situation is turbulent. You are alone and you will definitely not be able to return to Jin."
After thinking about it, his eyes deepened: "Did what I just said trouble you? Saying that you are mine is just a delaying tactic to fool my cousin. If it offends Si Bao Girl, I apologize."
Shen Dingzhu shook his head.
"Actually, I had already thought of leaving early. It will take more than a month to walk from White Lion City to Kyoto. Then my journey home will be even longer. Plus, if I go to the capital, if I meet the fourth prince, I'm afraid It will be embarrassing and cause misunderstanding to Mrs. Xu, so I’d better leave early.”
Xu Huaisong did not answer, and his emotions and thoughts could not be seen in his calmly lowered eyes.
Shen Dingzhu thought that he must be worried that after she left, no one would be able to help him maintain the antique calligraphy and paintings.
She added: "Xiaoxia and Xiaohui have been following me for a few months. They have learned everything they need to learn. They are just a little bit new to the skills. But if I give them more opportunities to practice, they will definitely grow up quickly."
Only then did Xu Huaisong speak with a calm tone: "It's all up to you."
When they returned home, they got off the carriage. Shen Dingzhu was blessed and hurried towards his house.
Xu Huaisong stood there and looked at her for a moment, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Although there was no relationship between them, someone deliberately spread the news to Mrs. Xu's ears, so the uncle took Miss Shibao out alone. When she came back, Miss Shibao lowered her head, as if she was shy.
Mrs. Xu slapped the table angrily, with a pair of gloomy eyes that were very sharp: "This fox girl really can't sit still anymore and actually started to seduce the uncle. If I don't keep her, she will be killed by the rebel army!"
That night.
Xu Huaisong received news that the Jin Dynasty's elite soldiers and generals had surrounded them. In less than a day, the army would approach the White Lion City.
He asked Mrs. Xu to have the servants pack their things immediately and leave early tomorrow morning.
Xu Huaisong, on the other hand, had to rush to call a few shop assistants to take care of the shop and the bank.
He told Mrs. Xu: "After I take care of things tonight, I won't come back. I'll wait for you tomorrow morning at the location ten miles out of the White Lion City."
Mrs. Xu nodded: "Don't worry, uncle, I will arrange the rest."
Before Xu Huaisong left, he reminded her: "Remember to call Miss Sibao. She doesn't know that our plan to leave is ahead of schedule, and the yard she lives in is in a remote area, so let her prepare in advance."
It was too late and it was inconvenient for him to enter other girls' courtyards, so he handed it over to his wife.
A dark color flashed across Mrs. Xu's eyes, and her face was attentive: "Don't worry, sir. If you miss anyone, you won't miss Miss Xibao."
