Chapter 251 Not Easy to Coax

Chapter 251 Not Easy to Coax

The two spent more than two months in this awkward and distant relationship. During this time, Xie Jingshu remained quiet and did not interfere in Xie Wanniang's affairs or discuss sensitive topics related to the Nanyang Prince's family with her.

She simply observed Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan silently, watching their daily lives and how they interacted, and using these observations to gauge whether Xie Wanniang truly held the upper hand in the relationship, as Xie Daoheng claimed.

After observing for more than two months, Xie Jingshu discovered that Xie Wanniang was indeed the head of the household. Jiang Yuan was completely obedient to her, and the young man never strayed from her, nor did he think about taking a concubine or taking a wife because his wife was pregnant. Instead, he continued to devote himself to accompanying his wife.

Although Jiang Yuan always maintained proper etiquette in front of her, the focused look in his eyes when he looked at Xie Wan Niang, the arm and hand that occasionally protected her from behind, the various snacks she liked that he always handed to her at just the right time, and the frequent serving of food to Xie Wan Niang whenever the three of them ate together, which Xie Wan Niang took for granted—all these seemingly strange ways of getting along demonstrated his cherishing and care for Xie Wan Niang.

This type of intimate relationship is something Xie Jingshu has never experienced, nor has she ever witnessed.

Let alone that scoundrel, the Prince of Nanyang, even the famously considerate husbands of the Xie family, such as her father and her brother, had never done anything like this for their wives.

Traditionally, it has been considered natural for wives to take care of their husbands, revolve around them, and prioritize their husbands' needs. The way Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan interact is strange, out of place, and surprising in this era.

But precisely because of this, Xie Jingshu quickly understood why Xie Wanniang was so fond of Jiang Yuan.

She felt relieved, and her previous criticisms of Jiang Yuan disappeared. A young man who was good-looking, capable, willing to risk his life for her daughter, and who also spoiled her daughter without any principles was indeed a rare find in the world. If she met him, she should hold on to him tightly.

Compared to him, Xie Daoheng's carefully selected former fiancé, or even the son-in-law that the Prince of Nanyang would choose for Xie Wan Niang if she were to return to her ancestral home, were far inferior in terms of personal ability, intention, and attitude.

Thinking about it this way, Xie Jingshu suddenly realized that Xie Wanniang was far superior to her, her mother, in both temperament and vision. And weren't the so-called elder's experience that she had always taken as her asset just a series of failures?

The night was cool and still. Lying in bed, Xie Jingshu, just like when Xie Wanniang disappeared, was once again suffering from insomnia due to her overthinking.

However, this time she did not suffer from insomnia for long. She only tossed and turned all night before deciding to listen to Xie Daoheng from now on and never interfere in Xie Wanniang's affairs again.

After making up her mind, Xie Jingshu planned to return to her Taoist temple.

She was different from other traditional women of that era, including Hu Shi.

Because she felt the child was innocent, she still chose to give birth to the child even though the man had cheated on her.

But unlike other women who have been cheated on by their husbands, she doesn't cling to her child as a lifeline, placing all her emotions and hopes, good or bad, on the child.

After returning to the Xie family and successfully transferring the responsibility of raising the child to Xie Daoheng and Madam Hu, she never took the initiative to go back to the Xie family to see the child again.

Only during festivals would she briefly return to the Xie family home with the Xie family servants sent by Xie Daoheng to fetch her.

At other times, Xie Wanniang always took the initiative to go to the Taoist temple to see her.

Although Xie Wanniang could no longer take the initiative to go to the Taoist temple to see her, she still had no intention of staying in Xie Wanniang's territory.

The mountain and the Taoist temple where she had lived for nearly twenty years were the paradise she wanted to spend the rest of her life in.

After informing Xie Wanniang, Xie Jingshu instructed the servants to start packing her luggage.

Although she became a nun, she still lived a very comfortable life because her family supported her. She never deprived herself of food, clothing, housing, or transportation, and she was always accompanied by two strong maids who were responsible for taking care of and protecting her.

With no worries about food and clothing, and someone to take care of her daily life, Xie Jingshu didn't have to worry about or give anything to others. She could do whatever she wanted every day, and she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to do. Moreover, since she had become a nun, she no longer had to be bound by worldly rules and etiquette. In fact, Xie Jingshu's life was more comfortable than that of Hu Shi, the matriarch of the Xie family who was still in the secular world.

Therefore, no matter how others gossiped behind her back about how she had been bitten by a snake once and was now overly cautious, or how much they lamented that she had ruined her later life for a scoundrel, Xie Jingshu had no intention of going down the mountain to return home, live with her brother, sister-in-law, and daughter, or even remarry.

The same applies now. She may want to mend her relationship with Xie Wanniang, but that doesn't mean she's willing to live with Xie Wanniang forever.

Seeing that Xie Wanniang was indeed living a good life, Xie Jingshu began to miss her mountain life.

However, before leaving, she swallowed her pride and apologized to Xie Wanniang for forcing her to acknowledge her ancestors. Although an apology couldn't change anything, it at least made Xie Wanniang feel a little better, right?

As for whether Xie Wanniang would forgive her, Xie Jingshu felt that Xie Wanniang was unlikely to be so easily appeased.

As it turned out, she was right; Xie Wanniang was indeed not so easy to coax.

Xie Jingshu felt slightly regretful, but she did not force Xie Wanniang to forgive her.

She boarded a carriage and, surrounded by her nephews, servants, and guards, left Zijing Pass and returned to Tang County.

Because Xie Wanniang brought gifts for Xie Daoheng, Hu Shi, and other members of the Xie family who were close to her, their first stop was not the Taoist temple where Xie Jingshu practiced her seclusion, but Xie Family Village, where the Xie clan lived.

They first had to deliver the things and letters that Xie Wanniang had prepared for Xie Daoheng and the others to Xie Family Village, and then send Xie Jingshu and her personal belongings to the Taoist temple in the mountains.

Just as Xie Wanniang had secretly planned, she gave Xie Jingshu a lot of gold, silver, brocade, cloth, tea and other items as a stipend for Xie Jingshu, who was now an adult.

Xie Jingshu didn't engage in any polite formalities with her. She knew that Xie Wanniang was simply fulfilling the responsibility she felt she should.

After seeing Xie Jingshu off, Xie Wanniang breathed a sigh of relief. Although Xie Jingshu had been very sensible during this time, Xie Wanniang still felt uneasy with her staying here.