The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 128 May You Find a Good Match
The north wind whips up the catkins, and the snowflakes fly everywhere.

Outside the capital, thousands of acres of fertile fields were covered in white, distant mountains were dressed in silver, and nearby trees were draped in jade armor.

"Third Master, please speak." Shang Mingshu, wrapped in a plain white fox fur coat, almost blended into the snowy landscape. She hugged the hand warmer and incense burner tightly, not wanting to remain silent with Cheng Mian in front of her.

I long for the warmth inside the carriage.

Cheng Mian's deep-set eyes were filled with a greedy and complex expression as he stared intently at Shang Mingshu.

Only when Shang Mingshu turned her clear gaze did he awkwardly withdraw it, his eyes falling on the snow-covered ground. As soon as he spoke, a chill ran through him, enveloping his entire body and penetrating to his very bones: "I... I should personally apologize to Third Sister..."

Shang Mingshu stared at Cheng Mian silently for a moment, then her lips curled into a distant smile: "Why did you say sorry, Third Master? I don't understand. To be honest... I should say I'm sorry to Third Master for disrupting your plans..."

Cheng She didn't mention Cheng Mian's subsequent plans, but Shang Mingshu pieced together from Cheng Mian's attitude that Cheng Mian wanted to marry Lady Yan in order to make contact with the Yan family and uproot them completely.

In the long run, this is more satisfying than what Shang Mingshu did, and it can also eliminate the root of the problem. But Shang Mingshu is just a merchant's daughter. She has been pampered since childhood, living a life of luxury and has never suffered any grievances. She does not understand the meaning of "a gentleman's revenge is never too late" or "everyone bows down in the face of power".

She only knew that if anyone made her feel even slightly aggrieved, no matter what their background or how powerful they were, she had to vent her anger immediately, otherwise she would feel stifled and resentful, and everything would go wrong for her.

She drove Lady Yan to her death, and Cheng Mian lost the woman he was going to marry.

Cheng Mian felt a stab to his heart. He looked at Shang Mingshu in a panic, only to meet her all-knowing gaze. It was as if she had stripped him of all his cover in the freezing cold, leaving his thoughts laid bare before her eyes. Those eyes, though not sharp, were piercingly sharper than arrows. She used her gaze to pierce his heart like a thousand arrows.

Cheng Mian hunched slightly: "Ming Shu... do you despise me? Despise me for being careless and being schemed against? Despise me for hiding things from you and not being honest enough? Despise me for being timid and cowardly and not daring to face you..."

With her fingertips gently caressing the incense burner in her bosom, Shang Mingshu's gaze fell on the distant thatched hut, where icicles hung from the eaves and frost covered the firewood: "People's natures differ; their ways of handling things vary according to their nature. You and I have different temperaments and different ways of doing things, so how can I dislike you just because we act differently?"

She and Cheng Mian are two completely different individuals with different personalities, different positions, and different thoughts and concerns. Her disagreement does not mean that she has the right to hate them.

She neither hated nor disliked Cheng Mian.

As for Cheng Mian being framed...

She didn't think it was Cheng Mian's carelessness. He was about to enter a much larger and more complex power struggle. There were countless smart people in this place. Even the powerful and influential Chief Minister Yan, who had held power for more than ten years, had experienced ups and downs throughout his life. Could he have escaped every scheme?

It would be too harsh to blame Cheng Mian simply because he was framed.

Shang Mingshu's answer made Cheng Mian's hands tremble slightly, and he felt his fingertips gradually losing sensation: "If...if...I confess to you and ask for your help, would you...abandon me?"

"No," Shang Mingshu answered decisively and firmly.

Cheng Mian ultimately didn't understand her enough. Long before she took a liking to Cheng Mian, she had already included him in her own group. She would never allow anyone to bully her people. If Cheng Mian had told her the whole story immediately and asked her for help, she would definitely have stood up for him.

As if an invisible blade had slashed through his heart, Cheng Mian could clearly feel his beating heart and blood freezing cold, so cold that his vision blurred... His lips turned purplish-black. Even though he shouldn't ask, he couldn't help but ask, "Would you... hate me because of...?"

Cheng Mian spoke cryptically, recalling the letter Shang Mingshu had written to him when she was in Yuhang, mentioning Chen Che's promise to Shang Zishu that he would not accept two men. He hadn't replied to her then, since their status was still undetermined, and Shang Mingshu was someone who didn't want any intimate words in their correspondence. He also suppressed his surging love and kept these things in his heart, waiting for the day they got married so that he could tell her in person that he could do it too!
Shang Mingshu didn't realize it at first, but seeing Cheng Mian swaying precariously, she finally understood...

A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, which she quickly concealed. If it were seen by Cheng Mian, it would only hurt him more. She and Cheng Mian were destined to be apart, but at least they had shared a beautiful time together. Cheng Mian disappointed her, but he never hurt or betrayed her. She still did not want to hurt the young man who had such a sincere heart for her.

"Third Master, why ask such a question?" She sighed softly. "Even now, I don't know if I would mind..."

Before Shang Mingshu could finish speaking, Cheng Mian opened his mouth and couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, the bright red blooming against the snow, particularly glaring.

"Third Master!" Shang Mingshu threw down the hand warmer and rushed over.

Cheng Mian lost his balance and knelt on one knee. Shang Mingshu rushed over, and he instinctively hugged her tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder and burying his face in her neck. Large tears fell, some disappearing into the soft fur of her fox fur coat, and some rolling down her neck and into her body.

Shang Mingshu felt the liquid that was initially warm but quickly turned cold. She stopped struggling and let Cheng Mian's arms turn into chains, locking her tightly through their thick clothes.

Her hand gently stroked Cheng Mian's back, and Cheng Mian's tears became even more uncontrollable.

He knew this was his last act of recklessness, and also her last act of forgiveness.

He missed out on such a kind and beautiful woman; it was his misfortune.

She thought she had hidden it very well, but he still saw it, and she didn't mind...

She didn't mind that he had been intimate with other women before marrying her because she trusted him, not because he was promiscuous or unable to control himself, and she forgave him for being schemed against.

He could have been a little braver, trusted her a little more, understood her a little better, and been a little more shameless...

He will not lose her.

“Ming Shu, I underestimated you. I was afraid you would suffer hardships, and I thought I was protecting you. But I didn’t know you had the resilience of a winter plum, you were not afraid of frost and snow… I am not worthy of you.”

At that moment, Cheng Mian clearly realized that even though he was well-read, he was not worthy of Shang Mingshu's intelligence.

The way she dealt with the Yan family was something none of them had ever imagined. In their eyes, Chief Minister Yan was a treacherous and wicked minister, and their hatred for him clouded their judgment, making it difficult for them to uphold justice.

They were unwilling to recall the deeds and achievements of the Prime Minister Yan, whom they loathed and hated, and even less willing to sing his praises for personal gain. Those who sought to curry favor with Prime Minister Yan were all of impure motives, and they dared not use this opportunity to get closer to him, lest he misunderstand their words as sarcasm.

She can do it; she handles things so cleanly and efficiently.

She deserves a better man.

"A famous beauty..."

May you find a good match, so that you may have someone to share your days and nights, someone to understand your joys and sorrows, and be cherished and valued year after year.

Cheng Mian couldn't say those words aloud; he could only offer his blessings in his heart.