Famine and Chaos: Weaving Cloth in Exile to Escape the War

Logically, Shen Qingzhou, knowing that he was tricked by Jing Ziming into marrying the original owner, should have harbored resentment and treated the original owner coldly.

Yet he accepted the marriage with unusual calmness and treated the original owner so well that there was nothing wrong with him.

When he returned home from court, he would always remember to bring the original owner a bag of osmanthus cake from the west end of the street, or some newly harvested candied plums from the east market.

Knowing that the original owner was afraid of the cold, he would instruct people to place charcoal braziers in the house to keep warm every autumn. Knowing that the original owner loved reading poetry, he would often find rare poetry collections for the original owner.

Shen Qingzhou's thoughtfulness and attentiveness made it seem as if the two had truly known each other since childhood and shared a deep bond of childhood sweethearts.

Jing Zhichun, a woman who had grown up in seclusion and had never interacted with men, unknowingly gave her heart to Shen Qingzhou under his daily tender care and fell deeply in love with him.

However, their relationship was also quite strange.

That means the two have been married for two years, but Shen Qingzhou has never touched the original owner of this body.

Whenever Jing Zhichun showed any interest in getting close, Shen Qingzhou always managed to refuse with some other reason.

It might be, "Today's court affairs are heavy, I am really tired," or "You are weak and need to rest," or "Chun'er, this is fine."

This situation lasted for nearly two years.

Just when Jing Zhichun was almost convinced that Shen Qingzhou might have a hidden illness, things took a turn one night a year ago.

That night, the original owner drank a few more cups of wine and became quite drunk.

Shen Qingzhou was very strong in the darkness and tormented the original owner all night. When the original owner woke up the next day, the person next to him was empty. Only the soreness in his body reminded him that the previous night was not a dream.

Not long after, the original owner was diagnosed with pregnancy.

She told Shen Qingzhou that she was pregnant, but Shen Qingzhou's reaction was hard for the original owner to accept.

Shen Qingzhou disliked this news. Ever since the original owner of this body became pregnant, he had been very cold towards her, losing his former enthusiasm, and even...

Sometimes when she looked at the original owner, her eyes were full of disdain, coldness and aloofness, and she stopped talking to the original owner.

This continued for more than half a year until the Jing family was destroyed and the family was exiled to the Northwest.

Whether on the way to exile or after settling down in the place of exile, Shen Qingzhou still did not speak to the original owner, and remained as cold and distant as ever, causing the original owner to be depressed every day.

Thinking of this, Kyoto Haru, lying on the straw mat, felt a headache coming on.

The original owner knew that Jing Ziming was betting on both sides, and also knew that Shen Qingzhou was a man of the King of Zhou.

Both of these things were secretly seen by the original owner in the letters in Jing Ziming's study.

As for other matters, the original owner knew nothing about them.

Therefore, at this moment, Kyoto Haru has many things she can't understand.

First, why was Shen Qingzhou exiled?

According to the "Great Zhou Code", once a woman marries, she follows her husband. If her natal family is found guilty, it usually does not implicate the married woman and her husband's family.

Moreover, Shen Qingzhou is a man of the King of Zhou.

It was reasonable for the new emperor to settle scores with the Jing family and exile the married daughters of the Jing family, but why was Shen Qingzhou also exiled along with the original owner of this body?

He hated the original owner so much that he could have divorced her or gotten a divorce, but he did neither. Instead, he went into exile with the original owner.

All of these things combined are highly illogical.

Second, why did Shen Qingzhou accept Jing Ziming's financial assistance in the first place?

Since he was secretly groomed by the King of Zhou, he should have known that Jing Ziming was not only the late emperor's weapon but also a thorn in the King of Zhou's side.

Even if Jing Ziming were to rise to power at the time and be promoted in the court, it would only be the twilight of his career. After all, the late emperor was old and frail, and after his death, a new emperor would ascend the throne. A lone minister like Jing Ziming would never have a good end.

Could the shrewd Shen Qingzhou not see that this was a poison disguised as honey?

Why are you willing to be tied to the Kyo family?

Third, why did he accept this calculated marriage?

I remember Shen Qingzhou had a white moonlight, which was said to be his cousin who grew up with him; the two were childhood sweethearts.

If Shen Qingzhou accepted becoming the son-in-law of the Jing family solely for career advancement, he was already a third-ranked scholar at the time, and with the Prince of Zhou behind him, his future was already quite promising. Why would he need to rely on the Jing family's influence?

Marrying Jing Zhichun is tantamount to voluntarily binding himself to the Jing family. Once the old emperor passes away, the Jing family will be purged sooner or later. What is he after?

Fourth, and most importantly.

Shen Qingzhou's contradictory attitude.

After marriage, he was extremely gentle to the original owner, but after learning that the original owner was pregnant, he became distant for a whole year.

Thinking of this, Kyoto Haru was suddenly startled.

Will it be...

Shen Qingzhou himself also made two moves.

Jing Ziming was the late emperor's sword, but also the crown prince's father-in-law.

If the Crown Prince ascends the throne smoothly, the Jing family may not necessarily lose power.

Whether Shen Qingzhou accepted Jing Ziming's financial assistance or married Jing Zhichun, it may not have been entirely passive.

He might also be gambling, betting on the Jing family as a pledge of allegiance to the Crown Prince's faction and a way out.

As for the King of Zhou, he was originally a pawn in the King of Zhou's game.

If the King of Zhou ultimately wins and ascends to the throne, then his status as a pawn will naturally rise accordingly.

He bets on both sides, remaining calm and collected regardless of whether the wind blows east or west.

If that's the case, then it makes sense that Shen Qingzhou doesn't like Jing Zhichun's unborn child.

When the Crown Prince died suddenly and the King of Zhou ascended the throne, it was during the time when Jing Zhichun was pregnant.

Therefore, Jing Zhichun's pregnancy is not a good thing for Shen Qingzhou.

Then it makes sense why Shen Qingzhou was exiled by the King of Zhou.

The Prince of Zhou knew that Shen Qingzhou was secretly betting on the Crown Prince.

So, under the pretext of confiscating the Jing family's property and exiling them, Shen Qingzhou, who was two-timing, was also exiled.

The fact that the original owner, Jing Zhichun, was alive meant that she was also evidence of Shen Qingzhou's guilt. Naturally, Shen Qingzhou did not want the original owner to live, so he hated her.

However, what Kyo no Haru couldn't understand was why Kyo no Akira would bet on the enemy's pawn even if he was betting on both sides.

Also, could it be that the Crown Prince, Prince Zhou, and Jing Ziming reached some kind of agreement?

For example, when Kyo no Haru and Kyo no Aki got married, the late emperor was not yet alive.

At that time, Jing Ziming was still the most powerful sword in the emperor's hand.

The Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhou, one a heir apparent and the other a prince, whether they wanted to secretly expand their power in the court or promote officials who aligned themselves with them, naturally had to restrain themselves while the late emperor was alive.

But what if we let Kyoko Akira do this?

Therefore, there is a high possibility that the three parties will cooperate!

Ugh, my head hurts!

So annoying...

This series of mysteries gave Kyoto Haru a real headache.

"Oh dear!"

Suddenly, a sharp pain in her abdomen interrupted Kyoto Haru's chaotic thoughts.

The pain was sharp and intense, as if a hand was squeezing and twisting her abdomen, tearing and ripping it, causing her vision to go black again.

She thought of the original owner's death again.

The original owner of this body was also close to giving birth. Poor thing, she was a sheltered young woman who had never given birth and didn't know anything about uterine contractions. She thought she was having a difficult labor. In addition, the original owner was so thin that she was skin and bones and didn't have the strength to fight it. She just died from the pain.

However, Kyoto Haru, as a modern medical student, understands this.