Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess

"You."

Jiang Shouzhong answered without hesitation.

Jiang Yi slightly closed her eyes, her long curled lashes casting a fan-shaped shadow under the moonlight. Her voice was tender: "Really?"

"Truer than gold."

Jiang Shouzhong once again replied without hesitation.

The beautiful woman's lips curled up, her lifted arc showing a trace of satisfaction and laziness, she softly said: "You said before, my temper stinks, just how bad is it?"

Jiang Shouzhong's eyelids twitched, he immediately replied: "You're very fragrant."

"I want to hear the truth."

"Madam, you're really fragrant."

Jiang Yi lifted her small head, her beautiful eyes staring directly at Jiang Shouzhong: "I really want to hear the truth, how bad my temper is, how many flaws I have, I want to hear your true thoughts."

Under the moonlight, the woman's porcelain-like delicate skin seemed to glow with a faint halo.

Jiang Shouzhong said seriously:

"I am telling the truth, you're very fragrant, not smelly at all. As for flaws? It's that you're too beautiful; I can't find any flaws. In short, to me, you are perfect."

"Jiang Shouzhong, stop beating around the bush with me."

The woman's eyes half-closed, her gaze full of allure.

Jiang Shouzhong looked quite innocent: "No, I swear, every word is from the heart."

Jiang Yi puffed her cheeks somewhat resentfully, looking like an angry pufferfish, she distanced herself a bit from the man: "Forget it, you aren't really sincere with me; I thought we could communicate honestly, but you are still like this."

Jiang Shouzhong hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he resolutely said: "I am being sincere with you, to me, you are the best."

Jiang Yi ignored him, cupping her face with her hands, she mumbled:

"Jiang Shouzhong, you can't stand me, sometimes even I feel like a lunatic.

I'm willful, noisy, cold-blooded, unreasonable, quick-tempered, and at an old age... my temper is at its worst, you may endure me for a time, but not for a lifetime."

Jiang Yi sighed: "Jiang Shouzhong, there are too many outstanding women around you, and women are most afraid of comparisons and competition; eventually, you'll end up disliking me."

Looking at the lonely woman, the man couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Jiang Shouzhong gently embraced the woman's fragrant shoulders, softly comforting her:

"No one in this world is perfect, everyone is unique. Even if your temper smells bad, and sometimes you seem like a lunatic, I can still manage.

Love is about mutual accommodation and compromise, even if there's a ten-year age gap between us, so what if you are older? If not for enduring storms and trials, how could true love be forged? No matter what, I hope you give us a chance."

"Love is about mutual accommodation..."

Jiang Yi murmured to herself.

The woman suddenly laughed, her thick curly lashes fluttering: "Then be honest, among the women around you, who is the most outstanding?"

"Well..."

"Don't pacify me anymore, okay? Jiang?"

The woman's voice, soft and sticky like freshly steamed rice glutinous cake, carried a hint of coyness in her tone.

Jiang Shouzhong intended to repeat his previous answer, but upon meeting the woman's slightly tearful eyes, he couldn't bring himself to use sweet words; honestly, he said: "Ye."

"So, that's the answer in your heart, huh."

Jiang Yi sighed slightly.

Catching the cooling emotion in the woman's eyes, Jiang Shouzhong felt a sudden jolt in his chest.

Not good!

He's been tricked!

Jiang Shouzhong realized he had fallen into the woman's trap.

Jiang Yi raised her jade-like hand, counting her slender fingers, speaking to herself:

"Just now, someone said my temper stinks. Just now, someone said I was like a lunatic. Just now, someone said I'm old, very old. Just now, someone said I'm not the most outstanding woman around him. Ha, so I'm that bad, huh."

"No, what I meant was..."

Before the man could explain, Jiang Yi extended a finger, lightly tapping the man's chest, seeming both reproachful and resentful:

"Oh my dear Jiang, stop remembering this old woman, anyway, there are many outstanding women around you. With better tempers than mine, younger than me, plenty of them."

All is lost.

Jiang Shouzhong regretted it terribly.

He put on a forced smile, trying for a last rescue attempt:

"Those with better tempers than yours lack your charm. Younger than you lack your allure. Little Yi, to me, you are truly one of a kind—"

"Get lost!"

Bang!

The man was kicked off the roof with a single blow.

Jiang Yi snorted coldly, "A man's words are just deceitful ghosts, nothing but jackals of the same tribe."

As she turned to go back inside, the woman flashed a smug smile.

She waved her delicate fist, saying, "I turned the tables this time."

...

The woman's face changed faster than flipping a book.

And Jiang Yi's face changed even several times faster.

All morning, she didn't give Jiang Shouzhong a pleasant look, even during breakfast, she kept a pretty but stern face, unwilling to engage.

She'd even take every chance to instill in Er Liang the notion that men are not to be trusted.

Jiang Erliang didn't understand why, and didn't dare to ask, so he just focused on eating quietly.

"I'm going to the Imperial Palace to see the Zen Rebel Monk. You stay here and keep Er Liang company."

After breakfast, Jiang Shouzhong said to Jiang Yi.

He was afraid that Jiang Wan would lure Er Liang away again and planned to have Jiang Yi keep an eye on him.

Additionally, Er Liang had killed so many disciples of Mingjing Valley. If their leader came seeking revenge, relying solely on the dog demon wasn't reassuring.

Jiang Yi furrowed her delicate brows, nodding lightly, "Got it."

As he was leaving, the woman suddenly called out to him, stepped forward to tidy his collar, and said blandly, "Be careful. After all, you're on enemy territory."

Feeling the woman's genuine concern, warmth spread in Jiang Shouzhong's heart, and he instinctively wanted to say something romantic, but was stopped by the woman's sharp gaze, so he could only smile bitterly and nod.

Jiang Yi's lips curled up, but a hint of inexplicable sadness appeared on her face.

"I'm off, wife."

Before the woman could react, Jiang Shouzhong quickly pecked the corner of her lips, then dashed off like a whirlwind.

Jiang Yi stood stunned on the spot.

Then she gritted her teeth and cursed, "Bastard, don't you dare come to my bed tonight!"

After cursing for a while, she gently touched the corner of her lips, laughed again, and murmured, "Jiang Yi, you're such a sucker. And that foolish boy, too."

...

Jiang Shouzhong made his way to the Imperial Palace archives with ease.

The Zen Rebel Monk had long been waiting there.

"Jiang Shouzhong, you didn't disappoint this humble monk," the Zen Rebel Monk put down the scripture in his hand, showing a smile on his face.

Looking at the monk as imposing as a mountain before him, Jiang Shouzhong felt conflicted inside.

A monk who could enjoy the privileges of even the Three Palaces and Six Courtyards, including the princess, was rare in history. More amazingly, Jiang Shouzhong was certain that this monk wasn't lustful.

In fact, he seemed to harbor a dislike for women.

This was not only evident in the Shadows Heavenly Book, but also something Jiang Yi had mentioned before.

As an exceptionally charming woman like Jiang Yi, especially after the restoration of the Heavenly Demon Technique, she was particularly keen on men's gazes, clearly aware of what thoughts men had about her.

However, the way the Zen Rebel Monk looked at her was completely different from other men.

It was a look of aversion, as if staring at a bug.

So this guy meddled with his brother's harem only because he was practicing some kind of secret technique and had to pinch his nose to co-cultivate.

Jiang Shouzhong didn't know whether to envy or sympathize with him.

Jiang Shouzhong didn't waste any words, directly opening the Shadows Heavenly Book, pointing to the page depicting the Emperor's tonsure, and asked, "I want to know, who is the monk standing behind the Emperor?"

"Monk?"

The Zen Rebel Monk showed a hint of surprise.

He stepped forward, looked at the scene Jiang Shouzhong indicated, and asked in confusion, "Shouzhong, can you see this page?"

Jiang Shouzhong frowned, "Why? Can't you see it?"

The Zen Rebel Monk shook his head, "This Shadows Heavenly Book has certain scenes that are invisible to this humble monk, appearing only as a blank space."

Now it was Jiang Shouzhong's turn to be surprised, "Isn't this thing yours?"

The Zen Rebel Monk shook his head, "It's not mine. It's a treasure of the late Emperor, always kept by his side. But this humble monk knows how to unlock its Dharma Seal, that's why I gave it to you. However, there are some images only the late Emperor could see."

Jiang Shouzhong fell into deep thought.

This is strange.

The Zen Rebel Monk, the Emperor's good brother, couldn't see the complete image, but he could easily see it.

Could it be the Death Qi within him causing it?