"I'm used to using a spear, and I don't know many sword moves. When I fought with Torre, I subconsciously used the sword move you used earlier." Jiang Wenjing paused, lowered his eyes, and his face darkened slightly. "Torre said that this is the enlightenment move that people from Mobei use when they learn martial arts as children..."

A look of surprise flashed in Ji Tong's eyes, and the surprise and confusion on his face were extremely natural. If Jiang Wenjing had not confirmed his identity from Jiang Zhiyu's inner voice early on, he would have been fooled again.

"So, that's why the general thinks I'm from Mobei, or a Mobei spy?"

His words were beyond Jiang Wenjing's expectations. He thought Ji Tong would explain, but he didn't expect him to directly question him.

"Just a suspicion."

Jiang Wenjing blinked slightly and spoke in a flat tone.

"Suspicious..." Ji Tong murmured softly, then chuckled softly, his laughter tinged with sarcasm. "General, you're not unaware of my family's situation. We live on the border between Mobei and Tianqi, a place where good and bad people mix. I'm weaker than others, so my father had no choice but to hire a master for me. He only wanted me to learn martial arts to strengthen my body."

"This Mobei sword technique was also taught to me by that master. I didn't know anything about it before." Seeing the doubt in Jiang Wenjing's eyes, Ji Tong continued, "If I were truly from Mobei, why would I reveal it when I knew it was a Mobei sword technique? Wouldn't that be deliberately arousing suspicion?"

Jiang Wenjing's eyes hesitated slightly. Seeing that he looked a little shaken, Ji Tong coughed lightly a few times and said in a lost voice, "Ever since the general rescued me, I have been with the general for several years. Now the general doubts me just because of these few Mobei moves. It really makes me feel very disappointed..."

He sighed softly, then stood up and bowed. "Since the general has become suspicious, I will no longer be an eyesore to you. I will depart for the front lines now. If you wish to employ me, please continue to employ me. If not, you can demote me to a mere pawn."

There was a hint of sobbing in his voice: "General, please don't expel me from the barracks. I haven't found my brother yet. I am alone now. This is my only hope..."

Jiang Wenjing looked at him for a long while, his hands hidden in his sleeves clenched into fists, veins bulging.

Considering our past friendship, I've already given him a chance, but he's still trying to evade me like this...

He was disappointed, but pretended to be embarrassed and said, "Why do we have to do this between you and me? If I really believed you were a spy, why would I ask you so bluntly?"

"I was merely distracted by Torre's words. Don't take it to heart, and don't say such angry words. How can the bond between you and me be shaken so easily?"

Since he had given Ji Tong an excuse, he naturally wouldn't take it and just followed his instructions and walked down.

The two of them spoke to each other for a while, and joked about some interesting things in their youth. The tension between them disappeared in an instant.

Jiang Wenjing then left first, using the excuse that he was on official business.

Ji Tong watched his figure disappear outside the door, and the smile on his face suddenly disappeared.

It was unknown whether this explanation had fooled Jiang Wenjing, but based on his understanding of Jiang Wenjing, Jiang Wenjing was a man who valued friendship and loyalty. Even if he had doubts in his heart, he would not act rashly without solid evidence.

I must think of a way to eradicate this matter from Jiang Wenjing's mind completely, without leaving any trace.

…

In the Xu Mansion, Jiang Sulan also returned from her aunt's house and brought back several fresh sweet potatoes.

As soon as she saw Jiang Zhiyu, Jiang Sulan couldn't wait to share it with Jiang Zhiyu.

"The young master of the Shangshu family went to see the lanterns disguised as a woman when he was caught red-handed by his sworn enemy, the third son of the Minister of Rites' family. Afraid of being exposed in public, the young master disguised himself as a woman and stayed with him all night. The next morning, he returned home, and around noon, news arrived that the third son of the Minister of Rites' family had been kidnapped by thieves, dragged into an alley, put in a sack, and severely beaten."

Her eyes were shining, like a wild civet running excitedly in a melon field.

"And, Gao Yan, you know him too, the one from the fourth room of the Minister of Rites."

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment.

【Oh, I remember now, that little Oedipus guy, right?】

Jiang Sulan: “…”

ah?

What's the meaning?

She blinked twice, then leaned close to Jiang Zhiyu's ear and said, "For some reason, Qingfeng Pavilion didn't accept him anymore, so he went to a Xianggu Pavilion in Baixia, which is similar to Qingfeng Pavilion. As a result, a woman happened to be looking for someone there that day. When she pushed the door open, she saw her husband doing that thing with Gao Yan..."

"The woman herself told us that if it had been a woman, she would have tolerated it. But when she saw it was a man, she immediately became furious and started making a scene, threatening to strike with a knife. Gao Yan didn't even have time to put on his clothes; he had to pull down the bed curtains to cover himself, completely humiliating himself in front of everyone."

"Now the Minister of Rites has expelled Gao Yan from the palace."

Jiang Zhiyu nodded.

[That woman was arranged by the wife of the Marquis of Anle. Lü Daizong has not recovered yet, and several people close to him have been angered by them. Gao Yan's habit is not very secretive, and a simple bribe to his servants will reveal it.]

Jiang Sulan was shocked.

No wonder, she was thinking about it when she was eating melon with her aunt.

When a woman goes to look for her husband, she doesn't go to the places where the courtesans and singing girls hang out, but instead goes to the places where they enjoy the pleasures of marriage and intimacy.

I see.

Jiang Sulan's eyelashes trembled slightly. "There's one more thing. My aunt said that Prince Yu is going to return to the capital, and His Majesty has already agreed."

[Nodding in agreement? Perhaps he was planning to lure the snake out of its hole and then strike back, destroying its lair.]

Jiang Sulan: “!!!”

Although the Emperor and Prince Yu were brothers, anyone with a discerning eye in Shengjing could see that if it weren't for the late Emperor's imperial edict, Prince Yu would have already gone to reunite with his relatives in the underworld.

Now that His Majesty has agreed to let Prince Yu come to the capital, could it be that he is planning to take back Longxi?

Jiang Sulan thought about it for a while, and then gave up.

Why did she think about these things? It had nothing to do with her.

But if a war really breaks out, can Xiao Siyuan be sent? She is really fed up with him.

As if he could hear her thoughts, Jiang Sulan had just thought about it when Jiang Zhiyu on the other side asked first: "I heard that Xiao Siyuan has been pestering you every day during the past few days when I was away?"

Jiang Sulan sighed softly, "I don't know why, but he comes to the Xu Mansion every day, but it's not about marriage. It seems like he just comes to see me and leaves after a stick of incense."