Chapter 75 "I like... Cheng Ning so much."...

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man dressed like a Confucian merchant chimed in, seemingly offering earnest advice: "General Ji, please forgive my bluntness, but the most urgent task at present is to pacify Luanyang."

“Yes,” an official sighed, a look of melancholy on his face, as if he were concerned about the country and its people. “Luanyang is not yet settled. Even though you have always enjoyed the Emperor’s favor, the rebels have not been defeated. Even you will probably be questioned by His Majesty.”

It's so noisy.

Cui Yao thought to herself.

The tongue, as smooth as silk, churned inside her mouth, resembling the wriggling of large, red worms. Cui Yao watched coldly, and a desire arose within her to crush these worms one by one.

It's so noisy.

He almost got up.

A hand landed lightly on his shoulder, pressing down gently. Yes, Cui Yao's movements suddenly stopped—it was Ji Chengnin's hand.

The murderous aura in her eyes vanished instantly, and Cui Yao raised her eyes, a hint of worry and inquiry appearing in her pale eyes.

In Ji Chengning's eyes, it was his cousin asking him helplessly what to do.

Ji Chengnin patted him on the shoulder.

The force was very light.

But it inexplicably calmed Cui Yao down.

He stared at the other person's fingertips and suddenly felt a desire to rub against them and try to please them.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly.

Ji Chengnin withdrew his hand.

Zhang Wenzhi watched from the sidelines for a while, and seeing that Ji Chengnin's attitude was not as firm as before, he got up and slowly walked over to him.

The official wore a refined smile, and his appearance alone was enough to inspire trust. He lowered his voice and coaxed, "Why does the general insist on making things difficult for me? Although we are not of the same blood as the general, now," he smirked, "the general and I are in the same boat. If you keep causing trouble, what good will it do you if the boat capsizes?"

The threat in his words was obvious.

Ji Chengnin sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, saying, "It's not that I, the general, want to make things difficult for you, but rather that you are making things difficult for me."

He glanced at Zhang Wenzhi, his gaze sharp and cold, making Zhang Wenzhi instinctively want to back away.

After realizing what had happened, Zhang Wenzhi's anger deepened, and he straightened his chest.

His posture was arrogant, but his tone was extremely respectful. "Oh? General, you are mistaken. Since you arrived in Yan County, the officials and people of Yan County have treated you with utmost respect and have always been responsive to your requests. Where did the word 'difficult' come from?"

Ji Chengning smiled and said in a clear voice, "Lord Zhang," his smile deepened, but his eyes were as cold as ice, "Boss Feng of Wannianfang is the younger brother of your eighth concubine. According to seniority, he should call you brother-in-law."

Zhang Wenzhi's expression changed drastically, but he still forced himself to say, "Yes, so what?"

Ji Chengnin ignored him and coldly swept his gaze over everyone.

“Wannianfang, Fuguiju, and Helezhai—these shops all have powerful backers, and they are truly of the same ilk, sharing weal and woe with you gentlemen!”

Before Zhang Wenzhi could defend himself, Ji Chengning continued, "Since the disaster in Yanzhou, you have been embezzling the silver allocated by the imperial court. You have dared to use inferior grain to replace superior grain, exchanging grain mixed with sand and gravel for new grain to deliver to rice shops and then selling it at high prices. Even more greedy beasts have hoarded grain and manipulated market prices. Do you really think I am completely unaware of all these heinous acts you have committed?!"

His gaze was sharp as a knife, piercing Zhang Wenzhi's pale face.

His tone suddenly lowered, becoming slightly hoarse, as he spoke to Zhang Wenzhi, "The common people are easily oppressed, but Heaven is hard to deceive, Lord Zhang."

How does Ji Chengnin know about these things?

Who told him?

What exactly is he trying to do?!

Zhang Wenzhi was both shocked and furious, to the point of losing his composure. He blurted out, "I have studied diligently for decades not to suffer this humiliation. General, you have slandered me without any evidence. I would rather die than suffer such disgrace!" He flicked his sleeves and said, "My lords, I still have some pride. I will not kneel before the imperial family. General Ji, you should think twice!"

He glared at Ji Chengnin with hatred.

"Farewell!"

After Zhang Wenzhi left, the officials hesitated for a moment, but then they all hurriedly got up to greet him.

Chaotian Temple was not large; Zhang Wenzhi reached the entrance in just a few steps.

"Click!"

The soldiers guarding the door drew their swords, the cold blades unsheathed, the cold light instantly making Zhang Wenzhi's eyes turn white.

He was both afraid and angry. "You dare stop me?"

The soldiers in their armor stood silently at the doorway, swords drawn, as if cast in iron.

The blade was almost within reach.

Zhang Wenzhi was breathing heavily.

If he were to turn back now and bow down to Ji Chengnin to admit his mistakes… no, no, he resolutely rejected this idea. Since Ji Chengnin already knew about those things, he would never let him off easily.

Success or failure hinges on this moment. If he fails to suppress Ji Chengning today, there will be endless troubles in the future!

Seeing this, the officials who followed also gained some courage and shouted sternly, "We want to get out!"

"We haven't committed any crime, so why is General Ji stopping us and preventing us from leaving?"

The crowd surged to the entrance.

Ji Chengnin's calm and even voice came from behind him, "It seems that Lord Zhang is unwilling to have a deep conversation with me."

Zhang Wenzhi sensed a softening in his tone and was about to turn around when he suddenly stopped.

He slowly and gracefully turned around to face Ji Chengnin and said, “It’s not that I’m unwilling, but General Ji is deliberately making things difficult for me. I’m sorry I can’t comply. And it’s not just me,” he said, tilting his head and sweeping his long sleeves in the air, “my colleagues will not agree either.”

Before he could finish speaking, officials responded in unison, "We will all obey Lord Zhang's orders!"

The response was overwhelming.

Fear and anger, taken to their extremes, gave rise to boundless courage. The officials, separated from Zhang Wenzhi, stood tall and confronted Ji Chengnin.

Ji Chengnin looked around.

Normally, officials and wealthy businessmen who are most particular about their demeanor and appearance are now all bloodshot, their eyes deeply embedded in their sweat-drenched faces, their pupils gleaming faintly.

It looks exactly like phosphorescence.

They were staring at him.

Everyone was waiting for him to take the initiative to back down.

Ji Chengnin's tone remained calm, "Is it really impossible to talk about this anymore?"

Zhang Wenzhi was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Ji Chengnin is about to give in!

The officials also showed joy, thinking to themselves: Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. No matter how much the emperor favors him or how noble his status is, when he actually goes to the local area, he'll have to be at their beck and call.

Zhang Wenzhi suppressed his overwhelming joy and resolutely said, "No!"

He declared emphatically, "Even if the general writes a memorial impeaching me and sends me before the Three Departments for severe torture, I will never bow my head, even if it means being killed..."

He didn't have time to finish his sentence.

"Pfft!"

It was the sound of a sharp blade piercing something soft.

Blood splattered.

The warm liquid fell into Zhang Wenzhi's mouth. He seemed a little dazed and subconsciously smacked his lips, tasting a strange, unusually salty and fishy flavor.

All the noise disappeared from my body in an instant.

The last thing he saw were the faces of his colleagues, contorted with fear.

Intermingled with crimson, what fell into his eyes transformed into countless ghostly faces demanding his life.

How……?

But he didn't have time to think about it. Something seemed to gush out from his throat, hot and steaming, but he couldn't feel any temperature at all.

His fingers unconsciously touched his neck.

He didn't touch anything.

The next moment, his body collapsed with a thud.

"Bang!"

Ji Chengnin slowly lowered his sword.

His movements were so calm that everyone could see them clearly, and see just how sharp the sword was, cutting off a person's head as easily as slicing through a piece of paper, without even a drop of blood on the blade.

"Giggle—"

His Adam's apple clicked and creaked.

When fear reaches its extreme, a person becomes unable to utter a sound.

They looked at Ji Chengnin in horror.

Zhang Wenzhi, who was just moments ago full of energy, is still at Chaotian Temple, except that his head has been separated from his body.

But Ji Chengning's expression remained unchanged.

Killing Zhang Wen seemed easier to him than crushing an ant.

Ji Chengnin actually dared to lay a hand on Lord Zhang—the officials thought in unison, trembling with fear. Even Lord Zhang had been killed, so how could they possibly survive?

They wanted to escape, but their legs felt like lead.

All she could do was look at Ji Chengnin over and over again with her bloodshot eyes, as if torturing herself.

They dared not lower their heads, for fear that if they did, they would meet Zhang Wenzhi's unseeing eyes.

The tea and pastry crumbs in my stomach were churning wildly.

Just as their stomachs were churning, a rich and luxurious fragrance wafted over them. They never knew that when fear reached its peak, even fragrance could suffocate them.

Someone turned their head stiffly and very slightly to look at the source of the fragrance.

It seems the old Taoist priest at Chaotian Temple wanted to curry favor with Ji Chengning, so sandalwood incense was lit in the incense burner in the empty space at some point.

The old Taoist priest burned too much and too heavily, so much so that the smoke became tangible.

The smoke from the cigarette gently brushed against the young general's face.

In the ethereal white mist, Ji Chengning's face was extremely handsome. The chill and murderous aura made his two dark eyes exceptionally bright, far surpassing the three-foot blade in his hand.

They were terrified.

This person is simply... he's a god of death descended to earth!

Cui Yao's Adam's apple bobbed violently.

Chengning...

He should look away, or at least show some fear at seeing a dead person.

But he seemed to be pierced by a blade, nailed to the spot, staring intently at Ji Chengnin.

Seeing Ji Chengnin raise his sword menacingly, it was as if he himself had his throat pressed against, making it difficult to even breathe.

At this moment, Ji Chengnin's tone remained calm: "Zhang Wenzhi is greedy for disaster relief funds. His heart is wicked and his actions deserve to be punished. Given that we are still at war, I will execute him first and report later. Gentlemen, do you have any objections?"

Everyone was so frightened that their faces turned pale, and no one dared to utter a sound.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Ji Chengnin asked calmly.

The officials trembled as if they were being sifted.

Suddenly, someone's knees buckled and they fell to their knees with a thud. Seeing the situation was bad, the rest of the people also bowed down.

"Yes, yes, I understand!" Huo Wen said repeatedly. "I will send you the regulations for stabilizing grain prices in three days, no, tomorrow afternoon!"

Zhang Wenzhi's body lay on the ground, blood spreading and flowing over the stone bricks.

Dark red filled the gaps.

Only as they kowtowed did they notice that the uneven floor tiles were actually engraved with patterns, and blood, soaking the dust, quickly spread along the lines.

But they never looked down.

Three thousand lotus flowers bloomed at their feet, growing wildly by absorbing human flesh and blood.

Great compassion and mercy.

Ji Chengning stepped over the blood-red lotus blossoms scattered on the ground.

"clatter--"

Blood splattered.

...

Ji Chengning and Cui Yao returned by carriage.

Along the way, Cui Yao, who always tried to find something to say to Ji Chengning, remained silent.

Ji Chengning waited and waited, and after half a day, he only saw his cousin occasionally glancing at him furtively. When she noticed, she would immediately look away, looking completely startled.

He couldn't help but speak first, "A-Yao, do you think I'm too heartless?"

His hand reached out before Cui Yao could answer.

Cui Yao made a very light movement, gently gripping his wrist and placing his hand on her knee.

“No, I believe that the general is kind-hearted,” Cui Yao said, as if polishing some rare treasure. He wrapped his fingers in a handkerchief and ran them across Ji Chengning’s palm where he had just held the sword, causing a slight itch wherever he went. “He did not bring any harm to Zhang Wenzhi’s family.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Chengnin sneered, "It's not that I want to let them off the hook, but I haven't had the time to deal with them yet." He was annoyed and tapped his fingers habitually.

It struck Cui Yao's palm.

The touch under the fingers is delicate yet icy.

Ji Chengnin tilted his head.

Cui Yao was looking at him.

He looked at him with an intensely focused gaze, almost consuming him.

The pale eyes were like bottomless pools, calm and still, yet the deep blue waters were dark and unfathomable, harboring some deadly poisonous creature that would bite into the throat of the person before it.

Ji Chengnin paused in his movement to stop. "What's wrong?"

Cui Yao's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes lowered, and he appeared extremely docile and obedient. "Your Highness, nothing is wrong."

They remained silent the entire way.

The carriage then arrived at the military camp. Cui Yao returned to his room, while Ji Chengning took care of some miscellaneous tasks.

There were many things to do, and by the time Ji Chengning went to rest, it was already midnight.

He closed the door and strode into the bedroom.

Ji Chengning first smelled a faint jasmine fragrance.

His weary mind suddenly tensed, and he pressed his hand on the dagger, but for a few seconds he hesitated, as if something had occurred to him.

It was those few seconds of hesitation that caused him to miss the opportunity.

The wicked demon, pushing his luck, leaned forward, the harmless scent of jasmine water wafting towards him, along with a pair of cold, powerful hands.

She pulled him into her arms.

Ji Chengning raised his hand to slap this bastard, but unexpectedly, something wet and cool was faster than him.

It was placed on his lips.

Ji Chengnin stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

The soft thing rubbed and pressed against his lips with tremendous force, as if it wanted to swallow him whole.

Their breaths mingled rapidly and stickily.

"I love it so much," the demon murmured wistfully, his words lingering and sweet like a dream, "I love... Cheng Ning so much."