Chapter 40 The Enraged Kiss

The next day at dawn, Jiang Yinyue escorted Wei Qin to his post, and deliberately stole a glance at his chin to make sure there were no teeth marks before she breathed a sigh of relief.

If the salt transport officials see the teeth marks left behind, they will gossip behind his back, which will be detrimental to Wei Qin.

At this moment, Miss Jiang no longer cared about whether she had suffered a loss; she was only thinking of her husband.

"Drive slowly."

"Um."

Wei Qin walked into the back alley in the morning breeze, his blue official robe fluttering in the wind, and wisps of hair outside his black gauze hat brushing against his eyebrows and temples, adding a touch of alluring charm to his elegant demeanor.

Her elegant demeanor could never conceal her strange and beautiful appearance.

After enjoying the view, Jiang Yinyue returned to her residence, feeling quite satisfied. When Miaodie mentioned that she would be accompanying the Second Miss to the Zhou Family Clinic recommended by Doctor Zhao, Jiang Yinyue, who had nothing else to do, decided to go along.

During the plum rain season, it rains incessantly, but today we've been blessed with a bright and sunny day. The sky is clear and blue, and the streets are shaded on one side and directly exposed to the sun on the other, reflecting the shimmering light on the water.

Several pretty women were chasing butterflies by the water, playing and laughing.

The Zhou Family Clinic is located by the water, and the doctor who sees patients is an old woman with graying hair.

The old woman led Wei Ying to sit at the consultation table and asked her many questions. Every time Wei Ying mentioned Doctor Zhao, she would hum twice, and no one knew what kind of relationship the two had.

Jiang Yinyue, who was accompanying the patient, leaned against the window frame, admiring the shimmering water, and noticed that among the women was an acquaintance she didn't know well.

Lin Xiu'er, the daughter of the prefect.

The matter of Zhangzhou satin caused a rift between the two, and afterwards they rarely saw each other, ignoring each other and passing each other by.

Among the women, Lin Xiuer's clothes were the most vibrant, and her makeup and hair were the most exquisite.

Jiang Yinyue shifted her gaze to the water's surface, where green algae floated, resembling the hem of Wei Qin's blue robe that had been billowing up early that morning.

Thinking of Wei Qin, Jiang Yinyue leaned her head against the window frame, a slight smile playing on her lips. She saw the person from her mind appear by the water, discussing something with several officials.

"Oh dear!"

"They fell into the water!"

The woman's soft exclamation broke the officials' discussion. A noblewoman pointed to the silk tapestry fan floating in the water and instinctively asked the others for help.

Lin Xiuer, standing beside the woman, also turned her gaze and fixed it on the green robe.

In her eyes, Wei Qin always stood out from the crowd, but he was too aloof, with snowflakes fluttering around him.

Proud as she is, she doesn't care about unrequited love, but whenever she sees Wei Qin, she thinks of the times she was rejected. It's not that she's resentful; she wouldn't keep thinking about someone else's husband. It's just that she's used to being the center of attention and holds a grudge against Wei Qin.

"Please, gentlemen, lend me a hand."

Lin Xiuer was a famous beauty in Yangzhou and the only child of the prefect. She was incredibly popular and well-known.

Several officials who were not yet engaged immediately rolled up their sleeves and squatted down to retrieve the round fans from the water.

Wei Qin stood there, his expression indifferent, his eyes fixed straight ahead, which made the competitive Lin Xiuer feel frustrated.

"Seeing how busy you gentlemen are, doesn't Judge Wei intend to help?"

Wei Qin stood by the weeping willow and replied as usual, "I'm not a good swimmer, sorry."

“There’s no need to go into the water.” Lin Xiu’er waved her gold-flecked fan. “I heard that Wei Yunpan risked his life to save Princess Huaijin from drowning last time, and even said he wasn’t a good swimmer? He’s being modest.”

"Lady Lin also said that she almost drowned."

Leaving behind a final greeting, Wei Qin departed alone, circling the water's edge and carefully studying how to excavate the stolen goods from the bottom. According to the confession of a subordinate who colluded with Yan Hongchang, the gold and silver coins that the subordinate had received as bribes were buried in this body of water.

These people will stop at nothing to hide their crimes.

Lin Xiuer tightened her lips, losing all interest in chasing butterflies and admiring flowers. She left her group of girlfriends and headed to a sedan chair not far away, only to see Jiang Yinyue walking out of a clinic with Wei Ying.

Enemies meet on a narrow road.

"I thought Wei Yunpan was so heartless, but it turns out there was someone guarding him closely."

Wei Ying couldn't help but speak up for her sister-in-law: "So many people are fawning over her, aren't you satisfied?"

"Who are you?"

Lin Xiuer looked Wei Ying up and down, but gave her a disdainful look.

Jiang Yinyue stepped forward and said, "Lin Xiuer, if you have a dark heart, go out and get some sunshine. Stop being so sarcastic and unpleasant. Nobody wants to talk to you."

Miss Jiang, who is never one to back down, has an aura far surpassing that of her frail sister-in-law. She exudes a cold arrogance and possesses an effortless ability to taunt people.

Lin Xiuer has never been one to bully the weak or fear the strong. She crossed her arms and looked in the direction Wei Qin had gone. "You don't care about me, but you care about Princess Huaijin. Even your husband is getting close to Princess Huaijin."

"What did you say?"

“A few days ago, I saw Judge Wei Yun and Princess Huaijin walking together on a deserted street early in the morning. Princess Huaijin looked very happy, probably because Judge Wei Yun had saved her life and she was extremely grateful.”

Wei Ying stomped her foot in anger, "Don't talk nonsense!"

"What's the rush? If you're upright, you have nothing to fear." Lin Xiuer smiled and leisurely walked towards her sedan chair.

"Sister-in-law, my brother isn't the kind of person who's fickle!"

Jiang Yinyue patted her sister-in-law's head. "I believe him."

Back at the house, Jiang Yinyue flipped through the almanac and marked the date for her sister-in-law's next medical appointment. She counted the days, her fingertips landing on the day of Grain in Ear.

The anniversary of Empress Yide's death.

Because of Empress Yide's suicide by fire, the Emperor would invite a sorcerer to perform a ritual in front of Kunning Palace every year. On this day every year, Empress Dong, who resided in Kunning Palace, was not allowed to approach her own bedroom.

**

On the day of Grain in Ear, Wei Qin went to his post as usual, wearing a black undergarment beneath his blue official robe.

In front of the mansion of the magistrate of Huaijin County, the steward lit an ever-burning lamp for the master.

The usually cheerful and unrestrained girl stayed indoors, refusing to see any guests.

If it weren't for the Eldest Princess and the Dowager Consort Xu sending people to invite her, Cui Shihan would not have accepted the invitation.

Inside the lush, verdant manor, ever-burning lamps were also lit.

Accompanied by the Dowager Princess, the Eldest Princess invited Cui Shihan to sit by the pool and chat. They talked about the past and reminisced about bygone years. The princess spoke gently and soothed the girl's emotions, but her words were all about acting as a peacemaker between the Cui and Dong families.

The Dowager Consort, who had come to keep him company out of obligation, remained silent.

The girl gazed at the bottomless pool, a faint hint of mockery appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"So many years have passed, and Lady Cui has long since let go of her sister's death. Your Highness need not worry."

"I'm not worried, but I feel sorry for you being away from home all alone. I wanted to take this opportunity during my time in Yangzhou to have a heart-to-heart talk with you."

Why did they have to rush to have a heart-to-heart talk on the anniversary of his death?

It was clearly a mix of persuasion and warning.

Cui Shihan felt aggrieved. The Dong family, who should have come to apologize, showed no remorse after her sister's death and were even reluctant to utter a single "sorry." Yet the Princess wanted the Cui family to forget their grief and grovel before the Dong family.

This is because the crown prince was born into the Dong family.

Disrespect towards the crown prince sowed the seeds of future trouble.

This is the eldest princess's explanation, which is both reasonable and well-founded.

Cui Shihan stared at the pool, stubbornly refusing to utter a single word in agreement.

After leaving the manor, the girl did not rush back to her residence, but went straight to the post station.

"On the anniversary of my sister's death, I have come to invite Your Highness to a banquet!"

The guards looked at each other in bewilderment. Had Princess Huaijin gone mad?

The young girl, carrying a wine jug, loudly invited people outside the inn. In Fu Zhongcai's eyes, she was still an immature and willful child.

"It is said that Princess Huaijin is a substitute for Empress Yide, a puppet used by Grand Tutor Cui to summon the soul of his eldest daughter. It seems that the young princess both admires her sister and feels wronged for herself."

Out of compassion, the old eunuch spoke well of the mischievous young girl beside the crown prince.

Wei Xichen glanced at the woman who was being held back by the guards and shook his head. "Bring her in."

Fu Zhongcai was filled with anxiety; the two disillusioned individuals were locked in a fierce battle, and who knew when things might escalate to the point of tearing the roof off...

Inside the small room, Wei Xichen leaned against a low table, one hand casually resting on his knee, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I've heard that the County Princess can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. May I ask the County Princess's drinking capacity?"

"Of course, of course." The young woman poured wine for the two of them without any hesitation. "This humble woman will drink first as a sign of respect!"

Some things are disrespectful if not said while drunk! Drunkards are another matter.

The two drank cup after cup, bowl after bowl, neither of them calling a stop, and then jar after jar, neither of them admitting defeat.

The room reeked of alcohol.

Cui Shihan wiped her mouth, still tipsy and swaying, and pointed at the person opposite her with a grin, "Second Prince, you have quite the capacity for alcohol!"

Fu Zhongcai, who was serving nearby, closed his eyes tightly and exclaimed that it was a terrible thing.

With reddened eyes, Wei Xichen smiled faintly, "The county princess is drunk."

"No."

Cui Shihan took another swig, "This old lady can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, do you think I'd lose to you? You little brat!"

Fu Zhongcai gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, please be careful with your words."

"Be careful what you say? I've been careful what I say for over ten years. Ever since I could speak, my family has controlled me and I'm not allowed to speak my mind... Hmm... It's so frustrating."

Wei Xichen's light brown eyes, barely tinged with the smell of alcohol, held a subtle, profound meaning. "If you have any unhappiness, you can tell me. For example?"

"Hehe, the Second Prince is quite understanding." The girl chuckled, clutching the wine jar. "For example... I'm not a substitute for my sister, I am who I am!"

Wei Xichen's eyes dimmed, and he lost interest. He wasn't trying to trick a young woman into revealing her true feelings; he wanted to hear the barbed part of her heart.

Whether or not a substitute is used has nothing to do with whether the Cui family submits to the Crown Prince.

Sensing the other person's indifference, the girl lay on the table and muttered to herself.

"Nobody cares about me."

In her daze, she couldn't help but sneer. During this drinking session, the Crown Prince tried to get information out of her, and she also tested the Crown Prince's distrust of Cui Shi. Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to get information out of her?

At the second watch of the night, the girl who had been sent back by the Crown Prince disappeared inside the carriage.

The county magistrate of Huaijin County mobilized a large number of servants to search for the person throughout the city.

It even alarmed the Wei family.

Jiang Yinyue had a close relationship with Princess Huaijin. After the nanny in the princess's mansion could not find the little ancestor in the Wei family, her hopes were dashed.

Where will the county princess go?

The old woman patted her thigh, extremely anxious.

Jiang Yinyue had Qibao smell Cui Shihan's personal keepsake, intending to take Qibao out to search for it.

Wei Qin, the gatekeeper Song Shu, and Du Juan also joined the search team.

"Qibao, let's go."

Qi Bao leaped out of the door and ran through the deserted streets and alleys.

Jiang Yinyue followed behind with Dujuan, calling out Cui Shihan's name all the way.

Wei Qin and Uncle Song split up to search.

**

The capital city, the Grand Tutor's residence.

When Cui Wei, the commander of the Shenji Battalion, returned to his residence, he went straight to his father's study. "On the anniversary of my elder sister's death, the Dong family still hasn't said a word."

Cui Shengzhi, who was playing chess alone, gestured for his son to finish the game with him, saying, "It's been seventeen years. If I wanted to apologize, I would have done so long ago."

Cui Wei took a box of white chess pieces and took turns placing pieces with her father.

"Old Dong is very stubborn. Should we continue to drag this out?"

"Drag it out." Cui Shengzhi placed a black piece, which instantly surrounded a group of white pieces. "Drag it out until the pillar of the Dong family collapses, and we'll achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Tao Qian was also waiting for this opportunity, unwilling to hastily engage in a power struggle with the Crown Prince and end up benefiting others.

With the death of Chief Minister Dong, the Dong family's network of connections and influence will inevitably be shaken; some will remain steadfast, while others will defect.

Cui Shengzhi made a move at the endgame, a move that sealed the fate of the game and made the outcome irreversible.

"Once something happens to the Dong family, immediately win over Jiang Song. Before that, do not alert him. When Jiang Song wavers, he is a highly venomous silver-ringed snake."

**

As dawn broke, a man and a woman sat by the stream where people used to release lotus lanterns.

The girl, her breath reeking of alcohol, leaned against a tree trunk and mumbled, "I've been rambling on and on, aren't you annoyed?"

A person who is jokingly called a soul-summoning puppet knows that constantly pouring out one's heart will only increase the fatigue of those around them. Everyone in the world has their own troubles, and one should not be pretentious, but sometimes one can't help but want to find someone to vent one's frustrations.

Wei Qin gazed at the flowing water without answering. He glanced at the sky, stood up, and said, "I'll take you back."

"Woof woof woof!"

A hunting dog suddenly darted in, barking fiercely at the tall man by the stream, its tail wagging wildly.

When Jiang Yinyue caught up, she stopped in her tracks at the sight before her, her hand still in the posture of parting the grass.

Cui Shihan turned her head to look, clicked her tongue, and leaned on the tree trunk to get up unsteadily. Then her legs went weak and she sat down on the ground with a "plop".

Du Juan, who was following closely behind, was also taken aback. She quickly helped the girl up, slung her onto her back, and, together with Uncle Song, led her away.

Only the young couple remained by the stream, gazing at each other through the dim light.

Jiang Yinyue called Qibao back and turned to leave.

"Miss."

Wei Qin stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, but was shaken off.

Jiang Yinyue realized she had acted impulsively, so she calmed herself down, turned around and explained, "It's getting late, let's go back."

She didn't want to misunderstand anything, nor was there any need to. Given Wei Qin's character, he wouldn't be fickle. If Wei Qin really changed his mind, he would tell her directly.

This is beyond doubt.

But she just couldn't control the sudden surge of bitterness that welled up inside her.

When Wei Qin grabbed her wrist again, she pulled her hand back, tried her best to control her tone, and said gently, "Let's go back."

The two walked back one after the other, from the first light of dawn to the bright sunshine.

It was a day off, so Wei Qin didn't plan to go to the government office. After a quick wash, he brought the food to Jiang Yinyue.

Jiang Yinyue, who was sitting on the couch playing with Qibao, laughed and said, "Put it there."

She did not give her gaze to the man who had been staring at her.

"Let's have our meal first."

"I'm not hungry."

"What would you like to ask, Miss?"

Jiang Yinyue paused her raised hand, and Qibao seized the opportunity to bite the doll in her hand, then crawled under the couch with the doll in her mouth.

Jiang Yinyue liked to talk openly with people. She smoothed her loose hair and looked at Wei Qin seriously, "Do you like the county princess?"

She felt a pang of sadness and didn't know what had gotten into her; she had suddenly become petty.

Wei Qin put down the tray and sat on the other side of the couch. If one day he had a disagreement with his father-in-law Jiang Song, she would not hesitate to stand on her father's side.

Wei Qin knew perfectly well what was going on.

Qi Bao, who had been waiting for its master in vain, crawled out, placed the rag doll it had taken on Jiang Yin Yue's skirt, and grinned as it waited.

As Jiang Yinyue tossed the doll away, Qi Bao darted after it.

The young lady, who was multitasking, insisted on getting an answer: "You still haven't answered me, have you fallen for the county princess?"

Wei Qin moved further inside, leaning against the couch, his face as if shrouded in a thin frost, forming an invisible mask. "I don't like it."

“If you like it, you can tell me the truth, and I will grant your wish.” Jiang Yinyue turned her head to look elsewhere, her tone sullen, yet still maintaining her pride. “I don’t like to force things, and I can have a dignified divorce with you.”

When people are angry, they don't know how to keep their mouths shut and often say things they don't mean. Miss Jiang's voice wasn't loud, but her aura was very strong.

Wei Qin looked up and grabbed Jiang Yinyue, whose face was tense. "I told you, don't bring up divorce lightly."

Jiang Yinyue, who had lost her balance and fallen onto the man's lap, sat up forcefully, straining to break free from his grip. "Are you yelling at me... ugh?"

Jiang Yinyue was completely stunned when she was suddenly pressed down on the couch. Her face turned pale, and she tried to push outwards with her hands against Wei Qin's chest, but she couldn't budge the enraged man.

A stinging pain shot through her lips, and Jiang Yinyue's brows furrowed. She tried to move her hands and feet, but Wei Qin grabbed her hands and raised them above her head. Her kicking legs were also pinned down by Wei Qin's left knee, rendering her unable to move.

Jiang Yinyue had never witnessed Wei Qin's temper before. She vaguely felt that she had angered a lion that had just awakened. But as stubborn as she was, she would never back down when her temper flared up. She struggled even more recklessly, biting hard through the cold, thin lips that were pressing against hers.

The smell of blood and rust lingered between the four lips.

Wei Qin did not dodge, letting her use all her strength.

The blood vessels spread.

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"

The slippery sensation sent shivers down Jiang Yinyue's spine, spreading to her limbs and bones, causing a tingling and trembling feeling.

She turned her face away, her cheeks flushed.

Wei Qin pinched her trembling chin, turned her towards him, and his slightly panting breath brushed against Jiang Yinyue's burning face.

"I only like young ladies. Divorce is only an option if I die."

Jiang Yinyue shivered. How could such a calm person utter such a resolute and extreme vow?

You scared me!

Wei Qin looked at the woman with tears in her eyes, turned his head to close his eyes, and leaned back against her warm neck with a hint of dejection.

An old, hoarse voice came to my ear.

"A person will have a weakness once they are moved by emotions, but they will become numb and indifferent if they are heartless. Don't become a second emperor."

-----------------------

Author's Note: 100 small red envelopes will be randomly dropped.