Chapter 76 "I like Cheng Ning, and Cheng Ning likes me..."
The thing grinding and pressing against his lips, clearly, made Ji Chengning feel his scalp explode; it was clearly the lips of that evil spirit!
It was cool, but very soft.
The faint scent of jasmine mixed with the smell of blood, along with sticky breath, rushed onto his face, heavy and urgent. He was clueless and didn't know the proper technique; he kissed her almost instinctively, as if it were a matter of biting.
Like a snake.
Or perhaps it's some other cold-blooded and highly poisonous thing.
Rapid breaths hit my face.
Ji Chengning's lips ached from being bitten, and he could taste the fine blood with a flick of his tongue. Ji Chengning had never been kissed so fiercely before. Anyone who didn't know better would think that this evil spirit had finally given up and was about to devour him alive, skin and bones.
He abruptly turned his head to avoid the other person, and raised his hand to slap them.
The faint moonlight streamed in through the small windows of the barracks, falling directly into the man's eyes.
He unexpectedly met Ji Chengning's gaze, abruptly looked away, and was then forced to turn his head back by Ji Chengning's grip on his chin.
Her eyes were filled with panic, and she even showed a hint of grievance because she didn't know what to do.
Ji Chengnin paused, almost bursting into laughter.
Even though I'm the one who got bitten all over, why is the culprit so anxious that they're almost crying?
But he had to admit that he preferred this unconscious display of weakness and helplessness to an unyielding conquest, and thus he became unusually patient.
He ran his fingers through the other person's loose hair, gently tucking it behind their ear.
"Bang!"
My heart was pounding.
As if it were their second meeting, Ji Chengning fired a shot at him, the force of the gunshot as intense as the gas piercing the corner of his lips.
He stared intently at Ji Chengnin, the blood vessels in his eyes becoming increasingly fine and constricting menacingly, like a crimson spider web on the verge of collapse.
What is Ji Chengnin planning to do now?
The demon's gaze followed Ji Chengnin's finger, its body tense and constantly on guard, wary that the person in front of it might suddenly change his expression and deliver a fatal blow.
If Ji Chengnin were to lay a hand on him, he would certainly—he would certainly, for a moment his eyes were filled with confusion. He even thought that if it were Ji Chengnin, he would be willing.
So he stopped resisting and stared intently at Ji Chengnin's hand.
He had seen this hand draw a bow and wield a sword, and he had also seen its owner hold a brush and fold flowers. Thin calluses covered the fingertips, and his gaze wandered over them, watching the fingers slide down and gently land on the back of his neck.
He suddenly looked up.
His eyes held a turbulent and dangerous emotion.
This is the most vulnerable part of the human body. If Ji Chengning wanted to, he could kill him with just a little force.
My heart was beating faster and faster.
He waited quietly, waiting for the person in front of him to run out of patience and deal with him cruelly.
But Ji Chengnin did not.
The next moment, Ji Chengnin stepped forward.
A kiss gently landed on the corner of her lips.
His breath caught in his throat.
He was utterly incredulous, his throat dry and cracking, "You..."
In the blink of an eye, the kiss changed; the fingers on the back of his neck tightened, forcing him to lower his head.
Lead by example and guide patiently.
...
After the kiss, the demon's gaze was still somewhat dazed, then it suddenly realized something, leaned in and moved closer, its breath sticky and rapid, clearly wanting another kiss.
He never knew that simply being close to someone could bring him such joy; his mind felt as if it were soaking in a hot spring, light and limp.
Ji Chengning slapped him back.
The tentacles were no longer made of black iron, but rather had a texture similar to leather armor. The lips were deliberately exposed, making it look somewhat comical.
What's gotten into you today?
Ji Chengnin's voice was languid, and he seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood.
The demon braced itself against his sides, in a superior position, yet its head remained lowered, its forehead pressed against Ji Chengning's like candy, clinging to him and refusing to let go. It repeated the words it had uttered countless times before, its beautiful eyes fixed intently on him, "I like Chengning, does Chengning like me?"
Ji Chengnin looked at him speechlessly.
A few strands of hair clung to the mask, making him look rather pitiful.
The more pitiful he looked, the more Ji Chengnin wanted to tease him. He lifted his chin and examined him closely. "You," he said, meeting the other's hopeful gaze, "I don't like you."
The demon's eyes turned even redder, "You...!"
"What do you mean, 'what a chaste and virtuous man'? Does he think I'll fall in love with you just because I kissed you? If that were the case, the young marquis's heart wouldn't be big enough for you, um!"
Before he could finish speaking, the devil in front of him, whose heart was no bigger than a pinhead, pinched his mouth shut.
Their lips were pressed tightly together, like a large duck. The demon twisted the soft flesh under his fingers and asked through gritted teeth, "You said you liked me before, does that mean it doesn't count anymore?"
Ji Chengnin: "Mmm."
The demon stared at him with red eyes, "Why won't you speak? Are you feeling guilty?"
I feel guilty towards you... "Mmm!"
Ji Chengning glared at him.
Let me speak!
The two stared at each other for a long time. The brainless devil seemed to finally realize that Ji Chengning had not yet mastered ventriloquism, and suddenly let go of his hand.
Ji Chengning had finally gotten a chance to speak, and he was more inclined to take the other man's surname than not take the opportunity to make a few sarcastic remarks.
He then said, "Young Marquis's thoughts are ever-changing. Besides, I was just teasing you the other day, trying to trick you into lifting your mask... Hiss, let go!"
The sharp teeth dug into the flesh on the inside of his wrist, and Ji Chengnin jolted in pain. "What's wrong with you now?"
The evil spirit stared intently at Ji Chengnin without saying a word.
Ji Chengnin raised his hand, it was unclear whether he wanted to hug him or slap him.
The other person clearly wasn't going to just wait to be hit, so he buried his head in the crook of his neck, his voice low and soft, yet with a chilling and terrifying quality, "I like Cheng Ning, but, Cheng Ning," he suddenly looked up, revealing a pair of dark eyes through his disheveled hair, "Why are there so many people around you? I really want to kill them all, one by one, so you can watch over me."
The tender words reached his ears, rustling softly, making Ji Chengnin involuntarily shrink his neck.
"So that you'll only look at me."
The young marquis, who was used to sweet talk, remained unmoved, at least on the surface.
He said calmly, "You don't even want me to see your true face, yet you say you want me to see you?"
The body that was pressed against it was unusually cold.
Even in the hottest days of summer, there is no warmth that belongs to the living; it is like a water ghost standing by the water, waiting to drag people down with it.
Since it is a bewitching creature, it is bound to bewitch the living.
The demon opened and closed its lips and said, "It's not that I don't want Cheng Ning to see me, I'm just afraid, afraid that my ugly face will frighten Cheng Ning."
He spoke pitifully, and took the opportunity to hug Ji Chengning's waist.
While verbally pleading and yielding, her arms were actually binding Ji Chengnin's waist like iron bars.
"Stop fooling around." In the sweltering summer heat, it was incredibly comfortable to be close to him. Ji Chengning squinted his eyes contentedly, his tone becoming even more gentle. He hooked his fingers around the other's hair, playing with it affectionately, but not indecently.
“Even if you won’t let me see your face,” Ji Chengnin said with a smile, leaning closer intimately and blinking his beautiful peach blossom eyes, “you should at least tell me your name, right?”
The demon's pitiful expression froze, like a mask about to crack, revealing its cruel and cold interior.
Ji Chengning seemed oblivious, still tugging at his hair. "Tell me," he said, rolling into the other's arms naturally. His moist lips parted, and two wet words rolled to the other's ear, "Good person."
Exhaling and blowing.
The demon froze, his mind racing, and said, "Zhong Mei."
"Hmm?" Ji Chengnin's eyes lit up. "Which girl?"
Zhong Mei gripped his wrist and, stroke by stroke, wrote the character "Mei" neatly on the inside of his palm.
"昧" means obscure and unclear.
Ji Chengning looked at the person in front of him with some surprise.
Why was such a name chosen?
But then I realized that Zhong Mei must be an alias.
Ji Chengning didn't care at all, and drew out his words, "Oh, Zhong Mei," he raised an eyebrow, "Meimei, the young marquis has been waiting for your name for so long."
Zhong Mei: "..."
“However, what can I do? I’m kind-hearted and magnanimous,” Ji Chengning patted the spot next to him. “Stop messing with me, Meimei, come here.”
Zhong Mei wanted to refute who was Mei Mei.
Perhaps it was because the young marquis's patting of the bed was too gentle that he felt sleepy, or perhaps it was because the smiling eyes that were looking at him were just too beautiful.
As if hearing a divine decree, he stiffly lay down beside Ji Chengning.
Ji Chengnin couldn't help but raise his lips slightly.
...
The next day, it was broad daylight.
When Ji Chengning woke up, the quilt beside him was indeed cold, with only a faint mark indicating that someone had been there.
After changing and washing up, Li Bi stepped forward and said, "General, Lord Feng Mu has arrived."
After Zhang Wenzhi's death, Prefect Feng Mu temporarily took over the affairs of Zhuo County.
Although Feng Mu did not arrive yesterday, he accompanied the Zhang family to collect the body. Today, when he saw Ji Chengning, he did not dare to breathe loudly and bowed his head to greet him, "General." As he spoke, he took out a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands, "This is the regulation for stabilizing grain prices. Please take a look, General. If there is anything inappropriate, I will correct it immediately."
Ji Chengnin took the document and said, "Lord Feng, please sit down."
Feng Mu swallowed hard and sat down tremblingly.
Ji Chengning opened the document.
The document was written very concisely, without a single superfluous word. It stated that all wealthy merchants should contribute money to buy grain and make up the price difference. As long as Ji Chengning nodded, the price of grain would immediately drop from five hundred coins to one hundred coins.
Ji Chengnin frowned.
Feng Mu watched Ji Chengnin's changing expression with trepidation, "General?"
Ji Chengning threw the document down, startling Feng Mu so much that he trembled violently.
He sneered, "Hasn't this been quite effective? Why did you insist yesterday that this was as difficult as climbing to heaven?"
He certainly knew why.
Because yesterday, in the minds of the officials and businessmen, taking out some money to curry favor with Ji Chengning was a bribe. They were being asked to give up their flesh for no reason, so of course they were unwilling. But after Zhang Wenzhi's death, this money became money to buy his life.
They know very well which hurts more, cutting off flesh or cutting off a head!
Therefore, in the blink of an eye, the price of grain dropped from five hundred to one hundred.
A hint of murderous intent flashed in Ji Chengnin's eyes, so they were the ones manipulating grain prices behind the scenes!
Feng Mu was scolded by Ji Chengning and didn't dare to say a word. He just kept wiping the hot sweat off his face with his sleeve.
“However,” Ji Chengnin changed the subject, “it is truly remarkable that such results could be achieved in just one night.”
Feng Mu looked up in astonishment, even wondering if there was something wrong with his ears.
Otherwise, why would he hear Ji Chengnin praising him?
Ji Chengnin smiled and said, "Lord Feng is decisive and efficient. I thank you for your help." He raised his lips, his smile even a little embarrassed. "However, the capable should do more work. The price of rice must be lowered again. I wonder if Lord Feng can reduce the price of grain to fifty coins within a month?"
Feng Mu was so flattered and overwhelmed that Ji Chengning spoke to him so kindly that he felt dizzy.
If Ji Chengning had spoken softly and gently to him from the beginning, he certainly wouldn't have taken this person seriously. But after Ji Chengning killed Zhang Wenzhi, this gentleness became as precious as a gift.
Feng Mu's head was spinning, whether he was immersed in the joy of surviving the ordeal or the fact that Ji Chengnin had treated him relatively well, he nodded, "Your subordinate has not failed in his mission."
After speaking, he suddenly realized what he had said.
What did he promise Ji Chengnin?!
Ji Chengnin was satisfied and smiled slightly, "This general awaits your good news, sir."
Feng Mu felt a bitter taste in his mouth, but he didn't dare ask the general to pretend he hadn't heard what he had just said, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Yes."
After Feng Mu took his leave, Ji Chengning ordered the soldiers to release the government's stored grain and collect it once a day from the Yan County government office.
As for the insect eggs that Cui Yao crushed that day, Ji Chengning pondered for a moment, then summoned the clerk and said, "Post a notice saying that by order of this general, we announce to all the people of the county that anyone who digs up insect eggs can go to the government office to receive a reward: one pound of insect eggs for one pound of rice."
"Yes, sir! I obey!"
Under Ji Chengning's rule, the people praised him, and Yan County gradually became more prosperous, far better than before the severe drought.
The officials all remained silent, trembling with fear.
At least on the surface, everything seems calm.
However, urgent documents were quietly and swiftly sent to the capital.
Ten days after Zhang Wenzhi's death, news of Ji Chengning's public execution of a court official and the head of a prefecture spread throughout the capital.
The court and the public were shocked.
On this day, the morning court session was held.
With all matters concluded, the court was about to adjourn.
Suddenly, an imperial censor stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I want to impeach Ji Chengning for executing Prefect Zhang Wenzhi. Ji Chengning disregarded the law and indiscriminately killed innocent people, causing local unrest and widespread panic. According to established law, Ji Chengning should be summoned back to the capital immediately for punishment!"
The emperor remained calm and asked, "Do you all think so too?"
After he finished speaking, an official immediately retorted, "Your Majesty, I believe that Imperial Censor Chen's words are absurd. With the rebellion about to be quelled, if we rashly recall the commander-in-chief and the battle is lost, will the responsibility fall on Imperial Censor Chen or on the officials who advocated recalling General Ji to the capital?"
Imperial Censor Chen was so angry that his white beard trembled. "You...!"
"His Majesty."
The main hall fell silent.
The emperor raised his eyes. "Oh? Does the Crown Prince have something to say?"
Zhou Yu lowered his head and said, “Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that although General Ji was impetuous, he acted expediently in an emergency. General Ji needed to stabilize the situation, and this was a necessary violation of the law. Moreover, those scoundrels who embezzled disaster relief funds deserve to die a thousand deaths. General Ji not only did not commit any wrong, but he also did a good job in killing Zhang Wenzhi.”
This is blatant favoritism.
When he spoke just now, Imperial Censor Chen's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He just didn't know what kind of bewitching potion Ji Chengning had given the Crown Prince, that made His Highness say such distorted and outrageous things!
Before the words were finished, the Second Prince Zhou Zhuo, who had just been released, laughed and said, "Who in the court doesn't know that His Highness the Crown Prince has always been lenient towards General Ji? In the Crown Prince's eyes, let alone arbitrarily executing officials without the court's approval, even if someone commits a grave offense, the Crown Prince will let it go lightly."
Zhou Yu remained expressionless. "I am discussing state affairs, while you are talking about personal matters. Second brother, you still don't know how to be tactless."
Zhou Zhuo, who had just been stripped of his royal title for "not knowing the gravity of the matter," immediately turned pale.
Zhou Yu, however, was too lazy to look at him anymore and only faced the emperor.
The emperor remained silent.
As soon as the news arrived in the capital yesterday, memorials impeaching Ji Chengnin flooded his desk like snowflakes. Few officials spoke up at today's court meeting, simply because the Crown Prince had preemptively expressed his stance.
No one would be foolish enough to deliberately make things difficult for the Crown Prince in public.
The emperor's eyes turned slightly cold as he looked at the silent Ji Lin.
"Ji Qing, why do you remain silent?"
"I am General Ji's uncle, and as a blood relative, I should rightfully recuse myself," Ji Lin said respectfully. "I only have one thing to say: whether there is personal affection or personal grudge, it is not right to abandon public affairs for personal reasons. I beg Your Majesty to understand."
This led to the conclusion that all officials who opposed Ji Chengning were acting out of personal grudges against him.
It's not just that he has a personal grudge, but he also wants to frame court officials and delay the war because of that grudge. His actions are worthy of Zhu!
These words caused even the righteous and awe-inspiring Imperial Censor Chen's expression to change. "Your Majesty, I..."
The emperor raised his hand and smiled slightly, saying, "What you all say makes sense," but he did not say how to handle the matter. "This is a matter of great importance, and we will discuss it another day."
"Your Majesty..."
What did Zhou Yu want to say?
Qin Min noticed the emperor's expression and immediately raised his voice: "Court adjourned—"
...
Two quarters of an hour later, inside Yuqing Palace.
The palace servants dared not even breathe loudly.
Consort Ji held the medicine bowl and drank the medicine spoonful by spoonful.
The whole bowl of dark red medicine tasted like flesh and blood, bitter, fishy, and astringent. Ordinary people would feel nauseous just from the smell, but Consort Ji had long been used to drinking it and could even "taste" it without changing her expression.
The Emperor sat opposite Consort Ji, smiling as he asked, "Achen, did you see the document that I asked Qin Min to send you?"
Consort Ji remained silent.
Her bloodless face was reflected in the medicine soup, appearing indistinct and blurry.
"You didn't see it?" The emperor's voice still carried a hint of amusement. "It doesn't matter if you didn't see it. I'll tell you, Cheng Ning has accomplished quite a bit since arriving in his new post. He acts swiftly and decisively, even executing a prefect without prior approval. The local people greatly admire him. Ah Chen, aren't you happy that Cheng Ning has achieved so much?"
"Click".
The medicine bowl was gently placed on the table.
The emperor shut up.
silence.
The entire Yuqing Palace was so quiet that not even a single insect chirped. When you were in such an extremely quiet place, your heartbeat would be amplified many times over.
Wang Shu swallowed hard. No matter how many years she had served the Imperial Concubine, she could not get used to this eerie atmosphere. It was as if she were in a living coffin.
The golden carp's graceful tail swayed gently. The large fish tank, made from a single piece of jade and shaped like a square, shimmered with water, reflecting off the concubine's expressionless face.
The Emperor seemed oblivious to Consort Ji's expression, staring at her face for a long while. "Cheng Ning and his mother are exactly alike," he said, his tone filled with nostalgia.
He sighed, "You love her so much, and seeing Cheng Ning grow up to look so much like her, don't you feel quite gratified?"
"The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind..." Consort Ji's icy voice finally rang out, "Your Majesty, you killed Cheng Ning's mother, do you want to kill him too?"
The shimmering light flickered on Consort Ji's face, appearing dim and distorted.
Only those eyes were chillingly bright.
...
Ji Chengning paid no attention to the rumors and gossip circulating in the capital.
The only thing he cared about now was that the disaster relief grain distributed by the government contained half a bag of sand and gravel.
When Feng Mu arrived, Ji Chengnin was playing with the sand on the table.
When it was dusty and dull, it was held between two long, slender, fair fingers, and its natural color, combined with the skin's natural luster, revealed a hint of pearly sheen.
Ji Chengnin remained silent; he dared not speak.
So he kept his head down and fought, and before he knew it, beads of cool sweat had soaked his temples.
"Click".
The stone rolled onto the table.
Feng Mu was startled.
“Big rats, big rats,” Ji Chengnin’s voice was low, but his tone rose and fell like a boy reciting poetry in school, “Lord Feng, do you know what to do with a warehouse full of rats?”
A drop of sweat trickled down Feng Mu's cheek. "This humble official is dull-witted; please enlighten me, General."
With thin lips parting, the young general, whose features were the most amorous in the world, said, "Kill."
Feng Mu's body trembled violently.
He dared not look up, and could only stare at the grains of sand falling from Ji Chengning's fingers on the table.
One after another.
Sweat blurred his eyelashes, making the scenery in front of him indistinct.
The dark stones slowly twisted.
They turned into faces streaked with tears.
Heads fell in droves.
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