Chapter 139: Go Back or Stay
The town was silent, without any lights, like an empty shell.
Two elongated figures were projected on the ground, walking very slowly, one in front and one behind.
Jiang Lan was walking in front, dragging her legs, and Ji Quan was following slowly behind.
"The moon is shining on the ground, and the girl is combing her hair by the window. Whose girl is so beautiful and pretty? I wonder which man she will marry. The moon is shining on the ground, and the girl is waiting for someone at the door. Whose girl is guarding the empty room, and I wonder when her husband will return?"
Ji Quanxing sang a few lines, but it was unclear whether he made up the lyrics or heard them from a lover.
Jiang Lan turned a deaf ear and kept walking forward.
"Where did this person go? He ran quite fast." Ji Quan said leisurely.
Jiang Lan ignored him and just kept walking forward.
The Huaishu Town at the foot of the mountain is actually not very big. It is just a stronghold used by the Black Lotus Sect to conceal its whereabouts. Now its nest is empty and all the people have left, even the donkey that usually pulls the mill has been taken away.
After reaching the entrance of the town, Jiang Lan stopped to rest for a while, looked at the vast night ahead to identify the direction, and continued walking along the path out of the town.
The road ahead was blocked by the shadows of trees on both sides, and it was pitch black and nothing could be seen.
When Jiang Lan walked into the dark shadow, she suddenly heard a cry and a ball of something flew past. She was startled. Ji Quan threatened her from behind, "It seemed like a black shadow flew past just now. Could it be something dirty?"
Jiang Lan took a deep breath and rushed forward with all her strength. Something tripped her and she fell to the ground with a grunt. She felt as if something had wrapped around her foot, like being entangled by a snake. She suddenly felt unable to move, as if her whole body was frozen. Her scalp was numb. Subconsciously, she felt as if the venomous snake was slowly crawling up her ankle. Fear was like a dense swarm of ants burrowing into her pores...
It was not until Ji Quan squatted down and pulled away the piece of dead vine wrapped around her feet that she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't known when she had held her breath, and her body was as stiff as if she had lost consciousness. After her fear was relieved, she quickly retracted her feet. She wanted to stand up, but her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and her body was extremely exhausted. Her forehead was soaked with cold sweat, and the night wind made her feel cool, which made her feel a little more comfortable.
"Can you still walk?" Ji Quan asked.
Jiang Lan could barely stand up, but as soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground. Ji Quan pulled her back and she was able to stand steadily. She managed to take a few steps forward. The night wind made her body feel hot and cold, and her head felt as heavy as if it was filled with lead. She couldn't walk in a straight line and almost fell into the grass by the roadside. Ji Quan grabbed her arm and pulled her back. The next moment, he squatted down and carried her on his back.
Jiang Lan struggled to get down and kicked him twice. Ji Quan frowned and said impatiently, "Behave yourself, or I'll leave you here." He then threatened, "If you run into some gangsters, thugs, or human traffickers, no one will be able to save you."
Feeling that the person on his back had calmed down, he curled the corners of his lips, quite flexible.
Jiang Lan was so exhausted that she just wanted to close her eyes and rest quietly for a while...
In a daze, she felt hot and cold, very uncomfortable, twisting her head restlessly, and mumbling incoherently.
After Ji Quan put her down, he reached out and touched her forehead, which was very hot. He then carried her back.
…
Jiang Lan lay drowsy in bed for three days before she finally felt better. The first words she heard were from Ji Quan, "I thought you were going to die. They even prepared a coffin for you. They even chose a beautiful place with beautiful mountains and rivers, dug a grave for you, and are just waiting for your burial."
Jiang Lan glared at him silently, her throat very dry.
Ji Quan went over and poured her a glass of water. He helped her up with one hand, held the cup with the other hand and slowly fed her a sip of water, then began to scold her.
"What are you trying to do? You could have been on your way after just a day or two of rest, but now you've been delayed for three or four days, and I still have to take care of you. Can you change your spoiled temper? You're just causing me so much trouble."
"Sorry." Jiang Lan apologized.
A strange look flashed across Ji Quan's face, which made him feel a little passive. The next moment, he turned passive into active, "It's good that you know you are wrong. From now on, just listen to me. Wait for me to find a carriage and then we can set off."
In the evening, Ji Quan brought a pheasant into the kitchen and stewed chicken soup, then served a bowl to Jiang Lan. After Jiang Lan took a sip, she paused for a while, as if she had prepared herself mentally, and then she picked up the bowl and drank it without tasting it.
Seeing that she liked it so much, Ji Quan served her another bowl.
In order to get better soon, Jiang Lan gritted her teeth and finished the drink.
The next day, Ji Quan cooked porridge and served a bowl to Jiang Lan before going out. When he came back, he was holding a pheasant in his hand.
After drinking chicken soup for two consecutive days, Jiang Lan asked him when he would set off. Ji Quan said it depended on luck. She did not urge him and went to the kitchen to pack some food to prepare to set off. Ji Quan poured cold water on her again.
"A lady like you who has everything handed to her, but can't even tell east from west, west from north, or south from north, might end up wandering into a bandit's den."
Jiang Lan endured it silently for a while and said, "Even if I encountered bandits, it was my fault." Then she left.
After reaching the small road outside the town, she waited by the roadside to see if there was any carriage passing by that could give her a ride.
She waited from morning to afternoon and was ready to give up. She decided to walk forward on her own. After taking a few steps, she heard the sound of horse hooves behind her. She quickly turned around and saw a carriage running towards her. She waved to it to stop.
The driver stopped the carriage with a whoosh, and Jiang Lan then realized that the driver was Ji Quan.
"Why are you still standing there? Come up."
After Jiang Lan got on the carriage, Ji Quan drove the carriage out of the town.
The carriage traveled on the road all night, and at dawn the outline of a city appeared in front of them.
Jiang Lan pulled aside the car curtain and looked forward. It was still quite far away.
When she lowered the curtain, the carriage suddenly stopped. She opened the curtain again and saw Ji Quan took off the water bag on his waist and drank some water. The water bag did not touch his mouth. After drinking the water, he took out a piece of cake from his arms and ate it.
Jiang Lan lowered the curtain and sat in the carriage waiting silently. Then a water bag was thrown in, and then a hand reached in with half a cake. She went over to take the half cake, then picked up the water bag, poured a sip of water to drink, handed the water bag out, and then tore the half cake into small pieces and ate it.
The two of them didn't speak along the way.
After resting for a while, the carriage continued on its way.
It was already noon when we arrived at the city gate.
Jiang Lan pulled aside the car curtain and looked above the city gate, muttering softly, "Yangcheng..."
After entering the city, Ji Quan drove the carriage to the door of an inn, handed the carriage to the waiter to take it away, and took Jiang Lan into the inn.
The shopkeeper, who was fiddling with the abacus behind the counter, greeted the guests with a smile on his face when he saw them coming. Ji Quan took out a silver ingot from his arms and threw it to him, saying that he wanted two upper rooms. The shopkeeper attentively led the two of them upstairs and asked if they needed food prepared. Ji Quan said he wanted good wine and good food. The shopkeeper readily agreed, and after taking the guests to the guest rooms, he hurried to the kitchen and told the chef to cook.
"If you want to leave, you can leave now, but I advise you to think carefully about the consequences." Ji Quan left this sentence and pushed the door into the room, no longer paying attention to Jiang Lan.
After entering the house, Jiang Lan began to think about what to do next. She had calmed down along the way. It would be very difficult for her to go to Beimo alone. She had to find help. She had to contact the Black Armor Guards first.
When the waiter came to deliver the food, Jiang Lan asked him for paper and pen, and then wrote a letter.
When Ji Quan poured a glass of wine and was about to drink it, there was a knock on the door. He glanced at the door, drank a glass of wine first, and then said, "Come in."
Jiang Lan pushed open the door and walked in, handing him a letter. "Can you help me take this letter back to the mansion?"
Ji Quan glanced at the letter and asked casually, "Are you going to Beimo?"
Jiang Lan didn't answer, but her eyes gave the answer.
Ji Quan curled his lips and sneered, "Have you thought about the consequences?"
Jiang Lan nodded and said, "Think it through."
Ji Quan poured a glass of wine and drank it in one gulp. He looked at her sarcastically and said, "I think you are crazy."
Jiang Lan endured it silently. After all, she needed his help now, and she was counting on him to take the letter back and ask the Black Armor Guards to come. She had already calculated that the jewelry on her head could be exchanged for some silver, enough to stay in the inn for a while, and the Black Armor Guards acted quickly. She estimated that they would arrive in two or three days at the least, or four or five days at the most.
"If you still have any brains, you should think about whether your master will be charged with treason. Even if you can escape then, can your brother and the people in your house escape?"
After hearing what Ji Quan said, Jiang Lan finally thought of this, and suddenly thought of another thing, and her back couldn't help but feel a chill.
Did His Majesty already know his background?
Seeing her face turn pale, Ji Quan stretched out his foot and kicked the stool lightly, and the stool slid to Jiang Lan's side. "You don't have to scare yourself now."
After Jiang Lan sat down on the stool, she didn't say anything for a long time.
Ji Quan ate and drank, glancing at her from time to time. After finishing the whole pot of wine, he saw that she was still sitting on the stool in a daze, so he ignored her and went over to lie down on the bed and fell asleep first.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he half-opened one eye and glanced in that direction. Seeing Jiang Lan walk out and close the door, he closed his eyes again.
He went out again in the afternoon and did not come back until the evening. After returning upstairs, he came to Jiang Lan's room and knocked on the door first. After a while, Jiang Lan came over and opened the door.
"Let's go inside and talk." Ji Quan said to her after he came in, "There's already word from the capital that Marquis Jin'an is collaborating with the enemy and treason. His Majesty has ordered his arrest. He must be found alive or dead."
Jiang Lan's expression changed. She couldn't believe that the emperor was so heartless. He accused her of a crime without even knowing what had happened. Did he want to get rid of her as soon as possible? Didn't he want to give her any chance to explain?
"How could Your Majesty do this? He has fought for the court for over a decade and has done nothing wrong. Why can't Your Majesty trust him a little more? Why must you kill him so completely?"
Jiang Lan was so angry that her whole body was shaking, and her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh.
"To be with the emperor is like being with a tiger," Ji Quan asked again. "So, do you want to go back or stay here?" He analyzed the pros and cons for her again. "If you go back, you might be arrested as an accomplice. If you don't go back, His Majesty might take his anger out on others."
"I want to go back and see His Majesty!" Jiang Lan looked determined, determined to clear Qi Wuhan of this false charge. He was a hero who defended his country, not a traitor who collaborated with the enemy. He should not bear this eternal infamy!
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