Chapter 48 If you are on the boat, I will definitely be on board too...
Seeing Ji Jingchuan's reaction, Shang Que suddenly had the idea of playing a prank. She pretended to be distressed: "Ah, you found out. In order to prevent you from telling others and ruining our plan, I have no choice but to kill you to silence you."
"What are you talking about!" Ji Jingchuan was very dissatisfied. "Am I so untrustworthy? How could I betray you? If you had told me you were going to do this earlier, I would definitely help you."
Shang Que blinked: "So we are now grasshoppers in the same boat?"
"Nonsense." Ji Jingchuan snorted. "If you're on the boat, of course I'll be on board too. Tell me, what should we do next? Should we take this battle map out with us?"
His attitude changed so smoothly that Shang Que couldn't help but reconfirm the plot in his mind.
[Risking the possibility of his plan being exposed, he presented the battle plan to Ji Jingchuan, and, using his analysis of the dire situation that would engulf Nanyang after the fall of Pingwu and the righteousness of his country, persuaded him to join.]
In this way, she can then tell the audience the cause of Saito Taro's death in her own voice.
But Ji Jingchuan didn't need any persuasion at all. He talked about the interests of the country and the people, and the situation analysis. Wherever Shang Que went, he would follow him eagerly.
At this moment, the director's shortcomings in letting him play freely were exposed. The character of Ji Ershao in the script was only about playing with the world and being unruly, but Ji Jingchuan's ulterior motives and the attribute of "obeying his sister" made the plot like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins, going astray.
So Shang Que could only force the topic back to the main topic: "Aren't you curious about how Saito Taro died?"
"I'm not curious. He loves death."
"No, you have to be curious."
Ji Jingchuan was puzzled: "Why?"
【Because the plot requires it, hahahaha. 】
"No reason," Shang Que patted his head unhappily, "because I want to say, okay?"
As Shang Que described, the live broadcast room began to replay these scenes using flashbacks.
After lunch, the waiter handed over a hot towel that had been smeared with poison.
"Dear guests, please wipe your hands with hot towels. I wonder if the dishes in our restaurant are to your taste." Jiang Yize bent down and presented the tray, his eyes glancing at Lu Zhixu opposite him intentionally or unintentionally.
"President Lu's taste is of course impeccable," Saito Taro was only thinking about getting Lu Zhixu to spit out some money. He wiped his hands casually and put the hot towel aside. "President Lu—"
"Mr. Saito, try the grapes here." Lu Zhixu interrupted him and handed over a plate of crystal clear grapes.
At the same time, Ning Sheng put the towel back on the tray after wiping his hands, and smiled and said, "
Please ask someone to clean up the leftovers on the table."
"Okay." Jiang Yize took the towel and left.
Lu Zhixu then said, "It's inconvenient to discuss business with outsiders present. Is there another round of auctions this afternoon? My wife said she wants to see what new things there are then."
Saito immediately realized what was going on and ate a few grapes contentedly. "President Lu is indeed very thoughtful. There are indeed many good items at the auction this afternoon."
[I didn't notice Jiang Yizhe's eyes when I first watched it. Little Jiang's acting has improved again!]
Is this a remake or is it based on the original footage? I wouldn't have noticed this detail if it weren't for the close-up.
[This is the original clip. The wrinkles on the hot towel on the table are the same.]
[Then someone from the auction house brought the wine to our room.]
"Ms. Shang, this is the century-old red wine you bought. Please confirm it and sign it."
"Let me see." Shang Que took out the red wine from the box, and held the bottle with his lace-gloved right hand. After carefully examining it, he put it back. "Send it to Mr. Saito's room. It's upstairs, right above us."
[I have a substance in my glove that acts like a catalyst. When Saito pours the wine, the catalyst from the bottle's mouth flows into the glass along with the wine. This substance is one of the ingredients in winemaking. It's not toxic when tested alone, but when mixed with the slow-acting poison on the hot towel, it will accelerate the poison's action and cause death within a short period of time.]
As for hot towels, Mingde Mansion has a huge daily demand for them, so they are immediately cleaned and disinfected after use so they can be used by the next guest. Any traces of poison remaining on them are completely eliminated by the high temperature and alcohol.
The battle plan is credited to Imai Yoshiko... no, perhaps it should be called Lin Jinyi. Her parents, both Chinese, were sent to study abroad in the island nation over twenty years ago. After graduation, their batch of students were detained there, serving the island nation. But even though they were forced to change their names, her parents never forgot their original aspirations. Lin Jinyi, fluent in both languages, was carefully selected to become Saito's translator. During this time, she has been constantly passing on intelligence for us.
"Mr. Saito, Mr. Saito." Lin Jinyi knocked on the closed door. "The auction this afternoon is about to start. Are you awake?"
There was no response from inside. Lin Jinyi looked worried. She turned her head and glanced at the passing bartender. She waved, "Hey, come here. Go downstairs and get the spare key to this room. Open the door and see if anything happened to the person inside."
"Okay." Jiang Yize responded immediately.
He quickly took the key and opened the door, only to see Saito lying on the ground with his eyes wide open. The two looked at each other, and Lin Jinyi quickly put on gloves and entered the password to open the safe, but there was nothing inside.
On the other side, Jiang Yize found a tiny piece of paper folded in Saito's shirt pocket. He opened it and took a look, then lowered his voice and said, "Here it is."
Then, Lin Jinyi took out a horn button from his coat pocket, took out the family letter inside, rolled up the battle map and stuffed it in, then opened the window and stuck the button on the outer corner of the window frame.
This type of window is an outward-opening casement window. If the searcher closes the window to inspect, the horn lock will fall down. And the room below is exactly where Shang Que and his friends live.
“That’s the process.”
The timeline returns to the present.
Ji Jingchuan was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to react: "So, you all have identities? Jiang Yize also has one?"
Ji Jingchuan: The world is isolating me, and I let them mock me.
[Hahahaha, it's already this time, why are you still comparing yourself to Jiang Yize?]
"Yes, he's the one who's been communicating with Lin Jinyi about intelligence." Shang Que noticed his dissatisfaction, patted his shoulder, and said seriously with an expression of entrusting him with an important task, "But now you're also a person of status."
Sure enough, Ji Jingchuan was immediately appeased by these words. He leaned forward like a large dog and asked, "Who are you? What do you need me to do?"
"Write down the contents of this battle map."
Ji Jingchuan was stunned. He glanced at the densely packed battle plan on it and frowned: "I remember? How can I remember it? Why not just hide it in the button and take it out with me?"
"You can't take it out." Shang Que explained, "There will definitely be another round of body searches before you leave tomorrow. Did you forget? During the search this afternoon, they even took the pearls off my earrings and looked at them."
"Then why don't you remember it?"
"I can't understand the words."
"Then I can—" Ji Jingchuan paused mid-sentence. The battle map was written in the Japanese language, which the second young master Ji in the script might not have learned, but he could really understand it. He glanced at the camera in the room with suspicion: "Isn't it coming specifically for me?"
[You're so smart! You've discovered the director's hidden thoughts.]
I said the director wouldn't miss the opportunity to trick anyone. He didn't give Ji Jingchuan a script in order to trick others. This battle plan was used to trick Ji Jingchuan, right?
Ji Jingchuan was horrified: "How can I memorize so many words?"
"You can do it. I believe in you." Shang Que finally had the chance to speak the lines from the script: "Pingwu borders the South Seas. If it falls, the enemy's next target will be here. Then you, me, the Ji family, and everyone in the entire city will be doomed. So for everyone's sake, I believe you can remember what's written here."
"Shang Que, I hate you." He complained, but Ji Jingchuan honestly took the battle map and recited its contents with a bitter and resentful look: "On July 27th, send one infantry regiment to launch a direct attack on Pingwu. The remaining forces will ambush in the mountains leading to the city to cut off reinforcements from other areas."
He frowned and said, "July 27th, isn't that the day after tomorrow?"
"By then, the warlord deputy general in Pingwu City will join forces with our army... a traitorous dog."
Ji Jingchuan cursed as he took notes. This method was very effective. In about half an hour, he had memorized all the contents by heart.
As the night deepened, the deliberately low footsteps outside indicated that this night was unusual. But dawn would always come, just like the first ray of sunlight pouring into the room through the window at daybreak.
A new day has come again.
Because the truth had not been uncovered, the island nation's military was forced to release these people under pressure from various political and business circles in Southeast Asia.
"It would have been better to release him earlier. My back and waist are sore from sleeping on the broken floor." Ji Jingchuan stretched himself, walked down the steps in front of the mansion, turned around and shouted, "Shang Que is gone."
"I'm sorry, Miss Shang can't leave for the time being."
Along with this condescending voice, the island officer came out of the mansion, and a row of soldiers behind him immediately surrounded Shang Que with guns.
Ji Jingchuan's expression changed, and he rushed over with great momentum: "What do you mean?"
"Nothing serious," the island officer waved his hand to signal the two to stop him, and said with a dagger hidden in his smile, "I just found out that Miss Shang met with the enemy bandits on the ship returning home, so I wanted to invite her over for tea."
"How is that possible?"
"Mr. Sato must be referring to the man who disembarked with me at the Nanyang port. He got on the ferry halfway through the journey. We weren't familiar with each other, and we just chatted for a few minutes since we were headed to the same destination." Shang Que was very understanding. "But since he's an enemy bandit, I should cooperate with your investigation. Little brother, go back and tell father not to worry. The island nation has always valued its friendship with Nanyang. I don't think Mr. Sato would harm me. Just ask father to pick him up in a few days."
[Damn, Shang Que's line delivery is really good. No wonder he's already a top star at such a young age.]
[Wait, why do I feel like Shang Que isn't surprised? Did the script predict that she'd be detained?]
Ji Jingchuan also discovered it. Only then did he understand why Shang Que asked him to memorize the battle map. It was not because he could not understand the words on it, but because she knew that he would be caught.
Ji Jingchuan pursed his lips and raised his head, meeting Shang Que's gaze, which was encouraging, gentle, firm and powerful.
Because the script did not frame the content, Ji Jingchuan played this scene like the Sims for a long time. He had been being himself all the time, until now, when his sister looked at him with such eyes, he finally felt like the second young master Ji.
The content he had memorized last night resurfaced in his mind over and over again. Ji Jingchuan clenched his fists at his sides and threatened like a dandy young master who didn't know his place. "If you dare to touch Shang Que, you'll be in trouble. No one in the entire Nanyang dares to go against our Ji family."
When Sato heard his words, contempt flashed in his eyes, and he smiled and said, "Second Master Ji, you worry too much."
Ji Jingchuan snorted and turned away.
The camera moves from his resolute back as he leaves to Shang Que's face, then follows her gaze slowly upwards, finally rising to the top of Mingde Mansion.
A dove of peace flew across the center.
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