Chapter 5 What does it look like? Ji Yunchan hissed and...
Ji Yunchan hissed, put the carrot aside, and sucked her fingers.
She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes hiding the emotions in her eyes, and said noncommittally: "Really?"
Then he smiled bitterly, it was a light smile, the curve of his lips was blown away by the wind as soon as it curved up.
She looked at her younger brother, her autumn-water eyes devoid of sorrow, and she was extremely calm. She said, "Go ahead. It's nothing more than telling him where he lives now, what he does and where he stays. I can't bear it."
If it were Yun'e, she would have been fooled by Ji Yunchan and relaxed.
But Ji Qinnian wasn't as simple-minded as other children. His face, still young and chubby, looked at his elder sister with an unchanging expression. "Big Brother Yan lives in the General's Mansion in Shengping Lane. There's no fighting these days. He leaves for the West Camp at dawn every day and returns at noon. In the afternoon, he stays at the government office until dusk."
"You're so old-fashioned at such a young age."
Ji Yunchan did not agree immediately, but reached out and pinched his cheek, which in turn made her brother open his eyes wide and look incredulous.
She had no intention of making the atmosphere heavy, nor did she want to hear any more words of comfort. She ignored her brother's gaze, lowered her eyes again and said, "I understand."
Ji Qinnian paused, his expression returning to normal: "I'll go with my elder sister."
"Who wants you to accompany me? What can you do?"
Ji Yunchan raised her eyes and asked with a smile: "Can you beat his guards, or can you run away from them?"
"Who said we were going to fight..." Ji Qinnian couldn't help but retort.
"I know. I know my limits."
Ji Yunchan said it lightly, as if she didn't care at all.
Ji Qinnian said nothing, poured himself another cup of tea, and drank it.
Finally, I asked, "Really?"
"Really, no need. Go and do your thing."
Ji Yunchan gently pushed his shoulder, watched her brother follow her strength to lift the curtain and go out, then she looked away.
She relaxed her strength, turned her back to the door, and the smile in her eyes gradually faded.
Going on this trip is just a matter of seeking humiliation, so how can I dare ask my brother to accompany me?
A precocious child, smart and sharp.
I was afraid of getting him into trouble, and I was also afraid of letting him see my embarrassment.
Ji Yunchan laughed at herself, her body trembling as she moved.
She took a deep breath and suppressed these thoughts.
With trembling fingers, he slowly touched the smooth fur knee pads. After a while, he picked up the needle again.
The only thing left in my mind was to embroider the knee pads, and I didn't think about anything else.
-
The west of Shuozhou City is different from the east. Most of the residents are ordinary people. The streets and alleys are narrow and not paved with bluestone bricks.
The snow melted and turned the ground into muddy water, making it difficult to move.
The embroidered goose on the knee pad in Ji Yunchan's hand spread its wings and was about to fly. The vivid appearance required her to use all her strength.
"My elder sister's embroidery skills have improved again." Yun'e was holding an indigo-colored robe with a thread coming apart in her arms, and couldn't help but touch the fine embroidery thread.
"Since I've accepted a favor, I have to repay it. Apart from this, our family doesn't have anything else to offer."
Ji Yunchan cut off the last thread with scissors, picked it up and looked at it from left to right, and thought the embroidery was pretty good.
Then he put it away, folded it twice and put it away. His eyes fell on the indigo dress that Ji Yun'e was holding. Without lingering for too long, he said, "As for you, you should quickly mend it and send it to Aunt Zheng."
"Yes." Ji Yun'e responded and threaded the needle again. "The knee pad is ready. Sister, you..."
She hesitated to speak and tried to thread the needle several times but failed.
I simply put it down and tentatively looked at my eldest sister's expression, "...When are you planning to go?"
Ji Yunchan's eyes stayed on the fur of the knee pads and she didn't answer immediately.
It’s just because I always think “let’s do it first”, I avoid and deceive myself, and never think about this problem.
The sunlight filtered through the window paper, and the warmth fell on her fingers that were coated with frostbite cream.
Ji Yunchan came back to her senses, raised her eyelashes and looked out the window.
I couldn't see anything through the paper window. I could only hear the melting snow dripping down the eaves, making a clear sound as if it was raining.
The sounds of children playing and birds chirping could be heard faintly, and the hawkers' calls could be heard through the streets and alleys.
Today is a rare warm day.
Suitable for travel.
Ji Yunchan stood up, feeling a sense of compassion for being forgiven.
I made up my mind in an instant.
"Go now."
As she spoke, she quickly wrapped up her knee pads, put on a thick coat, and went out.
His movements were quick and decisive without any hesitation, and Ji Yun'e didn't even get a chance to say a word.
Ji Yun'e looked at her sister's figure, was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head and continued threading the needle.
Still can't wear it.
The room returned to silence. She put down her needlework worriedly and sighed.
-
When Ji Yunchan went out, he saw that the street was bustling with people basking in the sun on the eaves.
Walking towards the east of the city, the streets become more and more prosperous, and the houses gradually show some carved beams and painted rafters.
She thought about the information Qin Nian had found out and estimated her own walking speed. When she arrived at the general's mansion, it would be almost time for Yan Heng to go off duty. If she waited a while, she should be able to meet him.
Thinking of this, she unconsciously clasped her palms, and couldn't help but think of Yan Heng's back as he rode away on that cold and cracked night.
How would he react when he saw her again?
Perhaps it would be an expression of indifference mixed with a hint of impatience.
Ji Yunchan only needed a moment to figure it out.
That was the expression Yan Heng always had when he looked at people who didn't care but blocked his way. He had cold eyebrows and raised his eyes. He knew how to strike the snake at its most vulnerable part. His heartless words always hit the heart and would never give people the courage to speak a second time.
It's just self-humiliation.
even so--
Ji Yunchan saw the vermilion gate of the general's mansion facing north and south from afar, and her steps did not stop.
Just think of it as... just think of it as paying off a debt.
Ji Yunchan took a deep breath silently and walked up the stone steps in front of the general's mansion.
A gatekeeper came up and asked her what she was doing.
Ji Yunchan asked respectfully, "Excuse me, big brother, is the general at home right now?"
When the servant saw her coming, he asked about the master of the mansion. He couldn't help but look at Ji Yunchan. Seeing that she was dressed simply and came alone, she didn't look like a general's relative.
Seeing that she looked and looked extraordinary, he was unsure for a moment and had to tell the truth: "The general has gone to work and is not at home at the moment."
Ji Yunchan was not surprised and asked again, "Did you say when you would be back?"
These words made the gatekeeper a little alert.
It's not his fault for thinking too much, because the general holds great power and has no shortage of spies trying to get close to gatekeepers like them.
He smiled slightly and said, "Oh, young lady, you are putting me in a difficult position. I am just a gatekeeper. You can tell the steward when the general will be back, but why would you tell me?"
Then he asked, "Miss, what is it that you are looking for our general?"
Seeing that his attitude was getting closer but his words were distant, Ji Yunchan belatedly blamed herself for her rashness.
What's the matter... These words hit the heart directly.
Ji Yunchan fell silent and stepped aside under the servant's suspicious gaze, but she did not leave and just waited.
After all, noon is almost here, and Yan Heng will come back eventually.
This is not a good idea, Ji Yunchan knew it, but she couldn't tell the gatekeeper... Forget it, she sighed in her heart, it's a long story, so it's better not to talk about it.
The bluestone slabs in Shengping Lane are smooth and neat, so you don't have to worry about your trouser legs getting muddy.
Ji Yunchan put away her thoughts and looked back along the vermilion gate, landing on the stone lions in front of the general's mansion. She thought they were a bit too big.
It is a circle larger than the one in front of Yan Mansion in Beijing.
The servants in Yan Mansion also recognized her and would never stop her. Instead, they would diligently run to tell Yan Heng that she was here.
......
“Eldest sister…Eldest sister!”
A familiar voice came, awakening Ji Yunchan from her brief memories.
The Yan Mansion in the capital...There is no such thing as a Yan Mansion in the capital.
With only this fleeting thought in mind, Ji Yunchan subconsciously turned her head and looked towards the end of the alley, only to see Ji Yun'e, who was mending clothes at home, running towards her hurriedly.
"What's wrong?" Ji Yunchan went forward.
"Eldest sister... the prefect, the prefect sent someone..."
Ji Yun'e was out of breath. She bent down and took a moment to catch her breath before she could speak clearly. "The prefect sent someone to say that many days have passed and that my mother's illness should be cured. If there is nothing else, I should return to my post."
Ji Yunchan was not surprised by this, but she did not expect it to happen so soon.
After listening to her sister's retelling, she simply nodded, "I see." She then asked, "What position?"
Ji Yun'e paused and looked at Ji Yunchan cautiously: "Sister, aren't you worried? Is it about what didn't happen that night?"
"He doesn't dare." Ji Yunchan glanced at the door of the general's mansion, a trace of barely perceptible sadness on her face, "Or rather, he doesn't dare to take action so soon before figuring out the relationship between Yan Heng and me."
"I see."
Ji Yun'e nodded as if suddenly realizing something, then said with a bit of sadness, "The person who came said that they want me to be a dancer."
Ji Yunchan didn't react much on her face, she just frowned slightly, feeling a slight sense of nausea.
First, humiliate her and ask her to entertain others, just to test Yan Heng's reaction.
It really kills two birds with one stone.
Ji Yunchan recalled that snowy night before, when she had inquired about the prefect's likes and dislikes in preparation for any emergency.
He would never like a woman who was entangled with a man.
If Yan Heng had only been interested in her before, it wouldn't matter.
But she and Yan Heng were childhood sweethearts who were engaged to each other, and everyone in the capital knew about it. After the Yan family fell into poverty, the daughter of the Ji family broke off the engagement and turned her attention to the new top scholar.
Even a wine-drinking and meat-eating person like Ren Zhizhou should be wary of such a heartless and vicious person.
Ji Yunchan sneered in her heart. This was exactly what she wanted.
"None of this matters."
Ji Yunchan looked at her worried sister and asked, "Why did you come here so hastily? What's the big deal?"
She held Ji Yun'e's hand tightly and couldn't help wondering, "Did Mother hear it again?"
"No, no." Ji Yun'e waved her hand quickly and shook Ji Yunchan's hand. "It's just that I was worried about my sister being alone, so I... followed her under the pretext of delivering a message."
Ji Yunchan felt relieved and couldn't help but glared at her sister, "You..."
Having said that, he took his sister's hand and walked back without saying anything.
"Okay, let's go back."
"Aren't you going to wait for Brother Yan to come back?"
Ji Yun'e was pulled and asked in confusion.
Ji Yunchan whispered nonchalantly, "It's because you're here that I can't wait for him to come back."
Ji Yun'e didn't hear clearly and asked, "What?"
Ji Yunchan paused slightly, not looking at her sister, but facing the road ahead, raising a bitter smile, "I don't want you to see what I look like in front of him."
Ji Yun'e reacted belatedly.
She said carefully, "How about I go back first and I continue to wait?"
Ji Yunchan kept walking: "Let's go, come back another day."
......
As they talked, they turned the corner at the end of the alley and walked towards the west of the city.
-
On the street, someone was riding a black horse with shiny fur, walking slowly towards them.
Yan Heng was riding on a horse. Since he was only at the yamen to work in the morning, he was not wearing armor, but his dark clothes still made him look tall and straight, and his demeanor was sharp.
He listened attentively to Chang Sui's report beside him, nodding occasionally.
When he arrived at the gate of the mansion, he dismounted and a servant came to lead the horse for him.
Yan Heng, holding the horse whip, stepped onto the steps and casually gave instructions on some trivial matters that needed attention. At a glance, he noticed that the gatekeeper seemed to be hesitant to speak.
As he walked, he asked, "What's the matter?"
The servant followed behind him and replied, "General, about half a minute ago, a girl came looking for you. When she heard that you were not there, she waited for a while and left not long ago."
"girl?"
Yan Heng paused. He spent all day in the military camp, so how could he get to know any girl?
There are more male relatives than female relatives in the family, and I don’t have many cousins.
After all these years, I've only been with that one person... He stopped, turned around and looked up, "What does he look like?"
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