Chapter 1 Chapter 1 "My Lord, beauty is the downfall of the country."...
The sky had just cleared in Zichuan City, but the streets were still steamy after the rain, the stone bricks on the ground were slippery, and the sky was filled with clouds.
In the open space beneath the temple outside the south city, refugees gathered, creating a chaotic scene. Grain Rain was approaching, and although Liangzhou's granaries were running low on grain, they still allocated a batch of rice for relief.
Jiang Ci stood in front of the granary himself, wearing a light green straight-hem dress with slightly rolled-up cuffs. He had a plain appearance but a calm demeanor, and was distributing bags of measured grain.
The spring rain had not yet dried up, and the outer surface of the rice bag was slightly damp and sticky, but she did not care. Her movements were skillful and quick. Occasionally, she whispered to the servants to enter the record book and arrange accommodation. Her voice was clear and light, but no one dared to be disrespectful.
Suddenly, a scream from the crowd broke the order.
"Don't push! Why are you pushing him?"
"Why are you cutting in line?"
Suddenly, several refugees rushed out of the queue and took advantage of the chaos to grab the food bags. One of them knocked a child in the queue to the ground. The child fell and hit his knee, crying loudly.
Just as the clerk was about to step forward, Jiang Ci spoke first in a deep voice:
"Subdue those people."
The voice was not loud, but it was unmistakable.
The guards immediately set out, pinning several troublemakers to the ground. The crowd was stunned and silent for a moment.
Jiang Ci walked over, squatted down, and personally helped the child up. While comforting the child softly, he called for someone to bring medicine.
The refugees who were held down still refused to give in, shouting, "You were the ones who posted the notice outside the city to admit us! We're here to get some food, it's only natural!"
Jiang Ci stood up upon hearing that. Several spots of mud splashed on her green clothes. She did not brush it off but walked towards those people step by step.
She lowered her eyelids and looked at them with a calm and clear gaze.
"Liangzhou is willing to accept refugees because we pity you, your families and country destroyed." She said in a steady tone, "But it doesn't mean we owe you anything."
The crowd was in an uproar. Some people wanted to argue, but fell silent when she finished her next word.
"What do you think this place is?" she said, emphasizing each word. "Is it a temple? Are you here to make a wish?"
The air seemed frozen.
Jiang Ci's eyes swept across the crowd. His tone was low, but every word was powerful:
"Liangzhou cannot bear to see the flames of war affect the people, so we don't ask where you come from or blame you for your past. We provide you with houses and food. This is not weakness, but kindness and righteousness."
"But if someone takes advantage of this kindness and righteousness to do evil, it would be repaying kindness with hatred."
"Liangzhou, you are not welcome. Please leave immediately."
There was no fluctuation in her eyes, but there was a chilling pressure.
At this moment, a horse came galloping from the corner of the street.
The man was riding a red chestnut horse, its hooves as fast as the wind. On the horse, his robe fluttered in the wind. He had a jade ornament around his waist and traces of rain on his temples. He looked full of vigor and vitality.
It was Xie Guijing.
When he dismounted, he still carried the youthful enthusiasm with him, and a hint of displeasure flashed across his eyes. "Aci, what's wrong?"
Jiang Ci put on a smile and replied, "Nothing, Jinglang, why are you here?"
Xie Guijing's voice was filled with laughter and a hint of resentment. "Yesterday at my coming-of-age ceremony, why did you leave so early? I wanted to take you somewhere, but after the banquet, I couldn't find you."
Jiang Ci raised her chin, letting the silk ribbon around her wrist slip into her sleeve. She walked over to him, looking up at him through the sunlight. "I went home yesterday to sew my eldest sister's wedding dress. She's getting married on the sixth of next month, and I'm afraid I won't be able to make it."
Xie Guijing choked, then smiled, his eyes brightening, but his tone more serious: "You shouldn't have left so abruptly. When I became a champion, you were the first one to be invited, and yet, you didn't even offer me a cup of soup or wine."
Jiang Ci smiled, his tone gentle, "Then how do you want me to make it up to you, Jinglang?"
Xie Guijing was about to say something else when he suddenly noticed rice crumbs on her forehead. He frowned, took out a handkerchief from his bosom, bent down and gently wiped the water stains and rice dust from her temples. His movements were very gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting her.
Jiang Ci wanted to do it herself, but seeing his serious expression, she let him do it. She tilted her head slightly and said, "Jinglang is really particular. He even carries a handkerchief with him."
"It's not a matter of preference, it's a habit," he handed her the handkerchief and added, "I only bring it for you."
The attendant behind him reported: "Miss, the registration here is complete. Can you hand it over to the clerk for follow-up arrangements?"
Jiang Ci nodded, gave a few instructions, then turned back to look at Xie Guijing: "Where did you say you were taking me?"
"It's a secret," Xie Guijing raised his hand and made a gesture of invitation, "Just follow me."
Jiang Ci looked up at him, the spring light reflected on his face, his temples wet with rain, but his smile was clean and bright. She didn't ask any more questions and just got into the carriage.
The wheels rolled over the damp bluestone road, heading west out of the city. Xie Guijing rode along on horseback, riding slowly and parallel to the carriage. He sat upright, his figure slender, the joints of his hand holding the reins distinct. His brows, illuminated by the sunlight, looked like a graceful tree in the wind.
Jiang Ci sat in the car, occasionally lifting the curtain and looking at him.
His profile was handsome and his expression was relaxed. He turned his head to look at her from time to time. When their eyes met, she would slightly curl her lips and lower the curtain.
The two men came out of the city and the carriage reached a high slope, where the road ahead suddenly opened up.
The wind is soft and the grass is long on the slope. In front of your eyes is a whole sea of flowers in full bloom of spring, with gold, pink, red and white interlaced, waves of flowers undulating, and the fragrance is refreshing.
Jiang Ci gently lifted the curtain, stepped out of the car and stood still, looking at the scenery in front of him. A look of surprise could not help but appear in his eyes. He turned around and asked with a smile: "When did you discover such a beautiful place?"
Xie Guijing held the horse with one hand, smiling contentedly, "I was hunting with your elder brother a few days ago, and happened to come here. I felt that the spring scenery was like a painting, and the shadows of flowers were like poetry. The first thing I thought of was that I must bring you to see it someday."
As he spoke, he walked into the flowers, picked the most blooming light pink flower, walked to her, lowered his eyes and pinned it into her hair.
His movements were extremely gentle, but his voice was gentle and firm: "This flower complements you, but it's just a little bit. After all, people are more beautiful than flowers."
Jiang Ci's cheeks heated up slightly when he heard this, and he gave him a light punch: "Xie Guijing, you can also use these sweet words now?"
Xie Guijing was not annoyed by her blow, but instead smiled even more deeply. He looked at her without blinking and said, "I only say these words to you. Others are not worthy."
He paused, then suddenly stopped smiling and said in a more serious tone, "I've already told my father that I'll go to your house to propose marriage in a few days."
"From now on, we will be a family."
Jiang Ci was stunned. He didn't expect him to say it so frankly. His ears felt slightly hot. He lowered his eyes and stroked the flower on his temples, but he couldn't hide the smile at the corner of his lips.
As the spring breeze blew, her hair fluttered slightly, the shadows of flowers swayed gently, and her whole body was like the gentlest touch of color in spring.
When Xie Guijing saw her shyly lowering her brows, his heart seemed to skip a beat.
He thought that even though he had known her for many years, every time he saw her, his heart would still be as moved as before, or even more so.
Just as the two were about to say a few more words, a servant suddenly ran up, panting, and bowed, saying, "Young lady, the master wants you back home. He says he has something important to discuss."
Jiang Ci frowned slightly when he heard this, but did not ask any more questions. He just turned to look at Xie Guijing.
Xie Guijing's eyes softened as he smoothed out the windblown flowers on her temples and whispered, "I'll take you back. When we get married someday, you can come here often. There's no need to rush."
His tone was gentle, but he couldn't hide the reluctance and expectation in his words.
Jiang Ci nodded and responded in a low voice, his eyes gently sweeping across the sea of flowers, as if he wanted to take this scene into his heart.
She followed the servant into the carriage, and before the curtain fell, she glanced at the young man who was already on horseback. As soon as Jiang Ci returned to the mansion, he and his maid Yin Shuang hurried to the inner courtyard, passed through the flower hall, entered the east corridor, and stopped in front of the study door.
The door was ajar, letting a faint light stream into the room, illuminating a map on the desk. The map centered on Liangzhou, with the surrounding mountains and rivers demarcated. The heavy brushstrokes, the ink still fresh, depicted the land divided into four parts, and war was about to ignite.
Jiang Huaice sat alone at his desk, his brow furrowed as he stared at a corner of Liangzhou on the map for a long time without moving. The light and shadow reflected on the white hair at his temples, as if freezing the old general who once led troops across the country on the brink of old age.
Jiang Ci looked at his expression, feeling slightly uneasy. He took a few steps forward and whispered, "Father." He poured him a cup of tea and served it to him personally. "But what happened?"
Jiang Huaice took the teacup, his fingertips trembling slightly. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Aci, do you know the Grand Commander of Dongyang - Ji Yang?"
Jiang Ci frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and replied slowly, "I know. I heard that he took over the military at the age of seventeen, swept across the southern border, and became a god in one battle. At the age of twenty-four, he unified four states and commanded the entire southeast. Why did father suddenly mention him?"
Jiang Huaice's expression grew increasingly complex, a hint of hesitation flashing across his eyes before he finally sighed, "In the past, we were all members of the Xiliang army, and we fought alongside our commander for many years. Ji Yang, once a hostage, was trapped in the army for three years, suffering humiliation... and he served under my command."
At this point, his voice dropped to a hoarse tone: "I never treated him harshly, but I also never protected him."
Jiang Ci was shocked and said nothing.
Jiang Huaice stood up and slowly walked to the window. He looked out at the mountain city shrouded in mist after the spring rain, his gaze settling on the Danya Mountains looming in the distance. He said in a deep voice, "Five years ago, the commander passed away, and I returned to Liangzhou. I didn't care about the disputes among my old subordinates in Xiliang, but only wanted peace for the people. But now... Ji Yang's troops are marching eastward, aiming at Liangzhou."
Jiang Ci's expression tightened. "With my father's troops, we can only defend one side. If Ji Yang sends his entire army, how can Liangzhou resist? It's like an egg hitting a rock."
Jiang Huaice nodded, his tone bitter: "I know. Therefore... I have to find another way out."
He paused, then turned to look at her, his eyes hiding a hint of hesitation and guilt, "Last month, I exchanged a letter with Ji Yang's mother."
Jiang Ci's heart trembled slightly, and a sense of foreboding arose spontaneously: "Father, what do you mean by this?"
Jiang Huaice slowly walked up to her, raised his hand to hold her shoulder, but seemed afraid to touch her. He only whispered, "Aci, father is incompetent. He can't protect you, nor can he protect Liangzhou. Madam Ji and I... have arranged your marriage. We use you as an alliance and marriage as a bond in exchange for peace for the people of Liangzhou."
Jiang Ci was struck by lightning, his body swaying slightly, his voice almost inaudible: "You... promise me to Ji Yang?"
"If he had married you, he wouldn't have attacked Liangzhou." Jiang Huaice said softly, "Before her death, your mother asked me to protect you. Now I... have failed her wish."
The room was silent for a moment.
A spring breeze blew through the curtains, twirling a corner of the map on the table. Jiang Ci stared at the map, frozen for a moment, then suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes.
A tear dripped down the back of my hand.
Jiang Huaice was silent for a moment, then suddenly whispered, "Your elder sister has already arranged a marriage and will be married next month. Your younger sister is still young, and now she's at an age where she can't even walk at the sight of preserved fruit. My Jiang family has no male descendants, and the only one who can shoulder the responsibility of Liangzhou right now is you."
He looked at Jiang Ci with a look of inexplicable fatigue and pain in his eyes. "You'll be twenty this fall, and you've been much more stable than others since you were a child... Ah Ci, Daddy really has no other choice."
He hadn't finished speaking when tears started falling. He had once been a brave general in Xiliang, riding a horse and wielding a spear, defeating enemies with ease and laughter. But now, he was about to personally send his own daughter to the camp of a former enemy, just to buy a moment of peace in Liangzhou.
Jiang Ci was startled, tears welling up in his eyes, but he forced a smile and wiped away the tears from his father's eyes with a handkerchief. His voice was trembling but firm: "Father, I will get married."
"There are already enough refugees. Liangzhou has been caught between the four corners of the country for many years, accepting countless displaced people. I can't bear to see them suffer from the war again, and I can't bear to see you... guarding the map and sighing every day."
Her eyes were clear and her tone was choked and firm.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaice suddenly looked up and looked at his daughter in front of him. He felt that she had grown up overnight. Her eyes were still gentle, but she was no longer just the pampered girl in the family, but the last barrier of this city.
He murmured, "Ah Ci... In this chaotic world, if you want to live freely, you can only marry the most powerful person."
Jiang Ci walked forward slowly, hugged him, his shoulders trembling slightly, and said in a low but clear voice: "Father, I understand."
She understood that this was not a marriage proposal, but a peace negotiation.
Late at night, the lights in the Jiang Mansion had gone out, only a dim light was still on in the small courtyard in the east wing.
There was a drizzle outside the window, dimming the dim light under the eaves. The room was so quiet that only the sound of pens could be heard.
Jiang Ci sat alone at her desk, a piece of plain paper spread out on the table, the faint scent of ink. She held her pen for a long time, but still couldn't write a single word.
It’s not that she doesn’t know how to start, it’s that she doesn’t know how to say goodbye.
The tea in the cup has gone cold. Outside the window, the wind blows through the plum branches, ruffling a few strands of her hair. The light casts a light on the water in her eyes.
After a long while, she finally wrote a few words on the paper:
"Jinglang: Spring has arrived early, and the flowers are just beginning to bloom. The flowers you gave me are still lying on my desk."
"If there is a future, I would like to watch the flowers all over the city with you. But the wind has changed this year, and Ah Ci must take another path."
"Don't worry."
She gently folded the letter and sealed it in a plain box.
She looked out the window. The spring rain had stopped, a cool breeze was rising, and the new buds on the branches were trembling slightly in the wind.
She turned off the light and sat in the dark for a long time without moving. When the night fell heavily, she smiled softly and murmured:
"Xie Guijing...May you and I be well."
Early morning three days later.
The main hall of the inner courtyard was cleaned freshly. Although there was no sign of joy, the wedding dress had already been brought into the house.
Yin Shuang brought a square wooden box into her room. When she opened it, a waft of agarwood incense filled her nose. Inside was a brocade dress, bright red with gold weaving, with wide sleeves and a long hem, embroidered with subtle patterns of phoenixes and dragons, yet without a trace of joy.
Jiang Ci looked at it for a moment, then wordlessly reached out and took it out. The fabric was icy cold, and it felt like a heavy stone in his palm.
"Miss..." Yin Shuang's voice trembled, her eyes already red, "Why don't you...why don't you go and ask the master again, and see if you can..."
"No." Jiang Ci interrupted her, his tone as calm as water, "This is Liangzhou's wedding dress, and it is also Liangzhou's armor."
She slowly put on her wedding gown, her movements as skillful and unhurried as they had been in the past. Yinshuang wanted to help her with her hair, but her hands were shaking uncontrollably.
"Girl, you didn't sleep last night, and you look like this..." Yin Shuang choked.
Jiang Ci just looked at himself in the bronze mirror and quietly inserted the last hairpin into his temple.
The person in the mirror had no makeup on, her hair was clean, and her wedding dress made her skin look even whiter, but her eyes were as cold as the first snow and frost.
She looked at herself in the mirror and said softly, "Yinshuang, thank you for your hard work. You have to accompany me to Fengdu in the future."
As the sky brightened, on the official road outside Zichuan City, there was a chaotic sound of horse hooves, flags hung low, and the carriage escorting the bride slowly left the city.
Jiang Ci was wearing a wedding dress and sitting steadily in a carriage with a low-hanging white curtain. Outside the curtain was a group of neatly mounted guards, wearing silver armor that shone coldly.
Her fingertips were tightly clenched around a handkerchief, the corners of which had long been twisted into wrinkles. Silence reigned within the curtains, save for the low hum of carriage wheels rolling over the bluestone, like a muffled drum weighing down my heart.
Yin Shuang sat beside her, her eyes slightly red, and she was quietly raising her hand to help her hold the hairpin steady.
On the other side was Wanniang, Jiang Ci's mother's personal maid. She was nearly forty years old, with a solemn expression. She held Jiang Ci's hand tightly and whispered, "Young lady...be patient. After this, everything will be fine."
Jiang Ci said nothing, but just held the handkerchief tighter.
Suddenly, there was a burst of rapid sound of horse hooves behind the city, coming from far away and getting closer, like a gust of wind chasing.
It’s Xie Guijing.
He heard some strange rumors in the courtyard, and after asking around, he was shocked to find out that Jiang Ci was getting married today. He put on his clothes and rode out of the city gate.
Seeing the red sedan chairs, white curtains, and soldiers in the distance, he was shocked and almost breathless. Without thinking, he whipped his horse and rushed towards the convoy.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
The guards turned around upon hearing the sound, swung their spears across, and stopped him outside the guard circle.
"Master Xie, the marriage procession is ahead, please stop."
"Get out of the way!" Xie Guijing's eyes were red and his voice was as loud as a thunder. "I just... I just want to say something to her!"
He dismounted and rushed towards the carriage almost out of control, shouting at the top of his lungs:
“Aci——!”
"Jiang Ci! Get out of the car! Please don't go! If you ask, I'll go find your father right now. I'll beg him..."
The carriage did not stop.
Inside the curtain, the calls grew louder and louder, finally shattering the tear that Jiang Ci had been trying hard to hold back.
Yin Shuang pressed the back of her hand tightly and shook her head gently: "Girl..."
Wanniang said nothing, but just lowered her eyes, but her hands held her shoulders even tighter.
The curtain moved slightly, and Jiang Ci looked up. He could see the blue-gray light in the distance of the city gate, but could not see him.
She didn't open the curtain after all.
She can't lift it.
Behind him, Xie Guijing dismounted and looked at the carriage that was getting farther and farther away. Suddenly, he lowered his head and broke the jade hairpin. The two pieces of jade slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Eyes are red.
After more than ten days of travel, the carriage traveled all the way from Zichuan to Fengdu.
Jiang Ci had never imagined that the two places were so close. In just half a month, he had already stepped into the territory of the Ji family from his mother's hometown.
The city gate was in sight. She had thought that the wedding ceremony might include a simple escort, even by a deputy general from the Dongyang Marquis's mansion. However, the person who came was not Ji Yang, but a team of elegantly dressed and stern-looking maids from the inner palace, all sent by Madam Ji.
Yin Shuang whispered, "The governor didn't even come out to greet me..."
As the carriage entered the city, armored soldiers suddenly lined up in front of them. The Dongyang army stood with swords drawn, looking very imposing, and stopped the carriage and the people on it on the main road in the city.
The leading officer asked in a deep voice, "Who are you? How dare you enter the military city without permission?"
The maid sent by Madam Ji hurried forward and shouted back, "This is the marriage that Madam has personally arranged. The bride, Jiang, has been ordered to enter the city today."
The soldier's expression remained unchanged and he was about to speak when suddenly a burst of horse-drawn hooves sounded.
A rider in black armor and riding a black horse stood high above the dust, wearing a purple and gold cloak, galloping towards us. His horse's hooves had not yet stopped, and his majesty was already here.
It was Ji Yang, accompanied by a man wearing a green robe, wearing a bamboo slip, with a gentle expression. He was the chief strategist of the Dongyang Army and the marching Sima Lu Linchuan.
Ji Yang reined in his horse outside the battle formation, but did not dismount. He just stood there looking at the carriage for a moment, then spoke in a cold voice:
"Jiang family girl, get out."
As soon as the words fell, the carriage fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Ci's knuckles trembled slightly, but he did not move.
Yin Shuang looked at her, her eyes red, and called out softly, "Girl..."
Jiang Ci was about to lift the curtain and get out of the car, but Wanniang spoke first, not forgetting to persuade him: "You haven't even gotten married yet, how can you let the young lady show up first? It's not in accordance with etiquette."
Before he could finish his words, the soldier shouted, "The governor has spoken, and you have the right to interrupt? How dare you, a servant like you? How outrageous!"
Yinshuang's face turned pale, and Wanniang was also silenced by the scolding.
Jiang Ci reached out, held Wan Niang's hand, and shook his head slowly.
"No problem."
Her voice was light, yet it carried a hint of undeniable composure. She lifted the carriage curtain with her own hands and stepped down.
The dust was still wet and the sky was chilly. Her wedding dress was already wet from the wind and dust, and the mud and dust from her feet had seeped into her skirt, but she still walked calmly.
In front of the carriage, the master and his servants stood in the wind, their sleeves fluttering slightly, as dusk was about to fall.
Jiang Ci raised his eyes and looked at the man sitting high on the black horse.
The man was clad in black armor, his cape fluttering in the wind. His features were sharp and stern, his brows sharp as blades, his gaze blazing like torches. His dark hair was tied under a golden crown, his temples fluttering in the wind. He was completely silent and awe-inspiring.
He sat upright on the saddle, with a natural aura and a sense of authority without even being angry. His eyes swept over everyone and finally settled on her.
Their eyes met, and Jiang Ci tightened his fingertips, but did not look away.
This was her future husband—the governor of Dongyang who was said to have captured a city in three days, defeated the enemy in five nights, and who was aloof from women and cold-hearted.
Yin Shuang lowered her head, her knuckles trembling slightly under the pressure of Ji Yang's aura. Wan Niang subconsciously took half a step in front of Jiang Ci, looking forward with a wary look.
Ji Yang spoke condescendingly, his voice as cold as frost and snow:
"Take off your face covering."
As soon as the words fell, the soldiers around him moved slightly, and the air seemed to be instantly cooled.
Wanniang was startled and wanted to step forward to speak, but Jiang Ci raised his hand and gently stopped her.
Her fingertips rested on the back of Wanniang's hand, her strength gentle but firm.
Jiang Ci took a step forward slowly, knelt down and saluted, his voice calm:
"I will follow the governor's orders."
She bowed her head and saluted with all due courtesy, but without a trace of shyness or fear, then raised her hand and slowly took off her veil.
When the veil fell, the world was silent for a moment.
It was a face that was picturesque and captivating, with features of unparalleled beauty, but between her eyebrows and eyes there was a sense of coldness and loneliness that came from an unmade-up person.
The soldiers in formation all fixed their gazes, and the man sitting high on his horse also paused for a barely perceptible moment.
Lu Linchuan looked at her, seeming to admire her but also worried, and whispered to Ji Yang: "My lord, beauty is a disaster for the country."
Before he finished speaking, Ji Yang's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a cold arc appeared at the corner of his lips.
He slowly uttered four words: "Kill her."
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