Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Living... is the punishment. ...
In the quiet room in the backyard of the Governor's Office, Ji Yang walked in step by step, holding the unconscious Jiang Ci in his arms.
The door was pushed open with a creak, and the room was quiet and tidy. The window paper was lifted by the summer breeze, bringing a faint scent of sandalwood.
Ji Yang looked down at her, his brows furrowed, and gently placed her on the couch where he often rested.
The woman was in a deep sleep, her hair sticking to her temples and a layer of cold sweat on her forehead, as if she had not had a moment's peace even in her dreams.
The accompanying military doctor hurried over, medicine bag on his back, and knelt beside the couch, reaching out to feel her pulse. Wanniang and Yinshuang followed shortly after, standing nervously by her side, not daring to speak.
Ji Yang stood to one side, his eyes never leaving the person on the bed.
The doctor felt her pulse for a long time before finally releasing his fingers and looking up. "Madam has indeed been poisoned. The drug is extremely toxic, damaging to the body's yang energy. The damp, cold prison cell only exacerbates the danger. Although she has regained consciousness, she is extremely weak. I'm afraid she will need several months of recuperation. Any negligence could lead to further illness."
Ji Yang lowered his eyes and said in a low voice: "Is your life safe?"
"As long as you take good care of yourself, there will be no serious problem." The doctor replied respectfully.
"Is the prescription written?" Ji Yang stretched out his hand.
The doctor handed it to him, and he took it without even looking at it, then stuffed it into his arms: "I see, you can go down."
The doctor excused himself and left the room, holding his breath.
Ji Yang then slowly shifted his gaze to look at Wanniang and Yinshuang standing in the corner. They both looked haggard, their clothes stained with dust, and their faces sallow, clearly the marks of the suffering they had endured in prison.
He said to them calmly, "You two should go back to the house and pack up first. Jiang Ci has me and a doctor here, so you don't need to worry about anything."
Wanniang and Yinshuang exchanged a glance. Although they were reluctant to leave the young lady, they also knew that the Grand Commandant had a serious temperament, so they could only bow and say, "Yes, I will take my leave."
Just as the two of them reached the door, Ji Yang raised his eyes and called out, "Yue Bai."
Yue Bai, who had been waiting outside the door, immediately responded and went in.
"Have someone prepare a car to take them back to the mansion." Ji Yang's voice was still cold, but it also had a touch of warmth. "Don't let people on the street see us and say that the Dongyang Marquis's Mansion treats its servants harshly and is unkind."
"I understand." Yue Bai accepted the order and respectfully led the two away.
The room finally became quiet.
Ji Yang walked to the table and poured a cup of tea. He held the teacup and stood by the bed looking at her.
The woman still had her eyes closed and her figure was frail.
His throat moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, no word came out.
At this moment, Lu Linchuan's voice rang out from outside the door: "Lord, there is a military report."
Ji Yang put down the teacup, turned around, took the sword on the table, and walked to the door with brisk steps.
Inside the room, the woman on the couch opened her eyes quietly with her eyelashes trembling.
She sat up and tiptoed to the door. Just as she was about to ask something, she suddenly heard footsteps coming back from outside the door!
Jiang Ci's pupils shrank, and he immediately turned around and lay down, closing his eyes and slowly suppressing his breath.
The door knocked softly, and it was Ji Yang who had returned. He walked to the couch and looked down, and the girl was still lying there quietly.
He paused, reached out to pull up the corner of her quilt, tucked it in for her, then turned and left with his sword in hand.
Not until the footsteps completely disappeared and silence returned outside the door did Jiang Ci open his eyes and let out a long breath.
She leaned against the pillow, her eyes fixed on the door with a complicated expression.
Inside the Governor's Office, sunlight began to filter through the window lattices.
Lu Linchuan, dressed in military uniform, walked quickly inside with a scroll in hand and saluted in the hall: "My Lord."
Ji Yang was sitting at the table, looking up and said, "Speak."
Lu Linchuan unfolded the intelligence file in his hand and said solemnly, "During the few days we were away, spies from Hanbei broke into the Governor's Office, sneaked into the document room at night, and stole a map."
Ji Yang frowned, his tone unchanged, but with a hint of solemnity in his voice: "Which one is it?"
"It's the painting the Governor's wife drew earlier of the confluence of the Ningling and Luoqu Canals, used for flood control." Lu Linchuan pointed at the military map. "Luckily, I brought the handwritten booklet on flood control with me, otherwise... the consequences would be disastrous."
Ji Yang pondered for a moment, his thumb rubbing the edge of the map. Suddenly, he said, "Ningling and Luoqu... are the borders of Liangzhou and Tingzhou. What does Hanbei want this map for?"
Lu Linchuan's expression was grave. "Lou Qi." He pointed at a corner of Liangzhou. "Although he hasn't resorted to violence, he's been constantly provoking. Flood control is just an excuse. What he really wants is Liangzhou."
He continued slowly, "Lou Qi has always understood people's hearts. The people are trapped by the flood. If he leads his troops here, under the pretext of providing water relief, the people of Liangzhou will probably welcome him with open arms."
Ji Yang sneered coldly: "That's wishful thinking."
His tone was cold, but he did not take it lightly. "It doesn't matter. The map is gone. I'll ask Jiang Ci to draw another one."
The voice paused, but the fingers paused slightly.
He suddenly remembered the letter of treason, the fire... those things that he had burned with his own hands, and they came back to his mind like needles.
He lowered his eyes and spoke in a lower tone: "Jiang Huaice defected to Dongyang in order to protect his position in Liang Province. I want to see if he dares to let the Hanbei Army enter his territory."
Lu Linchuan smiled and looked at him calmly: "My Lord, after all, this map was drawn by my wife. Now that she is asked to draw another one, should you say something else?"
Ji Yang didn't respond, his brows were gloomy, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table.
Lu Linchuan laughed again, half jokingly and half seriously: "This is the first time that your room has been occupied by someone, and a woman at that..."
"It's an emergency." Ji Yang interrupted coldly. His tone was not harsh, but he was obviously hiding something.
At this moment, he suddenly remembered that Ji Xu had sent a message saying that the truth about Jiang Ci's case had been revealed, and asked him to return home to investigate personally.
After explaining everything, Ji Yang finally stood up, put on his outer robe, and walked towards the small house in the backyard.
He stood outside the door, raised his hand and knocked twice, just testing it.
There was silence in the room for a moment, and then a light but calm female voice was heard: "Come in."
Ji Yang was stunned for a moment, but didn't move. He had thought she was still asleep, or perhaps didn't want to see him at all, but he hadn't expected her tone to be so calm.
He stood there for a long time, his fingers stroking the wood grain of the door, but in the end he did not push the door.
"Commander-in-Chief," her second words came from inside the room, "I am fine now and can return home."
His voice was slightly hoarse, but revealed stubbornness and restraint.
The next moment, the door creaked open from the inside. Jiang Ci stood at the door, dressed in white, with a calm and indifferent expression.
She looked at Ji Yang's back and called softly, "Let's go."
Ji Yang nodded, and before raising his foot, he took off his cloak and threw it to her.
"You are weak." Then he turned around and walked in front, taking her out of the Governor's Office. Jiang Ci put it on without hesitation.
Outside the door, a carriage had already been prepared. Jiang Ci was about to get on, but he stumbled because his feet were weak.
Ji Yang was quick to raise his hand and hold her arm. The moment his palm touched her, the thin and slender arm seemed boneless and almost broke with a single grip.
He immediately let go, his expression unchanged: "Watch your step."
Jiang Ci steadied himself and whispered, "Thank you."
She got into the carriage, sat down, lifted the curtain, and asked, "Isn't the governor coming up?"
Ji Yang coughed and pretended to be calm: "I'm riding a horse."
He jumped on his horse and slowly escorted the convoy forward.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Ci looked out the window at the passing street scene and said softly, "I don't blame you for this."
Her tone was calm, as if she were only discussing a matter concerning someone else. "You were about to leave for the battle that day, and time was short. It's understandable that you didn't listen to my explanation. It's just..." She paused slightly, "My father sent me a lot of old things from Liangzhou, and they were all burned. That's the only thing that hurts me."
"You once said that the Jiang family owed you." Her voice was slightly cold. "I don't deny it. I understand. I don't blame you."
After saying that, she lowered the car curtain and closed her eyes. It wasn't that she didn't want to pursue the matter, but at this moment, she just wanted him to feel guilty, so she retreated in order to advance.
When Ji Yang heard this, he felt like someone hit his chest with a hammer.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ci didn't cry, make a fuss, complain, or even get angry. Instead, he was so sensible that it made him feel even more depressed.
When the carriage reached the Dongyang Marquis's residence, he finally spoke: "I understand."
Jiang Ci didn't reply.
The car stopped. She lifted the curtain and got out, her steps slow but not as weak as before.
Outside the mansion, Wanniang and Yinshuang had been waiting for a long time. When they saw her coming down, the three of them hugged each other tightly.
When Yin Shuang saw her, she couldn't help but feel her eyes red: "Miss——"
Jiang Ci held them gently, bent down and whispered in Yin Shuang's ear, "Everything is fine."
She raised her head, looked past them, and looked at Ji Yang who was still sitting on the horse.
He did not dismount, but just looked at them from a distance without saying a word.
The first thing Ji Yang did when he returned home was to set up a seat in the front hall and ordered someone to bring Ji Qiu over.
Even in the height of summer, the hall was filled with frost and a chilly atmosphere.
When Ji Qiu was brought up, he was already emaciated. He knelt on the ground with his eyes lowered, but his voice was surprisingly steady:
"The fire in Jiang Ci's courtyard that night was a trap I set up, just to steal her blueprints during the chaos."
She glanced at the people in the hall and continued in a dry voice, "I practiced for half a month to imitate her handwriting, and ultimately forged that letter of treason. It was all out of jealousy... jealousy that she was favored by the governor and respected by everyone in the Dongyang Marquisate. I had evil intentions and was trying to take her place."
Her voice became lower and lower, and she almost choked at the end.
"She wasn't executed on the spot, so I stole Sister Ru'an's token, disguised myself as the eldest young master's maid, and delivered the poisonous soup into the dungeon of the Governor's Office. I did everything by myself."
After she finished speaking, she fell to the ground and kowtowed three times, each time making a loud noise.
There was silence at this moment.
Ji Yang sat in the main seat, his eyes as cold as a blade. He glanced at Jiang Ci beside him, then slowly moved towards Shen Ru'an who was standing at the side seat.
Shen Ru'an held a cup of tea in her hand, her brows lowered and her eyes downcast, her expression serene. Every time Ji Qiu said something, she pursed her lips and smiled, as if nothing had happened, without a trace of panic.
But whenever Ji Qiu lowered her head and shed tears, her eyes would always unconsciously drift towards Chen Ru'an.
Jiang Ci saw it clearly, but he didn't dare to say anything.
She knew Ji Qiu was merely a pawn, a scapegoat. The poisoned porridge was harsh, but not fatal. If Shen Ru'an truly wanted her dead, why would he allow Ji Qiu to let go of her between life and death?
Did Ji Qiu change his mind at the last minute?
Ji Yang's eyes were filled with anger, but he remained seated, only uttering two words word by word: "Stab to death."
The guards in the hall responded and were about to move.
At this moment, Jiang Ci stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Commander-in-Chief."
Ji Yang turned his head away, looking unhappy: "You don't have to speak."
Jiang Ci still stood stubbornly, his voice clear but with a hint of determination: "She deserves punishment, but not necessarily death. What she has committed is indeed a capital crime, but since she still feels remorse... it is better to spare her life and let her live to face the consequences of her actions."
Before he finished speaking, Ji Yang's anger finally broke free, he slammed the table and shouted angrily:
"Jiang Ci, she almost killed you, and you actually pleaded for her?"
He stood up, his figure as tall as a mountain, his eyes filled with unconcealable anger and confusion, "Do you know that if she had been any more cruel, you wouldn't be here now!"
Jiang Ci looked at him without arguing. He just knelt down slowly, the corner of his clothes brushing the ground, with an indescribable smile on the corner of his lips.
"That's why I don't want her to die." Her voice was as soft as water, yet filled with determination. "I want her to live, a long and painful life, remembering day and night how she hurt me. Death is a relief, living... is punishment."
At this moment, Ji Yang's throat moved slightly, but he remained speechless.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside the door.
Ji Xu supported Bai Yang and walked slowly towards them, his expression calm. "Fortunately, my sister-in-law is fine. She can escape the death penalty, but she can't escape punishment for her crime. Why not send her to Qingzhou to build a new city on the border? Qingzhou is in turmoil right now and they need manpower to build the defense wall. It's just right."
After he finished speaking, he nodded towards Jiang Ci and said, "I think this result is what you want."
Jiang Ci nodded slightly and said softly, "Very good."
Ji Yang withdrew his gaze and stared at Ji Qiu lying on the ground for a long time. Finally, he said coldly, "Since my wife has spoken, then I will obey her."
After saying that, he turned away.
The wind blew behind him, and his robe fluttered like an iron cloud pressing down on a city.
Shen Ru'an slowly put down the teacup in his hand, and before turning around, he raised his eyes to look at Jiang Ci, his eyebrows full of smiles, and his tone was so gentle that it was almost innocent:
"Second cousin's wife and cousin Zixu are truly kind."
The smile on her lips was so faint and cold, like a dark snow in midsummer, which could cover up the sharpness but could not hide the sinisterness that penetrated her bones.
At this moment, Ji Xu felt that the woman before him was both strange and terrifying. The familiarity that had once brought them laughter and joy now transformed into a chilling repulsion deep within his heart.
But Ji Qiu had already taken all the blame, and all the evidence pointed to her. Even if he wanted to say something, he had no evidence to implicate Shen Ru'an.
He looked at Shen Ru'an deeply, his tone calm but distant:
"Cousin Ru'an, when are you planning to return to Xiling?"
After saying this, Jiang Ci also looked at Ji Xu. She understood at that moment that Ji Xu had already made a judgment in his heart and knew that the person behind the scenes was Shen Ru'an, but he also suffered from the lack of evidence.
After all, they were cousins, and Shen Ru'an's father was a general under Ji Yang, guarding Xiling—the throat crossing between Old Xiliang and Dongyang, a strategic location. In this situation, no matter how angry the Dongyang Marquisate was, they could do nothing about her.
Shen Ru'an suddenly chuckled, a smile that was filled with a strangeness that was hard to describe. She put her hand over her lips, her eyes moving, and her tone was half-angry and half-sweet: "Cousin Zixu, are you going to kick me out now?"
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