Chapter 5 Chapter 5 "I won't believe you, let alone love you...
As soon as the words fell, the courtyard fell silent.
Both of them seemed to be frozen in an instant by these words.
Yin Shuang and Jiang Ci's expressions changed at the same time. Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment and even forgot to retract his blessing posture.
She only felt a buzzing sound in her ears. Ji Xu was also startled, and her eyes moved between her own son and the future sister-in-law in front of her for a moment.
He smiled slightly, his tone gentle, with a little helpless pampering: "What nonsense are you talking about."
"Miss Jiang is your second uncle's future wife, and your future second mother. How can you make fun of her so casually?"
As he spoke, he reached out and touched Ji Yunfan's head. His tone was gentle but very steady, as if he wanted to give him some advice: "In this world, marriage cannot be decided by just saying 'marry me'."
"If one day you really want to say something like this, you should learn to ask the woman first if she wants to."
Jiang Ci lowered her eyelashes, and her heart moved slightly when she heard this. She looked at the child in front of her, and suddenly felt like laughing, but she couldn't tell whether she was laughing at him or at herself.
Although she didn't smile, there was a hint of sadness in the corners of her eyes. Who asked her if she was willing?
She bowed slightly, her voice calm and indifferent:
"Afan is a child and speaks without restraint. Young Master, please don't blame him."
Ji Xu looked at her expression, a hint of deep meaning flashed in his eyes, but he didn't say much in the end, only said softly:
"It's okay, please don't take it to heart."
"He's still young and his words are careless."
Jiang Ci smiled and nodded: "I understand." She said goodbye to the two of them and left Ji Xu's courtyard with Yin Shuang.
Yin Shuang said nothing as they walked along, and neither did Jiang Ci. It was not until they walked out of the corridor and the wind blew her hair slightly that she seemed to come to her senses and whispered:
"What you said just now... is really embarrassing."
Yin Shuang also breathed a sigh of relief and echoed, "Although the child didn't mean to do it, it caught us off guard. However, I didn't expect the eldest young master to be so easy to get along with. I think he's much better than the governor."
Jiang Ci pursed his lips and said nothing more.
Returning to the courtyard, she changed out of her outer robe and sat beside the couch. She suddenly asked, "What illness does the eldest son of the Ji family... have? Why hasn't he recovered after so many years?"
Wanniang was setting the tea, and when she heard this, she paused, put down the teacup, and whispered:
"I heard from the people in the mansion that no one can tell for sure what the illness is."
"A few years ago, Madam Ji did indeed seek out famous doctors. Even local doctors from Dongyang came, but in the end, they all shook their heads and left."
"He said he had internal heat rising from his five internal organs, his tongue was parched and his mouth was dry, he couldn't sleep at night, and he had constant palpitations and surging blood and qi... I tried warming tonics, clearing heat, acupuncture, and herbal decoctions, but nothing worked."
Jiang Ci frowned slightly: "Then why not ask someone who knows poison to come and try it?"
Wanniang sighed softly, "Although what the young lady said makes sense, the world is in chaos. Many good doctors died early or found a place to live in seclusion. There are also bad people in power. Being able to heal and knowing how to heal are two different things."
"It's not like no one in the palace has thought of the method of fighting poison with poison, but there are very few people in the world who can truly use poison without causing death."
"Besides, that eldest son is the eldest son of the Ji family. Who would dare to try him lightly?"
Jiang Ci nodded slightly and lowered his eyes to think.
Hidden fire poison burns but is not intense, sinks but does not explode. It is indeed not like ordinary weakness. If you simply warm and cool it, it will only disrupt the meridians.
Her eyes sank.
It's late at night and everyone is asleep.
There was a solitary lamp on the desk, as small as a bean. Jiang Ci, wearing a plain dress, sat alone in front of the desk. Outside the window, the wind blew through the bamboo shadows, and the candlelight flickered slightly.
She picked up her pen, dipped it in ink, spread out the letter paper, and wrote:
"Father, everything is fine, don't worry."
"Today I met the eldest young master for the first time. His face was pale, his tongue was scorched, his pulse was irregular, and his breathing seemed to be that of a hidden fire. The palace has consulted many doctors, but none of them could find a cure. I dare to use my own knowledge to diagnose this condition. I believe this is not a case of exhaustion, but rather a result of internal toxins. I hope that father will lend me a helping hand and copy down all the medical texts and herbal prescriptions that I collected in Zichuan and send them to me. If there are any old prescriptions or fragments of secret recipes from my ancestors, please also enclose them."
Having written this, she paused for a moment, looked up at the moonlight outside the window, her eyes moved slightly, and a hint of homesickness slowly appeared at the corners of her lips.
Since he was thirteen years old, Jiang Ci has been following the old doctor in the mansion through the streets, treating refugees, registering people, and treating wounds.
When the plague broke out, she went to the well to make soup and medicine for the people and copied the pathological prescriptions by hand.
She added the final stroke:
"I know this journey is dangerous, but if there is a way to save people, I am willing to try it."
She put down her pen, gently blew dry the ink, folded the letter and sealed it in an envelope, and ordered Yin Shuang to have it delivered back to Liangzhou by a courier early the next morning.
The light shone on her face, the warm yellow flickered slightly, the scent of ink lingered, and her figure fell lightly on the wall, appearing very lonely.
Tomorrow is her wedding day with Ji Yang.
A wedding that has been planned and she has no choice but to leave it at that.
She should have been calm, but at this moment, she felt an indescribable throbbing and uneasiness in her heart.
Before dawn, the lights in the mansion were already on.
Red gauze and satin were hung in the west wing of the main hall, and pearl curtains and jade silk cords hung along the eaves. The east wing and the south garden were all decorated with festive colors. The ceremonial officials had already taken their positions, and the servants in the inner courtyard were running around, each doing their own job.
At three o'clock in the morning, the wedding drum sounded.
The musicians prepared the ceremony, the big drums were struck three times, the bells and chimes rang out simultaneously, and the ceremonial officer began to chant the ceremony, and all the rituals were carried out perfectly.
All the women in the mansion came out in their best attire. Madam Ji personally took charge of the affairs of the inner house, summoned all the relatives and guests of the Ji family, and welcomed civil officials, military generals, and guests from the court in the main hall.
Before joy arises, the heartstrings are already tense.
Jiang Ci had already stood up and was sitting in front of the mirror, letting Wanniang do her makeup.
Yinshuang carefully drew her eyebrows, and Wanniang personally gathered the sleeves of her wedding dress, ironing every inch of the silk satin without any creases.
"Girl, you look really beautiful today."
Yinshuang's eyes were a little red, and she seemed to want to say something, but she held it back in the end.
Jiang Ci looked at the bride with picturesque features in the bronze mirror, and suddenly realized that this was not her, but another her who was sent into the fate of wind and snow by someone. There was no joy on his face.
If there was no covenant, the person wearing the wedding dress to get married would probably be Jinglang.
She whispered, "Let's go."
The wedding drum sounded three more times, and the door to the inner courtyard slowly opened.
Wanniang held one end of the red silk, and Yinshuang supported her clothes by the side.
Jiang Ci stood up slowly, his expression calm, his auspicious robes trailing on the ground behind him as he walked inch by inch under the stone steps of the inner courtyard.
The bells and chimes in the courtyard have stopped ringing, the guests have gathered, red candles are burning, and incense is curling.
The ceremonial officer has already sung "The bride enters the hall", and the auspicious moment is approaching, but the groom has yet to show up.
Outside the hall, the drums sounded again.
On both sides of the wedding curtain, Wanniang took Jiang Ci's hand and slowly walked into the main hall. She held a gold-woven silk fan in front of her to cover her face.
The main seat where Ji Yang should have stood was empty.
Madam Ji was sitting on the side of the female family. Seeing this, her expression froze and she whispered to the maid beside her, "Where is Zisu?"
The maid leaned forward and spoke in a very low voice, "Madam, we haven't seen the governor since the morning of April 11. I have sent someone to look for him..."
Madam Ji's expression suddenly changed, her brows furrowed, and she said in a deep voice, "How could you do such a thing on your wedding day?"
Although the guests in the hall did not dare to speak loudly, they were already whispering to each other.
"This governor...Is he deliberately leaving her out in the cold?"
"The bride is already here, but the man hasn't arrived yet. Haha, I heard that this girl from the Jiang family is the daughter of the Governor of Liangzhou?"
"Yes, her father, Jiang Huaice, is a former member of the Xiliang army."
"How can I swallow my anger and marry the daughter of my former enemy general?"
"Alas, this marriage may not be a happy event. I'm afraid that marrying her is just for a piece of paper."
"If the governor didn't want to, why didn't he just refuse from the beginning? Doing this now... is really embarrassing."
Although these words were spoken in a low voice, they did not escape Jiang Ci's ears.
Her hand holding the fan did not move, but her heart tightened inch by inch. The sounds in her ears were piercing, all of which were the comments that were derogatory towards her in public, but she did not look up or take a step back.
The red candles in the hall were burning brightly, the music had long since stopped, and the guests' backs ached from sitting so much, but no one dared to leave.
Jiang Ci was still standing on the red carpet in front of the hall, without moving. From three quarters past four in the morning to almost noon, a full half hour had passed.
There was no groom, no messenger, and the ceremonial officer's back was already soaked with sweat. He tried to step forward several times, but was stopped by Madam Ji's eyes every time.
Jiang Ci stood straight, his appearance was picturesque, and his posture was not at all messy.
Among the women, someone fanned herself and whispered, "She's still standing... The governor is deliberately trying to torture her."
"How long do you think Jiang Ci can hold on?"
At this time, in the Governor's Office five miles outside the government office.
Ji Yang was wearing a black robe and armor, sitting reclining on the main seat with a cold expression, tapping the wooden table with his knuckles. The aroma of tea was lingering in the air, as if nothing had happened.
Lu Linchuan whispered a reminder: "My Lord, the auspicious time is halfway through. If you don't go back now, I'm afraid..."
Ji Yang picked up the teacup, his expression indifferent, he took a sip slowly, and a sneer appeared at the corner of his lips:
"What's the rush?"
"Tell her to wait."
"Didn't Jiang Ci just rush to marry me?"
"It is a great blessing for me to help her."
After he said this, he slowly put down his teacup, stood up, straightened his clothes, and told someone to lead the horse.
"Let's go."
And in the lobby of Dongyang Marquis Mansion.
The drumbeats suddenly sounded again, and everyone looked up, only to see Ji Yang, dressed in a black robe and auspicious clothes, slowly walking in from the mansion gate.
The guests all stood up and saluted: "Greetings, Governor." No one dared to say congratulations.
Ji Yang simply raised his hand to signal, his expression as cold as ice, and his eyes did not even glance at the crowd.
When he stopped beside Jiang Ci and turned his head to look at her, that look was as cold as the wind blowing from the Hanbei grassland, without joy, without warmth, and even... almost disdain.
Jiang Ci stood there holding a fan, his head slightly lowered, the fan covering his face, making it impossible to see his expression.
The ceremonial officer had to force himself to remain calm, bowed his hands and chanted loudly:
"The auspicious time has arrived—the bride enters the hall."
Jiang Ci nodded slightly, and under the guidance of Wanniang, she slowly stepped onto the stone steps in front of her. Her steps were steady, and her skirt dragged silently on the ground.
Ji Yang did not help her, but just followed her up the stairs and stood beside Jiang Ci, like a bystander, without saying a word.
The ceremonial officer continued to chant:
"The wedding ceremony is about drinking the wine together."
A maid brought a cup made of half a gourd split diagonally, with a golden cup reflecting the fire, each half making a pair.
Ji Yang looked straight ahead, raised his cup and drank, as if he had just completed a task.
Jiang Ci took the wedding cup, paused for a moment, and then drank from it. His expression was not much better than Ji Yang's.
Everyone looked at them sideways, feeling that this wedding ceremony was quite awkward, but they didn't dare to say anything.
The ceremonial officer repeats:
"The wedding ceremony is to look upon the bride."
This is an old ritual in Dongyang etiquette, which is intended to look the wife straight in the eye and express the intention of accepting her as a wife.
Ji Yang slowly turned his head and looked at Jiang Ci expressionlessly. His eyes passed by indifferently without even a lingering moment, and he withdrew his gaze.
It seemed like a gaze, but also like... contempt.
Jiang Ci felt the gaze passing by, but was too lazy to pay any attention to him.
The ceremonial officer was shocked when he saw this, and could only continue to chant the ceremony in a weak voice:
"Greetings, my Lord—"
This is to perform the ceremony on behalf of the parents and pay homage to the ancestral throne.
Jiang Ci slowly leaned forward, but just before he knelt, his knees paused due to standing for a long time, and he suddenly heard a cold voice beside his ear:
"how?"
"The daughter of the Jiang family... can't kneel down to my Ji family's ancestors?"
All the guests looked at Jiang Ci, and even Madam Ji's expression suddenly changed.
Jiang Ci held a silk fan in his hand, his body paused slightly, his slender waist straightened, and he suddenly smiled softly, with a hint of ridicule at the corner of his lips.
She didn't raise her head, but only replied softly:
"Isn't the governor a little late?"
The ceremonial officer stood there in a daze, not knowing whether to continue the ceremony. Jiang Ci then slowly knelt down and bowed deeply.
On the wedding night, red candles are shining brightly and the wedding curtains are hanging low.
Jiang Ci was escorted to her bridal chamber by her maid, where Yin Shuang and Wan Niang politely served her cups of sweet soup and fragrant snacks. She still held onto her silk fan, not taking a sip. She sat quietly on the red couch, her gaze fixed on the moonlight outside the window pane.
Footsteps were heard.
Ji Yang entered in auspicious attire with steady steps, but he showed no joy as he stepped into the room. Instead, he exuded a murderous aura.
Jiang Ci raised his eyes slightly when he heard the voice, still holding the fan without moving, with a faint smile on the corner of his lips, as if he had anticipated his coldness.
Ji Yang walked up to her, looked down at her, and suddenly reached out and snatched the fan from her hand.
"Governor..." Her tone was calm, but her eyes were as clear as autumn water.
"Have you had enough of acting?" he asked coldly.
The next moment, the long sword at his waist was unsheathed, and the tip of the sword was across her neck. The red candle reflected a silver light and fell on the side of her jade-like neck.
Ji Yang lowered his head and approached her. His voice was as cold as a frost knife, and every word pierced the bone: "Our marriage is nothing more than a delaying tactic."
"You don't have to pretend, and you don't have to have any delusions."
"I won't believe you."
"I won't love you either."
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