Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Misfortunes never come alone
Yin Shuang arrived at the restaurant carrying a box of snacks. Seeing that she was from the Dongyang Marquis's residence, the innkeeper hurried forward to greet her and asked with a smile, "Young lady, are you looking for someone?"
Yin Shuang raised her eyes and asked, "Is the Governor's wife upstairs? I was ordered to bring some snacks."
The shopkeeper was stunned and replied, "Madam? I didn't see you this morning. But Mr. Xie suddenly packed his luggage about half an hour ago and checked out without even having breakfast, saying he had to leave."
Yin Shuang frowned, staring at the empty staircase, and muttered to herself, "Could it be that the young lady has returned home first?"
Without stopping, she hurried out of the restaurant and returned to the Dongyang Marquis's residence. As soon as she entered, she saw Chu Yao emerging from the side room at the corner of the courtyard. Her hair was still wet, and she was wrapped in a light-colored dress, clearly having just washed and combed her hair.
Yin Shuang went up to him and asked, "Have you seen our young lady? She left early this morning and hasn't come back yet."
Chu Yao was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I didn't see him. He was resting in the house just now."
Yin Shuang stared at her for a few seconds, then glanced at the wet handkerchief she was holding. She said in a sullen tone, "You're nowhere to be seen this early in the morning. Since you've come to the Dongyang Marquis's residence to work, you can't be lazy. From now on, young lady, you have to boil hot water in advance for washing up."
Chu Yao lowered her head, a look of panic and guilt on her face, and replied softly, "I was negligent. Sister Yin Shuang is right."
Yin Shuang glanced at her and said nothing more. She turned around and walked quickly towards the yard where Jiang Ci lived.
After she walked away, Chu Yao slowly raised her head. The gentleness in her eyes instantly disappeared. She snorted coldly and whispered, "I've served your master for a few days, and you really treat me as a servant? Why are you born to be high and mighty, while I'm supposed to fetch water, boil soup, and be humble and subservient?"
She sneered, gathered her sleeves, and walked towards the kitchen reluctantly.
Just as she walked around the corridor, she saw Yue Bai coming down from the corridor, holding something wrapped in a handkerchief. He looked a little shy and stopped her and said, "Miss Chu, this is a little toy I bought with the monthly allowance I saved recently... Take a look, do you like it?"
Chu Yao was startled, took it, and slowly opened the handkerchief. Inside was a silver hairpin with a warm turquoise inlaid at the end. Although the style was not luxurious, it was polished with great care.
Yue Bai looked at her expression and smiled innocently, "I've never given anyone jewelry before, and I don't know what girls like. I just thought... this shouldn't be wrong."
Chu Yao looked at the hairpin and a smile spread across her face, her smile as bright as spring water: "Thank you, Brother Yue, I like it very much."
Seeing her happy, Yue Bai's eyes lit up: "That's good. I'm going to the Military Governor's Office to work with the Governor. I'll talk to you when I come back in the evening."
Chu Yao nodded and watched him leave. The smile on her face slowly faded until the figure turned around and passed through the hanging flower gate.
She looked down at the hairpin, gently turned it a few times with her fingertips, and a hint of boredom and coldness gradually appeared in her eyes.
After entering the kitchen, she looked around to see if there was anyone around. She slowly walked to the stove, stared at the hairpin, and curled the corners of her lips coldly.
"A mere servant, you dare to dare to lay your hands on me? Do you really think I am willing to serve tea and water to others for the rest of my life, and even have my descendants serve as slaves to your master? What wishful thinking."
As soon as she finished speaking, she threw the hairpin without hesitation. The silver hairpin fell into the fire on the stove. The flames crackled and quickly swallowed the turquoise into ashes.
Chu Yao turned and left, her steps light but her expression as cold as frost.
On the other side, Yin Shuang searched around the mansion again and again, even the flower garden and library that Jiang Ci usually loved to go to, and even ran to Madam Ji's courtyard to pay her respects and ask for directions, but there was still no sign of Jiang Ci.
"I haven't seen anyone." Madam Ji said doubtfully, "Your young lady is always polite and wouldn't leave without saying hello. Go back and look carefully. Maybe she's resting somewhere else."
Yin Shuang lowered her head and retreated, but she felt increasingly uneasy. She quickly crossed the corridor and returned to Jiang Ci's courtyard, calling Wan Niang.
"The girl isn't here." She frowned. "There's no one in the room. She didn't mention any other plans before she left this morning. Where do you think she'll go?"
Wanniang pondered for a moment, but didn't panic. "Young lady, you've always had your own opinions. Could it be that something suddenly changed your mind and you forgot to tell you before you left? When you were in Zichuan, didn't you often go out early in the morning to look at some books on medicinal herbs on the street?"
Yin Shuang shook her head, her tone tinged with anxiety, "But she always takes me with her. She doesn't like going out alone. Besides... I was supposed to see Master Xie off today."
Wanniang could only gently console him: "Wait a little longer, maybe he ran into someone and got delayed, or maybe he went to the Military Governor's Office to see the Governor."
Yin Shuang had no choice but to agree, but she felt uneasy in her heart, and she was unable to sit still.
Meanwhile, on a winding mountain road shrouded in mist, an unassuming carriage slowly approached the mountain courtyard. The wheels stopped, and the driver turned back to signal.
"arrive."
The rear compartment opened, and a black-clad attendant jumped down, raised his hand to open the curtain, and carried a person out. The person was wearing a black cloth veil, and his figure was light and slender, but due to the long journey, his body had collapsed and he was unable to struggle.
"Walk."
She was carried all the way to the back building of the other courtyard, through the long corridor, and upstairs to the quiet room, where she was pressed heavily onto a wooden chair. Thick hemp ropes were tied around her wrists, digging into her skin and turning a faint red.
"The person has been brought here." An attendant reported.
Shen Ting'an stood by the window, hands behind his back, silent. His eyes, like knives, fell on the misty mountain. After a long pause, he whispered, "No one saw it, right?"
"Replying to the Major General, no."
"very good."
He finally turned around and walked towards the chair step by step, each step carrying oppression.
When he stood in front of the woman, he raised his hand and took off the black cloth on her head.
At that moment, Shen Tingan's movements suddenly paused.
That face, with its calm features and slightly disheveled hair, was as radiant and beautiful as the shimmering waters of spring, exceedingly bright and beautiful. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes, a mixture of photophobia and confusion still in them.
Shen Tingan's breathing stagnated slightly, and his knuckles clenched the black cloth in his hand.
He knew that Jiang Ci was an outstanding man, but just hearing about him was completely different from looking at him directly from such close distance and without any obstruction.
She really is a beauty.
Jiang Ci stared at him, frowning slightly, not yet understanding the situation.
"...Chen Ting'an?" She murmured, her voice slightly hoarse, with calm alertness.
Shen Ting'an's eyes darkened instantly, as if to hide some hesitation. He curled his lips and sneered, the curve of his mouth sarcastic and dangerous:
"This makes me, for a moment, not know what to do with you."
As he spoke, he slowly leaned over, his lips almost close to her ear, his voice low and hoarse, with a hint of a smile:
"Killing you casually would be a bargain for you."
"Jiang Ci."
When he called out her name like this, each word sounded heavy, like a knife pressing down on the night.
Jiang Ci's eyes were stern, and he looked at him calmly, but his expression showed a sober composure, neither unyielding nor afraid.
However, Shen Tingan's gaze could not help but fall on her face again, and he slightly smelled a dangerous breath.
Shen Tingan suddenly turned around and said in a deep voice: "Bring the person up."
Soon, footsteps echoed from the stairs, and two servants slowly entered, carrying a woman. The woman's clothes were tattered, her body covered in dust, her hair withered, and her face bruised. She staggered, practically being dragged forward. She knelt heavily in the hall, her body swaying, and she almost collapsed.
Jiang Ci saw the man's face clearly, his pupils suddenly shrank, and he blurted out: "Ji Qiu? Why is she here?"
Hearing the voice, Ji Qiu slowly raised his head, his expression confused, but a familiar ripple appeared in the corner of his eyes.
Shen Ting'an stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm but with a hint of sarcasm: "Ji Yang said that if I have any questions, I might as well ask her in person. So I asked her."
He paused, his eyes sweeping coldly over Ji Qiu. "It's just that you spared the life of someone like her who had hurt you before, letting her serve her sentence. Such leniency makes me wonder if you two had already given the same confession and were protecting each other."
Jiang Ci unconsciously clenched his hand at his side, but his expression remained calm. "As her brother, you should know your sister's temperament better than I do. You must know whether she is capable of doing such a thing."
She said word by word, "Although I had some grudges against her, I had nothing to do with her death. I will not recognize this hat."
Shen Ting'an's face darkened. He took a few steps forward and grabbed Jiang Ci's chin, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes were as oppressive as a cold blade, and his voice was as cold as ice: "You are about to die, and you are still so stubborn?"
Jiang Ci tried to break free from his grip, but his eyes remained firm, unyielding. "I've heard that General Shen started reading at the age of three and martial arts at the age of seven. At such a young age, he led his troops to repel the Western Liang cavalry. He's a hero admired by everyone in Xiling. But today, I see that he would arbitrarily arrest and lynch someone based on a trumped-up letter and a few unverified confessions."
Her tone was calm and clear, with a hint of anger in her eyes. "To act like this in broad daylight, deciding someone's life or death without even asking right or wrong... I really misjudged you, Major General."
"If you insist on throwing dirty water on me—so be it." She sneered, "You can kill me or chop me up, whatever you want. But if you want to accuse someone, you can always find a pretext."
There was silence in the hall for a moment. Ji Qiu fell to the ground, trembling slightly, but did not make a sound.
Shen Ting'an stood in front of Jiang Ci, looking into her unyielding eyes, his expression complicated for a moment.
Shen Tingan released Jiang Ci’s chin.
"You're quite good at saying that," he said coldly, "but I'm thinking... about you. I want to find a better way for you to die."
After saying that, he turned his head and his eyes fell on Ji Qiu who was lying on the ground. Her mouth was stuffed with a rag, her face was pale, and there were traces of tears in the corners of her eyes.
"As for her—" Shen Ting'an's eyes were grim and his voice was cold, "The person who betrayed my sister, I will take her as the first target."
As he spoke, he raised his hand, and the guards behind him had already drawn their swords and approached Ji Qiu.
Jiang Ci's heart tightened, and he stood up suddenly, not caring that his hands were tied: "Young General!"
She forced herself to remain calm, her voice steady. "Your sister, Shen Ru'an, may be your closest relative, but Ji Qiu was just a woman who came to Fengdu with her. She was a coward and had no opinion of her own. If it weren't for your sister's coaxing and enticement, how could she have ended up in this situation?"
"You can blame me, Jiang Ci doesn't ask you to trust me, but Ji Qiu... she was dragged into this by your sister. If you want to kill her today, you should have started with me."
Shen Ting'an narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Are you a kind-hearted person who would sacrifice yourself for others? Or... you're so anxious to die, I'll grant your wish."
As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed the sword at his waist. The sharp blade was not unsheathed, but the chill was pressing. Jiang Ci's heart tightened, and he was about to speak again when he saw Shen Ting'an's face change, and his expression suddenly became ugly.
He was breathing rapidly, holding his chest and slowly taking two steps back, his face turning a little blue.
"Young General!" The guard beside him immediately stepped forward, took out a small sachet from his sleeve and handed it to him.
Shen Tingan grabbed it, put it close to his nose and took a few deep breaths, and his breathing slowly eased.
Jiang Ci stared at him, a thought flashing through her clear eyes. She suddenly spoke, her tone not as intense as before, but rather softer:
"This is... a chronic illness you've had for years, right? Is it that whenever the weather gets cold and dry, or when you're emotionally agitated, you experience unbearable chest tightness and difficulty breathing? You also have trouble sleeping at night, and occasionally have a severe cough and vomit."
Shen Tingan frowned and looked at her: “How do you know?”
Jiang Ci said, "I once studied medicine with a doctor in Zichuan, and I have quite a few insights into difficult and complicated diseases. Your symptoms are most likely asthma, which you Xiling people also call wheezing."
Her eyes fell on the sachet in his hand and continued, "This sachet contains mint, angelica dahurica, and perilla leaves. It can temporarily relieve the stuffiness, but it's only a temporary solution. I have a way to alleviate the symptoms, young general."
Shen Tingan was half-believing and half-doubting, and sneered: “You want to delay time?”
Jiang Ci shook his head, his eyes calm, "You don't have to believe me. But I'm powerless, trapped in your hands, in this remote mountain villa, and guarded by your men. Where can I escape to?"
She paused and said slowly, "I just want to ask you to spare Ji Qiu's life. If you want to kill someone, why not let me try your disease first. If it doesn't work, it won't be too late for you to do it again."
Shen Tingan looked at her coldly, his eyes filled with chill and suspicion. His hand remained on the hilt of the sword, and he did not move for a long time.
Jiang Ci looked at him quietly, without saying a word or moving a step, just waiting for a decision.
He stared at Jiang Ci, his tone still cold, but with less murderous intent: "If you can cure me, I will let her live. You'd better not play tricks. If you try to trick me, I will send her to see my sister first." As he said that, he loosened his hand on the hilt of the sword.
Jiang Ci took a deep breath and said softly, "I understand."
By evening, Jiang Ci still hadn't returned home.
Dusk was falling and the lights in the Dongyang Marquis Mansion were just beginning to light up. Ji Yang returned on horseback from the Governor's Office. As he entered the front yard, he saw Yin Shuang coming towards him hurriedly with a panicked look on her face.
"Commander-in-Chief!" She stopped Ji Yang and asked anxiously, "Excuse me, did the young lady... go to the Military Governor's Office to look for you today?"
Ji Yang frowned, his tone suddenly becoming colder: "No. I asked her to see Xie Guijing off, but she didn't come back?"
Yin Shuang's face suddenly changed, and her voice was filled with tears. "I went out with the young lady this morning, originally intending to see Master Xie off. Halfway there, the young lady asked me to go back to the pastry shop in the west of the city, saying she wanted to buy some food for Master Jing to eat on the way. I agreed, but when I came back with the food, she...she was gone."
Ji Yang's expression darkened, and his voice suddenly dropped, revealing a chill: "When did she disappear?"
Yin Shuang lowered her head and bit her lip, saying, "It's been around noon... it's been a whole day. I've searched everywhere she might have gone, even asking Madam Ji's courtyard... but there's nothing."
The more she spoke, the more panicked she became. Her eyes gradually turned red and she lowered her head, choking with sobs.
The atmosphere suddenly became stagnant.
Yue Bai, who was standing nearby, suddenly spoke in a low voice, "I heard... Madam and Young Master Xie Guijing were almost engaged, and they were childhood sweethearts. However, on the eve of the engagement, the Jiang family suddenly arranged a marriage to Fengdu."
These words were like thunder in my ears.
Ji Yang's eyes suddenly became stern and he stopped in his tracks.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on Yue Bai with a cold look, and then he suddenly approached Yin Shuang, his voice as deep as the water: "What he said... is it true?"
Yin Shuang looked at Yue Bai in astonishment. She didn't understand how he knew this old story. She was panicked and stammered, "I... I..."
Ji Yang leaned forward, his eyes as cold as frost and snow: "Silver Frost."
The voice was not loud, but it carried a cold and oppressive force that went straight to people's hearts.
Yin Shuang subconsciously took a half step back, his face pale and hesitant.
Ji Yang stared at her for a moment, then suddenly sneered, but didn't press her any further. He just said, "No need to say more, I understand."
He turned around, his figure as cold as ink.
"Someone come here." He shouted in a deep voice.
Several guards immediately responded from the dark.
"Mobilize the Dongyang Army's secret guards to capture Xie Guijing alive." He spoke very slowly, but every word was as sharp as a nail. "No matter what, we must find him and his wife."
After a pause, he added expressionlessly, "If they resist, they will be executed on the spot."
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