Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Let Him Hang Out for Two Days
Ji Yang jumped off his horse with quick movements. His eyes were sharp and he strode forward. His gaze was fixed on Jiang Ci like an eagle, and he walked straight through the bustling crowd.
His burning gaze was filled with a turbulent array of emotions: regret, anger, and an eagerness that could not be concealed.
The smile on Jiang Ci's face froze instantly and turned into frost.
Ji Yang ignored Lou Qi who was standing beside him and snatched the round fan from Lou Qi's hand almost as if it were a snatch. The fan bone was still warm, but it was stiff in his grip.
"Ah Ci," his voice was a little hoarse with anxiety, no longer as calm as usual, "I have something to tell you. Please follow me first."
Jiang Ci stood there, motionless, as if she hadn't heard him. She raised her eyelids, her gaze cold and clear as ever, staring at him silently. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion, as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
Ji Yang felt a sharp pain in his heart. That empty look in his eyes was sharper than a knife. He subconsciously reached out, wanting to grab her slender wrist, just like he had countless times before.
Before his fingertips touched, Jiang Ci had already quietly turned sideways, lightly avoiding his touch. The movement was not big, but it carried a sense of resolute distance.
Ji Yang's hands froze in mid-air. He took a deep breath, suppressed the anxiety and pain in his heart, and slowed down his tone, almost pleading: "There are too many people here, it's not a place to talk."
Jiang Ci finally spoke. His voice was so flat that no emotion could be heard, but every word pierced his heart: "Where does the governor want to take me? The governor and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please go back."
The four words "nothing to do with it" were like an ice-cold slap in Ji Yang's face.
Lou Qi, who had been watching with a smile on his face, now had a more pronounced smile on his face. He leisurely reached out his hand and patted Ji Yang's tense shoulder, his tone filled with a hint of anticipation: "Commander, didn't you hear? Miss Jiang said it has nothing to do with you. If it has nothing to do with you, why bother to entangle yourself here and disturb her peace?"
That hand seemed to carry a tremendous force, igniting Ji Yang's suppressed rage. He swung his arm, pushing Lou Qi's hand away, and shouted, "I'm talking to her, so why would you, a Hanbei spy, get to talk here?"
Before he finished speaking, he turned to Jiang Ci and eagerly revealed: "Ah Ci, don't be fooled by him! He is not from Liangzhou at all, he is a spy from Hanbei!"
He thought she would be shocked, angry, and dodge.
However, Jiang Ci's reaction was calm. She simply said "Oh," as if she were listening to something insignificant. "I know," she raised her eyes, meeting Ji Yang's surprised gaze, and spoke word by word, "He is Lou Qi."
As soon as the word "Louqi" came out, Ji Yang's pupils suddenly contracted.
It's him.
The ambitious King of Yan, Lou Qi, who had competed with him on the battlefield of Hanbei for several years and dominated Hanbei.
Even though he had all sorts of guesses in his mind, Ji Yang still felt incredible when these two words came out of Jiang Ci's mouth so easily.
He stared blankly at the smiling, elegant man in front of him, and could not connect him with the ruthless and ruthless overlord of Hanbei who was a master strategist on the battlefield.
"What is his intention in coming here?" Ji Yang's voice was full of vigilance and hostility, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
Jiang Ci, however, seemed to have heard something funny. She tilted her head slightly and looked at Ji Yang with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. "The governor of Dongyang, you're overreaching a bit, even trying to control the territory of Liangzhou? This is Zichuan, not your Dongyang. I am free to talk to and interact with whomever I want, Governor."
These words, polite yet distant, were like an invisible wall that pushed him away.
As the atmosphere became tense, Lou Qi suddenly smiled. He turned his head and said to Jiang Ci, "Come to think of it, the tea I drank at your house yesterday was quite sweet. Wanniang, what kind of tea did you brew? I'll go find some someday and bring it back for my father to try."
With a affectionate call of "Wanmother", Ji Yang glared at Lou Qi with a sharp look.
Jiang Ci, however, seemed unaware of the undercurrent of confrontation between the two. Following Lou Qi's words, he smiled faintly and actually agreed: "If Prince Yan likes it, why not come back with me? I will ask Wan Niang to brew a few more for you."
After saying that, she didn't look at Ji Yang again, turned around and walked towards the governor's mansion, her back was resolute and there was no trace of nostalgia.
Seeing this, Lou Qi raised his eyebrows at Ji Yang, his peach blossom eyes filled with undisguised pride and provocation. Then he stretched out his long legs and leisurely followed Jiang Ci's pace.
Ji Yang stared at Lou Qi's back, his gaze seemed to be able to penetrate his body.
He followed, and the group soon returned to the gate of the governor's mansion.
Jiang Ci stopped in front of the door. Without turning back, she pointed at Ji Yang, who was standing not far from the mansion, and coldly ordered the servants at the door, "I don't want to see this man. If you dare let him into the mansion, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will expel you all!"
The sound was not loud, just loud enough for Ji Yang to hear.
After saying that, she walked into the mansion without looking back. Lou Qi followed closely behind her. The moment he stepped over the threshold, he turned around and waved lazily at Ji Yang, whose face was ashen, as if to show off his victory.
The high threshold separated the two of them.
Ji Yang placed his hands on his waist helplessly, his anger and grievances stuck in his throat. He stared at Jiang Ci's receding figure, and finally said nothing.
After entering the mansion, Lou Qi was about to follow her into the corridor, but Jiang Ci stopped, tilted his head slightly, and said calmly: "If you really want to drink tea, go find my father."
After she finished speaking, she didn't even glance at him again. She called Wanniang and led her people to the inner courtyard. Her steps were decisive and her figure was swift.
Lou Qi stood there, stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly. The night breeze blew past, and he gently stroked the fan bone in his palm, muttering to himself, "This use-it-and-throw-it-away temperament is very similar to me."
Lou Qi was a casual person and didn't want to make himself look bad, so he stood up and said goodbye, and walked out of the house leisurely.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out of the high threshold, he saw a familiar figure, like an iron tower, still standing not far from the mansion.
It was Ji Yang.
"Hey," Ji Yang saw Lou Qi coming out, and he curled his lips into a cold smile. He looked Lou Qi up and down with a look full of sarcasm, "Did you enjoy the tea that Prince Yan had? Why did you come out so soon? Could it be that... you were also kicked out?"
These words were said in a sarcastic way, intentionally trying to poke Lou Qi in the lungs.
Lou Qi paused when he heard this, but he didn't seem annoyed. Instead, he chuckled softly, with a hint of self-mockery, and said frankly, "Yes, but..."
He changed the subject, his eyes narrowed slightly, a sly glint flashing across his eyes, "At least, the gate of this Governor's Mansion doesn't explicitly forbid me, Lou, from entering. Unlike some people, who can't even get through the door and can only sigh in despair."
In one sentence, he hit Ji Yang's sore spot precisely.
Ji Yang's face instantly darkened, the air pressure around him dropped to an alarmingly low level, and his hand unconsciously reached for the sword at his waist.
Lou Qi suddenly withdrew all his sharpness and said seriously, "Ji Yang, this is Zichuan, not a battlefield for our two armies to clash. We have fought for seven years, with both sides winning and losing. Today, we meet here on a narrow road, which is a rare peace. Instead of starting a war here and making this beautiful woman unhappy, why not..."
He paused, then unexpectedly suggested, "How about I buy you a drink?"
Ji Yang heard this, as if he had just heard a huge joke. He snorted coldly and glanced at him with disdain, as if looking at something filthy. "Who cares if you treat me to a drink?"
That being said, when the next scene unfolded——
The two of them were already sitting in the Moon-Watching Tower.
Lou Qi held the pot and poured wine, his posture casual, and said with a smile: "I didn't expect the governor would also settle here. It shows that in difficult times, heroes are not judged by their origins."
After saying that, he moved the wine jug towards Ji Yang's desk with a teasing smile in his eyes.
Ji Yang's face was cold, he moved aside and said stiffly: "Get away, don't force me to draw my sword. If you really want to, I don't mind giving you a ride."
Lou Qi paused in pouring the wine, raised his eyelids, and looked at him with a half-smile. He seemed to have grasped Ji Yang's weak spot and spoke slowly:
"Commander, calm down. I don't know what happened between you and Miss Jiang that caused the former love to turn into the resentment today. But I can be sure of one thing..."
He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke word by word: "If you take action here and the news gets back to the governor's mansion, she... will definitely be unhappy."
The veins on Ji Yang's hand that was holding the hilt of the sword were bulging.
The four words "she's unhappy" were like invisible shackles, instantly locking away all his anger and murderous intent. He could not care less about what others thought, but he could only... only care less about her.
After a long period of silence.
Ji Yang slowly loosened his grip, and the hostility in his body gradually subsided. He said nothing more, but simply picked up the glass of wine that Lou Qi had just filled for him.
Seeing this, Lou Qi had an ambiguous smile on his face and filled his own glass.
So, on this Moon-Watching Tower, two old enemies who had fought on the battlefield for seven years and wanted to kill each other, just drank a glass of wine in silence.
Inside the governor's mansion, in the inner room of the west courtyard, wisps of green smoke from the calming incense wrapped around the room, filling it with warm colors.
Jiang Ci sat upright on the soft couch in front of the window, with his eyes lowered, an embroidery needle in his hand, and was concentrating on sketching something on a plain white handkerchief.
Wanniang, who was standing by, added a few pieces of new charcoal into the copper stove, and the warmth gradually spread.
She looked at her daughter's thin and stubborn profile, and finally couldn't help but speak, her voice a little cautious: "Girl, are you really... not going to see the governor? After all, he came here alone and has nowhere to stay."
Jiang Ci didn't pause for a moment, simply replying calmly, "Why would you want to see him? Or listen to his excuses? Besides, he's such a grown-up, do you really need me to worry about where he sleeps?"
Her voice was calm, neither emotion nor anger could be detected. "He wrote the divorce letter himself, in black and white, 'never to see each other again, whether alive or dead.' Now that he's about to become a father, what else can I say except wishing him a happy family with many children and grandchildren?"
She said these words "You're about to be a father" especially softly, as light as a feather, but they weighed heavily on Stepmother's heart.
Wanniang sighed and stepped forward to advise, "Young lady, from what I've seen, Chu Yao is definitely not as innocent as she appears. She imitates your dress, speech, and behavior in every way, and I'm afraid she's already harbored inappropriate thoughts."
"You have a kind heart and are unwilling to think the worst of others, but people's hearts are hidden. Who knows what tricks she used behind the scenes? Even a figure like the governor might have been deceived by her."
Seeing that Jiang Ci's movements had finally slowed down, she continued, "In my opinion, no matter what, you two should sit down and talk this out face to face. If the governor is truly unfaithful and unfaithful, then you can drive him away and cut off all ties. That would be a clear break, leaving no room for suspicion."
The air in the room seemed to be stagnant.
After a long moment, Jiang Ci's movements ceased completely. She inserted the silver needle into the bandage and lowered the handkerchief. She gazed out the window at the gray sky, lost in thought for a few breaths, emotions swirling in her eyes.
"Even if I do," she began slowly, her voice carrying a hint of unquestionable determination, "I'd have to leave him alone for a couple of days. I just lost my temper, and he really dared to divorce me. If I misunderstand him again, who knows what will happen."
When Wanniang heard this, a relieved smile immediately appeared on her face, and she responded crisply, "Young lady, you are right. When I was young, I always had disagreements with my husband. Sometimes when I got angry, I would scold him for no reason, and he didn't dare to say anything."
After she finished speaking, she bowed and retreated, her steps becoming lighter.
After Wanniang left, Jiang Ci sat alone for a while. She picked up the half-embroidered handkerchief. On it was a pair of mandarin ducks, the outline of which had barely begun. Only one was finished, the other still unfinished. She glanced at it, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes, and casually tossed the handkerchief onto the table.
That's all.
She stood up, blew out the candle on the table, and turned back to the inner bedroom.
Sleep. Out of sight, out of mind.
The next morning, at Moon Watching Tower.
Ji Yang woke up with a slight dizziness in his head, his memory still stuck at the table where he had sat last night, reeking of alcohol. He subconsciously touched his side and found someone else beside him. He tilted his head and saw Lou Qi lying on the couch with his eyes closed.
Ji Yang was stunned for a long moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead. What on earth had happened last night? He had actually been drinking with this guy, drunkenly, even arm in arm, and somehow ended up collapsing in a guest room.
He lowered his head to take a closer look at his robes. Fortunately, they were still in place and he was not out of place. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Lou Qi was sleeping soundly beside him, his eyes still etched with youthful spirit. But that man was not being obedient, and halfway through his sleep, one leg crossed over his lap. Ji Yang frowned and was about to move the leg out of the way when his peripheral vision caught sight of the longsword standing at the head of the bed.
He stared at the sword silently, a murderous intent stirring within him. If he raised his sword now and struck Lou Qi in the throat, Hanbei would be leaderless. In a single breath, he could clear the northern border, and the people of Qingzhou would be free from its harassment.
He slowly reached over and took the sword in his hand, his mind racing.
But the man slept peacefully, his brows relaxed, completely defenseless. He couldn't bring himself to strike the sword. He sighed softly, gently moving Lou Qi's legs away, restraining his movements before finally giving up.
Ji Yang stood up, straightened his clothes, and pushed the door open to leave. The door creaked shut.
Lou Qi, who was lying on the couch, suddenly opened his eyes and murmured to himself, "Ji Yang, you are still so kind-hearted."
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