Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Shen Tingan: Woof Woof
As soon as Ji Yang left, Yin Shuang immediately reached out and grabbed Yue Bai, whispering, "Where did you hear those words?"
Yue Bai was stunned for a moment, looking confused: "What?"
"That's what you just told the governor—the story of my wife and Mr. Xie!" Yin Shuang pressed. "How could you, an outsider, know so much detail? You couldn't have just made it up, right? Who told you?"
Yue Bai was startled for a moment, then said, "Miss Chu told me this afternoon. She said she was worried about Madam... afraid that Xie Guijing wouldn't give up, so she impulsively kidnapped the young lady."
After hearing this, Yin Shuang felt a sudden blackness before her eyes, and a chill ran through her heart. Chu Yao's words might not simply be out of concern.
She lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, her expression becoming more solemn.
Meanwhile, the Dongyang Army's secret guards had already sped out of the city, following the official roads at full speed to track Xie Guijing's whereabouts. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Yinshuang and Wanniang paced anxiously in the courtyard, their anxiety growing with each passing moment.
"Wan Niang." Yin Shuang suddenly stopped and said firmly, "I believe in the young lady. She will never abandon the safety of Liangzhou. With her personality, she would never leave without a word, nor would she leave any of us behind."
Wanniang also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the governor doesn't understand the relationship between us and the girl over the years. How could we not know her? Even if she encountered any trouble, she would just let us go first. How could it be possible..."
Yin Shuang gritted her teeth and said solemnly, "Wan Niang, you stay in the mansion and keep a close eye on Chu Yao. I always feel that something is wrong with her. I'm afraid she has ulterior motives for what she said."
After a pause, she continued, "I'm going to chase after the young lady now. If it's really Master Jing who made a mistake in a moment of confusion, I might be able to stop him and make a turnaround. But if the governor's men find us first... we'll be dead without a burial place. Given the governor's temper, if he knew about this... I'm afraid... he'd never trust the young lady again in his life."
Wanniang's expression also changed, and she said in a deep voice: "Go quickly, and be careful on the road!"
Yin Shuang nodded, hurried back to the house, took out the dagger and hid it in her clothes. Taking advantage of the dark night, she quietly climbed over the wall from the backyard and ran all the way out of the city.
Ji Yang returned to the Governor's Office and sat down heavily in the chair. His face was as stern as iron. He didn't say a word for a long time, his fingers tightly clasped on the armrests.
At this time, Du Mengqiu's men entered the room and reported, "Commander-in-Chief, as per your instructions, we have been keeping an eye on Shen Ting'an for the past few days. After he left the city that day, he hid his whereabouts and did not return to the city, so we did not dare to follow him rashly."
Ji Yang lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment. He spoke in a low and firm voice, "Okay. But you still have to be careful in the city. If he makes any move in Fengdu, report it immediately. Don't waste a moment."
After a long time, Ji Yang suddenly stood up and walked to the huge sand table in the room. He looked down at the mountains and rivers and his eyes fell on the territory of Liangzhou.
His fingertips slowly brushed the edge of the sand table, finally stopping at the word "Zichuan." He stood there for a long moment, his gaze deep and profound.
The next moment, he raised his hand and took an arrow from the table beside him. His five fingers were clenched tightly, and the blue veins were visible.
Suddenly, an arrow shot out from the air, carrying with it the unspeakable anger in his heart, and pierced heavily into the sand table.
Right in the middle of Zichuan City.
Outside Fengdu City, there is a villa in the mountains.
Although Jiang Ci's hands and feet had been untied, she wasn't truly free. Shen Ting'an, seemingly intent on humiliating her, didn't tie her hands or feet, but instead used a thin iron chain to pull her out of the iron ring around her neck and confine her to a room upstairs in the courtyard. She could walk during the day, but at night, the doors and windows were locked. All food and water were kept in the room, and even if she needed to relieve herself, someone would follow her closely.
Jiang Ci sat beside the couch, his fingers gently touching the cold iron ring around his neck, and he couldn't help but let out a very soft laugh.
This smile wasn't meaningless, but rather helpless. She knew Shen Ting'an was filled with anger and hatred. His sister was dead, and he had nowhere to vent, so he could only use her as a scapegoat. She also knew this was humiliating and insulting, but at that moment, she knew even more clearly that everything depended on fate.
Just after breakfast, the courtyard door creaked open. Shen Ting'an's expression remained stern. Without saying a word, he stood at the door and raised his chin.
Jiang Ci stood up and nodded slightly: "General, do you want to take my pulse?"
Shen Tingan didn't respond. After entering, he just sat on the wooden chair by the window in the room. Jiang Ci walked over and sat down on the low table opposite him.
Jiang Ci calmly examined his pulse, her fingertips resting on his wrist, carefully listening for the faint wheezing and stagnant pulse. Suddenly, she withdrew her hand, stood up, her expression unchanged, but leaned closer.
The next moment, the woman gently put her ear against his chest.
Shen Tingan was startled. He was about to scold her for being out of line and ignorant of etiquette, but before he could finish his words, she interrupted him softly:
"Don't move, Major General, take a deep breath. I want to listen to your lungs."
The gentle tone made Shen Ting'an unable to refuse. His throat tightened, and the words "men and women should not touch each other" were choked in his throat. He didn't know how to respond.
She was very close, her hair brushed against his clothes, and her warm breath was scattered on his chest. Shen Ting'an sat stiffly, and felt his heartbeat in his chest speed up uncontrollably.
He tried to stay calm, his eyes fixed on the mountain view outside the window, even his breathing became hesitant.
Jiang Ci listened quietly for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, with a hint of indifference at the corner of his lips that could not be concealed, as if he had seen through the reason for his disordered heartbeat.
She stood up straight, acting as if she hadn't noticed anything, and said calmly, "Sure enough, the Qi in the heart and lungs has been stagnant for a long time."
She walked to the table, picked up a pen and wrote a prescription, her expression calm. "This disease often occurs at night. Initially there will be a mild cough and wheezing, which gradually becomes more severe. This prescription is for the first dose. After three days, I will need another consultation."
After that, she handed the paper over. Shen Tingan took it, glanced at it, and said in a neither light nor heavy tone: "You are confident."
Jiang Ci smiled: "I dare not, just give it a try."
Shen Tingan waved his hand and called the guards: "Go to Fengdu City to get medicine, and be quick."
At night, the courtyard was silent, save for the occasional crackle of the firewood. Jiang Ci sat in front of a small stove in the corner, boiling some medicine. The rich aroma of the medicine, mixed with the scent of pine needles, wafted through the air. She scooped the medicine into a cup and brought it inside.
Shen Tingan sat on the edge of the bed and said coldly: “Drink a sip first.”
Jiang Ci didn't hesitate. He lowered his head and took a sip, then said calmly, "I have no intention of harming you. This medicine is bitter and must be taken on an empty stomach to be effective."
Shen Ting'an stared at her for a moment, then took the cup and drank it all. After a long moment, he put down the cup and said coldly, "Tonight, you sleep in this room. Right next to my bed. You are not allowed to go anywhere."
Jiang Ci raised an eyebrow, seeing the defensiveness in his eyes, and replied softly, "It's understandable that the young general doesn't believe me. I'm not going anywhere tonight."
Shen Ting'an didn't say anything else, just pushed the quilt on the bed inward. He seemed to want to say something, but he held back. He just lowered his head, took off his coat, and placed his sword across the bed.
The firelight illuminated his profile, its sharp features and stern brows, still carrying the sternness of a battlefield. But Jiang Ci could faintly sense that his eyes concealed a certain unspoken fatigue and... hesitation.
She silently put away the medicine cup, gently moved the iron chain to the foot of the bed, sat on the ground, supported her forehead with her hands, and closed her eyes.
Shen Tingan didn’t respond, but just looked up at her.
That glance seemed to linger on her face for a moment longer. After a while, he lay down on his side, his back facing her.
The firelight flickered inside the house, and insects chirped outside the window. Shen Ting'an's brow remained furrowed. Behind him, the woman's quiet breathing was light and measured.
Shen Tingan was disturbed by her breathing and couldn't fall asleep. He just turned over and wanted to speak, but saw her curled up, sitting there quietly. The moonlight fell, her eyebrows and eyes were peaceful, her arms folded around her shoulders, as if she felt cold.
He was stunned for a moment, and finally hesitated for a moment before sweeping the quilt over to cover her.
I lay down again.
The next morning, Jiang Ci woke up and felt a layer of warmth on her body. She opened her eyes and saw that she was covered with a quilt, and the person in the bed was no longer there.
There was a guard in the room. Jiang Ci glanced at him and said calmly, "I'm going to make medicine for the general."
The man nodded and led her out of the room.
She was wearing plain clothes, with the iron ring around her neck still on and a thin iron chain dragging behind her, rattling.
As she passed the corner of the courtyard, she deliberately glanced at a guard standing guard, her eyes full of contempt and disdain, and her gaze briefly met that person's. The guard was stunned for a moment, his face unfriendly.
Jiang Ci walked into the yard, squatted down to light a fire, fetched water, and boiled medicine. His every move was calm and as usual, as if he didn't take the chain around his neck seriously.
Suddenly, a sudden force came from behind. The guard who had been looked at coldly by her earlier showed an indignant look on his face and grabbed the chain. Jiang Ci was caught off guard, his throat tightened, and his body was dragged and staggered, and he fell to the ground.
Fine gravel scraped across my palms, and the herbal bag beside the stove fell over and scattered all over the floor.
This movement happened to be seen by Shen Ting'an from inside the house. His eyes darkened and he walked over quickly.
Jiang Ci sat on the ground, holding his throat, his eyes slightly red and misty, but he was stubborn and refused to cry. He just looked back at him, his eyes filled with humiliation and forbearance.
Shen Tingan paused and said coldly: “You, go get twenty military sticks yourself.”
The guard's face changed, and he retreated in silence with his fists clasped.
Shen Tingan walked up to Jiang Ci, looked down at her, and stretched out his hand, wanting to help her up.
Jiang Ci did not take his hand, but just got up silently, patted the dust off his body, bent down to continue picking up the scattered herbs, and returned to the medicine furnace to continue decocting the medicine.
Shen Tingan stood behind her, his hands clenched tightly, his brows furrowed, and he was silent for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice: “Come here.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ci stopped what he was doing, slowly stood up, and walked in front of him.
Shen Tingan raised his hand, grasped the iron ring around her neck, and said in a deep voice: “Don’t move.”
With a click, the lock loosened, and the heavy iron ring fell from her neck, making a dull sound when it landed on the ground.
He kicked it aside, his tone cold but no longer angry: "I have untied your shackles, I hope you will be more sensible and behave yourself."
Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment, then looked up and smiled at him, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. He said softly, "Master General, you are so kind. Jiang Ci thanks you very much."
She spoke gently and appropriately, with a clear look in her eyes, as if she was truly grateful. Shen Tingan looked at her, and the red marks on her neck rubbed by the iron ring, and was speechless for a moment.
But the moment Jiang Ci turned around, that smile completely vanished. Her eyes were cold, her lips slightly pursed, and she returned to the medicine furnace with an expressionless face.
In Fengdu City, the night was as dark as ink, but the lights in the Governor's Office remained lit all night long.
Ji Yang had not slept for two consecutive nights and was still sitting behind his desk with a serious look on his face.
He gently stroked the tiger amulet he carried with him between his fingers.
Suddenly, there were footsteps outside the tent, and a secret guard came in quickly, knelt on one knee, and said with a bow, "Commander-in-chief, Xie Guijing has been captured."
Ji Yang's eyes sternly raised his eyes to look at him, his voice as cold as water: "Where is it?"
The secret guard whispered back, "Qianhua Temple. When I arrived, he was just about to become a monk."
"Become a monk?" Ji Yang's brows suddenly knitted together. He raised his head and said in a deep voice, "What about Jiang Ci?"
The secret guard shook his head: "We haven't found her yet. We searched all the way to Qianhua Temple, but there was no sign of Madam."
Ji Yang was silent for a moment, his lips tightened into a line. Suddenly he stood up and said in a cold voice, "Bring him up here."
Soon, two guards escorted Xie Guijing into the inner hall. He was dressed in a plain white monk's robe, his head shaved, and his features were marked by fatigue and weariness, yet his expression was remarkably calm, as if he had already made a firm decision.
Ji Yang took a step forward and walked in front of him. His eyes were as sharp as a knife. He reached out and grabbed Xie Guijing by the collar, pulling him close. He whispered, "Where is Jiang Ci? Didn't you leave Fengdu together?"
Xie Guijing's eyes froze for a moment, then he frowned. He reached out and pried Ji Yang's hand away, then took a half step back. There was a hint of impatience in his tone: "When are we leaving together? Your wife is missing, yet you come to ask me about it. You are such a good husband. I left in a hurry that day and only left her at the door of the restaurant."
He paused for a moment and added, "If you don't believe me, you can go ask the vendors nearby. Someone must have seen where she went."
Ji Yang stared at him, his gaze as dark as night water. He searched for any flaws in Xie Guijing's face, but the man's expression was open, his eyes full of weariness, and he didn't try to evade.
After a long pause, Xie Guijing sneered, a hint of sarcasm in his eyes: "Maybe she couldn't stand your bad temper and found a place to hide."
Ji Yang loosened his grip and pushed him away violently, his eyes as cold as a blade: "Why, after being rejected by my wife, you want to become a monk? Master Xie is too fragile."
Xie Guijing's expression trembled, as if he remembered the disgusting scene that night. His face turned pale instantly, and his chest was churning. He had to suppress the nausea. He lowered his head, his voice trembling, but he said with great determination:
"You can humiliate me, but don't use Jiang Ci as an excuse. You don't understand her at all. She's the kind of person who, once she's committed to a path, will go all the way. Believe it or not, she's never thought of abandoning you."
The hall fell into a brief silence. Ji Yang's gaze lingered on Xie Guijing for a few breaths, then he turned to look at the secret guard and said in a deep voice, "Go check."
"Don't let anyone who saw Jiang Ci that day go. Find out where she went."
"Yes!" The secret guard took the order and left.
Ji Yang turned around again, stood in front of the table, and held the tiger amulet in one hand again.
The wind howled outside the house, and the candlelight swayed, falling on his cold face, as if something was pressing heavily on his heart and did not dissipate for a long time.
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside. A subordinate rushed into the hall, knelt on one knee, held up a piece of paper in both hands, and said, "Commander-in-Chief, this is the prescription I brought back from the pharmacy."
Ji Yang frowned slightly, walked over to take the paper, and when he took a look, his pupils suddenly tightened.
That is Jiang Ci's handwriting.
He stroked the familiar handwriting on the paper with his fingertips, his heartbeat seemed to pause, and asked in a low voice: "Where did you get it from?"
The man quickly said, "This is what my subordinates got when they were keeping an eye on Shen Tingan's men. Yesterday afternoon, one of Shen Tingan's men went to Rendetang on Fengdu South Street to get medicine, and this was the prescription they gave."
"Did you follow?" Ji Yang's eyes were as sharp as a blade and his tone was cold.
The subordinate bowed his head and replied, "Reporting to the Governor... We originally thought it was just a routine medicine pick-up and did not follow him."
Before he finished speaking, Ji Yang's expression darkened. He crumpled the prescription in his hand into a ball and fiercely kicked the man on the shoulder, shouting angrily, "Useless! Why are you reporting it now?"
The man was kicked so hard that he lost his balance and knelt on the ground, not daring to say a word.
Ji Yang gritted his teeth and lowered his voice to a very low but serious tone: "Keep a close eye on the pharmacy! If Shen Ting'an makes any movement again, no matter who shows up, follow him immediately and find his hiding place!"
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