Chapter 42 Chapter 42 "Don't talk nonsense, I just...
"Aci?" Meng Xiao was the first to react, his tone full of concern.
Ji Yang also turned his head to look at her, his expression froze, his eyes tense for a moment, "What's wrong with you?"
Jiang Ci waved his hands, suppressing his discomfort, and said in a low voice: "It's okay, maybe I drank too much too quickly."
But her face was pale, and the color had faded from her lips. She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at the two of them. She felt her chest churning and her stomach slightly sour.
Ji Yang had already put down his cup, his expression stern: "You look bad, and you still say you're fine?"
Meng Xiao was slightly stunned, with a strange look in his eyes.
At this moment, the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became quiet, as if something unspoken was quietly moving between the three of them.
Ji Yang looked at Jiang Ci's appearance, and his heart tightened inexplicably: Could it be that night?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but clench the wine glass in his hand.
Jiang Ci quickly sat up straight, forced a smile, and said, "It's really nothing. It might be from the overwork these past few days, plus drinking right after waking up, that my stomach is a bit upset."
She spoke calmly, her tone as composed as ever.
Ji Yang took the wine glass from her hand and said, "Since you are not feeling well, don't drink anymore. Tell Wanniang to pay attention to your diet and go back to rest early. I am here with you, brother-in-law."
When Ji Yang saw Meng Xiao off and stepped into the courtyard of the County Magistrate's Mansion, dusk had already deepened, and the last rays of sunlight on the horizon had sunk into the shadows of the mountains. As soon as he looked up, he saw Jiang Ci standing by the stone steps in the courtyard, his figure slender, standing with his back to the wind.
He walked over and stopped behind her.
Jiang Ci seemed to have heard something, turned around, and said calmly: "Thank you, Governor, for cooperating with me in this play in front of my brother-in-law today."
Ji Yang was slightly stunned and did not answer immediately. He lowered his eyes to see the faint fatigue and politeness in her eyes. After a moment, he slowly said:
"I'm not acting."
Jiang Ci looked at him in surprise.
Ji Yang looked at her, his voice low but serious, "Envoy Meng is a man who came to our aid in times of need. Both you and he have done a favor for Ningling and Dongyang. Regardless of our private relationship, I shouldn't let you lose face in front of your family."
Jiang Ci was slightly startled, a flicker in her eyes for a moment. Unsure how to respond, she moved her lips, but ultimately said nothing.
She simply lowered her head, bowed slightly, and said, "It's late, I'm going to rest first."
Just as he was about to turn and leave, Ji Yang's voice, slightly hesitant but trying to be steady, came from behind him: "Um... the day after tomorrow, I'll be free. The military doctor has taken over the epidemic area, so you don't have to do everything yourself."
Jiang Ci looked back at him, his eyes fixed on his slightly unnatural expression.
"Let's... go to Liangzhou."
Jiang Ci was stunned, and a light flashed in his eyes for a moment.
She didn't agree immediately, but just murmured "hmm", with an uncontrollable tremor in her voice.
"good."
After saying that, she turned back to the house and closed the door gently.
Behind the door, Jiang Ci leaned against the wooden wall, staring down at the floor at his feet.
She had never imagined he would say, "Let's go together." Even if it was just a casual remark, it still moved her heart. But the words, "I want Liangzhou, and I want Jiang Huaice's head too," still pierced her heart, making her afraid to rejoice easily.
She didn't know what to do to truly change his obsession with Liangzhou.
The next day, at daybreak, Jiang Ci woke from a deep sleep. Although she was still sleepy, the first thing that came to her mind upon opening her eyes was the batch of medicine.
She sat up and called Yinshuang.
"Are the medicine residues I asked you to bring back that day still there?"
Yin Shuang nodded, took out an oil-paper package from the bottom of the cabinet, and unfolded it carefully: "It's all here. There are three pots of medicine in total. I wrapped them separately."
Jiang Ci looked at the three packets of medicinal residue on the table and lowered his head to identify them. Because the herbs used this time were all freshly picked from the mountains, and after being dried, ground, and boiled, the colors had already become a single color, making it impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye.
She could only close her eyes and sniff each bag.
The first packet was a heat-clearing and relieving medicine, with a mild, bitter taste. The second packet was a preventative medicine, with a slightly bitter fragrance. Jiang Ci sniffed halfway through the third packet when his brows suddenly furrowed.
This smell is wrong.
"Yin Shuang, come and smell this."
Yin Shuang took a closer sniff and immediately took a step back, wrinkling her nose. "A bit spicy? Like... there's some poisonous weed mixed in with the medicine."
Jiang Ci's eyes were deep as he murmured, "This smell doesn't belong to the medicine, but it's so light and subtle that it's hard to detect unless you're familiar with the medicinal properties."
She already had a vague guess in her mind, but she also knew that it was difficult to determine with her ability to identify poison.
She rewrapped the small packet of medicine residue and instructed Yin Shuang, "Don't tell anyone. Find a safe opportunity to send this packet of medicine residue to the military doctor for examination. Don't say I asked you to send it. Just say you picked it up by accident and want them to see what medicine it is. There's one more thing..."
A name popped up in Jiang Ci's mind—Su Yu. She couldn't be sure, it was just an intuitive guess.
Although the girl was wearing the clothes of an ordinary village woman, her features and demeanor were clearly different from those of ordinary people, and she always seemed a little out of place standing in the crowd.
Yan Du said she was his sister, but there was not much of a brother-sister intimacy between the two. Besides, Yan Du claimed to be from Liangzhou, first went to Fengdu, and now appeared in Ningling. Why did Su Yu, a woman who claimed to be his sister, follow him to the epidemic area and mix with the patients?
What's even more concerning is that every time she's in danger, Yan Du always shows up to save her at the perfect moment. If he truly harbored ill intentions, he could have killed her long ago while she was gathering herbs in the mountains. Why would he repeatedly rescue her?
Thinking of this, Jiang Ci pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned sideways and leaned over to whisper a few words into Yin Shuang's ear.
Yin Shuang was shocked after hearing this: "Miss, this... can really force someone out?"
"Just do as I tell you." A cold glint flashed in Jiang Ci's eyes. "This kind of vicious person is hiding among the crowd. If we don't find a way to lure him out, it will be difficult to find out who is behind this."
After she finished giving the instructions, she added, "Spread another piece of news: I drank the leftovers from that batch of medicine last night, and this morning I started feeling dizzy and nauseous. I suspect I've been poisoned. Don't make it too obvious; keep it natural."
Yin Shuang was startled for a moment, then immediately understood her intention and nodded, "I understand. Let's just wait and see who can't sit still."
Following Jiang Ci's instructions, Yin Shuang quietly delivered the bag of medicinal residue to the military doctor in the epidemic area. The doctor carefully examined it for a moment, and his face suddenly changed: "There's Aconitum kusnezoffii mixed in with this medicinal material! Although the amount is small, if taken for a long time, or if taken by a weak person, it will definitely cause poisoning."
Yin Shuang's heart tightened upon hearing this, and she immediately spread the news: "The Governor's wife is suspected of having been poisoned by mistake after taking the medicine, and her life is in danger."
The news spread like a tongue of fire in the epidemic area and was all over the area within an hour.
Yin Shuang quietly followed the furtive figure all the way, finally stopping in front of an inn in the city. Hiding in the shadows, she could see through the half-open window lattice as the figure entered the lobby.
In the hall, Su Yu was leaning against the window, dressed in plain clothes, leisurely enjoying her meal and tea. The man quickly stepped forward and reported in a low voice, clasping his fists.
Su Yu just glanced at him lightly and did not respond immediately. She just put the last piece of dessert in her hand into her mouth, chewed it slowly and swallowed it.
After a moment, she slowly stood up, brushed her sleeves, and walked lazily towards the room upstairs as if she was just taking a casual stroll.
She pushed the door open and walked in, saying to Lou Qi who was drinking, "I'm afraid that the little beauty you've taken a fancy to won't live long."
Lou Qi froze, the wine glass in his hand suspended in mid-air. He glanced at her sideways, his brows knitted slightly: "How did you know?"
Su Yu sat cross-legged opposite him, smiling frivolously, "Her maid ran to the epidemic area early in the morning to find a doctor. She said she was dizzy and vomiting after taking the medicine, and her life was in danger."
Lou Qi was silent for a few breaths, put down his wine glass, stood up, and said lightly: "I'm going out for a while."
The night was dark and the lights in Jiang Ci's room had already been turned off. She sat quietly on the bed, her heart beating slightly nervously.
Suddenly, there was a slight sound in the courtyard, and a figure in black landed quietly on the ground like a ghost. She immediately lay down, closed her eyes and held her breath, letting the sweat soak her temples.
Lou Qi pushed open the window and came to the bedside. Looking at her pale face, his expression changed. He leaned over to test her breath. After confirming that she was still breathing weakly, he opened her lips and stuffed a black pill into her mouth.
Just as he was about to turn around and leave, a hand suddenly reached out from the bed and grabbed his sleeve.
"You're finally here."
The door was pushed open in an instant, Yinshuang and Wanniang blocked the retreat on the left and right, and the oil lamp in Wanniang's hand illuminated the room brightly.
Under the candlelight, Jiang Ci stood up and stared at Lou Qi's face for a long while, as if he was really seeing him clearly for the first time.
"It's you." She murmured.
Lou Qi tried to break free from her hand, but she held it tighter. He lowered his eyes and forced himself to remain calm: "I just... heard you were poisoned, so I came to check on you."
Jiang Ci's eyes were cold: "Su Yu, she's not your sister, right? You are not from Liangzhou at all, why are you using the banner of Liangzhou to harm people in Ningling?"
Lou Qi's expression froze, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "Forgive me, I can't tell you."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly shook his wrist and pulled himself out from between Jiang Ci's fingers. His figure passed through the window lattice like the wind and disappeared in the courtyard shrouded in darkness in an instant.
Yin Shuang wanted to chase after them, but Jiang Ci said, "Don't chase them, it's useless. Although we don't know who they are, we know for sure that they must have a grudge against Ji Yang."
Yin Shuang said, "The governor has fought wars across the country and south for years, so he must have made many enemies. It's not surprising that he's using the young lady to make him lose the support of the people. By the way, she's also trying to sow discord between you two, so that the governor will be more wary of Liang Province."
Jiang Ci said, "Fortunately, Ji Yang trusted me this time and didn't let them succeed. This was a timely stop to the losses. It's just a pity that the people died in vain."
The candlelight in the room flickered slightly, casting flickering silhouettes on the wall. Jiang Ci sat quietly on the couch, pulling out a token from his sleeve, which he had ripped from his arms when he left.
She looked out the window at the pitch-black darkness and muttered to herself, "Who are you... It doesn't matter, I'll find out slowly."
Lou Qiji walked to the corner of the street and looked back. There was still a faint light from the eaves of the county magistrate's mansion. He stood there for a long time, without moving, the moonlight shining on the tips of his hair and a gust of wind blowing past.
He cursed under his breath: "I'm really crazy."
By the time he entered the inn, it was already dark, but the lights were still on. Su Yu was leaning against the window, toying with a short blade, her eyes slanted, her expression cold.
He pushed the door open and came in, taking off his cloak. However, his movements lacked his usual carefreeness, and instead showed a hint of hesitation and fatigue.
After a moment of silence, he whispered, "I was impulsive."
Su Yu glanced at him and sneered, "I really didn't expect you to lose your composure because of a woman. I really overestimated you, Your Highness the Prince of Yan."
Lou Qi's expression was gloomy. He did not refute, but simply replied: "Go back to Hanbei."
Su Yu raised an eyebrow: "Just leave like that?"
Lou Qi said nothing. He walked over to the table, poured a glass of wine, and drank it all in one gulp. After a long moment, he whispered, "The game is over. There's no point in staying."
Su Yu leaned against the window, her tone still filled with disdain: "If you really have feelings for that woman, why don't you just tie her up and take her away?"
Lou Qi paused with the wine cup in his hand, a complicated look flashed in his eyes. After a while, he smiled softly: "No, I have a feeling that she and I will meet again sooner or later."
Su Yu sneered: "The word love is indeed the most detrimental thing."
Lou Qi closed his eyes, leaned against the window and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense, I'm just a little interested in her."
Su Yu put away the short blade and said in a cold tone: "Beauty is the downfall of the country. Ji Yang's military advisor is right."
Lou Qi didn't answer again, but put down the wine, slowly raised his head, and his eyes had regained some depth and coldness.
"I heard her birthday is on the third day of next month. It would be rude of me if I didn't surprise her in advance."
Su Yu suppressed her irritation and said, "What vulgar thing are you going to do again?"
"It's a secret. I won't tell you for now. Let's go. We can't stay here any longer."
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