Chapter 16 Chapter 16 "You said...did she just...
Jiang Ci's steps paused, not daring to move an inch. His breathing stopped for a moment, and only the oil lamp in his hand trembled slightly in the wind.
The flickering firelight illuminated her face in every detail.
At that moment, Ji Yang finally saw her face clearly.
But it seemed that this person wasn't Jiang Ci, but the person who had been watching coldly from the dream. His eyes suddenly changed, as if there was thunder in them, as well as a sense of collapse.
He shook his hands, the sword tip trembled slightly, and his breathing seemed to stop.
He looked at her; her features, her eyebrows, her features, all reminded him of the nightmares of the past.
At this moment, dreams and reality suddenly overlapped, a chill coiled around my heart like a poisonous snake, and old hatreds surged up.
Jiang Ci noticed his hesitation and did not dare to act rashly.
After a long time, seeing that he did not make a move, she gently raised her other hand, pressed the hilt of his sword, and slowly pushed the sharp edge away.
Her movements were extremely gentle, but tears already glistened in her eyes, flickering like stars in the candlelight. They weren't tears of fear, but tears of the past that still flowed through her heart after waking from a dream, a vulnerable expression that couldn't be concealed.
Ji Yang looked at the tears sliding down her cheeks and was stunned for a moment. He thought he was scared and suddenly felt a little irritated and inexplicably apologetic.
He sheathed his sword, glanced at her gravely, and said in a cold and hard tone:
"Walking around at night, swords and knives have no eyes. If I mistake you for an enemy and kill you with a sword, don't blame me for being cruel then."
Jiang Ci bit his lip lightly, nodded, took a step back, and wanted to leave.
Unexpectedly, her gown was too long, and she stepped on the hem of her skirt. The oil lamp in her hand fell to the ground with a snap, and the flame was extinguished in an instant. She lost her balance and fell backwards.
Ji Yang's eyes and hands were quick, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed her from mid-air. His fingers passed through her sleeves, and his warm palm just happened to pinch her cold fingertips. Almost at the same time, they were flung back as if struck by lightning, and they both withdrew their hands. Jiang Ci fell to the ground, her hair disheveled, and her shoulders trembling slightly.
She wanted to stand up, but she couldn't move immediately.
Ji Yang looked down at her with a sarcastic tone, as if trying to cover up his panic just now:
"You're so stupid, you even fall down on flat ground. It's a good thing you weren't sent to the battlefield, otherwise you would have been captured and taken prisoner."
Before she finished speaking, Jiang Ci's nose was already sour. She lowered her head and bit her lip lightly, but she couldn't help it. She sat on the ground with her knees slightly bent, hugging them, and her voice was low and hoarse, revealing the grievance she had endured:
"Why do you always bully me like this..."
Ji Yang always hated women crying, especially in the middle of the night, under the moonlight, shedding tears silently drop by drop. He stood there for a while with a frown on his face, and finally looked away, saying stiffly:
"Don't cry... It's late at night, and someone who doesn't know would think I pushed you down."
Jiang Ci on the ground did not respond, but continued to sit quietly with his knees hugged, like a trembling flower, with his head down and silent.
Ji Yang scratched the back of his head, feeling somewhat uneasy. He coughed and looked away.
"...How about I show you a sword dance?"
After saying that, he actually drew out his sword and began to dance like the sword dance the army did before going to war. His movements were sharp and agile. The night wind blew the sword light, breaking the silence and bringing with it an oppressive and murderous aura.
Jiang Ci raised his head, tears still hanging from his eyelashes, and looked at him with a little disbelief, and couldn't help asking:
"...Are you kidding me?"
Ji Yang paused and said proudly, "What are you thinking about? I'm serious. Before every battle, we practice this set of sword techniques to boost morale and courage."
Jiang Ci's eyes were still red from crying, but he found his words a little ridiculous. He pursed his lips and sighed helplessly:
"Then may I ask, Commander-in-Chief, could you show mercy and help me up now?"
Ji Yang sheathed his sword and stood there hesitantly, as if about to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He walked forward, reached out and grabbed her by the back of her collar, and lifted her up with a quick and decisive motion, like a drowned kitten. His movements were a bit rough, but very careful.
He took her aside, picked up the oil lamp on the ground, and said, "It's out. Fortunately, it's not dark yet. You can go back by yourself."
Jiang Ci took the oil lamp he picked up, lowered his brows, gently brushed off the dust on his clothes, then bowed gracefully, turned around and walked away, his posture still elegant.
She shed tears just now, not because she suffered a great injustice in front of Ji Yang, but because the mother in the dream was too real, the embroidered red wedding dress, the soft whisper, as if she was right in front of her.
At that moment, she couldn't help herself.
The next morning, the sun shone through the eaves. Jiang Ci got up not too late and was already sitting in front of her dressing table, with Yin Shuang tying her hair for her.
The bronze mirror reflected her natural, beautiful face, yet a hint of weariness lingered in the corners of her eyes. She lowered her eyes to glance at the cloak on the table—she had embroidered it herself, and now it was almost finished. A hint of tenderness crept into the corners of her lips.
"Girl, this cloak is so beautifully embroidered." Yin Shuang praised from the side.
Jiang Ci smiled faintly, but frowned slightly: "It's just... I'm still not sure about the size."
After thinking for a moment, she put on a small dress and went out, looking for a suitable figure to compare with.
Outside the courtyard gate, Ji Yang was getting dressed and stretching his neck. He looked a little sleepy and called Yue Bai to help him pack his clothes and sword.
After changing into a black robe and fastening his belt, he walked out of the courtyard and was about to report to the Governor's Office, but he bumped into Jiang Ci who was coming towards him in the corridor.
He frowned and said in a cold tone, "What do you want to do now?"
Although his words were harsh, his eyes were a little softer than usual. Perhaps the tears from last night were still lingering in his mind, so he didn't deliberately speak in a sarcastic manner.
Jiang Ci stopped and said in a gentle tone, "Could you please turn around, Commander?"
Ji Yang glanced at her suspiciously, his face showing impatience: "Are you holding a grudge against me from last night and want to stab me a few times while my back is turned?"
Jiang Ci's mouth twitched slightly, and he said helplessly: "I never stab anyone in the back, especially the governor."
These words were spoken lightly, but they were like a feather brushing across Ji Yang's heart, causing him to pause inexplicably.
Was she just saying it casually, or was it... a promise to him?
Ji Yang remained calm, but his heart trembled slightly: This woman seems to be in love with this governor.
Jiang Ci said no more, taking a step forward and gently measuring the width of his shoulders with her palm. Her movements were light, not touching, like the wind brushing against a black robe. He stood still as she said, "Alright. Thank you for your cooperation, Commander. You can go to the roll without delay."
After a bow, she slowly stepped back.
Ji Yang looked at her back as she turned around, his expression becoming a little complicated, and then he strode out of the house.
When he reached the door, he suddenly asked Yue Bai in a low voice: "Did you say...was she seducing me just now?"
Yue Bai paused, his expression subtle, recalling that Jiang Ci hadn't even glanced at Ji Yang just now. After a moment, he whispered, "The governor thinks so... then that's it."
Ji Yang snorted, strode out of the mansion, mounted his horse and headed towards the Governor's Office.
The Governor's Office became a little dull after noon. Although the sun was blazing outside, the lights inside the house were still bright. When the map was spread out, the forces of Dongyang, Liangzhou and Hanbei were clearly visible.
Lu Linchuan flipped through a scroll of secret letters, his expression slightly tense. "My Lord, there's been a lot of activity in Hanbei lately, especially on the Qingzhou border. Scouts have reported numerous instances of cavalry probing, food carts moving, and unusual migrations of several small tribes."
He paused, pointing his finger at a strategic point north of Qingzhou. "According to the secret letter we intercepted, Meng Xiao, the Lord of Hanbei, may already be planning to send troops in late spring, first to clear Qingzhou, and then to attack Liang."
Ji Yang's expression remained unchanged as he said coldly, "Then fight."
Lu Linchuan looked up at him, smiled and shook his head: "You are as talkative as ever." Then he whispered with Ji Yang about the strategy of mobilizing troops.
When they were discussing when to transfer the Third Army to the west, Deputy General Du Mengqiu came in to report, and several generals accompanying the army also arrived one after another.
Ji Yang looked up and glanced, but suddenly frowned. He fixed his eyes on the chests of several people and asked in a cold voice:
"What is that... hanging on your armor?"
Several generals were startled, looked down, and then explained with a smile.
"My lord, this is a peace charm. The ladies made it last night. They said they heard we might be going to war and were worried, so they made it for us to keep us safe."
"My wife did the same," another general said. "She even said she burned incense and cut the red thread while sewing it, expressing her love and care with every stitch."
Everyone laughed softly, but it was also warm and affectionate.
Ji Yang looked calm, his hands slowly resting on the table, his eyes sweeping over the embroidered symbols wrapped with red thread and tied on the armor, no emotion visible in his eyes.
He paused for a moment and said coldly:
"Hmph...superstitious."
As soon as the words fell, the room fell silent.
The deputy general smiled and said, "My lord, you are right. We are just rough people and just want to have a good time. We don't take it seriously."
Lu Linchuan turned away with a smile, and murmured vaguely, "My lord is right."
Ji Yang's eyes slanted, and he flipped over the map. His tone changed and he regained his sternness: "Don't waste any more time. Bring me the map of the western troop deployment. If Qingzhou is lost, Tingzhou will be unstable."
"Yes." Everyone responded and the meeting continued, but the atmosphere was a little more solemn than before.
The afternoon sun was slanting, and a warm breeze blew gently through the streets of Fengdu. Jiang Ci, dressed in a plain silk gown, walked slowly out of the house with Yin Shuang.
There were more and more people walking on the street, and suddenly in the distance came the sound of "dong, dong, dong" war drums, with a rapid rhythm and deafening momentum.
Jiang Ci paused, turned around to look in the direction of the drumbeats, and asked in a low voice, "Why are the drums beating so frequently in the city today?"
Yin Shuang was also a little confused and shook her head: "I don't know either. The mansion hasn't sent any message."
Jiang Ci continued walking until he came to a small stall filled with old books and sachets. The stall owner was a white-haired old man, sitting in a chair, sorting through items on the table. Jiang Ci stopped, leaned over, and asked softly, "Old man, may I ask what the drum sounds are for today?"
The old man raised his head and glanced at her, his expression filled with a certain solemnity that was familiar to him. "Miss, are you from another place? That's the horn sounded by the Dongyang Army before they set out on a campaign. When the drums sound, the troops will march out."
After that, he picked up a small cloth talisman tied with a red string from the counter and handed it to Jiang Ci: "This is a peace talisman. Would you like to take one home? If you have a husband at home, you can also give him one to ensure his safe return."
Jiang Ci's fingertips gently touched the talisman bag, his eyes flickering slightly. The old man continued, "This is an old custom among the common people here. Before going to war, wives give it to their husbands, or women give it to their lovers. Although the talisman is small, it symbolizes the hope of safety."
Jiang Ci's eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment he gently put the amulet back to its original place, gathered his sleeves and said in greeting: "Thank you, father-in-law, I understand."
Returning to the Dongyang Marquis's residence, Jiang Ci walked into the room and sat at the desk, concentrating for a moment. Suddenly, he looked up and said to Yin Shuang, "Bring me those pieces of embroidered cloth so I can see the colors."
Yin Shuang was startled: "What are you going to do, girl?"
Jiang Ci picked up a red thread, twisted it between his fingers, and said softly, "Make it a peace talisman."
Yin Shuang looked puzzled. "But... Miss, you and the governor... aren't close enough to exchange amulets, are you?"
Jiang Ci's expression did not change. He simply lowered his head and picked up a piece of dark blue cloud-patterned cloth. He stared calmly at the twilight outside the window and said softly:
"He must be safe."
"Tingzhou is a fat piece of cake now. The power of the Dongyang Army is established by Ji Yang alone. If he falls, the other three forces will be eyeing him, and Liangzhou... will become a place of chaos and war."
She paused, then continued, "This amulet is not for my husband, but for the people of Liangzhou."
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