Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Jiang Ci The woman's head was used as a sacrifice...
His lips slowly pressed against hers, with restrained affection, tightening little by little, the tips of their tongues lightly touching, their breaths entwined, gentle yet unable to suppress their emotions.
Jiang Ci kissed him back, his arms gently hooked around his neck, obedient and proactive.
The mist is rising and the water is rippling.
He held her in his arms and walked towards the pool, water droplets dripping from his strong shoulders and arms. He walked into the back room step by step. She still clung to him, her hands unwilling to let go, and her lips reluctant to let go.
Drops of water slid down their hair and fingertips and fell to the floor.
The two returned to the house, and before Jiang Ci could react, he had already gently laid him down on the bed.
Her hair was loose, beaded with water, her eyes were hazy, and her cheeks were as red as peach blossoms in early spring. Ji Yang looked down at her. Those eyes were no longer cold and hard, but instead concealed a suppressed passion and restrained tenderness.
He leaned over and covered her lips.
This kiss wasn't like the temptation in the hot spring, but rather an overwhelming feeling. His hand found its way into her hair, gentle yet urgent. Jiang Ci gently embraced him, his eyes full of affection, eyes focused solely on him.
Fingertips, breath, and body temperature are all approaching silently. The atmosphere is like a wick that has been quietly lit, with a faint light floating in the darkness, and even breathing is entangled.
His lips were pressed against her ear, whispering her name: "Jiang Ci..."
However--
Just when everything was about to cross that line, a series of long and heavy scenes suddenly flashed through Ji Yang's mind.
During those three years as a hostage, he felt like an animal being led to the market, clad in thin prison clothes, his gaze calm, yet he was subjected to the wanton scrutiny and mockery of passersby. He remembered the strong wind that day, the blazing sun outside the tent, and Jiang Huaice standing high above, looking down at him, his ears filled with insults like "Dongyang bastard."
He thought back to the day he returned to Dongyang, having narrowly escaped death. As he entered Fengdu City, he had barely found his footing when he saw his father's funeral procession slowly approaching from the end of the long street. The people were speechless, white banners drooped low, and he stood among the crowd, unable even to cry out. In that moment, he had never felt so helpless, as if the sky were falling and the earth was collapsing.
Shame, loneliness, pain, and her current look suddenly overlapped in his mind, like a piece of paper that was suddenly torn.
He suddenly woke up, as if struck by thunder, and stopped moving.
After a moment of silence, Ji Yang slowly stood up, his eyes gradually turning from burning to calm. He reached out and lifted the quilt beside him, gently covering her body.
Jiang Ci stared at him blankly, his eyes still flushed with emotion.
He didn't look at her, his voice was low and hoarse, but with a kind of self-blaming calmness: "...I can't."
Ji Yang walked quickly to the door, opened it, and the wind blew in.
But then he recalled that day when the Ningling dam collapsed, the wind and rain threatened to destroy it, and he gritted his teeth and held on, exhausted like a trapped animal. He thought the Dongyang army would be defeated there, but in the most desperate moment, it was she, holding an oil lamp, and leading the people to appear before him.
Ji Yang closed the door again with some hesitation, as if he was making a difficult decision.
He stood quietly for a moment, then turned and walked back to the bed. Jiang Ci was still leaning on the bed, a lingering affection still in his eyes. He looked at her with a dark and unclear expression, then suddenly leaned over, lifted her chin, and kissed her - in this moment, he just wanted to follow his heart.
This kiss was different from the previous one of exploration and tenderness, but it was a kiss of loss of control after almost extreme restraint.
Jiang Ci was a bit taken aback by his suddenness, but she quickly sensed his emotions: repression, struggle, and a strong underlying feeling. She gently hugged him back, her fingers tracing his tense back, as if to comfort him, or perhaps to acquiesce.
Ji Yang's breathing became heavier. He lowered his head and kissed her again. His fingertips moved along her belt, and her clothes became messy. He pulled back the quilt and held her in his arms.
Just as the breaths were entangled and the temperature was gradually rising, a hurried voice suddenly sounded outside the door -
"My lord, the Qingzhou army has arrived!"
It was Du Mengqiu's voice.
Ji Yang froze, a vein on his forehead twitching slightly, and his eyes suddenly grew colder. He stood up and looked down at Jiang Ci, his eyes filled with resentment.
Jiang Ci's breath was still unsteady, but he smiled and said softly, "Go ahead, Commander."
He stared at her for a moment, then finally sighed and tucked the quilt back in for her. At that moment, his movements were extremely gentle, as if he was reluctant to leave, but also as if he was apologetic.
"That's right, you and I don't need a moment." After saying this, Ji Yang put on his clothes, stood up, pushed the door open and walked out. His steps were steady, but his brows were gloomy.
Outside, Du Mengqiu was waiting. After Ji Yang listened to the military report and gave orders, he drove Du Mengqiu away and hurried back to the room. However, the room was already empty. Even the remaining warmth had quietly dissipated along with that person.
Ji Yang did not sleep. He sat in the house all night until dawn, then he changed his clothes and went out.
"Yes, it doesn't matter a moment. We still have a chance if we return to Fengdu." He muttered to himself.
The group set off again. The road was cold and the sound of horses and carriages could be heard.
Ji Yang and Jiang Ci walked side by side, but neither of them mentioned the events of the previous night. Their tender embrace by the hot springs seemed like a dream, and upon waking, they both returned to silence. Even when their eyes occasionally met, it was only a fleeting glance.
A few days later, the team finally arrived in Fengdu.
As the carriage slowly pulled into the Dongyang Marquis's mansion, the long-seal red gate flung itself open once more. A waiting person was already standing respectfully before the gate, and Madam Ji, dressed simply and elegantly, had been waiting at the entrance porch. Her expression was filled with anticipation.
Ji Yang dismounted and was about to call out "Mom" when he naturally stretched out his hand. However, Madam Ji didn't even look at him. She walked around him and went straight to the carriage.
The curtain was lifted, and Jiang Ci and Yin Shuang got out of the carriage. Madam Ji's eyes lit up, and a smile immediately spread across her eyes: "Oh my, my dear daughter-in-law! You are finally back. You must have suffered a lot on the way. How come you have lost weight?"
She held Jiang Ci's hand tightly, her eyes full of tenderness.
Ji Yang stood aside, his hands still in the air, looking at her in surprise: "Mom, I'm having a hard time too."
Madam Ji glanced back at him, her expression calm: "You are the governor of Dongyang, it is your duty to endure a little hardship."
Jiang Ci was a little flattered by her affectionate treatment and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, mother-in-law. I'm fine."
Madam Ji patted the back of her hand and said, "Good girl, come in quickly. I specially asked someone to make your favorite bean curd stuffed chicken, as well as candied lotus root and poria cake. If you don't come back, I will be worried."
After saying that, she took Jiang Ci's hand and walked into the mansion, as intimate as a mother and daughter who had been together for many years. Jiang Ci responded obediently, with slow and appropriate steps.
Ji Yang watched this scene from behind, smiled helplessly, and had to retract his hand that had been left out in the cold, and followed in.
Elsewhere, Yin Shuang brought Chu Yao back to Jiang Ci's courtyard. The courtyard remained the same as before, with swaying green trees and winding red railings. Newly blossomed yellow roses were planted in the courtyard, and the breeze blew the fragrance everywhere.
Yin Shuang pushed the door open and entered, leaving a few bags at the entrance. She turned around and said, "This is our young lady's room. Please put her things away, but remember, don't touch anything in the room."
Chu Yao nodded quickly in response, saying in a sweet tone, "Yes, I know my limits."
Yinshuang glanced at her and went to the inner room to help Wanniang sort out other things.
Chu Yao walked into the room holding the package and glanced around the room quietly, but she quickly lowered her eyes and tidied up her things swiftly, her expression calm as usual.
Ji Yang and Jiang Ci had dinner with Madam Ji. It was already getting dark and the evening breeze, carrying the scent of grass and trees, blew slowly from the eaves.
The two of them walked together toward the outer courtyard. Jiang Ci walked at a leisurely pace. Ji Yang, who had been walking in front, unconsciously slowed down his pace as he walked. The candlelight in the corner of the corridor shone diagonally on his profile, reflecting gentle lines.
"Thank you, young master," he suddenly said, his voice low and steady. "I've asked General Du to arrange for him to stay at the Qingyuan Restaurant in the south of the city. All matters have been arranged." Jiang Ci hummed softly, his eyes slightly tilted to look at him. "Thank you, Commander-in-Chief. But... why did you invite him to Fengdu?"
Ji Yang paused briefly and replied, "He has helped a lot in Ningling. I wanted to invite him to be my guest to express my gratitude."
Jiang Ci didn't say anything, just nodded slightly.
The two of them slowly walked to a tree with dense branches and leaves, which made the night even darker. Ji Yang raised his hand first, pushing aside the branches blocking the way, allowing Jiang Ci to pass first.
At that moment, his movements were natural and revealed unspoken consideration.
Back in the courtyard, Ji Yang stopped at the steps and looked at her sideways: "The courtyard you lived in before has been repaired almost completely, but the new things still have some smell, so they need to be aired for a few days. You can stay at my place for the next few days."
He spoke slowly, as if everything was as it should be.
"The things we brought back from Liangzhou are all stored in the backyard warehouse. If you have time, you might as well go and take a look."
When Jiang Ci heard the word "Liangzhou", his expression changed slightly, and then he nodded: "Okay."
Ji Yang lowered his eyes, "Something happened in Qingzhou. I have to go to the Military Governor's Office. I'm afraid I won't be back tonight."
Jiang Ci replied, "Don't worry and go take care of the important matters."
Ji Yang nodded, turned and left, his back gradually getting farther and farther away, finally disappearing in the corridor around the corner.
Jiang Ci stood for a moment, and after coming back to his senses, he called Yin Shuang and went to the warehouse in the backyard.
Pushing open the heavy warehouse door, she was met with a dazzling array of boxes and crates stacked like a mountain, twice as many as the ones her father had sent from Liangzhou. She approached and examined them one by one. The wooden boxes were labeled, categorized, and even valuables and utensils were fully stocked.
Jiang Ci stretched out his hand and brushed the lid of the box, a smile slowly appearing at the corner of his lips, but his expression was gentle and dazed.
She opened a dark box, and inside was a row of neatly arranged books. They were all medical books she had found, and the thread-bound covers still carried the scent of Liangzhou.
She originally asked for books because of Ji Xu's incurable disease, but now they are of no use.
Her nose felt sore and tears fell. Her mind was filled with the gentle and polite figure. Jiang Ci's hand stopped on the cover, stroking it gently with his fingertips. After a moment of silence, he closed the box.
Yin Shuang hesitated to speak, Jiang Ci smiled at her and said, "I'll go sit in Big Brother's yard for a while."
She went alone.
The path was deserted, the courtyard cold and desolate. The bamboo shadows of yesteryear slanted, but now the branches and leaves were more lush, rustling. Jiang Ci walked to the familiar bamboo tree. A few old leaves had fallen beside the stone table. She reached out and swept them away. Her palm landed on the cool stone surface, and for a moment, a hallucination emerged.
The handsome young man was sitting beside the stone bench, looking up at her with a bright smile.
A gust of wind blew by, and her eyes became moist again. She finally sat down, one hand resting on the edge of the stone table, the other hand hanging down, with her forehead lightly resting on the back of her hand.
Tears fell quietly on the stone table.
At this time, a handkerchief was handed to her.
Jiang Ci was startled and looked up, only to see Ji Yunfan standing in the moonlight. There was a youthful heroic spirit between his eyebrows and eyes. He was dressed in tight clothes and looked a little taller than when she left.
"Afan..." she called softly, her voice very hoarse.
Ji Yunfan sat across from her, his expression serious yet childish: "Sister Jiang, are you thinking about my father?"
Jiang Ci looked at him for a long time before nodding.
"Yeah," she replied, "I miss him a little."
Jiang Ci sat on a stone bench, and the young man beside him chattered about what had happened in the past month.
His voice still carried the clearness unique to young people. "Sis, while you were away, I learned calligraphy from a teacher every day. He said my handwriting is a bit like my father's... Also, I'm very accurate with archery now. I just hit the bull's eye the other day, and grandma rewarded me with a piece of cake. Oh, and I even learned to ride a horse! Although I almost fell off the first time..."
His eyes sparkled, his cheeks flushed, and he spoke a great deal in a single breath, all the while excited. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned and asked, "Sister, can you come and watch me practice archery next time? I'll shoot you a rabbit!"
Jiang Ci listened, a gentle smile on her lips. She reached out and caressed his tender cheek, feeling the warmth of his body in her palm. She spoke softly, "Okay, it's a deal."
She paused, her eyes slightly curved, and she said slowly, "Ah Fan, if your father saw you now, he would definitely be happy for you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Yunfan's eyes turned red and he suddenly threw himself into her arms. His small body hugged her tightly, his shoulders trembling slightly, and his voice was filled with tears: "But I still... I still miss Daddy very much. Grandma said that Daddy has turned into a star in the sky, watching over me."
Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment, then hugged him and patted his back gently, again and again. The boy's voice was choked with sobs, but he tried hard not to let his tears fall, as if he was afraid of losing the strongest image in his father's heart.
She looked up at the night sky, which was dotted with stars and as blue as a mirror, like millions of tiny lights looking at each other from afar.
"Yes." She whispered, "He must be in heaven, watching you grow up. He must be very proud to see you so brave."
The sound seemed to drift into the night with the wind and fall under the distant sky.
…
At the same time, in the Governor's Office in the west of the city, Ji Yang stood alone in the courtyard.
The night wind blew the corners of his clothes. The military tokens and documents behind him had been put away properly. At this moment, he looked up at the sky.
In the inky black sky, a streak of silver slants across the sky, and the stars hang quietly.
Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps. Du Mengqiu walked over quickly, stopped in front of him, bowed, and whispered:
"My lord, General Chen's eldest son from Xiling has arrived."
Ji Yang's brows twitched, but he didn't say anything, only his gaze paused slightly. Du Mengqiu raised his head, lowering his voice a little, but with a hint of solemnity in his tone:
"He said...it was Madam who killed his sister. His cousin died in the Marquis of Dongyang's mansion, and he wants you to give an explanation."
Shen Ting'an sat in the side hall of the military governor's office, his whole person as solemn and majestic as a mountain. An attendant poured him a cup of tea and placed it on the table, but he didn't even glance at it. He just lowered his brows in thought, his brows full of anger.
The door was pushed open, Ji Yang walked into the room, Shen Tingan immediately stood up, his eyes were like torches, and his voice was cold and stern:
"Ji Yang, your wife caused my sister's death, and now even her body hasn't been returned to Xiling. Is this how the Dongyang Marquisate treats my Shen family?"
Ji Yang remained expressionless, pacing to the main seat with his hands behind his back. He raised his eyes and smiled, speaking slowly, "Cousin Shen, something is fishy. I'm afraid there's another misunderstanding. I remember writing a letter to my uncle explaining that my cousin had contracted a serious illness and had died. She was buried in Tingzhou."
Shen Ting'an snorted coldly, walked forward, pulled out a letter from his arms, and threw it heavily in front of Ji Yang's desk: "Then you should also take a look at this letter. This is brought back by A Ru's personal maid, and it is written by her own handwriting!"
Ji Yang picked up the letter and took a closer look at it, his tone still calm: "Cousin, how do you know that this letter is not a forgery?"
Shen Ting'an spoke with suppressed anger, his eyes like knives: "Aru is my biological sister. She often wrote to me when I was away on the expedition. How could I not recognize her handwriting? Besides, what is said in the letter is consistent with your wife's words and deeds."
"Ji Yang, I came here today not for anything else, but just to ask for an explanation."
Ji Yang raised his eyes, his expression unchanged: "So what does cousin want to explain?"
Shen Ting'an's words were sharp, almost gritting his teeth: "Kill a life for a life, I only want one thing - the head of that woman Jiang Ci, to be used as a sacrifice to my sister's spirit!"
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