Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Look at the information gap between you two, ah
Returning to the house, she casually put on her outer garment and said, "Chu Yao's belly will grow bigger day by day. Since I promised her that I would give her a satisfactory position, I will finalize this matter today."
Wanniang frowned: "Miss, are you serious..."
Jiang Ci didn't wait for her to persuade him. He just straightened his clothes and turned around to say, "Yin Shuang came back late last night. She finally got some rest today. Let her sleep a little longer and don't ask her to come with you."
As she finished speaking, she was already standing steadily in the corridor, her cloak fluttering in the wind, her expression calm.
Wanniang could only sigh and quickly followed.
The master and servant got on the carriage and headed towards the Governor-General's Office.
In the Governor's Office, Ji Yang was still sitting there in a daze. When he learned that Jiang Ci had arrived, a long-lost light suddenly appeared in his eyes.
He quickly picked up a warm, wet towel and wiped his face roughly, brushing off the dust and blood on his face. He straightened his cloak and stood quickly in the middle of the hall, his heart beating slightly faster.
He didn't sleep all night, just wanting to hug her at this moment.
She is here.
He heard footsteps and looked up, only to see her walking in from outside, wearing a dress that was a mixture of apricot and orange. Her expression was so calm that she was almost distant.
He walked forward, opened his arms, and was about to embrace her.
But she turned her head slightly and avoided it.
Ji Yang froze, frozen in place. He subconsciously took a step back, thinking it was because he was still covered in mud and blood. He explained softly, "It's my fault... I'm so dirty."
But Jiang Ci's gaze did not fall on him, as if there was no need to give any reason for that kind of avoidance.
Before Ji Yang could recover from Jiang Ci's sudden avoidance, the next moment, Jiang Ci was already standing in the hall, speaking in a calm tone: "I came here today for one thing."
Ji Yang's eyes narrowed slightly, vaguely sensing something, and asked slowly, "What's the matter?"
"I would like to ask the governor to take a concubine." She said softly, but her tone was like a stone thrown into a lake, hitting his heart.
Ji Yang's brows knitted together. "Take a concubine? You want me to...take a concubine? My ears were damaged in battle. Am I hallucinating?"
Jiang Ci raised his eyes, looked straight at him, and uttered a few words: "I want you to marry Chu Yao."
He paused, making sure he had heard correctly, and asked in astonishment: "Jiang Ci, do you know what you are saying?"
"Take her as your concubine," she repeated, her eyes calm and her voice even.
Ji Yang's face darkened little by little.
"Are you crazy?" His voice was low, filled with suppressed anger. "How can a wife force her husband to take a concubine? Jiang Ci, what on earth are you—"
"Stop talking." Jiang Ci interrupted him, a hint of sarcasm on his face. "I just... misjudged you. You were never the person I thought you were. You're cowardly and unfaithful. You did it but dared not admit it, and you still want me to clean up after you."
Her voice grew calmer, but her eyes seemed to harbor a storm.
Ji Yang's expression changed instantly. He took a step forward and asked in a deep voice, "What are you talking about? What did I do?"
"You know it in your heart." She replied coldly.
"Jiang Ci!" Ji Yang almost yelled her name, "How dare you look at me like that? You're not even willing to ask a question?"
Jiang Ci shook his head, his expression indifferent: "I now understand that the so-called mutual affection was just my wishful thinking. You said at the beginning that our marriage was just a temporary measure and there was no need to pretend. Now, it's time to return to the starting point."
Ji Yang's chest felt like it was tightly blocked by something, and his voice was hoarse. "What... do you mean? No matter what I did, you have to give me a chance to explain, right?"
Jiang Ci sneered: "If you are reluctant to speak, then I will say it for you. Divorce me."
The air froze at this moment.
He looked at her, as if he didn't recognize the person in front of him: "You want me to... divorce you?"
"Right." Jiang Ci said word by word, "Anyway, there has never been any deep affection between you and me. I'm just a chess piece sent from Liangzhou. Now that the chessboard is stable, the chess piece can be discarded."
Ji Yang's hands trembled slightly, and his voice trembled: "What about your love for me? Is it fake too?"
Jiang Ci's eyes flashed, as if he had been stabbed, but he finally chuckled and said, "Yes, are you satisfied?"
At that moment, the string in Ji Yang's heart finally broke.
Ji Yang walked quickly to the desk, took out the pen and ink, his expression as cold as iron. Before the ink was dry, Lu Linchuan and Du Mengqiu heard this outside and hurried into the hall.
Seeing him writing, Lu Linchuan was startled and quickly stepped forward, whispering, "My lord, you absolutely cannot do this!"
Ji Yang didn't even raise his head, his voice low: "She insists on doing this, what else do you want me to do?"
"But Miss Jiang has a gentle nature and is always polite and sensible. How could she speak so harshly for no reason?" Lu Linchuan advised. "There must be something else going on. If the Lord really divorces her, what will happen when the truth comes out?"
Ji Yang's pen paused for a moment, as if he was hesitant.
Du Mengqiu also echoed: "My Lord, you are furious right now. If you act on impulse on such a serious matter, I'm afraid that—"
Before he finished speaking, Ji Yang suddenly raised his head, his brows filled with fatigue and coldness. "If she really believed in me, why would she force me to take a concubine and call me a coward in front of me? Since she treats me so badly, then I will do as she wishes."
Before he finished speaking, the pen and paper in his hand had already fallen, and the heavy ink left a mark of rupture.
He threw the divorce letter at Jiang Ci's feet.
"The Dongyang Marquisate won't tolerate her, and I won't keep her either." His eyes were as cold as a knife, and his voice was hoarse. "Send her back to Liangzhou."
Lu Linchuan gritted his teeth and said nothing more in the end. Du Mengqiu also lowered his head in silence.
His voice was as cold as ice, yet it held a shattering rage. "From now on, you are you, and I am me. You go your way in Liangzhou, and I guard my land in Dongyang."
After saying this, he swung his robe and turned around, calling out, "Lu Linchuan, Du Mengqiu, let's go. Time is running out. Follow me to carry the coffin and see Madam Zhong."
Jiang Ci stood there in a daze, watching the piece of paper slowly fall to his feet.
That's a divorce letter.
She didn't expect that Ji Yang really...wrote her a letter of divorce.
"You, Jiang Shi, are eccentric in nature and conduct, and your words are perverse. You have lost the virtues of a woman and are against the will of the people.
Ji did not know how to judge people and mistakenly gave his deep love to her. Now he is willing to give up his love and send her back to her hometown.
From now on, we will never disturb each other again, and we will never know each other's life or death.
A letter of divorce is written to make the righteousness clear.
Sincerely, Ji Yang, Marquis of Dongyang."
She read it word for word, then looked back at his resolutely leaving figure. Her vision went dark, and it felt like a piece of her chest was being cut out, causing her to be unable to breathe due to the pain.
"Don't hear about life or death anymore."
Jiang Ci whispered the words again, his fingertips gently stroking the words, as if each stroke carried a chill. She stared at the ink marks for a long moment, then suddenly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, gently folded the divorce letter, and put it in her arms.
She turned and walked out of the main hall. Outside, an autumn breeze suddenly picked up, swaying the stone lanterns in the corridor. Wan Niang came up to her, her face full of anxiety. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Ci whispered, "Wan Niang, you don't have to say anything. Let's go back to Liangzhou."
The voice was calm, but there was no trace of retreat.
Wanniang was startled and hurriedly followed her back to the mansion. She hesitated and remained silent all the way until she returned to the Dongyang Marquis Mansion. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss...are you really going to leave?"
Jiang Ci stood under the eaves, gazing at the setting sun, his expression indifferent: "What am I doing here? I, Jiang Ci, am a man of integrity. If he is willing to take a concubine, then I won't have to compromise myself. Now that the divorce letter is in my hands, I'm relieved. I didn't want to share my husband with anyone in the first place, so this is even better. Let's go back to Liangzhou and live our own lives."
She said it lightly.
Wanniang hesitated to speak, then asked, "Should I tell Madam Ji about the girl's dowry?"
Jiang Ci shook his head gently. "My mother-in-law has always been very kind to me. When I return to Liangzhou, I will write a letter in person to let her know I'm safe. As for the dowry—consider it my purchase of Liangzhou's safety. Don't alarm her now. If you do, I'm afraid we won't be able to make this journey."
After she finished speaking, her eyes paused, and she turned around and ordered, "Go, wake up Yin Shuang. Pack up your things, and let's go."
Wanniang responded, but felt a sore nose, her eyes finally turned red, and she turned and left.
The master and his two servants simply packed their bags and quietly left the mansion, avoiding the eyes and ears of anyone inside. The mansion gate was completely silent, not even a bird was disturbed.
Yin Shuang had already brought the carriage and was waiting at the entrance of the alley. Before Jiang Ci got in, he turned around and glanced at the plaque on the door: "Dongyang Marquis Mansion."
She only glanced at him lightly, without a trace of nostalgia in her eyes, and then withdrew her gaze, lifted her skirt and got into the car, and whispered:
"Let's go home."
On the other side, outside Zhongfu Lane, the sky was covered with dark clouds and dusk was falling.
Lu Linchuan walked in front, holding a lacquered wooden tray high in his hands. On it lay Zhong Si's cloak and armor, still stained with blood and mixed with mud and dust, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
Afterwards, Ji Yang and several Dongyang generals carried the coffin wrapped in black and white veils, with steady and slow steps, without saying a word.
The people on both sides of the street stopped and moved away, lowering their heads, and no one dared to make a sound.
In front of the Zhong Mansion, an old servant rushed out, knelt on the ground, and said in a hoarse voice: "The governor... the wife is in the inner room... I will report it right away."
Before he could finish his words, Mrs. Zhong arrived. She was dressed in plain clothes and looked haggard. She still held on to a glimmer of hope until she saw the familiar war coffin.
She froze in place, paused, let out a short sob, and rushed forward, but when she was still a few steps away from the coffin, her body went limp and she fell unconscious.
"Madam!" the servant exclaimed and quickly helped her away.
Ji Yang pursed his lips, his brows etched with frost. After placing the coffin securely in the main hall of the Zhong Mansion, he stood silently before it, not uttering a single word.
The soldiers stood still, lined up in a row, with solemn expressions.
The rain gradually fell.
The sound of raindrops fell from the dark sky, landing on the stone steps, on the coffin, and on Ji Yang's shoulders.
He stood there quietly, his face wet from tears and rain. He had promised to bring Zhong Si home personally, and now he had kept his promise, but in this way.
"Zhong Si..." He spoke in a low voice, his voice hoarse and choked, and every word was as sharp as a blade.
"Didn't you say you still wanted to teach your son archery, and that you owed your wife a white porcelain hairpin from Qingzhou? Didn't you say you wanted me to grant you a title in Yannan, build a small farm, and plant apricot blossoms... You said you wanted to live."
The sound of rain grew heavier, the wind blew the corners of clothes, but no one spoke.
He raised his hand, took off his battle robe and cloak, and personally covered the coffin with it. Lu Linchuan silently stepped back half a step and stood beside him. The other generals also clasped their fists and bowed their heads in silence.
At this moment, there were no trumpets, no mournful music, only wind and rain as the guide. The old courtyard with green tiles bid farewell to the brave souls of the Dongyang Army.
After a long while, Ji Yang whispered, "Good brother, I promise you that in the future, your son will be raised by the Dongyang Army. Your wife will also be protected by the Dongyang Army."
After saying this, he punched himself in the chest, as if branding this oath into his bones and blood.
The rain is getting heavier.
But he stood as straight as a gun, not moving at all.
On this day, Zhong Si returned home. Ji Yang buried this brotherhood in the rain and in the deepest corner of his heart.
For two consecutive days, Ji Yang personally led his men into the Zhong residence to handle the funeral arrangements, from choosing a grave and placing the coffin in the coffin to sending the soul away and burning paper money, leaving no one else to do anything. Zhong Si had been his brother for seven years, and this separation was forever.
It was not until the evening of the third day that the main gate of Dongyang Marquis Mansion slowly opened, and the dusty Ji Yang finally returned.
As soon as he stepped into the mansion, a figure came quickly and stopped him at the hanging flower gate.
"Where is Aci?" Madam Ji asked him in a deep voice, her expression no longer as calm as before.
Ji Yang was startled when he heard this, as if a needle had suddenly pierced his heart. But soon, he sneered and said in a cold tone, "I divorced her. She can go wherever she wants."
Snap——
The slap landed on his face without hesitation, crisp and harsh.
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