Chapter 44: Lie down and try. When it snows again in the capital, you will come back...
The evening breeze blew over the Yanyun Pavilion.
When Luo Wan climbed the stairs, Jiang Cichen was leaning against the vermilion carved railing.
The halo of light from the lanterns under the eaves cast a warm color on his pale profile. Compared to the sickly look when he first met him in the Dali Temple, his lips now had a red color, which seemed to mean that the remaining poison had been cleared.
Hearing footsteps, he paused for a moment and calmly put the celadon medicine bottle he was playing with into his sleeve.
In front of him, Luo Wan placed the black fox cloak on the rosewood chair and said, "Return it to its original owner."
Jiang Cichen followed her gaze and asked, "How did you know I was here?"
The answer can be traced back to Luo Wan's memories from a past life. Back then, the empire was divided into three parts, and she didn't care who would ultimately prevail, until the traitorous and treacherous minister Jiang Cichen conquered the Central Plains and, at a celebration banquet, rewarded the entire army.
The first credit must go to Xie Yan, the "Bloody Night Ghost Arrow", the sharpshooter who was said to have terrified the soldiers of the Northern Kingdom and Xiliang.
After the celebration banquet, Xie Yan began to clear out the forces in the martial arts world for Jiang Cichen, and Tingyu Tower was among them. As a secret agent of the imperial court, Yanyun Pavilion eventually came into conflict with Tingyu Tower, and she remembered it.
At first, Luo Wan didn't pay much attention to the Yanyun Pavilion in the capital, thinking it was just an ordinary intelligence trading organization. However, on the day of the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference, Luo Wan saw Jiang Cichen and Xie Yan standing side by side, and then he was sure that this Yanyun Pavilion was the secret agent of the court in his previous life.
Luo Wan looked toward the gradually brightening lights of thousands of homes in the distance and said, "Your good subordinate, Chen Nanyuan said so."
Because this alone was not enough for Luo Wan to be sure where Jiang Cichen would be in Yanyun Pavilion. The main reason was that she met Chen Nanyuan.
In recent days, Chen Nanyuan discovered that his son was always staring at a small medicine bottle for a long time. He took great pains and finally pried the origin of the small medicine bottle from Chen Beizhe's mouth.
As the man who understands his young master the best and who calls himself the eloquent Chen Nanyuan, of course he has to go all out to find the person his young master is thinking about. Unexpectedly, he just came out of Yanyun Pavilion and happened to meet Luo Wan who came to return his outer cloak.
"He's quite attentive." Jiang Cichen suddenly stepped closer. "Is he just here to return the property to its original owner?"
The scent of pine ink suddenly became strong. Luo Wan took a half step back, her back resting against the cold pillar. She said, "What else?"
He lowered his eyes to look at her, a slight curve appeared at the corner of his lips, and he returned to his lazy posture, as if waiting for her to justify herself.
Luo Wan paused, then added: "And say goodbye."
Hearing the answer he wanted, the smile in his eyes deepened. He looked up at the roof of the pavilion and said, "Want to sit up there?"
Before she finished her words, Jiang Cichen leaped forward and extended his hand toward her. Luo Wan glanced at the injury on his left shoulder, but she didn't take his hand and flew directly onto the roof.
Jiang Cichen chuckled and withdrew his hand.
The two sat side by side on the high roof of the pavilion. The long street was as prosperous as before. The shouts of the candy sellers, the laughter of people guessing riddles, and the cheers of jugglers were intertwined, just like when they first entered the capital.
Luo Wan said: "Have you found out who wants to kill you?"
Jiang Cichen said nonchalantly, "Apart from the princelings, who else could it be? It's just that we have no evidence."
Luo Wan said: "You should have kept him alive that day."
"A bunch of dead men, there's nothing we can get out of them if we keep them here." He lay down on his back, his arms behind his head. "Try lying down? It's very comfortable."
Luo Wan was silent for a moment, then slowly lay down. The night breeze brushed her hair. She suddenly said, "I never thought that one day I would be here watching the moon with you."
I never thought that we would have such a peaceful moment.
There was a rustling sound of fabric rubbing against his side. Jiang Cichen suddenly propped himself up with his arms, half-raising himself. From this angle, he was completely enveloped in the moonlight. He chuckled, "Just think of it as taking care of the wounded."
Luo Wan said, "In Kantang County, you insisted on taking Nanny Li's body from me. Was it because of today?"
Jiang Cichen made a lot of sense: "The murder happened at a stolen goods den. I went to arrest the criminals and encountered such a thing. The officials in Kantang County were dismissed and the murder case was not tried. Naturally, I have to take care of it."
Luo Wan said, "But Chen Nanyuan said that you never personally attend such trivial matters as arresting the county magistrate. You personally attended Kantang County to oppose me, right?"
Jiang Cichen smiled and said, "I think you are getting smarter."
Luo Wan's tone was unclear: "After all, you have sent people to keep an eye on me since I entered the capital."
Jiang Cichen explained the reason: "You are the one from Wutan Town, so naturally I have to ensure Shen Zhiyan's safety. But I'm curious, since it's you, why didn't you kill Shen Zhiyan in the end, but saved him?"
Luo Wan said: "I never intended to kill him, it's just that you always thought I wanted to kill him."
Jiang Cichen narrowed his eyes: "You deliberately approached him, what exactly is your intention?"
Luo Wan said, "The secrets of Tingyu Tower must not be disclosed to outsiders. How come Mr. Jiang has forgotten my identity now?"
Jiang Cichen raised his eyebrows and said, "Of course I dare not forget."
Luo Wan's gaze slid to the wound, where no more blood was seeping out. "Your injury this time will surely unsettle the Princess Party, and the Prince Party will take advantage of it."
Jiang Cichen said: "Bei Yeji has lost so many masters. If he doesn't get any benefit, he will probably go crazy."
When mentioning Beiye Ji, Luo Wan thought of the end where Shen Zhiyan was torn into pieces by five horses at the order of this tyrant.
She said coldly, "It's better this way."
Jiang Cichen glanced at her sideways. In the past, she was always restrained and distant, pretending to be a weak and kind young lady from a noble family. But at this moment, she rarely showed her edge. Perhaps it was because she was about to leave the capital that she let down her guard a little.
Jiang Cichen asked, "You seem to hate Bei Yeji?"
Luo Wan said: "More than that."
More than disgust, she felt a pang of disgust. The mere thought that Shen Zhiyan might, in this life, repeat the same mistakes due to the tyrant's suspicion and narrow-mindedness made her wish she could cut him into pieces.
Jiang Cichen hesitated and asked, "Why do you hate him?"
Luo Wan moved his lips, words coming to his lips, but he couldn't say them. They were about what would happen in the future.
Just as she was thinking, Jiang Cichen looked at her silently, and then suddenly leaned closer.
He gently covered her lips with his palm and looked deeply into her eyes, as if searching for something.
Finally, he lowered his eyes and stepped back, a trace of loneliness flashing in his eyes.
The moonlight sprinkled between the two of them, and his outline was particularly clear in the night. Luo Wan suddenly discovered that his eyelashes were very long, and when he lowered his eyes, they cast a small shadow under his eyes, making him look inexplicably gentle.
The warmth of his palm still lingered between her lips. His approach was so sudden that she didn't even have time to avoid him.
He retreated to a safe distance and lay down, looking up at the sky as usual, as if the temptation just now was just her illusion.
But she knew it wasn't.
For a person like Jiang Cichen, every action he takes has a purpose.
At this time, Jiang Cichen did not find the answer he wanted.
Jiang Cichen had no idea why Luo Wan hated Bei Ye Ji, whether it was because he had arranged a marriage for them at the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference, or because he had sent someone to assassinate him.
The emotions in her eyes were always as calm as the lake, or even calmer than the lake, because at least the lake would still produce ripples and waves due to external forces.
And when he approached her, her eyes remained calm.
The night wind suddenly became still.
After a long silence, Luo Wan turned away and said, "Because of Shen Zhiyan."
Jiang Cichen said, "Are you worried that the princelings are plotting against Shen Zhiyan? Now the princelings are clearly plotting against me."
Luo Wan said: "They can't beat you."
He was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "So in your heart, I am so powerful?"
Luo Wan said calmly, "It's cunning."
Isn't that what fighting for the throne is all about? You scheme against me, and I scheme against you.
Who is Jiang Cichen? How could a man who schemes against the world put himself in such a desperate situation?
Although she didn't know why Jiang Cichen later betrayed his country, judging from his current loyalty to the Northern Kingdom, it must have been because of something that completely shattered and reshaped his cognition.
Jiang Cichen said: "One last question."
Luo Wan frowned and said, "You have already asked the last question in the Dali Temple."
Jiang Cichen curled his lips, with a bewitching smile, and said openly: "I regret it."
"You will come back when it snows again in the capital, right?" He stated calmly, but his calmness was tinged with a desperate expectation.
His voice was so soft that it almost blended into the night wind.
According to the decision Luo Wan had made in her heart just now, she should have refused to answer. Perhaps it was because the moonlight was too gentle, or perhaps it was because the night was too dark, or perhaps it was because he had blocked the sword.
Luo Wan said: "See if there is anyone I want to kill in the capital."
Jiang Cichen smiled.
He laughed so hard that his chest was shaking, affecting the wound, and he couldn't help coughing twice.
Luo Wan didn't understand what was so funny about him.
Now that Chi Wanwan has taken revenge and obtained the medical book, she has killed Tan Yin's shadow and has to return to Tingyu Tower to challenge Hui Xue and take his place, otherwise she will be hunted down by Tingyu Tower and will never have a good end.
Because of her memories from her previous life, she understood Huixue's weaknesses, so this battle was not difficult for her. After that, it was time to avenge herself. However, now it seemed that revenge was not as easy as she had imagined.
Chu Lin is not just Chu Lin. She is absolutely sure that the figure she saw on the day of Shen Zhiyan's wedding was Chu Lin. His other identity has increased the difficulty of Luo Wan's revenge. The people behind him will never let him die so easily in their hands.
Maybe it will be a long-term battle, but no matter whether her revenge is successful or not, she must save Shen Zhiyan when Bei Ye Ji orders Shen Zhiyan to be dismembered, so she will definitely return to the capital.
But it is unknown whether Jiang Cichen had committed treason or was still in the capital at that time.
I don’t know how long the two of them stayed like this quietly. The sound of the night watchman’s clapper came from the distance. When Luo Wan got up, Jiang Ci Chen was still sitting on the roof.
Luo Wan said: "Well, goodbye."
He nodded.
She took a few steps and suddenly turned around, just in time to meet Jiang Cichen's gaze, which he had not yet looked away. He held his chin with one hand and looked at her with a smile.
"Jiang Cichen." For the first time, she called his name calmly and completely. "You will win."
He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly raised the corners of his lips, as if it was the first time Luo Wan saw him.
So high-spirited and so arrogant.
*
Now that she no longer had to use Chi Wanwan's identity, she no longer had to hide her abilities in the capital. Too lazy to leave through the city gate and avoid the guards, she chose to climb over the wall and leave the city.
Luo Wan stood in the shadow of the city wall and said without turning his head, "Come out."
There were very light footsteps on the bluestone bricks, and the familiar blue-purple figure walked out from the shadows, still wearing the dagger at his waist, and the tassel wrapped around the dagger swayed gently in the wind.
Ever since the exiles left the capital during the day, his figure has been following them. When she said goodbye to Tang Li, when she and Jiang Cichen watched the lights of thousands of homes side by side, he was there.
Because he knew she was leaving.
She didn't know how he escaped from the palace.
Luo Wan turned around and looked at his face carefully. He seemed to have no expression, but his temperament gave people the impression of being calm and gentle, such as his smiling eyes, which were extremely beautiful.
"Should I call you Chu Lin or the Ninth Prince?"
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The author has something to say: The next few chapters will be about the Listening to the Rain Tower chapter~
So the male protagonist will be offline for a few chapters.
Wanwan wants to pursue career, seek revenge, and kill, kill, kill!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com