Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Sister-in-law, are you dying?
The voice was low and sharp, like ice and snow on pine branches in the cold winter, making people shiver.
Jiang Shu stood there, wanting to turn her head to look at Lu Changji, but her neck seemed to be frozen, and she couldn't turn it around at all.
Jiang Shu, a calm and composed person, panicked for the first time. She hesitated, not knowing how to deal with Lu Changji.
It would be safer to deny it outright. She refused to admit that she had been to the foot of the mountain and refused to admit that she had heard the conversation between Lu Changji and Cheng Yong. Perhaps her chances of survival would be greater.
But even though she knew that Lu Changji was cruel and ruthless, Jiang Shu didn't want to lie to him.
She wants to take a gamble!
Jiang Shu turned around and looked up at Lu Changji, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I heard everything Uncle and Mr. Cheng said."
This sentence seemed to have exhausted all her strength. After she finished speaking, she leaned against the railing beside her calmly, staring at Lu Changji intently.
She awaits his verdict.
Lu Changji's expression was the same as usual, still gentle and elegant. The calmer he was, the more frightened she became.
I don't know how long it took, but suddenly I saw Lu Changji's lips curl slightly. His smile was like him, very faint and subtle. Like the winter sun, scattered and rare, it seemed particularly precious.
He looked at Jiang Shu and chuckled, "You're quite courageous."
Just one short sentence swept away all the anxiety and fear in Jiang Shu's heart.
Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief and said bluntly, "I don't dare to show off my skills in front of my uncle."
He was incredibly intelligent, powerful, and at such a young age had already become the Prime Minister. How could she possibly deceive him? Since she was not as skilled as him, she could only treat him with sincerity.
Jiang Shu had just finished speaking when she heard several people on the other side of the lake whispering her name. It was Zhu'er who came with her people.
Jiang Shu then realized that she had run out in her pajamas. It was the dead of night, and her sister-in-law was standing opposite her uncle in her pajamas. It was a scene that would make anyone who saw it have impure thoughts.
A woman's reputation is so important that even a single mistake could cost her her life. Jiang Shu didn't dare linger any longer. She said goodbye to Lu Changji and ran to the other side of the lake.
Her steps were obviously fast, but the person behind her was following her like a shadow. Even though that person was Lu Changji, Jiang Shu couldn't help feeling annoyed.
She turned her head to look at Lu Changji and said in a low voice, "Uncle, why are you..."
Before she could finish her words, Lu Changji handed her a pair of satin shoes with a white base and embroidered wisteria flowers.
Only then did Jiang Shu realize that she was only wearing one shoe on her foot. The silk stocking on the other side was not covered by the shoe and had already been trampled into a filthy state.
Lu Changji squatted in front of her, held her ankles, and cleaned the dirt from the bottom of her stockings.
Jiang Shu stood on one foot, her center of gravity was unstable, and her body swayed slightly. She frowned, not knowing where to put her hands, not knowing how to maintain balance.
"Hold my shoulders." When I was hesitant, Lu Changji's voice sounded in my ears.
Jiang Shu put her hand on Lu Changji's shoulder. His shoulders were broad and steady, supporting her steadily.
Lu Changji's fingertips have a thin layer of calluses from holding a pen for many years. The hard calluses rub against the soles of Jiang Shu's feet, causing a slight itch.
Jiang Shu bit her lip and nearly moaned. Fortunately, Lu Changji had already cleaned her silk stockings and neatly put the embroidered shoes on her feet.
As her feet touched the ground, her heart also settled. At this moment, a creepy thought came to her mind. Jiang Shu's face turned pale and she asked Lu Changji: "Where did you pick up this shoe?"
“At the foot of the mountain!”
In other words, the first time Lu Changji saw her, he knew that she had heard the conversation between him and Cheng Yong.
Jiang Shu felt scared, a layer of cold sweat broke out on her vest, and her body began to tremble slightly.
"If, if I didn't tell the truth, what would you do to me?" She looked at Lu Changji and asked in a trembling voice.
Before Lu Changji could say anything, Zhu'er's voice reached his ears from around the corner. Fearing she might be misunderstood, Jiang Shu stepped forward to meet her.
Zhu'er grabbed Jiang Shu's hand and said happily, "Miss, I finally found you. It's the dead of night. Even if you and your son-in-law have had a quarrel, it's not too late to deal with it during the day. Why did you run out to this garden alone? If you get into danger, it will be too late to regret it."
Zhu'er's voice reached his ears, and Lu Changji frowned slightly. Everyone in the mansion knew that Lu Changyi treated Jiang Shu like a treasure, and he even had quarrels with Zhao many times to protect Jiang Shu. Why did he have a conflict with Jiang Shu?
Jiang Shu is calm and steady, beautiful and intelligent, and would never take the initiative to cause trouble. How could Lu Changyi be willing to treat her harshly?
Zhu'er took Jiang Shu's hand in her palm, and it was cold to the touch, without any warmth. She didn't think much about it, but took off her coat and put it on Jiang Shu's shoulders.
Jiang Shu gathered her clothes tightly, forced a smile, and said softly, "I will never run out like this again."
When she first married into the Xinyang Marquisate, she took good care of Lu Changyi, but she didn't show him any affection at all, only using him as a support. As time went by, she actually forgot her original intention and wasted her time.
Any woman, as long as she puts a lock on her heart, can be immune to all poisons.
When he returned to Xinchun Garden, the lights in the flower hall were still on, and Lu Changyi was pacing back and forth in the flower hall, looking very anxious.
Seeing Jiang Shu, he hurried to the door, took her hand, and led her to the dormitory.
The brocade quilt was scattered on the bed. Seeing the messy scene, Lu Changyi's heart became even more confused.
"Shu'er!" He rubbed his hands helplessly and whispered, "I was wrong just now. I was blinded by greed and thought of treating you like that. I, I..."
The prince of the marquisate, who was raised in the palm of his hand, had lived for more than twenty years and had never apologized to anyone. The words of apology that had rolled over his heart countless times, when they came to his lips, he couldn't say them at all.
She curled her lips, revealing a faint smile, and whispered to Lu Changyi, "Let's not mention this matter again!"
What she meant was not to mention it again, not to forgive, nor to forget.
Lu Changyi thought she had forgiven him, and his troubled heart suddenly relaxed. He took her to bed again, and as usual, they fell asleep while talking.
After the commotion that night, Jiang Shu felt a little unhappy the whole morning. She was drinking her drink listlessly when Fang Yu lifted the curtain and entered the room.
Fang Yu presented a note to Jiang Shu and said softly, "Second Madam, this is a note sent by the Wen family."
Jiang Shu opened the post and saw that it was from Lin. It didn't say what the post was about, but only said that they wanted to invite Jiang Shu to their home for a chat.
Jiang Shu guessed that Lin's invitation to her home was probably related to Jiang Ran's plot to murder her. After all, when she was framed by Jiang Ran, the invitation and carriage were indeed from the Wen family.
Some things are better explained clearly. Jiang Shu did not refuse and wrote a reply to Lin's post, saying that she would visit him in three days.
After replying to the post, Jiang Shu suddenly thought of Jiang Rong. She decided to take Jiang Rong to show her face in front of Lin and test Lin's attitude, which could be considered killing two birds with one stone.
On the day, Jiang Shu first went back to Jiang's house to pick up Jiang Rong, and then went to Wen's house.
Jiang Rong had rarely been out of the house, so when she learned that Jiang Shu was going to take her to the envoy's house for tea, she was extremely nervous and whispered, "I usually don't go out. Why did you think of taking me out today, big sister?"
Jiang Shu didn't want to put pressure on Jiang Rong, so she said gently, "You can't stay in the backyard your whole life. Being too cautious all the time is not a solution. You should learn how to interact with others as soon as possible."
Jiang Rong was a little nervous about her elder sister showing her the world, but she knew Jiang Shu was doing it for her own good. Although she was timid, she didn't want to spoil her fun, so she puffed out her chest and said, "Don't worry, elder sister. I will definitely listen and learn more and live up to your kindness."
As they were talking, the carriage arrived at the gate of Wen Mansion. The gatekeeper saw the carriage coming from Xinyang Marquis Mansion and hurriedly opened the gate and led Jiang Shu to the inner courtyard.
As soon as I entered the inner courtyard, Mrs. Wen came to greet me. Mrs. Wen had fair skin, a slim figure, and exuded a strong scholarly air.
The first person Mrs. Wen saw was the bright and beautiful Jiang Shu, and the second thing she noticed was Jiang Rong beside Jiang Shu.
I just felt that the little girl had beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and was quiet and gentle, like a quietly blooming lily, very likable.
Mrs. Wen exchanged a few pleasantries with Jiang Shu first, then turned her gaze to Jiang Rong and said with a smile, "This young lady looks a little unfamiliar to me. I haven't seen her before."
Hearing Mrs. Wen asking about Jiang Rong, Jiang Shu was very happy and answered in a gentle voice, "This is my younger sister. She is just fifteen years old this year. I never took her out before because she was young."
Mrs. Wen was a prudent person. Since she wanted to deal with Jiang Shu, she would not socialize with her blindly without knowing the truth. She had already inquired about Jiang Shu's family background and character in advance.
Knowing that Jiang's mother was selfish and mean, Jiang Rong was probably not unable to go out because of her young age, but her stepmother deliberately suppressed her and didn't want her to see the world at all.
Mrs. Wen had a kind heart and did not look down on Jiang Ran because of her timidity. Instead, she felt very sorry for her. This child was obviously very lovable, but she was born in the wrong family and was not able to go out and socialize until she was fifteen years old. It was really pitiful.
Mrs. Wen took off the twisted gold bracelet on her hand and put it on Jiang Rong's wrist. She smiled and said, "You are about the same age as my sister, but you are much more sensible than her."
"If you have free time in the future, come to my house and play. As the saying goes, 'A red flower blooms when it is near a red flower.' If you come here more often, maybe that naughty boy in my house will become as quiet and demure as you."
The gold bracelet was nothing to Mrs. Wen, but it was very valuable to Jiang Rong. She felt embarrassed to accept such an expensive gift and immediately wanted to take off the bracelet and return it to Mrs. Wen.
Jiang Shu noticed her movements and said softly, "This bracelet is so exquisite. Third sister, why don't you thank Mrs. Wen quickly?"
This meant that she had to accept the bracelet. Jiang Rong put on the bracelet and squatted down to thank Mrs. Wen.
After a few more pleasantries, Mrs. Wen got to the point. "A few days ago, I heard that the Crown Prince's wife was nearly framed. Later, I learned that my servant was also involved. It's all my fault for not managing the household properly. That servant stole the invitation and deceived the Madam. I'm truly ashamed."
"I should have gone to the mansion in person to apologize, but the prince was not feeling well, so I rashly asked my wife to come over to avoid disturbing him."
Jiang Shu hurriedly said, "Madam, don't blame yourself. That was the fault of the servants below. It has nothing to do with you. Please don't worry about such a small matter."
Jiang Shu was kind and gentle, but Madam Wen was not one to take advantage of others. She said, "The Crown Prince's wife is a generous person, but I cannot allow the servants in my house to play tricks and schemes. I must give the Crown Prince's wife an explanation."
She raised her eyes and said to the servant waiting outside the door, "Bring up Zhu and Steward Wu."
But in a moment, the servant brought the tied-up Mrs. Zhu and the steward Wu to the flower hall.
Jiang Shu almost didn't recognize Zhu. She had clearly been severely beaten. She limped as she walked, her eyes swollen to a slit. The steward Wu beside her was even worse off.
Mrs. Wen looked kind, but her methods were extremely harsh. Mrs. Zhu knew that there was no chance of recovery from Mrs. Wen, so she placed her hopes on Jiang Shu.
She knelt down in front of Jiang Shu with a plop, tears streaming down her face. "Madam, please be generous and spare my life. My youngest son fell ill, and I had no money to take him to a doctor, so I took this risk and did something worse than pigs and dogs.
No matter how wrong this servant is, my love for my young son is never wrong. The Crown Prince's wife will also be a mother in the future. Please, for the sake of my love for my son..."
"Shut up!" Mrs. Wen interrupted Mrs. Zhu before she could finish her words. "There are so many miserable people in this world. If everyone was like you, willing to do such petty thefts for the sake of their children, wouldn't the world be in chaos? Since you have done something wrong, you should bear the consequences. Don't cry and complain here."
The mistress's authority was ingrained in her bones. After being scolded by her mistress, Mrs. Zhu dared not speak any more. She could only murmur and lower her head.
Finally, her ears were quiet. Mrs. Wen handed the two indentures to Jiang Shu and said, "The Wu couple are my family's children. These are their indentures. Today I hand them over to you, Madam. It is up to you to decide whether to beat them or kill them. I will not have a single word of advice."
This is the style of a great lady. She does not cover up her shortcomings, is not afraid of outsiders, and does things in an organized manner. She is truly a role model for a mistress of the house.
Mrs. Wen had made such a show of support that Jiang Shu couldn't bring herself to take the child away. She said, "Madam, please be righteous. I appreciate your kindness. However, the Wu couple are servants of your mansion. It would be disgraceful for me to rashly take them away from you. Let them stay in your mansion. As for how to deal with them, it's all up to you, Madam."
If Jiang Shu really took the person away, although it would show that Mrs. Wen was selfless, she would also inevitably be accused of not governing her subordinates strictly. Leaving the person behind for Mrs. Wen to deal with would be the most thoughtful thing to do.
Mrs. Wen raised the corner of her mouth and smiled. The Jiang family was a small family, but they raised a wife who was so satisfactory. It was really unexpected.
She no longer refused and said to Jiang Shu, "In that case, I won't be polite."
After saying this, he turned to the housekeeper and said, "Our family doesn't keep people who betray their masters. The couple from the Wu family can't stay. Take your men and drive them out. Remember to throw away their valuables as well."
The Wu couple were nearly forty years old. If they were kicked out by the Wen family, how would they find work in the future? They looked at each other and kowtowed to Mrs. Wen, begging for mercy. Mrs. Wen didn't even bother to look at them. She waved her hand and had the servants drag them out of the hall.
After dealing with the Wu couple, it was time for lunch. Mrs. Wen warmly invited them to have lunch. Jiang Shu couldn't refuse, so she had lunch at the Wen family. She secretly decided that she must invite Mrs. Wen back next time.
In summer, every household has the habit of taking a nap at noon. Jiang Shu didn't want to disturb her host's rest, so she said goodbye to Mrs. Wen. Mrs. Wen didn't insist on keeping her and personally saw her out the door.
As soon as she walked out of the hanging flower gate, she saw a man in a moon-white round-necked robe walking quickly. The man was gentle and refined, and looked a bit like Mrs. Wen. Jiang Shu thought he was the son of the Wen family, but unexpectedly, he bowed and called Mrs. Wen "Aunt!"
Mrs. Wen’s nephew is Minister Lin Yunzhi, who is said to be destined to bring bad luck to his wife.
Mrs. Wen was a little puzzled and asked, "Yunzhi, aren't you on duty today? Why didn't you go to the Ministry of Justice to do your work?"
Lin Yunzhi said, "Just now, an important matter occurred in the palace, and the Minister asked me to borrow my uncle's troop mobilization token."
Lord Wen is in charge of the military affairs of the capital. Although his official position is not high, he holds real power over a large number of troops.
Mrs. Wen was aware of her duties as a household member and didn't ask what had happened. She just pointed towards the study and said to Lin Yunzhi, "Your uncle is taking a day off today and is currently lying in the study. You can go over there!"
Lin Yunzhi said okay and was about to go to the study when she suddenly realized that the two ladies beside her aunt seemed to be going out.
He kindly reminded, "Tongque Lane is now under martial law, and soldiers are stationed on Sajin Street. If you two ladies wish to go to these two places, you must be extremely cautious."
Tongque Lane and Sajin Street are adjacent to each other, and the Jiang residence is located on Tongque Street. Yang is strict and treats Jiang Rong and her daughter harshly even without any evidence. If she really catches evidence that Jiang Rong left home without permission, who knows how she will react?
Jiang Shu didn't dare delay too long. She thought that with the soldiers on duty, there wouldn't be any trouble. So she asked Lin Yunzhi, "Is Tongque Lane open to carriages now?"
Lin Yunzhi said: "It is allowed before martial law is imposed."
When Jiang Shu went out, she brought two bodyguards with her. The bodyguards were quite skilled in martial arts, so she didn't need to be too cautious with them protecting her.
She said, "It's fine if martial law isn't in place yet. My mother is in charge of the household, so I have to send my third sister home as soon as possible."
"Don't worry, Madam." Mrs. Wen interrupted at the right time. She looked at Lin Yunzhi and asked, "Are you going to Tongque Lane later too?"
Lin Yunzhi nodded. He borrowed Lord Wen's mobilization order because he wanted to mobilize troops to the Tongque Lane area.
Mrs. Wen smiled and said to Jiang Shu, "Although Yunzhi doesn't have much ability, he works in the Ministry of Justice. It's better to have him protecting you than to have you two weak women accompany you."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Lin Yunzhi again, pointed at Jiang Shu and said, "This is the wife of the prince of Xinyang Marquis's Mansion. Go get the military token quickly and personally send the wife to Tongque Lane later."
Only then did Lin Yunzhi know Jiang Shu's identity. Jiang Shu was the wife of the prince of Xinyang Marquis's Mansion, and also the sister-in-law of his boss Lu Changji.
He bowed to Jiang Shu and said gently, "Please wait a moment, Madam. I will go get the military token."
Lin Yunzhi walked quickly, took the military token, and went out with Jiang Shu.
Through the gauze curtain, one could see the scene outside the carriage. Lin Yunzhi, on horseback, had a straight back and looked very dashing. Jiang Shu was very satisfied with Lin Yunzhi, but she didn't know what Jiang Rong meant. She asked Jiang Rong, "What do you think of Minister Lin?"
Jiang Rong was somewhat confused. She had no idea of Jiang Shu's intentions, so she spoke very frankly: "Minister Lin is handsome and has a warm heart that is always willing to help others. He is a rare good man!"
Jiang Shu pursed her lips and smiled. "This way, my little sister should be satisfied." She moved closer to Jiang Rong and said in a low voice, "I want to talk to Minister Lin about this for you."
Jiang Rong's eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. Although she had reached marriage age, she had never considered her own marriage because her husband, Jiang Ran, was still single.
When Jiang Shu reminded her, she felt ashamed. Although Minister Lin was a few years older than her, he was much superior in both family background and appearance. Moreover, he was not worthy of her, a concubine's daughter of a seventh-rank county lieutenant.
Jiang Rong shook her head and whispered, "Eldest sister, Qi Da is not a good match. I, I am not worthy of you."
She said she was not worthy, but a layer of red cloud appeared on her cheeks unconsciously.
Looking at her red cheeks, Jiang Shu was confused. She said, "Minister Lin is a good man, but no one in Bianjing dares to marry him. I wonder if Third Sister has the courage?"
Then he told Jiang Rong about the fact that Minister Lin's two wives had died in succession.
It wasn't that Jiang Rong wasn't afraid, but because of the surging emotions in her heart, she became exceptionally brave. She sat up straight, looked at Jiang Shu, and said, "I'm not afraid. I, I, I'm not afraid of anything!"
This is probably the power of love, love at first sight, so beautiful that it makes people admire it, but unfortunately Jiang Shu has never experienced it. She has lived cautiously for eighteen years and has never thought of changing herself for anyone.
Her sister is timid but brave.
Jiang Shu reached out and touched Jiang Rong's head, whispering, "Sister knows you are very satisfied with Minister Lin, but don't tell anyone about this matter for now. Wait until things are clear before you tell others."
Jiang Rong knew it without Jiang Shu's reminder. She nodded obediently.
As the carriage entered Tongque Lane, the atmosphere instantly became solemn. Both sides of the street were filled with officers and soldiers, with a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps, as if a dragnet had been laid.
There are only two possibilities for such a scene. One is that a very distinguished person is going on a trip and soldiers are specially dispatched to protect him. The other is that they are trying to capture an important criminal.
Tongque Lane sounds grand in name, but in reality the streets are extremely narrow, not even a six-wheeled carriage can accommodate it. It is absolutely impossible for a noble person to come here. The only other possibility is that a wanted criminal has escaped here.
Jiang Shu sat up straight and became alert. At this time, she heard a commotion and lifted the curtain of the car. She saw a group of people chasing two men in tight clothes, one tall and one short.
There were few pedestrians on the street, and the carriage of the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion was eye-catching, so it naturally became the target of the men in tight clothes. They flew to the side of the carriage, obviously intending to take the people inside as hostages.
The Lu family's guards were extremely brave. They immediately stood in front of the tightly-dressed man with their swords drawn and started fighting with him. Lin Yunzhi was a civil servant, but he did not retreat. He jumped off his horse and stood guard in front of the carriage curtain.
The man in tight clothes had outstanding martial arts skills and knocked the Lu family guards to the ground in just a few dozen moves. They were martial artists and could tell at a glance that Lin Yunzhi didn't know martial arts, so they didn't take Lin Yunzhi seriously. They quickly rushed to the front of the carriage and threw Lin Yunzhi down from the armrest.
The tall assassin with long legs quickly stepped into the carriage. The short man felt a piercing pain under his feet before he stepped on the armrest. He looked down and saw that it was Lin Yunzhi who was crawling on the ground and had stabbed a dagger into his feet.
The short assassin was furious and raised his sword to stab Lin Yunzhi in the chest. Lin Yunzhi was quite agile and quickly twisted his body to the side. Although he was hit on the shoulder by the sword, he managed to save his life.
The short assassin was about to stab again when he heard the sound of an arrow feather breaking through the wind. Before he could even see the long arrow, his chest had already been pierced through.
The assassination attempt on the young emperor failed, and the tall assassin thought he was doomed to die, but he never expected to run into the carriage of the Marquis of Xinyang's Mansion on the street.
It is true that there is always a silver lining after a dark period. If Lu Changji had not pursued him relentlessly, he would not have had to flee like a drowned dog.
Now that he has the women of the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion as hostages, he doesn't have to worry about Lu Changji not showing him mercy.
He got into the carriage and saw two women sitting inside. The older one was dressed in luxurious clothes and was very beautiful. She protected the younger one behind her like a hen protecting her chicks.
He didn't know what the relationship between the two was, but he knew that the more luxurious the clothes, the nobler the status. He immediately put the dagger across Jiang Shu's neck.
Jiang Rong screamed, stood up and tried to pull the assassin, but the assassin was not polite and threw Jiang Rong to the ground with a wave of his hand.
Jiang Shu felt sorry for her younger sister and whispered, "Rong'er, don't worry about me. Just stay in the car."
Jiang Rong couldn't stay there any longer, so he stumbled out of the carriage with the assassin.
The cold blade pressed against her skin, sending chills down her spine. Jiang Shu shuddered, suppressing the fear deep within her heart with all her might. She said in a deep voice to the man behind her, "Your Excellency and I have no grudges against each other. Why are you..."
Before he could finish his words, the assassin interrupted him. He sneered and said sarcastically, "No grudges, no hatred? How can you say no grudges, no hatred? If it weren't for Lu Changji of your Xinyang Marquis Mansion pressing me, I wouldn't bother holding a woman like you hostage. Since you are under Lu Changji's protection, you should bear the consequences for him."
It was not an unprovoked disaster. Although Jiang Shu was afraid of Lu Changji, she had to admit that she had received many favors from Lu Changji. She did not dare to say anything more and followed the assassin out of the carriage in silence.
Jiang Shu lowered her eyes and saw something slippery under her feet. The slippery wetness was actually bright red blood. Following the bloodstains, she saw Lin Yunzhi leaning on a rattan chair.
His eyes were tightly shut, and even his lips were bloodless, showing that he was seriously injured. Jiang Shu's heart trembled. She and Lin Yunzhi had only just met, and yet she had caused him to be seriously injured. She must repay Lin Yunzhi in the future.
She was still feeling guilty when a voice as loud as a bell suddenly rang in her ears. The assassin said, "Lu Gou, if you don't let me go today, I'll have to wait for the women of your Xinyang Marquis's Mansion to be buried with me!"
Jiang Shu raised her eyelids and saw Lu Changji standing in the middle of the crowd. His face was gloomy and his lips were tightly pursed, as if he was suppressing a raging rage.
Jiang Shu knew that Lu Changji was caught in a dilemma. Given her status in Lu Changji's mind, it was definitely not enough for him to give up the opportunity to capture the assassin and make a name for himself. However, as a trusted official of the court, he could not ignore her even for the sake of his reputation in public.
In the past, she might have placed her hopes on Lu Changji, but after experiencing Lu Changji's methods that night, she not only dared not trust him wholeheartedly, but even felt a hint of fear deep in her heart.
She no longer paid attention to Lu Changji, but instead grasped the red gold hairpin in her sleeve pocket. Ever since entering Sajin Street, she had hidden the hardest jewelry on her head in her sleeve pocket.
The tip of the golden hairpin was raised little by little, silently aiming at the assassin's lower abdomen. At this moment, Lu Changji on the opposite side spoke. He stared at the assassin and said in a deep voice: "Let her go, and I will let you go!"
His voice was strong and firm.
The assassin seemed to have anticipated Lu Changji's surrender. He laughed heartily and said, "Lu Gou, tell these barbarians to get out of my way and bring a Ferghana horse to me."
Lu Changji looked at the servant beside him and signaled him to do as the assassin requested.
A Ferghana horse is worth a fortune and is very rare for others, but it is within Lu Changji's reach. In just a quarter of an hour, a man wearing Chengzi's clothes led a Ferghana horse to the assassin's side.
The assassin was rough but clever. Although he was holding Jiang Shu hostage, he did not let his guard down. He stared at his surroundings intently, trying to kidnap Jiang Shu and put her on his horse. Jiang Shu took advantage of the moment when he was focusing all his attention on the officers and soldiers and fiercely inserted the golden hairpin into his abdomen.
The assassin felt pain and loosened his hand holding the dagger slightly. Jiang Shu took the opportunity to slip out from under his arm.
She thought she was smart, but the assassin was even more agile than she imagined. He held the dagger in his hand and stabbed it with his backhand, heading straight for her throat. It was as fast as lightning, and she couldn't dodge it even if she wanted to.
Jiang Shu instinctively closed her eyes. After a moment, the imagined pain did not come, but instead she heard a muffled groan.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the assassin lying on the ground with a long arrow stuck in his chest.
Lu Changji signaled Cheng Yong to put away his crossbow, then strode over to Jiang Shu and said through gritted teeth, "Jiang Shu, you're so powerful, don't you want to live anymore?"
Jiang Shu raised her head in panic, her eyes were not as bright as before, but instead revealed a hint of fear and helplessness.
Lu Changji stared into her eyes for a few moments, but in the end, he couldn't bear to criticize her anymore. He softened his voice and said, "It's not peaceful here. You should go home early!"
Of course she had to go home, but Jiang Shu was still thinking about Jiang Rong's lifelong affairs. As soon as she came to her senses, she came up with the idea of bringing the two of them together.
She said, "Thank you for your kindness, uncle. I know it's a mess here and I can't stay here for long, but Minister Lin was injured while trying to protect me and my sister. I need to bandage him first before I can rest assured."
Lu Changyi was not feeling well, so the Lu family's carriage always had medicinal herbs and gauze on hand. Jiang Shu went back to the carriage to get the gauze, looked at Jiang Rong meaningfully, and whispered, "Third sister, go and bandage Minister Lin's wound quickly."
Jiang Rong was surrounded by soldiers and officers. She had never seen so many people before and was a little timid for a moment, but when she thought of Lin Yunzhi who was seriously injured, she immediately plucked up her courage.
Her elder sister had given her the opportunity, and no matter how scared she was, she couldn't let her elder sister down.
The two sisters walked up to Lin Yunzhi together. Jiang Rong mustered up the courage to say, "Master Lin, your wound is quite serious. Let me bandage it first to stop the bleeding."
The little girl spoke slowly, obviously very nervous, but her eyes were wide open and full of sincerity.
The corners of her lips curled up gently, and Lin Yunzhi said softly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, young lady."
Lin Yunzhi was seriously injured, and Jiang Shu, fearing that Jiang Rong couldn't handle it alone, stepped aside to help her. This was a normal gesture, but Lu Changji saw it as having a special meaning.
He had a good memory and clearly remembered that Jiang Shu had asked him about Lin Yunzhi's family background and character more than ten days ago. He also remembered the scene of Lin Yunzhi escorting Jiang Shu in front of the carriage at the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion.
He stared at Lin Yunzhi coldly, his eyes surging with wind and clouds, like thunder.
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