kill
After finishing her meal, Jiang Jin rose to take her leave, saying, "Thank you very much for today, Young Master Yun." Jiang Jin felt a strange gaze fixed on her.
"You flatter me, my lady." Yun Fan rose and escorted Jiang Jin back to the front of the house. Just as Jiang Jin closed the door, a hand covered her mouth, and someone tightly wrapped their arms around her waist from behind.
In a panic, Jiang Jin pulled out a dagger, but heard the person behind him chuckle and say, "You still know how to resist. It seems the dagger I gave you wasn't entirely useless."
Wei Shu's breath tickled Jiang Jin's ear. "The people outside haven't left yet. Do you want them to rush in?"
Jiang Jin quickly bolted the door shut and said angrily in a low voice, "Wei Shu, are you sick? If you are, go get some medicine and don't scare me like this!"
Jiang Jin trembled with rage, but Wei Shu snatched the dagger from her hand. "Is that so? I thought you'd forgotten about me!"
Wei Shu forcibly straightened Jiang Jin's body, restraining Jiang Jin's wrist with one hand and touching Jiang Jin's eyebrows and eyes with the other, "You chat and laugh with others, have you ever thought about me?"
"Wei Shu, have you forgotten what I said this morning? What are you doing now!" Jiang Jin held her breath, afraid of further provoking Wei Shu. She could clearly feel the lingering coldness wherever Wei Shu's hand touched.
“That’s right, we only need the title of husband and wife, but Ah Jin, you must follow societal norms and stay by my side.” Wei Shu’s originally cold expression became even more stubborn.
"Wei Shu, you said you'd let me be, as long as I play the part of a loving couple in public, you wouldn't restrict me otherwise!" Jiang Jin twisted her wrists, trying to break free from Wei Shu's grasp.
"Unfortunately, I regret it now. Jiang Jin, I suddenly realized that having marital relations isn't so bad." Wei Shu leaned close to Jiang Jin's ear, greedily inhaling the fragrance of her hair.
"Wei Shu, are you sure you want to keep someone who harbors suspicions by your side?" Jiang Jin bit her lip as she looked at Wei Shu.
"So you're saying your identity is indeed questionable?" Wei Shu released Jiang Jin and looked at her with a half-smile.
"Wei Shu, instead of questioning me, you should think about what you've done!" Jiang Jin pulled out a hairpin from her hair and pressed it against Wei Shu's throat.
"I heard you're going to demote your wife to a concubine and marry that Wang family girl!" Wei Shu laughed when he saw Jiang Jin's expression. "Jiang Jin, what are you questioning now?"
"Of course I'm questioning whether my identity is threatened?" Jiang Jin pushed the hairpin closer to Wei Shu's throat. "Wei Shu, stop trying to test me with your tricks. Tell me, what important matter brings you here?"
Jiang Jin stomped hard on Wei Shu's foot, then walked around him and sat down on the stool.
"It's alright, can't I come to see my wife? Isn't this an unexpected bonus?" Wei Shu plopped down.
"It seems we are truly destined to meet. I also have an unexpected gain regarding the general today."
Jiang Jin rolled her eyes at Wei Shu, "The Wang family lady thought I was of lowly status and wanted to buy me, but she felt that the Moon Viewing Pavilion had tainted her feet, so she had her brother make a scene. I was bored, so I played along with them, but Yun Fan came back and dealt with them."
"So you're explaining this to me?" Wei Shu grabbed Jiang Jin's loose hair.
"No, I'm just telling you that I'm completely innocent. As for what happens between you and that Lady Wang, I have no idea." Jiang Jin slapped Wei Shu's hand away. "Don't mess with my hair!"
"Wang Juesong wanted to win me over, but he only mentioned that Lady Wang would accompany me to the capital; he didn't say anything else." Jiang Jin glanced at the small jade pendant hanging from Wei Shu's belt.
"Why do you like it?" Wei Shu took off the jade pendant and placed it on the table. "It was a gift from His Majesty. If you like it, I'll give it to you."
"This is a gift from the Emperor; I don't want to be beheaded." Jiang Jin pushed the jade pendant back. "You should wear it; I can't afford to pay for it if it breaks."
"A secret letter has arrived from the capital. Patriarch Wang has fallen into the trap, but he seems to have some reservations and hasn't gone too far." Wei Shu handed the secret letter he had just received to Jiang Jin.
“Why would he still have any reservations? He has been highly promoted by His Majesty and is even related to His Majesty’s confidant, Wei Shu, by marriage. Do you think he’s a member of the Wang family, or part of the Crown Prince’s and Third Prince’s factions, or His Majesty’s faction?” Jiang Jin smiled as she lit the secret letter. In the firelight, her face was somewhat blurred.
"Do you think the other two factions won't be able to sleep if he sides with His Majesty?" Wei Shu smiled as he fastened the jade pendant to Jiang Jin's waist, his fingers deftly tying a knot around it.
“I will come to pick you up tomorrow and take you back to the governor’s mansion. It’s not safe for you to stay here alone.”
Wei Shu slowly embraced Jiang Jin. The scent of soap emanating from Wei Shu filled Jiang Jin's nostrils. She wanted to push him away, but feeling his trembling body, she gave up the idea.
"To prevent what happened today from happening again, I will arrange for someone to bring you from outside the city."
“I told you, you’ll be in the light while I’ll be in the shadows; this is the best way.” Jiang Jin hesitated for a moment before gently patting Wei Shu’s back.
"Then what ability do you have to protect yourself? Or should I arrange for someone to stay at the Moon Viewing Pavilion to protect you?" Wei Shu smiled and silently hugged Jiang Jin tighter.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jin felt as if her blood had frozen. "If you're so afraid, then I'll go back to the governor's mansion with you." Though they were embracing, their hearts were so far apart.
"Alright, you can leave the city today. I'll have someone come to pick you up first thing tomorrow morning." Wei Shu stroked Jiang Jin's soft hair.
"Okay." Jiang Jin listened to Wei Shu's heartbeat, but a chill lingered in her heart.
Wei Shu, having achieved his wish, left through the window, while Jiang Jin sat down on the stool, saying, "Yi Yi, Yi Er."
The two appeared in the room in a flash. "Wife."
"Yi-yi, go and tell Asui that I'm returning to the governor's mansion tomorrow. Tell her to be extremely careful. Things are about to change in Bianzhou. Also, go and fetch the small bow and arrow from the secret room for me."
Jiang Jin lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. "From now on, neither of you should make a move. Unless I ask you for guidance, I will not make a move even if it means my death."
"My lady, we are afraid we cannot comply with this request. His Highness said that we must ensure your safety no matter what, and if anything happens to you, we will not survive either." After saying this, Yi Yi and Yi Er knelt down in front of Jiang Jin.
"Then unless I'm truly on the verge of death, should we come out regardless of whether they're bandits or assassins?" Yi Yi, understanding the implication in Jiang Jin's words, tentatively asked, "Is my wife afraid that Wei Shu is deliberately setting a trap?"
"It's better to be safe than sorry. Besides, we must be wary of Wei Shu. Even the slightest suspicion could lead to complete failure. You two can leave now." Jiang Jin looked exhausted, but she had to pull herself together to face the unknown ahead.
"Er San." Jiang Jin called Er San in and closed the door behind him. "I'll be leaving today. You can arrange your things in this room as you like. I'll give you some more copper coins to settle our short-lived master-servant relationship."
"My lady, has something happened? Perhaps Ersan can help you!" Ersan felt very uneasy seeing Jiang Jin's anxious expression.
“I’m fine. If anyone comes looking for you, just say you don’t know anything, or that you suddenly realized I was gone. That’s the safest way for you.” Jiang Jin patted Er San on the shoulder. “Go buy me some jujube cakes and a plate. Don’t worry about me.”
As usual, Jiang Jin took out a few gold beans and placed them in Er San's hand. "It's best if everyone knows." Jiang Jin pushed Er San out the door, then quickly tidied herself up, put her bow and arrows in her bundle, changed into a dark green dress, put on a veiled hat, and went downstairs.
There were indeed a few tails outside the Moon Viewing Pavilion, but Jiang Jin ignored them and walked all the way to the city gate, handed over the pass, and then headed deeper into the forest.
"Young lady, the path in the woods is not easy to walk on." Wang Jiulang's voice came from behind Jiang Jin.
"It's better than you, you fool, who had a path to heaven but chose to come right in front of me!" Jiang Jin took out a small bow and arrows he had prepared beforehand from his bundle and aimed them directly at the group.
"Young lady, would you like me to draw the bow for you? You lot, hurry up and demonstrate!" Jiang Jin sneered as he drew the bow, instantly taking the lives of the three men. An arrow pierced their throats, sending them straight to meet the King of Hell.
"Wang Jiulang, it's your turn!" Jiang Jin nocked his bow and aimed it at Wang Jiulang's head.
"You...you...I'm a member of the Wang family! If you kill me, you'll suffer a terrible death!" Wang Jiulang frantically ran backward, but Jiang Jin had deliberately led them deep into the jungle; how could he let him escape?
"Do you think I'm afraid of your Wang family? Don't worry, your family will be reunited with you soon!"
The arrow pierced Wang Jiulang's head, its blood soaking the grass. Wang Jiulang slowly fell forward, followed by Zhou Cong, who stood behind him, looking on in disbelief.
"Madam, are you alright?" Zhou Cong wanted to slap himself as soon as he finished speaking. Seeing the blood-soaked scene, how could he have asked such a stupid question?
"It's good that you're here. Take care of these guys." Jiang Jin walked to the group and pulled out an arrow. "It's a pity my arrows are stained with their blood."
Then, finding a suitable rock nearby, he smashed it down on Wang Jiulang's head until it was a bloody mess before stopping. "You guys throw them into the cave ahead," he said.
Zhou Cong waved his hand, and the Imperial Guards carried the corpses towards the cave. Jiang Jin lit a tinderbox inside the cave and only felt at ease after watching the bodies burn beyond recognition.
"Zhou Cong, tomorrow you arrange for someone to remove the body, and do it cleanly." Jiang Jin's skirt was stained with blood, but she remained calm as she gave the instructions.
“Yes, Madam. But would you like to wipe the blood off your clothes?” Zhou Cong pointed to Jiang Jin’s blood-stained skirt.
"What a pity about my clothes. Let's go. Wei Shu should have arranged a carriage for me, right?" Jiang Jin took out a cloak from her bundle, wrapped it around herself, and then threw her veiled hat into the fire, watching it turn to ashes.
Jiang Jin changed into a new dress in the carriage, then closed her eyes to rest until a familiar voice sounded outside.
"Jiang Jin is me." Wei Shu stood in front of the car, his voice somewhat low.
"Come in." Jiang Jin rested her head on her hand; the faint smell of blood still lingered in the wagon.
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