Jiang Xian did as instructed and delivered the letter to Ling Guang's friend for Jiang Chuting. He even received a reply, written by Ling Guang and his friend. The letter made no mention of the Lin family, only telling Jiang Chuting to take good care of herself. It assured her that if she needed help when she gave birth, she should contact them, and they would do anything to help. Attached was a list of things Jiang Chuting should pay attention to in the later stages of pregnancy, covering every detail with heartfelt concern.
Jiang Xian relayed this to Jiang Chuting. He was actually quite surprised and moved. Just because of Yun Zique, those people were all exceptionally kind to Jiang Chuting. It was as if they all deeply understood what Jiang Chuting meant to Yun Zique.
If it weren't for Lin Xuan and Lin Xi, these two would definitely be living a carefree and blissful life together right now.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on us.
From that day on, Jiang Xian would come to accompany Jiang Chuting whenever he had free time. Seeing that Jiang Chuting's belly was getting bigger and bigger, and that walking, sitting and lying down were greatly affected, he couldn't help but scold Lin Xuan.
“If that old woman had lived a few more years, I think she would have ruined all the men in the world. What kind of brain does she have? How could she even think of getting a man pregnant, and actually succeed? I’ve heard before that she killed Lin Xi’s father with her own hands. She’s truly ruthless and selfish.” Jiang Xian lowered his voice: “If a woman could be an empress, she would definitely raise an army, don the imperial robes, and then trample all the men under her feet.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuting only smiled briefly and did not respond.
Even though Lin Xuan had enough ambition, methods, and courage, this was ultimately a male-dominated era. The Ming'an Hall she established to protect women's interests faced numerous obstacles because it went against the wishes of some people. It took a lot of hardship to gradually promote it, let alone become emperor.
Lin Xuan's indignation had a source, but her actions were too terrible and extreme.
Of course, Jiang Xian was just saying this in anger, after all, Lin Xuan was already dead, and she really couldn't be the emperor.
The world now belongs to the Pei family.
Throughout history, those who have ascended the throne have invariably gone through a bloody and open struggle, and Pei Jing was no exception. He had only been on the throne for a few months when some rebels, unwilling to give up, caused considerable trouble in various regions.
Although Pei Jing didn't take him seriously, he was now easily irritable and prone to anger, often losing his temper in court, leaving the officials sweating and feeling apprehensive.
Jiang Chuting had heard Jiang Xian mention it twice, saying that the Emperor's mind was unpredictable, and his father had become increasingly apprehensive lately. In the entire palace, the only ones probably unafraid of Pei Jing were the Empress Dowager and Wei Jia.
Whether he had vented all his anger in the palace or had learned to ignore his belly, Pei Jing's expression wasn't too bad when he came to Changning Pavilion to see him lately. He was basically the same as when he was in the Nine Heavens, acting cute and clingy. Moreover, he stayed longer and longer, often pestering him to play chess. One day, he even accompanied him for a walk, slept in Changning Pavilion that night, and didn't return to the palace until late at night to prepare for court.
Jiang Chuting only needed to deal with this casually; there was nothing to worry about.
Things had been peaceful for a while, but recently, Jiang Chuting noticed that Pei Jing had started to get irritable again, as if he didn't like him, speaking sarcastically and picking fights for no reason.
"I've been sneezing all the way here today. Tell me, were you secretly cursing me?"
No.
"No?? Then why did I sneeze?"
"...You may have caught a cold. You should see the imperial physician after you return to the palace."
"A cold? Are you cursing me to get sick?"
"..."
"Ha, I think you should be the one to see the imperial physician and get your eyes treated properly." With that, he turned and left.
In short, it's something like that.
Jiang Chuting knew that Pei Jing was mocking him for being blind. He had gotten used to Pei Jing's unpredictable moods, but after a period of calm, he suddenly changed again, and he still couldn't figure out what caused it.
Jiang Xian, who is always well-informed, came to Jiang Chuting and revealed the reason why Pei Jing might have become like this.
"Recently, the Empress Dowager and the court officials have been hoping that His Majesty can expand his harem as soon as possible to ensure the continuation of the imperial line, but His Majesty is not happy about it." Jiang Xian said while eating melon seeds, "However, he is the emperor after all, and his status is what it is. Even if he likes you very much, it is definitely not feasible for him not to take concubines or establish an empress. I estimate that after this period of stalemate, he will still agree."
“Yes.” Jiang Chuting wholeheartedly agreed.
When Pei Jing asked him to enter the palace, Jiang Chuting found it amusing, but he knew that Pei Jing was telling the truth based on his personality.
However, he had already made it clear that he would never agree. Although Pei Jing was willful and troublesome, he was a king, not just a three-year-old child. After weighing the options, he knew what he should do.
Jiang Chuting thought for a moment, then added, "This is fine."
I really hope he can meet someone he likes and forget about him.
In the later stages, Jiang Chuting stopped feeling nauseous and vomiting as much, and her appetite improved, but she became drowsy and would take several naps every day.
When he opened his eyes that day, he found two men guarding his bedside. One had a cold and stern face with furrowed brows, looking like he was in a bad mood, while the other was slightly overweight with a friendly smile, looking cheerful.
"You're awake."
Jiang Chuting was startled, her eyes widened, and she slowly sat up, supporting her heavy body. Only after confirming that she was not dreaming did she reveal a surprised smile: "Senior brother, what brings you here?"
They were his two senior brothers, Chonghua and Jichun.
Chonghua actually knew about Jiang Chuting's physical condition, but when he actually saw his big belly, he was so shocked that he almost fainted from anger.
Moreover, because he was pregnant with this child, his internal energy, which he had cultivated for many years, was wasted.
In the past, there was absolutely no way he wouldn't have noticed someone was right next to his bed!
Originally, Chonghua was filled with a mixture of heartache and anger. He wanted to give him a good scolding as soon as he woke up, but when he saw him looking at him with clear and gentle eyes and happily calling him "Senior Brother," his heart tightened, and he couldn't vent his anger at all.
Chonghua's face remained stiff, and he finally said in a deep voice, "Yes, I came to see you."
Ji Chun looked at Jiang Chuting with a smile in his eyes, and was more open-minded than Zhong Hua: "We've always been worried that he'll be lonely in the future, haven't we? It's good that he has a child now. A child is one's own flesh and blood, and is much more reliable."
Chonghua snorted coldly: "That's not necessarily true; it depends on whose child it is."
Clearly mocking Lin Zhi, Ji Chun said, "No matter whose it is, it's Chu Ting's anyway. How bad can it be? I'll have to call you 'Uncle-Master' from now on."
"Senior brothers, please come and sit down."
As they were talking, Jiang Chuting had already put on his shoes and gotten off the bed. He looked genuinely happy and excited, his face and eyes shining. He pulled them to the table, personally poured them tea, and inquired about the recent situation in the Nine Heavens.
Upon learning that they would only stay for two days, Jiang Chuting concealed her disappointment and smiled, saying, "Well, I'll return to the Nine Heavens after I've dealt with things here."
Ji Chun asked with some concern, "Chu Ting, is it really going to work?"
Before Jiang Chuting was captured by Pei Jing and taken to Jincheng, he wrote in a letter to them that if he was trapped by Pei Jing, they should not make any rash moves to avoid making the situation more complicated, and he would find a way to escape on his own.
Jiang Chuting nodded and said, "Senior brother, please rest assured."
Ji Chun raised his hand and patted his shoulder. His junior brother, aside from his foolishness with Yun Zique and Lin Zhi, was definitely not the type to compromise. Since he had his own ideas, they would let him be for now. Of course, the Nine Heavens would definitely intervene when necessary.
Ji Chun didn't deliberately avoid mentioning Lin Zhi in front of Jiang Chuting. Instead, he casually asked him, "Chuting, after you left the Lin residence, have you heard anything about that kid again?"
The question came so suddenly that Jiang Chuting's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but her expression and tone remained unchanged: "Many people are talking about it; I've heard some of it."
Ji Chun didn't stop there; instead, he pressed on, "Oh? What have you heard?"
Jiang Chuting glanced at the composed Chonghua before speaking slowly, "It's about marriage and his wife's pregnancy."
Chonghua and Ji Chun exchanged a knowing glance.
Ji Chun pondered for a moment and said, "Don't be sad about these things, it's not worth it."
Jiang Chuting shook her head and didn't say anything.
Ji Chun quickly changed the subject: "By the way, we came here not only to see you, but also to see if there's any way to remedy your internal energy, so that your senior brother Chonghua can take a look at you."
Jiang Chuting didn't have high hopes, and sure enough, the final result was that there was no solution.
Both senior brothers looked rather somber, as this was a significant blow to those who practiced martial arts.
Jiang Chuting reassured them, "Who knows? It will gradually recover after the baby is born."
After dinner, the three of them sat together and chatted for a long time before Ji Chun and Chong Hua left Jiang Chuting's room. Jiang Chuting originally wanted to escort them back to their room, but Ji Chun insisted that they stay there instead.
As Ji Chun walked, he said, "Are you really not going to tell him the truth?"
Lin Xi must have lost her mind. While Lin Zhi was frantically searching for him outside, she hired a masked man to impersonate him and marry Miss Li, making it public knowledge. Moreover, the whole charade was staged; the widely discussed stories of Young Master Lin's doting on his wife were all spread by Lin Xi through various channels.
Ji Chun sensed something was amiss and sent someone to the Lin residence to investigate, which revealed the general situation. However, word had spread, and the public's impression was already formed. Now, even if Lin Zhi himself went out and said that he was not married and that no wife was pregnant, people would only think that he had lost his mind or that he was a fake Young Master Lin. After all, no one would believe that such a bizarre thing could happen, that such a large family could even have a fake marriage.
Chonghua put his hands behind his back and said coldly, "There's no need for that."
Ji Chun hesitated to speak up, not out of sympathy for Lin Zhi or to create an opportunity for him, but because he was worried that Jiang Chuting might still harbor some lingering thoughts. However, thinking about how Jiang Chuting seemed to have let go of the past, he thought to himself that she was right. What was there to say? Chuting wasn't one to drag things out. Whether Lin Zhi actually got married or not, it had nothing to do with him anymore.
Ji Chun shook his head and said, "That kid has sent people to wander around the foot of the Nine Heavens Mountain and searched for people all over the country. He's practically dug three feet into the ground. I don't think he'll give up anytime soon."
But it's useless. Even if he finds the breakdown, it will be difficult. Because there is an even more troublesome force here who will inevitably intervene in the shadows, whether by misleading or obstructing him, making him further and further away from what he wants.
Late at night, in a secluded village.
Lin Zhi sat on the rooftop, her dark eyes staring blankly at the star-studded night sky, her purple hair ribbon fluttering in the wind.
The once bright and spirited young man now resembled a lifeless stone sculpture.
Once, he and Chu Ting sat side by side here watching the stars. He pretended to be drunk and wanted to kiss him to confess his feelings.
Actually, looking back, it was he who relentlessly pursued Chu Ting from beginning to end. Chu Ting, enduring his two completely different faces, must have had concerns and thoughts of backing down, but in the end, she still gently agreed to be with him.
But his foolishness and recklessness chilled his heart, and he pushed him away with his own hands.
Lin Zhi gripped the love beans tightly in one hand and picked up the wine jar with the other, taking a swig of wine. The peach blossom wine was still the same peach blossom wine, but it was now mixed with endless bitterness.
Zhao Chengyang finally managed to climb onto the roof. Seeing his dejected and listless appearance, he sighed and sat down next to him.
"If only you had known this would happen, you wouldn't have done it in the first place. I was going to give you some leeway, but you didn't listen to my advice."
Lin Zhi took another big gulp, put the love beans in his pocket, and gently exhaled a breath of alcohol. After a long while, he whispered, "Tell me, where did you go? I've searched everywhere I could think of these past few days, but why can't I find you..."
Zhao Chengyang looked at his eyes, which had instantly turned red.
Lin Zhi choked up for a moment before saying in a hoarse voice, "To avoid me, he doesn't even go home. Does he really hate me that much?"
Now, Lin Zhi was filled with regret, and his mother had done some shocking things out of the blue, leaving him with no way to explain himself. Zhao Chengyang knew how much pain he had been going through and didn't want to discourage him further. He put his arm around Lin Zhi's shoulder and comforted him, "You can't stay away forever. After all, it's his home. It's only been less than half a year. Be patient. I'm also trying to find out more for you. There will be news."
"Only... less than half a year?" Lin Zhi repeated softly.
"Only" half a year? It felt like a hundred years to him; it was too agonizing.
"Don't be discouraged. Let's think together about what other places we haven't looked for, or what might be easily overlooked."
“I’ve searched almost every place I could go.” He often gets some clues, but when he runs there excitedly, he finds it’s all for nothing.
And so, I was repeatedly hit hard, repeatedly disappointed and saddened.
"Where are we not allowed to go? Penglai Island? The Imperial Palace? Or some mysterious family?" Zhao Chengyang said, then denied it himself: "But knowing his personality, he probably wouldn't go to a place like the Imperial Palace. Penglai Island? That's unlikely too, after all, that place is too elusive and not so easy to find. Or is there some powerful family that you can't reach? Where else could we go? Why don't we think about it together?"
Lin Zhi silently finished the wine in the jar, listened to his words and pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up.
Zhao Chengyang looked up at him and asked, "Where are you going?"
Lin Zhi took a deep breath and said, "Go back to your room and sleep. We'll go to Jincheng again first thing tomorrow morning."
Zhao Chengyang, no longer afraid of heights, stood up abruptly and said to him, "You want to go and find out what's going on inside the palace? I'll go with you."
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