Lin Zhi had met Jiang Xian at Changliu Village before and knew that he was friends with Jiang Chuting and that his father was still an official in the court. That's why he came to Jincheng to look for him from the beginning.
However, Jiang Xian was not in the manor at all. People said that this young master liked to wander around outside, and it was common for him not to come home for a year or two. In the end, Lin Zhi left in disappointment, but still sent people to keep an eye on this place.
The message that came to him later was that Jiang Xian had indeed returned to Jincheng, but spent his days eating, drinking, having fun, playing with cats and dogs, and had a lot of friends, but Jiang Chuting was nowhere to be seen, nor had he gone far to meet anyone.
When Lin Zhi thought that Jiang Chuting was trying to completely sever any possibility with him by not only not going home but also avoiding his friends, he felt as if his heart was being torn apart and he was so sad that he couldn't breathe.
During his trip to Jincheng, Lin Zhizheng, reminded by Zhao Chengyang, sent someone to inquire about information in the imperial palace, a place he had previously completely overlooked. Even if the chances were slim, he didn't want to give up.
However, after half a month of investigation, and having searched for everyone they could, their accounts were all remarkably consistent: the person Lin Zhi described had not appeared in the palace.
Even though he hadn't held out much hope to begin with, Lin Zhi was still overwhelmed by immense disappointment and frustration. He was absent-minded every day, and Zhao Chengyang didn't know how to comfort him anymore.
One evening, Lin Zhi blocked Jiang Xian, who was staggering out of a restaurant carrying a wine jug.
Brother Jiang.
Jiang Xian narrowed his eyes, subtly sizing him up, then smiled and said, "A rare guest indeed. May I ask what business Young Master Lin has with me?"
Lin Zhi didn't waste any words and went straight to the point, looking at him eagerly: "Brother Jiang, do you know where Chu Ting is? I want to find him."
“Chu Ting… I have met him.” Seeing the sudden excitement in Lin Zhi’s eyes, Jiang Xian said slowly, “But that was several months ago. He said he wanted to travel around and clear his head, and wouldn’t contact me for at least two years. So, you’re asking me, but I don’t know either.”
Lin Zhi refused to believe it and stubbornly asked, "You really don't know? You're his good friend, how could he not tell you?"
"A friend is just a friend. It's his freedom to go wherever he wants, and I won't interfere. Besides, didn't Young Master Lin send people to watch me before? Don't you know whether what I said is true or not?"
Lin Zhi tightened her grip slightly when Lin Zhi was pointed out to her face, and said to him, "I'm sorry, I just want to find him as soon as possible."
Jiang Xian chuckled, but his smile was clearly not friendly: "Interesting. Why doesn't Young Master Lin stay home and pamper his wife? Why is he looking for him? Aren't you afraid your wife will be angry and ignore you if she finds out?"
Lin Zhi quickly denied it: "I didn't! I didn't get married at all! It was my mother, she..."
Jiang Xian waved his hand, the smile on his lips slowly fading, his voice slightly deeper: "Don't tell me these things, it's useless, I won't listen. In short, you know in your heart what you've done and said. Even if you regret it now, and search the ends of the earth to find him, he will never look back at you. Chu Ting is just that kind of decisive person. You brought this on yourself, you have to bear the consequences. It's best not to disturb his peace, and live a good life with your beloved and trusted mother from now on."
After being mocked and ridiculed, Lin Zhi's face grew even paler, and her lips trembled slightly as she said, "I already know I was wrong. I won't give up. I will definitely find him, treat him well, and always believe in him."
Jiang Xian nodded and said, "It's good to be young; you can still dream."
Knowing he couldn't get any more information, Lin Zhi took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist and said to Jiang Xian, "I'm sorry to have bothered you, farewell."
He turned and left. Jiang Xian raised an eyebrow and called out to his retreating figure, "I hate sneaky people the most. Get rid of all your informants, or I'll take care of it myself."
If Lin Zhi continues like this, even if he doesn't take action, someone else will.
With someone watching his movements, Jiang Xian faced considerable trouble every time he went to Changning Pavilion to see Jiang Chuting. He even had to ask other friends to cover for him before he could slip away. However, he never told Jiang Chuting any of this.
Regardless of whether Lin Zhi truly regrets it or not, he doesn't want Jiang Chuting to have any further involvement with the Lin family.
On one hand, he was concerned about feelings. On the other hand, he realized from Chu Ting's pregnancy what a deep pit the Lin family was, and that it was only a matter of time before they were uprooted. It was better for Chu Ting to stay away from them so that she wouldn't be implicated.
Inside the restaurant, Lin Zhi sat there, gazing blankly at the table. Zhao Chengyang piled food into his bowl, saying, "Eat something. You've lost so much weight lately. Finding people requires patience. Don't be too anxious. Eat more so you'll have the energy to keep searching."
Lin Zhi lowered his head, picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and suddenly whispered, "I feel like something's not right."
Zhao Chengyang was taken aback and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It seems like someone is misleading me with fake news and wasting my energy."
Over the past six months, Lin Zhi sent people to search every corner, and many provided clues, all of which were very detailed and convincing. But in the end, they didn't even find a single hair of Jiang Chuting.
"...Could it be that your mother did it?" After all, she had even gone so far as to have someone pretend to be his wife and make Li Ruoshuang fake a pregnancy, so it wouldn't be surprising if she stopped him from investigating.
Lin Zhi lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, then shook his head: "I can't explain it." Perhaps it was his mother, perhaps not entirely, but he felt a force hindering him.
Or is this... a punishment from God?
Zhao Chengyang patted his shoulder and said, "I have some things to take care of at home, so I have to go back tomorrow. Take good care of yourself and don't exhaust yourself before you find the person. Oh, by the way, I heard there's a lantern festival in Jincheng tomorrow night. Don't always stay cooped up by yourself; you can go for a walk and clear your head."
The next day, Zhao Chengyang left. Lin Zhi wandered aimlessly on the long street for most of the day, feeling desolate. Suddenly, he stopped. People came and went around him, but he seemed to be frozen in place, isolated in a void. He could only hear his own breathing and slow heartbeat. All the hustle and bustle of the world was irrelevant to him.
After an unknown amount of time, an uncertain voice came from behind: "Young Master Lin?"
Lin Zhi's previously fixed gaze shifted, and she turned her head. There stood a young man dressed in coarse cloth, with delicate features, holding a baby a few months old in his arms. The baby's mouth looked somewhat oddly shaped, but its eyes were bright and lively.
“...It’s you.” Lin Zhi’s voice was slightly hoarse.
Lin Zhi recognized the man and remembered his name was Shao Jun. Because he was someone she knew from her time with Jiang Chuting, seeing him miraculously eased Lin Zhi's mood. She asked, "How is it? Did you find your sister?"
Shaojun smiled and said, "We found it not long ago, and now we're living together. Thank you for your concern, Young Master Lin."
Lin Zhi nodded, "That's good." He naturally assumed the child was his sister's. His eyes caught sight of a glove on the child's right hand. Although he found it a little strange, he didn't intend to ask. Shao Jun held the child's little hand and explained frankly, "The child had a problem with his hand when he was born. We were afraid of scaring others, so we did this."
Lin Zhi didn't say much, took off his money pouch and handed it to him directly: "This is a gift for the child."
Young Master Lin was so surprised that his eyes widened. He quickly declined, saying, "No need, no need, you're too kind, Young Master Lin! It's really not necessary!"
"Take it, it's just a small token of my appreciation."
Shaojun was never good at handling these kinds of things, and in the end, unable to refuse, he could only accept it with a flushed face and embarrassment. The weight of the money pouch reminded him that this was definitely more than just "a little" token of his appreciation.
Shaojun didn't know how to express his gratitude, so he only said sincerely, "You and Master Chu are both good people. You've helped me so much. When I was recuperating, he even helped me take care of the child and gave me travel expenses..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Zhi suddenly grabbed his arm with both hands, her eyes filled with hope, and asked excitedly, "You've seen him? When and where?"
When they first met, Shaojun didn't have any children around him. Since Jiang Chuting said he would help take care of the children, it must have been after he left the Lin family.
The child in her arms was startled by Lin Zhi's sudden increase in volume and started crying loudly. Shao Jun was also a little surprised and quickly patted and comforted the child while answering him, "Yes, I saw him. We even spent a long time together. But I don't know where he is now. We've been separated for almost four months."
He had seen her before, yet he didn't know her. Lin Zhi's bright black eyes dimmed again, and his body seemed to lose all strength in an instant.
Shaojun could tell that something was definitely wrong between the two of them, but as an outsider, he didn't know what to say. After thinking for a moment, he cautiously asked, "Young Master Lin, are you looking for him?"
Lin Zhi nodded slightly, and Shao Jun sighed softly, "Then you've come to the wrong place. I remember he said back then that it was really inconvenient for him to come to Jincheng, so he didn't see me off."
Lin Zhi said with a somber expression, "Did he say that?" His heart was filled with pain, and he truly felt Chu Ting's determination to avoid him once again.
"Yes, although I don't know where he went, he was definitely heading in the opposite direction from Jincheng."
Lin Zhi stood stiffly and silently for a long while, not looking at Shao Jun again, and murmured, "Thank you, farewell." Then he turned and left like a wandering ghost.
Shaojun held the child, who had been calmed down, and watched his figure slowly disappear into the distance, her feelings somewhat complicated.
Changning Pavilion.
Jiang Chuting sat in his room polishing his sword. Due to his physical limitations, he hadn't practiced swordsmanship in a long time, but he still frequently took it out to clean it. The sword he used was the most ordinary one, adorned with a gray-blue tassel. Lin Zhi also had an identical one, a gift from Jiang Chuting, which Jiang Chuting had cherished dearly.
Jiang Chuting gently stroked the sword tassel with his fingers, stared at it for a moment, and then slowly took it off.
"You're polishing your sword again. What's the point of polishing a broken sword? I'll take you to a nice place later where you can choose any famous sword you want."
As soon as Pei Jing's voice rang out, Jiang Chuting slipped the sword tassel into his bosom, sheathed the sword, and placed it on the table.
Jiang Chuting glanced at the already dimming sky outside, feeling slightly puzzled, and asked the person striding closer, "Why did you come at this hour?"
He usually comes in the afternoon.
"I'll take you out to play tonight." Pei Jing pulled the chair closer, sat next to him, hugged his arm and rubbed it affectionately, and looked up at him with a sweet look in his eyes: "There's a lantern festival today, and I've already arranged a place so you won't get tired or feel cramped."
Jiang Chuting noticed that he wasn't wearing a hair crown today, but rather a hairband. It was the light blue hairband she had asked him for back in the Nine Heavens. He was wearing light-colored brocade casual clothes, and he seemed to be in a good mood, with his eyebrows and eyes curved, making his facial features look much softer. He looked more like a handsome and well-behaved noble young man.
Although I know that Pei Jing is just pretending, he's still easier to get along with than when he's unpredictable.
There was absolutely no need to refuse and anger him, so Jiang Chuting agreed without much thought, chuckling, "Alright, I'll go with you and join in the fun."
Pei Jing was utterly captivated by his gentle, clear smile, as cool as autumn water, and felt a tickling sensation in her heart.
Staring intently at him with undisguised fervor, Jiang Chuting remained unfazed and asked in a normal tone, "Where's Wei Jia? Why didn't you bring him along?"
Wei Jia seems to have gotten used to life in the palace. Although he still likes to bicker with Pei Jing in private, he has miraculously not caused any trouble in the palace and has been safe and sound so far, even growing quite a bit taller. In the palace, those of lower rank still have to call him "Young Master Wei," and he is living a very comfortable life.
"I knew you were thinking about him. He did leave the palace, but not with us." Pei Jing puffed out his cheeks and glared at him, dissatisfied. "Isn't having me with you enough?"
Jiang Chuting chose to skip over some of the questions and gently pulled his hand off her arm, smiling as she said, "Wait a moment, I'll go change my clothes."
When staying indoors, Jiang Chuting wears loose and casual clothes. She needs to change into something else before going out.
"Go ahead, I'll wait for you." Pei Jing smiled as he turned into the inner room. After a while, Mo Lin came in and whispered a few words to him.
Pei Jing tapped the table with his long, slender fingers, his eyebrows slightly raised, a flash of fierceness passing through his eyes, his slightly softened temperament immediately turning cold and sharp again.
He gave a cold snort.
Mo Lin lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, then I will wait a moment..."
Pei Jing simply hummed in response, his eyes flickering slightly. He raised his hand, gesturing for him to leave first, as Jiang Chuting had already changed her clothes and come out.
Pei Jing put on a bright smile and went to greet him: "The timing is just right, let's set off now."
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