Jiang Chuting has now recovered about 60% of his power. In fact, if he wanted to take Xing'er and Wei Jia away from Jincheng, he was absolutely confident.
However, if Xiao Jiu refuses to let go of her obsession and continues to relentlessly pursue him, even if he leaves, there will still be many future troubles.
Besides, the child is too young now, and he doesn't want Xing'er to travel around with him.
But the more I look at it, the more impossible it seems for Xiao Jiu to willingly let him go.
In the face of this predicament, the willingness of someone to help is the perfect opportunity for Jiang Chuting to break through.
Even though Yuanxi's good intentions were too unfounded, Jiang Chuting was not afraid. He would take it one step at a time and see what happens. It was always better to have a plan than to sit and wait for death.
However, there's no hope for now, because Yuanxi said after his divination that the right opportunity he needs will take at least a year to arrive.
The past year has been better than he had imagined, especially with Xing'er by his side; it will pass quickly.
The next morning, Jiang Chuting sat at his desk by the window studying the sword manual. Without Xing'er's childish laughter and cries, he felt empty and unaccustomed.
He had been reading for a while and was about to go out for a walk when Pei Jing suddenly rushed over.
Jiang Chuting saw him and stopped in her tracks: "Xiao Jiu, you..."
Pei Jing grabbed him and pulled him back into the room. The two sat down, and Pei Jing frowned as he asked, "You saw my mother yesterday?"
"Yes, I have seen him before."
What did you talk about with her?
Instead of answering, Jiang Chuting asked, "You rushed here just to ask me these questions?"
He keenly sensed that Pei Jing's reaction was a little strange. Could it be that the Empress Dowager said something to him when she went back yesterday?
Pei Jing grabbed his shoulders and stared at him suspiciously: "Did you deliberately say something to displease my mother and then try to get her to kick you out, didn't you?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Jiang Chuting's eyes. So, the way the Empress Dowager acted in front of Pei Jing after returning to the palace yesterday suggested she didn't like him.
Whether she was genuinely annoyed or had some other intention, Jiang Chuting only replied, "We only chatted briefly. Perhaps I wasn't careful with my words and offended the Empress Dowager."
Pei Jing became even more suspicious: "You wouldn't watch your words? Are you kidding me, unless you're doing it on purpose."
Jiang Chuting said seriously, "If I make the Empress Dowager dislike me, she will only dislike me, she won't help me. I won't do such a useless thing, don't overthink it."
Pei Jing fell silent, looked at him for a while, and then said with a slightly softened expression, "It's good that you have this awareness."
Actually, his mother didn't say she disliked him; she just seemed a bit tired and didn't want to talk much about the meeting. Sensitive and suspicious, he came to question her.
It seems he was overthinking things.
Pei Jing sat for a moment, then got up as if to return to the palace. Jiang Chuting stood up to see him off, but Pei Jing suddenly stepped forward and opened his arms to hug him.
Jiang Chuting nimbly stepped aside and said, "Your Majesty, please take care."
Since Xing'er was born, Pei Jing had tried to hug and kiss him more than once or twice, but in the end, he always failed.
Pei Jing, a man of great pride, had never been so open and kind to anyone before. Yet, after all this time, he was still treated so coldly. He said in a chilling voice, "If you don't want me to force you any more, then stop hiding. My patience has its limits!"
Jiang Chuting looked back at him with her clear black eyes and said slowly, "Xiao Jiu, coercion is coercion, and it doesn't matter how much or how little."
Pei Jing's temple veins throbbed as he gritted his teeth and said, "Oh? So you think there's no difference? Wouldn't it be stupid for me to keep enduring this?"
"No matter what, I don't like being forced." Pei Jing's gaze towards him had been unusually intense lately, as if he was about to lose control of his burgeoning desire, and it was imperative to make his stance clear to him.
“Even now, I still consider you my disciple.” Jiang Chuting’s tone seemed ordinary, but every word contained a sharp edge: “But if you insist on crossing this line, then let’s draw our swords.”
Upon hearing this, Pei Jing nodded a few times, took two steps back, and sneered, "Fine, I won't touch you now. But the day you drive me crazy, everything will be out of your control, and out of mine!"
Jiang Chuting stood with one hand behind his back, facing him sideways, his expression indifferent.
Pei Jing gave him one last fierce look, then turned and left.
Only after his figure disappeared did Jiang Chuting silently breathe a sigh of relief.
Xing'er went to the Jiang residence for a day but cried and fussed incessantly, and nothing could soothe him. Jiang Xian had no choice but to return him the next morning.
Xing'er wrapped her arms tightly around Jiang Chu's neck, sobbing for a long time with her mouth pursed, tears welling up in her long eyelashes, and her nose was red from crying.
The little guy looked so pitiful.
"You're crying so hard, is Uncle Jiang abusing you?" Jiang Xian felt a pang of sadness in his heart and pouted at him, saying, "You little clingy brat, all you do is stick to your dad... But that makes sense, after all, you were born of your dad."
Jiang Chuting was very patient with the child, holding him, comforting him, and kissing him. He never lost his temper, but unlike others who were always overly cautious, afraid of the child falling, bumping, or getting hurt, he was completely free-range. After removing all the sharp objects from the room, he put Xing'er on the floor, letting him crawl and touch everything he wanted. He would pick up a book and read or write, without much restriction or supervision, and he didn't let the nanny look after him either.
Xing'er was used to this. Sometimes he would accidentally bump into the wall or fall to the ground because he couldn't sit up properly, but he wouldn't cry. He would get up and keep crawling. When he got tired, he would just lie down on the ground and fall asleep. Then Jiang Chuting would pick him up and put him in his crib.
After comforting Xing'er, Jiang Chuting wiped away his tears, kissed his fair little face, and then put him on the ground as usual.
"Go have fun by yourself."
Xing'er returned to her father's side and regained her good mood. She used both hands and feet to climb a long way away in no time.
Jiang Chuting and Jiang Xian sat down and started chatting.
Jiang Chuting told him about meeting the Empress Dowager and then inquired about Yuanxi.
"You're the person she wants to protect? She really said that?" Jiang Xian looked surprised and said, "She's a favorite of the Empress Dowager. She's been with her since before the Empress Dowager entered the palace, and the Empress Dowager trusts her exceptionally. Countless people in the palace want to curry favor with her, but she basically always keeps a cold face and remains unmoved. When she's not by the Empress Dowager's side, she doesn't say a word."
So why would someone who is so highly sought after tell someone they've just met that they want to protect them?
Jiang Xian's eyes darted around as he pondered for a moment, then he slammed his hand on the table: "Oh, right, I just remembered something. Years ago there was a rumor that this Yuan Xi came from Penglai Island. Have you seen her face? It's said that she hasn't changed much in over twenty years. She must have eaten some kind of magic pill from the island."
"Really?" It's related to Penglai Island again. Jiang Chu added, "But this is just a rumor, and no one can confirm it."
“Indeed. But whether you believe it or not is fifty-fifty. What if she really came from there? Is it possible that…” Jiang Xian looked him up and down for a moment, then suddenly realized something: “You are actually a deity from the island who came to the mortal world to undergo a tribulation, a tribulation of love. Otherwise, why would you be suffering so much? So they sent their own people to protect you, to make things easier for you.”
After Jiang Xian finished speaking, he nodded to himself and said, "No wonder I've always felt that you have a lot of ethereal energy about you. I think it's pretty much true."
He was getting more and more outrageous, and Jiang Chuting was speechless.
Jiang Xian chuckled and said, "Anyway, given her status and position, she has no reason to go to such lengths to deceive you. Let's wait and see how she plans to help you."
Jiang Chuting gave a soft "hmm".
Xing'er crawled over without anyone noticing and sat down next to the wooden table, nibbling on her fingers, her big eyes looking back and forth between the two of them.
As soon as Jiang Xian saw him, he wanted to tease him. He picked up a piece of fruit from the plate, took a bite with an exaggerated expression, and chewed it slowly, deliberately tempting him.
"Mmm...it's delicious."
Xing'er looked at him with longing in her eyes, her little mouth moving several times in response to his kisses.
Jiang Xian took another bite, and Xing'er's mouth was already covered with glistening drool. She quickly climbed onto him, opened her mouth, and pounced on him with a "whoosh" sound, ready to bite him.
"Ouch! You little rascal, you bit my hand!"
The conversation was interrupted as Jiang Xian picked up Xing'er and put him aside, feeding him fruit puree prepared by the servants. Xing'er held a toy rattle in his hand, occasionally opening his mouth, comfortably enjoying his Uncle Jiang's pampering.
Jiang Chuting watched this scene with a knowing smile, then lowered her eyes, her smile gradually fading away.
Of those who contracted the virus, only a very small minority were able to give birth to healthy children like him. They were all just Lin Xuan's test subjects; whether they lived or died, whether they were good or bad, was up to fate.
In fact, he had been paying special attention when he went out for the past six months, but he was always being followed, so he couldn't investigate freely. Jiang Xian, on the other hand, had secretly visited several times, but hadn't found anything.
All I can say is that this is Jincheng, and they wouldn't dare to be so arrogant as to cause trouble right under the emperor's nose.
Time flies, and with Jiang Chuting's devoted care, Xing'er turned one year old and learned to walk and call out. Meanwhile, the Empress in the palace was due to give birth to the imperial heir in less than three months.
Jiang Chuting had always known about this, but he never brought it up with Pei Jing. Pei Jing, on the other hand, seemed to show no joy at the prospect of becoming a father, and his visits to Changning Pavilion became increasingly frequent.
That day, Jiang Chuting sat on a stone bench in the garden with a book in his hand, while Xing'er squatted to the side, poking at the ant nest with a thin twig, having a great time, and saying in a soft, sweet voice, "Ants, ants, come out quickly."
Jiang Chuting would occasionally glance at him, then smile silently.
After a while, Zhou Bei came over and reported, "Young Master, His Majesty has arrived."
Xing'er turned her head and saw Pei Jing, dressed in brocade robes and wearing a jade crown, walking towards her. She dropped the stick in her hand, ran over, and climbed onto his leg, saying, "Hug me, hug me."
Jiang Chuting put down his book, stood up, and called out, "Xing'er, come here."
It seems that Xing'er is quite close to Pei Jing, probably because they often see it. Although Pei Jing doesn't seem to dislike Xing'er as much as he did at the beginning—for example, when Xing'er fell while learning to walk, he happened to be there and helped her up—it doesn't mean that Pei Jing will tolerate everything she does.
Pei Jing's legs were being held by him. He looked down at the small face that looked so much like Jiang Chuting's when he raised his head. His expression stiffened for a moment. He didn't hug him back, but he didn't push him away either.
Just as he stood there frozen, Jiang Chuting walked up to him and picked Xing'er up.
Jiang Chuting said to Pei Jing, "I'm sorry."
"Daddy, I want to go down and play, go down and play." Xing'er protested, twisting his body. Jiang Chuting had no choice but to put him down again, wipe the sweat from his forehead, and hand him over to the wet nurse to lead him to the side.
Pei Jing glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, but remained silent.
Jiang Chuting invited him to sit down. Pei Jing arrived just in time; he happened to have something to say.
After sitting down, Jiang Chuting poured him a cup of tea. Pei Jing picked up the teacup, feeling the refreshing autumn breeze, and smiled, "You're living a really pleasant life."
Since he started practicing the Wuji Book, the effects have gradually become apparent. He no longer has a gloomy look in his eyes when he smiles. Although his temper is still not good, he is more able to control himself.
Noticing that he was in a good mood, Jiang Chuting smiled as well: "It is pleasant, but it is a bit too rigid to always be confined to this one place."
Upon hearing this, Pei Jing's eyes immediately swept over him, and he asked warily, "What do you intend to do?"
Jiang Chuting looked at him earnestly and said, "Xiao Jiu, I want to go out for a walk by myself occasionally, and see the world."
Pei Jing did not restrict his freedom in Jincheng at all; his so-called "going out" must mean leaving Jincheng.
With a blank expression, Pei Jing placed the teacup back on the table and said, "Is it my fault for being so restrictive? If you had even a little bit of affection for me, I wouldn't have treated you like this."
But whose fault is it?
This man, who was used to a carefree life before meeting him, had been imprisoned here for a year and a half, with someone constantly watching him. Pei Jing knew that he must not like this kind of life.
Pei Jing glared at him with slightly angry eyes, but Jiang Chuting returned his gaze with calm eyes, his dark pupils clear and bright, like a spring.
"..." Pei Jing, who immediately felt a little soft-hearted under his unwavering gaze, closed his eyes in self-reproach. After a long while, he whispered, "You can leave, but leave Xing'er behind."
This was expected, and he had other business to attend to, so it wasn't convenient for him to take Xing'er with him. Jiang Chuting nodded: "Okay."
"You are not allowed to leave for too long at any time."
"Um."
"No matter where you go or what you do, I need to know."
"Um."
"...Mmm-h ..., you're happy now, aren't you?"
Jiang Chuting's eyebrows curved into a slight smile. He looked extremely handsome when he smiled, but Pei Jing found it very irritating and rolled his eyes in annoyance.
From then on, Jiang Chuting would wear a mask and go out almost every month. At first, she would just wander around the surrounding area, and each trip would only take three to five days. If she was delayed a little, it would take six or seven days.
Several months passed, and he finally found some information, but it was all from several years ago, or even more than ten years ago. Some were dead, some had disappeared, and there was no trace of them.
Jiang Chuting began to gradually expand the search area, which inevitably meant that the time spent away would be longer. Pei Jing's expression was very bad, but he hadn't exploded yet, so he didn't care.
He secretly went to Misty Moon Valley and found that apart from a few disciples guarding it, the herb fields and the valley master were nowhere to be seen. He captured a disciple, but the disciple knew nothing and was terrified, clearly someone who wouldn't know the inside story. Jiang Chuting didn't make things difficult for him, simply leaving him there before departing. This trip had taken too long, so he couldn't linger any longer and hurried back to Jincheng. He was greeted by Pei Jing, whose face was gloomy, and Xing'er, who was crying in his arms.
After spending most of the month at home with Xing'er and managing to calm Pei Jing down, he set off from Jincheng again, wearing a mask and dressed simply, alone on horseback, and arrived at Liyun City.
Rumor has it that there is a very strange tower on the outskirts of this city. Although I don't know if it is related to what I'm investigating, I still decided to come and find out.
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