Lin Zhi's internal and external injuries had not yet healed, and he had forced himself to travel. He was already physically exhausted, and now he was subjected to such a great shock, causing his blood and qi to surge, and he almost fainted.
He stepped forward, grabbed Jiang Chuting's arm, his breath trembling: "Chuting, whose child is this? Why does he call you 'Dad'?"
Jiang Chuting turned his head, his gaze very calm: "...Since he calls me father, of course he is my child."
Xing'er, who was still sobbing in Jiang Chuting's arms, looked at Lin Zhi with tears streaming down her face. Her big, wet eyes curiously examined the stranger for a while, then looked at Jiang Chuting and softly called out, "Dad." She then buried herself back in his arms.
Lin Zhi's hand suddenly lost its strength, and she let go of him, letting it fall limply to her side.
Standing so close, he could see clearly that the child's face was so similar to Chu Ting's that he couldn't deceive himself.
He deliberately provoked Chu Ting by saying he was going to get married and have children. They separated for more than two years, and he never got married, but Chu Ting already had his own child.
Is this retribution for his misdeeds more than two years ago?
Lin Zhi swayed precariously.
Seeing Lin Zhi's dismayed expression, Pei Jing slightly raised his chin, sneered, and said, "I haven't even said anything yet, so what right do you have to mind?"
Lin Zhi raised his eyes. Although he didn't say it outright, he could already sense that this person's feelings for Chu Ting were definitely not those of a disciple for his master. And Chu Ting seemed to be getting quite close to him now.
Lin Zhi felt increasingly that everything in front of him was gray and he couldn't see a single ray of light.
Jiang Chuting, holding Xing'er, said to Pei Jing, "Xiao Jiu, let's go back first."
Pei Jing glanced at him expressionlessly, turned around first, and Jiang Chuting didn't even look at Lin Zhi, but just turned to him and said, "Leave quickly." Then he followed behind Pei Jing.
Lin Zhi could not possibly leave. He dragged his feet with difficulty, trying to follow behind Jiang Chuting, but suddenly his vision blurred and a man in black blocked his way.
Please stop here.
Lin Zhi glanced at him, her face full of astonishment: "It's you?!"
The person before him was none other than the Imperial Guard who had accused him of trespassing and imprisoned him in the Ministry of Justice's jail years ago. But why would he, as the emperor's personal guard, be here...?
Lin Zhi's mind raced. He glanced at Pei Jing, who had already walked away, and then thought about his attitude towards Chu Ting. Suddenly, his mind became clear, and he was filled with shock and anger, his temples bulging with veins.
He had long since resigned himself to his fate, after all, he had acted rashly and offended the wrong person.
But at this moment, he realized that it was a trap to lure him into jumping in!
Lin Zhi stared at him fiercely, gritting his teeth as he said, "You've put on quite a show, a classic case of the thief crying 'stop thief!' and twisting the truth!"
How could he have known that the man he had only met once in a teahouse would become the current emperor? So even when he was imprisoned, he never suspected anything in that direction.
He was completely fooled without even knowing it!
The man in black said coldly, "I don't understand what you're saying. Just a friendly reminder, don't follow me anymore, otherwise... hmph."
Lin Zhi could not possibly listen to him. In the end, following the Gu Lan insect, he found a villa called Changning Pavilion, where Chu Ting must be.
There were guards at the entrance, and it was unrealistic for him to break in with his current condition. He clutched his wound, staggered, and fell to the corner of a nearby wall. He took two pills and began to meditate to regulate his breathing.
...
Jiang Chuting knew that Pei Jing was angry, and he couldn't let him suppress it; he had to let him vent it out.
So when he was smashing things in the house, Jiang Chuting sat quietly to the side, waiting for him to finish.
Pei Jing exuded a gloomy rage. Except for the area around Jiang Chuting, almost all the furnishings and displays were destroyed by him, leaving the ground in a mess as if a whirlwind had swept through.
But this did not appease him in the slightest. He strode over, grabbed Jiang Chuting by the collar, and his dark eyes flashed with a chilling light: "Am I not good to you? Huh? Do you have to make me miserable? What were you planning to do if I hadn't come today? Continue to wander the world with him? Jiang Chuting, I promised to release you and give you your freedom, and this is how you deceive me? Is it fun to lie to me?"
Jiang Chuting looked back at him with her clear, calm black eyes and said slowly, "Xiao Jiu, I didn't lie to you. I just happened to run into him."
Pei Jing refused to believe it and stared at him intently: "Oh? How come you two just happened to run into each other when I arrived? I'm afraid you've run into each other many times before, haven't you?"
"No."
Pei Jing gritted his teeth, his eyes piercing him like knives.
Jiang Chuting remained unmoved, her gaze unwavering, looking directly at him and saying, "I said no, and that's final."
"..." Pei Jing remained silent with a sullen face.
After a long while, she finally loosened her grip on his hand a little.
Seeing his expression, Jiang Chuting felt a sense of relief. She untied his hand, let him sit opposite her, rolled up her sleeves and poured him a glass of water, saying, "Drink some water and calm down. I do have something important to tell you."
Pei Jing downed the water in the cup in one gulp, then slammed it back onto the table, the dark fire still burning in his eyes.
"You have something to say? I think you're pretty much changing the subject."
Jiang Chuting's fingertips twitched slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, she spoke: "This matter is related to the birth of Xing'er."
Pei Jing narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, looking at him and listening to him continue.
"Actually, the reason I was able to give birth to Xing'er was not because of any special physical condition, but because I was once forced to take a kind of medicine. A kind of medicine that... can make men pregnant and give birth."
Pei Jing's pupils contracted: "...Are you serious?" He then frowned deeply: "Is there really such a medicine in the world?"
Jiang Chuting said, "Yes. And this kind of medicine has already taken the lives of many people. I have been investigating this matter since I met you, and now, we have finally made progress."
Pei Jing's expression also became serious, and he gestured for him to continue.
Jiang Chuting nodded and began to tell him everything from the time he discovered the male prostitute who had jumped off the building, omitting his relationship with Lin Zhi.
This includes everything I experienced on this trip and what I found out.
Pei Jing's expression shifted several times. After he finished speaking, he remained silent for a moment, then fixed his gaze on him and asked in a deep voice, "So, you haven't gone back for so long because you're looking for enough evidence?"
Jiang Chuting hummed in agreement, picked up the bundle beside her, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of him.
"Everything I just mentioned is in here. There are also witnesses, which I have sent back to the Ninth Heaven. You can come here anytime if needed."
Jiang Chuting took a deep breath and said, "Next, I implore you to send someone to resolve this matter and prevent any more victims."
Pei Jing glanced at the bundle in front of him, but his heart was filled with doubts.
He knew Jiang Chuting was a man of great principles; he completely trusted him because he had investigated so long after discovering something amiss over a small matter. However, as Jiang Chuting had said, the Lin family was the biggest culprit in this matter, having taken the lives of thousands over the past twenty-odd years. Lin Zhi would definitely be implicated.
Moreover, this person should know how much he wants Lin Zhi dead. He just handed over all the evidence to him and let him deal with it. Wasn't he afraid?
Or is it that he truly has absolutely no feelings for Lin Zhi anymore, and therefore doesn't care?
This is impossible; this is nothing like him.
Pei Jing pondered for a moment without showing any emotion, then glanced at Jiang Chuting a few more times. He remained calm and didn't actually plead with him to let Lin Zhi go.
Could it be that she's afraid he's still angry and is deliberately avoiding him?
Jiang Chuting didn't hear his response and asked, slightly puzzled, "Xiao Jiu?"
Pei Jing suppressed the various thoughts in his mind and said with a deep look in his eyes, "Don't worry, this matter is indeed of great importance. I will definitely have someone take care of it as soon as possible."
Pei Jing's expression suddenly turned grim as soon as he finished speaking, and he clutched his chest and lowered his head slightly.
Seeing this, Jiang Chuting asked, "What's wrong?"
Pei Jing shook his head without speaking. Jiang Chuting noticed that his face was slightly bluish, so she leaned closer and said, "Let's have a doctor take a look."
Pei Jing frowned, waved his hand, and said with a slightly uneven breath, "No need. I've already seen the imperial physician in the palace. I'll be fine after resting for a while."
The room was a mess, there was nowhere to lie down, so Jiang Chuting helped him to another room.
He had only lain down for a short while when Xing'er came running in with her short legs, shouting, "Daddy, Daddy!"
Jiang Chuting quickly turned his head and gestured for him to be quiet. Xing'er hurriedly covered his mouth with his small hands, his big eyes darting around, and stood in the middle of the room, not daring to move.
Pei Jing was already in a terrible mood, and now, feeling unwell all over, he rubbed his temples and said impatiently, "What is he yelling about?"
Xing'er didn't let go, her voice muffled: "I'm hungry."
Before they knew it, Jiang Chuting and Pei Jing had been talking in the room for most of the day. It was past lunchtime, and the servants were about to serve Xing'er her meal, but Xing'er wanted Jiang Chuting to stay with her, so she came here.
Pei Jing turned around, glared at Xing'er, and said in an annoyed tone, "If you're hungry, go eat something yourself. What are you doing here making a fuss?"
The child was too young to understand the specific meaning, but she could sense the extreme hostility in his eyes and the heavy pressure from him. Xing'er was immediately frightened and bit her finger, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked helplessly at Jiang Chuting.
Jiang Chuting walked over in a few steps, picked him up, and Xing'er pouted a few times, but still couldn't help but hug his neck and start sobbing.
Jiang Chuting patted his back to comfort him. For the past six months, Pei Jing's attitude towards Xing'er hadn't been particularly good, but at least their interactions had been relatively peaceful, and he had almost never used such an impatient tone to scold him. Clearly, Pei Jing was taking his anger out on Xing'er because of Lin Zhi's appearance.
Upon hearing the childish crying, Pei Jing paused, covered his eyes with his arm, and after a long while said in a low voice, "...Alright, you go and have dinner with him first."
"Okay." Jiang Chuting said, "Then we won't bother you anymore, you should get some rest."
Jiang Chuting carried Xing'er back to his room, placed him on the floor, washed his face, and stroked his fair and rosy cheeks with his long, slender fingers.
Xing'er looked back at him, not understanding why.
Jiang Chuting suddenly said in a low voice, "Why are you all so prone to crying?"
Xing'er didn't hear clearly and tilted her head: "Huh? What is it?"
Jiang Chuting sighed softly and smiled gently at him: "It's nothing, let's go eat."
Children's emotions change quickly. Xing'er clapped her hands happily: "Food, food!"
Xing'er can already eat with a spoon by himself and usually doesn't need anyone's help. But he misses Jiang Chuting so much that he whine and begs Jiang Chuting to feed him while holding his little bowl and spoon.
"Dad, Dad, hello, hello!"
"Okay, I'll feed you." Jiang Chuting picked up Xing'er and placed her on the chair next to him, raising his arms and cheering.
Jiang Chuting fed him spoonful by spoonful. Xing'er was very well-behaved, eating without talking or dawdling, and finished eating quickly.
Jiang Chuting wiped his mouth and told him to play by himself. She used a little food herself and had someone remove everything from the table.
Xing'er ran to the doorway, looked left and right, then ran back and lay on Jiang Chuting's lap, asking, "Dad, where's brother?"
What brother? Jiang Chuting took a moment to realize that he was probably referring to Lin Zhi.
Looking into the child's clear eyes, Jiang Chuting held his soft little hand, paused for a moment, and then said, "Brother is leaving."
Xing'er pouted and hummed twice, looking a little down.
Seeing this, Jiang Chuting couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with Xing'er?"
Xing'er played with Jiang Chuting's sleeve with his fingers. Although he could speak, he was still a child under two years old and was not ready to express his feelings.
After fidgeting for a while, she let Jiang Chuting lean in and whispered, "Let's play together."
Jiang Chuting straightened up, looked at him, and asked, "Do you want to play with him?"
Xing'er covered her face and nodded.
Jiang Chuting smiled faintly, patted his little head, and was secretly surprised. Xing'er had only seen Lin Zhi once and was already thinking about him. Was this the natural bond between father and son?
...
After playing with Xing'er for a while, Jiang Chuting coaxed him to sleep.
Seeing Mo Lin outside the door, Jiang Chuting walked over, and Mo Lin bowed and said, "His Majesty said that we will set off back to Jincheng soon."
"Okay, I understand." Jiang Chuting thought for a moment and asked, "How is his health? Is he feeling better?"
Mo Lin lowered his eyes and replied, "You can go see him yourself; it's better than asking me." After saying that, he bowed and left.
Jiang Chuting couldn't help but shake his head. Mo Lin had been by Pei Jing's side for a long time, and he always considered Pei Jing's needs, so much so that his dissatisfaction and resentment towards him were greater than anyone else's.
On the way back, Jiang Chuting and Xing'er were arranged to ride in Pei Jing's carriage.
Pei Jing looked much better; he should be alright now.
The carriage had been traveling for over an hour when Pei Jing stared at Jiang Chuting with his dark eyes for a long time before suddenly speaking, "You seem distracted. Should we get out of the carriage and go check on you?"
Jiang Chuting, who had been slightly lost in thought, turned to look at him and said, "No need."
Pei Jing retorted, "Really not? But it seems like those two words aren't written on your face."
Lin Zhi and his friend Zhao Chengyang followed them the whole time. Pei Jing was still angry and his paranoia flared up again, so he deliberately spoke in a sarcastic tone.
Jiang Chuting said, "You're overthinking it."
"Really? Then do you dare tell me the truth, who were you thinking about while you were spacing out just now?"
He was being completely unreasonable. Jiang Chuting took a deep breath, looked at him, and said, "Xiao Jiu, do you really have to do this? If you do, then I'll get off the bus and find him right now."
"You!" Pei Jing was furious. "How dare you!"
Xing'er looked confused, glancing at Jiang Chuting and then at Pei Jing, completely bewildered as to what they were talking about.
Jiang Chuting said, "He has legs, and I can't stop him from going wherever he wants."
Pei Jing's eyes were sinister: "Then I'll chop off his feet! Let's see where he can go then."
When he mentioned chopping off his feet, Jiang Chuting quickly covered Xing'er's ears and asked Pei Jing seriously, "So, you think the entanglement between him and me isn't enough, and you want to create some more?"
Are you threatening me?
Jiang Chuting countered, "Aren't you the same?"
Pei Jing stared intently at him for a moment, then clutched his chest, coughed a few times, his lips turned pale, and he closed his eyes, saying nothing more.
The fact that a threat can succeed only shows that the person cares too much.
Just as he cared about Jiang Chuting, Jiang Chuting... still cared about Lin Zhi. No one can fool anyone else.
Another day passed, and Jiang Chuting could no longer sense anyone following behind. Perhaps Pei Jing had done something, or perhaps Lin Zhi's internal and external injuries had not yet healed, and he couldn't withstand such a long journey.
It's best not to follow. One Pei Jing is already enough for him to handle; if another one comes along, he'll have a terrible headache.
The journey back to Jincheng was not peaceful. They encountered three ambushes, almost all of which were carried out by masked female assassins, each with unpredictable martial arts skills, making them difficult to deal with.
Jiang Chuting wanted to capture a few and bring them back to Jincheng for interrogation, but he couldn't leave a single one alive, because once they were captured, they would bite the poison in their mouths and commit suicide.
“Feihua Pavilion…” Pei Jing looked at the corpses lying haphazardly on the ground and sneered, “You’ve got some nerve, daring to try and assassinate me.”
Jiang Chuting also felt a pang of emotion. Hong Yufei had been tortured and imprisoned by Lin Xi, yet she still spared no effort to retrieve the evidence and protect the Lin family; she was truly loyal.
Unfortunately, her loyalty was misplaced.
Now, Qiao Xun is seriously injured, Hong Yufei is also imprisoned due to internal injuries, and Xie Zhen says Qin Ye seems to have gone a bit mad. Lin Xi, regardless of whether she believes the true cause of Zi Que's death, already harbors doubts and hates Lin Xuan. In short, their internal situation is now in complete chaos. Furthermore, with the imperial court intervening to break through, things are definitely much more advantageous than before.
It was half a month later when I returned to Jincheng.
Pei Jing acted swiftly. Upon returning to the palace, he summoned several senior officials to discuss the matter, ordered people to carry it out, and personally supervised the process.
After learning all this, Jiang Xian couldn't help but ask Jiang Chuting, "The Lin family is the mastermind. After this case is closed, their relatives will inevitably be implicated. Chuting, have you thought about what will happen when Lin finds out...?"
He and Jiang Chuting had been friends for over a decade, and he knew very well that even if Jiang Chuting had broken off all ties with Lin Zhi, she wouldn't just watch him die.
After all, Lin Zhi knew nothing and was quite innocent in this regard.
Jiang Chuting's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she said in a low voice, "Let's take it one step at a time."
Although Jiang Xian found it strange, he didn't press the matter further. Instead, he thought of something else. The time for Yuan Xi to leave Jincheng, which she had mentioned to Jiang Chuting, was fast approaching.
Jiang Xian leaned closer and asked Jiang Chuting in a low voice, "You've been back for a while now, haven't you made any moves?"
Jiang Chuting shook her head.
"There's no rush," Jiang Xian sighed. "Let's wait a little longer."
In the afternoon, Xing'er insisted on going out to play. Although Pei Jing hadn't ordered her to stay home, it was a sensitive time, and security was tighter than before. Jiang Chuting didn't want to anger Pei Jing at this crucial moment, so she didn't go out, and Xing'er was taken out by Jiang Xian.
He stayed inside and wrote a letter to the Nine Heavens.
Jiang Chuting guessed correctly. The reason why Lin Zhi and Zhao Chengyang were unable to follow was twofold: firstly, Pei Jing sent people to stop them, and secondly, Lin Zhi was injured both internally and externally and could not hold on any longer.
Fortunately, even if Lin Zhi couldn't keep up, he could still find out where Jiang Chuting was.
But after finding out, they realized it was useless. The guards at Changning Pavilion were comparable to those at the Imperial Palace; not even a fly could get in. And Jiang Chuting hadn't come out since she went in.
Lin Zhi stayed nearby day and night, not daring to blink, afraid of missing him. Zhao Chengyang was a really good friend, and since he couldn't persuade him otherwise, he could only bring him food and medicine on time every day, and then wait with him. His legs would go numb from squatting every day.
To Jiang Chuting's surprise, instead of waiting, she saw Xing'er leaping out of the room with her arms around Jiang Xian's neck.
This was the first time Zhao Chengyang had seen Xing'er, and he was surprised: "Wow, she really looks like Master Jiang."
Lin Zhi felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart, and looked away, refusing to look at Xing'er at all.
Xing'er, however, spotted him with her sharp eyes. She excitedly grabbed Jiang Xian's head with her little hands and shook it, shouting, "Brother, brother!"
Jiang Xian's head was almost shaken off by him, and he said helplessly, "Slow down, slow down, little ancestor."
Xing'er pointed towards Lin Zhi and shook him, saying, "Go, go."
Jiang Xian came to Changning Pavilion almost every day, so he knew that Lin Zhi was nearby. He also heard Xing'er call Lin Zhi "brother" and couldn't help but laugh. The way he addressed him was really too different from his generation.
The situation was complicated, and Jiang Xian didn't intend to go over, but Xing'er wouldn't let it go, almost pulling his hair out. He gasped in pain, and had no choice but to go over, lift Xing'er down, and put her on the ground.
Lin Zhi probably already knew his attitude. She had actually seen him these past few days, but she didn't bother him too much. She just pitifully stayed by his side.
Whether Lin knows Xing'er's background or not, he probably won't care.
Sure enough, when Xing'er leaned in and called him "brother," he would turn his face to the right; when Xing'er leaned in to the right, he would turn his face to the left.
This happened several times in a row. Xing'er was not unhappy at all; on the contrary, she found it amusing and happily hid from him, giggling.
Xing'er suddenly squatted down, nudged Lin Zhi's arm to signal him, and then turned her little face away, waiting.
The two were very close, and Lin Zhi could smell the baby's milky scent. He kept a sullen face and didn't move.
Jiang Xian, arms crossed, said, "He played with you for half the day, now it's your turn."
Xing'er waited for a while, but Lin Zhi didn't react. He turned around, his big, dark eyes blinking, and called out to Lin Zhi again, "Brother."
Lin Zhi said angrily, "Who's your brother! I'm not playing with you."
Xing'er pouted, and Jiang Xian couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Zhao Chengyang, who had been silent all along, chuckled, squatted down, and held Xing'er's little hand. With a beaming smile, he said, "Your name is Xing'er, right? Come here." He then took out a longevity locket he had prepared beforehand and placed it around Xing'er's neck. Glancing at Lin Zhi, he said to Xing'er, "This is a gift from your older brother. Do you like it?"
Three small golden bells hung from the gold lock. Xing'er picked them up and shook them, making a crisp sound. She smiled happily, revealing her little white teeth: "Thank you."
Zhao Chengyang was delighted, feeling a deep affection for him, and stroked his soft, dark hair: "So good."
Xing'er rolled her dark eyes, suddenly stood up, and leaned in to give Lin Zhi a quick peck on the cheek. The soft, moist touch, carrying a refreshing scent, came so unexpectedly that Lin Zhi felt as if he'd been burned; half of his pale face flushed red, and he glared at her angrily: "You little brat, what are you doing?!"
Xing'er's big eyes crinkled as she covered her mouth and giggled. She ran back to Jiang Xian's side, and Jiang Xian snorted twice before picking her up and taking her away.
Even after walking quite a distance, Xing'er was still perched on Jiang Xian's shoulder, looking this way.
Lin Zhi sat there, his face turning red, green, blue, and black, without uttering a word.
Zhao Chengyang snapped open his folding fan and sat down beside him, speaking earnestly: "Lin Zhi, you didn't listen to me back then, and now you regret it, don't you? So now, are you going to listen to me?"
Lin Zhi was silent for a moment before saying, "What do you think we should do?"
Zhao Chengyang fanned himself and said, "What should we do? The first thing we need to do is not to be stern with the child. Not only should we not be stern, we should also be kind to him."
Lin Zhi clenched her fists: "But I feel terrible inside."
"You deserve it. Who told you to be so reckless back then? I tried to stop you, but you wouldn't listen." Zhao Chengyang hit the nail on the head: "You have no right to be upset now."
"..." Lin Zhixin was disheartened.
"All you want now is to win Chu Ting back, yet you're still being so mean to his child and giving him attitude. Who would want to talk to you?"
Lin Zhi scratched her hair, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
He understood everything Zhao Chengyang was saying, but he just couldn't control himself. He used to have a father, and now there was another child. As for him, Chu Ting had long since thrown him into some unknown corner.
He was in great pain and felt like he was about to die.
Zhao Chengyang added coolly, "Not to mention, there's still that person by your Chu Ting's side..." Although the presence of this person meant that the child's mother was no longer a problem, Zhao Chengyang said firmly, "If you keep courting death, even a god can't save you."
Lin Zhi kept his head down, breathing heavily, and after a long while he said in a low voice, "I know what to do. Let me calm down first."
Zhao Chengyang raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder: "That's more like it."
Jiang Xian took Xing'er to play until evening before returning. His left cheek was swollen, as if he had been eating something.
Lin Zhi had probably calmed down. She saw that he wasn't giving her a sour look, but she didn't take the initiative to go up to him to show affection either.
Zhao Chengyang greeted him with a smile, "Hey, where have you been? Look at you, all sweaty."
Xing'er climbed down from Jiang Xian's arms and ran to them, the longevity lock in her arms making a jingling sound.
"Sweet, you can have some." Xing'er's voice was soft and sweet, her cheeks were rosy, and she smelled sweet all over. She put a piece of candy in each of their hands and then ran away.
Lin Zhi's palm remained stiffly outstretched, holding the candy, motionless.
Xing'er didn't go in right away. She and Zhao Chengyang ran to the side, finished the candy in their mouths, and then rinsed their mouths with water.
Jiang Xian said, "Come on, let me smell it."
Xing'er: "Ah—" He obediently opened his little mouth. Jiang Xian smelled it and made him rinse his mouth again before taking his hand and the two of them, one big and one small, strode in.
Zhao Chengyang found it very amusing and couldn't help but laugh. When he turned his head, he realized that Lin Zhi had also been quietly watching over there at some point.
...
As soon as Xing'er returned, Jiang Chuting noticed the longevity lock hanging on his chest. Before she could even ask him anything, Jiang Xianxian confessed everything.
Jiang Chuting listened without saying a word.
Xing'er got tired of playing, rubbed his eyes, and climbed onto Jiang Chuting. Jiang Chuting held him in his arms, and he snuggled against him a couple of times before falling asleep.
Jiang Xian said to him awkwardly, "Why don't we just take it off and throw it away?"
He gave the item directly to the child, and the child seemed to like it, so it wouldn't have been right for him to throw it back in front of them. It was just a small trinket, and he could have just accepted it. But now, looking back, Jiang Xian felt he had acted somewhat inappropriately.
Jiang Chuting lowered his eyes. Even in his sleep, Xing'er was clutching the longevity lock in her hand. It seemed that he truly loved Lin Zhi, and because he thought it was a gift from him, he was happy and cherished it.
A wave of bitterness washed over Jiang Chuting, and she said softly, "Never mind, let's keep it."
In the evening, it started to rain heavily.
As usual, I had dinner with Xing'er, gave him a bath, and coaxed him to sleep. Jiang Chuting bent down and kissed Xing'er's cheek, then straightened up and glanced out the window.
The shadows of the trees swayed, the wind and rain raged, and the rain grew heavier and heavier.
Jiang Chuting knew that Lin Zhi had been lingering outside Changning Pavilion, and given his personality, he wouldn't leave even in such heavy rain.
He thought of how Lin Zhi had stubbornly waited for him at the entrance of the Love-Sickness Pavilion on a snowy day back then, waiting and waiting... until finally he found him.
So Lin Zhi thought that if he waited endlessly like this, he would soften his heart again?
Jiang Chuting got up and went over to close the window, blocking out all the sounds of wind and rain.
The wind and rain were so strong that the eaves couldn't keep out the rain at all. Lin Zhi held up an umbrella, but his purple clothes were still almost completely soaked.
He stared blankly at Changning Pavilion. He knew very well that his current physical condition could not hold him back any longer, and he could not get wet in the rain any longer, but his body simply wouldn't listen to him.
Wait a little longer, maybe he'll soften and come out to see me...
One hour, two hours...
Lin Zhi had given up hope. He coughed hoarsely for a while, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of candy—the one the little guy had given him.
I peeled off the damp candy wrapper and popped the candy into my mouth.
Soon a small bump appeared on my left cheek.
Although my heart was filled with bitterness, at least my mouth tasted sweet.
Jiang Chuting was prepared for Pei Jing to come and interrogate him, but to his surprise, a day passed without any movement from Pei Jing. Instead, he received an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, summoning him to the palace for an audience the next day.
Jiang Chuting could disobey Pei Jing, but he couldn't disobey the Empress Dowager. Besides, he had to go on this trip.
The next day, Jiang Chuting handed Xing'er over to Jiang Xian to take her out to play. She wore a light blue brocade robe with wide sleeves and dark patterns, tied her hair with a hair crown, and wore a beautiful jade ornament at her waist. She looked tall, elegant, and refined.
He rarely dressed so formally, and Zhou Bei was a little stunned when he first saw him.
"My lord, the carriage is ready."
"Okay, let's go."
As Jiang Chuting walked to the door and boarded the carriage, she heard Lin Zhi shout in surprise, "Chuting! Chuting!"
Jiang Chuting hadn't intended to get involved, but upon hearing the sounds of swords being drawn around the carriage, he said, "Stop!"
Zhou Bei and the others had no choice but to put their swords away. With no obstacles in their way, Lin Zhi rushed to the front of the carriage.
Zhou Bei quickly stopped him, not allowing him to get any closer.
"Chu Ting, come out! Come out and see me!"
"Chu Ting!"
"Look at me, Chu Ting!"
Lin Zhi regretted it. He shouldn't have gone back to the inn to change his clothes. If he had stayed here, he could have spotted him coming out immediately and seen him a few more times.
A fair hand with distinct knuckles reached out and lifted half of the curtain to the side, revealing Jiang Chuting sitting inside. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite, and her gaze was cold and clear.
When Lin Zhi suddenly saw his face, the world before her eyes instantly became clear and bright, and she felt both pain and excitement in her heart.
He was overjoyed: "Chu Ting!"
Jiang Chuting said expressionlessly, "Get out of the way."
Lin Zhi noticed his attire, her eyes lingering, and asked, "Where are you going dressed like that?"
"Enter the palace."
Lin Zhi thought he was going to see Pei Jing, and her face turned pale: "Can I not go?"
Zhou Bei coldly shouted, "Don't you understand? Our young master told you to get out of the way!"
Lin Zhi gritted her teeth and said, "I won't allow you to go. Chu Ting, you don't know, he deliberately had someone impersonate you to lure me to where he was, and then he turned around and accused me of plotting an assassination, imprisoning me in the Ministry of Justice's jail, ruining my life..."
"Oh, really?" Jiang Chuting reacted calmly, asking him, "So?"
Lin Zhi's expression froze for a moment, her throat tightened, and her voice lowered: "Chu Ting... that day, which was about a year and a half ago, at the lantern festival in Jincheng, were you with him?"
Jiang Chuting replied, "Yes."
Lin Zhi's eyes immediately reddened. It turned out that when he was arrested, he was only in the same hospital as Lin Zhi.
"Back then, did you know that I was..."
“Lin Zhi, I think—” Jiang Chuting frowned and said, “You should be going home to care for your mother right now, instead of bothering me here.”
Lin Zhi understood what he meant. He had definitely given all the evidence to Pei Jing, and once everything was confirmed, the Lin family would be finished.
However, his mother has Hong Yufei, that woman will protect her with her life.
And he... didn't know how much longer he could live, but he desperately wanted to see him a few more times.
Lin Zhi stared at him intently: "I will never leave you."
Jiang Chuting: "...If I enter the palace late and the Empress Dowager blames me, will you take the punishment in my place?"
Upon hearing that it was the Empress Dowager, Lin Zhi hesitated for a moment before obediently stepping aside.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't know... I'll wait for you to come back here."
Jiang Chuting lowered the curtain, and Lin Zhi's face disappeared from view. The carriage then started moving.
He leaned back and closed his eyes.
It turns out Lin Zhi was arrested on the day of the lantern festival. No wonder Pei Jing acted strangely that day, even asking him to plead for the assassin. No wonder he was inexplicably uneasy that day…
He was watching fireworks, while Lin Zhi was being besieged in the backyard, completely unaware of what was happening.
Jiang Chuting could no longer suppress the dull pain in his heart, which felt like it was being cut by a knife. He frowned and gently exhaled.
After entering the palace, Jiang Chuting went to the Empress Dowager's residence and also saw Yuan Xi, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. Yuan Xi's expression was as calm as ever. She nodded slightly when she saw him, and Jiang Chuting nodded back to her as a greeting.
Yuanxi didn't say it explicitly at the time, but Jiang Chuting knew that the Empress Dowager was probably unaware of the help she mentioned.
But if he wants to completely break free from Pei Jing's control, the Empress Dowager must intervene. He doesn't know what Yuan Xi will do when the so-called opportunity arrives.
The Empress Dowager remained smiling throughout, never mentioning that she would send him away from Jincheng. She simply asked him to accompany her for tea and a chat for about half an hour before pressing her temples and saying she was tired. Jiang Chuting then took his leave.
Jiang Chuting, unaware of the Empress Dowager's intentions and unable to fathom them, decided to stop pondering in vain and went to find Wei Jia.
He had grown quite a bit taller, and the childishness in his eyes had faded somewhat, but he was still as silly and carefree as ever, yet miraculously, he did quite well in the palace.
Jiang Chuting did not want to stay in the palace for too long. After seeing him, she planned to leave the palace.
However, in the end, it didn't work out.
He was stopped by a eunuch who called himself Zhang Dequan. Wei Jia secretly told him that this was someone from Pei Jing's side.
Zhang Dequan bowed politely: "Young master, my master invites you. Please come with me."
The palace was not as nice as the outside world, so Jiang Chuting nodded and had no choice but to go with him. On the way, however, they encountered a young and beautiful woman in palace attire watching them from afar, her brows seemingly filled with sorrow.
Zhang Dequan led the eunuchs in bowing: "May Your Majesty the Empress enjoy boundless blessings."
Zhang Dequan did not signal to Jiang Chuting, but upon hearing that it was the Empress, whose status was already established, he lifted his robe and was about to kneel down when he heard the Empress say, "You may dispense with the formalities."
She had already approached with her maids.
She wasn't as naive as before; she already knew of his existence. Hearing that the Empress Dowager had summoned him, she couldn't resist the urge to see what he looked like.
Zhang Dequan was a man close to the emperor, and he was the best at understanding the emperor's mind. Even someone as considerate as him didn't remind this person to bow, so how could she dare to make him kneel?
Jiang Chuting changed to a bow and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
The Empress looked him over and saw that he had a clear and bright mind, and a celestial appearance. He did not have the appearance of a demon who would bring ruin to the country. She bit her lip and suddenly couldn't say a word, even though she was full of resentment and jealousy.
Zhang Dequan reminded her, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is still waiting, you see..."
The Empress knew he was urging her, and in her anxiety, she suddenly blurted out to Jiang Chuting, "If you are willing to enter the palace, I can arrange it for His Majesty, and you will certainly not be wronged." Having him in the palace would save His Majesty from constantly running in and out of it. Moreover, His Majesty, considering...
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