Chapter 28 I can only fall asleep if I smell his scent.
Jiang Zhishui was captured along with the man in black. At first, she pretended to be drugged by the incense, and then seized the opportunity to strike on the way, throwing out several talismans that created a cloud of smoke.
Caught off guard, the masked men lost their bearings. Jiang Zhishui tried to run away in the chaos, but someone grabbed her hand. The man who had threatened her with the knife had regained his senses and was still holding onto her.
In the emergency, Jiang Zhishui could only drag him along as they ran. The men wearing ghost masks gave chase, and the two jumped into the lake together, holding their breath and hiding in the water under the stone bridge.
Once those people had run far away, the two emerged from the water. The man in black, panting heavily, climbed ashore, cursing, "You, Jing Qianheng, I don't believe you dare kill me!"
Jiang Zhishui lay to one side, looking at the night sky, her mind feeling heavy.
She asked, "Do you think those people were sent by Jing Qianheng?"
“Ghost Wolf is Zhou Linyuan’s man.” The man in black wrung out the water from his sleeves. “They’re all in cahoots. They captured my people and wanted to kill me to silence me.”
Jiang Zhishui stood up and asked, "Who are you? Do you have a grudge against Jing Qianheng?"
The man in black glanced at her, straightened up, and said arrogantly, "I am Jing Chengrui. They all say that Qingdu City cannot be entered casually. What a joke! All of Wushan territory belongs to the emperor. How can we allow Jing Qianheng to occupy land and act as king?"
The boy said indignantly, "I never expected that bastard Jing Qianheng would be so audacious as to be so lawless."
This sixth prince seems rather foolish, actually trespassing into someone else's territory alone for such a trivial reason.
"Don't be afraid, sister-in-law." Jing Chengrui comforted her, thinking of their shared plight. "Once I rescue my people, I'll take you with me."
Jiang Zhishui corrected her, "Don't call me that. The wedding hasn't happened yet, so I'm not your sister-in-law."
Jing Chengrui asked curiously, "What's wrong? You're not happy that I call you sister-in-law?"
"To be able to marry the Crown Prince is a blessing that countless noble ladies in the capital would rather die than have." Jing Chengrui had heard many rumors about Jing Qianheng. Everyone said he was a demon with supernatural powers and was especially good at bewitching people. He looked at Jiang Zhishui and said suspiciously, "...You've seen him and become obsessed. Jing Qianheng has had a beautiful face since he was a child, and he'll be even more amazing when he grows up. You infatuated girls are all like you're under a spell. You don't know how dangerous he is."
Jiang Zhishui laughed and said, "Your Highness knows he is in danger, yet you still trespassed into his territory. Your courage is truly commendable."
“I’m a prince, his sixth brother. I don’t believe he would dare to lay a hand on me.” Jing Chengrui said, then blinked guiltily. “I didn’t do anything. I just came in for a stroll. Did they have to make such a big fuss about dealing with me?”
Jiang Zhishui found him quite amusing. After a moment of silence, she said seriously, "That's true. However, you've now inadvertently discovered that the Seventh Prince was the mastermind behind the wedding abduction. Even if Jing Qianheng lets you go, Lord Zhou Linyuan won't spare your life."
Jing Chengrui was stunned, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He said urgently, "It was clearly Jing Qianheng who made a big mistake. What am I afraid of? Once I escape, I will make sure he can never recover."
“Yes, after we escape…” Jiang Zhishui teased, “Your Highness is amazing. Then please lead the way, Your Highness. Which way should we escape to?”
Jing Chengrui coughed, casually pointed in a direction, and said stiffly, "This way."
Jiang Zhishui followed, and after walking for a short while, ghostly figures began to appear in the shadows of the forest. Staring at the increasingly dense ghostly figures, she smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, you've really... pointed me to a dead end."
The ghostly figure pounced, and she and Jing Chengrui were each taken away.
Jiang Zhishui's eyes were covered with a black cloth, and she could still hear Jing Chengrui cursing in the distance before it quieted down.
She was put into a carriage, which slowly turned around. Suddenly the carriage stopped, and the sound of fighting came from outside. Soon, one side was dealt with, and someone lifted the curtain to look at her before driving the carriage away.
When they arrived at a certain place, someone helped her out of the car, and the blindfold was removed.
Jiang Zhishui looked up and saw that the plaque read "Azure Eagle Pavilion".
A steward led the way, saying he was taking her to see the sect leader. He was very polite to her the whole way. After the masked men brought her there, they disappeared.
Jiang Zhishui was first helped by several maids to change her clothes before being led to the main hall.
As soon as she entered, she found herself alone in the hall with a middle-aged man dressed in blue.
Jiang Zhishui bowed and said, "Greetings, Lord Zhou."
The man was handsome, with a beard and a kind face; he didn't look like a江湖人 (jianghu person, someone from the martial arts world) at all, but rather very refined. He smiled and gestured for him to sit down.
Jiang Zhishui sat down and asked bluntly, "I wonder what Lord Zhou's purpose is in arresting me?"
“Miss Jiang, you have great courage, remaining so calm from beginning to end.” Zhou Linyuan took a sip of tea. “My nephew acted impulsively and frightened you. I apologize on his behalf and hope you will forgive him.”
Jiang Zhishui didn't know what he was referring to, and looked confused.
Zhou Linyuan put down his teacup. "The idea of the wedding snatching was mine, but His Highness didn't like the big gift I gave him. He could even control the Heart-Piercing Gu technique, which was completely unexpected. After the Heart-Piercing Gu was stained with his blood, it has made things a bit difficult for me."
Zhou Linyuan said with difficulty, "If you had listened to me and obediently consummated the marriage, I would have killed you afterwards and framed the Sixth Prince. We wouldn't have to go through all this trouble now. This child is just like his mother, indecisive, which is why he always messes things up and brings trouble upon himself."
Jiang Zhishui felt a chill run down her spine from his tone; he spoke of her life and death as casually as drinking a sip of tea.
“I invited you here with no ill intentions,” Zhou Linyuan said gently. “I just wanted to ask if you are determined to marry no one but the Crown Prince? If not, I can help you find another suitable match.”
Jiang Zhishui sensed his malice, but she didn't show it on her face and pretended to be naive, asking, "May I ask who this 'perfect match' that Lord Zhou is referring to?"
Zhou Linyuan replied matter-of-factly, "He is indeed my Seventh Prince."
“This Heart-Piercing Gu has bound the young lady and the Seventh Prince together. It is a predestined marriage that can never be separated.” Zhou Linyuan had already set up his scheme from the very beginning of the wedding robbery. Regardless of whether Jing Qianheng cooperated or not, things would proceed in the direction he desired. He threatened, “The young lady’s life or death is also related to the prince’s life or death. If the young lady is unwilling, then I will have no choice but to keep her locked up in a place where there is no sunlight, until forever.”
Jiang Zhishui swallowed hard. "This...is it that serious?"
"His Highness doesn't believe in the potency of this curse either, and even thought of killing the young lady to prevent future troubles." Zhou Linyuan looked troubled. "If I hadn't sent someone to bring the young lady back beforehand, the consequences would have been unimaginable. In short, if the young lady can persuade Marquis Chengyi to switch allegiance to His Highness the Seventh Prince, then the young lady will become Empress in the future, and her future will be limitless. Wouldn't that also bring glory to her family?"
Jiang Zhishui lowered her eyes in deep thought. She then said, "I have said this to the Seventh Prince before, but he doesn't seem to believe me. Why would Lord Zhou believe me?"
Although Zhou Linyuan was cautious in his actions, he couldn't predict everything accurately. He smiled and said, "I believe in fate. Your Highness and the young lady are destined to be together. The Heart-Piercing Gu was not a powerful Gu at first. As long as you were together, the Gu could be cured. But Your Highness acted recklessly and used your own blood to make the Gu. This Gu, which was only meant for flirting, has become a Gu that binds you to each other in life and death. It is Your Highness's own fault. But if the young lady can treat Your Highness sincerely in the future, then perhaps one day it can become Your Highness's blessing."
Jiang Zhishui thought he was talking nonsense and didn't know which of his words were true and which were false.
The point is to scheme against her.
Jiang Zhishui's face felt hot, she didn't know if it was because she had been soaking in the lake water or because the Heart-Piercing Gu was about to awaken.
“I understand. Anyway, I don’t have many choices, so I’ll do as you say, sir.” Jiang Zhishui raised her hand to rub her forehead, coughed, and said, “Lord Zhou, could you please send me back to the Ling Prince’s residence now?”
"You agreed so readily?" Zhou Linyuan stood up and ordered someone to prepare a carriage. "However, isn't the young lady going back to the Marquis of Chengyi's residence, but to the Seventh Prince's place?"
Jiang Zhishui looked up, her face flushed. "I think I'm sick. I need to see him."
Seeing her expression, Zhou Linyuan said knowingly, "Although this Gu is not fatal, it is indeed difficult to resist once it takes effect."
Jiang Zhishui was still somewhat rational at this point. She patted her face and said, "It makes one feel especially nostalgic, especially wanting..."
Zhou Linyuan said, "Yes, the Heart-Piercing Gu can make people lose control of their bodies and become unable to extricate themselves. I originally wanted that child to experience it early on, so that he wouldn't be easily troubled by love and ruin important matters. Who knew he would be so clueless, not even knowing how to enjoy the beauty in front of him."
The carriage carried the people back to the Ling Prince's residence.
Jiang Zhishui entered the room in a daze, and Su You's expression changed drastically upon seeing her. The person who brought Jiang Zhishui back stepped forward and said a few words to Su You. Su You dared not disobey the sect leader's orders, so she had no choice but to accept the person and instructed the maid to take Jiang Zhishui to her room to rest.
Jiang Zhishui developed a fever that night.
She had been soaked in the lake, and late at night she was tied up and transported around, exposed to the cold wind all the way, which caused her to catch a cold. Now she was lying in bed with a terrible headache.
Su You had previously been instructed by Jing Qianheng to send someone to assassinate Jiang Zhishui, but the assassin was intercepted by the sect leader's men halfway through. Before he could report to His Highness, Jiang Zhishui was delivered to his door again, and he didn't know what to do.
The Sixth Prince came to the manor to cause trouble several times, and Jing Qianheng let him off the hook a few times. Unexpectedly, he was discovered by Zhou Linyuan's men. Fearing that Zhou Linyuan would really take action against the Sixth Prince, Jing Qianheng rushed to Zhou Linyuan to plead for him.
Su You didn't have time to deal with Jiang Zhishui, so she had a few people keep an eye on her and hurried off to find Jing Qianheng.
When Jing Qianheng returned and saw Jiang Zhishui lying on his bed, his face turned extremely pale.
Su You scolded the maids, "Who told you to bring her into His Highness's room?"
The maids knelt down, trembling as they said, "The young lady...she keeps complaining of a headache, and she can only sleep when she comes to His Highness's room..."
Jiang Zhishui was woken up by the noise. When she opened her eyes, she saw Jing Qianheng standing by the bed looking at her with displeasure. She smiled slightly, reached out and hooked her finger with his, and said softly, "You're back. I've been waiting for you for so long."
Su You and the maids beside her all had a variety of expressions, staring wide-eyed as Jiang Zhishui stood up, tiptoed, and kissed Jing Qianheng's lips.
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