61 The Mysterious Zhao Ji
Zhao Ji was truly a mysterious woman.
Outside the secret dungeon of the Court of Justice, Sima Hong adjusted Qi Gu's black cloak with a hood. Qi Gu took a step back. Sima Hong's clingy attitude made her feel unworthy of it, no matter how much of a "sworn brother" he was.
Qi Gu fastened her cloak herself and said, "Lord Sima, I'm going in."
Sima Hong did not want Qi Gu to see Chen Zhan. After capturing Song Shi, he learned many things from Song Shi that he did not know before.
For example, why did Chen Zhan take such a big risk to kidnap Qi Gu back in Huai County? It turns out that Chen Zhan actually dared to want Qi Gu to marry him! How could he dare to do that!
If it weren't for Qi Gu's insistence, Chen Zhan would never have allowed Qi Gu to see this person again until his death.
Looking at Qi Gu, who was wrapped up tightly, Sima Hong couldn't help but wonder, what was Qi Gu thinking?
During the time he was unaware of, did Qi Gu already fall in love with Chen Zhan? Did she meet with Chen Zhan because they did have some affection for each other in the past?
Sima Hong felt a pang of resentment. If he had allowed Qi Gu to be reborn, why hadn't he been allowed to return sooner?
"Qi Gu, I'll wait for you outside. Don't be stubborn. Call me if you need anything, okay?" His voice was so gentle that it felt as if Sima Hong was not facing a princess, but someone he cherished and carefully protected.
Qi Gu really couldn't understand what Chen Zhan, now a prisoner, could do to her. If Chen Zhan could really hurt her, then it was because the dungeon was too laxly guarded, and it was Sima Hong's responsibility.
"I understand. Don't worry, I'll try my best to find out the method of iron casting." After saying that, Qi Gu turned and walked into the dark prison.
Chen Zhan sat in front of the dark cell. Perhaps because he was going to see Qi Gu today, the jailers had given him a little grooming so that he wouldn't look so disheveled. But even after grooming, he still looked very weak, his whole body empty and numb. Not everyone could withstand Yuan Kuai's torture.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, but didn't move. Even when Qi Gu's figure appeared in front of him, he just stared straight at her.
Qi Gu seems different. Yes, she is now a princess, the first child of the founding emperor and empress of the Great Jin Dynasty. She is no longer that little peasant girl, nor the girl from Li Family Village who ate noodles with him on his birthday.
"Chen Zhan, they say you want to see me." Qi Gu looked at Chen Zhan sitting in the cell, his cheeks sunken, his body emaciated, a deep gash on his brow bone already scabbed over. Chen Zhan had been subjected to severe torture and other cruel punishments, which was inevitable. She knew it was wrong, but Qi Gu's heart still tightened for no reason.
"Qi Gu, it's been so long. I thought I'd never see you again in this lifetime. I never expected that our reunion would be like this. I'm a prisoner, and you're the high and mighty princess."
Although Qi Gu sympathized with Chen Zhan, whether you call her selfish or cold-hearted, she came here for the method of casting iron.
“Qi Gu, actually we are quite alike. You are the son of the Prince of Jin, and I am the son of the Prince of Yan. If there had been no war, we might have really been able to get married. Back then, my father intended to ally with the Prince of Jin, but the victor is king and the loser is villain… I am you after my father and mother were defeated, and you are me after my father and mother were victorious.” Chen Zhan’s tone was somewhat light and frivolous.
Qi Gu gently pushed the hat off her head. "I'm sorry, we are destined to be on opposite sides."
"Qi Gu, you don't need to apologize to me. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I shouldn't have kidnapped you that day. I hope Song Shi didn't hurt you."
When Chen Zhan said this, his tone was gentle, making Qi Gu feel that the understanding and gentle Sister Cheng had returned.
If they didn't have such heavy shackles behind them, she thought she and Chen Zhan might really be able to get along like siblings. Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in this world.
Qi Gu remained silent, unsure how to speak to Chen Zhan in this state. Chen Zhan chuckled, "Silly Qi Gu, why do you show such an expression when facing the son of an enemy? This is a major taboo."
"But...we were never enemies." The war between Jin and Yan ended long ago, a fact that neither of them could change, and the Yan state had already disappeared from this world.
"Hahahaha!" Chen Zhan laughed loudly, "Aunt Qi, sometimes I envy how clear-headed you are. You were abandoned by your father and mother, but your heart is still pure. Whether it's naivety or sobriety, Aunt Qi, you are better than me."
Chen Zhan thought that he liked Qi Gu, perhaps because she possessed a simplicity he had never encountered before. At first, he thought her simplicity stemmed from the simplicity of her world. She was just the daughter of a farmer from a small town. Her world consisted only of her father, who had difficulty walking, a few acres of land that she had to personally plant in spring and harvest in autumn, and the farthest she had ever traveled was probably from Li Village to Zhao Village.
However, he underestimated Qi Gu. She was not an ordinary peasant girl. She carried a burden no lighter than his, but she simply chose to live out her miserable life in the simplest way.
Qi Gu thought Chen Zhan was referring to the battle between Jin and Yan, in which her parents defeated his parents. She said, "You overestimate me. I have simply let it go."
"Let go?" Chen Zhan thought, how could he let go? This national and personal hatred was so heavy and burdensome.
"What national hatred and family feuds? What do these have to do with us? Back then, you and I were just children. Chen Zhan, why must you bear shackles that have nothing to do with you? The Yan Kingdom is gone. From now on, all the people of this world belong to the Great Jin. In a few decades, or even less, everyone will live in peace and prosperity. The Great Yan will be buried in the dust of history, and you will be nothing more than a speck of dust swept up by the wind. History will not even record your name and will portray you as an unforgivable traitor. As for me, what does it matter if my father and mother are remembered in history? To me, I only remember my father abandoning me, my mother, and my brother from the carriage, and my mother abandoning me as we fled amidst the enemy's pursuit. History will not record these things. My despair and pain are my own affair. No one knows or cares. I am just a speck of dust. Chen Zhan, your father and mother have left a strong mark on the scroll of history, and my father and mother have left another mark, but all of this has nothing to do with us..."
“We are the ones who inherit their legacy; they are who they are, and we are simply who we are, until new historians emerge.”
"Hahahaha!" Chen Zhan threw his head back and laughed for the second time. This time, Qi Gu saw tears welling up in his eyes. "Qi Gu, why, why didn't we be honest with each other sooner? Maybe, maybe..."
Qi Gu shook her head and sighed, "Brother Zhan, don't be so persistent. Fate is like the wind. We can't predict which way it will blow. Some things will happen when they're meant to happen, and some things will never happen when they're not meant to happen."
Qi Gu thought that Chen Zhan overestimated her. The reason she was so insightful was because she had lived one more life than him. In her previous life, she could not have said these things. She was even more stubborn than Chen Zhan in her previous life.
Qi Gu thought to herself, "How come I can talk so eloquently? I even made Chen Zhan cry." She felt ashamed and unworthy of such praise.
Unaware of what Qi Gu was thinking, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in his eyes, which had lost their luster in the darkness. "Qi Gu, let me tell you about my father and mother. I haven't talked about them with anyone in a long time. After I die, there may never be anyone in this world who misses them like I do."
Qi Gu imitated Chen Zhan's mannerisms, sitting cross-legged in front of the cell, facing Chen Zhan across a cell door, looking like she was listening attentively.
"If only we had some wine, the two of us could have a good drink, that would be wonderful."
"That's easy," Qi Gu said, calling over a jailer and ordering, "Go and prepare a pot of wine for me."
The jailer bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness." Then he jogged off to find Sima Hong.
"My lord, the princess requests a pot of wine." Sima Hong sat outside the cell, his brows furrowing as he heard the jailer's words. He actually wanted wine? Did Chen Zhan really think this dungeon was a tavern for reminiscing?
Seeing that Lord Sima remained silent, the jailer hesitated, his eyes darting around in confusion. In truth, the request wasn't excessive. Some high-ranking prisoners made even more outrageous demands before confessing, but as long as they weren't too unreasonable, the jailer would generally grant them.
"Prepare two jugs of wine, one for Chen Zhan, and the other..."
After Sima Hong finished speaking, the jailer was in a dilemma. After all, this was the princess's order, and he, a mere jailer, could not bear the consequences if the princess became angry.
"It's alright, the princess won't blame you. I'll explain to her later."
The jailer had been waiting for these words, and hurriedly nodded, saying, "I'll take care of it right away."
Soon, the jailer brought two jugs of wine. He gave one to the princess and opened the cell door to give the other to Chen Zhan.
Qi Gu didn't notice anything amiss and poured herself a glass of wine, while Chen Zhan, with his hands in shackles, also poured himself a glass of wine without any problem.
The two raised their glasses and clinked them together in the air. "Today is the first time we've ever drunk so freely. Brother Zhan, come, let's drink to our hearts' content!"
"Alright, let's enjoy this drink together tonight!"
The two drank it all in one gulp. Qi Gu let out a soft "Eh!" This wine tasted like water, no, it was clearly water! That jailer actually tried to fool her with water!
"Don't you think there's anything wrong with this wine?" Qi Gu asked, looking at Chen Zhan, whose expression remained unchanged.
Chen Zhan shook his head. "What's wrong?"
Qi Gu quickly realized that this was probably someone else's doing; she was really meddling too much.
After thinking about it, he realized it wasn't a big deal, so he said, "It's nothing. Brother Zhan, tell me what kind of person Madam Zhao is."
Chen Zhan's eyes drifted into memories. "My mother was a very gentle person, but that was only on the surface. She was actually strong-willed beneath her gentle exterior. When my father fell in love with her, he already had a wife. My mother initially disagreed. Her family had been scholars for generations, and she had been exposed to literature and read extensively. Her strategic acumen was comparable to many men, and she didn't want to become a concubine of some prince, confined to the inner quarters. At first, she didn't accept my father, but later he discovered her wisdom and insight, so he played to her interests, having her accompany him to the front lines to fight and offer him advice. He even adopted her suggestions, and my mother..." Her strategy indeed helped her father win some victories. As they spent more time together, they began to appreciate each other. Her mother understood the difficulties her father faced in managing a group of generals with differing intentions, and her father understood her resentment at being misunderstood despite her lofty ambitions as a woman. Their relationship developed naturally. Afterwards, her mother followed her father on his campaigns, and her father grew increasingly fond of her. Her mother, in turn, became an indispensable strategist in the army because of her father. "If it weren't for the final battle, with Qu Yan's flawless planning and my father's miscalculation, the fate of this world would have been uncertain."
Hearing Chen Zhan's words, Qi Gu's eyes darted around strangely; this was quite different from the version she had heard yesterday. She took a sip of "wine" and thought to herself, "Zhao Ji is truly a mysterious woman."
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