8. Dispute
◎Isn't it okay to do the whole thing when acting?◎
Chapter 8
"Hello, Jiang Qiuye!" Jinhong went up to the room on the second floor, opened the door and called softly.
Jiang Qiuye was sitting at the table, calculating on an abacus and keeping accounts. When she heard Jinhong's voice, she frowned and turned back, her eyes cold.
"Idiot, who told you to call me that? Remember who you are."
After saying that, he glanced out the window. Although the moonlight was quiet, he could feel a faint black shadow not far away.
It really takes him so many years to become a bronze ghost. He is really an idiot among idiots.
Jin Hong immediately understood, her face darkening with annoyance. She had no choice but to walk into the room, bow to Jiang Qiuye, and said respectfully, "Miss, Prince Qi is here, and it seems he has some ill intentions."
Jiang Qiuye lowered his eyes and thought to himself that this was difficult. Ji Ci definitely didn't come here to have a meal.
She had previously allowed the rumors to develop without any explanation.
One reason was that Duke Anguo was really annoying, so he used Ji Ci as an excuse to cut off their relationship.
Secondly, it would give people the misunderstanding that she was on good terms with Prince Qi, which would give her more opportunities to get close to him.
However, she had never imagined that the rumor would have become so distorted by now. It was not her intention to anger Ji Ci, destroy his good name, and scorn his imperial authority.
Forget it, now we can only fight the enemy with our troops and block the water with earth.
Jiang Qiuye asked Jinhong to go downstairs to greet Ji Ci first. She looked at herself in the bronze mirror, took out her hairpin, let her hair down, put on a layer of white powder, and changed into plain white pajamas.
In this way, she has become a white ghost.
After reluctantly walking out of the room, she covered her lower abdomen and walked down the stairs step by step with difficulty.
Ji Ci stood sideways at the door of Guihong Hall with an angry look on his face.
But the moonlight sprinkled like water, rippling the waves. He was still so handsome in his black clothes and white jade crown that it was easy to ignore the anger on his face. He was lean and upright, and this combination was like broken jade.
Although Jiang Qiuye was a little overwhelmed when facing him, she had to admit that this man was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
She said weakly, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
As soon as Ji Ci turned his head to look at Jiang Qiuye, the words of scrutiny and condemnation that he had prepared suddenly became difficult to utter.
I don't know what's wrong with this young widow. Every time I see her, she's either injured or sick, always crying and wailing, looking extremely weak. The sky is dim, and the candlelight is bright, but it can't even turn her pale face red.
He always treated prisoners coldly, no matter how they screamed or begged, as long as they broke the law, he would remain indifferent.
But it is always difficult to harden one's bones when facing this young widow.
He thought at that time that perhaps the young widow's face was naturally soothing, and her love and crying were easy to arouse sympathy.
It’s really hard to guard against!
But he is not someone else.
"Your Majesty, why do you come here so late at night?" Jiang Qiuye seemed to have unbearable abdominal pain, and his voice was trembling and incoherent.
Ji Ci took a deep breath and said, "It's about the rumors."
Jiang Qiuye played dumb and said, "Rumors? What rumors?"
"Of course, it's the rumors that came from you, slandering us." Ji Ci always took into account the etiquette of a gentleman and it was difficult for him to blurt out dirty words.
Jiang Qiuye frowned, as if he didn't understand. After thinking for a long time, he still didn't understand.
Until she turned her head and glanced at Jinhong, he was startled and walked up to her and whispered in her ear.
Finally, she looked up and said, "Ah, there are actually such filthy rumors. Are they saying that I became your mistress and had an illegitimate child?"
"You ask even though you already know the answer." Ji Ci curled his lips. This young widow was really despicable. In order to expand the reputation of this herbal medicine restaurant, she actually used him as a stepping stone.
Jiang Qiuye's eyes were filled with cunning, and she pouted, aggrieved, "Your Highness, I'm not asking knowingly. If I knew, I wouldn't be asking. I only just found out after Jinhong told me. Your Highness, I'm also a victim, and I feel wronged."
Ji Ci faced such an innocent girl. Her words were as soft as cotton and her ending was teasing, which made him feel a headache. "You are full of sweet talk, don't try to quibble."
"I heard that after you argued with the Duke of Anguo that day, you deliberately said something misleading. You know that such behavior is vulgar. Only vulgar people would use their reputation to achieve their goals. Not only did you slander others, but you also disregarded your own innocence and reputation. Even if you grew up in a remote village, now that you have entered Shengjing, you should know the etiquette."
Ji Ci rarely said so many words in a row, which surprised Jiang Qiuye a little.
But Jiang Qiuye, who was always immersed in the role, had no time to mock it. When he heard the word "obscene", he felt aggrieved.
Why?
Her eyes quickly turned red, tears welling up as she sobbed, "Your Highness, why do you speak so harshly of me? Since Your Highness knew that Duke Anguo was coming that day, he must have known what my father did to me. I don't know what happened to him, and he's been searching for me to return home all day, but I'm terrified and have no one to help me. I've already been terrified by the flogging that day."
"I came all the way from Wuzhou and have no one to rely on in Shengjing. I refused to return home, so he came looking for me. You know, it was noon that day, and the shop was full of customers, but he just walked in like that and accused me of being shameless in front of so many people, saying he wanted to destroy the shop just because I refused to go back."
"Your Highness knows how much effort I've put into this shop. Even my entire dowry was invested in it. How can I just stand by and watch it get destroyed?"
I really didn't expect that after he said just a few words, the young widow could come up with a lot of chatter.
Yes, that day in the Ministry of Justice prison, under the threat of heavy psychological pressure and being beaten with a stick, he was still able to maintain a clear mind and say words that were irresistible to people. Every word he said was to the point and hit people's vital points.
This young widow is definitely not a simple woman.
He lowered his eyes and squinted, saying, "So, you can use my name to do whatever you want? Is it because I spared you that day, you think I'm kind and I won't do anything to you even if you take advantage of me?"
"But I didn't say anything about you and me that day. It was all people's speculation. I didn't know the rumor would spread like this." Jiang Qiuye tried to quibble, pulling at his sleeves.
"Do you know that spreading rumors and defying the royal family and imperial authority is a capital crime?" Ji Ci said sternly.
"I, I didn't disrespect the imperial family or the imperial power." Jiang Qiuye's sleeves were twisted into a ball. "Although I mentioned you that day, I didn't directly say that the shop was under your name. Those were all rumors made up by ignorant people. As for the rumors that later spread about your mistress and illegitimate child, I didn't want them to happen. Even if your reputation is damaged, I won't suffer any more."
"Don't think I don't know. That day, you had the opportunity to deny the scholar's question, but you said nothing and simply accepted it."
"You're right. I didn't say a word that day. Even if you use the bystanders as witnesses, you can't prove that I spread rumors."
Ji Ci considered himself to be a good-tempered person, always calm and composed even in the face of adversity. But this young widow's words were really infuriating, and all the self-cultivation he had accumulated over the years was instantly extinguished by her words.
Jiang Qiuye continued to chatter away, "Besides, how can you prove that I acquiesced? I just... I just didn't hear what the scholar said clearly. Is that illegal?"
Ji Ci frowned and said, "Although you didn't say it explicitly, you let the rumors spread. Anyone who spreads the rumors will be punished for contempt for the royal family. If this matter is investigated, hundreds of people will be convicted. Can you bear this crime?"
Jiang Qiuye burst into tears and said, "But, but what can I do? What do the sins of others have to do with me? I am weak and powerless, just a humble widow. I have given everything to gain a foothold in Shengjing. Your Highness, you were born into a wealthy family. How can you understand my suffering?"
"I know my sins are grave, so let me pay with my life."
As she spoke, Jiang Qiuye started to cry and wanted to bang her head against the pillar, her face full of tears. Jinhong, who was quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbed her and said in shock, "Miss, don't let this make you confused."
Ji Ci said in a cold and indifferent tone: "That's enough."
Jiang Qiuye's face was pale. She stretched out her hand to her lower back and pinched it hard. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and her breathing became rapid. "I, I..."
After a moment of silence, he closed his eyes and fell backwards. The angle was perfect, and he fell right on Jinhong.
"Miss, Miss, what's wrong with you?" Jinhong hugged Jiang Qiuye and shouted anxiously, "Your Highness, our Miss has had unbearable abdominal pain for the past two days. I'm afraid that now, coupled with the resentment in her heart, she fainted. Your Highness, please forgive me."
"The girl has acknowledged her mistakes and will definitely not do them again. Otherwise, why would she choose death as an atonement for her crime? She lost her mother when she was young, and has been away from her family, unloved. Now she is all alone and helpless. I beg Your Highness to be magnanimous and spare my girl."
Ji Ci looked at the unconscious Jiang Qiuye with a sarcastic smile, then turned and left, "Tian Qu, issue an order to arrest the main rumormongers and punish them severely, and suppress the rumors."
"Yes, Your Highness." Tian Qu nodded and left quickly.
Ji Ci stepped out of the threshold of Guihong Hall without looking back. A cold voice drifted from afar: "As a human being, it's okay to have some insignificant little schemes. Everyone in the world is self-interested, so this can be forgiven. But if you seek profit by harming others, I will never tolerate it."
Jiang Qiuye fell limply on Jinhong with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes only after hearing Ji Ci leave. Looking at the empty porch, she pursed her lips and clenched her fists under her sleeves. She knew that Ji Ci had finally let her go. This act of contempt for the royal family could always be big or small.
But those peach blossom eyes were full of dissatisfaction and confusion. What did he know? As a person living in hell, the life and death of others had nothing to do with her.
Jinhong looked at Jiang Qiuye who had stood up and whispered, "Do you want to call a doctor? Don't you have to do the whole act?"
Jiang Qiuye's breath was unstable, and he still looked at the porch. The faint fragrance of bergamot dissipated, and he lowered his eyes and said, "No need, he knows I'm pretending to be unconscious. If I continue to act, it will be over."
"But now, I've made him so angry, I don't know if he will still care about me."
I don’t know if he saw through the evil nature in her heart, but in front of him, she still wanted to exist with the simple image of a kind person, just because he was so pure inside.
How could a person with a vicious heart and deep scheming gain Ji Ci's trust?
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