Chapter 31 Half of my body is numb
Noticing the tension in the person in his arms, Xie Qi couldn't help but chuckle softly, "How do you feel?"
"It's acceptable." Jiang Zhi didn't want Xie Qi to look down on her, so she tried to speak in a calm voice.
"Close your eyes if you're scared." Xie Qi patted Jiang Zhi's back reassuringly, then led her to a higher rooftop.
The usually vast Jiang mansion now seemed much smaller beneath her feet. Jiang Zhi was amazed and even forgot her fear, peeking out from Xie Qi's arms with a look of surprise and excitement on her face, all the tension from before gone.
It turns out that these deep courtyards that could confine a woman for her entire life are nothing special after all.
Xie Qi led her away from the guards in the mansion and quickly left the Jiang residence. With a gentle lift, he sent Jiang Zhi onto the back of his horse and then mounted himself.
The Earl of Loyalty's mansion was soon reached.
In her previous life, Jiang Zhi lived here for three years and could locate Yan Wenkang's courtyard with her eyes closed.
She directed Xie Qi to avoid the route the guards would take, and leaped onto the towering courtyard wall from the west side.
“Go through this corridor and turn the corner, and you’ll reach Yan Wenkang’s study. Your Highness, just drop me off here and wait for me in the shadows.” She whispered in Xie Qi’s ear, afraid of being discovered.
Xie Qi was already distracted by the presence of the beautiful woman in his arms. Caught off guard by Jiang Zhi's sudden closeness and the warm breath on his ear, half of his body went numb, and he almost lost his balance and fell headfirst off the wall.
He calmed his racing heart, took a deep breath, and jumped down, gently placing Jiang Zhi on the ground.
"If anything happens, please remember to call me. Don't worry about getting involved," Xie Qi said worriedly.
Jiang Zhi looked at the dark night before her, nodded solemnly, then took off her cloak and handed it to Xie Qi before walking alone down the corridor.
Xie Qi was still worried and followed from a distance in the shadows.
Jiang Zhi walked through the long corridor and arrived at the study guarded by two guards.
The guard brandished his long sword and shouted, "Halt! Who are you?"
Jiang Zhi didn't stop; instead, she angrily went to meet him.
"Who am I? I'm skilled in both literature and martial arts! Are you two blind? Don't you even recognize me? Or are you taking advantage of my short time in the manor to embarrass me?! Where's Yan Wenkang? Tell him to get out here right now! He sweet-talked me all those days, but once he got what he wanted, he just dumped me and left me to my fate. You heartless bastards!"
These two men were Yan Wenkang's confidants, and had been working in the courtyard for many years, so Jiang Zhi naturally recognized them.
The two, both skilled in literature and martial arts, exchanged a glance.
Judging from her attire and attitude, she must be a concubine who has just entered the household.
The second young master has many women. They finally get to know all of them, and then they bring in new ones. I heard that a new one arrived just two days ago.
Not daring to offend, they could only smile apologetically and say, "Please forgive us, Auntie. We brothers were blind to your abilities. Please calm down. The second young master is currently out of the room on business."
Jiang Zhi snorted, "I'm too lazy to argue with you. Go and call Yan Wenkang over here. I'll wait for him in the study."
After saying that, she lifted her skirt and walked inside.
The two brothers stopped her, saying, "The second young master is entertaining guests outside. Why don't you wait in the courtyard?"
"What, am I not worthy to enter the study, making me wait in the courtyard in the middle of the night? He's an incompetent good-for-nothing, and there's nothing valuable in his study. If you dare make me wait outside, I'll go out and expose his shameful deeds, and see who's afraid of whom?!"
Although the newly arrived concubine was stunningly beautiful, she had a rather unpleasant temper.
Moreover, Yan Wenkang's study was indeed not a secret place. The bookshelves were filled with erotic poems and songs, and when Yan Wenkang was in the mood, he would bring his concubines here to have fun.
This concubine seems to be favored for the time being, so the two brothers, who are both literate and martial, had no choice but to make way for her. "Please come in, Concubine. However, the Second Young Master will probably be gone for a long time, so please wait patiently."
Jiang Zhi rolled her eyes at the two brothers and swaggered inside.
Hidden in the tree, Xie Qi was seeing Jiang Zhi so fiery for the first time. He was stunned for a few moments, and his curiosity about her grew stronger.
He had initially thought she was just a virtuous and quiet young lady from a secluded family, but now it seems he had underestimated her.
Not only did she dare to impersonate Yan Wenkang's concubine and enter his study late at night without batting an eye, but she was also so familiar with the layout of the Zhongqin Earl's mansion.
But it makes sense, how could someone who could calmly save herself from Lu Yuan be an ordinary woman who only knows how to burn incense and sip tea?
Jiang Zhi entered Yan Wenkang's study with practiced ease. There was indeed nothing of importance inside, but in her previous life, she had learned from that man that the downfall and confiscation of the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion ultimately stemmed from a small piece of jewelry that Yan Wenkang had hidden.
She closed the study door and, relying on her memories from her previous life, counted the bricks on the wall behind the bookshelf in the dark.
When I counted to the twelfth piece, I heard a soft click, and the piece in my hand sank in.
Jiang Zhi felt a chill run down her spine; she had found it.
She carefully removed the blue brick and reached inside to take out a small, unassuming wooden box.
The items inside the box were all quite ordinary.
An embroidered handkerchief, a jade comb, and several pieces of jewelry made of different materials are all items that a young woman frequently uses close to her body.
In her previous life, there was one more thing in this box: a jade bracelet on her wrist, a keepsake left to her by her mother.
Each time Yan Wenkang took a woman he desired into his room, he would keep one of her personal items as a trophy, placing it in a box to admire and play with when no one was around.
Jiang Zhi's gaze fell on one of the pearl earrings.
The pearl earrings were reasonably well-made, and the pearls were lustrous and full South Sea pearls, not the kind of jewelry that ordinary people could afford.
This earring was the very fuse that man had told him in his past life would destroy the entire Earl of Loyalty and Diligence's mansion.
With these earrings, she could accelerate the demise of the Loyal Earl's Mansion and give herself a chance to survive.
Jiang Zhi's tense nerves relaxed, and she carefully put away the earrings. Then she took out a similar style of pearl earrings that she had prepared beforehand and put them into the box.
Only then did they put the lid back in the hole, restoring everything to its original state.
Emerging from the study, Jiang Zhi glared fiercely at the woman who was both literate and martial. "What kind of place is this? It's pitch black and they won't even serve me a cup of tea. This is outrageous! I'm going back to my own courtyard. When Yan Wenkang returns, I'll make sure he kicks you both out of the manor!"
She walked out while complaining.
They stopped him halfway there, shouting, "Wait!"
Jiang Zhi tensed up and stopped in her tracks.
Nengwen walked up to her, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I haven't asked which courtyard you're from yet. When the second young master returns, I'll be able to report the truth and ask him to come find you as soon as possible."
Although his words were respectful, his eyes were full of scrutiny.
Xie Qi, who was observing from a distance in the tree, also broke out in a cold sweat.
Jiang Zhi met his gaze directly and scoffed, "Ningxiang Residence, Aunt Mei, would you like to see my indenture?"
"No, no, I wouldn't dare." After confirming Jiang Zhi's identity, Nengwen respectfully withdrew and let her leave.
Xie Qi hadn't expected the trip to go so smoothly. After leaving the Earl Zhongqin's mansion with Jiang Zhi, he finally couldn't help but ask her out of curiosity, "What exactly did you take from Yan Wenkang's study?"
Jiang Zhi smiled and showed him the earring, "This is it."
She turned around on horseback to show him, her hair, blowing wildly in the night wind, brushed against Xie Qi's cheek, sending a tingling sensation through him and making his mind go blank for a moment.
Under the moonlight, her face was as white as jade, her pupils seemed to hold a pool of spring water, and the corners of her eyes were slender and curved as she looked at him with joy.
He tightened his grip on the reins, his back muscles tensed and stiffened, and he silently swallowed.
"Your Highness?" Jiang Zhi's voice brought Xie Qi back to his senses.
He showed no sign of anything amiss, staring intently at the earring resting in her palm.
No matter how you look at it, these earrings seem to have nothing special about them. How could they become the key evidence to bring down the Loyal Earl's Mansion?
"Well, please wait patiently and watch the show, Young Master Xie."
She put her earring back in and pulled the hood back up where the wind had blown it off.
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