Ever since Jiang Li had seen the Empress Dowager in the palace that last time, the days had passed unhurriedly like this. Emperor Hongxiao did not ask her what exactly she had said to the Empress Dowager, and Jiang Li would not take the initiative to tell him. Jiang Yuanbai also did not inquire. On the other hand, Old Madam Jiang, having heard that there was a divine physician in Yongzhou who could cure foolishness, thought that after Jiang Yuanbai resigned from office, she would take Jiang Youyao to Yongzhou to see if she could restore Jiang Youyao’s sanity.
The Jiang family members displayed unexpectedly calm composure regarding the impending resignation. Apart from Jiang Jingrui’s confusion, the others did not say much. When prosperity reaches its peak, decline follows—that the Jiang family could still withdraw unscathed was already fortunate. And when there were no longer concerns about power and influence, people would instead care more about family affection. Thus, Jiang Youyao’s matter actually became a major concern for the Jiang family.
Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang had obliquely asked Jiang Li whether she was willing to go to Yongzhou. Yongzhou was north of Qingzhou and also very safe. Jiang Li could stay in Yongzhou for a period of time, and after Ji Heng returned to the capital in the future, return to Yanjing. However, Jiang Li refused as always, indicating that no matter what, she would wait in Yanjing City for Ji Heng to return.
Her attitude was so resolute that later Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang stopped asking. During these days, Jiang Yuanbai had essentially handled the connections under him and submitted his memorial of resignation. Emperor Hongxiao truly did not obstruct him—there was not even any meaning of trying to keep him. He readily agreed. Thus, while the Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping brothers felt fortunate, they could not help but break out in a cold sweat. Any regrets they originally had immediately vanished completely. If they had not been willing to withdraw at this time, who knows what kind of ending might have awaited them in the future? As long as one got in the Emperor’s way, no one in the world could meet a good end.
Spring passed just like this, and summer came. During the hot summer season, reports of victory frequently came from Qingzhou. The Golden Wuwei Army led by Ji Heng recovered several cities, and Yin Zhili retreated south to defend. Under prolonged persistence, both sides’ troops suffered losses. Yin Zhili emphasized tactics, while Ji Heng’s Golden Wuwei Army carried a bit of the shadow of the Flying Dragon Cavalry of those days—taking unconventional approaches but showing no mercy when killing, their momentum like a rainbow. Under these circumstances, Ji Heng held the advantage after all. He also gradually seemed to have grown accustomed to the battlefield. Compared to the previous stalemate, the war situation had at least opened up a new phase.
The people of Yanjing’s worries about the war were also gradually diluted by the frequently arriving victory reports. The capital remained a scene of singing and dancing in peace, as if this matter did not exist at all. When Ye Shijie mentioned this to Jiang Li, he said that although the Yin family army was very formidable and Yin Zhili’s tactics were also exquisite, Yin Zhili was after all not very old. In many situations, he lacked the killing aura that should belong to a general. In comparison, the Golden Wuwei Army was like an unsheathed sword, murderous at every step. Ji Heng himself showed no mercy in his strikes—by himself alone, he had slain several of Yin Zhili’s great generals, cutting off their heads and hanging them at his horse’s tail as military merit.
Ye Shijie found it very strange. Yin Zhili and Ji Heng were similar in age, but the killing aura on Ji Heng’s body was something Yin Zhili could never learn no matter what. Yin Zhili had still lived in the clouds, cultivated since childhood—how could the gap between people be so great?
Hearing this, Jiang Li only smiled without speaking, but in her heart she felt sad for Ji Heng. Although Yin Zhili had been personally taught the art of war by Yin Zhan, without knowing the truth, Yin Zhili had still passed his childhood and youth relatively carefree and at ease. In his past life there were no burdens, no darkness—he did not need to face bloody truths, nor did he need to hide and disguise himself for survival. But Ji Heng was different. From birth until now, Ji Heng had not lived a single day as easily as Yin Zhili.
So although the two were similar in age, the temperaments they had formed were completely different. If she could return to Ji Heng’s childhood, Jiang Li truly wanted to embrace that pitiful little Ji Heng and tell him: you have already done very well, and the future will be even better.
Yanjing City was separated from Qingzhou by a thousand miles. Ji Heng was busy with military affairs and could not send letters home to Jiang Li. But the war situation became more intense day by day. By late autumn, Ji Heng had already recovered all the cities occupied by the Yin family army. Both sides had casualties, but the Yin family army suffered more grievously. Ji Heng had driven them into the mountain forests of Qimin. Of one hundred thousand elite troops, in the end no more than ten thousand remained.
This King of Xia, Yin Zhili, ultimately had not held the position for very long.
On this day when she rose, Jiang Li felt her right eyelid twitching incessantly from early morning, as if something was about to happen. In her heart she vaguely sensed some bad omen, yet could not articulate what it was. When Bai Xue came to deliver breakfast, Jiang Li ate absentmindedly.
Tong’er noticed something was wrong with her and could not help saying, “Miss, are you feeling unwell somewhere? Today you look like your complexion is not quite right.”
Jiang Li touched her own face. With this touch, she discovered that her hands were also unusually cold. She shivered. Seeing this, Tong’er said urgently, “Could Miss have caught a chill? The weather is getting colder and colder—you should brew some pomegranate sugar water to drink. This servant will fetch a small cape.”
Even after getting the cape, Jiang Li did not feel much warmer. Instead, she felt increasingly uncomfortable in her heart. She did not know what it was for—inexplicably, her thoughts always turned to Ji Heng. She told herself not to let her imagination run wild. Ji Heng was now in Qimin, the war situation was going very smoothly. As long as they annihilated Yin Zhili’s last troops, this war would be considered over. After it ended, Ji Heng would return to the capital, and everything would be as they had previously agreed.
“Never mind, let’s go to the Duke’s manor to have a look,” Jiang Li stood up. She truly could not suppress the inexplicable thoughts in her heart, so she thought of going to the Duke’s manor to see Xue Zhao and the others—it would be good to distract herself. Moreover, after Jiang Yuanbai resigned from office, he was no longer very clear about war matters. If Jiang Li wanted to know anything, she still had to go to the Duke’s manor to ask Ye Shijie and Situ Jiuyue.
Bai Xue said, “Miss is thinking of the Duke.”
Jiang Li forced a smile, neither confirming nor denying it. She had Bai Xue inform Old Madam Jiang, and the three of them got into the carriage and left the Jiang manor.
In late autumn, there was inevitably some bleakness. However, it still could not prevent Yanjing City’s prosperity. The streets were still crowded shoulder to shoulder—one could not feel any tension brought by the war at all. Jiang Li lifted the curtain to look out, as if just by lifting the curtain, she could see a beauty in red robes sitting in the heights of a wine house, watching a performance with a smile. However, as far as her eyes could see, it was empty—there was nothing.
When he was originally here, she had not felt it, but after the person left, it seemed as if Yanjing City had become colorful and fragrant because of his presence. During the days when Ji Heng was absent, the capital remained prosperous, but it had also become dull and lackluster. Everything had become unfamiliar.
On the road to the Duke’s manor, one still had to pass the Ye manor. The great doors of the Ye manor were tightly closed. Now that the Ye family had all moved into the Duke’s manor, the Ye manor was left unattended—even the servants had moved away. The ground before the entrance had not been swept by anyone for a long time. Dust had settled, weeds grew in profusion—looking at it made one’s heart desolate.
Jiang Li stopped looking outside. When the carriage reached the entrance to the Duke’s manor, the coachman stopped. Bai Xue helped Jiang Li down from the carriage. The guard at the gate performed a courtesy: “Second Miss.” He stepped aside to open the great door, and the three of them walked in.
As soon as they entered, they heard the sound of horse hooves. Jiang Li looked toward the sound and saw Lin Yao sitting on Xiao Lan’s back, with Wenren Yao on the side directing him, appearing exceptionally pleased. This rather startled Jiang Li—Xiao Lan was not an ordinary horse. Its temperament was fierce. Lin Yao might not be able to control it. This was too dangerous.
Jiang Li called out “Young Master Wenren.” Only then did Wenren Yao turn his head to see her. Lin Yao on the horse happily called out, “Sister Jiang!”
Wenren Yao lifted Lin Yao down from the horse.
Lin Yao had also grown much taller and already showed the shadow of a little adult. Fortunately, back then in Huangzhou, though he had witnessed with his own eyes his family’s tragic death, Jiang Li had thought this child would become silent and withdrawn. But under Wenren Yao’s guidance, this child had not lost his liveliness. Jiang Li looked at Xiao Lan again. The young horse also seemed to realize Jiang Li was looking at it and became even more agile and handsome. In less than a year’s time, this horse had also rapidly grown—already much taller than when Jiang Li had first bought it. Its coat was a beautiful golden color. If Old General Ji were here, he would surely praise it endlessly.
Thinking of this, Jiang Li inevitably felt somewhat melancholy. When she had given Xiao Lan as a birthday gift to Old General Ji, he had been extremely happy and had thought that after Xiao Lan grew up, he would ride it galloping everywhere. Now Xiao Lan had grown up, but Old General Ji was no longer here. Fate was ultimately a cruel thing—what it most loved to give people were regrets.
“Second Miss, why did you suddenly come?” Wenren Yao said. “Are you here looking for Situ?”
When Jiang Li looked for Situ Jiuyue, most of the time it was to inquire about matters concerning Ji Heng. Regarding how things were at the front, the contacts on Situ Jiuyue’s side would know at the first opportunity.
Jiang Li smiled and replied, “No, I just had nothing particular to do at the manor, so I came over to walk around.”
“Oh… that’s true, it’s comparatively lively here on our end.” As Wenren Yao stroked Lin Yao’s head, he did not forget to say to Jiang Li, “These past days Ah Heng has been quite busy, but today Kong Liu might bring back some news. I see that this battle of Ah Heng’s is almost finished. How should I put it—neither fast nor slow, much better than previously expected. That Yin Zhili is ultimately not ruthless enough. He also hasn’t played this kind of game where human lives are used as chess pieces. He still cannot compare with our Ah Heng.” He spoke with smug satisfaction, as if sharing in the glory.
Listening to his words, the vague unease in Jiang Li’s heart also dissipated somewhat. She said, “But the battlefield is ultimately dangerous. Didn’t you previously divine with spirit writing for Ji Heng and say he had a calamity in his fate?”
That prophecy had always weighed on Jiang Li’s mind. When Yin Zhili had surrounded and attacked Ji Heng and Ji Heng was injured, her guilt had reached its peak. After all, that prophecy sounded truly alarming—it was difficult for one to accept it all at once.
“That prophecy,” Wenren Yao thought for a long time, as if only just remembering what Jiang Li was referring to. He said, “Actually, I only told you half of that prophecy. There’s another half.”
Jiang Li froze. “There’s another half… what is it?”
“It’s ‘If one passes through this calamity, fortune will turn around, and life will be smooth and favorable.'”
The complete prophecy had originally been: “Born in the winter month, bearing the countenance of princes and nobles. Will encounter calamity through a woman’s misfortune, corpse exposed in the wilderness, eagles and dogs feeding on the body. If one passes through this calamity, fortune will turn around, and life will be smooth and favorable.”
“Is this really so?” In Jiang Li’s heart, a great burden lifted, and her expression brightened considerably.
“It’s truly like this. Although my master said I didn’t divine well, looking at things now, I divined quite well—this prophecy is still very accurate. Look, at that time when you were in Qingzhou, ambushed by that little bastard Yin Zhili, Ji Heng nearly lost his life—isn’t that encountering calamity? Yin Zhili abducted you to threaten Ji Heng—reluctantly, we’ll just count you as the woman’s misfortune. Most importantly, this calamity has already passed. From now on, Ah Heng will turn misfortune into fortune, his luck will turn around, everything will go as he wishes, and all his aspirations will be fulfilled. So,” Wenren Yao said with concern, “Second Miss need not worry about Ah Heng. He will definitely return safely. This time in Qimin, everything will surely go smoothly. Second Miss might as well begin preparing your bridal clothes. I estimate that after Ah Heng returns, it will be your turn for the grand wedding.”
The grand wedding… he inexplicably spoke of such distant matters. Jiang Li felt somewhat shy, but unconsciously, some anticipation arose in her heart. Lin Yao tugged at the corner of Wenren Yao’s robe, looking at him expectantly. Wenren Yao waved his hand and said, “Second Miss, Situ and the others are all inside. You go talk with them first. I’ll accompany my disciple in riding the horse a bit more and then come over.”
Jiang Li agreed, and carefully instructed Wenren Yao again to be careful that Lin Yao did not get injured. Wenren Yao agreed, and only then did Jiang Li walk toward the interior of the Duke’s manor.
Ye Mingyu was not at the manor today—he had probably gone to visit flower houses with good friends. He truly enjoyed himself every day. It was said that Old Madam Ye had sent him several messages telling him to return to Xiangyang to meet young ladies, but Ye Mingyu simply used the excuse that he needed to stay in Yanjing City to protect Ye Shijie. He simply did not return and was too lazy to deal with his family urging him to marry.
Ye Shijie was also not at the manor. He was increasingly valued and employed by Emperor Hongxiao, and his official duties on ordinary days had also increased. When Jiang Li walked to the garden, she saw Situ Jiuyue picking flowers in the garden. Xue Zhao sat to the side in his wheelchair, watching her pick flowers. Probably fearing Situ Jiuyue would be bored alone, he kept her company talking.
Jiang Li stood in the distance, watching silently, until a familiar voice came from behind her: “Ali.”
Jiang Li turned around and immediately smiled. “Father.”
Xue Huaiyuan walked over. Seeing Jiang Li, he was also very happy and asked, “Why aren’t you going to talk with Azhao?”
“I see Azhao is currently busy.” Jiang Li blinked mischievously. “Better not to disturb him.”
Xue Huaiyuan laughed heartily, looking at the scene in the flower garden with an expression full of gratification. Jiang Li looked at Xue Huaiyuan, her heart stirring. She asked, “Father… Miss Jiuyue seems to like Azhao very much, and Azhao also likes Miss Jiuyue very much. Setting aside whether they know each other’s feelings, Father, do you have any thoughts about Miss Jiuyue?”
Xue Huaiyuan’s temperament was upright, and he acted openly and righteously. As for Situ Jiuyue, setting aside her identity, over these years quite a few people had died at her hands. Jiang Li liked Situ Jiuyue very much, but she feared Xue Huaiyuan had other thoughts about Situ Jiuyue. She wanted to secretly inquire on Xue Zhao’s behalf so Xue Zhao could prepare early.
Xue Huaiyuan glanced at Jiang Li and understood. “Ali, I know what you mean. I’m already old. Whether it’s you or Azhao, regarding your marriage matters, Father will not interfere. Father also trusts your judgment. Azhao is not a child. What he has decided upon naturally has its own reasoning. Miss Jiuyue is a good child. If that day truly comes, I will also regard her as my own daughter.”
Jiang Li smiled, linking her arm through Xue Huaiyuan’s. “Father is still as reasonable as before.”
Xue Huaiyuan looked at her cheerfully, when he suddenly seemed to remember something and said to Jiang Li, “Ali, I almost forgot one matter.”
Jiang Li asked, “What matter?”
“Right now the Yin family army is retreating steadily. It seems Yin Zhili is destined to be defeated. I think that after this battle ends and Ji Heng returns to the capital, we should discuss when to hold your grand wedding. After determining the date, I want to take you and Azhao back to Tong County first. Ali,” Xue Huaiyuan said, “after we go to Tong County this time, we won’t return there again in the future. I’ve thought about it—leaving you alone in Yanjing, Father is truly uneasy. Although Father is insignificant and cannot do much, staying by your side, if you suffer any grievance, I will stake this old life to seek justice for you.”
Jiang Li froze, then felt moved. The matter of Shen Yurong had already passed, but the harm it brought to the Xue family members had not entirely passed. Although Xue Huaiyuan believed in Ji Heng, he also feared that what happened back then might occur again. So he wanted to stay in Yanjing City with Jiang Li. This return to Tong County would be a farewell, and they would handle all the house deeds and property in Tong County.
“Wonderful.” Her smile was radiant. “Having Father accompany me, I couldn’t be happier. I also don’t like being separated from Father. In the future we’ll buy a residence in Yanjing City. Azhao can do whatever he wants on ordinary days. We’ll buy you some maids and servants, and we’ll live in Yanjing.”
The picture she painted was very beautiful, and Xue Huaiyuan could not help but smile.
While the two were laughing, they saw someone walk in from outside. Situ Jiuyue stood up from the flower garden and greeted the person: “Kong Liu.”
Kong Liu strode in with large steps. His face was full of anxiety, his brows tightly knitted. He did not see Jiang Li at a glance but went straight toward Situ Jiuyue. Jiang Li froze. She only heard Kong Liu walk to Situ Jiuyue’s side and speak, faintly catching the word “my lord” intermixed. Upon hearing this, Situ Jiuyue’s expression changed greatly.
Jiang Li’s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly said to Xue Huaiyuan, “Father, I’ll go see what Officer Kong has come about,” and quickly walked toward the flower garden.
When she reached the flower garden, before she had even gotten close, she heard Kong Liu’s voice say, “We still haven’t found his whereabouts.”
“Who hasn’t been found?” Jiang Li asked.
The several people in the flower garden had not expected Jiang Li to suddenly appear and were startled. Xue Zhao looked at Jiang Li, surprised. “Sister, why did you come?”
But Jiang Li had no mind to catch up with Xue Zhao. She asked, “What exactly is going on? Officer Kong, what you’re saying—is it related to Ji Heng?”
Kong Liu’s face showed difficulty, as if he wanted to gloss over it, but his tongue was clumsy and for a moment he could not think of very good wording. Xue Zhao also fell silent. Jiang Li looked at Situ Jiuyue and asked, “Miss Jiuyue… has something happened to Ji Heng?”
Although Situ Jiuyue usually did not smile easily, it was extremely rare to see such an ugly expression on her face. Hearing Jiang Li ask her, Situ Jiuyue seemed somewhat irritated, but Jiang Li looked at her persistently. She exhaled and said, “In any case, you’ll have to know about this matter sooner or later, so I won’t hide it from you. Ji Heng has disappeared.”
“Disappeared?” Jiang Li gasped. “How could he suddenly disappear?”
Situ Jiuyue jerked her chin toward Kong Liu. “I’m not very clear on the specific circumstances. Kong Liu, you should tell her.”
Kong Liu scratched his head and said, “Early this morning I received intelligence from Lu Ji. Three days ago, Yin Zhili led the Yin family army’s elite forces in a night raid. The Golden Wuwei Army had originally surrounded Yin Zhili’s Golden Wuwei Army. My lord cut down Yin Zhili’s mount with one blade and killed Yin Zhili. But after he killed Yin Zhili, he suddenly fell from his horse. Yin Zhili’s vice-general took advantage of the chaos to slash my lord with a blade. The Yin family army captured my lord. My lord resisted desperately. When Lu Ji and the others rushed over, my lord… my lord was gone.”
“Was he taken away by people from the Yin family army?” Jiang Li urgently pressed for details. Her heart was pounding wildly—even if he became a captive, at least he still had his life.
“No… at that time, all the Yin family army members present were completely annihilated. The captured prisoners said my lord escaped. Lu Ji is currently leading people to search for my lord’s whereabouts, but the deep mountains of Qimin have complex terrain, with many snakes, insects, rats, and ants. Wild beasts also roam the mountain forests. They cannot find my lord’s whereabouts in a short time… they still haven’t found him…”
Xue Zhao could not help but say, “No news might be good news—at least it means brother-in-law is still alive now. Sister, brother-in-law will definitely escape unscathed.”
“I’m just puzzled—how could Ji Heng suddenly fall from his horse?” Situ Jiuyue was confused. “That’s not like him.”
“It’s his injury…” Jiang Li murmured. “Previously when Yin Zhili ambushed with archers and used me to lure him into a trap, he was injured… those injuries were very serious. He said they weren’t important, but how could they not be important… his old illness must have relapsed while on the horse. Perhaps his old illness had long since relapsed, but he had been enduring it all along. He’s always been good at concealing—at that time it must have been… it must have been that he could no longer conceal it no matter what.”
Jiang Li’s tears fell in large drops.
In an instant, her heart felt as if pierced by knives. This person Ji Heng most loved to act tough, though in others’ eyes, he was already very formidable. But in matters of life and death, he still smiled as if nothing mattered. Yet beneath that red armor, the scars went undiscovered by anyone. He was always alone… in the end, she had still implicated him.
What should she do? She said, “I’ll go to Qimin. I’ll go find him.”
Kong Liu was startled. “Absolutely not. Although Yin Zhili is now dead and the Yin family army is leaderless, there are still some stragglers that have not been cleaned up. Lu Ji has already sent people to search for my lord’s whereabouts. Even if Second Miss Jiang went, it would be of no help. It’s better to stay in Yanjing City. That way, when my lord returns to the capital, he can see Second Miss Jiang at the first opportunity.”
“That’s right,” Situ Jiuyue also stiffly comforted her. “Don’t worry, Ji Heng won’t die. His fate is extremely resilient—he will definitely come back.”
Would he come back? In Jiang Li’s heart, Wenren Yao’s prophecy involuntarily surfaced again. They all believed that the calamity in the prophecy referred to when Yin Zhili surrounded and attacked Ji Heng, so that calamity had already passed.
But what if they had all thought wrongly? What if that calamity had not passed, and it referred to this current disappearance of Ji Heng?
Corpse exposed in the wilderness, eagles and dogs feeding on the body. Jiang Li closed her eyes and clenched her fists tightly.
Just thinking about it made one’s hair stand on end.