His proclamation of “family law” rang out with force, yet Jiang Xuanjin frowned upon hearing it. “Lord Bai,” he interjected, “Lady Bai’s actions were tantamount to attempted murder.”
Dealing with matters of life and death was far beyond the scope of family law.
Lord Ba Dezhong ng stubbornly pretended not to hear Jiang Xuanjin’s words, his face contorted in anger as he bellowed, “Give her a thorough beating! Let her understand the gravity of her wrongdoing!”
“Yes!” The household servants responded in unison, grabbing sticks and positioning themselves behind Lady Bai Meng.
Lady Bai Meng panicked, “Lord, I haven’t confessed yet! How can you just beat me like this?”
Lord Ba Dezhong ng gave her a chilling look, furrowing his brow slightly as he gently shook his head.
Having been married for decades, they had a certain understanding. Lady Bai Meng could tell from his expression—that he intended to punish her first to prevent Emperor Ziyang from sending her to the imperial court.
Glancing at the thick stick resembling a baby’s wrist, Lady Bai Meng shook her head tearfully. Even if Lord Ba Dezhong ng meant to save her, she dreaded facing family law!
Jiang Xuanjin, observing coldly from the side, took a step back as if genuinely unconcerned, merely waiting to see the severity of the Bai family’s punishment.
Lord Ba Dezhong ng caught a glimpse of Jiang Xuanjin’s demeanor, and with a slight relief, he continued sternly, “What are you standing around for? Give her twenty strokes of family law! Put your backs into it!”
Upon hearing this, the servants immediately approached, pinning Lady Bai Meng down. One held the stick high and struck down fiercely!
The resounding crack echoed through the room, and Lady Bai Meng, forgetting all decorum, screamed in agony, “Ah—!”
Lord Ba Dezhong ng coldly listened, asking her, “Do you understand your mistake?”
After enduring two strokes, Lady Bai Meng couldn’t bear it any longer, struggling and crying, “I… I was misguided…”
“Misguided?” Lord Ba Dezhong ng slammed his hand on the table, rising angrily. “As the mistress of this household, plotting to take a life under its roof is more than just being misguided!”
“Ah!” Lady Bai Meng screamed in agony, her face pale, her expression frantic. “I was wrong! I was wrong! Please, stop…”
Without a hint of mercy, Lord Ba Dezhong ng waved his sleeve towards the servants. “Hit her harder!”
The servants were startled. They immediately struck harder, causing Lady Bai Meng to cry out in pain, “Stop… please stop…”
Jiang Xuanjin watched quietly. The sound of the stick hitting flesh was dull yet loud, reminiscent of the force used on Bai Zhuji earlier.
After twenty strokes, Lady Bai Meng had no strength left to cry out. Her face was deathly pale, covered in cold sweat, utterly disheveled.
As Lord Ba Dezhong ng’s anger subsided slightly, satisfied with the punishment inflicted, he intended to say a few conciliatory words to Emperor Ziyang. But before he could speak, Lingxiu rushed in hurriedly from outside.
“My lord, Your Highness!” She cried as she knelt, sobbing, “Miss, Miss is in critical condition—”
Shocked, Lord Ba Dezhong ng stood up incredulously and took a few steps towards her. “What did you say?!”
Lingxiu sobbed, covering her mouth, tears streaming down. “Please come quickly and see!”
Raising his head abruptly and looking towards the direction outside, Lord Ba Dezhong ng rushed towards the South Courtyard. He was so flustered that he nearly stumbled at the doorway.
Seeing Lord Ba Dezhong ng’s agitated state, Cheng Xu coughed lightly and quietly reminded his indifferent master, “You should at least show some grief.”
Even if he knew it was insincere, he should still put on a facade, right?
Jiang Xuanjin snapped out of his thoughts, lowered his head, and earnestly contemplated for a moment. Then he tried hard to lower his brows, dimmed his eyes, and revealed a sorrowful expression.
Chengxu：“……”
Fortunately, Lord Ba Dezhong ng was too preoccupied to glance back; this act was painfully fake.
Compared to him, Miss Bai’s performance in the South Courtyard was masterful! Her bruised complexion, trembling half-open eyes, and pale, cracked lips looked like a perfect portrayal of someone on the brink of death from any angle.
Trembling, Lord Ba Dezhong ng stepped into the main hall and stood beside the bed, bowing his head to look at her.
“Zhuji…”
“Dad, you’re here?” She coughed weakly, smiling at him with feeble breath. “I’m glad you’re here. Now I can rest assured…”
“Nonsense!” Lord Ba Dezhong ng rebuked sharply, shaking his head. “You’ll be fine!”
“The physician said I’m poisoned with ‘A Drop of Blood.’ It’s highly toxic and incurable.” Tears welled up in her eyes, filled with agony. She raised her hand towards him but let it fall back weakly.
“It’s all my fault. If I had admitted to the charges Lady Bai Meng framed me with earlier, she wouldn’t have harbored such resentment, driven to take my life…”
As she spoke, she coughed again, spitting out blood with a retching sound.
Lord Ba Dezhong ng’s heart trembled as he watched.
Hearing the report that Zhuji had been poisoned and seeing her in this state were completely different experiences. Just moments ago, Emperor Ziyang had been determined to arrest Lady Bai Meng for this, and his first thought was that after decades of marriage, he couldn’t possibly send Lady Bai Meng to prison. If Zhuji hadn’t died, this matter might still be resolved.
However, seeing the dark blood on the ground and Zhuji’s painful appearance, Lord Ba Dezhong ng’s eyes reddened.
Meng Shuqin was so heartless as to poison her daughter. How could he protect such a woman? How could he?
“Don’t be sad…” She tried to console him from the bed, her mouth twitching, “I’m just an ignorant fool. If I die, at least I can ask my mother how she’s doing underground.”
The last sentence made Lord Ba Dezhong ng tremble violently.
Zhujie’s mother was a gentlewoman, the only one who had truly cared for him when he was young. He had promised to take care of her but failed. He had promised to take care of Zhujie, but he couldn’t fulfill that promise either.
For a moment, Ba Dezhong ng felt overwhelmed with guilt, his fists clenched tightly, and his heart filled with desolation.
Seeing his emotions stabilize somewhat, Li Huaiyu struggled to conclude the scene. She shifted her head, nodded at Ba Dezhong ng in acknowledgment, then suddenly closed her eyes and fainted.
“Zhujie!” Ba Dezhong ng’s eyes reddened. He took a couple of deep breaths, gripping the bedpost as he choked up.
Miss Bai Si’s condition was truly pitiful, causing everyone in the room to sigh. Even the more tender-hearted maids couldn’t help but burst into tears immediately.
The atmosphere in the room became heavy instantly. Jiang Xuanjin looked around, pondered for a moment, closed his eyes, and bowed his head, trying hard to blend into the sorrowful mood.
On the bed, Li Huaiyu listened with closed eyes to the sound of weeping, silently gritting her teeth.
That scoundrel Jiang Xuanjin—last time, he caused her to hear the wails of the palace attendants in Feiyun Palace. Now, he had her lying here listening to the Bai family mourn. If her fortune was ruined by their weeping, she would settle the score with him!
After a while of crying, Ba Dezhong ng’s hoarse voice finally rang out beside the bed, “Someone.”
“Master?”
“Tie Meng Shuqin up,” he said in a deep voice. “You all, accompany me to the capital’s yamen.”
The steward was startled, looking at him in surprise. “This…?”
“Go!” Ba Dezhong ng raised his head, his face aging significantly in an instant. “The Emperor is right. Matters involving murder cannot be handled by family law alone; they must be handed over to the royal law.”
Seeing Ba Dezhong ng suddenly firm in his resolve, Jiang Xuanjin finally relaxed a bit, letting him leave with the steward and servants without following along.
Originally, Jiang Xuanjin had thought that if Bai Zhujie’s fate failed to awaken Ba Dezhong ng’s conscience, he would personally take Bai Mengshi into custody and deliver her to the yamen. However, now Jiang Xuanjin felt he could skip that trip and simply wait here for updates. After dismissing the idle onlookers, Jiang Xuanjin sat by the bedside and commanded, “Open your eyes.”
Huaiyu obediently lifted her eyelids and grinned, shifting closer as if to lean on his leg.
He raised his hand to block her, his gaze cold. “Don’t even think about it.”
“What’s wrong?” Huaiyu looked up at him in confusion. “What did I do wrong? We were fine just now, and suddenly you’re so distant.”
Pushing her head back onto the pillow, Jiang Xuanjin remembered her action of leaving his embrace in front of Lu Jingxing and said coldly, “Since you know how to ChengXu suspicion, do so in public and in private.”
“Huh?” Huaiyu was momentarily puzzled, tilting her head. When had she ever tried to ChengXu suspicion? Those words had never been a part of her life!
Without further explanation, Jiang Xuanjin continued with a heavy tone, “I’ve informed the authorities. You don’t need to worry about anything else. Just rest quietly.”
With that said, he stood up to leave.
Sensing something amiss, Huaiyu reached out and grabbed his robe. “Where are you going?”
“Where else?” His voice was cold. “To attend to state affairs.”
Jiang Xuanjin had been entrusted by the late Emperor to assist in governance, and after several days of absence from court, the paperwork had piled up.
Huaiyu tapped the bedpost. “Can’t you handle that here? I can even massage your shoulders!”
Glancing at her sideways, he retorted impatiently, “Are your hands not hurting anymore? Yet you talk about massaging shoulders?”
“They hurt, but much better than yesterday. I can move them.” She teased, smiling ingratiatingly. “Even if I can’t massage your shoulders properly, I can peel an orange for you.”
Who cared? Jiang Xuanjin reached to pry her hand off his robe.
However, as soon as his fingers touched hers, she let go of his robe and swiftly grabbed his hand. Palms pressed together, fingers interlaced tightly between his, gripping firmly.
“Why are you acting like a child?” She shook his hand teasingly. “You’re mad but won’t explain yourself. Have you decided not to play with me anymore? My dear sir?”
Jiang Xuanjin frowned at her, jaw tense, lips pursed.
His annoyance baffled Li Huaiyu, who blinked and softened her tone. “If I peel an orange for you, will you forgive me?”
Her voice was gentle, tinged with a hint of grievance and indulgence like a young lord coaxing his lady after she had done wrong.
Jiang Xuanjin remained silent.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Lingxiu brought a large plate of oranges and a pile of documents to the main room’s bedside.
Li Huaiyu washed her hands meticulously, expertly peeled an orange, and handed him each segment one by one. Jiang Xuanjin sat on her bedpost, eyes fixed on the documents. “You didn’t peel it properly.”
Lingxiu looked bewildered. She thought, How can this orange not be properly peeled? There’s not a bit of peel left.
Li Huaiyu understood his meaning but said nothing. In a good mood, she carefully removed the stems and handed him another piece.
Jiang Xuanjin took a bite, his expression softening slightly.
Lingxiu’s eyes twitched.
Was this the same aloof master from their household? Ah! He seemed more like a girl who craved attention and coddling. He was fine in front of others, but once he encountered Miss Bai Si, he turned into this!
Even more frightening was that Fourth Miss Baididn’t find this strange at all. She acted as if she could do as she pleased with him!
Chengxu felt like banging his head against the wall to check if he was dreaming. While Huaiyu was peeling the fourth orange, the Imperial messenger entered and reported, “Your Highness, the capital yamen has convened, and Court Minister Xu Yan recognized the ‘trace of blood’. He questioned Lady Bai Mengshi extensively. Due to her weakened state from family punishment, she fainted in the courtroom.”
Closing the documents, Jiang Xuanjin lifted his eyes and asked, “How did Minister Xu handle it?”
“She’s temporarily detained at the yamen, and orders have been given to investigate the source of the poison,” the messenger replied. “Minister Xu seems particularly interested in how the banned substance ended up outside the palace.”
Jiang Xuanjin showed little reaction, nodding before resuming his review of the documents. Meanwhile, Huaiyu, squeezing her orange, felt a bit conflicted.
This man was too clever. To investigate Meng Hengyuan, he started with Lady Bai Mengshi. By implicating Ba Dezhong ng, he managed to keep himself safe on shore without getting his shoes wet.
The next steps were predictable—Xu Yan would investigate, evidence of Meng Hengyuan’s illegal dealings with banned substances would surface, and Meng Hengyuan would be convicted. Lady Bai Mengshi would thereby confirm the charge of “attempted murder.”
A masterstroke indeed!
No wonder he was called Lord Ziyang. His cunning and strategy were impressive. No wonder he had managed to deceive her into a trap without her noticing.
As she handed him the orange, Jiang Xuanjin turned to her with a puzzled look. “What’s wrong?”
Snapping back to reality, Huaiyu glanced down and saw she had almost squashed the orange, its juice dripping onto her wrist.
Quickly releasing her grip, she smiled and said, “Nothing.” Then she pushed up her sleeve to wipe off the orange juice.
However, as she pulled up her sleeve, she noticed something on her wrist.
“Hmm?” Seeing the familiar sandalwood prayer beads, a flash of recognition crossed her eyes.
“What’s this?” She asked innocently, her smile sparkling with white teeth.
Jiang Xuanjin stiffened, his expression turning stern. In a low voice, he said, “Something that accidentally ended up with you. Give it back to me.”
“Once given away, isn’t there a saying about not taking it back?” Huaiyu grinned, removing the prayer beads and examining them closely.
The top-quality sandalwood prayer beads gleamed with a deep, glossy black hue, each of the ten beads seemingly inscribed with characters.
“‘Shi, Jie, Ren, Yuan’… What do these mean?” She murmured to herself.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at her disdainfully. “These are the Ten Paramitas of Buddhism. Someone like you, without any understanding, wouldn’t comprehend.”
Pouting defiantly, she slid the prayer beads onto her wrist. “So what if I don’t understand? They’re mine now, and you can’t take them back!”
Her demeanor was akin to a market bully.
Shaking his head, Jiang Xuanjin sighed and didn’t attempt to reclaim them.
He had cherished these prayer beads since childhood and wouldn’t easily give them away. However… now that they were given away, as long as she cherished them, he didn’t need to rush to take them back.
Let’s consider it… a good deed, he thought.
With Lady Bai Mengshi imprisoned and Meng Hengyuan soon to follow, both father and daughter were detained at the yamen awaiting trial. Ba Dezhong ng didn’t intercede with Xu Yan; he went to the palace after fulfilling his duties to seek medicine for Zhujie.
As a result, Li Huaiyu, the supposedly poisoned victim, enjoyed better quality medicinal herbs and food, along with the company of Lord Ziyang. Her injuries healed quickly.
Five days later, Li Huaiyu finally rested lying down.
Jiang Xuanjin left the room, leaving only her and Lingxiu in the south courtyard. Lingxiu, a talkative maid, sat by the bedside, administering medicine and chatting incessantly.
“Miss, meeting His Highness is such a blessing. You have no idea, everyone outside is talking about you and His Highness.”
Li Huaiyu nibbled on an orange and chuckled, “On one hand, there’s His Highness, revered by the people and beloved by officials. On the other hand, there’s Fourth Miss, who’s been seen as foolish and unwanted for years. Now these two are getting married. If I were an outsider, I’d certainly have something to say about it!”
“That’s not all,” Lingxiu added, “There’s also the matter with the Meng family. Even though everyone knows it was Master who sent Bai Mengshi to the yamen, they say His Highness was standing up for you!”
“That’s absurd,” Li Huaiyu chuckled lightly. “Are they overestimating me or underestimating His Highness? Our ruler is quite remarkable, known for his impartiality and adherence to duty. If he has issues with the Meng family, it has nothing to do with me.”
“Impartial?” Lingxiu paused, recalling His Highness sitting by Miss’s bedside not long ago. Shaking her head, she said, “He’s quite sentimental.”
“Silly girl. You can’t judge someone solely on appearances,” Li Huaiyu shook her head. “Do you know this ‘sentimental’ man personally killed his disciple he had taught for four years?”
“What?” Lingxiu stood up in shock.
Li Huaiyu lifted her chin proudly, “Didn’t know, did you? That’s the real him.”
When Jiang Xuanjin had taught her etiquette and manners before, Li Huaiyu had never taken it seriously, resulting in him seeing her with a stern face every time. If it wasn’t for her status, she thought, he’d probably hit her.
But despite everything, they had a master-disciple bond of four years. When she was in a good mood, she’d still bring him little trinkets. When he was in a good mood, he’d still teach her calligraphy—though she hadn’t learned a thing in four years, and her handwriting was getting worse and worse.
And in the end? Despite this bond, he would still kill her.
Forget about his ‘sentimentality’!
Seeing her mistress’s face darken, Lingxiu hurriedly said, “It was just a casual remark, Mistress.”
Realizing her expression had tightened, Li Huaiyu quickly softened it, smiling as she said, “Let’s not dwell on that. Would you deliver this letter to the Lu residence for me?”
“Of course,” Lingxiu replied obediently, fetching paper and pen. Watching her mistress scribble aimlessly—she couldn’t read or write—Lingxiu couldn’t help but praise, “Mistress, your writing is truly wonderful!”
After a pause in her writing, Li Huaiyu touched her head with a complex expression, “If only the person who taught me calligraphy could hear you say that.”
Jiang Xuanjin never thought she wrote well, or rather, he didn’t think she was ‘writing’ at all.
Once the letter was written, Li Huaiyu sealed it carefully and had Lingxiu take it out.
Jiang Xuanjin used Bai Mengshi to drag down Meng Hengyuan, a move that killed two birds with one stone. But Li Huaiyu felt this might just be her chance to kill three birds with one stone.
Li Huaiyu glanced at the Buddhist beads on her wrist, reaching out to touch them, her eyes flashing with hidden thoughts.
…
Jiang Xuanjin left the mansion early this morning and returned only in the evening, his face darkening as soon as he entered.
“What’s wrong?” Li Huaiyu asked curiously, watching him. “Did something happen?”
“Meng Hengyuan has been caught in private dealings of banned drugs. The stash has been found, evidence is conclusive, and he should have been convicted today,” Jiang Xuanjin lifted his robe and sat heavily on the bedside, clearly displeased. “But unbelievably, there are people in the court protecting him.”
“Officials colluding with merchants is nothing new,” Li Huaiyu remarked, unfazed. “Who’s protecting him? Is this official more powerful than you?”
Giving her a sidelong glance, Jiang Xuanjin replied, “The Chief Secretary of the Chancellor, Li Fengxing.”
“He may not outrank you, but the problem is, he’s currently investigating you,” Li Huaiyu noted. “If this case implicates Li Fengxing, things will get a lot more complicated.”
“I’ve heard of Chief Secretary Li!” Li Huaiyu raised her hand eagerly. “He’s no saint; rumors abound of his corrupt deeds!”
Seeing her accusatory stance, Jiang Xuanjin couldn’t help but laugh in frustration. “Where did you hear such slander? Li Fengxing has served faithfully for years. While his achievements may be few, he’s considered a loyal official.”
“A loyal official?” Li Huaiyu scoffed. “Which loyal official accepts bribes and favors lawbreaking merchants?”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, frowning at her. “How do you know he accepts bribes?”
Needless to say, Li Huaiyu had repeatedly blocked Li Fengxing’s promotions before. She knew he was too greedy, presenting a clean image in public while privately amassing wealth in gold, silver, and antiques—not a decent person.
However, Li Huaiyu couldn’t say this to Jiang Xuanjin. She smiled faintly and casually used someone else as a shield, saying, “It’s what Mr. Lu, the innkeeper, said.”
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at her. “You believe everything Lu Jingxing says?”
“He has no reason to lie to me, does he?” Li Huaiyu shrugged. “Besides, as a businessman, he’s likely privy to more behind-the-scenes dealings than you, confined as you are to the court.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere around the nearby person turned chilly once again.
Before, Li Huaiyu hadn’t realized why Jiang Xuanjin suddenly became angry. This time, however, she reacted swiftly, sensing something amiss and immediately attempting to remedy the situation.
“However, Mr. Lu would only know some of these things. Compared to His Highness, who manages myriad affairs and concerns himself with the realm, his knowledge is quite limited!”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with a cold and piercing gaze.
Li Huaiyu chuckled foolishly.
“Even if you presented evidence of Li Fengxing’s corruption to me right now, I still couldn’t act against him,” he said. “This man has a more significant utility to me. Therefore, with him involved now, I cannot bring up Meng Hengyuan’s case for judgment, nor can I directly convict Meng Hengyuan.”
Stuck in a difficult position, neither advancing nor retreating was what frustrated him the most.
“What use could he possibly have?” Li Huaiyu asked. “With his mediocre abilities, anyone could replace him.”
“Can just anyone replace his official position or provide testimony?” Jiang Xuanjin was growing impatient. “You know nothing at all; stop giving baseless suggestions.”
His words stung a little, almost regretted them the moment they left his mouth. Yet, trying to take them back was already too late. He pursed his lips, glancing somewhat nervously at the person lying on the bed.
Li Huaiyu suddenly grew quiet, her eyes lowered and her lashes trembling slightly. The smile on her face faded completely.
At this moment, she resembled a proper young lady, but for some reason, Jiang Xuanjin felt a tightness in his chest. He realized he preferred hearing her chatter away.
Coughing lightly, he asked with wandering eyes, “Have you taken your medicine?”
Li Huaiyu nodded silently.
“And dinner?”
Again, she nodded, still not saying a word.
Jiang Xuanjin fell silent, furrowing his brow in thought for a while. He reached over, picked up an orange, peeled it segment by segment, removed the pith, and then offered it to her lips.
Li Huaiyu hesitated for a moment, looking up at him. She saw him biting his lip, eyes downcast, muttering, “It’s quite sweet.”
The anger he had carefully concealed almost broke through Li Huaiyu’s resolve. She clenched her teeth, thinking, Why can’t he just stop wearing that stoic expression all the time? Why suddenly act so obedient? Is he teasing me?
Annoyed, she opened her mouth and snatched the orange segment from his hand, angrily biting into it. Her words were muffled as she chewed, “I don’t know anything anyway. Why are you so worked up? If you’re so anxious, just hurry up and die!”
Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips, contemplating for a moment before saying, “Li Fengxing wrote a deposition, testifying that at the hour of Prime Minister Sima Xulu’s death, he was escorted away by Princess Danyang.”
Li Huaiyu froze, almost biting her lip in disbelief. “What?”
“Do you know Princess Danyang?” he asked.
Numbly nodding, Li Huaiyu tried to smile again but found it difficult. “Who in Northern Wei wouldn’t know her?”
Not noticing her expression, Jiang Xuanjin continued solemnly, “Princess Danyang was accused of ‘murdering Prime Minister Sima Xulu’ with conclusive evidence and died from poisoned wine bestowed upon her. I had delivered it, thinking… she deserved it.”
“But after her death, I discovered many inconsistencies. Upon further investigation, things seemed even more suspicious. Sima Xulu’s death appears to have other hidden motives, and the charges against Princess Danyang seem to have other hidden truths.”
He spoke earnestly as if confiding his frustrations to someone unaware, his brow furrowed with doubt.
“A few days ago, two senior officials filed a petition, alleging that Li Fengxing fabricated his testimony. They claimed he wasn’t present on the day Prime Minister Sima Xulu died and couldn’t confirm whether he was escorted away by Princess Danyang. So recently, I’ve been gathering more evidence to see if Li Fengxing is indeed lying.”
“…These are the things you didn’t know,” Jiang Xuanjin concluded.
Li Huaiyu stared at him vacantly, her heart and mind tumultuous after hearing his last words. What did he mean? Was Jiang Xuanjin investigating if she had been wrongly accused? Why? Wasn’t he the one who orchestrated everything from the palace banquet, meticulously framing Prime Minister Sima Xulu’s death on her? Why would he say these things now?
Initially, Li Huaiyu’s instinct was to think he was lying. However, he had no reason to deceive her now, as in his presence, she was Bai Zhuji of the Bai family, not Princess Danyang Li Huaiyu. There was no motive for him to deceive her!
So, was he telling the truth? Was his dilemma with Li Fengxing because he feared implicating Meng Hengyuan’s case further, complicating matters with other cases? Had he genuinely sensed something amiss and wanted to give her justice?
Was Jiang Xuanjin… not the mastermind behind her misfortunes?
Her pupils contracted, and Li Huaiyu widened her eyes, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing her reaction, Jiang Xuanjin’s jaw tightened slightly. “Don’t you believe me?”
“I… I do.” Li Huaiyu took a breath, forcing a smile. “You’ve been so open with me, not even worried I might reveal your secrets. How could I not believe you?”
Jiang Xuanjin found her reaction peculiar but attributed it to her being startled by his words. After all, she was a girl raised in the women’s quarters, unfamiliar with such court affairs.
After a moment of thought, Jiang Xuanjin said, “You must not breathe a word of what I’ve told you to anyone else, especially not to Lu Jingxing.”
The last six words were spoken with a hint of sternness. Li Huaiyu lowered her head and embraced his waist, her voice laced with a smile, “Don’t worry, we’re getting married next month. You’re my husband-to-be, everyone else is an outsider. I’ll naturally listen to you.”
Her embrace filled him with her gentle medicinal fragrance, causing Jiang Xuanjin to stiffen slightly. He stared at her incredulously. “We’re getting married next month, and we’re not married yet. Is it proper to be hugging like this now?”
“What’s proper anyway?” she teased. “I’ve never heard of it.”
With that, she squeezed him even tighter.
Jiang Xuanjin sighed helplessly, his hands slightly raised. “If you want to know if Princess Danyang was wronged, why not ask people close to her directly?” Li Huaiyu snuggled closer and said, “Wouldn’t that be quicker than starting with Li Fengxing?”
“I’ve thought about that,” Jiang Xuanjin replied. “But her associates are all tight-lipped. I can’t get anything out of them.”
The reason he hadn’t sent Qing Si directly to the yamen was to extract information about Princess Danyang. But Qing Si was stubborn; no matter how he questioned her, she refused to talk. What could he do?
“If you can’t get answers, then you should use deception!” Li Huaiyu sat up, smiling mischievously. “Want me to teach you how to deceive?”
Amused by the mischievous grin on her face, Jiang Xuanjin couldn’t resist asking, “What does Miss Bai suggest?”
Lies, deceit—these were skills where Miss Bai excelled. Just talking about them made her eyes sparkle.
“Isn’t it simple to trick someone?” Li Huaiyu gestured as she spoke. “Just grab someone who knows something, lock them up for a few days. When they’re mentally and physically exhausted, have someone disguised as a rescuer. Once they’re out, they’ll think they’ve escaped for real. That’s when you can get them to spill everything.”
She illustrated with her hands, making sure to emphasize the need for a convincing disguise and ensuring the captive is led outside Jiang Xuanjin’s territory, making them feel safe enough to talk.
Originally a casual suggestion, Li Huaiyu unexpectedly had a plan, and it sounded quite plausible. Jiang Xuanjin fell silent, his eyes subtly shifting.
Meanwhile, Lu Jingxing received a letter from the Bai household, glanced at it briefly, and then instructed his servants to handle matters.
Huaiyu thought it was a good idea to use Meng Hengyuan’s situation to expose Li Fengxing. It was a good idea, especially since both Han Xiao and Yunlan Qing were eager to do so. They could help him, making it unnecessary for him to get involved.
He yawned and lay back lazily in his rocking chair, absent-mindedly swaying his southern jade bone fan, intending to sleep well.
However, not long after, another letter arrived.
He tiredly reached out and opened it, glancing at it briefly. It instantly lifted his spirits. He sat up straight and read the entire letter, his expression showing a mix of happiness and displeasure.
He held the letter tightly, got up, and headed to the northern courtyard.
This courtyard had ten parallel rooms, and a spacious front yard with wooden men, weapon racks, and archery targets. If it weren’t in his mansion, others might mistake it for a martial arts school.
He arrived at the entrance of the first room and knocked.
“My lord?” The person who opened the door was surprised to see him but quickly asked, “Is there another chance to save Miss Qing Si?”
Lu Jingxing chuckled softly. “You’re quite sharp.”
The person stepped out, his dignified features illuminated by the moonlight. His eyes were serious. “I’ll go wake the others first.”
After speaking, he turned and walked back along the corridor. As he passed each door, he lightly knocked once, and one by one, the doors of the row of rooms opened.
In no time, ten men stood orderly in front of Lu Jingxing.
Looking at these ten men, Lu Jingxing couldn’t help but feel emotional. They had all been leaders in Feiyun Palace in the past, adorned in luxurious silks and satins, with jade crowns and golden hairpins, looking otherworldly. Never would he have imagined that now, dressed in neat and clean clothes, they exuded such heroic bearing, making it difficult to associate them with their previous appearances.
“Please speak, Sir,” Juwu, standing at the forefront, respectfully bowed to him.
Lu Jingxing snapped out of his reverie and smiled. “In a few days, Qing Si might leave the Jiang mansion. At that time, I will trouble you all to act once again.”
“Understood.” Juwu nodded without hesitation. “Please instruct us on what needs to be done, Sir.”
The night grew late as Lu Jingxing lit a lamp and discussed Li Huaiyu’s plan with them, meticulously deliberating on the routes for rescue and retreat.
By the end of his explanation, Lu Jingxing glanced at these ten men and suddenly wanted to tell them that Danyang was still alive.
Some of these ten men owed their lives to Danyang’s rescue, some admired her methods and willingly joined her cause, and others fled their homes due to family disputes and ended up at Feiyun Palace, where they enjoyed its hospitality.
Regardless of how they came to Feiyun Palace, they had all served Danyang under the title of leader for several years. Danyang had treated them well, and naturally, they harbored a deep affection for her. In a way, they all considered themselves Danyang’s family.
If they knew she was still alive, they would surely be overjoyed, and the animosity in their hearts would diminish.
However… Lu Jingxing sighed. He couldn’t reveal it. The matter was too significant. The more people who knew, the greater the danger to Danyang. It was better to keep it hidden for now.
Juwu and the others were unaware of Lu Jingxing’s complex emotions. Knowing there was another chance to rescue Miss Qing Si, their spirits were high. After seeing Lu Jingxing off, they started practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
“When Miss Qing Si comes out, let’s go kill Jiang’s bandits,” one of them muttered softly while practicing.
Glancing at him, Juwu shook his head. “Qing Xian, you’re too impatient. Do you think it’s so easy to kill Jiang Xuanjin?”
Qing Xian insisted defiantly, “How would we know if we don’t try?”
“Let’s focus on rescuing Miss Qing Si first,” Juwu shook his head. “We missed such a good opportunity last time. Don’t be too optimistic this time.”
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
They had previously worked for the Princess Consort, infiltrated noble households, and even breached major prisons, but none compared to the security of the Jiang mansion, especially the Ink Residence. If sneaking in to rescue someone was this difficult, how much more challenging would it be to directly assassinate Lord Ziyan?
Considering the plan this time, Juwu felt there weren’t many issues, but he couldn’t shake an inexplicable sense of unease. He had a premonition, and five days later, it came true.
Thieves had indeed broken into the Jiang mansion and taken away a bloodied maid. They didn’t need to ask around; the rumors among the commoners near the mansion spoke for themselves.
“Just now, by the southern courtyard wall, I happened to pass by. Ah I was so scared. Could it be robbers kidnapping someone?”
“Who could kidnap someone from the Jiang mansion? I haven’t noticed any commotion. If they really lost someone, wouldn’t they be searching?”
“What’s going on? That maid looked terrifying, her clothes soaked in blood.”
Ignoring the discussions, Juwu led his men forward to investigate.
He didn’t know how Lord Lu managed it, but the security at the Ink Residence was formidable. Yet somehow, Lu Jingxing found a way to have Jiang Xuanjin bring Miss Qing Si out.
Outside was much easier than within the confines of the Ink Residence. As long as they intercepted successfully, rescuing the person would not be difficult.
Spotting the silhouette of a group from afar, Juwu’s eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace to charge forward. Ten men drew their swords simultaneously, the clash of metal ringing out, startling those in front who turned to look back.
“Who goes there!”
Who would answer such a foolish question? Juwu stared at the barely conscious figure in their hands, wasting no time before moving in. The ten men coordinated seamlessly, quickly breaking through their adversaries and retrieving the person.
“Miss Qing Si, are you alright?” Juwu anxiously asked, guarding against surrounding blades.
The person in his arms paused, slowly lifting their head to brush aside hair from their face, smiling as they replied, “Qing Si is well at the Ink Residence.” Pausing momentarily, they added with a title, “Lord Juwu.”
His pupils constricting, Juwu quickly released them and swung his sword horizontally.
Taking advantage of his brief hesitation, the person sighed, “I was just hoping to catch a little fish, never expected it was you who took the bait. If my mistress sees you, she’ll be delighted.”
As these words were spoken, the supposed withdrawing guards around them swiftly closed back in, cutting off all possible escape routes for Juwu and his ten men.
Juwu’s face instantly turned pale.
Bai Residence.
Huaiyu was teasing Jiang Xuanjin, “I’ll say a sentence, and you repeat the first word, okay?”
Jiang Xuanjin coldly retorted, “Are you so idle?”
“Aren’t I indeed idle? I’ve been lying in bed for days with nothing to do.” Pouting in frustration, she continued, “Accompany me! This is easy, just see how quick your reactions are.”
Flipping through a page of documents, Jiang Xuanjin grumbled irritably, “Go on.”
Huaiyu grinned mischievously, “I am the most beautiful girl in all of Northern Wei!”
Jiang Xuanjin: “……?”
“What’s with that expression?” Huaiyu glared indignantly, “I told you to repeat the first word, not admit to the statement!”
Regardless of whether you admit it or not, it’s quite shameless to say such things, isn’t it? With a complex expression, she glanced at Jiang Xuanjin, who repeated, “I.”
“That’s it, answer a bit quicker.” Huaiyu grinned mischievously and swiftly continued, “Sunlight in spring?”
“Spring.”
“Fruit in autumn?”
“Autumn.”
“The person in your heart?”
“You.”
The words rolled off his tongue before he realized what was amiss. Jiang Xuanjin looked up to see her on the bed, clutching the blanket, laughing uncontrollably.
“The person in your heart is me,” she said between laughs, “Remember your own words!”
Realizing he had been tricked again, Jiang Xuanjin’s temple twitched with annoyance. “Shameless!”
Instead of getting angry at being called shameless, Li Huaiyu laughed even harder, rolling around so much on the bed that she nearly fell off.
Entering during this moment, Cheng Xu saw Miss Bai clutching the blanket and giggling foolishly, while his master sat in a chair far from the bed, his ears slightly red, whether from anger or something else.
“Master,” Cheng Xu quietly reported before delving into whatever had transpired between the two, “We’ve indeed captured someone, or rather, more than one.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Xuanjin raised an eyebrow.
Cheng Xu leaned in to whisper a few words, his voice barely audible, and even with her keen ears, Huaiyu couldn’t make out what he was saying. After hearing him out, Jiang Xuanjin stood up with a swish.
“What’s happening? What’s happening?” She asked hastily.
After giving Cheng Xu a couple of instructions, Jiang Xuanjin walked to the bedside, in a rather good mood. “You’ve done me a favor. Is there anything you’d like in return?”
Just a moment ago, he had a stern expression, and now he was suddenly so cheerful, even offering her a gift? Huaiyu was quite surprised. Ignoring his question, she asked instead, “Did the idea I suggested earlier work?”
“It worked partially,” he replied.
Anxiously, Huaiyu pressed, “Can you be more direct? What does ‘partially worked’ mean?”
Seeing her curiosity, Jiang Xuanjin explained, “You taught me how to trap someone with words before. I thought about it and realized the person we captured wasn’t easily trapped. Instead of trying to manipulate her, I used her to trap someone else. So, I used her as bait and caught the fish that got away last time.”
Huaiyu listened in shock, her heart sinking suddenly.
“Just now, Cheng Xu mentioned that this fish is quite significant,” Jiang Xuanjin added, “You can take half the credit for it.”
Huaiyu: “…”
She really didn’t want this half credit. She had intended to create an opportunity for Lu Jingxing and the others to rescue Qing Si, but instead, by some twist of fate, she ended up causing harm to them? Clenching her fists slightly, Huaiyu chuckled bitterly. Was this Lord Ziyan naturally opposed to her fate? How else could it be that the trap she set was used against her?
“I’d like to meet the person who makes you so happy,” she said, suppressing her anger. “You asked me if there was anything I wanted. Well, I want to go with you to see the spectacle!”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, then frowned. “What spectacle is there to see?”
“I don’t care!” Huaiyu pouted stubbornly. “We’re about to be married. I can’t be left in the dark about everything! From now on, I want to know everything that interests you!”
Her assertive and unreasonable demeanor, mixed with a hint of cuteness, gave Jiang Xuanjin a headache. “You’re a young lady. Why do you want to get involved in these matters?”
“Who said I’m getting involved?” Huaiyu placed her hands on her hips seriously. “I want to get involved with you!”
“… “
Did she think a few shameless words would soften his heart? Jiang Xuanjin turned away coldly.
Half an hour later, he carried Bai Zhuji onto a carriage.
It wasn’t that he was soft-hearted. It was simply that this woman was too lively. Every time he tried to leave alone, she clung to his waist, unwilling to let go. She’d whine and play the pitiful card, even crying to the heavens about burning bridges and the fate of dogs and rabbits.
Leaving aside the burning bridges, likening oneself to a dog was quite a bold move. If he didn’t take her along, he might as well be the most heartless man in Northern Wei.
“Oh well,” Jiang Xuanjin thought, “She’s just a woman after all, not some official matter. Bringing her along won’t hurt.”
And so, Li Huaiyu proceeded to enjoy the embrace of Lord Ziyang, pretending to be clueless the entire way, until she was discreetly placed behind the screen in the main hall. There, she saw those who had been captured.
At first glance, her heart skipped a beat. Then, seeing nine neatly lined-up figures behind, Li Huaiyu felt her vision blur. She almost fainted right then and there.
“How were they captured? How could they be captured? Weren’t they supposed to have left the capital already?”
Jiang Xuanjin sat in the main seat, silent for a long moment before speaking, “Are you all unharmed?”
Li Wulu had no patience for pleasantries. She replied coldly, “To kill or to torture, it’s up to you!”
Each of these individuals had some grievances with Lord Ziyang in the past. He found them disagreeable, thinking it absurd that Eldest Princess kept them in the palace. They found him disagreeable, thinking his rule too lenient.
When Danyang was still around, Lord Ziyang couldn’t do much to them. Now that Danyang was gone and they were in his hands, their fate seemed sealed.
The ten below had already resigned themselves to accompany Eldest Princess to the underworld.
However, Jiang Xuanjin neither wanted to kill nor torture them, despite their angry glares. His face remained calm. “You only need to answer His Highness one question, and you can leave.”
Jiu Wu was incredulous, furrowing his brow. “What trick are you playing?”
How could he let them go so easily?
“Questioning is pointless. Better to hear His Highness’s question first and see if you can answer,” Jiang Xuanjin said.
Jiu Wu frowned. “Go ahead.”
Jiang Xuanjin stood up, his gaze sweeping over the ten people in the room. He asked solemnly, “At the hour of Sima Xu’s death, where exactly was Danyang?”
He’s asking that? Everyone was somewhat surprised, glancing at each other, then fell silent together.
Previously, the Eldest Princess was questioned because she couldn’t prove she wasn’t present at the time of the incident. She truly wasn’t there, but she couldn’t say where she had gone. Moreover, even if she did say, no one would believe her.
“What? Really can’t answer?” After waiting for a while without hearing a sound, Jiang Xuanjin impatiently furrowed his brow.
In the midst of silence, Qing Xian spoke up, “People are dead. Why do you ask this?”
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t conceal his intentions. “Naturally, I want to know if Sima Xu was indeed killed by the Eldest Princess.”
“Of course not!” Qing Xian retorted angrily. “Why would she kill Prime Minister Sima? He was a good man!”
“Oh?” Jiang Xuanjin glanced sideways at him. “Then do you know where she was at the time?”
Qing Xian hesitated and involuntarily glanced at Jiu Wu. The latter scrutinized Jiang Xuanjin for a moment and said coldly, “If we answer, will you really let us go?”
“Naturally.”
“All right, I’ll tell you,” Jiu Wu said, “The Eldest Princess wasn’t at the banquet. She wasn’t at the Fuluo Palace either, she was…”
Bang!
Suddenly, a loud crash interrupted Jiu Wu, startling him into swallowing his words. Everyone jumped in surprise, turning their heads towards the source of the sound.
A massive pearwood screen, intricately embroidered, had inexplicably toppled over, shaking the entire room. Behind the screen sat a young girl in a chair. She seemed equally startled, blinking bewilderedly, then grinned foolishly at them.
“Hehe!”