Throughout the journey, Li Huaiyu felt as if she had forgotten something important, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall it. Suddenly, a thought struck her.
Right, where is Qing Si?
Turning to him, Huaiyu furrowed her brows and asked, “Where is she?”
“Three days ago, Qing Si infiltrated the palace with the intent to assassinate His Majesty,” Jiang Xuanjin replied, lowering his gaze. “However, she was detected before she could pass through the third gate and was taken to the Court of Judicial Review.”
A heavy weight settled in Huaiyu’s heart, and her face turned even paler.
That foolish girl went to attempt an assassination! They had already evacuated from the capital, and she was still at the Court of Judicial Review alone. What should she do now?!
Jiang Xuanjin stood calmly before her, unruffled, as if waiting for her to speak.
Huaiyu hesitated and tentatively asked, “Does Your Majesty have a way to save her?”
Jiang Xuanjin nodded.
I do have a way, but you must plead with me, and I will decide based on my mood whether to agree.
—This was the implication Huaiyu read in his eyes.
She forced a dry laugh and awkwardly said, “If Your Majesty can help save her, I would naturally be immensely grateful, but…”
But right now, she had nothing to offer in return. Given his personality and how much he disliked her, how could he possibly help her?
“Are you planning to go to Danyang?” Jiang Xuanjin asked indifferently.
This was no secret; if she wanted to escape, she could only flee to Danyang. Huaiyu slowly nodded and glanced at him again. “If we pass through Ziyang, would Your Majesty be able to provide some assistance?”
“What do you think?” he replied coldly.
The fact that Lord Ziyang did not obstruct the Princess Royal was already generous enough; did she still want more convenience?
Scratching her head, Huaiyu felt she was being a bit too demanding and whispered, “Then why does Your Majesty ask this?”
“Ziyang and Danyang are separated by a single city, which has suffered from drought for three years and is plagued by locusts,” he said. “If the Princess can assist in returning to Danyang, I will have no issue rescuing Qing Si and returning her to you.”
He truly adhered to the Jiang family motto—taking the welfare of the common people as his responsibility, willing to face death without hesitation.
This condition, proposed by Jiang Xuanjin, felt natural and reasonable. Huaiyu found it acceptable and immediately nodded. “It’s a deal.”
Jiang Xuanjin released her hand and turned to say, “Then let’s go up the mountain to rest.”
“All right… huh? Wait a moment?” Huaiyu asked, confused. “What am I going to do on the mountain?”
“This place is thirty miles away from the next big city. Do you still want to continue your journey?”
Lingjiang Mountain did not appear steep, and halfway up was a grand temple. It should take less than half an hour to reach. Compared to continuing the journey, resting on the mountain would certainly be much easier.
Huaiyu thought for a moment and asked, “Are there many people on the mountain?”
Xu Chunyang stepped forward to answer, “Not many. Every year during the Double Ninth Festival, this temple only receives the Jiang family as benefactors, with no outsiders present.”
“Then that’s fine,” Huaiyu nodded.
At present, they are fugitives. Although she did not know when the arrest warrant would be issued, they should avoid crowds as much as possible.
“Old Master does not know about your situation yet,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “I kindly ask the Princess to send him a message to reassure him.”
Old Master Jiang doesn’t know? Huaiyu’s lips twitched; this was quite awkward. Given the current situation, Jiang’s eldest son, second son, and Jiang Yan must all be aware of what was happening. How could she pretend everything was fine and go to greet Old Master?
“Is there something difficult about it?”
“…No.” After all, she needed his help. Huaiyu scratched her chin and agreed, “Let’s go!”
“Your Highness…” Qing Xuan and the others hesitated to speak.
Huaiyu turned back and whispered, “Don’t worry, Lord Ziyang is not like those treacherous people in the court. Besides, he saved my life; he has no reason to harm me again.”
“This isn’t about harm or not,” Bai Ai said, pursing her lips. “Don’t you think… the Lord seems to be digging a pit for you?”
One shovel after another, he was leading two paths that were supposed to diverge back together.
Huaiyu thought seriously for a moment and said, “As long as I can save Qing Si, it’s fine. Besides, this pit can’t bury me.”
The Princess Royal of Danyang had stumbled twice due to emotions—first familial love, then romantic love. After being hurt, she learned what to do and what not to do. No matter how deep the scheme, it could not deceive her anymore.
In the past, her father had said, “A wall standing a thousand feet tall is unyielding if it has no desires.” She had not understood what it meant, but after several brushes with death, she finally comprehended.
Without emotions, there would be no soft spots. Those in power, once they have soft spots, would be doomed.
She would not make that fatal mistake again.
The coachman and the others led the way ahead, while Xu Chunyang pulled Huaiyu step by step up the mountain, nervous and worried, frequently glancing back at her.
Huaiyu couldn’t help but laugh at being watched so closely. “You don’t need to worry too much about me.”
“How can I not worry?” Xu Chunyang shook her head. “You should rest well for two days on the mountain, and I will prepare medicine for you.”
Huaiyu wanted to nod but remembered that the temple was full of Jiang family members. She pursed her lips. “No need; it wouldn’t be good if someone saw.”
Xu Chunyang naturally understood her concerns. She glanced at Lord Ziyang following behind and pulled Huaiyu closer, whispering, “I’ll just say I’m making it for myself. What can they do?”
Seeing her serious demeanor, Huaiyu chuckled. “Second… Second Madam is truly kind-hearted.”
She habitually called her second sister-in-law, but that title was inappropriate at the moment.
Xu Chunyang also realized this issue, squeezing her hand and saying, “If we refer to each other as ‘sister,’ would Your Highness mind?”
“Very good,” Huaiyu’s eyes brightened. “I’ve never called another girl ‘sister’ before!”
“Then you can call me Chunyang from now on,” Xu Chunyang said. “The ‘Chun’ from ‘Half Leaf New Willow’ and ‘Yang’ from ‘First Brew.’”
That was a lovely name. Huaiyu smiled and pointed to herself. “The ‘Huai’ from ‘The Crime of Holding a Precious Jade’ and the ‘Yu’ from ‘The Destruction of Jade and Stone.’”
“…” Xu Chunyang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. “Who says such things about themselves?”
“Just the truth; it’s just those two characters.”
Shaking her head, Xu Chunyang gently said, “You mean the ‘Huai’ from ‘Holding Talent and Ambition’ and the ‘Yu’ from ‘Beautiful Jade.’”
Holding talent and ambition, beautiful jade.
Li Huaiyu was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.
Since her father’s death, it had been a long time since anyone had praised her so gently. Although her mood had been somewhat heavy, upon seeing Xu Chunyang’s soft brows and eyes, she suddenly felt as if the sky had cleared.
Going to the temple was fine; at least she could spend more time with Chunyang.
Hanshan Temple.
Upon seeing the name of the temple, Huaiyu felt a sense of familiarity. When she entered and saw the two monks holding carved prayer beads, she understood.
The eminent monk that Liu Yunlie had invited was from here.
As soon as Jiang Xuanjin entered this place, he seemed to have returned home, his expression relaxing, and the sleeves he had been holding tightly also loosened.
“This way.” Without needing the monks to guide them, he directly led the group south.
Li Huaiyu looked at his back with curiosity, and Xu Chunyang explained, “The Lord has had a Buddhist affinity since childhood and is quite close to the old abbot here. The abbot took him as a lay disciple, and he comes here to stay for a month every year.”
No wonder he was so familiar with this place. Huaiyu raised an eyebrow and suddenly thought: What would Jiang Xuanjin look like if he were to shave his head?
The people in front seemed to sense something, glancing back at her.
With long brows like blades and ink-black eyes, he looked neither flirtatious nor affectionate, as if he had just descended from a snowy mountain in the deep winter, carrying a refreshing chill in his gaze.
However, Huaiyu thought, that even if he was so indifferent, with his three thousand strands of ink-black hair gone, he would still be the most handsome monk in the world.
No other meaning; she was merely making an objective assessment.
Turning her gaze away, Huaiyu asked Xu Chunyang, “Aren’t you going to greet the second young master first?”
Xu Chunyang paused for a moment, feeling somewhat guilty. “I don’t think it’s necessary, right?”
Jiang Shen had seemed quite unhappy the day he left the residence. Although she didn’t know who had upset him, it seemed that whenever he was in a bad mood, he would vent his anger on her. So, it was better not to go in front of him.
“Second sister-in-law should still go,” Jiang Xuanjin said lightly from ahead. “Second brother has been in a bad mood lately.”
She knew he was in a bad mood, but what use would it be for her to go? It would be better to let his concubine go; she wouldn’t know how to comfort him.
Xu Chunyang grumbled to herself, just as she was about to refuse when she raised her eyes and met Jiang Xuanjin’s slightly cold gaze.
“…Uh, that’s true; I should go take a look!” she quickly said. “Then I’ll leave Huaiyu in Your Majesty’s care.”
She didn’t know much, but she could read expressions. Not to mention Jiang Shen, even Jiang Xuanjin had been in a bad mood lately. Compared to him, she would rather face Jiang Shen.
“All right,” Huaiyu said. “When you’re free, come find me.”
“Mm!” Smiling in response, Xu Chunyang didn’t dare to look at Lord Ziyang again and lifted her skirt to leave.
This was a place she had to come to every year. She knew the way, passing through two large halls until she reached the guest room on the west side, the first room being Jiang Shen’s.
Pushing the door open, Xu Chunyang’s heart raced. Not looking at the person in the room, she first glanced outside.
Lord Ziyang was usually taciturn and rarely looked at her. When he suddenly cast a glance her way, it was truly startling.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Shen’s voice came from behind.
Xu Chunyang turned around to meet a dark face. She first bowed respectfully. “I came to celebrate the festival.”
Jiang Shen smiled coldly, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to come? Why are you rushing here now?”
She disliked this kind of smile from him the most. However, she wouldn’t say much, just lowering her head and standing there like a silent statue.
Jiang Shen’s anger grew as he observed her. “Where’s your maid?”
“…I didn’t bring her.”
For Huaiyu’s safety, she had only brought a coachman from her dowry. The maid was from the Jiang residence, and she naturally didn’t dare to bring her along.
“Then who did you come with?” Jiang Shen frowned.
Xu Chunyang felt a bit guilty, hesitating for a long time before saying, “With the Lord.”
It seemed inappropriate for a young uncle to travel with his sister-in-law. But since there were so many people in her carriage, they hadn’t been alone, so it didn’t count as breaking any taboos. Xu Chunyang felt guilty only because she hadn’t told Jiang Shen about Huaiyu’s situation. She had originally planned to come together, but to wait for Huaiyu, she had deliberately said she wouldn’t come, and now she felt somewhat embarrassed.
However, this situation was interpreted differently in Jiang Shen’s eyes.
If Jiang Xuanjin said she wouldn’t come, then she wouldn’t come. But now that Jiang Xuanjin was here, she didn’t avoid suspicion and came along with him.
What did this mean?
He was already angry, and now he was even more furious. Jiang Shen’s face darkened as he coldly said, “Should I go thank my third brother?”
“Thank him?” Xu Chunyang was very confused. “Thank him for what?”
“Thank him for taking care of you along the way,” Jiang Shen sneered.
“…” Realizing what he was implying, Xu Chunyang felt both angry and embarrassed. “It’s not what you think!”
“What is it then?” Jiang Shen waved his sleeve, his eyes filled with mockery. “No wonder you’ve been so cold lately.”
Her face flushed crimson, entirely due to his anger. Xu Chunyang gritted her teeth and said, “I’m not as good as you; I don’t have so many tricks up my sleeve to accommodate so many people!”
In other words, all along, she had only held him in her heart.
Jiang Shen paused, the anger in his brows dissipating somewhat. He pursed his lips, looking at her trembling with anger, and asked, “Then why didn’t you come with me?”
“You’ll know when you go to greet Old Master later,” Xu Chunyang said, turning to leave.
However, Jiang Shen was quick to act, grabbing her and pulling her back into his embrace.
“Why are you so temperamental lately?” He raised an eyebrow, holding her. “Since you returned from your family, you’ve been ignoring me, not even looking at me. Should I not think too much?”
With her hand pressed against his chest, Xu Chunyang listened to his words, her nose slightly tinged with bitterness.
This person always forgot the harsh words he had said and then turned around to accuse her of being cold.
What could she do if she wasn’t cold? She had already incurred his displeasure, becoming a woman with deep schemes to gain favor. If she approached him again, foolishly trying to please him as before, she might hear even more hurtful words.
She was a bit scared.
“Not going to speak?” Jiang Shen pressed his lips together. “We are husband and wife; we should speak freely. If I’ve done something wrong, you can tell me. Don’t sulk.”
After all these years, Jiang Shen had never spoken to her with such tenderness. Xu Chunyang’s eyes turned red as she slowly tightened her grip on his clothing.
“Hmm?” Jiang Shen’s gaze softened further. “Are you no longer angry?”
Xu Chunyang, with her head lowered, slowly nodded.
What could she be angry about? Her sadness was hers, her sorrow was hers. For this person, she still wanted to give him all the good things.
Jiang Shen smiled, reached out to pinch her chin, rubbed his nose against hers a couple of times, and then kissed her.
In terms of wooing women, Jiang Er Gongzi believed he could outdo his third brother by a long shot. Wasn’t it just a quarrel? Be stern for a while, ignore her for two days, and then hold her like this to coax her; wasn’t that enough? Women were so easy to handle!
He couldn’t understand why his third brother always looked so troubled!
Confident in his success, Jiang Er Gongzi thought that while his third brother was handsome, he couldn’t steal a woman from him. With his third brother’s temperament, who could withstand it except for Jiang Baishi?
“Ah-choo!” Just as Huaiyu sat down, she sneezed.
Qing Xuan immediately came over to check her forehead. “Your Highness, you must not fall ill again. Your body…”
“It’s nothing, just a tickle in my nose. I’m not sick,” she said, using a handkerchief to blow her nose and looking around. “This room is quite spacious.”
Jiang Xuanjin stood by the window, his gaze dark as he looked at her, coldly saying, “My room is naturally not small.”
What? Huaiyu stood up. “So you want me to rest here?”
“If you’re not here, where else would you be?” he said expressionlessly. “Father is also in the southern courtyard. If he knows that you and I are separated, it will only add to the trouble.”
Qing Xuan frowned and looked at him. “What does Your Majesty mean?”
Meeting his gaze, Jiang Xuanjin slightly curled his lips. “Do you not understand?”
He wanted to share a room with her.
Qing Xuan’s expression darkened. “It’s probably not appropriate for Your Majesty and the Princess…”
Both being men, they were well aware of what the other was thinking.
Jiang Xuanjin leisurely brushed away the leaves blown in by the wind from the window and looked at him. “Whether it’s appropriate or not is not for you to judge.”
The already cool room felt even colder for some reason. Qing Xuan stood beside her, gazing at Jiang Xuanjin from a distance.
The room fell silent for a moment, the Buddhist banners fluttering, and a chill filled the air.
“Ah-choo!” Li Huaiyu couldn’t help but rub her arms and sneeze again.
The person by the window paused, withdrew his gaze, and casually closed the window. “Does the Princess have any objections?”
“If I say I do, will you not save Qing Si?” Huaiyu raised an eyebrow.
Jiang Xuanjin nodded seriously.
This shameless feeling was strangely familiar to her! Huaiyu chuckled and waved her hand. “Then I have no objections. If sharing a room is what it is, it’s not like we haven’t done it before.”
“Your Highness…” Qing Xuan looked at her with displeasure.
Patting his arm, Huaiyu said, “Don’t worry too much. You go find Chi Jin and the others. Don’t wander around and run into Jiang’s family members; it would be hard to explain then.”
After standing there reluctantly for a while, Qing Xuan finally nodded. “Understood.”
With only the two of them left in the room, Li Huaiyu curiously propped her chin and looked at the person by the window. “I say, Your Majesty, shouldn’t the capital be in chaos right now? Why aren’t you back to handle state affairs and instead have the leisure to come here to enjoy the view?”
Jiang Xuanjin looked out through the intricately carved window, remaining silent.
He resembled the cold and distant demeanor she had first encountered when approaching him.
However, this time, Li Huaiyu wouldn’t push him to speak. She smiled, surveyed the room, and then lay down on the bed to rest.
Outside, night had fallen. After Qing Xuan left, she didn’t return. Huaiyu lay there for a while, her consciousness becoming hazy. In a daze, she felt a slight sinking beside her, realizing Jiang Xuanjin had come up, so she turned her back to him, distancing herself.
On such a large bed, she lay against the wall, almost pressed against it.
Jiang Xuanjin watched her for a while, his face cold as he waited. When her breathing finally calmed and she no longer moved, he exhaled a breath and solemnly pulled her closer.
Her slender waist felt even thinner than before, and her face lacked color. They had rushed along the way, and there was dust on her chin from who knows where making her look dirty.
Holding her sleeve, he held his breath and carefully wiped the dust off her. The dark brown dust stained his jade-green sleeve, resembling a fine painting splattered with ink.
Staring at the dirt for a while, Jiang Xuanjin inexplicably smiled, his voice low, filled with bitterness.
Li Huaiyu couldn’t see it; her brows were slightly furrowed, and her dreams were not peaceful.
She had escaped, and once Huai Lin discovered it, he would surely be furious. In his rage, he would inevitably involve others, forcing her to reveal herself. Qing Si was already in their hands, and Han Xiao and the others’ families were uncertain if they had evacuated from the capital. Although she had managed to escape this time, what about the others?
She had left the capital, but the worries behind her were truly numerous…
Anxiously wrapping herself tighter in the blanket, she mumbled in her sleep.
In the past, Jiang Xuanjin had heard her talk in her sleep, but he hadn’t paid much attention because the names she called were too absurd.
However, this time, Jiang Xuanjin heard her call out:
“Father Emperor.”
The rumored Princess Royal was ruthless and cunning; wasn’t she supposed to be invincible? Why did she sound like a child, her tone pitiful? As if she were tugging at the Emperor’s sleeve, half-squatting on the ground, dragging him along, like a child throwing a tantrum?
Recalling what Qing Si had said, Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze darkened as he slowly reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
The capital was in an uproar.
Li Huailin sat on the dragon throne, his expression grim. In front of him, Qi Han, Liu Yunlie, and others were all kneeling, reporting one by one:
“After searching everywhere, the Princess Royal should no longer be in the capital.”
“Lord Ziyang has also left the capital for Lingjiang Mountain. Although it’s customary for the Jiang family, I feel there’s something suspicious. Han Xiao, Yun Lanqing, and Xu Xian’s residences have been searched, but their families left the capital yesterday.”
“The prison of the Court of Judicial Review was robbed, and all remnants of Danyang have vanished.”
Slamming his palm on the imperial desk, Li Huailin stood up and said, “Customary? Suspicious? Can’t you see this is all part of Jiang Xuanjin’s plan?!”
Liu Yunlie was stunned. “How could this be? Isn’t the Lord already at odds with the Princess Royal?”
“At odds?” Li Huailin paced back and forth in anger. “What a good ‘at odds’! This is a counter-scheme, pulling the rug out from under us!”
Initially, it was Liu Yunlie who had been digging a pit for Jiang Xuanjin, letting him and the Danyang faction fight among themselves, causing him to lose the people’s hearts and making it easier to eliminate them. But at some point, they started following Jiang Xuanjin’s lead.
Jiang Xuanjin insisted on executing the Danyang faction, and they didn’t stop him but instead encouraged him, leading to dissatisfaction among the officials in the court, who believed the Emperor was indecisive. When Jiang Xuanjin did not attend the sacrificial ceremony, they lost the death row prisoners, making it seem as if there was no one besides the Emperor, further highlighting the young Emperor’s incompetence!
In the past two days, the memorials sent to the imperial study had been subtly urging him to listen to the loyal ministers.
Who were the loyal ministers? The entire court and the common people only recognized one Lord Ziyang!
“Your Majesty, please calm down,” Qi Han said, cupping his hands. “Let’s not discuss anything else; Lord Ziyang will return to the capital. When he does, we can take action.”
“Wait for him to return?” Li Huailin pulled out the memorial that had just been handed to him and slammed it down in front of Qi Han. “You read it yourself!”
Qi Han trembled in fright, quickly catching it and opening it.
It was a memorial written in Jiang Xuanjin’s hand, requesting the Emperor to convict Qi Chengxiang as soon as possible to appease the spirit of Prime Minister Sima in the afterlife.
“This… what does he mean by bringing this up?” Qi Han looked at the Emperor helplessly. “There’s no need to revisit this case.”
At this moment, it was crucial to use people, and Li Huailin naturally didn’t want to convict Qi Han. However, looking at Jiang Xuanjin’s attitude in the memorial, it was clear that if he didn’t convict him, he wouldn’t return to the capital.
If he didn’t return to the capital, where could he go?
Ziyang!
If he returned to Ziyang, it would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains! If he left, he would take the entire Jiang family with him, and he wouldn’t have any leverage to hold against them. Instead, he would be at the mercy of the other side, who held a hundred thousand troops, pressing against his throat.
The Emperor had said that if there were no major issues, the Lord would not return to Ziyang. This meant that once he returned, there would be a major incident in Northern Wei.
Li Huailin’s face darkened, and he anxiously slammed several memorials on the table.
Qi Han was so frightened that he didn’t dare to breathe, trembling as he held the memorial, frequently glancing at Liu Yunlie beside him.
He didn’t want to be convicted! Quickly help me say something!
Liu Yunlie seemed to be deep in thought, his eyes dark and obscure, as if he hadn’t seen Qi Han’s gaze at all. He directly cupped his hands toward the Emperor and said, “What the Lord wants is merely justice. He has the military power given by the late Emperor and vast fiefdoms; it’s truly unwise to confront him directly. In this current predicament, the turning point lies with Lord Ziyang. Since that’s the case, Your Majesty, why not offer some sweet benefits to entice him back to the capital?”
“What does Minister Liu mean?” Li Huailin pondered, looking at Qi Han.
“It may require some sacrifice on Qi Chengxiang’s part,” Liu Yunlie nodded.
Qi Han’s face turned pale in an instant.
He thought he could avoid this calamity, but after going around in circles, he still had to pay the price.
Sima Xu was killed by him. That old man had held the position of Prime Minister for far too long, too long for him to wait. So on the day of the palace banquet, he had sent away the people from Fulu Palace, slitting Sima Xu’s throat while he was drunk. He had arranged everything well, leaving no evidence behind. After all, the Princess Royal of Danyang was notorious; he could easily pin the blame on her, and no one would suspect anything.
He had thought about what to do if the truth was revealed and had been scared for several nights. However, later, with the Emperor backing him, Qi Han felt at ease, thinking he would be fine no matter what, and he was completely carefree.
But now, even with a new Emperor, Jiang Xuanjin could still find a way to bring him to justice.
Liu Yunlie spoke lightly, suggesting that it was merely a matter of sacrifice. How much effort and how many years had he spent to obtain this position as Prime Minister? To lure Lord Ziyang back to the capital, the Emperor would undoubtedly strip him of his official hat. How was that any different from killing him?!
Qi Han shook his head, shaking his head again. He was unwilling; he did not want to!
“What’s wrong?” Li Huailin frowned. “Does the Prime Minister have something to say?”
“I believe that the Lord is not as upright and honest as we see him,” Qi Han said urgently. “If you dispose of me, will the Lord truly return to the capital? What if he doesn’t return? What means does Your Majesty have to control him?”
Li Huailin was taken aback and then looked at him with displeasure. “Are you blaming me for being incompetent?”
“I wouldn’t dare!” Qi Han repeatedly bowed his head. “But I believe that without any guarantees, making such concessions is truly a loss! It would be better for Your Majesty to issue an edict to summon Lord Ziyang back to the capital!”
The Emperor’s edict carried weight; would Lord Ziyang dare to disobey? Disobeying would be tantamount to defying the Emperor!
His expression softened slightly. Li Huailin thought for a moment and hesitantly said, “Wouldn’t it seem like I’m making a big deal out of nothing?”
He was merely following the people from the residence up the mountain to pray for blessings, and he hurriedly issued an edict to summon him back. What was that?
“Your Majesty, this is also a last resort!” Qi Han said. “In this way, at least the initiative is still in your hands!”
That made sense. What he feared most was that Lord Ziyang would return to his fief. If there was a way to prevent him from returning, then he had to take it. As for what would happen after summoning him back…
Glancing at Qi Han, Li Huailin asked, “Isn’t the Prime Minister’s legitimate daughter fond of the Lord for a long time?”
“This…” Qi Han was momentarily speechless, stammering, “I’m not too sure.”
Liu Yunlie chuckled lightly. “Isn’t it something that all the officials in the court are aware of, but only the Prime Minister is unaware?”
Qi Han glared at him in annoyance, anxiously waiting for the Emperor’s next words.
Li Huailin sat on the dragon throne, contemplating for a long time before saying, “We can’t summon Lord Ziyang back to the capital for no reason; let’s find a reason to grant a marriage instead.”
Qi Han’s eyes widened in shock, and Liu Yunlie was also taken aback. “Your Majesty?”
“After all, the marriage between Lord Ziyang and the Bai family should be considered null and void,” Li Huailin said. “Granting him an imperial marriage would not only show my favor but also provide a legitimate reason to issue an edict, killing two birds with one stone.”
Recalling Jiang Baishi, Liu Yunlie frowned, his expression complicated.
Given Jiang Xuanjin’s temperament, he might accept the emperor’s decree, but this marriage proposal…
He felt uncertain in his heart.
In September, the autumn air grew thick, and the mournful winds howled as the sound of temple bells echoed through the mountains.
Hua Yu, following Jiang Xuanjin, obediently bowed to the Old Master Jiang. “I pay my respects to Father.”
Old Master Jiang, gripping his dragon-headed cane, frowned and said, “Where has Jiang Baishi been lately? Why haven’t we seen him?”
Hua Yu quickly lowered her head. “He’s been… unwell recently and has been moving less.”
Old Master Jiang grunted and nodded. “That’s good. Make sure to take care of yourself. Over these next few days at the temple, let Xuanjin keep you company.”
Keep her company? The moment Jiang Xuanjin saw her, his face turned cold, refusing to give her a hint of warmth. If they spent more time together, they would only end up resenting each other.
Though her heart was filled with resentment, Hua Yu replied sweetly, “Of course.”
The two young masters and the young lord of the Jiang family stood behind Old Master Jiang, their gazes towards her a mix of wariness and shock. Jiang Yan’s brows were knitted so tightly that they nearly formed a knot.
Feeling mischievous, Hua Yu seized the opportunity while the Old Master wasn’t looking and shot them a chilling smile, her eyes icy like a vengeful spirit rising from the underworld.
“Ah!” While the two young masters managed to keep their composure, the youngest lord of the Jiang family, who had always been terrified of ghosts, stumbled back in fright, almost stepping on Jiang Chong’s feet and tumbling over.
“What’s the matter?” The Old Master was startled by the outburst and turned to scold, “Shouting like that—what kind of behavior is this?”
“Grandfather, I… she…” Jiang Yan pointed at Li Hua Yu, wanting to complain.
However, when he looked over, he found his little uncle’s icy gaze fixed on him, offering a warning more severe than that of the so-called ghost beside him.
Jiang Yan: “…”
“What’s wrong?” Old Master Jiang looked at him, irritation growing. “Can’t you articulate your thoughts?”
Swallowing hard, Jiang Yan slowly lowered his hand and said, voice tinged with a whimper, “It’s nothing. I’m just being overly alarmed.”
Old Master Jiang, with a stern expression, admonished, “You’re all officials now. How can you be so frivolous? Your little aunt’s health is already poor. What if you scare her?”
Jiang Yan felt completely wrong. Who scared whom? He had jumped at the sight of that persistent ghostly presence, and now his little uncle was glaring at him. To top it off, his grandfather was scolding him too!
What sin had he committed?!
“It’s all right,” Li Hua Yu interjected generously. “The young lord didn’t mean any harm.”
Old Master Jiang nodded toward her, his tone softening. “You have a good temperament. There are many rare wild vegetables in this temple. During lunch, make sure to come over with Xuanjin.”
“Of course.”
Jiang Yan was so furious that he ground his teeth. Seeing the two of them getting ready to leave, he hurriedly followed suit and bowed. “Grandfather, I still have something to ask my little uncle. I’ll take my leave for now.”
Jiang Chong and Jiang Shen echoed, “Father should rest. I have questions for Third Brother as well.”
Jiang Xuanjin had never been fond of crowds; everyone in the household knew that when visiting him, they coordinated their timings to avoid clashing. Yet today, it seemed everyone had gathered at once.
Old Master Jiang looked puzzled but simply nodded to let them go, gripping his cane and gazing after them. He wondered when he would hold another grandchild.