Jiu Wu nodded, “I understand the shopkeeper’s intentions, but I’m afraid that the princess…”
“What about her?” Lu Jingxing narrowed his phoenix eyes. “If she dares to recklessly involve herself with Jiang Xuanjin again, I’ll break her legs!”
…Today, Shopkeeper Lu seemed particularly irritable. Jiu Wu shook his head and sighed softly, “It’s easy to say, but if she digs in her heels, who can stop her?”
After thinking for a moment, Lu Jingxing closed his eyes in pain. “This ancestor is truly a headache!”
“Please take care of yourself first,” Jiu Wu said, cupping his hands. “We’ll keep an eye on the princess, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
Even if he worried, there was nothing he could do! The wounds on his body were still seeping blood, and he couldn’t even sit up, only able to stew in his frustration.
Li Huaiyu was good in every way, except for her poor judgment of men. With so many suitors, she hadn’t chosen any of them. Yet, she had her eyes set on the cold and aloof Ziyang Jun.
To be honest, Lu Jingxing still didn’t understand what was so good about Jiang Xuanjin besides his looks. He seemed like someone who wouldn’t be considerate of others. If it were him, how could he not even know that his wife was pregnant?
Jiang Xuanjin sat silently in the carriage, gazing at the retreating tree trunks outside the curtain.
“It’s all arranged,” Cheng Xu reported as he rode back to the carriage. “In half an hour, someone from the yamen will go down the mountain to collect the bodies.”
The eunuchs who delivered the imperial edict, along with the twenty guards escorting them, had all perished at the hands of “mountain bandits” and had not reached Hanshan Temple. Thus, even if Ziyang Jun were to defy the edict, it wouldn’t matter.
Coming back to his senses, Jiang Xuanjin gently tapped the edge of the small window beside him. “Don’t let the old master find out.”
“Understood,” Cheng Xu replied.
The carriage wheels rolled quickly, and the cabin jolted violently. Cheng Xu glanced at him several times before finally being unable to hold back. “My lord, why are we rushing so much?”
Jiang Xuanjin replied calmly, “The sooner we reach the border city, the sooner we’ll be safe.”
Is it for safety? Cheng Xu shook his head. “Are you… still thinking about the lady?”
“No,” Jiang Xuanjin answered decisively, his voice cold. “If she wants to leave, what do I have to worry about?”
Having been with his wife for half a year, he hadn’t learned much else, but his ability to lie without blushing had certainly improved. Cheng Xu sighed, fearing that Jiang Xuanjin might become angry, and said no more, turning his horse to check on the other members of the Jiang family.
However, just as he turned the horse’s head, a cold gleam shot through the air, accompanied by a piercing whistle that made one’s scalp tingle.
“Be careful!” Yufeng, who was on the yoke, shouted sharply and immediately reined in the horse.
“Shig—” Cheng Xu fell back onto the horse’s back, narrowly dodging the short arrow. His gaze sharpened as he drew his sword and looked toward the source of the attack.
In the deep woods, the wind stirred the leaves, creating ripples in the cool air.
The surrounding hidden guards became alert. Yufeng dismounted and pressed down on the carriage curtain. “You’re injured; don’t get down.”
The emperor’s reaction was quicker than they had anticipated. With the eunuch who delivered the edict missing for two days, assassins had followed closely behind. Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze, fiddling with his fingers, and smiled softly.
Having been scheming since the age of fifteen, Li Huailin was indeed fit to be an emperor.
Unfortunately for him, as the Grand Tutor, he wouldn’t necessarily go easy on his disciple this time.
In the damp and cool autumn wind, the scent of blood suddenly filled the air. The Jiang family’s carriage was surrounded by an increasing number of assassins. The guards stood by with their swords drawn, ready for a bloody battle.
Jiang Xuanjin lifted the carriage curtain to take a look, and his mood suddenly soured.
This place truly resembled the woods on the way to Bailong Temple.
“Kill—” someone shouted.
Cheng Xu and Yufeng’s eyes turned red as they charged forward to confront the bandits. Knowing their side was outnumbered, they aimed for quick, lethal strikes to conserve energy and effort.
However, the situation was chaotic, catching them off guard. The two, who usually coordinated well, were pushed apart by the numerous assassins, each ending up in different parts of the fray.
“Yufeng!” Cheng Xu frowned, blocking a large knife swinging toward him while glancing back at the carriage.
Someone had broken through the guards’ line and was already approaching the front of the carriage, ready to lift the curtain—
Yufeng, unable to protect himself, could only shout, “Protect the prince!”
The assassin who had lifted the curtain was overjoyed. The guards in front were entangled, and as long as he delivered this blow, taking Ziyang Jun’s life, wouldn’t promotion and wealth be within his grasp…
“Bang!” The curtain was lifted, and the person inside acted swiftly, parrying the assassin’s large knife, grabbing the edge of the carriage door, and kicking him off the yoke.
As the world spun, the assassin fell to the ground, staring blankly at the person who emerged from the carriage.
Amidst the screams and bloodshed, the rare sight of the bright moon and clear wind appeared before him. Ziyang Jun stood tall and handsome at the yoke. Even in a life-and-death situation, one couldn’t help but want to take a few more glances.
What did the poem “The Beauty of Ziyang” say again?
*“Its anger is like a dragon emerging from the sea; though terrifying, its beauty is even more striking.”*
The assassin was momentarily stunned, not even realizing when the knife had ended up in the hands of the person opposite him. He could only think, is it a pity for someone like Ziyang Jun to die?
Before he could figure it out, he suddenly felt a chill in his throat.
Without mercy, Jiang Xuanjin slashed the assassin’s neck, drawing his sword and looking toward Cheng Xu, stepping forward to meet him.
“My lord?” Cheng Xu was startled, seeing the killing intent in his eyes, feeling both relieved and worried.
Relieved that the prince, truly intent on killing, wouldn’t need their protection, but worried about why he was suddenly so angry.
He rarely killed personally; even when forced to act, he would subconsciously leave a way out for others. Yet now, the prince was more ruthless than they were, each strike precise and deadly, as if he were the King of Hell returned from the underworld, making one’s heart tremble.
The assassin’s blood splattered onto his cheek, and he frowned, wanting to wipe it off with his sleeve. But glancing at his sleeve, for some reason, he let it go, discarded the dull knife, turned, and seized the sword, whispering, “Fall back!”
Fall back? There were certainly many assassins behind them!
Cheng Xu thought for a moment and said, “If you’re worried about the safety of the Jiang family behind us, let’s split up. You retreat forward, and we’ll check on the old master and the others…”
Halfway through his sentence, he caught a glimpse of the prince’s expression and fell silent.
“Retreat!”
In this fight, neither side gained an advantage, but the best opportunity for assassination had been lost. Ziyang Jun not only couldn’t kill anyone but might also endanger their lives. Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the assassins had no intention of pursuing further. As they saw them retreat, they gradually faded back into the woods.
The carriage behind was moving slowly, far from them. Fortunately, there were enough guards, and when Jiang Xuanjin rushed over, both sides were locked in a stalemate, but the people in the carriage were well protected.
“What’s going on?” The old master was utterly confused, sitting in the carriage without moving, his expression tense.
Jiang Shen sat beside him, pursing his lips. “What Jiang Baishi said might be true. His Majesty has wanted to eliminate the third brother for a long time. Now that he has received the edict to return to the capital, the outcome won’t be good; but if he defies the edict, the Jiang family will also face assassination. It’s truly a dead end.”
Old Master Jiang frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“I’m not talking nonsense,” Jiang Shen sighed. “It’s the truth. Otherwise, why would someone as proper as the third brother commit such an act of rebellion?”
The old master looked bewildered, clearly not understanding. Jiang Shen, however, grasped the meaning behind Li Huaiyu’s words before leaving and felt a deep sense of regret.
Just as he was thinking, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted.
“Father, Second Brother.” Jiang Xuanjin stood outside the carriage, speaking softly, “Hold on tight; we need to get moving.”
The turquoise robe was splattered with bright red blood and Old Master Jiang was startled at first glance, quickly asking, “Are you hurt?”
Jiang Xuanjin paused slightly, shaking his head. “It’s someone else’s.”
Realizing his reaction was excessive, the old master cleared his throat and held the dragon-head cane, his expression dark.
What concern should he have for such an unfilial son? If he died, it would be his fate!
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t expect to gain forgiveness. Seeing that they were all unharmed, he lowered the curtain and mounted his horse, leading the group out of the encirclement.
The fighting continued. The bodies lying on the ground included both assassins and Jiang’s family guards. Fortunately, after half an hour, the Jiang family’s carriage finally left the woods.
As the sun rose, in the court, Qi Han stepped forward to report, “Your Majesty, the late emperor issued an edict for Ziyang Jun to assist in governance in the capital. However, now the prince is defying the imperial edict and has taken the Jiang family to Ziyang. I believe this action is indeed suspicious of disloyalty.”
“Ziyang Jun returned to Ziyang without informing Your Majesty,” Liu Yunlie said. “As far as I know, the prince has made contributions in quelling the rebellion, and Your Majesty even issued a marriage decree. But it seems the prince has not accepted the edict.”
This statement was indirect, but those who heard it understood its meaning.
Ziyang Jun defied the edict and took his entire family back to his fief, which indicated rebellion and ulterior motives!
Li Huailin sighed deeply. “Why is this happening…”
“Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present.” Bai Dezhong stepped forward, cupping his hands. “There are reports from the outskirts of the capital that two fights occurred at the foot of Linjiang Mountain. One victim was the eunuch who delivered the edict, along with twenty guards, all killed by mountain bandits. The other was an unknown assassin who killed many Jiang family guards.”
The eunuch who delivered the edict died at the foot of the mountain, and Ziyang Jun hadn’t even received the imperial edict, so it couldn’t be considered defiance. After the Jiang family was attacked, they didn’t return to the capital but went to Ziyang. The reasoning behind this was something anyone with a bit of thought could figure out.
This was not Ziyang Jun rebelling; he probably knew the origins of the assassins and thus didn’t dare return to the capital.
Of course, this was merely the thoughts of the ministers and couldn’t be openly stated. Therefore, Qi Han and Liu Yunlie still held the upper hand: “The Jiang family was attacked, so Ziyang Jun can avoid returning to the capital and go to Ziyang? What logic is that?”
“No matter the reason, the fact remains that the prince did not return to the capital, which truly betrays Your Majesty’s trust.”
Once Han Xiao and the others left, and Ziyang Jun departed, the court would be dominated by these factions. Bai Dezhong knew he couldn’t outtalk the crowd, so he chose to remain silent.
Thus, Li Huailin naturally said, “You all are so wary of Ziyang Jun, yet I still trust him more. To show my favor, I will issue the marriage decree once more.”
“Your Majesty is benevolent and righteous.”
“Your Majesty is magnanimous!”
Qi Han and Liu Yunlie praised in unison, while Bai Dezhong listened, secretly cursing.
The emperor issuing a decree twice seemed like a show of favor, but in reality, it forced Ziyang Jun into a corner. Once he defied the edict, the emperor could label him a rebel and rally the various princes to attack.
What should be done?
When Li Huaiyu heard the news, she was drinking old chicken soup. The chef, Zhi Jin, was excellent, and the soup was fragrant and rich. She reluctantly took several sips before pulling away. “What do you think Ziyang Jun’s reaction will be?”
Jiu Wu calculated and replied, “He’s been in Ziyang for over a day.”
“What has he done?”
“Settled the Jiang family and discussed matters with the border city’s governor.” Jiu Wu raised an eyebrow. “It seems he also prepared quite a bit of provisions.”
With that said, it didn’t seem like he was planning to return to the capital to die. Qing Xian chuckled, stroking his chin. “Then we might have a good show to watch.”
From the looks of it, a fight was inevitable.
As the bowl of chicken soup reached the bottom, Huaiyu wiped her mouth and said, “The Northern Wei is about to be in chaos. We should hurry back to our old nest; we’ve only a few days of leisure left.”
Jiu Wu nodded but frowned. “We don’t have a carriage anymore, and all four city gates have wanted posters up. Shopkeeper Lu is still seriously injured; it might be very difficult to leave now.”
Huaiyu asked, “Did the doctor say that Lu Jingxing must lie down?”
“Yes,” Jiu Wu nodded. “So if we want him to sit in a carriage to leave the city, it might…”
“It’s fine; I have a way!” Li Huaiyu clapped her hands and stood up. “I guarantee he can leave comfortably!”
The others in the room looked at her with admiration; she truly was a clever princess! Even in such a predicament, she had a solution!
However, an hour later, a coffin appeared before them.
“How is it?” Li Huaiyu proudly patted the coffin lid. “It’s lined with cotton inside, warm and comfortable; he can lie down and leave the city!”
Everyone: “…”
Jiu Wu suddenly felt that Shopkeeper Lu’s temper was truly good. After all these years, he hadn’t killed their princess; he must have a compassionate heart.
“Li Huaiyu, do you think I can’t move right now, so you can’t beat me?” Lu Jingxing was so angry that his hands trembled. “I’m not dead yet, and you want to give me a funeral?!”
While tying white cloth around her sleeves, Huaiyu comforted him, “It’s not a real funeral; it’s a temporary measure! Who told you to be so seriously injured?”
“You’re wanted, but I’m not!” Lu Jingxing gritted his teeth. “I can leave the city myself; at worst, I’ll meet up with you later!”
“How do you plan to leave?” Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, squatting by the bed and gesturing, “If you don’t lie in the coffin, you’ll need two people to carry you, right? Shopkeeper Lu, such a dashing and handsome man, being carried out of the city—does that look good?”
Thinking about that scene, Lu Jingxing fell silent.
A man can be less handsome, but he must have presence! As the most charming young man in Northern Wei, how could he expose his dying appearance to the public?
“Then I’ll lie in the coffin,” he finally conceded after a long thought. “You prepare it properly.”
“I’ll handle it; you can rest assured!” Huaiyu grinned, tugging at the white cloth on her sleeve. “We’ve all agreed; you’re a certain shopkeeper from the south of the city, and Jiu Wu and the others will disguise themselves as mourners. The procession is all set outside; we can leave soon!”
Looking at her, Lu Jingxing asked, “What will you disguise as?”
His widow? Then she should change into mourning clothes; just this little bit of white on her sleeve…
Disheveling her hair, Huaiyu casually tied it into a man’s bun and secured it with a hair tie, answering in a rough voice, “Your father.”
“…”
Jiu Wu and the others were waiting outside to carry the person when they suddenly heard a furious shout from inside the room: “Li Huaiyu!”
“Aiya, aiya.” Dodging the pillow he threw at her, Huaiyu grinned, “My face is on the wanted posters at the city gate; if I don’t put on a beard to pretend to be your father, how can I pass? Wow, don’t get excited! I can be an uncle instead…”
The sounds of clattering and banging inside were quite intense. Jiu Wu listened and hesitated, turning back to ask, “Should we go persuade them?”
Everyone nodded in unison. The princess was still pregnant; she couldn’t be harmed, no matter how reckless she was.
Thus, as Li Huaiyu dodged, the door was suddenly pushed open. The four suitors closest to her stepped over the threshold in unison, bowing to Lu Jingxing, “Shopkeeper, please calm your anger.”
“See, they treat me well!” Huaiyu, hiding behind the chair, felt extremely touched.
Lu Jingxing narrowed his phoenix eyes, propping himself up to look at them. “Why should I calm my anger?”
The four exchanged glances and replied in unison, “To accumulate virtue and do good!”
Li Huaiyu: “…”
There was no atmosphere of a funeral in the courtyard; it was all playful and noisy. If one didn’t know better, they might think it was New Year’s. The Princess of Danyang finally regained her former temperament, slamming the table and shouting, “I don’t mind preparing a few more coffins for you all to lie in!”
Lu Jingxing sneered, “Jiu Wu, prepare one for her; her health isn’t good either; she should lie down.”
“You dare!” Huaiyu pinched a handful of beard and pressed it to her face. “I’ll change into a white beard later and directly become your grandfather!”
“You might as well turn your hair white too and become my ancestor,” Lu Jingxing retorted.
Jiu Wu and the others chuckled, covering their mouths to avoid letting the princess notice, but Huaiyu had sharp eyes and caught on, placing her hands on her hips. “You’re all colluding together!”
Her voice was seven parts feigned anger and three parts amusement, like a child throwing a tantrum, carefree and untroubled. It floated over the high walls, carried by the autumn wind.
Outside the wall, Jiang Xuanjin stood silently, listening to the sounds inside, and smiled with a hint of mockery.
Everything was ready, and Huaiyu was also disguised properly. The group finally stepped out, and the long funeral procession headed straight for the west city gate.
“Don’t worry. When we reach the city gate, I’ll start crying,” Huaiyu said to Jiu Wu by the coffin. “Generally speaking, the guards at the city gate won’t stop a funeral procession. But if they do, you’ll need to bribe them and say good things; we’ll surely manage to slip out.”
Jiu Wu nodded. The others weren’t particularly nervous; after all, this plan was something few could think of, so there shouldn’t be any mistakes.
However, when they reached the city gate, they were still stopped.
“Sir, please show some mercy.” Qing Xian stepped forward, handing a bag of silver to the guard. “My master is in a hurry to be buried; how long will this take if you check each one?”
After weighing the silver, the guard’s eyes lit up, and he stepped aside to let them pass.
“Stop!” A general walked over, glanced at him, and turned to Qing Xian. “There’s an order from above; all entries and exits at the city gate must be inspected.”
The guard froze, quickly tossing the silver back to Qing Xian as if it were a hot potato.
Qing Xian was taken aback and turned to look back.
So strict? He thought Ziyang Jun would confront the emperor and the imperial edict in Ziyang wouldn’t be strictly enforced. If they were truly inspected, they would surely recognize several people from the wanted posters.
Huaiyu was pretending to cry when she saw this and trembled as she walked up, hoarsely using an old man’s voice, “Are you still human? My son died so tragically, and you still want to inspect us?”
With a fake beard on her face, her complexion waxy and her back hunched, she truly resembled an old man.
The general looked at her with a complex expression, about to say something when someone above scoffed.
The voice was so familiar that as soon as Li Huaiyu heard it, she stiffened all over.
Qing Xian looked up and saw Jiang Xuanjin standing on the high city tower, hands clasped behind his back as if he were admiring the distant scenery. But his imposing aura was overwhelming, clearly indicating he had discovered them, yet he didn’t say it outright.
They couldn’t leave.
Huaiyu squinted, feeling somewhat confused. If he didn’t help her, that was fine; she could find a way herself. But what did it mean for him to come and block her?
“Today doesn’t seem like a good day,” she turned and said. “Let’s go back and keep vigil.”
Rather than being exposed here, it was better to leave quickly.
The funeral procession turned around and began to head back. However, after just a few steps, someone came up behind them and gently pressed down on the coffin.
“Didn’t you say you were in a hurry?” Jiang Xuanjin’s face was full of mockery. “This prince will see you off.”
Jiu Wu and the others instinctively shielded Huaiyu, who darkened her face. “No need.”
“What? Not burying him anymore?” Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze fell on the coffin. “Isn’t it time to be buried peacefully?”
You should be the one to be buried peacefully!
Knowing he was deliberately provoking her, Li Huaiyu couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore. Standing up straight, she used her real voice to say, “You have time to make things difficult for me, but you don’t want to find a way to deal with the emperor?”
The general standing at the city gate looked over with a puzzled expression.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at him, his eyes darkening. He didn’t have time to explain further, only saying, “If you don’t leave, you’ll have to come with me.”
Go to him? What difference was that from walking into a tiger’s mouth? Even Lu Jingxing in the coffin couldn’t take it anymore and pushed against the coffin lid.
Sensing something was off, Jiang Xuanjin quickly pressed the lid down tightly.
“Are you leaving or not?” He sounded somewhat impatient.
This was Ziyang, his territory. If he said to leave, would it matter if she refused?
Li Huaiyu chuckled, flicking her sleeve in a carefree manner. “Clear a path.”
She wanted to see what this person was up to.
Seeing the procession move again, Jiang Xuanjin turned to Cheng Xu behind him. “The one at the city gate.”
“Understood!” Cheng Xu nodded, moving against the flow of the procession, returning to the city gate and bowing to the general. “Sir, the governor requests your presence.”
Ziyang was under his name; although he had never been there, all matters in Ziyang were reported to him by the local governors every year for handling. Therefore, as soon as he arrived, the governor of this city immediately surrendered, clearly stating that there were imperial spies in the city.
Li Huaiyu’s commotion was quite beneficial. The spies were directly exposed, allowing him to catch them red-handed.
Glancing at her profile, Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips. This person probably thought he was the one who had the funeral procession stopped, and it seemed she was somewhat annoyed.
He didn’t explain further; it was fine for her to misunderstand. If he said the city gate was open for entry, she would leave with Lu Jingxing and the others.
The place where Ziyang Jun settled was the governor’s mansion, and the large courtyard was reserved for him alone. When Li Huaiyu entered, she tore off the fake beard from her face and had Jiu Wu and the others help Lu Jingxing out for some fresh air.
“What does the prince want to do?” Li Huaiyu asked straightforwardly.
Jiang Xuanjin replied, “It’s fine for everyone to rest here in the border city for a while.”
“Rest?” Huaiyu looked at him. “Haven’t you received the news from the capital?”
The emperor was truly at odds with him; was this border city a place to rest?
Pouring a cup of tea, Jiang Xuanjin said softly, “There’s no need to worry.”
Who’s worried about him? Everyone was worried about their own lives! Huaiyu wanted to say more, but when she looked behind him, she suddenly felt something was off. “Where’s Yufeng?”
In the past, Yufeng always stood with Cheng Xu. They had come this way from the city gate, yet she hadn’t seen Yufeng’s shadow at all.
“He went to take care of something,” Cheng Xu replied. “The lady can rest assured here.”
Looking at them with suspicion, Huaiyu stroked her chin in thought.
The emperor’s edict was issued quickly, personally written and stamped, and given to the newly appointed Hu Ben Zhonglang Jiang, who led two hundred guards to Ziyang’s border city. The arrangement was quite proper; a martial man delivering the edict, with just the right number of guards, both imposing and intimidating.
However, they never expected that this team would encounter an ambush near Linjiang Mountain, with over two hundred people, only three or four escaping back to the capital, trembling as they reported the grim news.
“Ambushed again?” Li Huailin’s brows furrowed tightly. “Over two hundred elite guards couldn’t hold out?”
“There were too many mountain bandits; it was impossible to escape,” the injured guard said weakly. “Please, Your Majesty, send troops to collect the bodies of my brothers…”
Li Huailin’s face darkened. If these people died within Ziyang’s territory, he could still explain himself, but how could they die at the foot of Linjiang Mountain?
The one behind this was undoubtedly Ziyang Jun. He knew that no one else would dare to intercept the imperial edict. But with this move, he left no evidence behind. Even if he went to the court to say Ziyang Jun rebelled, no one would believe him.
What a silent loss!
In a fit of rage, Li Huailin still refused to believe it. He sent several more teams to deliver the edict.
However, whether it was a three-hundred or five-hundred-strong team, once they reached Linjiang Mountain, they were all lost without a trace.
The court was in an uproar, believing there must be a huge bandit den at the foot of Linjiang Mountain; otherwise, how could no one get through? Some suggested sealing off Linjiang Mountain first to reduce casualties, while others proposed sending troops to eliminate the bandit den in one fell swoop.
Li Huailin sat on the dragon throne, grinding his teeth. What bandit den? If he sent a large army over, he would be wasting manpower! Not to mention being played for a fool.
While he was fuming, his gaze suddenly fell on Bai Dezhong, who was quietly standing below.
Li Huailin’s eyes brightened, suddenly asking, “Isn’t the second miss of the Bai family still unmarried?”
Bai Dezhong was lost in thought and was startled by the voice. He stepped forward and cupped his hands. “I am ashamed.”
Bai Xuanji was already nearly nineteen years old, and the Jiang family had never mentioned the marriage; no other families had come to propose, leaving her stuck in the boudoir.
Li Huailin suddenly realized and smiled. “Bai Daren has served the country loyally for so many years; it’s time for some preferential treatment.”
He could kill the Jingwei at will; what about the Bai family? Would he kill them too?
Bai Dezhong looked into the emperor’s eyes and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
In the border city, everything was calm, and there had been no sign of the imperial edict. Li Huaiyu and the others, staying at the governor’s mansion, all looked rather grim.
“Are you out of your mind?” Lu Jingxing sat up in front of Jiang Xuanjin, his face serious. “We’re not even on the same side; why force us together?”
Jiang Xuanjin leisurely spread the map on the table. “This prince is going to Ziyang’s main city, and you’re going to Danyang. We’re all heading in the same direction.”
How could we not be on the same side?
Lu Jingxing narrowed his eyes. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
One was the loyal Ziyang Jun, and the other was the Grand Princess, who had been forced into a corner by the emperor. These two might end up at odds again at any moment; why stir the pot now?
Jiang Xuanjin turned his head indifferently, looking out the window at the few people huddled together, whispering.
Li Huaiyu and Qing Xian were squatting together, forming a circle. Their backs looked thin and small, and it was unclear what they were discussing. Suddenly, Qing Xian placed a hand on her shoulder.
With a darkened expression, Jiang Xuanjin stood up.
“What are you doing?” Lu Jingxing followed his gaze and chuckled. “They’re already close; can you stop them?”
Li Huaiyu’s nature was such that the more you tried to stop her, the more she would push back.
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t answer. He stepped over to the floor vase in the room and pushed it with his hand—
“Crash!” The fine porcelain shattered on the ground.
The noise was so loud that everyone outside was startled. Huaiyu stood up to look toward the window, and Qing Xian had to lower his hand.
“What happened?” she asked.
“It’s nothing,” Jiang Xuanjin said indifferently. “Just accidentally knocked over a bottle.”
Lu Jingxing was both angry and amused. “What do you mean a bottle? That’s a jar!”
A jar for vinegar!
What’s so strange about Jiang Xuanjin? He knew how to scheme against the emperor and was someone who could accomplish great things, yet he acted like a child in such trivial matters, making one laugh and cry.
A man’s possessiveness is truly something deeply rooted, unrelated to feelings.
Huaiyu looked at Jiang Xuanjin strangely, then at Lu Jingxing, whose expression was odd, and after holding it in for a long time, she advised, “Let’s talk it out nicely; don’t argue.”
Who’s arguing? What’s with this tone of advising a couple? Lu Jingxing rolled his eyes, thinking for a moment. Suddenly feeling a bit more spirited, he waved at her. “Come here and help me.”