“Tsk, it seems she doesn’t appreciate your kindness.”
Shen Puyu was both astonished and amused to see Yan Jing being snubbed. He fanned himself, wearing a gloating expression.
“This Young Marquis’s favor isn’t for just anyone to accept. Qingyun, Qinghua, set sail.”
Jiang Chaohua leaped into the lake, swimming vigorously toward the shore.
Fang Cheng had brought many people to search for her, appearing utterly distraught as if convinced she had drowned.
Turning back was impossible, but reaching the shore was also out of the question. Jiang Chaohua’s small face darkened with frustration, and she cursed Fang Cheng a few more times in her heart.
Yan Jing looked down at Jiang Chaohua from above, flicking the water off his hand, his voice carrying a sinister charm.
“Yes, master.”
Behind Yan Jing stood two stone-faced guards in blue garments. They were both his subordinates and also served at the Nine Gates Admiral’s Office.
“Your current reputation has even that vicious girl so terrified of you. It’s rather amusing, isn’t it?”
Shen Puyu’s eyes flickered. Seeing that Jiang Chaohua, fully aware she couldn’t reach shore, would rather stay soaking in the water than seek Yan Jing’s help—not even daring to glance at him—made him even more certain she had overheard their conversation that day.
Yan Jing held a position at the Nine Gates Admiral’s Office, working for the current emperor, but he also used this identity to secretly investigate cases.
They were looking into an old case from years ago, one that implicated someone: Jiang He.
During Jiang Chaohua’s birthday banquet last time, he and Yan Jing had been discussing how to proceed when unexpectedly, Jiang Chaohua overheard them.
Yan Jing had schemed to make Jiang Chaohua fall into the pond. The pond was deep, and it was said Jiang Chaohua was a landlubber who couldn’t swim. But seeing her today, he suddenly realized this vicious girl had deceived everyone.
They had also witnessed her deliberately provoking Fang Cheng on the bridge earlier, finding it quite entertaining. In Chang’an City, everyone wore two faces—even this notorious vicious girl was no exception. How could it not be fascinating?
“Miss Jiang, are you sure you don’t want our help? It seems you won’t last much longer.”
Shen Puyu sneered. Under Yan Jing’s orders, Qingli and Qinghua increased their rowing speed.
The boat was large and rapidly bore down on Jiang Chaohua, as if intending to crush her to the bottom of the lake.
Jiang Chaohua turned her head and met Yan Jing’s eyes, catching a fleeting murderous intent in their depths. Gritting her teeth, she took a deep dive without waiting for him to act, plunging straight into the lake water.
The water was cold, but a powerful will to survive drove Jiang Chaohua to swim directly under the boat.
She knew of another shore area overgrown with aquatic plants where no one ever went. She decided to swim there.
Feicui was clever; she would know that if Jiang Chaohua wanted to come ashore now, she would appear there.
“Is she insane? She’d rather risk danger than beg you for mercy. Yan Jing, this Jiang family vicious girl does share a similarity with you in that regard.”
Shen Puyu was utterly astonished. Undeniably, Jiang Chaohua’s agile figure in the water was quite a sight.
But he never expected she would risk her life rather than yield to Yan Jing.
Jiang Chaohua’s fear of Yan Jing seemed to go beyond just that incident where he caused her to fall into the water. This fear felt like it had been accumulating for a long time.
“Yan Jing, did you know Jiang Chaohua before? What did you do to her? Why does she act like she’s seen a ghost whenever she sees you?”
Shen Puyu closed his fan and spoke seriously.
“That old fox Jiang He is overly cautious. The servant Fei Yun is a crack that came to us willingly, but we still need other assistance. If Jiang Chaohua can be used, she would make a good pawn.”
Jiang Chaohua was not only the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family but also a royal relative. Her status could accomplish many things—exactly what they needed.
“She will come to me.”
Yan Jing stood on the deck with his hands behind his back, his deep eyes resembling towering cliffs that made one feel shattered at a single glance.
With an inscrutable expression and a confident tone, Yan Jing smiled with a wicked, almost demonic charm.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Gathering her strength, Jiang Chaohua finally swam to the shore.
She patted her chest and spat out several mouthfuls of muddy water.
“Young lady, please put this on quickly. Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
As expected, Feicui was waiting nearby.
Hearing the sound, she rushed to Jiang Chaohua’s side with a garment in hand and draped it over her.
Warmth spread through her, and Jiang Chaohua felt as if she had been reborn.
“Feicui, let’s go to the nearby Willow Lane.”
Jiang Chaohua tightened the garment around her, her voice slightly hoarse.
Willow Lane was the closest alley to this place. She couldn’t return home like this—Shen Shi would worry.
In Willow Lane lived a family, and within that household was the person she was looking for.
After being reborn, she needed to quickly build her own forces so she could proceed with her plans.
“Yes, I will help you there immediately.”
Feicui wiped away her tears and hurriedly supported Jiang Chaohua as she stood up.
Willow Lane was sparsely populated and quite desolate—a place where the poor resided. Due to its remote location, many had moved away, leaving only a few behind.
Leaning on Feicui for support, Jiang Chaohua stood up.
Her face was pale. Sensing the murderous gaze from behind, she instinctively turned her head. Even from a distance, she could still make out Yan Jing’s icy expression.
In her previous life, Yan Jing had become the new emperor. Did that mean he would rebel in this lifetime? But it was strange—if the Marquis’s estate rebelled, why was there no outcry against Yan Jing at the time? And why did Yan Jing proclaim to the world that his ascension to the throne was rightful and justified?
Could it be that Yan Jing had other secrets?
Jiang Chaohua shuddered and stopped thinking about it. As long as she stayed far away from Yan Jing in this life and avoided any connection with him, she would not repeat the mistakes of her past life. Absolutely not.
The oppressive and invasive gaze lingered until Jiang Chaohua’s figure disappeared from sight before it was finally withdrawn.
The shore, overgrown with seaweed, was cold and damp, lined with rows of willow trees. Fortunately, Chang’an City was in the south, and the weather in March was not too cold. Tender buds had sprouted on the willow branches, concealing the figures of Jiang Chaohua and Feicui.
Willow Lane was bleak. Following the route from her memory, Jiang Chaohua led Feicui to knock on the door of the third house in the alley.
“Who is it?”
A woman’s voice came from the courtyard. Jiang Chaohua pursed her lips slightly and, under Feicui’s astonished gaze, spoke:
“I am the one who can save you.”
Jiang Chaohua stared at the wooden door, her gaze growing increasingly profound.
At this time, Zhuang Ruize had not yet joined the army, and his mother had not passed away from illness.
In her previous life, Jiang Wanxin had coincidentally saved Zhuang Ruize’s mother, and he had sworn loyalty to her as his master. No one could have predicted that this impoverished youth would later become a mighty general renowned across the land.
If she could preemptively save Zhuang Ruize’s mother in this life, then Zhuang Ruize would become her ally and would never again assist Jiang Wanxin and Lu Ming Chuan.
The person in the yard paused, hearing the speaker was a young girl, and slowly opened the door, revealing a haggard face.
This person was Aunt Zhuang, Zhuang Ruize’s mother.
Because his mother was seriously ill, Zhuang Ruize did odd jobs in the city every day and could only return home after dark. Since it was still early, she could first approach Aunt Zhuang before contacting Zhuang Ruize.
“Young lady, what brings you here?”
Seeing Jiang Chaohua somewhat disheveled yet dressed in luxurious attire, Aunt Zhuang grew quite wary.
“Auntie, I accidentally fell into Ji’nan Lake and my clothes are soaked. May I borrow your room to change? I just heard you coughing badly and thought you might be ill, which is why I dared to make such a bold request. Please don’t blame me.”
Jiang Chaohua smiled slightly, and Feicui immediately understood, taking out a bag of silver and handing it to Aunt Zhuang.
Aunt Zhuang, being kind-hearted, declined the silver and let Jiang Chaohua into the yard.
After finding a set of clean clothes and brewing ginger water for Jiang Chaohua, Aunt Zhuang inquired further and learned that Jiang Chaohua was a noble lady from the court, which made her even more uneasy.
“Auntie, I truly thank you. I will wash these clothes and return them to you. I am the daughter of the Vice Minister of War. A drop of kindness deserves a flood of rewards. If you ever have any needs in the future, you can come to the Vice Minister’s residence to find me.”
Jiang Chaohua smiled gently, left a banknote on the table in the yard, and gracefully departed.
Unable to refuse, Aunt Zhuang had no choice but to keep the banknote, planning to return it to Jiang Chaohua later. Beside the banknote was also a prescription with remedies for lung disease.
She couldn’t understand the prescription, but the fact that Jiang Chaohua truly understood medicine and could diagnose her lung illness left Aunt Zhuang dazed. By the time she snapped out of it and went to chase after Jiang Chaohua, their figures had already vanished.
“Miss, why did you leave that prescription? Even out of gratitude, you could have just left more silver.”
Feicui was puzzled.
Moreover, why did the young lady reveal her identity? Wasn’t she afraid the aunt might have ill intentions?
“Because, in a few days, that aunt will come to the Jiang family to find me.”
Jiang Chaohua smiled faintly and headed in the direction of the Vice Minister’s residence.
In a few days, Zhuang Ruize would be implicated in a case. Being young and strong, he was bound to encounter troublesome people while working.
In her previous life, Jiang Wanxin repeatedly helped Zhuang Ruize, which made him willingly serve her.
Whether it was the money she left, the prescription, or the identity she revealed, all would lead Zhuang Ruize and Aunt Zhuang to seek her out.