Listening to Song Boxue repeatedly refer to herself as “this official” and address her as “Miss Jiang,” Jiang Fanyin felt her mood sink for no apparent reason.
In your eyes, am I also just an “innocent bystander”?
Perhaps her gaze was too desolate, for Song Boxue turned her head away. She pointed at a random constable and ordered, “This official fears that blades have no eyes. Take Miss Jiang outside.”
Jiang Fanyin froze. Looking at Song Boxue’s averting gaze, her heart inexplicably softened a fraction.
Fearing that blades have no eyes, is she worried I’ll get hurt?
Before she could fully process this, the constable beside her made a gesture of invitation. “Miss Jiang, please step aside.”
Jiang Fanyin hesitated. She was worried that this person would get hurt.
Jiang Wuyi took in her hesitation and worry. He closed his eyes briefly before requesting of Hua Jian, “Young General, have the men wait outside. I can handle this alone.”
He intended to tear Song Boxue into pieces.
“Commander Jiang—” Hua Jian did not approve. Playing the lone hero was the mark of a brute. What he valued was efficiency and stability; whether the methods were honorable didn’t matter, as long as the result was correct.
“You lot also withdraw. This official wishes to have a proper chat with Commander Jiang.” Song Boxue arched an eyebrow and waved her hand, dismissing the constables behind her.
Hua Jian frowned. To stay now would make him seem lacking in spirit. He looked at Jiang Wuyi, then at Song Boxue, weighing their capabilities in his mind. He said pointedly, “Commander Jiang, mind your restraint. Do not harm Magistrate Song, or I shall certainly report to Father and grant you twenty strokes of the military cane.”
Jiang Wuyi was notoriously fierce; handling this arrogant little magistrate shouldn’t be an issue. It would be best if he “accidentally” slipped during the fight—hmph, give this seventh-rank official a lesson she wouldn’t forget.
“Yes, Young General.” Jiang Wuyi understood the subtext. He could endure twenty strokes.
In an instant, only the two of them remained in the private room.
Song Boxue closed the door, blocking the view from outside, and sat down in a chair with practiced ease. “How would the Commander like to chat?”
Directly with fists? Or with nonsense?
Watching Song Boxue sit, Jiang Wuyi remained standing. “Song Boxue, you are not the right person for Yin’yin. You will only harm her.”
That dream had been too vivid. Since it concerned Jiang Fanyin’s safety, he couldn’t help but believe it.
Harm her?
The look in Jiang Wuyi’s eyes was too earnest. Song Boxue couldn’t help but knit her brows. “What does the Commander mean by that? This official does not understand.”
Has this supporting lead been reborn?
Jiang Wuyi gripped the hilt of the blade at his waist. “You cannot give her what she wants. Stop using that marriage contract to entangle her.”
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be polite. Now that his foster father was in prison, only the Young General could help. A lowly seventh-rank magistrate was utterly insignificant.
Not a rebirth then. Song Boxue had her answer. Otherwise, Jiang Wuyi would surely know that the so-called marriage contract never could have bound Jiang Fanyin. In the original book, the original host hadn’t used the contract to entangle her at all; in fact, she had wanted to send Jiang Fanyin as far away as possible.
Her gaze landed on Jiang Wuyi’s hand on his hilt. “If the Commander feels I am not her match, then who is?”
“Song Boxue, if you are sensible, I will spare your life. Otherwise, do not blame my hand for being merciless.” Jiang Wuyi drew a short blade, the killing intent rising in his heart once more.
“Merciless like you were to your own subordinates? Though I wonder if their deaths were your idea, or Young General Hua’s.” Song Boxue stood up. This was the reason she had wasted time on nonsense: she needed to know if the male lead was complicit.
If this was the male lead’s orchestration, then he was no “right person” either. These people were just the pot calling the kettle black—none of them were good, including the original host.
A flash of grief crossed Jiang Wuyi’s face. Those were brothers who had braved life and death with him.
With just that one look, Song Boxue understood. Indeed, none of them are good.
Now that she had the answer she wanted, there was no more need for talk.
She stood up and lashed out with an empty hand, disarming the blade from Jiang Wuyi’s grip in a single move. She said in a low voice, “This official is not so easily bullied. Your calculations were wrong, Commander.”
“How is it possible?” Jiang Wuyi couldn’t understand even as he fell unconscious. He had been utterly powerless against Song Boxue. Even knowing she had martial arts skills—after all, she had defeated his men in the Green Pine Forest—he hadn’t expected the “dog official’s” moves to be so fast and so strange.
Those outside heard only a muffled groan from the room, followed by silence.
The door was pushed open from the inside. Song Boxue walked out to meet everyone’s gaze. “Bind him for me. We’re going back to the yamen.”
The result was clear: Song Boxue was the victor.
Jiang Fanyin breathed a sigh of relief and followed Song Boxue as they left.
Hua Jian stared darkly at their retreating backs, his face flushed with humiliation and rage. “Useless waste! What are you all standing there for? Let’s go!”
He would make sure this Song Boxue suffered the consequences.
Back at the county office, Song Boxue turned to face Jiang Fanyin, who was following her. She said coldly, “Miss Jiang needn’t worry. The Commander has only fainted. This official knows restraint.”
She wasn’t someone who treated human life as a game. Men like Jiang Wuyi should be dealt with by the law.
Jiang Fanyin’s breath hitched. After a long silence, she pursed her lips and asked, “How do you feel? Did your illness return?”
She still remembered how Song Boxue looked when she “fell ill” in the Green Pine Forest—terrifying, yet alluring.
Perhaps not expecting the female lead to care for her instead of the supporting lead, Song Boxue’s expression softened slightly. “This official is fine.”
As an Alpha, she possessed physical capabilities far beyond ordinary people. Dealing with Jiang Wuyi alone didn’t even require her to use spiritual suppression.
Hearing this, Jiang Fanyin felt at ease. “How do you plan to handle him?”
He was her sworn brother, after all; there was some childhood sentiment there. It would be a lie to say she didn’t care at all.
Seeing Jiang Fanyin’s worried expression, Song Boxue felt that inexplicable irritation return. She wanted to say, Your sworn brother killed people—a dozen of them. But the words reached her lips and felt hollow.
“He shall be dealt with according to the laws of our dynasty, naturally.”
“He has the City Guard backing him, and Young General Hua is still here. You must be cautious during the trial.”
Jiang Fanyin thought of Hua Jian. As the Young General, he likely wouldn’t leave Jiang Wuyi to his fate. This required prudence.
Song Boxue arched an eyebrow and said, almost possessed by a strange impulse, “Miss Jiang, what kind of husband do you wish to find in the future?”
The moment she asked, she regretted it. Whether the male lead or the supporting lead was suitable was none of her business. Thus, she added, “This official asks casually. You needn’t mind it.”
Looking at the slightly awkward expression on Song Boxue’s face, Jiang Fanyin’s pulse quickened. The words left her mouth without a second thought: “We have had a marriage contract since childhood.”
The implication was clear: she wouldn’t consider any “future husband” for the time being, because they were meant to be married.