Chapter 212 Pursuit
A night in late spring or early summer should have been beautiful, with a good dream and new daylight and new life upon waking up. However, this night was extremely long, and everyone kept their eyes open, unable to sleep, waiting anxiously for good news that would arrive at an unknown time.

The same is true for ginger pear.

The sky gradually faded from black, as if ink had suddenly faded from water, becoming clear and bright again. At some point, the moon disappeared. In the distance, a rooster crowed, and at the end of the gradually whitening sky, a morning glow appeared.

A servant came in breathlessly from outside and said, "Retreat, push, King Cheng is retreating!"

Lu asked hurriedly: "Really?"

"Really. Everyone has come out of the house." The servant was also very happy. "The servant also met the master on the road. The master said that everyone had worked hard all night and had a meal and rested early. There was nothing to worry about."

Jiang Li thought, it seems that Yanjing City has been defended.

Madam Jiang also breathed a sigh of relief. She was old, and after a night of guarding, the nanny quickly took her to the house to rest. Mrs. Lu also stood up, and Jiang Jingrui and Jiang Jingyou also stretched their backs. Only Jiang Youyao slept well. She didn't know anything and slept when she was tired. And Jiang Bingji didn't understand what happened at all.

It seemed that everyone just felt tired at this time, and they all wanted to go back to sleep, even refusing to eat breakfast. Jiang Li also felt sore after sitting all night, but she was more energetic than them. When she returned to the yard, she ate some snacks and hot tea, took off her outer clothes, and lay down on the bed, but she didn't fall asleep for a while, instead she kept thinking about Cheng Wang.

General Zhaode defended the city of Yanjing, but it was not known how much of King Cheng's troops had been depleted. If he wanted to completely solve this problem, General Zhaode would probably chase the rebels out of the city and annihilate them all. Although King Cheng had many troops, they were not as many as Yin Zhan's men. King Cheng's original plan did not include a man like Yin Zhan. Even if he had, he would not have thought that after so many years, Yin Zhan's troops could still fight. That ghost place in Yunzhong did not wear down Yin Zhan's spirit at all, but instead seemed to have intensified and become even more powerful.

Jiang Li was not worried that Yin Zhan could not eliminate King Cheng. She even had a hunch that the turmoil that King Cheng had been planning for many years would be quickly quelled by Yin Zhan. But Yin Zhan's return was really a good thing. When a wolf left, a tiger came back. This time, he might just let the tiger go back to the mountains. If she could think of something, could Emperor Hong Xiao not think of it?

I wonder what Emperor Hong Xiao feels now.

……

No one knows how Emperor Hong Xiao feels right now. The mind of an emperor is unpredictable, and no one dares to speculate.

In the palace, in the main hall, the Queen Mother was talking to Emperor Hong Xiao.

Perhaps the turmoil in Yanjing City was too great. Even the Empress Dowager, who had already stopped caring about worldly affairs, had recently left the Cining Palace frequently, stopped chanting sutras, and even asked people about the outside world. Today was the same. Last night, countless people in Yanjing City kept their lights on all night, waiting for an outcome. Wasn't it the same in the palace? Even the eunuchs and maids in the palace were more afraid than the people.

Although the common people were unarmed, it was impossible for the king to really massacre the whole city. Maybe some of them could escape, but only those who were unlucky would lose their lives. However, it was different in the palace. I have never heard of a successful rebel being merciful and letting the people in the palace go. After every rebellion, it was actually the palace that was the place where blood flowed like a river, and almost no one survived.

This is the moment when life and death are just a thought away. I heard that the Queen Mother spent the whole night in the Cining Palace reciting Buddhist scriptures, but she didn't know that countless eunuchs and palace maids did the same thing, praying in their hearts for a safe night.

Maybe God was kind and heard their prayers, which saved them from disaster.

"King Cheng's troops have finally retreated," the Queen Mother said, "I can finally put my heart at ease."

"I made my mother worried last night." Emperor Hong Xiao said with a smile, "Prince Cheng was able to withdraw his troops, and it was also my mother's contribution."

"I didn't do anything," the Queen Mother also laughed, "I just copied some Buddhist scriptures. I know in my heart that this time it was all thanks to Prince Xia. If he hadn't led his troops back, Prince Cheng wouldn't have withdrawn so quickly."

"This time it is indeed General Zhaode's achievement." Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Emperor Hong Xiao did not call Yin Zhan "Prince Xia". He said, "I will reward him well when the merits are awarded later." He sighed again, "I heard that General Zhaode had made many military achievements in the past. After so many years, he is still as skilled as ever. I heard that his two children are also very outstanding. I have met him, but I have never met his children."

"I have heard about this, too." The Queen Mother said, "When the Emperor is going to reward people for their merits, he might as well give them to his children instead of Prince Xia himself. His title is already high enough, and I think the late Emperor also gave him a lot of gold, silver and treasures."

"That's what mother is thinking about." Emperor Hong Xiao said, "All of this needs to wait until the matter of King Cheng is completely resolved before we can make any plans."

The Queen Mother was silent for a while, then asked, "Your Majesty, are you planning to have Prince Xia pursue the victory?"

"Of course, General Zhaode thinks the same as I do, and I have told General Zhaode. King Cheng is ambitious and has been scheming for so many years, but he forgot that I am also on guard against him. It is not as easy as he thinks to take this position."

He said this with a smile, but the young emperor's eyes were already filled with murderous intent and ambition, which made people feel cold in their hearts.

The Queen Mother paused for a moment before she slowly said, "It has not been easy for the Emperor over the years. This position is not something that King Cheng could ever dream of, so he is asking for trouble. It is good for the Emperor to do this. After King Cheng's incident is over, the world will be at peace."

"This is all thanks to my mother," the emperor said with a smile, "it is because of my mother's daily prayers that God blesses Northern Yan."

The Queen Mother smiled and stopped talking. Emperor Hong Xiao looked into the distance. The sky outside the palace was exceptionally blue. It was a clear and sunny day. Everyone wanted to control the power of the world. The picturesque landscape was full of murderous intent. Now that King Cheng was gone, was there anyone else?

I think there is no shortage of them, but he was not wrong about one thing, if he could deal with a king, he could naturally deal with others. In the play of the mantis stalking the cicada and the oriole behind, no one knew who was the oriole and who was the cicada until the end.

……

On the afternoon of the second day after King Cheng withdrew his troops, everyone finally rested well. When Jiang Li got up, it was almost evening. She slept all day and felt groggy, but she still remembered to ask the servant to take a letter to Ye Mingyu to ask about the situation on the other side. In such a chaotic situation, Jiang Yuanbai would never let her go out casually.

The servant left quickly and came back quickly. Ye Mingyu didn't want to write a letter, so he just sent a message to her, saying that everything was fine in the Ye Mansion, and Ye Shijie and Xue Huaiyuan were both fine. He told Jiang Li to stay in the mansion and not to come out, take good care of herself, and if there was anything she couldn't handle, she could send someone to the Ye family to tell them, and he would come to protect Jiang Li.

Jiang Li was relieved to hear that nothing happened in the Ye Mansion. Even if this day passed like this, it was still safe. On the fifth day, King Cheng's troops did not continue the second siege, but General Zhaode Yin Zhan led his troops to fight.

The panic of the past few days has not yet dissipated, and new worries have come. Tong'er and Bai Xue also looked worried. When Bai Xue was making tea, she almost accidentally spilled the tea on the table.

"What's wrong, Bai Xue?" Jiang Li asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about so absent-mindedly?"

Bai Xue said, "I am worried about my parents at home. I don't know when this war will be over, and I don't know if it will implicate my family."

"Isn't Zaohua Village far from Yanjing City? Even if there is a war, it will not affect Zaohua Village for the time being." Tong'er replied: "Compared to Zaohua Village, you should worry about yourself first. General Zhaode just fought out of the city. He wants to drive King Cheng out of Yanjing City completely, but what if King Cheng makes a comeback?"

Jiang Li smiled and said, "I don't think he wants to just expel them. I'm afraid he wants to catch all the rebels and completely eliminate them."

Tong'er asked, "Really? That's a good thing. We don't have to worry about it day and night. General Zhaode has done such a big thing, so he will return to Yunzhong. I thought he would stay in Yanjing City and be on guard against King Cheng's comeback."

"How could it be? The national treasury may not be able to support so many soldiers." Jiang Li said, and suddenly something moved in her mind. Tong'er's words reminded her. As the saying goes, when the cunning rabbit dies, the running dog is cooked. If King Cheng's troops are completely eliminated, there is no point for Yin Zhan to stay in Yanjing City. But Yin Zhan still pursued the victory so much. Either he was simple-minded and devoted to the country. He didn't think too much. As long as Yanjing was protected, he would immediately return to Yunzhong. Or he was too thoughtful and had other plans. Even if King Cheng was eliminated, he was sure that he would not return to Yunzhong and would be able to stay.

Why is this?

Jiang Li's heart slowly began to feel uneasy. The battle ahead was still unclear, and no one knew what the final outcome would be. If she wasn't a soldier, it seemed that she could only sit in the house and anxiously wait for an outcome.

Mingyue walked in from outside, looked at Jiang Li, hesitated for a moment and said: "Miss... the prince is here."

Yin Zhili? Why is he here?

Jiang Li frowned involuntarily. She always smiled when meeting people, but every time she saw Yin Zhili, she would feel a little resistant. Perhaps it was because she knew what the Jiang and Yin families were planning, and she was unwilling to obey.

When she walked out of the yard, she saw Yin Zhili coming towards her following the maid.

This time, even Yin Zhiqing didn't show up.

Jiang Li saluted him: "Mr. Yin."

"Miss Jiang, you don't have to be so polite to me." Yin Zhili was still dressed in white and gentle. He said, "I have just met Madam Jiang. Today, I am following my father's wishes to have a few words with Prime Minister Jiang. After that, I will also give Miss Jiang something."

Jiang Li looked at him in surprise. It was a bit out of place for strange men and women to give gifts to each other privately.

Yin Zhili seemed to understand that his words were a bit abrupt. He smiled shyly and said, "Actually, it was given to you by Zhiqing. She knew I was coming to the Jiang Mansion today, so she asked me to deliver it. I wanted to give it to Madam Jiang, but she asked me to give it to you personally."

Old Madam Jiang still hadn't given up the idea of ​​being with Yin Zhili. Jiang Li thought so in her heart. Yin Zhili took out a small box and said, "I've seen it, and it seems very suitable for Miss Jiang."

Jiang Li opened the box and was stunned. There was a fan in the box. She took out the fan and looked at it. The fan was white. She didn't know what kind of cloth it was made of. It was slightly shiny. There was a pear flower embroidered on it. It was very unique and the embroidery was also very delicate. The color was light and the handle was made of jade. It felt cold to the touch. There are many fans, but few are so precious and beautiful. If an ordinary girl got such a fan, she would be happy.

But Jiang Li didn't feel too happy. Although the fan was beautiful, it was still much inferior to Ji Heng's golden peony folding fan. Jiang Li felt strange. She didn't like strong and bright colors at first, but after getting along with Ji Heng for a long time, she also got accustomed to Ji Heng's habits and felt that this snow-white and lovely color was too bland.

Yin Zhili didn't notice Jiang Li's thoughts, and still smiled and said, "Summer is coming soon. I think Miss Jiang will need this fan."

"Thank you, Princess Pingyang, for your kindness, and thank you, Mr. Yin, for sending the fan to me." Jiang Li thanked them with a smile.

Yin Zhili said: "As long as Miss Jiang likes it."

"I like it very much, thank you, I will keep it well." Jiang Li put the fan back into the box, closed the box and handed it to Bai Xue.

She said "she will keep it well" instead of using it. Yin Zhili's eyes paused slightly, and then he said softly: "You're welcome. Yanjing City has been in turmoil these days, Miss Jiang should be more careful. I heard that King Cheng's men took Miss Jiang to Huangzhou before. In order to prevent the past from happening again, it is better to be careful." Jiang Li smiled and said: "I know, my father has not allowed me to leave the house these days. Speaking of which, General Yin is now confronting King Cheng, doesn't Master Yin have to go?"

Yin Zhili smiled bitterly: "I wanted to go with my father, but my father asked me to stay in Yanjing, saying that if anything happened in Yanjing, I would be able to handle it well."

Jiang Li: "It seems that Master Yin also understands the art of training and exercise?"

"Being a military man, you have to learn a little bit. Not only me, but also the feelings of the people."

Jiang Li smiled and said, "That's really admirable."

Yin Zhili said: "I think Miss Jiang has the style of a military strategist. Although she has no martial arts skills and is unarmed, she can still win the battle from thousands of miles away."

"Is this the person Master Yin is talking about? When did I do these things?"

Yin Zhili smiled and said, "We have heard about what happened in Tongxiang in the clouds. Zhiqing told me before that she wanted to meet you. The last time she saw you, she said that you were different from what she imagined. You looked really quiet and gentle, not like a woman who would kill and ruthlessly fight."

"When it comes to decisive killing, I won't show off my skills. Why do you have to tease me, Master Yin?"

She spoke in a slow and steady tone, and when Yin Zhili joked with her, Jiang Li did not show any shyness at all. She looked generous and frank, which was very comfortable to look at.

"I wonder what the battle situation is like over there, General Yin?"

"Miss Jiang, don't worry. Although King Cheng has been planning for many years, he is not from the military after all. Most of his soldiers are a motley crowd. When it comes to arranging troops, they are no match for my father. So King Cheng's rebellion will be quelled sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. And I heard from my father's people that within a month, all of King Cheng's troops can be wiped out."

He probably said this to comfort Jiang Li and tell her not to worry, but it reminded Jiang Li of something else. She asked, "After the incident with King Cheng, will General Yin and you return to Yunzhong?"

Yin Zhili was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "I don't know yet."

She said she didn't know yet, but she didn't admit that she would go back to Yunzhong. Jiang Li had something in mind. She didn't say anything else, and Yin Zhili continued, "When we first met, Zhiqing saved a child. I thought it was Miss Jiang's brother, but I heard that Miss Jiang didn't have a brother that old."

"That's the child I saved when I was in Huangzhou." Jiang Li said, "His family members all died at the hands of bandits during the turmoil in Huangzhou, and he was the only one left in the family. I saw that he was alone and helpless, so I wanted to bring him back. Later, my friend was kind-hearted and simply accepted him as his apprentice."

"Friend?" Yin Zhili said with a smile, "It must be the person who followed Duke Su that day."

He knew Ji Heng's identity, presumably it was Yin Zhiqing who told him. Ji Heng and Yin Zhan were enemies, so Yin Zhili naturally wouldn't have a good impression of Ji Heng, so what did he mean by asking her now?
"Are Miss Jiang and Duke Su very familiar with each other?"

"Not very familiar with him." Jiang Li smiled and directly blocked it back, "If Mr. Yin wants to inquire about the news of Duke Su on behalf of the county lady, I'm sorry that I really can't do anything and can't help you."

Yin Zhili looked at Jiang Li in astonishment. He probably didn't expect Jiang Li to bring it up so clearly. He was stunned for a moment, then smiled, as if he was very helpless and a little amused. "I didn't expect Miss Jiang to be so straightforward."

"The county lord is also very straightforward."

"Zhiqing has been living in the clouds before. She is innocent and doesn't understand the world. Duke Su is very outstanding. She just asked casually without any other meaning." Yin Zhili said.

"I know." Jiang Li smiled slightly, "I just said it casually, I don't mean anything else, Mr. Yin, don't mind it."

Her tone was gentle, almost docile, but her words always made people feel depressed and suffocated, making them angry but unable to get angry, and inexplicably embarrassed.

Yin Zhili stopped talking to Jiang Li about Ji Heng and started talking about other things instead. He asked about Jiang Li's past, but he was very considerate and skipped the not-so-good past, such as the time when she was sent to Qingcheng Mountain and the time when Jiang Li was slandered for pushing Ji Shuran to miscarry. All he talked about were the good things.

But Yin Zhili didn't know that Jiang Li was not the real Second Miss Jiang. Those beautiful things were just nonsense that Jiang Li said now. He listened carefully and didn't doubt it.

He seems to be a simple and innocent person.

Jiang Li thought silently and talked for a long time before Yin Zhili left.

Jiang Li did not see Yin Zhili off. She was now preoccupied with what Yin Zhan was going to do, so she had no time to care about Yin Zhili. Instead, the maids in the yard gathered around, and after looking at each other, Mingyue whispered, "Miss, why did this Master Yin come to see you?"

Mingyue and Qingfeng were in the outer courtyard, and they were not as close to Jiang Li as Tong'er and Baixue, so they didn't know about Jiang Li and Ji Heng's affairs. In their eyes, this Master Yin was already an impeccable candidate, and he was many times better than the marriage that was snatched away by Jiang Youyao and later occupied by Jiang Yu'e. Apart from other things, a county prince was much better than a marquis, and although Zhou Yanbang was considered good, he was really dwarfed in front of the bright, elegant and handsome prince.

Tong'er said, "Go away, he just came to deliver something for the county lady, and you asked him about the war. Our girl cares about the people, and he is the son of a general, so he naturally knows what the current situation is. You just asked for a little longer and wasted time. Don't talk nonsense, there is nothing special, and he didn't come to see you specially. Go away, go away." She waved her hand and pushed Mingyue and Qingfeng, who were watching the fun, out.

Jiang Li walked into the yard, Bai Xue closed the door, Tong Er pouted outside and said, "You really just want to watch the fun."

Of her two maids, Bai Xue was originally the daughter of a farmer. She didn't want to be a slave like other girls. She knew so many rules. Bai Xue was honest and obedient. Jiang Li's ideas were hers. Tong Er had been with Jiang Li in Qingcheng Mountain for eight years. She had long been unwilling to be disciplined. She was much more open-minded than the maids in this courtyard and was not too restrained in looking at things. Yin Zhili was good, but her daughter didn't like him. So forget it. A forced melon is not sweet. If the daughter really didn't like him, could she still be tied to the sedan chair?

Bai Xue placed the box in front of Jiang Li and asked, "Miss, is this fan?"

Jiang Li originally wanted to have the fan put away, but for some reason, she changed her mind and said, "Summer is almost here, so just leave it on the table. When it gets warmer, you can use it."

Situ Jiuyue said that everything in the world is interdependent and even doctors know how to fight poison with poison. If she can't even deal with a fan, she has grown so old in vain.

She didn't like Yin Zhili, but she didn't want Ji Heng either, so she might as well live her life well. Who knew what would happen in the future? Worrying about it would only add to her troubles.

Life is about cutting the Gordian knot, only then can you feel the satisfaction of settling scores.

……

In the Duke's Mansion, Ah Zhao was moving his body with difficulty.

Situ Jiuyue later gave him a wheelchair with several wheels on the top and bottom, so he could move around with the help of someone. He still couldn't walk, but when he had nothing to do, he would try to push himself to the yard to bask in the sun.

He met Zhao Ke in the yard.

Ah Zhao knew Zhao Ke. Once, Zhao Ke came to see him and said to him, "You are a lucky man. When you came out of the private prison, it was I, your brother, who carried you out on my back."

A Zhao thanked him.

He knew that he lived in the Duke's Mansion and the owner of the mansion was called Duke Su. He had also heard of Ji Heng's name and remembered that she was a ruthless beauty. But Zhao Ke also said that it was Ji Heng who saw him in the private prison in the Princess's Mansion that day and had someone take him out.

Ji Heng was his savior, and A Zhao did not deny it. Logically, he used to hate such people in the past, and always felt that he should be with people who were upright and honest. He always avoided people who played power games and were scheming. But after walking through the brink of life and death, A Zhao's ideas changed a lot. Shen Yurong looked like a good person. Back then, he called him "brother-in-law" affectionately. Although he also disliked Shen Yurong for not having martial arts skills and not being able to protect his sister well, A Zhao admired him because he had read so many books.

But this weak scholar, who was well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics and looked gentle, did something worse than a pig or a dog to his wife. It was a pity that he did not kill his enemy, and he had no chance to do so. Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong had been reported by the Jiang family and executed to pay for Xue Fangfei's life.

And Ji Heng... Ah Zhao thought, he is a completely different person from Shen Yurong. He has a bad reputation and is feared by everyone, but such a person saved himself from prison. What is the point of him saving himself? His legs are already crippled and he has no martial arts skills. Zhao Ke told him that Ji Heng saved him at the beginning, probably to make him a guard in the Duke's Mansion, but now he can't be a guard. And the Duke seemed to have forgotten him. Ah Zhao hadn't seen him since he entered the mansion.

But Ah Zhao still remembered the last time he saw Ji Heng, in the dark cell, tortured day after day, everyone had become accustomed to such darkness. At first, they would cry and howl, but in the end, they were completely insane, and even their will to survive was wiped out. Ah Zhao persisted, and when he thought he could not hold on any longer, one day, there was movement in the private prison. He thought that Princess Yongning had brought people to torture them again, but the people who came were not Princess Yongning, but a few strange men.

Two of the men received some instructions and searched the cells one by one, as if they were looking for someone. The remaining man walked slowly, and in this horrible scene like hell, he actually ignored it and walked leisurely.

Ah Zhao didn't know what these people were here for, but he didn't want to miss any opportunity, even if it meant risking his life. If he won, he could go out and avenge his sister, but if he lost, it would only be a life. If he stayed here, he would be killed by the bored Princess Yongning sooner or later.

He dragged his legs and crawled to the cell bars, just in time to see the man walking past, so he reached out his hand with difficulty and grabbed the corner of his clothes.

The man's boots stopped in front of him.

He saw a pair of extremely handsome and beautiful eyes. In those eyes, there was a look of disdain and indifference, although he was still smiling.

Ah Zhao felt a chill in his heart and a little desperate, but he still said what he wanted to say.

Then, he was saved.

Thinking about it now, from that time on, he had an indescribable sense of fate.

　The relationship between my brother-in-law and my brother-in-law can be said to be very good...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)