Chapter 239 Missing
Since the last time Jiang Li met the Queen Mother in the palace, the days have been going by slowly. Emperor Hong Xiao did not ask her what she had said to the Queen Mother, and Jiang Li would not take the initiative to tell her. Jiang Yuanbai did not ask either, but Old Lady Jiang heard that there was a miracle doctor in Yongzhou who could cure people's dementia, so she thought that after Jiang Yuanbai resigned, she would take Jiang Youyao to Yongzhou to see if she could restore Jiang Youyao's sanity.

The Jiang family was surprisingly calm about the upcoming resignation. Except for Jiang Jingrui, the others didn't say much. Everything that rises must fall. It's not easy for the Jiang family to get out of this situation unscathed. When there is no power to worry about, people will care more about family affection. So Jiang Youyao's matter became a big deal for the Jiang family.

Jiang Yuanbo and Madam Jiang asked Jiang Li indirectly whether she was willing to go to Yongzhou, which was located in the north of Qingzhou and was also very safe. Jiang Li could stay in Yongzhou for a while, and then return to Yanjing when Ji Heng returned to Beijing. However, Jiang Li refused as usual, saying that no matter what, she would wait for Ji Heng's return in Yanjing City.

Her attitude was so firm that Jiang Yuanbai and Old Lady Jiang did not ask any more questions. Jiang Yuanbai had already dealt with his subordinates' affairs during these days, and submitted his resignation letter. Emperor Hong Xiao did not stop him, and did not even try to persuade him to stay. He readily agreed. So Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping could not help but break out in a cold sweat in relief, and their original regrets were swept away. If they were not willing to withdraw at this time, I am afraid that they would not know what kind of ending they would have in the future. As long as they offend the emperor, no one in the world can have a good end.

Spring passed, and summer came. In the hot summer, there were frequent reports of victory from Qingzhou. The Jinwu Army led by Ji Heng recaptured several cities, and Yin Zhili retreated to the south. After a long period of persistence, the troops of both sides were consumed. Yin Zhili focused on tactics, while Ji Heng's Jinwu Army had a bit of the shadow of the Flying Dragon Cavalry in the past. They took a different approach, but they were ruthless in killing people and were full of momentum. In this situation, Ji Heng had the upper hand after all, and seemed to have gradually gotten used to the battlefield. Compared with the previous stalemate, the war at least opened up a new situation.

The worries of the people in Yanjing about the war were gradually diluted by the frequent reports of victory. The capital was still peaceful and prosperous, as if nothing had happened. When Ye Shijie talked about this with Jiang Li, he also said that although the Yin family soldiers were very powerful and Yin Zhili's tactics were also superb, Yin Zhili was young after all, and often lacked the murderous spirit of a general. In contrast, the Jinwu Army was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, with murderous intent at every step. Ji Heng was even more ruthless. He alone killed several generals under Yin Zhili.

Ye Shijie found it very strange. Yin Zhili and Ji Heng were of similar age, but the murderous aura on Ji Heng was something Yin Zhili could never learn. Yin Zhili still lived in the clouds and was trained since childhood. Why was there such a big gap between people?
Jiang Li heard this, but smiled without saying anything, but she felt sad for Ji Heng in her heart. Although Yin Zhili was personally taught the art of war by Yin Zhan, Yin Zhili spent his childhood and adolescence in a relaxed and comfortable manner without knowing the truth. He had no burden or darkness in his past life, and did not have to face the bloody truth, nor did he have to hide from disguises in order to survive. But Ji Heng was different. From birth to now, Ji Heng had not lived a day as relaxed as Yin Zhili.

So although they are of similar age, their personalities are completely different. If she could go back to Ji Heng's childhood, Jiang Li really wanted to hug the poor little Ji Heng and tell him that he had done well and would do better in the future.

Yanjing City is thousands of miles away from Qingzhou. Ji Heng was busy with military affairs and could not send a letter home to Jiang Li, but the war became more and more intense. By late autumn, Ji Heng had taken back all the cities occupied by Yin's soldiers. Both sides suffered casualties, but Yin's soldiers suffered more. Ji Heng forced them into the mountains and forests of Qimin. Of the 100,000 elite soldiers, only 10,000 were left in the end.

Yin Zhili, the King of Xia, did not rule for long.

When Jiang Li woke up that morning, she felt her right eye twitching non-stop, as if something was going to happen. She had some bad omen in her mind, but she couldn't tell why. When Bai Xue came to deliver breakfast, Jiang Li was also absent-minded in her eating.

Tong'er noticed something was wrong with her and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, are you feeling unwell? You don't look right today."

Jiang Li touched her face, and then she realized that her hands were also unusually cold, and she shivered. Seeing this, Tong'er said anxiously, "Miss, did you catch a cold? The weather is getting colder, you should make some pomegranate syrup to drink, and I will bring you a small cape."

Jiang Li didn't feel warm after getting the cloak, but she felt even more uncomfortable. She didn't know why she kept thinking about Ji Heng. She warned herself not to let her imagination run wild. Ji Heng was in Qimin now, and the war was going very smoothly. As long as the last troops of Yin Zhili were defeated, the war would be over. After the war was over, Ji Heng would return to Beijing, and everything would be as they had agreed before.

"Forget it, let's go to the Duke's Mansion." Jiang Li stood up. She couldn't suppress the inexplicable thoughts in her mind, so she thought about going to the Duke's Mansion to see Xue Zhao and the others to distract her attention. Besides, after Jiang Yuanbai resigned, he was not very clear about the war. If Jiang Li wanted to know something, she had to go to the Duke's Mansion to ask Ye Shijie and Situ Jiuyue.

Bai Xue said: "It turns out that the young lady is missing the Duke."

Jiang Li forced a smile and said nothing. She asked Bai Xue to inform Old Madam Jiang, and the three of them got on the carriage and left the Jiang Mansion.

In late autumn, it was a bit deserted. But it still couldn't stop the prosperity of Yanjing City. The streets were still crowded, and there was no sense of tension brought by the war. Jiang Li lifted the curtain to look, as if as long as she lifted the curtain, she could see a beautiful woman in red sitting high up in the restaurant, smiling and watching a play. However, as far as she could see, there was nothing.

I didn't feel it when he was here, but after he left, I felt as if Yanjing City had become more lively because of him. When Ji Heng was away, the capital was still prosperous, but it became eclipsed, and everything became unfamiliar.

On the way to the Duke's Mansion, you have to pass by the Ye Mansion. The gate of the Ye Mansion is closed. Now that the Ye family has moved into the Duke's Mansion, there is no one to take care of the Ye Mansion, and even the servants have moved away. The ground in front of the door has not been swept for a long time, and it is covered with dust and weeds. Looking at it, it makes people feel bleak.

Jiang Li stopped looking outside. When the carriage arrived at the gate of the Duke's Mansion, the driver stopped. Bai Xue helped Jiang Li jump out of the carriage. The guard at the gate saluted and said, "Second Miss." He opened the door sideways, and Jiang Li and the other two walked in.

As soon as they entered, they heard the sound of horse hooves. Jiang Li looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lin Yao sitting on Xiao Lan's back, with Wen Renyao directing him, looking surprisingly happy. This actually scared Jiang Li, because Xiao Lan was not an ordinary horse, with a fierce temper, and Lin Yao might not be able to tame it, which was too dangerous.

Jiang Li called out "Mr. Wenren", and Wenren Yao turned around and saw him. Lin Yao, who was on the horse, shouted happily, "Sister Jiang!"

Wen Renyao carried Lin Yao down from the horse.

Lin Yao has also grown a lot taller, and has become a little adult. Fortunately, when he was in Huangzhou, he witnessed the tragic death of his family members. Jiang Li thought that the child would become taciturn, but under Wen Renyao's teaching, the child remained lively. Jiang Li looked at Xiao Lan again, and the pony seemed to realize that Jiang Li was looking at him, and became more and more agile and handsome. In less than a year, the horse also grew up rapidly and was much taller than when Jiang Li first bought it. His fur is a beautiful golden color. If General Ji were here again, he would definitely praise him.

Jiang Li felt a little sad when she thought about this. When she gave Little Blue to General Ji as a birthday gift, General Ji was very happy and thought that when Little Blue grew up, he would take it everywhere. Now Little Blue has grown up, but General Ji is no longer here. Fate is a cruel thing after all, and what it loves to give people the most is regret.

"Second Miss, why are you here suddenly?" Wen Renyao asked, "Are you here to see Situ?"

Jiang Li went to Situ Jiuyue, mostly to ask about Ji Heng. As for what was going on ahead, the contact person on Situ Jiuyue's side would be the first to know.

Jiang Li smiled and replied, "No, I just didn't have anything to do in the mansion, so I came over for a walk."

"Oh... yes, it's still quite lively here." Wen Renyao touched Lin Yao's head and said to Jiang Li, "Aheng has been quite busy these days, but Kong Liu may bring back some news today. I think Aheng's battle is almost over. How should I put it, it's not fast or slow, and it's much better than expected. That Yin Zhili is still not ruthless enough, and has never played a game with human lives as chess. He still can't compare with our Aheng." He said it complacently, as if he was proud of it.

Jiang Li listened to his words, and the uneasiness in her heart dissipated a little. She said: "But the battlefield is dangerous after all. Didn't you tell Ji Heng before that he was destined to suffer a disaster?"

Jiang Li had always felt guilty about the prophecy, so much so that when Yin Zhili surrounded and killed Ji Heng and Ji Heng was injured, her guilt reached its peak. After all, the prophecy sounded so shocking that it was hard for people to accept it for a while.

"That prophecy," Wen Ren thought for a long time, and then he seemed to remember what Jiang Li said. He said, "Actually, I only told you half of that prophecy. There is still another half."

Jiang Li was stunned: "The other half...what is it?"

"It's 'If you survive this disaster, your luck will turn and your life will be smooth.'"

The complete prophecy was originally "Born in winter, he has the appearance of a king or a prince, but he will encounter a disaster because of a woman's misfortune, and his body will be exposed in the wilderness and eaten by hawks and dogs. If he survives this disaster, his luck will turn for the better and he will have a smooth life."

"Is that really the case?" Jiang Li heaved a sigh of relief, and her expression brightened a little.

"That's true. Although my master said that I was not good at calculating, it seems that I was not bad at calculating now, and this prophecy is still very accurate. You see, when you were in Qingzhou, you were ambushed by that little bastard Yin Zhili, and Ji Heng almost died. Isn't this a robbery? Yin Zhili kidnapped you to threaten Ji Heng, barely enough, just treat you as a female disaster. The most important thing is that this robbery has passed, and Ah Heng will turn misfortune into good fortune in the future, and everything will go well and everything will come true. So," Wen Renyao said with concern, "Second Miss, don't worry about Ah Heng. He will definitely return safely. This time in Qimin, everything will definitely go well. Second Miss might as well start preparing your wedding clothes. I estimate that after Ah Heng comes back, it will be your turn for the wedding."

Wedding... He inexplicably talked about something so far away. Jiang Li was a little embarrassed, but unconsciously, she felt a little bit of anticipation in her heart. Lin Yao tugged at Wen Renyao's clothes and looked at him eagerly. Wen Renyao waved her hand and said, "Second Miss, Situ and the others are inside. Go talk to them first. I'll ride with my apprentice and come over."

Jiang Li said yes, and carefully reminded Wen Renyao to be careful not to hurt Lin Yao. Wen Renyao agreed, and Jiang Li walked towards the Duke's Mansion.

Ye Mingyu was not at home today, probably because he went out with his friends. He was happy every day. He heard that Old Madam Ye had sent him several messages asking him to go back to Xiangyang to meet a girl. Ye Mingyu simply said that he had to stay in Yanjing City to protect Ye Shijie, and simply did not go back. He was too lazy to deal with the urging of his family to get married.

Ye Shijie was no longer in the mansion. He was increasingly valued by Emperor Hong Xiao, and his daily duties increased. When Jiang Li walked to the garden, she saw Situ Jiuyue picking flowers in the garden. Xue Zhao pushed a wheelchair and sat aside, watching her picking flowers. Perhaps because he was afraid that Situ Jiuyue would be bored alone, he chatted with her.

Jiang Li stood in the distance, watching silently, until a familiar voice came from behind: "Ali." Jiang Li turned around and smiled immediately, "Dad."

Xue Huaiyuan came over and was very happy to see Jiang Li. He asked, "Why don't you go talk to Ah Zhao?"

"I think Ah Zhao is busy right now." Jiang Li blinked mischievously, "It's better not to disturb him."

Xue Huaiyuan laughed loudly, looking at the scene in the flower garden with a look of great satisfaction. Jiang Li looked at Xue Huaiyuan, and with a thought in her mind, she asked, "Dad... Miss Jiuyue seems to like Ah Zhao very much, and Ah Zhao also likes Miss Jiuyue very much. Let's not talk about whether they know each other's feelings, don't you have any thoughts about Miss Jiuyue?"

Xue Huaiyuan is upright and does things in an upright manner. Not to mention Situ Jiuyue's identity, many people have died at her hands over the years. Jiang Li likes Situ Jiuyue very much, but she is afraid that Xue Huaiyuan has other ideas about Situ Jiuyue, so she wants to secretly help Xue Zhao find out so that Xue Zhao can prepare early.

Xue Huaiyuan glanced at Jiang Li and said, "Ali, I know what you mean. I am old now. No matter you or A Zhao, I will not interfere in your marriage. I also believe in your judgment. A Zhao is not a child. He has his own reasons for his decision. Miss Jiuyue is a good child. If there is such a day, I will treat her as my own daughter."

Jiang Li smiled, took Xue Huaiyuan's arm, and said, "Dad is still as reasonable as before."

Xue Huaiyuan looked at her happily, and suddenly remembered something, and said to Jiang Li: "Ali, I almost forgot something."

Jiang Li asked: "What's the matter?"

"Right now, the Yin family soldiers are losing ground, and it seems that Yin Zhili is doomed to lose. I think, after this battle is over and Ji Heng returns to Beijing, we will discuss when your wedding will be held. After confirming the date, I want to take you and A Zhao back to Tongxiang first. A Li," Xue Huaiyuan said, "after this trip to Tongxiang, I will never go back. I have thought about it, leaving you alone in Yanjing, Dad is really worried, although Dad is old and useless and can't do much, but I will stay with you. If you are wronged, I will fight for justice for you at the risk of my life."

Jiang Li was stunned for a moment, then sighed. Shen Yurong's incident was over, but the damage she brought to the Xue family was not completely over. Although Xue Huaiyuan believed in Ji Heng, he was also afraid that what happened that year would happen again. That's why he wanted to stay in Yanjing City with Jiang Li. This time he went back to Tongxiang as a farewell, and he also dealt with all the house deeds in Tongxiang.

"Okay." She smiled brightly, "I couldn't be happier that Dad can be with me. I don't like being separated from Dad either. We'll buy a house in Yanjing City in the future, and Zhao can do whatever she wants on weekdays, and Haitang, we'll live in Yanjing."

The picture depicted was so beautiful that Xue Huaiyuan couldn't help but laugh.

As the two were laughing, they saw someone coming in from outside. Situ Jiuyue stood up from the flowerbed and called out to the person, "Kong Liu."

Kong Liu strode in, his face full of anxiety, his brows furrowed, he didn't see Jiang Li at first glance, but ran straight to Situ Jiuyue. Jiang Li was stunned, only to hear Kong Liu walking to Situ Jiuyue and talking, in which the word "adult" was faintly mixed, and Situ Jiuyue's face changed drastically when he heard it.

Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly said to Xue Huaiyuan, "Dad, I'll go see what Lord Kong is here for," and then quickly walked towards the flower garden.

When I walked to the flower garden, before I got close, I heard Kong Liu's voice saying, "We haven't found his whereabouts yet."

"Who hasn't been found?" Jiang Li asked.

The people in the flower garden were surprised to see Jiang Li suddenly appear. Xue Zhao looked at Jiang Li and asked in surprise, "Sister, why are you here?"

Jiang Li was in no mood to reminisce with Xue Zhao. She asked, "What is going on? Lord Kong, is what you are talking about related to Ji Heng?"

Kong Liu looked embarrassed, as if he wanted to brush it off, but he was tongue-tied and couldn't think of a good way to phrase it. Xue Zhao also fell silent. Jiang Li looked at Situ Jiuyue and asked, "Miss Jiuyue...did Ji Heng get into trouble?"

Although Situ Jiuyue was usually serious, she rarely had such an ugly expression. When she heard Jiang Li asking her, she seemed a little annoyed, but Jiang Li looked at her persistently, so she let out a breath and said, "You will know this sooner or later anyway, so I won't hide it from you. Ji Heng is missing."

"Missing?" Jiang Li took a breath, "Why did he suddenly disappear?"

Situ Jiuyue pursed her lips at Kong Liu and said, "I'm not very clear about the specific matters. Kong Liu, you should tell me."

Kong Liu scratched his head and said, "I received information from Lu Ji this morning. Three days ago, Yin Zhili led the elite soldiers of the Yin family to attack at night. The Jinwu Army had besieged Yin Zhili's Jinwu Army. Sir, you chopped Yin Zhili's mount with a knife and killed Yin Zhili. But after he killed Yin Zhili, he suddenly fell off the horse. Yin Zhili's deputy general took advantage of the chaos and chopped you with a knife. The Yin family soldiers captured you. You fought desperately. When Lu Ji and others rushed over, you... you disappeared."

"Was he taken away by Yin's soldiers?" Jiang Li asked anxiously, her heart pounding. If he became a prisoner, at least he would still have his life.

"No... All the Yin family soldiers present at the scene were killed. The captured prisoners said that the master had escaped. Lu Ji is leading people to track down the master's whereabouts, but the terrain in the deep mountains of Qimin is complex, there are many snakes, insects, rats and ants, and there are wild beasts in the mountains and forests. It will take a while to find the master's whereabouts... and we haven't found it yet..."

Xue Zhao couldn't help but say, "No news may be good news, which means that at least my brother-in-law is still alive. Sister, my brother-in-law will definitely get out of this unscathed."

"I'm just wondering why Ji Heng would suddenly fall off his horse?" Situ Jiuyue was puzzled: "This is not his character."

"It's his injury..." Jiang Li murmured, "Before, when Yin Zhili ambushed the archers and used me to lure him into a trap, he was injured... The injury was serious. He said it was not important, but how could it be unimportant... His old illness must have relapsed immediately, or maybe it had relapsed a long time ago, but he had been holding it in. He was used to covering it up, but at that time it must have been... it must have been impossible to cover it up."

Jiang Li's tears fell in big drops.

For a moment, her heart was broken. Ji Heng loved to show off his strength. Although he was very strong in the eyes of others, he still smiled calmly when his life was at stake. No one noticed the scars under his red armor. He was always alone... In the end, it was she who implicated him.

What should I do? She said, "I'll go to Qimin and look for him."

Kong Liu was shocked and said, "Absolutely not. Although Yin Zhili is dead and the Yin family soldiers are leaderless, there are still some remnants that have not been cleared out. Lu Ji has sent people to look for the whereabouts of the master. Even if Miss Jiang goes, it will not help. It is better for her to stay in Yanjing City. This way, when the master returns to Beijing, he will be able to see Miss Jiang the first time."

"That's right," Situ Jiuyue also comforted stiffly: "Don't worry, Ji Heng will not die. He has a strong life and will definitely come back."

Will he come back? Jiang Li couldn't help but think of Wen Renyao's prophecy again. They all believed that the disaster in the prophecy referred to the time when Yin Zhili surrounded and killed Ji Heng, so the disaster had already passed.

But what if they were all wrong, and the disaster had not happened, and was referring to Ji Heng's disappearance this time?

The corpse was exposed as a lie, and the hawks and dogs pecked at it. Jiang Li closed her eyes and clenched her fists tightly.

It’s horrifying to think about.

(End of this chapter)