Chapter 154: Yan Jiulang’s Surprise
To prevent them from waking up midway, Grandpa Ling and the other two were drugged and sent to the nearest villa by carriage overnight to recuperate.
As for Jinsui, the butler was utterly surprised and troubled; this matter was completely beyond his understanding.
When the matron brought a maidservant’s outfit for the young lady inside to change into, the butler said irritably:
“Who do you think she is? Quickly, get her the winter clothes prepared for the young lady!”
The matron was truly bewildered. Although the young lady was quite beautiful, her palms were calloused, indicating she was no noble lady.
Her clothes were made of the coarsest linen, inferior to the fabric used for the household maidservants’ attire.
What kind of extraordinary status could warrant such importance from the butler? She leaned in gossipy and asked, “Could it be that the Master fancies her?”
The butler said in a low voice, “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t! If you knew her identity, it would scare you to death!”
It wasn’t the kind of identity that would scare one to death, but rather another reason entirely.
Seeing the butler speak so solemnly, not like he was trying to fool her, the matron also began to take it seriously. However, no matter how she guessed, she couldn’t fathom the young lady’s identity.
She carefully helped her change into a sky-blue silk dress and jacket, which further accentuated the young lady’s skin, as fair as jade, and her delicate face, as if carved from snow and jade.
The matron couldn’t help but sigh; such a beautiful woman, regardless of whether her identity was terrifying or not, deserved gentle care.
When the carriage was ready, a bodyguard stepped forward to lift the young lady into the carriage, but the butler kicked him directly, saying, “Is she someone you can touch!”
He pointed at the matron and said, “Carry her into the carriage. Be careful not to bump or bruise her.”
The young lady was very light. The sturdy matron carried her into the carriage like a little cat, then covered her with the silk quilt. She couldn’t help but look at her a few more times; such a delicate and beautiful young lady was rare in Yandi.
Yandi also had its share of beauties, but they were mostly women with oval faces and large features. A young lady with a palm-sized face and delicate features, like those from the Jiangnan water towns, was extremely rare in Yandi.
The butler accompanied the carriage, heading for Yanzhou City overnight. Jinsui was still in a deep sleep. If she knew that after rushing with Grandpa, she was on the verge of escaping Yandi, only to be sent back, she would be incredibly frustrated.
They arrived at Yanzhou at noon. The butler delivered the person to the villa in the suburbs and found that the Master had already arrived in advance.
His heart skipped a beat. The Master truly valued Young Master Ji! He wondered what his reaction would be upon seeing Young Master Ji in this state.
The butler looked at his Master, who was as graceful as jade and bamboo, with a contorted expression, his thick eyebrows like caterpillars twisted into curves.
Yan Jiu frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, “Did something happen to Young Master Ji?”
That’s right, this butler was the familiar butler of the Yan household, and the bodyguards who came to rescue her and Grandpa Ling were sent by Yan Jiu.
It could be said that there were few things in all of Yandi that could be hidden from Yan Jiu. As long as he was determined to investigate, he could always find clues.
After Jinsui publicly swapped identities with Gu Changxiao at the polo match that noon and immediately left the border city, Yan Shiyi reported the news to Yan Jiu without delay.
Although Yan Jiu personally rushed out of Yancheng to intercept her, he was still a step too late. He hadn’t expected Daoist Ji to run so fast.
Just as he was about to pursue her himself, he received news that an Inner Attendant from the Imperial Court had arrived in Yanzhou, and the news of Prince Yu’s assassins remaining in Yandi also reached his ears.
He quickly pieced together the crucial information from the myriad of clues, certain that there was a plan targeting the Li King, and that it involved Daoist Ji.
Yan Jiu couldn’t be bothered with Jun Yanqing’s affairs, but when it concerned Ji Sui, he couldn’t ignore it.
Moreover, he knew very well how much Ji Sui valued the border city. If the border city were destroyed by Jun Yanqing, Brother Ji would be heartbroken!
Heh, Brother Ji is truly too kind. Despite Jun Yanqing’s heartlessness, Brother Ji remains righteous.
Do I not deserve your trust this much? If you had cooperated with me earlier, what if I had helped you seize the border city?
He decided to stay behind to deal with the Inner Attendant delivering the imperial decree, find out the plan, and then dispatch the elite bodyguards of the Yan household, led by Steward Yan, to pursue Ji Sui and her party.
Unfortunately, because Jinsui and Grandpa had been rushing non-stop, Steward Yan had been unable to catch up. It wasn’t until this morning, when he discovered corpses everywhere at the Earth God Temple, that Steward Yan realized Young Master Ji had met with an accident.
Jinsui searched for Grandpa Ling and the other two for a day and a night, and the Yan family members searched for Jinsui and her party for a day and a night. Fortunately, they arrived at the critical moment and rescued Ji Sui.
At this moment, hearing the Head of the Family’s question, Steward Yan truly didn’t know how to answer.
Should I say that the Young Master Ji you’ve been longing for has become a woman!
The Master would probably kill him, right?
So he opened the carriage door and invited Yan Jiu forward, “Master, please see for yourself.”
Yan Jiu glanced at him, stepped forward, his snow-white cloak arcing through the wind, carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms and snow as he stepped onto the carriage.
Then Yan Jiu’s brow furrowed, thinking, why did Steward Yan do something so foolish? He wanted Ji Sui, not a beauty!
But soon, he recognized the beauty’s face. It was a face he had seen countless times in his dreams, yet now, this face seemed to be on someone else, reuniting with him in a different way.
His reaction was the same as Steward Yan’s. He reached out cautiously, even warming his hand before gently caressing her forehead, chin, and cheeks, fearing he might chill her.
It’s real, all of it is real.
He suddenly remembered something, grasped the beauty’s right hand, pulled up her sleeve, and revealed a burn mark the size of a copper coin on her arm. This was an injury Ji Sui sustained during the battle of burning the Tartars.
He then gathered the beauty’s hair and looked at her left earlobe, where there was a tiny red mole. Once, when they were talking about the Thirty-Six Stratagems late at night, he had gazed at this red mole for a long time, the memory vivid.
Yan Jiu, who was known for his composure even in the face of disaster, was stunned. He stood frozen in the carriage, staring at the beauty’s face, motionless for a long time.
Until Steward Yan anxiously asked from below, “Master, are you alright!”
Yan Jiu covered the beauty with the quilt, got off the carriage, and stood in the wind, deep in thought.
If someone who understood micro-expression psychology were to observe him, they would undoubtedly see that Yan Jiu was currently excited, joyful, and filled with an almost frenzied possessiveness.
Steward Yan chattered on, “Regarding this matter, this old servant has three guesses.”
Yan Jiu’s hands were clenched tightly within his wide sleeves, and he uttered two words, “Speak.”
“The first is that this young lady is Young Master Ji’s sister, who has been hiding in Yandi to assist Young Master Ji.”
Yan Jiu let out a soft, unhurried “Oh.” Steward Yan was greatly encouraged and continued:
“Secondly, as we all know, Young Master Ji himself admitted that he has a disability.”
“There are many Inner Attendants in the Chang’an Palace, and many are castrated from a young age. I heard there are medicines that can turn those eunuchs into hermaphrodites, making them appear like women. Perhaps Young Master Ji is in a similar situation.”
If Jinsui heard this, she would definitely curse, “You’re the hermaphrodite! Your whole family are hermaphrodites!”
This time, Yan Jiu didn’t hum; instead, he glanced at him as if looking at a fool.
The person lying inside is a genuine woman. How could you guess she’s a hermaphrodite?
Steward Yan braced himself and said:
“The third guess, alas, is hard to believe, it’s simply a fantasy! It’s even more unbelievable than the rumors about the real and fake Li King circulating in the city.”
Yan Jiu raised an eyebrow, “Speak.”
“That is, Young Master Ji was a girl from the very beginning. She was audacious enough to disguise herself as a man and impersonate the Li King!”
Yan Jiu laughed, first a low chuckle, then a hearty laugh, unrestrained and wild.
Steward Yan finally uttered that essential butler’s line, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Master laugh so happily!”
When did it start? Ah, it was after the old Head of the Family suddenly passed away and the Master took over as Head of the Family, that he stopped laughing.
One must know that when the Master was a youth, he was even more flamboyant than Eleventh Young Master on the polo field.
“Hasn’t she always been this audacious?”
Steward Yan prepared to call a strong matron to carry Young Master Ji… no, Miss Ji to the bedroom.
However, he saw his Master board the carriage again and personally carry Miss Ji down.
Steward Yan’s heart pounded, and he uttered the second essential butler’s line, “The Head of the Family has never been close to women, yet he is so intimate with Miss Ji!”
Uh, the Master had tried his best to recruit the fake Li King into his ranks before. Now, the fake Li King has become a real woman. What will happen next?
Steward Yan felt as if the world was going mad.
The decades of peace in Yandi were turned upside down by the seemingly delicate young lady in his Master’s arms.
It seemed it would continue to cause trouble. Because now, she had their Master as her backer!
Jinsui felt as if she had slept for a very, very long time. She could say that in her past and present lives, she had never slept so comfortably or so soundly.
In her past life, she toiled like cattle and horses, and sleeping enough was a luxury. After transmigrating, she was constantly on the run, never having a peaceful day, overwhelmed and exhausted; sleeping enough remained a luxury.
Only this time, she even had several dreams without waking up.
After waking up, apart from a slight pain at the back of her neck, she felt no discomfort.
Opening her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar environment, a room with carved beams and painted rafters, a rosewood bed, and silk bedding.
On the table by the bed, a crane-mouthed plum blossom pot emitted wisps of soothing smoke, and the women’s clothing she was wearing made her momentarily dazed.
What was going on? Had she transmigrated again?
Her first reaction was to look for a mirror, but she couldn’t find one.
Her second reaction was to enter her space. She did, and everything inside was exactly the same as the last time she entered.
This time, she found a mirror. It was still the familiar face, only it had been thoroughly cleaned and a touch of rouge applied.
A cascade of black hair fell down, and she wore a green wide-sleeved dress. It was beautiful, ethereal, and lovely—she had never dressed like this before.
Who was it? Playing dress-up with me while I slept? Treating me like a doll?
She recalled the events before she fell asleep. She seemed to have been rescued, but she didn’t know the specific purpose.
That person came to rescue the fake Li King. Haha, now that the fake Li King has become a woman, I wonder if he was scared.
Jinsui quickly adjusted her mindset. She hadn’t died or been injured, and she was wearing beautiful clothes and sleeping in a luxurious bed. This indicated that the person didn’t want to harm her.
That’s good enough! As long as her life was saved, money… she quickly went to check the silver chest. Yes, the money was also safe.
And Grandpa and Jin’an. Since this person didn’t harm her, they naturally wouldn’t harm them either.
As for Liu Yun, he probably wouldn’t die either! She had given him medicine, and that guy seemed to have a tough life.
Thinking this, Jinsui felt much more at ease. As for the current situation, it was better than the last time she woke up in an unfamiliar place and faced the prospect of being sold by her maternal uncle!
Leaving her space, she faintly heard a rustling sound. She got out of the large bed, couldn’t find her shoes, and barefoot, pushed open the door. Outside were two red plum trees with buds about to bloom, and along the wall was a clump of verdant green bamboo.
At this moment, both the plum branches and bamboo branches were covered with a thin layer of snow.
The first snow of the northern lands fell gently.
She slowly walked to the plum tree and held out her hand to catch the snowflakes. She had thought she would see the first snow in the vast border city, see thousands of trees blooming like pear blossoms.
The person accompanying her would be Gu Changxiao.
No matter how strong she was, deep down, she still had a bit of girlish sentiment. The first snow, she thought, must be a dreamlike existence for all southern girls.
Her mind even automatically played the first snow music from ghost stories…
When Yan Jiu walked into the courtyard, he saw a scene of snow and a beautiful woman.
Specks of crimson plum blossoms, a world draped in silver, and the only vibrant and lively maiden between heaven and earth.
She stood barefoot beneath the plum tree, unfazed by the cold and snow. She smiled as snowflakes fell into her palm, as if looking at the world’s most precious treasure.
Those eyes were as pure as a fawn in the forest, as bright as stars in the night sky.
She stood there, ethereal and transcendent, like a banished immortal descended to earth. The filth and corruption of the human world had not tainted her in the slightest.
Who would have thought that this fairy-like maiden had once burned Tartars and killed Zheng Yun with a sword? Who would have thought she had besieged cities to demand funds and suppressed bandits and killed rebels?
Who would have imagined that such a free-spirited, audacious fake Li King was actually a woman!
Jinsui gazed at the first snow for a long time, and Yan Jiu gazed at her for a long time.
Both were looking at the most beautiful scenery in the world.
Until Jinsui sensed someone’s arrival and turned to look at him.
The moment their eyes met, a thousand thoughts flashed through Jinsui’s mind. So it was Yan Jiulang!
Indeed, in Yanzhou, there weren’t many people capable of rescuing her from the black-clothed men. If it wasn’t Gu Changxiao, it would be Yan Jiulang.
But I’m a woman now! What should I do? If I tell him I’m my sister, will he believe me?
Should I pretend not to know him?
Before Jinsui could come up with the best plan, Yan Jiu strode towards her, simultaneously raising his hand to untie the clasp of his cloak.
The snow-white cloak made of silver fox fur was spotless, whiter than the snow itself.
The hem of the cloak swept an elegant arc in the air, catching a strand of Jinsui’s hair, and the cloak was draped over her shoulders.
Those well-defined, slender, jade-like hands circled her neck and fastened the cloak’s ties for her.
Jinsui: …
“Young sir, we don’t know each other, do we?” Jinsui posed a tentative question.
Perhaps Yan Jiu was face-blind?
From her observation, Yan Shiyi was indeed face-blind, though Yan Shiyi was also a simpleton.
Yan Jiu suppressed a smile and looked down at her, “Brother Ji, if it were a girl I didn’t know, she would have slapped me by now.”
Jinsui’s eyebrows rose. She couldn’t keep up the act anymore and cleared her throat, saying, “That wouldn’t happen. Brother Yan is so handsome and gentle; which girl would bear to slap you?”
Yan Jiu chuckled. Suddenly, he looked down and saw Jinsui’s bare feet. His gaze became heated, restrained yet burning.
It was a look Jinsui had never seen on him before, similar to how Gu Changxiao had looked at her all night before they parted.
Even Jinsui, who was accustomed to disguising herself as a man, instinctively drew her feet under her skirt.
Uh, in this era, a woman’s feet shouldn’t be shown casually, right!
Jinsui was about to say, your servants didn’t prepare shoes for me.
Then, Yan Jiu bent down, an action completely unexpected by her. He scooped her up horizontally.
Jinsui was stunned, staring directly at his chin, “What are you doing?”
Yan Jiu’s lips were tightly pressed together. From Jinsui’s perspective, his earlobes were bright red.
He strode towards the room, carrying her as easily as if she were a cat.
Once inside, he gave Jinsui a perfectly valid reason, “The ground is cold; you’ll catch a chill.”
Jinsui stood on the luxurious thick carpet in the room, her feet crossed, afraid to move. Jinsui had long discovered how much this man loved carpets.
Wherever he went, he prepared a magnificent carpet. Was he afraid I’d dirty his carpet, which is why he carried me in?
However, your reaction to Little Daoist Ji becoming a woman is too calm, isn’t it?
Everyone, don’t forget, my Sui Sui is a beauty!
