Chapter 143: You Reap What You Sow
“Since your mind is made up, then go.”
After Wei Chang left, the Emperor gazed at his back thoughtfully.
Everything was fine, just a pity…
Never mind, in another month it would be his twentieth year, so he would wait a bit longer.
Perhaps it really would be as the Imperial Advisor said, and a miracle would appear.
The next day, the news that Lin Ningkun had been killed by a maidservant spread throughout the Capital, as if it had grown wings, reaching the ears of Jiang Ruanxi who had just woken up.
She had escaped death and injured her vital energy, so the carriage’s speed was very slow.
She had been drowsy all along the way, and when she woke up again, she had long since left the Capital.
“Madam…” Hong Ye’s worried voice rang out.
Seeing Hong Ye standing intact in front of her, Jiang Ruanxi breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hong Ye, are you alright?” Jiang Ruanxi looked at the haggard Hong Ye, her eyes growing wet, “I thought you…”
“Madam need not worry, Hong Ye is blessed with great fortune and cannot die. It was Master Bian Du who saved me,” Hong Ye wiped her tears and said. “These past few days we were not far from the Capital, so this servant did not dare to rashly reunite with you.”
“As long as you’re fine.”
Being able to escape from the Lin Family’s cage, and the people who cared about her still alive and well, Jiang Ruanxi was fully satisfied.
“Madam, on the way here, this servant heard that the Master died.”
Jiang Ruanxi paused, and seeing no ripple in her eyes, continued speaking about the events of these past few days. “They say he was killed by Run Ru. It was not in vain that Madam promoted her, but it’s a pity for her mother and younger brother. They probably still hope she will return for a reunion.”
“Enough. Since we have already left that place of strife, from now on, do not mention those matters again.”
The carriage headed south all the way, going to the place Jiang Ruanxi had been longing for.
Although she knew her fate had not been completely changed, she had still taken the first step.
No matter what she encountered in the future, she would live more bravely.
What Jiang Ruanxi did not know was that on the day Lin Ningkun was buried, his corpse vanished without a trace.
Lin Feng paced around anxiously. “Who has a problem? They didn’t steal anything else, but stole a corpse?”
With the Lin Family’s Second Branch having suffered a tragic extermination, plus those filthy matters, He Sheng did not want to make a big fuss.
“Master, the Lin Family is currently under scrutiny. I think we should just bury an empty coffin.”
“No matter how bad Second Brother was, he was still my own younger brother. Now that he has passed away, I cannot even properly arrange his funeral rites. I truly feel guilty toward him.”
He Sheng had a different view. “You reap what you sow. If Second Brother had treated Second Brother’s Wife well back then, he would not have ended up like this. Even a maidservant knew Second Brother’s Wife was wronged in the Lin Family—how could he be buried decently? Now, we bury him nominally to avoid gossip and prevent people from mocking the Lin Family for having no one to collect the corpse. If you cannot get over it in your heart, Master, you can search for Second Brother’s corpse privately and rebury him then.”
Lin Feng understood that this was already the best solution.
**
“Madam, we’ve arrived.”
The carriage traveled south, and after more than ten days of arduous journeying, they finally entered Lingnan territory.
“Second Master said to let you stay here first. Tomorrow someone will come to pick you up. Second Master has already arranged your identity in Lingnan properly. This poor Daoist has other matters to attend to these few days, so I take my leave.”
Along this southward journey, the Nameless Daoist had already explained everything in detail to her.
Although she still did not know who the person was that would change her fate, if she continued staying in the Capital, her fortune would continue to be eroded.
Marrying someone with Seven Killings Solitary Fate was the only way to resolve it.
She understood the principle of mutual generation and restraint.
Being able to escape the Lin Family, stay away from the Jiang Family, and see the light again was already her great fortune.
No matter what, that person who called himself Second Master had helped her. If marriage could change both their fates, she was willing to try.
“Thank you, Daoist Priest.”
“Madam is too polite.” The Nameless Daoist said respectfully, “Since Madam is Second Master’s fated person, it is only right for this poor Daoist to do his utmost.”
After he left, Hong Ye then noticed that the small hut standing by the lonely mountain ahead was dilapidated and rundown, surrounded only by piled-up wood to block the wind, looking very crude.
“Madam, how can anyone live in this room?” Hong Ye frowned slightly and asked.
Even the Lin Family’s woodshed was much better than this.
“It’s quite good, with mountains and clear waters.” Jiang Ruanxi sighed.
Jiang Ruanxi was quite satisfied and did not disdain it. On the contrary, she quite liked the place—away from crowds, free of all that strife, making it peaceful to live in.
“It’s deep autumn now, but Lingnan’s climate is not as damp and cold as the Capital’s. Instead, it’s crisp and refreshing, not too uncomfortable. Besides, we’re only staying one night—it’s fine.” Jiang Ruanxi comforted Hong Ye.
Since Jiang Ruanxi had no objections, Hong Ye did not dare to complain. She nimbly went inside to make the bed, then went to boil some hot water.
Jiang Ruanxi soaked her feet in hot water, lay on the bed, and reviewed in her mind the events of this period.
If she remembered correctly, the south would soon suffer a month-long drought…
Lingnan was the Qin Dynasty’s granary. At this season, crops should be entering the autumn harvest, but along the way, she had seen many fields dreadfully withered.
Many crops were scorched yellow, with only a few scattered fruits.
Not to mention crops—if time dragged on, there might not even be water to drink.
Her coming to Lingnan was not only to escape the Lin Family and change her fate, but also for an important objective: to cut off the Jiang Family’s source of wealth.
Jiang Linlei was a natural merchant; he would not miss this opportunity to make a fortune.
After resting one night, the next morning a carriage arrived in the woods.
“Eldest Daughter, I am Mama Li. The Old Madam sent me to pick you up.” The one who got down was a stern-faced old mammy, her words icy cold, exuding an air of arrogance all over. “Hurry up and get in the carriage. I still need to go back and report to the Old Madam.”
This was the new identity Second Master had arranged for her.
The legitimate daughter of a minor official in Lingnan who was out of favor.
Seeing her showing no respect to Jiang Ruanxi at all, with her eyes on top of her head.
Thinking of an old servant daring to refer to herself as “I” in front of Jiang Ruanxi, she itched with hatred.
This was the aggrieved identity this so-called Second Master had arranged for Jiang Ruanxi.
What kind of thing was this?
Seeing that Hong Ye’s eyes were about to spew fire, Jiang Ruanxi stopped her. “Mama Li, go back and tell Grandmother that I am not going.”
With that, Jiang Ruanxi sat down casually, even drinking tea in the small courtyard.
She looked utterly at ease.
Mama Li thought the Eldest Daughter, having lived in this remote countryside for years, must be timid as a mouse, but she was wrong.
The Eldest Daughter before her eyes, whom she had not seen for many years, was no longer the weakling of before. Instead, she exuded nobility, no less than that person when she was alive.
