Old Lady Jiang trembled with emotion.
Jiang Huaisheng didn't understand why his younger brother had brought so many people to block their way.
When Jiang Wan saw the dense crowd, she felt terror rising from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
What terrified Old Lady Jiang even more was what Jiang Changtian had said.
It was exactly the same as what Heir Apparent Han had said, with the same tone and inflection.
It made people's hair stand on end.
Old Lady Jiang felt as if a knife was repeatedly piercing her heart, being pulled out and thrust in again, making her flesh quiver with the friction.
The beast, how he tormented her heart, how he came at her.
Although Old Lady Jiang had been slapped by the Heir Apparent, she didn't resent him.
How could a mother resent her child?
Just as when she had been wounded by Jiang Da, she hadn't truly resented her son. Even when leaving Ming County, she had first sent Wan'er to call him back.
As for Jiang Changtian, she simply didn't feel for him because he wasn't her own child.
Jiang Wan, hearing these identical words, also felt her scalp tingle.
She even wondered, could they leave Grandmother behind?
If this Second Young Master Jiang couldn't be separated from his mother, then they could go.
She was truly terrified.
While other people's behavior could be predicted, this Second Young Master Jiang was completely unpredictable.
The men sent by the Seventh Prince were strong and well-equipped, a regular army.
They had armor, bows and arrows, and long spears.
Fully equipped.
But the opposing side seemed to have more people.
If they wanted to charge through, they could certainly do so.
The other side was mostly old people, women, and children.
But they also had a carriage full of women and children.
They had come just to pick up people.
They couldn't just abandon the people and run away themselves, or their trip would have been in vain.
What had seemed like an easy task became complicated when they arrived at the Jiang Manor and saw their former colleague who had been made mute.
So they didn't delay, coming early to pick up the people and head out of the city.
But they never expected to actually be blocked like this.
What kind of formation was this, did it need so many people to block them?
They almost thought they had encountered robbers.
A young man with a face full of beard from among the Seventh Prince's men stepped forward and bowed to Jiang Changtian.
"This humble one is First-class Guard Lin Yang, greetings to Commander Jiang."
Jiang Changtian returned the greeting.
Jiang Wan looked at this man's figure and suddenly felt excited.
She found it very familiar, his silhouette.
But she had never heard this name before.
"I have been ordered to escort Grand Preceptor Jiang's family to reunite with the Seventh Prince Consort. I request Commander Jiang to let us pass."
His words were actually quite awkward.
Commander Jiang was also a son of Grand Preceptor Jiang.
Hearing him repeatedly call Old Lady Jiang "mother."
Old Lady Jiang's face was so unpleasant it was trembling.
The Princess Consort's family wasn't very good, lacking in discipline, their internal affairs a complete mess.
No wonder the Princess Consort had such an arrogant personality, the root cause was here.
Jiang Changtian smiled and said, "My father is Grand Preceptor Jiang. Why does Guard Lin discriminate, only escorting them and not me? Could it be that now that my elder sister has become a Princess Consort, she no longer recognizes me as her brother?"
This second son of the Jiang family was extraordinarily beautiful.
He was completely at odds with the main branch of the Jiang family.
The Seventh Prince's Consort was already considered good-looking, graceful and proud, but compared to him, she was like a wild grass next to a blooming peony, the contrast was so stark.
This man had red lips and white teeth, his features bewitching, and his eyes were especially watery, speaking with inherent charm.
Even if he said "I want to kill you."
The person being killed would probably lean closer to his sword, so as not to make him exert too much effort.
Old Lady Jiang trembled with anger at these words.
He was so shameless, wanting to ride on Yu Luan's coattails.
Dragging them into a matter punishable by death, yet still trying to take advantage.
Old Lady Jiang's face trembled and became slightly crooked.
Jiang Wan hadn't noticed this.
She was staring intently at that Guard Lin, too familiar, that figure.
Jiang Huaisheng was in a daze today, his mind entirely on Jing'er, feeling that everything up to now was because of his brother, and now that they were about to leave, why continue to force the issue.
"Commander Jiang is joking." How could someone officially appointed by the court just leave casually?
Jiang Changtian nodded.
"Indeed, I was just joking. Today I happened to bring my subordinates for training. As a newly appointed official, I naturally need to familiarize myself with the troops under my command. I've made you laugh. Why don't you wait a while, until we finish our training before passing through."
The Seventh Prince's guards were all tall and strong.
Looking at the dense crowd opposite, it seemed like it would take forever just to turn around, and there were even women, children, and elderly among them.
This Second Young Master Jiang was indeed as rumored, he took in all kinds of people.
Could he really rely on these people to rebel?
So they could only follow behind Zi Lu, eating shit, going nowhere.
Watching the other side slowly maneuver.
The Seventh Prince's guards became somewhat impatient.
The people opposite moved at a snail's pace, turning slowly, left and right, just not clearing the way.
Jiang Wan found Guard Lin's silhouette increasingly familiar.
She suddenly had someone call that guard over.
Jiang Wan looked at him.
He also looked at Jiang Wan, with a flash of amazement in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
Today, Jiang Wan wore a simple black robe, high ponytail, and boots, a very neat and tidy outfit, almost like a man's.
Her chest was slightly full, her skin fair, and her eyes very beautiful.
It's just that caring for a whole family had left her somewhat tired, so her hair wasn't as neat, with more loose strands around her forehead and temples. But this made her face look smaller, and even more youthful.
Among so many people, she was a rare beauty who, even after seeing Commander Jiang, wouldn't be outshone.
Not only was her appearance good, but her temperament was also outstanding.
Jiang Wan called this Guard Lin before her, and saw an unfamiliar face covered in a big beard, but she was extremely excited, her hands trembling slightly in her sleeves.
She recognized this person.
This man was the Seventh Prince's second son, Chu Yi.
In her dream, he had also been very fond of her, and for her sake had eventually submitted to his elder brother.
Although she had been pure and innocent with him, there had inevitably been a hint of ambiguity.
After all, her aunt was his stepmother, and they were also cousins.
He had actually proposed to her before.
It's just that her heart wasn't set on him.
Jiang Wan hadn't expected Chu Yi to disguise himself as a guard.
She was very familiar with him.
The two had grown up together, childhood sweethearts of sorts.
Even though he had completely disguised himself as another person at this moment, she could recognize him from the details.
His posture, the way he spoke, his intonation.
Jiang Wan's heart was about to leap out of her chest at this moment, violent yet surging.
Her eyes were uncontrollably filled with tears, glistening and turning in her eyes.
However, she thought of the last scene she had seen in the quiet room.
She suppressed her excitement.
She brought him before her eyes.
Jiang Wan resolutely said, "You must kill Commander Jiang, otherwise none of us will be able to leave here. He is very dangerous. You must kill him, I beg you."
Guard Lin Yang looked at the young girl before him in surprise, not knowing why, but she seemed very familiar, beautiful and kind.
But her first words were to ask him to kill someone, unusually calm and decisive.
However, the final "I beg you" made his ears turn slightly red.
Her words, spoken close to him, were like a whisper.
Indeed, he had seen a painting in his stepmother's room, and the silhouette of the girl in the painting had stirred his heart.
So this was what she looked like.
She should look like this, it was right.
The man calling himself First-class Guard Lin Yang was indeed Chu Yi, the Seventh Prince's illegitimate son, second in line.
He was good at martial arts, and this time he had personally led the men to escort his stepmother's family to show his filial piety.
He could be called a great filial son.
Jiang Wan had recognized him.
After all, in her dream, he had done many, many things for her.
Chu Yi nodded, "Protect yourselves well." He might not be able to look after them.
Jiang Wan nodded, "Don't worry, I understand."
The two were in perfect tacit understanding.
Chu Yi was both surprised and delighted.
It was their first meeting, yet for some reason, there was a sense of familiarity.
Chu Yi returned to the midst of the guards.
Looking at the people opposite still slowly shifting.
That Commander Jiang sitting on horseback was especially dazzling.
In fact, he had heard his elder brother and father analyze this person together, but at that time they didn't think this person was dangerous or capable of any great achievements.
But that was before he had met the man.
Now that he saw him, he realized that this man was different from the rumors.
There was something different in his eyes.
It was said that this man was the adopted son of Grand Preceptor Jiang, a son of the Jiang clan.
Indeed, Commander Jiang was very dangerous.
Chu Yi sensed it from the first glance, but he hadn't expected Jiang Wan, a young lady, to be so decisive and say the same thing.
Chu Yi was also a decisive person.
He dared to act and take responsibility.
Returning to the midst of the guards.
Without any preparation, at a single command.
He ordered arrows to be shot at the Second Young Master Jiang.
A dense volley of arrows flew forth.
Swift and urgent.
All arrows were aimed at Commander Jiang.
Without warning.
At that moment.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Wan's heart was racing, feeling a sense of exhilaration.
She also felt a sense of finality, as if dust were settling.
Everything would change because of this.
All those mistakes would be corrected.
Jiang Huaisheng looked at the dense rain of arrows with some astonishment.
He hadn't expected this.
Just now, Wan'er had gone out to speak with that guard about something unknown.
Did she really intend for this to happen? Why go to such lengths?
Old Lady Jiang's eyes were wide open, her face showing pleasure, the corners of her mouth turned up, deepening the wrinkles on her cheeks.
Jiang Rong held his book, glanced outside, then lowered his head to continue reading.
In the blink of an eye.
It happened so suddenly.
However, two young men beside Jiang Changtian swung their swords, knocking away all the arrows.
Then, a man from Jiang Changtian's retinue suddenly charged forward with a long spear.
Following that, the previously slow-moving group that had taken ages to make a single step or turn, now surged forward rapidly.
They all wielded swords and spears.
They only knew three moves.
Retract, thrust, block.
In circles, like waves on a lake, appearing slow but actually swift, one wave after another, surrounding them.
The person who led the charge had already reached Chu Yi's side in an instant.
Despite Chu Yi being surrounded and protected by guards.
That person charged through as if there was no one there, his movements eerily swift.
With one thrust of his long spear, he flipped Chu Yi's horse.
Man and horse tumbled.
Fortunately, Chu Yi had jumped off the horse's back first.
Otherwise, this fall would have been fatal or at least crippling.
But he didn't even have time to marvel at his luck.
The man's spear followed him like a shadow.
Despite the guards protecting him, his clothes were repeatedly pierced, his skin wounded.
Meanwhile, those old, weak, sick, and disabled people behind Commander Jiang surged forward like an ant swarm, quickly surrounding them, three or four tearing at one person.
Five, six, seven, or eight surrounding one.
No matter how strong or skilled they were, the difference in strength was of no use.
Like fearless little ants, when one was crushed, another immediately took its place.
They overwhelmed with numbers, literally tearing them apart.
As for Old Lady Jiang's family in the carriage, although they had retreated early under Jiang Wan's direction.
They were still less agile than those on horseback and were surrounded first.
Battles happen quickly.
It took only a few breaths.
Less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
A lot of blood flowed on the ground, seeping into the soil.
Chu Yi was severely injured. Looking at the girl in the carriage, he felt a trace of resentment, wondering if she had intentionally harmed him. Commander Jiang was her second uncle, no matter what, she wouldn't die, but he might.
But seeing her pale face, looking at him with worry.
Chu Yi felt he had overthought it.
Miss Jiang certainly wouldn't intentionally harm him.
Jiang Changtian's sleeve was torn.
He frowned, looking at his ripped sleeve.
He'd have to ask Xia Mei to mend it when he got back.
Looking at Guard Lin surrounded by people.
Looking at Jiang Wan showing concern in the carriage.
Jiang Changtian laughed.
"Guard Lin, I was merely conducting a military drill, why did you attack us? We are officials of the court, could it be that you're rebels in disguise?"
"Look, my sleeve is torn. Luckily I'm tough to kill. If you had shot me dead, you would have killed a court official. This is rebellion. Does the Seventh Prince also want to rebel?"
Chu Yi was stunned by Jiang Er's shameless words.
Just as he was about to refute, he saw the masked man who had first charged forward and flipped his horse with a long spear, now thrusting that spear towards his chest.
He cried out in terror: "Stop! My father is the Seventh Prin—"
His words were cut short.
The long spear had pierced his heart. His eyes widened in shock, unable to close even in death.
Jiang Wan sat in the carriage, pulling down the curtain, her whole body trembling.
Impossible, he couldn't have died just like that, it can't be.
Jiang Changtian used his sword to lift the carriage curtain.
He said to Old Lady Jiang inside:
"Mother, no one in this world can separate us."
"We won't be parted in life."
"Only in death."
"No one can take you away from my side."
"Unless you die."
...
