Qin Jiujiu found it unbelievable that the villain would read novels, and such a sensational one at that.
Xie Jing stared intently at Qin Jiujiu's lips, which looked moist and soft, very sweet…
"If you kiss me once, I'll let you go, how about it?"
A mischievous smile flickered on the young man's face.
Qin Jiujiu was initially furious, but seeing the young man's unyielding demeanor, she clutched the letter in her hand.
In the end, she compromised.
Qin Jiujiu pounced forward and quickly pecked his cheek, pulling away instantly.
"Mmm…"
Xie Jing's hand cupped the back of Qin Jiujiu's head, and then his lips met hers, their mouths sealing, lingering.
When Qin Jiujiu's legs felt weak and she instinctively leaned against him, the young man finally held her waist and separated their lips.
Qin Jiujiu quickly regained her senses, realizing her current posture. She hurriedly got up, composing herself.
"Xie Jing!"
Qin Jiujiu was a person who couldn't hide her emotions, and her cheeks were puffed up with anger at the moment.
"Pfft…"
Her puffed-up cheeks were squeezed by Xie Jing, and they suddenly deflated.
A fleeting red mark appeared on Qin Jiujiu's fair face.
"Let's go, I'll accompany you."
…
Qin Jiujiu ultimately couldn't persuade Xie Jing and, accompanied by him, arrived at the Tianwaitian Restaurant.
"Miss, please come in."
Chun Hong, who had guided him to meet Liu Jin last time, immediately greeted her upon seeing her and then led her to Liu Jin's room.
"Knock, knock, knock…"
After a few rhythmic knocks, the door opened from the inside.
"Jiujiu!"
Noticing Xie Jing standing behind her, Liu Jin's smile faltered slightly. She said, "Second Young Master Xie."
*
The Wu family in the Imperial City.
To the north of the Imperial City lay the vast Imperial City.
To the east stood the residences of many high-ranking officials, and Minister Wu's home was on an eastern street.
The mansion was deep, and both inside and out, a festive atmosphere prevailed.
With lanterns and decorations everywhere, it was clear that a joyous occasion was at hand.
"Master! It's bad news, the doctor says the young lady is critically ill!"
"What?"
Minister Wu Nanyue, still in his court attire, was informed of his daughter's critical condition as soon as he entered the mansion. He rushed into the residence without even taking off his clothes.
He headed straight for Wu Jinchu's courtyard.
Wu Nanyue had only one daughter, named Wu Jinchu, who had been raised in seclusion since childhood. She was considered a renowned young lady of a prominent family in the Imperial City.
"Jinchu!"
The marriage contract had just been finalized when Wu Jinchu suddenly fell gravely ill.
Her condition was perilous, and within just two days, news of her critical state had spread.
Looking at his daughter lying on the sickbed with her eyes closed, Wu Nanyue's grief was palpable.
"Master, the doctor said that the young lady… she has no will to live, so…"
"Shut up!"
Wu Nanyue's eyes flashed with ferocity as he glared at the maid, his face ashen.
The maid immediately lowered her head, daring not to speak further.
The young woman on the bed's fingers twitched slightly.
Tianwaitian Restaurant.
"So, that Shen Tingchi and Lu Mingcang had a past relationship?"
The male entertainer from Nanfeng Pavilion in Xiliu City and the general from the Imperial City had a shared history.
The Liu family, as the City Lord at the time, was naturally aware of this matter.
Lu Mingcang and the Liu family were very close.
Now that the Liu family had suffered such a disaster, Liu Jin had turned to the Lu family, hoping to report the situation to the court.
Xiliu City was clearly occupied by people from the Manluo Kingdom, yet there was a hand in the Imperial City preventing the news from reaching the court.
This hand possessed unimaginable power.
Liu Jin nodded. "After that painted skin ghost was utterly annihilated, I didn't stop investigating. Do you still remember the portrait we saw at Nanfeng Pavilion?"
Qin Jiujiu nodded slightly.
"The person in that portrait was Lu Mingcang."
"A famous general of the Shengqi Kingdom."
Qin Jiujiu's mind conjured a beautiful and poignant love story.
"Back then, Lu Mingcang was sent to Xiliu City by the Emperor, supposedly to find a woman…"
A woman?
A woman's name inexplicably surfaced in Qin Jiujiu's mind.
"Yun Yaoyao?" she blurted out instinctively.
Xie Jing's eyes flickered at the mention.
"How do you know? Back then, only my father, who was close to Lu Mingcang, knew about this. After the previous dynasty was replaced, Yun Yaoyao disappeared. Her body was never found, but the situation was chaotic, and Yun Yaoyao was presumed dead. However, the Emperor never gave up searching for her…"
This matter, naturally, had to be conducted in secret.
Calculating the time, it was more than twenty years ago, precisely during the political upheaval.
A few years later, the Manluo Kingdom and the Shengqi Kingdom went to war.
And then, soon after, Su Ming returned to the Imperial City.
All of this seemed to be connected by some unseen thread.
When the Shengqi Kingdom and the Manluo Kingdom were at war, Yun Yaoyao had already returned to Sheng Huai Zhi's side.
"This time, the Lu family is to be united with the Wu family in marriage; this is a marriage decreed by the Emperor himself."
Qin Jiujiu nodded. How did this matter relate to past events?
"After Lu Mingcang returned to the Lu family in the Imperial City, he was forced by his family to marry a wife. Within a few years, they had a son who has now reached adulthood and is to be married."
"The only daughter of the Wu family and the only son of the Lu family are to marry. It should have been a joyous occasion…"
Liu Jin frowned, and Qin Jiujiu could naturally tell from her expression that this matter might not be so joyous.
"However, the Wu family's only daughter, Wu Jinchu, suddenly fell gravely ill two days ago and was on the verge of death…"
How could a healthy person suddenly fall so ill?
"Lu Mingcang is no longer around; his general's position has been passed to his only son, Lu Tingsheng. The matriarch of the Lu family is a shrewd woman. Her condition was that if I could facilitate this marriage, she would have Lu Tingsheng submit a memorial to the court…"
But Liu Jin was not a physician; how could she perform miracles?
Either this was an excuse, or the matriarch of the Lu family had heard something…
But this was not the most important thing.
"Where is Brother Jiang?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Jing's eyes darkened, and a profound expression appeared on his once calm face.
"Jiang Yan has examined her. The illness of Miss Wu is not an ordinary one!"
Then it must be the work of ghosts or spirits.
No wonder Liu Jin had sought her out.
The Xie family might be able to offer some assistance.
In the original story, this matter was resolved with Xie Yun's help.
"Sister Ajin, Brother Xie and the others are probably not going to be out easily. How about Xie Jing and I go take a look first?"
"Hiss…"
Her hand under the table was tightly clenched, and Qin Jiujiu winced slightly.
"Then I will have to trouble you two…"
Liu Jin would not have come to Qin Jiujiu if she had any other choice.
So Qin Jiujiu gripped Xie Jing's hand and nodded through gritted teeth.
"I'll take you to the Wu family."
"Good."
…
Outside the Wu family mansion.
Red was seen everywhere.