Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

The early autumn night was pleasantly cool. Anping County was nestled among mountains, with a flat interior, and the imperial road leading to the Divine Capital was broad and well-maintained. The path was almost deserted, save for Gu Yu and his horse.

He could have galloped back as swiftly as he had come, yet for some unknown reason, he allowed his horse to wander slowly, stopping and starting at its own pace.

Didn't he know that Yan Hui had always occupied her heart? Whether she spoke of it or not, wasn't that her truth? Only a few days had passed; how could he expect her affections to shift so quickly? If she could change her heart so readily, she wouldn't be the woman he knew.

Why was he dwelling on this?

Gu Yu gazed at the night sky.

The small town was tranquil, lacking the Divine Capital's grandeur, but its bright moon and sharp stars offered a clear, luminous vista—a rare sight in the capital. Perhaps he should rest here for the night and depart tomorrow?

The thought had barely formed when Gu Yu reined in his horse, turned, and galloped back, quickly returning to Jiang Heng's lodging.

Just a few more steps through the gate, and he would see Jiang Heng.

And then what?

She wouldn't be surprised, wouldn't rush over with sparkling eyes to embrace him, whispering words of longing.

Most likely, she would either bar him from entry, refusing to see him, or inquire if the divorce papers were ready and when they would be finalized.

Was this truly why he had sought her out?

She was now regretting not having left long ago, while he was away leading his troops, to find Yan Hui?

He truly wished she had done so earlier, left him long ago, sparing them all these subsequent entanglements.

If he had known she harbored feelings for another, he would never have sought her hand in marriage, regardless of her resemblance to Jiang Wan.

Why hadn't she told him sooner? Why did she only now reveal the depth of her affection for Yan Hui?

The one-year agreement—he wasn't necessarily bound to keep her. Perhaps, by the time the year concluded, he would have found peace and would release her freely?

Gu Yu reined in his horse once more, turning back towards the Divine Capital.

This time, his mind was singularly focused on the horsewhip in his hand. He rode swiftly, not even sparing a glance for the convoy of four or five grain carts that passed by.

The grain convoy paused briefly upon seeing him, watched him ride into the distance, then resumed their journey, accelerating to put more distance between them.

"Princess, that's the Duke of Wei. Has he come too?" a man disguised as a common servant whispered to Xiao Shunhua.

Xiao Shunhua, clad in men's attire, watched Gu Yu gallop away. Seeing no sign of him turning back, she remarked, "What's there to fear? If he were truly at leisure, he wouldn't be rushing back to the capital overnight. The disaster relief will take four or five days—that's ample time for us to accomplish our task."

...

The disaster relief efforts proceeded methodically and orderly with the assistance of the local government.

By the third day, most affected households had received relief grain and silk. Some, out of gratitude, brought Jiang Heng and her companions fruits and vegetables from their own gardens.

"Auntie, come with me to pick some cucumbers," a little girl, about five years old, said, tugging Jiang Heng's hand and urging her to follow.

Jiang Heng was beautiful and spoke gently. Unlike Jiang Wan, who rarely appeared in such settings, Jiang Heng and Fan Jirong visited the distribution site almost daily. Many children from the affected families loved to play with her, and Jiang Heng, always patient, would join their games.

Noticing how particularly dirty and disheveled the little girl was, Jiang Heng asked, "Where are your father and mother?"

The girl replied, "Dead. We have cucumbers at home. I want to pick some for you, but I can't reach. My grandpa is sick too, stuck in bed. Come with me to pick them."

As she spoke, the little girl pulled Jiang Heng along.

Since it had become common for children to play with Jiang Heng in this manner, the guards saw nothing unusual and did not intervene, allowing Jiang Heng and the little girl to leave hand in hand.

It wasn't until half an hour later, when Jiang Heng had still not returned and was nowhere to be seen, that the guards realized something was gravely wrong. They immediately reported to Jiang Jin and, with the local authorities, began a search.

After some investigation, someone reported seeing Jiang Heng being knocked unconscious near a cucumber trellis, stuffed into a sack, and abducted.

"This is utterly lawless!" Jiang Jin roared, his first thought being that some desperate disaster victim had dared to abduct her. He turned to the Magistrate of Anping and declared, "Magistrate Hu, my eighth sister is the wife of the Duke of Wei. If any harm befalls her, your head won't be enough to atone! I don't care what methods you employ—you must find her within a day!"

Magistrate Hu repeatedly assented, immediately ordering the arrest and interrogation of local notorious troublemakers and ruffians. He also initiated a door-to-door search throughout the jurisdiction.

After a full day and night of effort, there was no progress.

That evening, a package was discovered outside the inn where Jiang Jin and his party were staying. Inside was a woman's undergarment with writing on it. The characters were crooked and not written with ink, but appeared to have been scribbled with charcoal from a small, partially burned stick.

It read: "Seventh Miss in exchange for Eighth Miss. One *dan* of grain, ten bolts of silk. Tomorrow at Yin hour, at Luban’s Axe Edge."

"This is A Heng's clothing! What have they done to her!" Fan Jirong cried out upon seeing the garment, unable to suppress her tears and curses. "Those damned beasts!"

Jiang Jin also cursed, ignoring the line about exchanging the seventh for the eighth sister. He turned to Magistrate Hu and said, "In your jurisdiction, such violent criminals exist, daring to abduct the Duchess of Wei for just one *dan* of grain and ten bolts of silk!"

Magistrate Hu apologized profusely, attempting to appease them, and said, "Let's follow their instructions. Regardless, we must first rescue Madame Jiang."

Jiang Jin ordered his servants to prepare the grain and silk. Fan Jirong reminded him, "The note specifies bringing Seventh Miss for the exchange. You must take her, otherwise, what if they don't release A Heng?"

Jiang Jin replied impatiently, "Bring my seventh sister and risk her being captured too? Are you going to rescue her? They're a bunch of desperate, starving outlaws. We absolutely cannot let Xiaoqi take such a risk!"

Fan Jirong refused to yield, shouting, "They've already sent A Heng's undergarment! Do you have any idea what they might do to her? Do you want to provoke them further?"

"Who do you think you are, yelling at me like this!" Jiang Jin, agitated and distracted, ordered his guards to take Fan Jirong away and keep her under watch. He then discussed strategies with Magistrate Hu. "Where is this Luban’s Axe Edge? What's the terrain like? Is it easy to search?"

Magistrate Hu shook his head. "It's a mountain pass, high and commanding. The bandits will likely spot us before we even approach. They have the advantage of height and secrecy—it's very disadvantageous for us."

After a moment's thought, he also advised, "Why not do everything as the bandits say? No matter what, we need to meet them first."

Jiang Wan pondered for a moment and then said, "I'll go."

Jiang Jin flatly refused. "No, you stay here. If something happens to you, I won't be able to answer to Father, our brothers, or Prince Qin."

He then turned to Magistrate Hu and said, "Mobilize everyone in the yamen and surround that mountain. I refuse to believe they can fly away!"

Magistrate Hu replied helplessly, "Young Master Jiang, it's not that I'm unwilling, but the county is surrounded by mountains. Even if I mobilize everyone in the yamen, including their parents, siblings, wives, and children, we still couldn't encircle the mountain. And as I just told you, the bandits have the high ground. They'll likely flee before we can seal off the area."

"Never mind all that. Just go and surround the mountain," Jiang Jin said. Then, to Magistrate Hu and all the guards present, he added, "Keep the matter of the bandits sending the garment with the message to yourselves. If anyone ruins the reputation of the Duchess of Wei, none of you will escape punishment!"

Early the next morning, Jiang Jin led fifty guards to the meeting point. Thirty men carried small amounts of grain, and twenty held half-bolts of silk. Magistrate Hu stationed men at all the mountain exits.

But the bandits never appeared. Jiang Jin led his men in a search of the mountain but found nothing.

Just past noon, Gu Yu received word and rushed over with a team of personal guards.

Jiang Jin explained the situation but omitted the detail about the undergarment, only mentioning that the bandits had written a message on a piece of cloth demanding grain and silk. He also did not mention the exchange involving Jiang Wan.

Any bandit with ambition and knowledge wouldn't ask only for grain and silk, especially during a famine in a disaster-stricken area. Jiang Jin insisted they only wanted grain and silk.

So Gu Yu assumed that some desperate disaster victims in Anping County had been captivated by Jiang Heng’s beauty and acted with malicious intent.

"Suspend all relief efforts and impose a full lockdown across the county. Everyone must remain indoors without stepping outside. Announce through gong patrols that anyone who reports bandits or provides leads will be heavily rewarded with ten thousand cash. If anyone dares to harm others, they will be executed without mercy, along with their entire clan, to three generations. Additionally, the same order applies to the several counties surrounding Anping County."

Gu Yu issued the command, but Magistrate Hu did not dare to implement it, as imposing a lockdown required explicit written orders from superiors. Although Gu Yu was Duke Wei, he did not have such authority.

"You just carry it out. If the Emperor holds anyone accountable, I will take full responsibility."

Magistrate Hu had no choice but to comply.

Gu Yu personally led a team of guards back to the bandit-mentioned Luban Gap. The terrain was high and rugged, making it difficult to traverse on horseback. Standing at the gap, one could see Anping City below and, by turning around, Anfeng City in the distance.

Though visible, reaching the cities would take considerable time. Due to his orders, the streets of Anping and Anfeng were now empty, devoid of people, like deserted cities.

The bandits, whether hiding in the mountains or the cities, would surely hear the gong patrol announcements. If they were hiding in the cities, this lockdown-style search should yield results quickly. If they were in the mountains, their supplies would not last long.

Gu Yu pondered intently: Why would bandits demand grain and silk? How foolish.

Grain was heavy, silk was bulky—even if they obtained them, how would they escape? Even if the bandits were familiar with the terrain, moving with such burdens would make escape difficult.

Moreover, according to Jiang Jin, he had brought the grain and silk to the meeting point, but the bandits never showed. Even if they were wary of Jiang Jin’s men, why would they so easily abandon the grain and silk?

Were they truly after grain and silk? Were they truly desperate famine victims driven to crime?

After a night of fruitless searching in the mountains, Gu Yu returned to the post house and asked Jiang Jin for the cloth used to deliver the message, hoping to find clues he might have missed.

Jiang Jin said he had thrown it away.

"Where did you throw it? Retrieve it," Gu Yu said coldly.

Jiang Jin replied, "I've seen it. The writer didn't even have ink—they used a charred stick. The characters were poorly written, clearly from someone uneducated."

Gu Yu insisted he retrieve it so he could examine it himself.

Jiang Jin said impatiently, "Why are you wasting time here? If we don't find them soon, what if those bandits do something to Eighth Miss…"

Gu Yu clenched his fist. "You're the one wasting time. Give me that letter."

"Duke Wei!" Fan Jirong suddenly rushed in, crying and shouting, "Go save A Heng quickly! They tore off A Heng's undergarment and said they want Seventh Miss in exchange. If you don't go now, who knows what they'll do to A Heng!"

Gu Yu frowned. "What undergarment? When was an exchange mentioned?"

Fan Jirong then explained how the bandits had written on Jiang Heng's undergarment to deliver the message.

Upon hearing this, rage surged through Gu Yu. He kicked Jiang Jin to the ground, drew his blade, and stabbed it through the jade crown holding Jiang Jin's hair, narrowly missing his skull.

"Where is it?" Gu Yu's eyes blazed with fury.

Jiang Jin, terrified and feeling as though he had narrowly escaped death, stared blankly at Gu Yu. His words and actions beyond his control, he numbly pointed to a box. "It's in there."

When Gu Yu saw the undergarment, his mind exploded with realization.

Everything made sense now. Those who captured Jiang Heng were no ordinary famine victims. How would ordinary famine victims know the distinction between the Jiang family's seventh and eighth daughters? Why would they deliberately use Jiang Heng's undergarment to deliver a message?

They meant to humiliate her.

Who else would be so determined to harm Jiang Wan?

Gu Yu suddenly recalled the night he returned to the capital from Anping, when he encountered a convoy of grain carts. At the time, he thought it was a late-departing household rushing through the night. Now, he realized his carelessness—relief grain convoys were managed by noble families. Who would travel at night?

"Investigate! Detain all outsiders who entered the city in the past seven days, especially those with southern accents. Dispatch troops from the nearest camp and conduct strict searches along the route from Anping to the capital."

Gu Yu suspected it must have been orchestrated by Xiao Shunhua’s clan.

If they could track Jiang Heng to Anping and kidnap her, they must have been lurking here. With the city locked down, finding them should not be difficult. However, they were unfamiliar with Anping, so it was uncertain whether they would keep her nearby.

The Jiang Heng sisters’ trip to Anping for relief work was not planned far in advance, so Xiao Shunhua’s clan could not have schemed long-term. Their plans must have been made only recently. In just a few days, they could not have executed a flawless plan. If they were not in Anping or nearby counties, they must be on the road to the capital.

...

By now, night had fallen, and scattered farmhouses dotted the countryside leading to the capital.

Unlike the densely packed residences in the city, the rural homes were sparse. Due to the hailstorm, which had destroyed nearly all crops, many farmers had fled to the capital for food, leaving numerous farmhouses empty.

Xiao Shunhua had set up camp here with a few loyal followers and enlisted a dozen or so famine victims to serve her.

"Your Jiang family is remarkably calm. Even after sending your undergarment, they still dare disobey?" Xiao Shunhua looked at Jiang Heng, who was bound, with a faint smile.

Jiang Heng remained silent. Xiao Shunhua continued, "I have no grudge against you. If you didn't look so much like your elder sister, I wouldn't have kidnapped the wrong person. I truly meant to release you, but your dear brother refused to exchange."

She gazed at Jiang Heng and went on, "Not only did he refuse, but he also protected your elder sister even more. I had two plans: if they brought your sister to Luban Gap, I would kill her and release you. Or, if they focused all efforts on saving you, leaving the post house empty, I would go there to kill her. But…"

Xiao Shunhua snorted lightly. "It's also my fault. The message wasn't clear enough. They probably didn't understand what the undergarment meant."

"Why must you kill my elder sister?" Jiang Heng asked, looking at Xiao Shunhua.

"She deserves to die!" Xiao Shunhua’s eyes turned cold instantly. "My brother devoted the nation’s resources to dote on her alone. When she had miscarriages and was depressed, he suspended court to accompany her and even traveled to Lingnan with her, demonstrating power abroad. My brother treated her so well, and how did she repay him? In the southern capital, she seduced Duke Wei to protect her. Here, she's entangled with Prince Qin. Why? Why should my brother lie restless under the Nine Springs while she lives freely here? I won't let her stay. I want her to go down pure to accompany my brother!"

Jiang Heng frowned slightly. "My elder sister and your brother were husband and wife. Shouldn't spouses support each other and live in harmony? What your brother did shows he was a good husband, but does being a good husband justify demanding his wife join him in death? What kind of logic is that?"

Xiao Shunhua shouted, "Yes! They were husband and wife, the closest people in the world. They should share life and death!"

Jiang Heng retorted, "You and your brother were siblings, bound by blood—even closer than my sister. Why don't you join him in life and death?"

"Who said I plan to cling to survival? I have no interest in surviving. After I kill your sister, I will kill myself to accompany my brother!"

Jiang Heng smiled, clearly unconvinced. "You want to survive but can't ease your conscience, so you want to use my sister's life to sacrifice to your brother. That way, you and your clan can feel you've avenged him, finally done right by your former lord, and finally eased your conscience to survive."

Xiao Shunhua stood up angrily, looking down at Jiang Heng. "You're quite sharp-tongued, just like your sister. Do you think because I said I wouldn't kill you, I won't touch you?"

She suddenly leaned down, gripping Jiang Heng’s chin and forcing it upward. "Let me tell you, I want your sister to die pure because my brother loved her too much. She must go down pure to accompany him. But you…"

"You're so beautiful. You must have seen how those disheveled famine victims look at you? I'm going to throw you to them. I want your husband, Duke Wei, to remember this humiliation forever. I want him to pay in blood!"

With that, she waved her hand and ordered Jiang Heng dragged away to the remaining famine victims. "Don't kill her. Keep her alive so she can personally tell Duke Wei about this humiliation!"

The men obeyed, dragging Jiang Heng to the famine victims’ room, relaying Xiao Shunhua’s orders before leaving. The famine victims glanced at each other, unable to believe their luck.

They could tell Jiang Heng was a noble lady, something they never imagined they could touch.

"I am Duke Wei's wife!" Jiang Heng declared sternly.

"Duke Wei? The one who destroyed the Southern Dynasties and unified the realm?" someone asked.

Gu Yu’s achievements were known throughout the land, which was why Jiang Heng invoked his name. "Yes. I know you were misled and unaware of my identity, which is why you made a mistake. Do you know the one who hired you is a princess of the Southern Dynasties?"

The famine victims had also noticed the southern accents of Xiao Shunhua and her group. Hearing Jiang Heng’s words, they had no reason to doubt. One among them seemed decisive, and the others occasionally glanced at him, clearly waiting for his decision.

Jiang Heng seized on this, addressing him directly. "Those who act in ignorance are not at fault. You were just trying to survive by helping her kidnap someone. You haven't committed grave crimes. I will not turn you in."

"Really won't turn us in?" the man eyed Jiang Heng skeptically.

Jiang Heng nodded vigorously, knowing this line of reasoning wasn't convincing, and continued, "If you get me out of here, not only will I not report you, but I will also inform Duke Wei of your merit. You should know that Duke Wei always rewards and punishes fairly…"

Before she could finish, a racket broke out outside, accompanied by the glow of torches.

The leader of the refugees peered out the window and saw a large group of soldiers with torches arriving, already fighting with Xiao Shunhua’s men. The soldiers outnumbered them and quickly subdued the opposition.

A tall, imposing man, holding a blade, made a beeline for them.

The leader immediately ordered them to open the door and for Jiang Heng to be untied.

"Which bastard locked this? It's bolted!" the man at the door cursed, then turned and knelt before Jiang Heng, pleading, "You said it yourself—we didn't lay a finger on you. Don't pin this on us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the lock splintered with a crash, and the door swung open.

Inside, only a single oil lamp burned, casting a dim light. The man standing in the doorway, his face grim and terrifying, the flickering torchlight behind him accentuating his menace, shifting between light and shadow.

Gu Yu’s blade was still dripping blood, and his robes were splattered with it. The smell of blood was thick and overwhelming in the cramped room.

"I'm alright, husband."

Before he could raise his blade to kill again, Jiang Heng darted over and grabbed his wrist.

His body was usually warm, but this time, for some reason, it was strangely cold, even colder than a woman’s palm.

"I'm alright."

Jiang Heng held his wrist with both hands and repeated herself. Only then did she feel his wrist gradually warm up, finally returning to his usual warmth.

"Duke Wei, we didn't do anything! If you don't believe us, ask her!" the refugees protested urgently.

Gu Yu looked at Jiang Heng, seeing she was still properly dressed and the absence of fear or distress on her face. He then glanced around the room; though the men looked somewhat disheveled, they were still presentable. Without another word, he grabbed the woman's wrist and led her out of the room.

Suddenly, he paused and said, "If a single word of today’s events is leaked, I'll kill every last one of you."

The refugees hastily agreed.

"Duke Wei, how does it feel to see your wife being pleasured by other men?" Xiao Shunhua, though held at knifepoint by the soldiers, showed no fear. Instead, she looked at Gu Yu and laughed loudly.

"Don't talk crazy, woman! We didn't do anything!" the refugees confined in the room hurriedly shouted in their defense.

Xiao Shunhua paid no heed. Glancing at the slain bodyguards already cut down by Gu Yu’s blade, she continued to provoke him, "And them—they had their way with your wife too. Truly, she's a fitting choice for Duke Wei—quite the catch!"

Jiang Heng frowned. "How could you slander and humiliate your own loyal followers like this!"

"Yes!" Xiao Shunhua shot back. "They are the most loyal soldiers of Great Chen. Their parents, brothers, and sisters all died at your husband’s hands. Of course, they wouldn't pass up the chance. Do you remember when you were unconscious, how someone—"

Her words were cut short as Gu Yu’s blade fell, sending a head flying.

In that instant, everything went quiet, and even the flickering torchlight seemed to freeze.

After a long while, Jiang Jin stammered, coming to his senses. "Duke Wei, you... you were too impulsive. She is Princess Heyi. Even if she committed a crime... she should be... dealt with by His Majesty... You... have overstepped…"

Originally, they were in a winning position. As long as they escorted Xiao Shunhua to the capital, everything they had done could be justified. Even if the Emperor looked into it, the punishment would not be severe. But now, with Xiao Shunhua dead and no witness left, if the Xiao clan retaliated, the Emperor might come down hard on them…

Jiang Jin shot Gu Yu a frustrated look.

But how could Gu Yu allow Xiao Shunhua to return to the capital, letting her spread stories along the way about how his wife had been defiled and shamed?

Even if they returned to the capital, Xiao Shunhua’s attempted murder charge would not result in severe punishment, as the Emperor, for the sake of his reputation for benevolence and given Xiao Shunhua’s already notorious madness in the capital, would likely go easy on her.

Killing her on the spot was the only chance Gu Yu had to kill Xiao Shunhua, and he naturally seized it.

...

Jiang Heng sat soaking in the bathtub for a long time.

Xiao Shunhua’s unfinished words before her death lingered in her mind, haunting her.

She truly couldn't remember whether those southern warriors had done anything to her. When she woke up, she only noticed her underwear was missing. Beyond that... she felt nothing.

She had thought that Xiao Shunhua, being a woman and a former princess, would not issue such a vile command…

But she never expected that Xiao Shunhua would actually throw her to those starving men and even order the door locked…

Then, when she was unconscious, could it be that those southerners really had…

Jiang Heng submerged herself entirely in the bathtub, feeling sick to her stomach, as if she wanted to scrub several layers of skin from the inside out.

"Miss?"

Chun Jin called out several times from outside, but there was no response.

"Miss, don't do something stupid. Think of Mr. Yan—Mr. Yan didn't even mind that you were married before. Why would he care about this…" Chun Jin patted the door, crying anxiously as she tried to persuade her.

Following her words, Jiang Heng thought of Yan Hui.

It only made her feel even more nauseated.

Brother, of course, wouldn't disdain her. It was she herself who felt disgusted, so disgusted that she wished she could be rid of this body entirely.

"Miss, open the door." Chun Jin regretted not insisting on accompanying Jiang Heng inside to attend to her.

"Master, please save my miss. She hasn't responded to me for a long time."

Amid Chun Jin’s tearful pleas, Gu Yu kicked the door open.

He pulled her out of the bathtub, wrapped her in a soft towel prepared nearby, and carried her to the bed.

The young woman’s hair was still dripping wet, and in no time, it soaked the front of the man’s robe.

He laid her down, drew the bed curtains, and without calling for a lamp, held her tightly in the darkness, remaining silent for a long time.

"Think of Yan Hui."

At this moment, he almost hated himself for not being Yan Hui, unable to sustain her will to live.

Jiang Heng could no longer suppress her nausea, leaning over and gagging repeatedly.

"They didn't do anything to you." Gu Yu still held her firmly, pausing for a moment before speaking abruptly.

Jiang Heng looked up at him.

Gu Yu met her gaze, his eyes showing no trace of evasion or unease, and said firmly, "Before they died, they begged me to spare them, swearing they had done nothing. Xiao Shunhua forbade them from touching you until she captured your elder sister."

"Xiao Shunhua tore your underwear," he added.

"Xiao Shunhua said those things to humiliate me. Don't believe her."

His voice carried a hint of urgency. He always handled everything with ease and composure; he'd never seemed this anxious before.

"Really?" Jiang Heng's nausea eased slightly.

"Really," Gu Yu said gravely. "Don't believe her."

Jiang Heng fell silent.

Gu Yu rested his chin gently on the lady's damp hair and, after a long silence, spoke calmly, "I must go to the palace tomorrow to apologize. Don't fall for Xiao Shunhua's tricks again and land me in prison for no reason."