CMWKSD -Chapter 173 The Storm Approaches

The dusk was heavy, and in truth, it was already late. By now, it would usually be the time Ji Yiqing returned from the office.

However, today he had mentioned to Jiu Yue early in the morning that he might be home late because he had gone to a temple. So Jiu Yue only had someone follow him discreetly, in case anyone from the Rong family tried to investigate her and resorted to desperate measures to harm someone connected to her.

Seeing Ji Yiqing in such a disheveled state, Jiu Yue’s brows twitched. Her mind immediately jumped to cursing the Emperor Fengyuan, assuming someone from the Rong family had attacked him.

But the Emperor claimed it was him. How hard could it be to track down some mysterious mastermind? After all this time, they still hadn’t caught anyone?

Little did she know, that group had entrenched themselves for centuries; they were not so easy to uproot.

Jiu Yue hurried forward and just as she reached Ji Yiqing, he seemed to catch the familiar scent of her medicinal herbs. He suddenly lifted his head.

At a glance, Jiu Yue slightly furrowed her brows. Something was off—Ji Yiqing’s condition looked like he had been drugged. His face flushed, and even the breath he exhaled seemed laced with desire.

Ji Yiqing pushed away the attendant helping him and staggered toward Jiu Yue: “Jiu Yue…”

Sticky and unsteady, he wrapped himself around her. What little rationality remained in him allowed nothing beyond holding her. But the lingering effects of the drug instantly enveloped him like feral claws.

His body was so hot that Jiu Yue could barely resist. The heat in his breath scrambled to invade her.

Jiu Yue gritted her teeth. “Shao Qing!”

Shao Qing hurried forward, helping Jiu Yue get Ji Yiqing inside the room. As soon as they entered, Jiu Yue pushed Shao Qing out, slammed the door, and locked it with a bang.

“Go check immediately!”

Ji Yiqing’s urgent presence had blocked the rest of her words at the tip of her tongue. Shao Qing could only nod hastily, knowing what was about to happen, and took a few steps back away from the door.

Turning, he saw Ji Chaomian rushing over, still in his official uniform.

“What happened? I heard Yiqing fell down the mountain?”

Shao Qing looked up. The young boy’s eyes were sharp and ruthless. “He didn’t fall on his own.”

Ji Chaomian’s brows knitted tightly. “Then what exactly happened?”

It turned out that when Ji Yiqing had left the temple by carriage, he ran into the daughter of a salt patrol inspector along the way. She did everything according to her own desires: if she couldn’t have it, she would destroy it. She was far from a kind-hearted person.

But because her father was the Left Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a high-ranking and powerful official, the family deliberately concealed her true nature. Outsiders thought she was virtuous, kind, and gentle.

After failing several times to “accidentally” meet Ji Yiqing, she learned of his close relationship with Jiu Yue. Knowing she couldn’t marry him, she decided she would spend a night with him at all costs—after all, this wasn’t the first time she had done something like this.

When she found out Ji Yiqing was going to the temple for official business, she arranged for people to chase his carriage on the way back. A few strong men seized him, and the girl wasted no time giving him a drug inside the carriage.

But Ji Yiqing, thanks to Jiu Yue’s repeated warnings, carried a small knife. He stabbed himself in the hand and rolled out of the carriage.

The girl panicked, unable to make him take the antidote Jiu Yue had prepared. Afraid of contamination, she gave up. By the time Ji Yiqing rolled down the mountain, he was intercepted by the guards who had been following.

Thankfully, the place where he jumped off the carriage was relatively flat; he only rolled a few times before being stopped. The girl could no longer pursue him openly in the busy foot traffic below and thought she would try again another time.

Ji Chaomian slammed his fist on the table. The arriving members of the Ji family were filled with righteous indignation. Jiu Yue’s courtyard was guarded, and Ji Chaomian paced back and forth. The others cursed but were powerless.

Ji Chaomian glared coldly at them. “If you can’t help, shut up!”

Su Ruo and Ji Dahai exchanged a glance. “Chaomian, you could write a memorial, right? You can’t let your brother suffer this injustice. Write a complaint.”

Ji Chaomian looked at them and didn’t think much of it. His experience and insight made Su Ruo and Ji Dahai’s short-sightedness obvious. But this matter shouldn’t be brought to court—not because he feared them, but because even if Ji Yiqing was the victim, what would happen once this kind of scandal reached the court? It would just turn into some petty tale of romance and misfortune.

If the Jiang family were to wail a few pitiful words, it would just be something like “deep affection” or the like.

If they went to the Ji family and cried a bit, saying something like “I was overcome in a moment” or “truly longing for him,” people… well, people naturally sympathize with the weak.

Even though Ji Yiqing was the victim in this matter, men, in situations like this, always give the impression that they won’t come off at a loss. Others might even think Ji Yiqing was being ungrateful.

But look at the Jiang family girl—what beauty! Spending one night together, Ji Yiqing had gained a lot, okay?

It’s just like swallowing a fly—you can’t swallow it, and even spitting it out feels disgusting.

So the end result is roughly this: even if she were to become a concubine, that Jiang family girl would still be brought into the Ji family.

They weren’t crazy—why would they invite someone like that into their home?

Moreover, even if Jiang’s daughter did enter, Jiu Yue could still punish her. But Ji Chaomian thought: in this matter, Jiu Yue certainly wouldn’t just go after that Jiang girl. If she wanted to act, she’d probably take the entire Jiang family down with her. She wouldn’t just let Jiang’s daughter casually claim the title of Ji Yiqing’s concubine.

In short: don’t even think about touching it!

Therefore, even if they wanted to go after the Jiang family, Ji Chaomian felt they couldn’t publicly involve Ji Yiqing in the matter.

Having been an official for a short time, Ji Chaomian also knew that “if the water is too clear, there are no fish.” Evidence of Jiang’s wrongdoing—big or small—could definitely be found; it was just a matter of how it was handled.

Thinking of this, Ji Chaomian’s heart calmed a little. It would take time, but he was determined to seek justice for his second brother!

Just as Ji Chaomian was about to speak, he saw Shao Qing standing nearby. They exchanged a glance.

“You…”

Shao Qing nodded. “Yes. Ever since the Jiang family tried to make improper moves against you, I’ve been arranging people to collect evidence.”

Ji Chaomian snorted coldly. “In that case, Minister Jiang can only blame himself—his daughter’s failure is the father’s fault!”

…

Ji Yiqing’s right arm bore a long, deep wound. His left palm had a horizontal cut, deep enough to see the bone.

Jiu Yue hurriedly pulled out a small bag from her waist.

Just as she took out a bottle, Ji Yiqing moved suddenly, and the entire bottle of antidote pills spilled onto the floor.

Then Ji Yiqing stomped on them with his foot, shattering them beyond salvage.

Jiu Yue: …

Was this person really not doing it on purpose?

She looked up at Ji Yiqing, who was still not fully conscious. She knew he wasn’t the kind to joke with his own body. Moreover, he usually cooperated, and he was never dissatisfied.

Ji Yiqing, flustered, grabbed Jiu Yue’s clothes: “I didn’t let her touch me! I cut my own hand. I feel so awful, Jiu Yue…”

Normally, he hadn’t realized how many layers Jiu Yue wore underneath. Why was it so hard to remove?!

With a rip, Ji Yiqing tore at Jiu Yue’s clothes.

Jiu Yue didn’t let him succeed immediately, letting him struggle with her clothing. While feeling around on the table for silver needles, she tilted her head and kissed him.

Jiu Yue didn’t give in. Ji Yiqing couldn’t control her; he was no match for her at all. He felt unbearably frustrated.

Ji Yiqing thought Jiu Yue might be upset because he had touched someone else. After all, she had mentioned it before. Even caught in desire, his mind cleared for a rare moment. He was about to cry, stammering as he tried desperately to explain while his body burned with pain.

Jiu Yue could tell from his expression that it wasn’t about him touching someone else. She just hadn’t seen Ji Yiqing like this before and felt a rare pang of tenderness. Patiently, she whispered: “I know, I know. Wait a moment. I’ll use the needle to neutralize the poison.”

Ji Yiqing leaned down and lifted Jiu Yue: “No, no, you give me…”

As she spoke, Jiu Yue kissed him while inserting a needle. Then she quickly grasped his wrist, checking his pulse.

His pulse was chaotic—the drug was so aggressive that without the antidote, he could die instantly.

Jiu Yue clenched her teeth. Who dared poison Ji Yiqing like this? Seeking death!

Finally, there was no other option. Jiu Yue had to both detoxify him and insert several needles. The wounds on his hands could only be bandaged in the gaps between these urgent actions.

Had she not feared hurting him, Jiu Yue would have tied him up completely.

Ji Yiqing was unbearably clingy, unable to tolerate even a moment of her detachment. They struggled through most of the night.

Eventually, Ji Yiqing, exhausted, fell asleep.

Jiu Yue exhaled, feeling as if her body no longer belonged to her. Fortunately, her constitution was excellent; she only felt fatigued.

For someone weaker, the drug alone could have left one of them dead or disabled.

Jiu Yue got up, barefoot, descending from the bed. Desire had passed, leaving a residue of anger.

The scattered blood pained her eyes deeply—Ji Yiqing’s blood on his arm and palm.

His face was pale to the point of being unnatural. Jiu Yue inserted a few more needles and carefully treated the wounds on his arm.

Ji Yiqing murmured weakly, eyes half-open: “Jiu Yue…”

She looked down at his tear-filled eyes, leaned close, and kissed his eyelids: “I’m here. Sleep.”

Ji Yiqing made a soft sound. His mind had still held some thoughts, wanting to warn her to be careful, but fatigue and blood loss closed his eyes into deep sleep.

He knew that after such a thing, he wouldn’t let it pass quietly. Jiu Yue wouldn’t leave it unsettled either.

Dressed, her legs weak and her waist sore, Jiu Yue had no thoughts for anything else and injected herself with a needle.

This point was a forced stimulation of her bodily functions, like an adrenaline shot—slightly harmful, but she didn’t care.

If Jiu Yue could endure this, she wouldn’t be Jiu Yue.

Whoever dared give Ji Yiqing such a drug had likely taken a fancy to him.

Jiu Yue slowly opened the door.