CMWKSD -Chapter 93 A Beauty to Feast Upon

Moreover, although historically famous women were rare, they did exist. And everything Jiu Yue did was for the benefit of the people.

She was carving out a path for herself, one different from everyone else. A path where she wouldn’t need to curry favor with influential families—one where the Ji family’s rise could happen on their own merits.

It was mutually beneficial; they had also received her blessings.

Furthermore, Ji Yiqing knew of Jiu Yue’s peculiarities, yet deliberately ignored her origins. Everything about her—her thoughts, actions, and behavior—was abnormal, and she knew things they didn’t. Their intellectual levels were simply not on the same plane.

Ji Yiqing, so clever as he was, surely noticed these oddities, right? Of course he did. He just chose not to focus on them. All he knew was that she was his wife.

Jiu Yue had never wronged him. She had always worked wholeheartedly to support him and the Ji family. Otherwise, how could they have risen from that tiny village to the capital?

Ji Yiqing knew she was hiding something, but he didn’t care. He could wait until the day she chose to speak—or even if she never did. Who truly has no secrets?

Just like him, sometimes he didn’t want Jiu Yue to see his darker side. As long as she didn’t do anything that would harm the country or the people, Ji Yiqing would pretend he knew nothing.

But if she really were a spy, sent by another country, he would uphold justice even against her, accepting punishment together with her—they were husband and wife, after all.

Since he was her husband, he would face dangers alongside her.

Of course, he found the thought absurd. What could a woman as extraordinary as Jiu Yue possibly scheme with someone as insignificant as him? If anyone were scheming, it would be him scheming toward her, not the other way around.

Judging by all this, Jiu Yue was clearly not the type to confine herself to domestic life.

She was married; as long as her family didn’t care whether she fit the mold of a perfect housewife, what did it matter what others thought?

As for those ladies and young madams—if they looked down on Jiu Yue because of this, all the better. It would prevent them from inviting her to their endless banquets, risking her wrath and a possible beatdown. Better to nip that thought in the bud.

Ji Chaomian nodded. “That makes sense. If we’re to enter officialdom, waiting for Jiu Yue to maintain those relationships would be foolish. Better to eliminate the problem from the start.”

If Jiu Yue had to manage the relationships of officials’ families, their own rise in the bureaucracy would stall. It was better not to hope at all.

Perhaps it would make the beginning harder. But both brothers had ambitious hearts; a little difficulty didn’t matter, as long as they could do real work for the people.

Ji Yiqing thought the same. They hadn’t experienced the tricks of the inner household, but they had observed them. In the capital, after officials invited scholars to feasts, there were always whispers about which scholar had married an official’s illegitimate daughter. If not for their mutual vigilance, one of them might have fallen victim.

“And Jiu Yue’s medical skills…”

Originally, this would have been the best way to build her reputation. Ji Chaomian couldn’t understand why Ji Yiqing hadn’t done so from the start.

Ji Yiqing shook his head gently. “Jiu Yue’s skills could earn her great fame, yes. But at this stage, at least before we’ve even passed the palace exam and secured official positions, it’s better not to let that reputation spread.”

Ji Chaomian frowned, but soon understood. Historically, skilled physicians were easily ‘invited’ by the powerful—polite on the surface, coercive in reality.

Jiu Yue’s abilities couldn’t stay hidden forever, but with Shen Zongnian’s help, it was possible to keep it under wraps for a little while.

“We’ll wait for Shen Zongnian to come.”

Ji Chaomian was not surprised. If this invitation was Shen Zongnian’s doing, then they had misjudged him. Even the fearsome Shen Family Army had its flaws.

But if it wasn’t him…

Ji Yiqing knew Shen Zongnian would covet Jiu Yue’s hemorrhage-stopping formula. Now it was a matter of seeing if he could handle this invitation properly.

After all, with Jiu Yue’s temperament, if something displeased her, she wouldn’t care how many generals in the northern border suffered.

…

That night, Jiu Yue watched Ji Yiqing close his eyes and fall asleep. She quietly slipped out of bed and changed into her night-traveling clothes.

Shen Zongnian dared to steal from her? That could not stand. Tonight, she would pay him a visit at the General’s Mansion and teach him a lesson to soothe her anger.

Just as she opened the door, Ji Yiqing, still in bed, sat up and sighed: “Jiu Yue, don’t kill him.”

Hearing his voice, Jiu Yue turned around, scowling. Her face was tightly wrapped, revealing only a pair of lively eyes.

“You know where I’m going?”

Ji Yiqing swallowed. Of course he knew. With Jiu Yue’s temper, she would absolutely go after Shen Zongnian tonight.

He tried to soften his tone: “The northern border’s stability still depends on the Shen Family Army. What the young general did was improper, but we must give him a chance to explain. So please, don’t kill him.”

Jiu Yue glared at him without a word.

Facing her intimidating gaze, Ji Yiqing continued: “And if you really kill him, won’t you miss out on the generous gift? Alone, what could you even take from the General’s Mansion? Even if it’s silver, could you find where they keep it?”

Jiu Yue strode to him in three quick steps. Ji Yiqing leaned back slightly, only to have her grab the front of his garment.

Her night robe immediately came undone.

Jiu Yue: …

Ji Yiqing: blushing…

In such a serious moment, this was utterly unseemly. Jiu Yue pouted, wanting to blow a lewd whistle, then realized she didn’t know how.

Damn!

She didn’t even qualify as a rake.

“Not your fault. If your martial arts were stronger, we could’ve cleared the mansion ourselves. How could I move all that heavy gold and silver by myself?”

Ji Yiqing: …

He lowered his head submissively, pitifully: “My bad!”

He had never imagined he’d become a burglar in his lifetime. First a man unable to kill or steal, now also unable to rob. Originally he wanted to be law-abiding.

Jiu Yue clicked her tongue. Ancient men’s thinking—Ji Yiqing’s in particular—was far more forward than her modern mindset.

Seeing his pitiful, obedient look, Jiu Yue thought she couldn’t compete.

Might as well kiss him. After all, he was her husband!

Hitting someone was easy for her. She could kiss him first, then deal with Shen Zongnian later.

Jiu Yue chuckled, pounced on him, and her hand wandered over his open night robe.

This feel, this touch, these muscles, this texture…

Sucking in her breath…

Jiu Yue stayed out of bed for a while, her hands icy cold as they touched Ji Yiqing’s abs.

Ji Yiqing shivered, frozen, then instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist: “What’s happening?”

Jiu Yue giggled and leaned toward his mouth… only to kiss the mask.

Seeing her approach, Ji Yiqing immediately understood her intent. He should be grateful that he still held such attraction for her, otherwise she’d have gone straight to beating Shen Zongnian tonight—an action that would surely destabilize the northern border.

He gently pulled off her mask, and she eagerly kissed him with a loud smack.

…

A moment later, Jiu Yue stood, tying her mask, glancing at Ji Yiqing’s disheveled clothes and bed hair still soaked with desire.

As expected, beauty is a dangerous distraction.

She casually grabbed the blanket to cover him: “Let’s go.”

Her demeanor was that of someone who finished their business and left—a scoundrel.

Ji Yiqing hadn’t yet recovered. Jiu Yue only moved away after sensing his reaction. She had thought the night would go smoothly. Now, she’d have to do it manually.

“Don’t kill him!”

Still concerned, Ji Yiqing called after her as she prepared to leave via the window.

Why didn’t he stop her?

He dared her to go! He had no intention of becoming the next Ji Dajiang or Ji Dahu.

Besides, Shen Family matters were shady. Jiu Yue was angry, masked, and no one could guess her identity. Who had such a short temper that they would beat someone before listening to their explanation?

Ji Yiqing lifted the blankets with a hoarse voice. In such cold weather, his body was burning hot. Jiu Yue was truly a tormentor.

Always acting without concern for consequences—she killed without burying, teased without follow-up.