CMWKSD -Chapter 95 The Spy

Jiu Yue carried the person back into the room without any hesitation.

Ji Yiqing was already on edge, worried that Jiu Yue might run into Shen Zongnian and end up… well, dead.

But then the door slammed open with a bang, and Ji Yiqing immediately grabbed the water kettle from the table as a makeshift weapon.

Could it be that someone had come to their door?

When he turned his head, he saw Jiu Yue strutting in, looking as if she had just carried someone home.

Ji Yiqing froze, stammering: “Y-you… you carried Young General Shen back?”

Jiu Yue blinked, realization dawning: “Huh, I didn’t find Shen Zongnian.”

Ji Yiqing’s eyes followed to the person on Jiu Yue’s shoulder: “Then who is this…?”

Jiu Yue tossed Xiao Yue at Ji Yiqing’s feet. Ji Yiqing jumped back nearly eight feet.

“Th-this…”

A knock came at the door: “Second brother, has sister-in-law returned yet?”

Jiu Yue put her hands on her hips, glaring at Ji Yiqing: “You told big brother I went to beat someone up?”

Seeing Jiu Yue so furious, Ji Yiqing stepped forward and smoothed her hair: “It wasn’t me who said it; it was big brother who guessed.”

Jiu Yue snorted, then remembered Xiao Yue: “This person is a bit suspicious. You and big brother should put your heads together.”

Saying that, she opened the door in her night clothes.

Ji Chaomian stood at the doorway, shivering under his cloak.

Seeing Jiu Yue in full black with only her large round eyes visible, he nearly jumped in fright—but when he saw that the black-clad figure seemed harmless, he hesitantly asked: “Sister-in-law?”

“Yep, that’s me. Come in.”

Back home, social etiquette wouldn’t allow a gentleman to enter someone else’s room casually.

Ji Chaomian cupped his hands and was about to say that now that Jiu Yue was back, he could leave, when Ji Yiqing tugged him inside.

Inside, they saw the woman lying on the floor. In such cold weather, her body was all bruised and blue.

Ji Yiqing looked at Jiu Yue: “You brought her back? Said there’s something off, so we’re supposed to check on her?”

Jiu Yue pulled off her mask, grabbed a cup from the table, and downed a cup of cold tea. She immediately felt more awake.

Then she recounted the entire night’s events to Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian in detail—the curse on the old general, the leaves Xiao Yue had, everything.

After finishing, Jiu Yue yawned; it was past her bedtime. She was about to leave, thinking, Let’s see how these two handle this.

But Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian looked serious.

Jiu Yue could tell from their expressions that something was wrong. Otherwise, they would just be overthinking as usual.

She sighed. Earning silver isn’t easy, she thought.

“Should I just send her straight to the General’s mansion?”

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian said in unison: “No!”

Jiu Yue frowned, unwilling to think further: “Then what exactly are you thinking? Tell me.”

Ji Chaomian looked at Ji Yiqing first: “Second brother, give her a blanket first. Don’t let her freeze.”

Ji Yiqing waved him off, pointing to a small couch: “Big brother, you do it.”

Ji Chaomian rolled his eyes inwardly but helped cover Xiao Yue with the blanket. She still remained on the floor.

Then the three of them began to discuss in secret, in front of Xiao Yue.

General Shen was the first supreme-ranked general of Great Qi, titled the Mighty General.

Jiu Yue nodded: “So?”

Ji Chaomian continued Ji Yiqing’s thought: “General Shen is of high status and plays a crucial role in stabilizing the northern frontier. If what you saw was really a curse, then the purpose behind using it on him is probably serious.”

“Could they be trying to extract something from him? Perhaps the northern defense plans, or orders that would harm Great Qi?”

Jiu Yue clapped her hands in realization: “A spy? No—a secret agent?”

Both men nodded. The matter was serious, so they didn’t react to her use of the word “spy.”

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian paced around the room, making Jiu Yue dizzy and sleepy.

She couldn’t wait and stood up: “Forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about it now. I brought her back, so General Shen should be safe for now. You can deal with it after your exams.”

Both men froze. The imperial exams were imminent, but this matter was also important.

Yet they didn’t have the capacity to handle it at the moment. If they recklessly sent Xiao Yue to the General’s mansion, and she really was a secret agent, they could be implicated.

Moreover, Jiu Yue claimed she could remove curses. But even if she could, she couldn’t just storm up to General Shen and boldly say: “Hey, General Shen, I can remove curses!”

That would be absurd.

So how to approach General Shen, and how to send Xiao Yue to the mansion, were both serious problems.

They wrapped her up and put her in the woodshed, letting Shao Ning help her dress. In such cold weather, they didn’t want her freezing to death—it wouldn’t be worth it.

Ji Chaomian didn’t tell Ji Zhouye and the other brothers about this sudden woman, fearing their loose tongues. He also secretly had Shao Qing assign someone to watch the woodshed.

Now with a servant present, the Ji family would also need to hire a few guards. With someone like Jiu Yue around, the house was bound to be full of danger—peaceful times were over.

…

“Is Mother any better?”

Shen Zongnian returned from the palace. After handing over the list of northern barbarians, he had been busy at court for several days, secretly capturing everyone on the list.

As for interrogations, that wasn’t his concern.

Finally, one matter weighed less on his mind.

The Emperor permitted Shen Zongnian to return north at the start of the year. After all, Shen San was still there, so there was little need to worry.

Shen Zongnian’s fifth son, Shen Zongsheng, sat in his wheelchair, shaking his head: “The doctor has seen her; it’s still the same. Since big brother left, Mother’s health…”

Shen Zongnian pushed Shen Zongsheng’s wheelchair, still feeling sorrow: “Fifth brother, don’t worry too much.”

Shen Zongsheng remained silent; the General’s mansion had been shrouded in grief for years.

Of Shen Zongnian’s seven sons, five were born to Lady Shen.

The other two were born to concubine Lady Zhu.

Since Lady Shen fell ill, no one managed the household affairs, so General Shen gave the steward position to Lady Zhu.

Although somewhat irregular, General Shen had no interest in women. With only one wife and one concubine, it was acceptable for a widow of the younger generation to manage the household.

After the eldest son died in battle, his widow went to the temple.

The third daughter-in-law was stationed at the frontier.

The second and fourth daughters-in-law were concubines; Lady Zhu was still in charge, and no one could overstep her authority.