Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband

Chapter 104: The Eldest Young Master Ji Is Weak

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Inside the prison, not long after Xiao Lie left, some guards-on-duty came over. They said that the magistrate wanted to start the trial for the case and invited Master Su Jiu up to the court hearing.

The term used by the guard on duty was “invite” and his mannerism was extremely courteous. The only thing lacking at that point was an eight-bearer sedan to escort Su Jiu up the tribunal.

Su Jiu and Chang Huan were surrounded by guards and escorted out of the prison, bringing an end to their imprisonment that lasted half a day.

As they left, the entire prison was extremely quiet. There was no commotion, and no one screaming that they had been wrongly accused. Everyone stared blankly as Su Jiu made her exit.

Once inside the courtroom, the deputy manager of Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency, as well as Chief Feng Yuntian, were all present. Qiao An, Ah Shu and Hu Dapao were also there, and when they noticed Su Jiu, they immediately surrounded her, “Chief!”

“How was it, were you tortured?”

Qiao An and the rest were most worried that the guards would subject Su Jiu to a forced confession. But after seeing Su Jiu’s refreshed and relaxed appearance, they were all relieved.

Su Jiu smiled lightly, “All is well!”

“Don’t worry. I am here to protect our boss!” Chang Huan thumped his chest.

On the other side, the deputy manager of Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency and Feng Yuntian were standing together. Their arms were crossed as they smirked at Su Jiu in satisfaction. Feng Yuntian had already planned everything out. He was only waiting for Su Jiu to be convicted after standing trial, and for the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency to be shut forever.

Suddenly, the squadron of guards who were standing in formation shuffled and split into two sides. They roared in unison, “Convene!”

The ear-piercing echo reverberated in the hall.

Magistrate Lin entered the courtroom through the side door. He immediately ordered, “Shut up, shut up! Don’t frighten Master Su”

The courtroom was instantly silenced.

The deputy manager turned over to look at Feng Yuntian. Something did not feel right?

Before Feng Yuntian could even figure out what was happening, Magistrate Lin slammed the gavel against the wooden sound block with a “bang”. He ordered in a loud voice, “Summon the chief of Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency, Feng Yuntian!”

Feng Yuntian was startled and dropped to the ground on his knees, “This commoner Feng Yuntian pays respects to my lord!”

“Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency schemed to sabotage the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency and brought their men over to make a commotion. Feng Yuntian, as the chief of the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency, do you admit to these charges?”

Feng Yuntian was stunned silly.

This wasn’t right! Zhu Hecheng had definitely sent people over to inform him that the ten thousand pieces of silver was accepted by Magistrate Lin. He had received news that the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency would soon be closed down, but what was happening now?

The deputy manager immediately went forward and kneeled on the ground. He declared loudly, “This lowly citizen has been wrongfully accused! The Qinglong Bodyguard Agency took away 10 carts full of grain from our Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency. Their men even stamped their handprints on this receipt. Today, the grain had all been switched out for gravel. It’s obvious that the men from Qinglong Bodyguard Agency have looted the grain and swapped the goods. I implore the great lord to investigate!”

After saying this, he raised the receipt high into the air as evidence.

The paralegal walked forward and passed the written evidence over to Magistrate Lin.

Magistrate Lin glanced at it before turning his head to speak to the paralegal, “Please invite Master Su and the men from Qinglong Bodyguard Agency over!”

The paralegal was stunned. Invite the offender? And he had used such a polite tone of voice, this was uncharacteristic of their boss!

In the past, the defendant was usually subject to 20 strokes of the plank before being brought onto the tribunal. Was it because the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency had used money?

Even if the people of the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency had bribed their lord, he should not have made it so obvious!

The paralegal did not dare to tarry and went down personally to summon Su Jiu and her men up to the tribunal.

Su Jiu walked in front while Qiao An, Chang Huan, Ah Shu and Hu Dapao followed behind. They went forward together.

One of the guards immediately rebuked, “In front of the lord, why are you all not kneeling?”

“How dare you take such liberties!”

Before Su Jiu could say a world, the magistrate coughed once before saying to Su Jiu with a smile, “Master Su does not need to kneel. You can just remain standing. Are you tired? Should I bring a chair over for you to sit down?”

The entire court of people all stared blankly at the magistrate. Was their lord possessed?

Feng Yuntian’s expression slowly changed, and he wondered whether the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency had given even more money than him.

“Master Su, are you the chief of the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency?” Tell me how things progressed to this state. Just let it all out, if you were wronged in any way, this lord will definitely take responsibility for you!” Magistrate Lin said with a smile as he looked at Su Jiu gently.

Su Jiu took a step forward and clasped her hands together respectfully, “This commoner Su Jiu is indeed the chief of the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency. Yesterday, the deputy manager of the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency came to us, and said that there were 10 carts of grain that he wanted to transfer to our agency to escort.

“Master Su, hold on!” Magistrate Lin interrupted Su Jiu and turned his head to stare at Feng Yuntian.

His expression underwent a drastic change as he put on a stern expression, “In the written report, you mentioned that the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency was the one who approached you. Who exactly approached who? If anyone dares to lie to me, you will immediately receive 50 strokes!”

Feng Yuntian’s expression paled and he frowned to look at the deputy manager.

The deputy manager said with embarrassment, “This commoner might have remembered wrongly. This commoner was the one who approached the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency, but this is not important!”

“You deceived me, and still say that it’s not important. Guards, dragged him away and give him 20 strokes of the plank!” Magistrate Lin immediately ordered.

“This commoner realises his mistake! This commoner recognises his mistakes! I beg my lord to spare me!” The deputy manager hurriedly kneeled onto the floor and knocked his head onto the ground as he pleaded.

Since when did the guards bother with this. Once they heard Magistrate Lin’s order, they immediately held the deputy manager by his arms and dragged him backwards, before lifting him out.

“Slap!”

“Ah!”

“Slap!”

…

Very soon, the sound of a plank hitting flesh resonated from outside the courtroom, followed by the deputy manager’s cry of agony. Those who heard it felt their hair stand.

They were all people who lived in luxury, which one of them had ever experienced such a thing?

Feng Yuntian’s face became even paler and his entire body started to tremble.

Soon, the 20 strokes had been enforced and two guards dragged the deputy back up and flung him on the ground. His face was completely ashen.

The deputy manager’s bottom was streaked with blood. He was unable to stand up and remained sprawled on the ground as he groaned.

Magistrate Lin looked towards Su Jiu and said amiably, “Master Su can continue speaking!”

Su Jiu’s face was clear and her eyebrows were well-defined. Her delicate face made it difficult to discern whether she was male or female. She articulated her words eloquently at a comfortable pace, “The transport of the grain was under the supervision of our Bodyguard Agency’s manager, Ah Shu. She brought people over to Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency to collect the goods. Once there, she only confirmed the contents of the sacks of grain in the first cart. They were indeed filled with grain. Because we trusted the reputation that Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency had built over a hundred years, we did not check the rest of the carts before stamping our handprints and taking the grain away. At that point, the sky was already dark. We left the carts of grain in the estate and waited till the next day before sending it out. ”

“Early this morning, the deputy manager of the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency came over, and said he wanted to conduct an impromptu inspection of the goods. As a result, he said that the grain sacks were filled with gravel and sand. He brought a group of people over and wanted us to pay compensation. He even wanted us to go to admit in front that we had swindled the goods in public. My Lord, this was clearly a trap set out to harm us and destroy our Qinglong Bodyguard Agency!”

Magistrate Lin nodded his head vigorously, “Master Su’s deductions are correct!”

The paralegal who was standing at the side shifted his gaze and stared at Magistrate Lin. My Lord, did you promote this Master Su to become your advisor?

She is supposed to be the defendant now!

“My Lord!” Feng Yuntian cried out in a loud voice, “The Qinglong Bodyguard Agency is obviously trying to cover up the truth. What evidence do they have to prove that I am plotting against them? But this commoner, on the other hand, has evidence!”

Even though he felt that something was off, Feng Yuntian was not worried knowing that he had evidence in his hands. Furthermore, he had contributed some money, if Magistrate Lin was really biased towards the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency, he was prepared to go all out and break through the net.

Ah Shu was so furious that his face turned ashen, “You set up a trap to harm us, you mother**cker still dare to say this?”

Ah Shu and Hu Dapao’s expressions were hostile and Feng Yuntian could only retreat slowly.

The head of the guards stepped forward, “Reporting to my Lord, your servant has sent men to Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency according to your instructions. At the place where they used to store their grain, we discovered a lot of gravel and sand. Your servant ordered the men to gather some. After comparison, we can conclude that the sand we found and the sand in the grain bag is of the same kind. My Lord may have a look!”

“Bring it up here!” Magistrate Lin ordered.

The head of the guards took out a paper bag filled with gravel and offered it to him.

Feng Yuntian and the deputy manager both widened their eyes.

Magistrate Lin took a look at the gravel. He struck the sound block with the gravel, “Feng Yuntian, this gravel is from the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency. The grain sacks were also filled with such gravel. Do you have anything else to say?”

“My Lord, we have been wronged!” The deputy managers sprawled onto the ground and clamoured, “This type of gravel can be found virtually anywhere. How can this prove that this was what was found in the grain sacks?”

At that moment, Qiao An sneered and stepped forward. He respectfully greeted, “My Lord, this commoner still has a witness!”

“Summon him immediately!” Magistrate Lin ordered.

“Summoning the witness to the stand!” The guard bellowed.

Very quickly, three men dressed up as manservants were brought over. They plopped on their knees and knelt on the ground, “These commoners pay respect to the great lord!”

When they saw these three men, Feng Yuntian and the deputy manager’s expressions changed.

“Who are these people standing here?” Magistrate Lin raised his voice as he questioned.

The three men hurriedly replied, “Replying the great lord, these servants are labourers in the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency’s rear court. We do manual labour.”

“Mm, tell me everything you know. If you conceal anything, I will not let you off lightly!” Magistrate Lin’s voice was extremely stern.

The labourers did not dare to lift their heads. They retracted their necks and remained knelt on the ground as they trembled. One of the men stammered, “This servant… This servant is a labourer. The day before, the deputy manager came…. came looking for us. He said he had a task to entrust us. We followed a horse carriage out of the city. It turned out that we were supposed to fill grain sacks with gravel!”

“Shut up!” Feng Yuntian screamed coldly. He uttered furiously, “How much money did the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency give you to bribe you to betray your employers!”

“Bang!” Magstrate Lin slammed the gavel down. “Feng Yuntian, I did not give you permission to speak!”

Feng Yuntian’s complexion paled and he hastily lowered his head.

That labourer prostrated himself on the ground, “My Lord may investigate. The words this servant spoke are all true. These two men can bear testament to my words.”

He pointed to the men who knelt together with him on his left and on his right.

“Mm, just continue speaking!” Magistrate Lin ordered.

“The deputy manager brought us servants to pull nine carts out of the city. We journeyed until we reached the water canal. There, he ordered us to fill the grain sacks with gravel and after they were all filled, we returned back. At that point, it was almost dusk and the city gates were about to be shut. The deputy manager even greeted the city guards. To confirm if this servant is speaking the truth, my lord can just send men to question the city guard. Oh right, at the bank of the water canal, there should still be a large ditch that we dug up. My lord can send men to check!”

Among the ten carts, only one was filled with grain. The amount of gravel in the other nine carts was quite significant. If the gravel was dug up, it would indeed produce a deep ditch.

After hearing him speak, Feng Yuntian and the deputy manager’s faces had already turned a deathly grey.

Magistrate Lin immediately sent out men according to what the labourer mentioned. They sped off on horseback, and within an hour, a guard returned. The ditch at the bank of the canal, as well as the city guard’s testimony, all matched with what the labourer had witnessed.

The few labourers hurriedly prostrated, “My lord can investigate, these servants filled in the gravel without knowing that the deputy manager was using it to plot against others. If we had known, even if you gave us bigger guts, we still wouldn’t dare to!”

Magistrate Lin nodded his head, “Those who knew nothing are innocent. Since you all have helped expose these evil deeds, I shall not investigate you all any further!”

“Thank you, great lord, thank you!” The three labourers knocked their heads onto the ground continuously.

Magistrate Lin looked coldly at Feng Yuntian, “Do you two have anything else to say?”

The matter had developed to this point and the truth was already very clear. Su Jiu, Qiao An and the rest of their group stared at Feng Yuntian and the deputy manager in disdain. Ah Shu and Hu Dapao were itching to move forward and give them a few kicks.

Such a despicable and shameful conspiracy, it had almost destroyed their reputation and even caused their chief to be imprisoned!

If such people were put on Yuhu Mountain, they would long have been beaten to death!

Feng Yuntian bowed his head as cold sweat dribbled down. His lips were trembling uncontrollably. In his heart, he hated the people of Qinglong Bodyguard Agency, he hated those family labourers who had betrayed them. The one he hated the most was Lin Wenting. He had taken his money, but did not help him!

Since he did not leave him an escape route, then he should not blame him for being disloyal!

Feng Yuntian abruptly raised his head, and just as he was about to accuse Magistrate Lin of taking his ten thousand pieces of silver, he saw Magistrate Lin take out a cheque and slap it onto the table with force.

“If all these evidences are insufficient, I shall add one more. Feng Yuntian took out ten thousand pieces of silver and attempted to bribe me. He wanted me to convict Su Jiu of the crime and close down the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency. I have a clean conscience and will never mix with such filthy and despicable people like you lot. The reason I kept the money was to convict you of attempting to bribe officials!” Magistrate Lin declared self-righteously.

The paralegals seated at the side were scribbling furiously as they took notes.

This speech, was too charismatic. They definitely had to take note!

Their lord had never spoken such awe inspiring, righteous words before!

Feng Yuntian stared blankly at Magistrate Lin, to the point of silliness.

“If he did not have a guilty conscience, why did he have to bribe an official. Feng Yuntian, both witnesses and physical evidences have already been presented, do you have anything else to add?”

Feng Yuntian was like an eggplant that had been struck by lightning. He sat on the ground, paralysed.

“Make him sign the confession!”

“Yes!”

The guards took out the scroll of confession for Feng Yuntian and the deputy manager to sign separately.

“Feng Yuntian, and his accomplice deputy manager Huang Mengchang conspired against the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency. They harboured evil intentions and even tried to bribe an official, adding one count to their charge. They shall be imprisoned to be dealt with at a later date. Additionally, from today onwards, the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency will be shut down, they will not be allowed to carry out business in Shengjing anymore.

Once Feng Yuntian heard the sentence was conveyed, his eyes blacked out and he collapsed onto the ground.

At that point, the case was considered closed and Su Jiu was naturally released by the court. As a form of compensation, the ten thousand pieces of silver that Feng Yuntian had used as bribery was awarded to the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency.

Magistrate Lin was definitely not going to pocket these ten thousand pieces of silver, so he could only give it to Su Jiu. At the same time, he could gain a favour from Prince Rui.

Su Jiu, Qiao An and the others and kneeled to thank him in happiness.

How could Magistrate Lin dare to accept this bow from Su Jiu? He personally went down to support Su Jiu up, before bringing a few men with him to send Su Jiu and her men out of the magistrate’s office.

It was evening, rays of light scattered in the air, the skies filled with red clouds.

Xiao Lie and the Nangong Shu siblings were both outside the magistrate’s office waiting for Su Jiu to come out.

Su Jiu’s eyes, however, were focused on that familiar ebony carriage in the distance, quietly parked on the roadside.

“Su Jiu, you’ve suffered! Let’s go, we reserved a feast and drinks for you to overcome the shock! Nangong Bi’s eyes examined Su Jiu from top to bottom to ensure that she was alright, before exclaiming in joy.

“No need, it’s getting dark, if Miss Nangong does not return to her manor I’m afraid she might get locked up again!” Su Jiu joked.

Nangong Bi glanced at Nangong Shu and whined softly, “My brother was speaking nonsense!”

“Today I need to thank both of you. Su Jiu is extremely grateful!” Su Jiu bowed towards Xiao Rui and Nangong Shu, and conveyed with a sincere tone. The setting sun reflected onto her clear pupils, which glistened like a star.

Xiao Lie held her back up, “You don’t have to do this. After all, friends should always extend a helping hand to one another.”

“It is my fortune to have got to know all of you!” Su Jiu smiled radiantly.

“Master Su does not need to be so formal and polite. Even though we’ve only known each other for a short time, but we sincerely want to build this relationship!” Nangong Shu said lightly.

“Mmm hmm!” Nangong Bi looked at Su Jiu and nodded her head profusely.

“Alright! From now on we are brothers. If you ever need Su Jiu’s help, Su Jiu will climb mountains of knifes and cross seas of fire with unwavering loyalty!” Su Jiu clasped her hands together.

“Us too!” Ah Shu, Hu Dapao and the rest smiled.

Xiao Lie looked profoundly at Su Jiu and chuckled. He said, almost intimately, “Who wants you to climb mountains of knifes and cross seas of fire?”

Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders with a laugh, “It’s late, everyone should return now. I will prepare a feast another day as a way of thanks!”

“You too. You’ve been through so much today, go back and have a good rest!” Xiao Lie patted Su Jiu gently on her shoulders.

“Mm!” Su Jiu laughed lightly and nodded her head.

After the few of them bid each other farewell, Xiao Lie and the Nangong siblings boarded their respective horse carriages and took their leave.

Qiao An returned to the restaurant, Ah Shu and Hu Dapao went back to the Bodyguard Agency. Su Jiu walked towards the horse carriage on the opposite side.

Jin Feng respectfully opened the carriage door, “Young Mistress!'”

Su Jiu nodded her head slightly, she raised one foot and got up the carriage. Once inside, she was immediately embraced by Ji Yuxian.

Su Jiu blinked a few times, “Don’t, I’m very dirty!”

She knew that Ji Yuxian was particular about cleanliness. She had stayed in the prison for half a day and her body was covered with hay and dust. The rotting smell of the underground prison had even permeated her clothes.

Ji Yuxian hugged her tightly without letting go. He smiled slightly, “No problem. Don’t move, let me hug you for a while.”

Chang Huan followed Jin Feng and sat on top of the carriage. The horse carriage started moving towards the Ji Manor.

Su Jiu described everything that happened at the court trial.

Ji Yuxian nodded his head slightly, he knew that Xiao Lie and Nangong Shu had helped along the way but did not comment further. He only said, “This matter may not necessarily be a bad thing for your Bodyguard Agency. At the very least, it’s a lesson that has been learnt.

Su Jiu nodded her head, “Yes!”

Their Bodyguard Agency had many members, each skilled and nimble. They had the support of the Ji Manor and enjoyed flourishing business ever since their opening. However, their weakest link was the fact that they had no experience.

This time, everyone had learnt a lesson. In the future, they would definitely be more cautious and pay more attention to details.

Ji Yuxian locked Ji Yuxian into his embrace. He said faintly, “Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency has been shut down, and now, all the bodyguards in their agency are scattered like headless flies. This is an opportune time to recruit people. The bodyguards listed on this scroll are the more loyal and skilled bodyguards. You should get some people to recruit them, it will be extremely advantageous to your Bodyguard Agency.”

As Ji Yuxian said this, he extended his hands and passed one of the two lists into Su Jiu’s hands.

Su Jiu was stunned as she looked at him. Her gaze fell onto the parchment. On it, she saw the names of around 20 people, their ages, their hobbies and their family background detailed clearly.

“And there’s also this!” JI Yuxian waited for her to finish reading before passing another list into her hand. “This details the current clients of Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency. Since Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency has been closed down, they must be very anxious. You should send some men over to discuss collaboration. I believe they will be willing to close a deal with at a higher rate than usual!”

On the list were written the merchants, their registration numbers, address, type goods to be transported and even the place where the goods needed to be delivered to.

As Su Jiu read on, and her heart swelled with an unexplainable feeling. The ride in the horse carriage was bumpy, and the people outside the carriage were rowdy. However, the low, deep voice of the man seated next to resonated in her ears and slowly permeated into her heart.

She raised her head to look at the man, she eyes shining as she grinned, “How did you do it?”

From the time the bodyguard agency encountered the problem, until the time she was brought into the magistrate office, it had only been half a day. And Ji Yuxian had received the news much later. It had been such a short period of time, and yet, he had already investigated and prepared everything for her. These people, these merchants, didn’t every investigation need some time? How did he do it?

Ji Yuxian lowered his head and planted a kiss gently between her eyes, “If I want to do it, naturally, I’ll be able to do it.”

Su Jiu smiled coolly as warmth surged in her heart. She raised her head and kissed the man on his red lips, “Thank you!”

The setting sun seeped into the carriage, the yellow rays brought in warmth and beauty. The man said with a low voice, his happiness apparent, “You can thank me once we get back!”

His chin rested on Su Jiu’s forehead and she smiled shyly, like a little fox who had stolen fish. She nodded her head faintly, “Alright!”

Before they reached the Ji Manor, Su Jiu got the horse carriage to stop and passed the two parchments to Chang Huan. She asked him to return to the Bodyguard Agency and explained to him in detail what needed to be done.

Chang Huan nodded his head with understanding, “Boss, rest assured!”

He casually got up and went, his departing figure dissolved into the darkness.

Jin Feng drove the carriage and brought Ji Yuxian and Su Jiu back to the manor.

Back at the manor, Su Jiu was still wearing men’s robes and had Ji Yuxian’s cloak thrown over her. They were all a little dirty.

“I’ll go back to take a bathe and get rid of this misfortune!” Su Jiu said.

“Go then, I’ll go to the study room visit. I’ll visit you later on!” Ji Yuxian pinched Su Jiu’s oval face as his eyes doted on her.

After a while, Ji Yuxian came out of his study and headed to the bedroom. He saw Mo Yu holding a platter filled with seasonal fruits that had been washed and cut.

“Pass it to me!” Ji Yuxian said nonchalantly.

“Yes!” Mo Yu raised both hands up and passed the white floral porcelain fruit patter to him.

Ji Yuxian held the fruits and pushed the door open.

His steps did not stop and he went directly into the bath room. Inside, the room was covered with layers of mist. The lanterns had not been lit and darkness permeated the room. The bare back of a young girl could barely be made out at the side of the white jade pool.

Ji Yuxian removed his outer robes and boots outside the bathroom. He stepped into the mist wearing a thin, crimson blouse. With his jet-black hair, coupled with his red outfit, he looked like a deity who had descended. His figure, however, carried a hint of seduction.

He sat down at the side of the pool and dangled his legs into the water. He pulled the girl’s delicate and tender body over and used his finger tips to rub hibiscus balm into her long hair gently.

Su Jiu sat on the jade step with her back facing the man, her hair dangled onto his legs. She closed her eyes and relished in comfort as the man massaged her.

The refreshingly warm water barely came up to her chest. Two small fishes were embroidered on the bodice she was wearing. As the water rippled, they appeared as though they had come alive as they played between her pale and plump chest.

The man’s beautiful and slender fingers ran through her silky black hair. As it scattered in the water, the black hair glistened and started ripples which silently spread through the spring water slowly.

Once all three thousand strands of hair were clean, her black hair fell onto his crimson blouse. It was an enchantingly beautiful sight. Ji Yuxian lowered his head and pressed against the girl’s lips, which were the colour of cherry blossoms. Deeply, lightly, he entered and swivelled in its depths.

Su Jiu raised her head and rested on his thigh. She responded lazily, entangled, and slowly opened her eyes. She saw the man’s Adam’s apple move, his body suddenly shifted strangely. His eyes were absent minded as though he was drunk as it reflected the movement of the spring water.

The man tasted the sweetness of every inch of her tongue, his passionate tongue continued to move downwards as it explored every nook. He kissed her neck which was bent backwards and moved towards her delicate collarbone. His fingers nimbly undid the band on her bodice before he raised his hands to toss it aside. His breathing was heavy as his tongue pressed over.

Su Jiu’s entire body shook, she bit her lips and groaned. A strange and chaotic heat spread across her limbs, urgently seeking an outlet to be released.

Suddenly she felt pain. Su Jiu breathed lightly and slammed her head upwards. Immediately, her head collided with something hard.

“Ouch!” The man groaned in pain. His voice was seductive, but at the same time, filled with agony.

“What happened?” Su Jiu was shocked to her senses and she immediately turned around.

In that time, however, the man had already slid into the water. He held the girl’s waist and wrapped her around his waist. His head lowed to kiss her, and with a low voice he muttered, “Do you know what makes a real man?”

After he finished speaking he pulled the girl’s hand over.

Su Jiu widened both eyes in shock!

The man’s phoenix eyes lost its focus as he started to kiss her intensely.

Su Jiu’s breathing became uneven, the heat surrounding them surged, as though it was about to suffocate them. The man twisted his body and leaned back for a moment. He clenched his teeth and uttered a few words, “Crazy girl, are you planning to kill your husband?”

Su Jiu, …

After a while, Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian sat next to each other in the water, their backs leaning against the wall of the pool.

Su Jiu’s eyes swept over the man’s ashen face, she said a little guiltily, “Are you feeling better? Why are you so weak!”

The man glanced at her lightly, “It’s not just me. My wife is even weaker.”

Su Jiu blushed and her face reddened in the heat, just like a peach blossom that had just bloomed.

Curiosity grew within her and her eyes swept across the space between the man’s legs. She recalled what was depicted in the pictures and unconsciously locked her legs tightly together as she stuttered, “The stuff in the book should be fake right?”

It definitely couldn’t go in!

Ji Yuxian leaned over and smirked, “Why not we try it out?”

Su Jiu stared at him and shook her head.

Ji Yuxian looked at the girl’s innocent yet tempting appearance, and almost couldn’t help but force himself on her. After urging himself to suppress all such thoughts, the man carried her up and wrapped a towel around her body, before carrying her towards the bedroom.

Since he was not able to have a taste, they should just rest!

After all, before she made the decision to properly become the Ji Manor’s Young Mistress on her own, he could not use such methods to force her to stay.

It wasn’t fair to her.

Because they had taken over the men and goods from the Zhengyuan Bodyguard Agency, the Bodyguard Agency was extremely busy. Fortunately, Cao Datou had just returned from escorting goods and there were more hands to help.

They were busy for a few days and once Su Jiu was finally able to rest, it was already the 28th and the New Year was approaching!

Colourful lanterns were hung both inside and outside the Ji Manor. It was a joyous occasion and the servants of the manor were all given new clothes and awarded with silver. When they carried out their tasks, their steps seemed lighter than usual.

At the Perched Phoenix Pavilion, Mrs Fan brought four servants: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. They busied themselves by making paper cut-outs, pasting auspicious couplets and decorating the estate. Nanny was responsible for selecting the clothes that Su Jiu would wear for the new year, as well as her accessories. From the inside out, from the top to bottom, she paid extra attention to every detail.

At the end of the year, the Bodyguard Agency gradually became less busy. Most of the bodyguards who had been commissioned to escort had already returned to the capital. Every day, the building was lively as they trained and challenged one another. Under the watch of Ah Shu, Hu Dapao and Cao Datou, nobody dared to cause trouble.

A group of mountain bandits, blended in with the crowd, and were gradually getting back on the right track.

The restaurant, on the other hand, became very busy. They hired a few more waiters, and Su Jiu even sent Chang Huan over to help Qiao An.

Su Jiu only managed one bodyguard agency and two restaurants, but was already so dizzily busy. On the other hand, Ji Yuxian’s business spanned the entire country and it was only natural for him to be even busier than her. The merchants in Shengjing City, as well as other provinces had all submitted annual reports. Additionally, there was still the inventory of goods from the current year, as well as the manpower arrangements for the next year… Apart from these, the shopkeepers of the merchants in Shengjing City came over to send gifts and pay respects. They came in and out and the gates of the manor became like the entrance of a marketplace. Any of these matters was enough to give one a headache.

But Ji Yuxian was not as burnt out as Su Jiu expected him to be. He had many managers under him and divided the duties between them. Ji Yuxian had passed his authority down and entrusted it to them in faith. Hence, he only needed to look at the final report and was relatively relaxed. At the very least, he still had time to accompany Su Jiu as she read her books.

Su Jiu watched Ji Yuxian handle his matters in amazement. Sometimes, she would go out with him, and secretly learn the art of business, as well as how to take advantage of others.

On the 29th, the Ji Manor was already bustling with activity.

The Ji Manor had their own personal stage and invited a trope over to perform opera. The Second Mistress and a few concubines of the rear court went to watch the shows together. On the surface, they appeared very harmonious.

In the morning, Su Jiu was reading as usual. At that point, she no longer had difficulties reading long passages, and she had even started to enjoy it.

The servants were decorating the estate and it was extremely lively. Only the study room retained its original peace and quiet. Su Jiu sat upright, her hands gripped a brush as she copied the texts that Ji Yuxian had instructed her to. Occasionally, she couldn’t help but turn her head out whenever she heard the hearty sound of laughter outside.

Ji Yuxian looked at hear and shook his head as he smiled lightly. Within his phoenix eyes, one could see that he doted on her.

After lunch, Su Jiu got up, with the intention of going to the restaurant. However, she was blocked by ji Yuxian.

“Where are you going?”

“Restaurant!” Jiu said truthfully.

“Don’t go. In the afternoon, I’ll teach you how to play the zither.” Ji Yuxian held a teacup in his hand as he said gently.

“Play the zither?” Su Jiu frowned.

“That’s right!”

Ji Yuxian got up and brought her back to the study room. In the room, Old Yu had already place a zither onto its rack.

The zither was beautifully made with top grade paulownia wood. The dull lacquer on the zither had faint patterns, and did not give of the impression of being old fashioned. On the other hand, it had a touch of simplicity, and with a glance one could tell that it was an antique treasure. It was far superior to the zither that Xie Ying used.

Su Jiu, however, looked at it with a frown, “Why must I learn how to play the zither?”

She had learned to read so that she could gain knowledge and literacy, but she hated the idea of learning something as time consuming and as boring as playing the zither.

“Your heart is too impulsive and fierce. Learning how to play the zither will help you ease your temperament. Come over and have a go!” Ji Yuxian smiled and pulled Su Jiu down to sit. He sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. He cupped his hands around her’s and gently plucked the strings of the zither. The clear sound of the zither resonated.

“Today, I will teach you the fingering. In the future, I will slowly teach you how to read scores and play properly.”

The midday sun shined on the zither, reflecting simple but elegant strands of light. Su Jiu’s hand rested on the cool strings of the zither. A disjointed memory surfaced. A delicate and gentle woman appeared, faintly. Both her hands plucked at the zither, producing a graceful sound. Her voice was tender, “Jiu’er, once you are a little older, mother will teach you how to play the zither.”

The memory was blurry and the woman’s face wasn’t clear. She tried hard to recall something else, but those memories gradually faded into the distance and disappeared.

It felt as though that there was something, and at the same time, it felt as though there wasn’t, as though that blurry memory was just a strand of her imagination.

Distinct notes were produced clearly as two pairs of hands jumped between the strings. Su Jiu lowered her head and observed the strings of the zither carefully. After she heard the note produced by her own hands, she suddenly felt as though it wasn’t as difficult as she made it out to be.

Su Jiu learnt things quickly. In one afternoon, Su Jiu had familiarised herself with the methods of fingering. Under the guidance of Ji Yuxian, she was able to produce a few simple notes.

“Very good!” Ji Yuxian grabbed the girl’s slightly red fingertips and planted a kiss on them, “My wife is smart, your husband is in awe!”

Su Jiu smiled slightly as she looked at her own hands. She never imagined that the hands which she used to kill others would one day be used to play the zither.

It seemed that ever since she had decided to enter the city and marry Ji Yuxian under the pretence of the young miss of the Su Family, everything has progressed to a point that she could never have imagined.

At night, the Ji Manor was filled with lanterns and fireworks. Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian stood outside and watched for a while. They also drank some wine and only slept when it the sun was about to rise again.

As far as Su Jiu could remember, this was the first time she had celebrated the New Year properly. Her heart was filled with happiness. She lay on the bed with Ji Yuxian and talked for a while before she gradually dozed off and closed her eyes.

Ji Yuxian used his hands to extinguish the lanterns that were hanging at the four corners of her room, leaving only the candle on the table lighted up. He lowered the curtains around the bed and darkness soon fell.

The curtains around the bed were embroidered with intricate lotus patterns. As the candle flickered, the shadows of the embroidery swayed slightly and falling onto the white face of the girl as she glowed.

Ji Yuxian’s eyes dimmed. He gently rubbed the girl’s tender cheeks silently. As he hugged his arms tightly, a faint fragrance flooded his senses. The only thing he felt was the warmth that radiated on his chest, as well as an incomparable sense of peace.

The clamour outside gradually quietened down and soon slipped into the silence of a winter night. The flame from the candle gradually became weaker as the night stilled.

As Su Jiu dreamed in her sleep, she suddenly felt breathless. Her arms were bound to her side and she felt as though someone was strangling her. She struggled for a while before she was shocked awake.

She was still on the same bed, but there was something wrong with the man that was hugging her. His entire body was hot, and his thin innerwear had been soaked through by cold sweat. She heard the sound of someone groaning in agony from above her.

Su Jiu recalled what had happened on the road to Jingzhou and immediately looked up.

In the dark shadows, Ji Yuxian’s eyes were shut tightly, his handsome face was as pale as a sheet. His thin lips were stained red as he groaned softly. From the looks of it, he was being tormented by extreme agony. His arms had been locked around her, as though he wanted to absorb her into his body.

“Ji Yuxian, Ji Yuxian!” Su Jiu frowned as she called out to him.

The man did not wake up, and instead tapped his forehead on hers and as he looked for a source of comfort.

Su Jiu freed herself from his embrace and watched as the man’s pained expression shifted in desperation. The last time, on the road, she had directly knocked him unconscious. This time, however, she could not bear to do anything to him.

After consideration, Su Jiu supported the man up to sit up and imparted true essence into the few acupuncture points on his chest and Dantian. Half an hour later, only when Su Jiu’s face had paled considerably, did the look of agony on Ji Yuxian’s face slowly start to subside. She removed her hands and his bulky figure immediately fell onto her.

Su Jiu extended her arms to embrace him. As she hugged him, she listened as the man’s breathing slowly became even again before he drifted off into deep sleep.

She relaxed her body and realised that her body was covered in sweat as she felt the winter chill.

She settled the man down and covered him with a blanket. The rich fragrance of lotus permeated the room. The man’s fringe was wet as it stuck to his eyebrows. His handsome appearance was marred with sweat and his lips were pale. He no longer carried the charm he usually had, and in its place, was a few degrees of harmless silence.

Su Jiu picked up a handkerchief from the edge of the bed and dabbed his face to dry off the sweat. From his forehead, to his eyebrows and his eyes, his sharp and beautiful nose… It was like painting a picture with ink, once it entered your heart, it would make one worry more.

The next morning when Su Jiu woke up, the sky was already bright. The man was awake and his back was against the light. His eyes shined as he looked at her.

“My wife, good morning!”

Su Jiu’s sleepy eyes were half awake. She buried her body into his chest and mumbled in a muddled voice, “You actually woke up early. Last night, you were dead on getting this old man here to tend to you!”

Ji Yuxian felt his chest thump. He used his palm and stroked Su Jiu’s long hair. He grinned as he said in a low voice, “Did I scare you?”

Su Jiu raised her head, “What is the problem? This is the third time I’ve seen this happen!”

Looking back, it seemed as though he would act up at the end of every month. The first time was the day they got married, and he was directly sent flying with a kick, to the point he actually fainted.

Ji Yuxian said faintly, “When I was young, I was poisoned. At first, it used to flare up twice a month. Once Doctor Gu came and helped me keep the poison under control, it only acts up once a month. These episodes are not as difficult to endure as compared to last time!”

Su Jiu furrowed her eyebrows, “Is it very painful?”

“Mm, it feels as though there are countless bugs gnawing on my bone” Ji Yuxian explained lightly.

Su Jiu felt her chest tighten. It was already under control but it still caused such pain. How did it feel like before he was treated?

“Who poisoned you?” Su Jiu raised her head and asked.

A glint flashed by Ji Yuxian’s tired eyes, but it soon disappeared. He smiled faintly, “Don’t know.”

“That Old Man Gu can’t find the antidote to this poison? Didn’t he mention that he could cure any poison?”

Ji Yuxian sneered, “You heard him boast!”

“What is this poison called?”

“Half Moon Devourer”

It flared up every half a month. The person who was poisoned would lose all hope to live, and would only wish for death.

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Su Jiu’s eyes dimmed slightly. She casually lifted her head and plastered a radiant smile on her face, “I will definitely find the antidote for you!”

She knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Even with the wealth and power of the Ji Manor, Ji Yuxian was still unable to find the antidote. Despite knowing that the antidote was hard to find, there was a balance to everything that comes into existence in the world, and she believed that she would be able to find it.

“Mm!” Ji Yuxian looked at her and smiled gently. He pulled her gently into his embrace and said softly, “I believe my wife.”

Su Jiu widened her eyes, which were filled with clarity and determination.