Chapter 212: Second Brother, I Do Not Want to be Your Enemy    Although Kong Yu wasn’t born a princess, her refined aura surpassed a real one. She strolled in and lowered her head, saluting with deference. Her actions were restrained and proper. Seeing her like this, the Emperor and Concubine Xiao felt satisfied.

Qi Zhen naturally praised her to no end. As for Concubine Xiao, she agreed with him.

Yuchi Lin wasn’t Qujiang King. He only came to request a marriage. With a strong emphasis on the word “request”. Since he “requested”, Qi Zhen was obliged to “give” a woman which Yuchi Lin had to “receive” no matter who. Next, generous wedding gifts were exchanged and the bride would be escorted to Qujiang in pompous fanfare.

Ji Yunshu stealthily watched Jing Rong. He didn’t react at all as if all of this wasn’t worthy of his attention. It was like he had no relation with her at all, observing the scene like a spectator.

Even when everyone toasted in celebration, he joined in nonchalantly. Yet, he drank more than anyone as if he was using alcohol to numb himself.

At this moment, Kong Yu was sitting next to Concubine Xiao who was holding her hands intimately while saying something to her. Kong Yu politely replied occasionally, but the rest of the time she was quiet with a gentle smile.

‘Was it like Jing Rong said? Was she willing to be married to Qujiang? Forget it!’ This have nothing to do with her. Ji Yunshu lightly shook her head.

“Teacher Ji.” A voice was suddenly heard next to her ear.

She turned back and saw a young eunuch who stuffed a slip of paper in her hand and left immediately after. Staring at the note nestled in her hand, her mind wandered for a moment before she snapped back and unfolded it.

The Lotus Pond

There were only three words written on it. ‘Who is it from?’ She crumbled the note before sweeping a look at the banquet hall. Ji Huan was nowhere to be found.

Sooner or later, she needed to face him and hiding wasn’t a solution. While Jing Rong was drowning his worries in alcohol, she slipped away.

As soon as she left, Lang Po notified Jing Rong. “Your Highness, should I follow?”

Jing Rong bottomed another cup of wine. “No need. Zijin is with her. Tell Zijin that when Yunshu is done, escort her back to the estate.” He said, not turning back as if he had eyes on his back.

“Yes, your Highness.” Lang Po accepted the order and resumed his position next to Jing Rong.

As the sky turned dark, merry laughs and cheers resounded from the Moon Gazing Terrace. In contrast to the desolate atmosphere permeating outside. Ji Yunshu asked for a small lantern from a palace maid before threading on the road leading to the lotus pond. When she arrived, Ji Huan’s presence didn’t come as a surprise. As she approached, the flickering light of her lantern reflected on the calm water. He glowered at her, his hand tightly gripping the handle of his Soaring Scarlet Sword.

Ji Yunshu remained polite, humbling herself. “I do not know for which reason did General Ji invite me for?”

“Speak, are you Ji Yunshu?” He bluntly questioned her.

“Ji Yunshu?” Ji Yunshu repeated her name. She coldly chuckled. “I wonder what that person is to you?”

“A foe, and the murderer of my brother and grandmother.”

“Oh? So, that person is a murderer? Correct me if I am wrong, but I heard that your little brother, Ji Yuanzhi had committed suicide to escape his crime. As your grandmother, she passed away from a cold. So, why do you blame Miss Ji for their deaths? Could it be that there was more story to what this humble one heard?”

Unlike Ji Li, Ji Huan had no patience. His anger rose causing his face to become flushed. His eyes were vicious and he heaved heavily, eager to unsheathe his sword. “Don’t speak with me in such a roundabout manner. I’m asking you if you are Ji Yunshu or not.”

Ji Yunshu was determined. “What if I say I am?”

As soon as he heard her, he drew his sword in a flash. The metallic sound of friction ensued. The tip of his sword shot toward Ji Yunshu’s neck. “If you are, then I will kill you.” The violence in his vicious voice reverberated in the tranquil night, imperceptibly disturbing the calmness of the water surface.

Ji Yunshu raised her chin, offering her neck to his sword. At this distance, she could feel his bloodthirsty aura emanating from Soaring Scarlet Sword, ready to plunge it into her throat.

“General Ji, are you going to kill me in the imperial palace?”

“You think I won’t dare?”

“No. You will do it. What could the ferocious Zhangqing General be afraid of? However…” She took a small step forward, pressing her neck on the tip of the sword, but there was no fear in her eyes. She continued. “If you kill me today, you too won’t be able to walk out of the palace.”

Her voice was faint, as if it was coming out from the depth of the abyss and creepily seeping into people’s skin like countless swords suddenly piercing their organs.

Ji Huan took back his sword after thinking through, leaving behind a small wound on her neck.

The truth was she was scared witless, betrayed only by the imperceptible trembling of her hands.

She knew that her bluff almost failed, but Ji Huan was someone who was susceptible to force rather than persuasion. She almost thought she was going to die when he pierced her with Soaring Scarlet.

“You knew I was never afraid of threats. You are Ji Yunshu, the one I want to kill!”

His killing intent burst out with stronger intensity.

Ji Yunshu raised her pointy chin, the gloominess in her eyes was suddenly replaced by gentleness. “Second Brother, I do not want to be enemies with you.” She stated. She finally admitted it.

Being called “Second Brother” made him frown. “I am not your second brother. You killed Yuanzhi and caused grandmother to die from anger. You are a sinner who was already expelled from the Ji family. You don’t deserve to call me brother.”

“Don’t tell me that Second Brother cannot tell right from wrong?” She had a pained expression. “That year, it was you who saved Ji Pei on the battlefield. I am very grateful to you for that, and I also believe you are different from them. Even if you are shouting about killing me, I still believe that you cannot bear to do so. If you truly believe that I caused Third Brother’s death, that’s fine by me. Just cut me with your sword then.” She stared at him firmly. She was betting everything on her conviction that her Second Brother differed from the rest of the Ji family, all of which were cold-hearted.

Although Ji Huan was a muscle-brain, it didn’t mean his brain had a problem. Ji Yuanzhi had killed people first, then he proceeded to commit suicide. It actually had nothing to do with Ji Yunshu, but Yuanzhi was his little brother. He couldn’t turn a blind eye to his death without doing anything. That was why his grief turned into a goal – killing Ji Yunshu. Therefore, he hesitated at the last moment after listening to her.

He was torn inside, and the conflicting emotions showed on his face. The hand holding Soaring Scarlet trembled while his face was flushed. In a well-hidden place, Shi Zhijin was getting restless. If he dared to injure her mistress, she would wring off his head.

“Aaah-” Ji Huan suddenly bellowed.

He madly raised his sword as if he was about to hack Ji Yunshu like a mere vegetable. Ji Yunshu shut her eyes. The sword furiously slashed down, glinting dangerously with a cold light in its course towards Ji Yunshu. Just when she thought she had been sliced in half, nothing happened to her. What was cut in half was the golden mask on her face. The mask split in two; one half fell into the lotus pond and the other fell into the lantern she held. The sudden shift in weight made her drop the lantern.

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