Chapter 417: Unorthodox Tactics, No Chance to Speak

Ji Qingwu had confirmed Lan Ling’s identity only after asking Ji Changlin about her childhood.

’But does Lan Ling know she’s the full-blooded sister of the Fourth Prince of Xijin, Yu Wen Tianqing?’

Ji Qingwu trusted her elder brother not to leak the information.

’Her initial deduction was that Lan Ling hadn’t known her own identity before entering Black Wind Village.’

However, she had just heard Wei Ting say that the men at Black Wind Village belonged to the Fourth Prince of Xijin, Yu Wen Tianqing.

It was very likely that someone had secretly contacted Lan Ling. After learning her identity, she must have deliberately concealed her whereabouts.

Having figured this out, Ji Qingwu turned to the person standing beside her.

"Si Hai, do you have a way to get me out of here now?"

Si Hai hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Miss Ji, the guards outside right now are all soldiers from the Northern Border. To be honest..."

’It’s actually safer not to run.’

Of course, Ji Qingwu understood this.

But it would be far easier to expose her identity in front of Wei Ting. Besides, on a personal level, she wanted nothing more to do with him.

She could only imagine the spectacular expression on Emperor Wu Su’s face if she were to arrive at the Northern Border with Wei Ting.

Si Hai was about to offer a few more words of persuasion when he heard Ji Qingwu say softly, "Wei Ting is here too."

Si Hai: "..."

Ji Qingwu said in a troubled voice, "If I’m taken away by Wei Ting, won’t we be in an even worse situation?"

It wasn’t just her; Si Hai would suffer along with her.

Without another word, Si Hai began digging the hole in the roof, making it bigger and wider.

Ji Qingwu smiled. "That’s more like it. We’ll slip out now while there’s chaos."

But digging a hole in the roof, no matter how carefully, could not be done in complete silence. The soldiers at the door heard the noise.

Si Hai immediately ducked behind the eaves to hide. ’I still have a chance in a two-on-one fight,’ he thought.

Just as the soldiers were about to look up to check on the situation, Ji Qingwu pushed open the door and shouted, "I want to see your General!"

The knockout powder in her sleeve was ready. She just had to wait for them to be caught off guard and turn around before she threw it.

One soldier said, "The General is not someone you can see just because you want to!"

Ji Qingwu’s foot was already on the threshold.

"Fine, I don’t have to see him. The child is hungry, and his mother isn’t here. I need to go out and find some goat’s milk, or some rice paste or rice flour."

The soldier said sternly, "No. No matter what it is, you cannot go out without the General’s order."

Ji Qingwu said anxiously, "If this child starves and something happens to him, how can I help your General put on his act? How will Black Wind Village be persuaded to surrender?"

Hearing her guess Wei Ting’s intentions, astonishment filled the two soldiers’ eyes. Ji Qingwu’s hand, which she had kept down, quietly rose.

Suddenly, a leisurely male voice drifted over.

"You needn’t worry about that."

Ji Qingwu quickly stuffed the knockout powder in her palm back into her sleeve.

Under a tree not far away, a figure was moving lightly, heading toward them.

From the voice alone, Ji Qingwu knew it was Wei Ting.

When had he appeared under the tree? If he hadn’t spoken up, no one would have noticed him.

Ji Qingwu could only pray that Wei Ting had just arrived, that he hadn’t noticed Si Hai on the roof, and that her identity was still safe.

"General!" the two soldiers said respectfully in unison.

Ji Qingwu also lowered her head slightly.

Wei Ting walked up to them and looked at the gray corner of her clothing, fluttering in the cold wind.

"It’s cold out here. Let’s talk inside."

A chill ran down Ji Qingwu’s spine when she heard that. His tone was far too friendly.

After she entered the room, she first glanced at the roof.

Si Hai had long since retreated, but he had left behind a hole big enough for one person to pass through.

After Wei Ting entered the room, he happened to sit right under the hole where the tiles were missing.

He said with a puzzled look, "Why is it so cold in this room? The north isn’t like Lin’an, where it’s spring all year round, but it’s not deep winter yet."

Ji Qingwu replied, "Perhaps the General stood at the door for too long and hasn’t had a chance to warm up yet."

Wind whistled through the hole overhead, pouring into the room; she could even feel the draft through the collar on the back of her neck.

In truth, all Wei Ting had to do was look up, and the whole charade would be over.

But he seemed not to notice, nodding and saying, "Is that so? That makes some sense."

Wei Ting picked up the kettle in the room and poured a cup of water, only to find there was just a little left at the bottom, and the water that came out was full of limescale and dregs.

Wei Ting furrowed his brow and said to the men at the door, "Boil a kettle of clean water, and bring some hot food."

He looked at the thin quilt on the wooden bed and said, "And bring a thick quilt."

The two soldiers at the door acknowledged the order and left.

Ji Qingwu’s sense of foreboding reached its peak. He was being so kind and easygoing. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

She asked, "General, when can I leave?"

Wei Ting’s just-relaxed eyebrows immediately furrowed even tighter.

"Where do you want to go?"

Without a second thought, Ji Qingwu said, "I was on my way to Longzhou with my husband to find work. Our carriage was ambushed by bandits along the way. Thankfully, we ran into you, General, and were able to escape."

When Wei Ting heard she had a husband, the corners of his mouth stiffened for a moment before that irksome smile reappeared.

"Your husband? How come I haven’t seen him?"

Ji Qingwu was familiar with that expression of his—one of complete, confident control.

In reality, Wei Ting had already seen Si Hai moving tiles on the roof. He was now playing dumb, planning to trick her into talking.

When talking to someone intelligent, sometimes you don’t need to spin too many lies to cover things up.

Ji Qingwu said bluntly, "General, if you’d just look up, you’ll see this roof is drafty. My husband did that. He was worried about me and came all the way back from the caravan just to rescue me."

Wei Ting stared into her eyes.

The round-faced peasant woman before him was suddenly being so direct. Wei Ting’s suspicions actually began to subside.

Wei Ting himself didn’t know why, after making a deal with the Hu Brothers, he had come to the courtyard where this peasant woman was being held.

He had indeed seen a shadow moving tiles on the roof, but it was far away and late at night, so he could only make out the timid-looking figure of a man.

Perhaps he was bewitched; he actually wanted to hear this village woman speak a few more words to him.

Wei Ting said, "Your husband treats you well, willing to risk danger to save you. But without my command, if you step out of this courtyard, you’ll still be a wanted person."

The light in the room was dim. Wei Ting looked down at her, trying to see her reaction.

Ji Qingwu could smell the scent of pine on him. She immediately took a step back, pretending to be afraid, her whole body trembling.

"General, the way you say that, it’s as if we’ve committed some terrible crime."

Seeing her tremble, Wei Ting reached out to steady her, but she dodged his hand.

Ji Qingwu stared at his hand. "General, what is the meaning of this?"

Wei Ting’s hand froze in mid-air.

Ji Qingwu said, as if in sudden realization, "My husband may not be as powerful as you, General, but you can’t bully me like this."

Wei Ting opened his mouth. "I’m not—"

Ji Qingwu didn’t give him a chance to speak, simply plopping down on the floor.