Chapter 89: Mistaken Identity and Impersonation

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Mistaken Identity and Impersonation

Ji Liansong hadn’t even spoken yet when Yang immediately declared it was out of the question.

"Wuan was driven out. She was backed into a corner; if she didn’t find a way to survive, she would’ve starved. We’re different. Your younger uncle is about to become a Scholar! Our family’s fortunes are finally about to turn around. Isn’t it stupid to talk about separating the family now?"

The veins on the back of Ji Mingfang’s clenched fists bulged. "What does it matter to our branch of the family whether he becomes a Scholar or not? Grandma and Grandpa won’t think any higher of us."

"We’re not counting on your grandparents." Yang didn’t know why her son was being so stubborn today. "Our whole family is counting on your fourth uncle. With your leg... in the future, you’ll have to rely on your fourth uncle too..."

"Wife!" Ji Liansong tried to cut Yang off, but it was too late. Ji Mingfang had already heard.

His expression faltered, and his face instantly darkened.

"Ming Fang, Mother didn’t mean it, I..."

"Mother." Ji Mingfang cut off her weak explanation, staring at her as he asked, "It’s one thing for other people to say things like that, but you too...? Do you really not know why my leg is like this?!"

He screamed the last sentence with all his might.

Yang flinched, her entire body trembling. Her first instinct was to cover his mouth. Even though the door was closed, she glanced worriedly in the direction of the main house.

Ji Liansong, on the other hand, was completely bewildered. "Ming Fang, what are you talking about? Wife, didn’t Ming Fang injure his leg in a fall?"

Yang stammered, "I-it was..."

"It wasn’t a fall at all!" Ji Mingfang couldn’t hold it in any longer. Just as he was about to say more, Yang suddenly screamed his name.

When he looked again, he saw her face was ashen, her lips were blue, and she was trembling uncontrollably.

"Mother... you’re my mother, you..."

A sense of helpless despair once again washed over Ji Mingfang. A lump of resentment and bitterness formed in his throat. He looked at his mother, who was now begging him with her eyes, closed his own, and in the end, said nothing.

"I’m tired. I’m going back to my room to sleep."

Watching his dejected figure, Ji Liansong felt a little worried.

"Wife, what on earth is wrong with Ming Fang today? First he brings up separating the family, then he asks about his leg..."

Yang forced a smile. "You know how sensitive he’s always been. He was just joking with you. How could we possibly separate the family? We’ll all have to rely on Fourth Brother in the future."

Ji Liansong frowned. "We do what we’re supposed to do, and it’s not just to curry favor with Fourth Brother. Don’t talk like that in the future, especially not in front of Ming Fang. It hurts him to hear it."

"But Ming Fang is our only son, and with his situation... if we don’t rely on Fourth Brother, then who... Fine, I-I get it. I won’t say it anymore."

Seeing that her husband didn’t approve of her words, Yang turned her back to clear the table, and the topic of separating the family was naturally dropped.

「The next day.」

Tian Jiao and Jiang Wu stood outside the military camp, exchanging stunned, flattered glances.

They thought it would take a great deal of effort to even find the place, but things had turned out to be much smoother than they had imagined.

They had set out before dawn, asking for directions along the way.

They had heard that the area was under martial law recently and no one was allowed near the military camp. Sure enough, while they were still some distance away, they were stopped by a patrol of soldiers.

After a round of questioning, the soldiers confirmed they were just ordinary people trying to do a little business. They didn’t give them too much trouble, just told them to leave quickly.

After coming all this way, how could Tian Jiao leave so easily?

She stepped forward with a radiant smile and showered them with saccharine-sweet flattery.

Her face was starting to ache from smiling, but the soldiers remained as impassive as wooden posts, not reacting at all.

Thinking on her feet, Tian Jiao immediately changed her approach.

She claimed she was there to deliver dehydrated vegetables. She said a Lord from the camp had come to Dafeng Village to pick up a shipment before and had instructed them that for future shipments, they could deliver the goods directly to the camp.

This time, they were just following orders to make a delivery.

The soldiers were clearly aware of the dehydrated vegetables, and their attitude immediately improved.

One of them even smiled and said, "So you’re the reason we can eat fresh greens in the middle of winter..."

He muttered to the person next to him for a moment, and they only faintly heard the phrase "Doctor Zhen’s sister."

Then, Tian Jiao and Jiang Wu were led to an entrance of the camp and told to wait while someone went inside to announce them.

Ordinary folk were usually terrified of soldiers. When would they ever receive such courteous treatment?

Tian Jiao touched her face, secretly delighted. ’My lucky break is finally here,’ she thought.

Jiang Wu, however, was starting to panic, his conscience screaming at him.

He tugged on Tian Jiao’s sleeve and whispered, "Isn’t this wrong...? Ji Huan was the one selling vegetables to the camp before. Aren’t we just tricking them? This is a military camp. What if..."

"What’s there to be afraid of? It’s the same kind of vegetable, so what does it matter who they buy from? Besides, we brought it right to their doorstep, saving them a trip. It’s not like they’re bound to buy only from Ji Huan. Worst-case scenario, if they do make a fuss, we can just say we’re here on Ji Huan’s behalf. What’s the big deal?"

"But..." Jiang Wu still felt this was too deceitful; he couldn’t get over his own conscience.

Before she had managed to snatch Jiang Wu for herself, Tian Jiao had admired his simplicity and integrity. But now that she had him, she found him too honest for his own good.

’With his down-to-earth attitude, when will our family ever get to live a good life?’

"Brother Wu, business and life are two different things. You can’t be too honest in business. If you don’t trick others, you’ll be the one getting tricked. Besides, we’re not hurting anyone. It’s just a few harmless little lies. It’ll be fine, don’t worry."

Tian Jiao was a smooth talker. When words came from her mouth, even nonsense started to sound reasonable.

On one hand, Jiang Wu felt she had a point, but the more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong.

Seeing he was still torn, Tian Jiao shot him a slightly mournful glare.

"Do you not want to see me succeed in business? Are you afraid that if the camp takes my vegetables, they won’t want Ji Huan’s anymore? At the end of the day, she’s still more important to you than I am, isn’t she?"

Jiang Wu felt utterly wronged.

"How could you say that, Jiaojiao? You’re the only one in my heart. Ji Huan and I grew up together, but I’ve never thought of her as anything other than a little sister..."

"You’re not even allowed to see her as a sister!" Tian Jiao ordered in a pouty, flirtatious tone.

Jiang Wu quickly relented. "Okay, okay! Not a sister, not anything. Is that better?"

Only then did Tian Jiao’s pout turn into a smile.

Just as the two were exchanging flirtatious glances, a man came rushing out of the camp.

The man looked left and right, then, after locking onto his target, he charged straight toward them, shouting "Sister!"

He was moving so fast that he nearly stumbled when he tried to stop.

"Sis, I missed you like crazy!"

He shouted enthusiastically, his arms spread wide for a hug.

But when he saw that it was a stranger standing in front of him, his face fell.

"Who are you? Where’s my sister?"

Tian Jiao had only ever seen Zhen Jili’s carriage from a distance when he visited Dafeng Village, so she didn’t recognize him in person.

She felt a little put out; this was the first time a man had ever given her such a cold look.

But she knew what was important. She quickly composed herself, took a step forward, and greeted him with a smile, "Lord..."

Zhen Jili completely ignored her.

He ran a short distance ahead, and when he didn’t see anyone, he turned back and asked the soldier who had delivered the message and was now catching up.

"Didn’t you say my sister was here to see me? Where is she?"