"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 97

 Having heard what was said, Ji Ling Xue felt disappointed, turning away from Xiao Yi Chen's gloomy mood, she brought people with her as she searched in the area.

Xiao Yi Chen stood on the spot with the wind blowing at him, his line of sight moving with Ji Ling Xue, suddenly he said to the subordinate beside him: "Go call Chi Feng over."

A moment later, Chi Feng stood in front of Xiao Yi Chen brow beaded with sweat and panting, "Prince, you asked for me?"

His eyelids felt tight in a bad feeling, could the princess have complained to the prince, told him he was incapable of his job?

"I told you to investigate the expert by the princess's side, what's the outcome?" Xiao Yi Chen let out his majestic aura, Chi Feng forehead broke out in cold sweat.

Under pressure, Chi Feng very quickly said: "Prince, I have already searched the entire residence's records about the expert by the princess's side but found nothing, I fear he is not from the capital, and should expand the search parameters."

In short he was still investigating, it made Xiao Yi Chen deeply question Chi Feng's abilities.

Xiao Yi Chen changed topics: "The princess came across you at the bottom of the mountain?"

Chi Feng's heart tightened, seriously wondering if Ji Ling Xue had really complained to Xiao Yi Chen for him to become a butcher.

Chi Feng was about to explain with a forehead of cold sweat when he saw Xiao Yi Chen continue, "Did you see who rescued the princess?"

Chi Feng was stunned, only after a while did he reply: "I was guarding at the entrance of the mountain, I didn't see who came down the mountain with the princess...didn't prince rescue the princess?" Chi Feng looked at Xiao Yi Chen with a face of pity, that look seemed to say, such a great heroic rescue of a damsel in distress, how could you have missed it?

Not getting the answer he wanted, Xiao Yi Chen turned even colder, waving Chi Feng away, he followed in the direction Ji Ling Xue left in.

Chi Feng stroked his head standing there in the wind, after a while he still didn't understand what was going on with Xiao Yi Chen.

Ji Ling Xue searched more than half of the top of the mountain with the men, and had deliberately looked out for any markers he may have left on the branches, regretfully she didn't see a single marker, if it wasn't for the faint sharp pains from her feet, she was beginning to worry if she had a kidnapping dream.

Standing at the top of the mountain, Ji Ling Xue looked at the marble white colour of the dawn sky in the east, her mind calming down, since the man in the mask had come to her rescue in the mask, he didn't want his identity to be known, his martial arts is excellent, even if injured he would be able to escape easily, that perverted third prince had already left, he of course had also left, it would be a waste of effort for her to continue searching. 

Ji Ling Xue's eyes met the clouds dyed red by the sunlight uttering, "This time I owe you a life, Ru Ge."

That's right, this was the man who had taken the risk to rescue her with a devil mask, she had never imagined him to be the first person to save her.

"What are you saying to yourself?" Xiao Yi Chen's melancholic voice came from behind her.

Ji Ling Xue didn't turn her head, she only looked ahead stretching out her arms in a stretch, "Nothing, the weather is very good!"

Xiao Yi Chen walked to Ji Ling Xue's side looking at the rose-tinted sky on the horizon shoulder to shoulder, this was the first time he enjoyed such a beautiful scene, not only because his mood was good.

Even though he didn't capture the third prince, when Ji Ling Xue and the man in the mask had escaped, before he could catch him he had already accepted his miscalculation, immediately retreating with his men, it was most important to preserve his strength, when he had brought his own men to give chase, the third prince and the others had already disappeared without a trace through the secret tunnel.

He hadn't completely lost out during this trip to the mountain, he hadn't captured Dayan's third prince, but had swept away all the money and valuables hidden in the mountain, he had decided to hand everything over to the state treasury.

Xiao Yi Chen tilted his head to look at Ji Ling Xue beside him, the sunshine warmly shone on her face, making her look even more gentle, for the first time Xiao Yi Chen's earnestly looked at Ji Ling Xue, even though her face wasn't devastatingly beautiful but it was impossible to overlook, maybe it was a tenderness cultivated from being kept at home.

He knew, Ji Ling Xue wasn't a flower in a greenhouse, as demonstrated by her escaping this kidnapping in one piece, her strong personality fascinated him.

"Ji Ling Xue..." Xiao Yi Chen suddenly called her full name.

Ji Ling Xue tilted her head, "Yes?"

Xiao Yi Chen suddenly took Ji Ling Xue's wrist, not waiting for Ji Ling Xue to say anything, he quickly pushed something into her hand, then released her, giving a cough he said: "The sun is coming up the mountain, we've been out here for a night, we ought to go back." After speaking he left first.

Ji Ling Xue covered the hand that had just been held by Xiao Yi Chen, seeing the warm jade bracelet on her wrist.

Ji Ling Xue: This jade bracelet must cost a bit?

Ji Ling Xue had just thought this when she heard Xiao Yi Chen's assertive command like voice: "You cannot pawn the jade bracelet and can't take it off!"

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, how did Xiao Yi Chen know what she was thinking, was he a mind reader?

Ji Ling Xue shook the jade bracelet on her wrist, turning around she followed him down the mountain.

There was no carriage to sit in to return to the capital city, Ji Ling Xue could only ride the same horse as Xiao Yi Chen back to the residence. The residence was already in complete chaos, Ji Yu Qing had heard Xiao Yi Chen and Ji Ling Xue had not returned overnight, she was so anxious she didn't sleep at all, in the morning she brought Zi Ye and Zi Su to welcome Xiao Yi Chen at the gates.

On horseback, with bright eyes Ji Ling Xue could see the anxiously waiting Ji Yu Qing wearing red silk at the gates of the residence, she turned her head to say to Xiao Yi Chen behind her: "Younger sister has been waiting at home for you the entire night, look at her eyes, dark circles have come out, it's clear she really cares for you!"

Xiao Yi Chen glanced at Ji Ling Xue, replying: "If you weren't kidnapped, this prince wouldn't have spent the night looking for you right?"

Ji Ling Xue choked on her words, he made it sound like everything was her fault, did she choose to be kidnapped and taken hostage?

Ji Ling Xue turned around and flipped off the horse, not caring about how dark Xiao Yi Chen's face was behind her, she entered the residence.

"Older sister..." Ji Yu Qing wanted to greet her, acting out their sisterly love in front of Xiao Yi Chen, unfortunately Ji Ling Xue left too quickly.

Ji Yu Qing looked at Ji Ling Xue's disappearing back, then looked at Xiao Yi Chen's face, guessing the two of them had argued, could Ji Ling Xue have lost her chastity during her kidnapping, thus the two of them had been in confrontation?

Ji Yu Qing shook her head, if it really was as she imagined, Ji Ling Xue ought to have committed suicide to proof her innocence instead of coming back to the residence with Xiao Yi Chen.

Xiao Yi Chen walked to Ji Yu Qing, looking her up and down he asked: "The residence is fine?"

Ji Yu Qing regained her thoughts and nodded saying: "Prince be assured, even though you and older sister were not in the residence, I was still here." This was the moment for her to show off her importance.

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, entering the residence without saying anything else, he returned to his room to change into a new outfit before entering the palace.

Ji Ling Xue's kidnapping yesterday had attracted a lot of attention, even though Xiao Yi Mo was in the depths of the palace, news however travelled very efficently.

Xiao Yi Mo was very pleased with Xiao Yi Chen's harvest, immediately bestowing fifty private soldiers to protect the prince's residence, and gave Xiao Yi Chen complete control over the capital's defence, a lot more foreigners had appeared in the capital city, the defence of the capital city was a problem. Today he received news of Dayans assassination attempt on prince Chen, maybe tomorrow these Dayans would infiltrate into the palace.

After Ji Ling Xue returned to the residence she secretly sent someone to look out for Ru Ge, but there was no news at all. That's right, the person in the mask who took the risk to rescue her from the mountains was Ru Ge. Thus his sudden disappearance made Ji Ling Xue restless for many days, and the set date for when she and Ji Yu Qing was going to pray at the Guanyin temple drew closer, Ji Ling Xue became even busier.

The kidnapping made Ji Ling Xue aware of something, even though she had people protecting her, she should still carry more self-defence weapons on her for emergencies. Her and Mo Xiang shut themselves in the room researching several kinds of poisons. 

Xiao Yi Chen sat on the sandalwood chair in his study, two secret guards who watched over the study were kneeling on the floor.

Xiao Yi Chen asked: "Did anything peculiar happen in the residence last night?"

A secret guard said: "It was the same as usual, only imperial concubine would ask the housekeeper from time to time when prince and princess would return."

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Has anyone been in the study recently?"

A secret guard said: "No."

Xiao Yi Chen tilted his head looking in the direction of the brush pot with a slight frown, the position of the brush pot had moved, clearly someone had been here, yet the secret guards said no one had come, unless they had snuck in while they were changing shifts, only people in the residence would be aware of when they changed shifts...

Xiao Yi Chen waved his hand, indicating for the two guards to leave, he searched his room for a while, but didn't notice anything missing.

Xiao Yi Chen who had left the study stood in the corridor looking directly ahead, from his angle, he could see the window of Ji Ling Xue's room, a candle light flickered, Ji Ling Xue's silhouette reflected on the window.

Xiao Yi Chen watched for a while, turning around he headed to Ji Yu Qing's courtyard.

Xiao Yi Chen had just left, Ji Ling Xue's window was pushed open, Mo Xiang stood at the window following Xiao Yi Chen's figure with her eyes, mumbling: "Mistress, prince is going to the imperial concubine."

Ji Ling Xue had her head lowered studying the red liquid in her hand, she had just tried it on a white rabbit, testing out the properties of this poison, having heard what was said she looked at Mo Xiang who had come back after closing the window.

Ji Ling Xue said: "He is the master of the residence, I have no right to control where he goes."

Having heard what was said, Mo Xiang's forehead broke out into cold sweat, "Princess, why aren't you angry at all, prince is your husband." Her princess was too virtuous and kind, if it was her, she wouldn't be able to stand a grain of sand in her eyes.

Ji Ling Xue rolled her eyes, for the first time she thought Mo Xiang was too concerned with her private life, her and Xiao Yi Chen were at most only husband and wife in name, it was better for them to mind their own businesses.

Mo Xiang looked at Xiao Yi Chen with worry, a worry that was concerned about what to do after her mistress had lost favour.

Nightfall, after bathing Ji Ling Xue laid comfortably on the bed, suddenly a breeze blew open the window, a black shadow floating in, the person only stood by the window silently looking at Ji Ling Xue who had now sat up on the bed.

Ji Ling Xue held two threads in her hands, this was her self-protection, so long as she moves a little, the poison powder at the other end of the red thread would be released, this poison powder was a new invention of hers, with one inhale an ordinary person would be subdued, if it was a martial art expert, it would require maybe ten breathes.

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, it was very dark in the room, she looked at the other person's height figuring out their identity, "Ru Ge?"