Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 436 She loves him, he loves her

"In fact, even he himself may not know what love really is."

The woman's emotions had been stirred, and she couldn't help but speak up:

"Why do you speak so absolutely, as if you are the only one in the world who can see this clearly?"

"Then tell me, what is love?"

Lin Zhiqing gripped the jade flute tightly in her hand:

"Only you know what love is, but it is never about control, obsession, or harm."

Upon hearing this, the woman slowly lowered her head and remained silent for a moment.

She began to think.

Lin Zhiqing did not notice that Jiang Liuyun, who was next to the woman, slightly moved his fingers.

All her attention was on the woman, and when she saw that the woman wasn't paying attention to her, she quickly picked up the jade flute.

But the expected flute music did not sound the next moment.

The jade flute was held tightly in a pair of large hands, unable to move an inch.

Lin Zhiqing closed her eyes, her heart sinking.

Jiang Liuyun stared at Lin Zhiqing without saying a word, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Even Lin Zhiqing didn't understand how he woke up.

Could it be that he was provoked by what she just said?

Unlike Lin Zhiqing's reaction, when the woman realized that Jiang Liuyun had woken up, her first reaction was to turn around and leave.

Jiang Liuyun spoke calmly: "Jinniang."

The woman named Jinniang paused.

Lin Zhiqing's eyes darted around, and just as she was about to speak, Jiang Liuyun spoke again:

"What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like this?"

These words were clearly not spoken to Lin Zhiqing.

His eyes were on Lin Zhiqing, but his mind was on Jinniang.

Jinniang froze.

Lin Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. What did that mean?
Jiang Liuyun closed his eyes:
"Wan Jin was born into a farming family in Qianzhou. She was sold into a brothel and became a courtesan. She met me on her way to escape and followed me back to Cangxianglou."

"Jinniang, is this really you?"

“My Jinniang doesn’t know martial arts, nor does she speak in such a cold tone.”

Jiang Liuyun heard everything Lin Zhiqing and the others said.

Lin Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what does this mean?"
So Jiang Liuyun didn't know his wife at all? Jinniang's identity has been exposed?

Before she could think it through, Jinniang spoke up:

"As you can see, I have my reasons."

"Difficulties?" Jiang Liuyun reached out and pinched Lin Zhiqing's chin, then threw the pills he had just taken into Lin Zhiqing's mouth.

No, what does this have to do with me... Lin Zhiqing's body went limp, and she slowly sat down along the city wall.

Only after making sure Lin Zhiqing was incapacitated did Jiang Liuyun turn to Jinniang and raise his voice:

"Is this why you approached me on my father's orders?"

"How did you know?" Jinniang was taken aback.

Jiang Liuyun sneered: "Have you always treated me like a fool?"

"What other reason do you have for showing up at Xuanwu Gate at this time, besides rescuing my father?"

“My Zhenyuan Marquis’s mansion was reduced to ashes, yet you did not abandon me and were even willing to give me what I had given you. I was very moved.”

"But now I realize that keeping you by my side was probably a task my father gave you."

Lin Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. Wait, did this father and son really need to be so calculating? And why did they even have someone watching their own son?

Upon hearing Jiang Liuyun's words, Jinniang unconsciously took two steps back: "The Marquis is doing this for your own good..."

"Shut up!" Jiang Liuyun suddenly became somewhat agitated:
"I don't want to hear that. I just want you to tell me one thing: you weren't sent by my father to spy on me." Jinniang opened her mouth, but couldn't bring herself to say "no."

Because she was indeed under Jiang Yunhe's command, and she was indeed tasked with getting close to and monitoring Jiang Liuyun.

"I'm sorry." A gust of cold wind blew by, and she only said these two words.

Jiang Liuyun closed his eyes:
"You lied to me! Why did you lie to me? You're all I have left!"

"Just me?" Jinniang smiled. "You're joking. If it's just me, what's with Lin Zhiqing behind you?"

“She is different from you,” Jiang Liuyun said without hesitation.

“Different, different.” Jinniang murmured twice, then shook her head:
"They are indeed different."

"Before you made up your mind, you just gave me a sum of money to get rid of me, but you wanted to take her away!"

She pointed at Lin Zhiqing, a hint of resentment in her eyes:
"But why, my love, when I've always been by your side?"

"Even if my motives weren't pure at first, I still spent many years with you. Why did you think of taking another woman away when you were desperate?"

Jinniang's question immediately froze Jiang Liuyun in place.

His mind was in turmoil, and he didn't even know why he had made that decision.

He hoped that Jinniang could live a good life.

But Lin Zhiqing looked back, his heart filled with complex emotions.

He thought, just as Lin Zhiqing said, they were destined enemies, destined to be entangled for a lifetime.

Sometimes, silence is already a form of answer.

Jinniang silently wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes:

"The reason the Marquis sent me to your side was simply because he was afraid that you would fall in love with your nominal fiancée and be difficult to control."

"But he never expected that even with me around, you would still fall in love with Lin Zhiqing."

"However, your love came too late."

"Perhaps you don't even realize it yourself, but you've suddenly started talking about Lin Zhiqing all the time."

Jinniang's smile was somewhat bitter.

Jiang Liuyun stood still, without saying a word.

He understood what Jinniang meant, but he couldn't understand his own heart.

He loved Jinniang, and he also loved Lin Zhiqing.

But this is different.

Even he himself couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

"You hesitated." Jinniang's smile became even more strained:

"So, you and I are the same kind of people."

Jinniang's voice returned to its previous coldness:
"I love you, but I still have my mission to complete."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liuyun's expression changed:
"Did your father give you the order?"

“Of course.” Jinniang tilted her head: “Isn’t the reason why the Marquis has come to this point because of her?”

It goes without saying who this "she" refers to.

Lin Zhiqing frowned. Why was it her business again?

"What do you want to do?" Jiang Liuyun lowered his voice.

Jinniang bypassed Jiang Liuyun and said, "From the beginning, my mission was to eliminate the factors that made you out of control."

In other words, she wanted to kill Lin Zhiqing.

Lin Zhiqing frowned: "Instead of killing me, you should think about how to save Jiang Yunhe."

"Miss Lin is so clever and quick-witted, doesn't she know that we secret guards are the ones whose targets are the clearest?"

"My mission has never changed, and it will not change even if the Marquis dies."

"I'm going to kill you!" After saying that, her eyes changed instantly.

She stretched out her hand, and a white silk ribbon flew out from her sleeve, heading straight for Lin Zhiqing's face with lightning speed.