Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Ji Hanyi turned at the sound of Xie Jin’s voice and saw her approaching, her expression as haughty as ever.

In just a few quick steps, Xie Jin stopped in front of her. The first thing she did was sneer. “I heard you moved out of the Gu Residence.”

Ji Hanyi glanced at her. “How did you know?”

Xie Jin’s face darkened slightly as she gritted her teeth.

After everything that had happened to her brother, they had discovered that the wretched Li Mingrou had been drugging him for three years. Even after they summoned an Imperial Physician from the palace, they were told that he could barely perform in bed anymore without the aid of medicine.

The entire Xie Residence had been thrown into chaos. Even after Li Mingrou was locked up, she refused to settle down and spent every day weeping and making a scene.

Today, Xie Jin had accompanied her mother to the Gu Family to bring Ji Hanyi back. Her brother had wound up in such a state and now spent his days as listless as a ghost. What other woman would be willing to marry him? Ji Hanyi was their only option.

Besides, Ji Hanyi was surely living a miserable life after the divorce. She might even be deeply grateful for the chance to return. But when they arrived, the gatekeeper at the Gu Residence told them that Ji Hanyi no longer lived there.

Xie Jin studied Ji Hanyi coldly. Ji Hanyi also had a mother in poor health, so the Gu Family had probably grown sick of her too.

It made sense when she thought about it. What family would be willing to support a widow and a divorced woman for the rest of their lives? It would have been stranger if they had not thrown them out.

But this was for the best. Now Ji Hanyi had no choice but to obediently return to the Xie Family with her. It would also stop her brother from spending every day dwelling on how good Ji Hanyi had been to him.

These days, Xie Yuheng kept himself shut in his room. Aside from reporting for duty, all he did was come straight home. He went nowhere else and refused to answer no matter who spoke to him. He had become far gloomier, leaving the Old Madam worried sick.

The Old Madam had also stripped Xie Jin’s mother of her authority over the household and handed it to Xie Jin’s Third Aunt. Her father had declared that he would divorce her mother when he returned at the end of the year. Her mother had gone crying to beg the Old Madam, who said that as long as she could persuade Ji Hanyi to return willingly and restore the household to how it had once been, she would intercede for her.

Their only option now was to get Ji Hanyi back.

Xie Jin did not answer Ji Hanyi’s question. She merely sneered again. “When you were in such a hurry to get divorced, I thought you must have had somewhere else to go. Who would have guessed that even the Gu Family would throw you out?”

As she spoke, she looked Ji Hanyi up and down. Ji Hanyi was dressed in plain, subtly patterned clothes that appeared somewhat worn, and there was nothing in her hair but a single silver hairpin.

The sight made Xie Jin even more smug.

Seeing Ji Hanyi living poorly offered her some comfort. Ji Hanyi had turned the Xie Residence upside down; she could not be allowed to walk away completely unscathed.

Ji Hanyi regarded Xie Jin coldly and gave a faint sneer. “If Eldest Young Lady Xie stopped me merely to say all this, then this conversation is truly pointless.”

Xie Jin’s expression changed slightly. She could not believe that Ji Hanyi, reduced to her current circumstances, still dared to speak to her like this.

Through gritted teeth, she said, “I’m giving you an opportunity. As long as you know what’s good for you, you can return to the Xie Residence.”

Even Rongchun, standing beside Ji Hanyi, felt as though she had just heard the greatest joke in the world.

Ji Hanyi’s slender brows drew together as she gazed coolly at Xie Jin’s haughty expression. It was clear Xie Jin’s mind was perfectly sound. She truly believed Ji Hanyi ought to be grateful for the chance to return.

Xie Jin had always been like this. As the Eldest Young Lady, everyone in the residence had once fawned over her. Her husband was also the Commander of the Northern Pacification Office, so plenty of people curried favor with her outside the household as well. It had convinced her that the whole world ought to revolve around her.

In the past, Ji Hanyi had yielded to Xie Jin because she was a daughter of the Xie Family. She had maintained a facade of civility, unwilling to make things too ugly.

But now, Ji Hanyi had no intention of maintaining any sort of harmony with her.

She looked at Xie Jin indifferently. “I don’t know how you can bring yourself to say such things, but unless you’ve lost your memory, you should know I have nothing to do with the Xie Family anymore.”

“I told Xie Yuheng long ago that I never go back once I’ve left. Please stop pestering me.”

Without sparing Xie Jin another glance, Ji Hanyi climbed straight into the carriage.

Xie Jin’s furious voice came from outside, but they were in public, and she had always cared more about appearances than anything else. She did not dare hurl her abuse too loudly. Ji Hanyi could already imagine the look on her face.

In truth, Ji Hanyi had never wanted her falling-out with the Xie Family to become too bitter. Xie Jin’s husband was the Commander of the Northern Pacification Office. If Xie Jin decided to take revenge, any pretext she invented could plunge both Ji Hanyi and the Gu Residence into dire straits.

That was how things worked in the capital. In the face of overwhelming power, those with no one behind them and nothing to rely on had nowhere even to seek justice.

Given Xie Jin’s character, she might truly be capable of such things.

Ji Hanyi simply ordered the carriage to continue forward, then pulled Rongchun back as she tried to stick her head outside and make a face.

Thwarted before she could do so, Rongchun felt rather disgruntled. She was just about to speak when Ji Hanyi said, “Don’t say anything yet.”

Rongchun froze. She saw Ji Hanyi looking toward the road behind the carriage and could not help asking, “What are you looking at, Miss?”
Ji Hanyi lowered her voice. “Xie Jin’s carriage is following us.”

Rongchun was so frightened that every hair on her body stood on end. “Why is she following us?”

Remembering what Xie Jin had said earlier, Ji Hanyi replied, “Whatever she wants, we can’t let her find out where we’re living now.”

With that, Ji Hanyi ordered the driver to head toward the northern quarter. Its countless streets and alleys were mostly home to common folk rather than wealthy families, making it much easier to shake off a pursuer there.

Xie Jin’s carriage had been following them closely, but once they entered the crowded streets and alleys in the north of the city, it became difficult to keep up.

After Ji Hanyi’s carriage turned another corner, Xie Jin lost sight of it completely.

Unable to contain her fury, Xie Jin kicked the carriage seat. A moment later, however, she calmed down and let out a cold laugh.

Her husband had so many Jinyiwei under his command, with Operations Commandant officers stationed throughout the city. Surely finding Ji Hanyi in the northern quarter could not be that difficult.

Xie Jin composedly straightened her cuffs, then leisurely ordered her driver to take her home.

Meanwhile, Ji Hanyi returned to the courtyard. Although she had shaken off Xie Jin, her heart was still pounding with lingering fear.

She knew that if Xie Jin asked Lu Yuan for help, the Jinyiwei’s reach extended everywhere. They would find her sooner or later.

Whatever Xie Jin or the Xie Family wanted with her, Ji Hanyi did not want them disrupting her life again.

Ji Hanyi could not help glancing to the side.

What if she asked Shen Si for help?

Or perhaps she should leave the capital ahead of schedule and set out for Wei County as soon as possible.

Still weighed down by these worries, Ji Hanyi headed to her mother’s room. Before she entered, she heard her mother coughing softly, followed by her frail voice. “Don’t tell Hanyi that I’ve caught another chill. I don’t want her worrying about me again.”

Ji Hanyi’s hand paused just as she was about to lift the curtain.

Chunju’s worried voice came from inside. “Madam’s health is even worse than it used to be. What are we going to do? All she did was travel here from the Gu Residence, yet a little exposure to the wind has already left her coughing with a headache again. Wei County is so far away. What if something happens on the journey?”

Madam Gu replied softly, “I know what Hanyi is thinking. She wants to take me to Wei County so we can live a better life. In any case, going there would be better than staying with my eldest sister-in-law and enduring her mistreatment.”

“Besides, if we remain in the capital, the Xie Family might come looking for trouble again.”

“She has considered everything so carefully. She’s not the same as she used to be. In the past, she would always curl up in my arms and act spoiled. Now she wants to protect me. How could I break her heart?”

“Our journey was delayed because of me last time. I can’t let that happen again. My health is nothing to worry about. We’ll leave as soon as I feel a little better.”

Ji Hanyi’s hand froze in midair. Her eyes reddened and filled with tears, and she silently turned away.

She sat in the pavilion in the rear courtyard, leaning against the railing as she stared blankly at the emerald-green water below.

She was trying to decide what to do.

What choice would allow her to protect both her mother and the life they wanted?

By then, the sky had begun to darken, but Ji Hanyi still had no desire to move. Even when a cool breeze swept over her, she did not feel cold.

Standing nearby, Rongchun said, “The sky is darkening quickly. It looks like rain.”

Early spring always brought plenty of rain. Ji Hanyi merely gave a soft murmur of acknowledgment.

As she remained lost in thought, a quiet voice called from behind her, “Cousin Yi.”

Ji Hanyi started and turned around. Gu Yan was standing beside her, looking down at her.

“When did you arrive, Cousin?” Ji Hanyi asked.

Gu Yan smiled. “I’ve been here for a while. I went to see Aunt first. I thought you hadn’t returned yet, but when I stopped by the kitchen to put something away, Matron Wang told me she’d seen you. So I came here to look for you.”

Ji Hanyi nodded, then turned back toward the pond.

Gu Yan sat beside her and handed her a letter. “It’s from your Second Uncle.”

Only then did Ji Hanyi hurriedly turn and accept it.

When she unfolded the letter, she saw that Second Uncle was asking whether she had set out yet. He also inquired after her mother’s illness, mentioning that Wei County was home to a renowned elderly doctor whom they could invite to examine her mother once she arrived.

The letter also said that Second Aunt had recently been planting crabapple trees in the rear courtyard with her older cousin’s wife because her mother liked them. He had even asked which dishes Ji Hanyi enjoyed so Second Aunt could learn to prepare them for her.

Wei County was quite far from the capital, Ji Hanyi thought. Second Uncle probably had not received the letter she had sent before writing another one to her.

As she read, her eyes began to sting with tears.

Gu Yan silently watched her expression. When he saw the skin around her eyes begin to redden, he placed a white handkerchief in her hand.

He said softly, “If Cousin Yi wishes to return to Wei County, I can go with Cousin Yi.”

Ji Hanyi froze, then looked up at Gu Yan in astonishment. “Cousin Yan, you have such promising prospects in the capital. Why would you go to Wei County? Besides, Second Maternal Aunt would never agree.”

Gu Yan met Ji Hanyi’s gaze, his narrow eyes calm and steadfast. “You don’t need to worry about that, Cousin Yi. I’ve been trying to make use of a few connections lately. Every March, the imperial court selects candidates through Grace Tribute and Annual Tribute recommendations. I’ll see if I can find a way to secure a post as an assistant official in Wei County.”

“Even if I can’t, I could still teach there.”