Chapter 37 : Lord Jiang pays for you

After returning to Wushan City, Ji Yu’s life remained largely unchanged, still living a secluded life.

After resting for over half a month, her health was gradually improving. Her complexion, once pale and translucent, had become more radiant and clear, with a visible improvement in her overall appearance.

Old Lady Ji was naturally delighted to see this change.

“Ji Yu , is your health…?” She gazed intently at her granddaughter, struggling to contain her excitement.

Ji Yu smiled and nodded, saying, “It’s actually because Jiang Shiqiu has helped conceal my fate…”

She had a yin ghost fate, with excessive yin energy in her body, making her naturally prone to attracting demons and evil spirits.

Because of this fate, she had been cursed from birth, becoming a vessel chosen by demons and because of the curse and the persistent corpse poison in her body, her life was destined to be frail and illness-ridden, marked by countless sufferings and not living as a normal person would.

Old Lady Ji was stunned upon hearing this.

“Really?” She asked, her face full of disbelief.

Ji Yu nodded, “Yes, it’s true. Grandmother should understand that without this, my health would never improve in this lifetime.”

When her mother, Ji Lan, was pregnant, she accidentally contracted corpse poison. Despite the Ji family’s best efforts, they couldn’t save her.

Ji Yu was naturally affected, with residual corpse poison in her body at birth. Moreover, with her yin ghost fate and the curse… all these factors combined, even the Ji family could not eliminate the corpse poison.

For so many years, she had lived in such a sickly state.

Old Lady Ji’s expression was complex. Although she harbored deep suspicions about Jiang Shiqiu, she had to admit that it was because of him that her granddaughter had a glimmer of hope.

Fortune and misfortune were intertwined, and the outcome was unpredictable.

What kind of being was this that could achieve such a feat?

Old Lady Ji’s doubts about Jiang Shiqiu’s identity deepened.

After a long pause, she suppressed her emotions and said, “In that case, we should indeed thank Lord Jiang.”

Ji Yu smiled and replied, “Indeed.”

Old Lady Ji couldn’t help but glance at her again, her emotions difficult to describe.

As someone with experience, she could see the subtle hints of affection between her granddaughter and that supreme being. They seemed like a couple in this world.

Ji Yu was raised by her, and she knew her granddaughter’s character well. She understood that Ji Yu  was a person who valued emotions and righteousness. Given that the marriage was arranged by the elders, she would likely not reject it forever.

But what about Jiang Shiqiu?

Demons were known to be cunning and cruel, devoid of humanity’s emotions and desires, let alone love.

Old Lady Ji couldn’t judge whether Jiang Shiqiu’s apparent affection for Ji Yu was genuine or merely a façade of the demon, or if one day he might reveal his true nature and turn against humanity.

Ji Yu noticed her grandmother’s sudden concern and, after a moment’s thought, understood what was troubling her.

“Grandmother,” she said gently, “there’s no need to worry. I believe he truly cares for me.”

Seeing her granddaughter’s calm and serene smile, just as she always had, Old Lady Ji felt a deep unease in her heart. She forced herself to say, “Ji Yu , it’s not that I doubt his sincerity, but…”

Those not of our kind are bound to have different hearts.

That’s a demon! A supreme being from the underworld, and they don’t even know the true identity of this supreme being or what his purpose is for coming to the human world…

Such a powerful and mysterious existence could easily destroy everything that ordinary humans painstakingly build. How could she be at ease?

Old Lady Ji truly felt anxious.

Unable to overcome the emotional hurdle in her heart, Old Lady Ji remained deeply concerned about the day her granddaughter might be harmed.

She worried that Ji Yu  might be killed either by becoming a vessel for demons or by other malevolent entities, or even bring disaster to the human world.

The thought of these possibilities made her feel she could never absolve herself of blame.

How could she find peace of mind under such circumstances?

Ji Yu understood her grandmother’s worries and knew it was impossible to change her mind all at once.

No matter how much she said, as long as Jiang Shiqiu was a demon, her grandmother could never be completely at ease.

It was a natural human response.

With a myriad of thoughts fleeting through her mind, Ji Yu remained resolute on the surface. “Grandmother, no matter what happens, I don’t regret it!” She smiled gently, her eyes full of warmth. “Besides, if in the future… I won’t hold any grudges.”

At least, in the final stages of her life, having that person by her side brought her peace and joy, making her journey through this world worthwhile.

Old Lady Ji was suddenly overwhelmed with sorrow.

She understood her granddaughter’s meaning, knowing she was a broad-minded and resilient child. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to endure these years of suffering with a frail body and constant pain.

But she really couldn’t bear it!

She couldn’t bear to see her granddaughter, such a good child, end her life without peace, carrying so much burden.

If it were possible, she would hope Jiang Shiqiu truly cared for her granddaughter, that he would continue to be sincere and not betray her, not give her hope only to snatch it away.

If Jiang Shiqiu could genuinely love her granddaughter, even if he were a demon, she would accept it.

Ji Yu stood up, walked over, and hugged her grandmother, smiling, “Grandmother, I’ll be fine.”

Old Lady Ji’s throat felt choked, unable to speak, and only gently patted her head.

Watching her granddaughter leave, she turned her head, wiping away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

—

As Ji Yu exited the main courtyard, she saw the man standing under the peach tree.

It was late spring, and the peach blossoms had faded. Small, unripe fruits now hung from the branches. In a few months, there would be peaches to eat.

He was staring at the green peaches on the tree, seemingly lost in thought.

“Wife,” Jiang Shiqiu said with a smile when he saw her, “look at this peach tree, it’s bearing quite a few fruits. By autumn, there will be plenty of peaches to eat.”

Knowing she liked peaches, he had developed an interest in the small fruits on the tree.

Ji Yu smiled, “This peach tree bears a lot of peaches every year. They’re crisp and sweet, with plenty of juice. They’re quite delicious.”

Jiang Shiqiu, full of enthusiasm, said, “I’ll have to try them when the time comes.”

The weather was lovely today, with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine, and the dappled shadows of the trees swaying softly.

The two walked along a path shaded by trees, with lush flowering plants on either side. The scattered sunlight filtered through the branches, and the refreshing breeze made the stroll especially pleasant.

Jiang Shiqiu held her hand, brushing aside the branches overhead, and asked, “How is Grandmother’s health?”

Recently, Old Lady Ji had started taking the Heavenly Blood Lotus for healing. Although Jiang Shiqiu had brought the Heavenly Blood Lotus, he noticed Old Lady Ji’s wariness and suspicion towards him and, being considerate, didn’t show up in front of her to avoid unsettling her. Thus, he wasn’t aware of how the Heavenly Blood Lotus was working for her.

Ji Yu smiled, “Grandmother’s health is improving. After a few more months of rest, her internal injuries should be healed.”

Seeing her genuine happiness, Jiang Shiqiu’s mood lifted.

He asked again, “You were inside for quite a while. Did you talk about anything in particular with Grandmother?”

Ji Yu’s expression paused slightly as she gazed at the distant blue sky and said, “Not much. Grandmother noticed that my complexion has been better recently, and she was very pleased.” Her eyes curved into a crescent moon-like smile. “Grandmother said it’s all thanks to you, and she’s very grateful.”

Jiang Shiqiu glanced at her with a cryptic expression, “Is that so?”

“Yes!” Ji Yu replied sincerely, with a look that suggested, “Honest people don’t lie.”

Jiang Shiqiu found the situation both amusing and frustrating. If it weren’t for the fact that he could see through any movements of the Ji family, he might have actually believed it.

However, he said nothing, holding her hand as they walked through the garden towards Zhuoqing Courtyard.

As they neared the courtyard, he suddenly spoke, “Ji Yu , you are my destined wife. I will never hurt you!”

The wind rustled through, and the shadows of the trees danced.

Ji Yu’s lowered eyelids quivered slightly, and her fingers, held by him, curled gently.

She smiled and nodded, replying, “I believe you!”

As she said this, she looked up at him again, her eyes clear as water, reflecting his image as if holding him close to her heart.

No one could resist such a gaze, as if being loved wholeheartedly and placed gently at the center of one’s heart.

Jiang Shiqiu embraced her, kissed her forehead, and his kiss trailed down. Murmuring softly, he said, “Wife, you truly are…”

They embraced in the gentle spring breeze of late spring. Ji Yu couldn’t quite make out what he said, her eyes misting over like two glistening black pearls veiled in a soft, rainy haze.

—

A month after returning to Wushan City, the court finally sent someone.

“Lord Qin?”

Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu were surprised to see Qin Du in the main hall.

Old Lady Ji sat at the head of the table, while Aunt Gui stood beside her. Both had troubled expressions on their faces.

Qin Du, with his youthful face and a charming smile, greeted Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu, then stated his purpose “We have come on His Majesty’s orders to request that Young Master Ji go to the capital.”

The large hall fell into an uneasy silence.

This quiet only added to the unease.

Qin Du spoke, avoiding eye contact with Jiang Shiqiu, nervously standing there and silently lamenting his misfortune.

He really didn’t want to make this trip, but since no one else was willing, he ended up drawing the short straw and had no choice but to come.

Ji Yu had been mentally prepared and wasn’t too surprised. She said, “That’s fine. Give me two days.”

Qin Du quickly nodded, “Certainly, Young Master Ji need not hurry.” He cast a quick glance at Jiang Shiqiu and added, “The Emperor also requests that Lord Jiang accompany Young Master Ji to the capital.”

Jiang Shiqiu coldly replied, “Naturally, I will go to the capital.”

Qin Du wisely kept his mouth shut, avoiding provoking Jiang Shiqiu further.

After arranging for someone to show Qin Du to his quarters to rest, Ji Yu turned to her grandmother and Aunt Gui. She noticed that Aunt Gui had already started crying, while her grandmother was holding back tears, though some signs of distress were evident in her eyes.

She sighed inwardly and smiled, saying, “Grandmother, Aunt Gui, this will be my first time going to the capital. I don’t know what it’s like there, so it’s quite a rare opportunity to go.”

In fact, this situation was better than expected; at least they were being invited to the capital rather than being escorted there in chains.

Old Lady Ji and Aunt Gui could clearly hear the comfort in Ji Yu’s words, but the more she tried to soothe them, the more they felt distressed.

The uncertainty of this trip to the capital was troubling.

How could they possibly be at ease?

But the court had sent someone.

Even if they were unwilling, they couldn’t defy the imperial orders. If they were found guilty of disobeying, the entire Ji family would suffer the consequences.

Ji Yu noticed that they seemed even more upset and wasn’t sure how to comfort them. She quickly turned to Jiang Shiqiu, urging him to say a few words.

Jiang Shiqiu said, “Grandmother, Aunt Gui, don’t worry. I’m here, I won’t let anyone bully my wife.”

Aunt Gui wiped her tears and, thinking of something, nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes, with Lord Jiang around! Lord Jiang is the commander of the Demon Division, with him taking care of things, who would dare to bully our young master?”

The more she spoke, the more confident she felt.

The commanders of the Demon Division were always the strongest, so surely Lord Jiang could protect the young master while in the capital.

Old Lady Ji remained silent, but her worry grew deeper.

With her absolute clarity of mind, she understood Jiang Shiqiu’s true background all too well. Her fear was that once in the capital, his identity might be exposed.

The capital not only had the protection of the dragon vein but also powerful figures such as the National Master and various high-level practitioners of the Great Yu Dynasty. If Jiang Shiqiu’s identity were to be revealed, her granddaughter might be accused of more serious crimes.

Harboring demons!

Being chosen as a vessel by demons was already a source of fear among people. Adding a marriage contract with a demon lord might only worsen her granddaughter’s situation.

The more she thought about it, the more worried she became, and she felt an urge to protect her granddaughter and her son-in-law.

Old Lady Ji asked Aunt Gui to help pack, and then said solemnly, “Lord Jiang, you’d best avoid going to the capital this time…”

“That’s not possible,” Jiang Shiqiu firmly refused. “I can’t be separated from my wife.”

His purpose in coming to the mortal world was to find his wife, how could he possibly leave her behind?

Old Lady Ji found it hard to look at him, his appearance making her uncomfortable.

Even though he was obsessively devoted to her granddaughter, the fact that he was a demon made it all seem very strange.

Is there really a demon who would go to such lengths for a woman?

She wasn’t sure about the past or the future, but seeing the present was certainly eye-opening.

Old Lady Ji said tactfully, “Lord Jiang, this must be your first time in the capital? The capital is quite different from Wushan City or Qingyu City. There are many powerful beings there, and the National Master at the Star Observation Tower is especially extraordinary…”

Given the world’s wariness of demons, her granddaughter’s trip might be fraught with danger.

Right now, Ji Yu’s chances of survival were tied to Jiang Shiqiu. She hoped he would continue to be the capable commander of the Demon Division and avoid having his identity revealed.

Jiang Shiqiu was not very concerned, “Grandmother, don’t worry. The people in the capital aren’t a threat to me.”

In this world, apart from the Ji family, no one else had the “absolute clarity” that had been bestowed upon them by heaven. It was this gift that allowed Old Lady Ji to take the risk and arrange the marriage contract with the Underworld Lord for her granddaughter.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shiqiu was very glad and took Ji Yu’s hand, saying, “It’s fortunate that you, my wife, have absolute clarity.”

Ji Yu looked at him with some confusion, not understanding why he suddenly said this.

Old Lady Ji’s eyes flashed with understanding.

Absolute clarity…

It was indeed the best gift from heaven to the Ji family, allowing them to remain undeceived by demonic illusions and always stay clear-headed while seeking the truth.