Chapter 14: How Dare You Sell Me? Now You're in My Hands
From the moment Ji Bai Dongfang, the clever mastermind, took control, he relocated all the members of the Dongfang family to the Jiangnan region, ensuring their safety under his protection! In the capital, he was the only one left. Using this strategy to resist imperial authority—did he really think the royal family was powerless against him?
The entire realm belongs to the emperor; all under heaven are his subjects!
Dongfang Ji Bai cannot escape!
***
Ji Ci wagged her tail proudly.
Suddenly, the system emitted a loud alarm!
“Master, something’s wrong. The emperor is summoning Dongfang Ji Bai to the palace to grant him a marriage in person!”
Ji Ci’s fur stood on end—this emperor never played by the rules! Unable to summon an edict, he resorted to summoning the man himself? Weren’t villains in classic tragic tales supposed to have lapses in intelligence?!
What’s going on? In the book she transmigrated into, why does everyone seem so clever?
This makes no sense! Is it targeting her?
Just as she climbed atop the wall, she saw the eunuch De’s carriage approaching from afar.
Ji Ci dashed toward the general’s mansion, shouting as she ran, “Dongfang Ji Bai! The emperor is tricking you into the palace to force a marriage!”
Dongfang Ji Bai heard her from his study. Stepping out, he was immediately knocked into by a red furball.
He skillfully caught Ji Ci. “Why are you running so fast? You look overheated.”
He poured her a cup of cold tea. After a few licks, Ji Ci climbed onto the table and began chattering wildly, gesturing anxiously.
“Dongfang Ji Bai, the emperor wants you to enter the palace. You’ll resist the order, then the emperor will command your entire family’s execution, and you’ll become the princess’s captive!”
Ji Ci gestured urgently, then looked at Dongfang Ji Bai with hopeful eyes, unsure if he understood.
His gaze darkened.
A marriage granted in person, huh?
So they really feared he’d run.
“I understand. Now go play,” Dongfang Ji Bai said, rubbing her ears.
“You understand nothing!” Ji Ci snapped, standing on end, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him out. “Hurry, escape with me back to the border!”
Suddenly, Dongfang Ji Bai pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, “Be good. I’ll be back soon. I’ll stay with you tonight.”
With that, he locked Ji Ci inside the study and left with Bai Yi.
On the way, Bai Yi couldn’t help but ask, “Master, I think the little fox doesn’t want you to go.”
“I know,” Dongfang Ji Bai replied.
“Then why are you still going?”
Gazing at the deep blue sky, he smiled faintly, “Better to take the initiative than to guard against thieves every day.”
***
De’s carriage stopped outside the general’s mansion. Dongfang Ji Bai boarded directly. “Let’s go.”
Locked inside the study, Ji Ci paced anxiously.
“Change into human form! I have to help Dongfang Ji Bai!” she roared.
“Master, there are penalties for violating regulations.”
“Punish me then. Hurry up! The account will be deleted soon!” Ji Ci worried that if Dongfang Ji Bai resisted the order, she would be erased too.
“Transformation time: 24 hours.”
The system’s electronic voice crackled, as if low on power.
Ji Ci frowned. “System, what punishment?”
“For each forced transformation, you will lose a memory related to the male lead.”
Ji Ci nodded. Losing memories wasn’t a big deal; she barely had any with the male lead anyway.
A red light flashed, and a red-haired girl appeared out of thin air.
She efficiently retrieved clothes from the system space, dressed neatly, then broke through a window, startling the hidden guards so much one nearly fell from the beam.
“When did that girl get in?”
“Hasn’t been seen for days. Could the master have been hiding a beauty all this time?!”
Ji Ci was unaware that a guard was already whispering about her behind her back.
She sprinted through the courtyard. The servants at the general’s mansion were as shocked as if they’d seen a ghost.
The steward froze, then burst into tears as he blocked her path. “Miss Ji! Have you been with the general all this time?”
Ji Ci nodded.
The steward rubbed his hands excitedly. “Wonderful! I’ll go report this joyous news to the madam!”
Ji Ci didn’t understand what good news there was.
She thought it would be more appropriate to report a death!
Your general is about to die, yet you call it good news!
By the time Ji Ci rushed out of the mansion, dusk had fallen.
The streets were sparsely populated.
The sunset stretched her shadow long and thin across the bluestone pavement.
She had to stop this forced marriage before Dongfang Ji Bai received the order!
Or else her life wouldn’t be safe!
Just after a few steps, Ji Ci suddenly felt a chilling wind at her back. Before she could turn, a large black sack was pulled over her head, plunging her into darkness.
“What the—?”
***
Just as Ji Ci cursed, a sharp pain struck the back of her head.
The dull thud of a wooden stick echoed in her ears. Her body went limp uncontrollably, and the man behind her hoisted her up.
Before losing consciousness, she vaguely heard a rough male voice say, “Take the person the Fourth Prince wants away.”
Bumpy and jarring, Ji Ci’s consciousness flickered.
She felt the man’s shoulder digging painfully into her stomach.
After some time, she was roughly thrown to the ground, and the sack ripped off.
The sudden light made her squint. When her vision cleared, she saw a man standing with his hands behind his back, his dark brocade robe fluttering in the breeze, a confident smile on his handsome face.
“Well done. Here’s your reward.”
Xue Jing tossed a silver coin to the guard, then squatted down, using a folding fan to lift Ji Ci’s chin. “Little thing, you dared to sell me out? Now you’re in my hands.”
***
At the same time, in the imperial palace.
Before entering, Dongfang Ji Bai sent a secret letter to Minister of War Pang Xu, handing over a deliberately suppressed urgent report from the border.
“Tell Minister Pang, if he wants to keep his head, he must do as I say.”
Dongfang Ji Bai straightened his court robes, a cold smile curling his lips.
Having dared to enter the capital alone, he had naturally prepared thoroughly.
Moreover, his little fox had already told him what was to come. If he didn’t plan ahead now, he’d be a fool!
At the palace gates, the guards stopped Bai Yi.
“The general is entering the palace to pay respects to the emperor. No attendants allowed inside.”
Dongfang Ji Bai turned to give Bai Yi a reassuring look, then followed Eunuch De through the vermilion gates.
His tall silhouette stood proud and solitary in the sunset, like a sword drawn from its sheath.
Shortly after Dongfang Ji Bai entered the palace, a ragged child hurried over to Bai Yi.
The child stood on tiptoe and whispered a few words into Bai Yi’s ear.
Bai Yi, usually composed, instantly paled and sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Is this true?” Bai Yi’s voice trembled.
The child nodded firmly, then pulled out a hair ribbon from his pocket—a simple ribbon Ji Ci always used to tie her hair.
Clenching the ribbon tightly, Bai Yi glanced at the closed palace gates and gritted his teeth. “Return!”
Chaos erupted at the general’s mansion.
Bai Yi ordered the servants to search for her and sent a clever young servant to wait outside the palace for Dongfang Ji Bai.
“As soon as the general comes out, inform him immediately that Miss Ji is missing!”