Chapter 453: Chapter 448: Windswept Snow Over the City—Jiaojiao Side Story (Part 1)

The blindfold was suddenly yanked off roughly, and as the light struck, Tang Jiaojiao squinted instinctively.

The surrounding wasn’t exactly bright, there were candles lit, with circles of firelight spreading layer upon layer before her eyes.

Gradually it blurred into a picture.

The young man standing in the brightest spot wore plain white clothes, tall and handsome, like a jade tree facing the wind.

“Wang Jian?” Tang Jiaojiao frowned.

Wang Jian, the legitimate grandson of the late Prime Minister Wang Maozhao.

Wang Maozhao was assassinated and killed at his doorstep three months ago, his descendants all returned home for mourning.

So why was Wang Jian here? And why did he have her tied up and brought here?

Wang Jian, however, seemed in no hurry, standing under the lamp with hands behind his back, his posture almost rigid, eyes deep, with a faint hint of decaying air that was unsettling.

Almost like a living corpse.

A chill rose in Tang Jiaojiao’s heart.

She struggled with her bound arms, took a deep breath, and looked around.

The pillars were high, the room spacious, curtains hanging on all sides, the decor ancient and solemn, resembling the main hall of an aristocratic family.

She remembered being kidnapped about ten miles east of the city.

Blindfolded, she traveled for less than half an hour, though she didn’t know the direction, it shouldn’t be too far from the Capital City.

Could this be a villa of the Wang Family?

Tang Jiaojiao moved her gaze back to Wang Jian: “What do you intend to do?”

Wang Jian still looked at her with that moribund gaze, but raised his left hand.

Between his fingers, he held a brocade bag.

Tang Jiaojiao’s eyes narrowed.

The Wu brocade was luxurious and rarely had understated patterns, so when Tang Second Miss saw the gray background with silver designs, she wanted it.

“This was found on my late grandfather’s body,” Wang Jian spoke slowly.

Tang Jiaojiao snorted coldly, “What does that have to do with me?”

Wang Jian lowered his eyes slightly, his long fingers turned over, and something in the brocade bag slipped out.

Though Tang Jiaojiao feigned indifference, she couldn’t help but fix her gaze.

A small white jade seal, so small that the carving on the seal and the top knob couldn’t be made out clearly.

She never saw such a seal by her younger sister’s side.

While hesitating whether to look more closely, Wang Jian took the initiative to step towards her.

As Wang Jian approached, Tang Jiaojiao gradually saw the intentionally exposed knob, and her heart nearly leaped from her throat.

A crouching chi, used solely by the Empress or Emperor!

Such a seal in anyone’s hands other than the Empress or Emperor was treasonous!

At this time, Wang Jian turned the seal, revealing the bottom inscription.

Simply a single “Jiao” character.

Tang Jiaojiao, the second daughter of Duke Yan Mansion, her sister.

Tang Jiaojiao bit the tip of her tongue, sneering, “If you want to frame someone, why not take the seal to Taiji Palace?”

Wang Jian took back the seal, looked at her with a heavy gaze, “Li Mu has long known the seal was lost, and has people tracking the Wang Family for a long time, besides Taiji Palace doesn’t dare give Li Mu an excuse to act.”

The Crown Prince Li Mu, wolf-like by nature, starkly different from his benevolent father.

He truly would act, needing not even an opportunity, only an excuse.

Like the arrow that pierced his grandfather’s chest, like the pursuing soldiers against the Wang Family, ruthless and unhesitating.

Tang Jiaojiao sneered, “So? Chased into a corner by the Crown Prince, you turn to abduct me for venting? The century-old Wang Family, indeed running out of steam!”

Pain flickered in Wang Jian’s eyes, his voice cold, “Why was the unauthorized private seal of Tang Second Miss on my grandfather? Is your Duke Yan Mansion connected to the assassin of that day?”

Tang Jiaojiao’s eyes mocked, “You ask me these questions? Why not dare ask my brother, my father? Why not take the seal to the Eastern Palace to question my sister who is already the Crown Princess Consort?”

“Is it because you see me, Tang Jiaojiao, as easiest to bully? Or—” she paused, a sardonic smile tugging at her lips, “is it some shameful intent you harbor?”

With those words, Wang Jian’s embarrassment was evident in his eyes.

A tinge of bitterness lingered in Tang Jiaojiao’s heart.

Wang Jian liked her.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have proposed a year ago when her father and brother were missing in battle, and Duke Yan Mansion was in turmoil, nor would he have voluntarily followed to Liangzhou after she refused, helping her sister search for her father and brother.

She wasn’t ungrateful; even when their families opposed each other later, she kept his kindness in mind.

Until today.

Using such means to have her bound before him, things couldn’t end peacefully.

“If…” Wang Jian softly uttered two words, but didn’t continue.

Tang Jiaojiao chuckled faintly, also lowering her voice, “If, back then, my father and brother hadn’t vanished in battle—” Unable to resist, she chuckled again, “Do you know who falsely reported my father and brother’s disappearance on the battlefield?”

Wang Jian’s face turned slightly pale, “To impose guilt, why worry about a pretext?”

Tang Jiaojiao sneered coldly.

If her father and brother hadn’t been reported missing back then, she might indeed have married Wang Jian.

But the news was passed down by Wang Jian’s own grandfather, the then Prime Minister, Wang Maozhao.

Unfortunately, the evidence was insufficient, and since Wang Maozhao had already been assassinated, it was not pursued further.

“Is this why you maliciously speculate and then brutally kill, because proof of treason fell into my grandfather’s hands?” Wang Jian questioned.

Tang Jiaojiao sneered disdainfully, “If you want these answers, you should be tying up the Crown Princess Consort instead!”

Wang Jian retracted his hand behind him, stood upright, and his gaze turned cold, “I will also question Second Miss Tang.”

Tang Jiaojiao’s expression changed instantly.

Wang Jian no longer looked at her, gave a signal, and two maids stepped forward.

Tang Jiaojiao frowned, and before they could approach, she kicked them away.

Being the daughter of a military family, she was skilled in horseback archery from a young age, so her movements were naturally swift.

For a moment, the two maids couldn’t get close to her.

Wang Jian made another signal, and two stout maidservants appeared, restraining her from behind, pinning her to the ground, then removing one of her boots, and hastily leaving with it.

Tang Jiaojiao sat askew on the ground, glaring viciously at the departing maids, slightly out of breath.

She was a beauty unmatched in the city, and after the struggle, her hair was disheveled, and her red dress hung half-off, resembling a fallen celestial maiden.

Wang Jian approached and bent down.

Tang Jiaojiao suddenly turned her face away, glaring at him fiercely instead.

Her body trembled slightly with fear, yet she showed no sign of retreat, still holding her head high with that beautiful and proud chin, just as she always did when he saw her.

Wang Jian lowered his head, avoiding her dazzling visage, and whispered, “I won’t hurt you…” Quickly untying the ropes on her body.

“What do you really want?” Whether it was from anger or fear, Tang Jiaojiao’s breath was rapid and unstable.

Wang Jian took a deep breath, stepped back two paces, and said faintly, “I’ve heard that Miss Tang and Second Miss are deeply bonded as sisters—”

“Utterly shameless!” Tang Jiaojiao scolded angrily.

Wang Jian remained unmoved, “The Crown Prince and his consort are ambitious wolves.”

Tang Jiaojiao laughed coldly, “Even if I die, I won’t let you succeed!” Suddenly, she rose and dashed towards a nearby pillar.

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian was already shocked, and seeing her action, he hurriedly pounced to intercept.

In the end, Tang Jiaojiao, having expended some strength from the struggle earlier, was half a step too slow and crashed into Wang Jian’s arms.

Just as Wang Jian breathed a sigh of relief, he felt a pain in his abdomen.

Looking down, he saw a golden hairpin swaying in his abdomen, with red coral eyes on the bird’s head, bright and glaring.

Tang Jiaojiao, having lost her strength, leaned against the pillar, slowly sliding down until she sat paralyzed on the ground.

The only remaining attendant in the hall yelled, rushing towards Wang Jian.

Tang Jiaojiao snorted with laughter and kicked Wang Jian again, “Do you think you can touch a person from the Duke Yan Mansion?”

With Wang Jian gone, their plan today was at least half-ruined, if not entirely.

But the Wang Family’s minions wouldn’t let her go.

The attendant inside the room was already seeing red with anger, and footsteps sounded from outside the hall.

Tang Jiaojiao sneered, not blinking as she watched the attendant rush at her.

She, Tang Jiaojiao, never spoke false words.

Better dead than let him have his way—

“Whiz!”

The attendant suddenly stopped, instinctively turned around.

Before he could turn fully, he fell to the ground.

As he fell, Tang Jiaojiao saw the person at the doorway.

The half-lifted bamboo curtain had been rudely torn down, and at the threshold stood a man.

Against the light, his face was indistinct, but his tall and upright form was outlined.

He lowered the tip of his sword, resting it on the ground, exhaling a long breath, then suddenly laughed.

Only then did Tang Jiaojiao realize how disheveled she was.

But no matter how disheveled, now that others had seen, trying to cover up would be like closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.

She supported herself against the pillar behind her, slowly stood up until she was upright, then raised her chin as usual, giving a cold smile, “What are you here for? I don’t need your rescue!”

He lazily sheathed his sword, looking at her with a laid-back smile.

Can Miss Tang still have others waiting to see her make a joke?

Tang Jiaojiao held her breath, trembling slightly as she stepped forward.

Her legs were still weak; she swayed slightly when she took the first step.

Before she could stand straight, the person who had just been at the door swiftly moved in front of her, reaching out to steady her.

Tang Jiaojiao proudly shook him off, “I don’t need you—”

Suddenly, he embraced her tightly.

The clothes still carried the cold of wind and snow, yet touching Tang Jiaojiao’s body made her blood boil.

His voice was slightly hoarse, yet carried a tone of mirth, “If I can’t save you, then perhaps you can save me—” His fingers clumsily found her face, the pads cold and coarse, yet tenderly wiped the blood from her face, then held her tighter, sighing into her ear.

“I almost thought I wouldn’t make it alive…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep