She Is Such A Jerk, And Yet She’s The One Crying! - Chapter 37

The bounty hunter order was issued. It had been half a month since the order was given, and news had even reached the capital, but Lin Dongruan had still not been captured. Ever since the command to arrest Lin Dongruan was issued that day, Qiang Ning’s irritation and worry had grown more severe with each passing day of empty-handed results.

She was incensed by Lin Dongruan’s departure without saying goodbye, but as so much time passed without a single trace of the woman, she grew uneasy.

The shadow guards trained by the Princess’s Manor could capture even a single sparrow; how could they possibly fail to find a living human being? Thus, Qiang Ning began to fear that Lin Dongruan might have met with disaster and become “food” amidst the famine of these chaotic times. Initially, although Qiang Ning had issued the bounty, her subordinates searched for Lin Dongruan quietly, trying their best to keep the news from spreading beyond Sanqi Prefecture.

But later… as hope grew increasingly dim, she stopped pretending. She directly announced the pursuit order to the entire world and even ordered the government soldiers to dig three feet into the earth to find her. The more she failed to find a trace of the woman, the more grandiosely she carried out the arrest.

This matter caused a great commotion. Even the Emperor, far away in the capital, could no longer sit still. He didn’t even have time to arrange those ridiculous human sacrifices and instead sent a secret letter via express courier to Qiang Ning, asking her what was happening and why she was pursuing Lin Dongruan. Qiang Ning had rarely seen him write in such an exasperated tone. She immediately replied with a letter saying: What else could happen?

The Imperial Preceptor’s life is in grave danger. I can only proceed with the bounty and the pursuit order simultaneously to see if I can snatch her back from the hands of the rioting mobs. Qiang Ning did not expect that her few words would actually cause the Emperor to suspend court for ten days and travel day and night to reach Sanqi.

The ten thousand citizens of Sanqi welcomed the imperial carriage, and Jiang Weilan had spent seven days making full preparations. The monarch arrived in person with a grand procession of horses and carriages. Qiang Ning stood coldly atop the city wall, looking down at her useless imperial younger brother.

The famine in Sanqi was so severe, yet the one who served as Emperor had never inquired about it. But the moment he heard Lin Dongruan was missing, he became anxious. Even though he had been on the throne for four years, he still did not dare to face the affairs of the world alone. He was truly a coward.

Qiang Ning was already frustrated and distracted because she couldn’t find Lin Dongruan; seeing this annoying scene below the city tower only made her feel more resentful. However, she was a subject, not the sovereign. No matter how unwilling she was, she could only suppress her temper and go to pay respects to the Emperor. “Rest assured, if the Teacher knows that I have come, she will certainly return to Sanqi Prefecture to see me.”

The new Emperor was extremely confident in this, even turning around to comfort Qiang Ning. “She will be safe and sound. After so many years without seeing her student, she won’t be able to bear leaving.” Qiang Ning clenched her fists tightly beneath her wide sleeves. She simply did not know where his confidence came from.

Lin Dongruan had been able to walk away four years ago; would she really turn back today just because the Emperor had arrived in person? She wouldn’t. Lin Dongruan was not that kind of person. Qiang Ning thought this, but her assumption vanished into thin air when she saw Lin Dongruan with her own eyes—

On the third day of the Emperor’s visit to Sanqi Prefecture, Lin Dongruan appeared. It was at Jiang Weilan’s residence; the Prefectural Governor held a banquet to honor the monarch, and Lin Dongruan sat there calmly in the eastern seat, giving several indifferent and detached answers to questions…

Qiang Ning looked at her countless times during the banquet, only to find that the woman had no intention of offering her an explanatory look or gesture. Qiang Ning forcefully crushed a wine cup in her hand. Immediately afterward, she used the excuse of “not being able to handle her wine” to leave the banquet. Once out the door,

she was so angry she felt she might go mad. She could return to Sanqi Prefecture in just three days, which meant Lin Dongruan had not gone far. Why had she delayed coming home? She clearly knew I was looking for her; why was there not a single word of news! Earlier, when she heard the new Emperor confidently claiming Lin Dongruan would return,

Qiang Ning had sneered in her heart, thinking he was indulging in idle dreams. She hadn’t expected that in just a few days, her own face would be completely lost. It was more than just losing face; this was a colossal joke.

All that long-term companionship and protection had been thrown to the dogs. Lin Dongruan simply hadn’t taken it to heart. Despite claiming to be good to her, in the end, she still couldn’t compare to the teacher-student bond with the new Emperor. The new Emperor only needed to show his face, and Lin Dongruan was willing to come back.

Qiang Ning was so angry that her vision grew dark in waves. She really didn’t want to stay any longer and went straight back to the house she had originally bought for Lin Dongruan. How ridiculous. Even though she was throwing such a massive tantrum and smashing so many things, she didn’t set fire to this residence. She was actually still foolishly waiting for Lin Dongruan to take the initiative to come home. …

It seemed she would never wait long enough. The banquet dispersed. Seeing the Emperor about to step forward to converse, Lin Dongruan inconspicuously sent a glance toward Jiang Weilan. Jiang Weilan understood immediately and stepped forward to intervene: “Your Majesty.” Lin Dongruan feigned a bow of gratitude,

but in truth, she deflected the credit: “That I was able to return through such twists and turns to see Your Majesty is thanks to the Prefectural Governor. Were it not for the Governor’s timely assistance, I fear I would have already become a wandering ghost.” The Emperor clapped his hands in relief and asked Jiang Weilan:

“My dear official has performed a great service. What reward do you desire?” “To be able to share Your Majesty’s burdens is my fortune. How could I dare to harbor thoughts of claiming credit or seeking rewards?” Jiang Weilan knelt to thank him for the imperial grace, speaking many polite words. At that moment, Jiang Weilan’s foolish eldest son suddenly popped out. Zhang Lihan was still in that half-mad state, dressed in gaudy reds and greens, making himself look bizarre. He muttered incoherent words and was about to rush over. Jiang Weilan was terrified: “Your Majesty, please forgive me. My eldest son has been foolish for many years and has no intention of offending Your Majesty’s peace.

I had ordered him to be locked up, but who could have expected the rebellious son would escape?” “It’s no matter, it’s no matter.” The Emperor held one hand behind his back while the other fiddled with a string of jade beads. He seemed to be in a very good mood.

“My dear official has only this one son after all these years; it is truly a source of much worry.” “Only by raising a child does one know the kindness of parents. Unfortunately, I fear I may not see the day when a filial son brings joy to my knees.” Jiang Weilan regretfully had someone take Zhang Lihan away, lamenting at the same time,

“After so many years, I wonder when this illness of foolishness will ever end…” “My dear official need not worry. As the saying goes, when you meet a mountain, a road will open; as the mountain turns, the path will follow. If you encounter a dead end, life will emerge from the desperation.” The Emperor took Jiang Weilan’s hand and pressed the string of beads into his palm. “I believe in you. It can be done.”

Jiang Weilan hurried to kneel and receive the beads with both hands: “I—thank Your Majesty for the supreme grace!” Just as Lin Dongruan had said, that very night, he received the antidote that could cure Zhang Lihan’s madness.

This matter was indeed the handiwork of the late Emperor. Jiang Weilan held the antidote in his palm and observed it meticulously. He simply couldn’t believe he had actually managed to get the antidote from the new Emperor. The late Emperor was suspicious.

To keep him in check, he had planted such a poisonous ailment in his eldest son, and to control him, he had passed the antidote to the new Emperor. This father and son were truly in cahoots, making his son suffer all these years for nothing! If not for Lin Dongruan’s reminder… he would likely still be kept in the dark. In fact, on the day the Grand Princess issued the bounty, Lin Dongruan had come to his Prefectural Governor’s manor.

She said she could help Zhang Lihan recover his sanity, but the condition was that from now on, he must devote everything to serving Qiang Ning. At that time, Jiang Weilan was surprised: “Imperial Preceptor, you… you know of Her Highness’s identity?” Lin Dongruan remained silent, which was a tacit admission. Jiang Weilan tried to ask again:

“Then… what about Her Highness?” Lin Dongruan lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable: “She is still deceiving me.” Jiang Weilan thought for a moment and said that the ancestors of Sanqi Prefecture had received grace from the late Empress Xiao-Chun, and he was already part of the Grand Princess’s faction, having always worked for Her Highness. Was this deal a bit unfair or inappropriate for Lin Dongruan?

Lin Dongruan then took an object from her sleeve: “This is the Xiqing Registry. Those listed in this registry have all sworn to serve the Grand Princess for all eternity. From today on, you shall write your name in blood within it.” This method was more difficult than raising shadow guards. Many of those who wrote their names in blood were rare talents, and this blood registry must never be discovered by the Emperor. Once the matter was exposed, those whose names remained within would likely face the death of nine generations of their kin.

Jiang Weilan suddenly felt the lingering fear of having boarded a pirate ship, but he also knew deeply that he could not refuse her. For one, he already belonged to the Princess’s faction and had long since drawn the suspicion of the late and current Emperors. If he didn’t follow the Grand Princess to the end, he would only meet a tragic end.

“When you receive the antidote, do not use it immediately. Wait until the day His Majesty leaves, then station more than ten strong men in the manor to watch your son. After he takes the medicine, make many preparations… for instance, when the medicine takes effect, your son might become violent and hurt people due to agitation. Of course, he might also just fall into a deep sleep.” Lin Dongruan had instructed him, but at the very end, she added one more sentence, “But if your son regains clarity immediately, you must promptly make him spit out the medicine.” Jiang Weilan was somewhat confused:

“Why must he spit it out if it takes effect too quickly?” Lin Dongruan did not elaborate, only shaking her head: “If that situation occurs, the antidote is actually poison.” Jiang Weilan didn’t understand, but he still noted it down carefully. After that, Lin Dongruan stayed in a hidden room in the Governor’s manor. The reason the Grand Princess’s people couldn’t find her even after searching all of Sanqi was that no one would come to search his residence.

According to Lin Dongruan’s requirements, he took the initiative to bring the supposedly missing Lin Dongruan to the Emperor. This way, the Emperor would mistakenly think that a rift had already formed between her and the Grand Princess, and only then would he be so swift and willing to hand over the antidote.

As for the Grand Princess’s side, she would only focus on Lin Dongruan. With the Emperor arriving in Sanqi and Lin Dongruan appearing shortly after, the Grand Princess would surely link the two events together. She wouldn’t think that he had deliberately hidden the Imperial Preceptor to cause trouble.

This was a strategy to kill two birds with one stone. Unfortunately… Judging by appearances, Her Highness the Princess seemed truly furious. The Imperial Preceptor would likely suffer at the Grand Princess’s hands. After the new Emperor returned to the capital, Jiang Weilan did not dare to keep Lin Dongruan any longer and hurriedly urged her to go back and coax the Grand Princess. “You are well aware of Her Highness’s temperament.”

Jiang Weilan felt his head growing large, and he felt a chill when he thought of Qiang Ning’s murderous gaze. “Before, Her Highness did not know that you had perceived her identity; she even instructed me to keep the secret well for fear of alarming you. Now, she has just seen you return and experienced so many blows.

Imperial Preceptor, you… sigh… you can only take care of yourself.” Lin Dongruan, however, did not think this was a difficult matter: “A-Ning’s nature is not that wicked. She is only harsh in speech, but she acts with a sense of propriety.” Qiang Ning is not someone with a sense of propriety at all! Jiang Weilan truly had words he couldn’t speak plainly.

He remembered the cruel behavior she exhibited at the age of seven when she tamed a wild horse; even if he bit his tongue, he couldn’t agree with Lin Dongruan’s words. The Imperial Preceptor had likely underestimated the Princess.

The Grand Princess’s previous gentleness was clearly a forced facade. It was like a wild beast being put into a cage; the reason she could keep up the act was only to hide things from Lin Dongruan. If she knew the lies had long been seen through, how could she still have the heart to continue playing the good girl?

Once the cage is opened, there is no longer any barrier between the beast and the prey. When the fierce beast’s eyes turn red, it is impossible for it to return to the cage. Imperial Preceptor, oh Imperial Preceptor, how can you not understand even this logic?