Hidden Shadow – CH 295

Chapter Two-Hundred-Ninety-Five: From Here

A smile appeared in Chu Dingjiang’s eyes. “I originally thought you were just a beautiful woman on the other side of the water, but I never imagined you would become my confidante.”

An Jiu had always thought that words like “beautiful woman” and “confidante” were far removed from her own life. Hearing Chu Dingjiang’s words now, it felt like he was talking about someone else, leaving her with little feeling.

“Ah Jiu, I cannot back down now,” Chu Dingjiang said.

An Jiu looked at the misty breath he exhaled. “I know. If you want to stay, why should I not accompany you? I am just curious; why did you suddenly change your mind?”

Chu Dingjiang did not seem to be the kind of person who acted on a whim.

“That day, seeing you and Hua Rongjian releasing lanterns by the river, I suddenly had an epiphany.” Chu Dingjiang touched her cold cheek. “Human hearts, power, or peace and tranquility… if one does not strive and fight in this world, even what is easily obtained may turn into a fleeting dream. Moreover, the emptiness in one’s heart is truly hard to fill if one is mediocre. Ah Jiu, with you by my side in this life, I can live life to the fullest, and I will have no regrets, no matter the outcome.”

At this moment, a woman would usually be very moved and would inevitably explain that she had no affair with other men, but An Jiu’s blunt honesty tore apart the tenderness. “I never had any goals to begin with. Following you seemed like a good choice.”

Chu Dingjiang sighed helplessly. “When will you understand love?”

An Jiu suddenly remembered Zhu Pianxian’s methods of seducing Sheng Changying. She was a pragmatist; once she decided to act, she immediately pointed her index finger.

Because she was so focused on what she was doing, there was not a trace of tenderness or affection in her expression. Chu Dingjiang did not guess the profound meaning behind it, so he asked, “What are you doing?”

An Jiu, seemingly lost in thought, almost reflexively grabbed his hand, placed her index finger against his, and grinned brightly. “That’s how we communicate where I am from.”

“Communicate?” Chu Dingjiang looked at their intertwined fingertips. “What does that mean?”

“It’s so we know what each other is thinking.” An Jiu insisted that this was their hometown’s way of expressing affection.

People unconsciously raise their voices when they lie. Her overly forceful tone made her seem suspicious, but Chu Dingjiang did not call her out on it; instead, he found it amusing. “The ten fingers are connected to the heart, so that makes sense. Now, do you know what I am thinking?”

An Jiu reluctantly withdrew her hand. “You are thinking: An Jiu, you idiot!”

“Hmm?” Chu Dingjiang raised an eyebrow. “It actually worked?”

He grabbed her hand, their index fingers touching again. Chu Dingjiang said enigmatically, “You are thinking now. Being able to guess my thoughts is because you are smart.”

An Jiu’s eyes widened. She had indeed been secretly chuckling to herself: Old man, I guessed it all thanks to my exceptional intelligence!

“Huh?” An Jiu was surprised for a moment but quickly realized that he guessed it because of his intelligence… and she had reason to suspect that Chu Dingjiang had been playing her tricks all along; after all, playing mind games was his forte.

Thinking of this, An Jiu rolled her eyes at him. “Hmph!”

One moment it was the warmth of spring; the next it was the dead of winter. They said children change their minds quickly, and An Jiu was no exception.

“Are you acquainted with Madam Hua?” Chu Dingjiang asked, trying to find a topic she might be interested in.

An Jiu indeed put aside her prejudice against him. “Something happened to her?”

“Not really,” Chu Dingjiang said. “I heard that she’s been ordered to assassinate Hua Rongtian within six months.”

An Jiu had almost forgotten that Mei Jiu had joined the Konghe Army!

Assassinating Hua Rongtian was something Mei Jiu absolutely could not do. “What will happen if she disobeys?”

“You forgot? The Konghe Army has a tradition of using Gu poison to control people. Madam Hua is prone to betraying her master on missions, and there are precedents for this. Once is not enough; she’s been poisoned multiple times,” Chu Dingjiang said.

Previously, a Dangerous Moon assassin fell in love with Hua Rongjian but ultimately could not bring herself to do it, not only exposing herself but also revealing the Emperor’s intentions against the Hua family.

But now the conflict between the Emperor and the Hua family was out in the open, and An Jiu was very puzzled. “If Mei Jiu makes a move, will the Emperor and the Hua family not completely break off relations?”

Chu Dingjiang analyzed for her, “The Emperor is seriously ill and has to plan for the future. The Konghe Army has discovered that Hua Rongjian has been in close contact with the Second Prince, showing signs of wanting to pledge allegiance. If the Emperor were to pass away, the Song Dynasty would likely experience a civil war over the throne, and the Song Dynasty could not withstand such turmoil.”

“But that Crown Prince is really not good.” An Jiu’s mind was filled with images of white, swaying flesh when she thought of the Crown Prince.

Chu Dingjiang smiled. “Do not be fooled by his seemingly absurd behavior; he’s ten times more cunning than the Second Prince.”

An Jiu ignored Mei Jiu and asked him, “So what’s your plan… You do not intend to support the Crown Prince, do you?”

Chu Dingjiang smiled without answering.

An Jiu tugged at his robe. “Really?”

“I’d like to go to the Second Prince’s residence for a while,” Chu Dingjiang said.

“Did you not say he was not as cunning as the Crown Prince?” An Jiu privately thought that being an Emperor meant being unfathomable.