As the first ray of morning light pierced the horizon, everyone gathered together. With the war situation so tense and Ji Yunxi's divine power not fully restored, the atmosphere was oppressively dull.
"Why don't we just barge in? Anyway, the Jiuli people can't stop us," Lushu whispered his suggestion.
Feng Xingzhi couldn't help but rub his forehead helplessly after hearing this. This idea of Lushu's was worse than having no idea at all. Given the close relationship between Ji Yunxi and Li Jiuge, how could she possibly adopt it?
Sure enough, Ji Yunxi looked at Lushu with an air of silent authority. Lushu blinked and casually turned his head to the side. Ji Yunxi withdrew her gaze and said in a deep voice, "Forget it. Let's put this matter aside for now. Rishou, how do you plan to deal with the Shennong Clan?"
Rishou lowered his eyelashes and pondered for a moment. "Lady Xiling, what's the quantity of food and forage in the city?"
The dozing Xiling family head was suddenly called by name and jolted. "Ah, me? I'm here."
Lushu covered his mouth and snickered. The Xiling family head gave an embarrassed smile. Last night, he had tossed and turned in bed missing his daughter and had fallen asleep very late.
"Lady Xiling, we're asking about the food situation in the city," Feng Xingzhi repeated.
"Oh, this..." He stroked his beard and thought for a while. "It's still a month away from the harvest season. The food and forage collected last year have been used up, and the inventory is empty."
"Great! We can cut off their supplies from the rear. Their numbers are fewer than ours, and their food reserves are smaller. They won't be able to hold out for long," Rishou said with a smile, his voice involuntarily rising. The atmosphere in the room instantly livened up.
"It's feasible. Send an army to block the roads connecting the eastern part of Jincheng with the outside. They won't last a few days," Ji Yunxi immediately proposed a countermeasure.
"Send Lushu and Qingxuan," Feng Xingzhi also highly approved. When two armies were at war, one had to first find the enemy's weakness to ensure a fatal blow.
"Alas... You all, this..." The Xiling family head stared blankly as they quickly came up with a countermeasure. He trembled and reached out his hand to calm his breathing. "No, everyone."
"Are you worried about your daughter?" Feng Xingzhi's cold and emotionless voice sounded.
"Yes. My daughter's life or death is unknown. I'm afraid that angering them will implicate my daughter. Is there any other way?"
The patterns on the black rosewood tables and chairs were clearly illuminated by the sunlight. The room was filled with silence, and everyone fell silent.
"I've thought of someone," Feng Xingzhi lifted his drooping eyelids. His eyes were filled with sunlight and extremely bright.
"Jiang Yin," Ji Yunxi looked at him sideways and guessed what was on his mind. The two looked at each other and smiled.
"Who is this? Is he very skilled in martial arts?" The Xiling family head didn't know Jiang Yin. He examined everyone's expressions, and they all looked different.
"He's an old acquaintance of Jiang Yaoji," Ji Yunxi chose her words carefully. "But this person is both a friend and an enemy, and his whereabouts are hard to trace. I don't know if we can find him."
"Let's give it a try. From now on, send people to search for Jiang Yin's whereabouts. Report immediately once he's found," Feng Xingzhi ordered.
"Yes!" The guards in the mansion dispersed in all directions like a flock of birds flying away, searching for Jiang Yin in different directions. But after two days, they found nothing.
That night, the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground startled the sleeping birds on the branches. The sound of flapping wings echoed in the air, and a feather fell on a man's shoulder.
The man emerged from the darkness. He lightly jumped and landed on the ground, patting the dust off his hands. A black - masked man was lying on the ground, unconscious.
This man was Jiang Yin, whom Ji Yunxi and the others had been looking for for two days. He took out a token from the black - masked man and his eyes suddenly darkened. "A secret guard of the Ji Mansion."
The moon rose above the willow branches, and the white light shone on the courtyard. The shadows of the trees on the wall were dancing. Ji Yunxi was removing her makeup in front of the mirror.
"We haven't found Jiang Yin for two days. I should have left a way to contact him that day. If we still can't find him tomorrow, we must cut off the food and forage in Jincheng. We can't delay any longer," Ji Yunxi said.
Feng Xingzhi stood behind Ji Yunxi, bending down to put his arms around her shoulders and burying his head in her neck. "Yes, Jiang Yaoji won't harm Qi Jingyue casually."
The warm breath on her skin made Ji Yunxi burst out laughing. She reached out and pushed him. "It tickles. Get up!"
Suddenly, a figure flashed outside the house. "Who?" Feng Xingzhi suddenly raised his head and chased after it.
Ji Yunxi pulled up the clothes on her shoulder. By the time she chased out, Feng Xingzhi's figure had already disappeared. She looked around warily and walked into the yard.
Feng Xingzhi chased for a while and sensed something was wrong, so he stopped. On the ground, the token reflected a cold light under the moonlight.
Feng Xingzhi picked it up and recognized it as the token of a secret guard of the Ji Mansion. He cried out in alarm. "Yunxi!"
In the Ji Mansion, the sudden sound startled everyone.
"Are you looking for me?"
Ji Yunxi frowned and suddenly turned around. A figure stood on the eaves with arms crossed and a sword in hand. His face couldn't be seen clearly against the light.
"Jiang Yin, you distracted Feng Xingzhi. Do you have something to say to me privately?" Ji Yunxi accurately called out his name.
"Why did you send people to track my whereabouts?"
"Oops," Ji Yunxi suddenly realized that Jiang Yin had good anti - tracking skills. "You... You didn't kill my guards, did you?"
"No. I just knocked them out."
"That's good, that's good." Ji Yunxi briefly told him about Qi Jingyue's situation.
Jiang Yin knew that Jincheng had been captured, but he didn't expect there to be so many twists and turns. However, there was still no ripple in his heart. He said in his cold and heartless voice, "You should understand that I don't want to see her again."
Ji Yunxi took two steps closer to him. "Jiang Yin, everyone has their own choices. I don't want to restrict you with so - called righteousness. But can you see your own feelings clearly? You know very well why you don't want to see her. You're afraid to face your own heart."
"I can go, but you have to promise me that she won't die."
"Okay, I promise you!" When Ji Yunxi said this, her heart was already in turmoil because she knew that Jiang Yaoji's final outcome would definitely be death, but she had no choice but to lie to Jiang Yin.
"Ji Yunxi, you've always been lucky," Jiang Yin said and then flew away from the Ji Mansion using his light - body skill.
Ji Yunxi was surprised by Jiang Yin's words. She turned around and saw Feng Xingzhi standing behind her with a sword in his hand. Suddenly, she understood what Jiang Yin meant. She happily stepped forward and took his hand. "When did you come back?"
"Not long ago. Can Jiang Yin handle things in Jincheng alone?"
"Yes. Let him solve it by himself."
"What if he finds out that you lied to him?"
"Xingzhi, we have no other choice. I don't want to lie to him either."
Sorry, Ji Yunxi closed her eyes and silently said to Jiang Yin in her heart. If there's retribution, let it fall on me.
At the city gate of Jincheng, Jiang Yin looked at the high plaque and stepped into the city without looking back. "Jiang Yin requests an audience with Jiang Yaoji."