Chapter 87: 抓走
[Seized]
The moment the Second Lady entered, she spotted the dishes on the table. Though not particularly elaborate, their aroma far surpassed anything she’d eaten before. She’d expected to endure some hardship this visit, but now it seemed manageable. Glancing at the two people before her, the Second Lady smiled warmly and said, “It’s been ages since I last saw Ji San. I made a special trip to visit you both. From the looks of things, you seem to be living quite comfortably.”
Tang Xiaobao stared at the woman before him, unsure of her intentions. He knew this woman, his so-called mother-in-law, disliked both Ji Ling and himself. Not knowing what she intended, Tang Xiaobao refrained from speaking rashly, waiting for Ji Ling to resolve the situation.
Ji Ling did not disappoint him. He looked straight at the woman before him and said calmly, “Thank you for your concern, Mother. We are doing quite well now.” Then he fell silent, simply watching the Second Lady, waiting for her to get the hint and leave.
Ignoring the palpable awkwardness filling the room, the Second Lady seemed oblivious to her unwelcome presence. Meeting the stares fixed upon her, she parted her crimson lips and spoke softly, “I’ve heard Xiao Bao’s culinary skills are truly remarkable. Might I have the honor of sampling them now?” Her tone was polite, yet her intent was crystal clear.
Ji Ling studied her, weighing whether she spoke truthfully while also curious about her intentions. He nodded and gave a brief instruction to the servant standing beside her. Soon, an additional set of exquisite bowls and chopsticks appeared on the table.
After sitting down, the Second Lady initially intended to take only a couple of bites to indicate she’d already eaten. Yet before she could savor it fully, the flavors struck her, causing her expression to shift slightly. She couldn’t help but take a few more bites. Then, she looked up at Tang Xiaobao, who sat quietly eating. For some reason, despite her previous dislike of him, she now found him looking remarkably well-behaved.
Tang Xiaobao grew instantly wary when he caught the Second Lady’s gaze fixed on him. Before he could signal Ji Ling for help, however, the woman merely glanced at him twice before lowering her head to eat. Her movements were refined and graceful, yet they couldn’t conceal her astonishing speed. Tang Xiaobao felt suddenly stunned. He turned and exchanged a glance with Ji Ling, whose eyes remained utterly calm. Noticing his gaze, Ji Ling even picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour spare ribs and placed it in his own bowl. As he ate that deeply flavored piece of ribs, Tang Xiaobao instantly forgot what he had been about to ask. He lowered his head and began to chew slowly.
After this meal, the Second Lady gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between Ji Ling and Tang Xiaobao. She even secretly wondered if Ji Ling was deliberately acting overly sweet and affectionate to disgust her because of her presence. In the end, however, she decided against saying anything. After finishing, she gave a brief farewell and left with her maid. Only upon reaching the doorway did she realize she’d eaten far too much today, leaving her with a complex mix of emotions.
Meanwhile, Tang Xiaobao looked at the empty plates on the table, then at Ji Ling, and asked softly, “Are you full? If not, I can make something else.” I never imagined the Second Lady, looking so slender, could eat so much. And she even finished that Buddha Jumps Over the Wall! I spent ages preparing it. If I’d known, I would’ve had it taken away earlier.”
Ji Ling looked at Tang Xiaobao, his face slightly dejected. He ruffled his hair and said comfortingly, “I’m not hungry. Didn’t we already have a little something before she arrived? Eating too much at night won’t digest well. Besides, her eating so much just proves your cooking is truly delicious—otherwise, how could she have eaten that much?”
Hearing this, Tang Xiaobao thought for a moment before nodding in agreement, acknowledging Ji Ling’s point. He then looked at his earnestly and promised that if he ever wanted ‘the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’ he missed today, he would make it for him.
***[Buddha’s Temptation or fotiaoqiang (Chinese: 佛跳牆; pinyin: fótiàoqiáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hu̍t-thiàu-chhiûⁿ), is a variety of shark fin soup in Fujian cuisine.[2][3] This dish has been regarded as a Chinese delicacy known for its rich taste,[2][4] and special manner of cooking.[2] The dish’s name is an allusion to the dish’s ability to entice the vegetarian Buddhist monks from their temples to partake in the meat-based dish, and implies that even the strictly vegetarian Gautama Buddha would try to jump over a wall to sample it.[5] It is high in protein and calcium.[6] It is one of China’s state banquet dishes.]
Seeing Tang Xiaobao so earnestly focused, Ji Ling affectionately ruffled his hair, assuring him he’d let him know when he felt like eating.
Originally, she had thought the Second Lady’s visit was merely a momentary whim. Yet, within a few hours, the atmosphere within the Ji residence had shifted unnervingly. Watching Feng Ling rush in hurriedly, Ji Ling’s expression turned peculiar. His eyes then seemed to brim with mockery as he asked, “What do you think will supposedly happen to my dear mother after she returns?”
Feng Ling bowed deeply, his back arched in reverence as he replied, “Young Master, after returning home, the Second Lady complained of feeling unwell. She summoned the family physician, but her condition showed no improvement—in fact, it seemed to worsen considerably.” Then the Second Master sent for that renowned master physician Hua Tuo from Huichun Hall. The old doctor arrived and immediately declared the Second Lady had been poisoned. The poison was administered so secretly that even the maidservants attending her can attest she only sat here today. Consequently, rumors have spread throughout the manor that the Young Master sought to poison the Second Lady.”
Hearing this, Tang Xiaobao, who had been standing there all along, was utterly stunned. He had suspected the Second Lady’s visit here wouldn’t bring anything good, but he never imagined she could stoop to such shameless depths. Then he remembered how she had always targeted Ji Ling. Turning to look at her, his eyes held a mix of anxiety and questioning.
Feeling Tang Xiaobao’s worried gaze, Ji Ling patted his hand reassuringly. He hadn’t intended for him to hear this, but Feng Ling had reported while Tang Xiaobao was present. He’d assumed it was trivial—clearly, he’d been too careless.
While contemplating the potential countermeasures that might follow, he addressed Feng Ling, who stood before him: “Continue monitoring the Second Lady’s movements. Report any developments immediately.”
“Understood.” Feng Ling acknowledged the order and promptly turned to leave.
After he left, Ji Ling took Tang Xiaobao, who was still standing there, by the hand and led him to the bathroom. After today’s fright, he needed proper comforting.
The moment they entered the spacious bathroom, Ji Ling placed him on his lap and began to move. As the steam rose thickly inside, faint sounds of sobbing and pleading could still be heard.
By the time they returned to the room, Tang Xiaobao had long since passed out. After tucking him into the blankets, Ji Ling watched him sleeping soundly, clutching the quilt. He then left the room and returned to the study. Upon entering, he found Feng Ling waiting there. He walked straight up to him and asked directly, “How did it go?”
Feng Ling lowered his head, his reply concise and forceful: “The news coming from the Second Lady isn’t favorable. It seems she has other plans and will confront the young master tomorrow.”
Ji Ling’s interest was clearly piqued upon hearing this. He raised an eyebrow, then let out a mocking smile. “I’ll be curious to see what tricks she has up her sleeve.” “With that, he walked to his bookshelf, reached up, and took down a brocade box. From within, he retrieved a thick envelope, turned, and handed it to Feng Ling, who had been standing there all along. He instructed, “If I’m not in the mansion and someone comes bearing my message to retrieve this, you should simply hand it over to them.”
Feng Ling’s eyes flickered as he examined the item his young master had entrusted to him. Clearly aware of its contents, he nevertheless said nothing further, merely bowing his head and replying in a subdued tone, “Understood, young master.”
Ji Ling was thoroughly satisfied with Feng Ling’s response.
The next day passed without incident. Just as Tang Xiaobao thought the matter had been settled, a squad of soldiers suddenly stormed into their courtyard, attempting to seize Ji Ling without explanation. Tang Xiaobao was utterly stunned by this turn of events. Before he could react, Ji Ling stepped directly in front of him and addressed the intruders: “May I ask the purpose of your visit, officers?”
The leader was clearly a brute who despised wealthy young masters. Seeing the handsome Ji Ling before him only deepened his contempt. He snorted and sneered, “You dare ask what crime you’ve committed? Your family’s second wife personally came to the magistrate’s office to accuse you of attempting to poison your stepmother. We’ve been ordered by the magistrate to arrest you and bring you to trial at a later date.”
Ji Ling’s expression remained utterly unchanged at these words, but Tang Xiaobao, standing behind him, was utterly stunned. How could someone be so shameless? He was willing to sacrifice his own dignity just to drag Ji Ling away.
“In that case, I shan’t waste Your Honor’s time. I’ll accompany you to clear up this misunderstanding.” Watching the group enter the Ji residence’s sprawling courtyard without hindrance, it took only a moment to realize how much foul play lay beneath the surface. Ji Ling remained unflustered. He knew his stepmother had just made her worst move yet. Turning to Tang Xiaobao, who had been watching him intently from behind, he ruffled the boy’s hair gently. “Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Hmph.” The leader couldn’t help but snort at Ji Ling’s display of sentimental affection at such a moment.
Under Tang Xiaobao’s worried gaze, Ji Ling turned to the waiting constables and said calmly, “Officer, we can go now.”
Seeing Ji Ling so composed and dignified, not even making a fuss, the constable’s impression of him improved slightly, though his face remained dismissive. He then led his men away.
Watching them depart, Tang Xiaobao instinctively took a couple of steps forward. But the moment he moved, Lü He grabbed him tightly from behind. Turning to look at her, his eyes were filled with confusion.
Seeing Tang Xiaobao so fragile now, Lü He felt deeply distressed. But she reminded herself that if her young master returned, he would surely need her to take good care of the young madam. Gritting her teeth, she looked at the person before her and said, “Young Madam, the young master went prepared this time. You mustn’t worry. You need to take care of yourself so we can all help the young master figure things out. Following him now won’t help at all.”
Hearing Lühe’s words, Tang Xiaobao turned back to stare at Ji Ling’s retreating figure, his eyes brimming with unshed tears as he pondered the young master’s earlier words. The sight was heartbreaking.
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