The Double-Chapter 482 - 151 Accident_5

Wen Renyao got drunk and began clamoring to gamble with others, until Situ Jiuyue gave him a sniff of medicine, and with a "clang," he collapsed. Situ Jiuyue walked away with an air of ease, and the Hidden Guards of the Duke Residence had no choice but to carry Wen Renyao back.

Instantly, only Jih Heng and Jiang Li were left in the courtyard.

The fact that only Jih Heng and Jiang Li were left wasn’t of great consequence, but since Wen Ji had said, "My lord had previously instructed that if there’s something to discuss with the young lady, I shall wait outside," he and Zhao Ke left the courtyard together.

Jih Heng’s subordinates were all very loyal, and the servants of the Duke Residence clearly obeyed their master’s commands very well. When they said they would wait outside, within moments the spacious courtyard was devoid of anyone else. Jiang Li even suspected there were not even any birds or insects around; besides them, likely the only living things were those captivatingly beautiful poisonous flowers in the garden.

The banquet was withdrawn, leaving only Jih Heng and Jiang Li at the table. The bonfire hadn’t died out, it had shrunk a little from before, but the courtyard was quieter than earlier. Because of this, rather than being dimmed, it felt warmer after the quiet.

Jiang Li asked, "Duke?"

Jih Heng, supporting his chin with one hand and gazing at her, didn’t respond for a long time. Jiang Li leaned in closer and was taken aback to discover Jih Heng’s eyes were slightly closed and he was not looking at her.

"Duke?" Jiang Li called out again with hesitation, but Jih Heng still didn’t move.

Could he be drunk? She couldn’t help but glance at the now empty wine jars at Jih Heng’s feet. Even with the best of tolerances, drinking like that would surely result in drunkenness. The other men who had been drinking had long since succumbed; only Jih Heng had remained seemingly sober and composed. She had been admiring his ability to hold his liquor, thinking to herself that he truly was someone who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk – only to find him finally showing signs of inebriation now.

However, to be sure whether he was truly drunk or just playing a prank, Jiang Li leaned in even closer.

The young man’s skin was inherently fair and smooth, making even women envious, and it was a mystery how it was nurtured to such perfection. At this moment, he was tinged with a faint blush, which was enchantingly appealing. The phrase "beauty that overshadows even the peach blossoms" seemed insufficient to describe him. His usually passionate eyes were now closed, hiding any trace of their usual playful glint. His long eyelashes cast a gentle, pure shadow, revealing a softness he had never shown before. His nose was straight, his lips had a touch of brightness, and a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye was more seductive than any peach blossom. Such a man sitting before her resembled a tender youth in his gentleness, yet as enigmatic as a man, captivating Jiang Li, who had lived two lifetimes, into a trance.

Rumors had it that Jih Heng’s biological father, Jih Minghan, was a famously beautiful general with a cold demeanor, and his mother Yu Hongye was so lovely she was called a "bewitching woman". It’s clear that both of his parents were rare beauties. Perhaps only the union of two such beauties could produce such a flawless man.

Jiang Li couldn’t help but think, it was a shame that she had never met these two individuals, curious about their elegance and demeanor. Judging by Jih Heng’s appearance, she feared that rumors did not even capture half of his parents’ splendor.

She then sat quietly, waiting for Jih Heng to wake, but after a considerable time, there was no sign of him coming to. Jiang Li thought about getting up to look for Wen Ji and Zhao Ke, but in such a large courtyard, if she were to leave, she would have to leave Jih Heng alone here.

For some reason, Jiang Li felt that this was somewhat inappropriate. Although Jih Heng was seen by others as an omnipotent character that no one could touch, the longer she knew him and the deeper her understanding, the more she realized that despite his contradictions, he had aspects of an ordinary person. In this world, no one was an all-powerful deity.

Jih Heng had many enemies; this was something Jiang Li already knew. Who knew whether there were others lurking nearby? Knowing that Jih Heng, in his drunken sleep, would be easy prey for anyone who wanted his life. Having died once before, Jiang Li placed a high value on life, and she believed Jih Heng felt the same. No matter what Jih Heng’s motives were or what he intended to do, if he died, his unique presence would come to a sharp and abrupt end, leaving no "afterward".

Jiang Li wanted to reach for the whistle, but then she realized she had left it back in the residence. Left with no choice, she continued to stay by Jih Heng’s side, unsure of when he would wake. She looked back at the sleeping Jih Heng. In his slumber, he appeared as fragile as a beautiful woman, and involuntarily, she felt a softening in her heart and draped her own cloak over him.

Being out in the open, it was easy to catch a cold; she convinced herself, Jih Heng had helped her many times before, so this small gesture was the least she could do without keeping score.