Quick Transmigration: Saving The Crazy Villainess

Chapter 104: Jiang Ying Yue (11)

When Jiang Li started staring blankly at the girl, it was not out of anger or anything. 

He was merely trying to make the system speak whether the person in front of him was also similar to him. It kept dodging his question. His suspicion grew stronger after remembering it was not the first time that it reacts weirdly to a question related to her. 

Since it was not talking no matter the kind of persuasion and coercion he used, he turned to Jiang Ying Yue, squinting his eyes at the half-confused, half-frightened her who flung his right hand away in a hurry.

He remembered the way she caught his hand. He was not the overly romantic type who frequently hugs or kisses someone he likes. His former manager was. That woman had some temper too so whenever she got annoyed by him, he would have to coax her with songs. If it doesn't work, then by patting her head. He doesn't know why she liked him doing that. But since the request was not hard, he was not reluctant to give in to her. Each time though, she would catch his hand or hand the way the girl before him just did, like she was catching a big mosquito above her head. 

Was that just a coincidence? How about the part where she was always in trouble or in need of someone's meddling to not die in a random manner?

'Every time I transmigrate, my face becomes different. But this girl always appears where I am, and with the same face too.'

'Three possible angles... First, it's a coincidence. Second, she's chasing after me. Third, she was originally the one sent to a particular world and my system is just intentionally sending me after her. Which of these three?'

The least probable among the three was the first. After all, in his experience, too many coincidences equaled fate being a bastard.

'Either of the remaining two could mean she's also a world-hopper.' 

He frowned. This was merely his conjecture. Maybe there was more into it.

A pity the system was not telling him if other world-hoppers exist and if in case they do, what their missions were. To be honest, one of the major reasons why he disliked the system was that it was obviously hiding so many things from him. It once complained that he was too mean, going as far as to mute it just because its functions were limited to sending him to a world, relaying the memories and requests to him, and allowing him one-time access to the shop per world. 

That was just an excuse. In reality, he doesn't trust it. It suddenly bound itself to him, offered him hope in life and revenge. Yet never disclosed its real origins and the true reason why he had to travel from world to world to prevent so-called villainesses from dying crazily with heavy resentment.

All this time, he was having a feeling it was not really to prevent the destruction of these worlds. The idea was ridiculous. Sometimes he felt tempted to try if worlds really die from receiving too much hate from its failed heroines. 

He shrugged off the crazy thoughts and looked at Jiang Ying Yue.

'I really want to know if she's her and if she's like me.'

'Whatever, I'll just slowly probe her. I have a few decades ahead of me anyway, and Lu Ling's request is very simple. To preserve the Lu Household and not allow it to disappear in history.'

The request was made because, in the original timeline, the Lu Clan became extinct, with the military general allegedly the reason. He had to prevent that. Anyway, he wasn't heartless enough to let the clan of the person who lent him his body fade in history. 

Jiang Li returned his attention to Jiang Ying Yue. He smiled softly at her, his sudden action pretty much freaked the heck out of the disheveled girl. 

The girl gulped and almost had the impulse to pick up another ceramic vase to smash against him. 

'... He's crazy. One moment, he doesn't care if I point a blade at my wrist. Now, he's smiling softly at me. I don't want to be near him, no matter how good-looking he is! I'll make sure to scheme my way into escaping!'

Jiang Li returned to patting the girl's head and Jiang Ying Yue once again unconsciously caught it, both her hands grasping his. The warmth it brought stunned her and made her feel like it's familiar. But then she remembered this was a killer's hand. So she hurriedly let go, her face becoming ash-white. 

Her wrist came to view again due to that action. He stared intently at it for a couple of moments. It was not heavily bleeding, the trace of red on it was quite negligible. Still, a wound was a wound. He called out one of the doctors in the residence and had Jiang Ying Yue treated. 

After telling his people to bring her food, he left for the barracks. 

"Greetings. Your Highness Chen Wang." 

On his way to the training field, he was ambushed by a tall young man with a slim build but mild disposition. This person's most prominent trait was the big mole on top of his nose. It was Eunuch Lin, the Emperor's trusted aide. 

Jiang Li nodded. Knowing a person like him wouldn't appear anywhere without a huge reason, he thought for a moment and directly asked, "Is His Majesty requesting This Prince's presence?"

The head eunuch was relieved that he didn't have to spend so much effort convincing the stubborn but talented general to go with him. 

It was around 9 am when they arrived at the palace. The morning court had just been dismissed. He ran into Sheng Lingxin near the front palace's flower garden where the girl attempted to be formally acquainted with him. Naturally, he rejected her subtle advances and reminded her, in front of Hai Wang that she should not get close to another man lest it harms her and Hai Wang's reputation. 

When Jiang Li and Eunuch Lin parted ways with the leads, Sheng Lingxin had a dumbfounded look on, while Hai Wang was sporting an expressionless face, seemingly in deep thoughts. 

Eunuch Lin led him to the room behind the Governance Hall's main courtroom. The old dude son of heaven was not yet inside. However, there was another old dude there. 

Tall. Tiger-like body and aura. Grand Marshal, Jiang Ke. This person had a stern and unfriendly atmosphere around him when he looked at Jiang Li. Gone was the respectable middle-aged man who pleaded mercy from him for his eldest daughter three days ago at the Emperor's banquet. 

Since there was nobody else around, Jiang Ke perfunctorily greeted Jiang Li and then gloomily asked, "Your Highness, do you have any idea why the two of us are summoned by His Majesty?"

Jiang Li amusedly glanced at him. 'As if there could be another reason, aside from me emptying a fort to look for your daughter.'

"Your Excellency, the Grand Marshal. Would you believe me if I say I don't?"

The man quietly watched him take a seat inside the room. But if one would look closely, the hostility in the older man's eyes deepened. "Allow me to enlighten you then. The whole city knows what His Highness did at the southern gate."

Jiang Li scoffed in his mind. How couldn't everyone not know? Jiang Ke was desperate to destroy his daughter's reputation. The information came from Mao Hong who came across many suspicious individuals at last night's patrol. 

Meanwhile, the marshal narrowed his eyes and added, "This one never expected that a distinguished person like Your Highness will take interest in this subject's unworthy daughter."

The eunuch and servants hurriedly laid down the snacks and drinks on the table below the raised platform after feeling the atmosphere in the room becoming tenser. All of them just wanted to leave and not care if the two had their sword fight there. 

Jiang threw the older man a puzzled look. 'His attitude towards her is making me think that the villainess is not his real daughter. If she is not, then it makes sense that he dislikes her.'

Another glance rendered him remembering the marshal was the other major reason for his misery yesterday. Does this damn military head think he's the only one who could be mad? This old bastard was the chief culprit why he felt helpless for dancing to the plot's rhythm.

Resentful, he laughed and tauntingly replied, "Like how swords don't have eyes on the battlefield, so are hearts when choosing who to love. This prince simply fell for her. And told myself there is no one else worthy of being this prince's princess consort than her."

'I like what you dislike. And I want you to die of anger. Come fight me fair and square if you're angry!'

Just as expected, Jiang Ke really hated Jiang Ying Yue. 

The general seemingly did not notice that he pulverized the table in front of him due to what Jiang Li said.