Chapter 249: One Book for One Life

Jia Rong asked eagerly, "Cousin Cong, you came to see me—did Grandma send you to save me?"

Jia Cong gave a cold laugh: "You and your father committed those crimes. The Three Departments have tried you, the Emperor has issued the decree—everything is settled. No one can save you."

Jia Rong had thought Jia Cong's arrival was like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline, but it turned out to be nothing but a bucket of ice water.

He muttered nervously: "No, there's still hope, there's still hope…"

Jia Cong said calmly: "The journey to Qiongzhou is nearly ten thousand li, crossing eleven states, thirty-eight prefectures of the Zhou Empire—it will take five months on the road."

The guards escorting you will spend nearly a year round-trip. Such a miserable duty is the worst luck imaginable—I imagine their tempers are terrible."

Along the way, they won't treat you kindly, and the water, climate, and food vary across every state and prefecture you pass through."

Even a healthy man can't guarantee he'll stay free of illness."

But you're a pampered young master, your body worn thin by wine, lust, and debauchery—this long journey, with guards as cruel as wolves…"

"But I won't save you for free. You must do one thing to buy your life!"

He suddenly seemed to realize something, his voice sharp but hollow: "So you've set your sights on my woman—or did she betray me while I was down, seducing you behind my back?"

As for whether Jia Cong truly had such power, he didn't doubt it—not when Jia Cong now held official rank and was favored by the Emperor himself.

But even so, he didn't want to die. Even if he had to crawl through life, he'd take another day if he could.

"Write Qin Qin Keqing a divorce deed, and I'll ensure you live to reach Qiongzhou!"

Jia Cong's voice was icy, utterly devoid of warmth—like a death curse echoing from hell, stirring Jia Rong's deepest terror.

Jia Rong's face twisted in horror. Few knew of this matter, and he'd hidden it carefully—how could Jia Cong possibly know?

Upon hearing this, Jia Rong froze. After a long silence, he trembled: "Why do you make me write her a divorce deed? What does this have to do with you?"

"When you were ruined at Chunhua Pavilion by Chen Xiong, you still dared to marry Qin Keqing to save your face—destroying her entire life. You should have died long ago!"

Jia Cong's promise to keep him alive until Qiongzhou had already eased his breath—at least he wouldn't die immediately.

Just throwing silver around would be enough to get him alive to Qiongzhou.

Jia Rong felt a faint disappointment, but he understood: expecting Jia Cong to keep him alive for thirty years in Qiongzhou was pure fantasy.

After his arrest, he'd heard that the Xiuniang Perfume Shop his father and he had schemed for was actually this Cousin Cong's concubine's private property—how much silver must he have?

To survive the journey to Qiongzhou would be nearly impossible—you'll almost certainly die on the road. Sending you there was never meant to let you live!"

Jia Cong watched Jia Rong silently, his gaze like needle-tipped blades, as if piercing straight through Jia Rong's soul—making Jia Rong's heart tremble with unspeakable dread.

"If Cousin Cong can save my life, I'll do anything you ask. Cousin Cong, command me as you will."

"Without this divorce deed, I still have many ways to ensure Qin Keqing lives well—but how many days you have left? Only Heaven knows."

Jia Rong shook violently, pleading nonstop: "No, I don't want to die, I don't want to die!"

We leave the day after tomorrow—Cousin Cong, please, save me…"

Jia Cong sneered: "Now that you're in this state, what good does understanding any of this do you?"

"I can arrange for you to reach Qiongzhou alive. How long you live after that depends entirely on your own fate."

He knew even if he reached Qiongzhou alive, surviving thirty years in that hellhole—and returning to Love Shenjing—was something even he found hard to believe.

Those words shattered Jia Rong's last pride and pretense.

In his own mind, if he refused Jia Cong, the man would find ways to make sure he didn't even survive leaving Love Shenjing.

Ningguo Prefecture no longer exists—who cares about this worthless life of mine?

My wife may be as beautiful as a goddess, but to me, she's just a useless ornament.

If Jia Cong wants her, let him have her—what matters more than my own life?

"Please, Cousin Cong, save my life—I'll write it, I'll write it…"

Jia Cong gestured to Jiang Liu, who stood far outside the cell. Jiang Liu brought out paper and ink, placing them before Jia Rong.

"I'll dictate, you write—every single character must be correct!"

"Jia Rong, heir of Ningguo Prefecture, guilty of capital crimes, sentenced to thirty years of exile in Qiongzhou, where survival is uncertain. His wife, Lady Qin Qin Keqing, is young—let her not be doomed to a wasted life."

"I willingly sign this divorce deed, permitting her to leave and remarry, forever free of dispute. This is my own free will, not coerced. To prevent future disputes, this document stands as proof."

…

On the official road south of Love Shenjing.

A carriage bearing the Lady Rongguo Prefecture emblem stood beside a roadside rest pavilion.

Today, Jia Zhen and his son were to be escorted to Qiongzhou.

No one from the eight branches of the Love Shenjing Jia family would come to see them off. Many of Ningguo's own descendants even hoped Jia Zhen and his son would die sooner.

If not for their crimes, how could Ningguo's title and estate have been stripped away, its generations of wealth and power lost in a single day?

These people had clearly forgotten how desperately they once fawned over Jia Zhen and his son, just to siphon off Ningguo's benefits and live in ease.

The world's coldness, the nobility's lack of mercy—this was all it amounted to.

At this moment, only the two ladies of Ningguo Prefecture had moral grounds to see them off—and Jia Zhen and his son were destined never to return.

Lady You had been Ningguo's wife for over a decade. Jia Zhen had daily indulged in debauchery before her face, cavorting with concubines—never once treating this low-born official wife with respect.

For over ten years, they had produced no children, their relationship icy, merely putting on a show for outsiders.

Now that Ningguo had lost its title and been seized, Lady You lived in Lady Rongguo with her dowry and belongings, her wealth unchanged—she seemed no worse off than before, perhaps even quieter.

Lady You's visit to see Jia Zhen was merely routine: bringing a few garments, playing a part before outsiders—after all, they'd never meet again.

Since Jia Rong's arrest, Qin Keqing's coldness had drawn notice among many in Lady Rongguo Prefecture.

Yet even Jia Mu held no harsh judgment—understandable, given the circumstances.

Qin Keqing had married Jia Rong for only a few months; both families had heard Jia Rong treated her cruelly. Now, with this scandal, Qin Keqing—so young—was doomed to a lifetime of living widowhood.

For a woman, nothing could be more tragic. To harbor resentment—what was strange about that?

In Jia Mu's eyes, Jia Rong was certain to die on the road—why punish a pitiful woman?

Treat her well, and Jia family gains another virtuous widow—a mark of honor and dignity.

…

Qin Keqing's own wish had been to never come see Jia Rong off—not only did she despise his licentiousness and moral decay, she also harbored an unspoken loathing for Ningguo Prefecture.

She resented her father for clinging to power, and hated this marriage for ruining her life, robbing her of the chance to be with the man she loved openly.

But yesterday, Baozhu brought Jia Cong's message—and Qin Keqing had no choice but to come today.

When she learned what Jia Cong had done for her, she was overwhelmed with trembling joy.

…

She could not forget how she had suffered through those days in Ningguo Prefecture.

She would spend the rest of her life in Lady Rongguo—Jia Cong was her clan uncle; they could never be together openly.

For her entire life, she would watch helplessly as he married, raised children, built a family—while she remained only a spectator.

That was far crueler than being forced into lifelong widowhood!

Now was her best chance to escape, to break free from her chains—she would not let it slip away.

Then she would no longer be Ningguo's eldest daughter-in-law—nothing would stand in their way. Perhaps, someday, they could be together.

(End of Chapter)