Free Web NovelChapter 135: Chapter 135: The Emperor Is Still Unhappy, but the Consequences Aren’t Too Serious
His sudden stare made Ji Qingwu’s heart skip a beat.
She immediately stood up straight and changed her expression, plastering a fawning smile on her face.
In a delicate, soft tone, she said, "Your Majesty, you’re awake."
Emperor Wu Su’s voice was a bit hoarse, tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible exhaustion.
"What took you so long? Were you unwilling to come?"
’He’s guessed it exactly.’
Hearing this, Ji Qingwu trembled slightly.
She then replied in a soft, quiet voice, "How would I dare disobey Your Majesty’s decree? It is simply that this hall is quite a distance from Cining Palace, and I walk slowly. I have kept Your Majesty waiting. I beg for your forgiveness."
"You wouldn’t dare?"
Emperor Wu Su’s words were laced with a mix of mockery and scrutiny. "From what I’ve seen, you dare to do anything. You’re quite bold."
Ji Qingwu fell silent, guiltily lowering her head to stare at the tips of her toes, affecting an obedient and well-behaved demeanor.
Watching her, Emperor Wu Su set a teacup down, picked up the teapot from a nearby stove, and poured a cup to soothe his throat. fгeewebnovёl.com
"First, tell me what you’ve been up to."
Ji Qingwu had nothing to hide. Her "grudge" against Prince Yong stemmed from that night on the dragon boat, a fact the Emperor was well aware of.
She said frankly, "I gave Princess Yong... that kind of prescription."
Emperor Wu Su looked up. "What kind of prescription? Be specific."
For some reason, Ji Qingwu felt a little embarrassed to say it in front of the Emperor. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she chose her words carefully.
"It’s... the kind that will make Prince Yong a eunuch for the rest of his life."
For a man, this was tantamount to torture. When Emperor Wu Su had heard the report earlier, he too had been surprised that she would do such a thing.
The dim surroundings made the spacious Handan Hall feel cramped and oppressive.
Awaiting her sentence, Ji Qingwu was so nervous she could hear her own heartbeat.
Emperor Wu Su said, "What grudge do you hold against Prince Yong to resort to such methods? Although Ming Hong intended to get close to you, he never took any substantial action."
Ji Qingwu explained, "Prince Yong had ill intentions toward me, as Your Majesty is well aware. If something had actually happened, it would have been too late. I was just taking a preventive measure."
"Acting so recklessly and bringing even greater trouble upon yourself—this is your idea of a preventive measure?"
There was a hint of reprimand in Emperor Wu Su’s voice.
Ji Qingwu could shrug off anyone else’s questions and scoldings, but even the slightest hint of reproach from him felt unbearable.
She opened her lips to speak again, her expression filled with a defiance that replaced her earlier soft, docile act.
"What does Your Majesty mean? Just because Prince Yong is of imperial blood, and because he didn’t *actually* succeed in violating me that night, I’m supposed to swallow my anger and let the matter rest?"
Her voice was accusatory, as if pouring out all the grievances in her heart.
Emperor Wu Su gazed into her eyes, which were brimming with indignation, and said slowly, "I have already punished Ming Hong. I made him witness the ’golden juice’ torture as a warning."
While witnessing the punishment, Prince Yong had been so frightened he fainted. He had to recover for some time afterward.
Ji Qingwu stubbornly met his gaze, not backing down an inch.
"But that was *your* doing, Your Majesty. I also have to do something with my own power. I can’t just be a sitting duck. What if someone else, like Ji Changyan, notices Prince Yong’s interest in me and tries to send me to his bed? What then?"
Emperor Wu Su put down his teacup, staring at her intently. "There are many unknown dangers, far more than you can predict," he said in a low voice. "But since you’ve made your move, I’d like to hear it. What makes you think you can get away clean?"
Ji Qingwu thought for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "Luck."
Her reply made the Emperor let out a scoff.
"Relying on luck alone won’t keep you alive in the palace for long."
Seeing the sarcastic smile on his lips, Ji Qingwu said with determination, "I never considered an escape route. I act as I see fit. Besides, today’s matter has already been resolved, and I haven’t been punished. Why should I continue to be shackled by it?"
Seeing that she didn’t want to discuss it further, Emperor Wu Su’s eyes darkened, and his tone took on an unquestionable authority.
"It’s not that you didn’t consider an escape route. The reason you were bold enough to move against Prince Yong is because you simply don’t take him seriously!"
Her body trembled involuntarily, as if his words had struck a nerve.
His words were like a volley of arrows, relentless and unforgiving.
"Furthermore, you aren’t afraid of being punished by the Empress Dowager, the mistress of this harem. What is the root of this confidence? Is it because you’re the granddaughter of the Qiao Family, or because you’re the Empress Dowager’s own grand-niece?"
Ji Qingwu stared at him, stunned.
"It’s neither," Emperor Wu Su said coldly.
In an instant, his gaze became as sharp as a blade, as if it could pierce straight to the bottom of her heart and touch its most secret corners.
"Prince Yong and the Empress Dowager are of noble status; they are not people you can afford to provoke. And you are not someone who isn’t afraid of death. So, what is the real reason behind your bold actions and disregard for the consequences? What are you so sure of in your heart?"
Ji Qingwu’s eyes flickered. She wanted to retort, but her lips felt as if they were glued shut, unable to part even a fraction.
’Could such a thought truly be hidden in my heart?’
’What am I so sure of?’
Ji Qingwu’s heart trembled. She was gradually realizing that what she was so sure of was... frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
...that someone would rescue her from disaster, just like every time before.
’And who is that person...?’
From across the table, Emperor Wu Su’s aura lunged toward her, ferocious and bearing an oppressive weight that was impossible to ignore.
Ji Qingwu’s legs traitorously began to go soft as a sense of weakness spread through her.
She pressed her hand on the tabletop to support herself, the force draining the color from her fingertips.
Seeing her intense inner struggle, Emperor Wu Su sighed. He withdrew his powerful aura, poured her a cup of tea instead, and placed it by her hand.
He was the first to concede. "This tea was brewed with unopened lotus buds. Drink some to warm up. We won’t speak of this matter again."
But Ji Qingwu just stared blankly at the clear, amber tea, saying nothing.
A momentary silence fell over the hall, broken only by the rustling of lotus leaves in the gentle breeze outside the window.
An unknown amount of time passed. By the time Ji Qingwu came to her senses, the cup of tea had grown completely cold.
She immediately looked up across the table and saw that Emperor Wu Su was still sitting there. He hadn’t left.
Her heart pounded.
Her gaze locked onto him, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear.
Seeing this, Emperor Wu Su said slowly, "It’s no wonder you don’t take Prince Yong seriously."
He had meant to say this with a stern face.
But just then, Ji Qingwu’s dark eyes darted about, her sly little expression incredibly vivid.
Without a word, he knew what she was thinking.
’She even dared to force herself on me, the Emperor. A mere Prince Yong was naturally nothing to her.’
Emperor Wu Su couldn’t hold back a smile that touched his lips.
Seeing his expression soften, Ji Qingwu gently bit her lip, making it turn a brighter shade of red. Her voice was as low as a whisper.
"Your Majesty."
Emperor Wu Su raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Thank you for rescuing me today." Ji Qingwu paused slightly before adding, "And not just today."
He looked displeased. "Thanks are not what I want to hear."
Ji Qingwu understood what he wanted.
