Free Web NovelChapter 186: Chapter 186: She Can Only Marry One Person
After the morning court session ended.
Li Yuzong remained by the Emperor’s side.
He refilled the Emperor’s tea after he had finished reviewing his memorials, and noted that the Holy Emperor’s expression was still reasonably pleasant.
He thus ventured, "Your Majesty, the astrological theory Mr. Gao proposed today was quite profound."
But a doubt lingered in his mind. "It’s just that... if Miss Ji wishes to marry in the future, won’t this make it impossible for her?"
With a reputation for endangering the royal heir if she marries, who would dare to take such a great risk?
Emperor Wu Su’s tone was light, yet full of meaning.
"There is only one person she can marry."
’But even if she enters the palace, she’ll be accused of being a detriment to the royal heir. What can be done about that?’
At first, Li Yuzong couldn’t wrap his head around it. But after pondering for a moment, he finally understood.
Fifth Miss Ji has already given birth to a royal heir—she is Prince Yuan Heng’s birth mother. Once this fact is announced to the world, how could there be any talk of her being a danger?
A woman who can bear a child for the Emperor is a blessed woman who rightfully belongs to the Emperor. If she were to marry another and continue someone else’s family line, *that* would be the true act of harming the royal line.
Once Li Yuzong figured out the crux of the matter, his old face crinkled into a smile.
"The Holy Emperor is truly wise and farsighted."
Emperor Wu Su shot him a sideways glance. Li Yuzong immediately knew he’d been too noisy, quickly wiped the smile from his face, and quietly retreated to stand guard outside the hall’s entrance.
Standing at the entrance of the Diligent Governance Hall, Li Yuzong looked toward the Upper Study Room not far away, a sense of urgency growing in his heart.
’I just don’t understand why the Emperor hasn’t made a move yet.’
’Fifth Miss Ji has been back in Lin’an for almost half a year. The Holy Emperor could just issue an edict and bring her into the harem. It would be so simple.’
’Why go through all the trouble of that secret nighttime rendezvous?’
’Now the situation is even more complicated. General Wei Ting is also asking to marry her. What if this damages the relationship between the sovereign and his subject?’
The Emperor wasn’t worried, but he, the chief eunuch, was frantic!
The reason was simple: if Fifth Miss Ji could enter the palace sooner, his own stress from serving at the imperial court would lessen.
*
Wei Ting returned home after court. He felt trapped by the astrological theory, and his heart was heavy with frustration.
He intended to go back to his study and think of a countermeasure, but a maid waiting at the door summoned him to Madam Wei’s courtyard.
Wei Ting asked, "What is it, Grandmother? Why the urgency?"
The maid shook her head. "I do not know, Young Master."
But not wanting to offend the future Family Head, she still offered him a bit of information.
"After Madam went to Hanshan Temple to pay respects to the Buddha this morning, she returned and has stayed in her room. She even had the Seventh Miss and the others turned away at the courtyard gate when they came to pay their respects."
Upon entering, Wei Ting hid his emotions and put on a gentle smile.
"Your grandson pays his respects, Grandmother. You haven’t seen me for just a little while, and you already miss me so much that you sent Little Tao to wait for me at the door. My heart is truly warmed."
In the entire Wei Family, only Wei Ting and the youngest child dared to joke with the stern old madam.
The room was unusually quiet. Madam Wei had been staring at the Buddha statue in the room, sitting cross-legged before it for a full hour.
She didn’t turn her head even when she heard him speak.
Nanny Pan shot Wei Ting a look, signaling for him to stop joking around; the old madam was in a bad mood.
Wei Ting went to her side, also sat down cross-legged, and asked, "Grandmother, why the long face? Did you run into some trouble?"
Only then did Madam Wei speak. "What trouble could I have? You’re the one who brings trouble to my door."
Wei Ting didn’t understand. Behind the old madam, Nanny Pan mouthed two words: "Ji Wu."
When Wei Ting understood, his heart sank. ’Ji Qingwu actually went to see my grandmother.’ fгeewebnovёl.com
He knew the outcome of that meeting just by looking at the old madam’s expression.
Madam Wei was thoroughly displeased with her.
Wei Ting forced a smile and sought confirmation. "Grandmother, you’ve met Ji Qingwu, then? What did you think of her?"
"’Proper in her conduct? Gentle and sweet?’" Madam Wei said. "Have you spent six years at the border only to have your eyes blinded by sand? To think you’d want to marry such a siren."
Wei Ting didn’t think he had exaggerated. That was indeed Ji Qingwu’s personality.
In her younger years, whether it was real or an act, her temperament had truly been gentle and pure.
Wei Ting recalled the day he had secretly returned. She had appeared at the entrance of the Diligent Governance Hall and bowed to him from a distance. In that moment, her appearance had been graceful and tender, elegant and poised.
How had she become a siren in his grandmother’s eyes?
Wei Ting said, "Grandmother, there must be some misunderstanding between you and her."
Madam Wei said, "A misunderstanding? We met today in the Great Hero Hall at Hanshan Temple. Your sisters in the family all saw her. Not only is her face bewitchingly foxy, but her character is also frivolous. I will not allow such a girl to enter the Wei Family’s gates."
Unsure where things had gone wrong, he insisted, "Grandmother, I am the one getting married, not anyone else. As long as I find her pleasing to the eye and can accept her, that should be enough."
The mere thought of Ji Wu’s seductive appearance made Madam Wei’s heart ache with vexation.
Unwilling to argue with him further, she said directly, "It’s either her or me. Me or her. You, unfilial child, can choose for yourself!"
Wei Ting had yet to realize the gravity of the situation. "Don’t worry, Grandmother," he said. "I won’t forget my grandmother just because I’ve taken a wife."
Madam Wei beckoned, calling for Nanny Pan to bring her an object.
Not long after, Wei Ting came out.
Even though he was the mighty General Zhenbei, when his elderly grandmother chased him out of the courtyard with a cane, he still had to cover his head and flee.
Wei Ting returned to his study and dismissed all the page boys and maids.
In the morning court, he had been silenced by the astrological theory, unable to speak his mind.
Upon returning home, he found his grandmother’s stance had shifted from wavering to staunchly opposed. So, Ji Qingwu didn’t want to marry him, and had even gone out of her way to appear before his grandmother and do things to earn her dislike.
Wei Ting had to admit that he had indeed underestimated Ji Qingwu’s nerve.
But it also gave him a new understanding of this woman who had once been so compliant before him, and just how unwilling she now was to submit to his wishes.
’On what grounds could she provoke me, then vanish in an instant, retreat unscathed, and even become pregnant with another man’s child?’
Especially after seeing Princess Consort Wei in the palace and learning what had recently happened in Lin’an and the court, he had made up his mind overnight to marry Ji Qingwu.
The gentle smile on Wei Ting’s lips was replaced by a bone-deep coldness.
’So what if they became a resentful couple?’
On the desk in the study lay the Four Treasures of the Study, along with a red brocade box.
He opened it. Inside was a thick stack of letters that Ji Qingwu had written to him. At the bottom of the box lay a long-withered petal from a thousand-year-old orchid.
Wei Ting picked up the fragile, difficult-to-preserve petal between his fingertips and glanced at it.
Then, with a clench of his fingers, he crushed it.
The crushed fragments of the petal fell onto his brocade robe, and he flicked them away.
*
After returning home, Ji Qingwu didn’t dare go pick up Jiu Jiu from his lessons. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
She first instructed Lan Zhi to go to Mrs. Qiao’s place and ask Nanny Li to pick him up, and to also leave a message for Mrs. Qiao that she would come over later to explain everything that had happened that day.
As she walked back to Wutong Garden, she noticed something strange.
The Wutong tree in the courtyard had shed many of its branches and leaves. There had been no wind or rain today; the mess all over the ground felt uncanny.
