Free Web NovelChapter 197: Chapter 197: The Last Line, I Said It
A faint smile spread across the Emperor’s lips.
He said good-naturedly, "It is only natural for Miss Ji to worry about her father’s safety. Since Mr. Ji is innocent, his release is only a matter of time. It’s just that the case must proceed according to protocol, which should still require..."
Just then, Ji Qingwu suddenly coughed softly three times.
Emperor Wu Su paused, appearing to consider something.
He saw Ji Qingwu’s eyes, as gentle as water, blinking at him frantically.
Emperor Wu Su gazed at her and said slowly, "In another six hours, Mr. Ji will be released from prison and can return home."
Ji Qingwu’s mouth fell open in surprise. She hadn’t expected such a delightful turn of events.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Old Madam Ji and Mrs. Qiao thanked the Emperor profusely.
As for Ji Qingwu, once she heard that her father would soon be out of jail, she sat down calmly in her chair and didn’t say another word.
As the Emperor was leaving, he glanced at her a few times, clearly displeased with her "use him and toss him aside" behavior.
In the end, the plate of crab-roe pastries that the Emperor had praised as "not bad" remained untouched by him. Instead, it ended up in the stomach of Ji Qingwu, the "meritorious hero" of the day.
The Empress Dowager was delighted and wanted to reward Ji Qingwu with something, but she didn’t want to give common items like gold or jewelry.
Fanghua whispered a few words in the Empress Dowager’s ear.
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then said, "Qingwu, I recall you enjoy tending to flowers and plants. The flora in the Imperial Garden is blooming splendidly right now. Go for a stroll there. If you see anything you like, make a note of it, and I will have someone send it to your courtyard for you to cultivate."
Ji Qingwu had long coveted the medicinal herbs near Cining Palace. Although Mrs. Qiao had later helped her find some, the seeds weren’t as good as the ones from the palace.
No reward could have pleased her more.
Ji Qingwu smiled gratefully at Aunt Fanghua. With the Empress Dowager’s permission, she headed straight for the Imperial Garden.
This was for the best, as the Empress Dowager wanted to discuss some matters with Old Madam Ji and Mrs. Qiao anyway.
「The Imperial Garden.」
Strange rocks were scattered about, and fine trees grew lush and green.
It was filled with rare flowers and exotic plants, rugged rockeries, and paths paved with colorful stones that formed various patterns, creating a scene of exquisite and elegant charm.
As soon as Ji Qingwu arrived, she found it surprisingly quiet.
Usually, Maids and little eunuchs from the various palaces would be walking about, but today, not a single person was in sight. It seemed they were deliberately avoiding the area for some reason.
She took a few more steps forward.
Suddenly, a large hand shot out and pulled her into a nearby rockery.
Smelling that deep, pleasant scent of ambergris, Ji Qingwu relaxed. She followed the pull of his hand without the slightest struggle.
Inside the rockery, the stone walls were rough and uneven.
Ji Qingwu was pressed against the stone wall, her back extremely uncomfortable. But she didn’t complain, simply tilting her head up to stare at the Emperor before her.
The light inside was dim.
Ji Qingwu couldn’t see his face clearly, only a rough outline and his gleaming eyes.
She curved her lips into a smile in the darkness. "Didn’t Your Majesty say you were returning to the Diligent Governance Hall to handle state affairs? You left a quarter of an hour ago. Why are you still in the Imperial Garden?"
Ji Qingwu had figured it out. Back in Cining Palace, the Emperor had deliberately done her a favor in front of everyone.
By having her be the one to ask about her father and receive the good news, he ensured the Empress Dowager would reward her. Going to the Diligent Governance Hall was just an excuse; he had arranged with Fanghua from the start to wait for her here.
Hearing her playful tone, Emperor Wu Su reached out a large hand, placed it on her waist, and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Ji Qingwu let out a soft cry.
He lowered his head, leaning close to her. "I was trying to protect this Imperial Garden. I was worried some ’flower thief’ might come and strip all of my plants bare."
Ji Qingwu assumed that, like her, he couldn’t see her face clearly in the dark.
She pouted in dissatisfaction. "Why is Your Majesty so stingy? You rule over the four seas, yet you care about a few flowers and plants."
His gaze darkened slightly. "I learned it from Ah Wu. Plants have spirits. Each one must be carefully nurtured, and one must even have a heart-to-heart with them from time to time."
"Before you arrived, I had already been talking to them for quite a while."
Ji Qingwu imagined the stern Emperor Wu Su speaking to the flowers and plants, and the corners of her lips curved even higher.
"What did Your Majesty say?"
The Emperor said in a serious tone, "I told them that there is a remarkable woman who is an expert at communicating with plants. In the future, if they have any ailments like a headache or a fever, or if they are just in a bad mood, they can tell her all about it."
Ji Qingwu nodded, amused, her heart blooming with happiness.
"And what did they say?" she asked.
Emperor Wu Su said languidly, "They said they want to live in the same place as this remarkable woman and grow up together."
Ji Qingwu’s breath hitched.
The man’s low, slightly hoarse voice continued in her ear.
"It would be best to see each other every day, never tiring of the sight, our thoughts entwined from dawn till dusk."
At that moment, Emperor Wu Su pressed his body fully against hers.
Ji Qingwu could feel the intense heat radiating from his hard body, so much so that her own chest felt fiery hot.
Her face flushed crimson as she said, "Can little blades of grass really say something so poetic?"
Emperor Wu Su’s hand moved with unerring accuracy to cup her cheek.
His voice was soft, like a feather brushing against her ear. "The last line... was from me."
Those words, however, landed heavily in Ji Qingwu’s heart.
She stammered, unsure of what to say.
Emperor Wu Su’s night vision was excellent, allowing him to see the expression on her face clearly. He saw her elegant brows furrow and her lips part slightly.
He cupped her chin and kissed her.
Ji Qingwu felt like she was about to melt from the heat. Fortunately, the stone wall behind her was cool, helping to lower her temperature.
In the darkness, a kiss wasn’t just a sensation of touch. The sounds were an intimate trial for her ears.
On the rockery wall, a drop of water trickled down slowly.
The trail it left was slow and gradual, dampening the entire stone surface.
This kiss, too, felt as if it would soak through her entire body.
When his hand pushed aside the front of her robes and he lowered his head, Ji Qingwu’s delicate hand stopped him. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Her breathing was unsteady as she asked, "Your Majesty, what time did you arrive last night?"
Hearing Ji Qingwu bring up last night on her own, Emperor Wu Su, who had originally intended to let the matter slide, changed his mind.
He knew that Wei Ting’s visit had nothing to do with her.
But emotions can devour reason, just as, at this moment, his eyes were filled with a desire that could consume everything.
Emperor Wu Su asked, "What did Wei Ting say to you last night?"
The trembling in Ji Qingwu’s heart turned into a tight clench.
Her ears were filled with his voice, to the point that she could no longer remember what Wei Ting had said or done.
Emperor Wu Su’s patience was thin. He waited for a moment, but she said nothing.
So he buried his head again and continued what he wanted to do, leaving new marks among the red ones from before.
Layer upon layer, they resembled a sprawling lotus flower.
Having done what he wanted, he lifted his head, his eyes dangerous. "No matter what he said, Ah Wu, don’t listen to him."
Ji Qingwu’s head was buzzing, and her heart felt feverish.
