Chapter 41: Was Wen Qiyan begging her to continue loving him? ...

Not only Ji Wanyuan, but even Madam Ji was stunned for a moment.

By the time the mother and daughter came to their senses, the servants had already brought up rattan whips.

Although Ji Wanyuan had never been beaten, she had been arrogant and domineering, caused a lot of trouble, and was disobedient and often talked back. Prime Minister Ji always threatened her with a rattan whip.

Even though the rattan whip never actually touched her, the sound of Prime Minister Ji wielding it remained etched in her memory.

Therefore, she was instinctively afraid when she saw the rattan whip, and even the sound of it echoed in her mind. She unconsciously choked on her food, leaving Wen Qiyan, who noticed her small movement, speechless.

He was the one who got hit, and she became scared first.

Surely she wasn't beaten up too?

It was common knowledge in the capital that Prime Minister Ji and his wife doted on their daughter. Even if Ji Wanyuan caused a huge disaster, the couple would probably help cover it up, and at most scold her a few times. They would never have the heart to hit her.

"Master...you..." Madam Ji hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

"Madam, please sit down and relax," Prime Minister Ji gestured for her to leave it at that.

Therefore, Madam Ji did not object further.

Prime Minister Ji took a rattan whip and said to Ji Wanyuan, "Come sit next to your father."

Ji Wanyuan was still wondering if her father would make her do it?

Thinking of this, even in the Ji family, with her parents backing her up, she was still somewhat afraid to actually hit Wen Qiyan, after all, he had "disciplined" her several times.

Urged by Prime Minister Ji, Ji Wanyuan slowly passed by Wen Qiyan and moved to sit down directly opposite him.

Soon, Ji Wanyuan understood her father's true intentions.

He wanted Wen Qiyan to kneel before her.

Wen Qiyan clearly realized this as well, but he did not express any dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Ji's intentions, and his expression remained unchanged.

Ji Wanyuan was somewhat uneasy, after all, she was afraid that Wen Qiyan might keep quiet now but hold a grudge and settle scores with her later.

And his gaze remained fixed on her, just staring at her.

When Prime Minister Ji told him to kneel, he raised his hand, lifted his robe, and knelt down. Even when he was forced to submit to someone, his elegance was not diminished in the slightest; he remained as exquisite and unique as jade.

Ji Wanyuan subconsciously pursed her lips nervously, gripping the armrests of the rosewood armchair tightly, "..."

Prime Minister Ji showed no mercy and said nothing more; he raised his whip and struck without hesitation.

Presumably he hadn't held back, Ji Wanyuan heard the man groan, and his broad shoulders trembled slightly.

She was so frightened that she almost jumped up, and her vision blurred slightly.

Prime Minister Ji's voice was firm and resounding: "The Ji family precepts state that anyone who is harsh on his wife and daughters shall be flogged twenty times."

Wen Qiyan listened without saying a word.

Prime Minister Ji quickly followed with the second, third, and fourth lashes...

Just as he reached the eleventh lash, Wen Qiyan's brows furrowed, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his shoulders turned slightly red.

His gaze remained fixed on her, beads of sweat glistening on his handsome brows, and his long eyelashes trembled slightly, creating an eerie beauty.

At this moment, Ji Wanyuan had no time to appreciate anything. Although she felt good, she was also a little creeped out by the stare and didn't know what to say, so she could only turn her gaze to her mother, Madam Ji.

When Madam Ji was first surprised and slightly hesitant about Wen Qiyan being beaten, the Prime Minister's gaze seemed to reassure her, and soon she also felt that Wen Qiyan deserved to be beaten!

She had long disliked Wen Qiyan. Recalling the cold treatment he had given Ji Wanyuan a long time ago, the grievances she had suffered, and the tears she had shed, Madam Ji wished she could take matters into her own hands.

Unfortunately, she was just a woman and not as strong as Prime Minister Ji, so Prime Minister Ji was the one to do it.

When Ji Wanyuan looked over, Madam Ji mistakenly thought she was feeling sorry for her and wanted to stop her.

He quickly went forward and hugged her, then turned his back to Wen Qiyan and gave Ji Wanyuan a look, signaling her not to show any pity.

Ji Wanyuan nestled in her mother Madam Ji's arms, finally regaining some composure, but she was still watching.

Wen Qiyan raised his eyes, enduring the whipping of Prime Minister Ji, and looked at the timid young woman hiding behind Madam Ji.

She only peeked out half of her face, her eyes wide open like a cat's, looking at us with a mixture of curiosity and a lack of daring to look openly. Her pupils were moist, innocent, and pure.

Seeing Ji Wanyuan like this, he actually felt that the pain in his body wasn't so bad anymore.

"..."

The remaining lashes were delivered by Prime Minister Ji for quite some time before he stopped. He didn't hold back at all, and Wen Qiyan's shoulder was already soaked with blood.

"Okay, not saying a word is barely acceptable."

Prime Minister Ji stopped, took a deep breath, and handed the blood-stained whip to his subordinate.

"Father-in-law, you flatter me." He bowed with his hands clasped in a gesture of respect.

Ji Wanyuan heard him groan, probably because the movement had aggravated his wound.

The couple set up a stage to perform, and they got into a fight. The injuries looked quite serious, so Madam Ji sent someone to fetch a doctor.

While waiting for the doctor, Prime Minister Ji washed his hands and drank tea.

Wen Qiyan sat down next to Ji Wanyuan. She smelled the strong stench of blood and frowned in disgust.

Seeing her half-hearted attempt to dodge, Wen Qiyan paused.

Their eyes met, but Ji Wanyuan remained silent.

The doctor arrived quickly and needed to remove his clothes to examine the injury, so he moved behind the screen.

Ji Wanyuan thought about it and decided to follow them to take a look.

Since she had already agreed to help her father gather information, it wouldn't be right for her to avoid the issue like before.

By the way, she might be able to use this opportunity to ease the tension between her and Wen Qiyan, and in a way, back down gracefully under the guise of "concern."

Since a divorce isn't possible right now, she decided not to cause any more trouble with the Lin family.

In the story, Wen Qiyan used her, so why couldn't she turn the tables on him and use him instead, spreading false information to confuse the public?

Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan instantly had an idea.

Madam Ji stopped her, saying, "The smell of blood is strong inside. You're pregnant, don't go."

"Mom, I'm fine, I'll just go check on things."

Madam Ji said her temper had flared up again. Had she forgotten all the grievances Wen Qiyan had caused her? She felt sorry for him after only giving him twenty lashes?

"Oh dear..." The other side of the screen wasn't far from here, so Ji Wanyuan didn't say much. She could only look to her father for help.

When Prime Minister Ji learned what she was going to do, he waved his hand, signaling to Madam Ji to let her go.

"Master!" Madam Ji sighed in exasperation.

As soon as she loosened her grip slightly, Ji Wanyuan immediately slipped away behind the screen.

"Yuan'er!"

"Alright, Madam, please calm down. I have some things to do in the study. I'll have breakfast before I go back to work. Madam, please have the cook serve the dishes quickly, here..."

As he spoke, Prime Minister Ji led his wife out, leaving the two of them alone.

Wen Qiyan listened to the sounds outside and heard Ji Wanyuan's footsteps. She walked around the screen, and their eyes met.

This time, she didn't avoid the look. After a moment of eye contact, Ji Wanyuan looked away first and went around to look at the back.

hiss.

Her father was quite ruthless; Wen Qiyan's shoulder bone was already torn open.

Some of the fabric was so badly dented from the whipping that it was stuck to his skin and flesh, and the doctor was using tweezers to pick it out and treat it.

Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but grimace and gasp, while the person in question remained expressionless.

Realizing her expression was too exaggerated, she immediately composed herself, only to find herself staring into the man's eyes when she looked up.

Why does Wen Qiyan like to stare at her so much now?

Before Ji Wanyuan could ask, he suddenly turned his head, and Ji Wanyuan only saw the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

He's...laughing?

Was Wen Qiyan slapped in the head by her father until she went mad?

What is he laughing at?!

Ji Wanyuan belatedly realized that he might be laughing at her, and she inwardly pursed her lips in annoyance.

Her gaze returned to the man's back, where she noticed some subtle, fading scratches.

It looks like she caught it?

He was really bullying her that day, so she got angry and started scratching and clawing at him. She couldn't remember where she scratched him, but she remembered now that she saw him.

She saw it all, so the doctor must have seen it too, right?

Ji Wanyuan's expression became even more unnatural. She looked away and focused on Wen Qiyan's more serious injuries.

The doctor quickly treated his injury, especially instructing him not to get it wet and not to make any strenuous movements, lest the wound reopen and the injury worsen.

Wen Qiyan nodded and expressed his gratitude.

Ji Wanyuan had Emerald send the doctor away.

When she returned, Wen Qiyan was adjusting his outer robe. Even though his face was pale, he was still handsome.

It has to be said that his face is truly impeccable; I've lost count of how many times I've exclaimed this.

"It's almost time for breakfast," she reminded him.

"Hmm." The man stood up.

Wen Qiyan was so tall and imposing that Ji Wanyuan always felt inexplicably nervous when he approached, and would unconsciously take a step back.

She left quickly, with Wen Qiyan following behind her at a leisurely pace.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Prime Minister Ji casually asked, "Has it been resolved?"

Wen Qiyan politely said that it was all better, his tone completely devoid of any resentment or grudge.

Ji Wanyuan was pregnant and had been through so much, so she was naturally hungry. Madam Ji had prepared all her favorite dishes, and she sat down and began to eat. Madam Ji told her to slow down.

Wen Qiyan barely touched his chopsticks, instead taking care of Ji Wanyuan and serving her food.

Madam Ji and Prime Minister Ji observed this but did not offer any judgment.

Ji Wanyuan didn't want to go back for the time being, so Wen Qiyan stayed with her at the Ji family home.

As night fell, Madam Ji originally intended to prepare a separate courtyard for Wen Qiyan, saying that he was injured and might be difficult to care for at night, and that Ji Wanyuan was pregnant, so she should stay there by herself.

Wen Qiyan complied with the arrangement.

But Ji Wanyuan said no, let's live together. She said it would be good for her to keep an eye on him. Besides, they are husband and wife, and it would be bad if word got out that they lived in separate courtyards.

Madam Ji was about to say something more, but Prime Minister Ji pulled her back.

Wen Qiyan observed her change but remained silent.

Wen Qiyan was injured in his shoulder and back, so to avoid aggravating his injuries, he naturally couldn't sleep lying flat; he could only lie face down.

Ji Wanyuan asked Emerald to bring him an extra soft pillow and change the bedding to something light and gentle so that it wouldn't feel heavy when covering him.

Seeing her meticulously instructing the servants to take care of him, even though he knew that her unsolicited kindness was likely a trap, he still felt a sense of comfort and pleasure in his heart.

His thoughts, constantly fluctuating with love, gradually led him to become more and more obsessed, manipulating his senses to fantasize about Ji Wanyuan and haunt his dreams.

Getting emotional is truly terrifying.

Wen Qiyan felt that he was becoming somewhat distorted. On the one hand, he seemed to be clear-headed, able to clearly perceive everything, discern the development of events, and understand the intentions of each person.

On the other hand, influenced by Ji Wanyuan, he became uncontrollably concerned about her and everything related to her, to the point that he had become somewhat numb, as if there were two nets constantly pulling him left and right.

Today, Prime Minister Ji used a very strong rattan whip, which hurt a lot when it hit my body, and even my bones felt like they were being whipped by the wind.

Before he began to be punished, he naively thought that perhaps the beating with the rattan whip could extinguish his lust for Ji Wanyuan.

He was also warning himself that letting lust take its toll would lead to such a miserable and utterly ugly end.

But when his gaze fell on Ji Wanyuan, he saw her timid appearance hiding behind Madam Ji, and the focused look in her eyes as she pretended to check his injuries behind the screen.

He felt that it didn't hurt as much anymore.

A ridiculous thought even flashed through his mind: if being punished could make Ji Wanyuan get closer to him, even if it was feigned malice, what would be wrong with that?

Thinking of this, the man was slightly stunned and lost in thought.

Ji Wanyuan called his name softly, but he didn't even notice.

Then she had to raise her voice, "Wen Qiyan!"

The man's eyelashes trembled as he looked at her.

"Did my father beat you so badly that you can't hear me when I talk to you?"

"What did you say?" He didn't argue with her.

"Are you still in pain?"

The man sneered, "What are you saying, my wife? How could it not hurt after being beaten like this?"

Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but think to herself, "He's so humble towards her father, but he starts being sarcastic and sarcastic when he's around her."

"Since it hurts, why don't you resist?"

“Father-in-law is right. I have treated you badly and deserve to be beaten.”

Ji Wanyuan climbed onto the bed first, grumbling, "The sun must have risen in the west today! You know you haven't been good to me lately?"

"Mmm," the man responded, following her onto the bed.

He lay prone, and when he wasn't smiling, his handsome features exuded a cool and aloof air.

For a moment, Ji Wanyuan was speechless, unsure of what to say.

She was pondering how to get close to Wen Qiyan and how to use him. But Wen Qiyan was like an old fox; could she really use him?

Ji Wanyuan felt very uncertain for a moment.

After such a huge fight a couple of days ago, she's now trying to make peace with him by showing concern for his injuries. Won't he become suspicious?

Ji Wanyuan was thinking about this when the man suddenly turned around, unaware of her presence.

She was startled, especially when Wen Qiyan called her name; she stumbled a little when she answered him.

"What...what are you going to do?"

"Ji Wanyuan, I was punished today. Are you happy now?"

It certainly made me feel much better, but... it's not really appropriate to say it directly.

"If I said it was pleasurable, would you come after me later and seek revenge?" Ji Wanyuan racked her brains to find a topic to ask.

Upon hearing this, Wen Qiyan couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips into a smile. "So, in your heart, I'm such a vindictive person."

"Aren't you vindictive?" she scoffed, immediately retorting sarcastically.

How have I ever been vindictive towards you?

"I drugged you, and you tried to kill me." She brought up the first time again.

Wen Qiyan could not deny this point, but it was already quite remarkable that he could withstand being drugged by such a beast and still retain some consciousness.

“…I’m sorry.” He apologized to her.

Ji Wanyuan felt like she was seeing a ghost.

What's wrong with him today? He was hit and he's still being so nice to her and apologizing?

"oh."

She gave him a cold, indifferent reply, then turned over, afraid of losing her composure in front of Wen Qiyan.

"Will you come back with me the day after tomorrow?" After a long while, the man asked, looking at her petite figure.

If I agree to his request too quickly, he might become suspicious, right?

Ji Wanyuan rolled her eyes and said, "Who wants to go back with you?"

"you."

He's quite good at exploiting loopholes in conversations.

Ji Wanyuan scoffed, "When did I say I wanted to go back with you?"

"I'm asking you a question."

"I'm not going back with you." She was playing hard to get.

The man fell silent, and before she could hear him say anything more, Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but worry that he was going to back down like this.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes inwardly, thinking, "He's so insincere."

Then, she couldn't help but wonder what she should say.

She couldn't get a divorce right now, and she couldn't just sit at home and wait to die. Staying by Wen Qiyan's side was like asking a tiger for its skin, but it was still better than staying at home being fed and pampered and being ignorant of the ways of the world.

If she hadn't had that dream, hadn't foreseen everything, she could have been at peace with herself.

Now that she knows and understands what her father is going to do, she is determined to do her part for the family.

Besides, in the story, it was because of her that her parents were harmed. Even if it's just to make her atone for her sins, we must do our best.

As long as she has done her best, even if she is destined to die on the day of childbirth, there is nothing she can do if she cannot reverse the situation.

It's all about timing and fate.

Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan sighed inwardly and looked down at her protruding belly.

Suddenly, she saw the man's wrist approach, and before Ji Wanyuan could discern anything further, his cool breath drew near, lingering around her.

Ji Wanyuan subconsciously tensed up, her body stiffening involuntarily. She instinctively tried to resist and push Wen Qiyan away, but her plans were still in place, constantly reminding her of her own intentions.

Therefore, Ji Wanyuan did not move.

He felt her stiffness and carefully, gradually pulled her into his arms.

Ji Wanyuan realized she should struggle, but the man said, "Let me hold you for a bit. My back injury hasn't healed yet, and I can't take any more stress. If something happens, we'll definitely have to call the doctor."

Was he threatening her? But... that was exactly what she wanted.

Ji Wanyuan has indeed given up struggling.

The man slowly closed his eyes as he smelled the faint fragrance emanating from the back of her neck.

"Ji Wanyuan, do you really not love me anymore?" he asked in a low voice.

The warm breath fell on the back of Ji Wanyuan's neck.

It was just a little hot at first.

But he got too close, and closer and closer, and the warm breath gathered in one place and lingered for a long time, slowly condensing into dampness.

Ji Wanyuan's heart was pounding, not because she was attracted to someone, but because she felt that an opportunity was coming.

"Really, can't you continue to love me?"

The man rubbed his forehead against the back of her neck, messing up the fine hair at her temples.

He was still calling her in a deep, magnetic voice, "Ji Wanyuan..."

The man's tone was tinged with helplessness, but she couldn't help but feel that there was also a strange plea in it.

pray?

Is Wen Qiyan begging her to continue loving him?

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Author's Note: My little darlings, the novel next door, *Yin Luan*, will be completed tomorrow night, with only one final 10,000-word epilogue remaining. I'm working on the ending of that book today, so this one will be a bit shorter for now, probably only in the next couple of days, but not by much. The rest will be mostly 10,000 words, and I'll make up for any missing words. I've seen some readers asking about the length in the comments these past few days; I'm not entirely sure about the word count. The story is currently about a third complete, and given my update frequency, the rest will be finished quickly, so please don't worry! [Exaggerated praise]

Because I'm not a full-time author and have other jobs to do, sometimes the word count might be lower due to uncontrollable factors like overtime work. But don't worry, I generally won't stop updating! I'll also ask for leave if necessary. [hugs]

Thank you everyone for leaving me comments and sending me nutrient solutions, I'm so happy! [rainbow fart]