Chapter 76. She was imprisoned.

She refuted him way too quickly.

Before Ji Lingyue could respond, she herself realized that her rebuttal was happening too fast, almost abnormally fast.

It's like not wanting Wen Qiyan to die, and even wanting to help him...

Ji Lingyue smiled and retorted, "Why can't I kill him?"

Ji Wanyuan quickly explained, "What I mean is... Wen Qiyan is a high-ranking official in the imperial court, a favorite of the emperor. If he dies in Youzhou, Father..."

Her mind was a little muddled, and she couldn't think of what to say for a moment. After a pause, she continued...

"Wen Qiyan was recommended to Youzhou by Father. If you kill him, wouldn't you be implicating Father?"

Following her words, Ji Lingyue lowered his head and frowned, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, "It sounds like it makes some sense, but Yuan'er..."

“Since my brother has decided to take action, he will definitely erase all the evidence and will never implicate the Ji family, especially Father, who is my family.”

Even though they weren't truly connected by blood, Ji Chengxiang treated him very well. Apart from forbidding him from liking his sister, he treated him even better than people with real blood relatives.

But he really loved his sister too much, and he had thought about restraining himself and being proper, but he just couldn't do it, so he could only apologize to his father.

My father said he would always treat him as his son.

If he becomes a son-in-law, then he's practically a son.

There is no difference.

“Yuan’er has stopped me from harming Wen Qiyan time and time again. If I didn’t know that you really don’t like him anymore, I would have misunderstood.”

“I didn’t…” Ji Wanyuan pouted and frowned.

The rain outside was getting heavier, reminding her of the nightmare she had in the capital. When she woke up, Wen Qiyan was by her bedside, holding her and comforting her. It seemed that when she tried to test him, he directly confronted her.

Wait... she's thinking about Wen Qiyan again. Why does she always think about Wen Qiyan?

Though she thought this in her heart, she didn't keep her mouth shut and couldn't help asking again, "Brother, you've already asked about Wen Qiyan and Wen—"

Before he could finish speaking, Ji Lingyue interrupted him, "It's getting late, you should rest. Your brother will stay here and watch over you."

Ji Lingyue's expression was calm, but his eyes were somewhat cold.

For a moment, Ji Wanyuan didn't dare to say anything more.

After thinking about it, it is indeed very late today, let's talk about it tomorrow.

I want to ask my brother if he's not leaving?

Upon seeing the heavy rain outside, Ji Wanyuan stopped asking questions.

Anyway, her brother had stayed by her side like this before, only leaving when she fell asleep.

It's not all because they're afraid of her nightmares, so they're protecting her.

She didn't want to make a big fuss.

Ji Wanyuan thought she wouldn't be able to sleep, but perhaps due to the long journey and her pregnancy, she soon fell asleep.

Ji Lingyue looked at her sleeping face and felt her breathing gradually become steady.

I only meant to tuck the blanket around her, but I couldn't help touching her cheek.

"..."

The rain in Youzhou was endless. Since that night, the sky had been overcast and rainy for several days in a row.

At first, Ji Wanyuan believed Ji Lingyue's explanation that the weather was bad and that she should rest and avoid trouble. But gradually, she realized something was wrong.

Not only could she not see Wen Qiyan, Wen Yunqin, and He Xun, but even when she wanted to leave the house, her maid Xi'er wouldn't allow her to go out, saying that the roads outside were slippery and that her belly was big, and it would be bad if she fell.

Ji Wanyuan said that she was not a porcelain doll that would break at the slightest touch and could not even walk properly. Moreover, she had been jostled around in the carriage all the way, and had even... had sex with Wen Qiyan on the road, and even survived the assassination attempt without any problems. What could possibly happen if she just wandered around in the courtyard?

She was so bored that she threw a tantrum and insisted on going out. Not only could Xi'er not persuade her otherwise, but the people at the door actually joined in to stop her!

At this moment, Ji Wanyuan, who had been feeling stifled for several days, finally vaguely realized that something was wrong.

She felt as if she were being confined, trapped in this small courtyard.

No, not the yard, but the house. She can't even get out of the house now, let alone the yard!

Her face fell, and she immediately demanded to see Ji Lingyue, ordering the maids to fetch him!

Kexi'er said that Ji Lingyue would have to finish his work before he could come to see her, and asked her to be patient. She then asked if she wanted some pastries or to rest.

Ji Wanyuan told her to get lost, which angered her so much that she picked up something and smashed it on the ground, trying to attract the attention of the people outside and make the people guarding the door realize the importance of the situation.

But even after she smashed everything on the table, no one paid any attention to her. Even Xi'er wasn't afraid of her and just watched her vent her anger.

Ji Wanyuan was unaware that someone had already informed the maid of her temperament when the maid was assigned to serve her, so even if she smashed up the house, Xi'er would be used to it.

The baby in her womb has been moving a lot lately. Ji Wanyuan looked down at him, pulled her cloak tighter, and thought, "Never mind, I can't get too angry. What if I disturb the baby?"

After thinking it over, she angrily brought herself a cup of tea and patiently waited until nightfall.

But as night fell, she was sleepy after dinner, and Ji Lingyue still hadn't come over.

She asked Xi'er what had happened? Why had she lied to her?

Na Xi'er said that Ji Lingyue was busy with his affairs, so he couldn't come to see her for the time being. She asked her to be patient and that he would definitely come over when he was done.

"When will my brother finally finish his work?!" She's been locked up for days!

Even if it were Wen Qiyan, who disliked her, he wouldn't treat her like this. Yet her brother has confined her to this small space! He has truly changed.

Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan suddenly felt wronged.

That scoundrel has disappeared. Why hasn't he come looking for her yet? Doesn't he love her? Why doesn't he miss her?

Thinking back to the look Wen Qiyan gave her before they parted, it seemed as if he was telling her not to run off...

If that's really what he meant, and she "ran away," is Wen Qiyan not coming to find her a punishment?

After thinking it over, Ji Wanyuan smashed the things on the ground again. She told Xier to get out, and the other girl cleaned up the mess on the ground and retreated behind the beaded curtain.

The people guarding outside informed Ji Lingyue that she had thrown a tantrum, and he indicated that he understood.

The attendant was somewhat worried, "Young Miss is spoiled and pampered. If you leave her hanging like this, what if it backfires...?"

How could he make Ji Wanyuan harbor resentment towards him?

That's what the attendant wanted to say.

Even if the words weren't finished, how could Ji Lingyue not understand?

“Yuan’er has always only felt brotherly and sisterly affection for me. Without some extreme measures, it’s impossible to change her perception.”

He wanted to shatter Ji Wanyuan's brotherly/sisterly feelings for him and then build a new romantic relationship that he desired.

"The young lady is quite far along in her pregnancy. If she gets too angry, it might disturb the fetus."

It was clear that Ji Lingyue didn't like the child. If Ji Wanyuan's pregnancy was earlier, he would have given her an abortifacient to prevent her from giving birth. But now that she was further along, forcibly aborting the child would be too dangerous.

"She likes the child and wouldn't do anything harmful like starving herself." Ji Lingyue's tone and expression weren't exactly pleasant when she mentioned this.

"Keep an eye on Wen Qiyan, don't let him find an opening."

He would never let Wen Qiyan see her again.

She and Wen Qiyan had spent almost half a year together, and they had experienced a lot along the way. It was inevitable that feelings and dependence would develop between them. Over time, a warm affection would grow between them, and it would gradually become stronger.

Conversely, once they stop seeing each other, the so-called affection and dependence will naturally fade away.

He was determined to have his sister and had plenty of patience.

“In the past two days, Wen Zhongcheng has not made any unusual moves. They will arrive at the mining area in three days at the latest.”

Since the meeting, the Prefect of Youzhou has been responsible for dealing with Wen Yunqin's entanglements. As for Wen Qiyan, Ji Lingyue knew he was not easy to fool, so he simply had someone take him to the mining site.

In any case, Wen Qiyan's purpose in coming here was to find out the location of the mine.

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub; just send him out.

Fundamentally, Ji Lingyue didn't believe that Wen Qiyan would really like Ji Wanyuan. She had bothered him for so many years before, and he didn't like her. Did he suddenly like her just because they had a child and got married?

Wen Qiyan's defection must have been premeditated, so telling him the true location of the mining operations in Youzhou was also a test.

Regardless of whether Wen Qiyan harbored rebellious intentions, he would absolutely not allow Wen Qiyan to return to Youzhou alive.

As for He Xun, Ji Lingyue didn't take him seriously.

He's just a poor kid who depends on the Ji family. Even if he has some talent and ability, he's not good enough for his sister. Besides, Ji Wanyuan doesn't like him.

The threatening person is Wen Qiyan.

As for Wen Er...

Ji Lingyue's eyes flickered slightly, "..."

After being locked up for two more days, Ji Wanyuan was really getting restless. She considered going on a hunger strike, which was a method she often used, but now that she had a child, her son was growing up, and she often felt that he was different from the one or two months before.

She absolutely could not harm Lin'er's health, so the method of starvation was absolutely out of the question.

I might as well pretend I have a stomachache.

This was something she had used before. The little maid Xi'er seemed to be intimidated by her, her face turning pale with fright. She quickly sent someone to find the female physician.

Ji Wanyuan thought Ji Lingyue would come, but to her surprise, Ji Lingyue did not come. Instead, there was only a taciturn female doctor who took her pulse and prescribed a formula to clear heat and calm her agitation.

She was so angry that she tore it up on the spot.

"I want to see my brother, tell him to come!" Seeing the female doctor about to leave, Ji Wanyuan grabbed her, wanting to follow as well. Seeing that a dispute was about to break out, Xi'er quickly called for someone to come up and pull her away.

Ji Wanyuan rolled her eyes and deliberately pretended to twist her waist backward, touching the edge of the table with her lower abdomen—in fact, she had already protected herself when she turned around.

Then she lay on the ground, clutching her stomach and biting her lip, tossing and turning, saying it hurt so much. When the female doctor came forward to treat her, she wouldn't let anyone touch her, and her lips were bleeding from being bitten so hard.

Seeing this, Xi'er was afraid that something bad might happen and she couldn't bear the consequences, so she quickly sent someone to invite Ji Lingyue.

He did indeed show up.

After the people arrived, the place was cleared away. Ji Wanyuan was still lying on the mat, clutching her lower abdomen and groaning. She did not get up when she heard footsteps.

The man looked down at her and asked, "When are you going to stop making a scene, Yuan'er?"

Upon hearing the familiar, deep voice, Ji Wanyuan did not get up immediately. Instead, she continued to roll around on the soft mat, groaning that her stomach hurt.

Ji Lingyue looked down at her, and after a long while, he couldn't help but laugh, "It's been a few months, and Yuan'er's acting skills have improved a lot."

"If I hadn't known your personality so well, I would have been fooled by you."

He half-squatted down, reached out and picked up the loose ends of her hair, twirling them around his fingertips.

Ji Wanyuan noticed his approach and immediately stood up.

The strands of hair entwined between her fingers seemed to come alive, escaping with the woman's movements and leaving only a smooth, itchy sensation. Ji Lingyue's fingertips twitched.

Ji Wanyuan had already stood up, but he had not yet gotten up.

This time it was her turn to look down on others, and her tone was indeed condescending.

She asked Ji Lingyue what he was trying to do, "How dare you lock me up!"

The unspoken meaning behind those words was that she would definitely complain when they returned to the capital, and that her parents would severely punish him! She was very angry now, and the consequences would be dire.

In the past, Ji Lingyue would have quickly admitted his mistake and made amends.

But right now...

Ji Wanyuan didn't get the usual yielding reaction she expected from her older brother. Instead, he put his finger to his lips and chuckled softly.

"What are you laughing at?" Ji Wanyuan was very angry, and her anger was clearly written on her face.

What she didn't know was just how beautiful her face was, how vibrant and alluring it was when she was angry. Even those who didn't like her would find it hard to look away from her, let alone Ji Lingyue, who already had feelings for her.

He looked at her intently.

Ji Wanyuan didn't like Ji Lingyue looking at her like that; that feeling of being offended and having her boundaries crossed came back to her.

"Don't look at me like that!" She had been spoiled since childhood, and even though she had changed somewhat in the past six months, she had always been outspoken.

Ji Lingyue then stood up. His height was so great that it gave people a strong sense of oppression. Especially when Ji Wanyuan was surrounded by his figure, she felt flustered and a little inexplicably afraid.

She has no support now, she's completely a paper tiger, because Prime Minister Ji and his wife are thousands of miles away.

Her brother, who should have been her support, was bullying her like this.

This was something she had never imagined.

Wen Qiyan had never treated her like that; at most, he was just too rough on the bed.

No... actually, I didn't use much force.

I've always gone along with her and coaxed her.

Perhaps it was because of the comparison, but she actually felt that Wen Qiyan was not bad to her. Although his words were always sarcastic, he never hurt her.

Of course, Wen Qiyan in the storybook is an exception.

"Let me out," she demanded.

"Okay." Ji Lingyue agreed so easily, which surprised everyone.

It easily made her feel like she was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Why does someone overthink so much?

Soon, she made her second request: "I want to see Wen Qiyan."

"No way," the man replied directly.

"Why!"

"Why do you want to see him?" Ji Lingyue asked, looking at her.

"He—" She was about to say that Wen Qiyan was the father of her child and had come to Youzhou with her.

Why can't she see Wen Qiyan?

But as soon as she turned her head, she immediately stopped talking, becoming like a hedgehog, "I have my reasons for wanting to see him, and I don't need to explain them to you."

Although he was her brother, this was her business.

"The Wen and Ji families are at odds. Even if there is a marriage between them, my sister should be careful about the extent of her interactions with them."

He actually said those things again; he was clearly playing games and stalling for time.

Ji Wanyuan had lost her patience. She'd been left hanging for so many days, and had nowhere to vent her anger. So she pointed at the man's handsome face.

“Ji Lingyue, don’t give me these high-sounding words. Even if you are my brother, you can’t imprison me.”

The man being scolded was not angry; instead, he laughed and said, "I have put in a lot of effort, but my sister has misunderstood me like this. It really makes me sad."

"Stop talking nonsense to me. I want to get out. I want to see Wen Qiyan."

"It was my father who told me to do this." He threw down those words, startling Ji Wanyuan, who was already in a fit of rage. She gasped.

After a long while, he finally realized, "You're saying Father told you to do this?"

"Yes, it's my father." Ji Lingyue said that everything he did was just following the orders of Prime Minister Ji.

"You're talking nonsense. Father would never let anyone lock me up. He would never wrong me."

"At this critical juncture, we have no choice but to do this," Ji Lingyue said, adding that changes had occurred in the capital.

"What happened?" I hope nothing bad has happened to Father and Mother.

"The Empress is seriously ill, and the relatives of civil and military officials have to take turns entering the palace to serve her every day. Didn't you know that?"

She was imprisoned here, so how would she know, "When did this happen?"

If it was a long time ago, why didn't Wen Qiyan tell her?

“Recently,” Ji Lingyue replied.

"The Emperor has already sensed the Ji family's rebellious intentions. Whether the Empress is seriously ill is still unknown, but the relatives of all civil and military officials have been confined to the palace. What is the purpose of this move? Yuan'er is very clever, so I don't think I need to tell you."

"The capital is in turmoil, and a major battle is imminent. In Youzhou, we are dealing with mining operations and stockpiling troops for the Ji family. My brother is very busy. It's not that I'm not coming to see you on purpose. You are pregnant now, the weather outside is bad, and you came to Youzhou in secret, so naturally we have to be discreet."

Ji Wanyuan remained silent after hearing this, worried that Madam Ji and Prime Minister Ji, who were far away in the capital, still had doubts about what Ji Lingyue had said.

"What did Father tell you to lock me up?" She demanded that he produce evidence.

"So, after all this talk, my sister still doesn't trust her brother?" Ji Lingyue raised an eyebrow.

“I feel you’ve changed, you’ve become a stranger to me.” Ji Wanyuan looked at the man in front of her.

I used to think my brother was gentle and kind, but was he really gentle and kind?

"Alright, it's getting late today. I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?" He touched her hair, but before he could stroke it twice, Ji Wanyuan turned her face away, not letting him touch her.

Ji Lingyue's hand froze in mid-air, but he wasn't overly angry. He stared at her back for a while, and Ji Wanyuan knew he was watching, but she didn't turn around.

After a long while, Ji Lingyue tucked her in and finally left.

After everyone left, Ji Wanyuan's heart was filled with melancholy. She missed the capital and wanted to go back to her parents' side. As she thought about it, her eyes welled up with tears.

I wonder if the baby in her womb sensed her sorrow, because it kicked her.

Ji Wanyuan felt the baby move in her womb and reached out to stroke him, "Lin'er..."

She touched the child many times before the child finally calmed down.

The stinging sensation in her nose hadn't completely subsided; she felt useless and couldn't help but cry.

But then she thought of another person who always coaxed her, whose expression was aloof but whose actions were always gentle.

That bastard Wen Qiyan, even if he's punishing her for running around, he should have come looking for her by now.

Didn't he promise to come find her and protect her? In his heart, her safety would always be his top priority?

She hates that scoundrel!

It's best if he never comes looking for her again; she doesn't need him anymore!

Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but bury her head in the quilt, letting out intermittent sobs.

"..."

Just as Wen Qiyan had guessed, the mining operation was not located in Youzhou at all.

The mine is located at the border of Youzhou and Yizhou, in Yuyang County. It is close to the Wuhuan, but the location is too hidden and the mountain roads are rugged and difficult to travel.

If it weren't for the terrain, the imperial court would probably have discovered this place long ago.

Along the way, the traces of mining were extremely obvious. Ji Wanyuan's time in the capital and his delays on the road were very effective. Prime Minister Ji's mining operations were nearing their end.

Even if the imperial court knew the location of the mine, it would be of no use, because the mine had been mined out to almost nothing.

As long as the Ji family keeps their tracks clean enough, even if the imperial court finds an empty mine, there is no way to punish the Ji family. The problem now is, where exactly is the army that the Ji family has been keeping in the mining industry?

Although Prime Minister Ji trusted him, he did not truly entrust him with anything.

Ji Lingyue, on the other hand, seemed to have no idea either.

The person who knows everything is a trusted confidant whom Prime Minister Ji keeps privately.

As Wen Qiyan pondered, he rode his horse around the corner, glancing casually at the distance before looking up and to the sides.

"My lord, after—"

Before the person next to him could finish speaking, rocks suddenly fell from both sides. The attendants who couldn't dodge in time were crushed to death along with their horses by the falling rocks before they could even draw their swords.

"Protect the master!" Those who had reacted had already formed a protective circle around Wen Qiyan, raising their shields high.

The falling rocks were large and did not break apart; even sword energy could not break them. They were not simple falling rocks at all. The opponent came prepared, intending to ensure that they would not return and would perish in the valley.

More and more rocks fell, and one of the largest ones crashed towards the center.

The attendant loudly reminded Wen Qiyan to be careful.

He squinted at the falling rocks hurtling towards him, drew his sword, and stood up. The seemingly indestructible rocks were instantly shattered into pieces by his sharp sword energy.

Everyone was shocked and still felt a lingering fear, so no one dared to speak.

The falling rocks finally stopped, but then the assassins attacked, and the two groups started fighting in the canyon. The sounds of their fighting echoed throughout the narrow valley.

It took almost half an hour for the assassins to be dealt with. The enemy had gone all out in this assassination attempt, and Wen Qiyan's side also suffered heavy losses. The others covered his retreat and escape.

They had scouted the terrain before arriving and found a place to stay for the time being, but they could not act rashly and could only wait for backup to avoid being assassinated again.

Wen Qiyan was also injured, especially in his arm. He had to take the knife wound because he was trying to protect the guards who were close to him and couldn't avoid it.

The guard felt extremely guilty and was applying medicine to Wen Qiyan.

After the bandaging was completed and the report from his subordinates was heard, Wen Qiyan gave a faint "hmm" and ordered the remaining people to rest for a while.

He closed his eyes to rest, feeling the stinging pain from the wound medicine.

Perhaps it was because he had been traveling for days without rest, and because he had worries and concerns on his mind.

The medicine caused him excruciating pain, and in his hazy state, he had a very strange dream about Ji Wanyuan.

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Author's Note: Here I am! [Milk Tea]

This chapter will randomly drop 50 lucky red envelopes. Wishing everyone good luck!