army?

Ji Wuyu narrowed his eyes slightly; in fact, he had the same plan.

Before he could figure it out, he looked up and met Ruan Qing'an's leaden gray eyes, the emotions in them unfathomable.

Just then, she suddenly said, "Father, could you go out and buy me a hairpin? Thank you, Father."

"...Okay, Father will be back in a little while."

Ruan Changhong glared at Ji Wuyu before getting up and leaving.

Only after Ruan Changhong's figure disappeared from sight did Ji Wuyu look at the girl sitting in the original seat, narrowing his eyes slightly: "Qing'an deliberately sent the Marquis away, is there something you want to tell me?"

“I’m afraid my father will scold me for being unfilial if he hears the reason.”

Ruan Qing'an chuckled, propped her face up with one hand, and beckoned to Ji Wuyu with her slender fingertips. In the flickering candlelight, her beautiful profile was as white as cream.

The lamplight illuminated those leaden gray eyes, and Ji Wuyu felt a dryness in his throat. When she looked at him intently, it felt like a cat was scratching at his heart, leaving him in a state of turmoil.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward: "What do you want to say?"

Ruan Qing'an whispered in Ji Wuyu's ear, her breath sweet and fragrant, yet she remained completely unaware: "The Yongle Marquis's mansion is truly in control because it can provide assistance to Your Highness on the battlefield and manage the army. Not to mention—"

“Your Highness, you can only control the situation if you can ensure that you don’t end up with a broken and dilapidated Great Liang because of the Great Qing.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Wuyu narrowed his eyes. Ruan Qing'an's words were almost exactly what he had thought, but he suddenly asked, "Qing'an, you're telling me to stay away from the court, the center of power. Do you know what that means?"

"Your Highness has no foundation in the court. It is very difficult for you to build up your strength to compete with the other princes and win over the ministers who have chosen your side. You do not have the time for this, and besides, you do not have His Majesty's support."

Ruan Qing'an paused, his smile deepening: "However, the military is different, Your Highness. No prince can interfere there, and with the support of the Yongle Marquis's mansion behind the scenes, you will be invincible."

Ji Wuyu's eyes darkened slightly.

"What if I don't have the support of my court officials?"

“Your Highness, holding a knife to the neck of the person you are talking to and then continuing the conversation is a good option. I think if we do this, they will all make the ‘correct’ choice in a ‘calm’ manner.”

Ruan Qing'an spoke softly, her tone even carrying a hint of a smile. She coughed softly, and when she covered the corner of her lips with a handkerchief, a trace of blood could be seen, mixed with the smell of herbs.

But it is precisely this fragile and gentle person who is able to speak such words in a slow and deliberate manner.

Ji Wuyu chuckled: "A coup?"

"Your Highness, I didn't say that."

The sickly girl smiled brightly, but met Ji Wuyu's gaze without any politeness, until the next moment—

Ji Wuyu slammed his hands on the armrests of the chair, and Ruan Qing'an leaned back instinctively, almost completely trapped in his arms. After the feigned gentleness disappeared, the intense aggression was like a surging tide, unstoppable.

When she met those long, dark eyes, Ruan Qing'an's breath hitched. A sickly blush rose on her pale face, and she leaned back slightly, as if she couldn't adapt.

She gently bit her bright red lower lip with her pearly white teeth.

"W-what happened..."

037: If I didn't know this ancestor, I would have believed it.

But 037 dares not complain right now, for fear that Ruan Qingan's goal will change from seducing the male lead to attacking the system, which is quite disheartening for it.

Ji Wuyu's eyes deepened with desire as he pressed them to her lips: "Qing'an, why don't you guess what my plans are?"

"What are Your Highness's plans, um..."

Before Ruan Qing'an could speak, Ji Wuyu said softly, "It's very simple. Send those royal brothers who bullied me to their deaths one by one, leaving that old man with no choice. Finally, send him and his precious princes together."

His voice was gentle, with a hint of laughter, as if he were leisurely discussing something interesting, as casually as if he were talking about how nice the weather was today.

But the coldness and hostility hidden beneath those words are even more frightening.

Ruan Qingan remained silent for a moment.

In the original text, Ji Wuyu actually did just that, stabbing to death everyone who was dissatisfied with him, including those so-called royal blood relatives. But considering Ji Wuyu's childhood, it's not incomprehensible.

Being fed scraps like a dog by the princes, being kicked into a pond just to find the jade pendant his elder brother had lost, being tied to a tree and whipped... it's a miracle that Ji Wuyu survived.

Not to mention the emperor, who even wanted him dead.

In the original text, although Ji Wuyu caused chaos and bloodshed in the capital, he later took over the entire Liang Dynasty with swift and decisive measures, stabilizing the situation as quickly as possible and even expanding outwards.

He was an absolute tyrant.

A tyrant is not necessarily a foolish ruler...

Ruan Qing'an took a deep breath, and the smile on his lips faded slightly: "Your Highness, I thought I was already unconventional enough, but I didn't expect that you are even more crazy than me."

"No, this proves that we are really similar."

【Affection Level: 30】

Ji Wuyu smiled and looked at Ruan Qing'an. They were so close that they could feel each other's breath, but Ji Wuyu's eyes were fixed on her.

He was becoming increasingly interested in this princess.

He seemed to have never understood her.

Just then, the door to the private room was pounded on, and Ruan Changhong asked, "Your Highness, have you finished talking with Qing'an? Wait, you're not going to do anything to Qing'an, are you? You—"

Outside the door, Ruan Changhong's voice abruptly stopped. The next moment, the door to the private room was kicked open. This Marquis of Yongle was afraid that his daughter would be bullied by Ji Wuyu, that big bad wolf.

Seeing that Ruan Qing'an was alright, Ruan Changhong said, "You scared your father to death, Qing'an. Young ladies must take good care of themselves."

"Understood, Father."

Ruan Qingan was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

At this moment, Ji Wuyu sat upright and calmly in a chair, but cold sweat was already pouring down his back.

A second before Ruan Changhong kicked the door open, he had already left Ruan Qing'an's side. Ji Wuyu was sure that before the wedding, let alone hugging him, even getting close to him would have been kicked away by Ruan Changhong.

Grown Chinese cabbage is no joke.

Thinking of this, Ji Wuyu felt even more helpless. He put one hand to his forehead and looked at Ruan Changhong, who was radiating murderous intent in front of him, with a kind and gentle smile as he showed Ruan Qing'an the jade hairpin he had bought.

He sighed, "This father-in-law..."

But Ji Wuyu didn't realize that he had never considered not marrying Ruan Qing'an again; he was trying to be curious about Ruan Qing'an herself, rather than the benefits she brought.

Not far away, Ruan Qing'an, wearing a jade hairpin on one hand, glanced lightly at Ji Wuyu, his smile deepening.

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