Chapter 122 The Emperor Treats You Differently From Others

"You didn't sleep well either?"

The graceful Princess Huachang leaned against the chaise longue, propping her head up as she asked.

Ji Qingwu sat obediently on the other side with a smile on her lips.

She tried to cover up her misunderstanding by saying, "I came back from riding and archery yesterday, and only when I lay in bed did I realize that my back and legs were sore, so I didn't sleep well."

Through her interactions with her several times, Princess Huachang also discerned that she was gentle and not assertive enough, and that she was easily bullied, so she gave her a few more words of advice.

"You don't need to pay too much attention to Consort Wei's words and actions. She has always been tactful and knows how to conduct herself. No one who can sit in this position is a fool. But she is not a bad person. She was just a little provoked yesterday. You don't need to take her jealous words to heart."

Was Consort Wei being jealous? Ji Qingwu was slightly surprised by the source of this jealousy.

Princess Huachang ordered her maid to light the Jade Dew Pear Incense in the tent.

She continued, "It's understandable that Consort Wei is targeting you like this."

Ji Qingwu, smelling the sweet fragrance spreading in the room, said, "Because of my last arrow yesterday, did Consort Wei feel that I lost face?"

She wasn't deliberately trying to compete with her, but rather she was provoked by Consort Wei's words "I'm completely convinced," which is why she shot the arrow at the opponent's target.

Princess Huachang's eyes were filled with helplessness. This Fifth Miss Ji and Yuchi Lianping were really similar in some ways.

She shook her head and said, "Naturally, it's because the emperor treats you differently from others."

Standing in someone else's shoes always allows you to see things more clearly.

Are they different...?

Ji Qingwu also felt that it was different.

Emperor Wusu and she were forced together four years ago, and they shared the same bloodline.

Ji Qingwu was already special enough to be the only woman who could bear him children, and because of this specialness, the emperor had many entanglements with her.

As someone deeply involved in the situation, Ji Qingwu felt that a man like Emperor Wusu, with his looks and power, was one in a million, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to win a young woman's heart.

Therefore, it's normal for her to develop feelings for him.

She tried to stop it but couldn't, so what could she do but let it rise wildly?

Ji Qingwu never believed in fleeting physical desires or the sweet words whispered in her ear during moments of passion.

Because she herself is the best example.

To complete her mission, she showered Wei Ting with sweet nothings, and after hearing them so many times, she even began to believe them.

Ji Qingwu sighed softly.

Seeing her wistful expression, Princess Huachang said, "Sometimes, what you see is not necessarily the truth; you need to feel it with your heart."

This sentence reminded Ji Qingwu.

She didn't come here just to sigh and lament; she had important business to attend to.

She asked, "Your Highness, has the Prince Consort's diet changed recently?"

Her topic changed so quickly that Princess Huachang was stunned for a moment before calling in a maid to ask her questions.

The maid replied, "The prince consort's daily meals are the same as usual. He still prefers dishes such as assorted cold dishes, chestnut chicken, oil-splashed pork, stir-fried pork kidneys, braised pork knuckle, and glutinous rice stuffed duck."

Princess Huachang felt disgusted just hearing the names of these dishes.

She waved a fan made of gossamer veil and then dismissed the maid.

After the door was closed, she looked up and asked, "Qingwu, have you noticed something wrong? What are you suspecting? We can speak frankly between us."

Since the last time Ji Qingwu directly examined her pulse and touched the skin on her wrist, they had had some kind of "skin-to-skin contact".

Princess Huachang has already regarded her as one of her own.

Ji Qingwu stared intently into the other person's clear, glass-like eyes.

She knew in her heart that as a general, Yuchi Lianping's daily meals should be prepared by a special person, so he would not accidentally take medicine. Besides, with his burly physique, unless several people tied him up, no one could force him to take medicine.

It is highly likely that he took it voluntarily.

But this is the worst-case scenario...

Ji Qingwu said, "Your Highness, you are in good health, but you have not been able to conceive for a long time because the Prince Consort has been taking drugs in secret. The day I took his pulse, it was very likely that he had used the drug 'Entering the Mountain Tiger'."

Princess Huachang paused, her hand holding the fan still, and her brows furrowed.

"What did you say?"

Ji Qingwu felt a cold wind creeping up her neck, but luckily she was prepared and had worn a high-necked blouse when she came today.

She tightened her collar and said, "What I mean is, the prince consort used contraceptive drugs."

"he?"

Princess Huachang scoffed lightly, raising her eyebrows, and retorted, "He wouldn't use such tricks on me."

The two stared at each other, and Ji Qingwu's gaze was so unwavering that Princess Huachang's heart began to waver.

He began to reflect on the unusual things that had happened during this period.

Just like the night before in the grassland camp, she came unexpectedly. That time, they didn't go all the way because his leg injury had ruptured. But at that time, she pushed him off her.

If that's really the case...

Princess Huachang's throat tightened, and she clenched her teeth, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Ji Qingwu said softly, "Your Highness, I've always wanted to know why you want to get pregnant. Have you discussed this with General Yuchi? After all, the child belongs to both of us. What are his thoughts?"

Princess Huachang was stunned. The previous times she had invited Ji Qingwu to the mansion for medical treatment, Yuchi Lianping had been very enthusiastic and showed no sign of resistance, so she had overlooked his thoughts.

So, he didn't want children, or he didn't want the children she bore?

Princess Huachang's palm was marked by the jade handle of the fan.

She said, "Qingwu, why did you give birth to the child in the first place? Did you discuss it with your husband?"

Why have children?

A thought flashed through Ji Qingwu's mind: because the child's father's family had a throne to inherit.

Unfortunately, he was also destined to have no heir.

Coincidentally, only she was able to give birth.

She had no choice.

Ji Qingwu couldn't tell the truth, so he could only say dryly, "He didn't know I was pregnant before he went to the army."

Princess Huachang looked at the colorful tiger skin on the chair.

The couple had been married for seven years but had not conceived. Regardless of the rumors circulating outside, neither of them ever mentioned it to the other.

Princess Huachang would only hide when she saw children, finding them annoying and not envious at all of the joy of other families having children around them. The only time she would take a few more glances was when she saw the young princes in the palace.

Princess Huachang didn't want to get involved with too many people, and she was enjoying her peaceful life.

But on that day, the emperor seemed to have lost his mind for some reason.

Suddenly, the fifth daughter of the Ji family, who had just been found and brought home, was sent over to diagnose her illness. If it weren't for the eunuch who came to deliver the message also bringing Yan Zhenqing's manuscript, which is hailed as the second largest running script in the world.

Given Princess Huachang's temperament, she would not allow Ji Qingwu to enter the family.

Coincidentally, this Miss Ji was clean and fresh-looking like a summer lotus, and her voice was soft and pleasant to hear. She reluctantly found her acceptable.