Chapter 176 A gentleman uses both action and words.

Ji Qingwu pouted her lips in dissatisfaction, her expression exactly like Qiuqiu's when she was throwing a tantrum.

She said sweetly, "Your Majesty is always so tantalizing, what's wrong with saying this?"

Emperor Wusu laughed and said, "I am much easier to talk to than Awu. As long as Awu asks, I will answer."

"If you insist on saying it was the first time I met A-Wu..."

Hearing him start talking, Ji Qingwu's eyes widened considerably as she anxiously awaited his answer.

"Back then, I even held you in my arms."

"Huh?" Ji Qingwu was extremely surprised.

Her memory wasn't so bad that she would forget someone after hugging them. Besides, Emperor Wusu's handsome face alone was enough to leave a deep impression on her.

Seeing her dark eyes darting around again, and her delicate eyebrows seemingly knotted, she was clearly in a state of utter confusion.

His hand slowly slid from her waist up her back, while his other hand wrapped around the back of her knees. With a little effort, he pulled her into his arms again.

Because he needed his help, Ji Qingwu obediently let him do as he pleased.

Emperor Wusu said in a low voice, "This is how I hold you."

Ji Qingwu immediately understood what he meant; this was the kind of gesture used to coax a child.

She said, "Your Majesty, when you said you first met me, could it be when I was a child?"

No wonder she can't remember.

"At that time, A-Wu was just a little baby who had just learned to walk."

Emperor Wusu rarely recalled his childhood, but looking at the woman's beautiful face, it instantly stirred up memories long buried in his heart.

Madam Ji brought the younger generation of her family to visit the Yong'an Marquis's residence. For some reason, Ji Qingwu accidentally wandered into his courtyard.

He went to practice martial arts in the snowy forest early in the morning, and when he came back, he found a little girl in the yard, squatting in front of a large vat.

In that jar were several crimson lotus flowers, a gift from Shen Wei, who had not yet become Master Ran, when he visited Hanshan Temple a while ago.

The little girl with her hair in two buns looked at the object in front of her quietly and attentively, without making a fuss.

As he approached, she turned around and found a cold-faced older brother beside her, and was so frightened that she tripped and fell on her bottom.

He hates children crying the most. Minghong in his family has a noisy personality and will cry incessantly if he bumps or hurts himself.

Although the little girl was young, she was exceptionally good at reading people. Seeing his unfriendly expression, she pouted and dared not cry, her eyes filled with bright tears.

She got up by herself, patted the dust off her bottom, and carefully moved closer to him.

He frowned when he saw a dead tree leaf still stuck to her head, and he really wanted to take it off for her.

As soon as he reached out, she thought he was going to hug her. Her eyes sparkled, and she grabbed his arm, quickly climbing up and clinging to him.

He had never seen anyone so adept at climbing up a pole; it left him in awe.

She was much more outgoing when she was little than she is now, always chattering away in a clear and crisp voice.

It was only through her description that he learned that Zhao Minghong had tricked her into coming here.

After delivering the little girl to the front gate and handing her over to Ji Fangmin's personal maid, he returned and noticed that there were water stains on the ground near the water vat, and one of the red lotuses was missing from the vat.

He suspected that she and Zhao Minghong had conspired to steal his things.

The next day, the sandbag he used for his morning exercise became Zhao Minghong.

Strangely enough, after leaving the Yong'an Marquis's residence, the fifth daughter of the Ji family went missing at the end of that month.

Seeing the obvious tenderness in his expression, Ji Qingwu felt a pang of jealousy.

Because the "she" in her childhood was not her.

Ji Qingwu, no longer excited, concluded, "So, in the Northern Territory, His Majesty first met me at Mingjing Lake."

Emperor Wusu smiled but remained silent, the curve of his lips unreadable to her.

Is it true, or is it not?

She wanted to ask more, but Emperor Wusu smiled and kissed her cheek, patting her bottom as well.

I wonder if it's because of something that happened in her childhood, and I wanted to offer her belated comfort.

But this comfort quickly took a turn for the worse, successfully rendering her speechless and incapable of thinking.

After Ji Qingwu regained her appearance, Emperor Wusu did not say anything, but she clearly felt that this time, there were more kisses on her face.

A gentleman acts with both his hands and his words.

Such tenderness and affection are simply too much for one to bear.

*

It was still dark when Emperor Wusu left.

When Ji Qingwu woke up, the bed beside her had long lost its warmth.

As dawn broke, Lanzhi entered from outside the door and stood in the outer room, first calling out softly, "Fifth Miss."

"Come in."

Lanzhi heard her voice and jogged in.

He asked nervously, "Fifth Miss, did you see me last night?"

Ji Qingwu instantly woke up from his drowsiness and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lanzhi said with a bad expression, "I clearly remember last night that I slept on the couch in the outer room, and I even spoke with Miss."

Ji Qingwu then realized that Lanzhi had come in from outside, but as the mistress, she couldn't understand when Lanzhi had been quietly moved back to the servants' room from the outer room.

But she was certain who did it.

She said guiltily, "Maybe you've been too tired lately, or maybe you're experiencing sleep paralysis."

Lanzhi touched her still slightly dizzy head and could only accept this explanation.

She lifted the bed curtains and saw Ji Qingwu looking down at the pink and blue brocade quilt covering her.

Upon seeing her face clearly, Lanzhi exclaimed in surprise, "Fifth Miss, why is your face so red? Have you caught a cold and have a fever?"

Ji Qingwu looked up, cupped her face in her hands, and felt the heat. She covered it up and said, "No, I just got too hot while sleeping. It'll be fine in a bit."

The intimacy of the night, when recalled in the bright daylight, made her face burn uncontrollably.

She fell asleep to tender kisses last night.

Then, she knew nothing more. She had no idea when the emperor left.

Lanzhi prepared the toiletries with some skepticism, and carefully examined the bedding set, confirming that it was the same one she usually used.

It was especially wrinkled today, and she thought she should get the Fifth Miss a thinner one.

Ji Qingwu had just stepped out of the clean room when he heard voices coming from the doorway.

Lanzhi said, "Fifth Miss, Chunhua from the First Madam's courtyard has come to deliver some things."

Chunhua entered the room, followed by four maids, each carrying a tray with items covered by a red silk cloth.

Ji Qingwu glanced at it briefly and immediately guessed what it was.

She said, "Chunhua, go back and tell your mother that I will be leaving today, so she can rest assured."

The maids laid out a table full of things, and Lanzhi asked, "Fifth Miss, what are all these?"

Ji Qingwu looked up at her and said, "Lanzhi, it's time for you to make your move."

Lanzhi was initially confused, but after lifting the red silk and seeing what was inside, her eyes lit up and she nodded.