Chapter 3, Chapter 3: "The child is indeed mine."...
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan looked up in astonishment, “…”
Why doesn't her father act according to common sense?
Madam Ji and Ji Lingyue were equally shocked.
Ji Lingyue was alright; he hid his emotions before they became too overt and stood silently to the side.
Madam Ji immediately retorted, "Yuan'er, is what your father said true? The father of the child in your womb is Wen Qiyan?!"
It is said that no one knows a daughter better than her mother. Ji Wanyuan is not good at keeping secrets. When Prime Minister Ji pressed her for answers, she was caught off guard and gave herself away.
It's probably very close to the truth.
Realizing what was happening, she quickly shook her head. "No...it wasn't him! He despises his daughter and never even looks at me properly. How could he possibly have anything going on with me?"
"Father, Mother, please stop making wild guesses and saying things. This child isn't his; it's...it's someone else's!" As for whose child it is, she hasn't decided yet.
As she spoke, Ji Wanyuan's voice lowered as she pondered a plan to pin the blame on someone.
Let's say she took a fancy to a performer in a theater, used her power to force herself on him, and things went wrong. They ended up having sex. Fearing exposure, she tried to pay him off, but he turned out to be a man who performed but didn't sell his body. He had principles and actually hanged himself. So the man died.
Wouldn't that be full of loopholes? It should be alright, right?
She had already made up her mind, but when faced with her father's stern face, which was even more ferocious than before, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Not daring to meet Ji Cheng's gaze, she could only lower her eyes and face, "No... it's not Wen Qiyan, this is an actor from the theater."
With a determined look in his eyes, he said, "He's dead, so don't go looking for him."
Even if Ji Wanyuan said that, Prime Minister Ji would no longer believe her.
Ji Wanyuan's reaction gave her a definitive answer.
Besides, there are other pieces of evidence, otherwise he wouldn't have lied to her.
In fact, he had already sensed something fishy before he even learned about it.
The Wen family holds positions in the Censorate; Wen's father is the Grand Censor, and last year, His Majesty promoted Wen Qiyan from the Censorate to the position of Vice Censor-in-Chief.
They had been secretly monitoring all the officials, with the Ji family being a particular "focus of monitoring." Once the subordinates noticed something amiss, they immediately reported it. How could Prime Minister Ji not know?
He had been keeping an eye on the Wen family since last year. Wen Ze was no pushover, and his son Wen Qiyan was even more outstanding than his father. Among the prominent families of Liangjing, he was a rare gem, as he was amazing and excellent in both appearance and literary talent.
Even his beloved daughter pursued him for many years. This spoiled and arrogant young lady, who had always been unrestrained at home, actually humbled herself before him in order to win his favor.
If his daughter could win this man's heart and indirectly recruit him into the Ji family's camp, that would be ideal. Unfortunately, the other party is ungrateful and ignores Ji Wanyuan's overtures completely.
They didn't even glance at Ji Wanyuan, let alone show her any respect.
If it cannot be used, then that becomes a variable, and it will become an enemy in the future.
This year, the Wen family has been making frequent moves. Prime Minister Ji not only increased the number of people keeping an eye on the Wen family, but also asked people to keep an eye on his daughter to prevent her from getting too close to Wen Qiyan and causing any problems.
I had already told Ji Wanyuan that three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere, so she shouldn't like Wen Qiyan anymore.
But she wouldn't listen. This pretty girl was as stubborn as an ox, insisting on trying to win him over.
More than a month ago.
She didn't know how she managed to arrange a meeting with Wen Qiyan at the banquet.
What happened that night was unknown to Prime Minister Ji, as he was busy with mining operations in Youzhou for the past few days and only learned about it later.
At the time, he never imagined that the two of them would actually have an affair.
After all, ever since she returned that day, Ji Wanyuan had been waking up from nightmares. The imperial physician couldn't figure out what was wrong when he took her pulse, only saying that she was experiencing palpitations and fright.
Prime Minister Ji guessed that it was very likely that Wen Qiyan had threatened and intimidated her, forbidding her from continuing to cause trouble, which had frightened her greatly.
Although his daughter was a bit mischievous, she was still a girl. Wen Jiazi had worked in the Ministry of Justice in his early years and was a man of few words, aloof and cold, with a perpetually indifferent face. He must have frightened her.
In response, he vented his anger on Ji Wanyuan by secretly reducing the business revenue and official promotions of many shops belonging to the Wen family's collateral branches as a warning.
Even so, Ji Wanyuan's health did not improve, and she is now pregnant.
It was a trap; it really was him.
Regardless of who initiated this affair, let's set aside the question of who took the initiative.
Since someone has already lost their life, it's natural to be thorough.
"Master... what should we do?" Ji Wanyuan still refused to admit anything, insisting that the other party was a performer from a theater and that she had killed him and that his body could not be found.
After pondering for a while, Prime Minister Ji did not ask Ji Wanyuan any further questions. He simply told her to take good care of herself and to have Madam Ji look after her. He assured her that he would handle the matter. Then he left with Ji Lingyue.
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan was still pondering what to do. The best thing would be to let it go! It's not a big deal if she can never be a mother.
If things really don't work out in the future, just like with an older brother, you can adopt a child and raise them under your own care, right? Isn't that better than having your own child?
Giving birth might cause problems...
It's not that something will happen, it's that something will definitely happen to her.
"Mother, what else does Father want to do?" Ji Wanyuan asked pitifully. "Don't you and Father believe what your daughter is saying?"
"Didn't you hear what your father said? You need to take good care of your health, and don't worry about anything else."
How could she not think about it?! This matter has been troubling her for a long time!
"In my daughter's opinion, this child should simply be aborted—"
Before he could finish speaking, Madam Ji interrupted him, "Alright! Don't mention anything about falling down or fighting again!"
Ji Wanyuan was frightened and swallowed her words, tears welling up in her eyes. Madam Ji had never been fierce to her before, but she had been fierce to her many times in the past two days.
Seeing her pouting as if she had suffered a great injustice, Madam Ji couldn't continue to be fierce. She sighed and coaxed her, "Alright, Mother is just worried about you. I'm afraid that what Physician Fu said is true, and what will happen if you can't be a mother in the future?"
Ji Wanyuan nestled in Madam Ji's arms, "If it can't be, then it can't be."
She deliberately huffed, "If I really had a child, and she was as troublesome as my daughter, wouldn't that just add to my worries?"
Knowing she was being coquettish again, Madam Ji poked her nose. "You little rascal! You know you're a handful now?"
Ji Wanyuan's face scrunched up, and she mumbled something without rebutting, "..."
On the way back to the study, Ji Lingyue, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up, "Father, what are your plans regarding Yuanmei's pregnancy?"
Prime Minister Ji glanced at him. "What do you think?"
"I dare not speak recklessly."
"You can tell me, after all... it's all family business, and Wan Yuan is your sister."
Prime Minister Ji's next words seemed to have a hidden meaning, and how could Ji Lingyue not understand it?
After a long silence, he said, "I think whatever decision Father makes, it must be the best result after careful consideration."
Prime Minister Ji smiled and said, "That may be true, but the will of Heaven is hard to fathom."
God willing……
Which heaven is it? The Emperor, or...? Ji Lingyue lifted his eyelids and looked up as he descended the steps.
Ji Wanyuan was anxious all night. The next day, she learned that her father had gone to the Wen family and was so frightened that she paced around in the yard.
She couldn't go out because Madam Ji had confined her to her quarters. Apart from her personal maid, Emerald, the courtyard was staffed with old women who served her mother, all to keep an eye on her.
"Jade, do you know what Father and Mother went to the Wen family for?"
Wasn't Father supposed to be avoiding suspicion? He always said that civil officials shouldn't have too much contact with others, and he rarely accepted invitations from aristocratic families, let alone visited anyone's house. Why did he go today? It must be because of her pregnancy!
Seeing Ji Wanyuan's fierce glint in her eyes, gritting her teeth as she stared at her stomach, Emerald was afraid she might do something crazy, so she quickly tried to distract her by saying that Madam Ji had made her some sweet cakes before leaving the house, and they were still warm, so she should try them.
I didn't have an appetite at first, but I was indeed hungry. I only intended to eat one bite, but I ended up eating one bite after another.
She took one piece in each hand and, as if venting her anger, ate them in a cycle, finishing several pieces in this way.
Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Emerald comforted her for a while, telling her not to worry, that the Prime Minister, his wife, and the eldest son had always doted on her and would definitely protect her.
“Jade, you don’t understand me…” Ji Wanyuan sighed.
Will things really take a turn for the better? Or will they continue to develop like in the folk tales?
She was anxious, but trapped here with no way out, as if she was waiting to die. The Wen family was so dangerous, why did her father and mother still go inside?
"..."
At this moment, all the servants in the Wen family hall had been dismissed, and the atmosphere was tense.
When Madam Wen received the visiting card from the Ji family, she was unaware of their purpose, so she went to see her father.
No sooner had Wen's father arrived home than Prime Minister Ji and his wife arrived shortly after.
Judging from the appearance of Prime Minister Ji and his wife, it seems... they came with ill intentions.
Sure enough, upon entering the hall, he said he had important matters to discuss and suggested that Madam Wen clear the area.
Not knowing what the Ji family was up to, Lord Wen and Madam Wen exchanged a glance, and Madam Wen ordered her servants to dismiss all the attendants.
What I didn't expect was more than just an important matter; it was a complete bolt from the blue.
Miss Ji is pregnant. Is it Wen Qiyan's child?
"No, impossible!" Madam Wen retorted immediately in astonishment. "I know Qi Yan well. He hates—" Before she could finish the word "hates," her father's hurried cough cut her off.
Madam Wen immediately changed her tune, "He dislikes women and would never do such an absurd thing."
"Is that so?" Before Madam Ji could refute, Prime Minister Ji said with a forced smile.
"Why don't we ask Young Master Wen and see what he has to say?"
The two families were facing off when there was a knock on the door. A servant reminded them that the eldest son had returned.
Everyone looked over and saw that the tall, handsome figure standing at the door was none other than the person being discussed.
Madam Wen hurriedly got up and went over, "Qi Yan, the Prime Minister said that you and Ji—"
Before he could finish speaking, the aloof young man said calmly, "Mother."
"The child is indeed mine."
A note from the author:
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I was a bit busy at home today, so I'm a little late with the update. I won't do it again next time! [rainbow emoji]
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