Chapter 65 Wen Qiyan, this is my punishment for you. ...
She had already realized that he was fond of her and loved her.
She used to pretend to be deaf and mute and avoid answering, but now she spoke openly and bluntly, rejecting him with a tone of scolding and hatred, even going so far as to humiliate him by saying he was unworthy. Only she could do that.
Apart from Ji Wanyuan, there is no other person like her in the entire capital, or even the whole country.
He reached out and wiped away the tears on her face. Looking at her delicate and beautiful features, even her anger was exceptionally beautiful and vivid.
"Don't touch me."
Her tears dampened his long, slender, jade-like fingers, yet she continued to curse, "I told you not to touch me, I hate you..."
Her voice was both sweet and fierce, and tears streamed down her face.
The man indulged her greatly, softly responding with "hmm," while continuing to wipe away her tears, helping her all the while.
Ji Wanyuan resisted him; she hit the man's hand, slapping the back of his hand hard, and even biting it.
Wen Qiyan realized what she was about to do and did not dodge.
Ji Wanyuan felt like she had punched cotton; Wen Qiyan completely ignored her, which made her even angrier. So she bit him hard, wanting him to taste the pain and feel as bad as she did.
Ji Wanyuan never expected that Wen Qiyan would let her bite him. She bit him very hard, and he didn't care.
The spot where she bit down was already bleeding, but he didn't even shake her off or throw her away.
Ji Wanyuan tasted the blood on her tongue, and her emotions slowly subsided.
She slowly released Wen Qiyan's hand. The back of his hand was already a bloody mess, and scarlet blood flowed along the small teeth marks, leaving hideous lines.
After venting, the first things that surfaced were lingering fear and guilt, "..."
She didn't want to admit it, so she simply turned her face away, tilted her chin up, looking very arrogant, and said in the same tone, "Who told you to mess with me?"
This is the price! Ji Wanyuan thought to herself.
The taste of blood in her mouth hadn't completely dissipated, and some of it had stained the corners of her lips. She couldn't help but repeatedly lick her lips, even sticking out her soft tongue to do so.
Like a cat stealing fish, it immediately runs to its lips at the slightest hint of blood.
Upon seeing this, the man's eyes darkened.
When Ji Wanyuan realized that a shadow was looming over her, he had already lifted her chin and kissed her, even probing her tongue inside.
They started kissing so fiercely right away, and it was under the veranda, in front of everyone.
Ji Wanyuan not only cowered, but was also so frightened that she ran backward.
But behind her was a red pillar, preventing her from escaping. Instead, she was blocked by it, which trapped her escape route. Before she could touch it, the man's hand reached back.
He held the back of her head, both to prevent her from bumping into something and to keep her from backing down.
Ji Wanyuan was kissed hard by him several times.
Although the kiss was brief, it was so sudden and intense that it left her stunned.
Wen Qiyan also tasted the blood in Ji Wanyuan's mouth. The blood mixed with Ji Wanyuan's scent and taste, and he did not find it repulsive.
He doesn't reject it, but there are people in front of him who do.
She got angry and glared at him, "Why did you kiss me?!"
After he finished cursing, he realized that he had spoken too loudly and was worried that others would hear him, but in fact, the servants who were following him had already seen it and were bound to hear it.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that everyone was bowing their heads and remaining silent, which was quite embarrassing.
The man, however, remained calm and composed, not annoyed by her scolding, but rather pleased.
Ji Wanyuan increasingly felt that she was blind. How could she have thought Wen Qiyan was a gentleman before?
He was nothing short of a well-dressed, refined scoundrel.
What's infuriating is that she used to think he was a brilliant and unattainable figure.
If he were truly such a cold and aloof gentleman, would he kiss her in front of everyone in the corridor? And he even stuck out his tongue! Not only disgusting, but shameless.
Ji Wanyuan not only thought that way, she also cursed it out loud.
After scolding her, he didn't linger. He lifted his skirt, wiped her lips, and ran away.
Wen Qiyan watched as her hairpin swayed as she walked quickly, then slightly smiled and followed.
While Wen Qiyan was taking a bath, Ji Wanyuan instructed someone to bring an extra quilt, fold it neatly, and place it in the middle of the bed.
Ji Wanyuan originally wanted to sleep in separate beds, but she was worried that her parents would ask about it the next day, so she came up with this solution.
The maids placed the folded quilts in the middle, but she was still not satisfied, feeling it was too fair. She pointed at Jade and asked her to move it.
Wen Qiyan slept in a small space, while she slept in a large space.
Only then did Ji Wanyuan feel a little better.
When he came out, Wen Qiyan first glanced inside and saw a small bulge covered by the quilt, then noticed the "barrier line" in the middle.
Without Ji Wanyuan's permission, the maids wouldn't have dared to tidy up like this, especially since he had just heard the commotion in the bathhouse.
The man sneered, "..."
Ji Wanyuan was drowsy when she felt a weight on her side; someone had lain down beside her.
But Ji Wanyuan didn't expect that he would reach out and hug her directly. By the time Ji Wanyuan turned around, the "barrier" between them had long since disappeared!
She looked around and saw that Wen Qiyan had thrown her down.
"What...what are you doing?"
"What do you mean, what are you doing?" the man asked in a flat tone, which annoyed her.
"What right do you have to remove the bedding?" That was her punishment for him.
"It's not winter yet, so we don't need three quilts," he explained, as if he didn't understand her meaning.
Ji Wanyuan, "...Who said they were going to use it as a cover?"
"If it's not a cover, what are you going to do with it?"
"Don't play dumb with me," she said, adding that it was her punishment for him.
The man acted as if he had heard something funny.
"punish?"
"right."
As she spoke, she told him to get away from her, "Don't come near me."
"My wife's punishment is really mild; I thought you would slap me twice."
"Who would want to give you a free ride?"
She gave a soft snort and hit Wen Qiyan with even more force. Her hands were so delicate, while his skin was thicker than a city wall. When she hit his face, it was she who felt the pain!
Wouldn't that be like hurting the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of your own?!
"Cheap?" the man repeated her words.
Ji Wanyuan snorted and warned him not to come near her again, otherwise she would scream and get her parents to come over, and see how he could continue doing this.
"So my wife has this kind of quirk, she likes having many people watch her fight?"
Choked again, Ji Wanyuan gritted her teeth and said, "Get lost, you're so annoying!"
Unable to argue with him, she pulled off the covers, turned around, and lay down under the covers.
Looking at the angry back of the person next to him, the man smiled again.
Ji Wanyuan fell asleep in anger, and only after she was completely asleep did Wen Qiyan pull her into his arms.
Perhaps it was because his chest was too hard and uncomfortable, but the moment he pulled her close, she frowned and resisted.
Wen Qiyan stuffed a soft pillow into her mouth, but she was still struggling. Perhaps because she was too sleepy, she stopped "making a fuss" with him and soon became obedient.
The emperor quickly and happily reviewed the memorial from Prime Minister Ji, who had volunteered to send Wen Qiyan to Youzhou to assist Ji Lingyue in handling matters.
After the court session ended, in the Imperial Study.
The emperor flipped through the memorials that had already been reviewed, occasionally coughing lightly as he listened to Lin Jie speak.
"Your Majesty, I believe that Prime Minister Ji's request for Vice Minister Wen to go to Youzhou is inappropriate."
"Oh, what do you find wrong, Lin Qing?"
The emperor's voice sounded strong on the surface, but he was actually breathing rapidly.
Although he hasn't summoned his concubines as frequently as before, it was precisely because of that that he was so busy that he's now extremely weak and can't seem to recover. He's been seeking out Taoist priests to concoct elixirs and take medicine.
There is no such thing as immortality or longevity in this world. The imperial physicians had mentioned it in a roundabout way, but the emperor had reprimanded them each time.
Having offended the emperor, the imperial physicians dared not say another word and could only secretly treat him in private.
Every medicine has its side effects. The emperor's health is so poor now, not only because of his indulgence in sex, but also because of his constant consumption of elixirs.
"Prime Minister Ji has never trusted Vice Minister Wen. Why has he suddenly relented at this critical juncture? I believe it is very likely a trap. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."
"Furthermore, His Majesty had originally planned to take action against the Ji family under the pretext of investigating Youzhou, but Vice Minister Wen and Imperial Censor Wen spoke up for the Ji family..."
Lin Jie observed the emperor's furrowed brows, then hesitated to speak.
The emperor paused for a moment, then slowly sat up, supporting himself on the armrests of the dragon throne. He coughed again, then asked, "So, Minister Lin, you mean the Wen family has ulterior motives?"
"Your humble servant dares not, but I feel that this matter probably needs to be discussed further."
The emperor wanted to discuss it, but given the current situation, the national treasury was running a deficit, and he couldn't wait any longer.
If Wen Qiyan hadn't promised to make progress within two months last time, he would have definitely taken action against the Ji family on trumped-up charges.
Now that things have dragged on to this point, and he's about to obtain the mining sites in Youzhou and acquire the minerals, he's naturally going to take a gamble.
Besides the national treasury being depleted, the harem was also not peaceful. In the early years, the concubines' bellies grew bigger and bigger, but he did not want to have a prince so soon, because when the child grew up, he would always have disloyal thoughts and covet his throne.
So he allowed his concubines to check and balance each other, and sometimes he would secretly encourage them.
Perhaps it was divine retribution for his ruthless actions in his younger years, for now his health is deteriorating, and he has only a sickly three-year-old prince and a few princesses to rely on.
Some of the civil and military officials, seeing that he was in poor health and fearless, actually advised him to select an heir and establish a crown prince as soon as possible in case of emergency. This was truly disobedient and rebellious!
While pondering this matter, the emperor happened to come across a memorial requesting the search for an heir apparent to establish a crown prince. He immediately slammed his fist on the desk in anger, coughed twice, and felt a surge of blood in his chest. He even tasted a metallic sweetness in his mouth.
Lin Jie, however, refused to leave and stood there. He couldn't show too much pain, so he could only suppress his discomfort.
"How about this, we send an official to accompany Wen Qiyan to Youzhou. Does Minister Lin have a suitable candidate?"
The emperor awaited his next words to see if he would mention Lin Sinian.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jie suggested someone he hadn't anticipated.
"Wen Yunqin?"
Sensing the emperor's confusion, before he could speak, Lin Jie proactively explained why he had recommended Wen Yunqin.
Hearing Lin Jie say that the two brothers had been at odds for many years, and that they had even fought recently, his daughter witnessed it herself when she visited the Wen family.
"Make a move?" The emperor became somewhat interested.
It's hard to imagine that someone as cold-hearted as Wen Qiyan would actually lay a hand on someone, especially his own younger brother.
"Yes." Lin Jie added that the two sides fought fiercely, attacking each other's vitals at every turn. Wen Yunqin was no match for him and suffered internal injuries. He is currently recuperating at home.
The emperor was unaware that Wen Yunqin was recuperating at home. After all, if that were true, it would be a family scandal, so it's not surprising that the Wen family was keeping the news under wraps.
Do you know why you took action?
The emperor adjusted his posture, ostensibly holding a memorial, but his elbow was pressed hard against his lower back, causing a painful, empty feeling.
Lin Jie frowned. "Your Majesty, I haven't figured it out yet, but it's true that the two brothers are at odds. Many years ago, Wen Yunqin was recommended to the military camp, which was Wen Qiyan's doing."
"Oh?" The emperor frowned.
It's not uncommon for scions of aristocratic families to be secretly placed in official positions for training. As long as it's not excessive, most officials turn a blind eye. After all, when aristocratic families operate behind the scenes, the imperial court also takes a cut of the profits. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement.
When Wen Yunqin's past in the military was mentioned, the emperor had some recollection of it.
Military camps are tiring and tough places, requiring not only sweat but also blood. Children from aristocratic families rarely go there. Even if they do, they want to secure an official position in the army. No one is willing to start as a common soldier, let alone hide their identity.
Therefore, when the Wen family wanted to send Wen Yunqin there, he was shocked and even wondered if the Wen family wanted to avoid paying money to the court. But no, Wen Ze was good at handling things and paid every penny he was owed.
But the two sons of the Wen family...
The emperor smiled and asked, "Minister Lin, when you recommended Wen Yunqin, did you have any ulterior motives?"
“…Yes.” Lin Jie’s heart tightened.
"Tell me about it." The emperor casually tossed the memorial onto the table, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples.
"Wen Yunqin is in charge of the Imperial Guards, and Wen Qiyan works in the Censorate. They are one civil official and one military officer. The Wen family is powerful and might become the second Ji family. Your Majesty can take this opportunity to test whether they have any rebellious intentions."
"So, all your selfish motives are for my sake?" The emperor lifted his eyelids.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am honored to receive your bounty, so it is only natural that I must consider your needs."
The emperor raised an eyebrow. "Then it shall be as you say."
"The Wen family has gone out, and Miss Ji has returned to her parents' home. As for her pregnancy, I don't need to tell you what to do, do I?"
"Yes." Lin Jie nodded.
The emperor reiterated, "What I want is not just the process, but also the perfect result."
The perfect outcome, of course, was a complete break between the Wen and Ji families.
Therefore, Ji Wanyuan's child should be aborted in the Wen family so that the Ji family will blame her. In order to deepen the rift between the two families, she should also die, and this is for the sake of her Xi'er.
Wen Yunqin was also going to Youzhou, something Prime Minister Ji hadn't expected. But for him, this matter was entirely beneficial.
After the two sons of the Wen family shed their纨绔 (spoiled brat) ways, their character became more upright and virtuous, and they were fond of his daughter. With these two men around, Ji Wanyuan's safety would be further guaranteed.
However… Wen Qiyan seemed unwilling for him to accompany him. When the imperial edict arrived, Prime Minister Ji noticed a slight frown on his brow.
Even so, Wen Qiyan didn't say anything more, and in an instant, his expression returned to normal.
The emperor wanted mining and, without delay, ordered Wen Qiyan and the others to set off as soon as possible.
Therefore, Ji Wanyuan saw the man off in front of others in the morning, and then put herself into the pre-prepared box after returning home.
The journey out of the capital went relatively smoothly, but she was nearly driven mad by the confinement. Even though her suitcase had been specially packed, it was still unbearable to be cooped up inside, so when she arrived at the inn where she was staying that night, she came out and vomited all over the place.
Wen Qiyan's moon-white brocade robe was stained by her, but he didn't say much. He just patted her back and handed her water to rinse her mouth.
After vomiting for a long time, Ji Wanyuan finally managed to recover.
To make the performance more realistic, all the people who had served her since childhood were left in the capital.
Madam Ji was very worried and said that at least a maid and a servant should accompany her, but Wen Qiyan said that if she brought a maid or a servant, it would inevitably attract attention. He would personally take care of Ji Wanyuan's diet and daily life to put Madam Ji at ease.
Therefore, he is now personally wiping the corners of her mouth.
Ji Wanyuan looked at the handsome face of the man so close to her. His clothes were dirty, and even his waist was dirty, but he was still wiping her clean. He showed no impatience and his movements were very gentle.
She clearly saw him frown just now.
After he removed his outer garments, Ji Wanyuan stood obediently. She watched as the man rolled up his sleeves and wrung out his handkerchief. Water droplets washed over his slender, jade-like fingers and pale wrists, making him look somewhat handsome.
She asked, "Wen Qiyan, don't you dislike me?"
These are all filthy things.
"What do you dislike about me?"
"They were disgusted that I threw up all over the floor and that it was dirty."
The man didn't answer, but wrung out a handkerchief and wiped her delicate, pale fingers.
The warm towel was applied, and Ji Wanyuan felt much more comfortable. She asked him to reply.
"Disdain?" he said, and she immediately glared at him, "You dare disdain me!"
After saying that, realizing that she had followed him secretly and that he couldn't make too much noise, he immediately pursed his lips and looked around.
Finding nothing amiss, she was barely relieved and continued to glare at the man, her cheeks puffed out, clearly very angry.
Seeing her furrowed brows, Wen Qiyan couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked in a low voice, displeased.
The man didn't answer, but continued to do things for her. Fortunately, only her cloak and outer garment were dirty; she didn't need to change her inner dress yet, and could eat first.
"Wenwu—" She wanted to call his name, but her face was covered by a hot handkerchief, and her voice naturally choked back.
After taking the handkerchief, her fair face appeared even more radiant, and the damp downy hairs clung to her temples, making her look very delicate.
"I wasn't laughing at anything." He asked her if she felt unwell anywhere.
Ji Wanyuan replied irrelevantly, "It's your honor to do these things for me."
He looked at her arrogant face and chuckled softly again.
Ji Wanyuan scolded him in a low voice, forbidding him from laughing.
"Not even allowed to laugh?"
"No, you're not allowed." Because he was laughing at her.
"Miss Ji is really domineering." He raised his hand and pinched her cheek.
With a slight effort, Ji Wanyuan cried out in pain and raised her hand to hit him, but Wen Qiyan easily dodged it.
"Don't move, or you'll fall." There was a significant height difference between the two.
To get her clean, Wen Qiyan lifted her onto the round table.
"If you fall and twist your ankle," he told her. "If you cry and it hurts, I won't care about you."
Ji Wanyuan scoffed, "I'm not that stupid."
"Yeah."
"..."
Wen Yunqin went downstairs and, as he passed the corner, heard a faint noise coming from the next room.
He served in the army and led troops, and his hearing was exceptional.
That voice... it sounds like a woman's? It even seems somewhat familiar.
However, there were no women on this trip, and apart from merchants, there were no women at this post station.
Why would such a sound come from my brother's room?
He stopped and listened for a while, then looked up into the room. This time he heard nothing, and with the door closed, he saw nothing.
After thinking about it, he left and went downstairs, only to run into He Xun who was coming upstairs.
He was carrying a tray of food, seemingly heading back to his room to eat, but wasn't the portion a bit too much?
Wen Yunqin found it strange, but he wasn't familiar with He Xun. As someone traveling with him, he simply greeted him with a slight bow and then stepped aside.
After descending the stairs, Wen Yunqin had a feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
He simply slipped behind the stairs to conceal himself, went around to the other side, and when he reached the place where the horses were tied in the backyard, he gathered his strength, stepped on the pile of stones next to him, and leaped up into the dense tree.
It's a secluded spot; you can see upstairs in the inn without being noticed.
And then he did see it, he saw He Xun bringing food to his brother?
Wen Yunqin: "?"
This must be my brother's door. Has He Xun come to the wrong place?
Not only did he suspect that He Xun had gone to the wrong place, he even thought he was seeing things, but upon closer inspection, he realized that he was not seeing things.
He Xun knocked on the door with the food in his hands. Soon after, his elder brother opened the door, took the food, and thanked him.
Then he saw He Xun say something, but he couldn't hear it clearly because he was too far away. However, based on the shape of his lips, Wen Yunqin could tell that He Xun was clearly telling his brother to ask him for help if needed.
Wen Yunqin's brows furrowed even more deeply. When did the two of them meet? He had never heard of them having any interaction before.
Logically speaking, given his elder brother's petty nature and possessiveness towards his sister-in-law, he should have tried his best to suppress He Xun's awkward status as a live-in son-in-law.
How come she's getting so close to him? He Xun even thoughtfully brings her food.
If they met because of this trip, it's impossible for things to have come to this point. Besides, my brother likes my sister-in-law so much; he's definitely not a homosexual.
This isn't right.
After everyone left, Wen Yunqin stared at the room where Wen Qiyan was for a long time.
This inn was the first stop after leaving the capital. Because it was close to the capital, the top-class rooms were very large and spacious, with inner and outer rooms, so that it was impossible to see the movement of people by candlelight.
He waited for a long time, but He Xun did not come again. Instead, his elder brother came out of the room carrying a tray.
He ate all the food! How come he didn't know his brother could eat so much?
No, my brother doesn't have a big appetite at all, how could he eat so much by himself and leave almost nothing?
With a vague guess in his mind, Wen Yunqin did not wait to speculate wildly before it was confirmed. He stepped on the tree branches and flew directly to the upper floor.
Looking down, I didn't see Wen Qiyan.
He simply walked to his door and knocked on it without making a sound.
Inside the room, Ji Wanyuan had eaten and drunk her fill. Hearing the door open, she turned to look.
Is it Wen Qiyan?
He just left, why are you still knocking on the door?
She rolled her eyes, reluctantly stood up, and was about to go over and open the door.
My hand had just touched the door, but before I could open it, I heard a cold voice from outside.
"What is Qin Di doing here?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: I'm here! [Exaggerated]
This chapter still features a random drop of 50 lucky red envelopes! Good luck everyone!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
