Chapter 67. Ji Wanyuan, I won't let you die. ...
Upon hearing this, Wen Yunqin paused.
It wasn't aimed at the Ji family, but at her?
"You too..." In his astonishment, he almost let slip the secret.
"You like my sister-in-law?"
Sensing the hesitation in his words, He Xun saw through it but said nothing.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said meaningfully, "Miss Ji is beautiful and lovely, who wouldn't like her?"
Wen Yunqin stared intently at He Xun's face.
To be honest, he had never really had any real dealings with He Xun.
While in the military camp, she heard that the Ji family had chosen a son-in-law for Ji Wanyuan, who was going to take the imperial examination route and might succeed the prime minister in the future. Although he came from a poor family, his talent and appearance were no less than those of her sworn brother and his elder brother.
I had heard of He Xun's name, but I had never seen him. After returning to the capital, I did catch a glimpse of him from afar during court. He did appear humble and polite, and his appearance was quite pleasing. It seems that Prime Minister Ji had carefully chosen him for his daughter.
It looks simple, but in reality, it's probably not a kind person at all.
"Is it just because you like my sister-in-law?" Wen Yunqin scoffed. "Isn't it for the power of the Ji family?"
"Commander, you are indeed very direct," He Xun chuckled softly. "I had heard that you were a straightforward person, and seeing you today confirms it."
Wen Yunqin remained silent, his fingers stroking the teacup.
He wondered, since Ji Wanyuan had come along, where was she hiding?
After much thought, she must be in a small box or trunk, otherwise, given her pregnancy, it would be extremely difficult for her to blend into the crowd.
My brother is really incompetent; he actually made her suffer by hiding like this.
Even though he knew in his heart that he was forced by the current situation, Wen Yunqin couldn't help but mutter and sneer in his heart.
On second thought, He Xun was someone whom Prime Minister Ji had chosen and promoted. He knew that his brother had taken Ji Wanyuan away from the capital, so this matter must have been authorized by Prime Minister Ji.
No wonder there were so many experts following her, both openly and secretly; it turns out they were there to protect her.
Why did the Ji family choose this time to make her leave the capital? She's heavily pregnant; what if something happens to her on the journey because she can't handle the bumpy ride?
Furthermore, has the elder brother gained such influence in the Ji family that Prime Minister Ji and Madam Ji could entrust their daughter entirely to him?
The marriage between the two families was clearly driven by self-interest, but... Prime Minister Ji and his wife seemed to value their elder brother highly.
Wen Yunqin was temporarily unable to sort out this matter through his thoughts.
He Xun stood up and poured him some tea. "If we're talking about power and wealth, I'm just an ordinary person, and naturally I want them too."
"I come from a poor family, and once I entered officialdom, I naturally hoped to gain a foothold in the court."
"So you came to me?" Wen Yunqin repeated, "Why do you think I would help you?"
He Xun didn't beat around the bush with him, "Doesn't the Commander like Miss Ji?"
Wen Yunqin paused for a moment before speaking, "...She is my sister-in-law."
He was speaking to He Xun, but also to himself.
He Xun could see that he couldn't let go, and smiled, "Commander, helping me is also helping yourself."
"After all, your brother is a formidable opponent, and you and I would never be a match for him if we fought one-on-one."
The phrase "fighting alone" seemed to carry a deeper meaning, and Wen Yunqin's expression turned slightly cold.
He Xun added, "I didn't mean anything by it, Commander, please don't overthink it."
Wen Yunqin, "..."
Although he remained silent, he didn't simply abandon the situation and leave.
After silently drinking half a cup of tea, He Xun continued, saying that only by bringing Wen Qiyan down could the two of them have a chance to rise to power.
“My brother and she have more than just a child; they are also bound by marriage, a bond bestowed upon them by His Majesty.”
"Could it be that Brother Yunqin is bothered by the existence of this child?" He Xun changed his form of address to him.
Wen Yunqin glanced at him but didn't say anything.
He Xun understood, and then said, "As for this marriage, with Brother Yun Qin's foresight, it's impossible that he couldn't see the problem."
At this point, Wen Yunqin finally spoke up, "Did the Ji family already know about the marriage alliance between the Ji and Wen families?"
"The Prime Minister is far-sighted and cherishes Miss Ji, so naturally he considers everything for her sake."
The Ji family actually knew about it.
The Ji family already knows, so could she know too?
To ensure everything went perfectly, Wen Yunqin wanted to ask more detailed questions. Before he could even speak, He Xun told him that after the imperial decree for the marriage was issued, Prime Minister Ji had gone to the palace to request the emperor to rescind the order.
Prior to this, Ji Wanyuan had told Prime Minister Ji that she no longer wanted to marry Wen Qiyan and wanted to marry him instead.
"She once wanted to marry you while pregnant with her brother's child?" Wen Yunqin frowned.
"yes."
"If Brother Yunqin doesn't believe me, you can ask Miss Ji for details. If it weren't for His Majesty's bestowal of the marriage, then what you'd be drinking would be my and Miss Ji's wedding wine."
Wen Yunqin, "..."
So, she already knew the inside story of the marriage between the two families and had long disliked her brother.
What she said at the Wen family back then wasn't just said in anger; it was the truth.
"It's a fact that the Ji family is in conflict with the imperial court. It won't be long before it comes out in the open. If Brother Yunqin wants Miss Ji, he can't afford to side with the wrong people."
"In the end, they still want to drag me into this mess," Wen Yunqin sneered.
“Brother Yunqin, since you have taken the surname Wen and are in charge of the Imperial Guard, you should know that you cannot get away cleanly.”
“You and I are the same,” He Xun said.
After a long silence, Wen Yunqin scoffed, "We're not the same."
"Whether it is the same or not, Brother Yunqin, you can think carefully about the suggestion I have given you."
"..."
Ji Wanyuan was so tired that it was already very late when Wen Qiyan woke her up. He really wanted her to sleep, but there was no way to delay any longer.
Miss Ji, who hadn't slept enough, was full of resentment. She glared at people as soon as she opened her eyes, but fortunately she didn't say anything nasty. She let him pick her up and put her on the round stool, wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face and hands, and then sat down in front of the bronze mirror.
Thinking about the disguise she would be wearing today, and seeing the things the man had taken out and placed in front of her, she became very curious, turning them over and over, asking if he was going to put them on her body. She even complained that this didn't smell good and that didn't look good.
Wen Qiyan scoffed, saying she was picky. It's not like she's wearing makeup; why does she need to look good or smell nice?
"These are all things you put on your face. It's fine if they don't look good, but I just want them to smell nice. Is that wrong?"
She hadn't slept enough and was just being a little temperamental.
Wen Qiyan paused, looking at the angry profile of the person in front of him.
He would recall the strong scent of perfume that Ji Wanyuan brought when she approached him a long time ago. She really did put whatever smelled good on herself, regardless of how unpleasant the strong scents mixed together with her perfume would be.
So much so that he thought Ji Wanyuan smelled bad, when in fact that was not the case.
The man didn't speak, he just stared at her.
Ji Wanyuan threw a tantrum for a while, then couldn't help but feel a lingering fear, "..."
She has no backing now, and being heavily pregnant, she probably can't act as arrogantly as before.
With her parents far away and the mountains high, she should lower her head. Besides, Wen Qiyan had been obedient to her, serving her like a slave from yesterday until now, wiping her face and washing her hair.
Thinking of this, before she could even turn her face, her eyes had already drifted over to discreetly observe the man's expression, only to be met with his handsome, smiling eyes.
He's actually laughing? What's so funny?
Before Ji Wanyuan could speak, the man pinched her chin and turned her around.
He spoke softly and gently, as if coaxing someone, to make her behave, "How about I buy you the rouge you like when we get to Youzhou?"
"Do you have money?" She followed his steps down the stairs, then arrogantly declared that she didn't care.
Looking at the man's face so close to hers, she felt him applying a thick cream to her face.
"It's so cold." She couldn't help but frown, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. She instinctively tried to hide in his arms, almost brushing against his arm.
"Bear with it for a moment." Fortunately, he caught her in time and held her face still.
Ji Wanyuan sat down, while he stood and leaned over.
He lifted her face up, and she placed her hands helplessly on his waist, clutching his belt.
She couldn't even turn away to look at the bronze mirror; she was forced to stare directly into the man's eyes.
He gazed intently at her, watching his face reflected in the pretty young woman's watery eyes.
Only him.
She didn't know how much time had passed when Ji Wanyuan heard footsteps outside. Her face was sore and stiff. Wen Qiyan had finally finished.
But he didn't let her see it, and instead reached out and pushed the bronze mirror over.
He carried Ji Wanyuan down and gave her a drab, oversized set of men's clothing.
The moment Ji Wanyuan saw it, her eyes widened. "You want me to wear this?"
"Um."
"Can I not wear it?"
So ugly.
"Okay." He added that if he couldn't see through it, he would have to hide in the trunk.
Ji Wanyuan, “…”
She reached out to touch her face, but Wen Qiyan grabbed her wrist, telling her not to touch it yet, as the ointment was still thick and hadn't dried, and Ji Wanyuan couldn't even purse her lips.
He let her decide for herself.
After thinking about it, she still reluctantly put it on.
It must be said that although the clothes were ugly, they were more comfortable to wear than expected. More importantly, they completely concealed her belly, making her appear as if she were a large, fat woman, not a pregnant woman.
"Did you prepare this a long time ago?"
"Hmm." Knowing she couldn't stand being in the cage, and worried she'd get suffocated.
At this moment, Wen Qiyan stood the bronze mirror up so that she could see for herself.
Ji Wanyuan's eyes widened in surprise; the person in the bronze mirror was so unfamiliar that it startled her.
Is this still her face?
But when she moves, the person in the bronze mirror moves along with her; whatever she does, the person in the bronze mirror does the same.
This unfamiliar… “man” is her.
"How...how did you do that?" she asked.
Wen Qiyan smiled but remained silent.
If I were to tell her that he had dissected and examined bones in the Ministry of Justice's coroner's office in his early years, she would probably be so frightened that she would vomit, or even find him disgusting and never let him touch her again.
Ji Wanyuan didn't know what the man was thinking, and assumed that he was keeping something to himself, which was why he didn't answer.
While she was still immersed in the novelty, Wen Qiyan had already tidied up the rest of the tail.
Ji Wanyuan discovered that he also had fake "hand" covers, made of some unknown material, which fit her perfectly and concealed her originally slender and fair wrists. After taking another pill, his voice became deeper.
She grumbled that it sounded awful and that she didn't like it.
Although her appearance has changed, her demeanor still exudes a strange girlish charm.
Wen Qiyan reminded her to be careful while she was out, "The emperor's eyes and ears are following us on this trip, so your sudden appearance will always attract attention."
"How long am I supposed to keep up this act?"
"It will be better once we reach Youzhou."
So even he's not sure?
Ji Wanyuan felt a sense of unfamiliarity even as the unfamiliar voice came from her mouth.
She knew the trip was dangerous, and despite her weariness and dissatisfaction, she still obediently nodded.
Seeing this, the man with a cold expression gently patted her head.
Ji Wanyuan was stunned. Could Wen Qiyan really touch her with such an ordinary face?
"..."
After tidying everything up, he went out first.
Ji Wanyuan stayed in the inner room for her meal, which was all delivered in advance by He Xun.
After eating, she followed the waiter she had arranged to carry the tray downstairs.
After going through several twists and turns, she was brought before the public by Qinghe, Wen Qiyan's attendant.
Three handsome men sat around a table, with several servants nearby.
Ji Wanyuan knew that some of them were her father's people, and some were people from the imperial court.
She wasn't afraid of her father's men, but the imperial court's...
She lowered her head, appearing very reserved and silent, not daring to look around.
Qinghe reported to Wen Qiyan in the wording they had agreed on beforehand, saying that she was specially chosen to serve him. Although she was a bit fat and not very good-looking, she was quick and efficient, honest, and most importantly, quiet and reserved.
Upon hearing these words, Ji Wanyuan inwardly cursed Qinghe several times.
Who's fat and who's ugly? He's the fat one, he's the ugly one!
During that time, she felt Wen Yunqin's gaze fixed on her, not moving away.
Not only Wen Yunqin, but also the guards behind him.
Ji Wanyuan's heart tightened, and she subconsciously wanted to purse her lips. Just as she was about to move, she remembered that her face was disguised and was afraid of giving herself away, so she didn't dare to move.
"Brother, don't you only like beautiful women? Why don't you choose a prettier woman to serve you? Anyway, the emperor is far away, and your sister-in-law isn't around."
When Wen Yunqin suddenly spoke, Ji Wanyuan's heart skipped a beat. What did he mean by that?
Did she actually realize her identity? Haven't the doubts from yesterday been resolved yet?
"Is what you say true, Commander?" He Xun continued.
"So, Your Excellency only likes beautiful women to serve you? This person doesn't seem very outstanding, so why don't you keep him by my side?"
After saying that, he told Qinghe, Wen Qiyan's attendant, to pick out a prettier one for him, as Wen Yunqin had suggested.
When Ji Wanyuan noticed He Xun speaking, Wen Qiyan's cool gaze fell on Wen Yunqin's face, glancing between him and He Xun a few times.
Then he sneered, "Brother Qin, you've really forgotten things after being away from home for several years. Even if you don't know my preferences, you shouldn't make things up in front of outsiders."
Wen Yunqin was about to speak when Wen Qiyan picked up his teacup and continued casually, "Was it because I went too far in our last sparring session that you lost your memory and became mentally impaired?"
"If that's the case, you shouldn't go to Youzhou. You should go back to the capital as soon as possible and see the imperial physician."
Ji Wanyuan could vaguely smell gunpowder.
She didn't dare to say a word, but secretly raised her eyelids a little and saw that Wen Yunqin's expression was not very good.
Come to think of it...
He was only defeated once, but the other person kept bringing it up for a lifetime.
If she remembered correctly, Wen Qiyan also brought this up yesterday.
Before Wen Yunqin could speak, Wen Qiyan turned his attention to He Xun.
"I had no idea that Lord He and my younger brother had become so close?" he said with a half-smile.
The atmosphere became tense in an instant. Ji Wanyuan, standing next to him, could especially feel the sharp, cold aura emanating from him, chilling and sinister.
She couldn't help but choke on her food. What if they started fighting?
Just as she was at her wits' end, the restaurant staff brought out the food, breaking the deadlock.
Because she had to make way for him, Ji Wanyuan obediently stood next to Wen Qiyan, getting closer to him.
After the shopkeeper left, he asked her, "Whom do you want to stay with?"
Ask her?
Stared at by a group of people, Ji Wanyuan stammered a little. Afraid of saying too much and making a mistake, she simply moved closer to Wen Qiyan and expressed her intentions.
She thought the matter was over, but unexpectedly, just as she approached Wen Qiyan and took a small step, Wen Yunqin spoke again.
"Since you already have a sister-in-law, brother, it's best to be mindful of boundaries, regardless of gender. Otherwise, if word gets back to the capital and your sister-in-law finds out, she might feel jealous and upset."
Ji Wanyuan was puzzled. Why did this bring up her again? She wouldn't be jealous.
What's more, this person is herself.
The details are currently unknown, but Wen Qiyan's expression appears very cold.
"Besides, my brother already has Qinghe guard by his side. Since this person is quick and efficient, why not give him to me?"
After speaking, Wen Yunqin looked at Ji Wanyuan. He actually told her...
"come over."
Ji Wanyuan, “…?”
She hasn't decided how to respond yet, or should she just not respond at all?
Wen Qiyan stood up abruptly, his gaze sweeping over He Xun before finally settling on Wen Yunqin's face. He looked down at him and said coldly.
"Yunqin, I'll say it one last time: don't even think about my people, whether they're men or women."
"otherwise……"
A handsome, detached smile appeared on the man's face. "Next time, it won't just be a matter of lying in bed for ten days or so."
After saying this, Wen Qiyan left.
Ji Wanyuan was stunned by his words and stood there for a moment. It was only after Qinghe reminded her that she came back to her senses and followed him.
After the two left, He Xun smiled and looked at Wen Yunqin beside him, pouring him a cup of tea.
"Commander, please calm down. After all, we are still brothers."
Ji Wanyuan sat down in the carriage and didn't dare to speak for a long time after leaving the post station.
Wen Qiyan looked at her upright posture and asked, "What's wrong? Are you disturbed by Qin Di's words?"
Ji Wanyuan, “…”
It took her a long time before she dared to look over, her every move trembling with nervousness. "If you talk to me, won't someone overhear?"
She was very worried.
When they first left the capital, the group rode horses. Now that they had a carriage, it was more comfortable and more discreet, but she was still worried.
"What are you afraid of?" he retorted. "Aren't you quite brave?"
"You used to dare drug me, but now you won't even dare to ride in a carriage?"
"I...I...you..." Ji Wanyuan said irritably, "How can these two things be confused?"
She only paid attention to the implication in the man's words, but she didn't expect that he had changed the subject in just a few words, and unconsciously melted away her tension.
“Your brother Qin and He Xun both wanted carriages, and they may have been able to ride in them. You are no exception.”
He knew what she was worried about.
Despite saying that, Ji Wanyuan was still afraid and kept asking him if their conversation would be overheard, how many people from the imperial court had come with them, and whether they could win if a fight broke out.
Wen Qiyan let her mutter to herself while he flipped through the books and documents, ignoring her.
Ji Wanyuan finished speaking and began to examine the carriage's furnishings. Realizing that they were traveling on the official road, the carriage was relatively stable. The curtains were covered on the inner windows, but they were shaking and could be seen by outsiders.
She finally relaxed her back and lay down.
Wen Qiyan caught a glimpse of her movement out of the corner of his eye and moved the cushion closer to her so that she wouldn't bump into anything hard.
Seeing the man's usual attentiveness, Ji Wanyuan was slightly taken aback, but quickly regained her senses.
Not long after she felt relieved, she began to worry about things in the capital.
"Wen Qiyan, do you think it's possible that my leaving the capital will be exposed?"
She tentatively tried to sort out the events that happened in her dream and in the storybook.
She felt that without knowing she had left the capital, Wen Qiyan and Wen Yunqin had both left, and even He Xun, the son-in-law her father had chosen for her, was not in the capital and had not returned to the capital with her brother.
Although she moved back to her parents' home, it has to be said that this is the best opportunity for the Lin family to take action against her. Therefore, the Lin family will definitely try to contact her during this period. I wonder if her father and mother can put on a good show.
On another note, how exactly did the Lin family drug her in the storybook? How did they manage to do it so secretly?
Neither the woman in the storybook nor the woman in the dream noticed anything amiss.
To be honest, she's been so preoccupied with leaving the capital lately that she'd almost forgotten about it. She only has four months left until she gives birth.
Time flies.
After sighing, Ji Wanyuan immediately tried to recall, but after thinking it over and over, she still couldn't find anything unusual.
Just as she was thinking, Wen Qiyan, as if seeing through her thoughts, asked her,
"Did you see any details in your dream about the Lin family plotting to cause your difficult childbirth?"
Ji Wanyuan's gaze followed, and she saw the man's handsome profile.
He had already asked her about this when she confessed to him. Did he still suspect that she was hiding something?
But looking at the man's face, there was no flaw to be found.
What good would it do her to keep this from him?
Regardless of whether Wen Qiyan thought so, Ji Wanyuan said, "I've basically told you everything that happened in the dream."
Aside from some trivial matters, such as Wen Yunqin planting trees for her.
If this were mentioned, the entire carriage would probably reek of sourness, and Wen Qiyan would never stop arguing about it.
"By the way, do you believe me when I tell you that the Lin family wants to harm me?"
"When have I ever not believed you?" he countered.
This question left her completely bewildered; it seemed... Wen Qiyan had believed it from the very beginning.
At the time, neither her parents believed her, so she was quite surprised that Wen Qiyan believed her.
The girl, who had tried to pick a fight and be stubborn, slunk away in defeat, and simply said "Oh."
As Wen Qiyan turned to the side, he handed her a piece of pastry. She didn't want to eat it, but she took it anyway.
"Ji Wanyuan".
He called her name and looked into her eyes.
"Um?"
She looked up in confusion, only to meet the man's deep, dark eyes and hear his magnetic, gentle tone.
He told her,
"Don't worry, no matter what happens, I will protect you and our child."
He won't let her die, nor will he let anything happen to her.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I'm here! Thank you everyone for the Moonstones! Enough to last me until next year, hehe [sprinkling flowers]
And the nutrient solution, it's almost 15,000! Wow!
By the way, this chapter will still randomly drop 50 lucky red envelopes, so good luck everyone!
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