Chapter 75 Is Wen Qiyan dead?
After holding back for a long time, he still couldn't help but scoff, "So happy?"
Perhaps because she knew his true nature, she reacted instantly and quickly said, "Well... I'm not that happy."
The man's gaze fell on her face, making her feel slightly guilty, and she unconsciously clenched the edge of her cloak.
“Ji Wanyuan.” The man smiled insincerely, his eyes extremely cold. “When you say that, take off your smile. I’m not blind, nor am I stupid.”
Ji Wanyuan, “…”
Even when she sees her brother, she can't smile happily anymore; that scoundrel's heart is only as small as a sesame seed.
Considering that although his words were unpleasant, he had always been genuinely working for the Ji family and had even "dealt with" Wen's father, Ji Wanyuan tolerated him and let him be sarcastic.
Anyway, he likes to be jealous, and she can't control that. Can she control Wen Qiyan's thoughts and emotions and forbid him from doing this or that?
So she turned around and continued looking out, watching the carriage get closer and closer to the city gate, and the handsome man's outline becoming clearer and clearer.
You're not mistaken, it really is the older brother.
I'm finally going to see my brother.
Like Ji Wanyuan, although the woman's movement of lifting the carriage curtain in the distance was very subtle and narrow, he still managed to see her.
My sister, whom I hadn't seen for months, was as radiant as ever. Her smile, with her eyes crinkling, brought joy to anyone who saw her, and made the corners of my lips unconsciously curve upwards as well.
If I had to point out something wrong with her, it would be that the man next to her was a real eyesore.
Noticing Ji Lingyue's unfriendly gaze, Wen Qiyan was not afraid at all and lifted her eyelids to look back.
Their eyes met from a distance, their tension palpable, and even in the silence, Ji Wanyuan sensed something amiss.
She glanced at Wen Qiyan first, "You seem to dislike my brother very much."
He shut her down with a seemingly unrelated, irrelevant question: "You like my sister?"
Wen Qingling?
That's really annoying.
Ji Wanyuan immediately understood.
He disliked her brother, just as she disliked his sister.
"My brother didn't do anything to you," she muttered.
She disliked Wen Qingling entirely because the other woman always sided with Lin Nianxi and criticized her; how could that be the same?
"Do I have to like my brother-in-law?"
How could someone who covets her possibly fall in love with her?
If it weren't for the Ji family, he would have loved to kill Ji Lingyue.
She really thought too highly of him.
"I didn't say that!" Ji Wanyuan knew that his jealousy wouldn't dissipate for a while, so she immediately expressed her opinion.
Wen Qiyan sneered and did not answer, clearly seeing through her thoughts but not exposing them.
In the time it takes to say a few words, the speeding carriage has already stopped at the city gate.
Since the people from the imperial court had not been completely eliminated, and they still had to put on a show in front of others, Ji Wanyuan did not jump forward. Instead, she greeted Ji Lingyue with great pleasure and stood properly next to Wen Qiyan, wrapped in her cloak.
"Lord Zhongcheng."
Ji Lingyue glanced at Ji Wanyuan first, noticing her heavy, bulky cloak and clothes. Before he could look for long, Wen Qiyan stepped forward, blocking her view and meeting Ji Lingyue's gaze.
"Young Master Ji," he called out.
Wen Yunqin watched his movements and saw him making eye contact with Ji Lingyue.
As he moved to the side, He Xun, who was standing nearby, had already anticipated this and seemed to be enjoying the show.
The governor of Youzhou bowed and scraped, respectfully inviting the group into the city for a welcoming feast.
After entering the prefect's residence, Ji Wanyuan parted ways with Wen Qiyan.
Because the adults were discussing matters, she, as someone who "serves" them, was not allowed to listen in.
She stayed outside, and Wen Qiyan glanced at her, seemingly telling her not to wander off. She looked back at him.
After the council doors were closed, someone came and asked her to leave.
She recognized the man as one of Ji Lingyue's usual attendants, and after thinking for a moment, she went with him.
She was led past the hanging flower gate, into the covered corridor, and across the lotus pond to a mansion.
"Young Miss, you must have suffered on your journey. I am here on the orders of the young master to take you to a new place for washing and bathing."
Ji Wanyuan had no objections to the other party's arrangements.
She had long since stopped wanting to wear her drab, gray clothes, even though they were soft and comfortable, because they were ugly.
Before leaving, she expressed a small concern, but Ji Lingyue's entourage told her not to panic, that Youzhou was safe and her identity would not be exposed.
"That's good." Just don't let it cause trouble for my brother or the Ji family.
Ji Wanyuan entered the inner courtyard, where maids and servants were already waiting to help her with her washing and bathing.
Her personal maid was chubby and adorable, and she said her name was Xi'er.
Ji Wanyuan said with a smile, "It's really fitting for the occasion."
"Thank you for your praise, Miss. You are so beautiful, your child will surely be beautiful too."
Ji Wanyuan snorted and raised an eyebrow. Her child was naturally handsome; she had seen him in storybooks long ago, but... she had never seen him grow up in person.
Six months have passed, and he will be born soon.
Ji Wanyuan silently wished that she and Lin'er would both be safe and sound.
After taking a bath, she felt incredibly comfortable all over. She used some products and was waiting for a letter, but she got so sleepy that she fell asleep.
She didn't know how long she had slept, but when she woke up, it was already late at night. She opened her eyes and saw a broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted figure at the edge of the bed.
In her dazed state, Ji Wanyuan thought it was Wen Qiyan, because all along the way, the person she saw when she opened her eyes was him. He was always by her side, and without realizing it, she had gotten used to it.
She instinctively reached out to approach, but upon smelling the sandalwood scent on the man, Ji Wanyuan instantly opened her eyes. Something was wrong!
This was not the cool, refreshing scent emanating from Wen Qiyan. He didn't use sandalwood, and alarm bells rang in his mind. Just as he was about to shrink back, the candlelight in the inner room was suddenly lit, and the other person turned around.
"Brother?" The moment Ji Wanyuan saw the other person's face clearly, the panic in her heart gradually dissipated.
But it hasn't completely dissipated; some of it still lingers in my heart.
She couldn't explain why.
"Brother, what are you doing here?"
Ji Lingyue watched as she drowsily looked at him, her guard up before her eyes, her expression shifting from alertness to relaxation. Her beautiful features conveyed her anger and joy, vividly presented before him.
He looked at her and slowly smiled, "Yuan'er, do you miss your brother?"
Ji Wanyuan felt that the man in front of her had a very deep gaze, which was different from how he looked at her in the capital, but she did not realize that something was wrong for the time being.
She only thought that it had been a long time since they last met, and that Ji Lingyue looked at her like that because he missed her.
"I miss him! How long has it been since my brother left the capital?" she complained, feigning anger. She wondered if he had found another sister in Youzhou because he hadn't sent her any letters or gifts.
Ji Lingyue smiled as she listened to her words, "Brother wanted to write a letter to Yuan'er, but he had to delay it because he was busy with affairs in Youzhou."
In reality, he was worried about being discovered by Prime Minister Ji.
Previously, his father had sensed his feelings and had warned him both openly and subtly.
"Really no other sisters?" Ji Wanyuan crossed her arms, snorted, and turned her face away, but her eyes still swept over.
Ji Lingyue didn't deliberately avert his gaze from her profile. Her small face was bathed in candlelight, and her long hair was loose. She sat up on the bed, looking especially lovely and gentle.
It's like a young woman waiting for her husband to come home.
She was both well-behaved and pretty, and she was being affectionate with him, looking almost unreal.
Ji Lingyue unconsciously moved closer to her, reaching out to touch her cheek.
Ji Wanyuan caught a glimpse of his movement out of the corner of her eye and thought Ji Lingyue was going to pinch her cheek, but she had just slapped his hand away and hadn't even said "Don't touch me" when she met the man's incredibly deep eyes.
Before Ji Wanyuan could even process what was happening, she was already terrified.
Wait...wait?
Why was her brother looking at her like that? Just like how Wen Qiyan used to look at her.
Wen Qiyan was looking at her because of love, so why was her brother looking at her like that?
Is it also because of love?
How can the loving glances between siblings be the same as the loving glances between a man and a woman?
She was startled, and the smile on her face froze instantly. By the time she blinked and looked again, Ji Lingyue had already hidden his emotions.
Ji Wanyuan didn't see any more affection from him, and thought that she was just seeing things after waking up. She thought that the strange look in her brother's eyes was because she was thinking of Wen Qiyan.
Just then, the sound of rain could be heard outside.
Ji Wanyuan looked outside and saw a glass lamp placed under the window. Under the light, she could see the falling rain, which was so heavy and fierce.
Seeing her staring blankly at the sudden rain, Ji Lingyue said softly, "I was also frightened by the rain here when I first came to Youzhou."
"Scared?" Ji Wanyuan turned around. "Will brother be scared by the rain?"
"Because the rain in Youzhou often comes without warning." Ji Lingyue said that one moment the sky is clear and blue, and the next moment it pours down, catching people off guard. He has been soaked many times.
Ji Wanyuan frowned, "What are the people who follow my brother good for? They actually let you get soaked in the rain?"
As Ji Lingyue listened to her speak, the smile on his lips deepened unconsciously.
“Yuan’er, come here. Your brother will protect you and keep you from the wind and rain.”
Ji Wanyuan looked at the man and said, "Okay."
She also wanted to say that she hadn't actually suffered any hardships along the way. Wen Qiyan took good care of her; he was even more meticulous than Jade.
If I had to say something bad about her, it would be that she has a strong tendency to be sarcastic and jealous. She gets jealous at the slightest provocation and is impossible to appease.
If he knew that her brother had come to visit her in the middle of the night, he would definitely be jealous and make sarcastic remarks.
Wait, why is she thinking of Wen Qiyan again?
Wait, where's Wen Qiyan?
"Brother, where are Wen Qiyan and the others?" Ji Wanyuan asked, her loose long hair sticking forward, and Ji Lingyue reached out to brush it away for her.
Upon hearing her question, the man's hand, which he hadn't withdrawn, paused near her ear.
Ji Wanyuan didn't notice anything amiss until a while later, when she realized that the smile on Ji Lingyue's face was gradually fading.
"What's wrong, brother?"
Could it be because listening to the rain reminded her of being soaked to the bone before?
Seeing that he didn't respond, she was about to raise her hand and wave it in front of him, but unexpectedly, Ji Lingyue's hand, which had been resting near her ear, instead touched her cheek.
Feeling the man's touch, she inexplicably felt uneasy and uncomfortable.
She was clearly close to Ji Lingyue when they were in the capital, but this time, was it because they bumped into each other?
No, it's because her brother's gaze was so strange.
The dim light made her feel uneasy.
She asked again, "What's wrong, brother?"
As Ji Lingyue stroked and gazed at her face, he answered irrelevantly, "Yuan'er has been very close to Wen Qiyan along the way?"
What question did he ask?
She followed Wen Qiyan under the guise of serving him, so naturally they had to be close. Besides, he was her husband; how could they not be? Speaking of which, back at the inn, Wen Qiyan and her…
Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan's face couldn't help but turn red.
But she had a strange feeling that if she spoke now, her brother would be angry.
As for why she was angry, was it because she was worried that Wen Qiyan would bully her?
She kept feeling that something wasn't right, but then again, something felt off. Her mind couldn't quite make it up, but deep down she knew that the two of them were really too close at that moment.
In the dead of night, the brother and sister were so close, the brother's hand touching her cheek, his eyes fixed intently on her—something was definitely not right.
Before Ji Wanyuan could turn away, the baby in her womb suddenly moved and kicked her, breaking the stalemate.
In the instant she lowered her head, she avoided the man's touch.
Ji Wanyuan lowered her head and placed her palm on her lower abdomen, but the baby in her womb did not calm down as usual after moving. Today, the baby was especially restless and kept kicking her.
Ji Wanyuan felt no pain, only happiness. Even though she was telling Lin'er to stop being naughty, her delicate eyes and brows were filled with endless gentleness.
This gentleness was different from the gentleness he had just seen. It was related to her identity as a mother and a wife, and also to... another man.
Looking at her protruding belly, Ji Lingyue thought about the process of conceiving this child, and what kind of things the man and woman would do to lead to the formation of the child.
Jealousy welled up in his heart, and his gaze gradually sharpened.
Ji Wanyuan noticed the stare, and the baby in her womb gradually calmed down. Her smile deepened. "The baby is so good."
But when she looked up, she was met with the man's sharp and deep eyes.
"elder brother?"
Ji Wanyuan subconsciously pulled the blanket over her lower abdomen, her whole body instinctively becoming defensive.
They've only been apart for a short time, and she's already wary of Wen Qiyan because of him?
Even if it's highly likely because of this child, this child is Wen Qiyan's flesh and blood.
Long-suppressed emotions surged up from the darkness. He thought back to the day he learned she was pregnant in the capital, and was lost in thought for a long time.
It was unclear how much time had passed, but Ji Lingyue finally found his voice again, perhaps because his younger sister had already noticed his hidden flaw.
"Does Yuan'er really like this child?" he asked.
Because of Ji Lingyue's unfriendly gaze, Ji Wanyuan remained wary, and it took her a long time before she managed a smile. "I like it."
“This is my child, of course I love him.”
Although the child came unexpectedly, how could she not love her own flesh and blood, the child she had nurtured?
"Brother...don't you like it?" Ji Wanyuan probed Ji Lingyue's meaning.
Ji Lingyue lowered her eyes to hide her emotions and smiled, "Brother really doesn't like it."
Ji Wanyuan not only became physically guarded, but also mentally.
Even her brother, with whom she had spent over a decade, disliked her son, so she still had to be wary.
"Why? This is my child."
“Your brother naturally likes Yuan’er’s child, but he doesn’t like the child’s father.” He was referring to Wen Qiyan.
Ji Wanyuan blinked, paused for a moment, and then gave a soft "oh".
Ji Lingyue looked at her, "What? Has Yuan'er fallen in love with the child's father again?"
She hesitated for a moment, then raised her voice, "No, no!"
"Brother, why did you suddenly bring this up?"
Perhaps because of the argument between the brother and sister, the rain outside seemed to have intensified.
"You don't like Wen Qiyan?" Ji Lingyue asked.
Ji Wanyuan hesitated again this time, but for a shorter period of time than before.
"Yes, I don't like Wen Qiyan."
Ji Lingyue said that's good, "Brother doesn't want you to like him."
Ji Wanyuan frowned. "Why?"
"Because he is an enemy of our Ji family."
"But now Father trusts him a lot." Did Father not tell my brother about Wen Qiyan's allegiance to the Ji family? My brother still seems to think that Wen Qiyan is on the Emperor's side.
"Yeah?"
Ji Wanyuan nodded, "Yes."
“Wen Qiyan is cunning. He used tricks to make Father believe in him and value him. But he is a venomous snake and will surely bite our Ji family in the blink of an eye. Yuan’er, you must be careful of him and be on guard against him.”
Actually, Ji Lingyue didn't need to remind her; she had always been wary of Wen Qiyan.
When this thought came to her, she thought of the way that man looked at her, a look that seemed to suggest he was about to cry from grievance.
Was it really just her imagination?
She didn't know.
In short, at this moment, I suddenly wanted to see Wen Qiyan.
"Brother, where...where did you arrange for Wen Qiyan, Wen Yunqin, and He Xun to be? Am I still at the Prefect's residence?"
She looked around.
Ji Lingyue noticed her restlessness and saw through her intention to leave.
“Naturally, we will send these three people to where they want to go,” Ji Lingyue said meaningfully.
Ji Wanyuan was completely confused. "What?"
"If I tell Yuan'er that Wen Qiyan is dead..." He carefully observed the girl's reaction as he finished speaking.
Sure enough, he saw her shock and stunned expression, as if she couldn't believe it and found it absurd. "You...you killed Wen Qiyan?"
“Yes,” Ji Lingyue said.
"Impossible!" she retorted, raising her voice.
Wen Qiyan is a major character in storybooks, a confidant of the emperor. How could he suddenly die? Moreover, he is as cunning as an old fox, and he even manipulated Wen's father. How could he die?
"In Yuan'er's mind, the Wen family seems to be very powerful."
Ji Lingyue stood up, creating distance between them. He turned around and looked at the rain outside. It was pouring down, and the wind was blowing, soaking the windowsill. His expression was incredibly gloomy, more so than the rain itself.
With his back turned, the man's shadow appeared incredibly long in the candlelight.
Ji Wanyuan looked at her brother and felt that he seemed to have become much quieter. He had changed, becoming somewhat unfathomable and unfamiliar.
Things are not like they used to be.
Whether it's the brother who has changed, or her, they've both changed a bit.
“I…” she finished speaking, “I came out with Wen Qiyan this time. If I suddenly leave his side, I’m afraid the court will find out. Brother, please send me back.”
"If I stay by Wen Qiyan's side, the court officials won't suspect anything. Right now, many eyes are on the Ji family, so we can't afford to make any mistakes."
After a long while, the man turned around and looked down at the woman in front of him, the sister he held dear in his heart.
"Do you want to see him, or are you worried that the court will find out?"
Ji Wanyuan blinked, "I'm worried that the people in the imperial court will find out."
She...she didn't want to see Wen Qiyan at all.
Well, there is indeed some longing. He has served her for so long and taken care of her. Suddenly having someone else is something she is not used to.
Just like when she had just left the capital, she felt very uncomfortable without jade and missed it.
“Your sister is lying, your brother can see through it.” This time, Ji Lingyue exposed her lie.
"You want to see Wen Qiyan."
Ji Wanyuan disliked the way men exposed her inner thoughts; she felt offended.
Even though the other person is her brother, many of his words and actions tonight have crossed the boundaries between siblings.
She didn't like it, so she protested, "Are you questioning me?"
Sensing that the person in front of me was starting to act like a spoiled princess, I knew that if I continued, they might start making a scene.
The two had just met, and her trust and dependence on Wen Qiyan still existed, which would take some time to wear off. Ji Lingyue knew that he couldn't make trouble for her at this time.
No rush, he has plenty of time.
This time, no one will disturb him and his sister.
So he backed down, saying, "No, I was just worried about you."
"I was worried that you would be deceived by Wen Qiyan again, so I asked a few more questions. Yuan'er, don't be angry. It's all your brother's fault."
A smile returned to the man's handsome face as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Don't be afraid, Yuan'er. Take good care of yourself. Although the people from the imperial court are still here, Youzhou has become the territory of our Ji family. You don't need to worry about those lackeys of the emperor posing a threat to you."
"In Youzhou, your brother will protect you and will not let you suffer any harm."
At this moment, Ji Wanyuan remembered what Wen Qiyan had told her about the identity of the man in front of her.
"Brother, are you the young master of the Wuhuan?" she asked.
Ji Lingyue paused, then said, "Yuan'er understands."
She wanted to ask if Wen Qiyan had told her, but that man was really an eyesore, so she decided not to mention it.
"Yes." Ji Wanyuan said she found out on her way here.
“My brother is the young lord of Wuhuan, but he is also your brother,” he said.
Ji Wanyuan pursed her lips, "Would you... go to war with the imperial court?"
"Why is Yuan'er starting to worry about court affairs?" he said, adding that she should take good care of herself during her pregnancy.
"I was naturally worried because my father was plotting a rebellion."
Did her father send Wen Qiyan down to help her brother, or to keep an eye on him? She felt things weren't that simple. He knew very little and could offer even less help, so how could she not worry?
“Brother, your identity is also… dangerous.” She used such words.
He wanted to reveal the secret letter from the imperial court to Wen Qiyan, instructing him to kill him.
But for some reason, she hesitated.
Ji Lingyue said, "My brother is indeed in danger, but Wen Qiyan is in even greater danger."
"So, he has to die."
Ji Wanyuan frowned. "Brother, are you going to kill him?"
“Yes,” Ji Lingyue said. “His existence is a variable for the imperial court, the Ji family, and the Wuhuan people.”
The best way to deal with variables is to nip them in the bud before they change.
Ji Wanyuan blurted out, "You can't kill him."
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Author's Note: Here it is! This chapter will still randomly drop 50 small red envelopes. I'm going to randomly drop the first two chapters now! Good luck everyone~
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