Chapter 97 My selfish desire is you.
Ji Wanyuan blinked and came to her senses. "Sweet talk, who would believe you?"
Wen Qiyan told her to behave herself yesterday, so why is he giving her men's clothes today?
She was about to ask again when Wen Qiyan helped her change.
Ji Wanyuan thought back to the entanglements of last night...
Before they could take the final step, his burning heat scorched her, almost melting her away; it probably hasn't melted away yet.
She hurriedly snatched the clothes from the man's hands, saying, "I... I can do it myself."
Wen Qiyan looked down at her and asked, "Why don't you need anyone to serve you?"
Ji Wanyuan didn't respond. She was looking through the men's clothes, which looked barely fitting and didn't seem like they were bought on short notice.
So what exactly does Wen Qiyan mean? Yesterday he told her to behave, and today he's preparing clothes for her.
"I want to change it myself." Whatever her meaning, Wen Qiyan wouldn't harm her, would he?
"Afraid I'll eat you up?" The man's tone was indifferent, but his words were extremely offensive.
Ji Wanyuan heard these words as she walked around the screen, and couldn't help but turn around and glare at him.
"Hypocrite," she cursed him.
The man's thin lips curved into a slight smile, but he did not reply.
Madam Ming was understandably anxious about Wen Qiyan taking Ji Wanyuan away. After thinking for a moment, she was about to ask if Wen Qiyan felt that Ji Wanyuan was not taking good care of her. But before she could ask, she learned that the two children would still be left here, and she was asked to take good care of them.
"Leaving the child here means you don't mind anything," Madam Ming quickly agreed, indicating that she would take care of everything herself.
After boarding the carriage, Ji Wanyuan was still worried, "Is it really alright for Lin'er to stay here?"
"I'm surrounded by my people, nothing will happen." Besides, it's not really a long trip. Wen Qiyan flipped through the notes and files he needed to process.
He was worried that Ji Wanyuan was in a bad mood and overthinking things, so he made the last-minute decision to take her to the Prefectural Governor's Mansion in Yizhou, so that she wouldn't be worried and cause him to feel uneasy.
While the matter in Yizhou was important, Ji Wanyuan was even more important to him. Although she was physically fine, just in a bad mood, it was enough to make him think, since she completely influenced his emotions.
Wen Qiyan had never said these words to her.
After receiving assurances about Wen Junlin's safety, Ji Wanyuan stared at Wen Qiyan's profile for a while before finally feeling somewhat relieved.
She picked up a piece of pastry and ate it slowly, complaining to Wen Qiyan that the clothes he found for her looked good, but were actually a bit too big.
Where did you find this?
Wen Qiyan looked at the journal, then his gaze shifted to her; she was indeed quite large.
"I had Qinghe buy it temporarily." The clothing shops in Yizhou were basically sold out. Even if you spent a lot of money, you couldn't get a new set. Fortunately, with the order from the governor of Yizhou, the other party was able to find a new set.
Ji Wanyuan was too petite to fit into his clothes, so this was the only option.
"No wonder." Ji Wanyuan rolled up her sleeves, revealing her delicate wrists.
Upon seeing this, Wen Qiyan frowned slightly. Remembering that the prefect's residence was full of men, he told her to lower her sleeves.
"But I'm not comfortable with this dragging on."
Wen Qiyan clicked his tongue and called her an idiot. Ji Wanyuan's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
The man didn't reply. He put down his note, bent down, took out a silk ribbon, and tied her sleeves up so that her wrists wouldn't be exposed or dragging.
Ji Wanyuan shook her hand, and it was indeed much more agile.
She was going to thank Wen Qiyan, but remembering his earlier comment that she was an idiot, she snorted and refused to say anything.
Instead, she retorted, "It's your honor to do these things for me."
Upon hearing this, Wen Qiyan couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, my Miss Ji is right."
Ji Wanyuan's heart skipped a beat, but she retorted, "Who is yours?"
“I am yours.” The man looked at Muzha without moving his gaze, readily continuing her words.
Ji Wanyuan, “…”
That seems to make sense, but he answered far too fluently!
"Don't I need to disguise myself?" Although no one in the court is monitoring her whereabouts now, wouldn't it be too blatant?
"Do you want to disguise yourself?" Her appearance was so striking that he was considering whether or not to disguise her.
Ji Wanyuan hesitated for a moment, "I don't really want to..." because she was ugly, but if she needed to disguise herself, she could endure it, it was nothing.
"Then there's no need."
Ji Wanyuan gave a soft "oh," her gaze shifting back and forth between the man. After a moment, she lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside.
The streets of Yizhou were already in decline, many shops were closed, and there were many wooden sheds set up in front of them. There were also people queuing up. Because there were so many people, she couldn't see what was going on in front of her, but it seemed like they were receiving something.
She asked Wen Qiyan, and he told her that this was a relief and medical center set up by the government.
"But why don't I see any government officials?"
He said it was because the government officials had already distributed all the relief grain, and these people who delivered vegetables and porridge came later; they were all prominent and influential families in Yizhou.
"I didn't expect that the merchants in Yizhou would be so good."
Upon hearing this, the man couldn't help but let out a short, mocking laugh.
Ji Wanyuan turned around, squinted, and asked him what he was laughing at. Was she wrong? With the war raging, food was the most important thing. The merchants were generously donating; wasn't that enough to deserve praise?
"I laugh at your shallow understanding, Miss." He started to tease her again, and his words were rather harsh.
Ji Wanyuan gritted her teeth, "What did you say?!"
"I said that these merchants seem to be generously donating, but it's all just for show to appease the government."
"Huh?" Her attention was diverted.
Wen Qiyan patiently explained to her, "Merchants are profit-driven and spend years in the world of fame and fortune. They are all shrewd and calculating, and they will not do anything without a profit. How could they be as sincere and pure as you think?"
"What is it?" She frowned, then lifted the carriage curtain to look again. "They are indeed distributing porridge and flour to the people. Isn't that enough?"
“Yizhou is experiencing a food shortage. The government has been distributing its grain reserves in batches, but grain merchants are hiding grain and driving up prices, causing widespread panic among the people of Yizhou.”
Ji Wanyuan only half understood what she was hearing, "So..."
"Their measures to distribute grain are nothing more than using small amounts of grain to conceal large amounts, winning the hearts of the people, and thereby indirectly controlling the government."
Ji Wanyuan still didn't understand, "How exactly is it restrained?" Ahhh, she understood Wen Qiyan's words individually, but when put together, she was completely confused.
“Yizhou is short of food. Sooner or later, the government will take action against the grain hidden by the grain merchants. These grain merchants want to strike first and force the government to be labeled as villains so that they can protect themselves by taking advantage of the people’s support. Then they will hoard grain, drive up grain prices, and make more money.”
"Otherwise, why do you think they would distribute porridge and vegetables at the government-run relief points? And why would they specifically choose to do so after the government officials had left?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan exclaimed, "This is too complicated." She couldn't understand it at all. All she could vaguely make out from Wen Qiyan's words was that the grain merchants wanted to prevent the government from buying and taking grain, thereby monopolizing the grain supply. In short, they wanted to make money.
She rested her chin on her hand and couldn't help but sigh, "These people earn so much money, have they ever thought about what they would do if the city walls couldn't be held and the city fell? They wouldn't even be able to save their lives."
"Money makes the world go round." He caught a glimpse of her rubbing her hands out of the corner of his eye, took a cloak from the side, and draped it over her shoulders.
Before Ji Wanyuan could even react, she was enveloped in warmth and gentleness as the man's long, jade-like fingers moved right before her eyes, helping her tie the sash.
"The more chaotic the times, the more people there are who want to profit from national disasters." He said there were far too many such people.
Ji Wanyuan felt extremely upset upon hearing this. She thought of the two old women and said, "These merchants are so heartless. If I'm not mistaken, the grain they buy is also obtained from the people."
She had looked at the account books with her mother in her early years and knew some of them.
However, she didn't know much about business. Her shops in the capital were all managed by trusted confidants given to her by her mother, so she didn't have to worry about them in the past.
Not everyone has a conscience.
When Ji Wanyuan heard this, she felt that he was implying something, not that he was talking about the merchants, but that he was indirectly criticizing her brother.
"Do you have a conscience?" she asked.
Wen Qiyan said no, "I only have selfish motives."
Selfish motives?
What's the connection between these two things? She asked him, "What are your ulterior motives?"
Wen Qiyan looked at her without saying a word.
Ji Wanyuan didn't react. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Could it be that there's something on her face?
"you."
"What about me?" she asked, still slow to react.
"My selfish desire is for you."
Ji Wanyuan was stunned. Wen Qiyan reached out and pinched her cheek. "I told you you're an idiot, but you still won't admit it."
Ji Wanyuan pushed his hand away. "Get lost." She snorted and turned her back, but the anger on her face gradually turned into a blush.
Wen Qiyan looked at her head and couldn't help but smile.
"..."
Everyone was somewhat taken aback by the fact that the Grand Secretary from the Imperial Court had left for a day and brought back an extremely handsome young man who was so strikingly handsome that it was hard to tell if he was male or female.
His gaze unconsciously fell on Ji Wanyuan.
This Grand Secretary is already exceptionally handsome, but I never expected that the person he brought along would be so good-looking as well.
More importantly, the two were behaving...somewhat intimately.
"Cough cough cough!"
Upon learning Ji Wanyuan's identity, the governor of Yizhou sternly reprimanded those who were looking in Ji Wanyuan's direction.
When everyone saw Wen Qiyan move and block Ji Wanyuan, and then see that his expression was slightly cold and sinister, they were startled and immediately returned to their business, no longer daring to look at Ji Wanyuan.
Ji Wanyuan looked at the tall and imposing man in front of her and didn't dare to say a word.
Over the next two days, she stayed by Wen Qiyan's side and learned a lot about the internal affairs of Yizhou. For example, the matter that Wen Qiyan mentioned about grain farmers raising grain prices turned out to be a case of taking advantage of the chaos to make a fortune and collect money.
Thanks to the distribution of porridge and noodles, the people of Yizhou have a very good impression of these grain merchants. Now, if the government officials go to negotiate grain prices, the grain merchants may try to exploit the people's hearts and create trouble, which could lead to internal strife.
But if this drags on, the government's grain reserves will run out. Not only will the people of Yizhou go hungry, but the soldiers of Yizhou will also go hungry. If they are so hungry that their hands and feet are weak, how will they fight the enemy?
Thinking of how his advisors at the prefect's mansion couldn't come up with any good ideas today, the prefect of Yizhou looked at Wen Qiyan with a troubled expression.
After Ji Wanyuan sat down, she rested her chin on her hand, twirled her cup, and asked, "Don't you have any other ideas either?"
Otherwise, why hasn't Wen Qiyan said anything today?
But she also felt that he couldn't possibly be helpless, because he had said that Yizhou would be fine.
Wen Qiyan was a master strategist, and perhaps because they had gone through many things together, she developed an inexplicable trust in him, always feeling that this matter would not be difficult for him.
Wen Qiyan didn't speak, but took the cup she was turning and poured her a cup of tea. "What do you think, Yuan'er?"
"I'm asking you a question, why are you asking me the same one?" How could she know what to do?
She has no military experience, nor does she know how to strategize.
Back then, she thought she had planned everything in order to change the course of the storybook, but every time she ended up with nothing, and often even lost herself in the process, just like with Cao Xin.
The Prefect of Yizhou is a good official who cares about the people, and his wife, Lady Ming, is also very good. Ji Wanyuan sat up straight and said, "My father and mother have bought me many shops in each prefecture and county and saved a lot of money. I can have someone take it out to solve my immediate problem."
The imperial court did not allocate funds, and the Yizhou government's silver was insufficient to cover the grain merchants' inflated prices. Since she didn't lack the money, she might as well use it to help.
"My Yuan'er is so rich?" Wen Qiyan asked with a half-smile.
Ji Wanyuan sipped her tea, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"...Not really."
Just kidding, her parents left her all their money, not only her parents, but also her maternal grandparents, so she can't even count how much money she has.
It's just that when I was with the Wen family, I couldn't be too extravagant, so I had to put on airs.
“Your money is mine too!” Ji Wanyuan said, raising her voice as she took the opportunity.
"Why?" he asked calmly.
"Because...because you are my husband, husband and wife are one, so your money is naturally mine too."
"So, according to you, my wife, what's yours is mine too?" he teased her.
"No, what's mine can only be mine," she scoffed.
Wen Qiyan curled his lips, "You're a shrewd businessman too."
“You’re the one who’s a swindler,” she immediately retorted.
Wen Qiyan just smiled and didn't provoke her anymore.
However, he reached out and pulled Ji Wanyuan over.
Caught off guard, Ji Wanyuan sat down on his lap. She instinctively struggled, but he told her not to move.
"I was originally thinking of saving my wife some money, but since you say what's yours isn't mine, then—"
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Wanyuan interrupted him. She didn't say anything more, but instead leaned down and placed a kiss on his thin lips.
Will this work?
A gentle kiss, fleeting and brief.
Wen Qiyan looked at her, "Was that a perfunctory kiss?"
Afraid that he would kiss her again, Ji Wanyuan quickly reached out and pinched the man's thin lips.
"You're not allowed to kiss me. This is outside, and... and I'm a man now. If someone sees us, what will become of your reputation as the Grand Chancellor?"
She kept trying to suppress him, but she didn't expect him to be so unafraid. After she finished speaking, he took her hand away and then lowered his head to kiss her.
Ji Wanyuan let out a sob, and her lips were pried open.
The man's tongue entwined with hers, constantly entwining with hers, creating endless ambiguous sounds and sticky sensations in the inner room, enough to make anyone blush and their heart race.
When she stopped, Ji Wanyuan was panting heavily.
Looking at her rosy cheeks and swollen lips, Wen Qiyan told her that he had already thought of a solution to this matter and would not use her money, and that she should not spend it recklessly.
"What...what are you going to do?" Ji Wanyuan asked.
Wen Qiyan leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words to her.
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan's expression turned slightly embarrassed. "This... isn't this robbery?"
Wen Qiyan told her to send her father's troops to secretly rob the grain, and then send government officials to thoroughly investigate the matter.
"Is this a case of the thief crying 'stop thief'?"
“No.” He pinched the tip of her nose. “This is called all's fair in war.”
"The grain that grain merchants hoarded was also secretly collected from the rice and grain released by the people and the government."
Ji Wanyuan said, "They gave us money back then, didn't they?" This kind of blatant robbery, no, this kind of covert robbery, is never a good thing.
"I haven't finished speaking yet," he said. By then, the thieves would naturally not be caught, and the government would use the pretext of appeasement to subsidize the grain merchants under the guise of normal grain prices and compassionate words.
Ji Wanyuan understood instantly.
She was stunned for a moment. All this twist and turn, it turned out, was just a disguised way of "buying" the grain from the grain merchants using normal grain prices.
He gently pinched the tip of her nose. "You've figured it out?"
Ji Wanyuan slapped his hand away, "Wen Qiyan, my father is right."
"What did my father-in-law say?"
Ji Wanyuan's face turned serious. "You're so insidious."
Wen Qiyan, "..."
Over the next two days, the covert robbery plan proceeded smoothly.
The grain merchants never imagined that they would be robbed by the government within Yizhou! The other party even cried wolf, knowing full well that the government was the thief, but without evidence, they had no way to seek justice. Just when they were at their wits' end, the government issued a sum of "appeasement money," leaving them even more speechless.
The battle in Yizhou has dragged on for a long time, and there has been no internal strife in Yizhou City. On the other hand, fighting is frequent on their side, with the troops of the various small countries arguing endlessly. They started fighting again today.
Ji Lingyue had just finished dealing with the matter and returned to his tent. He rubbed his temples and, upon learning that there was no progress on Ji Wanyuan's side, he couldn't help but sweep everything off the table.
"They're all a bunch of useless trash!"
He has encountered setbacks one after another these days, and the situation is really unfavorable for him.
There are inside sources saying that the internal strife in the imperial court is about to be stabilized.
If the vassal king were to ascend the throne, and he were to attack again, the situation would become increasingly dire!
Without getting my father's troops, how can these people possibly contend with the imperial army?
Ultimately, it all comes down to the father being too biased.
Even now, they are still unwilling to give him troops; the trust they placed in him in the past was merely a handout!
Thinking of this, Ji Lingyue's forehead veins throbbed. He forcibly suppressed his anger and it took him a long time to calm down.
"My lord, please forgive my bluntness, but that Lord He is not very well-behaved."
He seems to be able to get along with everyone, but his words are actually sharp and insidious.
"He Xun can't die right now." Ji Lingyue was well aware that He Xun was playing both sides, but he still had room to exploit him.
Moreover, there is another crucial point: Father values He Xun and has delegated many tasks to him. When it comes to critical moments, as long as He Xun is given enough power and benefits, he will surely be able to extract a lot of information from him.
"Leave him here, and keep a close eye on his movements," Ji Lingyue instructed.
"yes."
"No news from your sister yet?" Ji Lingyue glanced sideways.
The subordinate immediately knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness, "Wen Qiyan has sent many experts, and he has always been with the young lady, so I really had no way to get close to him."
"Isn't he at the Prefectural Governor's residence in Yizhou?" Ji Lingyue asked. Ji Wanyuan had gone with him.
"yes."
"Is your sister and her children also at the prefect's residence?"
The subordinate immediately replied, "No, according to my investigation, the young lady's child is at the private residence of the Prefect of Yizhou, being looked after by the Prefect's wife."
"Since the child isn't with Wen Qiyan and her sister, can't you even take him back?"
If he can't take his sister away, then he can use her child.
He remembered that Ji Wanyuan valued this child very much.
How can a weakness not be considered a weakness?
"But... the governor's mansion is full of experts, and I really can't break through."
Let alone the governor's private residence, the entire Yizhou region is now besieged by troops.
Ji Lingyue sneered, "It seems I'll have to make the trip myself."
Upon hearing this, his subordinate immediately knelt down, "My lord! You are the commander-in-chief of the joint forces; you absolutely cannot risk your life!"
If something were to happen to Ji Lingyue and he were to go and never return, not only would Yizhou be unable to be conquered, but the Wuhuan people would likely be devoured.
"Young Master, please reconsider."
Ji Lingyue insisted on this, saying, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
Now he has no way out.
He still remembers being suppressed and nearly dying in the past, and this time, he will definitely not sit idly by and wait for death.
Ji Wanyuan has been feeling inexplicably uneasy lately.
She couldn't sleep well at night, always having nightmares, but there were no images in her dreams, so she couldn't tell what was going on.
Wen Qiyan was extremely busy, and Ji Wanyuan couldn't help him, nor did she want to cause him any trouble.
She secretly drank some tranquilizers, which made her feel a little better.
During the day, she didn't want to attend meetings at the prefect's mansion with Wen Qiyan because she couldn't understand those strategies and tactics. So she discussed it with Wen Qiyan and decided that she would help the government officials distribute grain.
Wen Qiyan initially disagreed with her going, but after she pleaded and begged him, he finally agreed.
Seeing those sighing, ragged people coming to collect their grain, holding bowls in both hands to receive porridge and noodles, Ji Wanyuan felt a heavy weight in her heart.
She used to be very picky. She wanted the finest rice for her meals and sometimes she would even waste it. To be honest, she didn't like things like plain porridge, potstickers, or rice cakes.
Seeing the people of Yizhou cherishing a few rough rice cakes as if they were precious treasures, weeping with joy and constantly thanking her, even saying that she looked like a female bodhisattva, Ji Wanyuan really didn't know what to say.
She felt that she could no longer squander her money as recklessly as before. Once the situation stabilized, she wanted to do something meaningful that could help others.
The grain distribution took a long time today, and Ji Wanyuan was so tired that she kept wiping away sweat, her face flushed.
Her attendants invited her to rest and sit down, and brought her tea and sweet rice packets.
He stayed by her side the whole time. Ji Wanyuan told him that she was sitting right next to him and nothing would happen, and that he should go about his business.
Her attendants, unable to resist her orders, had no choice but to obey.
Ji Wanyuan took a sip of tea. She had been standing for a long time and was indeed a little hungry. She picked up a sweet rice bun, took a bite, and realized that something was wrong.
There seems to be something in here?
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Author's Note: Here we go, let's review the main story chapter! [Flattery] This chapter also features random lucky red envelope drops!
By the way, I saw the comments from everyone who requested extra chapters in the last chapter. I'm planning to post a pinned comment in this chapter, so please reply to that comment thread with the extra chapters you want to see. I'll list them in order of popularity and demand. [Exaggerated praise]
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