Chapter 5. She no longer liked Wen Qiyan. ...
Upon hearing this, Madam Ji was stunned and fell silent.
I had considered many possibilities for Ji Wanyuan to refuse to marry me, but I never expected it to be like this.
She had always known that her daughter was straightforward and outspoken, but Madam Ji still felt embarrassed when she suddenly said it.
She coughed lightly. "The eldest son of the Wen family has never been interested in women. It's understandable that he might be a little impulsive at times. Anyway, you two have a child now, so things will be better after you marry him."
What do you mean by not being interested in women? She hadn't forgotten that Wen Qiyan married someone else the year after her death, and the two lived happily ever after!
That was her arch-rival, Lin Nianxi, the daughter of the Lin family, with whom she had been rivals for many years.
Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but grind her teeth inwardly.
Madam Ji handed the food to the maid beside her and comforted Ji Wanyuan, who was still crying, saying, "Alright, alright, don't cry anymore." She wiped away her tears and patted her back.
"Didn't you always say that Madam Wen was prejudiced against you?"
"Today at the Wen family, I really stood up for you. Madam Wen was speechless after being choked by your father and mother, and her face turned ugly. I don't think she'll dare to put on airs in front of you in the future."
"If the Wen family still doesn't know their place after this, and tries to put on airs and make you look bad, then come home and let your mother stand up for you, okay?"
Ji Wanyuan used to not like to cry, but these days she has been crying almost constantly. She doesn't sleep well at night and doesn't eat much during the day, so she has become thin.
Seeing her already small face, barely the size of a palm, thin with a pointed chin, red and swollen eyes, and a bright red nose, Madam Ji felt distressed as well.
Unfortunately, the imperial physicians were incompetent and failed to detect her pregnancy. They prescribed her medicine to disrupt her meridians, which nearly caused her to lose her child.
Apart from Physician Fu, Madam Ji had spoken to Prime Minister Ji about the imperial physicians who had previously visited the Ji family, telling him to remember this well and at least teach them a lesson.
If you're not a skilled doctor, you shouldn't be out there harming people.
Ji Wanyuan was not happy at all after hearing Madam Shen's words.
In the storybook, Wen Qiyan is an absolute filial son, extremely dutiful. Today, his mother embarrassed his parents in front of him, so he will definitely retaliate against the Ji family tenfold.
If she really marries into the Wen family, will she have a good outcome in their den of wolves?
Waaaaah…
Ji Wanyuan cried even more bitterly.
"I don't want to get married, and I don't want my mother to avenge me anymore. Can't we just stay far away from the Wen family?"
She didn't want the Ji family to be destroyed, she didn't want anything to happen to her loving parents, and she didn't want to have children.
If I had known I would find out all this, that it would lead to someone's death, and that she would die in childbirth, I shouldn't have been so foolish as to drug Wen Qiyan and do those filthy things with him.
Furthermore, sex isn't as wonderful as described in books and pamphlets, with claims of ecstasy and ultimate bliss...
Pshaw, it's all a lie.
She experienced it firsthand, and her reaction can be summed up in two words: pain and fear. She also said she never wanted to do it again.
Who knew she would be so unlucky as to get pregnant on her very first time?
I was really fooled by Wen Qiyan's handsome face back then. He was not aloof and ethereal at all. He was sinister and terrifying, practically a heartless evil spirit.
Seeing that she was unresponsive to practical matters, Madam Ji was about to scold her for being unreasonable.
But Ji Wanyuan said again, "Mother, please grant my request this once and let Father cancel the engagement. I don't want to marry Wen Qiyan. Didn't Father..."
As she was talking, she let out a hiccup.
"Didn't Father find a husband for his daughter and plan to have him marry into the family? I think he's quite good. Although he's not as handsome as Wen Qiyan, he's better than many others."
"My daughter wants to marry him."
In her panic, she thought of this person.
I had seen him once before from afar. I heard he came from a poor family, looked dull and wooden, and had an air of poverty, but was rather handsome.
She wasn't interested, so she didn't learn much about it and quickly forgot about it. Now she's really grasping at straws in her desperation.
"Didn't you refuse to marry him before? Because you thought he wasn't as tall or handsome as Wen Qiyan?"
Madam Ji was indeed reluctant to see Ji Wanyuan marry off, and upon hearing that she had taken a step back, she began to ponder the matter.
After all, He Xun, that poor scholar, was handpicked by Prime Minister Ji. He passed the imperial examination this year and is currently working at the Dali Temple. Although his official position is not high, he has the potential for advancement.
Since the Ji family chose her, he can tolerate this child's situation, right? He can just give her some benefits to appease her. Even if He Xun is dissatisfied, she's with the Ji family, and they're watching over her, so he won't dare to touch Ji Wanyuan.
"My daughter has changed her mind." Ji Wanyuan refused to tell the truth.
"Mother, please tell me, okay? I'll stay by your side. I don't want to go to the Wen family."
She nestled in Madam Ji's arms, crying and whining, nuzzling her with her head, and even threatening that if Madam Ji didn't agree, she wouldn't eat and would starve herself to death.
Now that things have come to this, what can Madam Ji do besides talk about death?
"Alright, alright, my little darling, hurry up and eat. You've been making such a fuss all day, aren't you tired?"
"Will Mother agree or not?" Ji Wanyuan refused to eat until she got a definite answer.
"Yes, yes, I'll discuss it with your father tomorrow, okay? Can we eat now?"
Finally, she agreed, and Ji Wanyuan was slightly relieved. She haughtily hummed that the chicken soup was cold and needed to be heated up again.
Seeing this, Madam Ji poked her head.
"..."
That night, Madam Ji and Prime Minister Ji discussed the matter for a long time.
Prime Minister Ji was naturally dissatisfied, since everything had been finalized.
Madam Ji made a fuss, Ji Wanyuan also made a fuss, and even the next day, his adopted son Ji Lingyue was there to persuade him.
If he doesn't respond, it would make him seem willful and headstrong.
After much deliberation, the only option left was to overturn the original agreement.
A few days later, he had someone bring He Xun over and, without beating around the bush, told him directly that Ji Wanyuan was pregnant and that the Ji family hoped he would take the child and treat it as his own.
"I know I've wronged you, but that's all I can do. After all, I only have one daughter, and she's been spoiled since she was little. I've already given her a severe scolding for causing this trouble, and she's been confined to the house these past few days. I don't think she'll dare to do it again in the future."
"Don't worry, as long as you agree to the Ji family's request, you will become a member of the Ji family in the future, and I will do my best to support your career."
After saying this, He Xun cupped his hands in a bow and said, "Your Excellency, you flatter me. I owe my success today entirely to the help of the Ji family. Moreover, Miss Ji is beautiful and lovely. It is not an insult to marry Miss Ji, but rather an honor for me."
Prime Minister Ji looked at the person before him and gradually showed satisfaction.
"good."
The Wen family had been preparing for the betrothal gifts. Because the event was sudden and the Ji family was not an ordinary family, they could not afford to be negligent. Therefore, no matter how dissatisfied or disliked Madam Wen was, she put a lot of effort into the preparations. More importantly, she was going to be able to hold her grandson.
Even if we rush, it will still take some time.
In the meantime of these preparations, Prime Minister Ji and his wife came to visit again.
Madam Wen thought the Ji family had come to urge them to hurry, so while ordering tea and pastries to be served, she explained that preparations were being made urgently and that they would be able to visit the Ji family in about two more days.
"The matchmaker has been hired, the live geese and everything else have been prepared, and the gift list is being drafted. The main reason is that Miss Ji is of such high status, and my husband said we absolutely cannot neglect her, so I—"
Before Madam Wen could finish speaking, Madam Ji interrupted her, saying that it was unnecessary.
The other party acted arrogantly from the moment they arrived. Madam Wen had been holding back, but now that she had been silenced, even with her good temper, she almost lost her temper.
"What does the Prime Minister's wife mean by this?"
There was business at the Censorate today, and neither Wen's father nor Wen Qiyan were home. She had to be on high alert to deal with the Ji family alone.
Madam Ji said, "After we returned, we thought about it for a few days and felt that this matter was still inappropriate."
What's wrong with it?
A bad feeling arose in Madam Wen's heart.
As expected, Madam Ji quickly followed up with, "Let's call off this marriage."
"This...how can this be allowed?" Madam Wen immediately frowned.
"Since Miss Ji has already had physical intimacy with Qi Yan and is pregnant with our Wen family's offspring, of course they should get married."
If Ji Wanyuan weren't pregnant, who would want to get married like this?
Why does it seem like the Wen family is so eager to arrange this marriage, as if they're begging the Ji family to agree?
Everything was settled, but the Ji family suddenly changed their minds, which Madam Wen couldn't understand at all.
She asked Madam Ji if she was dissatisfied with the Wen family's slow preparations. If so, she would hurry tonight and go to the Ji family to propose marriage tomorrow.
“The matter hasn’t been publicized yet, so Madam doesn’t need to bother,” Prime Minister Ji said, rising to his feet.
The two didn't say much, just left after exchanging a few words.
Madam Wen was left standing there, furious. "No... what does this mean?"
She was so angry that she hurriedly sent her maid to call back Wen's father and Wen Qiyan.
The court was busy, so it wasn't appropriate for them to return for such a small matter. By the time the father and son got home, it was already dinnertime.
I learned about this on my way back.
Wen Qiyan listened to the servant's report but did not react, slowly flipping through the map.
Father Wen frowned in confusion and asked, "Could it be that Prime Minister Ji sensed the Emperor's intentions and became wary, thus rejecting the marriage proposal?"
"My son doesn't know," the person next to him replied calmly.
"I'm afraid this matter must be reported to His Majesty," sighed Wen's father. It wasn't even autumn yet, and so much trouble had already arisen.
Upon returning, he naturally comforted the displeased Madam Wen, listening to her scold and berate the Ji family several times.
"Qi Yan, what do you plan to do about this?" Madam Wen said she no longer cared.
"Mother, please calm down. Your son will handle it."
Madam Wen said irritably, "You'd better deal with this quickly! You didn't see how arrogant the Ji family was when they came today. If we marry into a family with people like that, who knows what will happen in the future? Our Wen family won't—"
"Alright, alright, I brought your favorite lotus seed cake porridge today, Madam, please try it..."
Wen's father gave Wen Qiyan a look.
He understood and left the main hall.
"..."
Upon learning that the engagement had been called off, Ji Wanyuan felt relieved and ate several extra bowls of rice and drank several bowls of soup that day.
Seeing that she wasn't crying or making a fuss, and that her appetite was better than usual.
Mrs. Ji was somewhat relieved.
"Go and meet with He Xun tomorrow. It's just a formality, as your father wishes."
"My daughter knows."
After saying that, seeing Madam Ji staring at her again, Ji Wanyuan stuffed a spoonful of soup into her mouth, puffed out her cheeks, and added,
"Don't worry, Mother, I will definitely go see her."
She didn't like He Xun, but marrying him would change the events in the storybook, so she was willing to do it. She didn't want to die, nor did she want anything to happen to the Ji family. As for Wen Qiyan, he could just go cool off somewhere else!
She no longer likes him.
Seeing that she was indeed unmoved, Madam Ji was completely relieved.
The night was peaceful. Ji Wanyuan took her pregnancy-stabilizing medicine and slept soundly for the first time in a long time.
But she never expected that she would be woken up by Emerald the next day.
"Miss! Please get up!"
Ji Wanyuan was still dazed. "W-what's wrong?" she asked lazily, about to turn back.
Jade said hurriedly,
"A decree has arrived from the palace: His Majesty has bestowed a marriage upon you and Young Master Wen!"
A note from the author:
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I'm here! [Exaggerated] I'll update as usual tomorrow, but I had something to do at home today, so I'm late.
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