Chapter 94 Will she become an empress with a harem of three palaces and six courtyards? ...
Wen Qiyan's schemes were so cunning that he could manipulate not only powerful families but even members of the royal family.
She simply couldn't imagine what else he didn't know or couldn't calculate.
She was waiting for Wen Qiyan's answer, but he turned to her and asked, "And you?"
"What about me?" Ji Wanyuan asked, puzzled.
"Do you want to be the empress?" he asked, leaving Ji Wanyuan blinking and stunned for a long while.
Seeing that she paused, he didn't urge her, but waited quietly for her answer.
Ji Wanyuan frowned. Become an empress? She had never thought about it.
Before she was on the same side as the Ji family, her father rebelled.
At that time, she only thought about using Wen Qiyan to overthrow the emperor. If the Ji family succeeded in their rebellion, then... her father would be the emperor, and as the emperor's daughter, she could do whatever she wanted throughout the world.
But now the situation has changed drastically. The older brother has left the Ji family, while Wen Qiyan has joined their Ji family's camp. He is as shrewd as an old fox. Will he plot to seize the emperor's position in the future?
When she asked him that question, she looked at his expression and didn't see any fleeting ambition on his face. Instead, he remained as calm and aloof as ever. He seemed to have no interest in the emperor's position. He even turned his head and asked her if she wanted to be the empress.
"If I say I want to be the empress, then you'll have to be the emperor?"
Wen Qiyan just smiled and didn't respond.
Seeing that she had put down her chopsticks and bowl and no longer wanted to eat, he served her a bowl of soup.
Ji Wanyuan felt annoyed at the sight of soup and couldn't help but mutter that she didn't want to drink it, even though she had drunk a lot of it a while ago.
"Just a bite or two would be good," he coaxed her, saying that she still needed to take care of her health.
Ji Wanyuan pushed him away, "You haven't answered my question yet."
Unable to resist him, she slightly raised her chin, indicating that he could leave it there and they could talk about it later.
“I don’t want to be emperor,” he said.
Ji Wanyuan didn't quite understand. Just because he didn't want to be emperor didn't mean he wouldn't be emperor.
"Don't play games with me." She told him to be direct and tell her who would be the emperor in the future.
"That depends on what my father-in-law and wife think. I'm just the strategist."
Ji Wanyuan remained silent, still looking at him.
He let her look at him, and after a long while, he asked, "Could it be that you suspect I'm pretending to be weak while actually being strong, using your Ji family to reap the benefits?"
At first, Ji Wanyuan did think that Wen Qiyan's surrender was a pretense of getting close, but later he won over the Wen family and even went against the Lin family to help her rescue her mother.
After all these events, her doubts about Wen Qiyan gradually dissipated, and she trusted him more and more. He always seemed calm and composed in the face of adversity...
Cough cough cough, Wen Qiyan was still quite flustered with his lap in his arms.
But then again, she felt that he was calm and collected, as if everything was under his control.
For example, he could even harm people close to his brother, including a trusted confidant who had followed his brother for many years.
Even now, after giving birth, she is still shocked when she recalls the day she saw him remove his mask in the carriage.
How could Wen Qiyan calculate so thoroughly? So meticulously, leaving no stone unturned.
"You're so powerful, how could my father possibly influence your wishes?" Ji Wanyuan asked, subtly probing the question.
If Wen Qiyan wanted to be emperor, she believed he would definitely be able to.
“My father-in-law certainly can’t control my wishes, but…”
"But what?" she asked, looking at him. He was smiling at her.
Her delicate, aloof features softened with a hint of a smile, revealing a touch of tenderness, and her gaze unconsciously lingered on his face.
“But you can.” He raised his hand and stroked her cheek. “You got some.”
Ji Wanyuan thought he was going to bully her, but to her surprise, he brushed food crumbs from the corner of her lips and put them right in front of her to show her.
Ji Wanyuan's face instantly turned red. She was so embarrassed and angry that she slapped his hand away, glared at him, and scolded him with her eyes.
Wen Qiyan was still smiling, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze, which made her heart skip a beat for no reason.
He said softly, "Ji Wanyuan, only you can control my will."
She didn't respond, and he sighed helplessly, "Don't you understand? Miss Ji, I only listen to you."
"I will do whatever you tell me to do. If I am your sword, I will go wherever you point."
He looked at her expression and spoke in a strangely devout tone.
Why did he say something like that again?!
Her heart suddenly skipped several beats, all because of his careless words.
Ji Wanyuan's eyelashes trembled involuntarily. "If you do this, even if I don't want you to be emperor, you won't be emperor?"
"Yes." He replied without hesitation, indicating that he had long since realized she did not want him to be emperor.
"When did you figure it out?" Wasn't this the first time she had discussed who should be emperor with him?
How did he figure it out?
Wait...wait!
How could she just go along with Wen Qiyan's words?! Wen Qiyan only asked a question, and she admitted it herself?!
Ji Wanyuan carefully recalled what she had just said, and it seemed to be true. Wen Qiyan hadn't even said anything yet, he had just said one sentence, and she had already revealed her true feelings, sob sob sob.
I was tricked into saying those things, how awful.
"You...you're such a cunning old fox." No, "you're a vixen."
A male fox spirit who is quite handsome.
"A vixen?" He frowned.
Are you complimenting me on my good looks?
Ji Wanyuan gave a forced smile, "I'm saying you're shameless."
He just smiled and didn't say anything.
"How did you know that I... don't want you to be emperor?" she asked curiously.
Since he could tell anyway, she decided not to hide it anymore.
“If I were emperor, you would feel uneasy,” he said.
Wen Qiyan's words hit the nail on the head.
That's the truth. If Wen Qiyan were to become emperor, wouldn't he be above her? The position of empress may seem good, but the one who truly holds the power is the emperor.
If he grows tired of her, or even hates the Ji family, his life or death is just a matter of a single thought. It's far too dangerous.
Ji Wanyuan would not allow such a thing to happen.
"Does Yuan'er want to be an empress?" he asked her.
Ji Wanyuan raised an eyebrow, "Empress... Empress?"
"I was advising the Ji family on how to conquer the country. As your father-in-law's only heir, whether he doesn't want to be emperor or he is, when he passes the throne to his wife after his death, it will certainly be passed to her."
"Do you want to be an empress?" he asked her.
Ji Wanyuan never imagined that one day she would actually sit on the throne of the emperor!
Was it too bold and disobedient for Wen Qiyan to ask her such a question?
"Do you want to or not?"
Ji Wanyuan shook her head, "I don't want to..."
"Why?" he asked her, what was she worried about?
"I can't handle that many things." Putting aside whether she can become an empress, how can she possibly manage the affairs of the court?
Although the power of the imperial throne is supreme, she still knows her own limitations and doesn't want to embarrass herself in public. More importantly, she doesn't want to cause trouble for others.
“My lady is the empress, and I will be a member of your harem to handle state affairs for you. Isn’t that good?” He also put down his chopsticks and lazily propped his head up with his hand.
Ji Wanyuan narrowed her eyes slightly, "If I become the empress, can I have three palaces and six courtyards?"
The man gave a forced smile and asked, "What do you think?"
"It should be fine, right?"
Although she was joking, the fake smile on the man's face instantly turned cold.
Sensing the impending storm, Ji Wanyuan quickly explained, "I was just saying it offhand."
“I don’t think you’re suitable to be an empress,” he immediately retorted.
Ji Wanyuan's lips twitched, "..."
She was about to retort when she saw the man's cold gaze. She didn't dare to provoke this jealous man anymore and immediately admitted her mistake, saying she would never dare to say that again.
Wen Qiyan placed the cooled soup in front of her and said, "Drink."
Thinking that she had just angered him, she decided not to argue with him now. So Ji Wanyuan took the jade spoon and slowly drank the soup.
She had just finished drinking the tonic soup when the wet nurse brought Wen Junlin over. Upon seeing her son in swaddling clothes, Ji Wanyuan put her earlier displeasure behind her.
Wen Qiyan watched her tease the child and then stood beside her.
Not long after breakfast, Wen Qiyan stayed with her and the child for a while before leaving.
When asked what he was doing, he avoided answering, instead lowering his head to kiss the tip of her nose to reassure her.
Ji Wanyuan had no choice but to accept this.
After leaving the courtyard and mounting their horses, Qinghe stepped forward to report, whispering that Ji Lingyue had recently dispatched a large number of elite troops to approach.
"It seems they're planning to target the young mistress."
Wen Qiyan nodded, indicating that he understood.
Ji Lingyue's intention to take action against Ji Wanyuan was solely for the sake of Prime Minister Ji's troops.
Although he quickly captured Qingzhou, he suffered heavy losses in his troops, and these people were a hastily assembled mob. The small country's power was scattered, and they couldn't even distinguish the boundaries of Qingzhou. Now they were going to attack Yizhou, so naturally, the people had ulterior motives.
In order to impeach these people, Ji Lingyue needed to further expand his army, so he was still eyeing Prime Minister Ji's manpower.
What Prime Minister Ji cares about most is naturally his wife and daughter. Madam Ji is far away in the capital, protected by the Wen family. Therefore, he plans to take a risk and come to find Ji Wanyuan.
"Be swift and decisive, don't give him any opportunity to take advantage," Wen Qiyan instructed.
If Yizhou is captured again, it will definitely become a place for the Wuhuan to expand their territory. These days, he not only has to deal with assassins and matters in the capital, but also secretly assist the governor of Yizhou to prevent Ji Lingyue from attacking Yizhou.
If we can prolong the battle line of the Wuhuan's united forces attacking Yizhou, dragging it out until the emperor dies and the vassal kings occupy the capital, and then send troops out, these people who have gathered together will inevitably become anxious. Even if they don't collapse on their own, they will certainly be on the verge of collapse.
During this period, he must defend Yizhou and also protect Ji Wanyuan.
"..."
After these days of meticulous care from Madam Wen, Madam Ji's mood improved considerably, and she ate more.
The main reason was a letter from Ji Wanyuan, saying that she had finished her postpartum confinement and was recovering very well.
What could be better than the news that her daughter and grandson were safe and sound? Madam Ji was relieved.
Prime Minister Ji has not yet returned from his post in the capital, but he has sent a letter to report that he is safe and sound.
Madam Ji was relieved that they couldn't meet. The capital was in chaos, and Prime Minister Ji was the head of all officials. If he came back, he would be doomed.
"I wonder when the situation in the capital will stabilize."
Speaking of this matter, it was thanks to the turmoil in the royal family of the capital and the fact that Lin Sinian had taken control of the Lin family that the news of Ji Wanyuan giving birth outside the capital was kept so well hidden.
Mrs. Wen reassured her, "Things will settle down eventually."
In the past few days, the relationship between the two families has grown much closer, and Madam Ji sometimes shares her innermost thoughts with Madam Wen.
"Sigh." Madam Ji sighed.
But before she could even finish sighing, a maid rushed in, saying that someone from the palace had come to invite Madam Wen to the palace.
Madam Ji frowned and stood up. "May I ask what brings you to the palace, Madam?"
"The eunuch didn't say," the maid asked, "what should we do?"
In these turbulent times, the palace is not an easy place to enter. Now that the emperor is seriously ill, all that is needed are the empresses and concubines to attend to him, and then the princes. What would be the point of asking a noble lady to come? Moreover, I have heard that the emperor's days are numbered, and it is probably only a matter of the next two days.
Entering the palace at this time is absolutely impossible.
Besides... could it be that they're going to use the same old trick again? Or have they discovered she's at the Wen family mansion?
No matter what, you must not go!
Was the eunuch that Lady Ji asked from the Empress's palace?
The maidservant said yes.
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen's expression changed. With her father not home, she couldn't very well try to appease him.
Madam Ji made a quick decision: "Go and tell the eunuch that the lady is seriously ill, bedridden, and cannot be moved."
"Will this work?" Madam Wen thought of how Madam Ji had used the same excuse last time, and in the end, she was still invited to the palace.
"Tell the eunuch that the lady's illness is rotting on her face and that it is contagious if she is not careful. If he asks why he has not heard any rumors, tell him that the Wen family does not want to spread the word and has kept the news under wraps to avoid causing panic in the household."
The maidservant obeyed and went to deliver the message.
Madam Ji called over a servant to apply makeup to Madam Wen's face as a performance, and then told her to lie down.
Sure enough, after a short while, the eunuch sent a young palace maid to check.
Madam Wen's dowry maid stood outside, saying that Madam Wen could not see anyone for the time being.
The young palace maid hesitated and said it was the eunuch's intention. The old madam only gave in and lifted the curtain to let her take a look. When she saw that Lady Wen's face was covered with red rashes, it was quite "terrifying". The young palace maid was also afraid of being infected and subconsciously stepped back.
Then, not long after, the person was sent away.
After the person left, Madam Wen immediately sent someone to deliver a message to her father.
The palace eunuch failed to bring the person, and the Empress flew into a rage.
"Useless!" The Queen smashed her cup.
Her maidservant picked up the things while telling someone to coax the empress and asking the eunuch what was going on.
After hearing this, the palace maid asked the Empress if she should use the same trick she used against Madam Ji last time to bring the person into the palace.
"Whether the illness is real or not, the Wen family will make it real." The Empress waved her hand, dismissing the eunuch.
The palace maid comforted her, "Your Highness, don't worry, at least you still have Lady Ji on your side."
"I have no sons, only a daughter. Now that Your Majesty is unwell, and the vassal kings are eyeing us covetously, I fear..."
I'm afraid the Ji family alone can't be relied upon.
They originally intended to keep Madam Wen under control, at least for double protection, but who knew... the Wen family was so vigilant, their attempt to steal a chicken backfired, and they offended the Wen family as well.
no!
After thinking for a moment, the Empress immediately sent someone to the storeroom to select some tonics and deliver them to the Wen family. She also had someone say some comforting words.
The imperial physicians did their utmost, but they still couldn't save the emperor; they only delayed his recovery.
Even though the emperor managed to delay, he still did not regain consciousness. Seven days later, he suddenly died in his sleep. When the news spread, the palace was filled with wailing and the sound of concubines kneeling on the ground and crying.
The news spread throughout the capital and even across the country the next day. Ji Wanyuan and Wen Qiyan had not yet received a letter from the capital when they heard the news.
The princes occupied the capital and handled the emperor's funeral arrangements, but they made no mention of a successor.
Ji Wanyuan looked at the letter with great concern and asked Wen Qiyan if her father and his family would be alright.
"What do you mean 'your family' and 'my family'? Aren't we all one family?"
Even at this point, he was still concerned about these things.
Ji Wanyuan replied in a drawn-out voice, "Oh, we're all family."
"Then tell me... is my family in danger?"
"My father-in-law and my father will handle it." If all else fails, there's always Wen Yunqin; he's already back in the capital. Right now, it's their side that's in danger.
Wen Qiyan did not say the last few words.
Unable to conquer Yizhou, Ji Ling became even more ruthless, sending many people to capture Ji Wanyuan.
This has prevented him from traveling back and forth between the two places. If he were to leave, he would be unable to protect Ji Wanyuan and the child.
It would be dangerous to take her to Yizhou now, but sending her away is not an option! He needs to see her at all times to feel at ease.
"What are you thinking about?" She noticed that Wen Qiyan's expression had become somewhat serious, and not knowing what he was thinking, she waved her hand in front of his eyes.
“Ji Wanyuan…”
He explained the current situation to her and indicated that a relocation was necessary.
"Going to Yizhou?"
She quickly realized, "So you've been traveling back and forth to Yizhou all this time?"
Yizhou is quite a distance from here, no wonder he leaves early and returns late, the journey is too far.
"You...you really went to Yizhou these past few days?"
"Otherwise what?" he asked her in return.
"Yizhou is quite far from here, why do you insist on rushing back at night?"
Wen Qiyan sneered, "Naturally, it's to take care of a certain heartless woman."
He's talking about her; don't think she didn't realize it.
Ji Wanyuan turned her face away, "Who wants you?"
He gritted his teeth and pinched her cheek. "Fine, you'll come with me tomorrow."
Why must my brother arrest me?
"Because his troops, under the covert instigation of He Xun, had failed to achieve any results in their prolonged siege of Yizhou, their morale was somewhat low."
Having not heard He Xun's name for a long time, Ji Wanyuan was surprised to find that he was still by her brother's side.
Are you worried about him?
Ji Wanyuan immediately said no, "I was just surprised."
"Why doesn't He Xun take this opportunity to get away from his brother? Why does he still want to stay with him?"
"Is He Xun also one of my brother's people?" No, Wen Qiyan disguised himself as He Xun to visit her back then, and He Xun definitely knew about that.
Ah, Wen Qiyan just said that he was secretly stirring things up, causing his brother's forces to unite and demoralize. Then...
Was he an undercover agent?
"Is he one of yours?"
Wen Qiyan shook his head, "No, he's my father-in-law's man."
"My father's man." No wonder, she knew it, how could He Xun be Wen Qiyan's man?
This is the son-in-law her father chose for her; surely she wouldn't be so easily won over?
"Isn't he afraid that my brother will find out and kill him?"
I don’t know if my brother-in-law will kill He Xun, but I do know that you care about him a lot.
"I heard that you two were quite close when you were in the capital."
Just as Ji Wanyuan was about to speak, Wen Qiyan continued, "He even brought you back. Did you ride in the same carriage with him?"
When this incident caused a stir, she even threw a tantrum at the Wen family's house.
"I heard that someone refused to marry me back then, and even wanted to marry He Xun while pregnant with my child. I wonder if that's true—"
Before he could finish speaking, the woman next to him reached out and pinched his mouth shut.
She pinched his thin lips together, making them into the shape of a flat duck's beak, "You, why are you always like this?"
Wen Qiyan asked with his eyes, "What about him?"
"We'll settle accounts later!" Ji Wanyuan stamped her foot. "No way!"
She commanded him, "You're not allowed to settle scores with me later!"
The man's expression remained unchanged; although her mouth was captured, the look in his eyes still held an aggressive quality.
He was not afraid of her threats at all.
Ji Wanyuan wanted to hit him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, because her punishment would be a reward for him, and it would make him feel good.
So she made a veiled threat, "If you keep arguing like this, I'll sew your mouth shut!"
Wen Qiyan used to call her a spoiled young lady who was being unreasonable, but now he's the one who's being unreasonable!
shameless.
He raised an eyebrow slightly and boldly moved his hands and legs aside, indicating that she could do whatever she wanted with him.
Ji Wanyuan stomped her foot in anger and pinched his mouth hard several times.
She gritted her teeth, "Wen Qiyan, you're really awful."
Let go of his mouth; he still hasn't learned his lesson.
He even sneered, "Some people are capable of doing it, so why are they afraid of what others will say?"
He spoke so offensively that she raised her hand to hit him, but he pulled her into his arms.
Caught off guard, Ji Wanyuan fell onto his lap. Before she could regain her balance, he lifted her up by the waist.
She sat on Wen Qiyan's lap, his arms around her, her lower back pressed against the edge of the table, her hands resisting his chest.
"Get out of my way." She said, both coquettish and fierce, and even spat at the man's handsome face.
The man who spat at her didn't back away; instead, he moved closer and closer, trapping her in a small space and imprisoning her.
His expression was cold yet extremely aggressive, making it impossible to ignore his presence.
Moreover, he was tall and strong, and even if she ran away, he could easily catch her and bring her back.
Ji Wanyuan was truly panicked at this moment.
She only pinched him for a moment, and he keeps pinching her face. Why should he hold her accountable?
Fierce-looking!
Ji Wanyuan straightened her back, trying to make herself appear more righteous and confident.
She had to be domineering, after all, she was Wen Qiyan's master, and he craved her love; he loved her far more than she loved him.
Isn't it said that those who are loved can be fearless and arrogant because of their favor?
"Who gave you permission to look at me like that?" She lightly slapped his handsome face. "You're not worthy."
Why don't you deserve it?
“Because you are despicable.” She humiliated him.
A year ago, he said he hated her, loathed her, hated her, and disliked her. Now he's following her around, fawning over her, begging her, and getting jealous for no reason. He's so petty. What else could he be but a despicable person?
The man sneered, "Ji Wanyuan, I am indeed despicable."
Even though he sensed the humiliation in her words, he still enjoyed it, felt excited, and was extremely pleased.
He himself didn't understand how he could like Ji Wanyuan to this extent. His love for her twisted him into an ugly, jealous man. Not only that, he also wanted to see how far he could go to fawn over her.
"Then we'll grovel here today."
Ji Wanyuan: “?” What does that mean?
She didn't understand, but his hand had already touched her skirt.
She called him despicable, but forgot how she splattered on his face when he licked her.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Here it is! There will be random lucky red envelopes dropping in this chapter! This novel will conclude at the end of this month, and on the day of completion, my new novel, "She Changed Her Heart in the Third Year of Marriage," will be released. It's also a story of a spoiled younger sister taming her husband—both characters are virgins! No angst! Please add it to your favorites!!! [Sprinkling flowers]
The text reads as follows: With the wedding date approaching, the elder sister suddenly falls seriously ill, and Pu Jinyu, who has been raised in the countryside for many years and forgotten by others, is finally brought back to the capital.
With her stepmother threatening her with the life of her aunt, she had no choice but to change her appearance and study her elder sister's words and actions to marry into the Yan family in her place. She only needed to wait for her elder sister to recover from her illness so that this marriage, which had been a deception, could be returned to her.
Unfortunately, her elder sister fell seriously ill and succumbed to her illness.
The Yan family was a powerful and influential family with strict rules within its deep courtyard. She bore the appearance and name of her elder sister, and lived in constant fear, serving her parents-in-law and sisters-in-law with trepidation. She racked her brains to deal with her aloof and unapproachable husband, daring not to slack off in the slightest. Her stepmother, angered by her elder sister's death, took her anger out on her and subjected her to all sorts of difficulties.
She eventually succumbed to heart failure and died in childbirth at the age of twenty-nine. Her soul and body remained trapped in the Yan family's ruthless and treacherous mansion for the rest of her life, under the name of her elder sister, Pu Wange.
Only after her death did Pu Jinyu learn that her elder sister had not died of illness, but had faked her death to escape in order to follow her lover.
Her most trusted and beloved concubine was never coerced in any way. Instead, for the sake of her own bright future, she used and then abandoned her daughter countless times to consolidate her position and enjoy wealth and glory.
Pu Jinyu looked back on her life. She was born as a concubine's daughter and was forced to dress as a man to please her biological father. Unfortunately, the fake could not become real. As she grew older, her identity could no longer be hidden, and her aunt did not hesitate to devise a plan to send her to a dilapidated remote area.
At that time, seeing her aunt's teary eyes, the young girl did not understand the meaning of rejection and truly believed that they were full of love and care for her.
It's just a pity...
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in the third year of her substitute marriage, looking at the red bricks and green tiles of the Yan family's house, and the soft, gauze curtains.
She lowered her eyelashes with a cold smile, revealing a pitiful expression to conceal the turbulent emotions churning within her.
***
The Yan family had a glorious history of over a century, ranking first among the most prestigious families in the capital. Its eldest son, Yan Chiyun, was outstanding and handsome, and at a young age, he had already reached the highest position in the government, making him someone that others could only look up to but never reach.
The Yan and Pu families had been betrothed since their early years. When he reached marriageable age, Yan Chiyun, following the advice of his elders, married the most impeccable noblewoman in the entire capital.
After marriage, he was restrained in his sexual relations and busy with political affairs, leaving early and returning late. Although the two rarely met, they treated each other with respect and lived like guests. They lived like this for three years without interfering with each other. If nothing unexpected happens, he will be a good wife and mother until the end of his life.
Therefore, he really couldn't understand why his wife, who had always been well-behaved, obedient, and gentle, would betray her kinship.
Even when he caught her, she remained unmoved by his stern questioning. She slowly dressed and got out of bed, looking coldly into his eyes, and casually replied, "Since you've seen it all, then let's get a divorce."
He was so furious that he laughed in a deep voice, looking at the profile of his wife, who was as serene and beautiful as a gardenia.
Suddenly, he realized that he seemed to have never truly known this woman.
A self-disciplined and aloof beauty falls for love, driven to madness and resorting to force and coercion.
Reading Guide:
A restrained, polite, and abstinent head of household vs. a beautiful and resilient mistress
Arranged marriage, love blossoms, the old house catches fire, the unattainable beauty turns out to be incredibly attractive, the man goes crazy for love and even has to cremate his wife – a happy ending.
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