Chapter 387 Even the Empress has to meddle in this?
Ji Qingwu also lowered his head, pretending not to see.
Gibran raised his head, a hint of pride in his expression, and continued, "But we can't blame her, because her temper is just like mine."
Zhao Mingyan also had to admit that in some ways, the father and daughter were indeed similar.
Ji Bolian sighed and said, "I know that Your Majesty is magnanimous and has never blamed me for my repeated offenses. I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty and even die for you."
Zhao Mingyan twirled the porcelain cup in his hand.
This Lord Ji would never utter such high-sounding words.
The real message is yet to come.
"I hope Your Majesty..." Ji Bolian said slowly, "that you will show more love and tolerance to my daughter."
Gibran knew he couldn't act like an ordinary father and send his beloved daughter home simply because his husband's family was dissatisfied.
Once you enter the palace, there is no turning back. If you are disliked by the emperor, you can only live in seclusion in the cold palace, or spend your time with ancient Buddhas. In some cases, you may even be deposed or given death.
After hearing the news of the appointment of a queen, Gibran, having calmed his shock, thought of these things first...
When that time comes, who will come to save his little Wu?
After saying this, he got up and knelt down on the ground again. He had served as an official for many years, devoting himself to the people and the emperor. The hair behind his ears had turned white.
Ji Qingwu felt a mix of emotions upon hearing Ji Bolian's words.
She experienced what it felt like to be genuinely loved and cared for. Instead of being happy about her attaining the enviable position of Empress, she was worried about it.
She instantly understood why her father had been so harsh on her that day...
Ji Qingwu walked to Ji Bolian's side, squatted down, and held his arm.
"father."
Her voice is soft and clear.
In fact, she had long since accepted this father in her heart.
"Father, please get up."
Upon hearing "Father" twice, Ji Bolian's eyes filled with tears.
He didn't say that to the emperor just to hear her call him "father," but because he was worried about her future.
The more obedient and well-behaved Ji Qingwu was, the more reluctant Ji Bolian became to part with his youngest daughter, and his mind became increasingly clouded.
Ultimately, his love for his daughter outweighed his loyalty to the emperor and his patriotism.
Ji Bolian looked at Ji Qingwu, covered his mouth with his hand, and asked in a low voice, "Xiao Wu, do you not want to enter the palace?"
Seeing her father acting like a thief, Ji Qingwu's eyes flashed with helplessness.
At such close range, even if they spoke softly, the emperor could hear them. Given his vengeful nature, he might retaliate at any moment.
Ji Qingwu used his arm to pull Ji Bolian up.
"Dad, don't talk nonsense, of course I'm willing."
If she said a few more words, the cold blades in Emperor Wusu's eyes would be flying towards her.
Gibran turned his head and wiped the wetness from the corner of his eye with his sleeve.
"That's good, that's good."
After Gibran got up, he did not take his leave but just stood there.
Ji Qingwu did not sit down again, but stood quietly beside his father.
At this moment, Zhao Mingyan gained a clear understanding that he was an outsider.
"Is there anything else, Lord Ji?"
Gibran replied, "I have nothing to say." He seemed oblivious to the emperor's veiled order to dismiss him.
Ji Qingwu's eyes darted back and forth.
Even she could sense that Ji's father's attitude towards Emperor Wusu seemed to carry a sense of resistance, though it wasn't out in the open.
Zhao Mingyan said, "I still have things to say to Awu."
Ji Bolian stood upright and said, "I beg Your Majesty to consider my daughter's reputation. The matter of establishing an empress is still unresolved and is known only to the Ji family; outsiders are unaware of it."
Ji Qingwu lowered his head as he recalled the good deeds the two of them had done before his father entered the house.
Zhao Mingyan calmly replied, "Your Excellency is mistaken. Awu and I already have two children. Isn't it too late to bring this up now?"
That was a bit too blunt. Ji Qingwu secretly glanced at her father's reaction, trying not to get angry.
Ji Bo took a deep breath and said, "In the past, Xiao Wu was wandering outside, and the emperor was not yet the emperor. But now, his status has changed, so he should abide by the rules."
"Your Majesty is the one destined by Heaven and is a role model for all people. Your Majesty is the mother of the nation and a model for educating the people. From now on, Your Majesty must not act willfully or arbitrarily in any word or deed. Your Majesty must abide by the rules passed down from your ancestors."
Ji Qingwu's watery eyes stopped moving and fell on her father, her eyes filled with admiration.
Gibran spoke with conviction and reason, his words carrying weight and unaffected by the emperor's turning pale.
This is the appearance of the minister who once impeached Emperor Wusu and revoked all the new policies he had implemented.
Ji Qingwu thought to herself that she should also take this opportunity to learn from and draw on his experience.
Zhao Mingyan said, "Have you forgotten the ancestral teachings, Lord Ji? The Liang Dynasty has long since perished, and the Northern Li is a new dynasty. Are you expecting me to abide by the rules of the old dynasty?"
Gibran bowed deeply and said, "Your subject dares not, but..."
Seeing the tense atmosphere between the two, Ji Qingwu felt a chill run down his spine. This back-and-forth confrontation between the ruler and his subject was truly unsettling.
She still couldn't learn it; it was too unfriendly to her pounding little heart.
Oh my god...
Ji Qingwu said gently, "Father, His Majesty and I still have some things to discuss. Please give us another half a cup of tea's time. The doors and windows are open, and there are guards outside. There won't be any problems."
Ji Bolian's attention was focused on the "half a cup of tea," and after hesitating for a moment, Ji Qingwu took his arm and saw him out the door.
Ji Qingwu turned around and saw Zhao Mingyan with a smug smile, as if he had won a battle, exuding an air of...
Childish feeling.
"What is Your Majesty laughing at?"
Zhao Mingyan said, "It's nothing. Just laugh if you want to. Does Your Majesty even need to interfere with this?"
With no outsiders around, Ji Qingwu sat down beside him.
"Let me remind you, I'm not one yet. In the Ji family, we all have to listen to my father and follow the rules."
Zhao Mingyan nodded indifferently: "I'll listen to A-Wu." With a long arm, he pulled Ji Qingwu onto his lap.
The door was still wide open, and Ji Qingwu was worried that her father was guarding the door, so she struggled to get down.
Zhao Mingyan restrained her hand and said, "Don't move. I have something important to tell you."
Ji Qingwu assumed that he was just making up an excuse because he was impatient with dealing with his father, and asked in surprise, "Does Your Majesty really have something important to tell me?"
Zhao Mingyan gathered her hair, playfully tucking a few strands behind her ears, revealing her fair face.
“Ah Wu.”
Ji Qingwu nodded, indicating that she was listening.
“Ah Wu.”
Ji Qingwu nodded vigorously: "I'm here, go ahead."
Zhao Mingyan looked at her and called out again, "Awu."
Ji Qingwu remained patient, staring at his face, and replied, "Your Majesty, please speak."
“Ah Wu.”
Ji Qingwu couldn't stand his soul-summoning calls, so she pushed his arm away, got off his lap, and stood in front of the round table, staring at him with her watery eyes.
"Are you going to tell me or not? If not, I'm leaving."
Zhao Mingyan embraced her slender waist again.
"This is your home, where do you think you're going?"
Ji Qingwu found Emperor Wusu quite strange; he rarely seemed so hesitant and reluctant to speak...
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