Chapter 80: Disrupting the Plan, Anger Shown on His Face
The high temperature of the hot oil burned his entire body, and his brocade clothes melted on his body, making them impossible to remove.
Dirty gold water will only accelerate the festering of the wound, making it impossible to save or cure.
Qiao was also panicked, never expecting that Ji Changyan would be subjected to such extreme torture.
A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated.
This humiliating method was indeed ruthless by Duan Mingfeng of the Imperial City Guard. However, he must have received the emperor's approval to dare to treat the Empress Dowager's nephews and nieces in this way.
Qiao sighed inwardly. What was the point of saving him? Having suffered this torture, he was alive now, but it was no different from being dead. He was just painfully waiting to die.
Having Prince Yong oversee the execution, as a warning to others, was a sufficient punishment.
The Empress Dowager waved her sleeves weakly, ordering everyone to leave.
When Qiao returned home, she found her eldest daughter, Ji Qingrong, waiting for her in the main hall.
"Mother, you're finally back! I heard something had happened at home, so I rushed over early this morning, only to find that you had all gone to the palace."
Mrs. Qiao deliberately suppressed her sorrowful emotions. As long as her children were safe and well, the fate of others was not something she should worry about.
Qiao looked her up and down and said, "Qingrong, you're pregnant and you're still going back and forth like this. You don't take care of your health at all."
Ji Qingrong has gained some weight these days, and her face is rounder.
She asked anxiously, "Mother, please tell me what happened. Changyan actually dared to kill the censor. This good-for-nothing even implicated his brothers and sisters. It's one thing for him to be locked up, but why is Fifth Sister also being confined to her quarters?"
From what Qiao heard, she knew that Ji Qingrong was worried about Xiao Wu, which was why she made a special trip back to her parents' home.
"Wutong Garden is guarded, and people are not allowed to enter or leave. I don't know how Xiao Wu is doing now."
"Mother, let's go take a look, let's just peek from the doorway."
In fact, Ji Qingrong wanted to see her fifth sister as soon as she entered the Ji residence, but Chunxing, who was by her side, stopped her. The young master had repeatedly told her to protect the lady's safety.
After much persuasion, they finally convinced her to wait until the First Madam returned home from the palace before going over.
Wutong Garden.
After finishing his meal, Ji Qingwu rested for a while.
The sun was setting in the west, and colorful clouds were already appearing across the sky.
"Let's go for a walk."
Lanzhi hesitated and said, "Fifth Miss, isn't this inappropriate? The Emperor has decreed that we are confined to our quarters and not allowed to go out."
"Just take a walk in the yard, it won't hurt."
Ji Qingwu pushed open the door and stepped out; the two shadows cast by the setting sun were already long.
Lanzhi was terrified and stood behind her with her head down.
Ji Qingwu looked at the tall, slender figure on the right again and again, as if she recognized him. She walked straight toward the door.
Lanzhi looked up and found that she had already gone far away. She hurriedly chased after her, saying, "Fifth Miss, please don't go any further. The guards at the gate are very fierce."
As expected, just as Ji Qingwu reached the courtyard gate, two sharp longswords were drawn swiftly and placed across her chest.
She didn't want to go out; she just wanted to see the guard's face.
Ji Qingwu's cool gaze first landed on the face of the young man on the right.
"Was that you who appeared by the lotus pond last time?" The voice was soft and pleasant.
The young guard in black bowed slightly and said, "Yes, Miss Fifth, my name is Sanchuan."
This guard was indeed Emperor Wusu's man; now he's even been sent to her side.
However, his expression was somewhat strange. Ji Qingwu looked thoughtfully at his bluish lips and stiff back.
Noticing a probing gaze fixed on her, she turned her head to look at the person on her left.
The two look very alike and should be brothers, but their temperaments are completely different. One is calm and composed, having been tempered by hardship, while the other still carries the spirit of youth.
When Sihai saw her face, he felt only disappointment; he had waited so long for nothing.
This woman's appearance was far inferior to that of Consort Wei in the palace, like a plain boiled dish compared to a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast—bland and tasteless.
Before she could even ask, he proudly raised his head and announced his name: "Sihai".
Rivers and seas...
Ji Qingwu suddenly smiled, her eyes crinkling as she said, "Could there be someone named Wuhu?"
That smile possessed an indescribable gentleness and liveliness.
Si Hai was stunned, like a cool breeze blowing into people's hearts, instantly soothing their anxious emotions.
San Chuan respectfully explained in a low voice, "This name was bestowed by His Majesty."
Ji Qingwu was just joking. She said leisurely, "The northern barbarians in the Three Rivers are in chaos, and the southwards are like the Yongjia Emperor. His Majesty must have high expectations for you."
Both of them were taken aback, then looked at each other. These words were exactly the same as those spoken by Emperor Wusu when he bestowed the name upon them.
"Fifth Sister!" a voice called from afar.
Ji Qingwu looked up and saw Qiao Shi and Ji Qingrong walking towards him.
The two guards immediately became wary.
Ji Qingwu suggested, "The imperial edict only says that we can't go out or come in, but it didn't say that we can't talk through the fence, did it?"
“I will stand in the yard and not take a single step outside, and they will not come in.”
As Ji Qingrong approached, she heard Ji Qingwu haggling with two serious-looking black-clad guards, which told her that Ji Qingwu was doing well.
She chimed in, "Yes, yes, sirs, we'll stay right outside the door and won't take a single extra step."
Ji Qingwu hadn't seen her elder sister for a long time. Seeing her rosy complexion, her gaze fell on her belly.
The two were a zhang apart, and Ji Qingrong couldn't even hold her hand.
"Fifth Sister, don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that you've been confined to the courtyard." She asked meaningfully, "Did you sleep well at Jade Pavilion last night?"
At the Jade Pavilion? She was on the dragon boat last night.
Ji Qingwu immediately realized that Ji Changyan must have given some excuse to the family.
Both of these guards were close to Emperor Wusu, so there was nothing to hide from them.
Ji Qingwu said directly, "Third Brother drugged me and wanted to offer me to Prince Yong."
Ji Qingrong asked incredulously, "Third brother drugged you?! Then last night..." She frowned and couldn't help but take a few steps closer, but was stopped by the guards in a cold voice.
Ji Qingwu quickly said, "Big sister, don't be nervous. I'm not standing in front of you perfectly fine right now."
There's no need to go into the details of the twists and turns with them.
Ji Qingrong clung to Qiao Shi. On the way here, she had already learned about Ji Changyan's torture. At first, she thought the punishment was too cruel, but now she felt that he had been spared.
Madam Qiao frowned, thinking the same thing to herself. She hated that the second branch of the family had such a wolfish and ruthless son and nephew. The torture of boiling oil should not be used; molten iron should be used instead.
"But how did you offend... such a noble person?" Ji Qingrong pointed to the sky.
Ji Qingwu understood her question, tilted his head, and said, "What a coincidence, I just happened to run into the emperor who came to supervise the assassination case of the censor."
Upon hearing her words, Sanchuan Sihai lowered his head.
Unfortunately, it was all man-made.
These guards all knew that this case was originally intended to be a long one, as not all the fish had taken the bait yet, and it wasn't time to close the net.
Last night, not only did it disrupt Emperor Wusu's plans, but it also made him visibly furious.
All because the fifth daughter of the Ji family had an accident.
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