Chapter 178 Bringing her in as a concubine? Sneaky and furtive.
Old Madam Wei had deep-set eyes.
Because of his age, his eyes looked calm, but they couldn't hide their sharpness, as if they could see right through people's hearts.
After entering, Wei Ting strode over with his head held high and a smile on his lips.
"Grandmother, your grandson has come to pay his respects."
When Madam Wei saw Wei Ting, her face became even more tense, still harboring resentment over his public proposal to marry Lady Ji during the morning court session the previous day.
Undeterred by her cold demeanor, Wei Ting coaxed the old lady, "Grandmother, who made you angry? I'll tie him up right now and give him a good beating so he'll never dare to be so presumptuous again."
"Besides you, who else in this family would dare to be so presumptuous?"
Looking at her handsome and accomplished grandson, Old Madam Wei's voice was like a cold wind sweeping through ancient trees, devoid of any warmth.
"What exactly do you see in Ji Wu?"
Without a second thought, Wei Ting simply said, "I like her because she is well-educated, reasonable, and gentle."
"Acting appropriately?"
Madam Wei sneered: "If you're going to be so good at handling things, why would someone in the army keep chasing after you and have a child before you're even married!"
The reason Wei Ting acknowledged the child as his own and even proposed marriage in court was not only to reduce obstacles in his pursuit of Ji Qingwu.
Another reason is Madam Wei.
The old lady was old-fashioned and conservative, and had set rules all her life. If she knew that the child belonged to someone else, she would definitely not agree to Ji Qingwu entering the Wei family.
His expression was gentle: "Grandmother, don't you trust your grandson's judgment? You haven't met Ji Qingwu. If you had, you would definitely be satisfied."
Madam Wei's tone was firm: "If Ji Wu wants to enter the Wei family, she will have to be brought in as a concubine. Otherwise, I will not agree to her marrying into the family."
Hearing this, Wei Ting sighed inwardly but did not show it on his face. He said, "Grandmother, how could the Ji family agree to let their daughter become a concubine in our Wei family? The Empress Dowager in the palace would certainly not agree to it either."
"You also know that her Ji family is closely related to the Empress Dowager?"
Madam Wei scolded, "If you truly care about Li Ru in the palace, you shouldn't have any dealings with women from the Ji family."
Wei Ting remained silent for a long while, then said in a low voice, "How could your grandson not think of his sister?"
When Madam Wei mentioned Consort Wei, she saw him lower his eyes and felt a pang of regret.
Wei Ting pleaded in a low voice, "Grandmother, I've finally found someone I want to marry, please grant my wish this once."
Seeing his stubbornness, Madam Wei knew his temperament. He looked as elegant as a gentle breeze and bright moon, but he had been stubborn and nostalgic since childhood.
Thinking back to the past, Madam Wei couldn't help but sigh. She finally relented and said, "I'll introduce you to this famous Ji Wu another day."
A light suddenly appeared in Wei Ting's lowered eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved back into a smile.
Madam Wei had not seen her grandson for many years, and a feeling of tenderness welled up in her heart.
"You've come back from the North, you've had a long and tiring journey, and you haven't even had a proper night's sleep. Go back and rest."
The old nanny came in again and whispered something in Madam Wei's ear.
As soon as Wei Ting reached the door, he noticed that Old Madam Wei's aura had become much heavier, and her old eyes seemed to be staring straight through his back.
"You come back here!"
Madam Wei said sternly, "Granny Pan, say those words to him again."
"Yes, Madam."
Granny Pan raised her voice: "The fifth young lady of the Ji family dressed up in her finest clothes and went out for a stroll today, surrounded by many young men who were eager to flatter her."
"The perfumes and lipstick boxes from the cosmetic shops she visited are now being sold at exorbitant prices, claiming to be items used by Miss Ji."
Upon imagining this scene, Wei Ting frowned and his face darkened.
He knew she was bold, but she continued to do so after returning to Lin'an, making so many people openly covet her.
Wei Ting said, "I will keep her in check after she marries into the Wei family."
Madam Wei's disappointment was evident on her face: "Are you sure you want a woman like this as your wife?"
Wei Ting's expression was solemn, but he still nodded.
After he left the courtyard, Old Madam Wei suddenly looked several years older.
He muttered to himself, "Could it be that those things in the past hurt him so deeply that he found such a vulgar and seductive woman to deliberately provoke me?"
Granny Pan said, "Madam, don't worry. The general has been in the army for many years and has seen only a handful of girls. He might just be blinded by the beauty of the Fifth Miss."
Madam Wei sighed, "You don't need to comfort me. The reason I agreed was because I saw the determination in his eyes. Once he made a decision, it was beyond my ability to persuade him, even as his grandmother."
Afterwards, Madam Wei removed her headband and let Granny Pan help her to bed to rest.
As she walked slowly, she asked again, "Have you prepared the scriptures and prayer beads to offer to the Bodhisattva at Hanshan Temple tomorrow, as well as the offerings for fulfilling your vows?"
"It has been prepared long ago, please rest assured, Madam."
*
Ji Qingwu went out for a trip, and on the last day he didn't forget to go to the clinic that was being renovated to check on the progress.
When Mi Zhenchuan saw her, he didn't dare to recognize her at first. It was only after she said a few words that he recognized her.
"Fifth Miss, today is truly..." Even the eloquent Manager Mi was momentarily at a loss for words.
I just felt that she was so beautiful that I dared not look directly at her, and that one glance would give rise to wicked thoughts.
Mi Zhenchuan deliberately avoided the question, tilting his head and saying, "Fifth Miss, as you instructed, all areas except the third floor have been opened up."
Ji Qingwu was already used to the various gazes cast at her. She said calmly, "Manager Mi, if you can use metal cabinets, don't use wooden ones. Wood is prone to dampness and mold, which is not good for storing medicinal herbs."
Mi Zhenchuan admired the Fifth Miss's meticulousness.
Just then, two men suddenly pushed open the door and burst in.
The young man walking in front remained silent, standing with his hands behind his back. The person behind him stepped forward, and they appeared to be master and servant.
"This isn't a restaurant, is it? Why is it such a mess?" the older man said.
They looked like locals from Lin'an based on their attire, but their accents didn't sound like it.
Mi Zhenchuan said, "This restaurant is closed. If you want to eat, please find somewhere else."
The young man's gaze met Ji Qingwu's for a moment; the man's eyes were silver-gray with a hint of dark blue.
Seeing her dressed like that, his gaze remained calm, without stirring any thoughts within him.
Ji Qingwu quickly looked away, and the two soon left.
If someone lived in the city regularly, how could they not know that the largest restaurant in Lin'an had gone out of business? Based on these physical characteristics, Ji Qingwu guessed that the person must be from Xijin.
I wonder what brings them to Lin'an. There haven't been any recent visits from Western Jin envoys, and the border war is raging...
Ji Qingwu gave a few more instructions and planned to take Lanzhi home.
Just as I stepped out the door, I saw a furtive figure.
As soon as he saw her, he shrank back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com