36. Begging
◎Be your woman◎
Chapter 36
"Um."
Ji Ci didn't take Jiang Qiuye's words seriously. He folded the letter and put it into an envelope, then told Tian to come in and deliver it.
"Sister Susu is really beautiful and talented. I heard that she once published a collection of poems and became famous in Shengjing."
"Well, then you should learn more."
"Your Highness." Jiang Qiuye pouted, her voice coquettish, and she moved sideways to avoid Ji Ci who was taking a book from the bookshelf.
Ji Ci opened the book, but couldn't help but glance at her, and said helplessly: "...What's wrong?"
"Your Majesty, are you going to kick me out of the house from now on?"
Ji Ci saw that Jiang Qiuye's face was full of grievance and sadness, and he didn't understand what was going on in her head.
"Why did the king drive you out of the palace?"
Jiang Qiuye complained, "The prince is about to marry Sister Susu. Once he gets married, he will definitely not let me stay, nor will he protect me."
Ji Ci rubbed his temples and asked, "When will this prince marry?"
He had no plans to get married, or perhaps he would never marry in his life.
He was in poor health and had an uncertain future. He only had family and country matters on his mind and was unwilling to delay any girl's life.
"That's what Sister Susu said. She said she's a descendant of a loyal and righteous man, and that she and the prince were childhood sweethearts. The prince promised her father to take care of her. And she's going to marry the prince soon, and the marriage is almost settled. Besides..." Jiang Qiuye pursed her lips and stole a glance at Ji Ci, who looked grim. "...Besides, I can feel that Sister Susu doesn't like me. If she becomes the Princess of Qi County, she will naturally not allow me to get close to the prince."
Ji Ci frowned, feeling very disgusted with Susu's self-declaration of relationship.
Although he promised Chen Zheng to take care of her, it was only because she was alone and in a difficult situation. He would naturally find a good family for her to marry off later.
As for their childhood sweetheart, if Chen Zheng hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't even have any impression of Susu.
But this little widow always had things in her head that he could not understand.
He shook his head and explained, "This prince has no plans to marry. Besides, this prince always keeps his promises. Since I said I would protect you, I will protect you. Don't overthink it. If you have the time, have you finished reading the Li Yun chapter of the Book of Rites?"
Jiang Qiuye avoided Ji Ci's sight, looked at the incense burner beside her, then moved to Jianjian who was having a lot of fun. She did not answer and curled her lips.
She really didn't expect that Ji Ci would actually force her to read. Not only did he ask her to read it, but he also asked her to memorize it and check it every day.
I don't even know where he found a ruler, but he would hit the palms of your hands if you recited it wrong. He was even stricter than the teacher in the school.
Although she had a photographic memory, she really found the book boring.
She frowned and muttered, "Almost there."
Seeing her evasive attitude, Ji Ci remained silent for a moment. After a moment, he couldn't help but say, "You are actually very smart and can memorize things very quickly. As long as you study hard, you will definitely learn well."
"Oh, thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."
After saying that, he stood up and walked over to Jianjian, picked up the cat's paw and shook it, and whispered pitifully: "Jianjian, Jianjian, we are really a pair of star-crossed lovers. When His Royal Highness Prince Qi gets married, we will have no choice but to wander the streets. Jianjian, don't worry, no matter what, I will never abandon you."
The star-crossed couple...
Ji Ci, who was drinking tea, couldn't help but spit it out. His eyelids twitched and he shook his head and said inwardly, "Excuse me, excuse me."
He took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth dry, then turned around and scolded, "Qiu Ziye!"
Jianjian was so frightened by the scolding that he jumped out of Jiang Qiuye's arms and hid far away. His fur stood on end and his tail instantly became thicker.
Jiang Qiuye stood up, took small steps to Ji Ci's side, squatted down, and looked up at him.
There is a sparkle in the peach blossom eyes, which is captivating and charming.
She called him in a soft voice: "Brother Jian Xi."
Seeing this, Ji Ci couldn't say the harsh words he wanted to say anymore, and he just felt a little chest tightness and disordered.
"I promised to protect you, yet you're still imagining things like this. How can this be disgraceful?"
Jiang Qiuye pursed her lips and spoke carefully: "Brother Jian Xi."
"Why don't you...why don't you let me be your woman! I don't expect you to marry me, whether as a wife, concubine, or mistress. Even if I have no name or status, I still want to follow Brother Jian Xi! Follow me for the rest of my life!"
“…”
Ji Ci looked at Jiang Qiuye in shock, speechless for a moment.
I didn't expect her to say such a thing.
She is a concubine with no name or status.
"...Qiu Ziye, take back what you said! You've actually degraded yourself to such an extent for the sake of so-called protection. You're a woman. If others knew what you said, do you know that you would be condemned by thousands of people?"
Jiang Qiuye grabbed his arm and said, "Why am I worried all day? I'm just feeling uneasy. I've been without a father or a mother since I was little. Brother Jian Xi is the best person in the world to me. He taught me etiquette, brought me into the mansion and protected me."
"I'm just scared. I'm restless day and night, unable to sleep. I know very well that I'm just a passer-by by Brother Jian Xi's side. One day, even if Sister Susu doesn't exist, you might marry someone else, and I won't be able to stay by your side anymore."
"Just let me be your woman, okay?"
Ji Ci pulled the soft pancreas off his arm and said in a deep voice, "Shut up, Qiu Ziye! How dare you?"
Jiang Qiuye's eyes instantly turned red, tears fell, and she burped, "How dare I? That night, it was obvious that Brother Jian Xi wanted me! I know you have feelings for me! That night, you clearly had a reaction, why didn't you..."
"Shut up! You're hopeless!" Ji Ci interrupted her, shook his head in disbelief, and angrily said, "I have said that I will not marry, not even any woman. Don't even think about it again, or I will have you escorted out of the palace tomorrow."
Jiang Qiuye stood up and twisted her fingers, "Brother Jian Xi."
"go out!"
"simple......"
"I told you to get out!"
"Yes, Your Highness." Jiang Qiuye bowed with his head down, bit his lips tightly, turned around and left, feeling aggrieved.
He didn't even take his cloak and his belongings with him.
As the study door opened and closed, a cold wind blew into the originally warm room.
Jianjian meowed, jumped onto Ji Ci's legs, and rubbed his head against hers.
He covered his chest and calmed himself down. Looking at the little white cat that was acting coquettishly on him, he reached out and rubbed its head, sighing deeply.
My heart is in a mess and I don’t know how to relieve it.
…
Jiang Qiuye didn't know what consequences this radical move would bring.
She just took another gamble.
During these days of getting along with Ji Ci, they stayed in the study every day, eating together, reading together. She could even touch him at will, trusting her completely and letting her wander around the study at will.
She could feel Ji Ci's indulgence towards her.
If he loses the bet today, will all the indulgences be taken back by him?
After returning to Wutong Courtyard, he locked himself in the dormitory and curled up in the quilt.
After a moment, she touched the gold anklet hidden in the pillow, which made her tremble uncontrollably.
"Girl?" Mingyue knocked on her dormitory door.
After hearing this, Jiang Qiuye got up from the bed, gathered her clothes, and walked forward to open the door.
Mingyue held Jianjian in her arms, with a cloak hanging on her arm, "Miss, this is what the housekeeper sent back. And..."
She sighed hesitantly, "I heard from the housekeeper that the prince has ordered that you don't have to serve in the main courtyard for the next few days. Miss, has something happened?"
Mingyue didn't know what had happened between the two of them. She saw Miss Qiu holding Prince Qi's hand in broad daylight.
Jiang Qiuye did not respond, showing undisguised disappointment, but simply took Jianjian, gently stroked its head, and took the cloak, “I understand.
Mingyue suddenly remembered something and, still standing at the door, said, "Oh, by the way, Miss Susu recently sent Qingling to deliver a brocade box. It's on the desk in her bedroom."
Jiang Qiuye turned around and saw an extra box on the table. He suddenly became silent.
"What's wrong, girl?" Mingyue asked tentatively.
"From now on, no one except you and Jinhong can enter my house at will."
Mingyue choked, "Yes, I will pay attention next time."
"It's getting late, go to bed."
"Yes." Mingyue saluted her and then stepped back.
Jiang Qiuye closed the door and walked to the table, opened the brocade box, and saw a golden hairpin.
She smiled sarcastically, wondering if Susu was trying to get rid of her with a broken hairpin in exchange for information.
She casually threw the hairpin and brocade box into the flowerpot by the wall and went to bed.
In the next few days, Ji Ci really didn't let Jiang Qiuye enter the main courtyard again, and even the medicinal food she made was returned one by one.
Did the gamble really fail this time?
But a few days later, he sent the housekeeper to bring her the unfinished "Book of Rites" and told her to stay in Wutong Courtyard and study hard.
As for the copy of "Jade Records" that she had brought to the study before, Ji Ci had hidden it somewhere and she had never seen it again.
It was not until the end of the month that the emperor finally lifted Ji Ci's house arrest.
From then on, he began to resume his early morning court sessions.
Jiang Qiuye was waiting at the gate of the palace, wearing light clothes on purpose. It was so cold that she didn't even have a hand warmer.
I watched as the servant with the lamp was leading Ji Ci out of the house not far away.
When she saw him, she immediately stepped forward and called out to him, "Prince."
But Ji Ci didn't even give her a look, and pretended to be deaf and dumb as he stepped out of the palace.
Seeing that the person was about to leave, she suppressed the biting coldness in her brain and quickly said, "Your Highness, there is something I don't understand in the Book of Rites."
Ji Ci stopped walking after hearing this, but did not turn around. Jiang Qiuye was observing him secretly.
After a while, Ji Ci finally spoke: "If you don't understand something, you can ask Uncle Fu. Uncle Fu is well-read and has more free time."
"Your Highness, I was wrong." Jiang Qiuye stepped forward quickly and grabbed Ji Ci's sleeve in front of the carriage.
Seeing that Ji Ci still ignored her, she finally shed tears.
"I was really wrong, Your Majesty, please don't ignore me."
Ji Ci did not push her hand away, but let her hold it, looking at Jiang Qiuye under the lantern, her eyes red and swollen, her face covered with tear marks.
"A lady should respect herself and have a warm heart. Only those who respect themselves can be respected. Do you understand?"
"I understand, I was wrong, Brother Jian Xi, I won't do this again." She choked with sobs, only knowing to admit her mistake. But in fact, she didn't understand the lady that Ji Ci mentioned.
If she was such a lady, how could she still be alive today?
But she would not let Ji Ci know about this.
Ji Ci looked at her silently for a while, nodded slightly, then got on the carriage and left at dawn.
Jiang Qiuye stood at the door, watching the disappearing shadow, his hands tightly gripping the doorpost.
What should I do?
…
After the daybreak, Jiang Qiuye brought freshly made rose cakes to Wenlan Courtyard to visit Susu again.
I heard that Chen Zhengnai was an honest and virtuous official, but I didn't expect that his daughter was so rich.
When Susu saw Jiang Qiuye coming, she immediately approached and pulled her over, "Sister, please sit down and try the tea I sent from Yunzhou."
Jiang Qiuye took a sip, and the fragrance filled the air. "This is truly a good tea. Sister Susu is so flattered to treat me with such a precious tea."
Susu chuckled softly and said, "Actually, I have more good things than just this tea. I have many more. But after I entered the palace, I felt that Prince Qi lived a very simple life, so I didn't dare to take out these good things."
Jiang Qiuye looked out the window, and after finishing the tea in her hand, she said, "Sister Susu, I'll be honest with you. The prince lives a simple life, but it's all for show. You know that the prince was caned a few days ago and demoted to a county prince, so naturally he can't be too high-profile about anything. But in reality, who doesn't like to live a life of luxury?"
"......Yeah?"
"Sister, do you know that the last time the prince saw your shimmering brocade dress, he stopped and looked at it several times. He didn't expect that you would dress even more simply now. The prince even said privately that you looked stunning in that dress."
Susu blushed, unable to conceal her inner excitement. "Really? But when I met the prince that day, I didn't feel him looking at me."
Jiang Qiuye covered her mouth and chuckled, "Sister Susu, the prince is the prince after all, and there are many things he can't let go of. Of course, I have to watch quietly. Besides, the prince also said that he likes women who take the initiative."
"I see. No wonder the prince returned all the calligraphy and paintings I gave him after I acted so plain." Susu was a little anxious. "It's a good thing my sister reminded me."
She moved the rose cakes Jiang Qiuye had given her aside, took out a box of pastries from the cabinet, handed it to Jiang Qiuye, and said, "This is the golden bell cake that I asked Qingling to wait in line for two hours at Xifuzhai to buy. I'm giving it to my sister this time as a token of my appreciation."
Jiang Qiuye acted like she had never seen the world before and happily accepted it. "Oh, it's actually Xifuzhai's cakes. Thank you so much, Sister Susu."
As she said that, she couldn't wait to open the box and start eating it bite by bite.
Seeing this, Susu rolled her eyes secretly, feeling very disdainful.
I heard that the daughter of Duke Anguo was not favored and had never seen anything good. Now it seems that she is indeed a country bumpkin.
Just as they finished eating the cakes, Qingling walked in and bowed to them, saying, "Miss, Master Tang is here. He came to see you specially."
"Oh." After hearing this, Susu looked at Jiang Qiuye with an embarrassed expression, with an obvious intention of chasing him away.
Jiang Qiuye seemed to suddenly react, "Ah, since Sister Susu has guests, I will go back first."
"Well, take care, sister."
As soon as Jiang Qiuye stepped out of the room, he saw Tutor Tang coming straight towards him. Tutor Tang was slightly stunned to see Jiang Qiuye was actually in Wenlan Courtyard. The two of them greeted each other and left.
Jiang Qiuye turned his head to look at the closed door, gave Jinhong a look, and after seeing her nod slightly, Jiang Qiuye went straight back to his Wutong Courtyard.
It was not until dusk that Jinhong quietly returned from Wenlan Courtyard.
Jiang Qiuye had just finished his dinner. He gently put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and then asked, "What did they say?"
Jinhong whispered back, "It's about the marriage with Prince Qi. It seems that Taifu Tang went to ask Prince Qi for a marriage proposal, but received no response. He came to see Susu today to reassure her and tell her to stay in the palace. He will take care of the marriage."
"This old man Tang really cares about Chen Zheng's daughter."
Jiang Qiuye got up and walked to the bed. Looking at the moonlight outside the window, he felt more and more uneasy.
"I heard that Imperial Tutor Tang and Chen Zheng are good friends, and Sisi was raised under his care. From what they said, Imperial Tutor Tang originally had no hope for the relationship between Prince Qi and Sisi. But recently, seeing you frequently in and out of the main courtyard and study, he thought Prince Qi had suddenly come to his senses, so he made up his mind. They believed that Prince Qi would definitely not marry a widow, so they planned to push Sisi into the position of Princess."
"How ridiculous." Jiang Qiuye couldn't help but frown, "It really gets in the way."
There will never be a woman in your life?
This kind of talk is just talk. How could she believe such nonsense from a man?
But this morning, at least Ji Ci was willing to talk to her, which meant there was still hope.
Maybe she hasn't lost the bet yet, but the stakes are not big enough.
She originally wanted Ji Ci to dislike Sisi more and more, but this old man Tang insisted on coming in to muddy the waters, so she had no choice but to start making big bets.
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