Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Best Husband in the World, This Is the Betrothal Gift
However, the Emperor’s scheme had indeed found Ji Qingwu’s weak spot.
She had to consider others, even if she wouldn’t do it for him. If it were only for the Emperor’s sake, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to tempt her to stay in the palace.
But if it was for Yuan Heng...
Ji Qingwu looked at the little girl in front of her, who was blinking her big eyes at her and smiling a smile sweeter than candy.
She imagined being able to see the two lively, adorable little ones every day.
’Maybe—’
’Action is better than temptation. I should just sneak Yuan Heng out of the palace as soon as possible!’
Ji Qingwu considered the feasibility of this plan.
Jiu Jiu quickly climbed onto the couch, her small, fluffy head burrowing into her mother’s embrace, trying to get her attention back.
She shook a few more candies out of her sleeve and said in her sweet, childish voice, "Mommy, one for you, and one for me."
Ji Qingwu deliberately put on a stern face. "Jiu Jiu, you can only have two candies a day, no more. Otherwise, you’ll get cavities, and when your teeth hurt so much you’re rolling all over the bed at night, don’t come crying to me."
Her parenting philosophy was to explain the dangers of things to her child. Guiding was better than restricting, so she wasn’t overly strict.
Jiu Jiu nodded obediently. "I won’t eat too many, because this is Mommy’s candy."
’These candies are all stamped with the seal of the Imperial Kitchen. How are they *my* candy?’
Ji Qingwu looked at her small, fair palm and said, "My candy?"
Jiu Jiu thought for a moment, then nodded. "It’s Mommy’s candy, and it’s also Mommy’s wedding candy."
"My wedding candy?"
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Ji Qingwu picked one up.
She unwrapped the paper, examined it closely, and confirmed that it was indeed an imperial candy from the palace.
"What happy occasion do I have coming up?"
But Jiu Jiu decided to be mysterious. She took the unwrapped candy from her mother’s hand and said, "If Mommy eats one first, I’ll tell you."
Ji Qingwu, worried there was some hidden trick to the candy, said, "You tell me first, then I’ll eat."
Jiu Jiu popped the candy into her own small mouth and mumbled around it, "I promised Mommy last time that I would find the best husband in the world for her. I’ve found him for Mommy, and this is his initial betrothal gift."
’Who gives a bag of candy as a betrothal gift?!’
Ji Qingwu’s hunch was right. This candy was a sugar-coated bullet.
’The best husband in the world? It’s obvious this little girl has no self-control and was completely bamboozled by that man with some candy, ready to offer up her own mother.’
She didn’t know what he had said to Jiu Jiu. Ji Qingwu bit her lip, her gaze wavering.
"Mommy, do you agree? If you agree, eat one."
Ji Qingwu reached out and pinched Jiu Jiu’s little cheek. She narrowed her eyes, a half-smile on her face. "Well now, my little Jiu Jiu. For just a few pieces of candy, you’d dare to sell your mommy out!"
Seeing her mommy’s expression wasn’t right, Jiu Jiu scrambled to escape.
But her short arms and legs couldn’t carry her fast enough, and her mommy grabbed her by the calf.
The mother and daughter, laughing and wrestling, tumbled onto the couch together.
Ji Qingwu gave Jiu Jiu’s little behind a good pat-down, and only after the little girl promised over and over that Mommy was her absolute favorite person in the world and that she would return the "betrothal gift" tomorrow was her chubby bottom spared.
But to prevent Jiu Jiu from being completely turned to the other side, Ji Qingwu decided she had to keep a close eye on her to "solidify" her own position.
She volunteered to take over half of Nanny Li’s duties, personally picking up Jiu Jiu from her lessons in the afternoon from now on.
As for why she didn’t take her in the morning—first, she planned to be busy with her shop, and second, she really couldn’t get up that early.
After returning home, she didn’t try to get close to Old Madam Ji like Ji Qingyuan did, visiting Shou’an Hall every morning and evening to pay her respects. Besides, with her current strained relationship with the old madam, there was even less need for it.
Mrs. Qiao also indulged her. Every day she woke up to a hot breakfast waiting for her. Life couldn’t be more carefree.
At dawn in the courtyard, the early sun lit the eaves of the house.
Ji Qingwu got out of bed, but there were dark circles under her eyes.
Last night, she’d had a rare bout of insomnia. She had actually slept worse than she had in the attic of Handan Hall.
The moment she lay down, her mind spun out of control, constantly replaying the events of the past day and night in the palace.
Regarding the matter with Prince Yong, she had acted rashly in some ways.
But if she had to choose again, she would still do the same thing.
She wasn’t a prophet. Who could have predicted that Prince Yong, who appeared to be consumed by lust, was once a deeply devoted man? And that the person in his heart was his own lawfully wedded wife, Princess Yong, whose every move he secretly watched over as Tao Wanxin.
But regardless, Prince Yong had seized the opportunity to use her prescription in hopes of helping Princess Yong conceive sooner. Although it didn’t render him completely sterile, it served as a lesson. His health was now compromised, and it would take some time for him to recover.
The more Ji Qingwu thought about it, the more her head ached. Truly, no one in the Imperial Palace was simple.
She knew her own temperament. In a dog-eat-dog place like the Imperial Palace, showing weakness or backing down would only encourage others to bully you even more. She had felt it the first time she entered the palace—it was a lion’s den, filled with pitiful people living behind masks for the sake of power and family.
She wasn’t some pure lotus, unstained by the mud it grows in. If she stayed in the palace for too long, people’s hearts would change, and so would hers.
Since she couldn’t fathom the complexity of people’s hearts, she could only choose to protect her own.
’So what if the Emperor treated her specially? How long could that special treatment last?’
’It’s easy to develop feelings, but difficult to stay together. Weren’t there countless examples of favor fading long before beauty did?’
’Believing an Emperor was capable of true love was like living with your head on the chopping block. She wasn’t that foolish yet.’
’Besides, relying on others for protection again and again would make her feel weak and incompetent. Just as Yuan Heng had heard from Emperor Wu Su, only the strong can protect those they wish to protect.’
’All these worries stemmed from the cowardice in her heart. She wasn’t strong enough yet.’
Thinking of the people she had to protect, Ji Qingwu’s dejected mood instantly turned into fighting spirit.
In the latter half of the night, it was as if Ji Qingwu had been injected with adrenaline.
When she wasn’t thinking about matters of the heart, her mind became exceptionally sharp.
She had already come up with several ideas for the shops Mrs. Qiao had given her. The more she thought, the more excited she became. If the shops on the street hadn’t all been closed for the night, she would have wanted to set out immediately.
Later, she finally felt a bit drowsy and slept fitfully for a little over an hour.
Ji Qingwu yawned, looking at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Her thick, black hair cascaded down to her waist.
Lan Zhi attended to her, ready to put up her hair with a wide-toothed boxwood comb.
Ji Qingwu said, "Don’t do any complicated hairstyles. I’m going out today."
Lan Zhi took a Red Butterfly Pearl Hairpin from the makeup box, holding it up to her hair. "My lady, you are going to the palace, after all. You can’t be too plain, or the other noble ladies will laugh at you."
Ji Qingwu casually picked out a phoebe hairpin and put it on.
She said, "No need. I’m going to the market first and will be back later. Wearing so much would just be a hassle. You don’t need to come with me."
Ji Qingwu took a look around the most prosperous district in Lin’an, then went to the largest of the shops listed on the business contract—a traditional grain store.
Mrs. Qiao had handled things perfectly, having already sent someone to inform them in advance. The shopkeeper and his staff were all honest, loyal people, and they reported the account books and market conditions to her one by one.
After understanding the situation, Ji Qingwu made a bold decision.
