Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Never to Meet Again, Endangering the Heir
"You’re Ji Wu?"
With her back to Madam Wei, a smile played on Ji Qingwu’s lips.
By the time she turned around, the smile had vanished from her face.
She toyed with a stray lock of hair at her temple and said demurely, "I pay my respects to you, Madam."
A peculiar glint appeared in Madam Wei’s eyes.
’Such a young, striking face. It’s an age-old truth that even a hero is no match for a beautiful woman. It’s no wonder my grandson wants to marry her.’
The old madam had thought no one could rival the beauty of their Liru, but it seemed there was always someone more stunning.
’But a man marries a wife for her virtue, not her looks. Wei Ting is the eldest of his generation. The woman he marries will be the wife of the eldest grandson, and more importantly, the General’s wife. How can such a decision be made so rashly?’
Initially, Madam Wei had trusted her grandson’s judgment.
’Even though the girl was from the Ji Family, once she married into the Wei Family, she would become one of them. They could always guide her and shape her character over time.’
’But seeing is believing. The way Ji Wu just stood there, she had the very look of a vixen who seduces men. It was a profound disappointment.’
Ji Qingwu acted as if she hadn’t noticed the old madam’s disapproval.
She said enthusiastically, "Have you finished your prayers, Madam? If you’re heading home, why don’t we go together?"
As she spoke, she audaciously reached out to take the old madam’s arm.
Nanny Pan immediately stepped between them, blocking Ji Qingwu.
Seeing her innocent expression only deepened Madam Wei’s disgust.
But no matter what, Ji Qingwu was a daughter of the Ji Family, and it wasn’t her place to discipline her.
Since the girl would have nothing to do with the Wei Family from this day forward, she didn’t want to waste her breath. She simply ignored the outrageous gesture.
Nanny Pan said coolly, "Miss Ji, please step aside. Our madam wishes to return to her estate."
Without a clear answer from the old madam herself, Ji Qingwu remained uneasy.
Her eyes shifted as she said, "Very well. Travel safely, Madam. Please feel free to visit the Ji Family when you have a moment."
The members of the Wei Family entourage paled at her words.
The Ji and Wei families had never socialized. Apart from imperial banquets, which were impossible to decline, the two madams would never attend the same gathering.
To their ears, Ji Qingwu’s words sounded like a blatant provocation.
Madam Wei’s sunken eyes looked profound. Her gaze was sharp as she said, "This is the first time you and I have met, Miss Ji Wu. I hope it is also the last."
Hearing this, Ji Qingwu bit her lip. A sorrowful expression washed over her face, and she looked as if she were about to burst into tears.
Lan Zhi thoughtfully offered her a handkerchief. Qingwu took it, her expression faltering for a second before tears began to stream down her face. Her eyes, rimmed with red, made for a pitiful sight.
"What you say can’t be the final word, Madam," Ji Qingwu cried sorrowfully. "We will surely meet again. General Wei said he would marry me!"
A young woman from the Wei clan lost her composure and snapped, "Our eldest brother has just been bewitched for a moment! He would never marry someone like you to be my sister-in-law. You can forget about it!"
Ji Qingwu, who desperately wanted to "forget about it," looked pleadingly at Madam Wei.
"My word is final in the Wei Family. As long as Wei Ting still acknowledges me as his grandmother, he will not marry you."
Ji Qingwu’s eyes were red and swollen, but her gaze, as if washed clean, grew brighter and brighter.
She and Lan Zhi stood rooted to the spot, watching the entire Wei clan, young and old, depart from Hanshan Temple.
A moment later, Ji Qingwu turned, pinched the handkerchief between two fingers, and tossed it into Lan Zhi’s arms with a look of disgust.
She asked, her expression a mixture of exasperation and disbelief, "When did you start improvising?"
The handkerchief Lan Zhi had handed her just moments ago was laced with a pungent spice. The instant it was in her hand, the fumes had made her eyes sting and tear up automatically.
The maidservant said timidly, "Fifth Missy, I was just worried you wouldn’t be able to cry, or that your crying would look too fake and they’d see through your act."
Ji Qingwu’s eyes were still red. "You can doubt anything else, but never doubt that," she said. "Your missy has two great talents. Medicine is one. Crying is the other."
"I can cry in any way you can imagine. I’ve never once messed it up."
*
The excitement at Hanshan Temple had passed.
The morning court session in the Golden Throne Hall was, in its own way, just as lively.
Atop the Dragon Chair, Emperor Wu Su was still in the good mood from the day before. He looked even more relaxed, sitting casually with his long legs spread apart.
An official from the Astronomical Observatory stepped forward, his expression grave. "Reporting to Your Majesty, I have been observing the celestial phenomena nightly and have discovered an anomaly."
A celestial anomaly could affect the fate of the nation. This was a matter of great importance.
Emperor Wu Su asked in a deep voice, "What anomaly?"
Gao MinDa of the Astronomical Observatory said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the phenomenon of ’Mars lingering in the Heart’ has appeared. According to my divinations, this celestial event will be detrimental to the heir."
A low murmur of discussion spread among the officials.
The Emperor had only one son. If the celestial omen was unfavorable to the heir, did that not mean the imperial line was in danger of ending?
Lu Juan, who normally shied away from work, stepped forward voluntarily. Staring straight ahead, he said, "Is this celestial phenomenon truly so severe? Mr. Gao, surely you are not being an alarmist."
In response to Lu Juan’s challenge, Gao MinDa declared loudly, "For the past several days, Mars has been lingering in the Heart Mansion of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions. This is by no means an auspicious sign."
Lu Juan paused in thought for a moment. "If such a phenomenon has truly occurred, then we must indeed be cautious. The Holy Emperor currently has only one Prince, and we absolutely cannot allow any misfortune to befall the heir."
He shot a sideways glance at Gao MinDa, who stood beside him. "Then I ask you, Mr. Gao, how is this to be resolved?"
Wei Ting, standing in the front row, was not interested in this talk of celestial phenomena.
He watched Lu Juan and Gao MinDa’s coordinated performance, wondering what sort of drama the two were planning to stage today.
Emperor Wu Su also remained silent, listening to them with an impassive face.
Gao MinDa continued, "Everything in existence—the heavens, the earth, the sun, moon, and stars—is composed of ’qi.’ The light and pure qi ascends to form the heavens, while the heavy and turbid qi sinks to form the earth. Combining this principle with the celestial omen, I have discovered the root cause of this anomaly."
Emperor Wu Su spoke, "What is the reason?"
Gao MinDa spoke with great earnestness, "The earth quakes when yin is in excess; the heavens crack when yang is deficient. The yang energy to the south of the city is far too potent. Connecting this to recent events, I believe that the mass marriage proposals from the military generals are what has brought harm to the Imperial Family’s line."
His words threw the entire hall into an uproar.
Wei Ting, who had been looking down slightly, finally raised his head.
’So this entire elaborate setup was about what happened the day before yesterday.’
’I had assumed that since the Emperor didn’t mention it yesterday, the matter was closed.’
’All of Lin’an knows that the Ji Family’s Fifth Missy has feelings for me and that she has a daughter. All I needed was to wear down the Ji Family until they agreed, and the marriage could go forward.’
’I never expected that someone with ulterior motives would turn this celestial omen into such a major issue.’
Lu Juan said, "I believe Mr. Gao’s words are very reasonable. The largest official residence in the southern part of the city belongs to the Ji Family. More than ten men, all of them military generals, have sought to marry a Miss Ji. This is indeed a manifestation of extremely potent yang energy."
He continued in a grave and earnest tone, "I implore you all, my lords, do not endanger the heir over these marriage proposals and destabilize the Beili Kingdom. As subjects of the throne, we must prioritize the affairs of the nation and put aside our personal feelings."
Now, anyone who persisted in seeking to marry Ji Qingwu would be accused of shaking the very foundations of the Beili Kingdom.
It was a crime no one could afford to bear—not even General Zhenbei, Wei Ting.
Emperor Wu Su sighed softly. "If that is the case, and it is the will of the heavens... my beloved ministers, I’m afraid you must part with what you hold dear."
