Super-Fertile Darling: Forced to Marry the Heirless Tyrant

Chapter 272: Chapter 272: A Fortuitous Wedding for Your Majesty? Overcome with Rage

The medicine worked quickly.

After about half an incense stick’s time, the man lying beneath the bright yellow silk quilt opened his eyes.

Li Yuzong threw himself to the floor before the Dragon Bed, his face mournful and his eyes filled with tears. "Holy Emperor, you’re finally awake! This old servant has been waiting so anxiously..."

Emperor Wu Su shot the noisy old servant a sharp glare.

Duan Mingfeng quickly pulled Li Yuzong away.

Emperor Wu Su sat up, opened his palms, and tried to circulate his body’s Inner Strength. It was depleted, but not stagnant.

The movement pulled at the wound on his chest. His gaze fell to his left breast, his brow furrowing slightly.

But it wasn’t because of the pain. It was because the bandage on his chest had been tied into a delicate concentric knot. The bitter scent of herbs from beneath the white cloth was strong; he had no idea what kind of medicine had been applied.

Emperor Wu Su hadn’t spoken in days. His voice was raw and hoarse as he asked.

"Who did this?"

The others all looked where the Emperor was staring.

Emperor Wu Su had woken up and not asked about court affairs or the situation with Xijin, but was instead concerned with this knot.

But as for this concentric knot, Duan Mingfeng and Lu Juan weren’t in the imperial court yesterday, so they didn’t know who had tied it.

Li Yuzong, however, knew very well. He pushed past Duan Mingfeng, took a few steps forward, and cleared his throat. "Holy Emperor, Fifth Miss Ji tied that for you."

Emperor Wu Su’s gaze swept across the hall. "Where is she?"

The mere thought of where Ji Qingwu might be right now, and what she might be doing, made Li Yuzong scurry back again, hunching his shoulders as he tried to hide behind Duan Mingfeng.

Seeing the Emperor’s displeasure, they knew this wasn’t the time to discuss it. Firstly, matters of state came first. Secondly, they feared agitating His Majesty again. If it triggered the aftereffects Le Xi had mentioned, it would be detrimental to his health.

Lu Juan spoke first. "Your Majesty, Mr. Duan has something to report."

Pushed forward, Duan Mingfeng maintained his tough-guy persona and braced himself. "My Lord, the assassins from the Xijin Faction sent to the Emperor Temple have all been eliminated. No one was left alive."

"On the afternoon of the return from the ancestral worship ceremony, a small group of assassins also appeared in the Imperial Palace. Their target was Young Master Yuan Heng, but they were all stopped by Miss Ji and General Wei."

Lu Juan shot Duan Mingfeng a sideways glance.

’This martial arts blockhead. Now is not the time to be mentioning Ji Qingwu.’

Duan Mingfeng continued, "General Wei intentionally devised a plan to let the Fourth Prince Xijin escape. He had him followed and has discovered his hiding place."

"The entire court now knows of your serious injuries. Last night, our spies in the court sent people to make contact with Yu Wen Tianqing."

Emperor Wu Su nodded. Wei Ting was still reliable; no major disasters had occurred.

After sitting up, his movements were largely unimpeded, but his face was still visibly pale.

Emperor Wu Su raised his eyes, his gaze like cold daggers, and once again asked the question they had been avoiding.

"Where is she?"

Lu Juan was the first to distance himself. "The last time I saw Fifth Sister was when you were brought back to the palace unconscious after the assassination attempt. Fifth Sister was waiting at the palace gates. Today, I was busy searching for Le Xi and was not in the palace, so I haven’t seen her since."

Hearing that Ji Qingwu had been waiting for him at the palace gates, Emperor Wu Su’s brow furrowed even tighter. His gaze shifted to the person beside Lu Juan.

Li Yuzong slapped his head. "I remember! Miss Ji was watching over you all last night. I don’t know where she went today either."

The corner of Emperor Wu Su’s mouth curved into a cold sneer.

The last to speak was Duan Mingfeng. By now, anyone could see that the Emperor was in an extremely foul mood.

The pressure on him was immense, but he still answered honestly. "This morning, I saw Miss Ji. She was leaving Zhaoyang Hall with a bundle on her back."

Duan Mingfeng endured the gaze that felt like it could bore through his skull. "I didn’t ask where Miss Ji was going, but... she said... she said..."

Emperor Wu Su finished the sentence for him, his expression blank.

"She said she would never come back."

Duan Mingfeng looked up in astonishment, then nodded.

Everyone saw the Emperor’s face darken with the oppressive stillness of a gathering storm.

Emperor Wu Su believed he understood Ji Qingwu’s timid, life-cherishing nature.

He could have predicted the chaos that would erupt in the palace while he was injured and unconscious. He had always hoped Ji Qingwu wouldn’t be dragged into it, but now it seemed impossible for her to remain uninvolved.

Even if he pushed her aside, she would still charge right back in for Yuan Heng’s sake.

That she was able to stay by his side at a time like this, taking care of him for a whole night, was something he hadn’t expected.

’But was Ji Qingwu so frightened by the chaos in the palace that she’s running away again...?’

Emperor Wu Su had been lying down for days, and his whole body felt stiff and uncomfortable.

After getting out of bed, he raised a hand, and Li Yuzong quickly offered him an outer robe.

Noticing an important person was missing, Emperor Wu Su frowned. "Where is Wei Ting?"

At this, all three of them fell silent.

Emperor Wu Su’s cold, dark gaze fell on one of them. "Lu Juan, you answer."

Lu Juan said in a low voice, "General Wei is not in the palace. He is busy with an important matter."

Emperor Wu Su asked, "What important matter could Wei Ting possibly have? What is he busy with?"

The Emperor had been assassinated, yet his deeply trusted general wasn’t in the Imperial Palace standing guard. What could be more important than the Emperor’s safety?

Lu Juan took a breath and said quickly, "General Wei is getting married today."

Emperor Wu Su’s expression instantly darkened, his breathing growing heavy. It seemed he had already guessed why Wei Ting would suddenly get married.

He slowly turned to look at Lu Juan and said grimly, "For Wei Ting to choose this moment to get married... he truly is *my* loyal subject and fine general."

Lu Juan, usually eloquent, actually stuttered.

"He... he said... it was to bring good fortune to Your Majesty, that perhaps it would help you recover sooner."

’Bring *me* good fortune? What right does Wei Ting have to get married for that!’

Suddenly, a wave of fury surged through Emperor Wu Su. He choked out a cough, and a fresh stain of red blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The others’ faces paled as they rushed to his side.

*

「The Wei Residence.」

Ji Qingwu finished her meal and rinsed her mouth with Xuemei’s assistance.

Wei Ting, in a good mood, strode toward the washroom.

Ji Qingwu sat before the dressing mirror, removing the golden crown that had made her head ache. As she pulled out the hairpins and rings, the sound of splashing water from the bath reached her ears.

She sighed worriedly.

’Lan Zhi isn’t back yet. I don’t even know if my jars and vials of medicinal powders were brought over.’

Xuemei was tidying up the dried fruits scattered on the bed—symbols meant to wish for the early birth of a son.

Ji Qingwu turned her head. "Xuemei, leave it. You may go."

"But..." Xuemei hesitated, looking at the messy state of the bed.

Ji Qingwu rubbed her tight forehead, saying impatiently, "Do you not understand what I said?"

"Madam, I’ll be right outside the door. Please call for me if you need anything." Xuemei retreated, carrying the clutter from the table.

Once the door was closed, Ji Qingwu walked to the bed, glanced at it, then bent down and scattered the dried fruits all over it again.

Just as she finished arranging the longans, Peanuts, and other items evenly in every corner, a fresh, damp scent wafted over from beside her.

The scent enveloped her from behind, leaving Ji Qingwu with no escape.

A warm breath ghosted across her neck, and she froze as if her pressure points had been struck.

"What is my wife doing?"