Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Praying to Gods and Buddhas? Better to Ask Me
Ji Qingwu had just stabilized her pregnancy and cleared her blocked meridians, so she wasn’t worried about agitating her.
She said, "When the time comes, you can go watch Prince Consort Li’s wedding procession and see for yourself."
Mo Lingling shot to her feet in terror, her legs trembling as she stumbled backward, as if she had just heard something utterly unbelievable.
On the other side of the door, Duan Mingfeng was speechless with shock.
’This Miss Ji is so perceptive! She figured out whose child Mo Lingling is carrying from just a few words.’
The three of them were not only from the same hometown, Xianyang, but had also known one another since they were children.
Duan Mingfeng had no time to dwell on it. He quickly turned to look at Emperor Wu Su’s expression. If the Emperor learned that the Prince Consort was involved with a female servant from Liangxiang Pavilion and had secretly gotten her pregnant before the wedding, he would almost certainly take action to eliminate this potential threat to Princess Qingyun.
Mo Lingling’s life would be in jeopardy.
Emperor Wu Su’s expression was impassive, showing neither surprise nor anger.
Duan Mingfeng couldn’t fathom His Majesty’s thoughts. He lowered his head and started trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
Outside the small door, Ji Qingwu gazed into Mo Lingling’s devastated eyes, rose to her feet, and asked, "Did Li Chengxun ever promise to marry you?"
Mo Lingling bit her lip until it bled. She remembered that night—he had been drunk, calling out another woman’s name.
"No. It was just my own wishful thinking."
He disappeared afterward, and Mo Lingling never saw him again.
She’d had someone deliver a letter, but there was no reply. This extreme measure was the only way she could think of to let him know she was carrying his child.
"Based on my calculations, you must have conceived this child around the time he became the top scholar."
’A terrible suspicion formed in Ji Qingwu’s mind.’
’At the Lu Ming Banquet, Li Chengxun had been drinking. He had pestered her by the pond, then gone to accompany the Princess, and after that, visited Liangxiang Pavilion... Flitting between three different women in a single night.’
A mocking smile touched Ji Qingwu’s lips.
Her gaze turning cold, she asked, "Are you sure you want to bear a child for a man like that?"
Mo Lingling clutched her belly and stumbled back several steps until her back hit the small yellow door.
But the door wasn’t locked, only pushed to. With a lurch, Mo Lingling started to fall backward through it.
If she fell, it would be a disaster.
Ji Qingwu dashed forward nimbly to catch her, but the stone path was slippery, her foot catching on some moss or mud.
She managed to grab Mo Lingling’s sleeve and pull her back, but she couldn’t stop her own forward momentum. Instead, both of them stumbled forward through the door.
Ji Qingwu braced for the fall, twisting her body to cushion Mo Lingling’s landing.
’Even though she knew a man like Li Chengxun wasn’t worth it, and an accidental miscarriage might even be a form of release for Mo Lingling...’
’...the decision had to be Mo Lingling’s to make.’
The force of their fall threw the small door wide open.
In the ensuing chaos, Ji Qingwu saw Mo Lingling’s eyes lock onto something behind her, her pupils dilating in shock.
’What’s behind me? Why does she look even more terrified, like she’s just seen a wild beast in a jungle?’
A Soft Sword coiled around Mo Lingling’s waist, pulling her to the side. With a slight tug, the person steadied her on her feet.
Ji Qingwu let out a breath of relief. ’As long as the poor pregnant woman didn’t fall.’ But she herself wasn’t so lucky; she was still tumbling backward.
However, the expected pain of the fall never came.
A pair of large, warm, and powerful hands caught her arms, steadying her.
Once steady on her feet, Ji Qingwu started to turn and see who it was. She never imagined someone would be behind a door in such a secluded spot.
The person behind her gave a sharp pull, and an arm wrapped around her waist.
"Throwing yourself into my arms?"
Seeing Ji Qingwu’s confused expression, Mo Lingling started to say, "It’s your new lover—MMPH!" Her mouth was quickly covered by someone with a grim expression, and she was dragged away.
In truth, Ji Qingwu didn’t need the reminder. She had already recognized the man from his deep, cold voice.
Emperor Wu Su’s voice sounded by her ear.
"New lover?"
’The Emperor knows about Mo Lingling now. There’s no telling how he’ll handle it.’ Ji Qingwu said softly, "That female servant has a habit of spouting nonsense. Your Majesty shouldn’t pay her any mind."
"Fine. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear."
’Ji Qingwu was puzzled. Why was the Emperor being so agreeable today?’
Then he continued, "But I heard something else. Something you said, Ah Wu. That your previous man... was ’bullied to death’ by you?"
’She knew it. Emperor Wu Su wouldn’t let her off that easily. This was what he had been waiting for.’
She remained silent.
His large hand slid around her waist as he asked, "I’m very curious. When someone displeases you, how exactly do you ’bully’ them?"
Ji Qingwu lost all the assertive confidence she’d shown with Mo Lingling. Her eyes darted about guiltily.
"If Ah Wu won’t say, then I’ll have to guess." Emperor Wu Su lowered his head, his gaze fixed on her earlobe as he murmured, "When they displease you, do you refuse to give them food? Or water? Or perhaps... you don’t let them into your bed?"
’How could I do that? This is getting more and more ridiculous.’
Annoyed and embarrassed, Ji Qingwu snapped, "I don’t let them wear pants!"
A low chuckle tickled her ear. "That does sound like something Ah Wu would do."
A distant temple bell echoed. Remembering they were at Hanshan Temple, Ji Qingwu tensed and pushed at his hand, trying to put some distance between them.
But Emperor Wu Su only tightened his arm, holding her firmly in his embrace.
"Why did you come to Hanshan Temple today?"
Although this spot was secluded, there was still a chance they could be seen. Chatting while pressed so intimately together made Ji Qingwu’s nerves fray. She was terrified someone would find them.
"To offer incense and pray," she said distractedly.
Emperor Wu Su said dismissively, "If Ah Wu has a wish for the gods and Buddha, it would be much faster to just ask me."
Ji Qingwu tried to reason with him gently. "Your Majesty, this is sacred ground. It isn’t right for us to be like this."
"Like what?"
’This feels too much like a secret affair.’
But His Majesty the Emperor had nerves of steel and seemed to think nothing was amiss.
Ji Qingwu said sternly, "This hugging and holding is completely improper. It’s disrespectful to the divine. The Buddha will be angered."
With one arm still around her, he used his other hand to lift her chin and turn her face toward his. "Buddha offers salvation to all living things, but I have no need for his help. Only Ah Wu can be my salvation."
’Were those really words that an emperor, who regularly presided over sacrificial rites, should be saying?’
He sought salvation not from the heavens, but from her. The tips of Ji Qingwu’s ears burned. Her bright eyes flickered as she whispered, "Let me go first."
"No."
Emperor Wu Su gazed at her, his eyes purely black, and said in a deep voice, "You were the one who burst through the door and into my arms, yet now you’re telling me to let go."
His words were tinged with a hint of gritted-teeth frustration. Ji Qingwu sensed something was different about him today.
But before she could pinpoint what felt wrong, he gripped her chin and kissed her—deeply and fiercely.
’Ji Qingwu had once thought of Emperor Wu Su as a cold, distant moon in the sky, utterly unapproachable.’
’But now that she was close, she knew he was a searing white flame, burning hotly upon a jade branch.’
’Get too close, and that blazing inferno would burn you to ash, leaving not even a trace behind.’
