“Has Princess Changning been settled?” Ji Shou looked at his son, Ji Yuanyi, gave him a calm glance, then sat at the table and poured himself a cup of tea before asking casually.
“Yes. I’ve arranged for her to rest in the neighboring wing.”
Ji Yuanyi nodded in response.
“I heard you spat blood?” Ji Shou’s gaze landed on him once more.
“It’s nothing. I just bit my lip.”
“Why would you do that?” Ji Shou wasn’t surprised by the answer. As his father, he knew exactly what Ji Yuanyi’s health was like. All that talk of ‘miasma’ and ‘old illness’ was nonsense.
Even though their family had been exiled for the past three years, they were still under the new emperor’s favor. Even in exile, they were treated decently and had not suffered any hardship.
So when Ji Shou heard the servants mention this incident, he instantly realized it was just one of his son’s little tricks. What puzzled him was why Ji Yuanyi would resort to such a crude and low-level tactic—something so lacking in dignity.
“Father, I had no other choice.”
Faced with his father’s stern questioning, Ji Yuanyi became a little indignant and quickly explained everything that had happened that day, including how they ran into Qin Yan.
“Foolish. Qin Yan? What are you afraid of him for?”
After hearing it all, Ji Shou scolded sternly.
“Look at your identity, then look at what Qin Yan is. He and Princess Changning are already divorced—he’s nothing more than a nobody now. And you? You’ve just returned to the Capital and already entered the Hanlin Academy. I’ve been appointed as Minister of Revenue. The Princess favors you. Your future is limitless, and yet you’re scared of a man like Qin Yan?”
Ji Shou frowned and reprimanded his son. The fact that he had gone so far as to use such tricks just to counter Qin Yan made him think his son was being cowardly.
“Your lesson is fair, Father. But I’m just afraid that Princess Changning still has feelings for him. Though they’re divorced, it was Qin Yan who spent three years by her side—not me. I have no idea what’s truly in her heart. So when I saw her still concerned about him today, I lost my composure.”
“Besides, even though they’re divorced, His Majesty has still not granted the marriage decree for me and Princess Changning. As long as that decree doesn’t arrive, our engagement remains unstable. I had no choice…” Read the latest chapters at g.com.
Ji Yuanyi spoke with bitterness, voicing his frustration. So many days had passed, yet Xiao Yuanwu had yet to bestow the decree. How could anyone blame him for being anxious?
“The Emperor is being cautious, worried that those old ministers will stir up trouble again. Back then, it was because of those retainers of the Late Emperor that we were forced to leave the Capital. Now, Princess Changning just divorced her husband—if he immediately agrees to a new marriage with you, it could provoke backlash from those same people.”
“Still, your concern isn’t without merit. Since you’ve done it, you may as well take it further.”
Ji Shou paused, then looked at his son meaningfully.
“What do you mean, Father?”
“Since the Princess is staying overnight at our estate, it no longer matters whether anything actually happened between you two. Spread word of it. Let everyone know that Princess Changning stayed the night at the Minister of Revenue’s residence because of you. Once the rumor spreads, it’ll become a matter of imperial reputation.”
“At that point, His Majesty will have no choice but to grant the marriage decree—if only to protect the Princess’s name. Once the marriage is set, you no longer have to worry about her having lingering feelings for Qin Yan.”
Ji Shou, an old fox of the political world, had already grasped the opportunity hidden in this event. He began guiding his son with a sly glint in his eyes.
Since Xiao Yuanwu didn’t want to bestow the marriage decree, then stir the pot until he had no choice. The fact that Princess Changning was staying overnight at the Ji residence was the perfect opportunity.
Whether they were innocent or not didn’t matter—once the gossip spread, Princess Changning’s reputation would be in question. And to preserve that, the Emperor would be forced to marry her off quickly.
“Father, that makes perfect sense! Why didn’t I think of this before? So today’s actions weren’t entirely foolish after all!”
Ji Yuanyi’s eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke to Ji Shou.
“Hmph, don’t get smug just yet. This incident will definitely cause His Majesty to have some opinions about our Ji family. You’d better behave for the next few days. No more clever little tricks.”
“Fortunately, you and the Princess were childhood friends, and His Majesty has always felt a bit guilty toward you. He won’t hold this against you too harshly. Just keep your head down and stay quiet.”
Ji Shou snorted and warned his son again not to overplay his hand.
“Yes, Father. I understand.”
“And this matter?”
“Understood.”
“Good. Now get some rest. I’m leaving.”
Ji Shou finished the tea in his cup, stood up, and left.
As he watched his father’s back disappear, Ji Yuanyi’s face showed a gleeful expression.
“The position of Princess Changning’s Prince Consort will be mine—Ji Yuanyi’s—without question.”
…
“Mother, how could you just let Jinyang do as she pleases? Qin Yan is Princess Changning’s former Prince Consort. How can you agree to let Jinyang marry a man who’s been divorced?”
Meanwhile, back in the imperial palace, things were far from calm. Xiao Yuanwu and the Empress were in the Empress Dowager’s quarters.
Originally, they had hoped that when Princess Jinyang came to greet the Empress Dowager, she would also hear about her request for a marriage decree, and that the Empress Dowager would step in to stop it. But what they didn’t expect was that the Empress Dowager didn’t object at all. That left the Emperor and Empress both uneasy—and so they came to question her directly.
“Why would I stop her?” the Empress Dowager asked calmly, glancing at the two with a hint of surprise.
“Mother, Qin Yan is Princess Changning’s ex-husband. Don’t you mind that Jinyang would be marrying a man who’s already been married?” the Empress asked anxiously. Wasn’t Jinyang the Empress Dowager’s most cherished daughter? How could she approve of such a match?
“As long as Jinyang is willing, what is there to mind? Besides, I’m not her birth mother, and she has the late Emperor’s decree. Why would I meddle?”
The Empress Dowager sighed and looked at the couple before her.
She had already anticipated their visit. She knew they were reluctant to accept this marriage, but because of the late Emperor’s decree, they didn’t want to speak out directly. So they wanted her to be the one to oppose it.
But she quite approved of Qin Yan—and she had no intention of playing the villain. So in front of the Emperor and Empress, she simply feigned innocence.