Ji Yan was forced to abdicate the throne and was rewarded with a mansion and estate, effectively placing him under house arrest in the capital.
When Ji Yan gritted his teeth and said, “I am willing to assist the young prince,” his heart was burning with anger, a fire he couldn’t release, consuming his insides.
But he had to say it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left the palace alive. He also knew that Ji Wujing was likely hoping he would struggle for power, giving Ji Wujing a legitimate reason to kill him!
While discussions about the enthronement ceremony were still ongoing in the palace, Ji Yan was escorted out first. He was placed in a soft sedan chair and sent to the estate. Throughout the journey, his hands on his knees trembled continuously.
He couldn’t suppress his anger. As a prince, he had his pride. Being manipulated by Ji Wujing and the court officials in this manner was utterly unacceptable to him.
A misstep by the sedan bearers caused a slight jolt, making Ji Yan cough suddenly, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
His rage had reached a critical point.
His fist clenched on the sedan chair, his eyes filled with hatred.
No, he couldn’t tolerate being fooled by everyone like this! If he survived today, there would be a day when he would rise again!
“Ji Zhao! I won’t let you go! Even if I die, I won’t let you go, even as a ghost!” Ji Yan gritted his teeth, wishing he could skin Ji Wujing alive!
The national banquet that started in the afternoon lasted until midnight, with no one leaving the palace except Ji Yan. The military surrounded the entire palace, layer upon layer, impenetrable. No one inside could leave, and no one outside could enter.
Ji Xinglou was getting sleepy.
He looked up at Gu Jianli.
Feeling his gaze, Gu Jianli lowered her eyes to meet his. Knowing he was tired from standing, she instinctively wanted to pat his head and pick him up, but her movement halted abruptly.
Times had changed; Ji Xinglou was no longer an ordinary child. He was the Son of Heaven of Great Ji, watched by countless eyes at all times. He could no longer act like a spoiled child from an ordinary family.
While Gu Jianli felt sorry for the young Ji Xinglou, Ji Wujing, standing beside her, stepped forward, bent down, and picked him up.
Ji Xinglou glanced quickly at Gu Jianli before carefully wrapping his arms around Ji Wujing’s neck and yawning against his shoulder. The debating officials fell silent, looking at the drowsy young emperor.
“The matters of the enthronement ceremony can be discussed by the ministers. His Majesty is tired and needs rest,” said Ji Wujing.
The ministers knelt, shouting “Long live the emperor,” and respectfully watched as Ji Wujing carried Ji Xinglou away.
Gu Jianli walked beside Ji Wujing, listening to the respectful calls behind them. She suddenly smiled.
“Why are you smiling?” Ji Wujing glanced sideways at her.
Gu Jianli made a sound of acknowledgment and said, “I was foolish, too rigid in my thinking.”
Ji Wujing smiled and said, “It’s fine. The ideas Gu Jingyuan planted in your mind are slowly being cleared out.”
Ji Xinglou looked up at Ji Wujing and then at Gu Jianli, wanting to speak but hesitating.
“What’s wrong, Xinglou?” Gu Jianli asked.
Ji Xinglou, somewhat uneasy, replied, “Can you hold me?”
Gu Jianli was momentarily taken aback, then quickly understood. Ji Wujing rarely held children, so it seemed his grip was uncomfortable for Ji Xinglou.
Ji Wujing’s face darkened for a moment, and with a sarcastic tone, he muttered, “You little brat,” before shoving Ji Xinglou into Gu Jianli’s arms.
Ji Xinglou took a couple of deep breaths and, lying on Gu Jianli’s shoulder, whispered into her ear, “I was suffocating…”
“I can hear you.” Ji Wujing said slowly.
Ji Xinglou’s grip around Gu Jianli’s neck tightened involuntarily.
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but laugh. She said, “Xinglou, you don’t need to be afraid of him. You are the emperor now, the most important person, even more important than him!”
Ji Xinglou sighed with a hint of grievance, dramatically patting his chest and muttering, “I wouldn’t dare, I might lose my life!”
Gu Jianli chuckled lightly, but Ji Wujing remained expressionless, continuing to walk ahead.
Ji Xinglou sneaked a glance at Ji Wujing’s face, paused for a moment, then quietly said, “No matter how important I am, I can’t be more important than Father.”
Gu Jianli rubbed his face and said softly, “Xinglou, in the future, when there are no others around, you can call us whatever you want. But if there are others present, you can’t call us ‘Daddy’ and ‘Mommy’ anymore.”
“I will call you that!” Ji Xinglou huffed heavily.
“Be good, Xinglou.”
“I won’t!” Ji Xinglou got angry, his eyes widening. “You say I’m the emperor, the most important person in the world, so why can’t I do whatever I want? Whoever tries to control me, I’ll chop off their head!”
Gu Jianli was momentarily stunned, not knowing how to respond.
Ji Wujing glanced at him and sneered lightly, “Call me whatever you want. If you call me Grandpa, I’ll respond too.”
Ji Xinglou blinked, staring blankly at Ji Wujing, his anger suddenly dissipating.
Gu Jianli, carrying Ji Xinglou, walked forward in silence. After a while, she frowned and glared at Ji Xinglou, reprimanding, “You little tyrant.”
Ji Xinglou rolled his eyes.
Pretending to be angry, Gu Jianli said, “Fine, I’ve been holding you, my arms are sore, and you dare roll your eyes at me! You can walk by yourself!”
She set Ji Xinglou down on the ground and walked ahead without looking back.
“Hey…” Ji Xinglou watched Ji Wujing and Gu Jianli’s departing figures in a daze. What happened to being the most important person in the world as the emperor?
Why is life exactly the same as before?
Changlin, who had been following them, quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and asked, “Your Majesty, would you like me to carry you?”
Ji Xinglou rolled his eyes dramatically and dashed towards Gu Jianli.
“Mother! Mother!” Ji Xinglou caught up with Gu Jianli in one breath, his small arms tightly hugging her leg, refusing to let her go.
Gu Jianli looked down, rubbed his head, and picked him up again. This time, Ji Xinglou lay quietly in her arms, no longer causing a fuss, and soon fell asleep. The little child, with his limited energy, couldn’t stay awake any longer after all the commotion.
Ji Wujing watched Gu Jianli holding Ji Xinglou and spoke up.
“Gu Jianli—” He always drawled her name lazily, “Tsk, you’ve come a long way. With your usual temperament, wouldn’t you have given him a long lecture on why he shouldn’t act like a little tyrant?”
Gu Jianli smiled softly and said, “Xinglou may speak nonsense, but he is actually a well-behaved child. He is only five years old and still can’t fully distinguish right from wrong. If he truly becomes a tyrant in the future, it wouldn’t be his fault but ours for not teaching him well.”
“Tsk, not giving him a lecture, but giving me one instead.”
Ignoring his remark, Gu Jianli continued, “To understand a person’s heart, you don’t listen to what they say, but watch what they do. Words can be false, but actions speak the truth.”
Ji Wujing casually asked, “You never thought about changing Xinglou’s bad temper?”
Gu Jianli retorted, “Why should it be changed?”
Ji Wujing looked at her with exasperation, “Isn’t that obvious?”
“People have various dispositions, each unique. Why rank personalities? Isn’t it beautiful to live happily in one’s own way as long as it doesn’t harm or disturb others? The same goes for relationships; if compatible, stay together, if not, part ways. Criticizing someone’s temperament is meaningless; it merely reflects differing views and incompatibility.” Gu Jianli said earnestly, “Just like the whole capital says your temper is bad, but I think it’s great.”
Ji Wujing suddenly stopped, turned to look at Gu Jianli.
“Say that again,” he demanded.
“I’ve told you, words can be false. What matters is not what is said,” Gu Jianli said, handing the sleeping Ji Xinglou to Ji Wujing. She adjusted Ji Wujing’s arms, teaching him how to hold Xinglou comfortably for both.
Lowering her gaze, she continued, “Like this. You need to learn. Xinglou is growing heavier by the day. I can’t always carry him.”
“Gu Jianli, I told you to say it again,” Ji Wujing insisted, his patience wearing thin.
Gu Jianli slowly lifted her eyes to meet his gaze.
The night was dark, stars glittering like a sieve.
“I said…”
Before she could finish, Ji Wujing suddenly leaned down and kissed her, swallowing the rest of her words.
——Don’t speak, I don’t want to hear with my ears. Say it to my heart.
Gu Jianli’s eyes widened in shock, forgetting to react. She belatedly tried to push Ji Wujing away, her face flushed bright red!
Not to mention that Changlin and Changling were still following behind, the palace was bustling tonight with patrolling guards, maids, and eunuchs constantly coming and going…
Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing temporarily stayed in the palace. Given the numerous affairs in the palace and court, they naturally had to remain to assist Ji Xinglou.
Chen He was very busy.
The days of leisurely basking in the sun with a cat were gone. He finally understood why Ji Wujing had chosen him. Affairs of the court were handled by ministers, but all palace matters were entrusted to him.
Gu Jianli personally sewed a small coat for Xuetuan to keep him warm and sent it over. Seeing this, Chen He stopped complaining to Ji Wujing, gathered the forces of the Eastern Depot, and managed all palace affairs meticulously.
The palace was busy, and hidden dangers lurked in the shadows. It was six or seven days before Gu Jianli took Ji Xinglou home to pick up Ji Xinglan.
Originally, she could have gone alone, but Ji Xinglou insisted on going with her.
When Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing took Ji Xinglou home, they naturally brought palace guards.
Ji Xinglan was building a snowman alone in the courtyard. She turned and stared at her brother, surrounded by guards, and for a moment, she was dazed, looking at Ji Xinglou as if he were a stranger.
Ji Xinglou walked towards her, displeased, and said, “Why didn’t you run to hug me like before?”
Ji Xinglan blinked, and her eyes suddenly reddened.
She hadn’t seen her brother for several days, and seeing him today should have made her smile. Ji Xinglan thought this and tried to smile. But as her smile grew brighter, her tears began to fall. The unstoppable tears rolled down her cheeks and into her dimples.
“Why are you crying!” Ji Xinglou panicked and reached out to hug his sister.
Ji Xinglan raised her small hands to hug her brother, crying continuously, “You’re leaving, we can’t be together anymore…”
Ji Xinglou hurriedly said, “We’ll be together!”
“You’re not my brother, so we can’t always be together…” Ji Xinglan cried, feeling wronged.
Ji Xinglou, flustered, said, “Then, then if you don’t want to be my sister, be my wife so we can always be together!”