After her rebirth, Ye Yunyue always avoided thinking too much about her past life. Just the thought of how Wujing treated Gu Jianli well made her heart ache.
She hated herself for breaking off the engagement, regretting it to her core. Many people habitually find excuses for themselves, and Ye Yunyue didn’t have the courage to hate herself, so she hated her parents for not stopping her from breaking off the engagement, hated her ex-husband, the despicable man who deliberately entangled her, and even hated her former bosom friend Luo Muge to the point of grinding her teeth. Back then, Luo Muge had told her that the two children Wujing brought back were illegitimate, scaring her so much that she didn’t dare marry him. Now she thought, what did it matter if Wujing had illegitimate children? As long as she could become the legitimate wife of the country’s father, it wouldn’t matter how he indulged himself outside, even if he raped women, so what? After all, it wasn’t her who was raped. If she didn’t like those two illegitimate children, she could find a way to get rid of them.
Thinking of Luo Muge made Ye Yunyue so angry she could hardly breathe. Luo Muge had ruined her happiness for this lifetime! The saying goes, “mediate for reconciliation, not for separation,” and “rather destroy a temple than a marriage.” How could Luo Muge, as her close friend and Wujing’s junior sister, deliberately speak ill of Wujing in front of her? Even if it was the truth, she should have kept it hidden!
“Aunt Yunyue!” Ji Xinglan climbed up.
Ye Yunyue came back to her senses, hurriedly putting on a smile and walking over. Just as she was about to step over the threshold, she glanced at Wujing, pulled her leg back, and said softly, “Fifth Master, Chief Chen of the Western Depot is here.”
Wujing frowned, his face showing impatience. However, he still went to the front courtyard to meet Chen He.
Chen He hadn’t taken a seat, standing by the three-legged high table, his gaze falling on Xuetuan. Xuetuan was stretching lazily on the high table. As Wujing entered, Xuetuan jumped up and leaped into Chen He’s arms.
“What’s the matter?” Wujing asked, leaning lazily against the doorframe without going in.
Chen He turned around, scrutinizing Wujing’s complexion, and said, “Senior brother looks much better.”
“Did you come all the way from the Western Depot just to talk nonsense?”
Chen He shook his head with a smile and said, “Today, I am here on behalf of His Majesty to visit you, and I brought some precious medicinal herbs as a reward from His Majesty. There are thousand-year-old ginseng, lingzhi, and snow lotus. His Majesty also said that if any medicinal herbs are missing from the prescription, feel free to get them from the Imperial Medical Institute.”
Wujing smiled, “Didn’t I always get my medicines from the Imperial Medical Institute before? What nonsense are you talking about.”
Chen He sighed helplessly, “Senior brother, this is called maintaining relationships, and it’s also His Majesty’s grace.”
“Anything else?”
Chen He was silent for a moment before he said, “I am surprised that with your temperament, you haven’t been beaten to death yet.”
Wujing sneered, speaking casually, “Because no one can kill me.”
Chen He choked, and after a moment of silence, he said, “His Majesty is in need of capable people now.”
“I can’t wield a sword anymore.” Wujing walked inside and sat down in a chair, leaning comfortably against the backrest. He took the tea cup from the tea tray on the table, placed it upright on the table, and with a flick of his fingers, the tea cup started spinning with a “da-da-da” sound. He looked very lazy and relaxed.
“Your poison…”
“There’s no antidote, it can’t be cured.”
“But…”
Wujing’s hand paused, the spinning tea cup stopped instantly, and with a “crack,” it fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
“Do you want me to spit blood for you?” Wujing raised the corners of his eyes, the coldness in his fox-like eyes apparent.
“Meow!” Xuetuan was startled, burrowing its head into Chen He’s arm.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid…” Chen He immediately lowered his head to look at it, gently stroking Xuetuan’s back to comfort it. Once Xuetuan calmed down, Chen He looked up at Wujing again, his eyes also cold, and said coolly, “You scared it.”
Chen He turned and left, still holding Xuetuan.
This time, it was Wujing who was at a loss for words. Watching Chen He’s retreating figure, he laughed in exasperation.
Wujing extended his hand and exerted a bit of force, causing black lines to appear on his palm, resembling a whirlpool. He then slowly clenched his hand. Wujing knew that the news of his counter-assassination of Zhang Yilun from Xuanjing Sect must have reached Ji Lan, and his display of martial skills when he entered the palace to fetch Gu Jianli must have made Ji Lan think he could still be of service.
“Truly ignorant,” Wujing said leisurely.
The martial arts he had displayed were only about thirty or forty percent of his true strength.
Wujing’s sword was extremely fast, his swift swordsmanship that could strip flesh from bones was renowned far and wide. However, no one knew that his best weapon was the heavy knife. It was just unfortunate that there was no longer anyone in this world worthy of him drawing his knife.
Gu Jianli played with Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou for quite a while, mainly with Ji Xinglan, as Ji Xinglou sat nearby with a disdainful look on his face. Gu Jianli taught Ji Xinglan several new ways to braid ropes and promised to make her a more beautiful Temari next time.
Jixia walked in, sat beside Gu Jianli on the rabbit fur rug, and said, “Madam, I just heard that His Majesty will be establishing the Empress during the Flower Festival.”
“The Flower Festival? That’s only a few days away.” Gu Jianli handed her hands, entwined with red rope, to Ji Xinglan, letting her play with the strings.
“Yes, it’s only a few days away. I heard that His Majesty originally intended for it to be the daughter of the Long family.”
“Yujun?” Gu Jianli was momentarily surprised. As the granddaughter of the Left Prime Minister, Long Yujun indeed had a high chance of being established as Empress. However, Gu Jianli felt that the palace was perilous and did not particularly wish for Long Yujun to enter it.
Jixia smiled and said, “But Miss Long suddenly got engaged, and her fiancé is from the Yu family.”
Gu Jianli thought for a moment and immediately understood. Long Yujun must not have wanted to marry into the palace, so she quickly got engaged to avoid this fate. After a while, Gu Jianli softly murmured, “That’s good too…”
“Then who is established as Empress?” Gu Jianli asked, already having a vague answer in her mind.
“The sister of His Majesty’s former fiancée before he ascended the throne, Sun Yinzhu.”
Gu Jianli nodded, not too surprised. The Sun sisters were daughters of the Right Prime Minister, so it was no surprise for one of them to become Empress. Gu Jianli also believed that Sun Yinzhu’s becoming Empress was not merely because she was Sun Yinlan’s sister but because she was the daughter of the Right Prime Minister. Gu Jianli hadn’t had much interaction with Sun Yinlan before, but she had spoken with Sun Yinzhu a few times at banquets. Sun Yinzhu was lively and the same age as Gu Jianli, only fifteen years old.
Ji Xinglan blinked, tilting her small head to observe the expression on Gu Jianli’s face. She put her little hand to her mouth and yawned repeatedly.
“Xinglan, are you sleepy?” Gu Jianli quickly gathered her thoughts and asked.
“Mm-hmm!” Ji Xinglan nodded vigorously, “I want to take a nap. Will you come play with me next time?”
“Alright then. Xinglan, take a nap.” Gu Jianli put away the red string in her hands, stood up with the help of Jixia, and watched Ji Xinglan climb into bed. She looked down at Ji Xinglou and said, “Xinglou, don’t disturb your sister while she sleeps. If you’re tired, you can take a nap too.”
“Tch, mind your own business!” Ji Xinglou turned his head away.
Gu Jianli knew that Ji Xinglou cared deeply for Ji Xinglan. She smiled and gently touched his small face before leaving with Jixia’s help.
As the door closed, Ji Xinglan threw off the covers, climbed out of bed, and ran to her brother, grabbing his hand in her childish voice, “Brother, play Temari with me.”
Ji Xinglou’s eyes widened in surprise, “You tricked her?”
Ji Xinglan quickly covered her brother’s mouth with her small hands and whispered, “Adults don’t like playing with kids. She was lost in thought just now! She must be very bored. Um, Lanlan will play with Brother and let her do what she likes!”
Ji Xinglou frowned as he looked at the colorful Temari his sister handed him. He wanted to say that he didn’t like playing with it either…
When Gu Jianli learned that Chen He had left, she went to find Wujing.
“Fifth Master, Xinglou was beaten, whipped in front of many servants,” Gu Jianli complained.
Wujing responded casually with an “Oh.”
His indifferent attitude made Gu Jianli a bit angry. She sat silently beside him, staring at the hem of her skirt.
After a long while, Wujing lifted his eyelids and glanced at her, then said to Jixia, “Tell me what happened.”
“…Then we came back.” Jixia fully used her eloquence to describe everything that happened, down to every word, expression, and look.
Wujing smiled and asked, “What’s your name again?”
Jixia was startled for a moment, quickly glanced at Gu Jianli, and then reported, “This foolish maid is Jixia.”
“Form a circus and perform, you’ll earn more than your master pays you,” Wujing said in an ambiguous tone.
“I dare not…” Jixia was so frightened that she trembled and quickly knelt down, bowing her head.
Gu Jianli glanced at Wujing’s expression and nonchalantly said, “Jixia, go help out in the kitchen.”
“Yes!” Jixia, as if pardoned, quickly bowed and retreated.
“Fifth Master, Xinglou…”
Wujing suddenly said, “The wheelchair stopped at the threshold, supported the Madam, helped her into the house, the old Madam granted a seat, the Madam sat down…”
At first, Gu Jianli listened in confusion, but then she realized Wujing was repeating Jixia’s words from earlier.
“What’s the matter?” Gu Jianli asked in puzzlement.
Just then, Changsheng passed by the door. Wujing pointed at him and said, “Go, remove all the thresholds in the residence for me.”
“Huh?” Changsheng was stunned for a moment, but immediately turned and left. No reason was needed; as long as it was Wujing’s order, it had to be done.
“Fifth Master!” Gu Jianli stood up, but when her left foot touched the ground, a sharp pain made her gasp.
This incident left Gu Jianli relying on crutches and a wheelchair for the next month, too afraid to try walking again.
As spring blossomed, Gu Jianli sat by the window, enviously watching Ji Xinglan hop and skip around the courtyard.
Wujing stood behind her and said, “If you don’t start practicing walking again, you’ll end up with one leg shorter than the other.”
“What do you mean?” Gu Jianli turned her head to look up at him.
“A limp.”
Gu Jianli was startled, her face turning pale. She paused and, as if comforting herself, said, “That won’t happen…”
“Get up.” Wujing gripped her shoulders and lifted her from the chair.
Gu Jianli stood in front of him, almost entirely supporting herself on her right foot.
Wujing stepped back, saying, “Walk over here, or I’ll spank you. And I’ll do it with your pants down.”
Gu Jianli frowned. She hesitantly tried to step with her left foot but still didn’t dare to put weight on it and pulled back. She watched Wujing warily and whispered, “Let’s wait a bit longer. What if I fall?”
“Falling a few times is normal,” Wujing said.
“That won’t do!” Gu Jianli quickly said, “What if it affects the baby?”
“What?” Wujing was stunned.
Gu Jianli blushed, “I…I haven’t had my period for two months. I might be pregnant…”
