The Second Madam sighed repeatedly and grabbed Ji Xuanke’s hand, saying, “Are you really not considering it? Mother is telling you, the Tian family girl is truly excellent. She comes from a good family, has a good character, and is skilled in embroidery and cooking. She’s also quite pretty, with delicate features. If you stood together, you would certainly make a good match. And the children you would have in the future…”
“No.” Ji Xuanke sat in front of the long desk, flipping through a scroll, his eyes never leaving the pages, barely paying attention to what his mother was saying.
The Second Madam placed a portrait of the Tian girl on the long desk, urging, “At least take a look!”
Ji Xuanke turned slightly with the scroll still in his hand.
Looking at the delicate and quiet girl in the portrait, the Second Madam couldn’t help but say, “You would surely like her if you met her! She’s even more beautiful in person than in the portrait…”
Gu Jianli’s face flashed before the Second Madam’s eyes. Lowering her voice, she continued, “Although she can’t compare to the two beauties of Anjing, but…”
Ji Xuanke slammed the scroll down heavily, a slight anger showing between his brows.
The Second Madam suddenly felt very wronged, a wave of sadness washing over her. She hit Ji Xuanke hard on the shoulder twice, choking out, “What do you want? To never marry for your entire life? Mother knows you are sentimental and still have feelings for Gu Jianli. But Gu Jianli is already your fifth aunt! What can be done at this point? Stop being stubborn. Mother feels just as bad. Who would have thought that Emperor Chang would die unexpectedly in a fire, and that Prince Wuxian would rise up… Mother is begging you to consider her. What can Mother do? It was Emperor Chang’s secret decree! If I had told you, with your temperament, you would have never agreed, and it would have caused unnecessary trouble…”
“Please stop talking,” Ji Xuanke’s voice grew heavy.
“I will continue to speak! Otherwise, should I let you keep thinking about that woman who is now your fifth aunt? If others found out…”
“What could you do? It is natural that the family wouldn’t help. I don’t blame you. But if you had told me, I could have taken her away and found a way to hide her by faking her death. But you chose to deceive and send me away.” Ji Xuanke chuckled coldly, his gaze on the Second Madam was icy, “The Tian family will affect Father’s career, won’t they?”
The Second Madam was slightly taken aback.
Ji Xuanke leaned back slightly against the chair, slowly twirling a jade clasp between his fingers, saying, “When I needed you, you chose to deceive me. In the future, don’t expect any help from me.”
“But you are our son!”
“Mother, rest assured, I will fulfill my duties of filial piety in taking care of you in your old age.” Ji Xuanke paused, “I also hope to maintain this superficial harmony.”
Ji Xuanke’s gaze at the Second Madam was cold and indifferent, his dark eyes devoid of emotion. The Second Madam suddenly felt he was a stranger, completely unlike the excellent son she used to know.
The rain continued for two days, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, never stopping. Gu Jianli leisurely did her needlework, not feeling bored at all. It was harder for the restless children who were getting bored. Gu Jianli had to put away her needlework and spent a lot of time accompanying Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou.
Gu Jianli reclined on the Luohan bed, holding a scroll, telling strange stories to the two children. Ji Xinglan obediently snuggled close to her, blinking his eyes as he listened to the stories. Ji Xinglou sat at the other end of the Luohan bed, far away, head down, playing with an intricate lock, but also listening intently to the stories.
Ji Wujing pushed the door open and glanced at the three children on the Luohan bed.
“Later…” Gu Jianli stopped, lifting her gaze from the book to look at Ji Wujing, asking, “Do you want to sleep for a while? If we’re disturbing you, we’ll go to the outer room.”
“Tell a nicer story,” Ji Wujing said, reclining on the bed, planning to fall asleep listening to Gu Jianli’s storytelling.
Gu Jianli continued, her voice sweet and soft, deliberately light and gentle. Within half an hour, Ji Wujing on the bed had fallen asleep, and Ji Xinglan, snuggled in her arms, was also sound asleep.
Gu Jianli looked up at Ji Xinglou, asking softly, “Still listening?”
Ji Xinglou pouted, “Not interesting.”
He lay down with his little butt in the air, playing with the intricate lock. He had already solved it long ago and was now just messing it up to solve it again, passing the time.
Just as Gu Jianli put down the strange tales book, Ji Xinglou sneezed.
Gu Jianli gently moved the sleeping Ji Xinglan, covered her with a small quilt, and reached out to touch Ji Xinglou’s forehead; he had a slight fever. She got off the Luohan bed, took a small cotton jacket from the shelf, and put it on Ji Xinglou. She whispered, “The rain has made it cold these past two days. Tonight, I will have Jixia make you some ginger soup, and you must drink it all.”
Ji Xinglou felt an itch on his side, scratched it, and ignored Gu Jianli.
Although playing with children was quite fun, spending all day with them was exhausting. After just two days, Gu Jianli was feeling worn out. Fortunately, in the evening, Changsheng came to report that he needed to go back to the Xuanjing Sect to fetch Lizi.
Gu Jianli was very happy. Although Lizi was a bit dull-witted, she was strong, seemed to never get tired, and loved playing with children. Both Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou didn’t mind her.
The rain gradually stopped during the night, and by the morning of the third day, the sky was clear and blue. Gu Jianli opened the window and smiled at the bright sky. Today was the day Ji Jingyi would come to check Ji Wujing’s pulse. Ji Jingyi was getting old, so the good weather made it easier for him to come.
At breakfast, as usual, Ji Wujing only had fish congee. Gu Jianli, holding a small plate, gave some fresh vegetables to the picky Ji Xinglan. Ji Xinglan looked at the meat in her bowl, not wanting to eat the green vegetables. She quietly lowered her head, pretending not to see them.
“Lanlan,” Gu Jianli called her.
“Yes!” Ji Xinglan raised her head.
Gu Jianli fed her a piece of green vegetable wrapped around some meat.
Unlike Ji Xinglan, Ji Xinglou wasn’t picky and ate more than other children his age. But Gu Jianli noticed he looked listless and didn’t seem to have an appetite.
Gu Jianli leaned over and touched his forehead. She asked, “Xinglou, are you feeling unwell? Did you drink the ginger soup last night?”
“I’m fine!” Ji Xinglou turned his head, shaking off Gu Jianli’s hand.
Jixia, standing nearby, said, “He did, he was very obedient and drank a whole bowl. I also made him some medicine for wind-cold last night, and he drank half a bowl. This morning, his fever has mostly gone down, but he might be tired from not sleeping well last night.”
Gu Jianli nodded and instructed Jixia to take the two children to the back courtyard for a nap later.
Suddenly, Ji Wujing spoke up, “Gu Jianli, I also want to eat vegetables wrapped with meat.”
“Okay.” Gu Jianli rolled a piece and handed it to him, noticing he was holding the fish congee bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other, without any intention of taking it.
Gu Jianli hesitated for a moment, then fed it to him.
Ji Wujing then said slowly, “I think I have a fever too.”
Gu Jianli thought to herself that Ji Wujing must not fall ill, and hurriedly placed her palm on his forehead.
“Not hot.”
Ji Wujing gave a lazy, half-smiling response, “You’re blocking my porridge.”
Gu Jianli froze for a moment, then realized what he meant and glared at him.
The weather gradually warmed, and today was particularly nice, with the door open. As Luo Muge stepped into the courtyard, she saw through the open door Gu Jianli feeding Ji Wujing and affectionately touching his forehead.
Ye Yunyue emerged from the side room with a basin of dirty clothes, ready to wash them in the back courtyard. Seeing Luo Muge, she shot her a venomous glare.
Luo Muge lowered her head, expressionless.
Four years ago, Ji Wujing had her approach Ye Yunyue, speak ill of him, and instigate Ye Yunyue to break off their engagement, making the matter as public as possible.
Although she was Ji Wujing’s junior disciple, their interactions over the years had been few. Ji Wujing had always been aloof, indifferent to everyone, even towards her father, Ji Wujing’s master.
That time was the only occasion Ji Wujing sought her out.
Upon learning that Ji Wujing didn’t want to marry Ye Yunyue, Luo Muge felt inexplicably happy. Moreover, because he sought her out, she experienced a different kind of joy—or rather, she harbored a misunderstanding.
Four years had passed in a blink.
It seemed as though nothing had happened, and they remained like strangers, just senior and junior disciples.
“Muge, what are you daydreaming about?” Ji Jingyi asked.
“Nothing.” Luo Muge collected her thoughts.
Ji Jingyi and Luo Muge waited in the side hall until Ji Wujing’s family finished their breakfast before going to take his pulse.
“Hmm?” Ji Jingyi took Ji Wujing’s pulse for a long time, surprised to find that the decline in Ji Wujing’s vital energy had slowed, and his blood and energy flow had slightly improved.
He happily announced, “Congratulations, the poison in the Sect Leader’s body has not worsened further.”
Gu Jianli’s eyes curved with joy, and she spoke warmly, “I also feel that Fifth Master’s complexion has improved considerably these past few days. I wonder why.”
Ji Jingyi smiled and explained, “The poison in the Sect Leader’s body is extremely potent. An ordinary person would have long since perished. However, the Sect Leader’s profound inner strength has allowed him to resist it from within. All ailments are connected to emotions in some way.”
Gu Jianli vaguely recalled that Ji Wujing’s sudden blood vomiting and severe symptoms occurred when he was in a particularly bad mood. And could it be that his slight improvement these past few days was due to his good mood?
She turned her face to Ji Wujing and said seriously, “Then Fifth Master must maintain a good mood every day.”
Ji Wujing casually replied, “That depends on whether anyone annoys me.”
Gu Jianli suddenly felt confused. Because… she didn’t understand why Ji Wujing had suddenly been in a bad mood that day, nor why his mood had improved these past few days. Ji Wujing was a person of capricious temper, hiding his true feelings so deeply that others found it hard to understand and discern.
In the evening, before the sky darkened, Gu Jianli opened the wardrobe, carefully choosing clothes, and selecting matching jewelry with great attention. Because tomorrow was June 12th, the Hundred Flowers Banquet.
This Hundred Flowers Banquet is a day when flowers compete for beauty, and so do the daughters of the capital.
Ji Wujing watched in surprise as Gu Jianli ran back and forth, changing from one dress to another, admiring herself in the bronze mirror. She was full of childishness.
So, she loved beauty too and had this girlish side.
Ji Wujing suddenly remembered what she looked like when she first married him—clearly terrified, yet pretending to be composed and mature, a fifteen-year-old putting on the airs of a twenty-five-year-old.
She was much more adorable now.
“The rose bath is ready,” Jixia said with a smile as she emerged from the west room.
Not only had Gu Jianli carefully chosen her clothes, but she also wanted to take a good rose bath to make herself smell fragrant.
Ji Wujing curiously followed her into the west room, and as soon as he entered, he was enveloped in a pleasant fragrance. The surface of the water was thickly covered with rose petals.
Gu Jianli, thinking he wanted to use the bath, quickly said, “Jixia picked these for a long time. If you like it, we can have her pick more for you another day!”
Ji Wujing was speechless. He wanted to leave but then laughed and said, “Let’s bathe together and enjoy the fragrance.”
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