Chapter 037: It Was This Prime Minister Who Shamelessly Kissed My Wife

Chapter 037: It Was This Prime Minister Who Shamelessly Kissed My Wife

Ji Lingchuan felt utterly hopeless under Chu Li's intense gaze. He still couldn't figure out what the Crown Prince and He An meant by their words from the previous night.

They said that if they wanted to make the Second Prince lower his guard, it would all depend on him.

He was willing to contribute, but how exactly was he supposed to do it?

Just as he was pondering this, the Crown Prince brought up his name: "Today's banquet is simply a casual gathering for all of us to chat and catch up. It's also a farewell for the Prime Minister. This trip to Lu City will take one or two months, maybe three. During this time, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Prime Minister must work together to control the disaster situation to the best of our ability."

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue should have responded, but after waiting for a while, no one replied. It turned out he had been lost in thought. A nearby official nudged him, and only then did he snap back to reality, looking confused.

He An didn't care about the Minister of Revenue's reaction and replied, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will live up to the Emperor's and your expectations and handle the disaster relief properly."

"Very well, let's not dwell on it. The matter in Lu City is in the hands of the Prime Minister and Minister Qi. I hope to hear good news soon." As the mention of the Lu City disaster brought down the mood in the room, the Crown Prince changed the subject. "Fortunately, there are still some joyous events in the court."

Relieved that the topic had shifted away from Lu City, the officials quickly chimed in, "Your Highness, what joyous event are you referring to?"

"After the victory against the Southern Barbarians, Generals Ji and Liu deserve great credit. Out of concern for General Ji's long years of defending the borders, the Emperor has issued an imperial decree granting a marriage. By now, it should have already reached General Ji's estate."

Ji Lingchuan, who had been feeling utterly hopeless, jumped up from his chair. Chu Li, equally excited, blurted out, "Your Highness, who is the woman the Emperor has chosen for him?"

Seeing Chu Li on the verge of tears, the Crown Prince shook his head. "Other than you, who else could it be?"

Realization dawned on Chu Li, who was both surprised and delighted. Ji Lingchuan, however, remained in a state of utter despair.

Looking at the Crown Prince and He An with a complex expression, it dawned on him that the method they had mentioned to avoid arousing the Second Prince's suspicion was for him to escape the marriage.

His thoughts in disarray, Ji Lingchuan, not bothering to acknowledge the officials present, turned and hurriedly left. He needed to go home and confirm whether this was true.

Taken by surprise by the imperial decree, Chu Li was momentarily stunned and forgot to chase after him. By the time she came to her senses, Ji Lingchuan was already gone.

Hmph, no use. He can run, but he can't hide. He’ll be mine eventually.

After lunch, seeing that the Crown Prince's consort was tired, Ruan Qinghuan found an excuse to leave, but just as she stepped out, He An followed her.

Ruan Qinghuan glanced back inside, "Are you leaving now?"

"If I leave, others can start leaving too."

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

True, as a high-ranking Prime Minister, he needed to set an example for the officials.

They walked slowly along the quiet path leading out of the Prime Minister's residence. The path was deserted, offering a peaceful atmosphere. However, as they walked, they heard some noise ahead, and suddenly, a glimpse of a skirt appeared around the corner.

Judging by the color... it looked similar to what Ruan Xiaoyue was wearing.

"Please go easy on me, sir. This is the Crown Prince's estate. Please don't do this here."

"This afternoon, at the Mingming Tower, Top Room, I'll be waiting for you."

Ruan Qinghuan now realized it was her cousin, Ruan Xiaoyue.

He An pulled her aside to hide in the corner as Pei Chong emerged from inside, leaving over the wall. Ruan Qinghuan shook off He An's hand, stepped out from the corner, and bumped into Ruan Xiaoyue, who was adjusting her clothes.

Startled, Ruan Xiaoyue forced herself to keep a calm demeanor. "Cousin, what are you doing here?"

"Why are you here, Cousin?"

"I... I just came out to get some fresh air."

Ruan Qinghuan frowned. "The wind today isn't that strong, so how did it mess up your hair so much that even your hairpin is crooked?"

Ruan Xiaoyue realized that Ruan Qinghuan had noticed something was off and her face instantly turned pale.

"Ruan Xiaoyue, what do you think will happen if Second Uncle finds out about this?"

"What's it got to do with you? Minister Pei and I are in love, and he said he would marry me." She snorted proudly, "Unlike you, who insists on marrying into the Prime Minister's residence despite knowing the Prime Minister doesn't like you."

"That place, Mingming Tower, is a Ruan family property. Besides, even if you and Minister Pei have feelings for each other, you can't cross the line. Do you even understand Pei Chong?"

Ruan Xiaoyue was truly scared now. "Sister, I won't go to Mingming Tower again. Please, don't tell my father about this."

Ruan Qinghuan had never had much affection for this cousin. In fact, due to the issues with her second aunt, they had never gotten along since childhood, often quarreling and even fighting.

But if she really marries Pei Chong, she'll regret it for the rest of her life.

They shared the same family name, and although she didn't like her, Ruan Qinghuan didn't want to see her cousin fall into ruin.

"This is the last time. If there's another next time, don't blame me."

After Ruan Xiaoyue left, He An emerged from the shadows.

Seeing Ruan Qinghuan's troubled expression, he advised, "Everyone has their own fate."

"That may be true, but she and Pei Chong won't end up well." Ruan Qinghuan suddenly looked up. "Prime Minister, I just want to ask, is it me who shamelessly insisted on marrying you?"

"Of course not. It was I, your husband, who shamelessly pursued you."

Pursued?

Ruan Qinghuan realized that a man who seems serious can have a hidden playful side.

"Is the imperial marriage decree real?"

"Yes."

"Isn't this just a temporary measure for the disaster relief effort?"

Everyone knew Ji Lingchuan had a temper and wasn't one to mince words. If he didn't want to marry, he would stubbornly refuse even to his death.

He An didn't answer her directly. "The imperial decree didn't specify an exact date."

Ruan Qinghuan understood.

The decree was real, but it also gave Ji Lingchuan and Chu Li some time. However, Chu Li's way of expressing her love was something men feared the most. With the imperial decree in place, Chu Li would likely become even more relentless.

When love becomes a form of confinement, it only makes a man want to escape even more.

Seeing that she was worrying about someone else's matters again, He An was a little displeased. "My lady, how about we return to the estate today? We can admire the moon, drink some wine, and have a chat..."

At his words, Ruan Qinghuan's gaze turned icy. "Back to the Prime Minister's residence."

In truth, the Prime Minister's residence wasn't peaceful either. As soon as she stepped off the carriage, Wei Mingxi hurried over to greet her. It was clear that she had been waiting at the entrance for quite some time, just for their return.

Ruan Qinghuan thought Wei Mingxi was looking for He An and tried to bypass her to return to Changchun Garden. Unexpectedly, Wei Mingxi affectionately took her arm. "Sister-in-law, I want to learn embroidery from you."

Wei Mingxi's sudden shift in behavior left Ruan Qinghuan feeling uneasy. She replied indifferently, "I don't know how."

"How is that possible? Cousin said you gave him so many embroidered pouches." Wei Mingxi pleaded, "I was out of line the other day, but please, Sister, don’t take it to heart."

Ruan Qinghuan shot He An a glare, but he just smiled back at her.

"I really don’t know how to do that."

"Sister..."

Wei Mingxi switched gears. It didn’t seem like she was actually interested in learning embroidery; she just wanted an excuse to get into Changchun Garden.

If she didn’t agree, Wei Mingxi would likely keep nagging her. After a moment’s thought, Ruan Qinghuan finally gave in. "Embroidery just takes practice. Starting today, you can come to Changchun Garden each day and show me what you’ve embroidered."

"A pattern a day?" Wei Mingxi was shocked. Even the simplest design would take all day.

"If it’s too much, we can forget it."

"No, no, I'll do it."

Ruan Qinghuan nodded. She had heard from the Crown Prince that He An was expected to leave the capital in five days. By then, even if she invited Wei Mingxi to Changchun Garden, she probably wouldn’t come.