Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Mrs. Wen was stunned, her pupils contracting for a second time, "..."

Wen Qiyan's own admission that the child in Ji Wanyuan's belly was his carried far more weight than when Chancellor Ji and Mrs. Ji had said it earlier.

She was utterly at a loss, standing there in a daze, her thoughts in turmoil. It was only when Mr. Wen came over and quietly urged her to collect herself that she was finally persuaded to sit down. However, she remained bewildered, unable to make sense of it.

Chancellor Ji looked at Wen Qiyan.

The young man walked in calmly, first greeting Mr. and Mrs. Wen, then bowing to him, with neither humility nor arrogance.

"This chancellor thought Young Master Wen would deny it," Chancellor Ji said with a cold scoff.

Wen Qiyan's gaze was indifferent. Before he could speak, Mr. Wen had already interjected, "You flatter us, Chancellor. Now that this misunderstanding has been cleared up, and Miss Ji is carrying our Wen family's descendant, naturally we acknowledge it."

"Acknowledge—" Acknowledge what?

Mrs. Wen came back to herself, still finding it hard to believe. She knew her own son well—he had never shown interest in women and was utterly repulsed by Ji Wanyuan. How could he possibly have slept with her and gotten her pregnant, and for over a month at that?

Even though Wen Qiyan had personally confirmed it, she still felt it was improper and instinctively began to protest. But before she could finish, Mr. Wen silenced her with a warning look.

"What, is your Wen family's status so high that our Ji family is unworthy?" Mrs. Ji caught Mrs. Wen's implication and retorted sharply.

"Madam, you misunderstand. My wife meant no such thing."

Mrs. Ji snorted coldly, "If that's not what she meant, then what did she mean?"

"My daughter is beautiful and spirited, the legitimate and only daughter of our house. Is she not good enough for your Eldest Young Master Wen?"

At this point, Mrs. Ji shot a cold glance at Wen Qiyan.

So what if his appearance was peerlessly handsome? His temperament was as cold as ice, clearly not someone who knew how to cherish others.

Thinking of how Ji Wanyuan would return home in the past, lamenting the cold shoulder he gave her, Mrs. Ji's dislike for Wen Qiyan grew.

Even if his character, looks, family background, and abilities were all perfect, the foremost in the capital, it meant nothing if he treated her daughter poorly.

"Madam, please calm your anger. Allow us to discuss this further," Mr. Wen said with a smile, trying to placate her.

The Wen family was not a minor household but a top-tier aristocratic family. A little loss of face was enough; they couldn't be overly presumptuous. Chancellor Ji stopped Mrs. Ji from continuing her attack.

He then turned to Wen Qiyan and asked, "How does Eldest Young Master Wen intend to handle this matter?"

Everyone fell silent, their eyes turning toward the handsome, quiet young man.

After taking his seat, he had remained silent, his expression calm, listening to the two families argue without uttering a word, as detached as if he were watching someone else's problem.

Now, faced with Chancellor Ji's questioning.

He replied calmly, "I will marry Miss Ji as my wife."

"..."

Half an incense stick later (a short while later), the Ji family left.

Mrs. Wen immediately pressed him, "Qi Yan, what on earth are you thinking?"

He actually said he would marry Ji Wanyuan as his wife?! Could that arrogant, willful, and unrestrained Eldest Miss Ji really be brought into the family?

As soon as these words left her mouth, she added, "What exactly is going on between you and that eldest daughter of the Ji family? Could it be that you really...?"

Really been with her?

"Or is there some... other pressure? Say something!"

Mr. Wen interjected, "The boy has made his decision. Since..."

Mr. Wen glanced at Wen Qiyan and said soothingly to Mrs. Wen, "The Ji family's status is good, Miss Ji is also beautiful, and she's quite a suitable match for our son."

With no outsiders present, Mrs. Wen could no longer restrain her dissatisfaction. "What match? Have you gone mad, husband? Haven't you heard of the reputation of Chancellor's daughter, Eldest Miss Ji? Moreover, does Qi Yan not despise her?"

"These things are not important. Madam, calm down, don't be angry." He handed the tea brought by a servant to Mrs. Wen with both hands.

Mrs. Wen took it, took one sip without drinking it, and set it down heavily. "Back when that Miss Ji was pestering Qi Yan, I didn't know about her notorious reputation. I asked you if this match could work. What did you tell me then?"

"His Majesty is most wary of powerful ministers forming alliances. The Ji family's position is too high. If we let our son marry that young lady, I'm afraid we'll be targeted."

"And now you're not worried about that anymore?"

Speaking of this, Mrs. Wen grew even more agitated. She glared at Wen Qiyan with displeasure.

Sensing her gaze, he stood up. "Your son has urgent matters in his study and will not accompany Father and Mother further."

"You—!" Mrs. Wen was thoroughly choked up.

Only after he had gone far away did she turn to Mr. Wen. "Look at your fine son!"

With no one else around, Lord Wen smiled even more apologetically as he coaxed Mrs. Wen.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he finally managed to calm her down. Lord Wen then left the main hall and went to Wen Qiyan's courtyard study to find him.

Before he could speak, Wen Qiyan said it was His Majesty's oral decree that he marry Ji Wanyuan into the family.

Even though he had been mentally prepared, hearing it firsthand still made Lord Wen fall silent.

Then he asked, "Has His Majesty already learned about your affair with the Ji family's daughter?"

"It was Imperial Physician Fu," Wen Qiyan replied calmly.

He was flipping through a book, looking at the topographic map of Youzhou and the records of personnel entering and leaving over the past three months.

"So it was Imperial Physician Fu."

That made sense. His Majesty had always been keeping an eye on the Ji family. Chancellor Ji had repeatedly summoned imperial physicians to examine Ji Wanyuan, but none had found anything. Later, he specifically requested Imperial Physician Fu to see her.

Regarding the matter of the pregnancy pulse, the Ji family must have already sealed Imperial Physician Fu's lips.

But no matter how much they tried to conceal it, how could they hide it from the Son of Heaven?

His Majesty only needed to investigate to find out exactly what was going on.

"No wonder His Majesty summoned you to the palace this morning."

He must have wanted to personally ask Wen Qiyan whether his affair with Miss Ji was true.

Even though things were clear to this extent, Lord Wen still had to ask one more question, "Are you certain she is carrying our Wen family's bloodline?"

It was truly inappropriate to speculate about a young lady from an aristocratic family in this way, but that Miss Ji was no ordinary young lady. She had never engaged in typical feminine pursuits like embroidery or studying women's precepts.

She's constantly out in public, even indulging in idle pastimes like cockfighting and dog racing, and... going in and out of opera houses, speaking with men without any propriety.

Lord Wen was also concerned and had no choice but to speak up and verify the facts.

Wen Qiyan paused, his eyelashes dipping slightly as he recalled that day's rare sight of the blood from her deflowering, Ji Wanyuan's small, pain-wrinkled face drenched in cold sweat...

Then he said, "Mhm."

"Alright." With that answer, Wen's father didn't press further.

"Since we've decided to propose marriage, I'll have your mother begin earnest preparations to go to the Ji family's door and formally propose."

This matter needed to be handled as quickly as possible, lest Ji Wanyuan begins to show and draws suspicion.

Even though they knew it would be difficult to hide once the child was born, they still aimed to hide what they could for as long as they could.

The Ji family had also come to a decision.

The marriage was to proceed, not only for the sake of Ji Wanyuan's condition and fulfilling her wishes but also due to matters of court politics.

Chancellor Ji addressed Ji Lingyue, who rarely contradicted him but had this time voiced his objection, "The Wen family has always styled itself as paragons of integrity and holds a prominent position in the Censorate, investigating officials under imperial decree. Our Ji family has always had their eyes on us."

"Once this marriage is concluded, the two families will be connected. Do you think the Wen family can still wash their hands of us?" Chancellor Ji smiled.

Ji Lingyue frowned slightly. "I believe... this matter is probably not so simple. This morning, our informant reported that Wen Qiyan entered the palace, and upon returning, he announced his intention to marry my sister. Forgive my boldness, but I fear a scheme is being plotted."

As he spoke, Chancellor Ji's gaze fell upon him.

Ji Lingyue naturally noticed and continued, "Hadn't Father earlier chosen a suitable husband for Sister Yuan and was grooming him, planning for him to be a live-in son-in-law later?"

"I still think we shouldn't wade into these troubled waters, lest someone fishes in troubled waters."

"Go on." Chancellor Ji urged him to finish.

Ji Lingyue added, "Wen Qiyan is inscrutable and calculating. My sister is simple-hearted and frank by nature. I fear she is no match for him and will suffer."

Chancellor Ji tapped his hand on the desk. "What you say makes sense."

"But Lingyue," Chancellor Ji looked at him, "Since Heaven's will is thus, to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, sometimes we have no choice but to follow the current. Do you understand my intention?"

Ji Lingyue: "I... I understand."

Confined all day, Ji Wanyuan paced restlessly in her inner chamber, eventually resting her cheek on one hand and twirling a rare bone-porcelain cup—a tribute item—on the table.

Due to her lack of skill and frequent distraction, she dropped several. Finally, in frustration, she stomped her foot, swept her sleeve, and smashed all the precious jade cups on the table, making a scene and demanding to be let out.

But the old nanny ordered by Mrs. Ji to guard the door ignored her, letting her cry and fuss until Ji Wanyuan, tear-streaked and exhausted, fell into a deep sleep.

As soon as she closed her eyes, she began to dream—the same terrifying scenes, but this time with more images of Wen Qiyan taking advantage of her.

He bent her into terrifying positions, and she yielded almost immediately.

She cried and begged him for mercy, saying she would never drug him again, never covet him again, hoping he would let her go, spare her this once, truly never again.

She repeated "never again" several times, her voice hoarse from crying, looking utterly disheveled. But the man paid no heed, pinching the soft fullness above her heart, looking down at her trembling, pained expression.

Even though his face was flushed with desire, it remained chillingly cold.

He leaned close to her ear and asked darkly, isn't this what she wanted? Why put on an act and cry after getting it?

Ji Wanyuan woke up terrified again.

Just then, the door opened. Thinking it might be... she looked up in panic, only to relax upon seeing Mrs. Ji's face.

Mrs. Ji had brought food to visit her.

Seeing Ji Wanyuan wide-eyed and on guard, and noticing her uneven breathing, Mrs. Ji knew she had another nightmare.

"Did the little maid give you the medicine to stabilize the pregnancy that Imperial Physician Fu left this afternoon?" Mrs. Ji hurried to her side, sitting down to wipe the cold sweat from her face.

But Ji Wanyuan didn't want to hear about that. She quickly asked Mrs. Ji what she had done at the Wen family today.

"What else? Naturally, to seek justice for you."

What justice?!

She was the villain. Without understanding the situation, her mother and father went over—were they handing her, the villain, to the other side to be dealt with as they pleased?

"Mother..." Ji Wanyuan thought to act cute and coax some information.

As Mrs. Ji opened the food container and fed her, she deliberately said cheerfully, "Yuan'er, Wen Eldest Master is coming to marry you."

"Haven't you always wanted to marry him?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan first reacted with, "?"

Then, "!!!"

"I... I..." Looking at Mrs. Ji's smiling face, she was truly frightened, gasping for breath.

Things were indeed progressing as before: she was pregnant, and the Wen family was proposing marriage.

And then? She would be used by Wen Qiyan, leading to the Ji family's downfall, her own death from difficult childbirth and hemorrhage, and the child she left behind...

"What's wrong? Are you too happy?" Mrs. Ji pinched her cheek.

"Have dinner first."

"Mother!" Ji Wanyuan tugged at Mrs. Ji's sleeve, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to marry Wen Qiyan."

Mrs. Ji questioned, "?"

"Are you talking nonsense? Wasn't it your wish for so many years to marry him? What's wrong now? You two even have a child together. How can you not marry?"

"I..." Ji Wanyuan sniffled, her nose red, both hands clutching Mrs. Ji's sleeve, stammering "I, I, I, I" for a long time.

Should she say it?

Would her mother believe her if she told her? If not, then... No, no one would believe such a thing. Her mother never believed in gods or Buddhas; how could she think what she said was true? Moreover, she had no evidence to prove her words.

Should she say next that she would die? But she had already said that, and her mother didn't believe her.

"I just don't want to marry him," she cried, her nose continuously red.

"Why? You must give your mother and father a reason," Mrs. Ji said, looking at her pitiful state and thinking she was being unreasonable.

A reason... a reason...

Thinking of her dream just now, she bit her lip and stammered out,

"He... he uses too much force in bed, I can't bear it, wuwuwu..."