Chapter 75

Chapter 75

After a long moment of restraint, he let out an unwarranted sneer, "What's got you so cheerful?"

Perhaps because she deeply understood his nature, she reacted instantly and quickly said, "I'm... I'm not *that* happy."

The man's gaze fell on her face, his stare making her feel slightly guilty, and she unconsciously tightened the edge of her cloak.

"Ji Wanyuan." The man smiled without warmth, his eyes icy cold. "When you say that, wipe the smile off your face. I'm not blind, nor am I a fool."

Ji Wanyuan, "..."

So even smiling happily when she sees her brother isn't allowed? That jealous bastard's heart is as small as a sesame seed.

But considering his mouth, though unpleasant, he had worked diligently for the Ji family and even "dealt with" Father Wen, Ji Wanyuan decided to tolerate him. Let him be snide if he wants.

Anyway, he gets jealous so easily, and she can't control that. As if she could control Wen Qiyan's every thought and whim, forbidding him from doing this or that?

So, she turned back and continued looking outside, watching as the carriage drew nearer to the city gate and the outline of the handsome man on horseback grew clearer.

No mistake about it; it really was her brother.

She was finally going to see her brother.

Just like Ji Wanyuan, although the young lady in the distance only lifted the carriage curtain a crack, he still spotted her.

His sister, unseen for months, was as bright and cheerful as ever, smiling with curved eyes that brought joy to anyone who saw her, making the corners of his own lips unconsciously lift.

If there was anything amiss, it was the man beside her, who was a complete eyesore.

Noticing Ji Lingyue's unfriendly gaze, Wen Qiyan didn't flinch, lifting his eyelids to meet it.

Their gazes met from afar, the conflict between them was intense. Even in the silent stillness, Ji Wanyuan sensed something was off.

She first glanced at Wen Qiyan. "You seem to dislike my brother."

He blocked her retort with a seemingly unrelated, non-answer. "Do you like my sister?"

Wen Qingling?

Now that was truly detestable.

Ji Wanyuan immediately understood.

He disliked her brother, just as she disliked his sister.

"My brother hasn't done anything to you," she muttered under her breath.

Her aversion to Wen Qingling was entirely because the other always sided with Lin Nianxi to provoke her. How could it be the same?

"Must I like my wife's brother?"

A man who coveted her—how could he possibly like him?

If not for the Ji family's sake, he would have liked to see Ji Lingyue dead.

She really credited him with too much generosity.

"I never said that!" Ji Wanyuan knew his jealousy wouldn't dissipate anytime soon and was quick to protest.

Wen Qiyan sneered without replying, clearly seeing through her thoughts but choosing not to expose her.

In the span of a few sentences, the galloping carriage had already stopped at the city gate.

Since the court's agents hadn't been completely rooted out, they still had to maintain appearances in public. Ji Wanyuan didn't leap forward to greet Ji Lingyue with boundless joy. Instead, she stood demurely beside Wen Qiyan, wrapped in her cloak.

"Censor-in-chief."

Ji Lingyue first looked at Ji Wanyuan, taking in her thick, bulky cloak. Before he could look long, Wen Qiyan had already stepped forward, directly shielding her from view, and met Ji Lingyue's gaze.

"Young Master Ji." He addressed him.

Wen Yunqin watched his actions, observing his eye contact with Ji Lingyue.

Shifting slightly to the side, He Xun, standing nearby, had already anticipated this. He seemed to be enjoying the show.

The Prefect of Youzhou bowed and scraped, respectfully inviting them into the city to host a feast in their honor.

Upon entering the Prefect's residence, Ji Wanyuan and Wen Qiyan were separated.

Since the adults were holding discussions, she, as an "attendant," was not allowed to listen in.

At that moment, she remained outside. Wen Qiyan glanced at her, a look that told her not to wander off, and she looked back at him.

After the door to the meeting room closed, someone came to escort her away.

Recognizing this person as Ji Lingyue's usual attendant, she thought for a moment and followed him.

Passing through the moon gate, turning into the covered walkway, and crossing the lotus pond, she was led to a residence.

"Young Miss, you've been through a lot on this journey. I am following the Young Master's orders to bring you to your new quarters to bathe and refresh yourself."

Ji Wanyuan found the arrangements perfectly acceptable.

She had long grown sick of wearing the drab, gray garments. Although soft and comfortable, they were ugly.

When leaving, she voiced a slight worry, but Ji Lingyue's attendant told her she needn't worry; Youzhou was perfectly safe, and her identity would not be exposed.

"That's good." She mustn't bring any trouble to her brother or the Ji family.

Ji Wanyuan entered the inner courtyard, where maidservants and matrons were already waiting to attend to her bath and grooming.

The little maid personally attending to her was pleasantly plump and seemed very pleasant. She said her name was Xi'er.

Ji Wanyuan smiled and said, "It's a fitting name."

"This humble servant thanks the Young Miss for the praise. The Young Miss is so beautiful; the baby you're carrying is sure to be exceptionally beautiful."

Ji Wanyuan hummed and raised an eyebrow. Her child would naturally be handsome—she had already seen him in the storybooks. It's just... she hadn't seen him grow up with her own eyes.

It had been over six months. Soon, he would be born.

She prayed that both she and her precious child would come through safely, Ji Wanyuan silently wished in her heart.

After bathing, she felt wonderfully comfortable all over. After having a bite to eat, she had been waiting for word, but the wait made her too sleepy, and she lay down to rest.

She didn't know how long she slept, but when she woke up, it was already the dead of night. Opening her eyes, she noticed a broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted silhouette sitting at the edge of the bed.

In her groggy state, Ji Wanyuan thought it was Wen Qiyan, because this whole journey, the person she saw upon opening her eyes was always him. He was always by her side, and she had unconsciously grown accustomed to his presence.

She instinctively leaned in, but upon catching the scent of sandalwood on the man, Ji Wanyuan instantly opened her eyes—wrong!

This wasn’t the clean, cool scent Wen Qiyan carried; he didn’t use sandalwood. Her heart sounded an alarm, and she was about to shrink back when the candles in the inner room were suddenly lit, and the other person turned around.

"Brother?" The instant she recognized his face, Ji Wanyuan's panic gradually subsided.

But it didn’t completely vanish; a vague unease still lingered.

She couldn’t put her finger on why.

"Bro-brother, why are you here?"

Ji Lingyue watched her drowsy face shift from alertness to relief, her beautiful features expressing a blend of feigned indignation and delight, so vividly displayed before him.

He looked at her, a slow smile curving his lips. "Did Yuan’er miss her brother?"

Ji Wanyuan only felt the man’s gaze was too intense, different from how he looked at her back in the capital, but she hadn’t picked up on anything wrong yet.

She just assumed it was because they hadn’t seen each other for so long; Ji Lingyue was looking at her this way because he missed her.

"Of course! Brother, how long have you been away from the capital?" She put on an act, complaining with mock anger, saying he hadn’t sent her letters or had anyone deliver things to her—had he adopted another little sister in Youzhou?

Ji Lingyue smiled at her words. "Brother wanted to write to Yuan’er, but matters in Youzhou kept me too busy, so I was unavoidably delayed."

In truth, he was worried Chancellor Ji would find out.

Earlier, his father had sensed his feelings and warned him, both explicitly and implicitly.

"Really, no other sister?" Ji Wanyuan crossed her arms, huffed, and turned her face away, though she was still stealing glances at him out of the corner of her eye.

Ji Lingyue made no effort to conceal his gaze as he looked at her profile—her small face bathed in candlelight, her long hair spilling loosely. She sat up on the bed, looking particularly sweet and gentle.

Like a young lady waiting for her husband to return home.

So obedient and charming, she was acting coy with him, beautiful in a way that seemed almost unreal.

Ji Lingyue instinctively leaned closer, reaching out to touch her cheek.

From the corner of her eye, Ji Wanyuan saw his movement and thought he was going to pinch her face. But just as she swatted his hand away, before she could say "don’t touch," she met the man’s unnervingly intense gaze.

Ji Wanyuan’s mind hadn’t caught up yet, but she was already startled.

Wait… wait?

Why are you looking at me like that, Brother? Just like how Wen Qiyan usually looked at her.

Wen Qiyan looked at her with love—why was brother looking at her like that?

Was it also love?

How could the loving gaze between siblings be the same as the gaze of love that blossoms between a man and a woman?

Startled, the smile on her face instantly froze. As she blinked and focused her gaze again, Ji Lingyue had already concealed his emotions.

Ji Wanyuan no longer saw the affection he had revealed, thinking it must have been her imagination, still groggy from sleep. Because she had thought of Wen Qiyan, she felt her brother’s gaze had been strange.

Just then, she suddenly heard rain outside.

Ji Wanyuan looked out. By the window, a glass lantern sat, its light illuminating the drifting rain—so heavy and violent.

Seeing her staring blankly at the sudden rain, Ji Lingyue said softly, "When I first came to Youzhou, the rain here took me by surprise too."

"Took you by surprise?" Ji Wanyuan turned to him. "You get startled by rain?"

"Because the rain in Youzhou often comes without warning." Ji Lingyue explained that one moment the sky could be clear and sunny, the next pouring down, catching people off guard. He had been drenched many times.

Ji Wanyuan frowned. "What good were the people with you? Letting you get caught in the rain?"

Listening to her, the smile at Ji Lingyue’s lips unconsciously deepened.

"Yuan’er, now that you’re here, brother will protect you and keep you from wind and rain."

Ji Wanyuan looked at the man. "Alright."

She also wanted to say that, actually, she hadn’t faced much wind or rain on this journey. Wen Qiyan had taken good care of her, even more meticulous than Feicui.

If there was anything bad to say, it was that he especially liked to provoke her, was very jealous, and would get jealous at the slightest disagreement, hard to coax back.

If he knew her brother had come to visit her in the middle of the night, he’d surely throw a jealous fit and get all sarcastic again.

Wait, why was she thinking of Wen Qiyan again?

No, where was Wen Qiyan?

"Brother, where are Wen Qiyan and the others?" As Ji Wanyuan asked, her loose hair fell forward, and Ji Lingyue reached out to brush it aside.

Hearing her question, the man’s hand paused near her ear without withdrawing.

Ji Wanyuan didn’t notice anything amiss; it was only after a moment that she realized the smile on Ji Lingyue’s face was gradually fading.

"What’s wrong, brother?"

Was it because hearing the rain reminded him of being drenched like a drowned rat before?

Seeing he didn’t respond, she was about to wave her hand in front of his face when, unexpectedly, Ji Lingyue’s hand, paused near her ear, moved to caress her cheek.

Feeling the man’s touch, she inexplicably felt uneasy and uncomfortable.

Clearly, back in the capital, she and Ji Lingyue had been close too, but this time—was it because he touched her face?

No, it was because brother’s gaze as he looked at her was so strange.

Dark and obscure, it made her feel something was wrong.

She asked again, "What’s wrong, brother?"

Ji Lingyue, stroking and gazing at her cheek, answered evasively. "Yuan’er, were you very close with Wen Qiyan along the way?"

What kind of question was that?

She was by Wen Qiyan’s side, hiding under the guise of serving him, so of course she had to be close. Moreover, he was her husband—how could they not be close? Speaking of which, back at the inn, Wen Qiyan and she…

Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan’s little face couldn’t help but flush.

But she had a vague premonition that if she spoke of it now, her brother would get angry.

As to why he would be angry—was he worried Wen Qiyan had bullied her?

She felt it wasn’t that, yet also felt it wasn’t—something wasn’t right. Her mind hadn’t figured it out, but her heart knew the distance between them at this moment was really too close.

In the dead of night, the siblings were so close. Her brother’s hand was touching her cheek, his gaze fixed intently on her—it was all wrong.

Before Ji Wanyuan could turn away, the child in her womb suddenly stirred, kicking her once and breaking the tension.

The moment she lowered her head, she avoided his touch.

Ji Wanyuan looked down, placing her hand on her stomach, but the baby didn't settle down after kicking like it usually did. Today, the little one was especially restless, kept kicking her.

Ji Wanyuan felt no pain, only joy. Even though she murmured that the child was being naughty and told it to stop, her lowered, delicate brows and eyes radiated endless tenderness.

This tenderness was different from what he had seen earlier—it was linked to her identity as a mother, as a wife, and to… another man.

Ji Lingyue looked at her swollen belly, thinking about how this child was conceived, of what a man and woman do to bring a child into being.

Jealousy surged within him, and his gaze gradually sharpened.

Ji Wanyuan sensed his stare. As the baby gradually quieted down, the smile on her face deepened. "The little one is so well-behaved."

But when she looked up, she met the man’s sharp, penetrating gaze.

"Brother?"

On instinct, Ji Wanyuan pulled the quilt over her belly, her whole body unconsciously tensed up defensively.

How long had they been apart? Yet she was already defending Wen Qiyan from him?

Even if it was mostly because of this child, this child was Wen Qiyan’s flesh and blood.

Long-suppressed emotions surged up from the darkness. He remembered the day in the capital when he first learned she was pregnant—how lost in thought he'd been.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. Only when he realized his sister might have already noticed the cracks in his facade did Ji Lingyue find his voice again.

"Yuan’er, do you really like this child?" he asked.

Because of the hostility in Ji Lingyue's gaze, Ji Wanyuan’s guard remained up. After a long pause, she forced a faint smile. "Yes, I do."

"This is my child. Of course I like it."

Even though the pregnancy was unexpected, it was her own flesh and blood, the child she was nurturing—how could she not love it?

"Brother… don’t you like it?" Ji Wanyuan probed Ji Lingyue’s feelings.

Ji Lingyue lowered his gaze, masking his emotions with a smile. "Brother really doesn’t like it."

Ji Wanyuan was not only physically on guard but also mentally defensive now.

Even if he was her brother, whom she had spent over a decade with day and night, if he didn’t like her child, she needed to be on guard.

"Why? This is my child."

"Brother naturally likes Yuan’er’s child. What brother doesn’t like is the child’s father." He was referring to Wen Qiyan.

Ji Wanyuan blinked, pausing for a moment before replying softly, "Oh."

Ji Lingyue looked at her. "What? Has Yuan’er fallen for the child’s father again?"

She hesitated for a moment before raising her voice. "N-no!"

"Brother, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

Perhaps because of the tension between the siblings, the rain outside seemed to grow heavier.

"You don’t like Wen Qiyan?" Ji Lingyue asked.

This time, Ji Wanyuan hesitated again, though for a shorter moment than before.

"That’s right, I don’t like Wen Qiyan."

Ji Lingyue said, "Good. Brother doesn’t want you to like him."

Ji Wanyuan frowned. "Why?"

"Because he is an enemy of our Ji family."

"But Father trusts and values him now." Had Father not told her brother about Wen Qiyan’s allegiance to the Ji family? It seemed her brother still thought Wen Qiyan was on the emperor’s side.

"Is that so?"

Ji Wanyuan nodded. "Yes."

"Wen Qiyan is cunning. He used tricks to make Father trust and favor him, but he is a venomous snake. He will surely bite our Ji family from the shadows. Yuan’er, you must be careful of him, guard against him."

In truth, even without Ji Lingyue’s warning, she had always been wary of Wen Qiyan.

As this thought surfaced, she remembered the look in that man’s eyes—as if he were on the verge of tears, filled with grievance.

Was it really just her imagination?

She didn’t know.

But at this moment, she suddenly wanted to see Wen Qiyan.

"Brother, where… where did you arrange for Wen Qiyan, Wen Yunqin, and He Xun to stay? Am I still in the Prefect’s mansion?"

She glanced around.

Ji Lingyue noticed her restlessness and saw through her intention to leave.

"Naturally, I sent those three to where they needed to go." Ji Lingyue’s tone was loaded with meaning.

But Ji Wanyuan was completely confused. "What do you mean?"

"If I told Yuan’er that Wen Qiyan is dead…" As he said this, he carefully observed the young woman’s reaction.

Sure enough, he saw her shock and disbelief, as if she found it absurd. "You… you killed Wen Qiyan?"

"Yes," Ji Lingyue said.

"Impossible!" she exclaimed, raising her voice in denial.

Wen Qiyan was a key figure in the story, the emperor’s trusted confidant. How could he have died so suddenly? Moreover, he was as cunning as an old fox—even his own father had been manipulated by him. How could he die?

"It seems Wen’s Son holds a very high place in Yuan’er’s heart."

Ji Lingyue stood up, creating distance between them. He turned to look at the rain outside—it was pouring heavily, driven by the wind, soaking the windowsill. His expression was gloomier and more oppressive than the storm.

With his back turned, the man’s figure was cast long and slender by the candlelight.

Ji Wanyuan looked at her brother in front of her, sensing he had become much quieter. He had changed, becoming somewhat inscrutable and unfamiliar.

Things aren't like they used to be.

Whether it was her brother who had changed, or she herself who had changed, something had definitely shifted.

"I..." She continued to complete the unfinished sentence, "I came here this time with Wen Qiyan. If I suddenly leave his side, I'm afraid the court will notice. You'd better send me back."

"If I stay by Wen Qiyan's side, the court won't get suspicious. Many eyes are now watching the Ji family closely; we can't afford any mistakes."

After a long pause, the man finally turned around. He looked down at the girl before him—his sister, the one he held dear.

"Do you want to see him, or are you just worried about the court?"

Ji Wanyuan blinked. "Worried the court will find out."

She... she didn't want to see Wen Qiyan at all.

Well, okay, she did miss him a little. He had served her for so long, always taking care of her. Switching to someone else so suddenly, she wasn't used to it.

Just like when she first left the capital, without Feicui, she felt very uncomfortable and missed her.

"You're lying. I can tell." This time, Ji Lingyue saw right through her.

"You want to see Wen Qiyan."

Ji Wanyuan disliked the way the man read her so easily; she felt exposed.

Even though he was her brother, many of his words and actions tonight had crossed the boundaries between siblings.

She didn't like it, so she pushed back, "Are you interrogating me?"

Sensing her temper rising, if he continued, she might throw a fit.

They had just reunited, and her trust and reliance on Wen Qiyan still lingered. It would take some time to fade. Ji Lingyue knew he couldn't push her right now.

No rush, he had plenty of time.

This time, no one would disturb his time with his sister.

So, he yielded, "No, I'm just worried about you."

"I was worried you might be deceived by Wen Qiyan again, that's why I asked. Don't be angry, Yuan'er. It's all my fault."

A smile returned to his handsome face as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don't be afraid, Yuan'er. Just focus on resting. Although the court's people are still around, Youzhou has already become our Ji family's territory. You don't need to worry about those imperial lackeys threatening you."

"In Youzhou, I'll protect you and ensure you suffer no harm."

At this moment, Ji Wanyuan recalled what Wen Qiyan had told her about the man before her.

"Brother, are you the Young Master of Wuhuan?" she asked.

Ji Lingyue paused. "So you know."

He wanted to ask if Wen Qiyan had told her, but that man was too much of an eyesore—better not mention him.

"Yes." Ji Wanyuan said she had learned about it on the way here.

"I may be the Young Master of Wuhuan, but I'm still your brother," he said.

Ji Wanyuan pursed her lips, "Will you... go to war with the court?"

"Why is Yuan'er starting to worry about court affairs?" he said she should focus on resting and taking care of herself.

"Because Father is planning a rebellion, of course I'm worried."

Did Father send Wen Qiyan down to help brother, or to monitor him? She felt things weren't that simple. Knowing little, she could help even less—how could she not worry?

"Brother, your identity is also very... dangerous," she used such a word.

She wanted to mention the secret letter from the court to Wen Qiyan ordering his execution.

But for some reason, she hesitated.

Ji Lingyue, however, said, "Brother is indeed in danger, but Wen Qiyan is even more dangerous."

"So, he must die."

Ji Wanyuan frowned, "Brother, you want to kill him?"

"Yes," Ji Lingyue said. "His existence is a variable for the court, the Ji family, and even Wuhuan."

When dealing with variables, the best method is to completely eliminate them before they cause any changes.

Ji Wanyuan blurted out, "You can't kill him."