Chapter 89

Chapter 89

He didn't sound like he was joking.

Ji Wanyuan's heart clenched. "Y-you want to lock me up?"

Seeing her shocked expression, Wen Qiyan avoided the question. "So, will you abandon me?"

"The kind of abandonment where you get rid of someone once they're no longer useful." He pressed her for an answer.

"How could you think that?" What kind of person did he take her for? Alright, she had indeed thought that way at the beginning. But given Wen Qiyan's persistence now and her father's trust in him, even if she wanted to abandon him, it likely wasn't even possible anymore.

He had bound the Wen and Ji families together, making them a community of shared interests. Could she unilaterally call off the engagement and abandon him?

If she really tried, her father would probably lecture her.

After all, as things stood, Wen Qiyan hadn't made any mistakes. He had been working for her and the Ji family all along. She had no reason to drive him away.

"Why are you avoiding the question?" He demanded a definite answer.

"At the beginning, weren't you just using me by being kind and gentle? Getting close to me, pleasing me, wanting to obtain court intelligence through me to report to my father."

"Now that I've let you have your way, in return, you shouldn't treat me poorly."

He knew everything and even brought it out into the open. Ji Wanyuan pursed her lips and simply gave him a definite answer. "I won't." She wanted to use this to drop the subject and make him stop mentioning it.

"Won't what?" He was still not satisfied.

"I won't abandon you." Is he satisfied now?

He called her name. "Ji Wanyuan, you will be stuck with me for the rest of your life."

He seemed satisfied, a faint smile curling his thin lips. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers, their noses touching, nuzzling her.

Feeling his closeness, she just thought he was so clingy.

Where was his usual aloofness and restraint? Had it all been eaten by dogs?

"You... didn't you used to dislike me?" Why did he like her so much now? It surprised her.

"No." He denied it.

"No?" She snorted. "Only a ghost would believe that."

She wanted to bring up past grievances to counter him, but she had done too many foolish things back then, she thought, wailing internally, so better forget it.

The past was too painful to look back on. Forget it, forget it. No need for a strategy that would hurt me as much as it hurts him.

If she really brought it up, who knows who would be more embarrassed.

He cupped her cheek, gently rubbing it. "Ji Wanyuan, you must remember what you said today."

She slapped his hand away. "I remember."

After a moment of silence, he looked at her and said, "Besides that, there are two more things."

"What is it?" She was feeling a bit drowsy, nestled in his arms, finding a comfortable spot to nuzzle against, making him itchy. He played with her long hair, smoothing it behind her ears.

"Tell me." If he didn't speak soon, she would fall asleep.

She didn't know what Wen Qiyan was being so mysterious about.

"Little sister had the same dream as you."

Ji Wanyuan's drowsiness vanished in an instant. Her half-closed eyes flew open. If not for her inconvenient condition, she would have sat up right then.

"What did you say?!"

Wen Qiyan held her. "Mind your belly."

But Ji Wanyuan couldn't care about her belly now. "Wen Qingling had the same dream as me?" she pressed.

"Yes."

How could Wen Qingling have the same dream as her?

In her dream, Wen Qingling wasn't mentioned much. How could her little sister-in-law have the same dream?

Seeing she was instantly awake, Wen Qiyan got up and went to the study to fetch two letters.

Ji Wanyuan looked at him. He held her, helping her sit up, and gestured for her to read the letters.

Ji Wanyuan took them and looked down to read. After finishing, her expression turned grave.

Wen Qingling actually dreamed about her difficult childbirth?! And on the day she gave birth, Lin Nianxi went to the Wen residence!

And the series of events that followed—her child's tragic death, Lin Nianxi marrying into the Wen family—Wen Qingling knew about all of it.

"Ji Wanyuan, your dream and little sister's dream actually overlapped." He didn't finish his sentence; there was also his dream.

If it were merely Ji Wanyuan's delusion or nightmare, how could three people all dream of the same things? And the progression of events overlapped.

This could no longer be described as just eerie.

Now, he finally understood. Ji Wanyuan's initial reluctance to marry him, her attempts to get him to take a concubine, and her desire for a divorce were all because she wanted to change the course of the dream, to prevent the events in the dream from happening again.

"Ji Wanyuan, perhaps the things you dreamed of before were real."

Regardless of how this dream came about, fortunately, none of the events in the dream have been verified.

Ji Wanyuan's difficult childbirth and hemorrhage haven't happened. Their child hasn't died.

Sensing her trembling, Wen Qiyan took the letters away, held her, and nuzzled against her fluffy head. "Everything in the dream is an illusion. I will absolutely not let such things happen."

"Believe me, Ji Wanyuan." His kiss landed on her face.

"I will protect you, and I will protect our child." This wasn't the first time he had said such words to her.

With his companionship these past days and his many actions for her sake, she could indeed believe him.

But...

"I'm just afraid that man's schemes are inferior to heaven's plans." Now even Wen Qingling had dreamed of it. Who would be the next to dream?

He held her close. "Then do you know that man can conquer nature?"

He cupped her face, making her look at him. "Believe me."

"I've said it before. If anything happens to you, I will give my life to you."

Ji Wanyuan was forced to look into the man's eyes.

The tenderness within gradually enveloped her, and his embrace was warm, making her nose sting a little.

"So you're not going to break your promise, right?"

"You little rascal." The man frowned and pinched her cheek hard. "How many times do I have to tell you? Trust me, and trust yourself."

"You doubt me over and over, what more do you want?" Did she expect him to cut out his heart and show it to her?

He actually wanted to do just that, but unfortunately, doing so would mean death, and he needed to keep his life to protect Ji Wanyuan.

Her heart stirred, and her face flushed slightly. She pushed his hand away, her words contradicting her feelings, "You're pinching me too hard."

"If it didn't hurt, how would you remember?" Even as he said it, he didn't pinch her again.

"Who knows if you're even telling the truth, hmph!" Ji Wanyuan turned her face away.

After turning away, she still glanced at the man out of the corner of her eye, muttering complaints under her breath, "After all, someone was just talking about locking me up."

"For all I know, he might bully me."

During this period, because she was close to giving birth, Wen Qiyan had been keeping his hands to himself. Even his kisses were very restrained, and there were hardly any deep kisses.

The last deep kiss was after he rescued her. He kept kissing her intermittently, as if insatiable, almost kissing her breathless.

She used to worry that Wen Qiyan's affection for her was shallow, only because he liked her body. Even though he said it wasn't, she still didn't quite believe it.

But now... his restraint left her at a loss for words.

"Ji Wanyuan, are you doing this on purpose?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I am not! Unlike you? You actually wanted to lock me up. I haven't done anything like that, yet you threatened me."

"Was that a threat?" He just wanted to divert her attention, to keep her from sinking into the eerie nightmare, trembling in fear.

Who knew this little rascal would turn around and immediately pin everything on him.

"Wasn't it a threat?" She even withdrew her sidelong glance.

Wen Qiyan was silent.

"If you think that's not good, why don't you just lock me up instead?"

Ji Wanyuan was baffled. "?"

"Me lock you up?" Was she crazy?

"Can't you?"

"Why would I lock you up?"

"So I can never leave you, so I'll have to stay by your side forever."

Wait, this sentence seemed familiar. Ji Wanyuan thought about it—she had said it before!

Back then, she hadn't drugged Wen Qiyan yet, and this pretentious jerk wouldn't even look at her properly. She had made a fierce vow to her cousin Qing Ru at the tavern: once she got her hands on him, she would definitely get her revenge and show him what she was made of!

Cousin Qing Ru asked her how she planned to deal with Wen Qiyan.

She said she would tie him up, make him kneel before her, and look down at him from above, letting him get a taste of his own medicine.

Cousin Qing Ru then said, what kind of person was Wen Qiyan? How could she possibly tie him up?

Ji Wanyuan frowned in thought and said, if she couldn't tie him up, then she would have someone around her build a secret room to lock him up. Once locked up long enough, he would become obedient.

Unexpectedly, these words had also reached Wen Qiyan's ears.

Well, of course—what kind of person was he? How could he not hear?

Besides, those people in the capital loved to pay attention to the secrets of noble families.

"So, how about it? I won't lock you up—you just lock me up instead." He even smiled, saying he would be very obedient.

Ji Wanyuan: "..."

"You... how can you be like this!" They were discussing serious matters, yet he kept joking around.

Wen Qiyan gently tapped the tip of her nose with his knuckle. "Don't you want to know about the other matter?"

"You're the one who kept refusing to say it." Every time she talked with Wen Qiyan, she almost got dizzy from his roundabout way of speaking.

"Hurry up and tell me." She still remembered that Wen Qiyan had mentioned two matters earlier.

"The Lin family matter."

Ji Wanyuan was stunned for a moment before she reacted. Right, the calming medicine Wen Qingling had sent over.

"Did you check it? Is there anything wrong with that medicine?"

"I've already had someone check it. The calming medicine itself is not problematic."

"What do you mean, 'the calming medicine itself is not problematic'?" If the calming medicine had no issues, then what was the problem? Could it be that the jar used to pack the medicine was problematic?

Apart from that, she couldn't think of any other possibility.

"It's a compound drug."

Ji Wanyuan was stunned. "Compound drug?"

"The calming medicine is just one ingredient. To cause heart failure, several other medicines are needed."

Lin Nianxi thought her trick was meticulous, but in reality, it was old hat to him.

Compared to the complex cases in the Ministry of Justice, it was nothing.

"Then where are the other medicines?" Ji Wanyuan sat up again, clearly no longer sleepy.

Wen Qiyan held her, but she complained that his abdominal muscles were too hard and were poking her back.

Hearing this, he patiently stuffed a soft brocade quilt between them so she could lean more comfortably.

Once comfortable, she immediately urged him to quickly tell her about the remaining medicines and the tricks Lin Nianxi was playing.

"If I'm not mistaken, the remaining medicines are on your maid and on my mother."

He showed Ji Wanyuan the second letter sent by his father. After she finished reading, he pointed to the peace charm.

Ji Wanyuan's gaze froze, "..."

In the storybook, which was more or less her past life, during her pregnancy, the people she interacted with most were indeed Mrs. Wen and her maidservants.

But Mrs. Wen clearly wanted this child too, so how could this happen?

Setting Mrs. Wen aside, those who served her had been with her since childhood, some even being her mother's most trusted aides.

She had never mistreated these people, and she believed they would never betray her!

Noticing her worry, Wen Qiyan said, "Mother and the people around you were unaware of the truth, thinking they were just ordinary fragrances and medicines."

Who would have known they would combine dangerously with the sedative she was taking, leading to heart failure.

The medicinal effects gradually seeped in, ultimately leading to her death from difficult labor and a fatal hemorrhage.

Lin Nianxi was indeed cautious. After Ji Wanyuan's death, fearing exposure, she must have sent Mrs. Lin to pressure the Wen family to bury Ji Wanyuan quickly to destroy all evidence.

"This woman is truly vicious!" Ji Wanyuan couldn't help but feel furious upon realizing this.

She had never offended her. Just because Lin Nianxi liked Wen Qiyan, she kept trying to kill her. Not content with causing her death, she even targeted her child.

After much thought, since Lin Nianxi was far away in the capital and beyond her reach, she glared at the man in front of her.

"It's all your fault! This is all your mess!"

"Alright, alright, it's all my fault." Wen Qiyan accepted her blame. "It's all my bad."

He kept apologizing and humoring her, fearing that excessive emotional turmoil might harm the baby.

The physician had said that in the final month, a pregnant woman is as fragile as porcelain, requiring utmost care and protection from any harm.

"Now that we've uncovered this, you can rest assured."

"What about the Lin family?"

He held her as they lay down. "Don't worry, I'll handle it for you."

"What do you plan to do?" Ji Wanyuan grew excited.

"I'll tell you when the time comes." He was being cryptic.

Despite Ji Wanyuan's repeated questioning, Wen Qiyan refused to answer and eventually closed his eyes, which made her snort in annoyance.

Though angry, she still obediently nestled into the man's arms and closed her eyes.

Now that she understood the tricks Lin Nianxi had played, the huge weight on her heart finally lifted a little.

After the breathing of the person in his arms gradually steadied, he opened his eyes, staring at her sleeping face for a long time, wordless.

"..."

Upon receiving Wen Qiyan's reply, Wen Qiyan's father informed his wife of the letter's contents.

Mrs. Wen was furious and said the same thing as Ji Wanyuan, "I never would have guessed Lin Nianxi was so evil!"

She ordered the old nursemaid to find and burn the sachet containing the protective talisman.

"This is truly disgusting." She had always thought Lin Nianxi was a cultured, obedient, and sweet-natured young lady.

Who would have thought that privately she was such a snake, plotting against the Wen family's heir and even using her!

Mrs. Wen usually had good self-restraint, but now she couldn't help but let fly a stream of curses.

Wen Qiyan's father urged her to take care of her health. "Have you forgotten how you got so angry before that it gave you heart palpitations?"

"You must look after your health." Mr. Wen said nothing had happened yet.

"Sigh..." Mrs. Wen then asked how Ji Wanyuan was doing.

"As Qi Yan's letter said, she's perfectly fine, isn't she?"

"May heaven and the ancestors of the Wen family protect them. Ji Wanyuan and this child must be safe and sound."

"The items you sent to the Ji family have all been secretly transported to Youzhou. They must have received them by now. With Qi Yan there, the child and your daughter-in-law will surely be safe."

Though he said this, Mrs. Wen still couldn't completely relax. "Husband, you should write to Yun Qin too, asking him to look after his sister-in-law and elder brother."

There had been no reply from Yun Qin for some time. Mr. Wen frowned, suspecting he must be tied up with some business. He decided not to tell Mrs. Wen about this to avoid causing her further worry and loss of appetite.

To reassure her, Mr. Wen agreed. "I'll write to Yun Qin, asking him to take good care of Qi Yan and Ji Wanyuan."

"By the way, Qi Yan mentioned that the Emperor's lucid periods have been getting shorter lately. Now that Chancellor Ji is unable to act, he plans to rescue Mrs. Ji."

"Rescue Mrs. Ji?" Mrs. Wen asked. "How?"

Mr. Wen was slightly taken aback. "I thought you'd say it was too risky and not want Qi Yan to go."

"That's his mother-in-law. How can he not rescue her?" Mrs. Wen retorted impatiently. "Don't be ridiculous, husband."

"Yes, yes." Mr. Wen smiled.

"Our Wen family and the Ji family are now in the same boat; we cannot escape."

"Mrs. Ji's safety must be ensured." Keeping Mrs. Ji under the Empress's control would hamper both families' plans.

"But wouldn't taking action tip them off?"

Mrs. Wen was very worried, saying the Empress has Mrs. Ji under tight surveillance.

If Mrs. Ji disappeared, the palace would surely be thrown into chaos, and the Emperor would definitely suspect the Wen family.

"Don't worry. Qi Yan has prepared a concrete rescue plan."

Mrs. Wen was doubtful. "Really?"

Mr. Wen murmured in assent, leaned in and whispered the entire plan into her ear.

After listening, Mrs. Wen said, "...Alright."

On the evening three days later, inside the palace, the Emperor took his medicine and vomited again.

The Empress was beside him, wiping the vile mixture from the corners of his mouth.

"Your Majesty, you... must hold on." Seeing he had come to, the Empress was overjoyed and quickly helped him sit up.

The Emperor's face was sallow, his eyes sunken with heavy dark circles.

Leaning against the bright yellow soft pillow, he looked at the Empress before him, patted the back of her hand to indicate he was fine. But as soon as he finished this gesture, he was seized by a violent coughing fit.

The coughing was so severe that blood streaked the handkerchief, and his vision went dark in waves.

The Empress immediately sent her attendant to summon the imperial physician on duty.

At that very moment, the young eunuch who had gone out to deliver the message, rounding the corner of the palace, slipped away from the others and headed in another direction.

He walked swiftly, soon arriving at the entrance to the side hall. A young palace maid emerged from behind a stone statue. They exchanged a nod and then made their way to the Empress's palace.

The Empress's palace was vast. Mrs. Ji's place of confinement was in the inner hall behind the side palace.

The young eunuch led the palace maid through the grounds, reaching the side palace gate. They did not use the main entrance but instead scaled the wall beside the lotus pond.

Carefully avoiding the patrolling guards, they silently fired a dart from the roof beam, rendering the palace maid guarding the door unconscious.

Since being confined, Mrs. Ji had not slept a full night's sleep.

She was worried about Chancellor Ji, and even more so about her daughter far away in Youzhou.

She also knew that the Empress's action was to use her as a hostage to threaten the Ji family.

Mrs. Ji was unwilling to become a chain binding Chancellor Ji and her own family. She had thought of ending her own life, but... things hadn't yet come to such a desperate pass that she had to kill herself, and part of her was still reluctant.

She wanted to see Chancellor Ji and her daughter one more time.

Not long after lying down, hearing subtle noises from outside, Mrs. Ji was instantly on alert. She initially wanted to get off the bed to investigate but felt that would be too exposed.

So, she shrunk into a corner, grabbing the quilt and soft pillow from beside her, listening with bated breath as footsteps approached.

Soon, the footsteps stopped in front of the bed. A hand reached for the bed curtain but quickly withdrew.

A voice from outside offered a respectful, soft greeting, "Madam."

The person stated their identity and purpose, "I was sent by Censor-in-chief to rescue you."

Censor-in-chief? Wen Qiyan?!

Fearing a trap, Mrs. Ji remained highly vigilant. But an instant later, the bed curtain was opened, and she saw a token—Chancellor Ji's personal jade pendant.

Seeing this, Mrs. Ji finally believed.

She hastily cast aside the soft pillow and quilt and reached for Chancellor Ji's jade pendant.

Seeing Mrs. Ji come down, the young palace maid said, "There's also a letter. Please take a look."

Mrs. Ji looked at the person before her, took the letter, and opened it. It was a note in his own hand from Chancellor Ji.

He informed Mrs. Ji that the Ji family was safe and told her she was to be moved out of the palace.

"But if I leave, what if the Empress discovers it?"

"I will take your place here, to maneuver and create a deception."

Mrs. Ji was puzzled, "How will you take my place?"

The person before her revealed a face that bore a striking resemblance to her own. Mrs. Ji was shocked.

But what she witnessed next made her eyes widen even more.

Only the sound of cracking joints was heard. The person before her suddenly straightened her body. She, she was actually shrinking and contracting her bones!

Before long, Mrs. Ji realized this person's figure had also become seventy or eighty percent similar to hers.

Seeing Mrs. Ji's expression as if she'd seen a ghost, and afraid of frightening her master's mother-in-law, the maid hurriedly explained that this was the Bone Shrinking Skill.

"Time is running out. Please change your clothes and leave quickly with the person outside."

Mrs. Ji composed herself, "Alright, thank you for your trouble."

"..."

The Emperor had fallen ill suddenly. The imperial physicians worked through the night applying acupuncture, finally managing to sustain his heart and lungs and stabilize his condition.

Upon thorough investigation, it was discovered that someone had made a mistake with the Emperor's medicinal decoction. The Empress severely punished those responsible for delivering and preparing the medicine.

But having just calmed down, she felt something was very off about this incident. How could anyone dare to make a mistake with the medicine?

After much contemplation, the Empress suddenly opened her eyes.

"Someone come!" she called out.

Palace maids and young attendants hurried in. The Empress ordered, "Go check on Mrs. Ji!"

"Yes!"

During the wait, the Empress grew increasingly restless. Rather than waiting for news, she got up and personally headed towards the palace.

She wanted to see if this was truly a coincidence!