Although he resented that Ji Yunshu clearly didn't like him but never said so directly, and instead acted hypocritically in front of him according to her family's wishes, he was also annoyed that she deliberately created opportunities for her sister in order to help her, without asking him, the man, what his wishes were.
Ultimately, Ji Yunshu died because of this arranged marriage.
If it weren't for her engagement to him, the late emperor wouldn't have tried so hard to get rid of her, and Ji Yunwan naturally wouldn't have taken the bait.
This is exactly what the saying means: "I didn't kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me." Although he knew that this matter had nothing to do with him in reality, he still felt somewhat guilty.
If he had been a little more careful and had inquired whether Ji Yunshu had someone she liked before proposing marriage, perhaps none of this would have happened.
"Your Majesty, you can't say that..."
Yao Youqing said, but as soon as she started, Wei Hong next to her stopped and stood there looking at her with displeasure.
Yao Youqing came to her senses, looked around, and seeing that there was indeed no one around, she smiled and changed her words: "Brother Hong, you can't say that."
Wei Hong nodded in satisfaction and pulled her along as they continued walking forward.
Yao Youqing continued, "From what you've said, Miss Ji seems to be a well-educated, gentle, and virtuous person. Apart from being a little indulgent towards her younger sister, she doesn't have any other bad qualities. She doesn't really have any real relationship with that Mr. Xu; at most, it's just a matter of admiration in her heart."
"If that's the case, how can you know whether she has someone she likes?"
A person who breaks the rules and engages in secret dealings with others may be found out, but how can you find out if a person who strictly follows the rules keeps their feelings to themselves and never oversteps the bounds?
Even if they can't find out, Wei Hong will still propose marriage, and the same thing will happen again.
Wei Hong knew this too, but the same words used to comfort himself felt different from hearing them spoken by her; he only felt a little more at ease.
He smiled and nodded, then deliberately joked, "Although I proposed to Miss Ji back then, I only thought she had a good personality and could get along with me, and would be a very good candidate for a princess. I never had feelings for her like I did for Ning'er. Ning'er, please don't be angry with me because of these old stories."
As he spoke, he lowered his head to kiss her.
Yao Youqing replied seriously, "I'm not angry. Even if Brother Hong really had feelings for her back then, I won't be angry."
Wei Hong froze: "...Why?"
"Because that happened before we got married, we didn't even know each other back then, why should I be angry?"
Wei Hong's eyes twitched slightly, and he secretly gritted his teeth.
“But my nephew wanted to marry you before, and I still get angry when I think about it now.”
Yao Youqing frowned slightly upon hearing this: "Why? Didn't I already explain to you that I have never had any romantic feelings for him? Besides, he didn't marry me later; it was you, Brother Hong, who married me."
Wei Hong: "But I get angry when I think about how he coveted you. Don't you get angry when you think about how I almost married another woman?"
Yao Youqing: "...No way."
Wei Hong: "..."
Chapter 142 Eating Chicken
The Empress was broad-minded and forgiving of the Emperor's past without any jealousy, but Emperor Wei Hong himself was not happy; on the contrary, he was very angry.
He wanted to turn away and had already turned around, but when he saw the palace servants following far behind, he stopped and stood still for a long time.
If he leaves like this, rumors will surely spread in the palace that Yao Youqing has angered him and that there is a problem between the two of them.
At that time, those people in the court will take the opportunity to bring up the matter of taking a concubine again, wanting to put someone by his side to replace Yao Youqing in his heart.
After all, Yao Youqing had no relatives other than her father, making her someone they could neither please nor control.
Rather than letting such a person occupy the most important position in the emperor's heart, it would be better to replace them with someone else who has connections and is easier to contact.
Thinking about all this, Wei Hong once again felt the constraints and frustrations of becoming an emperor, thinking to himself that he couldn't even properly vent his anger anymore.
Back when he was in the Prince's residence, he could simply walk away if he was unhappy. But where can he go now? Out of the palace? That would be more than just rumors and gossip.
In the end, he could only turn around and pull Yao Youqing along, thinking that he would deal with her properly when they got back to the palace.
Yao Youqing followed him for a while, opening her mouth several times as if to say something, but she couldn't get the words out.
Seeing that the two were about to circle back and would soon reunite with Wei Qi'an, she whispered, "Although I don't care about what happened in the past, but... if you are with other women in the future, I might... I might be a little jealous."
Fearing he might be angry, she quickly explained, "I know I shouldn't have done that, and it's not that I don't want you to take concubines, I just... I just..."
She stammered for a long time without getting to the point, and Wei Hong, listening nearby, was even more anxious than she was.
"Just what?"
Yao Youqing pursed her lips, lowered her gaze, and slightly tightened her grip on the hand that he wasn't holding.
“I… I know many people are urging His Majesty to take a concubine, and I also know… it’s only natural, I shouldn’t be jealous.”
"Father told me before that once you become emperor, many things will be beyond your control. Taking concubines doesn't necessarily mean you've fallen for other women, and... even if you have, that's still..."
"Don't listen to his nonsense."
Wei Hong interrupted, frowning.
"That old scoundrel only talks badly about me all day long and never wishes me well."
"No, Father..."
"Don't talk about him, talk about yourself."
Wei Hong felt that Yao Yuzhi was a troublemaker, and he was annoyed just hearing her name, so he interrupted again.
"What are your own thoughts, Ning'er?"
Yao Youqing lowered her eyes again after raising them, looking somewhat listless.
"I don't want to think about it."
She murmured.
"The thought of Brother Hong being with another woman makes me feel uncomfortable, and I feel... a tightness in my chest, and I can't breathe."
“I understand that it is only natural and proper for the emperor to take concubines. Not to mention the emperor, it is also common for ordinary officials to have three wives and four concubines. As the empress, I should not be jealous.”
"But no matter how I try to convince myself, just thinking about it still makes me feel a little uncomfortable."
“I’ve never been one to keep secrets from you. Rather than letting you find out in the future, I’d rather tell you in advance, so that you won’t be disappointed in me and think I’m not generous enough.”
To Wei Hong, this heartfelt confession was no different from sweet words. He was overjoyed and couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her on the cheek.
"Don't be so generous. I once told your father that I would only marry you in this life and there would be no other woman."
Yao Youqing smiled and agreed, but the smile didn't reach her eyes as usual. Instead, it was the same kind of smile she had when she first married Wei Hong—a smile that showed her adherence to rules and propriety.
Wei Hong could tell at a glance that she wasn't paying attention and hadn't taken his words seriously at all.
"You don't believe me."
He said in a deep voice.
Yao Youqing shook her head: "I believe you! It's just... I understand that His Majesty is no longer a prince. There are many things that even if neither of us wants to do them, we may not be able to refuse. This is what Father meant by being unable to control one's own destiny."
"As the ruler of a country, Your Majesty has too many things to consider, and there are bound to be some things that cannot be done perfectly. If this is the matter that cannot be done perfectly, I can understand. Even if... even if I feel a little uncomfortable, I will not stop you."
She believed in the promises he made to her now, and she believed that he truly wanted to keep those promises. She just didn't believe that the world could be turned upside down so easily, and she didn't believe that people would tolerate an emperor's harem having only one empress and no other concubines.
Wei Hong felt that this meant she didn't trust him, and he was initially annoyed, but he couldn't help but detect a hint of desolation in her tone when she spoke.
He suddenly remembered that Wei Chi liked Yao Youqing back then, but Yao Youqing didn't actually want to marry him or become the empress.
She told him that she felt her personality was not suited to be an empress, nor did she like being an empress.
However, the empress they were referring to back then was Wei Chi's empress, not his.
Now, just a few years later, Wei Hong had almost forgotten these words. Now, suddenly remembering them, he understands where her desolation comes from.
He felt uncomfortable being the emperor, and she felt the same way about being the empress.
If it weren't for him, she wouldn't have wanted to enter the palace at all, right?
But ever since he began vying for the throne, she has never said such a thing again. She simply stayed by his side silently, putting away all her dislikes and unwillingness, and trying her best to be a qualified empress, even though this was not what she wanted at the beginning, and even something she once despised.
Wei Hong suddenly realized that what she had just said was less about distrusting him and more about an unconscious form of self-protection.
To avoid future disappointment, she forced herself to prepare for the worst now, so that even if one day he couldn't go against the wishes of the court officials and took a concubine, she wouldn't be too heartbroken.
Wei Hong sighed softly, released her hand, and gently put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him.
“I don’t know if I can handle other things, but I’m sure I can handle this. I, Wei Hong, will never let Ning’er down in this lifetime.”
He then gently kissed her forehead, his words carrying a hint of guilt and reassurance.
Although Yao Youqing was somewhat depressed about the possible situation she might face in the future, she still smiled sincerely and nodded after his comforting words: "I believe in Brother Hong, I have always believed in him."
...
After saying those words to Yao Youqing in the garden that day, Wei Hong pondered how to make her happier.
The best solution, of course, is to wait until Wei Qi'an grows up and pass the throne to him, then he can take Yao Youqing out of the palace to travel and enjoy life, and no longer concern himself with the affairs of the palace or the world.
He went to see Wei Qi'an three times in one day, but the boy hadn't changed at all; he was still just a baby.
Waiting for him to grow up would probably take a long time, so Wei Hong had to put the idea aside for the time being and think of other solutions.
After much thought, he set aside a piece of land in the palace, just like the pastoral scene in the painting by Feng Dajia that Yao Youqing had given him. He built a few farmhouses, fenced them off, and put a few chickens, ducks, and rabbits in. He would come here with Yao Youqing from time to time to look around, imagining that he was already living a leisurely life at home after abdicating.
Yao Youqing and Wei Qi'an both liked this place very much. Even when Wei Hong was not around, they would often come here. Sometimes, if he didn't see them after court, he would come here to look for them and he would always find them.
Wei Qi'an had learned to walk and loved chasing after a group of chicks. One day, when Wei Hong came to find them, he saw the boy reach out and grab a chick stuck in the fence. He held it in both hands, looked at it from left to right, and then lowered his head and opened his mouth to bite it.
Fortunately, the servants reacted quickly and stopped them, otherwise they would have been bitten by chicken feathers.
Wei Hong found it amusing and drew the scene when he got back. However, there were no other palace servants in the drawing, only himself, Yao Youqing, and Wei Qi'an, the mother and son.
In the painting, he and Yao Youqing are standing not far away, smiling at Wei Qi'an, while Wei Qi'an is standing in front of the fence... eating chicken.
Yao Youqing couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at the painting. After Wei Hong finished, he handed the brush to her and asked her to add a few strokes.
Yao Youqing quickly shook her head: "No, no, if I start painting, this painting will be ruined."
Wei Hong is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and his calligraphy and painting are exceptional. Nowadays, many officials in the court consider it an honor to possess a piece of his calligraphy or painting, and any painting he casually creates can be passed down as a family heirloom.
This is not only because of his status, but also because his paintings truly have value; those who know how to appreciate art can tell the quality of his skills at a glance.
Seeing that Yao Youqing refused, Wei Hong simply picked her up and held her in his arms, guiding her hand as she began to write.
In a short while, a rabbit appeared in the painting, secretly nibbling on vegetable leaves in the field not far from Wei Qi'an.
Yao Youqing looked at the rabbit, chuckled, and then added another one next to it.