Jeune Premier ministre, un ermite

Chapitre 110

Wei Zijun bowed and said, "Your Highness, there's really no need to worry about this. I only saved the person as a side thing, and I had no other intentions. If the princess thanked me repeatedly, I would feel quite uneasy."

“Although the Wind King says so, how could Si Yi not repay his kindness? Or perhaps she doesn’t know what the Wind King likes?” As she finished speaking, her eyes swept over the room’s furnishings. “The Wind King’s room is so elegant. Looking at this exquisite desk, the Wind King must often be practicing calligraphy and painting here.”

"Not as often as the princess said; Wei Feng only doodles occasionally," Wei Zijun replied casually.

"I've heard from my royal brother that Prince Feng's calligraphy and painting surpass even those of famous masters! When will you paint a picture for Siyi?" Turning her head, she saw the zither table by the window. "Prince Feng, could you perhaps play a tune for Siyi?"

"This..." Wei Zijun was somewhat embarrassed. "It's late. How about we play it for the princess another day?"

Li Siyi walked around the room for a moment before returning. "Everything in the Wind King's room is wonderful, except for a touch of loneliness." She looked up at Wei Zijun with a slightly shy expression. "Is the Wind King married?"

"Not yet," Wei Zijun replied gently. She thought to herself, everyone knows she's unmarried, so why is she asking?

"Has the Wind King ever had a love interest?" Li Siyi suddenly asked a surprising question.

"This..." The sudden question left Wei Zijun at a loss for words.

But Li Siyi didn't seem to care whether she answered or not, and instead continued, "Does the Wind King believe in love at first sight?"

"Well... I believe it exists." She did believe in love at first sight, but in this world, it wouldn't happen to her.

"King Feng, Siyi fell in love with you at first sight. Can you believe me?" Seeing Wei Zijun's stunned expression, Li Siyi continued, "That day, when you covered my eyes with your hands, from that moment on, I knew that King Feng was the one I had been waiting for all my life. If King Feng does not mind, Siyi is willing to repay your kindness with her own life."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zijun was startled. "Princess, you must not! Not to mention that I have no intention of getting married, even considering your status, I, Wei Feng, would not dare to presume to marry you, nor would I dare to wrong you, my lord."

Li Siyi stepped forward and said, "The Wind King is handsome and virtuous, talented in both literature and martial arts, and possesses a powerful family background and high social status. How can he be unworthy of you?"

"This...Princess, Wei Feng has been betrothed since childhood, so we cannot wrong Gong Sheng." There it was again, and she finally gave up.

But Li Siyi was clearly not easily fooled. "King Feng, please stop talking about being married. I have already investigated and found that you have never been married."

Wei Zijun felt a pang of despair. Had she already investigated all of this?

Seeing her so dismissive attitude, Li Siyi lowered her head and turned her head to say with a mournful expression, "Could it be that the King of Wind has someone he loves?"

Wei Zijun didn't know how to answer, but in order to get rid of the entanglement, she could only say firmly, "Yes."

Li Siyi was taken aback for a moment, then looked into Wei Zijun's eyes. "Is the Wind King deceiving Ye Yuese Junbo? How could Wei Feng deceive the princess? It's a younger sister of mine from Juyun Tower in Lucheng, named Die'er." Wei Zijun thought to herself, Die'er, I'm sorry, I used you as a shield.

Li Siyi's eyes flickered, and she suddenly grabbed Wei Zijun's hand, "Wei Feng, I don't care, I want to be yours, and you're not allowed to like anyone else."

The sudden confession was unacceptable to Wei Zijun. "Princess, please don't do this. If you do this, Wei Feng will be in a difficult position."

Are all women in Dayu so bold in expressing their love? Or is it because Li Luan has Xianbei blood in his veins that his daughters are so unrestrained?

"No, I only want you. I will marry no one but you." Li Siyi suddenly cupped Wei Zijun's face in her hands.

Wei Zijun was shocked and exclaimed, "Princess... Princess..."

With a flick of her red lips, she kissed Wei Zijun's lips. Wei Zijun was immediately stunned.

Oh no, she was kissed by a woman.

...

After the group saw the princess off, Wei Zijun's elder brother, Wei Xun, teased, "Zijun, judging from your flushed face, darting eyes, and distraught appearance, did that princess force herself on you? Huh? Hahahaha—"

"Big brother—" Wei Zijun said, her face flushed with a hint of anger, "But you, big brother, spend every night indulging in pleasure, lingering in brothels, forgetting all about home. I wonder how many times you've been raped!"

"Hey, it's always me who's stronger than others, never the other way around. But third brother, it's about time you got married. You're in your prime, yet so shy around women, and you don't even know how to find some fun for yourself. If you don't take a concubine soon, you'll probably go crazy! Haha—"

Wei Zijun's elder brother was fond of drinking and playing, so even when he grew up, his parents, Wei Shulan and Wei Zijun, did not dare to tell him his gender, for fear that he might accidentally reveal it when he was drunk.

Wei Zijun's second brother, Wei Heng, looked at Wei Xun and frowned. "Ziyan, stop talking nonsense. You reek of alcohol. Go back and rest." The second brother was cautious in his actions and cared deeply for Zijun. Ever since he learned that she was a girl a few years ago, he had been even more loving towards her.

Mu Xiaoya, who was listening from the side, couldn't stand it anymore. "Go—all of you go back—" she said, then turned to Wei Shulan, "And you, go back too."

"Madam... my Xiaoya, please let me play a game of chess with Jun'er before I go back, okay?" Wei Shulan pleaded in a low voice.

"Go back, I have something to say to Jun'er." It seems that Mu Xiaoya is the head of the household.

Wei Shulan muttered a couple of discontented words.

After everyone had left, Mu Xiaoya asked, "Zijun, your mother is asking you, do you have someone you like?"

"Mother, can't we not ask about this?" Wei Zijun awkwardly touched her nose.

"What's there to be ashamed of? I think that guy Lu is pretty good-looking, but the way he looked at you seemed a bit off. Is it... I heard from your dad that he touched your hand?"

“Mother, you’re making wild guesses again. He Lu doesn’t like women. He has never liked women. He only likes men!” Wei Zijun’s face flushed.

"Huh? No way, such a beautiful child." Mu Xiaoya was clearly surprised.

"Yes. So Mother, please don't make wild guesses."

"What a pity, what a pity." Mu Xiaoya sighed with regret, then added, "And that emperor, I don't think he's right either. He's been too good to you."

"Mother, let's not talk about this anymore." Wei Zijun felt that this topic was very awkward.

"Did they do anything to you, um? Like hugging or touching you?" Mu Xiaoya asked tentatively. "They didn't kiss you, did they?"

"Mom, what are you saying? I'm not talking to you anymore." Wei Zijun was so embarrassed that she just wanted to slip away. It was okay to talk about this with close friends, but discussing it with her own family was really awkward. But Mu Xiaoya obviously didn't understand her embarrassment and still pressed on, asking, "So, is it true or not?"

"No, none at all..." Feeling utterly helpless, she could only blush and give a perfunctory reply.

"That's good. I told you our Jun'er would never be so frivolous." Mu Xiaoya concluded confidently.

"Huh?" Wei Zijun was speechless. What should she do? It seemed like she'd been kissed quite a few times already, and even then, she'd been kissed as if she were a man.

Mu Xiaoya continued her conclusion, "To be honest, I think He Lu is quite good. He's honest and good-looking. But your father dislikes him, saying he's always bothering you. Your father likes Li Tianqi, but how can I agree to that? Since ancient times, no one is more heartless than a monarch. Ziju, you can't enter the palace."

"Mother—what are you saying to Father behind his back? How boring!" Wei Zijun cried out in her heart.

"It's not boring at all. This is a major life event for you, and we're having quite a chat about it."

Wei Zijun was utterly speechless.

...

The Zhuque Avenue was empty and wide in the early morning, like a huge square. Before the sun had even risen, a guard in black had already rushed out of the imperial city and headed straight for the residence of the Left Valiant Guard General.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the General's Mansion, he said to the servant who had just gotten up to sweep the hall, "Quickly summon His Highness Prince Feng to court; His Majesty has urgent business to discuss with him."

The servant threw down the broom and ran towards Wei Zijun's room.

After Ji An called out more than twenty times, an extremely impatient voice finally came from inside, "I know!"

Ji An hurriedly went to the gate and said to the guard, "Please go back first, Your Highness will be there after you have finished washing up."

A few rays of the rising sun pierced through the rustic lattice window, falling on the figure curled up lazily like a kitten, illuminating the contented sleeping face and making the fair skin almost transparent, while the elegant, slightly upturned lips were as bright as spring sunshine, and the faint fragrance of lotus leaves floated in the air.

"Your Highness, aren't you going to the palace yet? Coming here so early in the morning, it must be something urgent." Chun Tao carefully helped Wei Zijun with her washing and grooming.

"What's the point of going now? The morning court session is over. You all know I've been sleeping like a log lately, and you didn't wake me. If I go to the palace today, I won't be able to go to Lucheng either, so I'd better not go." With that, he grabbed a sword and went to the back garden to practice.

Chun Tao sighed as she gazed at that elegant and graceful figure. Her mistress was truly composed and dared to disregard even the Emperor's words.

The servants who had been helping Wei Zijun pack her things for her trip since early morning all knew about their young master's tendency to sleep and assumed she was still asleep. No one woke her up until the announcement, "Your Majesty has arrived!" rang out.

Everyone in the mansion came out to greet the emperor, except for one person.

"Where is the Wind King?" Li Tianqi glanced at the group of people standing in front of him.

"This..." Mr. and Mrs. Wei looked at each other, knowing perfectly well where else they could be but on the bed, and could only reply, "They probably haven't gotten up yet."

"Not up yet?" Li Tianqi felt a tightness in his chest. "Before dawn, I sent someone to inform Wei Feng to enter the palace. I didn't expect him to still be sleeping!" He flicked his sleeves and walked towards Wei Zijun's room.

The Wei couple hurriedly followed, trying to wake the person who was still dreaming before Li Tianqi could.

When they arrived, they found the room completely empty.

Upon seeing the beautiful figure dancing among the flowering trees, Li Tianqi was immediately enraged. "Wei Shulan, look at your good son! He clearly got up, yet he neglected matters of state, preferring to practice his sword here rather than go to the palace."

When that figure, dressed in a light, fluttering robe, as elegant as the first snowflakes, finally appeared after much anticipation, Li Tianqi couldn't help but angrily say, "Wei Feng—when the nation is in peril, you remain oblivious. The Yellow River is overflowing, the people are suffering, yet you are here indulging in pleasure. You... the entire court is waiting for you to come and discuss disaster relief plans, yet you ignore the imperial decree. Have you ever truly acknowledged my position? Have you ever considered Dayu as your country?"

"It seems that Wei Feng already told His Majesty that he was going to Lucheng today. Why is His Majesty so forgetful?" Wei Zijun said calmly, seeing the anger on his face.

“You—” Li Tianqi was speechless with anger.

“Zijun—you must not be disrespectful to His Majesty.” Only then did Wei Shulan and his wife realize that such a serious matter had occurred. Not only had the child disobeyed the imperial decree, but he had also delayed the country’s important plans.

Wei Zijun glanced at her anxious parents beside her, annoyed that he had made them worry again. She couldn't help but sneer, "Li Tianqi, here to complain again! It's a wonder you, the emperor, have wasted all your energy on this. Couldn't you spend that time reviewing some memorials?"

“Zijun—how dare you!” Wei Shulan shouted, “Do you know the rules of being a subject? How should a subject be careful with his words and actions? How dare you talk back to the Emperor?”

Wei Zijun's expression was cold. "Father, there aren't that many rules. I set my own rules."

"How dare you—kneel down and apologize to His Majesty!" Mu Xiaoya also felt that this child had gone too far. After all, he was the emperor of a country, he had done a favor for the Wei family, and he was concerned about the well-being of the people.

“Mother—I don’t need to kneel. I have an agreement with His Majesty.” Wei Zijun looked at Li Tianqi.

"You, you unfilial son..." Mu Xiaoya was truly angry.

"Xiaoya, don't get so angry," Wei Shulan quickly advised from the side.

“You unfilial son! As a subject, how can you not serve the people? If not His Majesty, then you should serve the people of Dayu! Back then, your mother vowed to fight for the country and eliminate enemies on the battlefield because she saw my people being humiliated. How could I have given birth to such an unfilial son? It's one thing to have surrendered to the Turks, but to treat that place as your own home? You don't know how to acknowledge your ancestors and return to your roots, you don't know how to serve the people of Dayu wholeheartedly. Do you want to go back to the Western Turks? Do you want to treat Dayu as an enemy? To trample on the people of Dayu with your iron hooves?” Mu Xiaoya became more and more agitated as she spoke, “You… you might as well treat your parents as enemies too! You unfilial son.”

"Mother—" Seeing that her mother was upset by her, Wei Zijun felt a pang of heartache. "Mother, don't be angry..."

"You unfilial son, you've wasted your time studying poetry and books, possessing a wealth of talent but useless if you don't serve your country."

"Mother... I was wrong, please don't be angry." Wei Zijun pleaded with her mother in a low voice, her mother's anger making her a little scared.

"If you know you're wrong, go and apologize to His Majesty," Mu Xiaoya said, slightly out of breath.

"Mother, I apologize to you." How could she possibly swallow her pride and apologize to that person?

"You unfilial son, you still won't admit your mistake. If you won't kneel before His Majesty, your mother will kneel in your place." Mu Xiaoya said, and was about to kneel down.

"Mother—" Wei Zijun's voice trembled as she grabbed Mu Xiaoya, sobbing, "Mother... I was wrong... Please don't be angry..."

"Then kneel down and admit your mistake to His Majesty."

With tears still in her eyes, Wei Zijun slowly knelt down before Li Tianqi.

Volume 3, Dayu Chapter 99: Reconciliation

With tears still in her eyes, Wei Zijun slowly knelt down before Li Tianqi.

Li Tianqi lifted her up as her legs bent downwards, saying, "Alright, you clearly don't want to, but you still have to force yourself."