His hand on her shoulder tightened slightly, and he suppressed his physical desire as he whispered hoarsely in her ear, "I'll give you two choices: either you take the initiative to please me, or if I'm in a good mood, I might give you a child, ensuring you a worry-free life and the true honor of a princess."
"Either... I'll leave right now and never set foot in the inner quarters again. From now on, you can live your life and I'll live mine, and you'll be all alone here, growing old in solitude!"
This choice is too easy for women; they hardly need to think about the answer.
What woman doesn't want her husband's love and affection? What woman doesn't want a child of her own?
Having children provides a stable position, someone to rely on, and a way to avoid being destitute in old age.
Therefore, when Wei Hong said those words, he never imagined that Yao Youqing would make another choice.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Yao Youqing's tense body suddenly relaxed.
For some reason, Wei Hong had a bad feeling at that moment.
Sure enough, the next moment she said, "I think... it's good that we're apart!"
Wei Hong: "..."
He stiffly raised his head and looked into her clear, bright eyes, finding no trace of forced ease or reluctance.
She genuinely felt that the second option was better!
The blood that had just flowed down Wei Hong's body now rushed to his head, his face flushed, his eyes twitching, and he suddenly remembered what Cui Hao had told him before.
That was his wedding night with Yao Youqing. Because of his feud with Yao Yuzhi, he did not stay overnight in the main courtyard. The next day, he asked Cui Hao what Yao Youqing had to say.
Cui Hao told him: The princess is very happy!
At the time, he thought she must have lied to him on purpose to put his mind at ease, but now he realized... she was genuinely happy!
Because the room was dimly lit, Yao Youqing did not notice that something was wrong with his expression and continued, "If Your Highness wants a legitimate child, you can register another child under my name. As for whether I will raise the child or let his birth mother raise him herself, it is up to Your Highness, and I have no objection."
Wei Hong: "...I want a legitimate child?"
Yao Youqing: "...You don't want to? That's fine too, it's up to you."
Wei Hong: "..."
Chapter 20 Revisit
Wei Hong arrived suddenly, and left even more suddenly.
As Zhou's mother nervously eavesdropped at the door, it suddenly opened, startling her so much that her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Just as he was about to apologize, the other person ignored him completely and walked away without looking back.
They came like a confident beast ready to hunt, but left like a beast that failed to catch its prey and was instead led around by it.
Mrs. Zhou looked puzzled. While asking someone to see him off, she returned to her room and sat down next to Yao Youqing.
"What's wrong? Why is His Highness so angry? You...you're not willing to accept him, you've rejected him?"
Yao Youqing shook her head: "No, no. I'll do as you said, Mom... just lie still and let him be."
Zhou's mother: "...Why is the prince so angry?"
Yao Youqing pursed her lips, glanced at Zhou's mother, and lowered her head to quietly recount what had just happened.
Madam Zhou gasped: "Is that what you told the Prince?"
Yao Youqing nodded: "I...I really think it's good to live separately, and it was the prince who asked me. I didn't know he would be so angry after I told him the truth..."
Mrs. Zhou was at a loss for words and said helplessly, "But the Prince has already promised to give you a child, Princess. Don't you want to have a child of your own?"
She was a woman too, and she knew how important children were to women, especially in the inner quarters of a household, and even more so for a young lady like her who was not favored by her husband. Her children were her only support.
“I think,” Yao Youqing said, “but it shouldn’t be like this.”
“The prince doesn’t like me, so naturally he won’t like the child I’ve given birth to. Even if he overlooks this because the child has his own bloodline, the child will inevitably be caught in the middle between me and the prince in the future.”
“I don’t want my child to face these things just so I can secure a place in the inner quarters. That’s not fair to him.”
Mrs. Zhou was taken aback by what she said and was speechless for a long time.
A silence fell between them. Yao Youqing, feeling uneasy, asked, "Aunt Zhou, did I do something wrong?"
Zhou's mother snapped out of her daze, looked at her somewhat bewildered expression, and shook her head: "It's not exactly a wrong thing to do."
After saying that, he asked her again, "Does Your Highness really think it's fine for you to live alone?"
Yao Youqing hummed in agreement: "I feel more comfortable this way."
Mrs. Zhou smiled and said softly, "Okay, as long as you're happy."
He reached out and straightened her collar, which had been pulled open, then stood up and said, "Go to sleep, it's late."
Yao Youqing nodded, lay back down, and before closing her eyes, she remembered something and tugged at Zhou's mother's sleeve again.
"Mommy, where's my little cutie?"
"It's with me, I'll bring it back right now."
Yao Youqing was relieved and went back to sleep after the puppy was brought back.
...
Cui Hao thought Wei Hong wouldn't return until dawn, since the princess was the principal wife, unlike the concubines of the past, and couldn't just leave after sleeping.
Moreover, since the prince suddenly went there in the middle of the night, he must be in a very high mood and it won't be over for a while.
But he didn't expect that the King of Qin would return shortly after he lay down.
Cui Hao frowned and calculated the time, wondering why it was so fast this time. He got up to ask if he needed to take a bath and change his clothes, but Wei Hong rudely chased him out.
He had served Wei Hong for so many years, and this was the second time he had been kicked out.
The first time was when the Empress passed away. He drove everyone away and locked himself in his room alone.
So why this time...?
Could it be... that it didn't work out?
Cui Hao was startled, never expecting that the frail little princess would dare to refuse their prince.
A prince, a chosen one of heaven, would naturally not force himself on someone who had been rejected.
But it was Yao Yuzhi's daughter who rejected him; she was a woman he originally had no intention of even touching.
This is...
That's embarrassing.
Fortunately, not everyone knew where the King of Qin had just gone, nor did everyone have a quick enough mind like him to guess what had happened.
The other servants asked him in hushed tones, "Lord Cui, what... what do we do now?"
Since the prince is so angry, he should find the person who angered him and punish them properly.
Cui Hao waved his hand again, repeating what he had said before: "Let's call it a day, just pretend nothing happened tonight."
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud noise suddenly broke out in the room, as if something like a table or desk had been overturned.
The servants all shrank back, glanced at Cui Hao, and asked him with their eyes if he needed to go inside and tidy up.
Cui Hao shook his head: "Go in only when the Prince summons you."
If you go in before he speaks, you'll likely offend him and get into big trouble.
The servants indeed dared not enter rashly. Upon hearing this, they breathed a sigh of relief and dispersed.
Inside the room, Wei Hong did not turn on the lights. After kicking over the table, he plopped back down in his chair.
If this marriage hadn't been personally bestowed by the late emperor before his death, he would have suspected that Yao Yuzhi deliberately gave birth to this daughter and married her to him to spite him!
That woman actually chose to live separately from him?
They actually said it's good to live separately?
Wei Hong sneered and slammed his fist on the table.
Okay! Don't come begging to him again!
...
The next morning, Wei Hong went to the military camp and did not return for several days.
Ji Yunwan left someone in Hucheng, and upon learning of Wei Hong's return, that person immediately went to Lintong to inform her of the news.
Pan Xiang happily put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer, saying, "The prince has finally returned. We've been staying here for over a month, but we haven't even seen the prince. We don't know how to reply to the master."
Back then, Emperor Gaozong intended to betroth Ji Yunwan's elder sister, Ji Yunshu, to Wei Hong, and Ji Huai'an agreed.
From that time on, the Ji family was destined to be tied to the King of Qin, and could no longer gain the trust of Wei Feng or Wei Chi.
It was precisely because of this that Ji Huai'an wanted to marry his second daughter, Ji Yunwan, to Wei Hong after Ji Yunshu's accident, and still entered into a marriage contract with him.
Otherwise, the Ji family would lose its foothold and would please neither side.
But to his surprise, Wei Feng betrothed Miss Yao to him as his wife as soon as Wei Hong returned to the capital, and his plans fell through.
The Ji family was a prestigious family and could not allow their daughter to become someone else's concubine. So, although Ji Huai'an was unwilling, he never mentioned it again. When he learned that Ji Yunwan had disguised herself as his sister to meet Wei Hong, he was furious and felt that she had disgraced the Ji family.
"But what does face matter compared to the future of the family?"
These are the exact words Ji Yunwan said to Ji Huai'an behind closed doors.
Ji Huai'an laughed angrily: "You think becoming someone's concubine will bring a future to our Ji family?"
"Even if my sister were still alive, would marrying the prince as his principal wife guarantee a bright future for the family?"
Ji Yunwan retorted.
"The reason Father agreed to this marriage was because he values the Prince. He is a powerful and shrewd man, and like many others in the court, you felt that the late Emperor might not be able to hold onto his position..."
"shut up!"
Ji Huai'an interrupted, his face pale.
Ji Yunwan ignored her: "But the late emperor has secured his throne. Although it was not long, he died a natural death. The prince has not committed any acts of disloyalty over the years, so even if you marry him, the political situation will not change."
"In that case, what difference does it make whether she becomes the principal wife or I become the concubine?"
"At least it won't bring shame to the Ji family if your sister becomes the legal wife!"