In the main hall, Nan Jinxue and Ji Yinxue were having a pleasant conversation with the Marquis, while Jin Yinniang and Leng Yinniang, sitting to the side, had sour faces, but clearly dared not utter a single word of dissent. Nan Xianxian, Nan Zhaoxue, and Nan Zaiqing were also present, as were the second master of the second branch, Nan Aoyu, Madam Qi, Aunt Dou, Aunt Liu, Nan Qinghao, and Nan Xueyan.
"Father, Aunt Leng, Aunt Jin, Second Uncle, Madam Qi, Aunt Liu, Aunt Dou," Ji Wushang called out, offering a simple greeting. The greetings were brief, but not particularly warm.
"Sit." The Marquis looked at Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong and pointed to a seat.
"Big brother, sister-in-law!" Ji Yinxue said sweetly with a smile.
Ji Wushang smiled slightly, "Sister-in-law."
Nan Xuzong did not say anything or bow, but waited for them to speak.
"It's been a long time since we've had a family reunion dinner, so let's all have this meal together," the Marquis said with a smile, and then instructed the maids to begin serving the dishes.
It was not unreasonable for them to sit together and dine, but Ji Wushang felt a little pressured because everyone's eyes were focused on him.
Ji Wushang looked at her clothes. Although she hadn't had time to change out of the clothes she wore to the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, they shouldn't be stained at all, right? Why is everyone staring at her?
"There's something I'm not sure if I should say," the Marquis said while eating.
Ji Wushang glanced at Nan Xuzong, who only picked up a slice of meat but didn't eat it. Hearing the Marquis's words, Nan Xuzong put down the meat slices and directly picked up a mouthful of rice from his bowl.
"Cong'er," the Marquis said, turning his head.
"Hmm." Nan Xuzong nodded, then took a bite of rice, his head slightly lowered so that no one could see his expression.
"Look, Jin Xue and Yin Xue both have children. You two need to hurry." The Marquis narrowed his eyes, looking at Nan Xu Cong, then at Ji Wu Shang, "If that doesn't work, consider taking a concubine."
"Father, Wushang and I have only been married for a little over a month, less than two months. Isn't it too hasty to take a concubine? Where does this leave General Ji's mansion? Wushang and I were married by the Emperor. If I were to take a concubine, wouldn't that be disrespectful to the Emperor?" Nan Xuzong's tone was cold, but he tried his best to say things that wouldn't provoke anyone.
Ji Wushang lowered his head and remained silent, knowing it was inappropriate for him to speak at this moment.
The Marquis listened and thought about it, and it seemed to be true. But why was there no sign of Ji Wushang? Ji Yinxue was already pregnant, so why couldn't she, as the older sister, get pregnant?
"Father, my second brother and sister-in-law have been together for quite some time now! Counting the days, it's been almost half a year!" Nan Xuzong said coldly.
Everyone around was shocked, and the Marquis also recalled how their marriage had come to this—it was Nan Jinxue who had offended someone else's second young lady!
"Alright, let's not talk about it for now!" Knowing he was in the wrong, the Marquis changed the subject.
Ji Wushang looked up and said, "Father is right. Cong and I will try our best to conceive as soon as possible."
"That's good!" the Marquis nodded.
"But I have a problem. Father, my sister-in-law is pregnant now, so she'll probably have to sleep separately from my second brother. But there's no one to serve him, which is a problem. I'm in charge of the inner courtyard of this Marquis's mansion, so I should go and see if there are any suitable women for my second brother to take a look at, so he can take a concubine."
"Since you're in charge of the Marquis's mansion's backyard, you can make the decision yourself," the Marquis said after eating his food.
Ji Wushang looked at Ji Yinxue with a smile, while Ji Yinxue gritted her teeth. She had deliberately let others steal her husband!
Nan Jinxue laughed, saying it didn't matter to her whether she had one more woman or one less. But Ji Wushang, you're becoming more and more charming. It seems your brother is taking good care of you! Nan Jinxue's greedy gaze lingered on Ji Wushang.
Nan Xuzong narrowed his eyes, put down his chopsticks, and stared coldly at Nan Jinxue without saying a word. Nan Jinxue, receiving that piercing look, lowered her head, not daring to look again.
Just then, a maidservant came and said, "My lord, Miss Zhao Biao has arrived outside."
"Oh?" the Marquis asked, puzzled. "Why are you so late? What brings you here?" "Let her in. It's too late; don't let her stand outside."
"Yes." The maid immediately went to let someone in.
Hearing this, Ji Yinxue was overjoyed. "Perfect timing! Tonight, Ji Wushang, just you wait!"
Ji Wushang glanced at Ji Yinxue, but Ji Yinxue smiled innocently.
"Uncle, Aunt, Prince, Princess, Second Cousin, Second Cousin's Wife..." Zhao Yirou greeted them one by one, showing all the proper etiquette.
"Have you had your meal? Why are you so late?" the Marquis asked.
Zhao Yirou said, "I heard at home that Auntie was accidentally injured. Father was worried, and so was I, so I brought a lot of tonics to come and see Auntie. Unexpectedly, the carriage had a little accident on the way, so I only arrived now." Zhao Yirou's face was gentle, and she spoke carefully with her small mouth moving up and down, which was really endearing.
Ji Wushang smiled inwardly. What a good excuse! The carriage had an accident, so he should have gone straight back to his own residence. Unexpectedly, he insisted on coming to the Marquis's residence, claiming that he was worried about Aunt Zhao. How affectionate and filial he was!
"Miss Zhao must be very tired!" Ji Wushang said. "Quickly, bring another pair of chopsticks. Miss Zhao left early but arrived at our manor late; she must be very hungry."
"Yes." The maid nodded immediately.
Zhao Yirou smiled, but inwardly she sneered. Saying that she left early and arrived at the Marquis's mansion late was not a pleasant thing to say!
The Marquis said, "It's so late, let's go back tomorrow! Stay here tonight." It's so late, there's no reason to let someone go back, otherwise people will say that the Marquis of Jinnan's residence is not hospitable!
Moreover, Zhao Yirou is the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Zhao Ge, and as a Marquis, I should show her some respect.
"Grandpa said he sent Yirou to the Marquis's residence today to see Aunt. It's good that Aunt is alright." Zhao Yirou smiled gently.
As expected, Zhao Ge knew how to use his power to exert pressure, and he sent Zhao Yirou to say such things. Naturally, these words were not offensive, but they were extremely threatening.
Ji Wushang laughed. It was quite good that Aunt Zhao sent Zhao Yirou to scout ahead since Aunt Zhao was half-dead!
"Miss Zhao, please rest assured, Aunt Zhao is recovering and will definitely make a full recovery. Please have your meal." Ji Wushang waved his hand, signaling the maid to bring over several more dishes.
The Marquis nodded. "Exactly."
"I will arrange for Miss Zhao to stay later. Please feel free to ask if you need anything." Ji Wushang played the role of the head mistress to the fullest. The concubines and young ladies present had no chance to say a word, and could only glare and snort.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Zhao Yirou smiled at Ji Wushang.
After dinner, Ji Wushang arranged for Zhao Yirou to stay in the west wing, a less frequented area, and assigned several guards to protect her. However, Zhao Yirou insisted on going to Zhuangshu Garden to visit Aunt Zhao, and Ji Wushang naturally didn't stop her.
Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong returned to Moxuan Garden, each lost in thought, and then took a bath.
Nan Xuzong looked at Ji Wushang after he came out of the shower, took a towel from him, and asked, "Why did you wash your hair again?"
"It's a little itchy, a wash will do." Ji Wushang sat down next to him and nestled in his arms. He gently wiped her hair with a cotton handkerchief, his gaze tender, without saying a word.
Looking at the night outside, Ji Wushang asked, "What do you think Zhao Yirou is doing here?"
"I don't know." He didn't have the energy to guess what those women were thinking; he was focused on getting pregnant, which was enough for him.
"What happened today is a bit problematic. Even the Japanese pirates are involved; I'm afraid the situation will become even more murky." Ji Wushang turned over and looked at him. "How was your diagnosis of the second son of the Wang family?"
"This isn't good," Nan Xuzong said. "I'm thinking about how to slow down his demonic influence. Otherwise, he'll become my enemy instead of my ally before the final battle, and I'll be in serious trouble!"
"What exactly are you doing?" Ji Wushang asked.
"What do you think?" Nan Xuzong smiled instead.
Just then, a gust of wind blew by. Nan Xuzong's eyes flickered, and he gently kissed Ji Wushang's lips. "I have some things to take care of first. The room is safe; you can sleep now."
"Okay." Ji Wushang nodded. He watched him enter the secret passage before sitting on the bed. He really was hiding something from him. Sigh.
Nan Xuzong entered the secret passage, but took a different path. After a short while, he indeed saw the person with his back to him.
☆、194 His schemes failed, and he reaped what he sowed!
Wu Shang fixed her hair and lay down on the bed, but she couldn't stop thinking about what Nan Xu Cong was hiding from her. The more Nan Xu Cong tried to keep it from Ji Wu Shang, the more Ji Wu Shang wanted to know what was going on.
Curiosity is a wonderful thing.
He got out of bed and tried to push open the door to the secret room, but he couldn't. Ji Wushang tried to push it open with all his might, but he couldn't budge it.
Left with no other choice, we had to give up.
I lay back down on the bed, but I just couldn't fall asleep.
Nan Xuzong sat in front of Huangfu Xuan, looking up at him slightly.
“Cooperation.” Huangfu Xuan looked directly at Nan Xuzong, his tone cold, but his eyes held a hint of expectation. “Your sudden departure today suggests something must have happened. You know the position of Crown Prince in our dynasty will definitely change. Looking around, who do you think is most capable of taking the position?”
"You think it's you?" Nan Xuzong looked at him. This man was his third brother, his half-brother. Ha! This man certainly had the qualities to be emperor, but whether he could defeat the Empress and the Second Prince in this battle for the throne was a question.
"What do you think?" he asked instead. "Who is more suitable than me?"
Nan Xuzong shook his head. "Don't you think His Majesty is in good spirits and acts decisively? It will probably be a long time before he establishes a Crown Prince?"
"No, he's only barely managing. If I don't intervene, I'm afraid my second brother will!"
Nan Xuzong smiled jokingly, "Second Prince has the Empress backing him up, but who can back you up?"
"I have you, that's enough. How could the two of us brothers be inferior to him?" Huangfu Xuan also laughed.
"Don't address me like that, I'm not worthy of your name!" Nan Xuzong's expression changed, and he snorted coldly.
"I will make my father clear your name!" Huangfu Xuan said solemnly. "Don't think you can stay out of this; you are destined to walk this path!"
"No need!" Nan Xuzong said coldly. "For over twenty years, he has failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father, so why should I ask for more? What you want to do is none of my business."
"But aren't you afraid I'll drag Ji Wushang down with me?" Huangfu Xuan's lips curled into a slight smile.
"You dare!" Nan Xuzong glared at him coldly, as if he were about to kick him out!
"Fourth Prince, why are you so stubborn? Don't you want to know the truth about what happened back then? If you want to know the truth about your mother's death in the inner palace, you must get involved. Otherwise, you will never know what really happened! My mother didn't die of illness; she was slowly poisoned! Are you going to let such vicious people go?" Huangfu Xuan said. "Running away is not the solution. I will absolutely not let them go!" Huangfu Xuan's eyes were ruthless, flashing with murderous intent.
“I have never run away.” Nan Xuzong looked at him. “I just cherish these days and don’t want to think about anything else.”
"The world is about to change, the Demon Lord is about to descend. Will this land be stained with blood, or will he bestow blessings upon the world? You are the one with the most responsibility, yet you are willing to stand behind? No, I know you have been working hard all along because you are worried about her, aren't you? Don't you want to join forces with me?" Huangfu Xuan sneered, "Do you think you already have enough power to contend with him? Do you think that with the help of the Bei Gong brothers, you can succeed? Nan Xu Cong, you are far too naive!"
"What are you trying to say?" Nan Xuzong was slightly taken aback, but more so, he was furious. Was he doubting his own power? Doubting his own judgment?
"You could say you're saving the world, or you could say you're only saving Ji Wushang!" Huangfu Xuan laughed, then picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for himself and Ji Wushang. "The person who can play the silent zither, the person who can open the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace, must be someone who has died before. And the sacrifice to the Demon Lord must be performed by such a person! The Demon Lord sealed beneath the Demon Palace is about to awaken, and you don't have much time left." Huangfu Xuan raised the wine cup in front of him and then drank it all in one gulp.
Nan Xuzong paused slightly. He was right. Moreover, there was the power from the Western Region King, the Second Prince, and the Sixth Prince. If they couldn't stand by his side, they could deliver a fatal blow at any time. Only by constantly forming alliances with others could he handle all of this! Killing that Demon Lord would be the best outcome!
Huangfu Xuan only wants the throne, so helping him isn't out of the question. He wants the throne, so I'll give it to him! But there are conditions!
"I can agree to that, but you must agree to one condition," Nan Xuzong said. "If you truly become the crown prince and emperor, you must not wage war against any other country for ten years!"
"What if another country starts the war first?" Huangfu Xuan asked with a smile. Sure enough, he agreed to his request.
"That's another country's business, do as you please!" Nan Xuzong sneered. "Also, what happened tonight must not be mentioned to anyone!"
"Hmm." Now that the goal has been achieved, there's no point in saying more to others. However, his legs do indeed hinder his work. I'll see if there's any way to heal them! I must find a royal physician to examine him when I have time.
Nan Xuzong looked at Huangfu Xuan and said, "It's almost time, farewell!"
"Okay." Huangfu Xuan nodded. It was enough to have a general idea of the situation; there was no need to push too hard.
——
Zhuangshu Garden.
Inside the room, the head maid, Yan Shou, stayed by Aunt Zhao's side, wiping her body and feeding her medicine. Meanwhile, the well-dressed Zhao Yirou sat to the side, watching Yan Shou do her work.
After eating a sunflower seed, Zhao Yirou asked, "Yan Shou, is there any chance that Auntie will get better?"