Super-Fertile Darling: Forced to Marry the Heirless Tyrant

Ji Qingwu’s first instinct was to deny it.

But she was terrible at lying, especially to those she was close to.

Mrs. Qiao was not easily fooled. Catching the flicker in Qingwu’s eyes, she spoke first. "Are you trying to lie to me? Tell me the truth."

Ji Qingwu stopped leaning toward Mrs. Qiao, even scooting away a little guiltily.

It was a difficult question to answer.

There was no way she could mention something as unbelievable as the childbirth system.

But if she were to say...

’...that she was actually the one who forced Emperor Wu Su?’ Even if she had the nerve to say it, would her mother believe her?

Ji Qingwu blinked rapidly and mumbled, "Mm... I guess so."

Receiving the answer she’d expected, Mrs. Qiao said, "I knew it the moment I saw your reaction. You weren’t willing, were you?"

The bed curtains were drawn, creating a private space for the mother and daughter.

Mrs. Qiao’s tone softened. "I’m your mother, and I’ve been through these things. Whatever I ask, just answer me honestly. I won’t hurt you. I’m just worried you’ll go back to how you were before, bottling everything up inside."

Ji Qingwu nodded obediently. "I’ll tell you everything this time. Just as long as you’re not angry with me anymore."

A single candle was left burning outside, its hazy light filtering through the bed’s gauze canopy.

Mrs. Qiao studied her face. "Last time, you were the one who said you wanted to enter the palace. You must have feelings for him, don’t you?"

A blush crept onto Ji Qingwu’s cheeks. Her lips parted, and seeing her expression, Mrs. Qiao understood her daughter’s heart.

But what woman in love wouldn’t want to be with her beloved every single day?

Mrs. Qiao, thinking she was worried about her status, said, "Xiao Wu, you will live at home from now on. Your father and I have decided to call off the engagement with the Wei Family. We’ll just treat the whole thing as a farce."

"I’ll do as you say, Mother," Ji Qingwu said.

She had been mentally preparing for this since hearing Lan Zhi’s account that afternoon.

Having Ji Bo Lian step in to resolve her engagement with Wei Ting was an approach she had never considered.

But she had to admit, it was the best solution available—far better than the writ of separation handwritten by Emperor Wu Su.

A doubt lingered in Ji Qingwu’s mind. "But will the Wei Family accept this so easily?"

Mrs. Qiao had full confidence in Ji Bo Lian’s ability to handle matters. "You don’t need to worry about that. Your father will see to it."

An extreme scenario popped into Ji Qingwu’s mind. "But Wei Ting is still at the Northern Border. What if he causes a scene over this and wants to return, abandoning the war altogether? What would we do then?"

She had been worrying all along about what would happen if she infuriated Wei Ting.

Mrs. Qiao hadn’t expected her to think of such things. Her concern wasn’t for herself, but for the soldiers and civilians of the Northern Border.

She said with a helpless sigh, "I think I’m finally starting to understand you. You can be sentimental and capricious about small things, but you’re never careless when it comes to important matters. You’re so cautious. But to think this way means you’ve misjudged both the Emperor and Wei Ting."

Ji Qingwu’s gaze flickered. "I’m just worried... what if..."

"Putting everything else aside," Mrs. Qiao said, "the Emperor is in good health now, and Wei Ting’s entire family is here in Lin’an. He wouldn’t do something like that."

Things were very different now. Ji Qingwu turned her head, pressing her face into the pillow. "Then I’ll leave everything to your arrangements, Mother," she said softly.

But Mrs. Qiao shook her head. "Xiao Wu, there are some things you need to figure out for yourself now. There’s much I can’t arrange for you. From now on, you have to walk your own path."

Ji Qingwu sensed what was coming—the matter of entering the palace. The smile vanished from her eyes, and her delicate brows knitted together.

"Jiu Jiu is already in the palace," Mrs. Qiao said. "Whether you sent her there willingly or it was the Emperor’s wish, an imperial heir will not be left to live outside the palace. You need to be prepared."

"Your father disapproves of your engagement to the Wei Family, but if the Emperor himself asks for you..."

Mrs. Qiao paused. Ji Qingwu lowered her gaze.

"You’ll have to enter the palace sooner or later. It’s better to take the initiative and hold the power in your own hands."

Listening to her mother’s gentle voice, Ji Qingwu fiddled with the corner of the blanket, twisting it this way and that, her heart a tangled mess.

Mrs. Qiao was not one to beat around the bush. Seeing her daughter’s indecision, she asked directly, "What are you worried about?"

"I won’t be able to see you after I enter the palace," Ji Qingwu said.

Mrs. Qiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Who stays with their mother every day? You need to live your own life."

"Besides, you weren’t concerned about this when we were arranging matches for you before. Tell me, what are you really hesitating about?"

Seeing that her mother had seen right through her, Ji Qingwu sighed and said slowly, "Living in the palace is exhausting. It’s all schemes and plotting. I just want to live a more relaxed, free life."

On this point, Mrs. Qiao offered no comfort, telling her bluntly.

"Accept your fate."

Ji Qingwu’s face fell.

’What a brutally direct answer.’

It had come to this. There was no other path but to follow the arrangements of fate.

Mrs. Qiao looked at the listless Ji Qingwu. "Where’s the courage you had before about entering the palace? Where did it go? Motherhood makes a woman strong. You have two children to protect now. You don’t have a choice."

At the thought of Yuan Heng and Jiu Jiu, a small flame flickered to life in Ji Qingwu’s eyes, only to slowly die out again.

Mrs. Qiao reached out and poked her on the head.

"Xiao Wu, are you trying to worry me to death? Hurry up and tell me what this is really about! Otherwise, I’m going back to Anju Garden right now to tell your father, and we’ll have you in the palace by tomorrow morning."

Even though she knew Mrs. Qiao was just making an empty threat, Ji Qingwu still scrambled to grab her hand.

She said in a low voice, "I’m scared... It hurts so much..."

At first, Mrs. Qiao didn’t understand. Then she saw that Xiao Wu’s eyes were red-rimmed and her expression was full of grievance, while her face was completely flushed in a look of both shyness and misery.

Mrs. Qiao’s expression was indescribable. "...And to think you’re a physician, one who specializes in women’s health, no less."

"It’s hard for a doctor to treat herself, you know."

Ji Qingwu knew how pathetic she sounded. After saying it, she buried her face in her pillow.

Mrs. Qiao still found it incredible. She thought for a long moment before asking, "The time before you came home... did it hurt then, too?"

"...Mm," came Ji Qingwu’s muffled voice. "I nearly died."

Now Mrs. Qiao truly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’Xiao Wu is inexperienced and shy, so it’s understandable if she’s clueless about the affairs of the bedroom. But is the Emperor a complete novice who doesn’t understand women?’

"So you’re resisting entering the palace over a little thing like this?"

Ji Qingwu lifted her head from the pillow, neck stiff, and pushed herself halfway up with her hands on the mattress.

"This isn’t a little thing! This is a huge deal."

’A matter of life and death, even.’

Mrs. Qiao pulled Ji Qingwu back down to lie properly, smiling as she looked at her flushed face. "All right, I understand now."

She tucked the blanket in around her again and said thoughtfully, "For the next few days, I’ll find some... interesting books for you to read. You just stay at home and don’t think about anything else."

From that day on, Ji Qingwu paid no mind to the outside world, focusing solely on reading the "books of sages and saints" that Mrs. Qiao had found for her.