Super-Fertile Darling: Forced to Marry the Heirless Tyrant

Prince Yong had withstood the test of the palace coup, and Emperor Wu Su was increasingly at ease with him.

No one else would be as reliable as Prince Yong for this task.

Zhao Minghong felt a surge of panic. ’This feels like he’s entrusting me with his heir... What in the world is going on?!’

He said, "I still need you to protect me, Imperial Brother. I’m not good at protecting others."

Emperor Wu Su sneered, "If you fail to protect him, I’ll be the first to have your head!"

A chill ran down Zhao Minghong’s neck, but he persisted, "I have my own child to protect. You should be the one looking after him, Imperial Brother."

’If I accept this task, I’ll be stuck with the little prince all day. How will I find time to visit Tao Wanxin at the clinic?’

Emperor Wu Su shot him a sidelong glance. "Your child isn’t with you, either. You can’t even see her. I hear Mrs. Tao wants to divorce you."

Zhao Minghong’s face fell, but he put on a brave front. "Divorce? That’s just nonsense."

"It’s for the best that there isn’t. After Mrs. Tao’s child is born, I will grant them the title of Commandery Prince. You can decide on the title."

This struck Prince Yong’s greatest vulnerability.

Zhao Minghong immediately broke into a fawning smile. "I will be sure to take excellent care of the little prince, making him healthy and plump. I’ll even keep a log of his eating, sleeping, and... well, everything..."

Emperor Wu Su said in a low voice, "Perhaps you should just return the Dragon-slaying Sword. It’s not as if you’re the only one who can do this."

’Any Palace Attendant could do a better job than him.’

Zhao Minghong clutched the sword tightly. ’This is for the title of my and Wanyin’s child.’

"I understand your meaning, Imperial Brother. I won’t give anyone a chance to harm the little prince."

Zhao Minghong backed toward the door as he spoke, and the moment he reached it, he bolted away, clutching the sword.

Seeing Prince Yong’s rapidly fleeing figure, Li Yuzong shook his head and entered quietly.

"Holy Emperor, are you really going to..."

Emperor Wu Su said coldly, "Have you come to persuade me, too?"

Having served for many years, Li Yuzong knew the Emperor’s temperament well. Once his mind was made up, no one could change it.

But that wasn’t his concern. He lowered his voice and said, "Holy Emperor, please don’t blame this old servant for overstepping, but perhaps we should give some advance notice this time?"

’Who would the Emperor possibly need to notify?’

Emperor Wu Su glanced at him, annoyed. "As if I needed you to remind me."

Li Yuzong only asked because he feared a repeat of what happened after the last assassination attempt.

Though he didn’t lose any men, he lost his lady, and the ordeal had nearly cost the Emperor half his life.

Emperor Wu Su hunched over his desk, finishing a few memorials. When he looked up, he saw the sky outside the hall was a heavy, somber gray.

He asked, "Where is Ji Changlin now?"

Li Yuzong went out to check and returned, reporting, "Holy Emperor, the guards at the city gate say that Mr. Ji has arrived and is currently in line to enter the city."

Emperor Wu Su set down his brush and asked thoughtfully, "With that female guard of his?"

Li Yuzong replied, "Yes. Lan Ling is outside the carriage. They returned together."

Emperor Wu Su said, "I’m feeling weary myself. It’s a good time to go for a stroll."

*

Brilliant sunset clouds painted the horizon, blanketing the sky.

Mrs. Qiao stood at the entrance of the Ji Mansion, gazing toward the end of the street. Ji Qingwu stood beside her, her arm linked with her mother’s.

Both were involuntarily reminded of the day Ji Qingwu had returned, and the mother and daughter shared a smile.

"I even mistook Jiu Jiu for you that day. I thought I was dreaming. She’s the spitting image of you as a little girl—as if carved from the very same mold."

Ji Qingwu smiled, pressing her lips together.

Mrs. Qiao continued, "If Jiu Jiu were a bit older, I might not have made the mistake." The only memories Mrs. Qiao had were of Xiao Wu at four or five. She had never seen her daughter any older than that.

Seeing the sadness on her mother’s face, Ji Qingwu said gently, "Jiu Jiu looks just like me. As you watch her grow, Mother, you’ll get to see what I looked like at every age."

Mrs. Qiao patted her hand.

The members of the second branch arrived late, just as dusk was settling. Ji Qingyuan carried a silk paddle fan and was dressed like a vibrant, haughty peacock.

Qiushi trotted over and whispered something in Mrs. Qiao’s ear.

Mrs. Qiao frowned. "I see."

Ji Qingwu asked, "What is it?"

Mrs. Qiao replied, "Your grandmother has fallen ill."

Ji Bo Lian was supposed to come as well, but Old Madam Ji was suddenly taken ill and fainted. He was now at Shou’an Hall with the physician.

The timing of the illness was a bit too convenient. ’Is Grandmother really sick, or is she faking it?’ Ji Qingwu couldn’t tell.

’But with her ill, Ji Bo Lian won’t be able to criticize her anymore. He might even blame himself for being too harsh with his own mother.’

Mrs. Qiao said, "I should go take a look. Xiao Wu, you wait here for Changlin."

Ji Qingwu nodded. "Go on, Mother. I’ll wait here at the gate."

After Mrs. Qiao departed with Chunhua, Ji Qingyuan sauntered over, fanning herself. "Fifth Sister, I haven’t seen you around the house in so long. I’ve actually missed you."

Ji Qingwu said, "I’ve missed you, too."

Ji Qingyuan had only been making small talk and was surprised to get a response. "You missed me? What about?" she asked, astonished.

"I missed you staying far, far away from me, of course."

The thick fragrance wafting from her cousin tickled Ji Qingwu’s nose. Suppressing the urge to sneeze, she asked, "Grandmother is ill. Aren’t you going to go see her?"

Ji Qingyuan, for her part, was surprisingly candid. "I’m not going. There’s no point. The Old Madam is in a power struggle with First Uncle. I’ll just watch from the sidelines."

’I have to hand it to my Fourth Sister,’ Ji Qingwu thought. ’Whether she’s being passive-aggressive or pulling schemes, at least she does it all out in the open.’

’She even badmouthed my father right in front of me before. Ji Qingyuan never schemes behind anyone’s back. In a way, isn’t that a kind of twisted integrity?’

A faint smile touched Ji Qingwu’s lips at the thought.

Ji Qingyuan glanced down at her own attire suspiciously. "What are you smiling at?"

Ji Qingwu replied, "I’m smiling because you think Grandmother actually likes you."

"Fourth Sister, you’ve remained unmarried at home for so many years. Have you ever considered that you’re just a casualty in someone else’s game?"

Ji Qingyuan’s fingers tightened on the ribs of her fan. "What do you know? Our aunt is the Empress Dowager! If the Ji Family were to produce another Empress..."

Ji Qingwu couldn’t believe she was still chasing that dream.

"The Empress Dowager’s influence in the palace is waning, and how long can our grandmother protect you? It’s time to start thinking for yourself, Fourth Sister."

A series of emotions flickered across Ji Qingyuan’s face before she asked, "What are you trying to say?"

Ji Qingwu spread her hands and tilted her head. "It’s because I don’t like you, of course. I don’t want things to go well for you."

A carriage approaching from the end of the road caught Ji Qingwu’s attention.

Riding on horseback ahead of the carriage was none other than Lan Ling.

Ji Qingwu waved at them from afar, not caring whether they could see her, her smile more radiant than the sunset clouds.

Ji Qingyuan shot her a look, then averted her gaze.

Lan Ling had excellent vision and had already spotted the figures at the entrance to the Ji Mansion. One of them, a silhouette in pale cyan, was waving cheerfully at her.

Lan Ling rode up to the carriage window and knocked. "Sir."

Ji Changlin lifted the curtain. There were dark bruises beneath his well-manicured fingernails, as if his fingers had been slammed in something.

His tone lacked its usual gentleness as he asked impatiently, "What is it?"