Chapter 288: Daughter of Fortune, Where Would I Get a Child From?
[If you refuse, the system will assign the mission to another Daughter of Fortune.]
When Ji Qingwu thought about the dangers Yuan Heng had faced in the Diligent Governance Hall—how Yu Wen Tianqing of Xijin had first tried to poison him, then sent assassins—it was all because the little boy was the Emperor of Beili’s only prince.
That was just what she had seen with her own eyes. Who knew how many similar incidents Yuan Heng had endured growing up, at times when she wasn’t around.
Furthermore, Emperor Wu Su had nearly given his life fighting against Xijin’s undercover agents and the powerful conspirators at court.
’If the system really assigned such a task to someone from Xijin, boosting another nation’s destiny, wouldn’t that put Beili in grave danger?’
The system, having figured out Ji Qingwu’s temperament, waited quietly and stopped trying to coax her.
Before long, Ji Qingwu let out a long breath and asked, "Who’s the target of this mission?"
[Dearest Host, it’s the very one waiting for you on the Dragon Bed.]
It was no surprise.
Ji Qingwu knew it. The system popping up at a time like this was definitely up to no good.
’It seems desperate to push us together,’ she thought, ’determined that something must happen today.’
She was suddenly struck by a sense of destiny. She had come to this world, borne him an heir, and now she had to be intimate with him to bolster the fortune of the nation he ruled.
Despite sensing that something was off, Ji Qingwu still felt a little more at ease.
’As long as it’s him, it’s fine.’
Fearing a repeat of the previous error, she said all in one breath,
"The target for this new ’national destiny enhancement’ mission is the same person as the target for my last childbearing mission, the one who was formerly General Dingbei and is now the Emperor of Beili, Zhao Mingyan. Is that correct?"
The system processed her words one by one in its databanks.
[Confirmed. The target is indeed Zhao Mingyan, no issues there. If you confirm your acceptance of the new mission, the system will provide you with an updated version of the user agreement.]
While waiting for the agreement to update, Ji Qingwu gently swirled the bathwater with her hand. "Peanuts," she began, "I have a question for you."
[Please ask, Host.]
"Did I come to this world because of him?"
[From a mission standpoint, your presence here is because of the current Emperor of Beili.]
The system’s answer was very formal. Ji Qingwu watched the water trickle from her fingertips.
"You know that’s not what I was asking."
The system started playing dead, offering no response.
Ji Qingwu continued, "You seem more concerned with his safety than you are with me, your host. When he was in danger, you gave me a second mission. Now I’m suddenly very curious—"
Before she could finish, the system began to emit a sharp, crackling static.
[Dearest Host, detecting critical low power in the main processor... Signal is fluctuating...]
Ji Qingwu snorted. "Fine. I won’t ask anymore. It’s not like you’d answer me anyway."
"I have something else... I want... I want to redeem..."
She mumbled, her voice trailing off shyly.
*
「The Northern Border.」
Wei Ting had ridden nonstop for a day and a night, riding five swift horses to their deaths, finally arriving at the camp around noon.
He was still wearing his crimson wedding attire underneath, having only changed his outer robe.
"General Wei!"
The eyes of the soldiers guarding the camp gate lit up the moment they saw him.
Wei Ting tossed the reins of his panting horse to one of them and strode into the camp, questioning his adjutant, Feng Xiang, who had come forward to greet him.
"Is General Wei Chi in his command tent?"
Feng Xiang said, "Xijin launched a surprise attack in the middle of the night and only just retreated at dawn. But an hour later, they were back at the front lines, yelling challenges. General Wei Chi is... he’s..."
Wei Ting swept aside the tent flap. "He’s in a shouting match with the Xijin troops," he finished.
Feng Xiang scratched the back of his head. That was more or less it.
When Wei Chi Lianping learned that His Majesty had been attacked by Xijin assassins, he was filled with an unbearable fury. Now, he cursed every Xijin man he laid eyes on.
"So he hasn’t lost his cool completely. He knows not to make a rash advance," Wei Ting said. "When your general gets back, have him come see me."
By the time Wei Ting had changed into a clean robe, Wei Chi Lianping was already back.
The wind on the Northern Border was thick with sand. He spat a mouthful of grit onto the ground and headed for the main tent.
"Those Xijin sons of bitches," he growled. "A pack of treacherous bastards who love nothing more than a sneak attack."
Every time Wei Chi Lianping thought of Emperor Wu Su lying unconscious, a wicked rage flared up inside him.
He roared in fury, "Just let me get my hands on one of those Yu Wen Family curs! Tearing them limb from limb wouldn’t be enough to satisfy my hatred!"
Feng Xiang began, "General Wei Ting is..."
"Don’t talk to me about that bastard Wei Ting!" Wei Chi Lianping snapped. ’Getting married when the Emperor is grievously wounded! And marrying the Ji Family’s Fifth Missy, of all people.’
’Even a rough man like him could see the Emperor had feelings for that gentle girl. He refused to believe that someone as perceptive as Wei Ting couldn’t see it too.’
Inside the tent, Wei Ting heard Wei Chi Lianping’s booming voice.
He pushed aside the flap and smiled. "General Wei Chi, please come in for a moment."
Wei Chi Lianping shot Feng Xiang a glare, his voice dropping considerably. "When did he get here? Why didn’t you say so sooner?"
Sooner or later, it made no difference. The entire camp had heard him cursing Wei Ting for his treacherous ambition.
Between Wei Chi Lianping’s foul temper of late and his booming voice, Wei Ting’s subordinates had heard plenty.
Wei Ting sat in the main seat inside the tent, with Wei Chi Lianping sitting opposite him.
"How is His Majesty’s condition?"
Wei Ting replied, "Not good."
Wei Chi Lianping’s eyes widened. "His Majesty’s condition is not good, and you still have the nerve to get married?"
"I was hoping the happy occasion would help turn His Majesty’s luck around."
"Turn his luck around? If you really wanted to do that, you should have arranged a marriage for His Majesty! What kind of luck does your own wedding bring? Looks to me like you’re just trying to anger him to death!"
Wei Chi Lianping’s tone was a mixture of urgency and anger.
Wei Ting, however, remained impassive, unfazed by the other man’s words.
’As long as he had married Ji Qingwu, he had finally put a long-held obsession to rest. He had been one step too slow before, and it cost him at every turn.’
’If not for Emperor Wu Su’s misfortune, this golden opportunity would never have arisen. He could not let it go.’
Wei Chi Lianping had to admit, he somewhat admired the man’s audacity. Daring to steal the Emperor’s woman.
He asked, "Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will punish you when he wakes?"
Wei Ting’s gaze fell on a caged eaglet near the tent’s entrance.
’Even if I’m not the right man for her,’ Wei Ting thought, ’neither is Emperor Wu Su.’
’Ji Qingwu shouldn’t be caged in the palace. She should be soaring freely in her own sky.’
Wei Ting looked up. "Easy for you to say, General Wei Chi. You have a wife and family, you married a noble princess, and now you even have a child. Is it so strange for a man my age to want to get married?"
Wei Chi Lianping’s angry expression instantly melted into confusion.
"What child? I don’t have a child."
Wei Ting was silent for a moment. So Wei Chi Lianping truly didn’t know that Princess Hua Chang was pregnant.
Calculating from what he knew of the pregnancy, she must have conceived around the time Wei Chi Lianping left for this campaign.
"A slip of the tongue," Wei Ting said.
Wei Chi Lianping was stunned for a long moment, his mind reeling.
Seeing the look on his face, Wei Ting reached out to pat his shoulder in a consoling gesture, but Wei Chi Lianping seized his hand.
Wei Chi Lianping’s palm was broad and large, making the hand of a grown man like Wei Ting look almost delicate by comparison. In his excitement, Wei Chi Lianping squeezed with tremendous force.
Even Wei Ting’s expression flickered with pain.
Wei Chi Lianping released his grip and clasped his fist in salute. "Thank you!"
As he left, the eaglet in the cage chirped twice.
Wei Chi Lianping paused and poked a finger at the bird. "You know I’m going to be a father, too? You’re a clever little thing, aren’t you?"
He clasped his fist in salute to the small eagle.
"Thank you!"