WBSGVS Chapter 22 V2

Ignoring her protests, they simply continued to lead her away.

Lady Wang was left dazed, realizing how far they had gone before she snapped back to reality, feeling humiliated and furious. She turned to shout back, “Ji Qingli, just wait!”

Qingli stood there, smiling, “Sure, I’ll be waiting.”

Lady Wang could only stare in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Zheng Yihan, who had been eagerly anticipating a conversation with Qingli, now watched as Lady Wang was unceremoniously thrown out and the maids walked away, their expressions cold. His heart felt doused with ice water, and the warmth of his hope extinguished.

Just moments ago, he had been thinking about how to speak with Qingli, but now he found himself at a loss.

A sudden heaviness filled his chest; his weakened body couldn’t bear this additional blow. He stumbled backward, fainting.

“Master!” A servant exclaimed, rushing to support him and help him into a carriage, heading straight for the clinic.

After the unpleasantness of the incident, the rest of the gathering was friendly and light-hearted.

Even those who wished to gossip refrained from saying anything unkind.

Once everyone had eaten and rested, they returned home. Qingli saw them off before finally arriving at the entrance, only to discover that Zheng Yihan was already gone.

Once the guests had departed, Ji Shuxin approached Qingli. “Sister, I was the one who instructed the servants not to let anyone relay messages to you. The Zheng family has no good intentions; we should ignore them. Even if he fainted today, if he dies next time, it’s none of our concern.”

Qingli nodded, remaining unfazed by the news of Yihan’s fainting.

It was Lady Wang who concerned her more: “Shuxin, which family does that Lady Wang belong to? Will there be any repercussions?”

Ji Shuxin patted his chest confidently. “No problem! I’ll take the blame if anything goes wrong!”

Qingli felt reassured, smiling as she ruffled his hair. “Good boy.”

Ji Shuxin stood a little taller.

The children of the Ji family were always responsible, and Qingli figured that whoever Lady Wang was, she was not a significant figure. Being thrown out wouldn’t cause any real trouble for the Ji family, and she soon put it out of her mind.

After that incident, Qingli stayed home for a while.

After Ji Shuyuan returned from an audience with the emperor, he didn’t even go home but left immediately, having been implicated in the fireworks incident. Fortunately, he wasn’t punished severely—just a few months’ salary docked and a few harsh words; it could have been worse.

With the border conflict still ongoing, he was grateful just to be back and couldn’t afford to linger; after settling his sister’s matters, he had to return to the battlefield.

Ji Shuxin continued to study diligently at home, occasionally visiting Qingli, worried that she might feel lonely on her own.

He even encouraged her to go out and have fun instead of staying cooped up at home.

Qingli thought to herself that she absolutely must not let anyone mistake her for being heartbroken over the divorce. She needed to appear even happier!

However, she refused to go out, especially with the emperor’s sixtieth birthday approaching.

Reaching such an age, especially for an emperor, was a remarkable feat in ancient times, given the dangers of the position. The preparations for the grand celebration had been underway for weeks, with nobles and their families flocking to the capital in droves, eager to celebrate.

The emperor aimed to use this occasion to weaken the power of the princes, who, sensing his intentions, were busy gathering information while they mingled at the festivities.

Qingli had inadvertently disrupted an opportunity for Su Tingxue to be recognized, and given the Third Prince’s eagerness, now was the perfect time for their reunion. As the former wife kept Su Tingxue firmly in her concubine role, Qingli decided it was best not to interfere.

During this time, Zheng Yihan visited daily, visibly losing weight and garnering sympathy from many. Yet Qingli remained unaffected, never showing up or acknowledging the situation at her doorstep.

After five visits, he finally gave up in despair, and his absence turned the Ji residence quiet once more.

Though the Ji family was subdued, the gossipmongers still buzzed with interest, speculating about Qingli’s potential remarriage and whether the Zheng family would follow suit by marrying someone who had also taken a concubine.

With the eldest son of the Zhang family now having taken a concubine and yet to consummate the marriage, they were growing anxious, hoping for a grandchild to save face. The pressures were mounting, with Zhang’s wife urging Zheng Yihan repeatedly.

Amidst this turmoil, he received a letter from the Third Prince regarding Su Tingxue. That very night, burdened by dual pressures, he visited Su Tingxue’s quarters, finally consummating their marriage.

Overjoyed, Zhang’s wife started to boast to everyone, claiming that after waiting for five or six years, their family’s heir was finally on the way. Such news spread rapidly, reaching Qingli’s ears through various channels.

Her maid, Wan Yue, was indignant, wishing she could confront Zhang’s wife.

Qingli, however, remained unfazed, “What’s the point in arguing? Let’s see what happens once the child is born.”

Wan Yue was taken aback by her master’s calm demeanor and could only sigh in response.

Just then, an urgent visit from Ning Yitong sent shockwaves through Qingli’s calm. “Sister Ji! It’s terrible! That shameless couple bumped into the Prince of Yu while shopping, and the Su girl was recognized as his long-lost daughter. They took her away on the spot!”

Qingli was astonished at how quickly things had escalated.

Li Shuyue frowned, worried. “How can she be the prince’s daughter? Sister Ji, if the Prince of Yu remembers, could it turn against you?”

“Would he dare?!” Ning Yitong shot back, indignant. “Sister Ji has already let that man go; what right does he have to bully her? It’s absurd that the heavens would send a woman meant to be a concubine straight into royal status. What an embarrassment for the royal family!”

Li Shuyue gently corrected her, “It’s not that Sister Ji let him go; she simply didn’t want him.”

Ning Yitong retorted, “The result is the same, isn’t it?”

Li Shuyue conceded, “You’re right!”

Qingli couldn’t help but laugh at their exchange, inadvertently breaking into laughter.

Both girls turned to glare at her. “You can still laugh? What if the Prince of Yu tries to do something, especially since the General is not home?”

“My bad,” Qingli said, attempting to stifle her amusement but failing. After a few coughs, she added, “There’s no need to worry; I’m not going out, so even if the Prince of Yu had ill intentions, it wouldn’t matter.”

Yet the two girls still wore worried expressions.

Having witnessed Qingli dismiss her former husband’s advances, the exhilaration they felt was overshadowed by concern for her well-being.

Noticing their anxiety, Qingli reassured them softly, “Do you think the various princes are here just because the emperor misses them?”

Ning Yitong looked confused. “What else could it be?”

Li Shuyue, being the daughter of the Prime Minister, had some understanding of court politics. Her eyes sparkled with insight. “There must be an ulterior motive; the emperor may want to take action. But what if the Prince of Yu tries something sneaky beforehand?”

The emperor sought to diminish the princes’ power for self-preservation. While the Prince of Yu would keep a low profile, it would be easy for him to intimidate a young woman without any official standing.

Qingli shrugged. “I’m not foolish enough to let him bully me.”

“It’s best to be cautious.”

Li Shuyue sighed, acknowledging that if the Prince of Yu truly had no shame, it could become troublesome.

Ning Yitong glanced around, her expression bewildered. “What are you two talking about? How could he bully Sister Ji?”

Qingli affectionately ruffled her hair, affirming, “He can’t bully Sister Ji!”

After the recognition incident, the capital buzzed with renewed excitement ahead of the emperor’s birthday banquet. No one had anticipated such a dramatic twist in events.

Previously mocking the Zheng family for their missteps, people now looked upon them with envy. Suddenly, those who had previously avoided them were eager to be associated with the Prince’s family.

Although Zheng Yihan had taken Su Tingxue as a concubine, she was not just a purchased concubine. If the daughter of the Prince of Yu firmly refused to remarry, he would effectively become the Prince’s son-in-law.

Of course, many of these individuals were short-sighted. Those who understood the political landscape avoided involvement. Some opportunists didn’t care about Su Tingxue’s past; however, those with any sense of dignity viewed the Prince’s recognition of her as a disgrace to the royal family.

Even the Prince’s attempt to add her name to the family lineage was firmly rejected by the clan elders.

Once this news spread, those who had worried about the royal family acknowledging Su Tingxue’s noble lineage breathed a sigh of relief.

Rumor had it that on the way back from the banquet, the Prince’s face was as dark as coal, filled with rage.

The next day, there was quite a stir in the royal palace, though the specifics remained unclear. What was certain was that Su Tingxue—now renamed Jiang Tingxue—returned to the Zheng family, and a wedding ceremony was hastily organized to elevate her status from concubine to wife.

Qingli stayed at home, receiving updates from various sources, and felt little surprise at the turn of events.

But what difference did it make if she had been promoted? No one in the capital could forget her origins.

This humiliation was a mark that would stick!

After her laughter subsided, Qingli remained unconcerned. With the help of Ji Shuxin, she had successfully connected with the Eighth Prince, discreetly leaking crucial information, including what Zheng Yihan was currently up to.

In the narrative, the exposure of these events would come three months after the emperor’s birthday banquet.

Following the banquet, Emperor Jiang’s health took a downturn, and his urgency regarding the reduction of princely powers grew. He delayed sending the princes back to their territories, and his excuses became increasingly transparent.

The princes grew anxious about the looming threat, while the Prince of Yu was preoccupied with dealing with the consequences of his earlier victory.

Seizing the moment while the Prince of Yu was busy, Zheng Yihan, using Jiang Tingxue’s identity, infiltrated their ranks to acquire critical evidence.

Now, even without the Ji family’s backing, things wouldn’t change drastically.

For Qingli, the key was to bide her time and remain low-key.

However, she didn’t wish to leave her home when suddenly a decree arrived, compelling her to attend—the Ji family was engaged in battle, and reports of victory were pouring in. As the only children of the Ji family remaining in the capital, Qingli, and Ji Shuxin were invited to represent their parents at Emperor Jiang’s birthday banquet.