With the arrival of this letter, it naturally confirmed the suspicion in Jingrong’s heart.

Jing Yi, oh Jing Yi—for the struggle over the throne, you won’t even spare brotherly affection!

Lang Bo said: “I didn’t expect Prince Yi to be intent on preventing Your Highness from returning to the capital, and now he’s even sent assassins.”

The analysis was quite good!

But Jingrong’s cold eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the water droplets on the eaves.

He said carefully: “Fourteen years ago, regarding the Duke Yuguo’s residence case, it was Minister Qin who petitioned to reopen it, circling three points of doubt. He even knelt outside the Nanzhé Gate for three days and three nights before finally obtaining Father Emperor’s order to thoroughly investigate. And Father Emperor entrusted the case to me. Although the Crown Prince position already belongs to Jing Hua, Jing Yi’s fear of the Crown Prince position is not something recent. If this prince uncovers the truth of this case, I will naturally be highly rewarded. And afterward, once the Crown Prince falls, then if Jing Yi wants to sit in the Crown Prince position, this prince will be a thorn in his side that he must remove.”

“But Prince Yi now not only wants to kill you, he won’t even spare Miss Ji. For now, the only option is to bring Miss Ji back to the capital as soon as possible. After all, within the capital, Prince Yi won’t dare act rashly, and Miss Ji can also have Your Highness’s protection.”

Speaking to this point, Jingrong’s expression furrowed.

“Jing Yi must be worried that this prince intends to bring Yunshu back to the capital and use her hands to investigate this case thoroughly. And cutting grass requires removing the roots—that has always been Jing Yi’s style of doing things.”

Lang Bo pondered for a moment and offered advice: “Your Highness, Prince Yi has repeatedly prevented you from returning to the capital and stopped you from thoroughly investigating the Duke Yuguo residence case. Why not inform His Majesty and let Prince Yi taste some consequences?”

“Tell Father Emperor?” Jingrong raised the crumpled ball of paper in his hand and said: “Based on this?”

“Your Highness, Lu Jiang stated very clearly in the letter that Prince Yi did indeed secretly dispatch a group of death warriors from the capital. Moreover, the northern Juzishu tree used to create the spotted stone poison is cultivated by someone named Yan Weiyi, and this person has secret dealings and connections with Prince Yi. Isn’t this evidence enough?”

Enough?

Jingrong laughed coldly.

“Father Emperor is already very suspicious. If this prince doesn’t have solid evidence and goes to accuse Prince Yi, at that time, Father Emperor will definitely think my words are fabricated and that I also intend to compete for the Crown Prince position.”

Emperor Qizhen was suspicious and jealous—even the slightest disturbance would arouse his vigilance!

Better to wrongly kill than to let go—this was also a common ailment of emperors throughout history!

On this point, among the many princes, probably only the Third Prince Jing Yi most resembled him.

The deep night grew cold, heavy fog lingering.

Tonight seemed unusually cold and piercing, while human hearts each had their own concerns.

The next day.

Master Wei and Madam Wei returned to the residence.

Wei Yi went to the entrance early in the morning to welcome them. Ji Yunshu also went early to pay her respects.

In the main hall.

Ji Yunshu had just prepared to bow when Madam Wei supported her, pulling her to sit beside her.

Gently patting her hand several times, she said: “Yunshu, how is your body? Is there anywhere you still feel uncomfortable?”

“Thank you for Aunt Wei’s concern. I’m already much better.”

“That’s good. Your Uncle Wei and I worried about you the whole way. Now seeing you looking much better, we can relax.”

Ji Yunshu smiled without speaking.

Such concern truly moved her heart immensely.

But Master Wei turned to Wei Yi and asked him: “Yi’er, these past two days, did you cause any trouble?”

Wei Yi shook his head and waved his hands: “Father, I didn’t cause trouble. I listened to you and took good care of Shu’er.”

“It’s good that you listened. In the future, you must treat Yunshu even better, understand?”

“Father, will Shu’er be my wife in the future?”

An innocent question.

This made Master Wei and Madam Wei appear somewhat awkward.

Ji Yunshu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but began thinking deeply.

It seemed she needed to find an opportunity quickly to lay everything out.

Madam Wei seemed to suddenly remember something and said to Ji Yunshu: “Oh yes, tonight we’re hosting a banquet at the Wei residence. We’ve already sent people to the Ji residence to invite your father and the old madam. Last time we forcibly brought you here—your Uncle Wei and I thought about it and felt we acted quite improperly. After all, we’ll all be one family in the future, so we should get along harmoniously. So tonight, consider it a family banquet.”

A family banquet?

Ji Yunshu quickly said: “Aunt Wei, actually there’s no need for this, and moreover…”

“It’s already decided, and we’ve sent people to the Ji residence. Tonight you just relax and attend. I think your father and grandmother must have been thinking these past days about how to welcome you back, but due to face issues, it’s awkward for them to come. Today, let’s give them a way out, and you can return with them.”

This Madam Wei was quite a clever person!

Ji Yunshu could only agree.

After coming out from the hall, Ji Yunshu was heavy with thoughts.

Wei Yi appeared from nowhere and suddenly jumped in front of her.

“Yunshu, are you leaving today? Can you not go back?”

Wei Yi’s hand carefully tugged at her sleeve.

Ji Yunshu thought for a moment, steeled her heart, and pushed his hand away.

With serious words, she said: “Wei Yi, I’ll be honest with you. I won’t marry you, and I won’t be your wife.”

“Shu’er, you… what are you saying?”

“You definitely understood, didn’t you? Wei Yi, I know you’re very good to me, and your father and mother are also very good to me. But I can’t be that selfish. I don’t want to deceive you. I can’t possibly marry you.”

Hearing these words, Wei Yi’s complexion gradually darkened. He asked anxiously: “Why? Why can’t you marry me, Shu’er? Mother said you’re my wife.”

“I’m not.” Ji Yunshu’s tone became heavier.

“Shu’er…”

Ji Yunshu grabbed his arm and told him: “Wei Yi, I treat you like my own younger brother. Do you understand?”

She tried hard to tell him, hoping he could understand the meaning.

But Wei Yi was extremely sad. In those beautiful eyes, tears gradually overflowed.

Head bowed, lips pursed, after a long while, he asked: “Does Shu’er think… I’m a fool?”

Ugh!

Ji Yunshu’s heart trembled instantly, hurting as if someone had ripped it open.

She shook her head: “No, Wei Yi, it’s not like that.”

But Wei Yi began sobbing softly, pushing her away and retreating two steps: “I know now—Shu’er just despises me for being foolish.”

Having said that, he ran away.

“Wei Yi!”

She called him several times and chased after him a few steps, but Wei Yi ran as if with wind under his feet, disappearing in an instant.

At this moment, she couldn’t help but redden her eyes, biting her lip, not knowing what to do.

And that evening, everyone from the Ji family, except for Ji Lingzhi, came.

At the banquet, Wei Yi didn’t appear. Master Wei had people go look for him once. They said Wei Yi was sitting alone in the back courtyard, refusing to come over. After calling twice with no response, they gave up.

From the moment she took her seat, Ji Yunshu was on pins and needles, her mind completely elsewhere.

Ji Wanxin sat down beside her, leaning over to whisper: “Yunshu, have these past days at the Wei family been alright?”

She nodded: “Quite good.”

“Regarding Muqing falling into the water, Father punished that Lingzhi girl by making her kneel all night and also punished her by making her copy scriptures. This matter is over now. You should go home tonight. You don’t know—Father and Grandmother have been upset these past days.”

Good that they’re upset—they should be upset to death!

Ji Yunshu said lightly: “Second Sister, don’t worry. Tonight I will return.”

“That’s good. We’re all one family after all—how can there be overnight grudges!”

“Elder Sister is right.” Ji Yunshu agreed, but her mind wasn’t on this—somewhat distracted.

Actually, she was just too lazy to argue.

And Ji Wanxin’s character was sometimes unfathomable to Ji Yunshu as well.

This woman was soft and weak, seemingly delicate as a willow, but the feeling she gave was that there was always something not simple about her.

And the two of them “whispering,” all of it was seen by Ji Muqing across from them.

“Hmph, birds of a feather.” She snorted. That meticulously made-up face was twisted with disdain.

At this moment, servants brought up the tableware and dishes one by one.

That despicable Ji Yuanzhi also took his seat at this time, picking up wine to drink, not forgetting to glance at Ji Yunshu.

His most beloved fourth younger sister had been wronged—wronged by Ji Yunshu no less—and even slapped by her. As her elder brother, he naturally felt great anger in his heart.

Toward Ji Yunshu, he had even less of a pleasant expression.

When the banquet began, Master Wei raised his wine cup toward Ji Shuhan.

“Master Ji, about last time—I acted improperly. I hope you can forgive me.”

Ji Shuhan smiled without warmth: “Not at all, not at all. Rather, thank you for helping me take care of Yunshu.”

The two families exchanged pleasantries for a few sentences, moving the topic from Ji Muqing falling into the water to the matter of marriage.

And from beginning to end, Ji Yunshu never spoke.

After the banquet ended, Ji Yunshu should have returned to the residence with the Ji family, but she said she had matters to attend to and would return later.

Ji Shuhan and Old Madam Ji’s faces turned pale, but they couldn’t very well drag her, so they had to agree.

After the Ji family got into the carriage and left, Ji Yunshu pulled Master Wei and Madam Wei to a side room.

Upon entering, she poured two cups of tea and respectfully offered them to Master Wei and Madam Wei.

Was this daughter-in-law tea?

The two elders happily drank it down.

Unexpectedly, Ji Yunshu suddenly knelt down.

This frightened Madam Wei.

“Yunshu, what are you doing?”

“Uncle Wei, Aunt Wei, I’m sorry.”

This statement made Master Wei and Madam Wei’s hearts tighten. They exchanged glances, then asked her: “Yunshu, why are you saying this?”

Her brow and eyes were serious as she said: “I won’t hide it from you both. Although a daughter’s marriage is supposed to be by parents’ orders and matchmaker’s words, and as a concubine-born daughter, Yunshu has even less qualification to be choosy, I don’t want to deceive you both. Actually, in Yunshu’s heart, there has always been someone. For two years, I’ve been waiting for him, and in my heart, there’s no longer room for anyone else.”

“…”

Master Wei and Madam Wei were greatly shocked.

Ji Yunshu bowed and kowtowed, her eyes even more resolute: “I’m sorry. Yunshu cannot go against her own heart. I remember in my heart the kindness you both have shown me, but I truly cannot marry Wei Yi.”

Madam Wei looked sad and disappointed: “You truly… are unwilling to marry Yi’er?”

“Yes.”

Master Wei sighed and asked her: “What if Yi’er weren’t foolish?”

Ji Yunshu immediately said: “Uncle Wei, I don’t mean any disdain. It’s just that my heart belongs to another, and I truly have no way to make room for anyone else. Wei Yi is very good, and I don’t want to deceive him. I believe there will definitely be someone who truly loves him.”

“You…”

Pfft—

Before Madam Wei finished speaking, she suddenly clutched her chest and vomited blood.

“Aunt Wei?” Ji Yunshu was shocked.

And the next moment, Master Wei also vomited blood, suddenly falling from his chair to the ground, tightly gripping his chest garments. His face turned deathly pale, eyes wide, mouth open, unable to speak.

Similarly, Madam Wei also collapsed to the ground.