Ming Yi shook her head slightly: “I know the routes well, but given their current vigilance towards us, it’s extremely difficult to leave. At the very least, Lord Ji can’t depart without anyone noticing.”
As soon as the competition ended, several people had come to eagerly take Ji Bozai away.
Qin Shangwu was very worried: “If we can’t take him back, our fate is also uncertain.”
Although the matter of the Chaoyang bloodline had caused quite a stir, Ji Bozai had grown up in their Muxing City after all, and the Yuan Shi Academy had invested much in his cultivation. Letting someone else take him away would be difficult to explain to the Grand Master.
After these few words, Luo Jiaoyang finally snapped out of his anger over losing the competition: “What do you mean? We can’t take Ji Bozai back?”
“If a priceless treasure falls into your hands, and it has some connection to your family, would you easily give it to others?” Ming Yi sighed. “I’m afraid the people of Chaoyang City are now trying every means to keep Lord Ji here.”
Her thoughts were correct. As soon as the competition ended, Ji Bozai was taken to the great hall, where Ming Li immediately bestowed rewards upon him. The matter of the heir was too significant to be decided so quickly, but judging by the attitude, it was certain to be given to him in the future.
Consort Yan was allowed to sit beside the Grand Master again, her face full of joy, while Madame Meng looked on with cold eyes, sneering: “Whether he’ll truly become loyal is another matter.”
The Grand Master glared at her, and Consort Yan smiled: “In this world, people bustle about for their interests. Even if the mother-son bond between us has weakened, what Chaoyang City can offer him is enough to keep him here serving Chaoyang. Is Madame Meng upset that Prince Yong is too ordinary and unable to receive rewards in the hall?”
“Who cares about these rewards,” Madame Meng said angrily.
The Grand Master’s face darkened: “You’ve become quite arrogant lately. Perhaps you should return to your quarters for half a month of confinement.”
Madame Meng panicked and quickly bowed: “Grand Master, please calm your anger. I was only thinking of Chaoyang’s interests.”
This person grew up in Muxing City and inherited Consort Yan’s cold-bloodedness. What if he suddenly turned against them… How could they place the position of heir on such a person?
The Grand Master waved his sleeve, no longer looking at her, and said to Ji Bozai: “Your residence is still being renovated, so please stay at Fanghua Residence for now.”
Ji Bozai nodded, but seemed a bit troubled: “When will the people from Muxing City leave?”
The Grand Master smiled: “The scenery in our Chaoyang City is quite beautiful. We’ve specially invited them to stay for a while longer. After Consort Yan’s birthday, we’ll send them back.”
As he said this, he carefully observed Ji Bozai’s reaction but saw no unusual response. Ji Bozai only looked slightly embarrassed, but after some thought, he cupped his hands and agreed.
Ming Li could understand. Ji Bozai was originally from Muxing City, and suddenly changing allegiance to Chaoyang made it difficult to explain to the Muxing people. It was also inappropriate for them to continue living together, so he said: “Fanghua Residence is a bit small. Now that the competition is over, we’ll move Master Qin and the others to the guest quarters later.”
Ji Bozai’s expression relaxed, and he looked happy. Then he hesitantly said: “Could Ming Yi stay? She’s more familiar with this place and closer to me.”
So he was close to Ming Yi? Several people in the seats were slightly displeased, but then they thought it might be better. Having these two together would make it easier to monitor and control them.
So the Grand Master nodded and then smiled as he bestowed seven or eight beauties upon him.
After the gathering dispersed, Ji Bozai went to Consort Yan’s residence, pointing at the people behind him with a headache: “Fanghua Residence only has a few rooms. How can we accommodate all of them?”
Consort Yan glanced at the girls and smiled: “Your father was thoughtless. I’ll choose one for you to take back.”
She stood up, raising her chin as she scanned the group, her sharp eyes quickly eliminating all those from the Meng clan, leaving only one of her confidants.
“Her name is Yan Shuang. She knows how to serve people,” Consort Yan said. “You can order her to do anything.”
Ji Bozai agreed.
Compared to his previous cold attitude, he was now quite gentle and understanding. Consort Yan was pleased with this change but also suspicious. Was he sincere or pretending?
Ming Yi was waiting alone at Fanghua Residence. In the evening, she opened the door to see Ji Bozai returning with a girl.
“Her name is Yan Shuang,” Ji Bozai introduced with a light smile. “A beauty sent by Consort Yan. She’ll be living with us from now on.”
Ming Yi took a look. This girl was gentle and attractive, even more beautiful than the top courtesan at Huamanlou. But Ji Bozai wasn’t holding her; instead, he stood a step away from her.
Understanding, Ming Yi nodded and opened the door wide, smiling: “Please come in.”
Master Qin and the others had already moved out. The rooms were reassigned, and Ji Bozai put Yan Shuang in the side room closest to his own. Yan Shuang was very happy and bowed with a smile: “This servant will serve my lord well!”
Ji Bozai asked her to sit down and smiled slightly: “Chaoyang City is indeed different from other places. Even the girls are more beautiful. How long have you been in the inner court?”
His smile was so charming that Yan Shuang’s heart raced. She blushed and said: “This servant has only been in the inner court for five months.”
Looking disappointed, Ji Bozai sighed: “Then you probably can’t help me.”
He was about to stand up.
Yan Shuang immediately became anxious and grabbed his sleeve: “Although this servant hasn’t been in the inner court long, I’ve always been by Consort Yan’s side. Whatever others know, this servant surely knows too. How can I help my lord?”
Hearing this, he sat back down and looked at her with a smile: “You know, I haven’t officially been recognized yet, and Consort Yan has lost power and been demoted. The future might be unstable. Madame Meng offended me today and has old grudges with Consort Yan. I want to know about the arrangements in her palace and how many skilled guards she has.”
Yan Shuang’s eyes widened: “This… Madame Meng?”
When she came, the Consort had instructed her to test Lord Ji’s attitude towards Madame Meng. She hadn’t even spoken yet, and Lord Ji had already brought it up, seemingly intending to seek revenge for the Consort.
She wanted to think more about what was happening, but the man in front of her suddenly leaned closer, his bright eyes staring at her intensely, making her flustered and unable to think clearly: “The arrangements in Madame Meng’s palace, our Consort knows best. But the skilled guards around her are truly formidable, and security is tight. Even when our Consort was Empress, she couldn’t succeed, let alone now.”
“Could you go ask Consort Yan for a layout plan for me?”
“Yes, yes, of course.”
Yan Shuang stood up and rushed out like the wind.
Ming Yi, listening outside the window, shook her head and clicked her tongue.
Consort Yan must have sent this girl after hearing about Ji Bozai’s reputation as a charmer, hoping to bewitch him with a woman. But what she didn’t know was that he was even more skilled at bewitching others.
However, she was puzzled. Even if it wasn’t Madame Meng who had saved him back then, she was still from the Meng family. How could he bring himself to go against her?