Ji Bozai’s face fell upon hearing this. “What do you mean by a proper wife? Aren’t you my proper wife now, Sister?”
Ming Yi waved her hand, laughing. “When I took you in, it was only to help you establish yourself in Chaoyang City. I had no other intentions. You’re different from the other men in my household. They must stay for a year, but you can leave anytime to live your own life.”
She thought Ji Bozai would be pleased. After all, he was in the prime of his youth, full of ambition and promise. Surely he wouldn’t want to remain in this controversial rear courtyard.
However, the young man before her showed no hint of joy. His shoulders slumped, and he looked somewhat resigned.
“Sister Ming,” he sighed, “I’m already seventeen this year.”
Ming Yi nodded. “Yes, in other families, you’d be of marriageable age.”
“So when I entered your rear courtyard, it wasn’t to establish myself,” he said, narrowing his eyes and pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Not everyone is like Ji Bozai, calculating every move.”
“I came here simply because I like you, Sister. I’ve liked you from the beginning.”
Ming Yi looked up in shock.
Ji Bozai stood tall and straight as a pine, his face as handsome as jade. He had indeed grown into a man. But… like? He liked her?!
She shook her head instinctively. How could this be possible? They had always addressed each other as sister and brother. Ji Bozai was a full four years younger than her. How could he speak of liking her?
Yet, his gaze was deep and lingering, not seeming to be a lie.
Ming Yi took a step back.
Ji Bozai’s expression darkened at her retreat. “In your eyes, will I always be just a child, Sister?”
“There are no children in this world as capable as you. You provided closing arguments for several major cases that had been pending for five or six years, all within a month,” she shook her head. “But I’ve always seen you as a younger brother. It feels strange when you speak to me like this.”
Ji Bozai’s brow relaxed, and he smiled. “So it’s not that you don’t like me, Sister. You’re just not used to this change.”
Ming Yi: “…” That wasn’t quite what she meant.
“Since Sister isn’t used to it, I’ll just have to stick close to you and let you get accustomed to it,” Ji Bozai said.
Ming Yi: “…” As expected of a prodigy in solving cases, his thinking was quite different from ordinary people.
Before she could say anything more, Ji Bozai took her hand and strode towards the inner courtyard. “We’ll be discussing matters in the Hall of Diligent Government these few days. You need to go, and so do I. It’s a perfect opportunity to spend more time together.”
Ming Yi was pulled along, the young man’s legs long and his pace quick. She had to lift her skirts, nearly running to keep up.
After a few steps, however, Ji Bozai slowed down and steadied her with his hand.
Ming Yi’s heart was racing. His hand felt cool and steady.
“I have one major difference from Ji Bozai,” Ji Bozai said softly, looking at the Hall of Diligent Government ahead. “I will never abandon you, Sister, nor will I ever try to use you for other purposes. When I say I like you, it’s a pure and simple affection.”
His words were forceful, and combined with her rapidly beating heart, Ming Yi momentarily felt as if she had truly fallen for him.
But she quickly regained her composure.
Ji Bozai felt gratitude towards her for saving him in his youth. Gratitude and affection were easily confused. Perhaps he simply hadn’t met other good young women and wasn’t truly devoted to her.
She thought she should introduce him to a few young ladies after the meeting was over.
Ji Bozai had already taken his seat at the head of the long table. Ming Yi entered and, following protocol, sat to his right.
However, he looked up at the person beside her and narrowed his eyes. “Lord Si Tu holds the rank of Second Grade, and though he’s achieved much at a young age, he shouldn’t be seated here, should he?”
Chaoyang City had plenty of first-grade officials and elders. What right did he have to sit here?
Ji Bozai blinked, putting on an innocent expression. “Sister Ming is in frail health. Who among the officials could look after her better than I? Naturally, it’s most appropriate for me to sit here.”
Frail health? They had just toured the city walls together, and he hadn’t noticed any weakness in her.
However, Ji Bozai had already taken his seat, and the other officials nearby had no objections as they sat down in turn. So he swallowed his displeasure.
How annoying.
He had just gotten rid of Zhou Zihong, and now here came Ji Bozai. He truly found it unpleasant no matter how he looked at it.
“Today, we are to discuss the laws of the Six Cities,” Ji Bozai said in a deep voice. “Here are the regulations that already overlap among the cities. Everyone, please take a quick look. If you have any objections, raise them.”
The dozen or so people at the table began to review the regulations, discussing them one by one.
This part was easy to settle, as these were overlapping regulations. So in just two hours, all several dozen regulations were passed.
Next, they had to discuss the conflicting laws of each city.
As soon as Ji Bozai finished his opening remarks on this topic, a representative from Cangxue City stood up, slamming the table. “Our city already has few women. If you don’t allow us to marry women from other cities, are you trying to end our bloodlines?!”
Ji Bozai glanced at him. “Which article says you can’t marry women from other cities?”
“‘Those who buy and sell women shall be executed without mercy’—who made this law?” the Cangxue man said angrily. “In our city, women are wealthy, so they can be bought and sold. If buying and selling women leads to execution, how can our people marry women from other cities?”
Ming Yi was amused. “By your logic, should women from the other five cities go to Cangxue City to be bought and sold as commodities?”
The Cangxue man became angry at the sight of her. “I said early on that I didn’t want to come to this council. How can a place where women can sit at the table be proper? All they say is absurd nonsense, it’s pointless!”
With that, he stood up, pushed back his chair, and made to leave.
From the head of the table, Ji Bozai smiled coldly. “Lord Qin, are you disregarding me?”
Qin Zongyou paused, stiffly sitting back down, but still unwilling to yield. “Women in Cangxue are becoming increasingly scarce, and all clans are having difficulties producing offspring. This is the most pressing matter for Cangxue. I don’t want to listen to a girl’s nonsense here.”
“Why are women scarce and reproduction difficult in Cangxue? Isn’t it because you practice trading women?” Ming Yi took a sip of tea. “I’m trying to save Cangxue, and you respond with harsh words?”
“You’re talking… nonsense!” Qin Zongyou glared, his mustache quivering. “The scarcity of women in Cangxue is the result of survival of the fittest. What does it have to do with trading?”
Ming Yi suppressed her anger, gently tapping the table. “Survival of the fittest? Can you be certain that those female infants you drowned wouldn’t have grown up to be stronger than men?”
“Women are naturally weaker than men. What’s wrong with that?!” Qin Zongyou slammed the table forcefully.
Ji Bozai stood up expressionlessly, moving his chair to the side.
Qin Shangwu was wondering what this gesture meant when he saw She Tianlin also move outwards, pulling him along. “Move aside a bit.”
Confused, Qin Shangwu followed suit, but before he could ask what was happening, a pure white realm of darkness descended.