When Ming Yi returned to the beast carriage, she saw Ji Bozai asleep.
Bu Xiu gestured for her to be quiet, but she sensed something was amiss.
With so many people around, given Ji Bozai’s cautious nature, he would never fall asleep here.
Frowning, she leaned closer and felt his forehead.
“Bu Xiu, quickly, let’s head back!”
Startled, Bu Xiu hurriedly ordered the departure. Ming Yi cradled Ji Bozai’s head on her lap, attempting to use her Yuan Power to regulate his chaotic energy.
However, black and white were naturally incompatible. No matter how hard she tried, her Yuan Power was repelled.
He had fallen ill before, but then he had the Xuan Dragon’s protection. This time, he hadn’t even left himself a protective shield, which was why Bu Xiu hadn’t noticed his condition.
Ming Yi found it absurd. How could someone as ambitious as him not protect himself?
The beast carriage flew back to the palace.
Yan Xiao, sensing something was wrong, was already waiting. Matron Xun brought three or four people to help carry Ji Bozai, but Ming Yi shook her head. So many people would only make him more uncomfortable.
Waving them away, Ming Yi carried him on her back.
He was too tall; his head drooped to her neck. Ming Yi steadied herself, using her Yuan Power to carry him smoothly back to the dragon bed in the main hall.
Yan Xiao muttered while applying acupuncture: “I told him not to be in the night wind. He probably didn’t listen. It’s his own body, not borrowed from someone else. He doesn’t take care of himself at all.”
Ming Yi was stunned. “He can’t be in the night wind?”
“Look at all his injuries. Is there a single spot that’s healed? Once he catches a chill from the night wind, it’s not just a simple cold.” Yan Xiao frowned.
No wonder he didn’t go to the roof to watch the moon with her. He hadn’t fully recovered.
This man, not yet healed, and still taking her around the Six Cities.
His face on the pillow was pale and haggard. After Yan Xiao finished the acupuncture and gave him medicine, he turned to Ming Yi: “If he doesn’t have much time left, would you be willing to treat him well in his final moments?”
Her heart sank suddenly. She felt something stuck in her throat, unable to speak for a long while.
Ji Bozai’s life was coming to an end?
He was a once-in-a-century genius in the Qing Yun Realm. After enduring so many hardships in his early years, he hadn’t even had the chance to truly enjoy life before facing an early death.
How unfair was heaven? She was still living well, so why did he have to die?
If he died, what would she do?
Yes, she still had her goals to accomplish, but without him by her side, wouldn’t the journey be too lonely? If she grew tired, there would be no one to lean on. When her Yuan Power progressed, there would be no one to share her joy.
Her eyes reddened slightly. Ming Yi took a deep breath and looked up at Yan Xiao. “How much time does he have left?”
“Him? Naturally, he still has several decades.” Yan Xiao shrugged.
Tears halted, and Ming Yi’s face darkened. Her knuckles cracked as she clenched her fists. “Then what did you mean by what you said earlier?”
“I was just saying ‘what if’, hypothetically!” Seeing he was about to be hit, Yan Xiao leaped up, quickly dodging. “I saw you two wearing each other out. He’s exhausted, and you’re stubbornly refusing to forgive him. I just wanted you to think about whether you still have him in your heart.”
“I know very well whether he’s in my heart or not. Who are you to teach me what to do?” Ming Yi chased after him, throwing Yuan Power.
“Hey, be kind to your physician!”
“Your earlier behavior wasn’t that of a physician, but his partisan.”
“Commander, have mercy!”
After their chase and fight, Ji Bozai still hadn’t woken up.
Tired, Ming Yi sat by his bedside, watching him. “I don’t want to go back to the past. I may not need to marry in this life, nor do I have to bow my head to him.”
Yan Xiao, panting, shook his head while leaning on the table.
Brother, he could only help this far. This young lady was truly not to be trifled with. You’ll have to deal with her yourself.
Ji Bozai’s illness came on fiercely, taking over half a month to gradually improve.
However, after recovering, Ji Bozai seemed to suddenly find purpose, beginning to govern the Six Cities wholeheartedly.
“This law of one husband, one wife, I fear, will be difficult to implement,” an old minister sighed in court. “Wealthy families will always find ways to take concubines.”
Ming Yi, sitting in the chair to the right front, said sternly: “If it’s difficult to implement, then add more regulations. For instance, concubines have no right to any family property, and even if gifted by the master, the legal wife has the right to petition the government to reclaim it. For example, forcibly taking commoner women as concubines will result in their descendants being barred from official positions. Those in office are only allowed to keep their first wife.”
“Furthermore, marriage should be a free choice, abolish divorce papers, and use mutual separation agreements instead. Women can remarry, and men can take new wives, but separation requires both parties’ consent. If one party disagrees, the government will judge the separation case by case.”
The old ministers were shocked. This was unheard of, unseen before. Were women trying to overthrow heaven?
“Your Majesty!” They hurriedly appealed to Ji Bozai, who sat in the main seat.
However, Ji Bozai gazed at Ming Yi with delight, his face clearly showing “my woman is so capable” in big letters, showing no intention of speaking on their behalf.
After being called several times, he coldly turned his head: “What’s inappropriate about what the Commander said?”
“Continuing the family line is natural for humans. If one only marries one wife and can’t have children, isn’t that the great sin of being unfilial?!” The old minister spoke passionately.
Ming Yi waved her hand: “If there are no children, they can separate and remarry. After all, the inability to conceive isn’t necessarily the woman’s problem. Try changing wives a few times, and you’ll understand. The problem might be with yourself.”
“You, you! This is preposterous!” Several old ministers glared at Ming Yi. “A woman sitting in court is already due to His Majesty’s grace. How dare you speak so impudently! How can you be the ruler of a city!”
Ming Yi stood up, smiling: “Under my governance, Chaoyang City now excels in both agriculture and textile production. Men can support families, and so can women. Men can marry women, and women can marry men. The people live in prosperity and peace. Just because I disagree with you, sir, you want to strip me of my position as city ruler?”
She sighed: “Sir, you wield quite the authority.”
Removing a city ruler wasn’t something a mere minister of the Six Departments could decide. His Majesty was still sitting above. This was bordering on disrespect.
The old minister quickly knelt: “Your Majesty, I didn’t mean that.”
“Chaoyang City’s tax revenue last month was the highest among the Six Cities,” Ji Bozai said, sitting upright. “If any of you ministers feel that Chaoyang City’s current situation is not good, you can try implementing your ideas in other cities. As long as that city’s tax revenue surpasses Chaoyang City’s, I will approve your methods.”
Everyone looked at each other.
Apart from Chaoyang City, only Cangxue City had considerable income, but Cangxue City had also begun implementing similar systems after the war, so it couldn’t be their test site. The remaining cities could hardly compete with Chaoyang City.
His Majesty was clearly showing favoritism.