The words were harsh, causing Bai Ying’s heart to sink.
The City Lord toiled day and night for the people, racking his brains to give Qingyun a better future, only to be rewarded with this?
She looked at Ming Yi with a mixture of anger and sorrow but saw her expression was calm, with a hint of mockery in her eyes.
“You’re overthinking it,” she said, crouching down and twirling pure white, almost transparent Yuan Power at her fingertips. “I just wanted to say, your Yuan Power is so weak. No strength, no accuracy – you can’t even match a woman who’s only studied for a month at the Yuan Shi Academy. Did you just start practicing yesterday?”
The assassin’s face stiffened, then began to turn green.
“Take him away,” Ming Yi waved her hand. “Before he dies, let him read the ‘Fighter’s Register.’ Perhaps he can die with his eyes closed.”
As the guards dragged the assassin away, he couldn’t help but shout angrily, “Why did you come back? You should have died as Ming Xian! You used to be our hero, but now you’ve become our enemy. Don’t you feel disgusted by all these dirty things you’re doing?”
His mouth was quickly gagged, and his clothes scraped against the ground, raising a bit of dust.
Ming Yi looked up at the distant sun. After a long while, she chuckled lightly and nonchalantly changed her route back to the palace.
She would never consider wanting a world where both men and women could live well as something dirty, nor would she ever feel disgusted about helping women who were currently at a disadvantage. Hero or enemy, it was just a matter of different standpoints. She wasn’t wrong, and she wouldn’t bow to them.
With a cold face, Ming Yi crossed the palace gates. She was about to ask Bai Ying to find a physician when she saw someone striding towards her from afar. His dark robe, embroidered with dragon patterns, fluttered in the wind, and the pearl curtain of his crown swayed uncontrollably.
She looked him over and couldn’t help but laugh, “What is Your Majesty doing? If the Imperial Astronomer sees you, won’t he say you’re lacking in etiquette and unfit to”
“Shut up!” Ji Bozai interrupted, panic evident in his voice. As he reached her, he noticed the blood on her arm and immediately scooped her up in his arms, striding quickly toward the palace chambers.
Ming Yi finally realized he must have heard about the assassination attempt.
She was torn between laughter and tears. “We’ve suffered worse injuries at the Six Cities Conference. Is this little scratch worth your panic?”
Ji Bozai glared at her.
Noticing his chest heaving heavily as if he had been frightened, Ming Yi finally pressed her lips together.
The female physician came to bandage her carefully, and only after saying it was just a flesh wound did he finally relax. However, he still sat by her couch, holding her hand and constantly rubbing her back with his thumb.
Ming Yi sighed helplessly and could only softly comfort him, “It’s alright now.”
As soon as she comforted him, he became aggrieved. In a hoarse voice, he said, “I couldn’t find you right after the court session. Fuling told me to come back and wait for you. I waited and waited, but you still hadn’t returned. Just as I was about to go out and look for you, I heard them say you had been attacked.”
He couldn’t describe his feelings when he heard those words. The fearless Lord of the Six Cities experienced for the first time what it truly felt like for the sky to fall.
Yan Xiao had once joked, asking her to imagine if he didn’t have much time left to live, would she forgive him. Her reaction at the time had delighted him, making him feel there was still hope between them.
But today, Ji Bozai truly understood that she held a place in his heart far greater than he did in hers.
In the past, he might have thought about winning or losing, but now he just wanted to hug her.
As he thought about it, he opened his arms.
Ming Yi raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you doing?”
“Hurry up,” his voice was extremely hoarse.
Wrinkling her nose, Ming Yi reluctantly reached out and gave him a perfunctory hug.
Then she was pulled entirely into his embrace, listening to his rapid heartbeat and feeling his slightly anxious breath.
Ming Yi blinked, suddenly feeling a bit of heat in the corners of her eyes.
“Someone cursed at me today,” she finally said. “I was a bit angry, but I didn’t want to show it for others to see.”
“Who?” Ji Bozai narrowed his eyes.
Ming Yi looked up at him, but could only see his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Doesn’t Your Majesty want to know what he said?”
“What’s there to ask? Cut out his tongue and dismember him. If he has a powerful background, I’ll go find a crime to charge him with right now.”
“…” She couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
This man was truly unreasonable, but at this moment, she quite appreciated this unreasonable protectiveness.
When angry, one doesn’t want to hear others say anything else or analyze who’s right or wrong. One just wants someone to stand unconditionally on their side.
Ming Yi’s anger dissipated by half. She waved her hand and said, “Let’s not dwell on it. Tomorrow at court, Song Lanzhi and several other ladies will all wear official robes to enter the hall. Is Your Majesty prepared?”
“It’s a small matter, you needn’t worry,” Ji Bozai snorted with a laugh. “They’re already calling me the first tyrant in history, arbitrary and autocratic, not listening to the words of wise ministers – I think this kind of tyrant they describe sounds quite comfortable. I’m prepared to be one.”
If he were to be a wise ruler, he’d have to mind all sorts of reputations and treat old ministers well even if they sat at home criticizing him for ruining the country. He’d have to respect and humble himself before the talented, even if those people only had fame without real ability. He’d have to restrain himself and return to propriety, even if he truly liked Ming Yi, he couldn’t show it.
What’s the point of being an emperor then? They might as well sit on the throne and be emperors themselves.
Ji Bozai snorted with laughter.
Previously, he had found the imperial position boring and the world uninteresting, so he didn’t care much about them. But now he realized that if he fell, the pressure Ming Yi would have to bear would be doubled.
These people slandered her, framed her, and even tried to assassinate her. Did they think he was dead?
So, the next day before the morning court session, as Ming Yi was walking along the palace corridor, she was suddenly stopped by several officials.
“City Lord, please spare us!” The Minister of Personnel kowtowed repeatedly.
Ming Yi found it strange. This minister had always looked at her unfavorably. Although he hadn’t resigned along with Grand Councilor Liu, he’d rather claim illness than help her deal with the matter of conferring titles to Song Lanzhi and the others. Why was he suddenly coming to beg for mercy?
Before she could ask, the Minister of Personnel said with a wailing face, “Yesterday’s assassination attempt on the City Lord, although it happened outside our Ministry of Personnel, truly had nothing to do with us. His Majesty, in a fit of anger, imprisoned over twenty people from our ministry, and three are to be executed. I really… alas!”
Ming Yi was stunned, but quickly understood Ji Bozai’s intentions.
If he had lightly punished the Ministry of Personnel, these officials might have felt they were unjustly implicated due to her bewitching influence. But with such a severe punishment, they would realize the seriousness of the matter. Later, if he showed some leniency, he could still be praised as a wise ruler, while allowing her to gain some favors.
Ji Bozai had started to scheme against the court officials.
There’s a type of person who, when scheming against you, makes you feel extremely uncomfortable. But when they scheme with you against others, you find them incredibly reliable.
A trace of a smile flashed in Ming Yi’s eyes, but she solemnly cupped her hands to the Minister of Personnel, “I will do my best to persuade His Majesty later.”