Chapter 197: A Loser Like Him Doesn’t Deserve You
In the carriage.
Wei Chang stared at Jiang Ruanxi’s wrist, his brows tightly furrowed, and he extended his palm upward toward her. “Give it to me.”
Jiang Ruanxi was stunned for a moment and couldn’t react. “What?”
“The bracelet, it’s trash, not worthy of you.”
Jiang Ruanxi glanced at it—the bracelet the Empress had just given her—and lightly laughed as she took it off. Wei Chang reached to take it, but Jiang Ruanxi dodged away.
“She’s disgusting you. I’ll buy you a better one.”
Jiang Ruanxi was a little moved.
“I don’t like this bracelet either, but we have to keep it. It might come in handy later.” Jiang Ruanxi said playfully.
Today the Empress had looked at her so unfavorably, and she would certainly make things difficult for her later, so even if she didn’t like it, she had to keep the bracelet.
Seeing her insistence, Wei Chang didn’t press her, but he still couldn’t stand it. “You can keep it, but you’re not allowed to wear it. My woman should wear the finest jade in the world. You don’t need this kind of trash that wouldn’t even merit a glance if thrown on the ground.”
These domineering words left Jiang Ruanxi somewhat amused and exasperated.
But a warm current seemed to flow through her heart.
Besides her adoptive parents, no one had ever treated her so well.
She couldn’t help but step forward and hug his shoulders, saying sincerely, “Husband, thank you.”
This “Husband” made Wei Chang’s stern face instantly flush red, and the corners of his brows softened considerably.
His hand tightly gripped hers.
Jiang Ruanxi looked up and saw the red at his ear roots, causing her to smile even more brightly.
A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she leaned close to his ear and gently blew a breath. “Husband, I like you.”
These words were like a deep-water bomb exploding in Wei Chang’s heart.
His heart skipped several beats, and a tingling sensation shot straight to his head.
His mind held only that phrase “I like you”—something he had waited years for.
With eyes full of tenderness, he turned his head and saw the laughter in her eyes, realizing she was joking, but he was still very happy inside.
His large hand grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace.
Soon, sounds not suitable for children echoed inside the carriage.
Upon returning to the manor, Jiang Ruanxi was carried back in, leaving all the servants dumbfounded.
They hadn’t expected Wei Chang to favor Jiang Ruanxi so much.
Jiang Ruanxi was so shy she didn’t dare lift her head.
They had just entered the gate when an eunuch from the palace arrived at the manor gate to deliver an imperial decree.
Jiang Ruanxi struggled to get down.
“The Emperor is seriously ill and in a coma. Madams of Third Rank and above are specially summoned to the palace to attend to the sick.”
Jiang Ruanxi frowned. The Qin Dynasty did indeed have a rule that if the Emperor was critically ill, the wives of court officials had to enter the palace to attend to the sick.
Actually, attending to the sick wasn’t a very difficult task. After all, there were imperial concubines in the imperial harem, as well as eunuchs and palace maids in the palace. These women entering the imperial palace wouldn’t serve much purpose.
Their only role was probably to keep the ministers in check, in case Emperor Qin had some incident and these ministers caused trouble.
However, this also showed that the Emperor was truly very seriously ill this time.
She was just a bit doubtful.
Not long ago, Emperor Qin had looked very healthy and didn’t seem ill, yet suddenly he was gravely ill.
“Nonsense. Even if Father Emperor is seriously ill and needs attendants, isn’t there still the Empress? Why is it the Crown Princess’s turn?” Wei Chang said coldly.
The eunuch delivering the decree turned pale with fright. “C-Crown Prince, the Empress is also ill. This is a last resort.”
Jiang Ruanxi and Wei Chang exchanged a glance, their brows unconsciously furrowing.
How could it be such a coincidence? They had just left, and both Emperor Qin and the Empress were ill.
Jiang Ruanxi was already certain in her heart that there must be some hidden circumstances here.
Wei Chang naturally thought of it too and was about to speak, but Jiang Ruanxi beat him to it. “Thank you for your trouble, eunuch. Since Father Emperor is seriously ill, as his daughter-in-law, I should naturally attend to him at his side. But we’ve just returned. Please allow us to go in and pack a bit, otherwise if we bring something into the palace that affects Father Emperor, it would be bad.”
Seeing her relent, the eunuch knew his mission was accomplished and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
For such a small request, how could he dare object?
“Crown Princess, you’re too polite. I’ll wait outside in the carriage. When you’re ready, Crown Princess, just give the order.”
Jiang Ruanxi nodded and went into the manor with Wei Chang.
Though they said it was to pack fine items, in reality, Jiang Ruanxi went in just to say a few words to Wei Chang.
But as soon as they entered, before Jiang Ruanxi could speak, Wei Chang grabbed her hand, his face full of worry. “Xi Xi, why did you agree? We don’t know what’s happening in the palace now. If you don’t want to go, I can find a reason to send him off.”
Jiang Ruanxi knew he was worried about her and felt moved, gripping his hand in return. “I know, but I don’t want you to be attacked by people in the court because of me.”
Wei Chang was very happy inside that she was thinking of him, but thinking of the danger of her entering the palace alone dampened his joy. He said indifferently, “I’m not afraid.”
He had never been afraid of those rumors.
But Jiang Ruanxi shook her head. “I know you’re not afraid, but I don’t want to bring you trouble because of my own matters. Now that you’ve passed twenty, so many eyes are on us. The Jiang Family doesn’t know my identity yet, but they will sooner or later. Only if I go will they be at ease, and you can continue with your affairs.”
Wei Chang hadn’t expected her to think this way and was deeply moved. “Since you’ve decided, then go. But the imperial palace is dangerous. If there’s anything urgent, tell Eunuch Li directly.”
Jiang Ruanxi knew Eunuch Li was Emperor Qin’s man, but hearing this, was he Wei Chang’s man too?
Jiang Ruanxi didn’t think too much and nodded. “Mm, I know.”
It seemed that over these years, Wei Chang had placed many of his own informants in the imperial palace.
Now, for her sake, he had even revealed his trump cards.
Her heart warmed, and she hugged him. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
With that, before Wei Chang could react, she had already left the room.
Jiang Ruanxi boarded the carriage, but Wei Chang was still uneasy. Besides instructing the servants, he also had someone pass a few words to that person in the imperial palace.
By the time Jiang Ruanxi arrived at the imperial palace, it was already filled with women.
Jiang Ruanxi lowered her gaze. Judging by the numbers, it seemed all the wives of officials with any rank in the Imperial City had come.
Before coming, she thought it was Emperor Qin making a fuss over nothing, but now it seemed he might really be gravely ill.
Though many people had come, they were divided by rank.
Only holders of First Rank imperial decrees of nobility could enter the inner hall; the others could only stay in one hall.
And only the ladies in the palace and royal daughters-in-law like her could get close to attend to Emperor Qin.
“Crown Princess.”
Jiang Ruanxi had just arrived when a voice calling her came from not far away.
