Chapter 20
Seeing that the person sitting alone in this desolate spot truly was the Emperor, Shen Nian was rather surprised.
Taking one look at the Emperor's complexion, it was clear he was not in good spirits—furious, enraged, and carrying a trace of unspeakable grief and indignation. Shen Nian mused to himself: Did he have a quarrel with the Empress?
His mind was racing, but he gave nothing away on his face. He also knew that the Emperor sitting here alone meant he did not wish to be seen. So he blew out the lantern he was carrying, then waved to the imperial guards standing in the distance, signaling them to leave and continue their patrol elsewhere. He then walked up to Qi Junmu and said softly: "Your Majesty, it really is you—you gave this humble subject quite a start. "I thought there was an assassin lurking around."
Qi Junmu did not respond.
Shen Nian looked around and confirmed that not a single attendant was by the Emperor's side. This Emperor really does whatever he pleases, Shen Nian thought. He wondered whether the Emperor was simply bold or truly believed there was no danger in the palace, to dare sit here all alone.
"Your Majesty, if you sit here alone in the cold wind, aren't you afraid Eunuch Ruan will be so worried he'll cry?" Shen Nian's words were not without reason. Judging by the Emperor's state, he had clearly stormed off in a rage, shaking off Ruan Jiqing and the others.
At this late hour, deep in the night, the vast imperial palace had lost track of its Emperor. The weather was so cold—if the Emperor caught a chill, it would be the servants' fault. Yet they dared not make a great commotion searching for him. At a time like this, if Ruan Jiqing wasn't weeping, who would be?
Qi Junmu shifted slightly, then pointed to the stone next to him and said, "Sit."
Shen Nian had not expected the Emperor to still be unwilling to leave. But since the Emperor had spoken, he said nothing more. He walked over, lifted his robe, and sat down. His movements were carefree and natural, without the customary polite refusals others would have made.
Qi Junmu, cooled by the wind, had already shed his anger and sorrow. He did not want anyone to see him in such a disheveled state. Even though he had already reined in his emotions, he knew he still looked rather disheveled.
When Shen Nian walked over, he had initially intended to order the man to withdraw. But as the words reached his throat, he suddenly felt a wave of listlessness and said nothing instead.
Shen Nian was also quite tactful. He did not pry or ask excessive questions, but used lighthearted banter to remind the Emperor that the early spring chill was harsh, that the night was bitterly cold, and that as the Emperor, he must take care of his safety and health.
Qi Junmu felt that Shen Nian was a rather perceptive man—he did not ask what should not be asked, yet when the occasion called for it, he knew exactly how to act familiar. On such a ridiculous night, having such a person by his side made that unwelcome melancholy dissipate.
Now he simply found it all rather laughable.
For himself, and for Wen Wan.
Earlier that evening in Weiyang Palace, Wen Wan had accidentally stepped on her robes and fallen straight toward him.
He did not move. Wen Wan fell into his arms.
Her clothes were scented with a faint, delicate fragrance—one that Qi Junmu liked. But now, he found that scent nauseating, as if it had been laced with the poison of scheming, making his heart churn with irritation.
The woman in his arms was warm and soft. Beneath the lamplight, Qi Junmu looked down. Wen Wan was fair-skinned and beautiful, her brows and eyes like silk, her gaze carrying panic, fear, and submission to the sovereign.
This was the woman he had married, yet today she had revealed a side and a charm he had never seen before—even if it was all feigned.
She was his wife, yet the person in her eyes was not him. The fear and submission in them were meant for him.
In that instant, Qi Junmu felt as if insects were crawling all over him, a deep discomfort consuming him. He could not understand why—why Wen Wan did not love him.
Qi Junmu suddenly thought of his father, Emperor Jing. Emperor Jing had never cared much for the affairs of the rear palace, nor did he favor those who grew arrogant from imperial grace. Consorts who had borne children and those who had not received the same treatment from him.
He treated his four princes and two princesses equally. When they made mistakes, they received harsh punishment. If they could not prove their innocence, they were thrown into prison.
With Emperor Jing, the idea that "even princes are subject to the same laws as commoners" was fully carried out. He was strict with his children. As the saying goes, "a sovereign is both ruler and father." But with Emperor Jing, there was only the ruler, never the father.
In Qi Junmu's memory, the only time Emperor Jing ever inquired about his sons' private affairs was when it came time to arrange their marriages.
Before bestowing a marriage, Emperor Jing's questions were blunt. He only asked what they thought of their prospective wives and whether they were satisfied. If satisfied, the match would be granted; if not, they could choose another.
Emperor Jing discussed marriage—such a monumental event—as casually as if he were talking about taking a drink of water. No one could ever guess what was really going on in his mind.
The eldest brother, Qi Junyan, had his wife personally chosen by Emperor Jing—the daughter of the Vice Minister of Works, Lu shi. The Lu family had little influence in the capital. Lu shi came from a humble background with hardly any standing in the capital—truly a small household.
If Empress Wang had not committed her grave errors back then, Qi Junyan, as the legitimate eldest prince, could have married any noble lady of the capital. How could it have ever fallen to Lu shi? Unfortunately, Qi Junyan had no room for choice. Whether his dullness was feigned or real, compared to others, he lacked a significant advantage. He could only make do, and naturally said he had no objections when asked by Emperor Jing.
The second brother, Qi Junyou, had his wife carefully chosen by his mother, Consort Xian. She was a famous talented woman of the capital from an excellent family—the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the Gong family. Gong shi's looks could only be described as proper and dignified.
Back then, to appease Qi Junyou, Consort Xian even had Emperor Jing bestow two beautiful secondary consorts upon him, though they entered the mansion two months after Gong shi. Gong shi was virtuous and magnanimous, showing not the slightest opposition. She conducted herself with the Second Prince above all else. Consort Xian felt she was most suited to be Qi Junyou's primary wife.
Naturally, Qi Junyou had nothing to object to before Emperor Jing either.
Only when it came to Qi Junmu did things take a different turn.
Wen Wan's constitution was somewhat frail, and his mother was somewhat dissatisfied at the time. She felt that the Wen family could not compare to the Gong family in terms of either foundation or influence, and she hesitated over the match.
The Wen family's greatest advantage at the time was their marital ties to the Lin family.
The Lin family had no daughters of a suitable age, otherwise choosing a princess from the Lin family would have been even more ideal.
The Lin family was most satisfied with the Wen family—besides the marriage connection, Wen Wan had excellent looks, carried herself with propriety, kept a low profile, and handled matters with great prudence. She was very well-suited to be Qi Junmu's consort.
Most importantly, Wen Wan had once been brought to the palace and introduced to the current Empress Dowager—who was then Consort Shu. Qi Junmu had known her since they were children, and there was a certain unspoken softness between them.
Marrying Wen Wan would also maximize the assurance that the Wen family would not change their allegiance. But back then, Consort Shu, on one hand, felt this match was good, yet on the other, she hesitated—because another choice lay before her: Wang shi, granddaughter of Emperor Jing's teacher, Old Master Wang.
Wen Wan and Wang shi each had their own strengths, and their looks were equally distinguished.
However, Old Master Wang had a rather forceful disposition, and the granddaughter he had raised was not docile enough, nor did she have a very good reputation in the capital.
Emperor Jing still held considerable respect for Old Master Wang—at least, one out of every ten words the old master spoke would find its way into the Emperor's ear.
When Emperor Jing learned of Consort Shu's hesitation, he summoned Qi Junmu to her palace, laid out the birth charts of Wen Wan and Lady Wang on the table, and told Qi Junmu to choose.
Qi Junmu chose Wen Wan without a moment's hesitation.
A flicker of disappointment passed through Consort Shu's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, letting no one notice. She had originally intended to use Qi Junmu's mouth to choose the Wang family, so she would have an excuse when dealing with the Lin and Wen families.
Qi Junmu did not wish to disappoint his mother, yet he still refused to give up Wen Wan.
Seeing this, Emperor Jing rarely became intrigued. After all, the marriages of his first two sons had gone too smoothly. Now that a case of mother and son not seeing eye to eye had arisen, he naturally wanted to get to the bottom of it.
So Emperor Jing asked: "As I understand it, this woman is not in good health, and your mother is not entirely pleased. Why do you insist on choosing her? Are you not afraid of displeasing your mother?"
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