Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Meng Lang’s Method: Snatch What You Fancy

Ji Qingwu lifted her face. Under Princess Qingyun’s expectant gaze, she calmly uttered a few words.

"Why should I tell you?"

Princess Qingyun studied her expression and asked suspiciously, "Are you not telling me because your heart is already crowded? You’ve got one suitor here, another there, and what about the third son of Mr. Li?"

She recalled that day at Cining Palace, where she’d been left stunned for quite some time by the stories of her fifth cousin’s romantic "conquests."

Ji Qingwu nodded, her expression matter-of-fact. "You’re right. My heart is a sprawling mountain range, and there’s a man standing on every peak."

Princess Qingyun was once again speechless.

As she finished speaking, Ji Qingwu’s gaze drifted to the crack in the slightly ajar door. She unintentionally peeked inside, just in time to see the method Duan Mingfeng was using to feed medicine to the unconscious woman on the bed.

She took a deep breath and immediately averted her gaze, awkwardly touching her ear. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

’I didn’t expect Mr. Duan to be such a sentimental man,’ she thought. ’To value a bond with someone from his hometown so much... he’s really willing to go all out...’

’This mouth-to-mouth method of feeding someone medicine... while a bit improper, is quite effective.’

Ji Qingwu thought, ’Duan Mingfeng seems ruthless, but he’s actually a good person.’

Seeing her odd reaction—surprised one moment, sighing the next—Princess Qingyun grew curious and craned her neck, trying to look inside to see what was happening.

Ji Qingwu reacted instantly. She held her back with one hand and quickly shut the door, blocking the princess’s prying gaze.

Fearing Princess Qingyun would stir up more trouble, she pulled her away, pleading, "Let everyone at Liangxiang Pavilion go, and then you should leave immediately."

Princess Qingyun stood her ground, unwilling to leave.

Ji Qingwu assumed she was still not ready to let Mo Lingling off the hook.

She said, "Are you still looking to settle scores with her? She’s lost her child and is lying unconscious in bed. She’s no longer a threat to you. And for someone of your station, a Princess, to be in a brothel for so long... it wouldn’t be good if word got out."

"I know."

Princess Qingyun looked at the carved pearwood doorframe, then at Ji Qingwu, who stood protectively in front of it.

Her voice was tinged with jealousy. "This Female Historian is far cleverer than I am, managing to earn your pity and have you constantly speak up for her."

’This princess is so strange,’ Ji Qingwu thought. ’That jealous tone of hers is like a child who’s had their candy snatched away.’

She let go of her hand. "Then I won’t say any more. I’ll be leaving."

But Princess Qingyun grabbed her hand in return, saying with displeasure, "Don’t you find it strange, Fifth Cousin? Why would she dare to defy a Princess like me when she’s so clearly at a disadvantage?"

Without giving it much thought, Ji Qingwu replied directly, "Because she has a fiery temperament."

"Someone with a fiery temperament could work as a female servant in a brothel? Even the sharpest edges would have been worn smooth in a place like this. Fifth Cousin, you’re just too kind-hearted. You assume the best of everyone."

Ji Qingwu recalled the words she had overheard at the door.

Every word Mo Lingling had said was a deliberate jab at Qingyun. As a pregnant woman, she should have been thinking of protecting her child first—whether that meant swallowing her pride or begging for mercy—not relentlessly provoking the princess.

Ji Qingwu frowned. "Are you saying she deliberately provoked you just now, hoping you would be the one to make her lose the child?"

Princess Qingyun nodded gleefully. "Fifth Cousin, you finally see that vixen’s true colors!"

’With the way she said that,’ Ji Qingwu thought, ’I feel like some foolish emperor who’s been completely bewitched.’

Princess Qingyun said proudly, "Fifth Cousin, believe it or not, I only came today to put her in her place. I wanted her to behave and stop parading her pregnancy around the city. But she insisted on asking for trouble, so of course I didn’t hold back."

’So she really never intended to kill Mo Lingling?’

Ji Qingwu asked doubtfully, "You don’t mind the existence of her and the child?"

Princess Qingyun said, "Why should I mind? Before my wedding, I would have had to send a maidservant to ’test the marriage’ anyway. Her being here just saves me the trouble."

One of the pre-nuptial rites for a Princess marrying a Prince Consort was to send a trusted personal maidservant to test the marriage on her behalf. The "test," of course, concerned matters of the bedchamber; the Prince Consort had to prove he was capable of continuing the Imperial Family’s bloodline.

’Just as I thought,’ Ji Qingwu shook her head slightly. ’No one in the palace is simple-minded, not even a pampered and headstrong little princess.’

She said, "Alright, I get it. Can we leave now?"

Ji Qingwu had been delayed here for quite a while. She figured it was about time to pick up Jiu Jiu from his lessons.

Princess Qingyun said, "Fifth Cousin, don’t associate with her anymore. From now on, stand on my side, and I can protect you."

’I don’t want to deal with this,’ Ji Qingwu thought. ’As long as I stay far away from palace affairs, I can protect myself just fine.’

She turned to leave, but Princess Qingyun still clung to her arm, refusing to let go.

Ji Qingwu glanced down at her. "Are you going to let go or not?"

"No," the princess answered firmly.

Ji Qingwu was stronger than any ordinary woman, to say nothing of this pampered little princess.

With a slight exertion of force from Qingwu, Princess Qingyun had to grab the wall to keep her balance. She absolutely refused to budge, saying, "I’m not leaving until you tell me."

Ji Qingwu was speechless for a long moment before asking, "What on earth do you want me to say?"

"Tell me who the man you love is."

’How is she still hung up on that?’ Ji Qingwu said with a sigh of resignation, "Do you really think we have the kind of relationship where we can discuss such things?"

’Why should I tell her who I have feelings for?’

Princess Qingyun declared righteously, "Of course we do! You called me intimately by my name just now. Only people I approve of are allowed to do that."

’Calling her name intimately? I was forced to by the situation; I had no other choice.’

Ji Qingwu said frankly, "You can call me by my name, too. Then we’ll be even."

Princess Qingyun pouted and glared, annoyed. She compromised, suggesting, "Fine. If you won’t tell me who he is, then just tell me what kind of man he is."

The more her fifth cousin refused to say, the more curious she grew. What kind of man could possibly occupy Ji Qingwu’s gentle and lucid heart?

Itching with curiosity, Princess Qingyun began to guess, "Is he an elegant, handsome young master from a noble family?"

Ji Qingwu’s face remained impassive. She glanced at the princess, her reaction flat.

Princess Qingyun frowned slightly.

She had recently overheard some little eunuchs gossiping. After the Grand Archery and Equestrian Meet, captivated by Ji Qingwu’s dashing and free-spirited demeanor, no small number of Military General’s Families wanted to approach the Ji Family to propose marriage.

’Could it be that her fifth cousin has taken a liking to someone from one of those families?’ she wondered. ’To match the Ji Family’s status, he would have to hold an official rank at the very least.’

Princess Qingyun continued her guessing. "Fifth Cousin, do you like a mighty General?"

Ji Qingwu’s gaze flickered, and her expression became a little unnatural.

Feeling she had guessed correctly, Princess Qingyun said cheerfully, "A General is an excellent choice! I wonder which family he’s from, Fifth Cousin. Tell me, and I’ll help you snatch him up!"