t
When she saw Ji Li remain silent for a long while, Ji Muqing tugged on the corner of his sleeve. "Eldest Brother, you haven't told me why you've come to Prince Yi’s Estate."
"His Highness asked me to see him, so I came to visit you first."
"I'm fine, don't worry. The physician said that I'll get better after a few days of rest, so don't worry about me. Since His Highness is looking for you, you'd better go quickly."
Ji Li nodded. "Alright, I'll go over then. If you have any problems, feel free to have someone let me know. Don't keep it to yourself."
"I know."
Ji Li didn't stay for much longer either and left.
Jing Yi was already in the backyard waiting for him. "Has War Secretary Ji gone to see the Princess Consort?" Jing Yi stated the obvious.
"Her Highness had a fall?"
"That's right. She fell when she got up in the middle of the night yesterday. This prince was sound asleep then and didn't notice. Luckily there wasn't a major injury and she'll be fine after a few days of rest."
"Was it really because of a fall?"
"Oh? Why does War Secretary Ji ask that? Did the consort say that she didn't fall?"
"That's not the case."
Hehe. Jing Yi had already predicted that with Ji Muqing's personality, she would be too proud and want to appear strong. In truth, she had been tripped by someone else and got humiliated, bruising her dignity. In the light of this, she would naturally choose to lie.
Ji Li didn’t dwell on this matter any longer either and asked Jing Yi curiously, “Why did Your Highness ask me to come today?” Right to the heart of the matter.
Jing Yi lifted the teapot in his hand and poured him a cup. “Does War Secretary Ji know that Prince Rong is going to come back to the capital?”
What? He was shocked. “How could Prince Rong return to the capital? His Majesty has already issued an edict commanding Prince Rong to solve the case of the missing relief silver before he will be allowed to return.”
“However, this prince has received the news that Prince Rong’s carriage will be arriving outside the city gates soon.” He conspicuously didn’t mention the Emperor’s revised decree.
Ji Li considered the matter. “Does His Highness mean that Prince Rong is returning without permission?”
“That’s right. Although this prince doesn’t know why he would suddenly return, Imperial Father had issued both a verbal order and an imperial decree that forbids him from returning. His very action is clearly defying the decree.” That’s a crime worthy of beheading, even if he were a prince!
Ji Li was suspicious. “If this were really the case, it should be immediately reported to the capital.”
However, Jing Yi took a sip of tea leisurely. “Why is War Secretary Ji so anxious?”
“Of course I’m anxious about a matter regarding resisting a decree!”
“War Secretary Ji, please let me finish speaking.”
I’m all ears!
Jing Yi a.n.a.lysed the matter. “You are Secretary of the Ministry of War and your duty is to guard the Imperial city and its surroundings. Prince Rong returning to the capital against orders is a serious crime. A criminal returning to the capital is naturally something that should be handled by you, but no matter what, he is still a prince. If this matter were reported in court, it would cause a great disturbance and frustrate His Majesty. So why not have War Secretary Ji send people to block Prince Rong and his entourage, have him abandon the idea of entering the capital and just go back to Yufu.”
How kind-hearted! But this chess move was well-calculated indeed. Even someone as intelligent as Ji Li was unable to find anything to counter him. He had also clearly understood Jing Yi’s underlying meaning! Jing Yi clearly wanted him to make a move. In that case, he could only agree.
Ji Li replied, “If Prince Rong truly is returning to the capital without permission, I will surely block him at all costs in my course of duty as War Secretary.”
“Then I’ll let War Secretary Ji handle this.”
“Yes.” Ji Li agreed and hurriedly returned to the General’s estate.
Ji Huan was waiting for him at the door. “Eldest Brother, what did Prince Yi want to talk to you about?”
Ji Li pulled him indoors, sent everyone else away, then told him everything that Jing Yi had said.
“What? Prince Rong is coming back? That’s not possible, is it?”
“I believe that it should be true.”
“But where did Prince Yi get this news?”
Ji Li said, “Do you still not understand?”
What am I meant to understand? Ji Huan was a man of brawn; he was unquestionably skilled at fighting battles and commanding troops, but anything that required using his brains was difficult. He shook his head. I don’t know!
Ji Li said, “For Prince Yi to be able to know so accurately that Prince Rong is on the way back to the capital, it implies that he has been secretly keeping Prince Rong under surveillance ever since Prince Rong left the capital.”
Oh! So that’s why. Ji Huan was still startled and moved closer to ask, “Then, Eldest Brother, do you truly not intend to report this matter to His Majesty and instead lead troops out of the capital to stop him without seeking approval?”
“Don’t forget that we have already gotten into Prince Yi’s boat and are unable to alight.”
“What bulls.h.i.+t. Must we two brothers pledge our lives to him then?”
What else could we do? Let Jing Yi reveal that ugly incident of Ji Muqing’s to all and sundry? Ji Li could not afford to suffer such an embarra.s.sment, and neither could the Ji Family!
“Ji Huan, we can now only listen to Prince Yi. Do not ask for the reason, but let me carry out this order of leading the troops out to intercept Prince Rong. You don’t need to be tangled into this mess.”
Ji Huan had always followed his Eldest Brother’s lead. If Ji Li said it was so, then it would be done. “Mn. Got it.” He then changed the topic. “Right, did you go visit Muqing? How is she?”
At the mention of Ji Muqing, Ji Li’s face filled with worry. “She suffered a fall last night and bruised both her head and her arm.”
“Bruised?”
“Why are you shouting so loudly? It was her own fault for being careless. Don’t let Father know so that he won’t worry.”
“I know.” Ji Muqing had a fall? Isn’t that too strange? Ji Huan didn’t believe it anyway.
Dong! A knock sounded from outside.
“Who’s that?” The two brothers instantly tensed in alert.
Ji Wanxin entered with tiny steps and bowed in greeting to her two older brothers. “I heard that Eldest Brother had gone to Prince Yi’s estate and thought that you must have seen Elder Sister as well. So I came over to enquire how Elder Sister is doing.”
So it was just her. Ji Li replied, “She’s doing well. There’s no need to worry.”
“That’s good then.” A smile spread over her face.
Ji Li and Ji Huan didn’t think much more about it, and a.s.sumed that she really was here only to ask about Ji Muqing.
After she left the room, Ji Wanxin looked back contemplatively. Actually, she had heard everything the two of them said when she was by the door. “Prince Rong is returning to the capital?” She murmured softly to herself.
He’s resisting an imperial decree! And Prince Yi wants to send people to block them outside the city? Ji Wanxin clenched her hands, looking like she was deep in thought.
……
On the Official highway.
It had already been several days since they had left Bingjing and they were about to reach Jinjiang. For the last few days, Ji Yunshu had been considering whether they should go fetch Wei Yi when they reached Jinjiang.
This problem had occupied her for a long while before she finally made a decision. She told Jing Rong, who was sitting opposite her, “When we reach Jinjiang, let’s stop for a while. I’d like to go visit Wei Yi.”
Jing Rong had not told her that Wei Yi had been abducted and brought to the capital, so when Ji Yunshu said that, he froze for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“I said that I would like to go visit Wei Yi.”
Jing Rong nodded, but tried to persuade her otherwise. “If you went to visit him, you would naturally want to bring him along.”
“So, what do you think?” Ji Yunshu threw the question back at him.
Jing Rong pondered for a moment. “When we first left him in Jinjiang we had already been prepared that the situation would escalate. Now that it has come to this, do you still hope that Wei Yi can still be with us as before? This prince suggests that we return directly to the capital instead.”
She didn’t reply. She gazed past the swaying curtains to look at the scenery outside, her heart a tangled mess of emotions. She suddenly insisted again, “I just want to go take a look at him.”
Jing Rong was startled, and his eyes became gloomy as he quickly replied, “You’d better not go. This prince is worried that you’ll lose your resolve.”
“I won’t. I’m just a little worried about him. I promised him that I would fetch him when we returned to the capital and I don’t want to break my word.”
“Yunshu…” He called her name solemnly.
Eh? Ji Yunshu looked at him and seemed to glean a clue from his expression. She quickly asked, “Did something happen to Wei Yi?” A woman’s intuition was just that sharp.
Jing Rong’s eyes darted around nervously. “Wei Yi isn’t in Jinjiang right now.”
Eh? “What does that mean? Why is he not in Jinjiang?”
He finally took out Uncle Fu’s letter and pa.s.sed it to Ji Yunshu and explained, “This is a letter Uncle Fu sent to Yufu. At that time, we had already left and Zuo Yao had someone forward it to us at top riding speed.” That letter was a little crumpled by the tight hold Jing Rong had on it.
Ji Yunshu took the letter and smoothed it out, then read through its contents.