The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 148: Proposal for Marriage
The Capital City.
Since Liang Wang withdrew his troops and the Taizi returned to the capital to take charge of the situation, the ministers from the Left Prime Minister’s faction, who had knelt outside the Palace Gate that day to petition for the change of heir, were now walking on eggshells every day, as if treading on thin ice.
However, the Taizi was only focused on state affairs and had not mentioned anything about the Liang Wang’s actions.
The Left Prime Minister’s faction couldn’t truly believe that the Taizi wouldn’t pursue the matter. Their actions outside the Palace Gate that day might not have actually put pressure on the Empress, but they had certainly given the Liang Wang a plausible reason to bring troops to the capital and attack both the capital and the Imperial City, serving as a thin veil to cover the ongoing power struggle.
These ministers tried to seek reassurance from their central figure, the Left Prime Minister Wang Xian. Wang Xian simply said, “Proposing the change of heir was only a temporary measure to stabilize the court and secure the state. It’s not that serious, so don’t lose your composure.”
The ministers…
Not that serious?
Prime Minister Wang, are you sure this isn’t a case of deceiving oneself?
As for whether Wang Xian was truly worried or not, only he himself knew.
————–
At the Imperial Censor Bureau, in recent days, the eyes of the officials towards the Attending Censor Wang Jingyi had become somewhat complicated.
There was uncertainty about whether the Left Prime Minister Mansion would be implicated due to Liang Wang’s actions and whether the Taizi would seek to settle the matter.
One evening, as Wang Jingyi was leaving the Imperial Censor Bureau, a young servant approached and bowed to her, “Lord Wang, Lord Ji invites you to meet at Qianshui Lake.”
“Lord Ji says it concerns the survival of the Left Prime Minister Mansion.”
Wang Jingyi furrowed her brow, looking at the young servant. He seemed familiar as if she had seen him before at the Ji Mansion, where he worked for Minister Ji.
The survival of the Left Prime Minister Mansion? Was this referring to the matter of the Liang Wang?
Ji Mu was a person loyal to the Taizi, so anything he revealed might carry the Taizi’s intentions.
In that case, it might be worth going to probe for some information.
However… Qianshui Lake?
That night, the scandal aboard the boat with Ji Mu…
Wang Jingyi’s ears suddenly flushed red, and she quickly pushed away the inappropriate thoughts in her mind. She motioned for the servant to lead the way and then boarded her carriage.
After Wang Jingyi got off her carriage at the banks of Qianshui Lake, she was led onto an exquisite, luxurious painted boat. At the entrance of the boat, she paused, her brow furrowing slightly.
The young servant guiding her seemed to sense her hesitation and explained, “Lord Ji has rented the entire boat. No one will disturb you.”
Wang Jingyi certainly didn’t want anyone to see her meeting privately with Ji Mu, as it could lead to gossip and trouble. After all, Ji Mu was a rising star in the court, and he had become a highly sought-after son-in-law candidate among the prominent families in the capital. The number of people keeping an eye on him would only increase, not decrease.
Wang Jingyi took a step forward and continued towards the second floor of the boat. As she walked, her mind involuntarily recalled some of the recent rumors circulating in the capital about the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, Minister Ji.
Ji Mu had once been low-key, almost invisible in his actions. But after his promotion to Minister, it seemed that almost everyone in the court had guessed that he was a member of the Taizi’s faction. The once restrained Ji Mu had, it seemed, stopped pretending to hold back and had become much more high-profile.
Of course, this “high profile” referred to Ji Mu’s astonishing wealth.
The cost of living in the capital was not low, and buying property was even more difficult. Unless one had lived in the capital for generations, new officials to the city often had to settle for smaller, more remote properties, while lower-ranking officials with modest finances could only rent residential courtyards.
Wang Jingyi had once visited Ji Mansion, which was on the night of the boat.
What she had seen there wasn’t a large estate. The furnishings and decorations were ordinary, fitting for the status of a junior official like Ji Mu, who had only recently been promoted to Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
However, those who had visited Minister Ji Mansion to deliver congratulatory gifts returned in awe, praising the wealth and grandeur that could be seen throughout the Ji Mansion.
The current Ji Mansion still occupied the original location of Ji Mansion, but it had expanded to incorporate several neighboring large estates, covering a vast area after the renovations.
The fact that Ji Mu had managed to purchase several connected properties in such a short time and had completed the renovations with minimal fuss raised some suspicions. Some speculated that Ji Mu had bought these mansions long before, perhaps because of his previously low-key behavior, choosing to live in the smallest of them.
It was like the last time Ji Mu and Wang Jingyi had drunk together on a smaller boat. Wang Jingyi still vaguely remembered the gentle rocking of the boat on the lake caused by their reckless actions.
But today, they were only here to discuss matters, yet Ji Mu had reserved the entire luxurious painted boat. Only the most influential families in the capital could afford such an extravagant display, with no concern for money.
Wang Jingyi couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Perhaps Minister Ji held some other identity.
If that were the case, the Taizi could not possibly be unaware of Ji Mu’s true background, yet he had kept it hidden, allowing Ji Mu to move through the court unnoticed for so many years.
In that case, Ji Mu’s family background could not be simple.
————
Wang Jingyi was led into a lakeside study on the second floor of the painted boat. Ji Mu was standing by the window, preparing tea at a small tea table.
Ji Mu glanced up at the newcomer, then gestured toward the meditation chair across from him, before continuing to brew the tea leisurely.
“Minister Ji.”
“Lord Wang.”
After a brief nod of greeting, Wang Jingyi took her seat.
Being alone in the same room with this man made Wang Jingyi feel somewhat uncomfortable. She focused her gaze on Ji Mu’s methodical tea-making movements, deliberately avoiding the occasional complex glances he cast in her direction.
Ji Mu’s hands were long and beautiful, with distinct joints and pale, cool-toned skin.
Wang Jingyi seemed to recall that these hands bore thin calluses on the pads of the fingers, the same hands that, that night…
That night, these hands had given her an experience of pleasure like never before…
Wang Jingyi exhaled lightly, turning her head to look out at the lake, her delicate brows furrowing.
“Why did you choose to meet here, Minister Ji?”
Wang Jingyi couldn’t help but ask the question that had been lingering in her mind, a question that seemed insignificant.
Ji Mu glanced at her, and the sight of her slightly flushed ear, exposed by her turned head toward the window, caused a faint gleam to flash in his eyes.
He calmly shifted his gaze back to the tea set in his hands and spoke slowly, “A summer evening breeze by the lake, enjoying tea, is that not a refined pleasure?”
As he spoke, Ji Mu pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea toward Wang Jingyi.
What she didn’t know was that Ji Mu had become a frequent visitor to Qianshui Lake in recent days.
That night, when Ji Mu had carried the unconscious Wang Jingyi off the boat, he had already arranged to purchase the vessel. Since then, he occasionally came to the boat to sit, savoring the evening breeze with a drink in hand. Only after feeling a slight buzz from the wine would he take a carriage back to his mansion.
———–
Wang Jingyi took a sip of the tea, the warm liquid sliding down her throat. In her heart, she couldn’t help but praise.
The tea is excellent, and the tea maker’s technique is indeed superb.
However, at this moment, Wang Jingyi wasn’t in the mood to savor the elegance of the tea. After setting the cup down, she turned her gaze toward the well-dressed new official across from her and asked, “May I ask, Minister Ji, why did you invite me here?”
Ji Mu understood that Wang Jingyi was likely overwhelmed with thoughts at this moment. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries and went straight to the point, “Liang Wang took it upon himself to lead his troops into the capital. This action could very well be deemed as treason.”
“How much the Left Prime Minister Mansion was involved in this matter, Lord Wang, I believe you have an idea, so there’s no need for me to elaborate.”
Wang Jingyi felt a chill in her heart. Her father’s repeated bold moves, was the Wang family finally going to face the consequences of their actions?
Ji Mu continued, “The Wang family has produced two generations of prime ministers, and with its imperial connections, its influence in the court is deeply entrenched. Lord Wang, now that you are in the officialdom, you must understand the harm that stubborn factions can do to the court’s governance.”
“The Taizi has never intended to wipe out the Wang family entirely. He only needs the Left Prime Minister to step away from the center of power.”
“This time, because of Liang Wang’s case, it seems impossible for the Left Prime Minister Mansion to completely clear itself,” Ji Mu said, his tone measured.
“Then, it all depends on how they withdraw,” he added.
Wang Jingyi didn’t doubt Ji Mu’s words, knowing there was likely an element of deception in them, but these thoughts had long crossed her mind as well. She had even tried to advise her father, but her father was too stubborn.
As she frowned and pondered, she suddenly heard the man across from her call her name softly.
“Wang Jingyi.”
Wang Jingyi looked up, realizing that Ji Mu had addressed her by name, not by her official title.
What was he going to say?
She felt a flush rising in her cheeks under the intensity of his focused gaze, and her heart began to race. She seemed to have a premonition of what Ji Mu was about to say.
Ji Mu’s gaze never wavered from her eyes, and his tone grew especially serious, “Wang Jingyi, marry me.”
Wang Jingyi’s heart skipped a beat. This man… was making the same proposition again.
But why was she reacting like this? She shouldn’t feel this way…
Ji Mu spoke again, this time even more solemnly, “None can predict the full extent of the consequences the Left Prime Minister Mansion will face in this matter.”
“For you, the best choice is to marry as soon as possible, to distance yourself from the Left Prime Minister Mansion.”
“Right now, the entire capital is watching the aftermath of Liang Wang’s case. Given the Wang family’s current situation, apart from me, you likely have no better option.”
“The Emperor’s mourning period will last for another half month, so marriage can’t be arranged until then. The nation is in mourning, so the wedding can’t be overly grand. You will have to make some sacrifices.”
“I’ll take care of the household registration with the Ministry of Revenue. Once the betrothal is official, I’ll have your household moved to my Ji family. You will be Madam Ji, no longer the young Miss Wang.”
“Wang Jingyi, you can say I’m taking advantage of the situation, or that I’m profiteering from the chaos. It’s true that I’ve been planning this for a long time. If you refuse, I won’t mind using other methods.”
“My previous promise to you still stands. In this lifetime, it’s only you.”
Wang Jingyi…
This man was clearly resorting to both threats and enticements, yet he spoke as if he hadn’t used any forceful methods?
———–
When Wang Jingyi returned home, she learned that her father Wang Xian, and her brother were still discussing matters in the study. Wang Jingyi pondered for a moment, then walked straight to the study.
In the study, after hearing Wang Jingyi’s proposal, the Left Prime Minister, Wang Xian immediately threw a book at Wang Jingyi who was standing in the middle of the study.
“You b*stard!”
“Wang Jingyi, you just went to the Imperial Censor Bureau and became a fifth-rank official, so you think you are so powerful? You have grown wings? You are against me everywhere, right?”
“Wang Jingyi, you should understand that you can sit in the position you are in today because you have the Wang family behind you and the entire Prime Minister Mansion is backing you up!”
“Ask me to resign? Do you think I am a person like Qin Wenzheng who has a shallow foundation and comes from a clean family?”
“This matter has not been settled yet, but there is room for reversal. You ask me to resign as soon as you open your mouth. Are you going to piss me off to death!”
Wang Jingyi rubbed her right arm which was hit by the scroll thrown by his father Wang Xian, frowned, and did not speak again.
His father was stubborn and it was useless to say more, it was just a waste of words.
Wang Jingheng glanced at Wang Jingyi, and then said to his father Wang Xian, “Father, I think it’s better to consider Jingyi’s proposal appropriately.”
“The Taizi has been gradually weakening the influence of the Left Prime Minister Mansion in the court, both openly and covertly. Even if the Prime Minister Mansion manages to avoid being implicated by the Liang Wang this time, if the Taizi is determined to bring down the Left Prime Minister Mansion, we may avoid it this time, but there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to dodge the next time or the time after that.”
Wang Xian, who always showed the most favor to his eldest son, Wang Jingheng, was a bit gentler with him now. After calming himself, he sighed and spoke, “If it weren’t for Taizi’s repeated actions against the Left Prime Minister Mansion in the past two years, would I have tried to push Liang Wang into power?”
“The Taizi is harsh and ungrateful, forgetting old ties. The Left Prime Minister Mansion, as the Taizi’s maternal family, should have been his greatest support, but in his eyes, we’re no better than an insignificant figure like An Shifeng.”
“You don’t need to say more. Tomorrow morning, I will meet with the Empress and the Imperial Concubine Xian. We will discuss this again after I return.”
————
After leaving the study, Wang Jingheng offered to escort Wang Jingyi back. Wang Jingyi guessed that her brother must have something he wanted to say to her.
Sure enough, when they reached the gate of the hanging flower hall, Wang Jingheng stopped and turned to Wang Jingyi.
“Jingyi, perhaps it’s time for you to get married.”
Wang Jingyi looked at her brother and sighed inwardly.
It seemed that her brother also believed the Left Prime Minister Mansion would be in trouble this time.
Wang Jingheng was silent for a moment before speaking again, “The Taizi will certainly use Liang Wang’s case to his advantage. This time, the Prime Minister Mansion is in grave danger.”
“Jingyi, resign from your post and focus on getting married.”
“A woman should not be out in the public eye. As a noblewoman, there’s no need for you to be involved in the court’s affairs.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Jingyi furrowed her brows slightly.
Her brother’s first few words were somewhat bearable, but the latter part…
She looked at Wang Jingheng and spoke with a slightly cold tone, “If you didn’t have so many prejudices against women, perhaps my sister-in-law wouldn’t have proposed a divorce.”
Wang Jingheng was taken aback. He hadn’t expected his usually quiet sister, Jingyi, to retort so sharply, and with such a pointed remark.
Wang Jingyi seemed to realize that her words had been a little too blunt and even disrespectful. She flushed slightly, apologized to Wang Jingheng, and then turned to leave.
After she had gone, Wang Jingheng stood outside the hanging flower hall for a long time.
Jingyi said… that he had prejudices against women?
If Jingyi thought this way, did Han Shuangling think the same?
After Han Shuangling was appointed as the General of Martial Virtue, the only female general in the Great Xia Dynasty, the news quickly spread throughout the capital.
When people spoke of Han Shuangling, they no longer simply referred to her as the daughter of the Marquis of Guannei or the former daughter-in-law of the Left Chancellor’s family. Instead, they called her “General Han.”
Han Shuangling, a woman who had once been seen as dependent on her natal or marital family, had suddenly become an independent figure.
After her divorce from him, Han Shuangling had not turned into a pitiful woman who others would feel sorry for. Instead, she had transformed into someone enviable, a change that Wang Jingheng found difficult to adapt to.
Wang Jingheng had inquired about Han Shuangling’s route and waited for her at a tea house on the second floor of a building along her path.
That day, Han Shuangling sat on her horse, full of vigor, her face lit with a lively smile that Wang Jingheng had never seen before.
The only time Wang Jingheng had seen Han Shuangling display such vitality was when they had raced horses at the West Suburbs racecourse, with the Taizifei, and on that occasion, Han Shuangling had suffered a miscarriage.
Thinking back on this, Wang Jingheng’s expression darkened, and his throat tightened.
Han Shuangling…
She had once carried his child, only for it to end in a miscarriage…
————-
Outside her courtyard, Wang Jingyi encountered a servant of her mother, Madam Wang, who had been waiting for her.
The servant greeted Wang Jingyi and said, “Miss, the madam requests your presence.”
Although Wang Jingyi was already quite tired, she went to see her mother.
After returning to the mansion, Wang Jingyi learned that her mother, Madam Wang, had already heard about the conversation in her father’s study and knew that it had not gone well.
After a series of pressing questions from her mother, Wang Jingyi revealed the details of the conversation with her father.
Madam Wang fell silent for a moment, then grasped Wang Jingyi’s hand, squeezing it, and said with a furrowed brow, “Jingyi, you should marry.”
Wang Jingyi looked at her mother’s worried expression. After some hesitation, she told her mother about the meeting with Ji Mu at Qianshui Lake a few hours ago, including his proposal.
Lady Wang felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this: surprise, relief, and a trace of caution.
She was surprised by Ji Mu’s directness in proposing, but at the same time, she felt a sense of relief, thinking that her daughter might have found someone who truly valued her and would treat her well. However, Madam Wang’s joy was tempered with the last bit of reason.
According to Jingyi, Ji Mu was aligned with the Taizi’s faction. She wondered if this proposal was a trap, a potential snare for her daughter.
But then, Madam Wang reconsidered. Given the current situation, she doubted that Ji Mu would be foolish enough to get involved with the Left Prime Minister Mansion in such a sensitive time just to deceive Jingyi.
———–
The next morning, after Left Prime Minister Wang Xian left the mansion to head to the palace, Madam Wang also instructed her servants to prepare a carriage for her to leave.
Half an hour earlier, Madam Wang had sent word to the Ministry of Personnel’s Minister Ji Mansion.
At the Yunfu Tea House in the western market of the capital, Minister Ji Mu, who was supposed to be at work, alighted from his carriage and entered a private room on the second floor of the tea house. Half an hour later, both Ji Mu and Madam Wang emerged from the tea house, leaving one after the other in their respective carriages.
No one knew what the two had discussed.
———–
Left Prime Minister Wang Xian, after visiting the Empress and the Imperial Concubine Xian, was left frustrated. He had neither gathered any useful information nor been treated with the respect he expected. The Empress’s cold demeanor was one thing, but it was the Imperial Concubine Xian’s growing indifference towards the Left Prime Minister Mansion that truly vexed him. She seemed to have forgotten that, had it not been for his father and Wang Xian’s efforts in the past, Wang Qiang would never have been able to ascend to her position as one of the four imperial consorts, let alone hold such power for so many years.
Afterward, Wang Xian made his way to the Front Palace and wandered around the Duanming Hall, but still, no officials seemed to be discussing the matter of the Liang Wang. When Wang Xian asked about the absence of Grand Scholar An Shifeng, someone explained that he had gone to officiate the ceremony at the Fengtian Hall, where Princess Xian was being formally named.
This piqued Wang Xian’s curiosity. He wondered who this newly conferred Princess Xian was, especially since no rumors about the matter had circulated beforehand. Wang Xian voiced his doubts aloud.
At that moment, Wang Jingheng, who had just returned from the Hanlin Academy, entered the room and shared the information he had gathered.
“The newly conferred Princess Xian from the ceremony today is none other than Ji Qianniang, the head of the Ji family, one of the three powerful families of the Xuzhou maritime trade.”
“Last year, after the flood disaster in Jiangnan and the subsequent grain shortage, the grain transport vessels were unable to navigate due to silt accumulation in the Grand Canal,” Wang Jingheng continued. “At that time, Princess Xian Ji Qianniang was ordered by His Highness Taizi to arrange for the Ji family’s sea vessels to transport imperial grain to the capital’s grain depots via the sea route, which alleviated the urgent crisis.”
“The sea route was highly risky, and the Ji family lost both ships and crew members in the process. The reward for their contribution was inevitable, and thus, the conferment of Princess Xian Ji Qianniang can be seen as compensation for the Ji family.”
“The news of this conferment only reached the Inner Cabinet and the Hanlin Academy this morning. Normally, even for Princess Xian, the ceremony should have been better planned, but it seems to have been rushed. No one knows why it was done so hastily.”
Wang Xian, however, did not seem very concerned about the matter. After leaving the Duanming Hall, he coincidentally bumped into Grand Scholar An Shifeng and a woman dressed in fine, military-style clothing. Wang Xian couldn’t help but wonder if this was the famous Princess Xian Ji Qianniang.
As they exchanged greetings, An Shifeng introduced the woman with a hint of formality.
“Left Prime Minister Wang, this is the newly conferred Princess Xian of Huaiyin, also known as the head of the Xuzhou maritime Ji family, Madam Ji Qianniang.”
Wang Xian exchanged a brief nod with Ji Qianniang, both of them appraising each other with restrained looks before diverting their gazes. The interaction was polite yet formal, each person likely aware of the other’s power and status but not expressing too much interest.
Wang Xian had little interest in Ji Qianniang; after all, she was just another figure from Taizi’s faction. As they made their way from the Imperial City to Xihua Gate, Ji Qianniang discreetly observed Wang Xian several times, her gaze sharp but masked by the calmness she projected.
Once outside the West Gate, the group parted ways. Just as Wang Xian reached his carriage, his steward hurried over, delivering troubling news.
“Master, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Lord Ji, has sent a matchmaker to the mansion. He requests to marry the eldest daughter,” the steward reported.
At this, Wang Xian’s face flushed with anger, his beard trembling with fury.
“Minister of Personnel? Ji Mu!” he spat, clearly enraged.
“Send them away at once!”
Wang Xian was well aware of Ji Mu’s political affiliations. He had once admired this young official, but now he felt nothing but disdain and hatred. Ji Mu had maneuvered him into a corner, and if not for the lack of any substantial evidence, Wang Xian knew the consequences could have been dire.
Without further delay, Wang Xian climbed into his carriage and quickly made his way back to the Wang residence.
Meanwhile, Ji Qianniang, still standing outside the palace gates, watched as the Wang family’s carriage drove off. A thoughtful expression crossed her face. Her keen hearing had caught the conversation between the steward and Wang Xian. It seemed the proposal to the Wang family would not be so simple, and some obstacles remained. She gave a faint, knowing smile, the wheels in her mind already turning.
No wonder her son was so eager to bring her to the capital and even sought Taizi’s favor to secure the title of Princess Xian for her.
It was all to elevate the Ji family’s status, allowing Ji Mu to propose to the Wang family’s eldest daughter.
Her son had really gone to great lengths to marry a wife.
What could this Wang eldest daughter possibly possess, that Ji Mu, who always held himself in high regard, would place such importance on her?
However, if Ji Mu does all this and still can’t marry Wang Jingyi… Heh, seeing her son take a fall would indeed be something to look forward to.
Ji Qiannian boarded the carriage, and the carriage headed toward Minister Ji Mansion.
Author’s Note:
Originally, the outline had Wang Jingyi planned to marry Xie Zhao, but there seemed to be a few voices in the comments saying they didn’t want Wang Jingyi to marry Xie Zhao. This thought didn’t affect the main plot, so later I added Ji Mu’s character and changed Wang Jingyi’s match to him. After the change, I think it works quite well. What do you all think?