Chapter 103 - 102: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 18

Chapter 103: Chapter 102: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 18

Ji Yan clutched her face, looking at Mr. Ji in disbelief.

Flashes of memory, one after another, played through her mind—all of them scenes of how her parents had doted on her since she was a child.

And now, with the family in trouble, was she really to become a pawn, used to secure a way out for them?

"Father, how could you do this to me!"

Ji Yan’s voice was sharp and desperate, laced with tears. "All my life, you’ve spoiled me and loved me. I thought I was the most precious treasure in this family, but what about now? The moment the family is in trouble, you push me out to be a lowly concubine, to suffer all that humiliation!"

Her shoulders trembled violently, and tears streamed uncontrollably from between her fingers.

"What did I do wrong? I just don’t want to marry a man who doesn’t respect me or value our family! Why don’t you understand? Why are you forcing me?"

Ji Yan’s knees gave way, and she knelt before Mr. Ji. "I don’t want to be a sacrifice for the family! I don’t want to spend my days in the Prince Wu Mansion at the mercy of others! You keep saying this is for my own good, but is this what you call ’good’?"

She tilted her head up, her eyes filled with pain and accusation, staring intently at Mr. Ji as if searching his face for a trace of pity or hesitation.

"Yanyan..."

Mr. Ji had regretted slapping her the moment he’d done it. This was the daughter he and his wife had cherished as she grew up; how could he truly bear to let her become a concubine?

But he was well aware of the current situation. The Crown Prince was poised to regain power, and with Ji Xiaosong’s status and abilities, she would not likely let the Ji family off the hook.

When that time comes, if the family’s children have no one to protect them, it’s not even certain they will survive!

He let out a long sigh, his voice tinged with weariness and age. "Yanyan, think about it. With Ji Xiaosong’s help, the Crown Prince’s momentum is unstoppable. The Ji family treated her so cruelly before; how could she possibly forgive us? Once the Crown Prince takes power, the Ji family will be his first target. Our entire family will be doomed!"

Mr. Ji gripped Ji Yan’s hand tightly, his tone growing urgent. "But if you marry into the Prince Wu Mansion, things will be different. King Wu is the only Alien King. He commands a powerful army and holds immense prestige at court. If you become his concubine, you’ll have the Prince Wu Mansion as your backer. Even if the Crown Prince wants to move against the Ji family, he’ll have to think twice."

He leaned closer to Ji Yan, his eyes filled with expectation. "Yanyan, you’ve been clever and exceptionally strategic since you were a child; I’ve seen it all these years. King Wu is known for his great ambitions, and he needs someone with your cunning to advise him."

"After you marry him, you can use your intelligence and wisdom to advise King Wu and help him secure his footing in this complex situation. If he achieves great things, the Ji family will also share in the glory."

"The sacrifice you make for the family will surely be repaid with supreme honor in the future. Then, the entire Ji family will rise to prominence because of you. What will the grievances we’ve suffered now matter then?"

Listening to her father, the despair in Ji Yan’s eyes gradually gave way to a flicker of uncertainty.

She bit her lower lip as images of the Ji family’s past glory, its current decline, and the potential for utter annihilation in the future flashed through her mind.

"Father, is what you’re saying really true?"

Ji Yan’s voice was still choked with sobs, but the earlier resistance was gone.

Mr. Ji nodded emphatically. "Of course, Yanyan. As long as you apply yourself, you will surely become his right-hand woman."

Ji Yan slowly rose to her feet, the confusion in her eyes gradually replaced by determination.

She took a deep breath. "Fine, Father. I’ll marry him. Since this is the only way out for the Ji family, I’ll take the gamble. I will show everyone that even as a concubine, I, Ji Yan, will not be looked down upon!"

That very night, Mr. Ji disguised himself and went to the Prince Wu Mansion.

It is unknown what they discussed, but the plan to send Ji Yan to the Prince Wu Mansion the next day was delayed by seven days.

Seven days later, a grand wedding procession arrived at the Ji Mansion.

Ji Yan was dressed in the auspicious, crimson-red attire of a concubine, wearing a jade hairpin. Though it did not match the specifications for a main wife, it was still exquisite.

Upon arriving at the mansion, after performing the rites of bowing to heaven and earth and to the elders, Ji Yan was led to her new chambers in a side courtyard.

Afterward, King Wu received congratulations from the guests and drank the wedding wine with Ji Yan, completing the rites for a concubine entering the household.

Both sides had preserved their dignity, and no one mentioned that Ji Yan was once supposed to be Princess Consort Wu.

*

Ever since Ji Xiaosong began managing the affairs of the Eastern Palace and the Royal Family’s household matters, everyone found that their lives had changed dramatically.

Not only did they no longer have to skimp on food, but they could finally eat three full meals a day.

This was especially true for the guards. As martial artists, they naturally had large appetites. Now that Ji Xiaosong was in charge, they could eat as much as they wanted, as long as they could stomach it, and there was meat at every meal.

The fruits and vegetables were fresh every day.

The Clothing Bureau, in particular, which had often been tasked with mending patches for members of the Royal Family, was finally liberated from such toil. They could now fully display their superb skills, creating gorgeous, vibrant dresses and exquisite embroidery.

Of course, her management wasn’t just about spending.

She skillfully integrated resources and expanded sources of revenue.

Not only did she manage the Eastern Palace’s industries to great success, but she also significantly increased the Royal Family’s various incomes.

She treated the servants with kindness and generosity, rewarding anyone who performed meritorious service.

This made all the servants in the Eastern Palace deeply grateful, and they served with utmost dedication.

The other Princes, dressed in the new styles of clothing sent by the Clothing Bureau and enjoying the silver and food that were distributed, would joke with their Princess Consorts behind closed doors:

"We’d better all support our sister-in-law from now on. As long as she’s around, our good days will continue. She’s only the Crown Princess Consort now and she’s already given us such a good life. I can’t even imagine how comfortable things will be when she becomes the Empress!"

Ji Xiaosong’s prestige in the palace grew daily. Among her younger brothers- and sisters-in-law, there was no one who would disobey her orders.

A month later, it was time for Ji Xiaosong to go to Qiong Mountain to gather herbs.

Chu Qingyun looked at the carriage, his face a picture of misery.

"Song, you’re leaving... When will you return? Can I really not go with you?"

"No, you can’t. Don’t forget to complete the task Father Emperor assigned you. You are the Crown Prince; you must shoulder your responsibilities. My trip to Qiong Mountain will take one month at the least, and three at the most. I’ve already arranged everything in the mansion, so you don’t need to worry."

"Then... you’ll miss me, right?"

"Yes, yes, of course..."

Ji Xiaosong really hadn’t expected it. In public, Chu Qingyun was reserved and majestic, but in front of her, he was always like a pitiful child starved for affection.

Whenever he returned to the Eastern Palace, he would always find her before doing anything else.

The two of them had been like conjoined twins ever since they married.

After placating Chu Qingyun, Ji Xiaosong finally set off for Qiong Mountain with Zixi.

The land of Qiong Mountain was a remote and extraordinary realm.

The mountain soared majestically from the earth, standing proud against the sky like a sharp sword piercing the heavens, the very image of imposing grandeur.

Its cliffs and crags looked as if hewn by axes and carved by knives, their perilous forms inspiring awe.

In the interplay of light and shadow, its peak seemed to be ignited by a golden, divine fire, blazing dazzlingly.

It was surrounded by a cluster of snow-white peaks, which made Qiong Mountain seem all the more transcendent. Its treacherous form was like an immortal legend between heaven and earth.

Ji Xiaosong spent half a month using her Spiritual Power to urge the horses on, allowing her to quickly reach the foot of Qiong Mountain.