Chapter 513: IF Line 12: All Is Heaven's Will

A rumor had recently begun to spread through Lin’an.

The Ji Family’s Fifth Missy, who had gone missing as a child, had been found. She was the woman who had returned to the Marquis Mansion with General Dingbei.

After that day, Mrs. Qiao had insisted Ji Qingwu stay at the Ji Mansion. After all, what would people say if an unmarried young woman remained in the Marquis Yong’an Mansion?

Ji Fangmin’s attitude changed drastically. Once seeing Ji Qingwu as a formidable rival, she was now overjoyed and no longer fawned over Ji Qingyuan.

After Ji Qingwu returned home, General Dingbei would visit her at the Ji Mansion from time to time. As a result, the attitude of everyone in the mansion toward Ji Qingyuan cooled considerably.

In a fit of pique, Ji Qingyuan returned to Ms. Wu’s ancestral home to live with her maternal uncle.

「One late night.」

Ji Qingwu had just returned from Mrs. Qiao’s courtyard. Before she could even enter her room, someone intercepted her, sweeping her up by the waist.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and said with a laugh, “General, what brings you here again?”

Zhao Mingyan had been much more free these past few days. He had already come once during the day, using the pretense of visiting the old madam to see her.

He said in a low voice, “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t call me General anymore? It sounds so formal.”

Ji Qingwu said, “General, General, my Great General, I have to cherish the days I can still call you that.”

A few days ago, the date for the new Emperor’s enthronement was set. The ceremony was in just three days.

Zhao Mingyan tilted his head, nuzzling her face, and coaxed, “Call me something else.”

Ji Qingwu’s eyes curved into crescents as she said respectfully, “Long live Your Majesty, long, long live Your Majesty.”

Zhao Mingyan pinched her cheek. “Between us, there’s never a need for that.”

Ji Qingwu said seriously, “But I want to be the first person to call you that.”

Zhao Mingyan lowered his head and pecked her lips a few times. “No one has ever called me ‘husband’ either. Why don’t you try that one and let me hear it?”

Ji Qingwu refused. “You don’t have the proper title for that yet. I’m not calling you it.”

Zhao Mingyan said with a smile, “What title does Ah Wu plan to give me?”

Ji Qingwu loosened her arms and blinked. “You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

Zhao Mingyan carried her into the room. Just as Ji Qingwu thought he was about to take the opportunity to fool around again, he placed her on the couch, knelt, and clasped her hand.

“Ah Wu, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Although he was holding her hand, Ji Qingwu’s palm gradually grew cold.

“What is it?”

‘She had been waiting for this day for a long time.’

‘Ji Qingwu had been thinking a lot these past few days.’

‘If other women appeared by his side, she definitely wouldn’t be able to tolerate it. Nor did she want to become a version of herself that even she would fear.’

‘If that happened, she had one month left. She would have to find a way to get pregnant. After giving birth, she could fake her death and leave the palace.’

His lips moved slightly, but Ji Qingwu spoke before he could.

“I don’t agree!”

Doubt flickered in Zhao Mingyan’s eyes. “What don’t you agree with, Ah Wu?”

Ji Qingwu said, “To be truly in love with each other is the most wonderful thing in the world, something many people never find in their entire lives. Since you already know you’re fated to be childless, you shouldn’t go around provoking and harming other girls. Even if you are the Emperor…”

Her voice lost its confidence as she spoke, trailing off into a mumble.

“…it’s still not right.”

Zhao Mingyan couldn’t help but laugh. “What on earth is going on in that head of yours, Ah Wu?”

Ji Qingwu retorted, “You’re in it.”

‘Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so worried and indecisive.’

Ji Qingwu continued, “I have one month. If I can’t get pregnant by then, I’m going to disappear.”

Zhao Mingyan said, stunned, “Why such a specific timeframe? Is there really only one month left?”

Ji Qingwu said dejectedly, “That’s all the time heaven has given me.”

Zhao Mingyan said, “Don’t be afraid, Ah Wu. You will get pregnant.”

Ji Qingwu said, “We’ve already tried so many methods.” At this thought, she blushed. “Even after I learned that secret technique, there’s still no good news.”

He squeezed her cold hand and pursed his lips. “Trust me, there won’t be a problem.”

Ji Qingwu asked, “Why are you so certain?”

Zhao Mingyan’s expression became a little unnatural. Ji Qingwu seized the opportunity, grabbing his wrist and carefully taking his pulse.

She gritted her teeth. “You’ve been taking contraceptive medicine.”

Zhao Mingyan said, “Ah Wu, you never mentioned there was a time limit before…”

Ji Qingwu said angrily, “That’s no excuse for doing something deceitful behind my back!”

Zhao Mingyan said, “What if I tell you some good news to make up for it?”

Ji Qingwu was so angry she could only huff, glaring at him sideways. “Let’s hear it then.”

Zhao Mingyan kissed the back of her hand. “I was planning a surprise for you in three days, Ah Wu. It’s my fault for making you so worried and frightened.”

‘A surprise in three days?’

‘But his enthronement ceremony is in three days.’

Ji Qingwu understood in an instant. Her eyes shone with an unusual brightness, and the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably.

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that. The surprise can still go on.”

Then Ji Qingwu asked, “Was that what you were about to tell me just now?”

Zhao Mingyan was silent for a moment before saying, “No.”

“Ah Wu, do you remember that master I mentioned to you? He’s coming tomorrow. You should go see him.”

Ji Qingwu nodded. “Alright. But why are you so tense?”

Zhao Mingyan frowned, his voice low. “There’s something I need to tell you beforehand.”

Ji Qingwu said, “Go on.”

Zhao Mingyan said, “You are the Fifth Missy of the Ji Family. The reason you went missing as a child is related to the ways of heaven.”

Ji Qingwu asked, “What does that mean?”

Zhao Mingyan tightened his grip on her hand and said gravely, “It’s because of me that you suffered the pain of being separated from your family.”

Ji Qingwu revealed the truth to him. “But for the dozen or so years I was missing, I was living in another world. Although I had to endure illness, I’m not really a person from this world.”

‘Another world…’

‘There were too many things about her that couldn’t be explained by common sense.’

Zhao Mingyan stood up and pulled her into his embrace. “We have so many questions. Let’s wait for the master to answer them.”

*

「The next day, in a private room at the Lin’an Tea House.」

Master Liao Ran had shooed Zhao Mingyan into the next room. He smiled at the woman before him and said, “There is no need to doubt. You are the original body and original soul of the Ji Family’s Fifth Missy.”

Ji Qingwu had already told him everything about her background and origins.

She said, puzzled, “But I have complete memories of being in another world. Because I was sick as a child, I was sent to a place that took in orphans.”

Master Liao Ran smiled. “Miss Ji, are you certain you have memories from before you were four years old?”

Ji Qingwu paused. “…They’re blurry.”

Whenever she tried to think about her parents, her head would ache. The memories she did have were all of the orphanage.

Ji Qingwu said, “Master, are you saying that I didn’t actually go missing, but instead, for some unknown reason, I went to another world?”

Master Liao Ran said, “Miss Ji is very perceptive. That is exactly right.”

Ji Qingwu frowned. “But why would such a lapse occur? Master, can you enlighten me?”

Master Liao Ran said, “It was not a lapse. Everything is the will of heaven.”

Ji Qingwu murmured, “The will of heaven…”

Master Liao Ran nodded and began to speak slowly. “I once had a dream. In it, a Golden Dragon and a Mo Jiao appeared. These two Divine Beasts went against the ways of heaven and came together, giving birth to a black Dragon Egg, which was then hidden in the deep sea.”