CMWKSD -Chapter 149 A Letter

The Emperor Fengyuan still found it hard to believe that what Jiu Yue wanted as a reward was so simple.

Actually, it wasn’t exactly simple—it was a subtle way of challenging imperial authority.

It was just that the Emperor Fengyuan had never encountered someone like her, so he hadn’t thought in that direction. He only assumed that Jiu Yue simply found kneeling uncomfortable.

Because of this, the emperor’s perception became somewhat strange. He thought that only Jiu Yue in the whole world had this special privilege.

Unintentionally, this also let others understand that Jiu Yue was special in the eyes of the emperor—she didn’t even need to kneel when seeing him.

It went without saying that her status was very high.

But the emperor assumed that Jiu Yue would ask for some other reward. For example, being granted the title of county princess or duchess with land and taxable estates.

Or, at the very least, getting Ji Yiqing a government post.

Or perhaps requesting some rare treasures from the imperial treasury.

Those were all tangible benefits.

Yet in the end, Jiu Yue only wanted this: the right to receive an imperial decree without kneeling.

Something invisible, untouchable.

The Emperor Fengyuan felt uneasy just thinking about how “shortchanged” Jiu Yue was.

If Jiu Yue knew he thought she was missing out, that would be completely wrong.

Jiu Yue was not the type to make a bad deal for herself.

What nonsense! Impossible!

Jiu Yue had so many people in the Chu family to detoxify. As long as she kept track of the progress and reported to the emperor, one patient after another, each success would bring gifts her way.

Besides…

The Crown Prince wanted children, didn’t he?

Just wait—once the poisons were removed, Jiu Yue would go to the Eastern Palace and check on the prince’s consorts. Calculate ovulation cycles and the like, letting the prince work diligently for a month or so.

Once one after another became pregnant, how could the emperor and the prince not reward her again?

Would the Emperor Fengyuan and the Crown Prince be stingy?

Would they dare?

As for whether the Crown Prince would be too tired… Jiu Yue couldn’t care less.

Hadn’t she heard the saying: “There are only cows that die of exhaustion, no fields that get ruined by plowing.”

Jiu Yue planned the final few days of body-regulating supplements for the Crown Prince, then she could begin welcoming the newborns of the Chu family.

She happily began imagining all of it.

Meanwhile, Ji Yiqing could finally start writing letters to Jiu Yue.

Jiu Yue couldn’t leave the palace for the time being; she would have to stay there for several months.

Now, the task of movable-type printing was entirely entrusted to Ji Yiqing.

This was a major undertaking that benefited the state and the people. If Ji Yiqing completed it well, a promotion would be only natural.

This was the gift Jiu Yue had brought him. In his letters to her, Ji Yiqing wrote extensively and very subtly.

When Jiu Yue opened his letters, although his handwriting was still a bit messy, it was much better than before.

Ji Yiqing didn’t know why. Even though the letters were messy, she could read them smoothly!

His letters were straightforward and clear. Although a bit plain, they were easy to read and never boring.

Seeing Ji Yiqing write about missing her, Jiu Yue’s face flushed as if it might explode. She covered her face and read it several times before carefully putting the letter away.

Then she picked up her pen to write back, thinking of adding a few words like “I miss you too.”

But as soon as she started, Ji Yiqing twisted around awkwardly at his desk, embarrassed beyond measure.

Squirming, he ended up on the couch, twisting like a worm, his face so red it was unbearable.

Ji Chaomian knocked on the door and looked up to see Ji Yiqing twisted on the couch like a worm.

Ji Chaomian: …Has he gone mad?

Ji Yiqing: ………

Seeing Ji Chaomian, Ji Yiqing scrambled upright in panic, fixing his disheveled clothes and awkwardly calling out: “B…Big Brother.”

As if the person who had just acted like a fit of madness wasn’t him at all.

Ji Chaomian froze, considering whether to enter—the brother was acting insane.

He closed his eyes tightly and began self-hypnosis: I saw nothing, it’s an illusion… it’s an illusion…

Ever since Jiu Yue entered the Ji family, Ji Chaomian’s skill at self-deception had grown daily, reaching a near-perfect level.

After repeating it a few times in his mind, he obediently entered Ji Yiqing’s study:

“Second Brother, I heard Jiu Yue’s letter came. Did anything bad happen? Is she handling palace life well? No one is bullying her, right…”

Ji Chaomian was only making small talk but found himself stuck mid-sentence.

With Jiu Yue’s personality, in the entire palace, probably no one dared to bully her except the Emperor Fengyuan.

He corrected himself elegantly: “She probably hasn’t actively bullied anyone either.”

Indeed, Jiu Yue had a difficult personality, but she never initiated trouble. Others would provoke her first, then she’d retaliate.

Her retaliation, however, was usually magnified a hundredfold—leaving people with black eyes, broken families, and ruined lives.

Ji Chaomian only realized this after arriving in the capital and overhearing Shao Qing and Ji Yiqing talking. He understood why Shao Qing treated Jiu Yue so well, and that the magistrate of Qingshui County was ruined solely by Jiu Yue. Even the magistrate’s favored sister was affected by her.

Thus, Ji Chaomian thought his sister-in-law was quite impressive—righteous and unforgiving.

He had to brainwash himself, or he feared one day he might slip and reveal something to Jiu Yue… and she would deal with him directly.

Ji Yiqing smiled, and naturally, Ji Chaomian did not peek at the letter.

Ji Yiqing only shared what he could, emphasizing that Jiu Yue would likely remain in the palace for a while.

After all, detoxifying wasn’t just for one or two people. Others might be fine, but the emperor needed to ensure she was truly okay before she could leave.

In other words, Jiu Yue wouldn’t be able to leave the palace for at least a month.

Ji Yiqing pursed his lips, missing her terribly.

Seeing his lovesick expression, Ji Chaomian felt a twinge in his teeth: I’m going to the office.

Ji Yiqing asked, “Isn’t today a day off?”

Ji Chaomian didn’t answer. Watching his second brother’s lovesick face, he’d rather go to the office and handle the tedious files.

After reviewing several files, his brows furrowed. He looked at the judge’s name on the files.

Two different handwritings. Ji Chaomian paused.

Was it carelessly written because no one would read them?

With this thought, Ji Chaomian silently studied the files.

They included murder cases, kidnappings, family massacres—all major cases. Two different handwritings were present. The neater handwriting clearly recorded more details, including key evidence and points.

At first, Ji Chaomian didn’t notice, since the two handwritings were quite similar.

But with his training, he immediately recognized that two people had written them.

Who would dare write on the files of the Dali Temple like this?

If there were wrongful convictions, wouldn’t it endanger lives?

He stood up, intending to summon the judge, but then remembered it was a day off. He wasn’t sure if the judge was even at the office.

Fine, fine. For now, organize these files. If a confrontation is necessary later, at least there would be evidence—using virtue to persuade others.