“What?!” he rudely spat out.
“General Ji has entered the palace. He beseeched the Emperor to release his older brother. His Majesty expelled him, but he didn’t give up and kneeled outside for several hours like a mule. His Majesty was infuriated and, in anger, he sent General Ji to the Ministry of Justice’s prison.”
Huh?
“When?”
“Just after we left the prison, they escorted him in.”
Jing Rong shook his head. It was written on his face how he despised an idiot like Ji Huan. “He obviously knew Imperial Father’s temper. What drug did he take to decide to ram head-on into a wall like that? Everyone from the Ji family is so stubborn.”
“Your Highness, do you want to inform Teacher Ji about it?”
“She should know. I’m only worried that she will be distracted by her two older brothers who want to kill her. She should focus on the case instead. If something happens, I’m afraid she will be dragged into this mess.” He sighed.
……….
When Ji Yunshu arrived at Yuhua Pavilion, the place was as crowded as ever. Mo Ruo’s title as God Doctor was not useless. After she entered, she heard an apprentice say that Mo Ruo was drinking wine in the attic and Wei Yi was looking after him.
‘Looking after him? How odd!’ She climbed up to the attic with curiosity in her heart. As soon as she entered the attic, a smell assailed her nose and it was not the scent of medicinal herbs, but that of wine.
She saw Mo Ruo lying on the bamboo chair. His eyes slightly narrowed as he took another sip from his wine bottle. One of his feet was on the floor while the other was raised, shaking restlessly on the chair. He looked very idle as if he had thrown the matter of Kong Yu getting married far away to the back of his mind.
“Shu’er!” She suddenly heard Wei Yi’s happy voice. The latter was holding two bottles of mulled wine. As soon as he saw her, he welcomed her with a huge smile.
“Having fun?” Ji Yunshu asked.
He nodded strongly. “It’s fun! Big Brother Mo Ruo is good to me.” The smile on his face became more obvious as he spoke.
‘Oh? Didn’t he dislike Mo Ruo before? How come he calls him so sweetly today? Did Mo Ruo buy Wei Yi tanghulu and subdue him like this?’
Ji Yunshu smiled and walked to Mo Ruo. She sat down gently and looked at him. “Are you drinking away your worries?”
Mo Ruo closed his eyes. The corner of his mouth curled up. “Qujiang’s general is dead, so why would I need to drink away my worries?”
“Huh? Young Master Mo, I don’t understand what you mean.”
He opened one eye and looked at the medicinal ingredients hung above his head. He spoke slowly. “Since General Yuchi died, the marriage proposal will fall through, and Kong Yu will not get married. That’s why I am happy and relaxed.”
“You two are so unlike each other,” Ji Yunshu suddenly stated.
“You mean Jing Rong?” Mo Ruo specified.
“If I didn’t guess wrong, you should have been depressed because of Miss Kong’s marriage to Qujiang, right? Prince Rong isn’t like you, he obviously had meant to help her, but he didn’t. That’s why I said you two are different.”
Mo Ruo asked, “Then, let me ask you, did Jing Rong meet Kong Yu?”
She nodded but shook her head soon after. “I’m not sure. Before the banquet last evening, he left, but I can’t ascertain if he went to meet Miss Kong or for something else.”
At that moment, Mo Ruo propped himself up. He earnestly told her, “If he had the slightest desire to save Kong Yu, he would have met her. I’m sure that he went to see her. She must have said something to him that made him give up saving her.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Then, let me explain to you, Miss Ji.” Mo Ruo smiled as if he found it a waste to explain too much. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. “Kong Yu is the most intelligent between us three. She is very fully aware that Jing Rong will certainly do his best to stop this political marriage. She was worried that this would harm Jing Rong, so that’s why she refused his help and willingly married.”