After hearing Ji Youzhiâs words, the Emperor grew extremely anxious. His gaze towards Ji Youzhi changed.
"Just now, I did indeed speak with her. Do you want to know what I said?"
Ji Youzhi blinked at the Emperor.
The Emperor grew even more anxious at his words and hurriedly asked, "What did you say to her?"
"I told her my mother likes her, my second and third sisters-in-law like her, and most importantly, our Suisui loves her. Our Ji Family has long considered her one of us."
The Emperorâs eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape wide enough to hold an egg. He stood there, completely stunned.
Seeing his reaction, Ji Youzhi couldnât hold back his laughter.
"PFFT... Looking at your stunned face, you must have fallen for my sister long ago, right?"
The Emperorâs face first darkened, then he looked bewildered.
"What are you talking about? Your sister? What do you mean, âyour sisterâ?"
Ji Youzhi slung an arm over the Emperorâs shoulder and whispered, "Your Majesty! You are about to marry and establish an Empress. Are you suggesting that Miss PanâEr should be a mere concubine?"
"Of course not! Concubines are consorts. How could I possibly let her be a consort?" the Emperor retorted without even thinking.
Ji Youzhi couldnât help but laugh and said, "Well, given Miss Xieâs reputation for having betrayed her sect, and with her bookish brother still locked up in Your Majestyâs Celestial Prison... if you were to make her the Empress, who in the Dukeâs Mansion, Marquis Ting Shengâs Mansion, or the Zhongshu Province would ever agree?"
Hearing this, the Emperorâs mind raced, and he quickly understood Ji Youzhiâs meaning.
"I must have done some incredible good deeds in my previous life to have both of you brothers by my side! Not only do you help me strategize, but you, Youzhi, have risked your life for me multiple times and managed critical situations!" the Emperor said with deep emotion.
Ji Youzhi pursed his lips. "I donât know what great deeds you did in your past life, but our cunning Eighth Brother said that if we brothers were ever in mortal danger, you would even give your own life to save us. Therefore, whichever of us it is, we must ensure you live a long and healthy life, dying naturally in old age!"
The Emperorâs lips twitched into a stiff smile. "Are we even talking about the same thing? Besides, even if we can share adversity, life, and death, matters of marriage and children should depend on individual fate and affinity. Do you truly have no romantic feelings for PanâEr whatsoever?"
Ji Youzhi hastily denied, "Of course not! If I did, I would have confessed my feelings to her long ago!"
But the Emperor chuckled lightly, "If you truly harbor no romantic feelings for her, then why, in the Array of Heaven, did the Illusory Fox use PanâErâs appearance to trap you, keeping you ensnared for what felt like a lifetime?"
Ji Youzhiâs breath hitched.
"Donât try to claim it was merely the Illusory Fox using its tricks to forcefully keep you trapped, or that your romantic fate only changed after you managed to break free from the Illusory Realm and return to reality. But Youzhi, you have to admit, before that incident, you did have some feelings for PanâEr, didnât you?"
Ji Youzhi opened his mouth, his breathing suddenly grew heavy, and his lips moved as he said, "I... I donât know. Before all this, Iâm not sure if I was developing feelings for her. But now, I truly, genuinely see her as a sister, whether you believe me or not. In the past, and even now, I have never considered her as the person I want to spend the rest of my life with!"
With that, Ji Youzhi turned and walked away.
The Emperor stood rooted to the spot, looking up at the sky.
Am I overthinking this? Does Youzhi truly not have even a shred of romantic feeling for PanâEr?
This was a question Ji Youzhi was also asking himself. He hadnât walked far before he stopped.
Was the Emperor right? Did I once have feelings for her?
He placed a hand over his heart, murmuring to himself. Then, a low chuckle escaped him.
If it werenât for that experience in the Illusory Realm, perhaps I would never have clearly understood what kind of life I truly want.
The fragrant aroma of Braised Rabbit Meat wafted to the Emperorâs nose. He sniffed a few times and quickly hurried into the kitchen. Xie PanâEr was busy at the stove, saying to Princess Ata, "Donât add any more firewood! If you add too much, the broth will boil down, and it wonât taste good."
"Alright, alright! I wonât add any more firewood. You added plenty of water, didnât you?"