The Lucky Heiress - Chapter 470
Chapter 470: Chapter 470 Sit Down and Talk_1
“Ninth Brother, you are unwell; you should rest at home. Why are you stepping out now?” Chu Lan asked.
“I came to receive my friends.” Wei Jinyi said, with a weak and frail voice, akin to a wisp of smoke. Slightly lifting his eyes, he glanced at Wei Ruo.
As their gazes met, Wei Ruo felt a surge of gratitude.
She was most afraid of confronting Chu Lan; she had been fretting over how to tactfully excuse herself.
With his arrival, she felt a sense of relief.
Chu Lan noted their interaction, his eyes slightly dimming. “I had no idea Ninth Brother held his friends in such high regard.”
“Xu Qing’s medical skills have saved my life,” replied Wei Jinyi.
Hearing this, Chu Lan cast another look at Wei Ruo: “Unexpectedly, Mr. Xu seems to have saved both of our lives.”
Wei Ruo answered, “I am merely a humble physician. It’s coincidental that I was able to save both the princes. Indeed, it’s an honor.”
Chu Lan asked, “Since both of us owe you our lives, I wonder why Mr. Xu treated us differently?”
Wei Ruo was at a loss for words.
She wondered whether it was her imagination or had she detected a tinge of jealousy in Chu Lan’s words.
Chu Lan, the protagonist of the original story, whose harem fought tirelessly over who held his favor!
Was he becoming jealous over her, a woman who he’d barely acknowledged in the original plot?
It must be a misunderstanding! She was disguised as a man; no matter how much Chu Lan had changed, he wouldn’t have suddenly become interested in men.
Wei Jinyi said to Chu Lan, “Seventh Brother, it’s getting late, and Xu Qing is tired after the day’s journey. I will escort him back home to rest.”
Chu Lan didn’t immediately agree. He gazed pensively at Wei Ruo.
Wei Jinyi didn’t wait for Chu Lan’s response and ordered his men to escort Wei Ruo away.
Even though Chu Lan was unwilling, he couldn’t stop them unless he wanted to be reported by Wei Jinyi.
Wei Ruo kept her head lowered, avoiding eye contact with Chu Lan as she passed him. Chu Lan’s gaze followed her intently.
Wei Ruo followed Wei Jinyi into the King Rui Residence.
Not until the gate closed did Wei Ruo heave out a breath of relief.
Seeing Wei Ruo in such a state, Wei Jinyi’s expression slightly tightened: “Do you fear King Jing?”
“Somewhat,” Wei Ruo admitted.
“If such an event happens again when I’m not around, have someone find me,” Wei Jinyi instructed.
Wei Ruo nodded, looking at Wei Jinyi’s eyes. For some reason, she felt that his gaze was unnaturally intense.
She instinctively looked away.
Then, Wei Ruo recalled her recent encounter with Chu Lan, thinking that it was time to discuss it with Wei Jinyi.
Thus, she turned her gaze back to him: “Do you have time now, Second Brother?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect, let’s sit down for a chat. Should we go to Songzhu Garden or your study?” Wei Ruo asked.
“Whatever you prefer.”
“Let’s go to Songzhu Garden.”
Without further ado, Wei Ruo headed to the back courtyard.
Arriving at the Songzhu Garden, they entered a room, and as Xiumei closed the door behind them, leaving only Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi alone.
“Please, sit.”
Wei Ruo invited Wei Jinyi to sit down at a circular rosewood table.
As soon as they were settled, Wei Ruo took the initiative and asked, “What are your plans moving forward, Second Brother? Do you have any strategies for the succession struggle?”
“I have no intentions of fighting for the throne,” Wei Jinyi replied.
“You have no intentions of contending for the position of Crown Prince?” Wei Ruo asked in surprise.
“Yes,” confirmed Wei Jinyi.
Although his reply was unexpected, it also felt fitting to Wei Ruo- after all, it was in line with the Wei Jinyi she knew.
“Why?” Wei Ruo asked.
Rather than answering, Wei Jinyi just stared intently at Wei Ruo.
Why? Because he knew she didn’t approve of it.
Wei Ruo persisted, “Let me rephrase. Why did you choose to reclaim your identity as the Ninth Prince, Chu Yi?”
“There are two reasons. The first is to vindicate and avenge my late maternal grandfather. This was my mother’s dying wish,” Wei Jinyi answered.
The reason was quite compelling, and Wei Jinyi was ready to pay any price for it.
“And the second?”
“For personal reasons.”
Because he wanted to fulfill her wish, to give her an identity that made her feel safe while doing what she wanted to do.
As Queen Rui, her status would be esteemed and secure. As long as he showed no inclination for the throne, posed no threat to others, this position would provide her the protection she needed.
That’s why he faked his frail health, to convince others that he had no potential for the throne, and, when necessary, he could “die of illness”.
“What personal reasons?”
“I need this position to help someone very important to me,” Wei Jinyi replied.
“But what if the only path to revenge is by sitting on the throne, would you claim it? ”
“Yes.”
Regardless, he was determined to seek revenge. His journey to this point was meant to earn justice for the hundreds of lives from the Xu Residence and the thousands of soldiers who drowned due to disloyalty.
“Have you identified any suspects so far?” Wei Ruo enquired.
“Yes, but we need further verification. Moreover, the suspect’s influence is well established in the court, and uprooting their entire network would take some time,” Wei Jinyi answered.
Hearing his response, Wei Ruo felt that he was on the right track.
She couldn’t discuss too much about this matter, or she would not be able to justify her source.
After a moment of silence, Wei Ruo spoke with a solemn expression, “I understand. From now on, you and I will be in the same boat. I will help as much as I can. Please let me know if you require my assistance.”
“Ruo Ruo?”
“Don’t be surprised, you and I are alike. Sometimes we seemingly have choices, but in reality, we don’t have much of a choice. From the moment you decided to avenge your maternal grandfather’s, you had no choice, and neither did I, from the moment I was taken back by the Wei Family.”
“Even if I hadn’t become Queen Rui, considering the modus operandi of Wei Qingwan and Wei Mingyong, the Wei Family would have eventually been dragged into this. It was just fate that we got involved in this turmoil,” commented Wei Ruo.
Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo’s calm face, a wave of indescribable emotion stirred within him, tugging at his heartstrings.
Wei Ruo continued, “But you shouldn’t have such high expectations of me, and I may not be of much help. But I can assure you that I will perform my duties as Queen Rui and refrain from creating any hindrance for you. Whether you can avenge your maternal grandmother’s family largely depends on you.”
Though she knew who was behind the scenes, the original story mainly focused on the battles within the harem and didn’t provide a detailed account of how Chu Lan brought Chu Heng down. Thus, the information she had wouldn’t be of much use.
After finishing, Wei Ruo noticed that Wei Jinyi was looking at her intensely, his gaze as hot as if it could melt her.
