Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 222 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (122)

Now that it has come to the point of asking the eldest prince to act as regent, Ji Shumin should be fine. Lu Liruan breathed a sigh of relief. She had slept exceptionally well last night and came in today looking radiant.

The Third Prince seemed a little uncomfortable: "Li Ruan, aren't you worried about me?"

Ji Shumin picked up a piece of steamed cake, then put it down again, dawdling over it without putting it in his mouth.

Lu Liruan's eyes followed his chopsticks up and down several times. Just as she was about to say something, she heard him say in a low voice.

After spending more time with Ji Shumin, Lu Liruan realized that he could be stubborn, childish, and sharp-tongued at times. She pretended to be casual and asked, "What's there to worry about?"

"With the eldest prince in the palace, who can do anything to you?" Lu Liruan spoke from the heart. The eldest prince's concern for his younger brother was almost to the point of being nagging.

Ji Shumin raised an eyebrow: "Why does Li Ruan trust him so much?"

"Time will tell. You've been at odds with him for so long, but he treats you the same as always. If he's just being hypocritical, he can pretend for a day, or even ten days, without giving himself away. Why bother pretending year after year?"

Lu Liruan admitted that at first, she had a great prejudice against Ji Shuqin, thinking that he was somewhat clumsy and inconsiderate of others' feelings. But now, Lu Liruan felt that this slight clumsiness was what made him admirable.

If he believes something is right, his unwavering resolve will not be tainted by distractions. He is truly steadfast in his character and prioritizes self-cultivation.

"I never imagined that in Li Ruan's mind, I had fallen to the point where I needed someone else to protect me," Ji Shumin said with a mix of resentment and genuine concern.

Lu Liruan saw through his stubbornness in not wanting to admit that he was being honest, but she didn't expose him: "Oh, so my saying that I wanted to protect you made you so disgusted?"

“Li Ruan is different from others…” Ji Shumin softened his tone.

He put down his chopsticks, his fingertips brushed along the edge of the table, first tugging at Lu Liruan's clothes, then rubbing her wrist, and finally, following the lines of her palm, slowly turned his hand upwards to clasp hers.

“Someone came knocking on the gate yesterday afternoon,” Lu Liruan told him, playing with his slightly cool fingers.

"Oh?" Ji Shumin was not surprised.

Yesterday afternoon was so chaotic that it caught everyone off guard.

Ji Shumin knew exactly who it was that had the time and opportunity to knock on his door.

Lu Liruan was also aware of this.

Without even opening the door, one knows that the person who has arrived must have been sent by the Empress...

Since leaving the palace, Lu Liruan has never gone to greet her again.

That alone might be enough to anger the Empress.

Lu Liruan couldn't understand what she was thinking. They clearly didn't get along and disliked each other. Lu Liruan should stay far away from her, but she still wouldn't...

When I first entered the palace, after that incident with Consort Rong, I never saw Consort Rong summon me again.

Perhaps he was worried that Lu Liruan had other tricks up her sleeve, or perhaps he was worried that Ji Shumin would disregard her reputation and cause her trouble.

In short, ever since Lu Liruan fainted in a grand manner outside Consort Rong's courtyard, the two have kept to themselves and never crossed paths again.

Lu Liruan was happy to have some peace and quiet, and when she was in the palace, she only went to see the Dowager Consort.

Although the Empress Dowager doesn't get involved in worldly affairs, it takes real skill for anyone to bully Lu Liruan under her protection!

With the Empress Dowager protecting her, Lu Liruan's days in the palace, though not exactly joyful, were quite peaceful.

But the Empress was different; instead, she became more determined after each setback. Whether it was in the mountain temple or when they first met, they were very incompatible.

Even after returning to the palace, the Empress still harbored only ill feelings towards Lu Liruan.

Since Ji Shumin was not by her side, the Empress couldn't wait any longer and sent someone over...

I don't even know what I want to do?

At such a critical moment, for her to still have the leisure to prepare to punish herself is truly the epitome of pettiness...

Lu Liruan made this assessment in her heart, feeling that the Empress's behavior was becoming more and more outrageous, and she wondered when it would end.

Lu Liruan is now confused and unable to guess how the Empress should conduct herself, no matter what happens next.

How should Ji Shumin or Ji Shuqin face her?

I wonder if Her Majesty the Empress has considered this question, or if she has completely lost her mind and is simply not giving it a second thought.

"And then?" Ji Shumin finally put the steamed cake into his mouth and chewed it slowly.

“I didn’t open the door. The person stood outside for about half an hour and then left,” Lu Liruan said calmly.

If you insist on standing there, then stand there. Anyway, I won't open the door, and you can't exactly climb over the wall to get in.

Besides, we don't have dog holes dug in our residence outside the palace, so we can't squeeze in even if we wanted to...

Lu Liruan felt perfectly justified. Since they had already broken off all pretense of civility, why would I let you in at this point? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble and making things difficult for myself?

Lu Liruan was very open-minded about this.

In any case, when it comes to the degree of discord between Ji Shumin and the Empress, Ji Shumin is far more at odds than himself.

As expected, after listening to Lu Liruan's words, Ji Shumin curled the corners of his mouth: "Liruan's move is indeed a victory without fighting."

Lu Liruan pouted, unable to tell whether he was genuinely praising her or subtly teasing her.

"The thought of others being unhappy makes me inexplicably happy..." Lu Liruan mimicked Ji Shumin's slow and sarcastic tone, resting her chin on her hand and blinking.

“My views are similar to those of Li Ruan.”

After the wicked couple finished their meal, they went to rest in the house together. Ji Shumin calmly recounted the events that had occurred in the palace to Lu Liruan.

He naturally concealed the fact that he was injured by the emperor...

After changing out of his outer robe and into his inner garment, Ji Shumin lay obediently on the couch, without the slightest misbehavior. Until the bruises on his chest faded, he would continue to feign exhaustion.

Lu Liruan was just speaking casually, but she never expected that her words would come true. At this moment, the Empress in the palace looked extremely unpleasant.

In fact, she not only sent someone to Lu Liruan and Ji Shumin's residence yesterday, but also sent someone again before noon today.

But Lu Liruan knew nothing about this, because yesterday she had instructed Qinghe: except for the Third Prince's return, no matter who it was, just close the gate and pretend you didn't see them.

Qinghe was dutiful and conscientious. Her mistress was the Third Prince's Consort, and nothing anyone said could reach her ears. Neither threats nor bribes had any effect on her.

That stubborn and unyielding attitude was very much in line with the style of the Third Prince's residence.

So today the Empress's people came, and they were even worse than yesterday.

Without even receiving a notification, he stood dumbfounded in front of the mansion for almost an hour.

He slunk back home and reported the matter to the Empress.

"But you don't take me seriously!" The Empress was furious, her face turning ugly, her nail-covered hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly.

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry!" A palace servant saw that her fingers were clenched so tightly they turned white and hurriedly knelt down.

"If it weren't for my good son spoiling her, how dare she treat me like this!" Before she could finish three sentences, the Empress had already shifted her resentment onto Ji Shumin.

Although the Empress took advantage of Ji Shumin's entry into the palace to visit Lu Liruan's residence, ultimately, the person the Empress wanted to reprimand and punish was not Lu Liruan.

Despite the years of mutual obstruction, the Empress still understood Ji Shumin's temperament.

The more you try to suppress or go against him, the more stubborn and defiant he becomes...

Ultimately, even though the Empress harbored resentment, she did not want to completely anger Ji Shumin.

A fight to the death would do her no good. The repeated suppression and coercion of Ji Shumin stemmed primarily from her inability to vent her resentment and anger…

Ultimately, the Empress felt that Ji Shumin longed for her to care for him and look after him as she had for Ji Shuqin.

From beginning to end, even now, the Empress still feels that Ji Shumin's actions are nothing more than a little trick to get her to pay more attention to him.

Ji Shumin may have been like that when he was young, but the Empress, who claimed to be Ji Shumin's biological mother, was extremely arrogant.

She felt she knew her youngest son very well.

Whenever she felt that Ji Shumin was angry or distressed because of her, the Empress would feel an inexplicable sense of relief welling up in her heart.

It was as if this was suppressing the power that angered her and that she could not resist, and trampling it under her feet.

Even now, she still hasn't realized it.

What she stepped on was never the crown prince, nor the right she both resented and coveted.

He was just a child who had been neglected and schemed against since childhood, a prince who was gradually becoming powerful.

Now, a sense of unease finally rose in the Empress's heart.

Since leaving the palace, Ji Shumin and she were like kites with broken strings, their relationship completely severed, with no further connection or ties between them...

She once lived in a mountain temple, and Ji Shumin, who had broken his leg, would visit her almost every month.

Sometimes it's for the elixir, sometimes it's not.

The empress refused to see him and, during a torrential downpour, forcibly drove him down the mountain.

All of this couldn't withstand Ji Shumin's unwavering determination, but now, something has changed...

The Empress neither wanted to nor bothered to ask Ji Shumin. She had him firmly under her control, so how could he dare to resist?

But now that things had come to this, Ji Shuqin simply wouldn't listen to her anymore, and he grew increasingly distant from her...

He even went so far as to say that his younger brother was more suitable for that position than he was.

The Empress scoffed, but then she couldn't help but think of Ji Shumin. If Ji Shumin were to speak up and persuade him, perhaps he would change his mind.

Therefore, the Empress took advantage of Ji Shumin's visit to the palace to give Lu Liruan a warning...

Since you two are so deeply in love, you should naturally worry about him and consider his needs.

The Empress originally intended to tell Lu Liruan about Ji Shumin being controlled by the elixir.

Although this girl comes from a noble family, what kind of knowledge could a family like the Marquis of He'an have?

Each of her daughters maintained her family's honor only by marrying into a wealthy and powerful family.

The Empress was most disgusted with this kind of woman.

She considered herself a descendant of military generals, and in her youth she had wielded swords and spears, slaying enemies on horseback.

Having witnessed bloodshed and decapitation, her spirit and insight far surpass those of a weak woman who only knows how to cling to others.

The Empress disliked that kind of woman, but the harem was full of such women who overshadowed her.

The Empress was both disdainful and ashamed. How could she possibly lower herself to fawn over the Emperor like those women she looked down upon?

But unexpectedly, she was spoiled by Ji Shumin and became lawless.

The Empress said bitterly, "I want her to know that with Min'er, if I want her to be nothing, then she is nothing!"

"In the end, Min'er will still listen to me..."

"Why do you say that, Mother?"

Before the Empress could finish speaking, a clear voice rang out from outside the palace.

Ji Shuqin walked in from outside, his brows furrowed and his expression serious.

Beside him were palace servants who were filled with fear and unease.

When Ji Shumin entered the Phoenix Palace, he could hear the Empress's raised voice from a distance.

He raised his hand to signal the palace servants to be quiet. The servants dared not disobey him, and at this moment they dared not look up at the Empress's expression, but stood trembling to the side with their heads down.

"Why did you come here at this time, Qin'er?" The Emperor stood up, her tone filled with undisguised joy. She stepped forward to take Ji Shuqin's hand, but Ji Shuqin gently pulled away.

"Is Mother referring to Min'er?" Ji Shuqin asked directly.

"I don't know why Mother Empress has tried to disrupt Min'er's household time and time again? What did Min'er and her siblings do wrong to offend Mother Empress so much?" Ji Shuqin always spoke frankly, saying exactly what he thought.

His questions froze the Empress's gentle smile on her face.

"Did Qin'er hear anything from Min'er about me?" the Empress asked tentatively.

"Mother, I was also born with eyes!" Ji Shuqin couldn't help but scoff, "Do you need your son to explain what you've done?"

"Qin'er, did you come here today to quarrel with me?" The Empress tried her best to suppress her anger, not wanting to say anything unpleasant to Ji Shuqin and drive her away after all the trouble she had gone to.

"I'm sure Mother knows why I've come here today. And what happened yesterday is certainly within Mother's grasp, so why ask me?" Ji Shuqin said firmly.

"Father has become so convinced of those so-called immortal arts, harming my second and seventh brothers, and now he's even reaching out to Min'er. Mother must know all this too. Is your purpose to force me to stand up?"

Ji Shuqin had kept these words to himself for quite some time.

Ever since he communicated with the Second Prince, it has remained in his heart.

"How could I possibly possess such power? Your father became like this because he trusted too much!"

"Since you know he has done evil, Qin'er, you will naturally stand up! Your mother knows what kind of person you are. My Qin'er is the most upright and unwavering, with the world in her heart and compassion for all things. Compared to your father, you are more suitable for that position!" The Empress's eyes were bright and eager.

"No." Ji Shuqin twitched the corner of his mouth, with a hint of self-mockery.

"What Mother Empress should be saying is that I am not steadfast in my character, wavering between right and wrong, lacking any firm beliefs, yet I have the delusional desire to pity everything..." Ji Shuqin revealed the self he had analyzed over the past few days.

"Qin'er! Why do you belittle yourself! You will be an emperor who never makes mistakes... Your mother will also help you..."

"All you want is an obedient and stupid son who is easy to manipulate. You keep saying you hate the idea that even wrong is right under the emperor's power, but in the end, you don't really hate it. You just want to be the one who has the power to make even wrong right." Ji Shuqin finished speaking in one breath, feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction in his chest!