Transmigrated Female Official

Remembering that Chu Qingluo had once said she couldn't accept him... Ji Qiran's heart tightened.

He knew in his heart that if he took her back to Changxuan Palace like this, she would hate him to the core. He could only try his best to stay rational and tell himself that he had to take her back to the Chu family.

Only after they were seated in the carriage and left the palace gates did Ji Qiran remove the cloth strip from Chu Qingluo's face, throw the spices out the window, and toss Li Yan's outer garment aside.

He held her close, gently stroking her cheek, and called out, "Qingluo..."

He called her name over and over again, even whispering it in her ear.

Chu Qingluo seemed to have heard his voice. Her brows furrowed even more, her eyelashes twitched slightly, and she opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Ji Qiran gently smoothed her brow with his fingertips, his eyes filled with reluctance, and said, "I really want to kidnap you."

Chu Qingluo frowned again, and made a very faint sound. Ji Qiran didn't hear it clearly, so he leaned closer and asked, "What did you say?"

"Do not……"

Ji Qiran heard him clearly this time. He smiled, shook his head, and said, "I don't know if you can hear me?"

He held her tighter, his slender fingers brushing across her red lips, and said tenderly, "Qingluo, can you hear my voice? If you can, say my name... even just one word."

Ji Qiran impulsively thought that as long as Chu Qingluo responded, he would immediately have the driver turn the carriage around and would never send her back to the Chu family again, and would never let her go again.

"..." But after waiting for a long time, Chu Qingluo only murmured a word and did not respond.

Ji Qiran laughed self-deprecatingly. He knew perfectly well that whether she was fully conscious or in a dazed state, she wouldn't go with him...

As evening fell, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Chu residence, and Ji Qiran personally carried her back to Ningxiang Courtyard.

At this moment, Gongsun Yu and Wu Yang had already returned to the Chu family. Seeing that Chu Qingluo was being carried back by Ji Qiran, they immediately stepped forward and asked, "What happened to Qingluo?"

Ji Qiran glanced at the two of them and replied indifferently, "They probably inhaled some sleeping potion. They'll be fine after a good night's sleep. Just to be on the safe side, we should go and fetch a doctor to take a look as soon as possible."

Gongsun Yu immediately ordered Jiuwei to fetch a doctor, and Jiuwei ran out without saying a word. He reached out to take Chu Qingluo from Ji Qiran's arms, but Ji Qiran dodged him.

Ji Qiran walked straight into Chu Qingluo's room and gently placed her on the bed.

Gongsun Yu and Wu Yang exchanged a glance and followed him inside. Seeing that Ji Qiran had settled her in and was about to leave, Gongsun Yu stopped him, asking, "May I ask, Seventh Prince, what exactly happened?"

Ji Qiran gave a cold laugh and said, "Someone who can't protect her at a crucial moment and can only keep asking what happened..." He glanced at Gongsun Yu's hand, then looked directly at him: "Why should I answer?"

"..." Gongsun Yu was taken aback, but did not speak, letting Ji Qiran leave.

Ji Qiran was right. He and Wu Yang were both outside the palace, so it was impossible for them to protect Chu Qingluo at all times.

……

Ji Qiran had just returned to the palace when he was immediately summoned to the Phoenix Palace.

At this moment, Ji Qili and Li Yan were still kneeling in the hall, with Li Yan wearing Ji Qili's outer robe. He glanced at the two of them with a half-smile and bowed to the Empress.

"Where have you been?" The Empress's voice carried a hint of displeasure.

Upon hearing this, Ji Qiran quickly explained, "Qiran just left the palace."

"I heard that you sent your attendants to the Phoenix Palace to report that something happened at the Changming Palace?" the Empress asked.

“That’s right,” Ji Qiran admitted.

"You said something happened at Changming Palace... what exactly happened?"

Qi Ran originally intended to go have tea with Fifth Brother, but instead witnessed... a scene he shouldn't have seen. Unable to decide what to do, he could only ask His Majesty to make the decision himself.

"Seventh brother, please don't talk nonsense!" Ji Qili said anxiously.

The Empress gestured for Ji Qili not to interrupt, then asked Ji Qiran, "What scene shouldn't have been seen? Explain clearly."

"It's... matters between men and women."

The Empress cleared her throat and said, "You spread these words so quickly; it's really not honorable of you to do such a thing."

"Your Majesty... that's because an attendant came to inform me that Qi Ran's beloved parrot was sick, and in a moment of panic, I immediately left the palace to seek medical treatment."

"..." The Empress felt awkward, but having no reason to reprimand him, she said, "Between brothers, there should be brotherly affection and respect. Since you have witnessed your elder brother behaving improperly, you should have given him a timely reminder so that he would have a chance to correct his mistakes, instead of reporting him behind his back. Do you understand?"

Ji Qiran nodded obediently: "Qiran knows she was wrong."

Upon hearing the Empress's words, Ji Qili, who was kneeling to the side, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, what we saw in the Changming Hall today... was truly just a misunderstanding!"

Ji Qili and Li Yan had been kneeling in the Phoenix Palace for half a day. He had been trying to deny his relationship with Li Yan, but the Empress insisted on waiting for Ji Qiran to return and hear his explanation. Now, Ji Qili was even more unable to explain himself.

"Do you think I and the Seventh Prince are blind?!" The Empress glanced at Ji Qili with annoyance and said, "Since things have come to this, the Fifth Prince may now enter the sect."

Li Yan, who had been kneeling meekly to the side, suddenly had an unprecedented gleam in her eyes after hearing the Empress's offer to take Ji Qili under her wing. Just moments before, she had thought her good days were coming to an end, but in the blink of an eye, this incredible stroke of good fortune had arrived without warning!

"Your Majesty—!" Ji Qili suddenly collapsed to the ground: "This Lady Li Yan and I...we were just momentarily confused. Please punish me, Your Majesty, and please don't let Qili enter the sect like this!"

With Ji Qiran's testimony, the Empress was even more convinced of what she had seen. Ji Qili knew that further struggle was futile, and that a genuine investigation would likely backfire, so he gritted his teeth and confessed, begging for forgiveness.

"That's ridiculous!"

If it were a private matter, the Empress could turn a blind eye. But since Ji Qiran has exposed this, and the news has spread throughout the palace, she will have no choice but to make a statement.

"Your Majesty—! Qi Li does not wish to join the sect!"

Ji Qili was unwilling to give up. Success was so close, yet he hadn't anticipated Ji Qiran's sudden appearance! It was all his fault for acting rashly in anger and not planning properly! And then there was Li Yan, originally Ji Jie's subordinate. He'd only been slightly bribed with gold, and she'd already agreed to help. This made him believe that even the heavens were on his side, and that success was inevitable…

"Even if I wanted to protect you, it wouldn't work. I can't let people say that I've neglected to discipline my princes."

"Your Majesty..."

"Alright! You don't need to say anymore. I've already decided to let you join her ranks, and you should be grateful that I haven't punished you." The Empress was tired after talking for so long.

"..." Ji Qili knelt on the ground, looking utterly dejected, while Li Yan kept kowtowing and expressing her gratitude: "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty! Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

Ji Qiran watched this scene coldly. This outcome was actually a win for Ji Qili. His primary concern was preventing Ji Qili from having another chance to pester Chu Qingluo. That's why he threw the unconscious Li Yan onto Ji Qili's bed… creating a false impression.

"And you-"

Seeing that the Empress was pointing the finger at him, Ji Qiran put aside his thoughts and lowered his head to await his fate.

"Stop thinking about playing with birds all day long, go to the library and copy the Thousand Character Classic to calm your mind."

"...obey the order."