The Poisonous Consort, the Regent's Beloved

Ji Bailin thought it over at the fastest speed he had ever done in his life: Princess, there are only two princesses in the Southern Xia Kingdom.

One of them won't return to the capital until the end of the year, and the other is the princess whom His Majesty recently bestowed upon her.

“I have long admired Princess Yongle.”

Before General Ji could bow, he quickly said, "General Ji, there's no need for such formalities. To be honest, I have no official position; it's just an empty title."

Ji Bailin laughed heartily and said, "Princess Yongle is mistaken. A princess personally appointed by His Majesty is much better than us roughnecks."

After saying that, he suddenly remembered something, "By the way, your father has been ill at home recently. I wonder how his health is?"

Su Fuying was surprised that he suddenly mentioned Su Chengde. Her eyes flickered slightly, and she slowly said, "My father just caught a cold. It's nothing serious."

"That's good."

For a moment, the four of them looked at each other in silence, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Finally, Su Fuying spoke up and asked, "According to what General Ji just said, His Majesty and the Regent were arguing in court again?"

"Uh......"

"It's nothing serious. I just spoke offhand. I hope Your Highness won't take it to heart."

Ji Bailin hesitated somewhat, after all, he dared not speak recklessly about matters of the court.

He was annoyed by the court proceedings and just wanted to complain a bit. If he knew there were guests at home, he would never dare to say such a thing.

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk about it, Su Fuying did not press him. "I just have some connections with the Regent and am just curious."

Ok?

Ji Bailin stared wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief. He had never heard of the Regent having any connections with anyone.

"Does the princess truly mean this?"

Su Fuying replied without hesitation, "Of course."

When you're out in the world, you have to give yourself an identity. In this capital city, I doubt anyone can exchange more than a few words with the Regent. She says she has a relationship with him, but does Ji Bailin have to go and ask him personally?

Seeing her answer so confidently, Ji Bailin's doubts lessened.

After all, everyone avoids the Regent like the plague, so why would anyone want to try and build a relationship with him?

Then she remembered hearing that the Regent had played chess with this woman on the spot and even praised her a few times, which was unprecedented for him.

At this moment, he became even more certain. Considering that they were all on the same side, he no longer concealed his intentions and said, "The famine in the north is severe, and bandits are rampant. Today, His Majesty wishes to send troops to suppress the bandits. The Regent has been ordered to go."

Su Fuying asked doubtfully, "Isn't this a good thing?"

Being able to share His Majesty's burdens, isn't that a good thing? What's all the fuss about?

"Cough cough."

Ji Bailin coughed a few times, and seeing that there was no one around except the four of them, he said directly: "If the Regent goes north to suppress the bandits, His Majesty will have to send troops."

"The military power of our Southern Xia Kingdom is divided into two parts: half is held by the Regent and the other half by the King of Gao Liang."

"The Regent's soldiers are scattered, and the main force is stationed at the border. Now we can only ask the King of Gaoliang to allocate 10,000 troops stationed in the north to the Regent."

“Some people in the court disagreed, believing that the balance between the regent and the king of Gao Liang was broken and the throne would be in danger.”

"His Majesty listened to the advice but disagreed, and the two argued in the hall, which implicated us all."

Ji Bailin got more and more excited as he spoke, and just as he was about to continue, he heard his wife cough.

"Cough cough."

"Has Madam caught a cold?"

Ji Bailin was immediately startled and quickly went forward to check.

Madam Ji was speechless, wishing she could give him two big sinuses right there and then; this guy was such a blockhead.

Princess Yongle suddenly visited and made offhand claims of having a relationship with the Regent. He hadn't even confirmed anything yet, and he was already saying so much. Was he trying to kill himself?

Ji Bailin, belatedly realizing what had happened, scratched the back of his head awkwardly and stopped talking.

Su Fuying was certain that Ji Zhiyun's personality was inherited from someone else.

Madam Ji appeared dignified and gentle, but after spending a morning with her, it became clear that she was not as gentle as she seemed; her personality was the kind that could be easily ignited.

General Ji, too, looks composed despite his advanced age, but he becomes incredibly talkative when he starts talking, just like Ji Zhiyun.

As expected, he is my biological child.

"Alright, everyone, let's not stand here anymore, let's go to the front hall for our meal,"

Finally, it was Madam Ji who broke the silence.

After lunch, having achieved his goal for the day, he prepared to take his leave.

Seeing that she finally had a chance to be alone with him, Ji Zhiyun jogged up to him and asked in a low voice, "Princess, are you alright after what happened last time?"

"What happened last time? What happened?"

Su Fuying looked puzzled, her gaze fixed on Ji Zhiyun's face.

The latter was momentarily stunned, but quickly realized what she meant. "Look at my memory, I've got the wrong person. How could anything have happened to you, Princess?"

Su Fuying nodded in satisfaction. "Well, don't keep calling me 'you' all the time. You're probably a bit older than me, aren't you?"

Yes, Ji Zhiyun turned 18 last year and has been waiting to be married ever since, but Su Fuying is not curious about these private matters.

Upon hearing Su Fuying's words, Ji Zhiyun's eyes lit up. Did Su Fuying consider her a friend?

He quickly replied, "By the way, did Miss Ren send you an invitation for her birthday again?"

"Sent."

"are you going?"

Su Fuying smiled slightly, "Go, of course I'll go."

"Then I'll go too."

On a night day, as September was approaching, withered yellow leaves rustled down from the roadside trees, and pedestrians hurried home, casting long shadows in the moonlight.

At this moment, in a magnificent mansion in the capital, a tall and slender figure stood in the courtyard, the man behind him having just finished reporting something.

Just before leaving, he suddenly turned back and asked cautiously, "I have one more thing to ask."

Another voice, cold and clear, carried an irresistible air of authority: "Speak."

"Today a young lady said that she had some personal relationship with you. I dared to ask, is it really as the young lady said?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man suddenly chuckled twice, his voice no longer as cold as before: "Princess Yongle?"

Judging from his tone, it seemed like we really knew each other. I had never heard him laugh in my life, but hearing it today gave me the creeps.

"Exactly."

"Yes, I do have some personal dealings with her."

As the man spoke the last few words, his voice carried a hint of pleasure, which sent a chill down the spine of the other person.

I felt like I saw a ghost today.

After receiving the answer, he quickly took his leave, secretly relieved that he was smart enough. If he had been suspicious today, he would have offended the person completely.

Ji Zhiyun was applying the moisturizing cream Su Fuying had given her, preparing to take a nice nap, when Meimei suddenly grabbed her and pulled her up.

"Miss, the master wants to see you."