Chapter 109: Birthday Surprise

Qi Min had an alluring beauty, like a passionate rose—radiant, bold, free-spirited, and grand.

Such a woman held a fatal attraction for men.

Especially since Qi Min treated Su Jihong with indifference, maintaining a dignified and aloof demeanor, as if he was beneath her notice. This ignited his desire to conquer her. He wanted to tear apart her pride and make her beg under him.

Su Jihong switched the medicine and fed it to Qi Min, even giving her a cup of water to drink.

On their wedding day, Qi Min had given him a grand gift to show her sincerity, but he could only benefit from the Qi family for one year.

One year was too short for him. If Qi Min could bear his child, what did it matter if she didn’t love him? She would be tied to him for life because of the child, and the power of the Qi family would be at his disposal.

Su Jihong watched coldly as Qi Min’s sanity crumbled under the torment. When the moment was right, he pressed her beneath him.

Qi Min immediately slashed at him, her eyes bloodshot and her aura fierce. “Get out!”

Holding his wounded abdomen, Su Jihong was enraged and humiliated, and said, “Qi Min, you are my lawfully wedded wife. Even if I demand you in front of your father, he would have to step aside. Who would stop a husband and wife from their marital duties?”

Qi Min, who had been honed in the crucible of battle, had an incredibly strong will. Even with her mind numbed by the drug, she managed to maintain a sliver of clarity.

“You think you’re worthy of touching me?” Qi Min grabbed the dagger with a reverse grip and slashed it, the blade skimming his neck.

Su Jihong reacted swiftly, leaning back to dodge, and the blade only grazed his skin. The sharp pain in his thigh came as the dagger was thrust into it, completely infuriating him. He lost all reason and fiercely struck Qi Min’s elbow.

Exhausted, Qi Min dropped the dagger with a clang and fainted.

Su Jihong gritted his teeth as the blood from the wounds on his abdomen and leg soaked through his clothes. Even if he wanted to do something to Qi Min, he was physically unable. Her words, “You think you’re worthy of touching me?” echoed in his mind, and he let out a series of cold laughs.

Driven by malice, he summoned a servant and ordered him to violate her.

The thought of Qi Min waking up to the realization that she had been defiled by someone as lowly as a servant filled Su Jihong with a twisted sense of satisfaction. He was eager to see her break and no longer dare to look down on him.

After his wounds were bandaged and his rage had subsided, reason returned to Su Jihong, and he regretted his actions.

He needed the Qi family’s power and couldn’t afford to completely fall out with Qi Min.

Given how he had treated her, Qi Min would probably dismember him.

The servant was terrified of offending the young lady(QM), but Su Jihong threatened him with the lives of his family, forcing him to comply.

When Su Jihong burst in, the deed was already done. The servant, fearing retribution from the Qi family, had hanged himself with his waistband in the room.

After cleaning up the aftermath, Su Jihong knew he couldn’t confess the truth and had to take responsibility for violating Qi Min himself.

Once the year was up, they would part ways. He would have gained power, and what did it matter to him who had slept with Qi Min?

Qi Min had no doubts and their relationship plummeted to its lowest point.

Su Jihong was aware that Qi Min was secretly plotting against him. Just when he was overwhelmed, Qi Min became pregnant.

With Lady Su and General Qi acting as mediators, Qi Min, for the sake of the child, decided to be lenient.

Though Qi Min no longer assisted him, General Qi, wanting his daughter to be happy, secretly supported Su Jihong, allowing him to quickly rise to power through the Qi family.

Su Wan was born prematurely, at only eight months, and weighed merely three to four pounds, barely clinging to life.

Qi Min, not leaving her side, carefully tended to Su Wan. Her tenacity prevailed, and she survived safely.

Whenever Su Jihong saw a moment of tenderness between mother and daughter, disgust and pleasure intertwined in his heart, and he even felt malicious and wanted to tell Qi Min the truth.

But he couldn’t. General Qi was about to retire, and Su Jihong wanted to take over his military power. Therefore, he not only had to keep quiet but also had to treat the mother and daughter well.

Qi Min, however, had different plans. Once Su Wan’s health improved, she brought up their agreement and unilaterally informed him that she would leave Dingyuan Marquisate at the end of the month.

A few days later, Qi Min arranged an engagement between Su Wan and the Crown Prince. But, before the end of the month, she died.

Lady Su took Su Wan in and raised her as her own, refusing to send her away no matter how much Su Jihong tried to persuade her.

In desperation, he hinted to Lady Su that he and Qi Min had never consummated their marriage. He implied that Qi Min had disappeared for two days after their wedding, and no one knew who Su Wan’s biological father was. Therefore, the title of the Marquisate’s legitimate daughter should not be occupied by a bastard.

Lady Su’s attitude was surprisingly firm, even threatening her life, and she became increasingly kind to Su Wan.

Su Jihong suspected that Lady Su was so adamant about keeping Su Wan because she didn’t believe his words. She might think he said that only to make Su Wan vacate the position of the legitimate daughter.

“Xue’er is my daughter, and you are my lawfully wedded wife. If Su Wan’s father is just a household servant of the Marquisate, she doesn’t deserve to be the Crown Princess any more than Xue’er. Marrying anyone would be a step up for her.”

Su Jihong’s eyes held a mocking glint as he held Qinglan with one arm. “Not matching her with a servant already means she’s marrying above her station.”

Qinglan covered her mouth in shock, never having imagined that Su Wan’s background was so disgraceful!

This little wretch still had the audacity to call her daughter an illegitimate child.

“If Qi Min had a bastard with another man while married, that child should be drowned in a chamber pot.”

“Marquis, you can’t say such things outside. My sister is already dead, and our household is rife with rumors. If Su Wan’s background becomes public, it will reflect poorly on you.”

Qinglan’s concern for Su Jihong appeared genuine, which endeared her to him: “If she becomes a concubine, then so be it. The Crown Prince hasn’t ascended the throne yet, so nothing is certain.”

Qinglan sought to gauge Su Jihong’s stance and, seeing that he was completely on her side, felt reassured, especially knowing that Su Wan wasn’t his child, making her fearless.

With eyes like autumn water, she pitifully said, “The imperial edict…”

Su Jihong softly consoled her, “I’ll handle everything.”

Seeing Su Jihong’s complete disregard for the imperial edict, Qinglan knew he had a plan in mind.

Su Jihong certainly had a plan. He held leverage over the Daoist priest who was concocting elixirs for Emperor Jing. The Emperor listened to the Daoist, and in some ways, Su Jihong could manipulate the Emperor through this connection.

Having just woken up, his body was still weak. After speaking for a while, he fell back into a deep sleep.

It would not be too late to make arrangements regarding Su Wan once his health was fully restored.

The steward and Xiu Juan arrived.

Qinglan inquired, “Steward, what did Master Huiren say? Has the Marquis been completely cured of the poison?”

The steward shook his head, his expression grave asn he said. “The poison has only been suppressed. If an antidote is not found within two years, he will die from the poison.”

Qinglan’s face turned pale, and her mind was thrown into complete disarray.

—

After Gu Huaizhi arrived in the capital, he went out early and returned late for several consecutive days.

Su Wan rarely saw Gu Huaizhi.

One morning, after getting out of bed, Su Wan assumed that Gu Huaizhi had already left.

However, upon exiting the inner room, she saw Gu Huaizhi sitting on a soft couch, reading a book. Hearing her movement, he turned his head to look at her. “Hurry and eat your breakfast. I’ll take you somewhere later.”

Su Wan raised her eyebrow. “Where are we going?” she asked as she sat down and picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks, then stuffed it into her mouth.

Gu Huaizhi smiled but remained silent.

Su Wan smiled to herself, thinking that today was her birthday and wondering if this man had planned a surprise for her.

After breakfast, the two of them boarded a carriage and headed out of the city.

Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the foot of a mountain. Su Wan lifted the window curtain and saw the towering peak reaching into the clouds. A thin mist enveloped the temple, giving it a faint, ethereal appearance, and she could vaguely hear the chanting of monks echoing through the mountains.

Guo Temple…

She immediately thought of Master Huiren, who resided at Guo Temple.

Could it be that Gu Huaizhi hadn’t brought her here to celebrate her birthday, but rather to probe her reaction, having noticed her unusual demeanor when she faced Master Huiren that day?