Chapter 418: This Common Woman Has a Husband and 7 Children

She started to make a scene. "I swear to the heavens! My family and I are all good, law-abiding citizens of Beili. I just helped you trick that chieftain, and now this? I never thought General Zhenbei would be this kind of person."

Ji Qingwu constricted her throat, her voice rising to a shrill pitch.

"Using me and then tossing me aside!"

The sudden, shrill sound pierced Wei Ting’s ears, making his temple throb.

’How could this uncouth peasant woman be the one he held in his heart?’

’Her voice was gentle and melodious, nothing like this woman’s piercing shriek.’

Wei Ting took a deep breath, pushing aside his unwelcome thoughts, and his expression darkened.

Just then, Ji Qingwu feigned terror, clutching her chest as she stumbled backward.

"You won’t let me go, General. Could it be... could it be..."

Wei Ting immediately frowned. "Could it be what?"

Ji Qingwu cried, "General, you mustn’t! I’m a married woman, with a family! I have seven children!"

A soldier who had returned from an errand stood outside, hearing her desperate cry. He was so stunned he didn’t dare knock.

They had seen the peasant woman inside. ’Could it be? Does General Wei actually like the... hearty type?’

With his excellent hearing, Wei Ting had long since heard the soldier’s footsteps outside. He sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

’The image of the village woman before him didn’t overlap in the slightest with the girl in his heart.’

Wei Ting stood up, exasperated. "You’ll return to Longzhou with the convoy tomorrow," he said coldly.

Afraid he would go back on his word, Ji Qingwu chased after him, wailing and wiping at her eyes.

"General, I’m not as... open-minded as those in a bandit’s den! I can’t accept having multiple husbands! It’s clear we’re not fated to be together in this life. If you truly have feelings for me, then perhaps in the next..."

Wei Ting’s brow furrowed tightly. He quickened his pace and left, as if worried the deranged woman would latch onto him if he delayed another second.

The door slammed shut once more.

Ji Qingwu sniffled, then nonchalantly turned and went back to the bed.

’To deal with someone as impossibly shrewd as Wei Ting, you had to use unorthodox tactics.’

Now she had hot water, food, and a thick blanket. The bothersome General was gone, and the guards at her door had been withdrawn.

Ji Qingwu wrapped herself in the warm blanket, softly humming a lullaby as she fed the baby some goat’s milk.

About fifteen minutes later, Si Hai quietly pushed the door open. "Miss Ji."

Ji Qingwu asked, "Wei Ting didn’t spot you, did he?"

"I don’t think so," Si Hai replied.

Ji Qingwu thought for a moment before reminding him, "We’re in this together. If Wei Ting discovers your identity, he’ll definitely figure out who I am. We have to be even more careful."

"I understand," said Si Hai.

Ji Qingwu added, "Tomorrow, we’ll set out again with the convoy heading to Longzhou."

Si Hai hesitated. "Miss Ji, what about Lan Ling...?"

"There’s no need to look for her," Ji Qingwu said. "I know where she’s gone."

’Right now, she’s the most dangerous one.’

’Lan Ling followed Ji Changlin back to the Ji Family. She doesn’t just know my identity—she might even know about the Emperor’s edict to make me empress.’

’It would be one thing if Lan Ling were returning to Xijin; that journey would take two or three days at least.’

’But what if she contacts Yu Wen Tianqing’s former subordinates and has me captured while our armies are at war?’

Ji Qingwu pursed her lips.

’I can’t let myself become a liability, a target for the enemy. I have to reach the Northern Border Army safely.’

’Should I tell Wei Ting my real identity? Or should I figure this out on my own?’

Ji Qingwu pondered for only a moment before her eyes brightened and the corners of her lips curled into a smile.

"Si Hai, you can go for now."

Si Hai said nothing more and slipped out of the room.

Ji Qingwu lowered her gaze, considering the date. It happened to be an even-numbered day.

’According to the system, that means the National Destiny System is on duty.’

’The last time she’d redeemed a reward, the system had judged her as not being proactive or passionate enough, granting her the lowest-grade national destiny bonus.’

’But even at F-grade, it had given her the key to unlocking the evidence of Su Fengyue’s treason.’

Remembering their intimate encounter at Wutong Garden, Ji Qingwu thought, ’I was certainly proactive enough that time.’

The more she thought about it, the redder her face became. ’She’d been in a daze back then, floating on cloud nine. The experience had been... quite good.’

’That should be worth a significant bonus, right? The national destiny I get in exchange surely won’t be too shabby this time.’

Ji Qingwu was just about to summon the system when the soundly sleeping infant began to fuss and cry.

She went to the bedside and saw the baby was spitting up. A child this young couldn’t digest goat’s milk.

An idea sparked in Ji Qingwu’s mind.

She hurried to the door and called out, "Is anyone there? This baby can only drink its mother’s milk! The goat’s milk isn’t working! You have to get Chunhua!"

The soldiers on duty at the courtyard gate discussed it amongst themselves.

General Wei had implied the woman wasn’t a threat and was to be released in the morning.

Hearing the baby’s pitiful cries, the soldiers decided not to make things difficult. One of them went to fetch Chunhua.

「The next morning.」

After days of strong winds, the weather was finally clear. The sun felt wonderfully warm on the skin.

The convoy continued its journey toward Longzhou. Jiao Zhengfeng and Si Hai were outside, driving the carriage.

Inside, the two children were placed on the spacious middle seat, with Ji Qingwu and Chunhua sitting on either side.

Chunhua looked at the two children and said, "Sister, from now on, I’ll be like a real sister to you. My baby will have you as a godmother."

Ji Qingwu seemed more reserved than usual, picking at her fingers.

"This child is lucky to have met you... no, I mean, to have met me."

Chunhua said graciously, "Sister, once we get to the Princess Mansion, don’t you worry. We’ll work together and look out for each other. Things will definitely keep getting better."

Ji Qingwu nodded emphatically. "Definitely."

A long silence fell over the carriage.

Chunhua broke the silence. "We’re just a few more miles from Longzhou."

Ji Qingwu suddenly spoke, as if she had just remembered something. Her words came out in a quick, steady rush, as though she had been rehearsing them for a long time.

"Sister, I won’t lie to you. The truth is, I ran away from home. There are people chasing me, so I can’t go to Longzhou with you."

Chunhua’s face fell in shock.

Her eyes, brighter than usual, instantly welled up with tears.

"Benefactress, I never thought we’d have to part so soon. Our time together was too short."

"If we’re fated to, we’ll meet again," Ji Qingwu replied.

Wiping her tears with her sleeve, Chunhua said, "If you’re ever in trouble, just come find me and Brother Feng in Longzhou. As long as we have a bite to eat, we’ll never let you go hungry."

Ji Qingwu nodded again and again. "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Just take good care of the children."

During the convoy’s final rest stop before entering the city, Ji Qingwu and Si Hai disembarked from the carriage, spotted a pine forest to the west, and slipped inside.

The carriage continued on, and no one noticed that two people were missing.

But just as their figures vanished into the forest, several groups of riders appeared simultaneously from the east, south, and north.

Wei Ting stood on a higher slope to the east, with a perfect, clear view of the two escaping figures.