There was nothing wrong.
Wei Ci coughed twice. His complexion returned to its usual color, except for his ears, which were flushed bright red. They were so red that one could make out the tiny blood vessels under the skin.
Of course, he understood who the “sweetheart” was that Jiang Pengji talked of. He felt an inexplicable sense of shame when faced with the unknowing Yang Si.
However, what Yang Si had just said was not unreasonable.
Their lord was still young. His age was in the tens. He was still in the bloom of youth. What about Wei Zixiao?
How could he be a mere six years older than him?
“I have some things to attend to. I’ll be making a move first.”
Wei Ci sounded a little vague. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding something.
Yang Si was not willing to let him go so easily. The trick of changing the topic did not affect him.
“You haven’t explained anything yet. You think you can make me leave with just this?” Yang Si sat on a wooden camp stool and calmed his breathing. Seeing that Wei Ci was about to leave, he quickly grabbed his sleeve. His expression became serious as he said solemnly and sincerely, “Zixiao… Be rational. Don’t do something stupid.”
Wei Ci smiled. It was like the sunlight melting snow. It was neither blinding nor intense; the temperature was just right.
“I know my limits. She’ll understand when she gets older.”
He would be 27 or 28 after another five or six years. By then, he would be just about to enter middle age. He would have given up on her interest in him by then.
Yang Si listened to what he said. Naturally, he did not pester him in an inconsiderate manner. It was alright as long as Wei Ci knew what he was doing.
Yang Si breathed a long sigh of relief as he sat on the wooden camp stool and stretched his legs out. He thumped his legs with his fists and hummed a strange tune without any concern for his odd appearance.
He felt so contented that he was caught off guard when he heard his lord’s voice behind him.
“Where’s Zixiao?”
Yang Si was so startled that he almost fell off the stool. Fortunately, he knew his manners and restrained himself so that he did not lose face.
He got up unhurriedly, flicked his sleeves and tucking his hands inside the sleeves before bowing.
“Zixiao left because he had something to attend to. My lord, are you here to look for him?”
Jiang Pengji put her arms around her chest, an indescribable smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. “No, I’m looking for you.”
Yang Si was surprised.
The atmosphere felt a little strange!
Somehow, Yang Si had the misconception that Jiang Pengji was there to settle a score with him… No, maybe, it was not an illusion…
Jiang Pengji didn’t say anything. She just stared at Yang Si with an expression that was like a smile yet not a smile. Seeing this, Yang Si felt all his hair stand up.
After a long time, she said, “Jing Rong, do you still remember the ‘sweetheart’ whom I’ve mentioned?”
Yang Si was silent.
Wait… Please, she was not about to tell him that the so-called “sweetheart” was Wei Ci, right?
His face turned dark. He carefully brought to mind the description of the person whom Jiang Pengji had talked about. The more he thought about it, the greater his despair.
“My lord… Zixiao and you…”
Yang Si paused here; he did not know how to persuade him.
He had once been a youth full of vigor. He knew the temperament of young adults and how they loved to be obstinate.
The more that the outside world tried to stop them, the more it stimulated their aggression and drive.
His lord might like Wei Ci because he had felt a moment’s desire for his beauty. He might simply find the other party good-looking.
At best, it was 80% curiosity and 20% affection.
Once there was a strong external force to obstruct them, it would stimulate his lord’s stubborn temper, and his 20% affection would develop into 100% affection.
“…After all, both of you are men. Have you thought about how you two are going to carry on your lineages in the future?”
Yang Si spoke rather weakly. He was close friends with Wei Ci. He could persuade him without any qualms, but that could not be done with Jiang Pengji.
Jiang Pengji asked, “Why not?”
“Zixiao is not someone who feels affection for many others at the same time. It’s not to say he’s so faithful that he would not remarry if he became a widower, but… if you’re thinking of letting other women help him carry on his lineage, I am afraid that it’ll be a wasted effort and that your plans will be for naught.” Yang Si had misunderstood. He was embarrassed and said vaguely, “…Not to mention… my lord, you still have so many wonderful years ahead. Why waste your time and Zixiao’s time? You are still young while he is six years older than you…”
His lord would still be considered young and promising at twenty-seven or twenty-eight, but Wei Ci would be in his early thirties by then. Age-wise, they were not suitable for each other.
Yang Si felt that he had given his most earnest and well-meaning advice. He had said all that he thought should be said, but… the person in front of him had paid no attention to him at all.
She said, “I wouldn’t let other women touch him, I’m too much of a clean freak.”
Yang Si did not know what a “clean freak” was, but he could understand a little according to the context.
He couldn’t stop the headache coming on. He finally understood. It must be that his lord had no knowledge about physiology and didn’t know that two men can’t produce children.
Perhaps his lord thought that two men could have children?
“Zixiao is a man, and my lord is also a man.”
He felt a bit ridiculous here, teaching a teenager who was nearly eighteen about this particular science.
Jiang Pengji found it funny. “And?”
Yang Si said, “Men can’t have children.”
Jiang Pengji said, “I know that. So what?”
Yang Si could not catch his breath.
He knew that men could not have children, but he was also unwilling to allow Wei Ci to have children with other women. Wei Ci wouldn’t have any descendants to carry on his family lineage!
He gave up and said, “You and Zixiao are both men so you can’t have children!”
Jiang Pengji looked a little down. She scoffed. “Wrong.”
Yang Si was at a loss for words. Where was he wrong?
“Zixiao is a man, that’s correct. Everything else is wrong.”
Although Yang Si’s IQ was higher than that of the average person, he felt that his brain was rather lacking at this moment. He could not respond at all.
He had just said, “You and Zixiao are both men and you can’t have children.” But his lord had said, “Zixiao is a man, that’s correct. But everything else is wrong.” In other words, the statement “my lord is a man” must be wrong and “can’t have children” must also be wrong…
This was too horrible to contemplate. He felt like crying.
Yang Si’s expression kept changing. His mind was in an uproar. It was as if someone had tossed a hundred honeycombs at him and the bees were buzzing non-stop.
“My, my lord…”
Yang Si was so shocked that he couldn’t even speak clearly.
Jiang Pengji blinked and said, “I have something going on. I’ll make a move first.”
After giving her last word, she left quietly with a wave of her sleeves, leaving Yang Si behind. He was dumbfounded by the “bomb” that had just gone off.
The livestream viewers had watched the whole process from beginning to end, and they were divided into two groups. One group was worried about the host exposing her gender, and the other was worried that Yang Si would be scared stupid.
The reticent Huang Shaotian: Oh no, if Yang Si knows the host’s gender, will he run away?
The gentle and lovely Han Wenqing: Even without taking into account the power of the host’s father, she could be regarded as the lord of a province in her own right. She has tens of thousands of soldiers. Yang Si is a scholar. How is he going to run away? With his head perhaps? The host is black-hearted and ruthless while Wei Ci has a ruthless heart and underhanded tactics. If the two of them join hands, Yang Si would find it difficult to leave.
The eloquent Zhou Zekai: I don’t understand why the host wanted to reveal her gender at this time!
The honest and considerate Ye Buxiu: I can understand. The host has now recovered Wanzhou in its entirety. Although an outstanding hero cannot be crushed, this matter can’t simply be ignored. It is a wise decision to reveal her true identity at this time. This will allow the people around her to be mentally prepared before she’s officially exposed.
As had been previously observed, Yang Si was able to accept that Jiang Pengji was a female.
As long as she could stabilize the few literati serving under her, the others would be easy to handle.
So far, three people knew Jiang Pengji’s true gender – Feng Jin, Wei Ci, and Yang Si. Those three were in Jiang Pengji’s inner circle and their support carried a lot of weight. With their full support, even if she were to come into conflict with others, there would not be much impact.
