Old Madam Ji's mind had gone blank, save for a single thought.
'I've thoroughly enraged the Emperor. This old life of mine is forfeit.'
Seeing her whole family utterly terrified by Emperor Wu Su, so much so that even Mrs. Qiao was trembling, Ji Qingwu shifted slightly to block his frigid gaze.
In a deliberately soft, coaxing voice, she said, "I'm perfectly fine. See? I'm right here."
Everyone present could hear the light, coaxing tone in Ji Qingwu's voice, a tone even gentler than when she spoke to Jiu Jiu.
Ji Qingwu had no other choice. She was inwardly surprised. 'How long has it been? And Emperor Wu Su is still holding onto this old grudge.'
Zhao Mingyan's eyebrows shot up. He clearly enjoyed her soft, sweet words, but the anger that had been simmering all this time wouldn't dissipate so easily.
Unmoved, he said, "Ah Wu, you are kind-hearted. I am the opposite—"
However, the Emperor stopped abruptly, his sentence half-finished.
