The Host Has Fallen for the Second Female Lead Again - Chapter 95

“Don’t worry, I won’t be.” Ji Mingxiao said, touching her stomach. To be honest, she felt a little guilty.

Xi Ruan didn’t want to talk, and pinched Ji Mingxiao’s stomach again.

“Maybe it’s because life has been too comfortable recently.”

“Comfortable? You’re the only one who isn’t panicking.” Every night, Xi Ruan would lie beside Ji Mingxiao and feel a bit restless thinking about what might happen. Then, she’d turn her head and see Ji Mingxiao’s face, sleeping soundly.

At times like that, she really wanted to wake her up.

“You’re getting too into character.”

Xi Ruan tapped on the table: “It’s not me getting into character, it’s me being scared. If things get chaotic, will those people break into the palace and cause trouble? I don’t want to see those terrible scenes.”

“Don’t worry, they won’t.” Ji Mingxiao was planning to sneak Wen Zhuo out soon.

Wen Zhuo hadn’t appeared in public for several months and had been kept under house arrest. It had to be said, this person was really stubborn. Prime Minister Wen had originally wanted him to think things through, and Wen Zhuo really did, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt his father was going too far. The thought of becoming one of the rebels made him feel even more miserable.

He had tried to escape many times, but was always caught and brought back.

He might be good at writing, but his mind was genuinely foolish. Ji Mingxiao didn’t even know how to evaluate the man.

Ji Mingxiao left the palace on the night of the Lantern Festival. There was a Lantern Festival banquet in the palace, but since she was going out, Zhao Xun didn’t force her to attend.

She wore clothes that were easy to move in and used System A’s precise guidance to find the courtyard where Wen Zhuo was being held.

Ji Mingxiao climbed directly through the window. Wen Zhuo was sitting by the table, lost in thought. He was supposed to go to the front hall for dinner, but he didn’t want to. He now deeply felt that his side was a den of ghosts and monsters, and he was a noble white lotus that had grown out of the mud.

“Wen Zhuo?”

Wen Zhuo was stunned for a moment. When he saw Ji Mingxiao, he froze, almost shouting: “Princess?”

“I’m here to take you out.”

“How did you get in?” Wen Zhuo frowned. He had heard some rumors from others, for instance, that Ji Mingxiao was not to be trifled with.

“I climbed in.” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo again. “So, are you coming out or not?”

“What do you want me to do?” Wen Zhuo looked at Ji Mingxiao, with a hint of wariness in his eyes.

Ji Mingxiao smiled: “You’ve been locked up here and can’t get out precisely because you’re dissatisfied with your father’s actions, aren’t you?”

Wen Zhuo pursed his lips: “But I won’t betray my father.”

“This isn’t betrayal. You’re just doing the right thing.”

System A felt a sense of emotion. “The host is starting to brainwash someone again! I hope this young man can hold on.”

“If you don’t want this kind of thing to happen, the best way is to stop it. Let this matter not happen, and let everything go back to the beginning, so your family can still exist in peace,” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo. “Don’t you want that?”

“My younger brother hasn’t done anything wrong. He was dragged down by you like this, and no one will praise you. The four words ‘traitorous rebel’ will be with you for a long time. Maybe a long time from now, those four words will be washed away, but definitely not while you’re alive.”

“Do you want to be judged behind your back?” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo. “The Wen family is propped up with your father as the core. You can also become this core. You stop your father, and I’ll let you be the core. The Wen family will still be there. You will be praised for a lifetime, and future generations will also commend you.”

Wen Zhuo was clearly swayed.

“Why should I believe you?” Wen Zhuo clenched his fists.

“Because we need a partner. You’re very good, and I don’t want you to be implicated by your brainless family members,” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo. “Studying must have been hard. You learned so much, and it must be painful to find that everything your father wants to do is against what you want.”

Wen Zhuo said nothing.

“This is a great opportunity. Although you’re considered a new generation of literary pillars, there are still many people who don’t respect you, aren’t there? They think you’re just borrowing the prime minister’s influence. Are you sure you don’t want to prove yourself? Are you sure you don’t want to use your own power to make them respect you?”

“This is a win-win.” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo. “I don’t want to cause more bloodshed. The best way is to resolve this matter without a single soldier.”

“Of course, I have other ways. We could go down in a blaze of glory,” Ji Mingxiao lowered her voice, looking at Wen Zhuo. “Do you want that?”

Wen Zhuo took a step back, his mind in a state of chaos. Finally, he took a deep breath: “Then what do you want me to do?”

“Just tell us the prime minister’s movements.”

“Then why do I need to leave with you?”

Ji Mingxiao smiled: “If you’re unwilling, I can only go down in a blaze of glory. As the prime minister’s most-favored son, I think you should be able to serve as a deterrent to the prime minister.”

Wen Zhuo narrowed his eyes, looking at Ji Mingxiao: “You really are different from before.”

“After all, sometimes, it’s not a certain thing who’s the fool and who’s the smart one.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll turn around and tell my father?”

“Then are you afraid of dying?”

Wen Zhuo frowned.

“You didn’t even notice when I came in.” Ji Mingxiao gave a half-smile. “What do you think that means?”

Wen Zhuo’s expression stiffened. He probably understood. For Ji Mingxiao, if she were to just kill him, it probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem.

“I hope you can figure out the Wen family’s situation as soon as possible. I shouldn’t have to teach you how to act. Things are getting more and more chaotic now. Your father will probably make a move soon.”

Wen Zhuo pursed his lips.

“Okay, I understand.”

As Ji Mingxiao turned to leave, Wen Zhuo called out to her again.

“Are you sure you’re not lying to me?”

“I never lie,” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wen Zhuo. “You can trust me. There’s no reason for me to lie to you.”

Where would I find such a naive person.

Ji Mingxiao returned to the palace and immediately saw Xi Ruan sitting at the table.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go have them make some tangyuan.”

“Okay.” Ji Mingxiao nodded and changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Xi Ruan went out and came back shortly. “Did it go well?”

“He was even easier to fool than I imagined.”

“What if he’s a double agent?” Xi Ruan frowned.

Ji Mingxiao was silent for a few seconds: “Someone who spent a few months unwilling to help his father rebel, and then after just a couple of my words, agrees to help rebel and become a double agent… well, then I must be pretty amazing.”

Xi Ruan glared at Ji Mingxiao in exasperation, but at least she felt a sense of relief.

“What’s your next step?”

“Wait for Wen Zhuo to figure everything out,” Ji Mingxiao smiled. “What a great spy. Wen Zhuo’s identity makes him far less likely to be suspected, and he’s more likely to have access to the core information. I hope he can be fast.”

The tangyuan were served quickly, all with black sesame filling.

Ji Mingxiao ate six and stopped, while Xi Ruan ate nine, just for a lucky number. After eating, she was completely stuffed, leaning against the daybed, not wanting to move at all.

“The taste is not bad.”

“It really is not bad, but they fill you up too easily.” Xi Ruan burped, kicking Ji Mingxiao’s calf. “I want to release a Sky Lantern.”

“Then let’s go release one.”

Ji Mingxiao got up and went out to instruct someone to bring the materials for making Sky Lanterns. It just so happened that some of the palace maids knew how to make them, so she and Xi Ruan followed along to learn.

It wasn’t difficult for Ji Mingxiao, but for Xi Ruan, it was very challenging.

She was truly clumsy.

Ji Mingxiao wanted to laugh but didn’t dare.

Xi Ruan tried to throw the materials away a few times, but held back, glaring at Ji Mingxiao many times.

Ji Mingxiao wrote many wishes on her lantern, such as “May all your wishes come true” and “May everything go smoothly.”

In the end, Xi Ruan couldn’t make one herself, so she just grabbed Ji Mingxiao’s Sky Lantern.

“Got a problem with that?” Xi Ruan glanced at Ji Mingxiao and huffed. “I’m just taking yours!”

“Go on, take it. I made it for you anyway.”

Xi Ruan narrowed her eyes: “You knew from the beginning that I couldn’t make one?”

“No,” Ji Mingxiao said, finding an excuse, “I just wanted to make a few more for you to play with.”

Xi Ruan snorted.

Ji Mingxiao sighed with emotion: “System, don’t you think Xi Ruan is getting more and more fierce?”

“Hasn’t she always been quite fierce?” System A was puzzled. “Didn’t she hit you before?”

Ji Mingxiao: …

“You have a point.” But what could she do? She loved this person, so she had to dote on her. She’d spoil her even if she was hit. Anyway, it didn’t hurt.

Xi Ruan released the Sky Lantern, and other palace maids also released their lanterns one after another.

Everyone looked up at the sky.

“My Lady, someone is releasing lanterns.”

Wen Wan looked up at the sky: “It must be the princess. She’s the only one in the palace with such a bold spirit.”

“It must be. Her Royal Highness the Princess hasn’t been here for a long time.”

Wen Wan didn’t speak. The other palace maids glared at the one who had spoken.

“Yes,” Wen Wan coughed twice.

“My Lady, you shouldn’t be standing outside in the wind. Please go inside quickly.”

Wen Wan ignored them, just looking up at the Sky Lantern. She felt that she was no different from a Sky Lantern.

Making a beautiful wish on the lantern, watching it fly higher and higher. It was beautiful, but the fire would eventually go out, and the lantern would eventually fall.

When it fell, who would continue to pay attention?

Wen Wan stared at the Sky Lantern, and once again began to cough violently. This time, without being told, she returned to the room herself.

Ji Mingxiao and Xi Ruan returned after releasing the lantern.

“I originally wanted to take you out to see the lanterns today.”

“Forget it. You can sneak out on your own, but what if something happens if we go out together?” Xi Ruan shook her head.

Ji Mingxiao looked at Xi Ruan: “Before, when I told you to stay put and not go out, you were a little unhappy. Now you’ll hide on your own.”

“Yeah, now that I think about it, I’m still afraid of dying. Even a fake death, I’m scared of,” Xi Ruan gave Ji Mingxiao a look. “It’s all your fault, you’ve affected the speed at which I draw my sword.”

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