Chapter 201 A Day as Husband and Wife is Worth a Hundred Days of Kindness, Refusal

Shen Chu was so shocked she almost bit her tongue off, and could barely speak.

"A...a night of passion?"

Pei Yuan stared at him intently, his voice hoarse.

There were no women at Jingguo Temple that night.

"The person I spent the night with was you, Shen Chu."

boom.

Shen Chu felt as if three thunderbolts had flashed overhead.

The sound was deafening.

She stared blankly at Pei Yuan, unsure of what expression to wear.

If she denies it now, will Pei Yuan believe her?

Many thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant, a jumbled mess, but in the end, they all turned into a dry, lifeless sentence.

"When...when did you find out?"

Pei Yuan pursed his thin lips, "The day I took you to Jingguo Temple to discuss the Ice Flower Hibiscus Jade Pendant."

Shen Chu was taken aback.

She remembered that she had hidden herself very well when Pei Yuan tested her that day, and she was sure that she hadn't given herself away at all.

How did Pei Yuan find out?

As if sensing her doubt, Pei Yuan snorted coldly.

“Your maid said she wasn’t at Jingguo Temple that day at all.”

It turned out that Hongxiu's side had given themselves away.

It turned out that Pei Yuan knew the truth about that night when she asked him to buy the Ice Flower Hibiscus Jade Pendant.

No wonder he scoffed at the woman he had drawn out of thin air, and deliberately made fun of her, saying that her skin was as rough as an orange peel and her voice was as hoarse as a crow's.

No wonder he was so hot and cold towards me before I left Beijing, acting all sarcastic and unpredictable.

The thought of how I had been trying so hard to cover it up in front of him, thinking I had concealed the truth perfectly, made me realize how much I had done.

Shen Chu's face turned red instantly.

"I...."

"you...."

They both spoke at the same time, then stopped and looked at each other at the same time.

When her gaze met Pei Yuan's captivating peach blossom eyes, Shen Chu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away.

"Your Highness, please speak first."

Pei Yuan saw his eyes sparkle, his long eyelashes flutter, and his cheeks, ears, and neck were tinged with a faint pink.

This was the first time he had ever seen a boy so shy.

He looked at her intently a few more times, his voice even lower than before.

"As the saying goes, even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. We spent that night together. Is our relationship not as good as your blood-sworn brotherhood?"

Even a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness?

What nonsense is this guy spouting?

She's a "man" now.

Shen Chu's face grew even hotter.

She forced herself to suppress the turmoil in her heart and lowered her eyes, saying, "Your Highness cannot discuss public and private matters together."

My escorting Jiang Hongzhi was an official matter. Using the Luo family's caravan as cover was a relatively safe idea after careful consideration.

Jiang Hongzhi must arrive in Beijing safely.

Pei Yuan's face darkened.

“I can still escort him safely to the capital.”

Shen Chu: "But our shared goal is too obvious, and I don't want to take the risk. With Your Highness's intelligence, you will surely be able to analyze the pros and cons."

Besides, very few people know about my sworn brotherhood with Luo Heng.

This is clearly a foolproof plan; I don't understand why Your Highness is so resistant.

Pei Yuan clenched his fists, remaining silent.

He strongly opposed Shen Chu getting too close to Luo Heng.

Shen Chu steeled her heart and gritted her teeth, continuing, "That night, I was drugged, and so was Your Highness."

Driven by aphrodisiacs, we treat each other as the antidote.

His Highness has also said that he is not a homosexual, and would never be interested in me, so that night was a mistake, we…”

She paused, then said softly, "Let's forget about it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Pei Yuan grabbed her wrist tightly.

She looked up and saw Pei Yuan's lips pressed into a straight line, his eyes filled with an uncontrollable storm.

His eyes were chilling, and his voice was as cold as ice.

"Antidote? Shen Chu, was that night just... a mistake in your heart?"

Shen Chu felt a tightness in her chest, but she still forced herself to look up at him with a smile.

"Otherwise what? What does Your Highness want? Do you think Your Highness would fall in love with me, a man, because of this one night of passion?"

"Does Your Highness dare to defy the world and marry a man? And then let the whole world gossip about us?"

"Me!" Pei Yuan opened his mouth, but his throat seemed to be blocked, and he couldn't say a word.

Shen Chu smiled gently, pulled her hand away from his, and whispered:

"So even Your Highness can't do it, can you? Your Highness hasn't figured out how to face that night, how to face me either."

Otherwise, why would Your Highness only reveal what happened that day now?

Pei Yuan remained silent.

Shen Chu took two steps back and mustered her courage to meet his eyes.

"So the best way to deal with it is to forget it, as if it never happened."

This time I will travel with Brother Luo, and I hope to see His Highness again after returning to the capital...

She paused, looked steadily at Pei Yuan, and said, "We are just Lord Shen and the Sixth Prince."

After saying that, she didn't even dare to look Pei Yuan in the eye again, and turned to leave.

The moment the door closed behind them, a loud bang echoed inside the room.

It was the sound of a fist slamming onto the table.

Shen Chu was stunned for a moment, and two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks.

She didn't know why she was crying; she just felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her heart, making it hard to breathe.

But she knew that was all she could do.

Not to mention that she also had to seek justice for the Ning'an Marquis's family, her identity as a woman disguised as a man and serving as an official in the court destined her to be separated from Pei Yuan by many obstacles.

Chen Chu wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and left with firm steps.

Pei Yuan sat alone in his study for half a day, until nightfall, before instructing Sun Yan:

"Tell the kitchen to prepare potatoes, the more the better."

Sun Yan felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously touched his stomach.

His poor stomach.

I've been in Changsha for over half a month, and it took me a while to forget the taste of shredded potatoes.

So soon I'm being forced to awaken my memories again.

Just as he was secretly lamenting his misfortune, Pei Yuan's soft voice rang out behind him again.

"Go and inform Shen Chu that everything should proceed according to his plan, and we will depart tomorrow afternoon."

Sun Yan's eyes lit up immediately.

That's great, I'm leaving tomorrow.

Let the brothers at the Anhua County government office handle the shredded potatoes.

The next day.

The Flying Eagle Guards, in a grand procession, escorted a long line of prison carts away from Anhua.

Luo Heng, Zhang Lan, and many people from Anhua came to see them off.

After several days of recuperation, Zhang Lan looked much better.

She filled a cart with local products from Changsha for Shen Chu, and looked at her with a smile, saying:

"These past few days I've thought about what Seventh Brother said that day many times, and I think what Seventh Brother said makes sense."

I've made up my mind. I'll learn from my mother how to manage the family business.

Seventh Brother, I want to expand the Zhang family's business to the capital and spread it throughout the entire Great Wei.

I hope that wherever I go in the future, I will be called Boss Zhang.

I will also follow Brother Qi's advice and help more people in need.

As she spoke, her eyes shone brightly, filled with intense hope.

Shen Chu couldn't help but give a thumbs up, "Great ambition, good girl, I believe you can do it."

Zhang Lan's face flushed red, and she asked with reluctance, "Seventh Brother, can I go to the capital to see you?"

"Of course, you are always welcome to come."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Zhang Lan smiled happily and handed Chen Chu a light pink purse.

"I embroidered this myself, hoping that Seventh Brother will have a smooth life and a bright future."

Upon seeing the neat stitches on the purse, with a cluster of bamboo embroidered in the corner, which was very elegant, Shen Chu immediately hung it on her waist.

"It's beautiful, thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Not far away, Luo Heng watched Shen Chu and Zhang Lan reluctantly parting, then turned to Pei Yuan and said:

"A-Chu and Miss Zhang seem to be a very good match, don't you think, Your Highness?"