dispute
Chu Chanyin looked into her eyes and slowly approached her. At such close proximity, Zhao Youyi felt her heart beating faster, as if his breath was about to kiss her.
"If that day ever comes, I will wish you well," Chu Chanyin said with a slight sigh.
Zhao Youyi's heart leaped into her throat, then gently settled again, and she stared blankly at his face.
"You're really generous, giving away your wife so easily." Zhao Youyi smirked, pulled away from him, and looked away.
A bitter smile appeared on Chu Chanyin's face, but she didn't see it. Looking at the distance between the two of them, his heart sank. Facing her, he always had an unspeakable sense of inferiority.
Perhaps he felt unworthy of her love, unworthy of her attention, and unable to give her the happiness and promises she wanted, so he was indecisive and overthinking. People are always greedy, but sometimes he didn't want to be greedy and just wanted to see her happy.
"Our engagement was just a temporary arrangement and doesn't count," Chu Chanyin said softly. "Although I know that saying this will make you unhappy, our engagement is not a prison that binds you."
Zhao Youyi pouted unhappily: "You knew I would be unhappy, yet you still said it."
Chu Chanyin tapped her forehead, like a brother would to his sister: "Awan, you should choose a man who is worthy of you. As your brother, I will always protect you, so there's no need to use a marriage contract as an excuse to keep me here."
Zhao Youyi was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to speak her mind so directly.
"How can you be so sure that I want to keep you because I need you and not...?" Zhao Youyi asked subconsciously.
Chu Chanyin placed a finger to her lips, "Shh, don't say the answer, or I won't be able to bear giving you up."
Zhao Youyi reached out and grabbed him, angrily questioning, "Are you a coward? You don't even dare to admit that you like someone?"
Chu Chanyin turned around and took her hand. "Perhaps your feelings for me are just a momentary impulse. Once you think it over carefully, you should understand that I am not suitable for you."
"Silly girl, even if we can't be husband and wife, we can still be brother and sister." Chu Chan gently rubbed her head.
"Does this mean he's rejecting me?" Zhao Youyi asked blankly, looking at the person in front of her in disbelief. They were clearly in love, so why was he rejecting her? Why was he afraid to admit it?
Chu Chanyin neither nodded nor shook his head, but simply released her hand. "There are still important matters in the army, so there's no need for you to see me off, cousin. Just take Mumu back to the palace later."
Zhao Youyi couldn't just watch him leave, so she rushed up and hugged his waist: "I don't care, you've been my husband for a long time, whether you admit it or not."
Chu Chanyin did not move. Even though he could break free from her grasp, he only sighed softly, his tone quite helpless: "You must know that if you want to ascend to the throne, you must sever ties with the Chu royal family. We can be allies, we can be siblings, but we can never be husband and wife."
In this chaotic world, with kings vying for power, Zhao Youyi could use him if she wanted to gain a foothold in this war. But that was all she could do. If she succeeded in the future, how would she convince the court and the people that she would marry him, a member of the former royal family?
Zhao Youyi understood what he meant, walked up to him, and wanted to slap him, but looking at his pitiful eyes, she couldn't bring herself to do it. "Chu Huaicong, you bastard!"
After saying that, she decisively turned and left.
Zhao Zhile and Chu Muqing exchanged a puzzled look as the two parted on bad terms, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
What happened? They were such a sweet couple just moments ago, chasing after a butterfly, how did they end up arguing?
"Uncle, why are you arguing with Aunt again?" Chu Muqing angrily questioned Chu Chanyin.
Chu Chanyin patted his little head: "It's probably because... never mind, it's an adult matter, you kids shouldn't meddle."
Upon hearing this, Chu Muqing angrily pulled Zhao Zhile away, leaving Chu Chanyin standing alone.
"I didn't expect His Highness Prince Chu to still have some conscience." Chi Yuming stepped out from the shadows and looked at him with a smile.
Chu Chanyin's gentle expression vanished, replaced by cold indifference. "Young Master Chi still enjoys eavesdropping on people's conversations, just like before."
"Steal? You're the one who stole it." Chi Yuming sneered. "The Zhao and Chi families arranged a marriage between us when we were children years ago. How could there possibly be a marriage agreement between you and Niao Niao? You're clearly deceiving the emperor!"
Chu Chanyin patted the corner of his clothes, which wasn't particularly dusty, and smiled nonchalantly: "So what if it is? So what if it isn't? The person she chose now is me. Even if she didn't choose me, it wouldn't be you."
"If it weren't for you, you vixen, she should be my wife." Chi Yuming angrily tried to grab his collar, but he dodged her.
"Young Master Chi, are you sure you want to lay a hand on me?" Chu Chanyin used his fan to stop his hand. "My cousin will be angry if she finds out."
Chu Chan smiled, his eyes narrowed, his words carrying an undisguised threat: "I might tell on you."
"You treacherous and cunning little man!" Chi Yuming naturally understood the meaning behind his words. He knew that in Zhao Youyi's heart, his position was far less important than Chu Chanyin's.
"Young Master Chi, I take my leave." Chu Chanyin sheathed the knife and left the Zhao residence.
"Miss, did you quarrel with your husband again?" Xiao Qing asked cautiously when she saw Zhao Youyi return in a rage.
Zhao Youyi took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "No, it's just that he always likes to make decisions that are bad for my mood under the guise of doing what's best for me."
Zhao Youyi naturally knew Chu Chanyin's purpose in doing this; he simply wanted to make her path to the throne smoother. But Zhao Youyi wasn't someone to be trifled with. If she couldn't even have the man she loved, what use was the world to her?
"That girl?" Xiao Qing had no idea what her young lady was up to.
Zhao Youyi picked up her teacup and took a sip: "I have my own way of forcing him to admit it. I'll teach him a lesson then."
"Have Zhimo and the others written to us recently?" Zhao Youyi rubbed her temples and changed the subject.
Xiao Qing slapped her forehead, "Yes! General Liu said that Princess Fu'an has run away to the border region!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Youyi frowned: "What is she doing here?"
Ever since she learned that the Empress Dowager was the mastermind behind that disaster, she has had no good feelings towards Princess Fu'an. Why is this princess, who is so precious and noble, not staying in Lingnan but running to the border region?
"General Liu wrote that the princess wants to join the Women's Army," Xiao Qing said, taking out the letter.
"What? You want to join the Women's Army?" Zhou Yaqing, who was far away on the border, looked at Princess Fu'an, who was dressed in jewels, with some surprise.
Liu Zhiming listened to her without changing her expression. After all, she had heard such words countless times in the past few days. When she could no longer bear it, she pulled Princess Fu'an in front of Zhou Yaqing and said, "General Zhou is in charge of the recruitment in the army. You can talk to her."
Liu Zhiming crossed his arms and ruthlessly dumped this mess on Zhou Yaqing.
Zhou Yaqing stared at Liu Zhiming in disbelief. Good heavens, so he really wanted to throw this hot potato at her like that?
“Your Highness is of noble birth, and our women’s army is all about fighting on the battlefield. It’s really not suitable for Your Highness to come.” Zhou Yaqing had no choice but to take on this hot potato, and said to Princess Fu’an with a smile.
Princess Fu'an, who had come from Lingnan to the border region, was a bit tanned, but her eyes were bright and her gaze was firm: "Now I am no longer a princess of noble birth, I only want to protect my country and my people."
Liu Zhiming hadn't expected her to say such a thing. After all, ever since Princess Fu'an married into the family, she had seen that this princess was a spoiled little girl who had never experienced anything in this world. She was willful, capricious, and unreasonable. She never expected that she would become like this after only a few months.
Princess Fu'an naturally noticed Liu Zhiming's gaze and looked at her with a firm look: "Sister, don't you welcome me to join?"
"Princess, do you know who our Women's Army is loyal to?" Liu Zhiming asked without changing his expression.
Princess Fu'an waved her hand dismissively: "I know, isn't she that Zhao girl?"
"Then do you know what great things our lord will do in the future?" Liu Zhimo looked at her with a sneer.
Princess Fu'an was momentarily bewildered, and subconsciously asked, "Isn't this about protecting our homeland? Aren't you planning to attack the Southern Barbarians?"
Zhou Yaqing scoffed upon hearing this, "Of course the Southern Barbarians are our enemies, but they are not our only enemies. There is also the princess's brother."
"You...you're plotting a rebellion!?" Princess Fu'an looked at the two women in front of her in disbelief. She had thought that the Zhao woman had founded the Women's Army to resist the southern barbarians, but she never expected it to be for the purpose of overthrowing the dynasty.
"Yes, my noble princess." Liu Zhiming patted her head gently, but his tone was very cold. "Your elder brother is a tyrannical and cruel ruler who persecutes loyal officials. He has a blood feud with our lord. How could our lord agree to let you join us?"
"This is utterly outrageous!" Princess Fu'an took a step back and said instinctively as she looked at the two of them.
"Hmph, so you think it's honorable for your royal family to discard their tools after using them and then abandon them after using them?" Zhou Yaqing stepped forward and grabbed the delicate little princess's hand. "Do you know how General Zhao died?"
Princess Fu'an shook her head subconsciously.
"Then do you know how General Xie died?" Zhou Yaqing continued to press, staring intently at him.
"They were all killed by your good mother and good brother," Liu Zhiming added coldly, arms crossed.
"Your Highness, now that you know all this, we can't let you go." Zhou Yaqing took out a rope and tied the person up. "I wonder what kind of expression your dear mother will have when she sees you in our hands?"
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