Chapter 68 revealed his true identity.
Du Wanchun was slightly taken aback. She had suspected that the Zhou family was unusual before, but she only thought they were some wealthy family in the capital. She never thought they could get involved with the royal family.
Zhou Ruiyuan continued, "My mother and the current emperor were childhood sweethearts. Unfortunately, that emperor, who was the most powerful man in the country, fell in love with the newly arrived Consort Wu. Because of this, he neglected my mother and listened to slanderous words, which led to the execution of my maternal grandfather's entire family and the exile of my mother and me to a desolate place."
“We were chased and killed on our way to exile. Some of us were maimed and others were injured. Later, by chance, my mother took on the identity of the married daughter of the Chen family and brought us to Changliu Village.”
“We originally planned to live a peaceful life in Changliu Village, but we never expected that Consort Wu would press us so hard and not give us any way out.”
He succinctly explained the ins and outs of the matter.
Although her guess differed somewhat from Du Wanchun's, she quickly sorted out everything. The fact that the Empress's family had been killed and the Crown Prince had been deposed was no secret throughout the Xuan Yue Kingdom.
Du Wanchun looked up at him, her eyes filled with pity. "So, you're the deposed Crown Prince?"
Zhou Ruiyuan paused for a moment, then nodded.
Du Wanchun's pupils contracted slightly, quite shocked.
Although she was foolish before, she had heard rumors about this Crown Prince.
According to rumors, he was called a celestial being by the Imperial Observatory from birth, and it was said that he would definitely be a great emperor, one in a hundred years.
The emperor was very pleased when he heard about this and immediately appointed him as the crown prince.
The prince was exceptionally intelligent from a young age. He could write poetry at three, paint at five, and by ten he was proficient in horseback riding and archery.
He was a man of both literary and martial talents, a born emperor.
Yet, such a distinguished person was eating coarse food and wild vegetables in this dilapidated mud house.
Such absurdity is beyond even the comprehension of storytellers.
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
Du Wanchun was deeply moved, wondering how her family had transformed from wealthy people who never lifted a finger to farmers who could do everything from growing vegetables to digging and chopping firewood.
The hardships involved are probably unknown to most.
Du Wanchun slowly recovered from her surprise. Now that she knew what she wanted to know, she didn't press the matter further. She reached out and gently grasped his arm that was wrapped around her, suppressing all her anger, and said softly, "Husband, it's getting late. Let's rest early."
As Zhou Ruiyuan listened to the gentle whispers in her ear, he raised his long eyelashes to look at her profile. The panic in his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a layer of watery color, a deep affection that Du Wanchun had never seen before.
Before Du Wanchun could react, Zhou Ruiyuan's lips were already on hers.
The kiss was fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the water. After a brief touch, Du Wanchun's feet dangled in a warm embrace. Her face was pressed against Zhou Ruiyuan's chest, and her heart was pounding.
Zhou Ruiyuan swept her into his arms and turned to walk step by step toward the large bed behind him. "My wife, come with me today."
Du Wanchun buried her face in his chest and nodded.
Zhou Ruiyuan gently placed her on the bed and bent down to remove a blanket from the bed.
Du Wanchun lay half-reclined on the bed, propping herself up with her elbows, her eyes lowered, not daring to look at him. "Husband, didn't you say you would wait until after the provincial examination?"
The dim yellow oil lamp inside the room swayed gently in the breeze.
Zhou Ruiyuan sat beside her against the light, cupping her burning cheeks and gently lifting her chin, saying in a hoarse voice, "We can't wait any longer."
A deep, gentle voice rang in Du Wanchun's ears. She was slightly startled, and when she looked up, Zhou Ruiyuan's kiss landed right there.
It was different from the sudden kiss in the alley today and the fleeting kiss just now.
Zhou Ruiyuan was like a wolf out of control, possessively kissing and invading all the softness between her lips and teeth.
Du Wanchun gradually felt her breathing become rapid, but at one moment she also felt an indescribable sense of familiarity.
This feeling made her happy, and without realizing it, she kissed him back.
Encouraged by the response, Zhou Ruiyuan became even more unrestrained, reaching out to support Du Wanchun's back and holding her tightly.
Moonlight slowly streamed in through the window.
The couple finally embraced each other openly for the first time.
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