Chapter 70 A Talented Woman and a Handsome Man
After leaving the Marquis's mansion, Tang Xinuan returned a few times, but only when her cousin was not there.
This was the first time she had come back home with her cousin there.
Memories of the two of them spending time together when they were children involuntarily surfaced in my mind.
The entire Tang family was executed, and only she, a mentally challenged fool, survived.
During that time, she cried herself to sleep every night.
Her cousin, who was only three years older than her, comforted her like a little adult, "Cousin, don't be afraid, you still have me. I will be your support and take care of you for the rest of my life."
Having been different from others since childhood, she thought that her cousin would be someone she could rely on for the rest of her life.
Unfortunately, as he grew up, he gradually forgot his original intention.
He married Wei Minxian, but wouldn't even let her have a child.
In this lifetime, Tang Xinuan did not want to have anything to do with him again.
I came to see him today not because I still have any lingering feelings for him.
However, the Marquis's family had raised her with great difficulty, and out of gratitude for her aunt and uncle's kindness, she couldn't bear to see the two elderly people, with white hair, send off their black-haired child.
Lady Hou and her entire household paid their respects to the Regent.
Zhou Chuanxing was never one to stand on ceremony. "No need for formalities. How is the Crown Prince of Chu?"
He sent half of the Imperial Medical Academy over.
Physician Zhang led the reply, saying, "The Crown Prince of Chu has a weak will to live; I'm afraid..."
Sister Chu was still angry when she saw her cousin. Remembering her sudden disappearance and her brother's frantic search day and night, she angrily said, "You finally know to come back! What has the Marquis's mansion done to wrong you that you just left like that..."
“Madam Chu, be careful what you say!” Zhou Chuanxing interrupted impatiently.
Sister Chu's real name was Chu Yanzhi. She married the illegitimate son of the Prince of Zhongyong.
The Prince of Zhongyong is a distant relative of the royal family. He strongly supported the current emperor's ascension to the throne and was thus granted the title of Prince by the emperor.
She has two sons.
The Crown Prince passed away a year ago.
Chu Yanzhi's husband then became the only son of the Prince of Zhongyong.
If the Emperor is not ill, he has already requested to be named the Heir Apparent.
Even if the emperor falls ill, the title of Prince will eventually be passed on to her husband.
She is the future Princess Consort.
By all accounts, Zhou Chuanxing should call her Second Sister-in-law.
Being scolded in front of her family, she felt embarrassed and wanted to argue, but noticing Zhou Chuanxing's murderous look, she could only reluctantly shut her mouth.
But his eyes remained fixed on Tang Xinuan.
He planned to avoid Zhou Chuanxing and then teach his cousin, who had been raised in the Marquis's mansion, a lesson.
Tang Xinuan quietly tugged at Zhou Chuanxing's finger, "Erlang, I'm fine."
She never takes words she dislikes to heart.
Therefore, nothing her older cousin said could touch her heart.
Zhou Chuanxing was worried and planned to go into the bedroom with her, but Chu Yanqing was afraid that her older brother would do something excessive that would provoke Zhou Chuanxing, so she stopped him in time, saying, "Your Highness, I will take my cousin over."
Tang Xinuan returned a reassuring look, "I'll be out as soon as possible."
Chu Yannuo searched for two months, but there was no trace of his cousin.
This injury filled him with despair, and in his dazed state, he kept feeling that his cousin was waiting for him on the Bridge of Helplessness.
He could hear his family calling out to him again and again, but his soul drifted unconsciously toward the other side of the Bridge of Helplessness.
"cousin--"
"cousin--"
In a moment of confusion about life and death, he reached out and grabbed at things haphazardly, when suddenly he felt something go soft in his palm.
That familiar feeling gradually invaded my brain.
He believed that his cousin had returned.
Right beside him.
He struggled to wake up and see the person in front of him clearly, but his body was severely depleted and he couldn't open his eyes no matter how hard he tried.
"cousin--"
"cousin--"
Tang Xinuan had just sat down on the edge of the bed when she noticed that her cousin was showing signs of waking up, and she shouted anxiously.
"Cousin, wake up quickly! Aunt is waiting for you. Please wake up quickly."
...
Upon hearing the commotion, Zhou Chuanxing rushed into the bedroom and ordered the imperial physician to examine him as soon as possible.
Noticing that the little girl's hand was being held by the patient on the bed, he forcefully and domineeringly pried her fingers apart.
Then he took the little girl's hand and walked out of the bedroom.
Are you alright?
His eyes were full of concern for the little girl.
Tang Xi's heart was calm and undisturbed. "I'm fine."
Physician Zhang quickly finished the examination. "Your Highness, Prince Chu's condition has improved and he has passed the critical period. With proper medication, he will surely wake up within a day."
Everyone in the Marquis's residence breathed a sigh of relief.
“Let’s go then,” Zhou Chuanxing said, not wanting to stay at the Hou’s residence for even a moment longer.
Tang Xinuan meant the same thing, "Aunt, Erlang and I are going back."
Lady Hou's eyes were filled with tears. She wanted her niece to stay a couple more days, but she couldn't bear to say it because of her son's behavior.
"Come back and visit your aunt more often when you have time."
After Chu Yannuo was injured, Chu Yanqing went to the Prince's Mansion every day to run errands and often met with her cousin.
She watched her cousin leave without saying a word.
Second Sister Chu had already heard about her cousin and the prince.
Since we finally get to meet today, I naturally have to give you some good advice.
However, the prince was cold and stubborn, so she couldn't give him too many instructions.
“Nuan Nuan, if you encounter any problems that you can’t solve, remember to tell your second cousin. Your second cousin will always be on your side.”
Tang Xinuan gently hugged her second cousin.
"Erlang, the first time I entered the palace, it was my second cousin who took me there."
It was during that encounter that Zhou Chuanxing felt an eternity in his eyes.
"So, Miss Chu is our matchmaker."
Chu Erjie dared not take credit, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise."
She mustered her courage and said again, "Your Highness, my cousin is different from ordinary people. Please take good care of her for my father's sake."
Despite his cold demeanor, Zhou Chuan was still very respectful to the person who had brought the little girl to him for the first time.
"Second Miss, rest assured, Nuannuan is the most important person in Chuanxing's life. I would rather betray the world than betray you."
Chu Erjie could tell that Zhou Chuanxing genuinely liked her cousin.
"With Your Highness's words, we can rest assured."
In Chu Yanzhi's memory, his cousin and younger brother were the real couple.
Even if the younger brother marries a girl from the Wei family, it wouldn't be a disgrace for the cousin to become a concubine.
After all, her uncle's family was convicted of a crime. If her father hadn't risked his life to plead with the emperor and save her life, her cousin would have become a government prostitute even if she hadn't died.
Because of this kindness, my cousin should stay in the Marquis's mansion for the rest of her life.
But she actually ran away, causing her younger brother to search for her like a madman, almost turning the capital upside down.
Seeing her holding hands with the Regent stung her eyes. She endured it for a long time, but could not bear it any longer. She rushed in front of the two of them and stopped them.
"Nuan Nuan, you can't leave."
Tang Xinuan subconsciously looked at Zhou Chuanxing, "Erlang..."
Chu Yanzhi suppressed her anger and said, "Do you know what this is called? Unmarried couples, eloping and becoming lovers, with the one who eloped becoming a concubine. Do you want to be talked about behind your back for the rest of your life?!"
Tang Xinuan couldn't tell the difference.
She was already worried because no one was there to make decisions for her and she had no right to speak up. Now that Chu Yanzhi had pointed it out so bluntly, she was both anxious and angry, but she just didn't know how to defend herself.
"Big Cousin..."
Zhou Chuanxing was reluctant to cause trouble for the Marquis of Wu'an's family because the Marquis had saved their lives.
Even if Chu Yannuo acted inhumanely, he would still tolerate it repeatedly.
But Chu Yanzhi shouldn't have challenged his bottom line.
“Madam Chu, I think you don’t want your husband to inherit the title.”
Zhou Chuanxing is now acting on behalf of the emperor; there is nothing he cannot do except issue an imperial edict to bestow a marriage upon himself.
Without the Marquis's permission, Chu Yanzhi won't live to see tomorrow morning.
“Your Highness,” Chu Yanzhi said, feeling that his argument was sound, “my cousin grew up in the Marquis’s mansion. We can’t just stand by and watch her be bullied. Your Highness rules the world; you have countless women you could ask for. Why bully someone who has no parents… uh…”
Zhou Chuanxing suddenly made his move; he had been charging into battle for over a decade, crawling out of piles of corpses.
They acted quickly and accurately.
His hand gripped Chu Yanzhi's neck like an iron hoop, and with just a little more force, Chu Yanzhi would soon perish in his grasp.
"Your Highness...Your Highness..."
Chu Yanzhi never expected Zhou Chuanxing to go mad in public. She struggled desperately, crying out, "Help..."
"Your Highness—"
"Your Highness, spare my life!"
Lady Hou and Chu Yanqing rushed over to plead for help, "Please release my elder sister for the sake of my father. My brother is still unconscious. He is my father's only son. My elder sister was confused and desperate. Please forgive her, Your Highness."
At this critical moment, Lady Hou still retained some composure. "Nuan Nuan, don't stoop to your cousin's level. Quickly beg the Prince to spare her. Your aunt is begging you..."
Tang Xinuan disliked her older cousin's remarks, but they didn't warrant death.
"Erlang..."
Zhou Chuanxing's eyes flashed with a fierce light, his face full of murderous intent.
The moment the girl's soft voice entered my ears, it was as if some gate had been closed, and all the murderous intent suddenly subsided.
He slowly loosened his fingers.
However, it didn't completely leave Chu Yanzhi's neck.
"Chu Yanzhi, if there is a next time, don't blame me for being too bloodthirsty. So what if she is Grand Tutor Wang's daughter? I'll kill her with one blow."
"If you don't want to end up like her, even if you're unhappy inside, you must keep it to yourself and pretend to be happy and offer your blessings. That way, things will be peaceful. Otherwise, the Prince Zhongyong's mansion will have no peace."
Zhou Chuanxing was a ruthless killer, disregarding common sense and worldly concerns.
The royal family has been repaying a debt of gratitude to a savior from over a decade ago, and has already done so.
Chu Yanzhi was merely the child of her benefactor.
Zhou Chuanxing killed her as easily as killing an ant.
Chu Yanzhi realized that he had angered the regent, and after being released, he hurriedly knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I was being disrespectful and talking nonsense. Please forgive me this time, considering my brother's injury and my father's serious illness."
She could give up her own life, but she couldn't give up the future of her two children.
Offending the Regent means the Loyal and Brave Prince's Mansion has no future.
"Your Highness and Nuannuan are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. I sincerely wish Your Highness and Nuannuan a long and happy marriage, a perfect union made in heaven, and a long and harmonious life together."
Whether it's genuine or not, these words still sound pleasant.
Zhou Chuanxing's expression finally softened.
"Nuan Nuan, your older cousin is sending us her blessings."
Tang Xinuan has a simple mind and doesn't want to think about complicated things.
However, she made a correction.
"My older cousin is wrong. We are a perfect match, with a talented woman and a handsome man."
Zhou Chuanxing was coaxed by her words, and a smile appeared on his usually rugged face. "Is Erlang that handsome?"
Tang Xinuan nodded without hesitation, "Erlang is handsome, the most handsome man in the world."
Zhou Chuanxing was happy.
As if the murderous aura from before had never existed, he gently and affectionately tapped the little girl's nose.
"Our daughter has excellent taste."
After Zhou Chuanxing and Tang Xinuan left, Chu Yanzhi was still somewhat dissatisfied.
Second Sister Chu helped her up and comforted her, saying, "Eldest Sister, just like the Prince said, even if you're unhappy, you have to put on an act. The future of the Loyal and Brave Prince's Mansion rests on your decision."
Furthermore, the younger brother was at fault first. He had feelings for the younger sister, so why didn't he properly propose marriage? He acted like a concubine, a mere maidservant...
He deserves all of this.
Chu Yanzhi frowned and looked at the Lady Hou, "Mother, you agree too?"
What reason could Lady Hou have to disagree? "Over the years, I've only focused on your father and neglected Nuannuan's education."
Now that she has found her happiness, I am overjoyed for her.
I only hope that your maternal grandparents and uncles won't resent me, so that I can face them with my life after I die.
Furthermore, the niece has already reunited with her nephew.
Nuannuan's marriage will definitely be decided by her eldest brother, so how could she, as an aunt who has not fulfilled her responsibilities, have the nerve to interfere?
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