He leaned against the wall, raised one hand, and haphazardly rubbed his forehead a few times, then rubbed his eyes...
He couldn't believe that the words he had just heard came from the woman who had nestled in his arms like a kitten last night.
He couldn't believe that he was so worthless in her eyes, that she would despise him so much.
Upon receiving her answer, Yue Xiaoyue nodded in satisfaction.
"You'd better keep your word, or my aunt, the current Empress, will not let you off the hook. The position of Crown Princess belongs to our Yue family. Anyone else who tries to take it is courting death."
As she said this, she looked around the room and then added:
"If things go wrong, it could end up like last time, dragging your family down with you. Do you understand?"
"roll!"
Zhiwan didn't want to say more to her, so she just used this one word to dismiss her.
At that moment, Zhiruo picked up a broom and came up to her, angrily cursing:
"If you dare to utter another word, my broom won't have eyes."
Yue Xiaoyue glanced at the broom in Zhiruo's hand, took two steps back, pouted, and snorted.
“Women like you from the mountains and countryside are only fit to do such dirty servant work in this small place. I can’t be bothered to argue with you.”
After leaving those words behind, she took her maid and fled from the Luo family clinic, heading straight for the alley entrance.
Leng Chuchen had already led his men some distance away, and he had also taken Li Ping, whom he had originally intended to leave behind, with him.
When he heard what Zhiwan said to Yue Xiaoyue, he thought to himself that perhaps she would be happier if he didn't bother her!
As long as she's okay, what does it matter if he feels a little bad?
When Yue Xiaoyue caught up with them, she felt breathless.
"Brother Chen, why didn't you wait for me?"
She ran up to him, put one hand on her hip, and, panting heavily, scolded him playfully:
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me at the alley entrance? Why did you come all the way here?"
Leng Chuchen had no intention of wasting words with her, and simply said coldly,
"Let's go."
He didn't know what he was feeling at that moment; all he knew was that his heart felt hollow.
Leng Chuchen left, the fabric shop next door closed, and on this street, only the Luo Family Medical Clinic still has people queuing up every day.
Zhiwan was quieter than before. Yiming liked to sit at the door, watching people come and go on the street, and occasionally staring blankly at the plaque of Chenwan and Ming Cloth Shop.
He longed to see that familiar figure again, but he sat there for a month without seeing anything.
He only knew that his father had been gone for a month. He didn't know that Leng Chuchen had only just arrived in the capital during that month.
After returning to the capital, he went straight to the palace, while Yue Xiaoyue couldn't wait to run to Fengyou Palace to claim credit.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation
The Emperor looked at Leng Chuchen standing before him, his brows furrowed, and suddenly roared in fury.
"You are becoming more and more outrageous. You, the crown prince of the country, have actually gone to that small place, Yong'an City, to open a tattered cloth shop. You have completely disgraced the royal family."
"Father, I have very important business to attend to in Yong'an City."
"What could be more important than the entire Celestial Empire? As the Crown Prince, instead of thinking about the grand strategy of the court, sharing my burdens, and bringing benefits to the people, you run off to become a cloth shop owner. Is this what you call important?"
"Father, at least by opening this shop, we can bring that corrupt official in Yong'an City who likes to exploit the people to the end to justice."
"You deserve credit for this, but the Celestial Empire is so vast, do you think you can investigate it all by yourself?"
“Even if I can’t investigate them all, I’ll investigate as many as I can. When Lord Zhu submits his report, you’ll see how much silver the officials in Yong’an City have embezzled and what methods they used to embezzle it. Then you’ll know whether what I’m doing is worth it.”
The Emperor frowned slightly and raised his hand, saying:
"Let's leave those matters aside for now. Your mother mentioned to me last month that you're not young anymore and it's time for you to get married and have children to stabilize the court. Which one do you prefer, Yue Xiaomin or Yue Xiaoyue? Or, according to your mother's wishes, should we marry them both, one as the principal wife and one as the concubine?"
Upon hearing his father mention this matter, Leng Chuchen's eyes darkened, and he quickly clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:
"Father, I am not in a hurry to marry. I wish to continue my work in the shadows, to expose all the corrupt officials who harm the people."
"You don't need to do this. I will arrange for several censors to go to the secret offices in various places. You are already 23 years old. When I was your age, I had already married your mother and three concubines. If you don't get married and have children, it will cause gossip."
“Father, I have always regarded Xiaomin and Xiaoyue as my own sisters, and I will not marry them.”
"Your mother has already arranged this marriage for you, so you probably have no choice but to agree."
"If Mother insists on doing so, then I will resist to the end."
"Chen'er, did you go to Yong'an City this time again because of that Luo Zhiwan?"
Although the Emperor had a good impression of Luo Zhiwan, her status made it impossible for her to marry into the royal family.
Hearing his father mention Zhiwan, he originally wanted to tell him about Zhiwan and Yiming, but he was afraid that if his father knew about Yiming's existence, he would send someone to bring him back. What if he didn't accept Zhiwan then? In that case, Zhiwan would hate him for the rest of her life, and he would be uneasy for the rest of his life.
Seeing that he remained silent, the Emperor said with a serious expression:
"Luo Zhiwan is just a woman from the common people with a bad reputation. If you really like her, I understand you. I will make an exception and let her be a concubine. But her child cannot come with you, and you can never make her the principal wife. You can't even make her a secondary consort."
To make her a concubine?
He wanted her to be the Crown Princess, but she refused. Now he wants her to be a concubine? Does Father Emperor really think that all women in the world want to marry into the royal family?
He shook his head inwardly and gave a bitter smile.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Father. She has never taken me seriously. She wouldn't even be willing to be my wife, let alone a concubine."
"What?"
The emperor looked at him with disbelief. His son was handsome, the crown prince, the current heir apparent, and the future emperor. How could anyone look down on him?
"This woman dares to be so audacious. I will order her to be brought here immediately and question her about her crime."
"Father, what crime has she committed?"
"Her crime is that she dares to ignore you."
Leng Chuchen found her father's reasons laughable.
However, this is related to the people the emperor usually encounters. Every woman he meets is extremely respectful to him, and even goes to great lengths to please him. This makes him believe that all women become obsequious when faced with power.
He simply couldn't understand why that woman wouldn't acknowledge him, the most outstanding son in the world.
Just then, Empress Qi's voice came from outside.
"Chen'er, you're finally back..."
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