The news that Emperor Zhou had bestowed a marriage upon Liu Xin and Chu Xinxin reached the Prince An's residence in less than half an hour.
Zhou Huaichuan paused in his carving: "Does she know about this?"
Yun Zheng nodded: "The message has been passed on to Yun Gui."
"Hmm." Zhou Huaichuan then instructed, "Send more people to keep an eye on Chu Xuan, the King of Huainan, and Zhou Xian."
"yes!"
After Yun Zheng went out to instruct the other guards to do it, he returned.
Zhou Huaichuan continued carving with a small knife; it looked like a hairpin.
"master."
Yun Zheng was completely baffled: "This subordinate doesn't understand. If the Prince of Huainan wanted to marry Miss Chu, wouldn't it have been simpler to discuss it with Chu Xuan behind closed doors? Why go through all that trouble and ask His Majesty for a marriage decree?"
Zhou Huaichuan didn't even look up: "The King of Huainan and Chu Xuan have broken ties. The King of Huainan wants to establish himself as an independent ruler with his own army, but Chu Xuan has already reached the highest position in the court and is unwilling to take risks with him. Since their goals are different, they naturally parted ways."
Therefore, the King of Huainan wanted to use the Zhou emperor's bestowal of a marriage to keep Chu Xuan tied to his side.
It doesn't matter if Chu Xinxin isn't favored; in other people's eyes, they are already two inseparable families.
"Then why did His Majesty and Chu Xuan agree?"
"The southern barbarians are causing trouble. Emperor Zhou cannot find a replacement for the King of Huainan for the time being, so he can only agree to his request and keep him in check."
For Emperor Zhou, it was merely the sacrifice of a woman, a price that was almost negligible.
Moreover, once Chu Xinxin marries into the family, Liu Xin will be monitored.
Chu Xuan had also considered this point, so he agreed.
Yun Zheng glanced at Zhou Huaichuan cautiously: "But Master, why do you not seem worried at all?"
The jade hairpin in Zhou Huaichuan's hand was already carved; judging from the style, it was a jade hairpin flower.
"She won't marry anyone else."
Zhou Huaichuan carefully placed the jade hairpin into his bosom, raised his eyebrows slightly, and got up to leave.
Yun Zheng was still struggling with what it meant to say "she won't marry someone else".
The Zhou emperor's words were law; he had already bestowed the marriage upon them...
......
Qi Mansion.
Night had fallen, and the lanterns under the eaves swayed in the wind, their candlelight flickering, making it almost impossible for the guards stationed in Chu Xinxin's courtyard to see clearly for a few moments.
Chu Xinxin was still awake.
She leaned against the soft couch with a book in her hand and flipped through it.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Chu Xinxin put the book aside: "What, does the Prince of Huainan have a new mission again?"
In the center of the room stood a high priest dressed in black, one of the very priests that the King of Huainan had brought back from the southern barbarians.
The high priest tossed a small red bottle into Chu Xin's arms: "This is the antidote for the past ten days. The prince told me to tell you, rest assured about the marriage, and also..."
Suddenly, a whistle the size of a finger appeared in the great wizard's hand.
Chu Xinxin's expression changed drastically upon seeing this: "Don't brag, I'll agree to whatever you want..."
The great wizard ignored her and started blowing.
Strangely, the whistle did not make any sound.
However, Chu Xinxin tumbled off the soft couch, clutching her chest as if she had suffered a great pain. Her face was deathly pale, large beads of sweat soaked her black hair, and her hands and feet began to spasm.
The high priest stopped when he felt the time was almost up: "Your Highness gives you one month to find out the true purpose behind Emperor Zhou sending Qi Yi to accompany the Second Prince to the Southern Barbarians."
Chu Xinxin gasped for breath, and after a while, she finally whispered "yes."
The great wizard snorted coldly, and just as he had come, he vanished without a trace.
Sister, the actor's gone, stop acting.
Chu Xinxin yawned and slowly stood up from the ground: "I'm so sleepy. If I wasn't afraid he would disturb my sweet dreams, I would have fallen asleep long ago."
Her complexion was rosy and her breathing was steady; there was no trace of the excruciating pain she had just endured.
Sister, I've noticed your acting is getting better and better; I almost believed it just now.
"So-so, third in the world, time for bed."
Chu Xinxin walked around the screen and changed out of her gray-stained clothes.
"squeak--"
In the quiet, the slight sound of the door being pushed open was quite noticeable.
"who?"
After a pause, Zhou Huaichuan said, "It's me."
Chu Xinxin peeked out from behind the screen; there was no one outside.
She took two steps back and bumped into a hard chest.
Zhou Huaichuan reached out and wrapped his arms around her slender waist: "Didn't Yun Gui tell you I was coming?"
Chu Xinxin poked his lower back. Zhou Huaichuan was ticklish, so he loosened his grip for a moment, then hugged him even tighter.
The problem was discovered during that hug.
Chu Xinxin's back was completely soaked.
"What happened?"
Zhou Huaichuan released her. In the dim candlelight, the outline of the girl's body shone through the light, exquisite and graceful.
Chu Xinxin's face and forehead were also completely wet.
"I accidentally fell into the bathtub just now." Chu Xinxin squeezed his fingers reassuringly.
Zhou Huaichuan couldn't detect any sign of lying on her face. He turned around and went around the screen: "Change your clothes first."
When Chu Xinxin came out after changing her clothes, Zhou Huaichuan sat on the soft couch where Chu Xinxin had just been sitting, holding a red bottle in his hand.
The antidote given by the great wizard.
Oh no, I forgot to put it away properly.
Zhou Huaichuan's cold eyes were as deep as an icy pool: "This is a remedy for the Seven Corpse Poisons of the Southern Barbarians..."
[Tsk, sister, I advise you not to try to show off your skills in front of an expert. Just confess honestly, and you might even gain some goodwill.]
"They drugged you?"
The murderous intent in Zhou Huaichuan's heart surged up again. He clenched his fists and asked, barely suppressing his killing intent.
"Can you take my pulse?" Chu Xinxin lifted her sleeve, extending her slender, white wrist into Zhou Huaichuan's view.
Zhou Huaichuan loosened his fist and placed his fingers on it.
His breathing was steady, his pulse was gentle and strong, and his body was in good health.
However, the Seven Corpse Poison is a rare poison from the Southern Barbarians. Before the poison takes effect, the person looks no different from a normal person. Once the poison takes effect, the person will bleed from all seven orifices and die within twelve hours.
Chu Xinxin winked mischievously: "They were trying to poison me, but who am I? Their poison is with me, and I neutralized it in less than a quarter of an hour."
Zhou Huaichuan felt relieved when he remembered the pills Chu Xinxin had given him in Xuzhou.
"There won't be a next time." Zhou Huaichuan pulled the person onto his lap, the coldness in his eyes melting away, turning into a bottomless hot spring that only wanted the person to sink into.
"Okay, okay, I promise I won't let Chu Xuan take me away again." Chu Xinxin made a vow.
Zhou Huaichuan took her hand in his: "What else did they do to you that night at the Prime Minister's residence?"
Chu Xinxin obediently told the whole story: "They wanted me to heal Liu Xin's injuries, but they were afraid I would harm Liu Xin, so they captured me, poisoned me, and used a curse on me in an attempt to control me..."
"Poison?"
"It's the kind of Gu worm that devours your brain and reason, making you obey all the commands of the person who cast the Gu."
Zhou Huaichuan's eyes began to turn bloodshot again.
Chu Xinxin quickly reassured him, "I've hidden the Gu worms well. When the time is right, I'll throw them at the Prince of Huainan."
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