Chapter 39 "Are you really willing to kill me and then compensate me..."
When Cui Lizhu arrived at Qiyunju, her head was still buzzing.
As she prepared to return to the manor, she boarded the carriage first. After waiting for a while and not seeing Shen Yunzhi arrive, she lifted the curtain to look and saw Shen Yunzhi being dragged into the carriage by her elder brother. She was so stunned that she didn't even have time to react, and stared blankly for a long time before her brother's carriage had already driven away.
"My eldest brother seems to have a special relationship with my cousin." It wasn't until her second brother's words pulled her back from her daze.
But throughout the journey, she could never truly believe what she was seeing.
Cui Lizhu went to Yunxi Courtyard to find Shen Yunzhi and ask her some questions.
The servants reported that Shen Yunzhi had not yet returned to the manor. She then ordered someone to inquire and learned that Cui Huai had also not returned.
At this moment, Choi Yeo-joo finally felt reality—
What she saw outside the Chen residence was not an illusion; her elder brother had indeed dragged Shen Yunzhi onto the carriage, and for some reason, the two of them had not returned for a long time.
Her older brother had feelings for Shen Yunzhi? It wasn't that Shen Yunzhi was secretly pursuing her brother, but rather that her brother... was the older brother she had admired since childhood, the ethereal man who never got close to women, was pursuing Shen Yunzhi.
One thought after another kept popping into Choi Yeo-joo's mind.
Her head felt as if it had been hit by gunpowder, buzzing incessantly. Upon learning that her elder brother had returned to Qiyun Residence, she immediately went to look for him.
"Big brother?"
As Cui Lizhu hurried into Qiyun Residence and headed towards the corridor, she saw Cui Huai come out of the house and immediately stopped.
Cui Huai's hair was slightly disheveled, and his clothes were also somewhat rumpled.
Upon closer inspection, several thin, long bloodstains were discovered on his neck, clearly scratched by someone.
Choi Yeo-joo's face lost most of its color uncontrollably, and her heart pounded wildly.
She opened her mouth as if to ask a question, but couldn't utter a single word.
Cui Lizhu had almost never seen Cui Huai in such a disheveled state. In her memory, even when her elder brother was punished by their father, he had never lost his composure. However, at this moment, even though Cui Huai's face was calm, Cui Lizhu felt that even his usual aloofness had diminished.
Seeing Cui Huai looking at her, Cui Lizhu seemed to suddenly come to her senses and took a step forward.
She blurted out, "Big brother, where is Zhiniang?"
Cui Huai said, "I'm taking a bath."
Choi Yeo-joo's eyelids twitched, and she couldn't hide her panic as she asked, "Big brother, what are you doing?"
The person in front of her suddenly felt extremely unfamiliar to her.
Is this person really her eldest brother?
...
Shen Yunzhi was soaking wet in the bathtub.
After Cui Huai left, she glanced around and noticed that the clean clothes prepared in advance were as premeditated as the hot water filling the bathtub.
Even taking off her clothes at Qiyun Residence made Shen Yunzhi uneasy, and she had no desire to bathe. She got out of the bathtub directly, wrung out her soaking wet clothes, wiped the water droplets off her face, and walked outside.
He went around the screen but bumped right into Cui Huai.
Cui Huai, carrying a pair of embroidered shoes, frowned in confusion upon seeing Shen Yunzhi.
At that moment, his gaze swept over the servant's attire clinging to her body.
Finally, it rested on her bare feet.
Where to go?
"Return to Yunxi Courtyard."
Despite the cold, Shen Yunzhi remained calm.
Cui Huai smiled and put down his embroidered shoes: "I'll help you take a bath."
“Alright.” Looking directly at Cui Huai, Shen Yunzhi smiled. “If Your Highness insists on this, I, a mere woman living under someone else’s roof, am indeed helpless. But after thinking it over, I’m not without options.”
Cui Huai stared intently: "What do you intend to do?"
"Rather than suffer humiliation, I'd rather fight to the death. Whoever humiliates me, I will take their life and give them one in return," Shen Yunzhi said resolutely.
Cui Huai had witnessed it.
At that time, Cui Xu intended to humiliate her, and if she hadn't had nothing to defend herself, Cui Xu might not have survived.
She said she would treat him that way if necessary.
Kill him, then bury him with him. Their lives are intertwined, their fates interdependent. Whenever his death is mentioned, her name will be forever linked to his.
After thinking about it carefully for a moment, Cui Huai imagined that scene and thought it wasn't bad.
That way, she will belong to him forever.
"good."
Cui Huai nodded solemnly, "If one day I humiliate you, then do this."
Shen Yunzhi froze.
Cui Huai, however, was in a good mood and summoned the maids of Qiyun Residence, instructing them to change the hot water and help her bathe and do her hair.
He liked the ending that Shen Yunzhi proposed for them.
But not today; they have many things yet to do, and it's not too late to fulfill this promise later.
Shen Yunzhi remained silent as the maid helped her bathe. Recalling Cui Huai's reaction earlier, how he had actually agreed to her threats of suicide, it was clear he didn't care about her life, nor did he care about his own.
Those words even pleased him.
He was clearly in a good mood when he went out.
That madman!
Shen Yunzhi was both angry and frustrated, realizing that getting rid of Cui Huai would be more difficult than she had imagined.
Fortunately, Cui Huai currently has no intention of "living and dying together" with her.
She had to plan her escape before the man went even more insane.
After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Shen Yunzhi dried her hair and sat on a high stool. Just as the maid was about to help her put on her shoes and socks, Cui Huai entered. Shen Yunzhi ignored him. He calmly took the towel from the maid and knelt down at her feet, wiping the water droplets from her feet with the towel.
"Are you really willing to kill me and then give me your life in return?"
Cui Huai asked as he helped her put on her embroidered shoes.
Shen Yunzhi remained silent.
Cui Huai then asked, "What if you change your mind and refuse to die with me?"
Shen Yunzhi said irritably, "Does Your Highness think I can live on unscathed after killing you?"
With such abilities, how could she be forced by him?
After pondering for a moment, Cui Huai offered his opinion: "Others may not be able to do it, but you certainly can."
Shen Yunzhi said coldly, "Then I truly thank Your Highness for your appreciation."
After helping her put on her embroidered shoes, Cui Huai stood up on his own.
He looked down at Shen Yunzhi on the high stool: "What can't you do with me if you can do the same things with others? You say I don't understand what it means to like something, but I don't think they understand either. Yet you always think highly of them and extremely poorly of me. Is it because you were nice to me before, and I ignored you, so you hold a grudge?"
"But you clearly succeeded in getting revenge. Even if you only used me afterward, I still fell for you."
You should be happy.
These words filled Shen Yunzhi with shame, indignation, and humiliation.
If she were as powerful and influential as them, how could she be so wantonly humiliated? If Cui Xu hadn't inexplicably targeted her, she wouldn't have been forced to use him, wouldn't have been entangled by him again, and wouldn't be struggling to face the same fate as in her past life.
In this second life, all she wants is a peaceful and stable life. Is that too greedy? Why is it so difficult?
Why can't things ever go as planned?
Shen Yunzhi glared at Cui Huai: "Your Highness, wouldn't it be better to spare me?"
"No." Cui Huai gave a crisp answer, then wiped the tear stains on her cheek with the back of his hand and concluded, "You cry a lot."
Shen Yunzhi brushed his hand away and got off the bar stool.
This time, Cui Huai did not stop her, letting her walk around the screen and go out, returning from Qiyun Residence to Yunxi Courtyard.
After Shen Yunzhi left, Cui Huai washed his hands with water from the bathtub, glancing with disgust at the pile of wet robes worn by the servants on the floor. He called Lin Yue in: "Go and find out whose clothes these are."
...
After leaving Qiyun Residence, Cui Lizhu returned to Yunxi Courtyard to wait for Shen Yunzhi.
Seeing her return, no longer dressed as a servant, he knew that Cui Huai's statement that she was "taking a bath" was true.
"Zhi Niang, what exactly happened between you and my older brother?"
"Didn't you want to marry someone else? Why are you involved with my older brother?"
As soon as Shen Yunzhi appeared, Cui Lizhu immediately went to greet her, pulled her into the inner room, and questioned her repeatedly. Noticing the redness in Shen Yunzhi's eyes, indicating she had been crying, Cui Lizhu panicked: "What did my older brother do to you?"
"Li Zhu knows it's not my fault, so why is she questioning me?" Shen Yunzhi raised her eyes and asked softly.
Choi Yeo-joo avoided her gaze, feeling guilty, and said, "How would I know the inside story..."
Shen Yunzhi only asked, "If I said that His Highness forced me, would Lizhu believe me?"
Receiving no answer, she continued, "Haven't you ever understood my feelings after all this time together?"
Cui Lizhu knew that it really wasn't Shen Yunzhi who was pestering Cui Huai, but seeing that Shen Yunzhi seemed eager to sever ties, she was also unhappy: "Why would my elder brother force you? Besides, you and Chen Zhaoyu might not end up together. If my elder brother is fond of you, why aren't you happy?"
Shen Yunzhi paused for a moment, then said, "But I have no feelings for him."
"Why?" Choi Yeo-joo frowned. "Didn't you praise him before?"
Shen Yunzhi said against her will, "It is precisely because Your Highness is so good that I do not wish for him. To me, he is like the moon in the water or a flower in the mirror, something I cannot possess." Her tone gradually revealed a sense of weariness. "Moreover, what I hope for in my future husband is that he will be with me alone. If that is not possible, then I would rather cut off my hair and find a nunnery to become a nun."
Choi Yeo-joo was startled by her words: "How is it that serious?"
Shen Yunzhi became even more serious and earnest: "Lizhu, this is truly what I think."
The silent one became Choi Yeo-joo.
Shen Yunzhi pressed further, "Lizhu has helped me with many things before. Is Lizhu willing to help me again this time?"
After seeing Cui Lizhu off, Shen Yunzhi sat on the daybed, her elbows resting on the table, and closed her eyes to rub her temples.
Qiuyue came in from outside and called her softly, "Miss."
Shen Yunzhi stopped what she was doing, opened her eyes, composed herself, and said, "It's nothing." She then asked, "Does Aunt know about my trip to the Chen family?"
Qiu Yue said softly, "The princess has not yet returned to the residence."
Princess Consort of Chu was summoned by the Empress today and went to the palace.
Cui Lizhu's outburst at the Chen family's house will surely reach her aunt's ears, and she will inevitably have to intervene later.
However, Cui Lizhu promised not to tell her aunt about her meeting with Chen Zhaoyu or her relationship with Cui Huai. Shen Yunzhi sighed silently, and after a long silence, she finally asked, "Has your letter been delivered?"
Qiu Yue thought for a moment: "I estimate that it should have been sent to Wangzhou by now."
"Hmm." Shen Yunzhi waved her hand, dismissing Qiuyue, and stayed alone in the inner room.
When the Princess of Chu returned to the manor, she already knew about Cui Lizhu's visit to the Chen family.
She summoned Cui Lizhu for questioning and learned in detail what had happened. Upon learning that Cui Huai had gone to the Chen family to pick up someone, she said nothing more.
After that, someone was sent to Yunxi Courtyard to invite Shen Yunzhi.
From her aunt, Shen Yunzhi learned that the Empress intended to bestow a marriage upon her, which on the surface sounded like a marriage decree, but in reality contained a threat.
Princess Chu had not forgotten what happened when she brought Shen Yunzhi to the palace last time, so today she was firm and did not compromise. She neither accepted the Empress's "good intentions" nor was she willing to hastily arrange a marriage for Shen Yunzhi so that Chen Zhaoyu would give up.
However, the attitude shown by the Chen family led Princess Chu to believe that Chen Zhaoyu was not a suitable match.
This is what she asked Shen Yunzhi to come and talk about.
"Aunt, I'm not sad."
Shen Yunzhi sat on the footstool, her head resting on her aunt's lap. "It's a pity that my marriage is so unsuccessful, causing my aunt so much worry and suffering."
The Princess of Chu gazed at the beautiful yet dejected face on her lap, like a flower on a branch after a storm, swaying precariously yet still beautiful. She stroked Shen Yunzhi's hair with her fingers and said softly, "Are you willing to take a husband as your son-in-law? As long as he is decent-looking, you can endure it, give birth to children, and then divorce him. That would be quite comfortable."
In a society where "the husband is the head of the household," most men willing to marry into the woman's family are considered undesirable.
While it's an option, it's not any simpler or easier.
"Okay, Auntie, I will think about it carefully."
Shen Yunzhi answered softly, both to comfort her aunt and to comfort herself.
The last glimmer of hope in Chen Zhaoyu's heart was extinguished even faster than expected.
Three days after they met at the ancestral hall, Shen Yunzhi received news that Chen Zhaoyu had been sent away from the capital.
The Chen family's gate was tightly closed.
Shen Yunzhi stood at a distance, watching quietly. Cui Huai, like a persistent ghost, appeared behind her: "Who will be Miss Shen's next target?"
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Author's note: Cui Huai: It is indeed I.
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