Chapter 40 But he wanted Shen Yunzhi.
Chen Zhaoyu was willing but unable, something Shen Yunzhi had long anticipated.
With the year-end approaching, she thought she could probably hold out until the New Year, but the Chen family's handling of the situation was swift and decisive.
That day, the Empress summoned her aunt to discuss the "bestowed marriage," which may have been an omen.
If it weren't for her aunt's firm stance in supporting her, things probably wouldn't have ended so easily; there are always clues to everything.
"Is this Your Highness?" Shen Yunzhi didn't look at Cui Huai. Although she knew it wasn't him who was behind it, she still deliberately put on a suspicious and resentful attitude and smiled coldly, "Does Your Highness think that you can get what you want by separating me and Chen Zhaoyu?"
Cui Huai was in a good mood and had a good temper. He corrected her, "You can get what you want without breaking you up."
Shen Yunzhi's face was ashen. Cui Huai, seemingly oblivious, insisted on taking her hand and said gently, "There's nothing to see. Let's go back."
Cui Huai's attitude was completely unyielding.
No matter how much resistance and displeasure Shen Yunzhi showed, he remained neither annoyed nor swayed in the slightest.
The King of Chu discovered the long, thin scar on his neck.
In the study, King Cui Jue of Chu coldly asked, "Who scratched you like this?"
"A little kitten."
Cui Huai answered calmly without changing his expression.
The King of Chu frowned and asked unhappily, "I've heard that you've been getting quite close to your mother's niece lately?"
Cui Huai remained noncommittal, his tone reasonably mild: "After all, she does call me cousin."
“I’ve always trusted you, thinking you wouldn’t be tempted by beauty like others, but you’ve truly disappointed me.” The King of Chu, sensing Cui Huai’s thoughts from his gentle demeanor, gritted his teeth with a hint of disappointment. “You are the heir apparent of the Chu royal family; your heir must be intelligent, virtuous, and kind to avoid disgracing the royal family. Do you think she is a suitable match for you?”
Cui Huai listened quietly to the King of Chu's rebuke.
He did not refute her, but when the King of Chu spoke of "a kind and virtuous heart, a gentle and virtuous woman," he remembered that he had refused to marry Liang Zhi.
Liang Zhi perfectly fits the image of a crown princess that her father approves of.
But he had no intention of marrying her.
At that time, he thought that Liang Zhi refused because he did not want to marry her.
Now that I think about it carefully... it may be inextricably linked to Shen Yunzhi.
She should take responsibility for him.
Cui Huai recalled that Shen Yunzhi had once chased after him to Lanting Garden to ask why he was unwilling to get engaged to Liang Zhi.
Shen Yunzhi cared a lot.
At the time, he himself couldn't explain the reasons, but now that he understands, he can finally give her an answer.
Cui Huai's indifferent attitude easily angered Cui Jue.
After scolding Cui Huai, he ordered Cui Huai to kneel alone in Lanting Garden as punishment.
"Are you doing things that are worthy of your mother?"
"If she knew this from beyond the grave, she would surely regret giving birth to you! How will you ever face her again?"
Cui Jue's rebukes pierced Cui Huai's ears.
In the depths of winter, the cold wind seemed to blow from all directions into the dilapidated main hall of Lanting Garden, its chill so real that it soaked one from head to toe.
Kneeling upright before his birth mother's memorial tablet, Cui Huai burned joss paper, showing no remorse, and said calmly, "She came to burn joss paper for Mother, so Mother might as well give her a chance. She has many bad qualities, and although she is not the best choice for the Crown Prince's consort, I promised her the position, and I should keep my word. Didn't Mother teach me the same thing before?"
Marrying someone like Liang Zhi might please his father.
But he wanted Shen Yunzhi.
They have already made an agreement.
One day in the future, she could kill him first and then be buried with him; she would give her life for him.
"Your Highness." Lin Yue bowed respectfully behind Cui Huai.
As Cui Huai threw the joss paper into the charcoal brazier, he instructed, "After dark, go to Yunxi Courtyard and invite Miss Chen here. I have something to say to her."
...
Having almost lost hope in her relationship with Chen Zhaoyu, Shen Yunzhi was quite dejected. Cui Lizhu, worried about her distress, would brave the cold wind to visit her at Yunxi Courtyard every few days. After the initial shock, Cui Lizhu slowly accepted that Cui Huai coveted Shen Yunzhi—even if she didn't accept it, she was powerless to stop it.
Shen Yunzhi asked bluntly if she was still willing to help her this time.
Choi Yeo-joo couldn't answer her question, but her protectiveness towards her brother didn't diminish.
As a younger sister, she couldn't just stand by and watch her brother go astray.
It wasn't about helping Choi Yeo-joo; it was simply that he didn't want his brother, who had always been admired by the world, to do something absurd.
“I’ve noticed that my older brother has been doing just fine these past few days.”
"Is it really not a misunderstanding?"
Choi Yeo-joo held a white porcelain bowl and ate hot fermented rice balls. Even though she didn't have any doubts in her heart, she still refused to beg for forgiveness.
Shen Yunzhi readily agreed: "Thank you for your kind words, Li Zhu. I also hope it's a misunderstanding."
"You're so strange. You really haven't had any feelings for my older brother?" Cui Lizhu put down her porcelain spoon and stared at Shen Yunzhi, as if trying to capture every subtle change in her expression. "It's not strange that you think my older brother is unattainable, but as the saying goes, those who are near the water get the moon first. Any other young lady would have given it a try, not given up so easily like you."
Shen Yunzhi asked, "Does Lizhu want me to give it a try?"
“I didn’t say that.” Choi Yeo-joo lowered her head and continued eating her sweet soup.
Shen Yunzhi then said, "Last time when I went to the Chen family to see Chen Zhaoyu, I disguised myself as the second young master's servant and borrowed a servant's clothes. Yesterday, the steward caught that servant doing something wrong and punished him with twenty strokes of the cane."
Choi Yeo-joo stopped moving.
She looked up suspiciously: "You mean, this has something to do with my older brother?"
"Why don't you go and check it out yourself?" Shen Yunzhi said.
The spoonful of small glutinous rice balls that were being fed into her mouth suddenly made her choke. Choi Yeo-joo's throat tightened, and it took her a long time to manage to utter, "You're only punished for making a mistake."
The discussion about Cui Huai ended there.
However, just as Cui Lizhu finished eating a bowl of sweet fermented rice balls, a maid came to report that Cui Huai had been punished.
After dismissing the maid, Cui Lizhu immediately looked at Shen Yunzhi.
She sighed softly, "It's so cold, I'm afraid my eldest brother will catch a cold while being punished at Lanting Garden."
Shen Yunzhi wasn't thinking about those things.
More than Cui Huai's physical condition, she cared whether Cui Huai would see her; Cui Huai had done this before.
As night fell, Cui Lizhu was temporarily forced to stay at Yunxi Courtyard by Shen Yunzhi.
Lin Yue appeared and sent a message asking her to go to Lanting Garden.
Cui Lizhu was stunned, as if she were a statue.
After putting on her cloak, Shen Yunzhi said to Cui Lizhu, "If I do not return within half an hour, Lizhu, come and save me."
In winter, it gets dark very early, and the nights are extremely cold.
Even though she was wrapped up tightly, Shen Yunzhi still shivered twice as she stood in front of Cui Huaidi, constantly being blown by the cold wind.
"What does Your Highness wish to say to me?"
Shen Yunzhi pulled her hood up to cover most of her face and asked.
Cui Huai didn't mind that she didn't care about his punishment at all, and calmly said, "Do you remember when you asked me here why I refused to get engaged to Liang Zhi?" Shen Yunzhi nodded, and then heard Cui Huai say, "I told you that I had no intention of marrying Liang Zhi, but today I suddenly realized that the reason I didn't want to marry Liang Zhi was because I wanted you."
More than surprise and horror, Shen Yunzhi was puzzled: "Is Your Highness unwilling to marry Miss Liang because of me?"
Cui Huai gave a soft "hmm": "At that time, I was not clear about my own feelings, so I was unable to tell you the real answer. That's why I asked you to come and tell you."
"Why?" Shen Yunzhi didn't end the topic and pressed on, "Your Highness doesn't know your own feelings, and I have never asked for the position of Crown Princess. Why does Your Highness insist that it's because of me?"
Cui Huai noticed her unusual interest in the matter and asked, "Are you very concerned about this?"
Shen Yunzhi pursed her lips, and hesitantly admitted, "Yes."
She does care.
But rather than caring about Cui Huai's belief that it was her, it's more about Cui Huai's true attitude on this matter.
In her past life, she was even more entangled with Cui Huai.
If Cui Huai were to have a second chance in this life, he would have the idea of making her his crown prince's wife. In the previous life, the chances of Cui Huai marrying someone else would be even lower.
Cui Huai was easily pleased by Shen Yunzhi's attitude and explained to her, "If you are no different from others, then marrying anyone makes no difference. Since there is no difference, why resist?"
Shen Yunzhi said, "His Highness clearly stated at Yuhua Temple that he had no choice for a Crown Prince's consort, so it's fine to give her to me."
"From a worldly perspective, the Crown Prince's consort must be intelligent, virtuous, and of noble birth. Which of these qualities do you possess?" Cui Huai smiled. "By that standard, you are certainly not a suitable candidate for Crown Prince's consort."
"If you want it, I'll give it to you."
"If you don't want it, I won't give it to anyone else."
Cui Huai ran his fingertips over Shen Yunzhi's cold face and gently lifted her chin.
"Unless one day in the future I lose interest in you. But didn't you say you wanted only me? I promised you that, and I will keep my word."
Shen Yunzhi pondered Cui Huai's words, her breathing slightly rapid. Lost in thought for a moment, she forgot to push him away, recalling the words Cui Hong had spoken to her in her past life, and a possible alternative truth came to mind.
But...why?
Was she used as bait to get revenge on Cui Huai? Was she convinced that Cui Huai would suffer that way?
Can someone who doesn't understand what love is suffer because of this?
So, what about this life?
How much of Cui Hong's words and actions were aimed at Cui Huai?
Shen Yunzhi remembered the fireworks display in the library, where Cui Huai was also present. Cui Hong didn't know beforehand whether Cui Huai would be there.
Or did he know this, and intentionally let Cui Huai see it?
"What are you thinking about?"
When he received no response from Shen Yunzhi, Cui Huai frowned and gently pressed his forehead against hers.
Pulled back from her reverie, Shen Yunzhi tried to distance herself from the excessively close distance, but the moment she moved, Cui Huai grabbed her waist with his arm and pulled her forcefully in front of him. She came to her senses completely, frowning as she said, "Your Highness has once again acted indecently."
Cui Huai replied matter-of-factly, "It's because you're ignoring me."
Their warm breaths mingled, and the atmosphere suddenly became subtly ambiguous. Shen Yunzhi had to remind them, "Your Highness, this is Lanting Garden."
What were you thinking about just now?
Cui Huai did not let go of her, but asked her a question.
Shen Yunzhi raised her eyes to meet Cui Huai's gaze, and almost imperceptibly curled the corners of her lips: "Second Young Master."
Cui Huai found her smile irritating, and his face turned ashen.
Taking the opportunity, Shen Yunzhi pushed him away, adjusting her cloak as she said, "Thinking back to the fireworks at the library, I just don't understand why he did it. Does Your Highness know what his intentions were?"
Cui Huai asked, "What do you hope he means?"
What does she hope for?
She hoped his target was Cui Huai, so that she could pinpoint the person who truly killed her in her past life.
Cui Huai must be kept away, and those who plotted to kill her should not be overlooked.
Otherwise, it's highly likely that you'll fall for this person twice.
...
When Shen Yunzhi left Yunxi Courtyard, she spoke very seriously. Cui Lizhu was worried and even though the agreed half hour had not yet passed, she wanted to rush to Lanting Courtyard several times, fearing that something might really happen.
Fortunately, Shen Yunzhi returned earlier than scheduled.
Seeing her come in, Choi Yeo-joo took two steps forward: "What does my older brother want with you?"
The inner room was warm. Shen Yunzhi took off her cloak and calmly told her, "His Highness said that his reluctance to be engaged to Miss Liang back then was related to me."
The urgency on Cui Lizhu's face vanished without a trace.
She stood frozen in place, watching helplessly as Shen Yunzhi calmly sat down on the daybed.
Shen Yunzhi poured herself a cup of hot tea. Seeing Cui Lizhu staring blankly for a long time, she spoke up again: "Lizhu, could you please persuade His Highness when you have time? Do you want to call me sister-in-law one day?" Perhaps the word "sister-in-law" was too terrifying for Cui Lizhu, and she immediately shivered.
However, when Cui Lizhu sat down on the other side of the daybed, the look in her eyes when she looked at Shen Yunzhi was one of pure admiration.
Choi Yeo-joo said, "There's probably no one else in the world who could make my older brother say something like that."
"You don't mind?" Shen Yunzhi chuckled.
Choi Yeo-joo scoffed, "I don't believe your nonsense." Changing the subject, she asked, "Why was my older brother punished? Didn't you ask?"
"His Highness is aware that Your Highness has been spending too much time with me lately."
Shen Yunzhi sipped her hot tea slowly and said, "Lizhu, actually I'm a little scared."
"Do you want to help me?"
"You don't want this matter to escalate into a huge mess and become unmanageable one day, do you?"
Choi Yeo-joo thought that Shen Yunzhi was worrying unnecessarily.
Why would her older brother cause such a commotion for a woman? Shen Yunzhi was beautiful and easily moved, so it can only be said that her brother was not immune to worldly desires. But she could hardly imagine the extent to which he schemed to win Shen Yunzhi's heart and marry her.
I don't think so.
Choi Yeo-joo retorted to Shen Yunzhi, "My eldest brother is the most self-disciplined and respectful of propriety. Even if he were to do so one day, I would find a way to stop him."
Shen Yunzhi did not expect Cui Lizhu to easily help her fight against Cui Huai.
It's enough to plant this seed in Choi Yeo-joo's heart beforehand; it may come in handy someday.
The King of Chu's ruthlessness towards Cui Huai did not diminish due to the cold weather.
For several days, Cui Huai was forced to kneel in Lanting Garden as punishment. This time, even though His Majesty sent someone to invite Cui Huai to the palace, the Prince of Chu did not release him but went directly to the palace to plead guilty.
In the following days, Lin Yue visited Yunxi Courtyard every night to look for Shen Yunzhi.
However, she did not go to Lanting Garden to see Cui Huai again.
One reason is that the weather is too cold.
The second reason was that she didn't want Cui Huai to think she was soft-hearted because he was punished.
In addition, Lin Yue's attitude was not forceful and he did not insist on taking her to Lantingyuan to see Cui Huai, indicating that her actions did not cross Cui Huai's bottom line.
She wouldn't have to worry about angering Cui Huai.
Another morning.
Shen Yunzhi carried a hand warmer to the main courtyard to pay her respects to her aunt, and met Cui Hong on the way.
"Lanting Garden is three degrees colder than other parts of the mansion. My elder brother has been forced to kneel for several days. Even the strongest body can't withstand that." After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Cui Hong took the initiative to bring up the matter of Cui Huai's punishment.
Shen Yunzhi feigned ignorance: "Why does Your Highness always punish the Crown Prince like this?"
Cui Hong said, "My elder brother is the heir of the royal family and will inherit the title in the future. Therefore, our father is extremely strict with him, and it has been so since he was a child."
"But in this kind of weather..."
Shen Yunzhi glanced at the gray sky and sighed softly, "It looks like it's going to snow again today."
“Yes, but I’ve heard that Father’s anger is still related to the Crown Princess.” Cui Hong sighed and then said, “Cousin, do you also know that my elder brother treats you quite differently? I suspect that my elder brother has angered Father again because of the Crown Princess, and you may be involved.”
Shen Yunzhi feigned a daze and looked at Cui Hong: "Me?"
"Love arises without knowing its origin, and deepens with each passing moment," Cui Hong said. "Brother, I suppose I'm in love with you."
...
Cui Hong's words were full of implications.
In particular, his compliance with her reaction and his deliberate attempt to expose Cui Hong's feelings for her were intentional.
Shen Yunzhi was unsure what kind of reaction Cui Hong wanted to see from her.
This confirms that Cui Hong harbored ulterior motives in her relationship with Cui Huai.
In her past life, he probably helped her escape for ulterior motives, rather than because he was kind and compassionate, unable to bear seeing her suffer such a fate. The thought that her death in her past life was so closely related to Cui Hong kept Shen Yunzhi awake all night.
It snowed heavily again during the night.
The light from the courtyard shone into the room. Shen Yunzhi put on her coat, got up, walked to the window, and leaned against it to look at the snow scene.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the window from the outside, one knock after another.
Shen Yunzhi ignored him, and Cui Huai's deep voice rang out: "It's me."
"What brings Your Highness here in the dead of night, braving the wind and snow?" Pushing open the window, Shen Yunzhi looked at Cui Huai outside, remembering how he braved the wind and rain to rush to Yuhua Temple, just to tell her that he agreed to let her be his Crown Princess. What is it today?
Cui Huai did not answer, and nimbly climbed through the window and entered.
"The wind and rain are so strong outside tonight, does Cousin Zhi really want me to stand outside the whole time?"
Shen Yunzhi did not close the window.
She pulled her cloak tighter around herself and said softly, "Nothing is worth Your Highness defying the Prince and coming here so late at night."
"I wanted to come and find you during the day."
Cui Huai also reached out to help Shen Yunzhi adjust her cloak, saying, "I was afraid that too many people would see you and make you unhappy, so I endured it until late at night."
Shen Yunzhi remained silent.
She believed she knew why Cui Huai had come.
Sure enough, Cui Huai asked, "What's going on between you and Cui Hong?"
Shen Yunzhi said, "We bumped into each other on the way to pay our respects, exchanged a few pleasantries, what could have happened?"
"I heard you two had a very pleasant conversation." Cui Huai paused in his movements. He looked at Shen Yunzhi, "You're really disobedient, it worries me." He smiled again, "You refuse to come see me. What if one day I suddenly hear that you went to Father with him to beg for his blessing?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com