Chapter 65 "Chongheng, did I hurt you?"...
"Smack!"
With a sharp crack, a slap landed hard on Xiao Chongheng's face.
His cheek stung instantly, but before he could even react and speak, another slap landed, louder, harder, and more painful than the first.
Ling Zhenli stood in front of him, her chest heaving violently with anger.
She rushed back from Jiangnan without stopping. As soon as she arrived at the palace, without even having time to change her clothes, she ordered someone to summon Xiao Chongheng into the palace.
"What are you trying to do? What exactly do you want? Even if you're going crazy, there's a limit! My patience is limited! Are you provoking me? Huh? Speak up! You really want to see me that badly? You married four wives at once, and when I ignored you, you deliberately handed me your greetings? Are you afraid I won't know?"
Five days ago, Ling Zhenli, who was playing with Pei Xuanlin at the Jiangnan Imperial Palace, suddenly received a greeting from Xiao Chongheng.
The memorial clearly stated that he wanted to marry the Princess of Xiangcheng County and take Fang Yuxian, Du Bingying, and Wang Weiyu as concubines.
After reading the memorial, she was so angry that she smashed the porcelain doll she was holding to pieces and set off for the capital overnight, traveling non-stop, afraid that she would not be able to slap Xiao Chongheng in time.
Xiao Chongheng covered his face and laughed, looking very happy: "Ali, I bet you were right. You still care about me, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have come back because of me."
Looking at Ling Zhenli, his eyes gleamed with fanaticism. "What is Pei Xuanlin? The person you love has always been me, right?"
After he finished speaking, Ling Zhenli instantly changed her expression, gently cupping his face and asking softly, "Chongheng, did I hurt you?"
Xiao Chongheng shook his head, his smile growing even wider: "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt at all."
He thought Ling Zhenli had changed her mind, and his eyes were full of expectation.
The next second, Ling Zhenli slapped him again.
However, Ling Zhenli still had a gentle smile on her face, as if she hadn't been the one to slap her.
"Xiao Chongheng, do you know what I love most is your face? There is no man in the world who is more handsome than you."
Her fingertips gently traced his swollen cheek. "All the good things in this world belong to me, so even if I don't want you anymore, you still can't belong to anyone else, do you understand?"
Xiao Chongheng licked the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth and replied with a smile, "I understand, you love me."
Ling Zhenli sneered and continued to stroke the spot where she had just hit her: "You're wrong, I don't love you."
Xiao Chongheng covered her soft hand with his own. It was hard to imagine that such delicate hands could hurt so much when they hit someone. He lowered his eyes and smiled faintly.
"I don't believe you don't love me, otherwise you wouldn't have come back so quickly, and risked being discovered by Pei Xuanlin to summon me to the palace."
Ling Zhenli's eyes were full of mockery as she withdrew her hand and said, "You are not even worth a single hair of Pei Xuanlin. I summoned you purely because I want to kill you."
Xiao Chongheng spread his arms wide, completely unconcerned, and revealed an almost maniacal laugh: "Then kill me."
Ling Zhenli raised an eyebrow and actually turned to walk towards the shelf in the hall where the precious swords were displayed.
She took down a jewel-encrusted dagger and handed it to him.
Xiao Chongheng did not take the sword, but looked into her eyes and said calmly, "Fine, if you want to kill me, please do so. I will have no complaints."
Ling Zhenli smiled and said casually, "No, I am granting you death, not that I will do it myself, but that I want you to commit suicide."
Xiao Chongheng still didn't take the sword, but instead asked, "Are you reluctant to kill me?"
Ling Zhenli was still smiling, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her gaze was cold and unwavering as she looked at Xiao Chongheng.
"You overestimate yourself. Don't you think your words are just empty talk? If you want to see if I'm willing to kill you, you'd better try to kill yourself and see if I stop you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Chongheng smiled and took the sword. Upon seeing him take the sword, Ling Zhenli's face instantly darkened, and her smile vanished completely.
Xiao Chongheng held his sword to his neck, the sharp blade gleaming coldly.
Seeing that he was really going to die, Ling Zhenli's breath hitched slightly, and she suddenly remembered all the little things she and Xiao Chongheng had shared in the past.
Xiao Chongheng, who knew he was going to kill her to eliminate any future troubles, saved her at Zuixianlou. Every time, he spoke coldly, but his actions were extremely gentle. He would stop when she said it hurt, respecting her feelings and afraid that she would be uncomfortable. He treated her like a treasure. Knowing that it was impossible, she still succumbed to it and even chose to drown herself.
But he was blinded by power and now regrets it and humbly begs for peace.
What's the point? A woman who will never look back?
Xiao Chongheng, if you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place...?
Seeing her waver, Xiao Chongheng stared at her intently, put down his sword, and his eyes were filled with complex emotions and regret.
"Ah Li, I can't bear to die."
Ling Zhenli had already softened her heart, but she forced herself to remain indifferent and stared intently at him.
Finally, she left with only one sentence and turned away.
"Whether you live or die is up to you."
The past is the past, it's not like it never happened. She's a person, not made of iron, and she can also feel melancholy and reluctance.
Xiao Chongheng noticed Ling Zhenli's emotional change. He gazed at Ling Zhenli's back and said softly, "Ali, I know you hate me, but your hatred is also because you still care, isn't it?"
Ling Zhenli did not turn around, her voice was cold and hard, and she only replied with one word.
"roll."
***
The Duke of Yan's wedding arrived as scheduled.
Ling Zhenli stood in the shadow of the palace, watching once again as Xiao Chongheng's wedding procession passed by noisily. The red bridal procession stretched for miles, and the gongs and drums were deafening. Inside the carriage sat yet another newlywed.
Unlike last time, this time, her identity is that of the Empress.
Upon arriving at the Duke of Yan's residence, seeing Xiao Chongheng and Princess Pei Qianguang of Xiangcheng bowing to her, Ling Zhenli's lips curled into a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.
Xiao Chongheng used one marriage after another to test her bottom line, as if this would prove something, but in reality it only made her hate him more and want to stay away from him.
Her fingertips dug deeply into her palms, her eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with a cold light.
She looked at Xiao Chongheng, while Pei Xuanlin, standing beside her, looked at her.
Seeing Ling Zhenli's complicated expression and deep gaze as she looked at Xiao Chongheng, Pei Xuanlin felt extremely uncomfortable. His eyes instantly turned cold, and he wanted to hate Xiao Chongheng, but Xiao Chongheng was, after all, his cousin with whom he had grown up since childhood.
Blood is thicker than water.
The emperor and empress's sudden return to the capital from their southern tour, and their visit to the Duke of Yan's residence to watch the wedding, caught the court officials completely off guard, but they quickly accepted it.
At present, Emperor Ming and Princess Wuyang are quite on the verge of conflict. At this time, the Duke of Yan has accepted marriage invitations from aristocratic families one after another. It is not surprising that the Emperor and Empress cannot sit still in Jiangnan and have come back to take a look.
The emperor's refusal to take concubines put him at a disadvantage in winning over his court officials, but he was also hesitant to take action against powerful families because his empress also came from a powerful family.
The fact that he was of foreign blood could not shake Pei Xuanlin's throne, so Pei Shen'ai came up with an even more insidious plan.
...
Prime Minister's Residence
"Recently, rumors have been circulating in the capital that His Majesty's birth mother was defiled before she followed Emperor Rui, casting doubt on His Majesty's lineage, and that the throne should rightfully be inherited by Pei Cong, the son of Emperor You..."
"Who spread the rumors? Was it that bitch Wuyang?!"
Ling Zhenli couldn't sit still any longer. She got up and walked to Xue Wenmian, saying anxiously, "Father, Pei Xuanlin is your son-in-law. You can't just sit idly by. Otherwise, the world will belong to Wuyang, and your daughter won't get a share!"
Xue Haoting, who was sitting to the side, spoke up after a long silence.
"Ah Li, stop fooling around. There is no evidence that Princess Wuyang spread the rumors. Those people were soldiers who fought alongside Emperor Rui and his uncle back then. The rumors came from their mouths, so many people believe them. After all, no one would think that soldiers under the Empress's uncle would dare to spread such a huge lie... In addition, everyone thinks that soldiers who fought alongside Emperor Rui would not frame Emperor Rui's son."
"Do you even believe that Pei Xuanlin isn't Emperor Rui's son?!"
Ling Zhenli was going crazy. Why could Pei Shen'ai be so ruthless? Why would Emperor Rui and the veterans under her uncle frame Pei Xuanlin like this?
Is Pei Xuanlin really not Emperor Rui's son?
How is that possible?
Xue Wenmian calmed her down: "Don't worry, your uncle is the one who watched His Majesty being born and raised. He hasn't said that His Majesty isn't Emperor Rui's biological son yet. Others' words are just empty promises and won't carry any weight. The problem is that Pei Xuanlin was born on the battlefield, where all sorts of people are mixed together. It's inevitable that some people will believe it rather than deny it. But I do know that back then, Emperor Rui took that woman... and the Empress Dowager to fight all over the country for five years. Pei Xuanlin was born the following year, so the timing matches up. Your uncle has already gone to the imperial prison. He'll go to the palace later to give His Majesty a reply."
"But!"
Seeing that Ling Zhenli was about to make a scene, Xue Haoting immediately stood up, pulled her back, and looked at her with a firm gaze.
"Alright, stop making a fuss. We'll figure something out. You should go back to the palace now."
Seeing Xue Haoting's unyielding expression, Ling Zhenli glanced at Xue Wenmian again and had no choice but to give up.
In the back garden of Zichen Palace, weeping crabapple blossoms brushed against the green tiles, and a few pink petals drifted down onto the inkstone, disturbing the spring water in the pond.
The two arrived at the garden. Springtime is a time of renewal and a perfect season to enjoy the beautiful scenery, but unfortunately, Ling Zhenli was not in the mood for it.
Ling Zhenli couldn't contain her anger and said to Xue Haoting, "Why can't we just kill Wuyang? His Majesty is the supreme ruler, can't he even deal with a traitorous minister?"
"Do you think Princess Wuyang is someone you can just kill at will? The reason Emperor You didn't hold it against you for killing someone is because she had just assumed power and didn't know anything yet. She could only rely on her father's prestige, so she tolerated your killing. Otherwise, she would have gotten rid of you long ago. Pei Xuanlin dotes on you and spoils you, so he doesn't care about your threats of killing. Think about it, Pei Xuanlin has only been on the throne for less than half a year. His lineage has been undisputed for twenty years, but now it's suddenly being debated. It's obvious that someone doesn't want him to stay on the throne and is trying to trip him up. Those relatives far from the capital can't inherit the throne. Anyone who isn't stupid can tell with their eyes closed that it was Princess Wuyang who did it. Wuyang is the imperial aunt and holds power. It's not so easy to kill her."
Ling Zhenli shook off Xue Haoting's hand, her eyes filled with frost.
"Then we need to make Pei Shen'ai give herself away as soon as possible."
Seeing that Ling Zhenli was up to some mischief again, Xue Haoting quickly dissuaded her: "Don't do anything reckless. Also, you rushed back to the capital after hearing that Xiao Chongheng was getting married. Doesn't Pei Xuanlin have any objections?"
"...No, he didn't say."
Didn't he ask you why you were in such a hurry to come back?
"I didn't ask. He was anxious to come back too; so many things in the capital were waiting for him."
Xue Haoting was silent for a moment, then nodded: "You should think carefully. Your good friend Fang Wenzhou's cousin married your old acquaintance, and there's also the Princess of Xiangcheng. She's not a fool like Princess Roujia, and she's not easy to deal with. Don't get involved with Xiao Chongheng anymore; he's a jinx."
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