Chapter 170 Thank you for protecting me
"Your Highness."
Just as Zhou Congxian was about to leave, Yu Ke finally mustered up the courage to call out to him.
Her fingers were twisted together, and her voice trembled slightly.
"Please, Your Highness, don't send me away."
Zhou Congxian's smile froze, and he turned to look at Yu Ke, "You're not needed to serve me here anymore."
“If you don’t understand, or if the steward can’t even handle this simple matter, you can all leave the Duke of England’s mansion.”
Yu Ke immediately knelt down, "Your Highness, it has nothing to do with the steward, I came here on my own!"
"The young master thinks I've done something wrong, that's why he doesn't want me anymore. I'll change!"
She thought that she could become the Crown Prince's concubine once the future mistress of the house married into the family.
It's only been two months, how come things are so different?
Yu Ke crawled forward a few steps on her knees, her voice filled with pleading.
"What Madam Jiang can do well, I can do well too..."
Zhou Congxian's eyes suddenly turned cold. "What right do you have to compare yourself to her?"
"Don't think that just because you got my mother's approval, you're one of the people in this courtyard."
Yu Ke could no longer hold back her tears. "In truth, in my parents' eyes, I am already the heir's woman. If I leave the manor, my father will marry me off to a widower!"
He no longer looked at Yu Ke, but said coldly, "If your parents thought you were a concubine in the palace, would the Duke's mansion pave the way for you to enter the palace?"
"No, it's not..."
Zhou Congxian's gaze fell on the pear tree at the corner of the courtyard wall. "Didn't the manor give you a way out?"
"There are countless maids who have worked in my courtyard, and I want to take them all as concubines."
Yu Ke was not unaware of the prince's coldness. Her lips trembled slightly, but she still forced herself to speak.
"But Madam said..."
Zhou Congxian interrupted her, "Then you should ask the madam to take you as a concubine, not me."
When he stepped out of the courtyard, the steward was waiting outside. "Young Master..."
Zhou Congxian said, "If I return today and see any unrelated people in the yard, you and she can both get out of here."
"yes……"
The steward dared not look at him, only turning to look at Yu Ke after the young master left.
"This is the result of your refusal to accept your fate. Do you think you can become the next Lady Jiang?"
Yu Ke bit her lower lip. She refused to accept her fate. She had already been chosen by the Duchess, and she was only one step away from success.
Seeing that she remained silent, the steward shook his head. "Miss Yu Ke, that's all I have to say. I've given you your chance."
He had been in the manor for so many years. The young master was stubborn, and once he made up his mind, neither the lady nor the duke could change it.
Jiang Niangzi is Jiang Niangzi, and no one else can be Jiang Niangzi.
Zhou Congxian is off work today.
He carried Fu'er's favorite chestnut cake to the house, but the house was empty.
They've gone out now?
He walked out with a puzzled look on his face, only to see Yuanbao, who was standing next to Xiao Lin, directing two eunuchs to carry an iron frame toward the next room.
"Yuanbao?"
Yuanbao immediately bowed to Zhou Congxian, "Greetings, Lord Zhou!"
Zhou Congxian glanced at the house behind him. "Seventh Prince has moved here?"
Yuanbao smiled and said, "His Highness likes to play with Miss Zhou, so we moved here for convenience."
Zhou Congxian felt his eyelids twitch.
Xiao Lin, that little devil, is playing with Fu'er?!
He subconsciously looked towards the Feng River and saw two big dogs pulling an ice sled across the ice. Besides Xiao Lin, the other little girl on the ice sled was none other than Fu'er!
Xuan'er's ice sled was being slowly pushed by a little eunuch.
All three of them had a great time.
Yao Shisan and Dan Niang were holding Xiao Pangxi, and they seemed to be talking about something, but they were also laughing happily.
Zhou Congxian was unhappy.
Yao Shisan was unaware of his arrival and was discussing the ice cellar business with Dan Niang.
"Once this is over, we can come back next winter to collect ice!"
Dan Niang's eyes crinkled with laughter. "I'll call my younger brother back from the mine so we can work together!"
Yao Shisan, "Call them back! You'll need more people for your shop later."
"What kind of people should we use?"
Zhou Congxian's voice came from behind.
Yao Shisan turned around and saw it was him. "Naturally, it's about using people to do business."
Zhou Congxian handed her the food box, saying, "This is the chestnut cake that Fu'er has been talking about."
She opened the box, took out a piece, and turned to Danniang, saying, "This chestnut cake has a slightly different flavor. Fu'er likes it the most. You should try it."
"This can also be used to make frozen desserts; it won't be greasy even when it's cold."
Then the two started talking about making pastries and doing business.
"Give me a hug, sir."
Dan Niang handed the chubby little boy to Zhou Congxian and began to savor the pastries.
"It seems to have been mixed with osmanthus honey..."
"..."
Zhou Congxian held the chubby little boy, Xi, who looked like a ball, and reached out to tap his round little face.
"You'd better play with me instead."
He carried Fatty Xi to the riverbank, where a carriage stopped right in front of him.
The carriage curtain was suddenly lifted, and Chai Baiwen, the heir apparent of Marquis Xinwu, stared wide-eyed.
"You bastard, Zhou Congxian!"
"I thought you borrowed this house because it was a rare occurrence, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, to keep a mistress hidden away. Turns out you were hiding such a grown child!"
Chai Baiwen jumped off the carriage, ignoring the beautiful woman inside, and ordered the driver to take her back.
“我说你既不娶妻，也不纳妾，生个孩子藏在这里，是怕你爹揍你？”
Zhou Congxian glanced at him but ignored him.
Chai Baiwen followed closely behind him.
Seeing that he ignored her, she continued her analysis on her own.
"No, who have you, Prince Zhou, ever feared? Does that mean... you can't bring back the woman who bore your child?!"
"You can't take her back, could it be a nun...?"
Zhou Congxian saw that he was talking more and more outrageous, "If you keep talking nonsense, I won't be able to control my mouth tomorrow."
Chai Baiwen pursed his lips tightly.
He glanced at it casually and noticed something was wrong.
"When did so many people start loitering on this street?"
Zhou Congxian was already used to it; he had noticed it back in Jinzhou.
Even if he doesn't show up, Yao Shisan won't be in any danger.
Who else but Lord Meng could arrange things this way?
Chai Baiwen suddenly moved closer to him, "Tell me the truth, who did you kidnap?"
"You haven't married all these years, I thought you were still deeply in love, but it turns out you're keeping a mistress here."
"Father!"
Fu'er returned with her cheeks flushed from playing.
"Father?"
When Chai Baiwen saw Fu'er's face, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly.
Has he...has he seen a ghost?!
Isn't this Zhou Congxian's daughter, Zhou Jiafu?!
She and her mother are not...
His gaze then shifted to the woman behind Zhou Jiafu, to her face, which remained unchanged.
"She! She..."
Chai Baiwen called out "she" for a long time but she didn't come out. Finally, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Yao Shisan, “?”
Xuan'er, "Is this uncle asleep?"
*
"drive!"
With the city gate right in front of them, He Ran gripped the reins tightly.
The area was filled with archers.
Jiang Xingyao sat behind He Ran, holding up his token. "I am an official appointed by the imperial court. The killing of an official by local vassal soldiers is tantamount to treason! My entire family will be executed!"
Upon hearing this, the archers on the city gate drew their bows even tighter.
These people were originally bandits, so they didn't care about any kind of clan or lineage.
He Ran snorted coldly, "His Highness Prince Cheng and his men have truly broadened my horizons."
She held the reins in one hand and drew the python whip coiled around her waist with the other.
"Bookworm, bow your head! This whip of mine will draw blood!"
Jiang Xingyao put his arm around her waist and lowered his head.
He Ran raised his hand and swung the long whip, the afterimage of which resembled a huge shield above his head.
"Fire!" shouted the pursuers.
Suddenly, a barrage of arrows was unleashed from the city walls.
Unprepared civilians avoided the arrows, and many were struck and killed.
Screams erupted one after another.
Jiang Xingyao turned around and looked at the tragic scenes, his heart sinking.
All of this is because of him.
With the heavy city gates about to close, He Ran twisted his wrist and lashed the guards at the gates with his whip!
He spurred his horse and leaped out of the city before the gates closed!
"Haha! This young lady grew up in the Northwest Camp!" He Ran's arrogant smile fell behind the horse.
"He Ran, what should we do with those guards?"
Jiang Xingyao's low voice came from behind her.
He Ran smiled and said, "Don't worry, they've all been through thick and thin with my father and my older brother, and they're all very skilled."
“We got away, and they disappeared into the crowd. They will gradually reappear in Ding County in a few days.”
Jiang Xingyao responded with an "Mm".
He Ran thought he was still grieving for the innocent people who had died unjustly, so he spoke up to comfort him.
“Prince Cheng is ambitious and has ordered his troops to kill innocent civilians. This matter should be reported to His Majesty, and he will be punished sooner or later!”
"He Ran".
"Hmm?" He Ran turned around and noticed that Jiang Xingyao's hair had become disheveled.
Her jet-black hair danced in the cold wind.
"Thank you for protecting me."
Jiang Xingyao's voice lowered.
He Ran realized something was wrong. She pulled the reins with one hand and lashed out with the other to catch Jiang Xingyao, who had fallen off his horse.
"bookworm!"
An arrow was stuck diagonally down his back, with a section of his hair ribbon hanging from it.
Just as he was struck by the arrow, it first broke his hair ribbon and then hit his shoulder blade!
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