After leaving Cedar Courtyard, Chu Mo managed to coax the ruffled Chu Congning back to good spirits with her silver tongue.
Then she began learning rules and etiquette from Nanny Li.
In her past life, after returning to Marquis Jian’an’s Manor, Chu Mo had also been taught by a governess.
But compared to Nanny Li, that was nothing.
The intricate, fussy rules left her head spinning and dizzy, her vision darkening with stars before her eyes. At night, she collapsed into bed and fell straight asleep.
That evening, in Cedar Courtyard.
Chu Xilou looked at Liu Zhurong. “I heard you plan to take Chu Mo to the Duke of Qi Mansion, and have Nanny Li teach her etiquette?”
Liu Zhurong gave a casual “mm.”
Chu Xilou furrowed his brow. “If you take her to the Duke of Qi Mansion, how will you introduce her?”
“Naturally, as my daughter,” Liu Zhurong replied.
Chu Xilou looked displeased. “Her identity hasn’t been verified yet.”
Liu Zhurong’s expression was calm, and she said matter-of-factly, “Xingyu told me she really is just a little beggar from Cliff City.”
Chu Xilou said, “That doesn’t mean no one is behind her.”
Liu Zhurong smiled slightly. “Who would be behind her? Your Highness, you’re being far too cautious.”
Chu Xilou said gravely, “If I weren’t cautious, there might be no Prince Yong’s Manor left in Great Jin.”
Liu Zhurong paused for a moment. “I understand your concerns, Your Highness, but I don’t think she’s a bad person.”
Chu Xilou countered, “How do you know no one is behind her?”
“Intuition, I suppose,” Liu Zhurong said softly. “This child’s eyes are bright, beautiful, and clean.”
“If someone were truly manipulating her to scheme against the manor, her eyes would inevitably hide guilt and calculation—not a trace of murkiness could be concealed.”
“But she’s different. Though her manners are clumsy, she doesn’t know the rules, and her temperament is blunt and reckless, she’s utterly honest and full of youthful vitality.”
“All her happiness, unhappiness, timidity, reluctance, and even her little bits of resistance are plainly written on her face. Her emotions carry not the slightest pretense.”
After a pause, she lifted her eyes slightly, her tone firm. “Such a pure nature could never be someone’s puppet, and it’s not something a scheming, deep-minded person could fake.”
Chu Xilou frowned, still unwilling to believe that no one was behind Chu Mo.
“You’re being too hasty. How can you act on mere intuition?”
Liu Zhurong glanced at him and calmly sipped her tea. “The day Chu Mo appeared outside the manor, everyone who should know already knew.”
“These past few days, we haven’t thrown her out. Instead, we’ve let her stay in the manor. Outsiders probably assume the manor has already accepted her.”
“Since that’s the case, why not truly accept her as a daughter? She’d only be an adopted daughter anyway. If someone really is behind her, wouldn’t it be better to keep her right under our noses?”
Chu Xilou’s expression wavered.
He did indeed want to keep her under his watch, but no one had said anything about accepting her as a daughter.
An adopted daughter of Prince Yong’s Manor couldn’t be taken in so casually.
Seeing that Chu Xilou said nothing, Liu Zhurong spoke calmly. “Fine. Since you won’t accept her, I’ll accept her myself.”
Chu Xilou said, “…What difference does it make whether you accept her or I do?”
Liu Zhurong said, “There is a difference. After we divorce, we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”
At those words, Chu Xilou’s heart was struck like a thunderbolt. He stared at Liu Zhurong, his eyes full of disbelief, his voice rising sharply.
“What did you say? You want to divorce me?”
Liu Zhurong lowered her eyes, her expression so calm it was nearly indifferent.
“It was just an example. Why are you getting so worked up?”
Chu Xilou’s chest was still heaving, but his tightly clenched hands slowly relaxed, his voice still carrying a trace of unresolved tension.
“How could something like that be used as an example so casually?”
A pause. “Since you want to acknowledge her as your daughter, then go ahead. She’s just a little girl—nothing to worry about.”
Liu Zhurong smiled faintly. “Then I thank you, my lord.”
Chu Xilou’s face was expressionless. “Mm. Just don’t say the word ‘divorce’ again next time. It wouldn’t be good for the children to hear it.”
Liu Zhurong nodded perfunctorily. “Very well. I understand.”
Chu Xilou looked at her, his thin lips pressed together, leaning slightly forward as if he wanted to say something more—only to find himself unable to move from his wheelchair.
His eyes darkened. He raised a hand, turned the wheelchair around, and left. “It’s getting late. Rest well.”
Liu Zhurong glanced at him and nodded, saying nothing more. She rose and pushed his wheelchair out the door. Qing Lan, who had been waiting outside, came over at the sight.
Liu Zhurong let go, and Qing Lan continued pushing his wheelchair to the side chamber next to the main residence.
Ever since Chu Xilou’s legs had been crippled, he and Liu Zhurong had slept in separate rooms, because his legs ached night after night, often waking him in the middle of the night.
To avoid waking Liu Zhurong, he had no choice but to move out.
Sometimes he slept in the study, sometimes in the side chamber.
The servants in the Prince’s Mansion all envied the affection between the Prince and the Princess Consort.
But only the two of them and those close to them knew that cracks had long since appeared in their relationship.
Back in his room, Chu Xilou lay on the bed, closed his eyes against the pain in his legs, his mind replaying over and over Liu Zhurong’s words about divorce.
Divorce?
Why had those words slipped out of Arong’s mouth so easily?
Could it be that she had long wanted to divorce him?
After three consecutive days of learning etiquette under Nanny Li, Chu Mo had wilted quite a bit.
But the results were excellent.
At the very least, she now sat and stood with proper posture.
Over the past half month, she had eaten very well in the Prince’s Manor, so her face had filled out considerably—unlike when she first arrived, when she had been as skinny as a monkey.
Dressed in a pale yellow dress, her dark hair loosely tied into double buns with loose strands hanging by her cheeks, swaying gently whenever the wind blew.
She looked like a sprig of winter jasmine just beginning to bud—soft, delicate, and bright, without the slightest stiffness, the kind of child who charmed at a glance.
Liu Zhurong was very pleased. She had known this dress would suit Chu Mo perfectly.
Chu Mo’s complexion wasn’t porcelain-fair and delicate, but it wasn’t dark either—it carried a faint healthy glow that made the pale yellow dress look all the more vivid.
Her eyes sparkled as if holding sunlight, and her every movement radiated vibrant, lively energy. Just standing there, she gave off an overflowing vitality, fresh and spirited.
Liu Zhurong loved this lively, spirited quality about her.
She genuinely felt that having such a daughter was wonderful.
In the carriage, she gave careful instructions. “Momo, there will be many people at the Old Madam’s birthday banquet at the Duke of Qi Mansion. Once we’re inside, speak less, and don’t wander off on your own.”
Chu Mo nodded earnestly. “Yes, Mother.”
Before long, they arrived at the Duke of Qi Mansion.
The moment Liu Zhurong stepped down from the carriage, maids from the mansion came out to greet her.
Following the maids into the mansion, they arrived at the courtyard of Duke Qi’s Old Madam.
Chu Mo obediently followed behind Liu Zhurong.
“Princess Consort, I heard that Prince Yong’s Manor has taken in an adopted daughter. Is it true?” a lady in the room asked curiously.
At these words, everyone in the room turned to look at Liu Zhurong and Chu Mo standing beside her.
Judging by Chu Mo’s attire, she didn’t look like a maidservant—she must be the legendary adopted daughter.
With a calm expression, Liu Zhurong took Chu Mo’s hand and drew her to her side.
“The Prince and I have four sons, but alas, not a single daughter. This child shares a bond with me and the Prince, and from now on she shall be our own flesh-and-blood daughter.”