Shunhe Temple.
Liu Qingxu's suggestion was not opposed by Yan Siyuan. That very night, he had Jiang Jiu and Yu Hui disguise themselves as pilgrims from afar, donating a substantial sum of incense money. Then, the master and his two servants openly moved into the temple.
The quarters they stayed in were separated from Liu Qingxu's small courtyard by only a single wall. It must be said that with them staying like this, Liu Qingxu felt much more at ease.
But just as she prepared herself for Liu Yuanyin to come looking for trouble again, several days passed in peace and quiet, with Liu Yuanyin never showing up again.
Instead, in the neighboring quarters, a certain prince suddenly slammed down his bowl and chopsticks during breakfast.
"The Second Prince also went to the Liu family to propose marriage? Liu Jingwu agreed to marry his daughter to him?"
"Your Highness, please calm down first. The information I gathered is indeed true, but it is still uncertain which daughter General Liu has arranged the marriage for," Yu Hui hurriedly tried to comfort him.
"Then which daughter do you think Liu Jingwu will marry off to the Second Prince?" Yan Siyuan retorted with a darkened face.
"Well… I can't really say for sure," Yu Hui replied, scratching the back of his head and playing dumb.
Jiang Jiu, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but speak up upon seeing his prince's intense reaction. "Your Highness, although Miss Liu has done you a favor, this matter alone shouldn't make you fall for her. There are plenty of women in the world. Why trouble yourself by getting involved in such a messy situation for her sake?"
Yan Siyuan lowered his gaze, staring at his knees, and suddenly fell silent.
Fall for her?
In just a few days, how could he possibly fall for a woman!
He merely felt that he had been taken advantage of. That woman showed no shame, instead extorting him and even forcing him into servitude. He was filled with resentment and unwillingness…
Once he recovered, he would naturally teach her a proper lesson! Before he took his revenge on her, she absolutely could not marry! If she married, she would have a powerful backer—how could he then avenge the humiliation he had suffered?
Jiang Jiu and Yu Hui exchanged subtle glances.
Just as they thought they had enlightened their master, the prince sitting across from them finally spoke again.
"Return to the manor and prepare betrothal gifts. Go to the Liu family and propose marriage immediately!"
"What?!" the two guards exclaimed in unison.
"If I don't hear news of the proposal by tomorrow, don't bother coming to see me again!"
"Your Highness…" Yu Hui snapped back to reality, wanting to say something in disbelief.
"Yes, Your Highness. We will go and handle it right away." Jiang Jiu not only cut him off but also grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him out of the quarters.
Outside, Yu Hui shook off Jiang Jiu's hand and glared at him in dissatisfaction. "What are you doing? I still had something to say!"
Jiang Jiu's delicate face tightened, and he shot Yu Hui an annoyed look. "This is His Highness's lifelong matter. What did you want to say? Don't tell me you intended to stop the prince from getting married?"
"I…"
"Our prince has grown up without even touching a woman's hand. Now that he finally shows interest in one, can't you bear to see him happy?"
"That's true…" Reminded by this, Yu Hui brushed aside his earlier disbelief and immediately felt Jiang Jiu's words made sense.
"Alright, let's hurry back to the city. If the Princess Consort gets snatched away by the Crown Prince or the Second Prince, you can wash your neck clean and wait for the prince to chop it off!" Jiang Jiu was thoroughly annoyed by his wooden-headedness and pushed him down the mountain. "Let's go, let's go!"
…
Zhenguo General's Manor.
Liu Jingwu was in his study discussing with his younger daughter how to make Liu Qingxu agree to the Second Prince's marriage proposal when suddenly the old steward, Fu Lin, came to report.
"Reporting, General, someone from Prince Zhen Manor has arrived."
"Prince Zhen Manor?" Liu Jingwu looked at the old steward in confusion. "Didn't Prince Zhen go south for an inspection? When did he return to the capital?"
"No… Master, Prince Zhen didn't come. It's people from Prince Zhen Manor. They brought many betrothal gifts, saying they've come to propose marriage to the eldest young lady!" Fulin hurriedly explained.
"What? Prince Zhen is proposing marriage to Xu'er?" Liu Jingwu exclaimed, rising from his seat in shock.
Liu Yuanyin was equally astonished and quickly asked, "Father, is Prince Zhen that Little Imperial Uncle who is fated to be alone? There are rumors that he brings misfortune to his wives—several women who entered Prince Zhen Manor before all inexplicably became fools! How did Big Sister catch Prince Zhen's eye?"
Liu Jingwu's thick brows furrowed tightly. Though his face showed no signs of anger, his expression was far from pleasant.
"I'll go see for myself!" With that, he strode out of the study.
Regardless of the rumors about Prince Zhen circulating among the common folk, the mere act of proposing marriage was simply not in Prince Zhen's character!
Moreover, the timing was far too coincidental.
Why would Prince Zhen choose this moment to propose marriage? If word got out that the esteemed Little Imperial Uncle was competing with his own nephew for a woman…
The court would surely be thrown into an uproar!
Liu Yuanyin did not follow immediately. Instead, she remained where she was, gritting her teeth fiercely, her almond-shaped eyes filled with jealousy and hatred.
She hated! She hated! She truly hated with all her heart!
That wretched Liu Qingxu was truly despicable, attracting the attention of so many men—and all of them the most distinguished men in Yuyan Guo!
She was nothing but a legitimate daughter, relying entirely on the Zhenguo General's Manor and her father! If it weren't for that wretch, she, Liu Yuanyin, would be the only daughter of the Zhenguo General's Manor. Those men would be flocking around her, not Liu Qingxu!
She simply couldn't understand why the poison she had administered earlier hadn't killed Liu Qingxu. She had succeeded, yet the wretch had somehow survived. If only she had added more poison, ensuring that wretched woman died beyond any hope of revival!
…
Shunhe Temple.
Seeing Liu Jingwu arrive, Liu Qingxu was quite surprised.
"Oh, what wind has blown Father here? Have you come to see if your daughter is thoroughly dead yet?"
"You!" Liu Jingwu nearly choked on his anger before he could even speak. His face hardened, and he cut straight to the point, pointing at her and demanding furiously, "When did you get involved with Prince Zhen?"
"Involved? Prince Zhen?" Liu Qingxu looked at him blankly, momentarily stunned. But seeing Liu Jingwu's aggressive demeanor, as if she had committed some unspeakable disgrace, the corners of her lips curled into an even more mocking smile. "To ensure your younger daughter can smoothly marry the Crown Prince and become the Crown Princess, is Father willing to go to such lengths to tarnish my reputation? Even if it means dragging the Liu family's honor through the mud?"
"You insolent wretch, how dare you act so recklessly in front of me again!" Liu Jingwu suddenly raised his arm.
Liu Qingxu swiftly dodged to the side.
She wiped the smile from her face, her expression cold and filled with disgust as she glared at him. "Which of my words was wrong? Or did every single one strike a nerve?"
It wasn't that her attitude was deliberately harsh—it was simply that the experiences of the past six months had made it impossible for her to respect this so-called father!
Moreover, the eldest daughter of the Liu family had already been poisoned to death by Liu Yuanyin. Death extinguishes life like a lamp, meaning all the gratitude, debts, affection, and ties between the eldest daughter of the Liu family and the Liu family have come to an end. As for her, a soul from the 21st century, although she had borrowed the body of the Liu family's eldest daughter, she had neither been raised by the Liu family nor owed them any affection. Why should she have to endure Liu Jingwu's temper and let him control her?
Seeing that his slap had missed its target, Liu Jingwu grew even more furious and demanded, "Tell me, what exactly is your relationship with Prince Zhen? Why did he propose to you?"
Liu Qingxu furrowed her willow-like brows and fell silent for a moment.
What was her relationship with Prince Zhen?
No relationship at all!
It was said that Prince Zhen was eccentric and reclusive. In all the years her original self had lived, she had only heard some stories about Prince Zhen and had no idea what he even looked like. How could she possibly have any connection with him?
Still, Prince Zhen was quite intriguing. It was said that he was the younger brother of the current emperor, the youngest son of the previous emperor, a full twenty years younger than the current emperor, and even a year younger than the Crown Prince.
She understood why the Crown Prince had proposed—it was to secure the military power in Liu Jingwu's hands.
But why had Prince Zhen proposed to her?
Was it also to win over Liu Jingwu and gain control of his military power?
That wasn't even the most important part. What mattered was that these two men were of different generations—an uncle and his nephew proposing to the same woman. What kind of nonsense was that?
Just as her mind was swirling with confusion and disbelief, she heard Liu Jingwu say coldly, "The Second Prince has personally come to the residence with betrothal gifts. Seeing his deep affection for you, I have already agreed to betroth you to him once you give your consent!"
"What? The Second Prince also wants to marry me?" Before she could fully process the earlier news, Liu Qingxu nearly jumped up upon hearing about the Second Prince's actions.
"What is your decision?" Liu Jingwu stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing and threatening aura as he glared at her, demanding an immediate answer.
Her decision?
To hell with it!
Liu Qingxu nearly cursed out loud.
But in the end, reason prevailed, and she swallowed the angry words that had risen to her throat.
She was about to leave the capital. If she were to turn against Liu Jingwu now, there was no telling what he might do to her! If agreeing to a marriage could bring her temporary peace and give her enough time to gather funds and leave, that might not be a bad strategy.
But as for choosing a fiancé…
That was truly difficult.
The Crown Prince was out of the question, lest she face retaliation from Liu Jingwu and Liu Yuanyin, that father-daughter pair. Besides, the Crown Prince already had women in his life, and she simply couldn't accept a polygamous relationship, even if there were no feelings involved.
The Second Prince or Little Imperial Uncle Prince Zhen?
Although the Second Prince seemed gentle and considerate, Prince Zhen was the elder. Between the status of an aunt and a niece-in-law, the aunt's status was undoubtedly more advantageous! In fact, it even placed her above the Crown Prince!
Most importantly, if she chose Prince Zhen, even if the Crown Prince hated her, with Little Imperial Uncle Prince Zhen as a shield, what was there to fear?
"Have you decided?"
"Prince Zhen."
"Are you certain?" Liu Jingwu's eyes darkened slightly, surprised by her choice.
"Yes." Liu Qingxu nodded firmly.
"Since you have made your decision, I will now go and inform Prince Zhen so that you two can set a date for the wedding."
Liu Jingwu's purpose in coming to Shunhe Temple was to force his daughter to make a choice. Now that his goal was achieved, he didn't stay a moment longer. From his arrival to his departure, he didn't even sit down, let alone offer any words of concern.
Liu Qingxu watched him leave the monastic cell, feeling nothing but contempt.
After sitting silently in the room for a while, she no longer felt like sleeping. Remembering the master and his two servants in the neighboring cell, she left her room and leaped over the courtyard wall to land outside their door.
Seeing her arrival, Yu Hui warmly invited her inside, arranging a cushion and serving tea with both hands, his smiling face as cheerful as a festive mascot.
As the saying goes, one doesn't strike a smiling face. While she held little affection for Lord Si, she was quite satisfied with his two subordinates. It was said Jiang Jiu's medical skills were remarkable. If she could keep him by her side and make use of him, that would be a gain for her.
After all, she had only signed an agreement with Lord Si. Getting two capable subordinates as a bonus was a bargain she likely wouldn't find elsewhere.
"Miss Liu, I heard General Liu came?" Yu Hui sat cross-legged on the floor, starting a conversation with her.
Liu Qingxu thought he admired Liu Jingwu and was inquiring out of respect. She didn't mind his question, but mentioning Liu Jingwu cooled her expression slightly.
"Yes."
"What did General Liu come to see you about? Could it be to take you back to the manor?"
"No."
"Then why did General Liu come…"
"He came to force me into marriage." Liu Qingxu said expressionlessly, then glanced at the master and his two servants before suddenly adding, "In a few days, I might leave this place and go elsewhere."
"Go elsewhere? Aren't you returning to the city?" Yu Hui exclaimed in surprise, unable to resist glancing toward his master, who was meditating with closed eyes not far away.
Sure enough, Yan Siyuan abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze dark and fixed intently on Liu Qingxu.
Jiang Jiu couldn't help but lean closer to them, asking in confusion, "Miss Liu, what happened? Why do you need to go elsewhere?"
Though Liu Qingxu didn't know the full background of this master and his servants, she sensed no malice from them.
Besides, when the Crown Prince and the Second Prince had come looking for her a few days ago, Lord Si already knew about their pestering. Hiding things now would seem too affected.
"To be honest, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the current Little Imperial Uncle, Prince Zhen, all proposed to me at the Liu family simultaneously. I chose Prince Zhen."
"Ha…"
Yu Hui had barely made a sound when Jiang Jiu swiftly covered his mouth, pushed him toward Yan Siyuan, and turned him away from Liu Qingxu, giving him a warning and a meaningful look.
You fool, what are you laughing at? Miss Liu still doesn't know that our Lord Si is Prince Zhen!
Yu Hui was somewhat displeased with his rough handling and was about to argue when he suddenly sensed a chilling, sinister aura beside him. Turning his head, he met his own prince's dark, piercing eyes, sharp enough to flay him alive.
A shiver ran down his spine as he realized he had almost given them away. He quickly lowered his head, wishing he could find a crack to hide in.
Liu Qingxu looked at them suspiciously, frowning. "What's going on?"
If she wasn't mistaken, Yu Hui had been about to laugh just now?
What was so funny?
Jiang Jiu leaned in with a 'hehe' laugh and continued asking, "Miss Liu, since you've chosen to marry Prince Zhen, why would you still leave and go elsewhere? If you run away from the marriage, Prince Zhen will surely not let you off once he finds out."
“I said marrying Prince Zhen was merely a delaying tactic, intended to use his status to resist the Crown Prince’s forced marriage.”
“Heh…” Jiang Jiu gave a dry laugh, then secretly glanced at his own prince.
Yan Siyuan’s face instantly darkened, his thin lips pressed into a sharp, cold line, his gaze shooting toward a certain woman as if dipped in poison.
Liu Qingxu, lost in her own thoughts at the moment, had no mind to notice his reaction.
A moment later, she lowered her eyes and stood up to leave.
Jiang Jiu anxiously stopped her. “Miss Liu, you haven’t explained why you ran away from the marriage yet?”
If he didn’t get this matter clarified in front of the prince, once she left, the prince would surely take his anger out on him and Yu Hui!