Faced with Xu Yu'er’s unreasonable suggestion, Xu Bao'er did not take it to heart. Her older sister was extremely jealous and could not stand seeing others live well.
“There’s no need to trouble yourself, Sister.”
“Some time ago, I discussed taking concubines with my husband.”
“My husband firmly refused, saying that his health was not very good. Having me alone is enough for him.”
Using Zhou Jin’s words to shut down the matter of taking concubines could not have been more appropriate for Xu Bao'er.
Over the years, Zhou Jin had never touched her, but he had not touched any other women either. Quite a few people had previously sent women to Zhou Jin, but he rejected them all.
Therefore, Xu Bao'er’s words were extremely convincing.
Many people suspected that none of the imperial princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty were capable in that regard. As one of them, Zhou Jin naturally could not escape suspicion either.
Xu Yu'er did not dare ask Zhou Jin to verify whether it was true. She had avoided Zhou Jin all these years, afraid that he might lose his reason and hack her to death with a single stroke.
Although she still did not know what Zhou Jin looked like, Xu Bao'er was satisfied that he was not fond of women.
“If Sister insists on sending someone, why not wait until my husband arrives and discuss it with him personally?”
“No, no.”
Xu Yu'er hurriedly refused. She absolutely could not meet Prince Duan.
The empress had already disliked the fact that Xu Yu'er had nearly married Prince Duan, and had always harbored a grudge over it. Believing that the crown prince had suffered a great loss, she made things difficult for Xu Yu'er at every turn.
If the empress found out that she had secretly met Prince Duan and even discussed something as private as taking concubines, she would probably tear her apart.
“Then there’s no need for Sister to trouble herself over this matter.”
Xu Bao'er smiled and patted Xu Yu'er’s hand, delivering a silent counterattack.
Xu Yu'er had failed to gain any advantage and was displeased. Seeing that the time for the end of court session was approaching, she hurriedly left to avoid running into Prince Duan.
Who would have thought that Xu Yu'er would suffer explosive diarrhea that very night? She never managed to leave the latrine and was nearly drained of all strength.
“Damn Xu Bao'er! It must have been her.”
Xu Yu'er did not dare make a fuss. After all, no one could know that she had gone to Prince Duan's Residence. Besides, the imperial physician found nothing after examining her, so she could only swallow this grievance in silence.
Because of this, the crown prince disliked her even more, always feeling that Xu Yu'er smelled foul.
After returning from the end of court session, Zhou Jin changed into a set of blue-green bamboo-patterned everyday clothes and sat before the table reading official documents.
“That’s what she said?”
After hearing the Shadow Guard’s report, Zhou Jin tossed the official document in his hand onto the table, his expression unreadable.
“Yes.”
The Shadow Guard answered respectfully. He had just reported to Zhou Jin that Xu Bao'er had met the crown princess.
This naturally included the matters of consummation of marriage and taking concubines.
Zhou Jin let out a soft laugh. His long, narrow auspicious phoenix eyes lifted, their gaze cold and sharp like an eagle’s. He rotated the jade thumb ring on his hand with a languid motion, yet his presence was intimidating.
“She certainly has some nerve.”
“She even dares to make up lies.”
The Shadow Guard did not dare respond. He was only responsible for monitoring the princess consort and reporting what he saw; he had no authority to comment on his master’s affairs.
Zhou Jin had no intention of making an issue of it. Although he found Xu Bao'er’s act of borrowing the emperor’s authority to intimidate others disgusting,
compared with seeing the xu family members, this disgust amounted to nothing.
If the emperor did not loathe him so deeply and deliberately keep Xu Bao'er as a means of humiliating him, the substitute marriage would have resulted in the Xu Family’s extermination of nine clans had it involved any other imperial prince.
At this thought, Zhou Jin narrowed his long, narrow eyes, revealing murderous intent.
Was the emperor truly unable to see through the schemes of xu family’s legitimate daughter when he married her to the crown prince? No. He was using the distinction between legitimate and secondary lineage to secretly reprimand Zhou Jin.
After dominating battlefields for so many years, Zhou Jin had rarely suffered a loss. Yet he had been schemed against by the xu family members in marriage and had become the laughingstock of the entire capital city.
One day, he would exterminate the entire Xu Family to avenge this grudge.
Xu Bao'er had not expected the Princess Consort of Prince Duan to have so much free time. Zhou Jin disliked her, so the prince’s residence had not handed authority over to her.
Apart from reading storybooks every day, Xu Bao'er had no other amusement. It was truly unbearably boring.
“Come on, let’s go out onto the streets.”
“Princess consort, absolutely not.”
“If prince finds out, we’ll be finished.”
Faced with Xu Bao'er’s suggestion, Cuihua immediately panicked. Her round face became twisted with anxiety.
What was there to fear? Xu Bao'er thought that if Prince Duan got angry, she would be angry too!
That brute had used such force. The bruises on her body had not even faded yet.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“We’ll sneak out. This princess consort will take responsibility if anything happens.”
Cuihua was not very old, appearing to be only fourteen or fifteen. But her mind was as rigid as that of an old man in his seventies or eighties, and she was stubbornly set in her ways.
Whenever Xu Bao'er suggested taking her outside, Cuihua acted as though Xu Bao'er were asking for her life.
“Forget it. This princess consort will go first.”
“Keep watch for me.”
Without giving Cuihua a chance to refuse, Xu Bao'er began packing her things.
The Great Zhou Dynasty did not impose particularly strict restrictions on women. Widows who had given birth to children were especially sought after. Since childbirth was extremely difficult for women in ancient times, ordinary households did not care much about chastity.
After all, having been married before was not a stain on a woman’s reputation.
“Princess consort, why not report this to prince?”
“It isn’t safe to go out on your own.”
Xu Bao'er had no intention of telling Zhou Jin. If she did, she certainly would not be allowed out. Zhou Jin had always treated her as a spy sent by the emperor and would never let her move about freely by herself.
“Enough, Cuihua. You have to remember that you are this princess consort’s personal maid.”
“If you don’t take this princess consort’s side, this princess consort will sell you.”
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Cuihua hurriedly covered her mouth in fright, indicating that she would keep the secret.
Xu Bao'er changed into men's clothing and left Prince Duan's Residence under the cover of nightshade.
Xu Bao'er had actually noticed long ago that someone was following her, and had guessed that they were people from prince Rui’s residence. This time, she evaded the Shadow Guard’s line of sight and successfully slipped out of the residence.
“Boss, bring me one serving of every House Specialty Dish.”
Xu Bao'er was hungry, so she quickly found a famous restaurant and went in for a feast.
Xu Bao'er did not feel sorry at all about spending Zhou Jin’s money.
A husband’s money was naturally meant for his wife to spend. If she did not spend it herself, who knew which little vixen would benefit later?
“All right, coming right up.”
Soon, a table laden with delicious dishes was served, and Xu Bao'er focused on eating. However, her appearance was too eye-catching, and it was not long before some busybody came looking for trouble.
“Well, aren’t you delicate and tender?”
“For a man to be this handsome, he was born to be pinned beneath someone.”
The filthy words were unbearable to hear.
Xu Bao'er looked up and saw a man in his thirties wearing an extremely tacky ingot hat. His face was covered in folds of fat, and when he grinned, foul breath washed over her.
He held a fan in one fat hand and tapped Xu Bao'er’s table with it. His protruding belly looked just like a warty toad.
“Hahaha, pretty boy, our young master Fu has taken a fancy to you. You should consider yourself lucky.”
“Hurry up and thank him for his grace.” The pretty boy’s attendant was an extreme sycophant.
“Sure.”
Xu Bao'er answered with a smile and casually snatched up the chopsticks on the table. Bracing one hand against the table, she drove the chopsticks backward with her other hand, viciously stabbing them into the fat toad’s palm.
“Ah!” With a pig-slaughtering scream, the fat toad immediately began bawling and crying for his parents.
“Does it hurt? Good. That means it’s working.”
“Watch your mouth next time.” Xu Bao'er had no intention of indulging the fat toad. Anyone who provoked her was asking for death.
“Let our young master go at once! Men, get him!”
The fat toad’s guards drew their long sabers one after another and charged at Xu Bao'er, hacking fiercely.
Xu Bao'er did not panic in the slightest. With the fat toad still pinned to the table, she simply used him as a human shield.
The guards did not dare act recklessly, terrified of accidentally striking the fat toad.
“Be careful! Don’t cut young master. If you hit me, you’re all dead!”
“Little Brother, spare my life! I’ll never speak so offensively again.” The fat toad was in excruciating pain and hurriedly begged for mercy.
Xu Bao'er could not be bothered to waste any more time on the fat toad. After kicking him hard, she threw down a silver ingot and quickly slipped away.
“You brat, don’t let me catch you! If I do, I’ll kill you!”
The fat toad fell onto the ground and cursed at Xu Bao'er.
Xu Bao'er had not run far when a black-clad youth blocked her at the entrance of a small alley. A man in black accompanied him.
Their eyes met, and Xu Bao'er was dazed for a moment.
The man in black was exceptionally heroic-looking, with relaxed brows and bright eyes. His indifferent gaze was distant and cold, carrying an overbearing arrogance. Auspicious clouds and cranes were embroidered in silver thread along his broad sleeves.
At a glance, it was clear that he was a noble young master from an exceedingly prestigious family.
“Young master, your martial arts are impressive.”
“What do you want?” Xu Bao'er was highly vigilant in the face of the black-clad youth’s overture of friendship.
“My fourth brother and I simply want to be friends with you.”
Hah, it looks like you are the one who wants to be friends with me. Your fourth brother clearly has no such intention. From just now until now, that man called fourth brother has not even looked at me properly.
Xu Bao'er could not help complaining inwardly.
“I am Zhou Zhao, the ninth child in my family. This is my fourth brother, Zhou Jin.”
Zhou Jin!
Xu Bao'er abruptly turned toward the man in black. So he was the brute from that night!