nycdaug Chapter 151 Happy New Year! Wishing everyone happiness and joy!
Chapter 151 Happy New Year! Wishing everyone happiness and joy!
Shangguan Mufeng: "Let me put it this way, as long as Zisu is willing to accept you, I won't object. In other words, if Zisu is unwilling to accept you, then please forgive me for being unable to help you!"
"Thank you, General!" Prince Duan was quite satisfied with the result and happily went back to his room next door.
Hehe, as long as General Shangguan doesn't stop him or object, that's enough! In the future, as long as he shamelessly visits the General's Mansion often, he'll have opportunities to see Zisu frequently. Over time, she'll be able to feel his sincerity and true feelings.
Zisu is a loyal and affectionate person, and sincerity and true feelings are what truly touch her heart. He has reason to believe that as long as he is sincere and devoted, she will eventually accept him.
With his cousins gone and Shangguan Mufeng's promise fulfilled, Prince Duan was overjoyed and returned to the palace with his guards.
Consort Qin, who had been waiting anxiously, burst into tears of joy upon hearing of her son's return. Surrounded by maids and servants, she arrived at Rongrui Hall and rushed towards Prince Duan without saying a word: "My son, you're finally back! I've missed you so much!"
Prince Duan pushed her away calmly, not putting on a show of motherly affection. Instead, he said seriously, "In your heart, isn't your cousin more important than me? Otherwise, why do you insist on going against my wishes and keeping so many cousins in the palace, making it impossible for me to go home! This feeling is very unpleasant, don't you know that?"
It's really hard to feel like you can't go home.
During his time in Wuliping, he originally planned to return to the Prince's Mansion every ten days for three to five days to spend time with his mother and help her suppress Madam Lu and her children. He also intended to handle other matters as well. However, his mother disappointed him greatly. Not only did she not send Qin Caihong away, but she even brought over a whole bunch of cousins.
The Prince's mansion, with its hordes of female cousins, is a den of wolves. If he dares to go back to live there, he might easily be drugged by one of them and forced into a sexual relationship. Even worse, he might be drugged by his own mother and forced into a sexual relationship with one of the female cousins. If that happened, Zisu would definitely not want him anymore, and he would have nowhere to turn to cry.
He could manage to be wary of his cousins. But if his mother personally prepared food and tea for him, he couldn't possibly refuse to eat a single bite, could he? In that case, it would be impossible to guard against them!
Consort Qin said guiltily, "Hao'er, it was my fault, it was my fault, okay? From now on, I will not bring your cousins to live in the Prince's Mansion without your permission."
Prince Duan: "Mother, you'd better keep your word, otherwise, even if I give birth to a son in the future, I won't let you even take a look at him!"
Empress Dowager Qin broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly said, "Mother understands, Mother will never make such a mistake again, please forgive me this time!" She knew her own son well; he always kept his word, and if she angered him, he was capable of anything.
Prince Duan: "Mother, I'm not trying to be mean, but besides wanting to marry Princess Yulin, there's another very important reason why I don't like my cousins!"
"What's the reason?" Consort Qin was very surprised. What else could be causing her son to be so concerned?
Prince Duan said, "Do you know that children born from consanguineous marriages are often unfit to raise? They're either disabled or sickly." This was what Zisu told him; she had subtly advised him against marrying his cousin. He sent people to investigate, and indeed, the harm caused by marrying his cousin was significant.
Consort Qin: "Nonsense! There are many cousins who get married. If that's the case, why are there still so many cousins getting married?"
Prince Duan said, “If Mother doesn’t believe me, she can go and investigate. See if the children born to those cousins who get married are all weak. As for those with disabilities, Mother may not be able to find out. Those children with disabilities were either drowned or sent to remote places.”
Consort Qin looked on incredulously: "Are you trying to scare me? Are you trying to deceive me? Are you making up this lie to avoid marrying your cousins?"
Prince Duan: "I have plenty of ways to avoid marrying them, why would I lie to you? Take Xiao Fan for example, his two children with his cousin Qian are both deformed. Have you heard about that?"
Consort Qin was startled: "I think I heard a bit of a rumor, but I thought it was just Shangguan Zhihua spreading rumors, so I didn't take it seriously."
Prince Duan: "This is absolutely true. Otherwise, why would Lady Qian be demoted to a concubine? Why would she go mad? You must know that Lady Qian is Xiao Fan's mother's niece. If she hadn't committed some heinous crime, how could she have been demoted to a concubine? Mother, you can inquire about this matter. You will surely find the truth!"
Consort Qin was startled: "So, cousins getting married is absolutely unacceptable?"
Prince Duan: "Mother, I don't want to say more about this, it's pointless. Here's what we'll do: when you have time, inquire about the families where cousins marry, and whether their children are physically weak. However, most of those with disabilities are given away, so you probably won't be able to find out."
Consort Qin: "Hearing you say that, I'll have to find out for myself. If it's true, I promise I won't force you to marry your cousin, not even as a concubine. Oh dear, if the child is a freak, even if she's an illegitimate daughter, it won't be acceptable!"
She broke out in a cold sweat. Luckily, her son refused to come home; otherwise, she would have drugged him and forced him to have sex with Rainbow. In that case, her grandson, even if not a freak, would be sickly.
Just thinking about this situation makes her heart pound like a drum.
You see, all of Mrs. Lu's grandchildren are healthy and lively. If her grandchildren were mentally challenged or sickly, wouldn't she be ridiculed to death by Mrs. Lu?!
Throughout her life, she almost never won against Lady Lu! In her youth, her husband doted on Lady Lu; after his death, she wanted to expel Lady Lu and her children from the palace, but her husband left behind such a will that prevented her from doing so. Now, Lady Lu is surrounded by her children and grandchildren, while she remains all alone.
Her daughter was having a hard time, and her son was fighting on the border. She spent every holiday alone. This loneliness, this solitude, was like insects gnawing at her heart—so desolate, so unbearable! If even her grandchildren were deformed or sickly, she wouldn't be able to go on living!
Prince Duan was filled with mixed emotions upon realizing he had successfully frightened his mother. On one hand, he didn't want to frighten her, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief. Now, his mother wouldn't be so determined to force his cousins onto her! Once he resolved the issue of his cousins, his mother wouldn't be so adamant about trying to force women onto him after he married Zisu!
With Zisu's abilities and courage, it wasn't impossible for her to win over her mother. He trusted Zisu, without reason; he simply trusted her. Moreover, he felt that only a woman like Zisu could tame someone like his mother.
Before even leaving the capital, Qin Caihong wanted to get off the carriage: "Stop the carriage! I'm not going home yet, I'm going to my uncle's house!" Back home, five hundred li from the capital, what chance would she have of seeing her cousin again? No, she wouldn't go back, she would rather die than go back!
The guard completely ignored her: "I'm sorry, my mission is to take you back to the Qin family!"
The coachman naturally obeyed the guards, as he was from the Prince Duan's residence. The carriage didn't stop; instead, it sped up, traveling rapidly. By the time they stopped to rest, they were already fifty or sixty li away from the capital.
At this moment, they are in the middle of nowhere. Stopping is to allow everyone to relieve themselves, eat some dry rations, and stretch their legs. Each carriage has two drivers, enabling them to travel day and night to get the people there as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if they stay overnight in towns along the way and someone runs away, it would be a real problem!
Along the way, the guards deliberately chose to rest in desolate wilderness areas, only once each time.
They rested for fifteen minutes. Then they set off again, leaving the young ladies no chance to escape.
Qin Caihong was furious and couldn't help but curse the whole way.
Although the guards were angry, they couldn't be bothered with her. They made the coachman drive the carriage as fast as he could, hoping to get these troublesome women to their destination within a day.
Returning to her long-lost hometown, Qin Caihong found everything disagreeable.
The main streets were so dilapidated and short; the alleys were so dark and dirty; the old house was so cramped, so gloomy and run-down. Even the young men who were once considered handsome were now beneath my notice; they seemed so ugly and lacking in manners.
In short, she was dissatisfied with everything, deeply missing the bustling capital and the magnificent royal palace. Most unforgettable, most infatuated with, was her stunningly handsome cousin, the prince.
Less than three days after returning home, she secretly ran away with her two personal maids. Before leaving, she took all her gold and silver jewelry and headed straight for the capital.
That day, Zisu was selecting jewelry at the Treasure Pavilion when a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old suddenly rushed over. The girl seemed to have a grudge against her, glaring at her fiercely and throwing out the words, "Shangguan Zisu, you seduced my prince cousin, you shameless slut!" before turning and disappearing from sight.
The other party didn't even give Zisu a chance to retaliate, leaving her speechless with anger. If that person were still standing in front of her, she would definitely give them a vicious slap.
Xiangli loudly asked the shopkeeper, "Whose daughter was that just now?"
The shopkeeper frowned and thought for a moment: "It seems to be from the Duan Prince's residence. I think she came here once with the Dowager Consort Qin. That's right, she's from the Duan Prince's residence. I remember that young lady has a beauty mark on her face!"
"From Prince Duan's residence? She came here with Consort Qin?" Zisu was furious and said to Xiangli, "It seems this person must be Prince Duan's cousin! Didn't they say his cousins had all gone back to their hometown?"
Xiangli: "That's what the prince said. Does that mean he's back again?"
"Shopkeeper, please wrap up all these pieces of jewelry." Zisu smiled faintly.
The shopkeeper smiled broadly: "Yes, thank you for your patronage, Princess!"
The pieces of jewelry that Princess Yulin had her eye on didn't seem particularly remarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, each one was an exquisite work of art, quite expensive, probably worth two or three thousand taels of silver in total. This was understated luxury; it seemed the rumors that Princess Yulin was now quite wealthy were indeed true.
Princess Yulin rarely set foot in the Treasure Pavilion, but every time she did, her spending was extraordinary. Each visit involved at least a thousand taels of silver. Indeed, everything she bought was of the highest quality; she would never buy anything of shoddy craftsmanship.
"Princess, please take care. Welcome back again!" The shopkeeper happily saw Shangguan Zisu and her maid off.
Back at the General's Mansion, Zisu gave the jewelry she had bought to Madam Yu and had a cup of tea with her. Then she changed into a more fitted outfit, turned around and left the General's Mansion, banging loudly on the door next door.
"Coming, coming! Who is it, knocking so urgently?" The doorman muttered irritably as he unlatched the door.
You should know that this used to be the residence of the Commander of the Nine Gates, and now it's a villa of the Prince Duan's mansion; everyone living nearby knows that. Who on earth has the audacity to knock on the door like this?
Upon opening the door, the gatekeeper was both surprised and delighted to find that it was Princess Yulin from next door. He quickly greeted her with a fawning smile, "It's the princess! Welcome, welcome! Please come in, princess!"
Zisu: "Is your prince home?"
Gatekeeper: "Reporting to the Princess, the Prince is at home."
Zisu: "Lead the way!"
The gatekeeper hurriedly and respectfully said, "Alright, please come with me, Princess!" Everyone in this courtyard knew that their master liked Princess Yulin, and the prince had said that if Princess Yulin came looking for him, there was no need to announce her arrival; she could be taken directly to see him.
At that very moment, Prince Duan was writing a memorial in his study when a guard came to report: "Your Highness, Princess Yulin has arrived, and the gatekeeper is leading her this way!"
What?! Perilla is here?!
Prince Duan was both surprised and delighted. He quickly stood up, tidied his appearance in front of the mirror, and then tidied the papers and books on his desk before stepping out the door to greet Zisu's arrival.
He's been living here for almost half a month, and he's been to the General's Mansion at least ten times. However, this is Zisu's first time visiting Qinyuan. He's invited her to come and visit many times, but she hasn't given him the slightest face.
Today, she actually came on her own initiative. How could he not be overjoyed?
Upon seeing Zisu from afar, he warmly greeted her: "Zisu, you've arrived! You're a rare guest, please come in!"
Zisu rolled her eyes at him and walked into the study on her own. Prince Duan quickly followed her in.
Zisu went over and closed the door.
Prince Duan was taken aback. What was she trying to do by closing the door? Could it be that she wanted to kiss him? Just as he was thinking this, he was suddenly slapped across the face by Zisu.
Prince Duan was dumbfounded and stammered, "Why did you hit me?"
Zisu: "Today, I was peacefully buying jewelry at the Treasure Pavilion when suddenly a lady in a gorgeous dress came up to me and, without saying a word, called me a shameless hussy. The manager of the Treasure Pavilion said that the lady who insulted me had been to the Treasure Pavilion with my mother. In my judgment, that ill-mannered lady is one of the Prince's cousins."
Oh, right, that lady had a beauty mark on her face, so the shopkeeper remembers her very clearly. It's all your fault for causing all this trouble. You said I was publicly insulted and called a slut for no reason, so I slapped you. Are you upset? If you are, then slap me back two times over, and I won't say a word!"
A beauty mark? That means it's my cousin Rainbow! But didn't she go back to her hometown? Could it be that she's back in Beijing sometime ago?
Prince Duan quickly smiled apologetically, "I'm so sorry. I'll go back to my residence today to see if it's my cousin who came to the capital. If the person who insulted you is my cousin, I will definitely not let her off easily. I will bring her before you and make her apologize!"
Zisu sneered: "I can't afford to offend the cousin of the Prince Duan! I already regret slapping you today! Who is the Prince Duan? He is His Majesty's most beloved nephew. How could I, a mere commoner princess, dare to offend the Prince Duan! Yet, one of the Prince Duan's cousins dared to insult me in a place like the Treasure Pavilion, in front of so many ladies and young ladies."
"I can't afford to offend Prince Duan's people, especially his women! Forget about apologizing; just keep your woman in check and don't let her bite anyone. I'll be thanking my lucky stars! Humph! You already have a woman, and you still have the nerve to propose to the General's mansion? You've got some nerve!"
After saying this angrily, Zisu turned around and went to open the door.
Prince Duan reacted swiftly, grabbing her arm and pulling her into his embrace. He held her tightly, saying, "Zisu, you've misunderstood me. I have no other woman. I haven't given any other woman a second glance except you. My heart and soul belong to you alone!"
His embrace sent a shiver of pleasure through Zisu's body, a strange and wonderful sensation she had never experienced before, in both her past and present lives. Her face flushed, and she struggled violently, crying, "Let me go, or I'll scream for help!"
---Dear friends, Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing you all happiness and joy, and a blissful family life! Please vote with your monthly tickets! If we get 85 monthly tickets, I'll add an extra chapter. Thank you everyone!