Chapter 85 Part One

  "Hiss!"

  On the seventh day of summer, I seemed to have heard a faint sigh.

  Not only was she stunned, but also the maidservants and eunuchs who were kneeling on the ground listening to the imperial edict together with her were instantly petrified into statues, each one as stupid as a wooden chicken, completely at a loss and not knowing how to react.

  Chu Qi was a person of King Jin Zhao Zun, not only in the palace of King Jin, but also in the city of Jing Shi, everyone knew about the affair, and the old emperor, although he was in the Golden Hall, had never been a confused person, how could he possibly not know?

  Is it just going to end like this?

  He gave his most beloved Princess Ziyue to him, a "favored concubine" of Zhao Jun?

  How ridiculous!

  But will she accept it or not?

  If she accepted, she was a woman, how could she be responsible for Ziyue?

  If she doesn't accept, what reason can she use to refuse? Not accepting is disobeying the imperial edict. Moreover, how can she possibly reveal her true identity as a woman? That would not only be her deceiving the emperor but also Zhao Jun doing so, making them accomplices. After all, it was Zhao Jun who had handled all the official procedures for her to become a good doctor.

  The originally quiet house was even quieter, to the point where one could hear the sound of breathing.

  Everyone's eyes fell on Xia Chuqi at once.

  Rubbing her sore knees, Xia Chuqi lifted her head up.

  "Your Honor, sir, can we discuss this matter?"

  He hadn't expected her to ask such a question when receiving the imperial edict, and he had never met anyone who dared to be so presumptuous while receiving the sacred decree. Cui Ying's two thick eyelids drooped, twitched slightly, before she hummed in that peculiar, nasal tone of hers.

  "Your Majesty has spoken, although you have been promoted to the sixth rank of the Imperial Hospital as a right judge, but considering that the King of Jin has been traveling for many years and his body is worn out, he also needs care. You are specially allowed to continue taking care of the King of Jin at Liangyi Medical House before the King of Jin leaves the capital. After the King of Jin leaves the capital, you will go to the Imperial Hospital."

  This intention is too mysterious.

  Continue serving elder brother first, then marry younger sister after elder brother leaves?

  Was the old emperor afraid of a big stick hitting Zhao Kuang and triggering his backlash?

  Lost in thought, Cui Ying didn't notice what was said next, her mind a bit dizzy. The arrangement of fate was too mysterious, she originally thought that according to the law of crossing over, being a princess might still be possible, but now how did she accidentally become the prince consort?

  "Chu Qi, why haven't you received the imperial edict yet?"

  Seeing her there in a daze, Zhao Ziyue's face turned red as she softly called out.

  "Ah?" She tilted her head and asked, "Can you still go back on your word after receiving the imperial edict?"

  "You..." Zhao Ziyue was so angry that she couldn't speak, her small face suddenly turned red.

  Listening to their dialogue, the eunuch Cui Yingda's eyelids twitched again, and he looked at Xia Chuyi with incredulity. He snorted, raised his dustpan, and shouted in a high-pitched voice.

  "Is the imperial physician going against the emperor's decree?"

  His androgynous voice made Xia Chuqi's hair stand on end. But then she heard Zhao Zun say in her ear, "Don't you want to thank him?"

  She glanced at him sideways.

  "Received the imperial decree."

  His face was expressionless, unable to discern any joy or anger. She looked at him deeply, her body knelt down, her head bowed to the ground, and kowtowed.

  "Chu Qi thanked Your Majesty for his great kindness, long live, long live, forever and ever!"

  He took the imperial edict with both hands, and Cui Yingda paused for a moment before continuing, "Your Majesty also said that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, please have the Prince Consort attend the sacrificial rites together."

  The "Long Live" was sung, and Cui Yingda, the ceremonial officer, also left. However, Xia Chuyi still felt a burning sensation in her hands as she held the golden imperial edict. Even after everyone had dispersed, she couldn't come back to reality.

  How did she become the husband of the princess?

  How could Zhao Yu allow such a thing to happen?

  All the way from Qinggang County, she followed him to Beijing. From several times of teaching to countless times seeing him lightly and ruthlessly dealing with Dongfang Qingxuan and Ning Wang Zhao Xi, his methods had always been unpredictable, but she had never seen him lose.

  Even Zhaoyi, who had been bedridden for a long time due to illness, knew about the princess's request for marriage. She didn't believe that Zhaozhu wouldn't have known anything beforehand.

  Even if the old emperor was his father, she believed that as long as he was willing, things would not have developed to this point. Even if he couldn't control his father, could he shut Zhao Ziyue's mouth?

  But he just stood there and did nothing. Why?

  She held the imperial edict in her hand, smiling as she followed Zhao Zhu's back from the front hall to Chende Institute, until the two of them walked onto a bluestone path, and Zheng Erbao and the servant guards were far behind, before she hurried forward a few steps and stood beside him.

  Grandpa.

  "Hmm." He responded in a low voice.

  "What's wrong?"

  "What's wrong?"

  You know it's obvious, yet you still ask, how annoying.

  The corners of Xia's mouth drooped as she understood after a glance.

  "How much silver is it going to take this time?"

  "That day you refused to give me the silver, now it's too late." Zhao Zun said, seeing her wide-eyed, and lazily added another sentence, "This time Master doesn't want the silver anymore."

  "What do you want? What will it take for you to help me?"

  She asked with some annoyance, but he still didn't make a sound, directly leaving her hanging on the side, his clothes fluttering in the wind, still with an air of dignified elegance, as if he wasn't worried about this matter at all.

  If she were replaced by another girl, she would definitely think that he didn't care about her. Then she would make a big fuss and force him to say "I love you" ten thousand times. But Xia Chuqi narrowed his eyes and observed the calm and handsome face of the goods without emotion, raised an eyebrow, and hummed coldly.

  "Fine, if you won't help then don't. Anyway, I married your sister and didn't lose out, who wouldn't want to be a son-in-law? I slept with your sister, became your brother-in-law, and then still had to come back and sleep with you this big uncle. Huh, thinking about it, I'm still a bit excited."

  She spoke freely without reserve, but ended up provoking a cold glance from Zhao Zhen.

  "Shameless."

  Go! Who doesn't know shame? The corner of her mouth curved, Xia Chui smiled again, "I don't know shame as much as Your Highness King Jin does. Do you want me to spread the word about your majestic bearing that night and let everyone come to evaluate it, see which one of us is more shameless?"

  Zhao You sidled a glance at her and said faintly, "Alright."

  "Really? I get it now?"

  She had just raised her eyebrows triumphantly when he swept a glance over her.

  "As long as you can afford to pay for the loss of reputation, Ah Qi, you can give it a try."

  Are you going to shut her up with money again?

  She rolled her eyes, and Xia Qi's eyebrows rose high. "You really shouldn't lie to me, this matter isn't that serious after all. I think that Ziyue is quite lovely too, if you're not afraid of your sister's lifelong happiness being ruined, then don't help me. Or maybe I'll just confess in front of the emperor that I'm a girl, and although I'd be deceiving the king, so would you. Later on, in the great prison, we can keep each other company, and if fate is really against us, on the road to the underworld, at least we'll have someone to lean on."

  Zhao Zhuang carelessly glanced at her and stretched out his large hand, grasping hers.

  "Grandfather was only deceived by you, why deceive him again? Moreover, grandfather can't strip off your clothes and examine them carefully, right? With someone like you..."

  Once again, his chilly gaze swept her flat body from top to bottom with disdain, and he let out a light sigh. "Even if you say you're a woman, I'm not sure I'd believe it."

  Too sharp-tongued!

  How despicable!

  On the seventh day of summer, my ears were burning, and I was so angry that I really wanted to take the imperial edict in my hand and stuff it into his mouth.

  Unfortunately, her imperial decree had to be taken back and treasured like a precious thing. Now in the capital, it's not like when she was in Qinggang County. Who knows if desecrating an imperial decree is also considered a serious crime? She snorted inwardly, lamenting this evil feudal dynasty, lamenting this evil feudal prince, and suddenly a strange feeling arose in her heart.

  "Huh? I say, Master, it seems to me that you're actually pleased about this?"

  Zhao Zun glanced over with a slanted gaze, "What do you mean by this?"

  Moistening her lips, Xia Qiuli gazed at his chiseled yet inscrutable handsome face with narrowed eyes and came to a definitive conclusion.

  "In short, you're up to no good."

  Zhao Zun lightly hummed a sound, as if he had pulled down the corner of his mouth, staring into her eyes.

  "If grandfather's heart is not at peace, then there will be no more kind-hearted people in this world."

  With that, he gave her a big pull and said, "Hurry up!"

  A low hum of "hiss", Xia Qi's eyes fell on her tightly grasped wrist.

  "What's the hurry?"

  "Take off your clothes!"

  ……

  ……

  That's right, this time he really didn't play tricks, and indeed went to take off his clothes.

  But then again, after taking it off, you still have to put something on.

  Zhao Zhuang didn't tell her where they were going or what they would do, he just changed out of the dragon robe he wore to court and put on a cloud-patterned everyday garment made of soft silk from Yanju, and had her change out of her official medical uniform into an ordinary blue dress with straight sleeves. As they left Chengde Temple, it felt like they were back in Qinggang County again.

  "Hurry up, little slave."

  He walked ahead with big strides, pretending to be a big shot in an impatient manner.

  "What a load of nonsense!"

  At the beginning of summer, Xiaoyi's steps were small, and he had to use a small run to keep up with his rhythm. His teeth were clenched tightly, and he glared at the back of his head before getting into the carriage that was already waiting there, heading towards the gate of the Jinwang Mansion.

  Unexpectedly, he was stopped by Zhao Ziyue before he even left the house.

  "Where are you guys going?"

  The horse carriage stopped there, Zhao Zhuo lifted up the curtain and gazed at her lightly.

  "Two demons, take the princess back to Qingtang Institute."

  "I won't!"

  Zhao Ziyue was blocked there, and looked up at the horse-drawn carriage again, with a pair of reddened eyes.

  "Chu Qi, are you going to come out for this princess or hide like a turtle? Are you still a man?"

  Okay, she is not a man.

  Xia Chui Qi looked at Zhao Zun with a gloomy expression and stretched her head out from the other side.

  "What instructions does Your Highness have?"

  Looking at her smiling face, Zhao Ziyue might have thought of the imperial edict and the relationship between the two people. Her small face turned red again, "Where are you going? Take me with you, okay? I'm good at martial arts, I can protect you."

  Go! Can't even beat herself, okay?!

  Xia Chuqi pulled at the corner of her mouth, "No way, I'll go with the Emperor to take care of men's business, it won't be convenient for the Princess to come."

  Biting her lower lip, Zhao Ziyue's small eyebrows furrowed tightly.

  "You don't have to be humble in front of me anymore, you're my husband now." On the seventh day of summer, when she looked up at the sky again, she blinked her red eyes and asked somewhat nervously, "You wouldn't want to marry me?"

  Finally figured it out?

  On the seventh day of summer, he helplessly looked at her, pretending to be too afraid to reach for her.

  "Your Highness is too precious, Chu Qi really can't bear the weight of this love. Please, Your Highness, would you kindly intercede on my behalf with His Majesty and beg for mercy, canceling this marriage arrangement?"

  "Say it again?"

  "I don't want to marry you, Princess."

  "What right?"

  “……”

  This kind of question is really hard to answer.

  At the beginning of summer, on the seventh day, she took a glance at Zhao Jin Yu who was calm and collected as if nothing had happened. She changed her mind immediately and pretended to be embarrassed, saying "This humble official is no longer a clean person, I dare not sully Your Highness..."

  It's estimated that the only person who would dare to say such things in public, apart from Xia Chuyi, was none other than her. Seeing Zhao Zhu's face turn black, she couldn't help but smile even more radiantly.

  "So, princess, you and I are indeed not fated, why not let bygones be bygones?"

  Zhaoyue had been favored by the emperor, but now in front of everyone, the husband appointed by the emperor himself was rejected by her, and she even said "my body is not clean", in Xiaochi's opinion it was just to disgust Zhaoshijiu, but in Zhao Yue's opinion, that was a sincere attempt to humiliate her.

  She puckered up her mouth in a sulk and gritted her teeth.

  "Good!"

  She didn't expect her to agree so easily, Xia Chuyi was about to cheer and thank her again, but saw her take a sandalwood box from the green vine girl's hand, place it on her palm, and extend it forward.

  "Unless you eat all the spiders in here raw, I'll go back to the palace and let Father Emperor take back his decree. Otherwise, I, Zhao Ziyue, say what I mean, and I will marry you, and for this lifetime, I will be yours."

  "Huh?"

  Eat spider raw?

  Looks like this little girl has a strong vengeful heart. She still remembers the grudge from last time when she was tricked into thinking spiders were medicine. Xia Chuyi coughed dryly, her mind racing, and then smiled with curved eyes again.

  "All creatures have spirituality, eating them alive is a sin. However, Princess, although I, your humble official, cannot eat spiders alive, I can make the spider perform for you, how about that?"

  "No way, I have to eat it raw."

  Zhao Ziyue shouted loudly and passionately, but Zhao Zu was getting impatient.

  "Second Ghost, what's wrong with you? Take the princess down."

  "Brother Nineteen..." Zhao Ziyue was wronged to the point of tears.

  "I see the spider bites on your body have almost healed, return to the palace with me tomorrow."

  The two ghosts listened to the order and pulled open Zhao Ziyue. In the sound of the carriage continuing to move forward, a loud scream came from behind.

  "Brother Nineteen, that's my husband, how can you do this? You're snatching my husband away from me. I'll report you to the Emperor! Chu Qi, come down here. You're a person of mine, how can you be so disloyal and ungrateful, repaying kindness with enmity, disregarding all norms..."

  The princess's wording was still very lethal, and Xia Chuqi didn't even have time to swallow her saliva before she started coughing.

  "Ah yo, your sister..."

  A large hand reached out and stroked her back, but didn't say a word.

  Thinking about it, Xia Chuqi was really crying and laughing at the same time.

  She couldn't help but glance over at him again and ask.

  "Your Highness, King of Jin, you've stolen your sister's fiancé. Don't you feel ashamed? Ziyue is right, this is a classic case of disregarding ethics and morality! Tsk, tsk, although I, Chu Qi, was born with a stunning face and captivating charm that can topple cities, you still shouldn't have cut in halfway and stolen him away. You should at least compensate me with some silver to soothe my feelings, don't you agree?"

  A slap landed on her forehead, Zhao Zhuang gave her a cold glance without saying a word. Only Xia Chuqi was left rubbing her head, wincing in pain.

  "What's wrong with you?"

  "Do you have medicine?" he replied.

  Unexpectedly, he would answer like that. Xia Chuqi rolled her eyes, feeling both angry and amused, and let out a snort, her big eyes scanning him.

  "There's medicine. Come on, I'll feed you some now."

  She smiled, about to reach out and knock on his head, but didn't expect that as soon as she shifted her body over, he tilted his head and turned sideways, and the knee under his robe naturally blocked her way, perfectly positioning itself between her two legs...

  "You..."

  Both of them were stunned, and Xia Chuyi's face turned bright red with embarrassment.

  "Are you kidding me?"

  "It was obviously Ah Qi who bumped into you."

  After being told that, Xia Qi thought it was indeed the case and couldn't help but feel embarrassed. However, he shifted his knees slightly, calmly curled up the corner of his lips, and asked slowly, "A Qi, are you still reluctant to let go?"

  Her body trembled with a sudden jolt, and Xia Qiuli gritted her teeth and pounced forward.

  "Damn it, I'll strangle you..."

  The lesson of a sheep entering the wolf's mouth, Xia Qi had another taste on the seventh day of summer. She was scooped up by someone from behind and fell into that person's warm and broad embrace. His body suddenly leaned back, and her mouth was pressed against his face under the influence of gravity.

  "Is Ah Qi so enthusiastic?"

  He half-closed his eyes, with an air of "enjoy your taste", looking at her.

  "I hate it!"

  He punched him hard, and Xia Chuyi couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

  "It's clear you're trying to take advantage of me, how dare you slander me?"

  He cast a glance at her with raised eyebrows, "Is Master so hungry that he eats anything?"

  "Zhao Shi Jiu, how can you be so shameless?"

  At the beginning of summer, she let out a low cry, but before her mouth had even closed, reality proved that beneath Zhao Zhu's serious exterior, there was no shame, only more shame. However, in the blink of an eye, she turned around and was pressed into his arms, but he didn't want to kiss her, instead, he started groping her body.

  "Grandpa will help you relax your muscles, and it won't be shameful then."

  "Haha, I'm itching to death...... Haha......"

  What he said was massage, but in fact it was scratching an itch, scratching her until she was almost out of breath, and then let go of her, calmly saying a few words amidst her panting.

  "Ten taels, no further haggling."

  Zhao Zun

  She shouted, her voice floating in the carriage.

  The people outside the carriage heard her call out "Wang Ye" and shivered with fear.

  They waited and waited, but didn't hear any angry voices inside, instead, a sultry moaning sound soon came through...

  By the way

  It's cool today, got up late, and didn't finish writing. Will post the second update around 5 pm! Bye for now!

  The answer came out yesterday:

  Choosing A: Highly preventive! — We can't be friends anymore.

  Choose B: straightforward and outspoken! —— Ah, our dear enemies, we need to work hard on developing a sinister plot.

  C's: Good girl! - Cute girl, can I sleep at your place tonight?

  Chosen: Humorous and generous! —— Next time don't expose my shortcomings, blowing bananas really wasn't written by me.

  Okay, here we go again...