Chapter 364: Chapter 351: Remarry

Yet this sincerity was only a different treatment in the light of his multiple wives and concubines.

In their eyes, being favored by the royal family was fortune for your three lives, how could they tolerate the notion, so contrary to social mores, of lifelong monogamy?

Bring the one you like home, and if the courtyard is not big enough, it can be expanded. As for whether you like this life after being married into the family, that’s not for you to worry about.

Yet Chu Yunzhao was not such a person.

He knew what he, as a prince, should do and had ambitions for power. But when it comes to dealing with people, he was sincere, whether it was to his relatives and close friends, or to Luo Shishan, his heart had never changed.

“Ultimately, it has to depend on Miss Luo’s wishes. If Miss Luo’s heart no longer holds anyone, even a forced marriage arrangement might only make her sad and regrets difficult to calm down.”

Chu Jinnian lowered his head in thought, “For this matter, you don’t have to make any moves yet. Allow me to think about it and see if there is any strategy to address it.”

“However, with the emperor pushing for the marriage, you do need to think about a way to avoid it.”

Delaying the wedding for a while, with a longer period, more changes would naturally happen.

Chu Yunzhao understood Chu Jinnian’s meaning, and nodded with a smile, “This can be easily handled, I have been allergic to lotus since my childhood, and can’t even take it in. Although there are fewer lotus flowers now, they still exist. If I accidentally eat them, I will definitely get very sick, so naturally, everything can be pushed back.”

But if I rest in the palace, you’ll have to take more care of everything. I’m sorry you have to do this.”

Your words make it sound like I don’t care otherwise?” Chu Jinnian glanced at Chu Yunzhao, “Your hard work will not be unappreciated. If I do this for you, the Fourth Prince, I should also get some benefits from you.”

“Just say the word, if it is within my Qingan Garden, you can take it. Even if you want me, I won’t hesitate.”

Chu Yunzhao joked.

“People like you, who need to eat five bowls of rice per meal, I’m afraid my King’s Mansion can’t afford.”

Chu Jinnian turned his face away in disgust, “But now I haven’t thought about what to ask from the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince can owe me first, and when I think of it, I’ll ask for it.”

“That’s fine. When you think about it, come and take it.”

Chu Yunzhao said, “The emperor awarded me a few calligraphy and paintings a couple of days ago. I remember you are fond of collecting these, so I ‘ll have someone send them to your house later.”

“The Fourth Prince is thoughtful.” Chu Jinnian stood up, “It’s getting late, so I won’t bother the Fourth Prince any longer.”

Since you rarely come to the palace, aren’t you going to see the Empress?”

Chu Yunzhao suggested. “The Empress misses you a lot, and has been murmuring about you frequently these days.”

Moreover, every time Chu Jinnian entered the palace, he would visit Concubine Hui.

After all, for Chu Jinnian, after the death of his mother, the only relative he had in his eyes was Concubine Hui, his aunt.

“Some other day.” chu Jinnian shook his head, “It seems inappropriate today.”

“Oh?” Chu Yunzhao was slightly surprised.

“Before entering the palace, the King of Qi sent someone to message me to have dinner at home by all means.” Chu Jinnian said, “I don’t know what kind of banquet he’s preparing. After thinking about it, I had better go back and check.”

“This way, instead of continually putting it off, I won’t know what he’s playing.”

“Fourth Prince, let me send my regards to the Empress. I will come another day to pay a visit to the Empress.”

Chu Yunzhao pursed his lips.

The King of Qi, the sixth younger brother of the reigning emperor, while not the same mother’s children, and not raised together due to age difference, they got along very well, thanks to the close relations between the King of Qi’s mother and the Empress.

When the Emperor came to the throne, the King of Qi also received much imperial favor. Their brotherly respect and cordiality won them praise from the world.

In the same year, the Emperor and the King of Qi married sisters from the illustrious Qiao family of Yangzhou, making them his consort and princess respectively. This became a beautiful story.

Unfortunately, the King of Qi, despite marrying the lovely princess, did not change his flirtatious ways. Even when Princess Qi was pregnant and facing danger, the King of Qi indulged in nightly revelries in the red-light district, unconcerned.

After Princess Qi gave birth to Chu Jinnian, she stayed in the King of Qi’s mansion for another four years. Although they hardly saw each other and were as respectful as ice towards each other, outward appearances suggested peace.

It wasn’t until the King of Qi wanted to marry Mrs. Ruo as a concubine and promised her the position of princess that Princess Qi smashed his study, left a divorce letter, and returned to Yangzhou with Chu Jinnian, without looking back.

However, the heir of the King of Qi’s mansion certainly could not live in his mother s maiden family after divorcing the princess.

The King of Qi, naturally dissatisfied with Mrs. Qiao’s arrogance and disregard for his dignity as a husband, directly went to Yangzhou to ask for Chu Jinnian.

But the Qiao family is one of the eight aristocratic families, which even the emperor has to give some face to. With their legitimate daughter treated so unjustly, the Qiao family also took a stand, flatly refusing the King of Qi’s request.

The King of Qi and the Qiao family had a complete falling out, and neither would yield.

So, even if the emperor tried to mediate, it was not until four years later that Chu Jinnian was returned to the King of Qi’s mansion. By this time, Mrs. Ruo was the princess there and her baby, Chu Jinzhuo, was already babbling.

In the year Chu Jinnian returned to the King of Qi’s mansion, news came from Yangzhou that Mrs. Qiao had remarried.

The new husband of Mrs. Qiao was only an ordinary merchant in Jiangyin.

Whether it was because Mrs. Qiao’s remarriage to a man of lower status embarrassed him, or because Chu Jinnian who grew up away from him had a different temperament, or because Mrs. Luo schemed against him…

Anyway, the King of Qi was very impatient with Chu Jinnian and always tried to pick a fight.

Chu Jinnian was also indifferent and disrespectful to the King of Qi.

Like enemies, they opposed each other.

With Concubine Hui worrying about Chu Jinnian being bullied in the King of Qi’s mansion, Chu Jinnian was taken into the palace and cared for from the day he returned to the capital. This made the King of Qi even more unhappy and hateful towards Chu Jinnian.

This situation has lasted until now.

“If you want to see, just go and see.” Chu Yunzhao said, “But you haven’t been home for a long time. Isn’t it inappropriate if you don’t bring some gifts as a tribute?”

With Chu Yunzhao grimacing, the words “gift” and “tribute” were emphasized heavily.

With toes, one could guess what Chu Yunzhao was thinking.

“The Fourth Prince doesn’t need to worry about it. Everything was arranged well in advance, and it was delivered half a month ago. I suppose the King of Qi is probably very pleased now.”

Chu Jinnian answered him without changing his facial expression.

“No wonder I heard that Mrs. Ruo was ill a few days ago and specially asked the imperial doctor from the palace to see her. Perhaps, this illness is not an ordinary one, but a heart disease.”