“Miss A’Tang, you soaked in bitter days, yet managed with perfect ease,” he said. “Even if Chu Zhao doesn’t trust you, is wary of you, I believe you surely have a way to gain her trust. Everyone praises Chu Zhao’s courage and martial prowess, her ability to fight on battlefields. But in fighting within human hearts, you too are a heroine among women, Chu Tang.”
He looked at Chu Tang.
“Are you willing to also be a heroine among women, standing above all people in the world, respected by everyone?”
Who wouldn’t want that—Chu Tang raised her head, meeting Xiao Xun’s eyes directly for the first time.
“You, will you truly marry me?” Chu Tang asked.
……
……
“I won’t speak of others—I’m very clear what kind of person my cousin is.”
After a moment of silence, Chu Zhao raised her head and spoke.
Slanting sunlight shone into Prince Zhongshan’s spacious great hall. The atmosphere was oppressive. Beyond the generals from earlier, because of the recent fighting, guards from outside the door had also entered, standing dense as a forest.
Chu Zhao’s expression remained unchanged. She smiled at Prince Zhongshan.
“Chu Tang is a person with self-awareness. Or to put it another way, she’s someone who doesn’t trust anyone.”
People with self-awareness were indeed like that—they only believed in themselves. Prince Zhongshan nodded: “Yes, but she must believe in power and authority.” Saying this, he looked at Chu Zhao with a smile. “Miss Chu, when you persuaded Chu Tang to do this, did you rely on sisterly affection?”
Even A’Le didn’t dare answer yes to this, and couldn’t help but look at Chu Zhao with concern.
Chu Zhao didn’t speak.
“Miss Chu.” Prince Zhongshan stood up. “What you can give, my son can also give.”
He looked down at Chu Zhao from his superior position.
“My son can give even more—more enticing, more sincere.”
“A person with self-awareness will surely be able to discern what they should truly do.”
……
……
Chu Tang was a person with self-awareness.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have lived so well in the capital with perfect ease.
“Chu Zhao could become empress because Uncle had troops,” Chu Tang said. “Whoever married her could gain the assistance of those troops. Though I also have the surname Chu, I have nothing. Your Highness has a bright future ahead, will be the Son of Heaven in the future. How could Chu Tang be worthy?”
Jiang Shi and Chu Lan listened with bitter sorrow, hating their own incompetence, unable to help their daughter.
“My second brother is no longer here,” Chu Lan stepped forward several more steps. “The border troops—I’ll go seize them and bring them under Your Highness’s command.”
Tie Ying couldn’t help laughing. He didn’t stop Chu Lan from approaching either—this was quite funny.
“What’s so funny?” Xiao Xun rebuked Tie Ying. “Though Master Chu is a scholar, he can also sit in command of the army. Having him in command doesn’t mean having him kill enemies—just him sitting there, the border army will obey orders.”
Tie Ying said “Oh”: “This subordinate was shallow in understanding.”
“Stand aside,” Xiao Xun said.
Tie Ying complied and withdrew. After withdrawing, he still couldn’t help laughing. Ning Kun, who had also withdrawn, glared at him.
Tie Ying wasn’t afraid of him at all and glared back.
The two made faces at each other in the corner while Xiao Xun had already continued speaking with Chu Tang.
“That Miss A’Tang has this concern isn’t strange,” he said. “In terms of family background, you truly aren’t worthy of me.”
Chu Tang pressed her lips slightly. Speaking the truth was also rather unpleasant to hear.
“But if I become crown prince, become Son of Heaven, I’ll be the highest person under heaven. No family background would be worthy of me.” Xiao Xun smiled. “Originally I had intentions toward Chu Zhao because I needed Chu Ling. Being related to Chu Ling could gain the late emperor’s trust and have him name me crown prince. But now I don’t need others to give me this world—I’m seizing it myself. So family background is inconsequential to me.”
Chu Tang nodded. This reasoning was indeed correct.
“But there’s one thing that’s extremely important to me,” Xiao Xun said. “My father.”
Prince Zhongshan? Chu Tang looked at Xiao Xun.
“My father mobilized all his troops for me, not caring about his own safety. But I care. Hearing that Chu Zhao went to besiege my father, I was filled with hatred, but I can’t return to defend him, can’t let Father’s efforts be in vain.”
“Miss A’Tang, if you help me capture Chu Zhao and resolve my father’s danger, your kindness—I, Xiao Xun, will remember for a lifetime.”
Having finished speaking, the young crown prince even bowed to Chu Tang.
Chu Tang quickly stepped forward, curtsying: “This commoner woman doesn’t dare.”
Chu Lan and Jiang Shi listened with tears welling up. What a filial person Crown Prince Xiao was—what a good person.
Jiang Shi raised her hand and hit Chu Lan, saying bitterly: “It’s all your fault. How could you have been so stupid and clumsy back then, making His Highness miss the opportunity?”
If Chu Lan hadn’t hesitated then and had acted directly, Chu Tang would now be crown prince’s consort. She herself would also be enfeoffed with a noble title, sitting high in the capital, never suffering any fright, upheaval, or wandering.
Chu Lan sighed: “It’s all my fault.”
Xiao Xun smiled: “Back then I needed Master Chu’s help. Now I need Miss A’Tang’s help. This shows that I and your family have a fate ordained by heaven—”
“Crown Prince, please say no more.” Chu Tang interrupted him, biting her lower lip. Her hands clasped before her, her chest heaving violently, as if hearing any more her emotions would surge uncontrollably. She took a deep breath. “What should I do?”
……