A wing of the Southern City mansion, the dungeon.
Liu Xi looked down from her vantage point at Chu Yu's wrist, bitten and covered in blood, and asked without expression, "Do you now understand how much I wanted to die back then?"
Chu Yu leaned against the corner, lifting his pale face to look at her suddenly and laughed.
Liu Xi's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she leaned forward, pinching his chin, "What are you laughing at?"
Chu Yu coughed violently before smiling and saying, "You are pitiful and pathetic. Everyone calls you a princess in front of others, but in private, you are even lower than a prostitute in a brothel. How pitiful and funny can you be?"
"Ha." Liu Xi released him, taking the handkerchief from Chu Xiao and wiping her hands, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
"Chu Yu, do you know what I like most about you?"
Chu Yu remained silent, knowing that in terms of methods and cunning, he was far less ruthless than Liu Xi.
If he had realized this point when Liu Xi first arrived in Xiliang, perhaps they wouldn't have reached this stage. But unfortunately, it's all too late now.
He and Liu Xi have long been engaged in a life-and-death struggle.
He is now a prisoner and wants to die with dignity rather than crawl at the feet of Liu Xi like a dog.
Knowing he would not respond, Liu Xi didn't mind much. She threw the handkerchief she had used to wipe her hands onto Chu Yu, and her laughter was particularly gentle.
"I love watching you struggle to die, unable to do so, and then struggling to live on, only to be trapped."
"When you look like this, you remind me so much of my former self." She said this with a very calm expression, as if she were describing someone else's experience.
"Liu Xi," Chu Yu, with bloodshot eyes, looked at her, "You're sure to get what you deserve."
"Get what you deserve?" Liu Xi smiled and squatted in front of him, pressing down on the hand he bit until it was bloody and mangled: "The biggest karma of my life is encountering you."
The excruciating pain made Chu Yu involuntarily tremble. He clenched his teeth to prevent himself from screaming, as if he were challenging Liu Xi.
Liu Xi was amused by his appearance and reached out to pat his face with a gentle voice, "Chu Yu, I also brought back two things when I returned. They are the bones of your father and mother. If you dare to harm yourself again, I will burn them into ashes and mix them with your meat, feeding them to wild dogs so that they die without peace in their afterlife."
"Liu Xi!" Chu Yu's eyes were wide with fury. He truly wanted to kill Liu Xi, to drink her blood and eat her flesh.
Liu Xi said no more to him and got up, taking Chu Wei and the others out, while at the same time ordering someone to treat Chu Yu's injuries.
He must not die before she gets bored of him. If he really has to die, it will be her hand that kills him, after she has obtained the other half of the tiger token.
Out of the dungeon, they got onto the carriage.
Liu Xi instructed to go directly to the Princess Tower. Liu Yao and Xiao Ren couldn't cause trouble for a while, so staying at the General's Mansion was no longer meaningful; it would be better to return to their own place.
Although the Princess Palace has not been completed yet, it is not because the viewing tower has not been built; everything else has already been constructed and can be lived in.
-
In the palace, the Imperial Study.
Lou Zheng sat on the dragon throne, struggling to suppress his anger, coldly watching Xu Jingxuan: "Prince Jingxuan, I have heard that you humiliated Princess Chang at Tianxiang Lao today. Is this true?"
Thinking of the events of today, Xu Jingxuan's eyes flashed with a hint of abnormalcy, but his face was calm and he spoke without lowering his dignity: "To the emperor, I did not humiliate Princess Chang. It was just that I accidentally drank too much and lost my manners, causing Princess Chang to be frightened. In a few days, I will personally pay a visit to Princess Chang and apologize."
Lou Zheng's eyes shone with a terrifying coldness, but his face was filled with a smile: "It seems that the emperor has misunderstood you. However, you also know that Princess Liu has suffered ten years of humiliation for Lingshui, only to return now. The emperor cannot let anyone else humiliate her again."
"Your Majesty is right," Xu Jingxuan lowered his eyes, hiding the unusual emotion in his eyes: "Princess Chang has made many sacrifices for the country and the people, and she deserves respect."
After hearing this, Lou Zheng's expression softened a few degrees, but his voice was still frighteningly cold: "People who think like this are not many."
For instance, the officials in the court, all of them submitted memorials stating that the construction of Princess Chang's estate was too extravagant, especially that viewing tower.
But Lou Zheng thought these were all due to Liu Xi. Although he hadn't asked her what she had experienced over the years, her words and actions gave him some insight into it.
After all, a woman who has just arrived in an enemy country, especially one with such a beautiful appearance, would have to endure many hardships. Liu Zheng could imagine all of these without being asked.
Moreover, Chu Yu initially wanted to marry Liu Yao. Once he discovered that the marital candidate had changed, there would be no one to question what he did to Liu Xi.
Because no one would really care about the motherland of Liu Xi, a country that traded women for peace.
Xu Jingxuan understood what he meant. He had also heard some rumors about Liu Xi.
After a moment of silence, he raised his robe and knelt heavily in front of Lou Zheng: "The subject wants to marry Princess Chang to ensure her peaceful life for the rest of her days. Please, Your Majesty, grant this favor."
Upon hearing this, Lou Zheng's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he smiled mockingly, "You say you want to marry my elder sister, to ensure her peace for the rest of her life?"
"Yes," Xu Jingxuan lowered his head and said: "The majority of the officials in the court have objections to the princess because of what the Prime Minister said. If I marry her..."
"Let alone marry her." Lou Zheng interrupted him with a cold laugh, his tone filled with mockery: "If you have forgotten how you exploited her to gain wealth and glory, I can remind you."
Xu Jingxuan's face turned even more stern, and he opened his mouth as if to say something.
Lou Zheng did not give him a chance to speak. He said in a low voice: "Do not even think about marrying her. If you want to keep the Xu family safe, stay away from her. Otherwise, don't blame the emperor for being heartless."
"Get out."
"Subject to retire," Xu Jingxuan said no more, bowing and leaving the Imperial Study.
He had long stopped caring about the lives of those who looked down on the Xu family. If it were possible to use them to exchange for Liu Xi, Xu Jingxuan would not hesitate to send them out himself without batting an eye.
Lou Zheng watched his back disappear at the door of the Imperial Study, so angry that he threw the tea cup in his hand down on the ground.
"Xu Jingxuan, do you think you deserve to marry her? It's sheer daydreaming."
Soon, Lou Zheng calmed down. Liu Xi had already been accompanied by Chu Wei and Xiao Ren. Although she harbored more hatred towards Xiao Ren, they had grown up together as childhood playmates, so it was inevitable that their old feelings would rekindle.
Now, with Xu Jingxuan also wanting to marry her, he would not allow anyone else to take precedence over him this time.
If that fails, he will have to keep her imprisoned.
Thinking of that scene, a look of possessive illness appeared on Lou Zheng's face.
"A Xi, you'd better want to be my empress of your own free will, or don't blame me if I lock you up."
-
Princess Tower.
Liu Xi was sitting in the garden, eating pastries and enjoying the scenery. It must be said that Lou Zheng had really put his heart into it.
Whether it's the layout, flowers, trees, or even the buildings and decorations in the garden, all of it was something she had once loved. Even the courtyard where she lived was based on the original palace decorations.
All of this showed that Lou Zheng was more deeply involved than she had initially thought, which actually saved her quite a bit of trouble.
"Your Highness, Minister Pei has arrived."
