kvmb Chapter 41 The Pain of Suffocation
Chapter 41 The Pain of Suffocation
In the western suburbs, Jiang Chuchu changed her previous elaborate attire, wearing plain clothes and deliberately making her face look much more haggard.
When she saw that familiar figure, Jiang Chuchu pinched her thigh, the pain almost bringing tears to her eyes.
"Your Highness..." Jiang Chuchu stepped forward and slowly curtsied.
Qin Jinghao turned around and saw Jiang Chuchu looking haggard, her eyes slightly red, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked so pitiful that he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. His initial desire to scold her vanished instantly. "Why are you like this? Has the Prime Minister's Mansion treated you badly?"
Although there were rumors circulating, Qin Jinghao believed that Jiang Qingyue must have deliberately spread them. As for Jiang Chuchu's previous behavior, it was probably because her doting second cousin had done such a thing, coupled with Jiang Qingyue's aggressive behavior, that she was pushed to the limit and lost her composure.
Before Jiang Chuchu could say anything more, with just a few tears, Qin Jinghao instantly found a reason for her, even suggesting that the Prime Minister's residence must have been harsh on him, but he was just putting on a show of affection in public.
Jiang Chuchu shook her head with tears in her eyes. "No, they... treated me very well." Jiang Chuchu answered while her eyes darted around, making it seem like she was lying.
"You've suffered these past few days." Qin Jinghao stepped forward and pulled Jiang Chuchu into his arms.
"Your Highness, is today the last time you'll hug me like this?" Jiang Chuchu's voice was muffled, not happy, but rather filled with disappointment.
Qin Jinghao was completely bewildered. He pulled Jiang Chuchu out of his arms and placed his hands on her shoulders. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
“After all, it was my sister who was betrothed to you, not me…” Jiang Chuchu’s voice grew softer and softer, her tone increasingly sorrowful. “My sister wanted her identity, and I gave it back to her. She wanted the courtyard, and I gave that back to her too. But His Highness is not an object; I can’t give him back to her, and I can’t bear to…”
Jiang Chuchu's few heartfelt words truly touched Qin Jinghao deeply.
He pulled Jiang Chuchu into his arms again. "Don't overthink it. So what if there's a marriage agreement? I've never even met her. How can that coarse country bumpkin compare to the well-educated and refined Chuchu? I would never allow her to be my concubine."
At this point, Qin Jinghao's expression darkened considerably.
Why Jiang Qingyue? Recalling his father's warning, Qin Jinghao felt even more agitated.
Anyway, they've been wrong for so many years, and Jiang Chuchu has always followed the etiquette of the palace. Every word and action of hers is something that Jiang Qingyue can't compare to.
But just because Jiang Qingyue is the daughter of the Prime Minister and the granddaughter of the powerful official of the Gu family, does that mean Chu Chu's years of hard work should be taken away?
However, he had no power at all, and now that the young imperial uncle had returned, his position was even more precarious. Jiang Qingyue was now a must-marry.
"With Your Highness's words, Chu Chu would be content even if she died. Don't worry, I won't cause Your Highness any trouble, nor will I compete for anything. I only hope that Your Highness will treat my sister better in the future, that's enough!"
Jiang Chuchu's "sensible" behavior made Qin Jinghao feel even more guilty.
Thinking of Jiang Chuchu's grievances just now, and how she was now forcing herself to speak up for Jiang Qingyue, Qin Jinghao felt that he couldn't just do nothing.
Today, he was determined to give Jiang Qingyue a hard time and make her understand Chu Chu's importance in his heart.
If Jiang Qingyue can accept Jiang Chuchu, that's fine. He can marry her and give her the proper status. But if he insists on making things difficult, then he will definitely deal with her after the matter is settled.
"Don't worry, I will not let you down."
"How fortunate Chu Chu is to know His Highness! However, my sister is intolerant of any dissent; she won't even let a single blade of grass or tree in the courtyard go unpunished. How could she possibly accept me being with His Highness..."
Jiang Chuchu looked like she was under a lot of pressure. "I don't want this to affect our sisterly relationship, otherwise Father will blame me."
"What? She still dares to make things difficult for you like this?" He had naturally heard about what happened in the courtyard, but Jiang Qingyue was going too far. She was pushing Chu Chu to her death!
"Come, I'll go to your residence to meet this Jiang Qingyue, and while I'm at it, I'll also get to know this so-called fiancée of mine!"
Seeing Qin Jinghao's accusatory look, Jiang Chuchu secretly smiled gloatingly where he couldn't see.
She naturally understood that if Jiang Qingyue didn't come back, it would be fine, but if she did, it wouldn't be her turn to get married.
Since that's the case, she'll take a step back and first firmly grasp the Crown Prince's heart. As long as the Crown Prince supports her, Jiang Qingyue can forget about entering the Eastern Palace.
If Master Xue could accept me as his disciple again, then my father and His Majesty would surely reconsider this marriage according to the Crown Prince's wishes.
Jiang Chuchu had a good plan, but little did she know that the emperor chose a woman from the Jiang family not because of the Prime Minister's residence, but because of the Gu family.
The next day, Jiang Chuchu was in the courtyard.
Just as Jiang Qingyue and Mu Lan were about to head to Jiang Chuchu's courtyard to "collect the debt," Erqing rushed in, "Miss, something terrible has happened!"
Erqing quickly stepped forward and whispered, "His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived. He's in Jiang Chuchu's courtyard."
"Who did you say?" Jiang Qingyue's previously relaxed expression instantly turned terrifying. The sudden surge of intense hatred and killing intent sent a chill down Erqing's spine. "It's... the... Crown Prince..."
"Crown Prince!" Jiang Qingyue clenched her fists tightly until her knuckles turned white, her nails digging deep into her skin, and even a few drops of blood slowly trickled down through the gaps in her fists.
But Jiang Qingyue seemed to feel no pain.
Crown Prince! Qin Jinghao!
In his past life, he had colluded with Jiang Chuchu. After Jiang Chuchu tricked him into losing his innocence, Qin Jinghao appeared by his side with the appearance of a celestial being, like a savior. He was very considerate to him and didn't even care about his past. Ironically, he actually believed him.
On the day she married him with high hopes, the news spread throughout the capital, and everyone was waiting to see her make a fool of herself. It was he who stood up for her with righteous indignation, and even killed a few people to stop everyone from spreading rumors.
From then on, she regarded him as her savior, obeying his orders in everything and trying to please him in every way, afraid of upsetting him. Even though he would be irritable and even physically abuse her every night after drinking, his apologies afterward made her gradually fall in love with him.
Little did he know that he had been secretly having an affair with Jiang Chuchu all along, and that was also to build a good reputation for himself.
When those who had once insulted him stood up and verbally recounted how he had cried beneath them with foul language, he seemed unable to bear it and confined himself to his home ever since.
At that time, I also thought he had no other choice.
However, that very night, news spread that his maternal grandfather had rebelled, and Qin Jinghao seized the opportunity to depose himself from his position as a concubine.
That night, when she cried and asked why, the two of them revealed their true colors, and she realized that everything was a deliberate design.
That night, I was buried alive, the mud constantly covering my mouth and nose, and the pain of gradually suffocating was nothing compared to the pain in my heart...