Gu Dashu, suddenly dragged into the conversation, quickly dismissed it by saying: "Why mention me? I’m just an old bachelor, my son is already so big, who would even look at me? Besides, the girls in Shengjing are all too proud to fancy someone as rough as me, they all prefer scholars like your third brother."
Liu Yueer’s gaze fell on Gu Dashu, as if to say, "Wouldn’t you be pleased if the girls in Shengjing didn’t mind you being a commoner?"
Gu Dashu realized his wife misunderstood, and quickly pulled Liu Yueer back to the house to escape the tense situation.
"I swear on my father, I didn’t."
Jingzhe was feeling wronged, sweating with anxiety, and kept explaining that he had no intention of being charming.
He even went so far as to invoke the deceased Mr. Gu.
Taohua threatened Jingzhe: "You better not have. If you dare give Zhao Xiyue a look, I’ll dig your eyes out."
In Taohua’s mind, her third brother was nothing compared to her sister-in-law.
If her third brother dared to betray her sister-in-law, it would be as if he were her enemy.
"In a few days, Zhao Xiyue will go to Longhua Temple. If she comes looking for you again these days, you should avoid her," Tong Huaqiong said to Jingzhe, "If she keeps pestering you, we’ll blow this up; after all, we won’t be the ones embarrassed."
In this lifetime, Prince Yu’s Mansion and Tong Huaqiong were at odds.
Even if Jingzhe wasn’t married, Prince Yu would never agree to let Zhao Xiyue marry him.
Given Zhao Xiyue’s temperament, she would likely be even more unwilling to let go if she knew Jingzhe was married.
But this was still much better than underhanded tactics from behind the scenes.
Having had experience dealing with Zhao Xiyue before, she didn’t mind a second round.
When the matter escalates, it will be Prince Yu’s Mansion that loses face.
Maybe Prince Yu, trying to save face, would quickly arrange a marriage for Zhao Xiyue, and Jingzhe would no longer be bothered by her.
Jingzhe went to the Imperial College as usual for class.
As soon as he got off the carriage, he rushed to the classroom.
All day he didn’t see Princess Ming Yue come looking for him, and Jingzhe breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought Princess Ming Yue was just temporarily interested, and after knowing he was married, she let him be.
After class, like usual, Jingzhe hurried home to take care of Lu Zhaozhao, but as the carriage turned into an alley, it was forced to stop by another ornate carriage.
Jingzhe’s heart sank to the bottom.
"Jingzhe, this Commandery Princess invites you to have some tea at the teahouse, how about it?"
Princess Ming Yue got off her carriage, approached Jingzhe’s carriage, and lifted the curtain.
The setting sun made it hard for her to take her eyes off Jingzhe’s face.
Jingzhe said calmly, "Commandery Princess, there is no need, my wife is pregnant, I need to go home to take care of her."
Upon hearing this, Princess Ming Yue felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.
"It’s just tea at the teahouse, what are you afraid of? Can’t a man go out for tea after he’s married? Or is your wife a tigress?" Princess Ming Yue’s words were rather impolite.
Jingzhe, furious, retorted: "I think you’re the tigress. Commandery Princess, please mind your words, do not casually judge my wife."
Jingzhe’s defense of his wife ignited Princess Ming Yue’s anger.
Princess Ming Yue’s face darkened, and she sneered: "If it weren’t for my good mood these past two days, I would have already charged you with insubordination for such defiance. My invitation to you is a blessing, who in all of Shengjing can have tea with this Commandery Princess."
Jingzhe remained unfazed, saying: "I don’t know if it’s a blessing, but I don’t want it."
With that, he pulled up the curtain, but Princess Ming Yue held it firmly, unmoving.
Jingzhe raised his voice angrily, "What exactly does the Commandery Princess want?"
With an amused expression, Princess Ming Yue replied: "To be honest, this Commandery Princess has taken a liking to you and wants you to become my Prince Consort."
Jingzhe’s eyes widened.
He wondered if Princess Ming Yue didn’t understand him, he’d said he had a wife, and she was pregnant, which was a clear refusal, yet she still clung on.
He had never seen a woman with such a thick skin.
In Princess Ming Yue’s eyes, this expression was as if Jingzhe was dazed by the title of Prince Consort.
Indeed, for a scholar from the countryside, becoming a Prince Consort was like having smoke rising from the ancestral grave.
Proudly, Princess Ming Yue said: "So what if you’re married, this Commandery Princess will request Father to ask the Emperor to grant us marriage, and your original wife can be sent back to her hometown, as long as she doesn’t disturb you, I will ensure her sustenance."
"As for the child in her belly, if it’s a daughter, she can be raised under my name; if it’s a son, he can live in the Princess Mansion as the eldest son born of a concubine."
Jingzhe was amused by these outrageous remarks.
The Commandery Princess had already arranged everything for both him and Lu Zhaozhao.
How dare she?
"Is my arrangement not good? Don’t feel bad about abandoning your wife and child, as if those empty names matter, people only care about themselves. Do you know Su Shihang, Su Chengmin’s father? If he hadn’t abandoned his original wife from the countryside to marry the daughter of the Mighty General, he would still be struggling at the Hanlin Academy. You’re just the son of a merchant; do you think that by associating with the Crown Prince, your family can become powerful? Don’t be ridiculous. The depths of Shengjing are beyond your imagination. If you become my Prince Consort, as long as you earn a good rank in next year’s spring exams, my father can secure you a lucrative position, bypassing the experience at the Hanlin Academy to directly participate in court politics."
After saying all this, Princess Ming Yue looked at Jingzhe, confident that he couldn’t resist being tempted.
Entering politics, becoming a minister, was the dream of many scholars.
Jingzhe was actually not tempted at all; he instead wondered if there was something wrong with Princess Ming Yue’s head for using Su Shihang as an example.
With a stern face, suppressing his emotions, Jingzhe said: "Commandery Princess, I don’t know how many in all Dasheng want to be a Prince Consort, but I am sure that I do not. What you just said, Commandery Princess, I take as a joke; I hope you take it back, or others might laugh at Prince Yu’s Mansion and affect your reputation."
Princess Ming Yue’s face turned ugly.
Was Jingzhe out of his mind?
She had lowered herself so much to negotiate, yet he didn’t appreciate it at all.
"Please, Commandery Princess, step aside."
Jingzhe forcefully pulled down the curtain and ordered the driver to move the carriage.
Princess Ming Yue stomped her foot in anger, wishing to have her guards stop the carriage and wanting to drag Jingzhe back.
After calling for a long time, she realized she hadn’t brought any guards with her.
"For a countryside scholar, to be favored by a Commandery Princess is your honor. Don’t be ungrateful, think carefully about the consequences of offending the Commandery Princess," the maid Cai Ming shouted insults at Jingzhe’s departing carriage.
Princess Ming Yue raised her eyebrows, watching the carriage moving further away.
The more Jingzhe behaved like this, the more it stirred her competitive spirit.
"I wonder what type of person his original wife is, for Jingzhe to pass up a Commandery Princess," Cai Ming couldn’t help but say.
These words angered Princess Ming Yue.
Frightened, Cai Ming quickly begged for mercy.
Princess Ming Yue became even more curious about the wife Jingzhe spoke of, and asked, "Didn’t I tell you to find out about his wife?"
Cai Ming said: "Your servant has already sent someone, but there’s no news yet."
Princess Ming Yue coldly sneered, it doesn’t matter what kind of person she is, she’ll have to step down eventually.