Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

Looking at the soaking wet Xiao Qinghan, Chu Xunzhen asked, "How did Young Master Xiao fall into the water?"

Xiao Qinghan lowered his eyes, suppressing his resentment, and said, "I just happened to be walking by the pond when I accidentally fell in."

Chu Xunzhen said, "I see."

Liu Xiangning said to the servants of the Liu family, "Take Young Master Xiao and this eunuch downstairs to change into clean clothes."

"Yes."

Xiao Qinghan and Shouyi followed behind the servants.

The crowd whispered among themselves.

Chu Xunzhen looked at Liu Xiangning and said, "Xiangning, if you had really jumped into the water just now, you really wouldn't be able to explain anything, and you would have to marry Xiao Qinghan."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangning's expression changed, and she shook her head and waved her hands abruptly.

"No, no, no, I don't want to get married yet."

Seemingly remembering something, Liu Xiangning took Chu Xunzhen's hand and led her to the backyard.

"Zhenzhen, come with me."

Chu Xunzhen was taken to Liu Xiangning's boudoir.

As soon as I stepped into her boudoir, I smelled an unusual scent.

"Zhenzhen, you're getting married. I don't have much to give you, but this is a mechanical bracelet I had made in the border town. I'll teach you how to use it. And these poisonous herbs, I collected them at the border."

Liu Xiangning took out a brocade box.

Inside the brocade box was a plain gold bracelet.

The golden bracelet shimmered with iridescent colors under natural light.

Chu Xunzhen knew that this was a unique technique used in the border town's goldware industry.

"What a nice view!"

Chu Xunzhen sighed, the more he appreciated it, the more he liked it.

Chu Xunzhen extended her left hand.

Liu Xiangning put a gold bracelet on her and then took out a wooden box from under the bed.

She opened the wooden box, and inside was a whole chest full of poisonous herbs.

The poisonous herbs have been dried and are clearly well preserved.

"Thank you, Ningning."

Chu Xunzhen grasped Liu Xiangning's hand and said sincerely.

She was working so hard at the border, yet she was still thinking of her in the capital.

Chu Xunzhen felt a warmth in her heart.

The two chatted for a while before Chu Xunzhen pointed to the incense burner beside her and asked, "Do you burn the incense in this burner every day?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangning was taken aback, nodded, and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Could it be poisonous?"

She knew Chu Xunzhen's true abilities.

Everyone in that village raises Gu poisons and knows how to use them.

She had been stranded in that village. If Chu Xunzhen hadn't appeared out of nowhere, she would have been captured and used as a test subject for poison.

"No, not really. But if you keep smelling this odor for a long time, you'll be more prone to headaches than the average person in the future."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangning abruptly stepped back and sat down on a mahogany stool to the side.

"This incense was given to me by my father."

Liu Xiangning couldn't believe it.

Chu Xunzhen shook his head and chuckled: "Perhaps someone else gave it to your father."

"Yes, you're right. Father also burns this kind of incense in his study. He often has headaches."

Liu Xiangning's eyes reddened, and she excitedly grabbed Chu Xunzhen's hand.

"Thank you, Zhenzhen, you saved me again. From now on, I'm yours. Wherever you go, I'll follow."

Chu Xunzhen chuckled and said, "I'm about to marry the Ninth Prince. Are you coming too?"

Liu Xiangning blushed, patted Chu Xunzhen's hand, and pouted, "How could I repay kindness with enmity?"

Chu Xunzhen stopped teasing her and told her not to burn those incense sticks again in the future.

"After the banquet, you should see a doctor as soon as possible and get some medicine to help you recover."

As soon as Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, Liu Xiangning nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

Looking at the vibrant Xiang Ning, Chu Xunzhen recalled the Liu Xiang Ning from her previous life, who, even when confined to her sickbed, still worried about her future.

Ningning, in this lifetime, I will never let that person bully you again.

"Come on, Zhenzhen, I'll take you to the lavender forest. It's a wonder of my Grand Tutor's mansion."

Chu Xunzhen followed behind Liu Xiangning. The two had just walked under the corridor when they saw Xiao Qinghan.

At this moment, he changed into a moon-white robe, looking like a refined gentleman.

The guest fell into the water at the Grand Tutor's mansion. The robes prepared for the guest by the Grand Tutor's mansion were naturally not those worn by the poor; they were all made of extremely precious materials.

The clothes Xiao Qinghan is wearing now are more valuable than the ones he wore to the banquet.

Even the young master of the Grand Tutor's mansion wore clothes made of this kind of fine fabric.

Xiao Qinghan reached out and bowed to Chu Xunzhen with clasped hands, saying gratefully, "Greetings, County Princess. Thank you for saving my life. If you ever incur my wrath, I will gladly die for you."

Chu Xunzhen raised an eyebrow.

Is this person trying to show off again because the previous plan wasn't progressing?

"So what skills do you have?"

Chu Xunzhen asked directly.

Xiao Qinghan was taken aback.

Chu Xun really doesn't play by the rules.

You should know that when a woman from a respectable family hears a man say this, she will definitely respond with something like, "It's just a small favor, nothing to mention, no need to repay me."

Why did she actually ask the county princess what he knew?

He showed up to create a good impression of being grateful, not because he was willing to agree to everything.

Although his mind was filled with a thousand thoughts, he dared not refuse to answer the question posed by the county princess.

"In response to Your Highness, this humble subject only understands two things: poetry and songs, and Your Highness's will. Whatever Your Highness commands me to do, I will do," Xiao Qinghan said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Chu Xunzhen was shocked upon hearing this.

No wonder he was the chief minister in his previous life.

They are extremely good at understanding and manipulating people's hearts.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have accepted this willing pawn upon hearing these words.

Chu Xunzhen thought for a moment and said, "You'll do whatever I tell you to do?"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Xiao Qinghan knelt down abruptly and said, "It was the county princess who saved me. If it weren't for the county princess sending people to rescue me, I would probably be drowning by now."

Chu Xunzhen said, "If that's the case, then you owe me a life?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll send you to the border to help Xiang Ning's brother, Liu Qianhan."

As soon as the words were spoken, Xiao Qinghan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head.

Xiao Qinghan forced a smile and said, "This humble subject is grateful to the county magistrate for saving my life, but the imperial examination is approaching, and this humble subject is determined to serve Da Ning and wishes to participate in the examination."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "You spoke so sweetly just now, but now it seems it was all a lie. Xiao Qinghan, never appear before Xiang Ning and me again. You are utterly deceitful."

Chu Xunzhen strode away.

Liu Xiangning followed closely behind.

Only Xiao Qinghan, unwilling to accept defeat, remained frozen in place.

"Zhenzhen, you're amazing!" Liu Xiangning laughed. "Didn't you see? His face was frozen."

Chu Xunzhen shook his head and chuckled: "I was just testing him. I didn't expect him to be so eloquent. But when I actually let him have his way with me, he didn't want to."

Xiao Qinghan paused, filled with regret under the corridor.

But he couldn't gamble. What if Chu Xunzhen's words were true?

When Chu Xunzhen and Liu Xiangning returned, the flower appreciation banquet had already begun.

"Where did my sister go? I've been looking for her everywhere."

As soon as Chu Xunzhen stepped into the room, a familiar voice reached his ears.