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

The Ninth Prince's Mansion, front hall.

Li Yi sat on the golden nanmu stool, his gaze somewhat anxious.

She felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, her almond-shaped eyes constantly looking outside.

To be honest, she didn't want to come today. But she had no choice. The Marquis was forcing her to come.

While she was still pondering how to start the conversation, she saw Nangong Yue, dressed in a long black robe, stride in from outside.

"This humble woman pays her respects to the Ninth Prince."

"Please rise, Mother-in-law." Nangong Yue waved her hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities.

He sat down, then looked at Li Yi and asked, "The Princess Consort is unwell today and unable to receive guests. What business does Mother-in-law have with the Princess Consort? I can convey her message."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi was stunned.

She had expected Chu Xunzhen to see her and was prepared to be rejected, but unexpectedly, Chu Xunzhen fell ill and was unable to receive guests.

Li Yi looked at Nangong Yue and sighed, "I came to see the Ninth Princess today because her three brothers had a misunderstanding about her before. Now that they know they were wrong, they sent me here to plead their case."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yue was somewhat surprised.

Li Yi also felt that her statement was too far-fetched, but she couldn't possibly say that the master forced her to come and let Chu Xunzhen whisper in the prince's ear to arrange a promotion, could she?

"I see. I will pass on the message, and as for whether the Queen is willing to forgive, I will not interfere."

"Of course." Li Yi smiled and chatted for a few more minutes before leaving.

Looking at her retreating figure, Nangong Yue's gaze turned slightly cold.

Hearing that his sister was sick, he decided to leave.

If they truly cared about their sister, why wouldn't they ask what illness she had and whether they could visit her?

Thinking of how his sister lived such a repressed life under the Marquis of Ping'an, his heart ached.

Chu Xunzhen smiled.

Nangong Yue was somewhat surprised and asked, "Sister, aren't you angry?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen shook his head and smiled, "I've already severed ties with her. I don't care what she thinks at all."

Chu Xunzhen didn't care about her thoughts, but she was determined to repay the pain she had suffered in her past life.

Knowing that Chu Wanrou was her father's biological child, she was still so magnanimous. If she knew that the agate bracelet Chu Wanrou gave her was a weapon meant to kill her, Chu Xunzhen would want to see if she could still be so magnanimous.

"Sister, they treated you like this, I want them to suffer a fate worse than death."

As Nangong Yue spoke, she picked up her pen and began writing a memorial to the throne.

Last time, the impeachment of Gu Changfeng was not very effective.

This time, he wants to impeach Chu Zhanpeng for failing to properly manage his family.

Gu Changfeng was the person the emperor wanted to support, but Chu Zhanpeng was not.

Chu Xunzhen looked at Nangong Yue's handwriting; it was neat and upright, in running script. While free and easy, the strokes also carried strength, like the character of a scholar.

Just then, the butler came in to report that Chen Lianxin and Nangong Qing had returned.

Chu Xun was somewhat surprised.

After the flower-viewing and poetry banquet, Nangong Qing and Chen Lianxin did not return until now.

"Cousin, Lianxin requests an audience."

Suddenly, Chen Lianxin's sweet voice rang out from outside the door.

Nangong Yue had just finished writing and put down her pen.

He looked up abruptly, his voice calm: "Wait in the study."

Chu Xunzhen was resting with his eyes closed, seemingly unaware of their conversation.

"Sister, will you come with me to the study?"

Nangong Yue asked.

Chu Xun was somewhat surprised.

He actually agreed to go to the study with her?

In his past life, Gu Changfeng never told me who he was discussing matters with in his study.

She was even forbidden from approaching the study, but unexpectedly, Nangong Yue showed no intention of avoiding suspicion in this life.

"Okay. I want you to carry me."

Chu Xun's voice was like a silver bell, and Nangong Yue raised her eyebrows slightly.

He walked straight over and hugged Chu Xunzhen.

A fresh pine scent emanates from it, wafting into your nostrils.

Chu Xunzhen was somewhat puzzled.

The scent seems familiar.

It seemed like this wasn't the first time she'd smelled this unique fragrance.

Where exactly did you smell it?

Nangong Yue carried Chu Xunzhen out of the room.

The maids and servants stared wide-eyed at the sight.

Their Ninth Prince, who usually wouldn't even glance at women, was actually so doting on his Princess.

Thinking about how the prince and princess had shared a room many times and how the prince had called for water so many times, everyone sighed inwardly, realizing that the prince's feelings for the princess were definitely different.

Chen Lianxin waited outside the study.

She had her back to everyone.

She wore a red gauze dress, which was both flamboyant and beautiful.

Intending to leave a good impression on her cousin, she turned around and suddenly saw her cousin, Nangong Yue, personally carrying Chu Xunzhen in his arms.

She couldn't believe it.

She had never received such treatment even after living in the Prince's mansion for so long.

On what grounds?

Why does Chu Xunzhen receive special care from her cousin?

"Why don't you go back to the woodshed and continue your confinement? Explain yourself immediately if you have something to say. If not, you will have to go back and continue your confinement."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lianxin's eyes showed a hint of grievance, and two lines of tears fell.

"Cousin, you know how good I used to be to Xingchen and Xingyuan. When the Princess came, I was jealous, which is why I did such a wrong thing. Please forgive me, cousin."

Nangong Yue frowned and asked coldly, "Is this all you wanted to say today?"

Chen Lianxin glanced at Chu Xunzhen, who was resting on the couch beside her, placed by Nangong Yue, her face showing grievance.

She spoke slowly, "This is a ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus that the Lotus Heart Returns to Heaven Sect retrieved. There has only been one in ten thousand years. If you agree to do one thing for Lotus Heart, this ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus will be yours. If you take the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus in accordance with a specific method, your headache will be cured, cousin."

Nangong Qing pushed the wheelchair over.

"Moon, your headache has caused your mental illness. It can be cured with just a ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus. In the future, you won't have to bear the title of a mentally challenged prince or a useless prince and be ridiculed by others. Your aunt hopes that you can become as healthy as the other princes."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yue remained expressionless and simply said, "State your conditions."

Nangong Qing glanced at Chen Lianxin before saying to Nangong Yue, "This ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus was bestowed upon Lianxin, the holy maiden, by the Heavenly Sect Master. To obtain the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus, one only needs to marry Lianxin and join the Heavenly Sect."

Anshun stood at the door with a strange expression.

If the dignified leader of the Gu Sect were to join the Heavenly Sect and become the husband of the Heavenly Sect's Holy Maiden, wouldn't that mean the Gu Sect would be merged into the Heavenly Sect?

"I will not join the Heavenly Sect."

Nangong Qing took a deep breath, glanced at his daughter, and said, "Your Highness, joining the Heavenly Sect doesn't require you to go there; you'll only have the title of honorary elder. It won't affect your daily life. This ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus is priceless. Just the position of your principal wife will restore your health."

Nangong Yue's gaze sharpened, and her voice rang out coldly: "Does my aunt mean for me to abandon the Queen?"

Nangong Qing's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

His nephew's imposing aura was becoming increasingly fierce.

"My aunt means that the original queen will be reassigned as a concubine. It's just a change in title. My aunt guarantees that Concubine Chu's treatment will remain the same as before."

Chen Lianxin also spoke up: "Cousin, the Princess is a very kind person. Even if I marry you, I will still respect her as before. I will never be disrespectful to her. I swear."

Nangong Qing's gaze fell on Chu Xunzhen, noticing the purplish-blue marks on her neck.

She snorted coldly and said, "Your Highness, what do you think? The Prince certainly wouldn't want to wrong you. But if the Prince obtains the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, his old ailment can be completely cured, and then the Prince will recover his health. Now, all you need to do is to be a little wronged and give up the title of principal wife; all other treatment will remain unchanged."

Chu Xun was about to refuse, but who knew that Nangong Yue would refuse even faster than her.

"No need. Let's leave the Ten Thousand Year Snow Lotus to Lianxin's future husband. Now that I have married the Queen, she will be my wife for life. As for Lianxin, I have always regarded her as my cousin. My heart is not big enough to accommodate too many women."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Lianxin's expression changed.

Her eyes were blurry with tears as she grabbed Nangong Yue's sleeve and said, "Cousin, Lianxin only loves you. If you really love the Princess Consort that much, Lianxin can become a concubine."

Chen Lianxin gritted her teeth.

Nangong Qing's face was grim, his left hand resting on his numb thigh, his voice tinged with reminiscence.

"Moon, your aunt has watched you and Lianxin grow up together since you were little. On the day your uncle passed away, you promised yourself that you would take good care of Lianxin. Now, if you are unwilling to marry her, how can he rest easy?"

Nangong Yue paused for a moment before speaking, "Aunt, Lianxin is my cousin, and she always will be. I will find her a suitable husband so she can live out the rest of her life in peace."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Qing's face contorted with rage, and he roared.

"Nangong Yue, my husband died saving you. Even if you find someone to marry Lianxin, if that person mistreats Lianxin behind her back, can you immediately rush to that person's backyard to punish them? Lianxin has already agreed to be a concubine, and you won't even agree to this small matter. How can you face your uncle?"

Chen Lianxin looked terrible, wiping away tears as she sat on the ground, utterly helpless.

"Someone, please escort my aunt and cousin out. Please take my aunt back to her room, and arrange for Lianxin to move to the woodshed."

After saying that, Anshun helped the two of them away.

Chen Lianxin's eyes widened in disbelief, and she angrily said, "Let me go! I brought back the ancient snow lotus for my cousin. Cousin, you can't lock me up again. There are rats in the woodshed!"

Nangong Qing felt heartache and pain, staring intently at Nangong Yue, then turned away in disappointment: "Don't touch me, I can walk by myself."

Nangong Qing maneuvered his wheelchair back to the room himself.

Soon, only Chu Xunzhen and Nangong Yue remained in the study.

"Your Highness, if the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus can truly cure you, then let us divorce."

Chu Xunzhen had thought about it.

She was willing to marry him before because he had saved her in both her past and present lives.

He is both mentally unstable and insane. He will suffer greatly for the rest of his life without anyone to care for him. Initially, she did indeed consider marrying him out of gratitude.

Now that they've spent so much time together, she has to admit that she's truly fallen for Nangong Yue.

She loved the way he protected her, loved that he remembered her favorite foods. He would bring her medicine when he knew she was injured.

He was also a very good husband. He accompanied her on her homecoming visit, and even when she stayed out almost all night, he never humiliated her. Instead, he expressed his worries.

The treatment she gave him only had a 90% success rate. If Chen Lianxin's eternal snow lotus could cure him 100%, Chu Xun would be willing to separate from him.