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

boom!

Nangong Yue could not believe the words Chu Xunzhen had just spoken.

Divorce?

"Sister, do you want a divorce?"

What did he do wrong that allowed her to say such things so calmly?

"Your Highness, if that ancient snow lotus can truly cure you, I will be happy for you. I only wish for Your Highness's well-being."

Nangong Yue narrowed her eyes, the murderous aura in them almost solidifying.

This was the first time Chu Xunzhen had ever seen him so enraged, like a runaway volcano about to erupt.

"But all I want is you."

Nangong Yue grabbed Chu Xunzhen's collar and leaned down to look at her intently.

Chu Xunzhen was stunned.

For her, life is the most important thing.

If you lose your life, what's the point of talking about romantic love?

Chu Xunzhen pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness, if it is certain that the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus can save you and ensure your carefree life, Xunzhen is willing to divorce you and allow you to be with your cousin Lianxin."

Nangong Yue scoffed and retorted, "Then should I thank you for your generosity?"

He flicked his sleeves and left.

He was afraid. He was afraid that if he didn't leave soon, he would lose control of himself.

Does this woman even have a heart?

He went through countless hardships, even sacrificing his own soul, to give her a second chance.

But she said she wanted a divorce from him?

But he couldn't let her know his secret.

Chu Xunzhen was stunned.

Watching his retreating figure, her heart ached a little.

As soon as he returned to his room, Granny Hua came over.

"Master, someone from the Liu residence has come to ask about the list of names for the health-preserving bracelets we requested earlier. Is it ready?"

Chu Xunzhen then remembered that he had told Liu Xiangning to send someone to pick it up.

Realizing that she hadn't finished writing half of it, she immediately began to write.

Before long, she wrote out a book that recorded all kinds of health-preserving bracelets and various incense plaques.

"Chunxi, give this booklet to the maid in the Liu household."

"Yes."

Chunxi solemnly accepted the booklet and withdrew.

Granny Hua saw Chu Xunzhen's troubles and said, "Your Highness, this old servant sees that the Prince treats you very well and is unwilling to divorce you. In that case, why not just happily be the Ninth Prince's Consort?"

"But if the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus can truly cure the prince and ensure his peaceful remaining years, I can give up mere romantic feelings."

In her past life, she was deceived by Gu Changfeng. In this life, to repay his kindness, she met a good man and, incidentally, angered Gu Changfeng. It was all worth it.

If they were to divorce, she could focus on revenge without involving His Highness.

Granny Hua was puzzled.

"The Ninth Prince has a pure heart and is devoted to the Empress. He must find it hard to accept hearing such indifferent remarks from the Empress."

Chu Xunzhen looked at the bright moon outside the window and sighed, "Granny, if he is in pain, it means that in his heart, I am more important than his life. But I have lived two lives, and I believe that life is more important than love."

Upon hearing this, Granny Hua suddenly fell silent.

"Let's go see Star Wish," Chu Xunzhen said to Granny Hua.

As soon as I entered Xingxingju, I heard sobbing coming from inside.

Chu Xunzhen was startled and quickened her pace.

"Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan, what's wrong? Don't scare your second brother!"

Inside the room, Nangong Xinghe trembled and shook Nangong Xingyuan on the bed.

Chu Xunzhen strode over, glanced at Nangong Xingyuan on the bed, and looked puzzled.

Chu Xunzhen asked, "What happened? She was much better when I visited Xingyuan last time."

Upon seeing Chu Xunzhen, Nangong Xinghe exclaimed with delight, "Mother, please save Xingyuan! She was perfectly fine yesterday. My aunt said she was going to take Xingyuan to Tianzong to play, but after we came back, Xingyuan has been running a fever."

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from Nangong Xingyuan's mouth.

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! I won't do it again! Yuanyuan will never do it again. It hurts, it hurts so much..."

Chu Xunzhen's heart clenched suddenly.

Looking at Nangong Xingyuan's small face, she placed her right hand on her fair wrist and carefully felt her pulse.

Her once round, rosy face was now deathly pale.

His brows were furrowed into a deep frown. He curled up on the tatami mat, his body arched like a shrimp, trembling slightly.

Chu Xunzhen's expression was grave: "She is trembling with fear; she must have suffered a great shock. She has probably been frightened."

As he spoke, Chu Xunzhen lifted Nangong Xingyuan's robe.

The next instant, Nangong Xinghe screamed in fright.

Chu Xunzhen stared intently at the scars on Nangong Xingyuan's body.

Circular, bloody wounds were visible on her chest and around her navel.

Chu Xunzhen suppressed her anger and turned Nangong Xingyuan over, her back riddled with holes.

Numerous knife scars lay haphazardly across her back.

Chu Xunzhen hugged Nangong Xingyuan, choking back tears, and said, "Yuanyuan, Mother is here. Mother is here. Don't be afraid."

How could that person treat a one-and-a-half-year-old girl like that?

Her daughter was so polite and lovely, how could the other person bear to hurt such a poor child like that?

Nangong Xingyuan seemed to smell the fragrance on Chu Xunzhen's body. She snuggled against Chu Xunzhen's chest and tightly gripped Chu Xunzhen's clothes with her two little hands.

"Mother......."

Chu Xunzhen held her tightly, afraid of touching her wounds.

A fierce rage was already blazing in her eyes.

"Yuanyuan, let your mother examine you. Let me show you your wounds."

Chu Xunzhen took off her top and suddenly saw the whip marks on her shoulder.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was trembling with rage.

Nangong Xinghe could no longer contain himself and was so frightened that tears and snot streamed down his face.

Nangong Xingchen, who had just arrived, stared intently at the wounds on Yuanyuan's body, from which blood was seeping out.

His eyes were bloodshot, but his face was calm, as cold as a stagnant pool.

Chu Xunzhen said to Nangong Xingchen, "Xingchen, go and call your father to come and see Yuanyuan."

"Yes, Mother."

Nangong Xingchen strode out.

"Granny Hua, bring two basins of hot water."

"Yes." Granny Hua staggered out to fetch water, clearly still quite angry about what had just happened.

Chu Xunzhen helped Nangong Xingyuan remove her lower body clothing.

She couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

Her once round and full buttocks were now covered in bruises and swelling. Numerous tiny, pinhole-sized holes were scattered across both sides of her buttocks.

His legs were covered in whip marks.

She could already imagine someone whipping her entire body repeatedly and inserting needles into her flesh.

She begged for mercy, she was terrified, but no one came to her rescue.

At this moment, she appeared to have a fever, but the situation was clearly extremely urgent; she was barely breathing.

"Chunxi, quickly! Send someone to fetch Physician Li."

Nangong Xinghe walked over, startled, and sat down on the ground, wailing, "Mother, who did this? Why did they do this to my sister?"

The horrific wound made him tremble.

When Nangong Yue arrived, she saw Chu Xunzhen wiping Xingyuan's body.

"Sister, what's wrong with Yuanyuan?"

As he spoke, he walked over and saw the wounds all over her body.

Who did it?

His voice was calm, but it contained a crazy killing intent.

"Father, this is how Yuanyuan returned from the Heavenly Sect."

Tears welled up in Nangong Xinghe's chubby face.

"I've sealed Xingyuan's condition with silver needles. I've already summoned the imperial physician."

"Thank you for your hard work," Nangong Yue said, grasping Chu Xunzhen's hands with pleading eyes. "Sister, don't go. If you leave, Xingyuan will have no one to take care of it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen was stunned, then nodded.

Yes, little Xingyuan is so pitiful. If Chen Lianxin becomes Nangong Yue's wife, will she treat Xingyuan well?

"The old physician Li has arrived."

When the old physician Li saw Chu Xunzhen, he nodded.

But suddenly, he noticed the little one on the bed covered in injuries.

"Internal organ damage. The skin and flesh are covered with whip marks, knife wounds, and needle marks. This is a way for noble ladies in the palace to punish their servants without drawing blood."

The old physician Li's face flushed red with anger, and he said furiously.

This was the first time he had ever seen anyone treat a toddler who was just over a year old like this.

That man is a complete beast!

It wasn't until late at night that Doctor Li finished bandaging Nangong Xingyuan's wound.

Fortunately, Xingyuan was only a little over one year old; otherwise, if she were five or six, even the old physician Li wouldn't have been able to bandage her up personally.

Nangong Yue instructed Anshun to take good care of things here, and he hurriedly ran towards Lianxin Garden.

As soon as they reached the outer edge of Lianxin Garden, they saw Nangong Qing and Chen Lianxin having a meal in the courtyard, laughing and chatting.

He rushed up to Chen Lianxin and roared, "You took Yuanyuan to the Heavenly Sect before, why did she come back covered in injuries? Now she even has a high fever!"

Nangong Qing immediately put down his chopsticks and said, "Has Yue'er misunderstood? She was fine when we brought her back."

Chu Xunzhen said coldly, "Does Madam Nangong mean that His Highness would lie? The royal physician is currently in Yuanyuan's room. You two can go and see for yourselves."

Chen Lianxin pushed her mother, Nangong Qing, into Nangong Xingyuan's room.

They could see at a glance that it was wrapped up like a rice dumpling, just like a crippled Nangong Xingyuan.

A hint of a smile flashed in Chen Lianxin's eyes.

Chu Xunzhen's gaze turned cold as he looked at Chen Lianxin and said, "Chen Lianxin, do you know how badly Xingyuan was injured?"

"I don't know. As soon as I returned to the Heavenly Sect, I went to find the sect leader to obtain the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus."

Nangong Qing nodded and said, "I originally brought Yuanyuan with me, but she was playing with the girls from Tianzong. So I went to look for Lianxin. I returned after half an hour."

Half an hour?

Chen Lianxin's expression changed.

Nangong Qing looked completely innocent and said, "Yue'er, your aunt watched you grow up. How could I harm your child? Besides, Yuanyuan is a girl. Even if I didn't want you to have children, I should be the one to harm Xingchen and Xinghe."

The group exchanged glances, agreeing that Nangong Qing's words made a lot of sense.

Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "Yuanyuan will wake up soon. Tomorrow, the Princess Consort will personally ask her who hurt her like this."

As he spoke, Chu Xunzhen's gaze fell on Chen Lianxin.