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

"Don't be nervous, this bear won't hurt anyone. It's our Ninth Princess's pet."

pet?

The guard was stunned by what he heard.

I've heard of people keeping rabbits, kittens, puppies, and foxes as pets, but I've never heard of keeping a brown bear, which is several times larger than a person, as a pet.

One of the guards approached and said, "Lord Anshun, you may enter the city. As for the brown bear, I'm sorry, we cannot allow it through."

Hearing this, Chu Xunzhen didn't care.

She patted the brown bear's head and said, "It's very well-behaved and won't hurt anyone."

The two guards clearly didn't believe them.

"I'm sorry, Ninth Princess, brown bears are not allowed to enter the city."

After the two guards finished speaking, they still kept a wary eye on the brown bear.

Seemingly understanding what they said, the brown bear bared its teeth at them.

The two city gate guards were so frightened that their legs trembled.

Chu Xunzhen frowned. If they stopped now and waited for Anshun to send the iron cage over, it would probably delay Nangong Yue's treatment.

"Bear, lie down."

At Chu Xunzhen's command, the brown bear, which was taller than a person, immediately lay down.

"The bear wags its tail."

The brown bear could only stick its rear end up in the air, wagging its short tail with a look of utter despair.

"Bear, smile."

The brown bear gave everyone a smile that looked more like a grimace.

The guards were dumbfounded.

This was the first time they had ever seen such an obedient brown bear.

Even so, the guard still intended to refuse Chu Xunzhen.

What if a child sees a brown bear and tries to pet it, only to be killed by the bear's paw?

They cannot afford such severe consequences.

"Excuse me, Ninth Princess Consort, this brown bear..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chu Xunzhen called out, "Xiongxiong, dance."

The brown bear immediately took to the street, twisting its thick waist, raising its furry arms, shaking its furry feet, and dancing in circles.

"Oh my god!"

"What did I just see? That brown bear is dancing!"

"The Ninth Princess can actually make a brown bear dance?"

......

The onlookers were all stunned.

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would never have believed that the princess could command a brown bear to dance.

Chu Xunzhen's gaze fell on the guards, and he asked, "Now, can this brown bear go in?"

The guard, forcing a smile, said, "No. The princess can't possibly watch over this brown bear all the time..."

The next moment, his words came to an abrupt halt.

This was because the Ninth Princess directly ordered the brown bear to lie down.

With a flip, Chu Xunzhen sat on the brown bear.

"Now that I, the Queen, am riding on a brown bear, I can control its behavior. If the brown bear injures anyone after we enter the inner city, I will take responsibility."

Upon hearing this, the guard nodded, and the two men stepped aside to make way.

At this moment, Nangong Yue was lying inside the carriage, while Chu Xunzhen was sitting on the back of a brown bear.

Anshun stood behind Chu Xunzhen, his eyes filled with envy.

After today, the Ninth Princess will surely be famous throughout the capital.

The Ninth Princess rode a brown bear through the streets.

So imposing and majestic, it attracted the attention of the surrounding people.

Just then, a little girl's ball suddenly fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and stopped right in front of the brown bear.

The little girl was terrified; she pointed at the ball, wanting to pick it up but too scared to.

"My dear daughter, Mother will go buy you another one in a little while."

The little girl listened to her mother's words, but still stared longingly at the ball at the brown bear's feet, her eyes filled with tears.

Chu Xunzhen moved his right thumb, causing the mother Gu to influence the child Gu.

Under the trembling gazes of everyone, the brown bear suddenly patted the ball, sending it right in front of the little girl, and gave her a smile that was more like a grimace.

"What an intelligent brown bear."

"What a bear! I was a hunter in the mountains when I was young, and this is the first time I've ever seen such a spirited bear. It's quite remarkable that the princess was able to tame this brown bear."

"Have you heard? The Ninth Prince was assassinated and fell off a cliff. The Princess Consort stayed by his side to the death, but they ended up encountering a brown bear and becoming friends."

........

Everyone started discussing it, each offering their own opinion.

Chu Xunzhen chuckled inwardly, but did not clarify anything.

As soon as she returned to the palace, she jumped off the brown bear's back.

"Xiongxiong, go play in the back garden with Steward Wu. Don't hurt the servants or maids of the Prince's mansion. Of course, if anyone hurts you, you can fight back, but you absolutely cannot kill anyone, understand? I will stand up for you."

The brown bear nodded, indicating that it understood.

Butler Wu looked at Chu Xunzhen, then at the brown bear, his face showing a look of panic.

He had guided countless distinguished guests throughout his life, but guiding a bear was a first for him.

Especially when he saw the bits of human flesh stuck between its teeth, he chuckled and his legs trembled uncontrollably.

"Granny Hua, you come along."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Granny Hua followed behind the brown bear.

The entire palace was in an uproar.

The prince and princess fell off a cliff. The prince fell seriously ill, and the princess returned to the mansion with a bear.

Chu Xunzhen returned to her room. Chunxi took off her shoes and, seeing the injury on the sole of her foot, covered her mouth and cried.

"Young lady, you've suffered so much."

"It's alright, Chunxi, your daughter is very lucky."

Chu Xunzhen patted Chunxi's head and said.

After Chu Xunzhen finished bandaging himself, he came to Nangong Yue's bedside with Chunxi's help.

Old Doctor Li has come out.

Chu Xunzhen frowned.

If the prince were from an ordinary family, taking half a year to recuperate would naturally be no big deal.

But if something like that happened again, the prince would probably lose his life.

Thinking of this, Chu Xunzhen asked, "Imperial Physician, is there no other way to speed up the Prince's recovery?"

Upon hearing this, the old physician Li pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "In Baiyun Temple, there is a Heavenly Ladder. If one climbs it continuously for thirty days, one can receive a miraculous medicine from the abbot. The abbot of Baiyun Temple mostly bestows sacred healing items. If one can obtain the appropriate miraculous medicine, perhaps His Highness can recover ahead of schedule."

"Thank you very much, Doctor Li."

The old imperial physician, Li, shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "The Heavenly Sect's ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus is a top-grade healing elixir. Even the sacred-grade spiritual medicines obtained from continuously climbing the Heavenly Ladder cannot compare. If possible, the Ninth Princess Consort could also try negotiating with the Heavenly Sect."

Chu Xunzhen remembered that Chen Lianxin possessed the Ten Thousand Year Snow Lotus.

But she certainly wouldn't give it to herself.

If her condition was that he marry her, Nangong Yue would definitely not agree.

Chu Xunzhen walked out of the room and said to Anshun, who was standing in the courtyard, "Eunuch Anshun, send someone to find His Highness's cousin, Chen Lianxin."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Anshun glanced at Chu Xunzhen.

He had also heard what the old physician Li had said.

I thought the princess would choose to climb the Heavenly Ladder at Baiyun Temple, but I never expected that she would be willing to beg Miss Chen for His Highness's sake.

An Shun looked at Chu Xunzhen with even more admiration.

Chu Xunzhen walked into the inner room and saw Nangong Yue's furrowed brows relax. She finally felt relieved.

"Your Highness, I will definitely save you and help you recover as soon as possible."

Nangong Yue already had Gu worms in her mind. If she let her body continue like this, it would definitely affect the Gu worms in her mind.

Most importantly, this matter was very likely the work of the Third Prince.

In her past life, she married Gu Changfeng and became a member of the Third Prince's faction. The Third Prince was extremely wary of Nangong Yue back then.

Chu Xunzhen covered Nangong Yue with the blanket before slowly walking out.

Chunxi rushed over and helped Chu Xunzhen up, saying worriedly, "Your Highness, your foot is still injured and has just been bandaged. Don't step on the ground too hard, or the wound will reopen."

"Understood, Chunxi. By the way, did you find any leads when I asked you to inquire about Lord Zhou Qing outside?"

Chunxi nodded and said, "The day after the Prince and Princess fell off the cliff, Lord Zhou Qing was released. He has not been reinstated and is still recuperating in his residence, handling the funeral arrangements, and awaiting His Majesty's decision."

Chu Xunzhen pondered for a moment and said, "Prepare some silver for me. Tomorrow, I will go to the Zhou residence to offer incense to Madam Zhou."

Chen Lianxin arrived in less than half an hour.

Seeing Chu Xunzhen adorned with jewels, and then looking at herself still wearing outdated red clothes, a hint of jealousy and resentment flashed deep in her eyes.

"Lianxin greets the Princess."

Chen Lianxin bowed respectfully to Chu Xunzhen.

Chu Xunzhen was somewhat surprised. However, recalling Chunxi's report earlier that Chen Lianxin and Nangong Qing had been staying at the Third Prince's residence recently, she immediately understood.

Chen Lianxin was well aware that she no longer had much to boast about, and could not choose her own marriage.

"Get up." Chu Xunzhen's gaze fell on Chen Lianxin. "I need the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. Name your price. State what you want. As for your cousin—the Ninth Prince—don't even think about it. He won't agree to take you as a concubine."

Chen Lianxin's face flushed red, and she said bitterly, "I've been living in my cousin's Jinghe Palace, spending every day with him. Last time, he made it clear that he didn't want to marry me, but I'm not willing to accept that. I've loved him for so many years, how can you expect me to let him go?"

Chu Xun was somewhat surprised.

This woman is quite straightforward.

"So what you mean is?"

Chen Lian thought to herself, "Since my cousin is unwilling to marry me, I will make him lose his love. If you divorce my cousin, I will offer you the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus with both hands."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen almost spat out the tea she had just drunk.

Has Chen Lianxin gone mad?

Chu Xunzhen spoke softly, "This condition is one I cannot agree to. Are you sure you don't want to ask for something else? Like a sum of money, and then going to a place where no one knows you, to start from scratch? Or perhaps a suitable husband?"

Chen Lianxin scoffed and said arrogantly, "No! I grew up in the capital and will never leave. If I'm going to marry, I'll marry someone of high standing. I want to marry the most outstanding man in Da Ning."

Chu Xunzhen sighed inwardly.

"If that's the case, then you should go back?"

Chen Lianxin's gaze fell on Chu Xunzhen and she said, "As long as the princess agrees to divorce my cousin, I will immediately present her with the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus."

Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "You seem to have misunderstood something? I want this ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus not because your cousin is fatally injured and therefore requires it. Since you're unwilling, then forget it. Eunuch Anshun, see the guest out."