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

Chu Xunzhen blushed and pressed Nangong Yue down onto the couch.

"That's good, we still need to investigate further."

Nangong Yue pouted and said, "Heaven and earth bear witness, I only have eyes for my sister."

Chu Xunzhen stared at the mole under his eye, then moved down to his Adam's apple, her gaze aggressively sweeping him over.

Nangong Yue bit her lip tightly, her ears turning red as she looked shyly at Chu Xunzhen, like a young bride about to be favored by a king.

Chu Xunzhen let out a wild laugh and pounced onto the bed.

The bed curtains fell.

Under the candlelight, the light and shadows swayed.

Less than an hour later, Chu Xunzhen struggled to get off the bed, but a strong arm pulled her back.

On the bed, the woman's cursing turned into low moans, until finally she fell silent.

Outside the side room.

Chunxi blushed.

Granny Hua stood there as if nothing had happened.

Anshun stood in the corner, eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought.

The next day, early morning.

Chu Xunzhen opened his eyes and found that Nangong Yue was gone.

"Chunxi, where is the Prince?"

Chunxi said to Chu Xunzhen, "The prince entered the palace early."

Chu Xunzhen then remembered that when she went to bed last night, Nangong Yue had said that she would present the disaster relief plan she had written to His Majesty.

"Chunxi, help me with my hair and makeup. I'm going to visit my parents."

"That's wonderful!" Chunxi exclaimed excitedly. "The master and mistress will surely be pleased to see the princess living so well now."

Chu Xunzhen wore a pearl-white embroidered golden orchid dress, with a simple white jade hairpin in her hair, looking noble and beautiful.

Chu Xunzhen boarded a carriage and headed to Chen's Clothing Shop in the east of the city.

Chen's Clothing Shop.

Chen Kangnian sat there, his forehead throbbing slightly.

At this moment, he was fiddling with the abacus using his chubby hands.

"Madam, why are the women in the capital so different from those in our area? Today is the third day of their trial operation. Many people come to look, but very few actually buy anything."

Zhang Minlan was also a little puzzled.

She was arranging the pale yellow swan-patterned fabric with both hands.

Logically speaking, this kind of fabric is the color that young women love the most, but these past few days, the girls have looked at it and touched it, but none of them have bought it.

Chen Kangnian seemed to be deep in thought.

"If Yunqi were here, he might be able to give us some advice." Chen Kangnian sneered. "That brat, I don't know where he ran off to this early in the morning, he's driving me crazy."

A look of doubt flickered in Zhang Minlan's eyes: "If only she were here. She's been in the capital for so long, she must know why. We could also know what kind of women here like."

Chen Kangnian shook his head and said, "Zhenzhen is now the Ninth Prince's Consort. She doesn't care about our status, but we can't be a burden to her either."

Chu Xunzhen got off the carriage and happened to hear these words. She immediately glared angrily at Chen Kangnian.

A tear glistened in the corner of his eye.

"Zhenzhen!"

"Father, Mother, why haven't you come to visit Zhenzhen for so long?"

Chu Xunzhen pretended to be angry and asked.

Chen Kangnian gave a bitter smile: "We know about what happened at the Marquis's residence. Zhenzhen, we're afraid it will affect your reputation."

Hearing this, Chu Xunzhen shook her head violently and said, "People can say whatever they want. In Zhenzhen's eyes, you are Zhenzhen's father and mother."

Chen Kangnian's eyes reddened.

Zhang Minlan made tea for Chu Xunzhen, while Chunxi chatted with the girls in the clothing shop.

They were all servants working in the Chen household and knew each other.

Chen Kangnian looked Chu Xunzhen up and down, his eyes filled with heartache: "Zhenzhen, why have you lost weight? Is it because the Ninth Prince isn't feeding you enough? Or did he make you angry? Your father has nothing but silver. If that scoundrel dares to treat you badly, your father will definitely hire someone to teach him a lesson."

Zhang Minlan instinctively covered Chen Kangnian's mouth.

This guy really dares to say anything?

The servants were reprimanding the Ninth Prince of the court. If word got out, their entire family would probably suffer the consequences.

"Dad, Mom, I haven't lost weight, I've even gained a few pounds." As she spoke, Chu Xunzhen walked around the store a few times. "Look, these clothes of mine don't fit me anymore."

Chen Kangnian instructed his servants, "Go and buy some good wine and food."

Then he looked at Chu Xunzhen and said, "How about we have lunch together as a family in the secret room inside the shop at noon?"

"Okay. Father, where is my eldest brother?"

Speaking of this, Chen Kangnian said dejectedly, "That kid got up before dawn, and I wonder where he went?"

Just then, Chen Yunqi rushed in excitedly: "Father, Mother, I did it! I'm going to join the army!"

Chen Yunqi rushed in, but his voice stopped abruptly.

"Zhenzhen, what are you doing here?"

Chu Xunzhen smiled and said, "Big brother."

Chen Yunqi, dressed in a dark gray robe, looked at Chu Xunzhen and said, "Zhenzhen, that's great! I was just thinking of going to the Prince's Mansion to find you."

Chu Xunzhen looked at his elder brother and asked, "Brother, are you going to join the army? I remember you once said you wanted to be the number one merchant in Da Ning."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yunqi stroked Chu Xunzhen's hair and said, "That's what I thought before, but now I want to serve Da Ning."

Zhang Minlan suddenly stood up, her eyes blazing with anger, and shouted, "I disagree!"

"Mother, I have passed the conscription test and will depart the day after tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Minlan's eyes reddened, and large tears dripped from her eyes.

"Husband, please persuade Yunqi. We'll find a way not to go. We'll bribe the conscription office, okay?" Zhang Minlan cried, shaking Chen Kangnian's arm.

Chen Kangnian's gaze turned somber as he looked at Chen Yunqi: "Yunqi, you've had an exceptional talent for business since childhood, and over the years you've been a great help to your parents. Why do you suddenly want to join the army? Do you know how dangerous it is to be in the army? You'll be gone for years; how can you bear to leave your mother and me here?"

Chen Yunqi's eyes reddened, and with a thud, he knelt on the ground.

Chu Xunzhen gestured for the staff to leave, saying they would take a break for today and tomorrow.

"Father, Mother, I like doing business, but I want to be a soldier even more, to make contributions and become a true support."

As Chen Yunqi finished speaking, the two elders' eyes welled up with tears.

Chu Xunzhen's face showed a look of confusion.

For her?

My brother went to join the army, all for her sake?

Chen Yunqi paused, then continued, "I not only want to be Zhenzhen's support, but also the Chen family's support. If I held power, how could the Ping'an Marquis's family dare to treat Zhenzhen the way they did before? If I held power, my parents' business wouldn't be targeted like this, would it?"

Chen Kangnian sighed, "Qi'er, I understand your thoughts, but I just feel terrible. Do you know how dangerous it is to be a soldier? How many soldiers die every year?"

Zhang Minlan wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "If anything were to happen to you in the future, how would your father and I survive?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen said, "Brother, whatever you want to do, I will support you. But do you really like being a soldier? Now I am the county magistrate of the current dynasty. Brother, if you don't like it, then don't become a soldier. I mentioned to you before that you should join the Gu Sect."

Chen Kangnian's eyes lit up, and he said, "That's right, even if you join the Gu Sect, you can come back at any time."

Chu Xunzhen poured cold water on Chen Kangnian's enthusiasm, saying, "Joining the Gu Sect requires assessing aptitude. That's simple; with my help, you'll definitely pass. But the risks of joining the Gu Sect are no less than going to the battlefield. Duels between Gu Masters in the Gu Sect are either life or death, or death or serious injury."

Chen Yunqi pondered for a moment.

He looked at everyone and said firmly, "A true man has things he will do and things he will not do. Now that I have passed the recruit assessment, I will join the army. If I am lucky enough to return, I would like to study at the Gu Sect."

Zhang Minlan burst into tears, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "She really is your sister, and the Ninth Prince is your brother-in-law. If you don't want to go, they can simply send someone to tell you. Are you trying to make your father and me worry about you like this?"

Chen Yunqi's gaze was heavy as he said, "Father, Mother, I want to join the army. The Great Qian has invaded our Great Ning, their treacherous intentions are not dead. If everyone were afraid of death, the border would have fallen long ago."

Chen Yunqi bent over and his head hit the ground hard.

After a long while, he straightened up, looked at his parents, and said firmly, "I was raised by you, my parents, and I must repay your kindness. But without a country, where is a home? If I, Yunqi, with my humble body, can protect Da Ning and kill the invading bandits, I will return one day and repay your kindness."

Chen Kangnian slammed his hand on the table and laughed loudly, "Good! This is the true blood of the Chen family."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Zhang Minlan reached out to help Chen Yunqi up, her eyes filled with pride.

"Mother agrees."

A surge of heat rose in Chu Xunzhen's chest.

Such a sense of responsibility—that's what makes her a true elder brother.

Chu Xunzhen said, "Father and Mother, don't worry. Since my brother wants to join the army, I will send someone to secretly make arrangements. I will make sure that my brother returns safely."

"Thank you, little sister."

Chen Yunqi did not refuse, but accepted it readily.

Chu Xunzhen chuckled and said softly, "Big brother, wasn't it you who put a sack over Gu Changfeng's head before?"

Chen Yunqi looked embarrassed and said, "It was me. Who told him to bully you?"

Chu Xunzhen smiled.

very nice.

She guessed that it was her older brother who stood up for her.

Chen Kangnian said, "Madam, Zhenzhen is hungry. Let's have a meal first."

Zhang Minlan also came to her senses, grabbed Chu Xunzhen's hand, and said, "Luckily, you're here, Zhenzhen."

"Mother, you're being too polite."

Chu Xunzhen invited Chunxi to join them at the table for a meal.

Chunxi waited until everyone had finished eating before she sat down to eat herself.

"Mother, my eldest brother is going to join the army, and there are many things he needs to prepare. Why don't we go shopping while it's still early?"

"it is good."

Chen Kangnian and Chen Yunqi returned to their residence to pack.

On the street, Chu Xunzhen held Zhang Minlan's arm, her eyes full of smiles.

In her past life, after she returned to the Marquis's mansion, her adoptive parents were in dire straits. First, their business failed, and then they were assassinated. Her brother and father were also killed and injured, respectively.

In this life, she will never let such a tragedy happen. She wants her adoptive parents to be happy every day, and for their lives to get better and better.

She wanted her eldest brother, Chen Yunqi, to no longer suffer the same tragic fate as in his previous life.

Chu Xunzhen took Zhang Minlan's arm and entered a shoe shop.

The two picked out five pairs of shoes and also bought five pairs of insoles.

Suddenly, a lady walked in.

This person was none other than Li Yi.

As Li Ma helped Li Yi up, she saw Chu Xunzhen and immediately said, "Greetings, Ninth Prince's Consort."

No need for formalities.

After Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, he took Zhang Minlan's arm and left.

Li Yi stood there, stunned.

Chu Xunzhen didn't even glance at her?

Granny Li called out to Li Yi, "Madam, shall we pick out shoes for the eldest young master?"

"No!"

As he spoke, Li Yi actually chased after him.