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

"Oh." Chu Xunzhen didn't even lift her eyelids. Holding the sapphire blue teacup engraved with orange-red koi, she sipped the fragrant tea and said aloofly, "No time. If you want soup, go find the old woman in the kitchen."

Chu Mingli was taken aback, then immediately started arguing, "I want to drink the soup you made."

He went on a study tour, how could she be so inconsiderate? Now she won't even cook him a soup.

"I'm not interested in doing it too much." Chu Xunzhen's lips curled slightly, her tone calm.

Chu Mingli suddenly remembered that before he went on his study trip, Chu Wanrou brought him pear soup. At the time, he praised her for making it very well, even better than Chu Xunzhen's.

At the time, he saw the hem of Chu Xunzhen's clothes but didn't pay much attention to it.

He was just telling the truth.

If Chu Xunzhen could be hurt like this, then her heart would be even more fragile than glass.

Chunxi couldn't stand it anymore and said to Chu Mingli, "Second Young Master, it's always been my young lady who makes you the pear soup. Chunyi was bribed by the Second Young Lady before. That's why Chunyi said the pear soup was made by the Second Young Lady when she brought you the soup."

If Chunyi hadn't been dragged away last time and confessed her past mistakes, constantly apologizing, Chunxi wouldn't have known that Chunyi had caused the young master and second young master to misunderstand her.

She was furious that day.

"Chu Xunzhen, control your people. Rou'er isn't someone any Tom, Dick, or Harry can mess with," Chu Mingli roared. "You're no match for Rou'er, you're no match for her. Whether it's music, chess, calligraphy, painting, cooking, or needlework, you're not good at anything. Even your heart is utterly intolerant. It's an insult to speak to you."

Chu Xunzhen was puzzled, then smiled and said, "Then why are you still staying here? And why are you so eager to drink my soup? Are you being shameless?"

Chu Mingli's face flushed with shame and anger: "Fine! I heard you've managed to get close to the Ninth Prince. I didn't believe it at first. But now, seeing how arrogant you are, you must think that with the Ninth Prince as your backer, you can look down on us. Let me tell you, even if the Ninth Prince has been deceived by you, His Majesty has discerning eyes. A woman as useless as you should not even dream of marrying into the imperial family."

"Second Brother, watch your words! What do you mean the Ninth Prince was deceived by me?" Chu Xunzhen sneered. "Second Brother, you're just spouting nonsense, yet you're accusing me of deceiving the Prince. What are your intentions? Have you gone out gambling and gone mad?"

Chu Mingli's pupils suddenly contracted. He looked around and, seeing that there was no one else, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chu Xunzhen, what's the point of saying this now?" Chu Mingli paused, then said coldly, "This young master has long since stopped gambling. I am not the same person I used to be."

Chu Xun gave a forced smile, tinged with sarcasm: "Then congratulations. So, can you get lost now?"

Chu Mingli's expression was somewhat stiff.

Previously, when Chu Xunzhen told him to get lost, he could understand it as her being too angry and speaking without thinking.

But this time...

Why is she so cold? Doesn't she know that she's hurting his heart?

Where is Chu Xunzhen, who used to be so worried about not having enough money to spend when he came back?

Where is Chu Xunzhen, who used to always pester him with questions and was curious about the outside world?

Chu Mingli's face darkened, and he was about to step forward and slap her to wake her up, so that she would know her place and stop being so arrogant and bullying Rou'er. However, the maid in purple blocked Chu Xunzhen's way.

A purple-clad maidservant with a sword?

It was a maidservant given to Chu Xunzhen by the Ninth Prince.

"Fine, fine, don't regret it." Chu Mingli sneered. "I'd like to see how long the Ninth Prince can protect you. By then, even if you beg for my forgiveness, I won't listen to you."

Night falls.

The lights were still on in Chu Xunzhen's Chrysanthemum Garden.

As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, the candlelight crackled and popped as it burned.

Inside Chu Xunzhen's room, Chunxi lay on Chu Xunzhen's couch, almost crying.

"Miss, it's so late, are you going out again?"

"I have something I need to take care of. Don't be afraid, Granny Hua is here. The two of you can keep each other company."

Upon hearing this, Chunxi immediately said, "Miss, would you like to have Granny Hua go with you? Or perhaps Bing Shuang should go with you?"

Chu Xunzhen patted Chunxi's hand with a smile and said, "I've assigned Bing Shuang a task. Besides, the place I'm going to today isn't suitable for her."

Chunxi nodded obediently, like a chick pecking at rice.

"Granny, guard this courtyard. Do not let anyone know that I have left," Chu Xunzhen, dressed in black, instructed softly.

Granny Hua gave her a reassuring look and said, "Don't worry, young lady. A simplified version of the bewitching array has been set up outside the courtyard. Twenty bewitching Gu have already been placed inside. Ordinary people cannot see through the array and discern the truth inside the courtyard."

"it is good."

With that, Chu Xunzhen climbed over the wall and jumped out of the courtyard.

Fortunately, she had searched for Gu worms all over the mountains beforehand, so climbing over the wall was no problem for her; otherwise, she would have had to use the side gate today.

Dozens of miles outside the capital.

The forest was dense and the miasma was rising.

She took out the fox mask representing the Holy Maiden of the Gu Clan from her bosom and put it on. She stepped into the miasma, and immediately the sounds of ghosts wailing and howling filled the air, with ghostly figures appearing everywhere.

Chu Xun remained unfazed.

Having lived here for many years, she was not afraid of these little creatures at all; on the contrary, she felt quite close to them.

"Trying to scare people again?"

As soon as Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, the ghostly figure smiled obsequiously and vanished, revealing a huge stone gate hidden deep in the forest.

The stone gate is about five meters wide and about ten meters high.

Without hesitation, Chu Xunzhen took out the identity token representing the Holy Maiden of the Gu Sect and placed it in the groove in the center of the stone gate.

With a creak.

The stone gate seemed to be awakened, emitting a purple-gold light, and slowly opened.

"Hmm? Something's strange."

Chu Xun was truly surprised.

Logically speaking, even if all the members of the Gu Sect were to enter the mortal world, this place should not be this quiet.

Members of the Gu Sect do not distinguish identities; they wear masks and use tokens to identify each other.

Chu Xunzhen is none other than the Holy Maiden of the Gu Sect.

In the past, upon entering the Gu Sect, one would at least encounter a few fellow disciples wearing masks, but now not a single one is to be seen.

"There is no blood, the Heartfire Gu worms have not been extinguished."

Chu Xunzhen went to the place where the Heartfire Gu worms were placed.

Within the sect, all disciples place their Heartfire Gu worms here.

Normally, the Heartfire Gu worms emit a dazzling light, but if the person dies, the light of the Heartfire Gu worms will be extinguished like a candle flickering in the wind.

The venomous insects in everyone's hearts shone brightly, like burning flames.

"It seems that my fellow disciples have all entered the world and haven't returned yet." Chu Xunzhen breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ran towards the forbidden area.

As she approached the forbidden area, she saw a tall figure in the distance.

He wore a wide, flowing black robe that trailed on the ground, draped with a white down cloak, and a palm-sized wolf fang was adorned with a red thread at his waist. Beneath the black iron mask, his gaze was cold and sharp, his jawline clearly defined, and an aura of unapproachable pressure swept over him.

Chu Xunzhen was horrified. His right hand unconsciously clenched the Gu worm in his sleeve. He immediately bowed and said, "The Third Holy Maiden—Youming, greets the Sect Master."