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

Pressed down and kneeling on the ground, Gu Changfeng gritted his teeth and stared intently at Chu Xunzhen standing in front of him, remaining silent.

"What a stubborn young man," Eunuch Anshun said with a forced smile. "Young Master Gu, if you have such courage, why don't you stand up?"

"Eunuch! I, Gu Changfeng, will remember this humiliation!"

Gu Changfeng glared angrily, as if he wanted to remember Anshun forever.

Chu Xunzhen walked up to Gu Changfeng and chuckled, "If you see that I won't bow, then I'll have to go and make do with your Rou'er."

Upon hearing this, Gu Changfeng's expression changed, and he transformed into a furious lion, ready to pounce, roaring, "Rou'er is innocent. I'm the one who wronged you. Why drag innocent people into this?"

Chu Xunzhen remained expressionless, her voice cold and clear: "Gu Changfeng, why haven't you paid your respects to this county princess yet?"

Gu Changfeng's eyes flashed as he scanned his surroundings. Everyone avoided his gaze and turned away.

In that instant, he suddenly missed Tinghan, the loyal servant whom he had pushed out to bear everything.

"Don't even think about me bowing down. I, Gu Changfeng, have said that you, Chu Xunzhen, are only fit to be my concubine. Even if you hate me because you hate me for not being able to give me the position of your principal wife, I will still say the same thing today."

Nangong Yue narrowed her eyes, then laughed in anger, pointing at Gu Changfeng and saying, "Guards, pull out his tongue."

Gu Changfeng was frightened.

Anshun kicked him, but he wasn't afraid. He was confident that he would one day turn the tables and repay the eunuchs who had humiliated him.

Chu Xunzhen forced him to kneel, but he was fearless. He believed that Chu Xunzhen's hatred for him stemmed from love.

Has Nangong Yue gone mad? Why would she demand his tongue without saying a word?

"My sister is wonderful in every way, yet you repeatedly humiliate her. Do you really think I don't exist?" Nangong Yue, dressed in a long black robe, exuded an aura of evil. Her alluring beauty mark shone brightly in the sunlight, like a datura flower that draws people in, tempting yet deadly.

Gu Changfeng's face was grim. Struggling, he roared at Chu Xunzhen, "You just stand by and watch him treat me like this? Were all those happy days we spent together a lie?"

Chu Xunzhen's face was cold and his tone was icy: "Since you won't pay your respects, your tongue and legs should be removed as well."

Gu Changfeng's face turned pale, and in the end, he closed his eyes helplessly and said with difficulty, "Gu Changfeng pays his respects to Princess Huai Ren."

Chu Xunzhen stood there, looking at Gu Changfeng, who was high and mighty in her previous life, now wagging his tail and begging for mercy like a lowly insect in front of her, and a sense of sorrow arose in her heart.

In my past life, it was because of this guy that I lived such a miserable and humiliating life.

"Your Highness, let's go."

Without even glancing at Gu Changfeng again, Chu Xunzhen felt utterly bored in that instant.

Nangong Yue carefully protected the woman beside her, afraid that she might accidentally disappear.

As soon as the two stepped out of the Marquis's mansion, they saw the excited faces of the people.

"Greetings, Ninth Prince; greetings, County Princess."

"Thank you, County Princess Huai Ren, for standing up for us."

"If it weren't for the county magistrate, my brother, who was in the army, would have died on the battlefield long ago. Thank you for the medicine you sent, county magistrate." A young man who was not yet fifteen years old wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and looked at Chu Xunzhen gratefully.

"The county magistrate's medicine saved my son. My son's life is saved! Thank you, county magistrate!" The old woman knelt down before Chu Xunzhen with a thud, weeping bitterly.

In front of the Marquis's mansion, the voices of the people rose higher and higher, leaving Chu Xunzhen stunned.

Looking at the dazed "little dummy" beside her, Nangong Yue smiled and said, "The people already know that you donate silver to the national treasury, and that you transport medicine to the border every month. They are all spontaneously grateful to you."

"I see. Everyone, please go on with your work. Don't let Xunzhen delay your tasks." Chu Xunzhen was moved, helped the woman in front of him up, and said to the crowd.

Upon hearing this, the people cheered loudly.

"The county magistrate is benevolent and righteous."

"Anyone who speaks ill of the county princess in the future will be my enemy."

"I wonder if Gu Changfeng regrets for forcing the county princess to become his concubine that day? He was simply blind to talent."

"Gu Changfeng is nothing but a figurehead. What has he done for us? Compared to the county princess, he's like comparing heaven and earth. He thinks he can even get our county princess into the household? Does he even deserve it?"

......

Looking at the excited crowd, Chu Xunzhen said to Nangong Yue beside her, "Thank you, Your Highness. Your Highness must have done a lot for me from the rear, right?"

If it weren't for Nangong Yue promoting her among the people, the people would never have been so enthusiastic about her based solely on the imperial decree conferring her the title of county princess.

"Why be so polite? We're family." Nangong Yue leaned closer to Chu Xunzhen, speaking from behind her at an angle unseen by the people, her warm breath brushing against Chu Xunzhen's earlobe.

Suddenly, Chu Xunzhen's face turned red and her body stiffened.

Amidst the crowd, Lady Lu Ruoying, the wife of the Marquis of Chongding, listened to the people's words and could not believe it.

Chu Xunzhen actually became a county princess? The merchant she looked down on the most has become a high-ranking county princess?

She quietly retreated, afraid of being noticed by Chu Xunzhen.

Just then, Ankang Gonggong arrived.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has summoned you urgently."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yue looked at Chu Xunzhen with reluctance.

"Your Highness, please go ahead with your work. Thank you for today."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yue happily approached Chu Xunzhen and smiled faintly, "How can I thank you? What? Could it be that Princess Huai Ren only wishes to express her gratitude verbally?"

Chu Xunzhen was taken aback, her cheeks flushed, and she said, "I invite Your Highness to dine."

"How can that be enough? Sister, you'd better think it over carefully, or Yue will punish you."

Nangong Yue narrowed her beautiful dark eyes, exuding a dangerous yet alluring aura, her voice tender and ambiguous.

Staring into those deep, affectionate eyes, Chu Xunzhen almost couldn't resist and fled in panic.

Chu Xunzhen returned to the Marquis's residence, but Gu Changfeng was nowhere to be found.

She saw Lu Ruoying helping him back.

The sound of their conversation carried on the wind.

"Chu Xunzhen was actually made a county princess. If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off not breaking off the engagement." Regret flickered in Lu Ruoying's eyes.

Gu Changfeng clenched his fingers tightly, his sharp nails, which were not trimmed, pierced through the flesh, and drops of blood dripped onto the ground.

His voice was slightly strained, but he still insisted on his opinion: "Rou'er is the one in my heart. She once saved me, oh... she was my salvation. She is also incredibly talented. For the past two years, she has been writing poems, oh... inspiring me and giving me advice. She is the one I should marry."

Smelling the sour stench of vomit emanating from his clothes, Gu Changfeng repeatedly gagged.

Lu Ruoying took several steps back, frowned, pinched her nose, and moved away from Gu Changfeng.

This made him think of how, in his past life, he had been deliberately made drunk by his colleagues and vomited all over Chu Xunzhen.

At that time, Chu Xunzhen showed no disgust in her eyes, but instead wiped his body and carefully cleaned him up.

Gu Changfeng couldn't help but turn around, and his eyes met Chu Xunzhen's.

His eyes lit up.

He knew that Chu Xunzhen had long been deeply in love with him, her feelings a mixture of love and hate.

She's still watching him now.

Turning her gaze away, Chu Xunzhen returned to the Chrysanthemum Garden.

"That was so satisfying, young lady! Gu Changfeng must be regretting it to death." Chunxi jumped up happily, her face beaming, and she vividly shared the scene she had just witnessed with the people in the courtyard.

"Gu Changfeng is no longer the heir apparent, but our young lady is now a county princess. Haha! If he dares to be disrespectful to our young lady now, he will be offending the Emperor's grace."

"Isn't the Second Miss a lucky charm? How come she lost her position as heir apparent after Gu Changfeng got engaged to her?"

He does not mean that.

Chu Xunzhen immediately decided to find the imperial advisor who had predicted her fate and ask him why he had harmed her like this.

Just then, Li Mama's voice rang out from outside the courtyard.

"Greetings, Your Highness. The old master's birthday banquet is in seven days. Just now, Madam sent me to ask whether Your Highness intends to handle the arrangements yourself or leave it to Madam?"

"Then let Mother arrange it."

Chu Xunzhen smiled leisurely, seemingly unconcerned.

"Yes, young lady, the young master requests an audience."

As soon as Granny Li finished speaking, Chu Mingyuan strode in.

"Chu Xunzhen, this county princess position is clearly not yours. Come with me to the palace and explain things to His Majesty."

As he spoke, he reached out his hand towards Chu Xunzhen.