Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 316 - 315: Should I Forgive?

Chapter 316: Chapter 315: Should I Forgive?

After the Ninth Prince was injured, the emperor was furious. Although he suspected that it was the Second Prince’s doing, he did nothing about it. He was not only considering the status of the Wangs, but also trying to maintain a balance that would force the Second and Third Prince to continue competing against each other, and ensure that the Wangs and the Suns kept fighting. Only in this way would he have enough time to nurse the Ninth Prince back to health, while waiting for Shan Jieyu to bear him a son, or for the Ninth Prince to have one, so that he could continue to build up the power of the Chus...

If the heavens were determined to thwart his plans, he would have no choice but to support the Seventh Prince. He would never pass the imperial throne to the sons of the two women who had caused the death of his most beloved son. After two days of consideration, the emperor stripped Chu Guangche of his role as the commander of the Imperial Forestry Army and gave him an honorary title of ’Pillar of the State General’, allowing him to marry Princess Rong Zhao. It seemed to outsiders that Chu Guangche had completely severed ties with the centers of power, but in fact, he was still secretly working for the emperor, who also began to tacitly support Chu Guangkai on the frontier.

In order not to put Shan Jieyu in harm’s way, he allowed her to become a nun at the Emperor’s Grace Temple on the outskirts of the capital, allegedly to pray for blessings for the Ninth Prince...

These absurd plotlines, which could only be found in storybooks, had taken his father eleven years to play out, with no end in sight. Thinking of the almost fully recovered Ninth Prince, perhaps his father’s suffering was coming to an end?

Chu Lingxuan felt a lump in his throat as these thoughts flooded his mind. "When I think of my father, I feel incredibly fortunate," he said. "I met the woman I love most, and got to marry you as I wished. In the future, we can live a peaceful life in the countryside." He took Chen Afu’s hand and kissed it gently.

Chen Afu replied softly, "When your father and mother were young, weren’t they the same? They met, fell in love, and got married. They had two children and lived peacefully for fifteen years. But then your father felt the need to be a loyal subject. He sacrificed himself and made life difficult for his wife and children."

Still kissing Chen Afu’s hand, Chu Lingxuan said, "Soon, as soon as the Second Prince’s party falls, my father will be able to bring my mother back."

Chen Afu shook her head. "Even though I sympathize with your father’s circumstances, if I were your mother, I wouldn’t return to him without any resentment. He was a good officer, but not a good husband. His actions can be understood but not forgiven. If I were your mother, I’d prefer to continue living in Yingxue Nunnery rather than return to a man who made me miserable for over a decade, especially since he’s been used by others for over a decade."

Hearing the last part of Chen Afu’s speech made Chu Lingxuan blush angrily. "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean, ’used by others’? That’s my father you’re talking about; don’t disrespect him."

To this, Chen Afu said, "I’m just telling it like it is. Remember this: if you have the same thought of being a good officer first before returning as a good husband, even if you have no choice in the matter, I won’t forgive you. I’d hide myself, to a place where you can never find me."

With that, she withdrew her hand from his.

Ever since learning about Chu Guangche’s true intentions to marry Princess Rong Zhao, Chu Lingxuan had been contemplating the peaceful future where the Ninth Prince or the Eleventh Prince would ascend the throne smoothly. He imagined his father bringing his mother back, and their family finally reunited. However, after hearing Chen Afu’s words and looking at his empty hand, he began to have doubts. Would his mother ever forgive his father and their family to be reconciled?

Chen Afu saw Chu Lingxuan deep in thought and tried to comfort him. "It’s OK, these matters concern your parents and it’s not our place to judge. Your mother, whom everyone describes as gentle and virtuous, might yet forgive your father."

With a mentality different from modern times, women of olden days, such as Mrs. Jiang, would even willingly offer their husbands concubines in order to appease them. As for Marquis Chu, considered a loyal subject and compelled by circumstance, women of that time might not only forgive him but possibly even hail him as a hero.

With a sigh, Chu Lingxuan said, "My mother might be gentle on the outside, but she’s stubborn and principled. I remember when I was young, my mother was pregnant with my sister, and my father got drunk. A bold maid sneaked into his bed... My mother didn’t say a word and just locked herself in a room and cried all night. My father stood outside the door, trying to comfort her. It wasn’t until a servant couldn’t bear to see it anymore and asked my grandmother to come over that my mother finally opened the door. After that, my father only drank a little at official banquets, and he never touched alcohol again, until that incident happened... My parents were deeply in love since they got married, and were the envy of all women. It was because of this that the young Princess Rong Zhao said such shameless words as ’I will not marry unless it’s to Chu’s eldest son’..."

The beautiful and gentle Liao Chen did have a temper after all.

And Marquis Chu, he did seem quite innocent, didn’t he?

Curious, Chen Afu asked, "What happened to that maid who sneaked into his bed?"

"What else could have happened? My father sold her," replied Chu Lingxuan.

He really was a man of depth and loyalty. However, he was forced to marry Princess Rong Zhao in order to remain loyal to the emperor.

Thinking about the aloof Marquis Chu, Chen Afu was curious to know how he had soothed his wife back then. "When your father was consoling your mother all night, do you know what he said?"

Chu Lingxuan smiled and said, "I was very young then, so I only remember my father repeatedly saying, ’Yun’er, don’t cry. If you harm your health from crying, I’ll be in pain.’ Afterwards, I was taken away by my nurse."

Hearing about this side of Marquis Chu, Chen Afu felt that no matter what had happened, Liao Chen should forgive him.

As the two were chatting, a servant from Anrong Hall came to report that Mrs. Chu had returned and was asking for them.

Both of them went to Anrong Hall, where the old Marquis was already present.

Mrs. Chu asked Chen Afu with a smile, "Are you okay?"

Chen Afu shook her head and asked, "Is my younger sister okay? Did she get hurt?"

The mention of Chu Zhen wiped the smile off Mrs. Chu’s face. "That silly girl, she’s just like her mother; neither of them have any brains," she muttered. Then she reassured them, "Don’t worry, the dish that went flying was cold, it just soiled Chu’s clothes."

Frowning, Chu Lingxuan said, "Is Princess Rong Zhao causing trouble again? Those wretched..."

But Mrs. Chu chuckled. "No, it wasn’t Princess Rong Zhao this time, it was me. I arranged it. Princess Rong Zhao is so insufferable that we have to be proactive to avoid her causing more trouble in the afternoon. Not only did it allow you two to leave earlier, it also fulfilled her wish..."

It turned out that one of Mrs. Chu’s maids had flicked a small stone and hit the arm of the serving girl, causing the plate she was holding to tilt towards Chu Zhen.

Chu Lingxuan also had two matrons follow Chen Afu, but they were not allowed to enter Zhaoyang Hall and were thus blocked outside. Chen Afu was only allowed to take Hong Fei with her. However, no one dared to stop Mrs. Chu’s servants, so she had two matrons deliberately stand behind Chen Afu to protect her at a moment’s notice.

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