Very well, it turns out there's only scheming between them.
"No, let's do it again," Wu Zhenhai said. "We need to make it look real, otherwise the maids and servants might want to examine you when we get back."
Zhou Xu: "You forgot, I lost my virginity before."
He was bitten by a dog.
"That's different. There's still time. It seems they haven't caught up yet," Wu Zhenhai said happily, starting to untie the ropes binding her legs. "You know what? I had everything planned out perfectly, but for some reason, the Prince of Jin also came looking for people."
Zhou Xu was stunned. The Prince of Jin had come looking for her?
That must be because of the Princess Consort's request.
"I finally managed to shake off the Prince of Jin."
"How do you plan to cover up what happened today? The bandits who kidnapped me can't just disappear without a trace."
"There's a bandit's den up in the mountains, and I've already sent people to raid it." Wu Zhenhai said confidently, "Your man is quite capable!"
You mean you're good with words?
"Zhou Xu, do you need a beating?"
She was very sweet-talking when she talked about "bandits" just now.
They're bullying honest people!
Wu Zhenhai took off her skirt and pulled at her pants.
Zhou Xu remained still, letting him do as he pleased.
She had no room for negotiation, never had.
Whether he treats her "good" or "bad," she has to accept it.
She was just an object, something that happened to please him, and only temporarily.
"I asked you about the bandits because I was afraid you'd give yourself away."
"I've made all the arrangements. This bandit stronghold was going to be wiped out anyway, so this is perfect—killing two birds with one stone."
"The man who just tied me up..."
"He was a bandit, but I've subdued him. I'll send him away to hide for a few years before he comes back to follow me. He's filial; his mother is in my hands now."
"In your hands? You're planning to give him a younger brother?"
Wu Zhenhai gritted his teeth and said, "I'll make you give birth! You useless piece of trash!"
Clearly, he was thinking of the aborted child Zhou Xu had mentioned.
He pressed on, demanding, "Did you hit the child?"
"I did. Just once, my period lasted for over half a month, and eventually you got impatient and thought I was lying to you, and even forced myself on me..."
Wu Zhenhai's eyes were bloodshot, the flames in them almost burning a person to ashes.
"Give me back one! No, give me back two!"
Zhou Xu: "Maybe I won't be able to have children. Otherwise, with all your hard work, I would have been pregnant long ago."
Wu Zhenhai didn't know whether he was angry at her or at himself; he just felt a constant ringing in his ears.
"Besides, do you lack a son? You're more likely to lack a goddaughter."
Shut up!
"That's enough," Zhou Xu pushed him, "Hurry up, don't we still have to go suppress the bandits? Ah--"
She looked up and suddenly saw a human head.
Oh no, it's one person.
It's the Prince of Jin!
Behind the Prince of Jin, several guards appeared silently.
Zhou Xu hastily gathered her clothes together.
Wu Zhenhai also sensed something was wrong, and when he turned around, his expression immediately changed.
The Prince of Jin turned around and said calmly, "You may continue. I will wait for you outside."
"It's over, it's all over now," Zhou Xu said, feigning panic.
Actually, after a brief moment of panic, she's now quite happy!
Did she help the Prince of Jin achieve some merit?
The Old Cabbage Stalk —this is the handle that has been given to the Prince of Jin.
Rise up, Prince of Jin!
Press the Old Cabbage Stalk onto the ground and rub them vigorously!
Wu Zhenhai was also in a state of confusion, but seeing Zhou Xu's frightened expression, he gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "What's the panic? I'm not dead yet!"
He helped Zhou Xu straighten her clothes, pulled down her skirt, and then pulled up his own trousers.
Zhou Xu slowly sat up.
Meanwhile, Wu Zhenhai had already gone out to speak with Prince of Jin.
Zhou Xu pricked up her ears to listen.
It must be said that Old Cabbage Stalk was still fearless in the face of danger.
"Please speak, Your Highness."
We're all smart people; let's just state our terms directly.
Unexpectedly, Prince of Jin said calmly, "There's nothing to say. Since everything is alright, I'll go back and tell the Princess Consort so she won't worry."
Wu Zhenhai and Zhou Xu were both stunned.
Zhou Xu stood up, gave the Prince of Jin a meaningful look from afar, and made a gesture as if she were choking herself.
Threaten us, contain us, seize the Old Cabbage Stalk!
Unexpectedly, the Prince of Jin added, "The pleasures of men and women are consensual, and I have no objection to them, nor will I use this matter to my advantage. If word gets out today, it will only be because you were careless."
After saying that, he turned and left with his guards.
Zhou Xu was stunned.
Come back!
Such a great opportunity, you're just going to give it up like that?
Old Cabbage Stalk are useful!
He really worked!
Zhou Xu was filled with intense hatred!
Men are all such arrogant pigs! If the Princess were here, she certainly wouldn't act like this.
He let the duck that was almost in her mouth fly away, which infuriated her.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Wu Zhenhai returned to reassure Zhou Xu: "Don't panic, Prince of Jin is indeed a smart man."
Zhou Xu's brain couldn't keep up.
Why did he help us?
Wu Zhenhai sneered, "He's not helping us; he's doing me a favor."
"Then why doesn't he use this to blackmail you and make you work for him?"
Wu Zhenhai said, "Because he knows your bargaining chip isn't enough. Even if things escalate, what can he do? Governor-General Zhou will just scold me a few times, but to win me over, he'll still reward you."
He simply didn't want to risk offending his superiors.
He also wanted to take advantage of the situation and curry favor.
Zhou Xu understood.
In other words, if the Prince of Jin were to threaten him, Wu Zhenhai might just give up and go directly to his grandfather to admit to their illicit relationship.
Anyway, I'm just an insignificant object, my grandfather won't care.
It's even more likely that the grandfather felt he could use this incident to further win over Wu Zhenhai.
Because by then, Wu Zhenhai will owe the Zhou Family.
Ultimately, she is not important at all.
The key element is the power struggle between Wu Zhenhai and the Zhou Family.
Now the Prince of Jin has been added to the list.
Zhou Xu laughed self-deprecatingly.
Everyone else understood, except her.
Wu Zhenhai was practically beating his chest in frustration. "Now I owe Prince of Jin a favor, which I have to repay. Just think of all the trouble you've caused me!"
Prince of Jin rode back, Tang Zhuyun was already eagerly waiting for him.
Not seeing Zhou Xu brought back, she panicked. "Where's Zhou Xu?"
She's alright.
Tang Zhuyun breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, everyone is alright.
There will be plenty of time in the future to talk about many things.
Linlin quietly got up, gave Tang Zhuyun a look, and then went out.
Tang Zhuyun understood that he had gone to find Concubine Yu, and immediately felt relieved.
What exactly happened?
Prince of Jin: "I'd like to know too."
He recounted what he had seen, saying, "It's probably Zhou Xu who really hooked up with Wu Zhenhai, and Wu Zhenhai might try to marry her."
Tang Zhuyun was dumbfounded.
That's absolutely true!
But what a terrible idea!
Wasn't Zhou Xu's reputation completely ruined?
Xiu'er said, "He's just been toying with Zhou Xu all along. Now he thinks marrying her is an immense favor to her. How could he think that far ahead?"
Wu Zhenhai is a scheming and manipulative person.
He wants women, and he wants all the benefits too.
So this matter has evolved into what it is today.
The Prince of Jin said, "He has put a lot of effort into treating Zhou Xu."
This statement is based on the premise that he was observing from the sidelines, excluding the fact that Zhou Xu was his sister!