Chapter 213: Yuan Jiaqi's Counterstrike

The two walked shoulder to shoulder into the Keting; when Heyi Princess saw them so intimate, fierce flames of anger rose in her eyes, as if she wanted to cut the hands they were holding.

"I know you; you're the woman who was sitting under the awning of the shop ahead of us."

"Yes,"

Heyi Princess sized her up from head to toe, "Just based on your looks and your background, you are unworthy of Yuan County Magistrate."

"But back then he had nothing, even a child, and begged me. I took him in and made him a son‑in‑law. The way you say that makes it sound like you want to turn him into a White‑eyed Wolf?"

"If you let him go and give him a Separation Document, I can offer Compensation."

"I may be just a woman, but I never force anyone; as long as my Xianggong agrees, I will let him go at any time."

Yuan Jiaqi quickly added, "Wife, even if you give me a Divorce by Mutual Consent, my heart is still yours. I will guard my chastity for you; anyone who dares to touch me, I will kill myself. Then, wife, just take good care of Chuan'er for me."

Heyi Princess, so angry her hands clenched into fists, "Do you even know who you have offended?"

Qiao Mai looked at her calmly, "You are a Princess, I know that. Your Xianggong came back and told me about this. I don't understand: a lofty Great Ming Princess, high above, it's normal to favor a man, but you should at least investigate. Why must you tear apart someone else's family? Is it that, with your status, you can't find a man? Why are you fixated on another's husband? I find it odd—are other men fragrant?"

"Go ahead!"

"Sure, sit down and have a sip of water; you must be thirsty after the long journey, right?"

"Capture them and bring them back to Jingcheng!"

Qiao Mai gave him a glance, "Move over here first and get used to it, otherwise how can we become a real married couple?"

She was unwilling; a proper Princess losing to a Cunfu.

"I am a Great Ming Princess; it's a blessing for him to be favored by me. Yet you two disgrace me like this—someone, bring them!"

"Fine, you wait. If I don't deal with you, I'll stop being this Princess. Let's go!"

"Wang Laoyezi, Old Madam, can you guess what will happen to Master and my old master after this?"

She didn't believe it; with her status as Princess, she couldn't handle them.

Old Madam shot her a displeased glance, "Speak quickly, don't tease; I'm getting anxious here."

It's just sleeping together, maybe a bit of physical contact; she's not clueless, and she's not some innocent maiden.

Yuan Jiaqi took Qiao Mai's hand and led her back to the back courtyard.

Yuan Jiaqi clasped Qiao Mai's hand, "The kindest words you've ever said to me, I'm willing to risk my life to protect you. Though I'm weak, I have put in Effort. No matter the force we face, my heart for you never changes. I… I hope we can turn this pretend marriage into a real one, okay?"

But that was in a past life; this life is different. Now, adding the two lives together, I'm thirty, yet I've never tasted a man's affection.

"You are indeed a Princess, but you have no right to bind anyone."

Old Madam exclaimed, "My heavens, a great disaster is looming, and they're still fussing? Shouldn't they be finding a solution quickly?"

Qiao Mai remained utterly calm; that's just her nature—once she decides, she accepts it generously.

"You agreed to the Princess, and you're not a White‑eyed Wolf; after all, we started as partners."

"But what about Chuan'er?"

"Spend tonight sleeping here with me?"

"There's no trouble I can't handle; settle in Shexian as County Magistrate and be a good father‑figure to the people."

"Yes!"

"Wife!"

"Move over to Fengyun's brothers' place; three of us sharing one kang, is that not allowed?"

Qiao Mai curled the corner of her mouth in a faint smile, showing she was quite happy at that moment.

"You're being outrageous!"

"It's not hard; the household's Hard Work is yours, I can't help much, but I'll do my best. This time I caused you trouble."

Heyi Princess felt dizzy from what was said; no wonder they're a couple, their words are so cutting.

"Hard Work to you!"

Yuan Jiaqi sighed, "I've already considered the worst case; if something happens to Chuan'er, I'll go with him, but I, Yuan, will never become a White‑eyed Wolf."

"Yes!"

"The maid has received a letter; Master told Wang Laoyezi to go back and arrange the ceremony, move to the back courtyard, and let Young Master Chuan'er move to the side of Young Masters Feng and Yun; Wang Laoyezi just went to arrange the ceremony."

There's that fanaticism; now it's my turn, truly a bit of mistreatment, let's see if it will be like that.

"Do your official duties well; the household will be fine. As for what I said, she'll at most be annoyed."

"We've completely offended the Princess to death!"

The Momo on the side shouted, "How bold you are, disrespecting the Princess like this!"

Heyi Princess finally left; the house finally quieted down.

Yuan Jiaqi was extremely flustered at that moment, "Then, shall I go arrange the ceremony and also take care of Chuan'er?"

Qiao Mai grinned, "Sure, if you can truly trade your life for your loyalty to me, I'm also willing to trade my life to protect you and this home."

"Princess, return to Jingcheng and don't come back; otherwise, the whole Great Ming Dynasty will know you've set your sights on a married man. If he refuses, you'll force him, trying to use power to dominate."

Twelve guards burst in at once, "Princess?"

The two sat in the courtyard facing each other; now Yuan Jiaqi no longer resembled a boy, his face solemn as he stared at her.

"You!"

"Who dares? I am an official appointed by the court, a top scholar personally conferred by the Emperor. Without the Emperor's decree, any imperial edict above—who dares to casually confront this official?"

Yuan Jiaqi's face flushed bright red; his wife was so straightforward—once she agreed to let him move over, he wasn't even prepared.

"No, maybe at first it was, but later it wasn't. I gradually fell for you. The things you did for me and Chuan'er—our father‑son duo couldn't even repay with our lives—so I threw myself into study, striving to bring honor to you and this family, to contribute."

She ran out of Jingcheng, thinking that with her beauty and background, once Yuan Jiaqi saw her, he would surely fall for her; she never expected this outcome.

Qiao Mai gave her a glance, "Honestly, is it disrespect? Didn't she set her sights on my Xianggong? Isn't she determined to have someone else's husband? I've never heard of a Princess being so desperate for a man that she chases him across a thousand miles after he's already appointed elsewhere—does she know any shame?"

The fact that the Princess came to Jixiang Yuan was known to Wang Laoyezi and Old Madam, and they didn't expect the couple to drive the Princess away in anger.

She decided to try, so she mentally ordered a bottle of contraceptive pills from the Platform for future need, watching those movie love scenes, sometimes resting her chin on her hand.

The guards looked at the Princess, some hesitating, Qiao Mai said.

"Lady, may I stay here with you for a while?"

"Ah?"

The two were worrying, and the old woman came to report with a sweet smile.

She must settle this grudge!

The more unattainable, the more she desires it; snatching Yuan Jiaqi from that woman's grasp became her obsession, killing Yuan Jiaqi's wife, becoming Yuan Jiaqi's wife, and also becoming Heyi Princess's obsession.

The Emperor had told her, but she simply wouldn't believe it, came back unrelentingly, was humiliated for a while and went back.

Wang Laoyezi glared at her, "What do you know? They've been together for several years, never lived together; perhaps that Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl wants, in the final moments, to become a true couple with that boy."

The old man, irritated, gave him a tap, "You quickly think of a way to save them."

Wang Laoyezi blinked, "How could I save them? That's the Princess; all under heaven is the king's domain."

"What should we do? What should we do, they both have taken a resolve to die?"

(End of chapter)