Chapter 686

Soon Su Miaor remembered why this name felt familiar!

Isn't she the peace‑marriage princess who is said to have already died?

Turns out she is still alive!

How good, she didn't die in the Western Regions; after all, she's still living well in this world.

However, Su Miaor also heard quite a few stories in Jinling about her and the Cui family's Seventh Young Master from back then.

It is said that that refined and jade-like Seventh Young Master personally escorted her to marry off to the Western Regions.

Although I don't know what feelings Cui Seventh Young Master harbors for the princess, Su Miaor simply looks down on him from the bottom of her heart.

Just like that person who, back then, joined with the maiden who loyally served him to deceive himself… If you don't love, you can stay away; why then also hurt?

Men like him are the most despicable people in the world!

Look at that Cui Seventh Young Master, who sold out the good maiden he had loved for years for his family's sake; now he hasn't even come back alive—how many in the Cui family still mention him?

Moreover, the Cui family has begun to decline gradually due to its implication with the former crown prince, and only the mistress of the Pei family still has some contact with the empress.

Su Miaor genuinely feels happy that Nanping is still alive.

However, Su Miaor indeed didn't expect that Po Feng would be such a gentle person.

At the wedding banquet, he attentively and meticulously cared for his bride; when entering the bridal chamber, he was reluctant to let her walk even half a step more, directly carrying her sideways into the bridal chamber.

Zhui Yu and Leng Dian deliberately caused a ruckus to drag Po Feng out of the bridal chamber.

Zhui Yu was the most enthusiastic: "Back then we four brothers swore an oath to live and die together; now we won't mention that traitor Sha Lei. Today, as the elder brother Po Feng's wedding, we must drink until we're drunk no matter what, right?"

Leng Dian: "Exactly, drink until we're drunk! Po Feng, do you still remember saying the same thing at my wedding?"

The two disregarded Po Feng's wishes and forcibly dragged him back to the lively front courtyard.

Su Miaor and Zongzheng Xingyao then went together to the bridal chamber to visit the bride, who was especially radiant and lovely today.

Nanping's veil had already been lifted, and her beauty, which could make the moon hide and flowers blush, left Su Miaor dazed.

Zongzheng Xingyao teased her: "Why are you still staring stupidly?"

Although Pinger is indeed as beautiful as a celestial maiden today, if you haven't seen a beauty, wouldn't just looking in the mirror each day suffice?

The three standing together radiated a beauty that could last a thousand autumns.

But Su Miaor is definitely the most alluring and captivating of them.

She was merely so shy she dared not lift her head, and inwardly she felt extremely inferior.

Po Feng and Leng Dian both married princesses, while my own past identity is so lowly… Why does my cousin insist on meeting me?

If only he hadn't missed his chance with Que'er back then, how wonderful it would have been.

The two princesses took to each other immediately; both are poised and generous.

They also both get along well with the empress, and when they talk about her they can go on endlessly.

They chatted enthusiastically, while Su Miaor simply sat aside and listened attentively.

Suddenly they turned to her and asked, "When will we be able to drink your and Zhui Yu's wedding wine?"

Nanping: "Yes. I've also waited these few years; Zhui Yu surely hasn't yet moved your heart, has he?"

Zongzheng Xingyao covered his mouth and chuckled: "The last time I married Leng Dian, Zhui Yu got drunk and said he would spend his life waiting for your nod, cousin."

"If you're unwilling, he'll remain a bachelor for life."

"Miss Su, lovers in this world aren't hard to find, but it's rare to find a lover who waits for only one person."

Su Miaor had never known that her cousin had actually said these words in front of them.

Her pretty face instantly turned crimson.

She buried her head, and after much turmoil she stammered out her inner thoughts: "But… I… I'm not worthy of my cousin."

Zongzheng Xingyao: "Heroes don't ask about their origins."

"I am still a princess of a fallen kingdom."

"If it weren't for the emperor cousin still giving us old royalty some dignity, I, Zongzheng Xingyao, would amount to nothing."

Nanping: "Exactly, in people's eyes I'm also considered dead, and besides, in their imagination I don't know what disgrace I've suffered."

"Po Feng never asked me anything; he respects me deeply and also loves me."

Zongzheng Xingyao: "I must say, those three grew up together with the emperor cousin, and in their bones they're just like him—when it comes to love, once it's in their heads they're wholly devoted."

Nanping: "If you also have Zhui Yu in your heart, why not be bolder?"

"One lives but once; we should not fear grandeur or hatred, and even less fear love. If we lose, so be it; if we win, shouldn't we rejoice that we finally dared to get it right once?"

"What's frightening is not daring to give anything, so the only result is a tragedy of spending a lifetime alone in regret."

Nanping blinked lively eyes at Su Miaor, as if urging her not to remain hesitant and shrinking.

As it turns out, both Zongzheng Xingyao and Nanping actively took initiative to firmly bind their respective husbands to their sides.

Hearing their words, Su Miaor's heart was indeed somewhat moved.

Nanping feared that if Po Feng really drank too much it would ruin her bridal night, so she couldn't help gesturing to Zongzheng Xingyao and Su Miaor that they could go out in time to help her retrieve the groom.

The two were both righteous, and they immediately took each other's hands and went to the front courtyard.

Sure enough, the three brothers had already drunk to the point of swaying.

The wine jar fell to the ground, and they still sang loudly.

Su Miaor and Zongzheng Xingyao hurried over, each supporting one of them, and told the granny who had followed: "Hurry up and help your city lord back to the bridal chamber."

The three were pulled apart, but Su Miaor clearly saw that the groom, at the point where he stumbled, suddenly straightened his steps from his previously swaying gait.

His disappearing back became as upright and proper as usual!

Su Miaor:?

Moreover, Leng Dian reached back and pulled Zongzheng Xingyao into her embrace.

"Princess, you've finally come to find me."

I don't want to drink with them at all.

We should hurry back and rest, too? I can't lose to Po Feng, letting his child be born before ours—quick, let's go—

Zongzheng Xingyao's face was red, and the two left together, all clingy and swaying.

After everyone had left, Su Miaor looked again at the truly drunk person beside her and couldn't help wondering: 'Older cousin?'

Zhui Yu vomited a messy mix of meat and vegetables all over the ground.

Looking like this, it doesn't seem fake at all.

Su Miaor struggled to lug him back to the guest room with great effort, then busied herself wiping his face, helping him take off his outer robe, and just as she was about to cover him with the blanket, she lowered her head and met Zhui Yu's eyes in an instant.

'Older cousin?'

Zhui Yu stared at her for a while, saw it was her face, then relaxed and lay back down, closing his eyes.

He mumbled a few sentences.

Su Miaor couldn't make out what he had said.

Really curious, she moved closer, wanting to hear more clearly.

'What exactly…… am I lacking……'

'Why won't the ones I like…… accept me……'

'Miaor……'

Su Miaor could barely hide her bitter whisper: 'It's not that you're lacking. Could it be because you, older cousin, are simply too good?'

'So good that Miaor feels ashamed and harms herself.'

'You've been loyal and righteous, waiting for me all these years, searching for me all these years.'

'Because of me, I missed Miss Que'er.'

'And because of me, I've suffered some grievances……'

'Older cousin, it's fate playing tricks; Miaor no longer deserves you.'

'I also want to be brave just once…… but I'd rather not bring you those humiliations and troubles someday……'

Having said that, Su Miaor wiped her wet eyes and rose to leave, but someone grabbed her wrist tightly just as she was about to get up.

Zhui Yu sat up.

In the not-so-bright night, he stared at Miaor's wet eyes.

'Since I'm that good, do you really intend to run away again and lose me?'

'Miaor, I'm giving you one last chance.'

He stared at her dead serious, uttering each word firmly: 'If you really must leave, once we return to Jinling I will immediately move out of the Jiangjun Fu.'

'From now on, I will never see you again.'

'If you want to be my cousin for life, then let's be cousins who never see each other again!'

He spoke those harsh words and also shook off her hand violently.

Miaor, heavily struck, stumbled backward.

Originally, this should have been an outcome she could accept.

But why does her heart feel as if her liver and intestines are being torn apart, pain splitting her into five pieces?

Her whole body trembling and icy, she reached out several times trying to pull him.

In her mind, heaven and man waged war—one side urging her to be brave, the other constantly bringing up her past inadequacies.

……

'Living one life, be grand and fearless of hatred, and don't fear love.'

'Losing is fine; winning, shouldn't we be glad we finally got it right once with courage?'

'What's scary is not daring to give anything at all, so the only result is a tragedy of lifelong regret alone.'

……

Finally, Nanping's words completely took over, constantly appearing in Su Miaor's mind.

She didn't want to end up with him in mutual estrangement until death.

She didn't want to never see him again in this life.

She didn't want…… regret.

She stepped forward and sat down beside the bed.

She carefully leaned her head on Zhui Yu's shoulder.

'Older cousin, Miaor only has this one life.'

'Even if thereafter I face endless calamities…… Miaor accepts it.'

She lifted her head and collided with his deep eyes.

Zhui Yu's heart gave a hard jolt.

He gently raised his hand to support the back of her head.

'Miaor, don't be afraid.'

'You only need to nod, and your older cousin will stake his life to protect you.'

'But from now on, no more escaping. Understand?'

'And I've waited for you this long—how will you compensate me?'

He finally got what he wished for, and the corners of his mouth instantly rose high again.

His brows and eyes were filled with unstoppable joy.

Only then did Su Miaor fully understand: since those two weren't really drunk, how could he possibly be genuine?

As expected, they're all crafty foxes under His Majesty's hand!

However, when Su Miaor heard his words, the panic and fear in her heart, even her hesitation, all mysteriously vanished at that moment.

Her whole being finally felt settled.

As it turned out, what she had needed all along was his steadfastness.

Zhui Yu's persistence ultimately let her crawl out of that heavy shell once again.

She felt both grateful and moved, and impulsively leaned up to kiss his face.

Zhui Yu's eyes widened instantly.

"You..."

Su Miaor again reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, "Cousin, let's get married?"

This time, it was her turn to take the initiative in proposing marriage.

Upon returning to Jinling, Zhui Yu hurried to the palace to ask for her hand in marriage.

He wanted the Empress to personally handle the arrangements for him.

Li Qingluo was delighted that he had finally won the beauty's hand.

The wedding naturally had to be a grand affair.

This time, the Emperor and Empress could finally enjoy the wedding feast.

Three months after the wedding, Su Miaor sent good news.

At the same time, a letter arrived from Mantuo City saying that the City Lord's Wife was also expecting.

Although the news from Nanan City came a few months later, the first child of each of the three brothers turned out, without prior agreement, to be a son.

Three years after the wedding, Su Miaor became pregnant again.

As it turned out, it was another son.

Zhui Yu objected.

Because Leng Dian and Po Feng each had a daughter!

It was not until the fifth year that Su Miaor finally gave birth to two precious daughters for Zhui Yu in one go.

That same year, Su Miaor also became the female steward of the ten shops of the Tianfeng Merchant House in Jinling.

What she took pride in was not her status as a general's wife.

Because her demeanor had changed greatly, her makeup now composed and dignified; even walking down the street, she no longer feared anyone bringing up her past.

Because she was not Lanting.

She was Su Miaor.