Back and forth: I brought supplies to help the impoverished prince

"Is he okay?" When returning, Qiao Shinian looked at Wen Jiu.

Wen Jiu shook his head, "He won't die for a while."

Qiao Shinian stopped asking questions and asked, "I heard you have a princess who has been waiting for you for many years. Can you take me to meet her?"

Wen Jiu turned his head and raised an eyebrow, asking curiously, "Are you jealous?"

"If you don't know how to use words, then shut up." Qiao Shinian rolled his eyes at him. "I want to see what kind of girl has waited so long for you."

"What happens after you see it?" Wen Jiu turned his head and said in a colder voice, "What if I insist on marrying her?"

"Then marry her." Qiao Shinian shrugged. "I can't stop you."

"You can do it. As long as you say you will marry her, I won't marry her." Wen Jiu turned his head with a scorching gaze, "Do you like me at all?"

"I'm saying now that I love you and I can't live without you. Do you believe it?" Qiao Shinian replied with a smile.

Both of them knew that it was pointless to dwell on this issue any further, so they tacitly changed the subject.

Qiao Shinian got off the car halfway and said, "I'll go back in the evening. Give me your token and I'll go see Hehuan."

Wen Jiu pulled off the token from his waist and threw it to her: "Come back early in the evening."

"it is good."

·

For several days, the perceptive people in the capital had noticed the woman following Wen Jiu, and after these days, the entire Chuwen capital knew that Prince Yongle was behaving very intimately with a woman.

Qiao Shinian didn't ask about Wen Jiu's daily travels, and Wen Jiu didn't ask what she did every day. He just told her to go home early every time.

That day, when Qiao Shinian took Yingzhu to Wanyishan Hall and were about to return home, someone blocked their way.

It's an acquaintance.

Qiao Shinian looked at the man in front of him who was already over thirty years old and smiled: "What a coincidence."

"Unfortunately, I was waiting for you." Ji Lanzhou looked at Qiao Shinian. "You're so cruel that you didn't even bother to talk to us old friends after you came back."

"Yeah, I could watch my students get beheaded without a rip, so not visiting old friends to reminisce about the past is nothing." Qiao Shinian smiled, took two steps forward, and looked him up and down. "Congratulations on becoming a father."

Ji Lanzhou was about to say something, but the words were already on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back: "Thank you."

"Since we're old friends, let's go have a couple of drinks. I'll treat you." Qiao Shinian asked with a smile, "Do you have access control? If not, then go ahead."

"Okay." Ji Lanzhou followed Qiao Shinian. "How have you been these years?"

"Have you ever heard of the myth that one day in heaven is equal to one year on earth?" Qiao Shinian seemed relaxed, without as much hesitation and other emotions as Ji Lanzhou.

Ji Lanzhou shook his head: "No."

"Oh, what I want to say is that I will only be away from you for a short period of time." Qiao Shinian stretched out his hand, pinching a small distance between his index finger and thumb.

After hesitating for a long time, Ji Lanzhou spoke with a somewhat embarrassed tone: "I'm married."

"I know." Qiao Shinian looked at Ji Lanzhou with a strange look, "I know you have almost a whole family of children."

"Only three." Ji Lanzhou said again.

"Don't tell me you're still interested in me." Qiao Shinian took two steps away from Ji Lanzhou.

Ji Lanzhou looked at Qiao Shinian with a complicated expression. He saw that Qiao Shinian looked relaxed and asked, "How can you be so indifferent?"

"Ah? Are you saying I was kind to you?" Qiao Shinian was slightly taken aback, then looked at him and said, "To be honest, I felt really sorry for you at that time. You know I wanted to marry you, but I just wanted to take advantage of you and your family.

As for your question about how I could be indifferent to you, what can I say? You are already married, you can't expect me to destroy the marriage between your two families, right?

Or, should I humble myself and become your concubine?"

"That's not what I meant." Ji Lanzhou wanted to explain something, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't think of any suitable words.

The two walked towards the private room on the second floor. When they sat down face to face, Qiao Shinian supported his head with one hand and said to Ji Lanzhou with some nostalgia: "Since I came to this world, I have received love from many people.

The first one was Lu Ping. He said he wanted to marry me and that by the time I came back from Chu Wen, he would already have two sons.

Also, when we were in the Zhou Kingdom, Mu Qingchen said he loved me, but in the end, didn’t he arrange everything and then die in a carefree manner?

Then there is Mo Lin from Zhou State. He wanted to snatch me from Mu Qingchen at that time. After he took me over, didn’t he also marry and have children?

Of course, I am not saying that if you love me, you must remain a virgin for me and never marry.

Rather, when I see this kind of affection, I can't tell whether I should be happy or feel ironic. Or perhaps I've become accustomed to it. Look at you, you have three children too.

I think you should just settle down now that you have a wife and children, and stop saying disturbing things like "I like you." I don't want to destroy other people's families, nor do I want to be accused of such a crime.

Qiao Shinian spread his hands and said, "Well, I'm selfish too. As for love, I've loved truly before, and I've also used others to gain personal benefits."

As for your feelings for me, I accept them with peace of mind and want to maximize the benefits.

Of course, if someone else says they like me later, then based on my current mindset, I think I can squeeze out even more value from them by taking advantage of their love and getting them to sign a contract to sell themselves.”

Ji Lanzhou stopped talking. He looked at Qiao Shinian as if he wanted to get to know her all over again.

While waiting for the food and wine to be served, he drank gloomily.

"What about Wen Jiu? Are you going to use him?"

Qiao Shinian looked at Ji Lanzhou with disdain: "You're crazy, why should I tell you?"

"How did you..."

"How come I've changed so much?" Qiao Shinian interrupted him, his tone light but his words icy cold. "Do you think you've known me for all the years I've known me? If I hadn't changed much, would I still be a naive, innocent person, spouting such unpleasant words as righteousness and love all day long?"

"Ji Lanzhou, go back and ask your wife. What efforts has she made to marry you, to marry a good husband? The harem is like this, not to mention me, who was held hostage by another country, and who later established my power in Xingzhou.

Now……"

Qiao Shinian raised his glass and smiled, "This is a great opportunity for you to make great achievements. We only need to destroy the Zhou Kingdom and unify the world. If you are still alive by then, you will enjoy the merits you have earned."

I, on the other hand, am here to complete the work I have only begun halfway."

Qiao Shinian smiled and said, "I'm glad to see you, glad to talk to you, and glad that I was once a good person in your heart.

From now on, I will still be a good person, just using different means.

It doesn't matter if it's not good here, when I go home I will be a good citizen who obeys the law."

"Forget it. You won't understand even if I tell you. Train yourself well and don't die on the battlefield." Qiao Shinian stood up and looked at the silent Ji Lanzhou: "I should go back earlier, otherwise Wen Jiu will be angry."

"Are you planning to sell yourself to Wen Jiu now so that he can find a job?" Ji Lanzhou asked.

Qiao Shinian paused as he was about to leave and turned to look at him: "How can you use such... such words as 'selling' when it comes to matters of love?"

"He has a fiancée." Ji Lanzhou looked straight at Qiao Shinian.

"So what? They haven't gotten married yet, so just break them up." Qiao Shinian said nonchalantly.

Ji Lanzhou looked at her. He stood up and approached Qiao Shinian: "But you don't look happy?"

"I do, it's none of your business!"

"If you're unhappy, why are you doing this?" Ji Lanzhou grabbed Qiao Shinian's wrist. "You wanted to marry me back then to use me. Why are you getting involved with Wen Chui now? The fame, wealth, and status you want are already in your hands!"

"No, what do you mean?" Qiao Shinian was a little confused. She immediately emphasized, "My desire to marry you is a thing of the past. I don't mess with fathers. You're already the father of three children. I have no feelings for you at all."

"He also has two children." Ji Lanzhou said, "Even if you don't consider me, you should be with the person you love, not with him."

"Someone I like?" Qiao Shinian thought for a moment. "The one I like has been dead for many years. Wen Jiu and I might be the most suitable match. He's unmarried, and I'm unmarried. Don't worry about me. Just be a good father. If you say anything more, I'll have to think carefully about whether you still like me when I get home."

Ji Lanzhou held onto Qiao Shinian without saying anything. Qiao Shinian pulled his hand away and said, "I'm just kidding. Regardless of whether you still have me in your heart or not, I just want to say thank you for worrying about me, and that I don't really care about any of you, except Wen Jiu."

Ji Lanzhou watched Qiao Shinian leave and watched her leave the room.

He sat back at the table dejectedly. He knew that he still liked Qiao Shinian. After all, he wanted to marry her at all costs back then.

But as Qiao Shinian said, all the men who liked her were already married and had children, so it was impossible for her to become a concubine.

Those who are married and have children cannot divorce their wives easily. They are married because of family power. The relationships are complicated and any change will affect the whole body.

Love is a luxury in the secular world. Perhaps some people are lucky and love each other after getting married.

Most people treat each other with respect, or their lovers marry someone else, or they take the woman they like home as a concubine, and most wives are understanding and tolerant.

They fulfill their duties as wives, maintain relations between the two families, go back to their parents' home to smooth relations when their husband's family needs them, and ask for help from their husbands when their parents' family needs them.

Thinking of this, he suddenly couldn't help laughing again. He thought, if Qiao Shinian had heard what he said before, she would definitely say, "You men have taken all the benefits, and now you say you've lost your love forever. You are really ungrateful." The woman hasn't even said how painful it is to marry a man she doesn't love, and she still has to smile and welcome all the hardships of her husband's family.

That woman is unlucky! You men are really enjoying the benefits brought by your wives while thinking about how fragrant the wild flowers outside are. How pitiful it is to lose your love forever.

What would he say then? 'Nothing can be changed. The only ones who suffer are the two people who are getting married, and the only ones who benefit are the two families involved in the marriage. But you are also right. We grew up eating family rice and using family resources, so we have no right to choose.'

When Qiao Shinian returned to the palace on the stars, Wen Jiu was sitting at the table. The food in front of him had been reheated countless times. When Qiao Shinian returned to the palace, she saw Wen Jiu looking up and staring at her.

"what happened?"

"Nothing, I've been waiting for you to eat for a long time." Wen Jiu picked up the bowl and chopsticks and put some food into Qiao Shinian's bowl: "Eat it, it's getting cold."

"Oh." Qiao Shinian sat down and ate silently.

Wen Jiu didn't ask anything. He could smell the alcohol on Qiao Shinian, so he knew where Qiao Shinian went right away.

"The date has been set. We will set off after the spring." Wen Jiu suddenly said.

Qiao Shinian grumbled "hmm" and ate two bites of the food in his bowl. "I can't eat anymore."

"Then don't eat. Just watch me eat."

"I'm a little tired, so I'll go back to my room and rest first. You should finish your meal quickly and go rest too. You must be very tired after every day." Qiao Shinian stood up and patted Wen Jiu's shoulder.

Wen Jiu didn't say anything, but just silently ate the food in the bowl.

He knew everything about the conversation between Qiao Shinian and Mu Qingchen. Someone had rushed back to tell him before Qiao Shinian returned home.