After my soul traveled to ancient times, I don't want to be cannon fodder

The carriage moved forward, making a slight sound as it pressed against the ground. Zhong Ning sat in the carriage, closed his eyes and took a light nap, resting his mind.

Suddenly, the carriage made a hissing sound and stopped abruptly.

Zhong Ning's body swayed for a moment as he sat in the carriage.

Su Xin calmly pushed open the carriage door to check the situation, and saw a beautiful woman in white gauze, standing in front of the carriage with red eyes.

This place is not a busy city, but the streets where the court and various government offices are located. It is quiet with few people and no unnecessary disturbances.

I think this girl was afraid of losing face, so she rushed here to stop people.

"Please, Your Highness, don't chase Yun'er away. Yun'er kowtows to you!" Yang Ruoyun knelt on the ground, looking delicate and gentle, as if she had been bullied by someone.

Su Xin stepped out of the carriage and shouted, "Who are you? How dare you stop the princess's carriage? You are deceiving the emperor. Do you want to die?"

Hearing this, Yang Ruoyun trembled slightly, raised her tearful pink face, and pretended to be strong and replied:

"I, Yang Ruoyun, am the Prime Minister's niece. I am currently staying at the Prime Minister's residence. I heard that the princess is looking for a consort, so my cousin intends to send me back to my hometown."

"I have long been deeply in love with my cousin. Even if he marries the princess, I am willing to serve as their slave and accompany them. I only ask for your mercy!"

After saying that, Yang Ruoyun bowed deeply.

Zhong Ning was speechless. It seemed that the news that the emperor was choosing a prince consort for her had spread everywhere. This cousin from the prime minister's house had lowered herself so much just to be with her cousin, just for a chance to stay with her cousin forever.

Such deep affection, wow, if Zhong Ning hadn't been the one who was intercepted, she would have been moved to tears.

Su Xin returned to the carriage and whispered to Zhong Ning, "There is indeed a cousin living in the Prime Minister's Mansion. She is the daughter of the Prime Minister's old lady's beloved daughter. Back then, Yang Wanli, the son of Changzhou's richest man, went to Beijing to purchase goods and met Miss Gu San from the Prime Minister's Mansion."

"Miss Gu fell in love with him at first sight and would not marry anyone but him, hence their fate."

"Changzhou is where the Gu family's patriarchal clan is located. Miss Gu will not be wronged even if she marries to Changzhou. It is precisely because of this that Old Madam Gu agreed to her daughter's marriage."

"More than ten years have passed. I believe that Miss Gu San sent her daughter here specifically to find a good marriage for her."

"And then the cousin fell in love with the cousin at first sight? She won't marry anyone but you?" Zhong Ning narrowed her eyes and continued, "Didn't you just say that her family is the richest in Changzhou?"

"Your Highness, the Yang family is indeed the richest family in Changzhou!"

Zhong Ning's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered, "Go and ask her to come over!"

Su Xin nodded in agreement, exited the carriage, and said to Yang Ruoyun, "Miss Yang, please come closer. My princess has something to say!"

Yang Ruoyun quickly lifted up her skirt and stood up. She walked to the carriage window and was about to kneel down to apologize when she heard a clear voice coming from the window: "No need to kneel."

Yang Ruoyun raised her head slightly and saw the car window being pushed open by a delicate and white hand, revealing a calm but elegant face.

Yang Ruoyun's breathing paused slightly.

This princess is truly beautiful. No wonder my cousin is so attracted to her that he wants to marry her even if it means being punished.

"You just said that as long as you can stay with your cousin, you are willing to be a slave?" Zhong Ning said lightly.

Yang Ruoyun nodded subconsciously.

"Do you know what it takes to be a slave?"

Yang Ruoyun was stunned for a moment, then nodded again and replied reluctantly: "Serve tea and water, and wait on my cousin and the princess!"

"That's just my job," Zhong Ning said in a clear, calm voice. "In this era, as a servant, besides serving tea and cleaning, you also have to take care of your master's mood at all times."

"When the master is still awake, you must get up first, and when the master is still asleep, you must not sleep."

"On call twelve hours a day."

"I get up earlier than a chicken, sleep later than a dog, and eat worse than a pig."

"If the master is in a bad mood one day and beats or scolds you, or makes you kneel for three days and two nights, this is just a small matter."

"Most importantly, once a slave becomes a slave, she is no longer a normal person but the master's private property. If you disobey, it would be common for you to be beaten with thirty sticks and then sold to a brothel!"

"So, do you still want to be a slave?"

Yang Ruoyun was stunned and froze in place. She stammered, wanting to say something, but could only tremble and force herself to save face by saying, "Cousin, cousin would never treat me like this..."

"You also said that you are a slave."

"From the moment you become a slave, you are no longer a distinguished young lady, but just a slave who can be beaten and killed by anyone."

"How could Master Gu care about the life or death of a servant?"

"Let's not talk about her, let's just talk about you. Would you care about the life or death of a low-ranking servant in your house?" Zhong Ning's voice was light, but it made Yang Ruoyun feel cold in her heart.

Yang Ruoyun seemed to want to defend herself again: "I...I..."

But I kept saying it for a long time and couldn't utter a single word.

"I have indeed been selecting a consort recently... As for who to choose, I haven't decided yet..." Zhong Ning glanced down and continued, "As for what you are talking about, I am not aware of it. Even if you want to ask for it, you shouldn't come to me."

"Then Your Highness...can you...can you not choose my cousin?"

Yang Ruoyun twisted her handkerchief, her eyes red.

She wanted to speak frankly, but she knew that how could Her Royal Highness the Princess not be tempted by a peerless man like her cousin?

"You hope that I won't choose your cousin? But why should I do this?"

"I...I...as long as the princess doesn't choose my cousin, I will definitely do whatever the princess asks for." Yang Ruoyun said firmly.

She believed that Princess Zhaohua must have other intentions for telling her so much.

"I heard that your family is the richest in Changzhou..."

"If Princess is short of money, Ruoyun can help..." Yang Ruoyun quickly said that she had plenty of money.

"I'm not short of money, but if you want me to not choose your cousin, there should be some value in exchange. Otherwise, why would I agree to it?"

Yang Ruoyun bit her lip, knowing that Princess Zhaohua was giving her a way out, so she asked tentatively, "What about the twenty thousand taels...?"

Zhong Ning raised her eyebrows slightly. She really deserves to be the daughter of the richest man. She can easily spend tens of thousands of taels. She is so rich!

Seeing that Zhong Ning didn't respond, Yang Ruoyun had no choice but to say, "Then the fifty thousand taels..."

"I won't set a price for you, but you know how much your cousin is worth to you..."

Yang Ruoyun's heart skipped a beat. Cousin, that is a one-of-a-kind treasure in the world and cannot be valued with ordinary silver and money.