Becoming a widow for the sake of good fortune? The short-lived prince lived a hundred years

The fox fur was put away, the snacks were laid out, and the tea was brewed.

The two drank tea, and Chu Jinxun looked contented: "Does it make you feel better?"

Yan Xining glanced at him and said, "If I'm not mistaken, then Qi Mingyu is your bad love, right?"

"No, absolutely not!" Chu Jinxun shook his head, very seriously and solemnly: "When I was a child, I was in poor health. Lady Zhaoyue took pity on my mother's early death and took me to live in her house for three years. Qi Mingyu is the child of my uncle's sister. At that time, Qi Mingyu's father was a third-rank salt transport envoy and was stationed outside the capital, so my uncle's sister took her to live with her mother. Qi Mingyu and I did know each other since childhood, but it was just an acquaintance."

His eyes met Yan Xining's calm and composed expression and the half-smile in her eyes. He paused, then spoke again, seemingly lacking confidence: "We met quite a few times during those three years. Later, her father's term of office was about to end, and Qi Mingyu's mother was very happy. When she saw us playing together, she even mentioned to my aunt that we should arrange a marriage!"

Yan Xining chuckled.

Chu Jinxun immediately said, "I don't like Qi Mingyu. She was only ten years old at the time, and she always liked to snatch my things. She would tease me when she saw I wasn't feeling well. I couldn't bear to eat the snacks my aunt made for me, so she stole them to feed the fish. She knew I would be allergic to peanuts, which could be life-threatening, and she even secretly put ground peanuts in my food. After Qi Tianhe returned to Beijing, they moved back to their own home, and we haven't seen each other since!"

He felt a little aggrieved. "You don't think I'm too stupid to tell good from evil, or too blind to see through people's character, do you? I'm just physically ill, not mentally ill!"

Yan Xining patted his arm: "Brother, don't be nervous, I'm not going to ask about your past. Who doesn't have little secrets? Now that I understand the situation, I know how to deal with them in the future!"

"Is that all you're asking me?"

"What else? We are partners. Knowing each other well is the only way to avoid any harm! Don't worry, brother, I won't be jealous!"

Chu Jinxun was not very satisfied, pursed his lips and said nothing.

Yan Xining didn't notice: "I smashed the carriage of the Duke of Ju's Mansion, it won't cause you any trouble, right?"

Chu Jinxun leaned back slightly and leaned against the car wall, his posture comfortable and leisurely: "It's good to cause trouble. Why should I be afraid of trouble now? If anyone provokes me, just blackmail them. If there is any problem, we will split it 30% and 70%, I will take 30% and you will take 70%!"

Yan Xining's eyes flickered and a smile bloomed: "Deal!"

Seeing her eager face, Chu Jinxun's mouth twitched, and then quietly curled up an arc.

After returning home, Yan Xining counted her dowry.

It was truly touching. Looking at the twenty-four loads, there wasn't a single valuable item in them. All together, their value was less than a hundred taels of silver. There wasn't a single piece of land or shop, not a single title deed to a house, and not a single tael of cash in the dowry.

The dowry included four maids, old women and servants, but they were either servants found temporarily by the mansion, or they were bought from human traffickers to make up the number.

There were no so-called capable maids or personal servants. What was even funnier was that the indentures of these maids and servants were not even included in the dowry, which meant that they were still members of the Weiyuan Marquis's Mansion.

This marquis's family is really mean and shameless.

Yan Xining smiled, and Chu Jinxun on the side silently handed her a cup of tea.

"What is the betrothal gift from your palace?"

Chu Jinxun thought for a moment and said, "Three kinds of meat, seafood, wine, tea, etc., everything you need, plus five thousand taels of silver as a betrothal gift!"

What a great trick of getting something for nothing. Yan Xining's mouth twitched. It would be a waste if Weiyuan Marquis Mansion didn't do business.

She drank the tea in one gulp: "I'll go get them all back tomorrow!"

"Okay, if you come back, it will be your dowry!"

Yan Xining turned around, his expression teasing: "Don't you think I'm heartless?"

Chu Jinxun blinked his eyes, his eyes innocent and simple: "Just do whatever you want to do, why are you afraid of what others think?"

"What if they refuse to give it and a fight breaks out?"

"Don't worry, I'm here!"

Just a few words, but they have the power to touch people's hearts.

Yan Xining narrowed her eyes and looked sideways. Chu Jinxun was also looking at her with a gentle and calm gaze.

"Shall I give you the injection again?"

"Wouldn't that be too frequent?"

"With your body, you need acupuncture at least four times a day for the first ten days. Once the poison is forced into several meridians, you won't suddenly become venomous and die!"

"Okay, go ahead!"

When sweat soaked through his clothes, Chu Jinxun was very suspicious. Was she angry when counting the dowry, and wanted to make a thousand taels of silver to spend?

Then help her earn more tomorrow?

However, when he got up from the couch sweating profusely and took a bath in the warm water, he felt his pores open up and felt that the one thousand taels of silver were well worth it.

In the front yard, a dozen servants stood in two rows.

Since it was part of the dowry, and Yan Xining was free now, he called her over to take a look.

She didn't say anything empty-handed and said to them directly, "I'll go back tomorrow. Those who want to stay here can stay. Those who want to go back to the Marquis' Mansion, I'll take you back tomorrow."

When these words came out, those people looked at each other in bewilderment.

A maid said hurriedly, "Miss, we don't dare. If we are sent back, we will definitely be beaten to death."

"Don't worry, it won't happen!" Yan Xining glanced at them, his face expressionless: "Sending you back is just a matter of continuing what you did before. If you stay, the palace has strict rules. If you make the slightest mistake, I can't protect you!"

When she said this, several people's eyes flickered immediately.

After they entered the palace yesterday, they were placed in a courtyard. It was said that the prince was seriously ill, and to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos, they were all placed together. Although someone brought them food, they were not allowed to leave the courtyard, so they did not know what happened afterwards.

But they also had some guesses.

After all, the eldest daughter was brought back to the Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion in order to replace the second daughter and marry the seriously ill prince to bring good luck. Even the rats in the sewers of the Marquis' Mansion knew about this, so it was impossible that Prince An's Mansion did not know about it.

Can the eldest lady have an easy life?

A maid asked tentatively, "Young lady, don't you want to keep us?"

Yan Xining said slowly, "I can barely protect myself right now, so why would I drag others down with me?"

These words revealed too much information, and the eyes of several servants flickered. It seemed that the thing they worried about had finally happened. If they stayed, their lives would be difficult in the future.

When she asked again, ten out of the twelve people said they wanted to go back.

Looking at the maid and servant standing there motionless, Yan Xining was a little surprised: "You two aren't leaving?"

A maid quietly tried to pull the servant away, but the servant struggled hard and said, "My mother said that servants must be loyal!"

"Where's your aunt?"

"He's been dead for three years."

"Don't you want to go back to your other relatives in the Marquis' Mansion?"

"I have no other relatives."

Yan Xining turned to the young servant again: "What about you? Why don't you leave?"

"I was bought here as a servant for the young lady's dowry. The young lady is my master. Now that the young lady has no one else around her, I can stay and run errands."

"I remind you, you only have one chance. If you don't leave this time, you will die and never leave the palace again!"

"Yes, I am willing!"

"The villain understands!"

Yan Xining waved her hand and said, "Go back to your original courtyard. Tomorrow, the two of you will stay here, and the ten of you will follow me!"

The ten people showed joy on their faces and bowed and expressed their thanks perfunctorily.

Back in the main courtyard, Yan Xining walked into the house and heard a clear but weak voice: "You're done, then go to bed early!"

"Won't you give me a yard?"

Chu Jinxun blinked, a little confused: "Huh?"

"Isn't this the main courtyard where you live? When you're clear of the poison, you have to live a normal life. It's not appropriate for us to live together!"

"Then what should I do with the needle?"

"You go or I come, it's all fine!"

"You want a separate courtyard? That's fine. I'll have someone clean up Qingwu Courtyard to the east. There's a warehouse there, and you can use it as your own private warehouse. It might just take two days!"

"Row!"

Chu Jinxun's gaze was like a lake, clearly clear and bright, yet seemingly bottomless, containing emotions that were difficult to discern.

Yan Xining didn't care too much. With their relationship, it wasn't right for them to live in the same room and bed. Even if they were partners, they still needed private space.

Besides, if one day Chu Jinxun recovered, he would definitely marry another princess and have children. She didn't want to attract the hatred of the future Princess An in advance.