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

The Eighth Prince's eyes seemed to be spitting fire. He did not flinch, staring directly at Chu Yunyan, his tone stern: "I don't know what the situation is, I only know that someone is plotting against me, someone is trying to harm me!"

Chu Yunyan was furious, his eyes narrowed, and he grabbed the front of his shirt: "So, you are doubting me?"

The Eighth Prince's face flushed red, his eyes widened, and he struggled to free himself from Chu Yunyan's grip on his collar. He shouted, "I didn't say it had to be you, but this incident is so bizarre, who should I believe? The evidence points to you, and the person they found is also related to you. How can I not be suspicious!"

He gasped, his chest heaving violently. "You know how you treat me on a daily basis. How can I not think about you?"

Chu Yunyan took a half step back, crossing his arms across his chest. "Don't you think about it? If I were plotting against you, why would I be here?"

The Eighth Prince took a step forward and looked Chu Yunyan in the eye. "Even if someone set this up as you said, why did you have to be involved? This is too much of a coincidence!"

Chu Yunyan's eyes flashed with anger, "I'm implicated? This is a deliberate frame-up! Why don't you understand? Do you want to start a fight with me here?"

He pointed at the Eighth Prince and said, "You are so impulsive and reckless, allowing yourself to be used as a pawn so easily. You are absolutely foolish!"

The Eighth Prince was so angry that he was shaking all over. "You call me stupid? Ha, how dare you say Yan Xueqi is innocent in this matter? She just happened to be there, happened to knock over that country bumpkin's tea, and you just happened to have an unclear relationship with Yan Xueqi. And you rushed over to rescue her? How can you say you are innocent?"

Chu Yunyan looked at him, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down: "Eighth brother, you and I have been brothers for many years, don't you have any trust in me?"

The Eighth Prince's eyebrows twitched. Chu Yunyan placed a hand on his shoulder and, with some strength, pushed him down. "Your mother and my mother are sisters from the same clan. We have been very close since childhood. If I were to deal with you, I would have to cut off my own arm! Why can't you understand this?"

The Eighth Prince believed this, and it calmed him down.

Chu Yunyan reminded him again: "Have you ever thought about this? If it weren't for a strange combination of circumstances, the woman who fell into the trap today would be the fifth brother's princess. Do you know what the consequences would be?"

The eighth prince thought about it and broke out in a cold sweat.

Chu Yunyan continued, "Have you ever considered that it would be okay if it was Miss Shen? But have you ever thought about what the consequences would be if it really was Miss Shen?"

He lowered his voice and said, "Young Miss Shen is the niece of the Empress Dowager. This status is indeed noble, but if this is the reason, there are only two results: the emperor will not grant you a marriage, and he may even expel you from the capital to appease the Shen family! Or, the emperor will grant you a marriage, and then, after appointing a piece of land as a fief, expel you both from the capital, and you will not be allowed to return to your fiefdom without an imperial decree!"

Leaving the capital for the fiefdom means being eliminated early.

The Eighth Prince didn't quite believe it. He raised his eyelids suspiciously. Chu Yunyan reminded him again, "When your father ascended the throne, he was young and the Queen Mother assisted him in governing the country. But after your father came of age, the Queen Mother was reluctant to return to politics. It took several court battles before she was finally forced to give up power. Do you think your father will give the Queen Mother another chance to gain power?"

The Eighth Prince swallowed hard.

Chu Yunyan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Think about it, who will benefit the most from your leaving the capital? Is it me?"

"Is it the Second Brother? Or the Third Brother?"

Chu Yunyan curled his lips: "Anything is possible, even Old Seven is possible!"

The Eighth Prince raised his head, moved his lips, and uttered three words: "I'm sorry!"

"Okay, I know you're angry, but now is not the time to be angry. The Zou family will deal with that maid. You just need to be careful in the future!"

Because Du Wu came to deal with it as soon as he received the news, the matter was controlled within a small scope.

The final result was that all the servants involved were executed!

The eighth prince returned home immediately, wrote a letter of self-criticism, and sent it to the palace.

Although this matter seemed to almost involve Yan Xining and Shen Qingyuan, those who knew the truth did not dare to speak it out, and those who did not know the truth did not dare to make random guesses, and the matter just passed.

The Spring Banquet was generally a success. At least, Chu Jinxun and Yan Xining enjoyed themselves very much.

They listened to short operas, admired flowers, watched the lively events, and saw the talents of the ladies. They had a very fulfilling time.

As for Yan Xueqi, who was wearing the clothes made by Madam Feng and was ready to show off but was still worried, and the Second Prince and the Sixth Prince who were chatting and laughing, how they felt, only they themselves knew.

After returning to Prince An's Mansion and getting off the carriage, Chu Jinxun and Yan Xining walked side by side.

Chu Jinxun is very well-behaved.

Holding hands or some simple physical contact is allowed, but that can only happen outside the house and in front of everyone.

So now, although Chu Jinxun also wanted to hold that hand, after glancing at it a few times, he still didn't dare!

Seeing Yan Xining turn around and head back to Qingwu Courtyard, Chu Jinxun stopped her and said, "Didn't you say before that you wanted to know why?"

"Ah? Yes!" Yan Xining remembered, "But if it's inconvenient for you, I don't really want to hear it!"

"It's convenient!" Chu Jinxun looked serious.

It is inconvenient for others, but dangers like today may occur again in the future. Since we are in a cooperative relationship, there is no need to hide this aspect.

The two arrived at Qiyunyuan.

"My grandfather is the patriarch of the Wen family. Have you heard of the Wen family?"

After sitting opposite each other, Chu Jinxun went straight to the point.

Yan Xining shook her head. She had never heard of it. There was no Wen family in the capital!

"You're right. From the founding of Nanxia until twenty years ago, the Wen family was a renowned family throughout Nanxia! This was because the Wen family's ancestors had fought alongside Nanxia's great-grandfather to conquer the world."

"When Southern Xia was first established, its foundation was unstable. The ancestor of the Wen family led a large army to fight in the south and the north, expanding the territory for him and making great contributions. He was granted the title of Duke of Fuguo, and this rank was inherited for five generations!"

"In theory, the Wen family has always been in charge of the Nanxia army. Almost every generation has devoted themselves to the army, guarding the border for Nanxia. With many years of foundation, they should have grown into a behemoth."

Seeing Yan Xining nod gently, Chu Jinxun continued, "But the truth is not like that. Nine out of ten Wen family members died on the battlefield. Like leeks, they grow up one after another and die one after another. Generation after generation, their loyal bones are buried in the green mountains, and generation after generation, the elderly send off their young ones. Not only did they not grow into a behemoth, but their population has become increasingly dwindling. No Duke of the State in the past generations died of old age."

Yan Xining pursed her lips slightly. If a general is loyal and brave, this is the norm!

"Sixty years ago, a rumor suddenly spread throughout the world. It was said that when the Wen family stormed the palace of the previous dynasty, they looted the palace treasures and hid them privately. They also made a treasure map for future generations."

"Since then, more and more Wen family members have died on the battlefield. Twenty years ago, during the war between Southern Xia and Northern Qi, even the women and children of the Fuguo Mansion went to the battlefield. The youngest was the twelve-year-old son, but not a single one returned. The only one left in the entire mansion was an orphan girl who fell ill and couldn't make it to the battle!"

"That orphan girl later entered the palace, and I am the child born to that orphan girl!"

Yan Xining understood: "So, that's why you were born with poison in your mother's womb and are stuck in this state of being neither dead nor alive. It's because those people wanted the treasure map and didn't want you to live, but they didn't want you to die either?"