Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

A month later, Chu Xia recovered from his illness and returned to the court as an official.

It is said that people are in high spirits when they have good news. When his beloved daughter returned, his weathered face seemed to spring back to life, and he gradually regained his handsome appearance.

The women of Shengjing City were filled with renewed love, and several powerful and influential families also began to pay attention to the Changping Marquis's residence.

Chu Xia is the eldest son of Marquis Changping, and he will definitely inherit his father's title in the future.

He currently has only one daughter, and if he wants to continue the family line, he must marry a second wife and have an eldest son. Therefore, recently, there has been a constant stream of marriage proposals coming to his door.

Unable to bear the harassment any longer, Chu Xia made it clear that he would not marry and even considered giving up the inheritance of the title.

Marquis Changping wanted to compensate his son with a title, saying that he would not marry if he did not wish to, but the title could not be refused.

Seeing Chu Xia's resolute attitude, everyone thought he might be considering his daughter's feelings, so they set their sights on Su Zhi.

Portraits of scions of prominent families and young officials were sent to the Chu residence in a steady stream. Su Zhi refused them with various excuses, but the matchmakers skillfully deflected them all.

Even if she had been married before, the matchmaker could still sing her praises, saying that it was good to have experienced it all before, so as to avoid suffering the pain again.

Her father came to see her and said that if she didn't want to get married, he would stop her from getting married.

Su Zhi knew that her father loved her dearly and was worried that she would suffer, so he preferred to live alone until the end of his life rather than marry another woman.

But she couldn't be selfish. Her father had suffered half his life and deserved a soulmate to accompany him. Therefore, she said she was still young and wanted to find a husband to live a life with.

Chu Xia also felt that his daughter was at the age of thriving beauty and should not be widowed so early, so he accompanied her to discuss and decide on a good husband who would be considerate and attentive!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zong could no longer sit still and sneaked into Su Zhi's boudoir under cover of darkness.

Su Zhi had just fallen asleep when she heard a noise at the window and sat up alertly.

"Who?"

"Don't be afraid, it's me."

In the sweltering heat of June, Su Zhi was only wearing a light undergarment. Upon hearing this, she hurriedly took off the bed curtains to cover herself from the sun.

"Breaking into a woman's boudoir at night, Lord Xiao's actions are not only impolite but also shameless!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than a large, bony hand reached into the tent, clearly intending to do something even more shameless. She was both ashamed and angry, and leaned forward to push his hand away.

"You've grown so disgusted with me after just a few days apart?"

The man grabbed her hand, pressed down on the curtain, and sat down.

Separated by a hazy green veil, the two gazed at the familiar figure, their hearts pounding faster.

Late at night, in a quiet room, by the bedside.

The atmosphere was indeed a bit ambiguous.

Su Zhi's rounded chest heaved, her voice hoarse with nervousness.

"What are you here for?"

"I have a question for you."

"What?"

"Are you really going to get married?"

The woman paused for a moment, then hummed in response.

Xiao Zong stroked her palm, his voice low and deep, "Then marry me, okay?"

Su Zhi choked up and tried to pull her hand back, but he held it even tighter.

Feeling unacceptable, going deeper.

Having experienced so much joy and sorrow, she had unknowingly fallen deeply in love with him. However, she wasn't sure if his love for her could truly outweigh his hatred.

One decision could lead to her utter ruin. She is no longer the Yuan Zhi who was reborn and could outwit him to survive.

Instead, she became cowardly, timid, and insecure.

The word 'love' made her feel as if she were in a quagmire; the more she struggled, the deeper she sank.

This feeling terrified her, but she dared not confess it to him. She feared that if she spoke out, one day this weakness would become a sharp blade, piercing her heart.

Su Zhi took a deep breath and said in a cold voice, "This is the second sentence."

Xiao Zong curled his lips in self-deprecation, slightly raised himself, lifted the curtain, and rushed inside.

Before she could react, her cherry-like lips, which were about to utter unpleasant words, were sealed shut.

"Well……"

Su Zhi pressed against his left shoulder, her eyes reddening, her legs kicking as she resisted his intrusion.

However, she soon went limp, like a fledgling bird, letting the hunter take whatever he wanted.

Xiao Zong wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, looking smug. "You see, your body is used to me."

Su Zhi raised her arm and rubbed her lips vigorously until they hurt, then she stopped.

She gazed at him with teary eyes, "How do you know I won't get used to other people?"

The man pulled her into his arms, his large hand stroking her long hair. "Child, don't make me angry, or I don't know what I might do!"

"You've bullied me like this, and you still want me to marry you? Don't even dream about it!"

"Then tell me your conditions, whatever they are, I'll agree to them."

Su Zhi's expression was mocking; she was using every ruthless trick in order to force him to back down.

"I want you to abandon Consort Zheng and never interfere in her affairs again!"

"After she gives birth, whether she lives or dies, I will no longer interfere."

She clutched his collar, "I don't like your mother and brothers. Cut ties with them, and I'll marry you!"

This request is somewhat unreasonable. Xiao Zong sighed, "I know they have hurt you, but blood ties are unbreakable. How can you easily sever them?"

If you don't want to see them, after the wedding, we'll move to the mansion. No more serving your parents-in-law, no more morning and evening greetings, just the two of us, okay?

Su Zhi only wanted to make things difficult for him, but she didn't expect him to actually treat it as a problem to solve.

Sincerity is often more touching than sweet words.

She snuggled against him, like a hedgehog hiding its quills, revealing her soft belly to him.

"I poisoned you in my past life, can you really forgive me?"

Xiao Zong released her, smoothing her stray hairs as he said, "So what if I can't let go? I've already made up my mind about you for life!"

Su Zhi shrank back, feeling a little scared.

The man leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips. "I want to marry you simply because I love you. I won't use this as an excuse for revenge, and I certainly won't hurt you. So, my dear, don't be afraid of me, okay?"

The woman sobbed, stretched her swan-like neck, and looked up at him.

How can I make it up to you?

Xiao Zong's eyes were deep, like a dark, ancient well, drawing the woman to explore them.

"Marry me, and I'll never leave you."

Su Zhi's long eyelashes fluttered, dancing like butterflies.

"This is enough?"

Xiao Zong gazed at her with adoration. Not enough, how could this be?

He wanted her to love him unconditionally, to have only him in her eyes, and to be faithful to him for life!

But the person in his arms was like a bewildered little animal, and he couldn't bear to frighten her, so he buried all the words he hadn't said in his heart.

"That's enough."

He said so.

"It doesn't sound too difficult. In that case, let's choose an auspicious day to propose marriage!"

Xiao Zong was moved and leaned down to deepen the kiss, but Su Zhi suddenly pushed him away and gagged, covering her mouth.

He froze for a moment, then, as if remembering something, he touched her bare back.

Su Zhi turned around apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just suddenly felt nauseous. Really, you have to believe me! On the day Feng Chen got married, I smelled fish and felt nauseous for a long time. It was probably because of the hot weather..."

She kept talking, and Xiao Zong, contrary to his usual self, spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

"My dear child, could it be... that you're pregnant?"