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

Thinking back to those absurd days, Su Zhi blushed. Now that she was pregnant, the marriage should be arranged as soon as possible.

Xiao Zong was overjoyed and didn't know what to do. After calming Su Zhi down, he went back to prepare the things needed for the wedding.

The next morning, after Qin finished washing up, Wang Mama came in to report that Yun-ge'er had come to pay his respects to her.

Qin was puzzled. Her eldest son was too busy with official duties to perform the morning and evening greetings. Moreover, since his divorce from Su Zhi, he had only returned home a handful of times. Had the sun finally risen in the west today, and he finally remembered his mother?

When they arrived at the main hall, Madam Qin saw her son's increasingly gaunt face, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken.

She pointed to a chair next to her and said, "Sit down."

Xiao Zong didn't sit down; instead, he knelt down in front of her.

"Mother, your son wants to marry Su Zhi!"

His tone was firm; it wasn't a discussion, but a notification.

When Qin heard this, she thought she would be angry, but on the contrary, she felt very calm.

Perhaps it was because Su Zhi was the granddaughter of the Marquis of Changping, and thus worthy of Cong Yun; or perhaps it was because her second son's temper was becoming increasingly eccentric, and the only one she could rely on to support the Xiao family was her eldest son.

"Marry her if you like her!"

Xiao Zong was surprised that his mother didn't object!

"There is one more thing I would like to ask for Mother's permission to do."

"What's the matter?"

"After getting married, my son wanted to move out with my daughter."

A thin layer of anger appeared on Qin's face. "You want to separate the family?"

She and Su Zhi had a falling out, and her son didn't want his wife to suffer, so he definitely wouldn't take her with him when they separated from the family. If word got out, people would laugh at her; he was deliberately trying to embarrass her!

Xiao Zong raised his eyes, "In Shengjing, it's not uncommon for families to separate after marriage. If they can, so can the Xiao family. Mother, I am now pregnant. For the sake of the child, please grant my request!"

"She's pregnant?" Madam Qin's expression was excited, but after a moment, her face fell. "Are you sure the child is yours?"

They've been divorced for a while now, and the Yuan family has experienced confiscation of their property and exile. What if the child was conceived through collusion with officials? Wouldn't her foolish son be forced to father a bastard?

"Can't be wrong!"

Not long after their divorce, he moved in with Yuanzhi. During their exile, he rescued her from the officials and spent many days intimately with her in their private residence, leaving her no time to be with other men.

The child must be of the Xiao family bloodline!

Even if we take a step back and assume that he loves her for who she is, and that the child isn't his, it won't stop him from being with her forever.

Seeing his certainty, Qin felt relieved.

Women her age already have grandchildren to dote on them, and upon hearing this news, their joy was palpable.

"She can carry on the Xiao family line, so I'm willing to take a step back and let's separate the family! But you two are both young and don't know the hardships of pregnancy. After you establish your own household, you must hire a few experienced old women and maids to take care of you."

Xiao Zong bowed deeply, "Your son has remembered."

Madam Qin nodded, "Alright, go to court. I'll prepare the things for the marriage proposal for you. You have a day off tomorrow, so you can take them to the Marquis of Changping's residence."

"Thank you, Mother!"

After bidding farewell, Xiao Zong rode his horse toward the palace.

That evening, Su Zhi told her father about her pregnancy, and Chu Xia then learned that Xiao Zong and his daughter had been secretly seeing each other.

"You child, you're so foolish! Look around, which divorced couple doesn't never see each other again? You two getting together is bad enough, but to have a child with them is... truly a violation of propriety!"

Su Zhi obediently admitted her mistake, clenched her small fists, and massaged his shoulders.

"Dad, it's all my fault, please calm down."

Chu Xia snorted, "When did he say he was coming to propose marriage?"

"It should be in the next couple of days," she said uncertainly.

"You bastard! He won't even give a specific date. Does he think that because you have his child, you have no choice but to marry him, and that's why he's so brazen?"

“You’ve wronged Congyun. Informing relatives and friends and preparing things takes time. How can a date be set immediately?”

Chu Xia sighed, "Aren't you in a hurry? What will happen when your belly gets big?"

Su Zhi said slowly and deliberately, "We've discussed it. After all, we've already been married once, so this time we'll just go through the motions and keep everything simple."

Chu Xia objected, "How can that be? I finally found my daughter, and I want the world to see that you have the entire Marquis's mansion backing you up. This marriage must be a grand and glorious affair!"

"..."

Su Zhi had a headache; she knew her father wouldn't agree.

She pondered for a moment, then said indirectly, "Think about it, this is my second marriage, and to the same person. Do you expect the guests to give me another dowry?"

Chu Xia remained unmoved. "So what? If the Xiao family couldn't even afford this much money, I would never have married you off! You were looked down upon by your in-laws because of your status as a concubine's daughter. I will make sure you get all the grievances you suffered!"

Su Zhi was deeply moved, her eyes welling up with tears, like a bird that had been away from home for a long time finally returning to its familiar forest.

"Dad, you're so good to me!"

Chu Xia patted her hand, "Silly girl, what father doesn't love his daughter?"

Su Zhi lowered her eyes. Wasn't there one in the prison?

For Yuanpu, only his sons were his biological children; all his daughters were adopted!

He kowtowed all night for his third brother's sake, but when it came to his daughter, all he thought about was whether he could profit from it. Such a person doesn't deserve to be a father!

A while ago, Third Brother learned about her background from Xiao Zong and hoped to meet her, but she refused.

Her parents' affairs had nothing to do with her third brother, but seeing him would remind her of how Yuan Pu had harmed her parents, so it was better not to see him!

The next day, Xiao Zong led his men to propose marriage, but upon arriving at the door, they unexpectedly encountered the Prince of Jin's carriage.

He bowed respectfully, "Your Highness, what brings you to the Marquis of Changping's residence?"

Li Xin straightened his clothes and laughed, "Lord Xiao's words sound awkward. If I hadn't seen the plaque, I would have thought I had come to the Xiao residence!"

He paused, tilting his head to glance at the gifts behind Xiao Zong, "Hmm, it seems that we have the same goal now."

A dark glint flashed in Xiao Zong's eyes. "Your Highness has also come to propose marriage? May I ask, which young lady do you wish to marry?"

“Su Zhi, daughter of the Right Vice Minister of Revenue.”

Xiao Zong clasped his right hand together, a smile still playing on his lips. "I never expected that Your Highness and I would have such similar tastes."

His Highness Prince Jin failed to recruit him, but now he wants to win over the Marquis of Changping's family. He's certainly playing a clever game!

Li Xin raised an eyebrow. "How many broken mirrors can be mended? Some people become strangers once they part ways. Lord Xiao, why force it?"

Xiao Zong retorted: "My husband and I are more than steadfast in our love. Our ups and downs and little squabbles are just part of our fun. How can you say that we are forcing each other?"

On the contrary, Your Highness, all you can offer my child is the position of a concubine. Uncle Chu went through so much hardship to finally reunite with his beloved daughter; do you think he would bear to see her compete for favor with a group of women?

Li Xin was furious, but there was nothing he could do.

Chu Lan was not yet of marriageable age. If it weren't for Su Zhi's good looks, why would he have married a woman who had been married before?

He took a few deep breaths. "There's no need for arguments. The choice is up to Miss Su."

Prince Jin is one of the candidates for crown prince. Xiao Zong did not want to offend him, but the other party was ungrateful and dared to compete with him for the child. Then he should not blame him for being ruthless!

“Your Highness is right. However, Marquis Changping said that the Chu family does not consider the social status of their daughters-in-law and sons-in-law. Since we are both here to propose marriage, we should not be concerned with official rank or social status. I will go through the gate first!”