Marrying the Crown Prince

They went on a spring outing, climbed mountains, and visited temples, but Zhou Zhou did not kneel in worship.

Su and Wan Ying were somewhat surprised, "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"No, thank you." Zhou Zhou shook his head.

Hearing her say that, Su and Wan Ying thought she was going to say something like, "It's better to pray to yourself than to pray to gods and Buddhas."

Zhou Zhou's next words were, "I have no desires now. Besides, if I did, it would be too far in the future to come back and fulfill my vows."

"I see." Suhe and Wanying sighed silently—she thought she was different from those women in the inner quarters, but it turns out she's no different at all.

The temples near the outskirts of Beijing, though not very large, are quite popular, with both wealthy merchants and ordinary people coming and going.

Zhou Zhou, Su He, and Wan Ying walked among them, not particularly conspicuous.

“I asked the village head’s family, and they said that this temple doesn’t have much else, but the scenery on the back mountain is quite nice.” Zhou Zhou lifted her skirt and walked up the steps one by one. “Many tourists from afar pass by and come to take a look.”

There were indeed quite a few tourists in the mountains, and judging from their clothing, they were not dressed in simple clothes; they were all from well-off families.

However, as you climb higher, there are fewer people around, and gradually, there are not many people left.

Zhou Zhou was slightly out of breath when she found a pavilion and sat down.

Su and Wan Ying were in much better physical condition than her, but their faces were slightly flushed, which made them seem even more charming.

Unfortunately, her clothes were too plain and simple, which clashed with her overall aura.

Therefore, at first glance, people would be amazed by Su He and Wan Ying's appearance, and then gradually be attracted by Zhou Zhou's unique scholarly air.

After the two rested for a while, Su and Wan Ying asked, "Do you want to continue uphill?"

From the bottom of the mountain to here, we've been walking on steps, but as we go higher, the stone steps disappear, and it's all dirt road.

"No, thank you." Zhou Zhou shook his head.

She was afraid that if she continued walking, she wouldn't be able to get down the mountain.

As it happened, Su and Wan Ying had no interest in mountain climbing, and they would never have come here if Zhou Zhou hadn't invited them.

“In that case, it’s getting late. Let’s walk and stop as we go, and slowly make our way back.” With that, Su and Wan Ying stood up.

When she left, she took into account that Zhou Zhou was a delicate and frail young woman, so she deliberately walked ahead of her to clear the way for her; occasionally, when they encountered a difficult ditch, she would reach out to help Zhou Zhou.

Zhou Zhou readily accepted, after all, nobody wants to leave home looking clean and then return covered in mud.

On the way up the mountain, the two of them climbed up in one go; on the way down, they were much more leisurely, picking flowers and looking at trees.

Then, they came to a dense bamboo forest. Zhou Zhou picked a bamboo leaf, put it to her lips, and a melodious and gentle tune flowed slowly, like a clear spring in the mountains, gurgling and trickling.

As the song ended, Zhou Zhou's fingers flew, and he flicked the bamboo leaf out. The leaf spun in the air and then flew down.

"You have this kind of talent? You can do it by simply picking a leaf, right?"

Suhe and Wanying admired this talented woman, after all, she didn't even know a single note, let alone be able to play a tune by picking leaves with her bare hands.

Zhou Zhou thought about it carefully and answered very honestly, "I don't know either, I've only ever played it by blowing on bamboo leaves."

After saying that, she looked at Suhe and Wanying with gentle eyes, "Do you want to learn?"

"No, no, no, I don't know how to learn these things." Su and Wan Ying hurriedly waved their hands. "I've never had any talent for these things since I was a child. No matter how I try, I can't learn them. But I can learn things like walking birds and fighting crickets without even learning them."

“You come from a privileged background and have a distinguished family. Of course, you can learn these things that add to your privilege if you can, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t,” Zhou Zhou said, expressing his understanding.

This……

My family is indeed quite wealthy and powerful.

So Su and Wan Ying could be said to have suffered little. Their only hardship was yesterday evening, when she climbed a tree to pick wild fruit in the desolate mountains and wilderness, and as a result, her horse was stolen.

She couldn't catch up, so she could only walk and walk for a very long time before she finally found a house—the manor where Zhou Zhou and Li Ziyan lived.

Thinking of last night, Suhe and Wanying were overcome with grief and looked dejected.

Zhou Zhou: "..."

Why did she react like that when I praised her for her good family background?

However, she had no interest in comforting children, so even though she noticed Su and Wan Ying's resentful mood, she didn't offer any words of comfort. Instead, she asked, "Shall we continue on our way?"

"it is good."

Just as the two were about to turn out of the bamboo forest, they ran into a man wearing a bamboo-green long robe with ink-splashed bamboo patterns.

Judging from his clothes, he must be the son of a wealthy family. He is quite handsome, but he reeks of alcohol.

Coming to this sacred Buddhist site and drinking alcohol, he's clearly not a good person.

"Hey, ladies, wait a minute." He said, glancing unabashedly at Su and Wan Ying's faces before reluctantly turning his gaze to Zhou Zhou.

Zhou Zhou narrowed his eyes, a cold smile playing at the corners of his eyes. "Young master, you're blocking our way."

The thought of such a noble and proud beauty pleasing him made the young master even more excited, and he was practically drooling.

Considering the beauty's timidity, he lewdly wiped his face and tried to lower his voice, "Lady, don't be afraid. Tell me, where are you from? Where is your home?"

Even if Su He and Wan Ying were slow to realize, they knew that the guy in front of them was a pervert. They were furious and reached for their waist...

Oh no, when I was changing clothes, I casually took the whip off and forgot to hang it back up.

Just as she was hesitating whether to take a bamboo stick to whip this bastard, Zhou Zhou pulled her behind him and stood in front of her.

"Then, may I ask, young master, why do you want to know where my sister and I live? Is it because you want to marry us?" Zhou Zhou asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes."

The pretty girl was so savvy that the pervert's smile became even more grotesque. However, he wasn't stupid; he knew that many women would use this kind of expedient tactic.

Therefore, from the moment he came out to stop people, he was already prepared to make it a fait accompli.

"Don't be afraid, ladies. No one usually comes here. My servants are guarding downstairs. Why don't we have some fun first?"

After saying that, he lunged at Zhou Zhou, who slightly turned his body to dodge and twisted the man's arm behind his back.

If someone is guarding the place, then no one will come. No one will come? That would be perfect!

Zhou Zhou smiled broadly and asked in a sweet voice, "Young master, what were you saying just now?"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! You slut, let me go!" The man screamed like a pig being slaughtered, still threatening Zhou Zhou, "Do you know who I am? I'm the county magistrate's son! If you dare treat me like this, I'll throw you all in jail, and then have a dozen men gang-rape you until you're a cripple, a rotten person..."

"what--"

Hearing the other party still cursing with great vigor, Zhou Zhou increased the force in his hand, and the other party immediately cried out in pain.

"Hey, give it to me right now!"

“Okay,” Zhou Zhou replied with a smile, “I’ll put you down right now.”