Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Empress Dowager Wang suddenly smiled: "She is indeed the woman my good nephew has chosen; she has guts."

Gu Hua smiled and said, "Everyone has people and things they want to protect."

Zhao Luoxuan relaxed and quickly ordered someone to serve tea.

Empress Dowager Wang waved her hand: "No need. Xuanxuan and I are family from now on, so there's no need to be polite. As long as you and Yu'er live in harmony and keep the borders of our two countries peaceful, that's all that matters."

Zhao Luoxuan curtsied and said, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's decree."

The Empress Dowager glanced at Zhao Luoxuan and was very pleased with her submissiveness.

She looked at Gu Hua, her tone becoming much gentler: "I would like to discuss with you whether it would be alright if Xuan Yu's child were entrusted to my care? He is the only bloodline of our Ji family."

Gu Hua pondered for a moment.

Empress Dowager Wang immediately explained, "Don't worry. I really want to raise him well, as a way to make up for my guilt towards Xuan Yu."

She started referring to herself as "I".

Seeing her sincerity, Gu Hua nodded: "When the child arrives, I will bring him here. If he can adapt to this place, he can stay."

Empress Dowager Wang nodded excitedly, "Good, good, then I have no regrets."

A palace maid entered and announced, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Prince Yong has come to fetch Princess Yong."

Gu Hua hurriedly said, "I am not a princess, I have not been granted any title."

Empress Dowager Wang laughed and said, "Sooner or later. He must be worried about you, afraid that I'll eat you up. Come on, I'll go out with you."

Gu Hua grabbed Zhao Luoxuan's hand: "Notify me immediately if anything happens."

Zhao Luoxuan nodded: "Okay, sister."

Her eyes were filled with tears, and she was reluctant to leave.

When Mu Junyan saw Gu Hua and the Empress Dowager walk out together, and saw that the two were chatting and laughing, his tense face immediately relaxed.

He reached out his hand, and Gu Hua placed her hand in his large palm, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Your Majesty, we take our leave."

Empress Dowager Wang bowed slightly: "Prince Yong, I have long heard of your illustrious reputation. If it weren't for you, my son and I would not be able to sit on this throne. My son and I will remember this kindness."

On their way back to Juzhou, Mu Junyan and Gu Hua told Gu Hua about the Empress Dowager's desire to raise Ji Xuanyu's son.

Are you worried that I'll be unhappy?

Mu Junyan looked at her.

Gu Hua smiled and said, "When the Empress Dowager proposed this idea, my first thought was that the child would upset you. But then I thought, after all, they are related by blood. And he is the only male heir of the Ji family, so it would be better for him to stay in the royal court."

She leaned towards Mu Junyan and said shyly, "Besides, we have two precious children to take care of. If we can't take good care of them, wouldn't that delay their development?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Junyan's heart melted. He couldn't help but pick her up and place her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her soft, boneless waist.

He whispered in her ear, "Not just two, we need ten or eight."

Gu Hua, feeling ashamed and indignant, pushed him away forcefully: "What do you take me for?"

Mu Junyan chuckled and hugged the person, giving them a big kiss.

His fingers lightly hooked around her belt: "Shen Li said it's okay."

Gu Hua looked bewildered: "What do you mean, 'can I'm done'?"

Seeing his unsatisfied look, she immediately understood, and her face flushed red to the roots of her ears.

"Put me down quickly."

"No, I can't take it anymore..."

The carriage took two full hours to travel from the Dali royal court to Juzhou. By the time it stopped at the gate of the Yongwang Mansion, it was already midnight.

Gu Hua's legs went weak and she couldn't get down at all. Mu Junyan smiled and carried her down from the carriage, only to meet Shen Li's cold eyes.

Mu Junyan was a little embarrassed, and asked in a low voice to appease her, "Dr. Shen, you mean the time is right, right?"

Gu Hua was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head, so she could only bury her head in his arms and pretend to be dead.

Shen Li snorted: "Can't my lord be a little more chivalrous? That would be just right..."

"That's fine then." Afraid that she would say something that would make Gu Hua even more embarrassed, Mu Junyan quickly picked her up and ran away.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.

Shen Li: "..."

"Sister Zhilan, am I that scary?"

Zhou Zhilan forced a smile and gave her a serious look: "No way, you're gentle even when you're poisoning someone."

Shen Li gave her a cool sideways glance: "Hmm, I heard Steward Zhou will arrive early tomorrow morning. Do you need poison?"

Zhou Zhilan's expression changed slightly.

Shen Li said, "No, you don't need poison, but I do have aphrodisiacs, the kind that will drive you crazy just by smelling a little bit."

Zhou Zhilan blushed: "Oh dear, how can you be so outspoken? It seems you're eager to get married."

"Hmph, anyone who dares to marry me will first have to taste all my poisons. Only those who survive will be worthy of it."

"I've tried many kinds."

Akabane muttered to himself.

Shen Li's expression changed, and she turned to glare at him: "Want to try more?"

Akabane turned pale with fright: "No! The new poison I tasted for you last time made me vomit and have diarrhea for three days and three nights, almost delaying my lord's business."

"Hmph! Useless." Shen Li walked away with a stern face.

Zhou Zhilan grabbed Chi Yu in astonishment: "You really kept tasting the poison for her?"

Akabane said, feeling wronged, "If I don't help her taste it, she'll harm other people. What can I do?"

Zhou Zhilan gave him a knowing look, pointed at him, and then gave him a thumbs up.

"Have the guts!"

Akabane glared at her: "Tomorrow morning, Zhou..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Zhilan lifted her skirt and ran away.

Mu Junyan carried Gu Hua into the bedroom, while Dong Hua and Dong Qing dared not enter.

"You two will assist the lady in her bath."

Mu Junyan came out and called out, and the two of them quickly went inside.

In the bathroom, seeing that Gu Hua's body was covered in red marks, the two of them blushed and smiled as they gently massaged her skin.

Gu Hua sat lazily in the bathtub, utterly dejected.

That guy seems stronger than before.

She longs for it when it's not happening, but when it actually comes, she can't handle it. It's such a tragedy.

Just as the washing was almost finished, two maids were about to help him up when Mu Junyan walked in.

The two maids blushed and quickly retreated.

Gu Hua was so frightened that she quickly covered herself with her hands: "What, what, what are you doing?"

Mu Junyan's eyes were deep as he bent down and squatted beside the bathtub: "A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold, and I don't want to wait a moment longer."

Gu Hua was already feeling hot from the steam in the bathtub, and when she heard what he said, she felt like she was on fire.

Mu Junyan was momentarily blinded by the beauty shrouded in mist.

If Gu Hua's beauty used to be understated, now it is breathtakingly beautiful.

Her skin was as white as snow, her lips were cherry-red, her nose was delicate, and her pair of bright and charming eyes were even more alluring.

Gu Hua noticed that his gaze was getting hotter and hotter, which made her a little scared.

The two hours in the carriage were already enough for her; she couldn't take it anymore.

Forget about hiding it, she quickly pushed him away, saying, "Go out quickly, go take a shower first."

Mu Junyan's Adam's apple bobbed: "I'll carry you back to the house first, so you don't catch a cold."

She stood up, grabbed a bath towel, and spread it out: "Aren't you getting up? Do you want me to get you out of the bathtub?"

Gu Hua was terrified. Forgetting all about shame, she quickly stood up and stepped out of the bathtub.

Mu Junyan wrapped the person up, picked him up horizontally, and carried him directly into the bedroom.

He carefully placed the person down and whispered, "Wait, I'll go get a bath."

Donghua and the others smiled when they saw this scene, thinking to themselves that the lady had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

After Gu Hua finished changing her clothes, she was sitting while Dong Hua dried her hair when Mu Junyan walked in and took the handkerchief from Dong Hua's hand: "I'll do it."

The people inside immediately and tactfully withdrew.

Gu Hua looked at the tall man in the bronze mirror, his large hand holding her long, black hair, wiping it absently.

The air on the back of my neck is getting hotter and hotter, and it feels like I can't dry it at all.

She felt she couldn't sit still any longer and couldn't help but turn around to look at him.

In that one glance, their eyes met, and an instant wildfire ignited.