Chapter 515 - 506
Marquis Chu frowned at Princess Rong Zhao. The latter was meticulously dressed—with a full makeup, adorned with pearls and jade, a crimson plum blossom pinned on her forehead, clothed in a close-fitting misty rose brocade jacket and a big red skirt embroidered with phoenix tail flowers. She must have devoted an incredible amount of effort into her appearance today.
Nevertheless, no amount of makeup could hide her rapidly aging face. The wildness and flamboyance that used to gleam in her eyes had vanished, replaced with fear, suppressed ruthlessness, and—an abasement of indignity, a grudge she held against her destiny.
After all, despite her flaws, she was still the Emperor’s eldest daughter, and a proud princess for many years. To accost a man who had lived under her thumb with such language was certainly beneath her dignity—she could utter the words, but her heart was heavy with reluctance.
Marquis Chu’s brows furrowed even more deeply, a mocking smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "Rong Zhao," he said, "It’s been tough for you to have such a conversation with me. It was you who conspired with the traitors against me and led to the separation of my family. The grave mistake you made has befallen me, my wife and children. How on earth do you think we could live peacefully after this? Could I still...with you...?" Marquis Chu paused. His fists clenched at the thought of the past humiliations he had suffered, and he said, "Have a child with you? Rong Zhao, you’re a woman. Show some decency. Stop deluding yourself about when we ever had a good time."
Each word was a deep cut, making Rong Zhao almost sick with resentment. The final remark left her utterly embarrassed and enraged. The hand that clenched the handkerchief trembled. She pointed a trembling finger at Marquis Chu and screeched, "Chu Guangche, you bastard, you... "
She could not finish her sentence—it seemed too hasty. She had taken so long to come up with this plan, and she could not let her anger ruin it. She had to show weakness, win his heart back, and persuade him to protect her. His intervention would likely hold more weight than her own mother in the eyes of the crown prince. Despite becoming her consort out of necessity, he had shared the same bed with her for years. As a proud princess, she believed she could soften his heart by lowering herself.
She quickly changed the topic, moving forward to hold Marquis Chu’s sleeve. Tears streaming down her face, she said softly, "Chu Lang, those past years may not have been happy for you, but they were indeed the most unforgettable moments of my life. Chu Lang, it was my fault. I’ve wronged your family in the past. I’m genuinely sorry. From now on, I’ll no longer be a lofty princess, but only a daughter-in-law of the Chus. I’ll treat your family as mine, your children as mine, your grandchildren as mine... Is that okay?"
Marquis Chu strained to pull away, raising his voice to say, "Do you actually believe that’s possible? Do you even remember what you’ve done to my family? Out of your selfish desires, you stole another woman’s husband, drove his wife to the nunnery, forced their children to live on the frontier, caused the death of a woman, and drove a child mad. Rong Zhao, think about all the evil things you’ve done. Even if you want to consider them your family, how could they accept you? Do you think a mere ’sorry’ can erase all your misdeeds? Plus, I am a human, not a mindless puppet. Don’t ever mention those old things; I—find them disgusting."
Rong Zhao listened, becoming more and more afraid. The man in front of her had indeed slipped out of her control and was no longer afraid of her princess status. She cried, "Chu Lang, I’m also part of your family. I was your woman for twelve years. We have shared so much good times together..."
Looking at the tear-stained Rong Zhao, Marquis Chu didn’t want to listen anymore. Although she had been his woman for twelve years, those years were the most humiliating period of his life, and he was reluctant to think about them. He said coldly, "Rong Zhao, I used to see you as a proud woman who would rather be hated than looked down upon. Save some face for yourself, so that even if I hate you, I won’t belittle you... Let’s just live here without disturbing each other."
After finishing speaking, he jerked his sleeve free again with a "whoosh", tearing it. Without a glance back at the fuming Rong Zhao, he walked straight out the door.