Chapter 2654: Unexpected Request
Zu An smiled awkwardly. “You don’t have to do that. I’m helping you based on our past ties and my principles. What would I be if I took advantage of your weakness to exploit you?”
“You aren’t exploiting this. I’m doing this of my own volition,” Bai Rouxue hurriedly explained. “And I’m not doing this to repay your favor either, but... but...”
Seeing her stuttering and reddened face, Zu An asked, “But what?”
Bai Rouxue mustered her courage to look at him. “For as long as I could remember, I was a tool for the Devil Sect, and I later became the Shadow Group’s Holy Maiden. My life has always been about completing the missions issued to me. I've never lived for myself before.
“I didn’t like that dumb crown prince, but I had to marry him for my mission. But he was too slow-witted to understand the affairs between a couple. Zhao Han emphasized the tradition of having the oldest son succeed the throne to curb King Qi, who was in the line of succession, but that meant the crown prince couldn’t be changed.
“However, the crown prince was too dumb to leave descendants behind. Zhao Han thought it would be better to have an intelligent imperial grandson to placate the officials, so he turned his eyes to me.”
Pain and resentment flickered across Bai Rouxue’s face. Tears began streaming down her cheeks.
Zu An sighed. “It’s over now. You don’t have to think about that anymore.”
Bai Rouxue sobbed as she continued recounting the past. “Big sister Linglong should have been the ideal choice. She was the crown prince consort, so it would grant further legitimacy to the imperial grandson if he descended from her. However, she happened to be away then...”
She laughed miserably. “Now that I think about it, she was from a noble lineage. Zhao Han would have had to think twice about her backing before making a move on her. It’s much easier to trample on people without a background like me.”