Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 189

"Husband!"

Wu Qingchan immediately perked up as if she had been injected with chicken blood, and turned around to look at the door behind her.

As the door was pushed open, a gust of cold wind blew in, making Wu Qingchan shiver.

Entering the house with the cold wind was Zhou Zhiqing, dressed in a dark green robe.

"Chan'er, are you alright?"

Zhou Zhiqing closed the door, stepped forward to help Wu Qingchan up, his eyes filled with heartache.

“Mother was really upset tonight, and she’s not in good health. I was afraid she might get sick from getting upset during the New Year, so I didn’t dare to contradict her. Come on, eat something. I asked the kitchen to make a bowl of shredded chicken noodles and stir-fry two of your favorite side dishes.”

Wu Qingchan didn't eat dinner at all, and was kicked out by Zhou's mother to kneel in the Buddhist hall. Now, smelling the aroma of hot food, she was immediately starving.

Tears fell again. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have made my mother-in-law angry."

Wu Qingchan's words carried a hint of defiance, but Zhou Zhiqing seemed oblivious, simply taking her hand and gently comforting her.

"Alright, you've been wronged. My mother is from the countryside, she's uneducated and doesn't know proper manners, so she's always a bit unreasonable. But she's also upset that you miscarried and lost your child, isn't she?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qingchan was about to retort, "But..."

But her miscarriage was caused by Zhou's mother!
But before she could say it, Zhou Zhiqing interrupted her.

"Don't cry. Once you've recovered and are pregnant again, my mother will definitely accept you. After all, I married you without hesitation under those circumstances. I truly love you. Please think about me too, and don't put me in a difficult position between you and my mother, okay?"

Hearing this, Wu Qingchan softened her heart and nodded silently.

Seeing this, Yu Lu immediately laid out the food, ladled out a bowl of noodles, and handed it to Wu Qingchan.

Feeling extremely hungry, Wu Qingchan didn't bother to complain about her grievances and started eating, also letting Yulu eat.

Even after she left the Wu family, Yu Lu remained loyal to her and stayed by her side. If it weren't for Yu Lu taking care of her, Wu Qingchan might not have been able to recover properly after childbirth. So now she treats this personal maid very well.

Seeing the mistress and servant eating noodles together, Zhou Zhiqing's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he still didn't say anything.

He waited quietly for Wu Qingchan to finish eating, then sent Yulu to pack up and take the food out. He then talked to Wu Qingchan inside the room.

After closing the door, there were only two people in the room, so Wu Qingchan took the initiative to ask.

"Does my husband have something to say?"

Now that she had eaten her fill, she felt warmer both physically and emotionally, and realized that Zhou Zhiqing still loved her.

Therefore, the way she looked at Zhou Zhiqing was filled with deep love and tenderness.

However, faced with her gentle and tender words, Zhou Zhiqing said something that made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Chan'er, the Xuanwen Marquis's mansion recently invited me to a banquet at their residence. The Marquis intends to betroth his second daughter to me."

"But, but we're already married, haven't you told him, my husband?" Wu Qingchan was stunned and immediately asked.

When she saw Zhou Zhiqing's evasive gaze, she immediately understood everything.

"You want to marry the young lady from the Xuanwen Marquis's mansion, don't you?!" Wu Qingchan grabbed Zhou Zhiqing's arm and questioned him sharply.

She was trembling all over, her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was pale with anger.

Zhou Zhiqing frowned and took her hand again. "Chan'er, we haven't had a wedding ceremony, so outsiders don't know I'm married. Now, as long as I agree to the marriage proposal from the Xuanwen Earl's family, the Xuanwen Earl can help me stay in the Hanlin Academy. Chan'er, one cannot enter the inner cabinet without being a member of the Hanlin Academy. I am already a probationary official. As long as I pass the examination, I can stay in the Hanlin Academy and become a close minister of the emperor. I will have the opportunity to enter the cabinet and become a prime minister!"

He continued speaking to himself, unaware that Wu Qingchan was trembling even more violently, her lips bitten until they bled. "If you marry her, what will I do? The second daughter of the Marquis of Xuanwen is a concubine's daughter. When I was in the Marquis's mansion, she wasn't even worthy to come up and speak to me!"

"That was in the past!"

Zhou Zhiqing lost control and flung Wu Qingchan's hand away.

"Now the Wu family are criminals, and you are a family member of criminals. It is already more than enough that I can marry you. You keep saying that you love me, so you should think about me too. If I hadn't married you, why would I have made such a plan!"

Finally, seemingly realizing that he had acted impulsively, he immediately softened his voice and coaxed her.

"I'm doing this for you, Chan'er. If I rise to prominence, you can go back to living a life of luxury, right?"

Looking at the person in front of her, Wu Qingchan felt a pain in her heart that seemed to suffocate her. She could no longer hear Zhou Zhiqing's voice, only a buzzing sound.

"If you marry her, what will you do with me?"

A moment later, Wu Qingchan asked the question in a hoarse voice.

What could she do? She no longer had any family to support her. Her only brother, Wu Que, was nowhere to be found, whether he was alive or dead. She had realized today that it wasn't a matter of whether she agreed or not, but rather that Zhou Zhiqing had come to inform her.

Seeing Wu Qingchan back down, Zhou Zhiqing's expression improved considerably.

"Chan'er, the Earl's mansion will certainly not accept the idea of ​​having a secondary wife. I intend to..."

"You want me to be your concubine?"

Wu Qingchan stared at him in disbelief, her voice sharp and shrill, like that of a madwoman.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Zhiqing felt a surge of disgust, but he held back.

He coaxed, "It's just a difference in title, Chan'er. In my heart, you are my wife, and that's enough, isn't it? Are you with me just for the title?"

"I'm not after a title, but you shouldn't humiliate me like this! Degrading a wife to a concubine, what kind of heartless and cruel person would do such a thing!" Wu Qingchan cried as she questioned him.

These words immediately angered Zhou Zhiqing, and the next moment, he threw her away violently, letting her fall to the ground.

"You have no choice but to agree to this. I will go to the Xuanwen Marquis's residence to propose marriage after the New Year. If you are obedient, you will move to the side courtyard tomorrow. I will prepare the main courtyard for my new bride. You will still be my concubine, and I will take good care of you. You should think it through as soon as possible."

After speaking, he turned and left.

Wu Qingchan was left lying on the cold ground, crying her heart out.

At that time, her good brother Wu Que was not much better off.

Jinminglou was just as lively on New Year's Eve, and male courtesans of his renown were expected to entertain guests.

Wu Que didn't want to entertain guests, so he discussed it with the manager of the building, but was scolded.

"You're so old, it's only good that you have a good-looking face, otherwise how would you make money? Look at the other people in the building, there are quite a few of them who are fifteen or sixteen years old, don't be ungrateful!"

All of this never reached the palace.

After midnight, the lights in Jingming Palace went out, and the underfloor heating kept the room warm. Xie Jiu snuggled in the blankets and fell into a deep sleep.

Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year, I'll be busy again.

And on New Year's Eve, it actually snowed.

A timely snowfall promises a bountiful harvest; it's an auspicious sign.