Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

Chu Xunzhen abruptly stepped back, looking at Chu Mingyuan warily, and asked in a cold voice, "Explain what?"

Chu Mingyuan sneered: "Of course, it's the truth that you're the one sending medicine to the border every month. This was Rou'er's doing, why are you stealing her credit?"

Upon hearing this, all the maids in the Chrysanthemum Garden widened their eyes. Chunxi, in particular, looked shocked and puzzled.

"Young Master, you've misunderstood. The young lady didn't..."

Before Chunxi could finish speaking, Chu Mingyuan interrupted, "There is no misunderstanding. Chu Xunzhen, you come with me to the palace right now and tell His Majesty that you stole her credit. All of this is what you owe Rou'er. If you don't return the title of County Princess to Rou'er, I will not have you as my sister."

Chu Xunzhen's fingertips twitched slightly, and a cold voice rang out: "How could Chu Wanrou, a mere adopted daughter, possibly have enough money to buy sufficient medicine to send to the border?"

Chu Mingyuan slammed his right hand on the table, splashing tea everywhere. He gave a cold laugh: "Rou'er may not have much money, but she spends half of her monthly salary on medicinal herbs, which she orders to be transported to the border by merchants. You knew what she did and deliberately informed His Majesty, hoping for a reward. Are you comfortable sitting in your position as a county princess?"

Chu Xunzhen chuckled, dusted off her sleeves, straightened her clothes, and then slowly said, "The title of County Princess was bestowed upon me by His Majesty in recognition of my generosity, after I donated 100,000 taels of silver to the national treasury. Does Chu Wanrou deserve this title?"

"Today, you have no choice but to go. Otherwise, I will have all the maids in your courtyard arrested, and I will also search for your adoptive parents. Chu Xunzhen, you are a county princess, and I cannot do anything to you, but can you protect them?"

Chu Mingyuan looked frantic.

Everyone's expression changed, and their gazes towards Chu Mingyuan were filled with fear and anger.

Chu Xunzhen bit her red lips tightly. If Chu Mingyuan really acted like a mad dog and wouldn't let go of the people around her, it would be really hard to guard against him.

With Bing Shuang and the Ninth Prince's people protecting their adoptive parents, there's no need to worry for now. However, there are many maids like Chunxi in the courtyard. Most of them are powerless, and if Chu Mingyuan really decides to take action against them, he might actually succeed.

"I was originally looking forward to seeing how Chu Wanrou would kill you, but since you're so stubborn, don't blame me."

As Chu Xunzhen spoke, her right hand trembled, preparing to use the Gu poison. Even if it meant breaking the rules of the Gu sect, she wanted Chu Mingyuan under her control.

But then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the courtyard.

Chu Xunzhen looked and saw that it was a servant in a panic, coming and going in a hurry.

"What's going on?" Chu Mingyuan grabbed a maid who was carrying a bucket of water and jogging forward, and asked.

"It's the second young lady. She said she couldn't marry Young Master Gu and didn't want to live anymore. I don't know how, but the courtyard caught fire. Now the fire is burning very fiercely." As she finished speaking, the girl cried and ran forward with a bucket of water.

Chu Mingyuan was shocked and immediately disregarded Chu Xunzhen, rushing to the Peony Courtyard.

Peony Garden.

The peonies that had been carefully cultivated in the past had all withered, and a heat wave swept over them.

Maids and servants hurried back and forth carrying wooden basins full of water, frantically fetching water to pour on the side rooms of the Peony Garden.

The raging fire, accompanied by an astonishing heatwave, burned fiercely.

"Rou'er, your brother is here, your brother is here. Where are you?" Chu Mingyuan shouted towards the burning courtyard.

Standing behind Chu Mingyuan, Chu Xunzhen looked at the anxious Chu Mingyuan and couldn't help but smile coldly.

In her past life, Chu Wanrou also set herself on fire, but back then, she held onto Chu Mingyuan tightly, afraid that he would be hurt in the slightest, and prevented him from rushing into the sea of ​​fire to save people.

Later, the courtyard burned down, and Chu Wanrou was rescued. She suffered some injuries, and her hands and legs were scarred.

Chu Mingyuan then threw his own sister into the ancestral hall and beat her day and night, leaving her covered in whip marks.

The entire Chu family believed that it was Chu Xunzhen who stopped Chu Mingyuan from entering the burning room to rescue people, which led to Chu Wanrou suffering such torment.

"Give me the bucket!" Chu Mingyuan roared, snatched the bucket from Zi Yuan's hand, and rushed into the room.

She would never stop him again in this lifetime.

She wanted to see what would happen without her interference.

"Miss, the young master rushed in! Is he in mortal danger?"

No, it won't.

Chu Xunzhen smiled. In her past life, she thought she had truly harmed Chu Wanrou, and at first, she was willing to be beaten. But later she learned that Chu Wanrou's scars were just external injuries that would heal in a few days.

But Chu Mingyuan locked her in the ancestral hall and beat her severely for three months.

The scars covering her body led to Gu Changfeng's dislike of her later life, marking the beginning of her sorrowful remaining years.

The flames crackled and popped, alarming everyone in the Ping'an Marquis's residence.

Li Yi came to her side, stared intently at the scorching red room, and screamed in fright.

"Why wasn't it you? Why wasn't it you trapped in the side room?" Li Yi roared angrily at Chu Xunzhen.

Chu Xunzhen remained indifferent and chuckled softly: "Because this county princess is not that fragile, but extremely rational. I wouldn't set myself on fire for such a trivial matter."

Chu Mingli arrived, his eyes bloodshot, and roared at Chu Xunzhen, "Chu Xunzhen, do you even have a heart?"

"If I, the county magistrate, were to say that, it would be more fitting. Second Young Master, I've helped you for so many years, do you even have a conscience?"

Chu Tianxiong has arrived.

He flicked his long sleeves, pointed at the burning room, and yelled at the crowd, "What's all the noise about? Hurry up and put out the fire and save people!"

One hour later.

The fire was finally extinguished.

Chu Wanrou was unharmed, though covered in soot and dirt. Chu Mingyuan, on the other hand, shielded her with his body, while one of his legs was pinned under a beam. His face and body bore ugly burn marks.

"My son!"

Li Yi couldn't take it anymore, let out a wail, and fainted.

Chunxi spoke up: "Miss, why is the old man looking at you with such a fierce gaze?"

Chu Xunzhen twitched her right fingertip slightly and chuckled, "It's nothing more than Chu Wanrou who thinks I framed her."

Tinglan Courtyard.

Chu Mingyuan lay on the couch, and the physician from the Gao family treated his wounds. He then stood up and reported to Chu Zhanpeng.

"My lord, the eldest son has multiple burns, both internal and external, but none are serious. The only issues are his face and legs..."

Chu Zhanpeng's expression changed, and he quickly asked, "What's wrong? Can his face and legs still be healed?"

Taking a deep breath, Physician Gao approached Chu Mingyuan. Seeing him open his eyes, he said with a solemn expression, "The rash on the young master's face was not completely cured to begin with, and now it has been burned, turning into a difficult-to-cure fire poison. I'm afraid it will not recover in the future and he will be lame."

This sentence was like a bolt from the blue.

"No, we can ask Pei Changqing to come over. Rou'er, quickly call your senior brother." Li Yi shouted anxiously.

Chu Xunzhen yawned and was about to leave, but Chu Wanrou blocked her way, stumbled, and fell to the ground, her voice aggrieved: "Sister, why didn't you stop brother from being like this? Now that he's so badly injured, even if you didn't take care of him, you should at least stay by his side, right? Why are you leaving so quickly? Are you feeling guilty?"