After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 742 - 741 Drunkenness

The Second Prince looked grim.

The Empress’ face was livid with anger.

Princess Shouning, puzzled, asked, "Who is trying to harm my Imperial Brother?"

"Besides the Eldest Prince, who else would be brave enough?" the Empress replied through clenched teeth.

After the Second Prince fainted, the first to arrive at the pavilion was the Eldest Prince.

Upon arrival, the Eldest Prince helped the guards untie the rope.

When the guards went to look for the hidden weapon again, it was nowhere to be found.

At that time, no one else had been to the pavilion.

The Empress said with a sigh of relief, "It’s fortunate that they didn’t directly target you, my child..."

The Second Prince, when suspended, was utterly defenseless.

If the Eldest Prince truly intended to kill him, the Second Prince would have certainly died.

However, the Eldest Prince was naturally cautious.

No matter the reason, the Second Prince dying in Duke Dingguo Mansion would place the mansion under blame.

The Second Prince being killed would lead to Duke Dingguo Mansion being imprisoned, and Marquis Dongxiang would surely intervene to rescue its people.

Considering the bigger picture, the Eldest Prince had to pass up the opportunity and instead used it to teach the Second Prince a lesson.

The rope was sliced by the hidden weapon, and it just so happened that Princess Shouning was holding a knife...

This situation was tailor-made to frame Princess Shouning.

After hearing this, the Empress, somewhat placated, said to Princess Shouning, "You better abandon any thoughts of marrying Prince NanAn soon."

"Mother Empress!"

"After what he did to my brother, I’ve already given up on him!" declared Princess Shouning.

The Empress waved her hand, saying, "Withdraw."

The palace maid helped Princess Shouning up.

Back at Fengyang Palace, the palace maid asked, "Has the princess truly given up on Prince NanAn?"

"Unless my heart dies," said Princess Shouning.

"......"

The palace maid sighed.

She knew the princess was deceiving the Empress.

However, the harsh words the princess spoke before leaving today were quite clever.

They would surely believe the princess had given up on Prince NanAn.

Indeed.

Those words benefitted Princess Shouning but were quite detrimental to the Heir of Duke Chong.

His cousin said publicly that she wouldn’t let Prince NanAn off the hook.

How could others not believe it?

The Heir of Duke Chong, who had ended up a laughingstock for breaking his leg, didn’t reflect on his actions but instead sought revenge. This was petty, vindictive behavior.

Upon hearing this matter, the Heir of Duke Chong fumed, "How could I have such a foolish cousin?!"

She made such a declaration in public; if anything happened to Prince NanAn, doesn’t that imply he was the cause?!

Startle the snake by beating the grass is the last thing you’d do; yet she swept through, exposing every snake within ten miles.

The Heir of Duke Chong was so angry that his leg hurt.

His servant hastened to calm him, "Young Master, please calm down. A gentleman’s revenge is best served after ten years."

"Ten years?"

"Even ten days is too long!" he retorted through gritted teeth.

Previously, he planned to terminate the lineage of Prince NanAn Mansion as soon as his leg healed, but now it was not possible.

Still, he had to vent this rage.

Seeing him upset, a maid brought tea and leaned toward him.

Annoyed, he pushed the maid to the ground.

The maid, with tears brimming in her eyes, looked at him pleadingly.

That delicate appearance was truly pitiful.

A charming face flashed in his mind, "When is Prince NanAn marrying the legitimate daughter of the Nanyang Marquis Mansion?"

"In half a month."

...

The banquet concluded without incident.

After the Second Prince was carried back to the palace, Duke Dingguo Mansion worried that government officials might come to surround it.

Fortunately, after the banquet dispersed, no one came.

Duchess Dingguo escorted the guests out.

Su Jin and Xingxing got into the carriage, while the Princess Consort was accompanied by the Prince.

Inside the carriage, Xingxing finally found a chance to speak to Su Jin, saying, "Your birthday is coming up in a few days. I heard the palace is preparing a banquet; it’s surely the Emperor’s wish to celebrate it for you."

Su Jin’s brows furrowed slightly.

Her birthday coincided with Consort Yun’s death anniversary.

Could the Emperor really ignore Consort Yun just because he had a daughter now?

The fruit wine from Duke Dingguo Mansion was fragrant, and Su Jin had a delightful conversation with Qin Hanhan, drinking as they talked. They didn’t know how much they had drunk; while there was nothing before, in the jolting carriage, she started to feel a bit dizzy.

Upon returning to the mansion, Su Jin collapsed onto the Imperial Concubine’s Couch and fell asleep.

It was Xingxing and Bi Zhu who helped her change and into bed.

Su Jin drank less than Qin Hanhan.

Having toasted Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo and Right Minister’s daughter, they were to depart for the Southern Border.

Though her heart clung to memories, drink after drink followed.

As she rode, the dizziness worsened.

Her vision darkened as she was about to fall off the horse.

Chu Shun, with quick reflexes, hurriedly caught Qin Hanhan.

But Qin Hanhan, feeling nauseous, vomited right away.

She vomited all over Chu Shun...

Chu Shun, "......"

To be honest.

He almost couldn’t resist throwing her off.

With a face full of disdain, Chu Shun promptly placed Qin Hanhan back in the saddle after removing his brocade robe.

Without daring to ride with her, he led the horse towards Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

Drunk and unresponsive, Chu Shun decided to hold her accountable after she woke up the next morning.

But when he woke up, Qin Hanhan had left a note and departed.

Though drunk, Qin Hanhan remembered throwing up on Chu Shun twice.

After Chu Shun escorted her back, he left her in the care of her maid.

Returning to his chambers, Chu Shun washed and changed.

The maid served Qin Hanhan hangover soup, attended to her mouth rinse, and helped her change.

Unsettled, Chu Shun checked on her.

Seeing his handsome demeanor and realizing she was leaving, she felt reluctant, and Qin Hanhan moved in for a kiss.

But after just one kiss.

The nausea hit again.

She vomited all over Chu Shun again.

Qin Hanhan remembered nothing thereafter.

She must have been too scared by Chu Shun’s dark expression to stay conscious.

At the break of dawn, she dared not bid farewell to Marquis Dongxiang and Mrs. Tang.

She penned her thoughts in a letter and hastily departed the Capital City on horseback.

Chu Shun sat on the bed, staring at the note in his hand with an unmistakable look of dejection.

The letter spanned two full pages, yet not a single word was addressed to him.

Su Chong approached him, offering comfort, "If you can’t bear it, go after her and bring her back."

"What is there for me to find unbearable?!" Chu Shun exclaimed.

Su Chong reached for the letter, but Chu Shun, pretending not to see, folded it and slipped it into his sleeve.

Su Chong, "......"

Marchioness Jingguo was aware that Qin Hanhan was departing and had prepared a bundle for her journey, concerned about her leaving alone for the Southern Border, so she came to see her off.

When informed that she was gone, Marchioness Jingguo was surprised, "How could she leave already? I prepared a servant and maid to accompany her to assure her safety on the road back to her home in the Southern Border."

Mrs. Tang chuckled, "We’ve already sent a servant to accompany and protect her on the way back."

The Marchioness Jingguo smiled, "It’s better she returns sooner; this way, it won’t be long before she will marry here."

Chu Shun felt a deep sense of frustration.

Even though he wished to go after her, what difference would it make?

She was returning home, and he couldn’t just stop her.

Knowing that someone had been sent to accompany her, he refrained from following.

But in the end, he tucked the letter into his pocket and mounted his horse to ride after her.

All because of what was said in the letter.

Kyoto was about to hold a lantern festival.