Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 379: The Prince Finally Came to His Senses

Chapter 379: Chapter 379: The Prince Finally Came to His Senses

"Actually, Sister He is quite reasonable. If something’s wrong, just tell her. There’s no misunderstanding that can’t be cleared up."

"Sister... He?"

Zhou Cangyan shot Huai Xu an indifferent glance.

Huai Xu smiled. "My relationship with Sister He is separate from yours. Since she has no family of her own here and we get along well, I’ve taken the liberty of acting as her older brother."

Jing Ye, on the other side, added, "Huai Xu is absolutely right. Although I’ve never met the Princess Consort, for her to have caught Your Highness’s eye, she must be a graceful and clever woman."

’Graceful and clever?’

Zhou Cangyan remained noncommittal.

"Her behavior has nothing to do with those words." He lifted the wine jug and drank straight from the spout.

On the steps before the gate to the back courtyard, Huai Xu and Jing Ye sat on either side of him.

Huai Xu looked at him curiously. "What exactly happened between you and Sister He?"

"Yes, why don’t you tell us, Your Highness?"

"Tell you?" Zhou Cangyan glanced at them. "Are you married?"

Huai Xu: "..."

Jing Ye: "..."

The disdain was palpable.

Of course, Zhou Cangyan wasn’t about to discuss his and her affairs with others. But just thinking about her "uncertainty" made a wave of inexplicable anger rise in his chest.

’How infuriating!’

He then drained the remaining half of the wine jug.

Huai Xu gave Jing Ye a look. The two had known him for a long time and understood his character, so they wouldn’t press him if he didn’t want to talk.

Huai Xu said, "Then let’s just drink."

Jing Ye nodded. "Right, let’s drink."

Huai Xu looked at him. The fresh-faced young man’s cheeks were already flushed after just a few sips. He laughed, "You haven’t changed a bit since our time in Sui Ning City. After all these years, your tolerance for alcohol still hasn’t improved."

Jing Ye looked up at him and said with a sigh, "Well, if I remember correctly, I was just a child back then."

’How can you talk about alcohol tolerance at eight or nine years old?’

Huai Xu chuckled. "You’re right. In the blink of an eye, even Biwu is married now." He looked at Zhou Cangyan and said slowly, "Deep autumn is upon us. Yesterday, news came from the Prince Si Mansion that the sweet potato harvest is abundant. Based on the current yield, it’s enough for the people of Sui Bei to get through the winter without worry. So... shouldn’t we start our preparations as well?"

Zhou Cangyan lowered his gaze and gave a quiet "Mm."

Huai Xu then turned to Jing Ye. "You shouldn’t get involved in what comes next. Your father, Jing Shiming, is still at court. Don’t drag him and the Jing family into this."

Zhou Cangyan also looked at him. "Finish your wine and head back to your estate. This place of mine is not somewhere you should linger."

Jing Ye hummed in agreement and said, "If you need anything, Your Highness, you can still come to me."

"You’ve already helped me enough."

Jing Ye lowered his gaze, his eyes turning red. "If Your Highness hadn’t saved me back then, there would be no Jing Ye in this world. It’s only right that I do anything for you."

Zhou Cangyan said nothing, simply raising a hand to pat him gently on the shoulder.

Just then, Huai Xu suddenly said, "Speaking of these ’sweet potatoes,’ I only later learned they’re a foreign crop. But the land in Sui Bei is so barren, which genius came up with this solution? The famine in Sui Bei was solved in just a few short months!"

Jing Ye also added doubtfully, "That’s true. How come no one has ever mentioned who taught people how to grow them?"

Zhou Cangyan froze for a moment, then slowly narrowed his eyes.

’That’s right, who was it?’

Ethereal fragments floated through his mind—a distorted space, a blurry figure. Every time he tried to get a clearer look, it was futile.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. This had been happening a lot lately—unfamiliar images appearing in his mind, more and more frequently, as if he were seeing someone else’s memories.

Huai Xu looked at him. "Are you feeling unwell? Give me your hand, let me check."

Zhou Cangyan shook his head and slowly opened his eyes. "I’m fine."

"My Lord!"

A Shadow Guard hurried over. "Why are you still sitting here? Eunuch Lu is still waiting outside with an imperial edict!"

Annoyance flashed across Zhou Cangyan’s face. "Didn’t you tell him I was in the bridal chamber?"

"Uh, I did. But Eunuch Lu insisted on waiting for you... waiting for you to finish consummating your marriage..."

Huai Xu smiled meaningfully. "Biwu, you should go and hear what could be so important that the Holy Emperor had to issue an edict on your wedding day."

Zhou Cangyan rose lazily, a mocking smile on his handsome, roguish face. "I hear Yu State is stirring up trouble again."

Jing Ye frowned, his expression serious. "If the Holy Emperor truly intends to send you to quell the rebellion, then he’s clearly trying to get you out of Ling’an. Right now, Prince Ling and Prince Hang are growing more powerful and are bound to stir up a bloodbath. But no matter how they fight, they’re still the Holy Emperor’s own sons. You, Your Highness, are different. The Holy Emperor can’t allow you to get involved, not even to take a side."

Huai Xu let out a soft laugh. "What Emperor Cheng Xiao is afraid of is that we’ll use the chaos to our advantage."

How could Zhou Cangyan not know all this?

’That dear brother of his really never changes.’

"If that’s really his plan, then I’ll play along."

"But..."

Jing Ye was about to protest, but Huai Xu stopped him with a smile. "He wants us out of the city, but who’s to say we don’t want the same thing?"

Jing Ye froze, then it dawned on him. "That’s right! Only by leaving Ling’an can we bide our time in the shadows!"

Zhou Cangyan strolled nonchalantly to the front courtyard. The guests were still in the main hall, while Eunuch Lu was seated in the reception hall, having already finished several cups of tea.

"Aiya, Prince Qing, you’re finally here!"

Upon seeing Zhou Cangyan, he immediately stood and came forward. "Congratulations, Prince Qing, my sincerest congratulations."

After offering congratulations, he produced the imperial edict. "My Prince, please don’t think this old servant has come to spoil your joyous occasion. It’s just that the Holy Emperor has given a command, and an imperial order is difficult to refuse!"

Housekeeper Pang, who was following Zhou Cangyan, immediately replied, "You are too courteous, Eunuch."

---

"Hasn’t Lu Shunfu left yet?"

The crease between Song Lianhe’s brows deepened. ’Is it going to turn out the same way as last time?’

Da Xi said, "Eunuch Lu has an edict to announce."

Song Lianhe immediately put down her comb, threw on an outer robe, and rushed to the reception hall.

By the time she arrived, Lu Shunfu had already left with his men to report back to the palace.

Song Lianhe’s long hair was loose, flying behind her as she ran. Her face was a mask of unconcealed anxiety. "What did the imperial edict say?"

Manager Pang was folding up the imperial edict, his expression full of worry. Zhou Cangyan turned and looked at her.

"I’ve been ordered to leave the city for Yu State." He thought for a moment, then added, "Immediately."

Song Lianhe stared at him, stunned, and blurted out, "To quell a rebellion?"

"Mm."

Manager Pang grumbled from the side, "The Prince and Princess Consort have only just married, and he issues an edict sending the Prince so far away! The Holy Emperor has so many sons, he could have just sent any one of them!"

Song Lianhe’s heart grew heavy as well. "He doesn’t want to let any of them go. And he can’t."

She looked back at Zhou Cangyan. His face was expressionless, but his clear, light-brown eyes were fixed on her.

"I..."

Just as she started to speak, Zhou Cangyan suddenly said, "You’re coming with me."

Song Lianhe froze.

’I didn’t get this treatment the last time I was in this book!’

Manager Pang, however, was so happy he slapped his thigh. ’The Prince has finally come to his senses!’