The Prime Minister’s Little Wife

Chapter 57: Sleepless Night

Xiao Jingheng leaned against the wall, holding the quilt tightly, unwilling to put it down. He looked at his stunned cousin and said:

“She is an incredibly kind person. For someone she barely knew, someone in a pitiful state, she extended a helping hand without hesitation, sparing no effort to assist. You can’t imagine how lost and helpless I felt in that desperate situation, the deep sorrow in my heart…”

He didn’t want to tell his cousin about how he had been poisoned and disfigured.

His girl had never looked down on him, so why should he look down on her for being a village girl?

Her change in attitude toward him must have happened after his cousin found him. With her intelligence, she must have guessed his true identity!

Nangong Yunhao, after listening to Xiao Jingheng’s story, said weakly, “But that doesn’t mean you have to marry her! There are many ways to repay a favor. How could a village girl ever be worthy of you?”

Xiao Jingheng didn’t answer directly but instead asked Nangong Yunhao, “Did Zhizhi ask you about me before?”

Nangong Yunhao, sensing his cousin’s determination, realized that Xiao Jingheng was set on marrying this Xu girl.

“Yes, she did. She asked very thoroughly.”

Xiao Jingheng smiled. Just as he thought!

Nangong Yunhao, seeing Xiao Jingheng’s smile, was deeply shaken. He hadn’t seen such a pure smile on his cousin’s face since they were children!

“At the time, I was so surprised by her recipe ideas, and then her business model and unique insights left me speechless. In the end, I answered everything she asked about you…”

She’s really a little fox.

Back then, she had even pretended to ask if she should inquire whether the person Nangong Yunhao was looking for was him!

What had he said? Ah! How could someone be so clever? It was adorable~

Nangong Yunhao, seeing his cousin silent and shaking his head with a strange smile, felt a chill run down his spine.

“It’s fine that you told her. It’s nothing serious. You should head back now. Tell my mother that I’ve married, and she will be my only wife in this lifetime. She doesn’t need to arrange any more women for me. Please ask her to take care of her health. Also, don’t let anyone else know I’m still alive, including my grandfather.”

Nangong Yunhao asked, “What about your father? Shouldn’t we tell him?”

“Don’t tell my father. Let my mother decide.”

As for Xiao Jingheng’s mention of his “only wife,” Nangong Yunhao chose to ignore it. For someone like him, who had a house full of wives and concubines, the concept was incomprehensible.

Xiao Jingheng gave a few more instructions and finally decided to keep Nan Qi and Nan Ba with him. He asked Nangong Yunhao to send over Xiao Mo, the servant who had been with him since childhood.

After Nangong Yunhao left, Xiao Jingheng lay down in the bamboo house, but sleep eluded him.

He thought that if he didn’t return, his mother might be safer. She had been injured while giving birth to him and could no longer have children.

Now that he thought about it, the so-called injury from childbirth might not have been so simple.

Without a son by her side, those people might not harm his mother anymore, especially with his father protecting her.

Just earlier, Nangong Yunhao had told Xiao Jingheng the news from Luocheng.

The emperor was becoming increasingly senile.

In his youth, the emperor had been extremely strict about ethics and morality, severely punishing officials who favored concubines over their wives.

But now, in his old age, he had become infatuated with Consort Xiao, treating the empress as if she didn’t exist.

As a result, the Ninth Prince, Prince Wei, and his faction had grown increasingly arrogant, while the Crown Prince’s position was precarious.

Although Consort Xiao was his elder sister, his stepmother and siblings wished for his and his mother’s deaths. If Prince Wei ascended the throne, would there be any hope for them?

Clearly, if that happened, he, his mother, and Zhizhi would all be doomed!

He didn’t want to drag the girl who had saved him into this whirlpool of danger.

But humans are greedy. Before, he had nothing, so it didn’t matter.

Now that he had tasted happiness, the thought of returning to his cold, lonely life terrified him!

She was not only the only light in his darkness, his lifeline, but her cooking was also the best he had ever tasted in his nineteen years.

He had originally planned to nurture their relationship and propose marriage once the political situation stabilized.

But now, with her relatives eyeing her like tigers, he decided to marry her first. He would cherish her doubly in the future.

The Crown Prince and he had a life-saving bond, having saved each other’s lives. Moreover, the Crown Prince’s maternal grandmother was from the Nangong family, his mother’s aunt.

The people who had tried to kill him weren’t just from the Xiao family and Prince Wei’s faction. There were also Prince Wei’s allies!

At the time, he had rescued the Crown Prince and drawn away the assassins. He didn’t know how the Crown Prince was doing now!

On the surface, Xiao Jingheng was just a playboy, but in reality, he managed many affairs for the Crown Prince. He was the Crown Prince’s trump card.

Prince Wei was cruel and unfit to be a wise ruler.

It could be said that the Crown Prince’s fate was tied to the lives of thousands from several families, as well as the future of the Great Sheng Dynasty.

Therefore, until the political situation stabilized, Xiao Jingheng’s whereabouts had to remain a secret.

He would lie low and wait for the Crown Prince’s next instructions.

Similarly unable to sleep was Father Xu, who felt like he was dreaming.

He was too excited to sleep. His son-in-law was real, and he was such a handsome and outstanding man…

At Third Uncle Xu’s house, Xu Honghua heard from her father, sister, and brother that the breathtakingly handsome man was already engaged to Xu Zhizhi.

She was furious. How could that ugly woman, who had been rejected by her fiancé, deserve such an excellent man? It wasn’t fair! She would never give up.

That radiant man, like the sun and moon, was only worthy of someone as divine as her, Xu Honghua.

She had initially thought the man was already married, but now she learned he was still single. This was perfect!

Xu Honghua’s mind raced with countless thoughts, twisting and turning, making it impossible for her to sleep. She was so angry she felt like her lungs would explode.

Back at the Li family home, chaos reigned.

The men blamed the women for causing trouble. If they hadn’t brought up Xu Zhizhi and just focused on Xu Daniu, they might have succeeded!

Old Madam Li blamed Madam Sun, saying it was her idea. If it weren’t for this wicked woman’s schemes, things wouldn’t have gotten so tense. Her daughter would have continued sending them things…

The Li family thought about it and agreed, all turning their eyes to Madam Sun.

Madam Sun’s shrill voice rang out, “I did it for the family! That brat knows how to make money now. If we marry her into our family, all her earnings will be ours! What kind of courtyard couldn’t we have then?”

“Mom, Grandma, I don’t care. I want Zhizhi as my wife!” Li Er Gou shouted, almost throwing himself on the ground in a tantrum.

Thinking of Xu Zhizhi’s graceful figure and beautiful face, Li Er Gou felt his soul had been stolen.

At the Xu house, he had seen the man kick his brother far away, so he hadn’t dared to say anything. But back at the Li house, he felt bold enough to throw a fit.

“Look at you! Why didn’t you say anything at the Xu house? Now you’re making a scene here!” Second Uncle Li said.

Second Aunt Li added, “Tomorrow, our Er Mao will go to the Xu family! It’s best if she can marry Daniu. If not, she can try to get close to that man of Zhizhi’s! Er Gou, you go too.”

(End of Chapter)