To Be A Virtuous Wife

It’s actually better to be a princess than a prince. At the very least, your survival is guaranteed unless the princess rebels.

Chapter Forty Six Kui Yuan Palace

The Count of Bei Lu managed to travel to Jing City on the twenty-sixth day of the first month. The first place he went to was the Princess Royal's fu, but before he could enter, he was thrown out by the servants of the fu. He hadn't known that the servants would make things this difficult for him. When he was about to start in on them, Jin An Princess came out, supported by a yahuan.

Because the Count of Bei Lu had constantly been thinking of that mistress, the husband and wife hadn't been together for many days in the recent months. The Count of Bei Lu stood under the main gate, looking at the grandly-dressed princess. The fiery anger instantly was extinguished by cold water. He muttered: "Princess."

"What is fuma doing?" Jin An Princess looked mockingly behind him, "Why don't I see your little lover?"

The Count of Bei Lu's face was conflicted. The servants and guards of the princess' fu had filled the gate. He didn't want to humiliate himself in front of these people but he had to do so. Otherwise, his entire Cao Family would be impacted, to say nothing of protecting the mistress he liked.

"The princess misunderstood, it was just a little bit of fun, it wouldn't have influenced the feelings between us," Count of Bei Lu forced himself to smile as he gave a deep bow, "I ask for Princess to forgive weifu does have a large hot spring. In a few days, I'll take you to play for a few days.

"That would be good," Qu Qing Ju tilted her head to gently kiss He Heng's face, "wang ye, don't forget."

A beautiful woman giving a kiss was naturally a good thing. He Heng stole a few more from Qu Qing Ju's lips before confirming, "Things that I have promised you, I won't forget."

Qu Qing Ju smiled as she straightened her head. The inky strands of hair flowed in the water, hiding the bottom of the tub.

When she came to Kui Yuan Palace, Qu Qing Ju found that there were a few more hints of life this time. There were even more servants around, as though they were deliberately acting out such liveliness.

Following He Heng into the main hall, she saw the Emperor and Empress there as expected. The person sitting directly under was Jin An Princess Royal. Under Jin An Princess were He Yuan and Qin Bai Lu.

Qu Qing Ju felt that the Rui Wang couple had come quickly this time and weren't too proud. After she finished her greeting with He Heng, they sat down opposite the couple of He Yuan. Qu Qing Ju, as usual, drank tea and lowered her head.

Qing De Emperor, as emperor, and as a father, he might not be a good one, but at the very least, he still followed social conventions. Sitting at the top, he very rarely looked at his two erxifu, and only talked with his two sons.

A quick while later, the Ning Wang couple arrived. Qu Qing Ju watched as the two sat above them and He Qi started to amuse the emperor. She couldn't help but think each imperial son was a master of flattery from birth.

"Since your didi have all arrived, zhen will ask you one more time, do you really want to separate?" Qing De Emperor gave a sigh. The old face showing tiredness, "Gui Nian, zhen shouldn't have given you in marriage to that boy of the Cao family."

"It has nothing to do with fuhuang. It's knowing someone's face not knowing their heart. Back then, it was this daughter that had agreed before fuhuang decreed the marriage. Basically, it was this daughter who didn't have a good eye," Gui Nian[iv] was Jin An Princess Royal's name. This name had been personally chosen by Qing De Emperor. Perhaps it was that when choosing this name, Qing De Emperor had thought that this daughter, even if she had married, still remembered this home of hers that was the palace, so he named her Gui Nian.

Qu Qing Ju found that the Emperor treated Jin An Princess very well, better than the three sons other than He Yuan. Maybe it was that Jin An Princess was his first child, that the feelings were different.

"These years, this daughter and the Count of Bei Lu were full of respect in and in harmony with each other. But now, the Count of Bei Lu's heart is not with I and the children any longer. He didn't even care about my identity and the old feelings as he involved himself with a nine-grade official. He can humiliate this daughter, but he cannot humiliate the Imperial Family. Such a heartless man, what use would I keep him for. Separation, it would allow me to have clean days." Jin An Princess gave a bitter smile, "Otherwise, if I forced myself to be with him, this daughter will feel disgust."

[i] 为夫: this husband, as the husband

[ii] 长姐: eldest sister

[iii] 玉泉园: Jade springs orchard/garden

[iv] 归念: 归 is return念 is remembrance