Chu Yunge had actually mocked her as like a concubine in her own household?
Chu Yuwei immediately stiffened, her eyes instantly turning red. “I… I was just used to it. I’ll change from now on.”
Her aggrieved look with reddened eyes stirred pity in people’s hearts. She also sneaked a glance at Xie Wangze.
But Xie Wangze did not look at her.
Fortunately, the others all pitied Chu Yuwei and did not dare say anything to Chu Yunge, but instead pulled Chu Yuwei away to comfort her.
News of the princess and the county princess making a bet quickly spread, and others followed suit, placing their own bets.
This was one of the amusements for the people of Heavenly Prosperity City. On this day, everyone could place bets, but the amount could not exceed ten qian.
Anyone who bet on a dark horse and won would strike it rich.
There were still quite a few people who followed and bet on the blue team, but many also followed Chu Yuwei and bet on the yellow team.
The formal match did not begin until the you hour, with plenty of programs in between—lion dances, dragon dances, juggling, and dances. Chu Yunge watched with great interest, shouting and clapping along with the common folk, rewarding whenever she felt pleased.
In the end, it was all voices thanking Princess Yongning for her rewards. Knowing she favored common men, some panicked and covered their faces, fearing they would be snatched away, while others deliberately showed their faces, hoping to catch her eye and receive a reward.
Chu Yunge greatly enjoyed it. Chu Yuwei had been on guard the whole time, fearing Chu Yunge would pull some scheme behind her back or target the red team.
In the end, after being tense for half a day, nothing happened.
At the you hour, the match officially began.
After the tense and thrilling match ended, the results came out. The yellow team that Chu Yuwei had chosen took first place, while the blue team Chu Yunge picked got third.
Chu Yuwei jumped up in excitement. Though somewhat hesitant, she still mustered her courage and spoke.
“Your Highness, you lost. You must keep your word and grant me one condition.”
“Speak.” Chu Yunge replied with a single word.
Chu Yuwei bit her lip. “The envoy from Chen State has come to visit, saying that the Chen State Emperor’s condition worsens by the day. He hopes to see Young Master Xie, who was sent to Chu State as a child, one last time in his final moments.”
“Yuwei suffered the regret of not seeing her mother one last time due to a childhood mishap and has always held it against herself. She doesn’t want Young Master Xie to have the same regret. Please, Your Highness, allow Young Master Xie to return to Chen State for a trip to bid him farewell.”
“After seeing him, let Young Master Xie return. Can Your Highness agree to this?”
If Xie Wangze returned to Chen State, it would be sky high and birds free to fly—any talk of returning would be empty. He would no longer have to endure such humiliation from Chu Yunge.
Xie Wangze looked up in shock. “County Princess… Your Highness…”
The crowd around them, who had been heatedly discussing the match, all fell silent. The love triangle was so stimulating that no one dared blink.
They felt Chu Yunge did not want to agree, but with the entire city watching after losing the bet, it would be hard for her to go back on her word.
Sure enough, Chu Yunge’s face turned ashen. She looked at Chu Yuwei and snorted coldly. “This is the condition you mentioned? Letting Xie Wangze return to his country? How laughable.”
Chu Yuwei clenched her fists but did not retreat. “Does Your Highness intend to break her word in front of all the city’s people?”
“Fine, so this is what you’ve been waiting for, This Princess. Very well, very good!”
Chu Yunge wore a furious expression. After shouting, she felt her acting was a bit overdone and unnatural—she still needed to improve.
But in the end, she gritted her teeth and finished the performance.
“Xie Wangze, you think This Princess treasures you so much? If you want to go back, then go. Don’t regret it later!”
With a furious look, she slammed the table hard and rose to leave.
“Your Highness.” Xie Wangze called out. He always felt something was off about Chu Yunge’s anger and noticed that her slap had hurt her hand—she was subtly shaking it.
Chu Yunge had agreed too easily, leaving him uneasy.
Whether Chu Yunge had a backup plan, Xie Wangze did not know, but the Chu Emperor arrived, and at an impeccably timed moment.
“His Majesty arrives.”
Having determined there would be no mishaps, the Chu Emperor made his appearance, his timing perfect.
After the crowd paid their respects, Chu Yunge could not slip away.
To everyone’s surprise, Pei Ji actually followed behind the Chu Emperor, though he kept his eyes lowered and did not look at Chu Yunge.
“Why does Imperial Sister look so unhappy? And Yuwei looks so frightened? Did you two quarrel again?”
The Chu Emperor, who had clearly come upon hearing of the matter, still asked about it. When he heard about the bet and the wager, his expression changed.
“What nonsense. You two girls can play around, but how can you use Young Master Xie as a bet?”
“Young Master Xie is Chen State’s hostage prince. This concerns the alliance between Chu State and Chen State—how can you treat it as a joke?”
The Chu Emperor looked at Chu Yuwei. “Yuwei, you have greatly disappointed Us. In the past, We even praised you for being sensible, but to think you would join the princess in this foolishness. Come, escort Yuwei back. Without Our command, she is not to leave the County Prince Mansion again.”
“Your Majesty.” Chu Yuwei’s expression changed, but facing the Chu Emperor’s gaze, she did not dare say more.
She glanced at the bowed head of Xie Wangze, then looked at Chu Yunge with unwillingness.
Chu Yunge indicated she could not help. She had just gone with the flow earlier, but clearly, the Chu Emperor would not let Xie Wangze return to Chen State so easily.
Of course not—how could Xie Wangze return to Chen State now, when he and the Chu Emperor still needed to mutually test each other in their love-hate dynamic?
After dealing with Chu Yuwei, the Chu Emperor turned to Xie Wangze.
“Young Master Xie, Yuwei’s words do have some merit, but you have already married my imperial sister. Since you are wed, how can you abandon her alone?”
The Chu Emperor’s face was full of gentleness. “We believe good fortune favors the kind. Your father emperor will surely recover.”
Xie Wangze paused. “Your Majesty speaks reason, but if he truly cannot see his father one last time, it would be the utmost unfiliality. Xie knows leaving Your Highness behind is improper. If not… Xie will take her back to Chen State with him.”
Xie Wangze raised his head and met the Chu Emperor’s eyes squarely. “Since Chen State is allied in marriage with Chu State, the alliance between the two nations will not change.”
He suddenly sighed. “My father gave me the courtesy name ‘Gui,’ hoping Xie Gui could return to Chen State. If I cannot even see him one last time, it would be great unfiliality, the greatest unfiliality.”
Xie Wangze’s words were perfectly reasonable, leaving the Chu Emperor momentarily at a loss. In the end, he pulled out Chu Yunge again.
“In truth, my imperial sister has been frail since childhood and cannot endure long journeys. You are husband and wife, and she values you so much. Back then, to marry you, she even threatened her life. We fear that if you leave, she will fall ill with lovesickness. You two absolutely cannot separate.”
Chu Yunge looked at the Chu Emperor, her mouth twitching.
The princess had indeed said some harsh words back then, like she couldn’t live without Xie Wangze, but those were deliberate and insincere. Now the Chu Emperor dragged them out to beat a dead horse, even bringing up lovesickness.
Upon hearing this, Xie Wangze looked at Chu Yunge, as did Pei Ji behind the emperor.
The Chu Emperor seemed oblivious to the awkwardness in the air. After waiting a moment with no one speaking, he continued impassively as usual.
“We truly cannot watch our blood sister fall into danger. Imperial Sister has been weak since childhood; letting her travel far would be tantamount to taking her life. She has lived only in Heavenly Prosperity City since young and can only adapt to life here.”
The Chu Emperor needed Chu Yunge’s blood and would never let her leave Heavenly Prosperity City.
And Xie Wangze happened to be poisoned as well, unable to leave without Chu Yunge.
As long as Chu Yunge stayed in Heavenly Prosperity City, Xie Wangze could only remain.
The Chu Emperor glanced at Pei Ji, who then spoke up. “Exactly, Young Master Xie. The Yuwei County Princess and the princess only bet on letting you go back, but that doesn’t mean you can take the princess with you.”
He was not detoxified either; the antidote came from the princess.
Xie Wangze was welcome to leave on his own—why take the princess?
She was not his princess alone.
With that thought, Pei Ji glanced at Chu Yunge and suddenly considered a problem: What if the princess wanted to go with him?