Li Wenwen, in a daze, seemed to see his face, finding it so unreal. She reached out to touch it, feeling its warmth, and knew she wasn't dreaming. She had finally waited for him, and at this moment, she felt she could live and die for him.
As they were about to escape the inferno, Zhu Chenxing's heart leaped with joy. Li Wenwen suddenly remembered she had forgotten something and quickly turned back. Accidentally, she saw a roof beam about to fall. In the nick of time, she used all her strength to push Zhu Chenxing away, only to be crushed beneath the beam herself.
"No!" Zhu Chenxing cried out, his voice hoarse, as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out.
He madly lifted the fallen beam and carefully carried her out of the fire. At this moment, his eyes were fixed solely on Li Wenwen.
Without a house, he disregarded everything and carried Li Wenwen back to the Zhu residence. Madam Zhu, hearing the commotion, rushed over. Seeing her son's distraught state, she said earnestly, "You've been foolish!"
"I truly love her, I cannot live without her. I beg you, Mother, help me, let her enter the manor." Zhu Chenxing looked at her with pleading eyes. To be honest, Madam Zhu's heart softened. She understood the consequences of her agreement.
But she owed her son too much, and this was the first time her son had looked at her with such an expression. Truthfully, she was troubled and didn't know what to do. So, she chose to avoid him and pretend the matter didn't exist.
When Liu Zhiyi heard that he had actually brought someone back to the manor, she felt a wave of dizziness. She hadn't expected her brother to be so inept, managing to push their relationship even further.
Her brother had always urged her to be patient, but now that someone had dared to bully her, Liu Zhiyi could no longer tolerate it. Disregarding the servants' attempts to stop her outside the courtyard, she stormed in.
"Who is she?" Liu Zhiyi asked, her eyes burning at the sight of their tightly clasped hands, feeling an intense sting. Tears welled up in her eyes as she choked out the question.
"She is the one my heart desires. I believe you already know. I am so sorry to have done this just three days after our wedding. But I truly love her very much. I hope you will fulfill our wishes. From now on, I will do whatever you say." This was the first time something like this had happened. Zhu Chenxing had thought it was an accident. The second time this occurred, he belatedly realized that Wenwen had caught his wife's attention.
"I can agree to anything, but not this. This is not just for myself, but also for the dignity of the Grand Tutor's manor. My father will not let you off, just wait for his wrath." Liu Zhiyi covered her face and turned away.
Lord Zhu looked at his son with a sense of disappointment. If he wanted a concubine, he could have kept her on the estate for half a year or so before bringing her into the manor, and no one would have said anything. After all, it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines. But to cause such trouble for Miss Liu just days after the wedding, wasn't this trampling on Grand Tutor's pride? No one could tolerate this.
Before the Grand Tutor could summon them, he dragged his reluctant son to the Grand Tutor's manor to beg for forgiveness.
The Grand Tutor was truly angered. He deeply regretted having married his daughter to them out of gratitude back then. Now, it was too late to say anything. He looked at Zhu Chenxing with a profound gaze, "Are you not satisfied with my daughter? If you were unwilling back then, I wouldn't have married her to you. After all, whose daughter isn't a precious treasure? Of course, it's not too late for you to regret it now; you can divorce her."
Zhu Chenxing, who had been looking down, immediately raised his head, his eyes wide with surprise. He hadn't expected him to say such a thing. Normally, parents, fearing shame, would try to hide their children's mistakes. Why would he actively break up their marriage?
The Grand Tutor knew what he was thinking and explained, "There is no such thing as a daughter from the Grand Tutor's family who cannot be married off, only whether she is good or bad. In your family's situation, I will be honest, and I hope you don't take offense. Marrying my daughter is truly a step up for you. Believe me, if my daughter divorces you, she can find a young master of similar social standing in a blink of an eye."
Zhu Chenxing was taken aback. Lord Zhu knew he was speaking the truth. The Grand Tutor's family was a very influential one; otherwise, he wouldn't have used the past favor to secure this marriage and maintained it for so long.
"Your words are too harsh, Grand Tutor. To be able to marry your young lady is a blessing from our ancestors. He has just come from the countryside and doesn't understand some of the rules. He doesn't know how sought-after your daughter is. She is just a woman. I will give her medicine when we return, and she will never be able to bear children. The second young mistress of the Zhu family will only be the Grand Tutor's young lady, and she will never threaten the second young mistress's position. She wants to enter the Zhu family? Let's talk about it in a year." Lord Zhu quickly offered the solution he had devised and expressed his resolve to the Grand Tutor.
The Grand Tutor was satisfied. To him, his son-in-law would eventually have concubines or maids. This woman who couldn't bear children would at least occupy one such position. From then on, regardless of whether he took any other concubines, no one could accuse his daughter of jealousy.
Zhu Chenxing was in a daze throughout the entire ordeal. Several times he wanted to speak, but his father quietly patted his hand, and the words he was about to utter were swallowed back. As a man, how could he not have ambitions? But he didn't want to sacrifice Li Wenwen.
As soon as they left the Grand Tutor's manor, he couldn't help but look at his father and ask, "Do we really have to do this?"
"You don't think I was lying, do you? A true man shouldn't be held back by a woman's affection. Don't be sentimental." Lord Zhu felt his son was good in every aspect, except for this one. He was too loyal and compassionate. He didn't consider that a married man without power or wealth, would a woman willingly stay by his side? He refused to believe she had no ulterior motives.
"Is there no other way? Can't we just fool them for now and bring her into the manor after a year? Can she avoid taking the medicine?" If a woman lost the right to be a mother, what hope would she have in her life? Zhu Chenxing tried his best to fight for her, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest harm.
"Your vision needs to be long-term. The most important thing now is to quell the Grand Tutor's anger. We'll deal with future matters later. You can adopt a child and place it under her name, or have one enfeoffed. But have you considered that if the Grand Tutor takes his anger out on you, you might not find a good marriage later, and your career will be delayed? What prospects will you have then?" Lord Zhu looked at him steadily, hoping he wouldn't act foolishly again.
Zhu Chenxing understood his father's meaning. He, too, felt a sense of crisis. His elder brother had seemed to be declining, but recently he had been improving, even able to walk on his own. This was not a good sign for him. As long as he was alive, most of the Zhu family's fortune would go to him, and Zhu Chenxing would only receive a small portion, and could no longer hold official positions. His life would be like his mother's, forever suppressed by them. His mother did not want to see such a scenario, and neither did he. He could only nod in pain.