The years I was in the human world

Chapter 224: First Talk of Marriage

The emperor's confinement of the princess, demoting the concubine, and taking away Madam Du's power as the queen did not cause any waves for the time being. Everyone in the palace was silently waiting for the prince to die.

Chu Zhaoli was also waiting. The pain in his abdomen made him almost want to die, but now he couldn't even get up to commit suicide. What was more desperate than waiting to die was waiting to die in pain. He thought that even prisoners on the execution ground would not die in such a long and torturous way. He must have harmed many people in his previous life.

In the second half of the night, he was somewhat numb from the pain, and his consciousness began to blur. He was finally going to die. Chu Zhaoli was surprised to find that he was somewhat relieved, but he could not help but feel a little regretful. His Mianmian was still in Jiangzhou, and he could not wait for him——

Someone helped him up from the bed while sobbing, and then he leaned on a chest with a fresh fragrance.

Are all the ghosts in the underworld so gentle? Chu Zhaoli thought nonsensically that he should have died long ago. At least he might be happier after death.

However, the ghost of Wuchang didn't seem to have any intention of taking him away. He just hugged him tightly and sobbed. Then he felt his shoulders being soaked by warm and wet liquid. Was it Wuchang's tears?

Chu Zhaoli was just about to say "don't cry" when his lips touched the cold rim of the bowl, and then a bowl of sticky liquid with a bloody smell poured down his throat into his abdominal cavity. It might be blood, but it didn't matter.

In an instant, Chu Zhaoli felt that the excruciating pain in his abdomen disappeared without a trace, and even his cold and numb bones began to warm up. The blood moistened his throat and cleared his mind. He was finally able to open his eyes, and then saw Lu Zhouxue, who was sitting on the bed with scars all over his body.

He looked at himself with wet eyes, with traces of tears on his cheeks, and deep in his eyes was the devastation of almost losing the one he loved.

"Xiao Li'er, you scared me." He said with a sob, and in the blink of an eye, two lines of tears rolled down.

I really deserve to die. Chu Zhaoli thought involuntarily that he had made Mianmian cry like this, so he raised his hand stiffly, wiped the tears from Lu Zhouxue's face unnaturally, and said with a habitual smile: "I was wrong, Mianmian, don't cry."

"I almost lost you." It was the first time that Lu Zhouxue cried so miserably. She couldn't help but feel angry at Chu Zhaoli, but seeing his miserable appearance, she couldn't bear to hit him. She could only hold it back, and her tears flowed more and more.

His Mian Mian saved him again. Chu Zhaoli thought that he should repay her with his body for saving his life, so he should belong to him: "Mian Mian, take me away, anywhere is fine, I am yours."

"Xiao Li'er, I can't take you away now." Lu Zhouxue's eyes were red. He slowly held Chu Zhaoli's hand, feeling the gradually restored warmth. He said softly, "I am the same as you now, but it doesn't matter. I still have unparalleled swordsmanship, and I will definitely keep you safe."

Chu Zhaoli was silent. He certainly didn't think that Lu Zhouxue could cure the poison that even the imperial physicians were helpless against at no cost. But when he really heard it from the latter's mouth, he felt even more painful. It was he who dragged Lu Zhouxue down and made him fall from a banished immortal to a mediocre mortal.

"Xiao Li'er, don't think too much. You are more important to me than any other living being." Lu Zhouxue said. The moment he chose to save Chu Zhaoli, he severed his own spiritual vein. A hundred years of cultivation could only earn him a bowl of blood that could bring him back to life, but he didn't care. He just wanted Chu Zhaoli to be alive, and he didn't even care whether it was against the will of heaven.

Perhaps after everything is settled he will no longer be able to become a god, but so what? He has already reached the pinnacle of perfection, and it is lonely at the top, so it is better to live a free and easy life with his beloved in the human world.

……

The former and the harem were all eyeing the position of crown prince, and the emperor was afraid that the night would be long and full of dreams.

The crown prince is about to die. In order to stabilize the court and to ensure that Chu Zhaoyun's position as crown prince is legitimate, the change of the crown prince must not be due to the death of the former crown prince, otherwise Chu Zhaoyun might be suspected of poisoning the former crown prince - even if this is true.

The emperor wanted to ensure that Chu Zhaoyun's position as crown prince would not be criticized, but he was also afraid that the situation would become more serious if it was too long, so he impatiently issued an edict to depose the crown prince without waiting for Chu Zhaoli to die. At the same time, he secretly planned to announce to the public that the deposed crown prince had died suddenly as soon as Chu Zhaoli died.

In this way, even if there are still people who secretly speculate that there is a doubt, it is always more decent than guessing that Prince Yu poisoned the former crown prince.

As for the reason for deposing the crown prince, the white deer at the birthday banquet was a good opportunity. As for other reasons, the crown prince had a bad reputation in Yiyang City over the years, and no one would delve into the truth of the reasons.

The prince was charged with treason, and naturally some other charges of treason were added to the conviction. The instigators of all this just watched from the sidelines from beginning to end.

Watching the eunuch chief Chen Ping, who brought the unfair decree issued by the king, easily took away the prince's non-existent glory.

Coming to Changle Palace to read the imperial edict was just a formality. Chen Ping had never thought of letting Chu Zhaoli get up from his sickbed to receive the imperial edict. Not to mention that this imperial edict was originally issued to the previous dynasty, not to the crown prince.

Even if this imperial edict was truly fair and just, Chu Zhaoli was poisoned and dying, so how could he get up to receive the edict?

"The Crown Prince Zhaoli is the eldest son of the family and holds the highest position in the hierarchy. He was taught the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents, and taught the Book of Rites and Music. He was supposed to cultivate virtues that would improve day by day, and to enjoy a long and boundless prosperity. But he is wicked and perverse, and disdains benevolence and righteousness, and alienates himself from upright people. He is close to the villains, and they always form a group with him, and they are willing to die together. He is involved with the villains, and he enjoys lewd music and lewdness. He does not respect his emperor and father, and he has the intention of treason."

"Jie Zhi's evil deeds are not comparable, and his crimes cannot be recorded in books. How can he be the guardian of the throne, the heir of the seven temples? He should be the guardian of the four seas. Zhaoli should be demoted to a commoner. I was appointed by God to be a parent. I should take care of all living things, let alone the descendants. How could I not love them? Now that it has come to this, I feel deeply ashamed and sigh."

Chen Ping was about to leave after reading out the imperial edict in the front hall as usual, but he didn't expect to see an unexpected person.

"Since it's an imperial edict to depose the crown prince, why didn't Eunuch Chen issue it before I came?" Chu Zhaoli came out supported by Lu Zhouxue. He was only wearing an outer garment. He must have hurried over from the bedroom after hearing the noise.

Chen Ping looked at Chu Zhaoli with some surprise. Although the latter's face was still as pale as paper, he did not look like a man who had been poisoned and was dying. Instead, he looked like someone who had just recovered from a serious illness.

Seeing the astonishment in Chen Ping's eyes, Chu Zhaoli was not surprised. After all, even he felt that he was destined to die. If Lu Zhouxue had not tried her best to save him, he would have become a cold corpse by now.

Chen Ping handed the imperial edict to Chu Zhaoli. Seeing that he didn't look like he was having a moment of last breath, he couldn't help but speak hesitantly: "Your Highness, what are you doing now...?"

"Your Highness, there is nothing to do. Doesn't the eunuch still need to report to the Emperor? Go quickly and don't delay." For the first time, Lu Zhouxue interrupted the conversation between Chu Zhaoli and others. He looked cold and full of hostility towards Chen Ping.

Chen Ping frowned when he heard this. He never used his power to oppress others in the palace, but the palace maids and eunuchs under him had never been so disrespectful to him.

But before he could say anything, Chu Zhaoli said first: "Please forgive me, sir. I am a bit outspoken, but I have no intention of offending you."

Having said that, what else can Chen Ping do? He can't continue to bother with Chu Zhaoli. Although the latter has been deposed, the emperor still has a complicated attitude towards him. Chen Ping must be crazy to confront Chu Zhaoli just because of a small eunuch.

"Your Highness, please excuse me for humiliating you. The emperor's order has been delivered, and I will take my leave." Chen Ping bowed to Chu Zhaoli in a proper manner and left.

The hustle and bustle in the palace died down, and no one swept the snow on the ground. Now Changle Palace was gradually showing some of its later desolation.

"Mianmian, I'm still alive. Guess how many people will be unhappy?" Chu Zhaoli let Lu Zhouxue help him back to the bedroom. He curled up in the mattress like a child. He blinked and stared at the latter intently.

"I don't know." Lu Zhouxue lifted the quilt and squeezed in, sticking close to Chu Zhaoli. "I only know that they don't care about your life or death, but only care about the vacant position of the crown prince after your death."

"Now that you are alive but useless, I guess they should start to fight each other." Lu Zhouxue said, looking up at the boy beside him seriously, "I don't care whether they are happy or not, I am happy only if you are alive."

"Then I will ask my father for permission to send me out in a few days, okay?" Chu Zhaoli lowered his head and kissed Lu Zhouxue's forehead. There was no haze in his eyes from having been through the gates of hell, but instead a kind of gentleness that was washed away from all worldly desires. "Where does Mianmian want to go? The desert at the border, or the mountains in the southwest?"

"Why are there only poor, mountainous and water-scarce places?" Lu Zhouxue couldn't help but ask. This was totally different from what he thought. He thought Chu Zhaoli would like places with gentler customs and people.

"Outside the royal capital, everywhere is poor and barren." Chu Zhaoli also laughed, playing with Lu Zhouxue's hair, but his eyes always fell on his face with attachment, "Jiangnan is rich, but that is the Du family's territory, I dare not covet it."

"You are useless." Lu Zhouxue scolded him softly, then changed the subject and said, "It's too cold at the border, your body can't stand it, go to the southwest, you don't have to be afraid of the poor mountains and bad waters, I have unparalleled swordsmanship, I can protect you."

"Ha." Chu Zhaoli chuckled, then suddenly turned over and pressed down Lu Zhouxue.

The latter was a little surprised by his sudden action, but he still pretended to be calm and asked, "What are you doing?"

Chu Zhaoli stood above Lu Zhouxue, staring at him condescendingly for a moment, then suddenly lowered his head, almost nose to nose, and said, as if after careful consideration, "Mianmian, marry me."

"Why don't you marry me?" Lu Zhouxue asked with a smile. He had been unable to figure out this question for a long time. Whether it was Chu Zhaoli now or Xiao Fengzhuo later, they both seemed very determined to have him marry her.

"No reason." Chu Zhaoli suddenly lowered himself, buried his head in Lu Zhouxue's neck and shoulders, and said in a muffled tone, "Marry me, okay?"

As the saying goes, the one who falls in love first gets married. If that's the case, then it's no longer him begging for mercy from others, even though in fact, it was he who wanted Lu Zhouxue to marry him and he was the one who fell in love first.