Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 233: First Update

Chapter 233: Chapter 233: First Update

Zheng Congyuan glanced at Nanny Yun. She still held the ice bucket tightly in her arms, her head bowed low, her expression respectful. Nothing could be discerned from her demeanor, so how much did they know?

Zheng Congyuan turned around, deciding it was less frightening to enter and ask directly.

Zheng Congyuan reached out to push open the door. Inside, Fu Dong drew in a breath and glanced at her own Commandery Princess, immediately kneeling down respectfully.

Outside the door, Nanny Yun was frantically gesturing to Fu Dong to be cautious.

"Your Highness, Commandery Princess..." Fu Dong started softly, implying that the Commandery Princess was asleep. Several times before, the Crown Prince would leave upon hearing this.

Zheng Congyuan raised his hand to interrupt Fu Dong. His footsteps had already unconsciously slowed down as he approached the bedside. The steady breathing of the person on the bed slowly reached his ears.

Therefore, she didn’t know, still unaware now, or else how could she be sleeping?

A silent sigh escaped Zheng Congyuan’s heart. How could he let her know, someone who didn’t even have freedom? Although he was unclear about the interests involved that made Empress Dowager Yan Ping agree to this marriage arrangement.

However, that wasn’t important. It wouldn’t be difficult to investigate these matters. The Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family wouldn’t stir these muddy waters without sufficient interest, as they wouldn’t easily reveal the strength they had hidden for over a decade.

Thus, his visit was just to make sure, or perhaps...

Zheng Congyuan turned around. With such matters, Prince Duan would not write a letter; naturally, he would speak directly with Nian Ru.

Fu Dong and Nanny Yun outside the door finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Crown Prince had not heard this news. Although Nanny Yun knew it couldn’t be kept secret forever and the Crown Prince might find out at any time.

Everyone in Qishun Building currently resembled ostriches that avoided facing the reality, not thinking about the future, just the present.

Nanny Yun only had to think about being able to leave the palace openly and legitimately—the future might not be smooth sailing, but for Nanny Yun, for the Commandery Princess, this outcome was better than they had imagined.

The Northwest Border was farther away, but since Heir Zong was willing to keep a residence in the capital, the clan of the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family wouldn’t stay in Zheng Capital for long. Thus, for the Commandery Princess, with no in-laws to serve and the ability to stay by Prince Duan’s side, it was the best possible outcome.

"Brother Crown Prince—" Zheng Nianru suddenly sat up, her voice still drowsy and unclear.

She had heard someone call for the Crown Prince in her drowsiness, seemingly sitting up instinctively without thinking to verify.

Zheng Congyuan stopped in his tracks, his silhouette immersed in the moonlight, somewhat reluctant to turn around. Why had he come in the first place?

"Have you finished reading the memorial?" Zheng Nianru’s voice regained a bit of lucidity, but her initially good mood was disrupted by the presence before her, leaving her somewhat flustered and uneasy.

Why was she uneasy? In her past life, her acquaintance with Ju Nanyi was clearly at his instigation, and now it was merely someone else in his place. If he was willing, he might have already planned everything in his heart.

Zheng Congyuan, hearing her voice, finally couldn’t help but turn around. His gaze passed through the thin curtains. The dimming candlelight cast a silhouette that was gracefully curvaceous, the long hair falling to her waist, accentuating the full curves and making the waist appear even more slender.

"Did I wake you up?" Zheng Congyuan suddenly felt as if the voice wasn’t his own, heartache growing wildly without roots, spreading in all directions, every tendril reaching towards the shadow cast upon the curtains.

"It’s so late?" Zheng Nianru decisively attempted to get out of bed, reached out to grab the curtains to leave, Fu Dong stepped forward to help but felt it was inappropriate, anxiously not knowing what to do.

Zheng Congyuan immediately took a step forward, helping to open the curtains.

"I just came to see, I saw you were sleeping and was about to leave." Zheng Congyuan’s gaze slid over the eyebrows and eyes of the girl before him, her lips moist and glowing, like a harmless cat that had just woken up.

Taking advantage of Zheng Congyuan’s approach, Zheng Nianru instantly felt something was off with the man, the restrained emotions like water pressed in a bottle, ready to burst out at any moment.

Zheng Nianru was familiar with every subtle emotion of Zheng Congyuan; it was after many years of observation that she could empathize, with just a glance, she could tell if Zheng Congyuan was truly happy or unhappy.

So, he knew? Zheng Nianru suddenly felt like laughing. In her last life, she cried and begged for her desired outcome, but all that she was willing to give up did not bring it about. In the end, she had rejected Ju Nanyi, but also seduced Ju Nanyi, she wanted to see if he would regret it in the end.

"Brother Crown Prince." Zheng Nianru looked up, somewhat greedy for the sweetness of the present tenderness, yearning for the years when they could meet and blush. They hadn’t reached the point where they had red eyes, where, not caring about anything, she just wanted one outcome.

Zheng Congyuan’s fingers trembled slightly, he opened his mouth, unwilling to witness her pure gaze, untainted with any impurity, feel the grief and despair upon hearing such news. If that were the case, he would rather be the one to break it to her.

Rather than being in a hurry to leave, Zheng Congyuan slowly took a breath, perhaps if he were the one to speak, he wanted to know more if she would be willing, if she were unwilling...

"Nian Ru, today the Old Duchess of Duke of Qing from the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family visited Her Majesty the Empress Dowager..."

Zheng Nianru looked up, eyes like the moon, brimming with water, gazing at Zheng Congyuan as if puzzled why he mentioned someone she didn’t recognize.

Nanny Yun’s hand shook, nearly spilling the tea in her hand, Fu Dong felt it was best to leave, lest she accidentally revealed something to the Crown Prince.

"Nian Ru, it doesn’t matter if you don’t recognize her, but what follows concerns you. This Old Lady has requested the Empress Dowager to bestow a marriage for her grandson, the Princely Heir of the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family, who seeks your hand in marriage." Zheng Congyuan spoke slowly, watching the pair of eyes before him go from utter laziness at first to confusion, to puzzlement, and now they were about to spring to life, which Zheng Congyuan quickly suppressed with a swift grasp.

"Why?" Zheng Nianru asked, eyes filled with dissent, shaking her head, sending her hair swirling, entangling at the tips of the man’s fingers.

"Nian Ru, calm down a little. You have met that Heir Zong." Zheng Congyuan spoke again, heart wavering, pondering the outcome he desired, observing her distress, look, she was already starting to be distressed, eyes reddening, tears beginning to roll down, the distress and grievance seemed to surge in an instant.

"That Heir Zong?" Zheng Nianru’s voice was stifled in her throat, holding back tears. She reached out to push away Zheng Congyuan’s hand. "I don’t know any Heir Zong, only the person who saved me. If he saved me, why is he now harming me?"

"Nian Ru—" Zheng Congyuan immediately regretted it; he hadn’t wanted her to cry, "I’ve just found out, give me some time."

Zheng Nianru immediately looked at him, give him time for what? To come to terms with it? To think he shouldn’t obstruct her prospects?

Zheng Congyuan, having lived an extra lifetime, couldn’t you have learned something from it?

"I don’t want it, I don’t want it, Brother Crown Prince, I don’t want it, I only want... I only want..." Zheng Nianru paused, what did she want? Indeed, what did she want, to repeat the same mistakes?

Nanny Yun put down her cup, clearly feeling less pressured, even taking a moment to glance at Fu Dong. It was just a matter of time now, the Commandery Princess knew, and she was handling it better than expected.

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