Scent Of Time

Chapter 20

I left the palace without lifting my head. After saluting, I pulled my legs. My speed was no different from a professional racewalking in a competition.

“Princess Consort Jin.”

Zhong Xiwu’s voice came from behind me. I didn’t stop and pretended not to hear. Qian Zhi pulled my sleeve fearfully, but I still strode forward with my head held high.

“Hua Qian.”

I still ignored him, concentrating on my race.

Suddenly, he pulled my left wrist violently. I stopped and reacted quickly to shake him off. After moving back, I said, “Emperor, what are you doing? A man and a woman shouldn’t touch each other. I’m the Emperor’s sister-in-law. Is the Emperor trying to put me in the wrong position?”

My disrespectful attitude made Eunuch Li dumbfounded. Zhong Xiwu raised his hand, and Eunuch Li had the extreme foresight to tug Qian Zhi further away.

“I called you a few times. You pretend to be deaf. Why are you blaming me instead?” Zhong Xiwu saw them walk away before he spoke.

“Did the Emperor call me? I was thinking of King Jin and didn’t hear in my hurriedness.” I put on the appearance of a dead pig.

“Didn’t you ask for a divorce a few days ago? Why are you still using this identity to fool around now?” Zhong Xiwu did not get angry but only asked with amusement.

“The Emperor is in charge of everything every day. You shouldn’t be too concerned about other people’s family matters, right?” I still spoke with a cold face.

Zhong Xiwu lowered his head and laughed lightly, “Why are you so grumpy today? It’s like someone stepped on your tail.”

You’re the one with a tail. Your whole family has one.

“Emperor, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave first.” I made a bow and turned around.

“Why are you leaving without listening to what I must say?” Zhong Xiwu’s voice rang out again. He tugged on my sleeve again, “I just want to say that when I told you to cherish your life was……”

“Emperor.” I fiercely drew back the sleeve and flopped down on my knees. The sharp stones on the ground pierced my knees, forcing me to speak: “If the Emperor is sincere in reminding me to cherish my life, you should not pull and tug me. This palace has ears and eyes. Could it be the Emperor will let me deal with the aftermath myself?”

“I’ll see who dares to talk nonsense.”

“Of course, no one dared to say anything about the Emperor, but what about me?” I raised my head to meet Zhong Xiwu’s narrowed eyes, “I have lost King Jin’s heart. My father is old, and my elder brother has accomplished nothing. As a woman, I am isolated and helpless. The Emperor is unable to appreciate the difficulties of a woman. In the future, I have nothing else to ask for. I only want to be in peace without any competition.”

I didn’t hear Zhong Xiwu’s voice for a long time. He had lost his smile. I forced myself to keep my broken expression.

Eventually, he spoke, “Do you still think I’m testing you?”

I hung my head and said nothing, only to hear him sigh and say, “Fine.”

Then, the bright yellow corner of his coat flashed before me as he slowly walked away. Qian Zhi saw this and hurried over to help me.

After standing up, I breathed a sigh of relief. These two brothers have no heart. I lost my temper, but I also allowed Zhong Xiwu to analyze the situation of the Hua Family and express my attitude.

I lost favor. Hua Shen didn’t have achievement. Hua Meiren had lost connection with Hua Xiang. So what if Hua Xiang is in power now? He has no one to succeed him, and Zhong Xiwu can stop suppressing the Hua Family through me.

“Hurry up,” I said to Qian Zhi with my head down.

Seeing her confused look, I added, “I just argued with the Emperor. I’m afraid he’ll react late and come to trouble me.”

Qian Zhi: “……”

In the returned carriage, I closed my eyes and rested my mind.

I could only blame Hua Qian’s well-established love for Zhong Yelan, so the statement that I wanted to divorce because of my mistake was untenable. Otherwise, I could beg the empress dowager based on her attitude towards me nowadays. If I insist on divorce even though Zhong Yelan didn’t pursue my mistake, then it will only cause suspicion.

Hence, to divorce, one, I am at fault, or two, Zhong Yelan is. The risk of me being at fault may be too great for me to bear, and if Zhong Yelan is at fault — It’s no easier!

If I had transmigrated the day earlier, I would have stopped that wedding, but I arrived at the exact moment, which was a problem for me.

When I returned to the King Jin Mansion, I saw the Hua Family’s subordinate come to deliver the invitation, saying that I should go back to Hua Mansion tomorrow.

Mrs. Hua couldn’t come to King Jin Mansion to see me, so when she saw that I could go into the palace to see the Empress Dowager today, she couldn’t wait to invite me.

I rubbed my brows. Zhong Xiwu’s attitude was unclear. The Hua Family may still be a thorn in his heart, so all I can do is to keep the Hua Family from becoming a target. I don’t understand why the heroine hasn’t even begun to sway Zhong Xiwu’s thoughts. Yet he started targeting the Hua Family so early.

On the second day, I ignored Qian Zhi’s urging and slept before leaving for Hua Mansion. It was Hua Shen who came to pick me up at the entrance of the Hua Mansion, and he asked me cheerfully along the way if I liked the jewelry he had sent me these days. Pestered by him to the point of helplessness, I pulled the sleeve, revealing that hidden mystery bracelet: “I like it. I’m wearing it right now.”

He froze. His obese face showed some doubt. At this time, I arrived at the main hall and no longer cope with him.

Hua Xiang and Mrs. Hua were sitting. When Mrs. Hua saw me, she rushed over and pulled me to spin me around: “I haven’t seen you these days. How can you lose so much weight? Is it because the King treated you harshly? I misjudged him back then. That cold-blooded and heartless ……”

“Madam.” Hua Xiang’s low voice rang out with a hint of warning.

Mrs. Hua moved slowly, wiping her tears with a handkerchief, but no longer spoke.

Only then did Hua Xiang cough lightly and say, “Has Qian’er body recovered?”

“I am no longer in any serious trouble.”

Mrs. Hua pulled me to sit beside the table. Hua Shen also sat down. Minister Hua said to the point, “I heard that you asked for a divorce from King Jin a few days ago?”

Meeting Minister Hua’s intimidating gaze, I spoke, “Yes.”

“Nonsense.” Minister Hua reprimanded, “You’re not young anymore. Why are you still so impulsive?.”

“Master ……,” Mrs. Hua saw that Hua Xiang’s tone was too heavy and hurriedly pushed his arm, but Hua Xiang ignored it.

Sure enough, calling me back today is to raise hell. They can’t enter the King Jin Mansion, so they can only make me come back to lecture me.

I smiled bitterly, “Why did Father blame me without asking me the cause?”

Hua Xiang’s frown grew deeper. “What reason could there be? You were too spoiled before, allowing you to be raised so uneducated.”

“Master, Qian’er is still young. You should restrain yourself from saying anything.” Mrs. Hua came out to round up the situation again, yet turned her head to speak at me, “Qian child, even though this time King Jin did not do the right thing, but it was not easy for you to marry him, how can you still play with your little temper? Husband and wife need to be tolerant ……”

Are they Hua Qian’s parents? I’m starting to wonder why they keep blaming me. None of them don’t ask me what I think.

“Mother, my sister is so beautiful and has many admirers. Why would she have to stay in the King Jin Mansion and be aggravated?”

I never expected Hua Shen to support me. My heart softened, and I instantly felt he wasn’t that stupid anymore.

“Shut up.” Hua Xiang angrily roared, “What qualifications do you have to speak? Doing nothing every day! If you are more progressive, why would I have to go through all this trouble to plan for this family? If I had known earlier, I might as well not have you in the first place!”

Hua Shen shrinks his head and no longer speaks.

When I saw this, my heart calmed. “Father, what do you want?”

Hua Xiang’s gaze fell on me like a sharp sword. This time, I did not cower. “Do you want power over this dynasty or a happy family?”

“What are you talking about?” Hua Xiang heavily put down the teacup in his hand.

Mrs. Hua kept winking at me, but I turned a blind eye: “I think what Father wants is the first, right? You were saying that this is all for the sake of this family. But you didn’t discipline Elder Brother when he misbehaved. You knew I was suffering but did not even ask why and only reprimanded me. So in Father’s heart, am I only worthy as Princess Consort Jin?”

“Qian child.” Mrs. Hua said, “How can you talk about your father like that?”

“What is wrong with what I said?” I laughed coldly and spoke, “I’ve already severed my ties with Zhong Yelan. He wants me to spend the rest of my life in his mansion because of his sentiment, so why can’t I leave? Do I have to waste the rest of my life in the King Jin Mansion?”

Hua Xiang was furious and laughed. “Weren’t you the one who wanted to marry him in the first place? Now you regret it?”

“Yes, I was the one who wanted to marry him in the first place, and I even impersonated the person in Zhong Yelan’s heart. I even drugged him to trick him into marrying me. I was young and ignorant, could not distinguish right and wrong, and only relied on my likes and dislikes. Father was aware of these things, but Father ……” I said with my reddened eyes. Hua Qian’s heart was flawed, probably because of family reasons.

“Do you not realize my mistakes? Why did you never tell me?”