GTB Chapter 225
by VolareChapter 227: Good Fortune Always Follows a Great Disaster
Chapter 227: Good Fortune Always Follows a Great Disaster
“My name is Jiang Jiuchu, daughter of the Vice Minister of Revenue.”
Jiang Jiuchu, seeing Sun Ce’s stunned expression, assumed he didn’t know and added, “Princess Shí Qingya is my sister-in-law.”
Sun Ce hadn’t expected the girl before him to be the Crown Princess—no, it seemed she wasn’t the Crown Princess anymore. He’d heard that the Crown Prince had already divorced her.
He concealed his thoughts and smiled, nodding. “I’ve heard of Miss Jiang’s name. Her umbrella dance stunned the Northern Kingdom’s princess; everyone in Kyoto knows.”
Jiang Jiuchu, upon hearing this, covered her mouth and smiled shyly. “You flatter me, sir. It’s just hearsay.”
“However… since Master Sun knows my identity, won’t you ask what my trouble is?”
Sun Ce nonchalantly said, “I am somewhat curious, but no matter what Miss Jiang’s trouble is, I, Sun Ce, will help. After all, Miss Jiang saved my life.”
After thinking it over, Jiang Jiuchu looked at Sun Ce and truthfully said, “If you were to propose marriage, it might… arouse the Regent’s displeasure.”
“But don’t worry, Master Sun. If the Regent puts up any obstacles, the engagement can be canceled in time. I certainly won’t make things difficult for you.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Ce’s eyes flashed with surprise, but quickly returned to calmness.
“Since it’s to avoid the Regent, how can we easily give up because of his obstruction? Miss Jiang, rest assured, I, Sun Ce, am not one to cling to life and fear death.”
Jiang Jiuchu couldn’t help but take another look at the man before her. Today, she had indeed saved a man of loyalty and righteousness.
“I don’t need you to confront him head-on, as this concerns your entire household.”
“Even if you agree, your father and stepmother won’t let you run wild. I’m just gambling on the hope that the Regent won’t interfere.”
Sun Ce, upon hearing this, assured Jiang Jiuchu, “Miss Jiang, rest assured, if I were easily manipulated, why would that woman send people to assassinate me? So, she can’t control me.”
“As for my father… I have ways to make him agree.”
Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes flickered slightly. Without changing her expression, she looked at Sun Ce and asked, “Is Master Sun not afraid of offending the Regent? Or is it that your Sun family is on Prince Shí Yan’s side, and you’re already enemies?”
Sun Ce truthfully said, “My father stands with the Empress.”
Jiang Jiuchu, upon hearing this, made her calculations. Looking at Sun Ce, she put on an act of not wanting to make things difficult for him.
“In that case, let’s do as I said! Although I saved your life, I can’t have you offend the Regent like this.”
“He may not dare to do anything to your Sun family now, but if he ascends the throne one day and stabilizes himself, he will likely cause trouble for your Sun family.”
As she spoke, she stood up and sighed. “It’s not that I think too highly of myself, but most emperors cannot tolerate those who disobey and disrespect them.”
Seeing Jiang Jiuchu stand up, Sun Ce’s eyes paused, and he quickly spoke, “Then let’s change the standpoint.”
Jiang Jiuchu was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected him to so easily say he would change his position.
“Master Sun doesn’t need to be like this. Today, I merely lent a helping hand. How can I so easily change your Sun family’s position in court because of this?”
“Moreover, judging from the current situation, standing with the Empress seems more secure.”
“No.” Sun Ce explained in a low voice, “It’s not entirely for Miss Jiang’s life-saving grace. The Regent sitting in that position isn’t quite justified.”
“Although he has always been filial and respectful to the Emperor, after all, Prince Shí Yan is the Emperor’s personally appointed Crown Prince, while he is merely the ambition of the Empress and the former Crown Prince.”
As he spoke, he asked Jiang Jiuchu, “I just don’t know what Miss Jiang thinks about this… in her heart?”
He wasn’t sure which side Jiang Jiuchu was on. After all, one side was the person she was trying to avoid, and the other was the person she divorced.
Jiang Jiuchu, upon hearing this, sat down again. “Since Master Sun thinks so, then I will revise my request.”
Sun Ce’s eyes twitched, and he looked at Jiang Jiuchu in confusion. “How to revise it?”
Jiang Jiuchu replied, “Continue to maintain your factional relationship with the Regent and secretly go over to Prince Shí Yan’s side, acting as his inside agent. This will be twice as effective as openly joining him.”
“If Shí Yan can’t sit in that position, then in my case, I can end the matter entirely.”
“Actually, I don’t care who sits in that position. I just really don’t want my marriage to revolve around the royal brothers and become gossip for the people.”
“Alright, I understand. I will certainly not disappoint Miss Jiang.” After Sun Ce responded, he looked at Jiang Jiuchu with concern and asked, “But… what if the Regent wants to marry you before ascending to the throne?”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already thought of an excuse.” After Jiang Jiuchu finished speaking, she looked at Sun Ce and instructed:
“Please do not let a third person know about our agreement today, especially Shí Yan. After all, I have already divorced him and don’t want him to misunderstand that I still have feelings for him.”
“Also, although he is divorced from me, I must say, he is good at recognizing people and knows how to value them. Master Sun, if you rely on him, you will surely have a promising future if you succeed.”
As she spoke, she suddenly thought of Abbot Qingyin’s words and thought that since Sun Ce often stayed in the temple, he should believe in metaphysical sayings.
“Oh, right, Abbot Qingyin said that Master Sun will surely have good fortune after surviving a great disaster. Now, combining Master Sun’s request, does this mean that Prince Shí Yan will definitely win this time?”
Sun Ce’s eyes paused upon hearing this, and then he laughed. “In that case, it’s true. I believe in Abbot Qingyin’s words very much.”
“In this case, Miss Jiang not only saved my life today but also gave me a great future. You are truly my benefactor.”
Jiang Jiuchu quickly waved her hand. “I don’t deserve such praise. The abbot said it was because your life shouldn’t have ended and that you are destined for good fortune.”
As she spoke, she stood up to take her leave. “It’s getting late. Master Sun, rest for a while. It will probably take a while for the abbot’s medicine to be brewed. I’ll go back first.”
Sun Ce nodded. “Alright, it’s dark. Miss Jiang, be careful on your way.”
He watched Jiang Jiuchu turn around and leave, and a resolute look surfaced in his eyes.
Whether it was to repay kindness, seek revenge, or for that line about future good fortune, in any case, he saw the lights ahead, and he was determined to walk over and ignite even more glory.
……….
In the Gu residence, Gu Changxuan pushed the door open and entered. He glanced at the untouched food on the table and walked toward Ji Shutíng, who was lying on the beauty couch.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Ji Shutíng didn’t speak, still turning her head to look out the window. The gloomy sky reflected in her eyes, calm like the eve of a storm.
She retracted her gaze, lowered her eyes to look at her abdomen, and gently stroked the hand placed on her waist, her voice calm as she said:
“I have morning sickness, so naturally I don’t want to eat.”
Gu Changxuan was shocked, and then his face showed joy as he reached out and covered Ji Shutíng’s hand. “You… are pregnant?”
“Yes.” Ji Shutíng only responded lightly and didn’t say anything else.
Gu Changxuan looked at Ji Shutíng’s indifferent face, pursed his lips, and then said, “I’ll have someone call the doctor over to take a look at you. You can’t not eat.”
As he spoke, he turned and walked to the door, instructing the maid to invite the family doctor.
Ji Shutíng glanced at Gu Changxuan, a sneer on her lips, and continued to turn her head to look out the window.
After Gu Changxuan gave the instructions, he walked back to the beauty couch and sat down, looking at Ji Shutíng’s profile. After a long while, he spoke, “What do you want your husband to do to make you stop being angry?”