Chapter 49 - Exchange Betrothal Tokens

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Halfway through processing the memorials, Lu Chen heard from his secret guard that his father and mother went to the Tasty Pavilion.

He was afraid that Qiao Jinniang would offend them, so he quickly hurried over.

But he didn’t expect that instead of offending his parents, she was thinking about raising gigolos!

In the room, Princess Fulu replied, “As for how to snatch a good gigolo, you should consult Cousin Jinghua. She is more experienced…

“Her gigolos are all very good-looking.

“Cousin Jinghua, do you mind if I take Jinniang to your mansion to take a look at them? ”

Princess Jinghua chuckled. “No, I’m afraid that Duchess Anyuan will come for me.”

Zhou Siming glimpsed at a black figure by the door and immediately said, “Your Royal Highness.”

Lu Chen stepped in and glared at Fulu and Jinghua.

Fulu was confused. She was no longer pestering her imperial cousin, so why was he giving her this fierce look?

Lu Chen walked up to Qiao Jinniang and said, “Isn’t Miss Qiao going to marry Li Yun? Why are you still thinking about gigolo? Isn’t this behavior too sluttish?”

Hearing the word “sluttish”, Qiao Jinniang could not wait to smash Lu Chen’s dog head with a jug!

He was selecting concubines all over the country. How dare he have the nerve to call her “sluttish”?

Princess Jinghua shook her fan and said, “Am I a sluttish woman in your eyes, my dear brother? Aunt Shouyang and Aunt Pingyang also raised gigolos. Are they sluttish as well?”

Only then did Qiao Jinniang know that this girl was a princess.

There were very few princesses in the Tang Dynasty. The Emperor only had seven sons and three daughters.

Therefore, His Majesty granted her the title “Jinghua” and doted on her very much.

Lu Chen said, “But you didn’t abandon your husband…”

Qiao Jinniang glared at Lu Chen. Was he implying that she abandoned him?

If it weren’t for the fear of implicating Bajiao, Huixiang, Nuomi and the other servants and maids in the Myriad Taste who grew up together with her…

She couldn’t wait to die with Lu Chen.

The other people somehow sensed a trace of grievance from Lu Chen’s words.

Zhou Siming asked Lu Chen, “Your Royal Highness, have you had dinner? Shall we have the waiter serve some dishes?”

Qiao Jinniang said, “No need, the food in my restaurant is not for dogs. Huixiang, hang a sign outside the door, reading ‘Lu Chen and dogs not admitted’!”

Fulu tugged at Qiao Jinniang’s sleeve. “Although my imperial cousin scolded you for being sluttish, he is the Crown Prince after all! If you offend him, I can’t protect you!”

Among the people present, only Fulu couldn’t tell that Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen knew each other.

Zhou Siming said to Fulu, “Didn’t you say you were going to play in the casino? Come on, I’ll go with you.”

Lin Mo also said, “Princess, I heard that there is a new type of rouge in the rouge shop. Why don’t we go and have a look?”

After a while, only Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen were left in the private room.

Seeing the Eight Treasures Duck on the table, Lu Chen knew that this was made by Qiao Jinniang.

When they were in the South, she often cooked, and her culinary skills were even better than royal chefs.

He hadn’t tasted the dishes she made for a long time.

But Qiao Jinniang pointed at the door and said, “Get lost!”

If he still didn’t get out, she was afraid that she would kill the Crown Prince and end up being beheaded.

Seeing her so pissed, Lu Chen said, “Is it wrong to call your attempt of raising gigolos sluttish?

“Do you know why princesses raise gigolos? It’s because their husbands are not allowed to serve as officials. As a result, they would bear a grudge in their hearts and not treat the princesses well, causing the princesses to raise a lot of gigolos in order to comfort themselves.

“But how many gigolos treat them sincerely? If you, an ordinary noble girl, raise gigolos, you will only be scorned as sluttish by others.”

Qiao Jinniang sneered. “You mean concubines of men are all sincere to them?”

Lu Chen choked and said, “That’s for the sake of having more offspring.”

Qiao Jinniang sneered sarcastically. “What a coincidence. I also want to have as many children as possible.

“After all, if Ruoyun can no longer give birth to children, I should have an offspring for my foster parents.

“Besides, even if I’m sluttish, you’re not in the position to judge me.”

“Just now, I have already told your father and mother that I’m already through with you. And His Majesties have granted me freedom!”

Lu Chen clenched his hands, and his temples were pulsing hard..

His face was livid.

Qiao Jinniang looked straight at Lu Chen’s angry eyes and said,

“Whether I’ll marry Li Yun or not, how many gigolos I’ll raise, or whether they’ll love me has nothing to do with you!

“Besides, how many people get married for love?

“Don’t they get married for their own interests? Just like you and I, we were married for three years but had no love for each other, didn’t we?”

Lu Chen’s face darkened. He gritted his teeth and said, “Had no love for each other? Do you dare say that you had no love for me when you were under me?”

Qiao Jinniang didn’t expect him to be so straightforward, so she replied straightforwardly too, “Yes, not at all.”

He was so ruthless to her. Even if she had a little affection for him, it had been worn out a long time ago.

Lu Chen felt a heart-wrenching pain when he heard these words, but he still calmed himself and asked Qiao Jinniang,

“So, you have no love for Li Yun too?”

Qiao Jinniang: “?”

Why is this jerk talking about Li Yun?

Seeing Qiao Jinniang’s expression, Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, she only chose Li Yun just because Li Yun wouldn’t take concubines.

It turned out that she had no affection for Li Yun!

Qiao Jinniang was puzzled to see Lu Chen leave with a smile.

It was getting hotter and hotter, and in a blink of an eye it was June, and the Duke Mansion was full of ice cubes.

Qiao Jinniang invented some ice-infused foods to relieve the heat, and had people buy ice and send it to the Tasty Pavilion to ensure that diners could eat cool.

“Miss, Miss, the Li Family has come to propose to you!”

Yuyan came over in a hurry.

When Qiao Jinniang heard that the Li Family had come to propose to her, she was struggling in her heart on whether she should tell them about her relationship with Lu Chen?

However, the Emperor was wise and benevolent, and he certainly wouldn’t pick on Li Yun because of her.

Plus, although Lu Chen was a scumbag, he probably wouldn’t mess around with the political matters.

In the front hall, the Duchess received Mrs. Li with a smile.

The Li Family hired a matchmaker to propose to Qiao Jinniang today.

The matchmaker was very happy that the two families had already tacitly agreed on the marriage, so this job wouldn’t take her much effort.

The two parties exchanged tokens.

In the Jin Garden, Qiao Jinniang took the purse from the Duchess and wondered, “Why is the betrothal token a purse?”

The duchess said, “Don’t look down on this purse. This embroidery method is extremely rare. The small purse has been embroidered very delicately, which shows how carefully this purse was made.”

“You’re going to be married soon. I’m really reluctant to let you leave me.

“I’ve discussed with the Li Family that you won’t get married until you are twenty, but the Six Rituals have to be finished first.”

Qiao Jinniang held the purse. “It just so happens that I don’t want to get married so early either.”

She no longer had to worry that His Majesty would issue an imperial decree to force her to marry Lu Chen, so the engagement was no longer urgent.

Besides, the two families had exchanged betrothal tokens. WIth this, it could be considered that they were already engaged.

Qiao Ruoyi came to Jin Garden and brought a gift for her.

“Congratulations, Sister. Although Li Yun is not from a very wealthy family, he has a bright future ahead of him. Jinniang, you will definitely have a good life.”

Qiao Jinniang nodded gently.

Li Yun was a nice man.

But she thought that she should find a chance to tell Li Yun that her ex-husband was the Crown Prince.

Although she didn’t think that Lu Chen would use power to take it out on Li Yun…

But she didn’t know if Li Yun cared about it.

If Li Yun didn’t, then it would not be bad to marry him.

In the East Palace.

Prince Rongxiao hurriedly came to Lu Chen. “Seventh Brother, today Mrs. Li has gone to Duke Anyuan Mansion to propose to Qiao Jinniang for her son, and the two families have already exchanged betrothal tokens!”

Lu Chen nodded. “I know.”

Looking at Lu Chen sympathetically, Junior Duke Rong said, “You know? Then why don’t you stop it? The exchange of betrothal tokens symbolizes that they are already engaged!”

Lu Chen said casually, “I don’t have to do anything.”