Chapter 29: Cousin, don’t come. I’m afraid Su Li will misunderstand!
Su Li didn’t feel angry about Zhangsun Chong’s sarcastic remarks. On the contrary, he found them somewhat amusing. In his second life, Su Li thought that Zhangsun Chong was incompetent and infuriating at best. Deep down, Su Li couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he, ‘a commoner’ had taken Zhangsun Chong’s place as Princess Changle’s husband.
Well… Although Zhangsun Chong might not be willing to marry a princess who was in a vegetative state, seeing his former fiance leaning in someone else’s arms would likely leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
Princess Changle did not like Zhangsun Chong, their secret marriage contract hadn’t been made public yet. Given the lack of significant progress between them, it wasn’t surprising for Zhangsun Chong to react in such a manner.
After all, in the context of a romantic novel, this would be a case of the green plum being no match for a heaven-sent one. In terms of the storyline, it would be a case of the main character tragically falling victim to the cunning actions of others.
Su Li didn’t even bother responding to Zhangsun Chong’s inexplicable hostility.
Before Su Li could speak, the female officer interjected, “The princess’s improved complexion is undoubtedly the result of her son-in-law’s significant contributions.”
The smart female officer sensed the underlying bitterness in Zhangsun Chong’s tone. Even if she hadn’t recognized Su Li’s true identity, she still intended to defend him. After all, Su Li held the official position of the princess mansion’s male master, representing the princess’s reputation.
The female officer didn’t particularly like Zhangsun Chong, especially after witnessing Princess Changle’s collapse. Zhangsun Chong was left speechless by the female officer’s comment casting a resentful gaze toward Su Li. However, he soon realized that Su Li had no intention of engaging with him. He was being completely ignored. An indescribable anger welled up within Zhangsun Chong, but he knew remaining silent was better than to respond because his stern father loomed at home, ready to punish him severely if he dared to cause trouble in the Princess Mansion.
For a while, the atmosphere grew tense and silent. Zhangsun Chong stood there silently, his gaze fixed on Su Li. Su Li continued to ignore him, focusing solely on feeding Princess Changle.
After breakfast, Su Li followed his usual routine and hugged Princess Changle.Zhangsun Chong suddenly interjected, asking, “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking Changle out to stretch her muscles and enjoy the sunlight,” Su Li replied with a smile.
Zhangsun Chong became furious, unable to bear the sight of his former love being attended to by another man.
“Changle is still unconscious,” he protested.
“The imperial doctor has recommended this as beneficial to the princess’s condition,” the female officer intervened, stopping Zhangsun Chong before he could take any further action.
Helplessly, Zhangsun Chong could only watch as Su Li carried Princess Changle out of the room and into the yard, feeling defeated and unsure of what to do next. But then, he witnessed a scene that made him even more dizzy.
Su Li gently manipulated Princess Changle’s body, treating her like an exquisite puppet. He hugged her and guided her movements, allowing her feet to touch the ground. This sight was unbearable for Zhangsun Chong, and he couldn’t remain passive anymore. He hastily fled the scene.
“Please see off Young Master Changsun,” Su Li casually waved his hand and smiled.
The female officer’s eyes glimmered with a slight smile. As she observed Su Li’s warm smile, she understood deep inside that he was a gentle and kind son-in-law.
“Yes!” she responded with a smile and followed Zhangsun Chong to bid him farewell.
“No… there’s no need to see me off,” Zhangsun Chong waved his hands hurriedly before leaving.
Only Su Li remained in the courtyard and couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Well, such behavior could be seen as inappropriate for someone of his humble background, despite Zhangsun Chong’s arrogance. After all, Princess Changle had never loved him. Their engagement was merely a marriage of convenience and a compromise for power, with Changle being nothing more than a casualty.
In truth, no matter how you looked at it, Changle was a pitiful victim. After all, she and Zhangsun Chong were close relatives, even within three generations. Reflecting on this, Su Li felt a sense of superiority.
“The fault lies with me as a minister…” The female officer returned, and her smile vanished, replaced by deep self-blame. “The Princess is married now, and even if Zhangsun Chong is her cousin and his aunt is the Princess’s biological mother, he still doesn’t have the right to enter the Princess Mansion freely. In the whole world, only His Majesty and the Queen can come and go without notice.”
As a son-in-law, Su Li hadn’t had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the people and circumstances within the mansion. As the governor of the Princess Mansion, he would bear the greatest responsibility for allowing Zhangsun Chong to enter without notification.
“It’s alright… I’ve only been here for a month,” Su Li shook his head and smiled.
“Since the Princess is married, nobody should be able to enter the Princess Mansion directly. I will handle this personally. Please don’t worry,” the female officer said earnestly.
“It’s alright…” Su Li smiled but was interrupted by the female officer before he could finish speaking.
“The Princess Mansion is not only the princess’s residence but also the son-in-law’s residence. You’ve only just arrived, and the servants were disrespectful. I want them to understand this truth,” the female officer declared.
Su Li shook his head and chuckled. His original intention was to say that it was fine and he would deal with it later, but the female officer displayed her loyalty.
Yet, this also indicated that the governor of the Princess Mansion, the female officer in front of him, had fully recognized his authority. It was a good thing. After all, being a member of the imperial family brought about a multitude of troubles. No matter how high your official position was, you had no control over the princess.
The princess’s mansion and the court were two completely separate systems. She still had a lingering air of favoritism hanging over her head. The Princess of the Tang Dynasty was open-minded, while the Governor of the Princess’s Mansion was arrogant and controlling as the housekeeper. The female officer returned to her senses, which saved her from future troubles. After all, the Queen personally appointed the female officer as the housekeeper of the Princess’s Mansion, giving her full control over finances and personnel within the mansion. Only when the female officer regained her composure could Su Li truly be considered the head of the family.
As for Princess Changle, who was in Su Li’s embrace, her mind was filled with confusion. Zhangsun Chong…? Her cousin? The one she was engaged to? It all seemed so distant. Since she fell into a coma, Princess Changle hadn’t heard Zhangsun Chong’s voice. Even with Su Li’s constant presence, she had almost forgotten about him. She didn’t like Zhangsun Chong, but there was no denying that she had once been promised to him in marriage. This fact made Princess Changle extremely uncomfortable.
She grew more accustomed to Su Li’s company with each passing day and became more concerned about his thoughts and feelings. Yesterday, when she lost control of her bodily functions and Su Li personally cared for her, her emotions overwhelmed her. Today, the arrival of Zhangsun Chong didn’t bring her the joy of meeting a relative.
Her primary concern was Su Li’s feelings. She desperately wanted to tell Su Li that, despite the marriage contract with Zhangsun Chong, she had never harbored any affection for him or even had any physical contact with him. In her daydreams and fantasies, Zhangsun Chong never made an appearance. She cared too much about Su Li’s thoughts, especially when she found herself in a perplexing situation.
What is the most noticeable change when someone falls deeply in love with another person? They begin to examine themselves and worry about the other person’s attitude.
However, Changle couldn’t voice her thoughts. If she could speak, the only words she would utter to Zhangsun Chong would be, Cousin, please don’t come. I’m afraid Su Li might misunderstand!
Of course, Su Li didn’t misunderstand…