164: Chapter 164 Wanqing, she was reborn too?

On the grass of the back garden.

"Giddy-up!"

Ouyang Wanqing's crisp voice echoed in the air.

Chen Shanzhi worked hard to finish the last lap, collapsing onto the grass, panting with exhaustion.

Ouyang Wanqing hopped lightly off his back, smoothing out her slightly messy pink ruqun. Her small face was flushed, and her large eyes curved into crescent moons.

The two sat on the steps, sharing a few pieces of exquisite pastries, spending an extremely pleasant afternoon together.

As the sun set, Ouyang Wanqing stood at the courtyard gate, watching Chen Shanzhi's receding figure. The smile at the corners of her mouth gradually faded.

She suppressed the urge to rush forward and return to the side courtyard with Chen Shanzhi.

Her small pink fists, hidden beneath her sleeves, were already clenched tight.

Living another life, the bloody tragedy of being separated from her own flesh and blood in her previous life must never happen again!

Since the heavens had allowed her, Ouyang Wanqing, to return, she would fight for a better future for the two of them.

...

Time flew by like a white horse passing a crevice; in the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

During this year, Chen Shanzhi had indeed become famous in the capital by relying on his photographic memory, just as he had in his previous life. The title of "Chen the Child Prodigy" was known to everyone.

And the relationship between the two, under Ouyang Wanqing's deliberate and bold pulling, heated up rapidly.

From the initial "confiding older brother," now even a simple exchange of glances between them could create a palpable spark.

The window paper separating them was so thin that even a slight breath could poke through it.

Their feelings for each other were already an unspoken understanding.

Then another three years passed, on the eve of the Great Jiang Dynasty's quadrennial Poetry Gathering.

During these three years, Ouyang Wanqing had not been idle.

On the surface, she remained the well-bred young lady who never left her home.

In secret, however, she was gathering secrets in every corner of the Prime Ministers Mansion.

Taking advantage of her status as the daughter of the Prime Minister and her young age, neither Chancellor Ouyang nor her eldest brother Ouyang Jing ever guarded against her when discussing matters.

Until half a month ago, Ouyang Wanqing found a stack of extremely dangerous secret letters in a hidden compartment outside the study.

After reading the contents of the secret letters, Ouyang Wanqing's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

Rebellion!

Her calculating father and her deeply scheming eldest brother were actually secretly conspiring with the First Prince and rebels, intending to usurp the throne!

For a long time, His Majesty had delayed appointing a Crown Prince. In recent years, he had shown even more favor to the Second Prince.

This caused the First Prince to panic, fearing the throne would fall into someone else's hands.

Chancellor Ouyang took the opportunity to advise him, and the two simply decided to go all out and stage a rebellion.

To dispel the suspicion between the First Prince and the rebels and completely bind the two families together...

The most secure way was to have the Prime Minister's daughter, Ouyang Wanqing, marry the First Prince as his primary wife!

In the darkness of the night, Ouyang Wanqing put the secret letters back exactly as they were, but her eyes flickered with a terrifying light of resentment.

No wonder in her previous life, her father had forced her to marry the First Prince no matter what.

He even went as far as sending assassins to exterminate Chen San and her own grandson who had just turned one month old!

It turned out that in Prime Minister Ouyang Mingyuan's eyes, she was never any pearl in his palm, but merely a bargaining chip for marriage and rebellion!

"Good, very good," Ouyang Wanqing sneered in the darkness. "Since you are heartless, then don't blame your daughter for being unfilial."

A crazy plan quickly took shape in her mind.

...

The Royal Imperial Garden, the site of the Poetry Gathering.

The plot played out with the same precision as in her previous life.

Chen Shanzhi, dressed in white, stood proudly before the stage. His rendition of the "ode to the wild goose" was like a sudden thunderclap, leaving all the talented scholars present speechless.

"I beg Your Majesty to grant a marriage!" Chen Shanzhi knelt on one knee, his voice loud and clear.

On the main seat, His Majesty's fire of gossip burned brightly, and he was just about to speak.

Chancellor Ouyang's old face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and he immediately rushed out:

"Your Majesty! My daughter is not yet fifteen this year. For an unmarried girl, it is not appropriate to grant a marriage.

It would be better to wait until after her hair-pinning ceremony next year before making a decision."

His Majesty stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.

The scholars below the stage were full of envy, thinking to themselves that Chen Shanzhi was truly lucky and would surely rise to the heavens in one step next year.

Chen Shanzhi lowered his head, but a cold smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Wait until next year? By next year, even my ashes would have been scattered by you.

Just when everyone thought the matter was settled...

From the seating area for female guests, a pretty figure suddenly stood up.

Ouyang Wanqing lifted her water-blue skirt, amidst the astonished gazes of the noble ladies around her.

With quick steps, she walked directly onto the high platform and came straight to Chen Shanzhi's side.

Chen Shanzhi was also stunned.

This plot isn't right! This didn't happen in the previous life.

He turned his head to look at Ouyang Wanqing, his eyes asking a question.

Ouyang Wanqing turned her head and gave him an extremely brilliant smile.

That look seemed to say, "Third Brother, next, watch me."

Then Ouyang Wanqing said to His Majesty, "Your Majesty, Wanqing has already privately pledged her life to Master Chen. I hope Your Majesty can agree to the marriage today."

"Nonsense!"

Chancellor Ouyang's beard curled up in anger as he pointed at Ouyang Wanqing and roared:

"You are not yet fifteen and haven't left the house. How can a marriage be granted?

Is there a place for you, a woman, to speak here? Get down!"

His Majesty also frowned slightly. "Little Wanqing, your father is right.

You are not yet fifteen and have not yet reached marriageable age. Granting a marriage today is indeed improper."

The gaze of the entire audience was focused on this beautiful fourteen-year-old girl.

Ouyang Wanqing did not retreat; instead, she straightened her back and took a deep breath.

Then, she threw out a sentence that could fry the brains of everyone present.

"To answer Your Majesty!"

Ouyang Wanqing's voice was crisp and reached everyone in the audience. "Wanqing and Master Chen have indeed not yet performed the duties of husband and wife."

"But, we have already shared a bed and slept together!"

"In this life, Wanqing will marry no one but Master Chen!"

Boom!

The entire Imperial Garden instantly fell into a deathly silence!

The jaws of all the scholars dropped to the floor, and the eyes of the officials almost popped out.

The wine cup in His Majesty's hand fell onto the table with a "clatter," spilling wine everywhere.

A lone man and a lone woman, sharing a bed?

In this world that placed extreme importance on etiquette and morality, Ouyang Wanqing's words were simply throwing her own reputation to the wind.

Once these words were out, if Chen Shanzhi didn't marry her, no one in the world would dare to have her!

It was even more impossible for the First Prince to want a woman whose reputation was completely ruined as his primary wife!

Chancellor Ouyang's vision went dark, and he almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.

He pointed a trembling finger at Ouyang Wanqing, his lips quivering. "You... you... you shameless beast!"

Prime Minister Ouyang Mingyuan laughed out of extreme anger, the muscles on his face twitching violently as he roared directly in front of His Majesty:

"This old man does not have such a lowly daughter!

From this day forward, you are expelled from the Prime Ministers Mansion!

My Ouyang family does not have someone like you!"

After saying that, he abruptly turned around and bowed to His Majesty. "Your servant... is unwell and will take his leave first!"

After His Majesty nodded in agreement...

Chancellor Ouyang didn't even bother with pleasantries and simply flicked his sleeves and left.

On the high platform, Chen Shanzhi looked at the beautiful young girl beside him with a face full of shock.

Looking at the determination and madness on her face, a bolt of lightning seemed to flash through Chen Shanzhi's mind.

He finally understood why Ouyang Wanqing's actions over the past few years had always carried an indescribable sense of maturity and understanding.

Chen Shanzhi reached out without hesitation and grabbed Ouyang Wanqing's cold, soft hand.

In front of everyone, his thumb gently scratched Ouyang Wanqing's palm in an extremely intimate manner.

Ouyang Wanqing's body trembled slightly.

The next second, her index finger also drew a circle in Chen Shanzhi's palm, and then she squeezed back hard.

It matched!

A stormy sea surged in Chen Shanzhi's heart, and his eyes instantly grew warm.

Wanqing... she... has also been reborn?