Chapter 62: A Complete Break

Have children, have children. Xia Tong felt like the villain had turned just as old-fashioned and traditional as her mother. Could it be that having kids was the only thing on their minds? Did she not even have basic human rights anymore?

“Giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. My body is so weak, I might end up dying with the baby. How dangerous would that be?”

Plus, having kids isn’t just her responsibility. The last two times, she was in a safe period, so there was no way she could get pregnant. But there was no way she’d bring this up with the man—her waist was still sore!

Hearing this, Gu Qin frowned, casting a displeased glance at her. “You can’t say anything decent, can you?”

Seeing that he was unhappy, Xia Tong quickly grabbed his hand and shook it a little. “I’m just talking about the risks of childbirth.”

Curious, she leaned closer and asked, “If that day really comes, would you choose to save me or the baby?”

Although the villain could be terrible, she thought he probably cared for her somewhat. After all, there were plenty of women who could give him children. He probably just wanted his own child.

The man walked calmly ahead. Without turning around, he replied, his eyebrows twitching slightly, “Naturally, I’d save the child. What’s the point of keeping the mother?”

Xia Tong: “…”

Her face immediately fell. She glared at his cold figure with frustration, and her eyes lit up mischievously. Suddenly, she bent down by the corridor, grabbed a handful of snow, rolled it into a ball, and hurled it at his back.

He effortlessly sidestepped, watching as the snowball hit the ground. His gaze shifted towards her with a chilling intensity.

She had forgotten he knew martial arts! Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xia Tong scooped up another handful of snow and held it awkwardly. “I… I threw it by accident.”

Staring at her petite figure, Gu Qin didn’t say anything. He just continued walking ahead, his cold and sharp features as distant as ever.

Xia Tong wasn’t satisfied. This man was too much. He never gave her any face, not even a smile, except for when they were in bed, where his words turned sweet.

She stepped back and approached Xifeng, who was standing nearby, still puzzled about what the princess was planning. The next moment, he saw a snowball fly from her hands and hit the prince squarely on the back.

“Ah! Xifeng, how could you? How could you hit the prince? He’s always treated you so well, and yet you dare to behave so disrespectfully!” Xia Tong immediately jumped to the side, pointing an accusing finger at Xifeng with righteous indignation.

Xifeng’s expression twisted in confusion. It was the first time in his life he had been falsely accused, and he couldn’t even defend himself. But since the prince hadn’t dodged, he knew better than to say anything.

Gu Qin suddenly paused, grabbed Xia Tong by the arm, and frowned at her. His large hand naturally enveloped her cold one, and with a slight curl of his lips, he muttered, “You’ve barely put on any weight, and it seems your brain hasn’t grown much either.”

Xia Tong: “…”

Xia Tong pressed her lips together, glaring at the man in anger. Yet, despite her resentment, she was still dragged along by him. Her expression grew darker. How dare he insult her like that? Fine, if he’s so capable, let’s see if he ever sets foot in her bed again!

Dragged directly to the study, Xia Tong wasn’t sure if her mother had already left. Not daring to go back, she curled up in the study, idly flipping through a book of strange tales. Perhaps she was too tired from the night before because, before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

After a short nap, she woke up to the sound of documents being neatly closed in the quiet study. Lifting the blanket from her lap, she glanced at the man sitting at the desk. Slowly, she walked over, pulled a chair next to him, and started grinding ink for him.

“You’ve deployed all the soldiers. What if something happens in the capital?” Xia Tong couldn’t help but whisper.

Her father had mentioned this in a letter, advising her not to wander around these days, hinting that something serious was brewing in the palace.

The man continued writing without even lifting his head. “As long as you behave, everything will be fine.”

“…” Xia Tong pouted and turned her head with a huff. “I’m more worried about you dragging me into trouble. If something happens to you, I’ll take all the money and flee somewhere remote, then find myself a bunch of pretty boys. That would be quite nice.”

At her words, the man suddenly turned his head, his deep gaze resting on her fair profile, his voice low. “So, one of me isn’t enough for you?”

Her face changed instantly. Feeling the dangerous gaze on her, she hurriedly blushed and stammered, “I… I was just joking! I didn’t mean anything by it!”

“Right! I need to drink my medicine!”

With that, she quickly scurried out, feeling that if she stayed any longer, things would definitely go south.

Watching her hurried figure, Gu Qin frowned. It seemed he had been too restrained, which was why this woman had such thoughts.

*

Back in her room, Fang Yu had indeed prepared the medicine and was waiting for her. This was the medicinal recipe prescribed by a renowned doctor to help her body recover. It had been somewhat effective. Her appetite had improved, though she still couldn’t gain much weight.

“I have read the prescription given by Madam, and it does have the effect of promoting pregnancy, but it is also harmful to the mother’s body, so I do not recommend it to my master.” Fang Yu said seriously.

After setting down the bowl of medicine, Xia Tong quickly popped a piece of candied fruit into her mouth and frowned. “No wonder my mother’s health has been poor ever since she gave birth to me.”

This method of forcing a pregnancy was nothing short of self-abuse. She was still so young, yet people were constantly pressuring her to have children. What kind of nonsense was this?

“I think it’s best if you focus on taking care of yourself first. Your body is too weak, and childbirth would be risky. Your health should come first,” Fang Yu continued earnestly.

Xia Tong agreed. Having children should happen naturally, not like some kind of reproductive tool. She knew Gu Qin only spoke about it offhandedly. If he truly wanted children, the regent’s residence wouldn’t be devoid of women.

At the moment, the villain still maintained a commendable level of self-control. That was something she could praise. She only hoped he’d continue like this in the future. But then again, men were unpredictable creatures.

Perhaps fearing retaliation, that night, Xia Tong deliberately bolted her door tightly. She wasn’t sure if it would work, but in any case, Gu Qin didn’t enter her room that night.

It wasn’t until the next morning that she heard Gu Qin had been summoned to the palace the previous afternoon and hadn’t returned all night. However, Xifeng had remained in the residence.

After finishing breakfast, Xia Tong opened her window and saw Fang Yu chatting happily with Xifeng outside. They seemed to be having a good conversation. Well, what kind of master has what kind of servants? He must be secretly trying to charm her Fang Yu.

She stood by the window for a while before finally coughing deliberately. “Xifeng, aren’t you supposed to be protecting your master? What are you doing here?”

Although the villain didn’t need protection, having someone by his side to lend a hand was always helpful. After all, there was going to be a big show tonight.

At the sound of her voice, Fang Yu quickly walked away with a bundle of clothes in her arms. Xifeng, on the other hand, lowered his head respectfully and responded through the window. “My master said that the princess’s safety is the top priority.”

Xia Tong: “…”

Yeah right, as if the villain would say something like that. He probably just wanted Xifeng to keep an eye on things here, to make sure nothing went wrong in the household.

“Master!”

Suddenly, Qing’er came running down the corridor in a hurry. She looked like she had urgent news. After catching her breath inside the room, she anxiously said, “A message just came from the Xia family. They say the old madam and your father had a big argument. The old madam said if he insists on splitting from the family, she’ll have both him and you removed from the family registry. Now the clan head and all the family elders have gone to intervene.”

Xia Tong’s face changed at this news, but she remained silent. If they were removed from the registry, so be it. Her only concern was that her father might soften when so many people tried to persuade him.

But today was a terrible day to leave the house. What if something went wrong?

She glanced at Xifeng outside the window and whispered to him, “I have to go to the Xia family. You’ll come with me.”

With someone accompanying her, nothing should happen.

Xifeng hesitated briefly, realizing his master had predicted this. The princess simply couldn’t stay still. But he knew that even if he tried to dissuade her, she wouldn’t listen.

Since he didn’t respond, Xia Tong took it as an agreement. She quickly changed her clothes and headed for the Xia family. Today, she was determined to sever her father’s ties with that crazy household.

The streets were eerily quiet, with only a few passersby braving the heavy snow. Patrols of the Imperial Guards were more frequent than usual. As the carriage approached the Xia family estate, Xia Tong hurried inside.

Fearing something might happen, she had Xifeng station a team outside the estate, ready in case anything went wrong. Who knew what insane things the people inside might try?

There were fewer servants around than before. Those who were present greeted her politely as she made her way to the main hall. Even before entering, she could hear the heated argument inside.

The main hall was filled with members of the clan. The clan head and the old madam sat at the head of the room, glaring sternly at her father. When they saw Xia Tong arrive, the old madam let out a heavy snort. “You two are truly defying the heavens!”

Upon seeing Xia Tong, everyone else’s expressions changed. Aside from the old lady, the relatives dared not speak up. Given the current situation in the clan, they naturally did not want Xia Zhian to sever ties with the Xia family. However, the fourth girl was now the Princess Regent. If she insisted on splitting the family, they wouldn’t dare say much.

“Tong’er, why have you come here?” Madam Liu hurriedly stepped forward to grasp her hand.

On the other side, Madam Wang suddenly scoffed sarcastically, “The fourth young lady is now the Princess Regent. No wonder she’s eager to cut ties with us.”

These people hadn’t acted this way back when they were in the prison, which proved that one could never be soft-hearted with certain individuals, as they would never remember the kindness of others.

“You all know what you have done. There’s no need for Grandmother to use the clan leaders to pressure me. My father has never wronged anyone in this house. What have you done instead?” Xia Tong looked at the old lady with piercing eyes.

After her words, the other relatives began to murmur among themselves, clearly unaware of what had transpired, only knowing that Xia Zhian wanted to sever ties, but it seemed more complicated than that.

The person before them was still strikingly beautiful but so sharp-tongued. The old lady narrowed her eyes, this girl was a disaster. Since her return to the capital, nothing good had happened. Had she known, she would have gotten rid of this troublesome girl long ago.

“There’s no need for Grandmother to look at me like that. If you dare to act, why not dare to speak the truth?” Xia Tong casually found a spot to sit, her expression cold.

The atmosphere in the main hall became tense. The old lady suddenly slammed her palm on the table, her old eyes sparkling fiercely. “How dare you! Do you think that because you’ve become a princess, you can disregard morals and disrespect your elders?”

“Tong’er…” Madam Liu shook her head gently, signaling her daughter not to clash with the old lady.

Xia Tong had endured for long enough. She had never encountered such a disgusting “family.” She coldly laughed, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall. “Since Grandmother dislikes us so much, how can I continue to be in your way? If you want to kick me out of the family tree, then so be it. That aligns perfectly with Grandmother’s wishes, so we won’t bother you anymore.”