Chapter 151: A Lifetime of Splendor, Promised to You

Ye Chutang met Qin Yanzhou’s sincere gaze, momentarily at a loss for words.

Seeing her dazed expression, Qin Yanzhou’s heart melted completely.

He wanted to reach out and pat her head but held himself back.

“Miss Ye, exile is too harsh. I have other ways to protect you and the child. Marriage isn’t your only option.”

Although the Prince of Chen’s manor seemed to be in decline, the forces working behind the scenes were only growing stronger.

Ye Chutang stared at Qin Yanzhou’s incomparably handsome face. Many thoughts flashed through her mind like fleeting images.

Then she asked bluntly, “Do you like me?”

Qin Yanzhou’s hand, resting on the stone table, suddenly clenched. A suspicious blush crept up the tips of his ears.

He took a deep breath, met Ye Chutang’s beautiful phoenix eyes, and nodded.

“Yes. I am fond of you, Miss Ye.”

The words he had buried deep inside for so long were finally spoken. It was a relief he had never felt before.

Ye Chutang had expected this answer.

After all, she had sensed it before—but had thought Qin Yanzhou liked the southern witch doctor, so she’d snuffed out that thought.

“The southern witch doctor was just a cover? You never liked her?”

“Never. To me, Aman is just a life-saving benefactor.”

Ye Chutang’s eyes curved into a smile as she asked again, “And what are you to her?”

Qin Yanzhou didn’t hide anything from Ye Chutang and replied honestly, “Aman has feelings for me, but I turned her down.”

“If she asks you to repay her kindness by marrying her?”

“I’ll tell her that you also saved my life, and I’ve already pledged myself to you. Besides, Aman would never force a marriage.”

In the southern lands, marrying outsiders was rare.

And Aman, being a renowned healer in the region, wasn’t even allowed to marry out.

Looking at the serious expression on Qin Yanzhou’s face, Ye Chutang’s mind couldn’t help but flash back to that night when he spoke of “pledging himself.” She quickly looked away, her expression uneasy.

“Well, since everything is clear now, please ask His Majesty for a marriage decree during tomorrow’s morning court.”

That way, she could also gain insight into the emperor’s plot against the Prince of Chen’s household.

Qin Yanzhou genuinely wanted to marry Ye Chutang, but he still felt the timing wasn’t right.

“Miss Ye…”

Before he could finish, Ye Chutang cut him off.

“If you don’t want to, I don’t mind finding a stepfather for my child.”

With her reputation and dowry, even with a child, she wouldn’t be short of suitors.

“…I’m willing. I’ll request the marriage decree tomorrow.”

As he said this, Qin Yanzhou boldly took her hand.

“Miss Ye, proposing marriage should’ve been my job. I’ve wronged you.”

That night, he had felt humiliated.

But now, he felt incredibly lucky.

Thankfully, it was him—not someone else—otherwise, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.

Ye Chutang didn’t feel wronged at all. She had been the one who forced the situation, so taking responsibility was the right thing to do.

Rather, it was Qin Yanzhou who had always been forced into passivity.

“I’m too impulsive. I’ve made things hard for you.”

Qin Yanzhou smiled. “Being able to marry you is a blessing I earned in my past life.”

Then he asked, “You know I plan to go into exile. It’ll be a long, dangerous journey. Why would you still choose to marry me?”

The emperor would never let the Qin family go easily. There would surely be many perils along the way.

That was why he had refused to marry her before—he didn’t want Ye Chutang, who was pregnant, to suffer and live in fear. It wouldn’t be good for her or the child.

Ye Chutang certainly knew what marrying Qin Yanzhou would entail.

But with her spatial ability in hand, she could go anywhere and hold her own.

“Compared to the scheming and malice of the capital, I’d rather be in a place far from the emperor’s reach.”

Seeing Ye Chutang had made up her mind, Qin Yanzhou said, “Miss Ye, I truly want to marry you and treat you well for the rest of my life. I’ll ask His Majesty for the decree tomorrow, and then we’ll choose the earliest auspicious date to marry.”

Ye Chutang pulled her hand from Qin Yanzhou’s grasp. “Alright, the sooner the better.”

Then she asked, “Have you found out who started the rumors?”

“It was Zhao Simin. She spread them after getting the tip from Ye Siyin.”

As soon as Qin Yanzhou heard the rumors, he had sent Nan Xiao to investigate.

By the time he left court, he already had the answer.

Just as he was preparing to put a stop to it, Ye Chutang had already handled the matter herself.

“I was planning to come find you after dealing with some things. I didn’t expect you to show up at the manor first.”

Ye Chutang knew Zhao Simin was the personal name of the Princess of Anping.

“May I trouble you, Prince, to arrest Zhao Simin and Ye Siyin for slandering me and bring them to justice?”

“Miss Ye, from now on, your matters are mine too. There’s no need to be so polite.”

He knew Ye Chutang had no romantic feelings for him and was marrying him because of the child.

But that didn’t matter—he would treat her well and slowly make his way into her heart.

With that thought, Qin Yanzhou once again took Ye Chutang’s hand and confided in her something important.

“Exile is only temporary. I’ll make sure you and the child have a peaceful and prosperous life. I’ll treat you both well for a lifetime.”

In other words, he was secretly working to overthrow the corrupt imperial rule—the time just wasn’t right yet.

Ye Chutang understood what Qin Yanzhou meant and deeply admired his sense of justice.

If he truly wanted to rebel, he wouldn’t need to suffer exile at all.

But for the sake of the people, he chose to endure, bide his time, and plot in secret—waiting to overturn the regime without bloodshed.

She looked at his large hand wrapped around hers and, feeling its warmth, felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

But she didn’t let his promises cloud her judgment.

“Your Highness, a lifetime is a long time. No one can say for certain what may happen in the future. So before we get married, there are two conditions I need to make clear.”

Seeing Ye Chutang’s serious expression, Qin Yanzhou also sobered up.

“Please, go ahead.”

“I won’t accept concubines or any bed servants. If that day ever comes, we divorce, and the child stays with me.”

Qin Yanzhou replied firmly, “That day will never come.”

He had no interest in taking multiple wives. What he truly wanted was a lifetime with just one person.

“I’m not the type of woman who stays hidden in the inner chambers. I’ll often appear in public, and sometimes even leave home for extended periods to pursue what I want to do.”

“So long as you remember to come back, that’s all that matters.”

It was precisely her bold, kind, and free-spirited nature that made him fall for her.

Ye Chutang met Qin Yanzhou’s earnest gaze, her heartbeat gradually accelerating.

She opened his hand that was wrapped around hers, intertwining their fingers and pressing her palm against his.

“Your Highness, I do have feelings for you. If you can truly keep your word, I will never fail you in this lifetime.”

She wasn’t one to shy away from her feelings—when she liked someone, she admitted it.

Qin Yanzhou looked at her in stunned silence, too happy to speak, his reddened eyes shimmering with emotion.

“I am willing to don armor and conquer the world, just to give you a lifetime of splendor.”

Ye Chutang cupped Qin Yanzhou’s peerlessly handsome face, the corners of her pink lips lifting.

“Alright. I’ll be waiting.”

Then she pulled her hand back.

“Your Highness, the conditions I just mentioned will be written down in black and white. You’ll sign it, and so will your parents.”

No one could predict the future. It was best to take precautions—be frank and upfront now.

After all, ancient families were obsessed with having many descendants.

Even if Qin Yanzhou wished to grow old with her, if his parents objected, it would all be for nothing.