When he saw Wen Hongye silent and lost in thought, he really wanted to cheer him up.
He would be even happier than Wen Hongye when he saw her laughing heartily.
Wen Hongye looked at Gu Xingchen in surprise: "You... what did you say?"
Gu Xingchen mustered her courage and stepped forward: "I said... could our relationship be a little closer...?"
Chapter 370 It's all too late.
Wen Hongye stood there, completely dumbfounded.
What did he just hear?
Seeing that Wen Hongye hadn't reacted for a long time and was just standing there in a daze, Gu Xingchen said again, "Hongye, I will definitely take good care of you and cherish you. If you're unhappy, I'll cheer you up. If you're angry, I'll be your punching bag and you can hit me as much as you want. If you're happy, I'll be happy with you. Oh, and I'll buy you lots and lots of candy and fill your little bamboo basket. If that's not enough, I'll fill my big bamboo basket too!"
Wen Hongye looked at Gu Xingchen, who seemed to want to swear to the heavens. He knew Gu Xingchen was serious, but... he was not worthy, he was not good enough for Gu Xingchen.
A clean and kind man like Gu Xingchen deserves someone just as clean and wonderful.
But it definitely won't be him.
He followed Xiao Nian for three years, giving her his heart and his body.
Even now that his heart has returned, his body is no longer clean.
How could he allow someone as corrupt as himself to be with Gu Xingchen?
“Hongye…you, don’t be silent. I know it’s abrupt for me to say these things, but now that I’ve said them, you…whether you agree or not, you have to give me an answer, right? If you agree, I’ll go and exchange the Hundred-Continuation Herb for gold right now and buy us a new home. If you don’t agree, then I’ll continue to work hard and try to warm your heart as soon as possible so that you can open your heart to accept me.”
Wen Hongye still handed the Hundred-Continuation Herb to Gu Xingchen: "Go and take the Hundred-Continuation Herb to the Ting Prince's Mansion to exchange it for gold. When you come back, I will tell you my answer, okay?"
“Okay!” Gu Xingchen nodded, quickly took the Hundred-Continuation Grass, and then took Wen Hongye’s hand with his other hand. “Let’s go back first. After I take you home, I will go into the city to find Prince Ting.”
Wen Hongye simply nodded slightly without saying a word, letting Gu Xingchen lead him back.
He looked at his hand, which was being held tightly by Gu Xingchen, and couldn't help but tear up.
All of this came too late.
Gu Xingchen escorted Wen Hongye home, and then, without even putting down the bamboo basket he was carrying, hurriedly left for the city.
He wanted to come back sooner and find out the answer as soon as possible.
During this time, Feng Muting didn't go anywhere. He stayed at the Prince's Mansion with Su Fuliu every day, waiting for Su Fuliu's trauma from being hurt by Xiao Nian to subside before he dared to enter the palace.
Although Su Fuliu did not want Feng Muting to leave, he also knew that Feng Muting had been staying with him at the mansion for a long time.
"Tinglang, you haven't been to the palace for quite some time. Won't the Emperor be unhappy?"
“Nothing is more important than A-Liu,” Feng Muting replied affectionately.
Su Fuliu was deeply moved, but since Feng Muting had said that, he couldn't let Feng Muting have a hard time: "I'm fine now, and besides, this is the Prince's residence, so I'm not afraid. So, Tinglang, you should go to the palace as soon as possible, lest the Emperor is really unhappy and punishes you again."
Are you really not scared anymore?
Su Fuliu nodded vigorously: "Yes!"
"Alright, then I'll go to the palace tomorrow and spend another day with you today."
"Okay." Then, as if she had thought of something, Su Fuliu asked, "By the way, how are the Emperor and Aunt Xu? Judging by the time, Aunt Xu's illness should be cured by now."
Feng Muting sighed softly, "Don't even mention it."
Su Fuliu was taken aback. Seeing his reaction, she couldn't help but feel a little regretful: "Sigh, if they can't get over that mental hurdle, we shouldn't force them too much."
Feng Muting shook his head: "No, what I mean is that Father's mind is completely on Aunt Xu now. Otherwise, why do you think I was so busy before, busy from morning to night?"
"ah?"
"Don't understand?"
“It’s not that I don’t understand, it’s that I’m surprised. Does Tinglang mean that the Emperor and Aunt Xu…they…have…accepted each other?” Su Fuliu said this with great surprise.
Chapter 371 Oh dear, Your Highness
Feng Muting nodded: "Yes, judging from Father and Aunt Xu's expressions, we'll probably be able to change our way of addressing them soon."
Su Fuliu paused: "That's because you changed how you address me, not me. I still call you Aunt Xu."
"Does A-Liu mean she wants to get married soon?" Feng Muting asked.
“…I’m not.” Su Fuliu turned away, her face flushed.
Just as Feng Muting was about to go over and hug him, Su Yan called out from outside, "Your Highness, there is a herb gatherer at the gate who wants to see you."
Feng Muting frowned, then went over and opened the door, giving him a glare: "You always show up at the perfect time."
Could Su Yan not understand such obvious sarcasm? He trembled and said, "This...this can't be blamed on me, it's just that things always happen so coincidentally..."
He didn't want to bother Feng Muting, but he had no choice. It just so happened that something always came up right when Feng Muting and Su Fuliu were being affectionate.
"Alright, didn't you ask what that herb gatherer wanted from me?" Feng Muting asked.
"I asked, but he didn't say."
After hearing this, Feng Muting said to Su Fuliu, "Aliu, I'll go see what's going on. I'll be back soon."
"No, I want to go with Prince Ting..." Su Fuliu almost called him Tinglang in front of everyone.
“Alright, then you can come with me.” With that, Feng Muting led Su Fuliu to the front hall.
After waiting for a while, a herb gatherer carrying a bamboo basket walked in.
Gu Xingchen cupped his hands towards Feng Muting and said, "This humble subject pays respects to Prince Ting."
Feng Muting glanced at him and then asked, "What business do you have with me?"
Gu Xingchen took down the bamboo basket and then took out the Hundred-Continuation Herb from it.
Before he could speak, Su Fuliu beside him was already shocked: "It's Hundred-Continuation Grass!"
Feng Muting was also taken aback: "Ah Liu, what did you say? That's the Hundred-Continuity Grass?!"
Gu Xingchen presented the Hundred-Continuation Grass in his hand: "This was found by me when I went up the mountain to collect herbs."
Feng Muting frowned slightly, then looked at him: "How did you know I was looking for this Hundred-Continuity Herb?!"
Gu Xingchen was taken aback. He had forgotten to ask Wen Hongye why she knew that Feng Muting was looking for this Hundred-Continuation Herb.
But looking at Feng Muting's fierce expression, if he were to mention Wen Hongye's name, wouldn't that cause her some trouble?
"I'm asking you a question, why won't you answer?!" Feng Muting shouted.
Gu Xingchen trembled and dared not speak further.
Su Fuliu glanced at Feng Muting and said, "Your Highness is so fierce, you've scared the whole person silly, what are you still saying!"
After he finished speaking, he walked up to Gu Xingchen and asked, "Don't be afraid. The prince is just like that, but he doesn't mean any harm. He just wants to know why you knew we were looking for the Hundred-Continuity Herb."
Looking at the gentle and kind Su Fuliu in front of her, Gu Xingchen's fear immediately dissipated.
Before he could even speak, Feng Muting said with displeasure, "Where are you looking? Is this someone you can stare at?!"
Gu Xingchen was so frightened that she immediately lowered her head: "Your Highness, please calm down."
Su Fuliu clicked her tongue lightly: "Oh dear, Your Highness!"
Seeing this, Feng Muting immediately shut his mouth and stopped talking.
Then, Su Fuliu looked at Gu Xingchen and asked, "Tell me, don't be afraid, how did you know we were looking for the Hundred-Continuation Herb?"
"If I were to speak, would you, sir, make things difficult for me?" Gu Xingchen asked.
Su Fuliu shook her head: "No, if you haven't done anything wrong, our prince won't make things difficult for you."
Looking at the kind-faced Su Fuliu, Gu Xingchen chose to believe her: "Actually, this was picked by my friend. He told me that if I took this Hundred-Continuation Grass to Prince Ting, I could exchange it for ten thousand taels of gold, so I came."
"Your friend? What's their name?"
"Wen Hongye".
Su Fuliu found the name unfamiliar; he didn't know the name of the man in red beside Xiao Nian, but he recognized the man.
Feng Muting frowned: "It's him?"
"Who?" Su Fuliu turned around and looked at Feng Muting.
“It’s that red-clad man who followed Xiao Nian for three years, willing to risk his life for her, only to be treated coldly by her in return,” Feng Muting replied.
Upon hearing this, Gu Xingchen suddenly looked up and stared at them with wide eyes.
Chapter 372 I'm leaving
"So it was him. He's a pitiful man, having wasted three years of his affection on a scoundrel like Xiao Nian," Su Fuliu sighed.
Feng Muting said, "It's his business how pitiful he is. He shouldn't have helped Xiao Nian bully you. However, considering that he had someone send him the Hundred-Continuation Herb, I will spare his life."
This Wen Hongye actually knows about the Hundred-Continuation Grass, which is obviously something she learned from Xiao Nian.
It seems that Xiao Nian has been secretly watching the Tingwang Mansion all along, with two purposes: one is to make a move on Su Fuliu, and the other is to help Feng Muxiu.
However, Xiao Nian has now been killed by him, so he can neither plot against Su Fuliu nor help Feng Muxiu.
Then, Feng Muting looked at Gu Xingchen, who was still in shock, and asked, "How many do you want?"
Gu Xingchen seemed not to have heard Feng Muting's words, still lost in thought.
Feng Muting frowned and immediately said with displeasure, "Insolence!"
A roar pulled Gu Xingchen back from his thoughts. He looked at Feng Muting tremblingly and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness, please calm down."
Su Fuliu then repeated for Feng Muting, "The prince just asked you how much reward you wanted for offering the Hundred-Continuation Herb?"
Gu Xingchen looked at the Hundred-Continuation Herb in his hand and shook his head: "This humble subject dares not ask for anything. Whatever Your Highness offers, this humble subject will accept."
"Su Yan, give him 100,000 taels of silver notes and 50,000 taels of gold. Gold is hard to move, so have someone deliver it to his home," Feng Muting instructed.
Before Su Yan could accept the order, Gu Xingchen said, "Prince Ting is too generous. However, 100,000 taels of silver notes are enough. I don't need the gold. It would be too much trouble for you to arrange for someone to send it back. Besides, my family is too small to store it there."
Feng Muting glanced at him: "You're not greedy, alright, I'll give you 100,000 taels of silver notes first. As for the 50,000 taels of gold, just come and ask me for it whenever you want. What I say will always stand by me."
Gu Xingchen immediately handed the Hundred-Continuation Herb to Su Fuliu, then cupped his hands in thanks and said, "This humble subject thanks Prince Ting!"