Chapter 9: Chapter 086: If Anyone Is To Marry You, It Will Be Me

Trying to reason with someone like her was a losing battle; instead, one might even end up getting a beating.

"So? How do you plan to compensate me?" What was the use of an apology? It wouldn't result in any actual loss. "Besides, I see you don't seem to have any sincerity at all. If you truly want to apologize, you should at least give me some material compensation!"

She didn't need that "spiritual compensation" nonsense! To her, only material compensation was the right way.

Dugu Xun couldn't help but feel a dark line across his forehead. *In truth, you've been rambling all this time just for this, haven't you!*

"Speaking of which, since you slapped me, how do you plan to compensate me?" He was the one who had been slapped for nothing. Although he really wanted to hit her back right now, he worried that if he didn't control his strength, he might accidentally beat this brat—who had only just barely crawled back from the gates of hell—right back there.

"Compensation?" Gu Xiaowu sneered. "How about I slap you back? That way, it'll be perfectly symmetrical."

Want to get compensation from her, Gu Xiaowu? Is that a joke?

*Bastard!* Dugu Xun couldn't help but curse inwardly. Considering she had been seriously injured and poisoned, he wouldn't stoop to her level.

"You said you want material compensation?" Dugu Xun suddenly asked with a beaming smile.

Gu Xiaowu tilted her head, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled back. "Of course. Since it's compensation, material compensation is naturally better."

"Then how about I marry you as compensation? Become my Third Princess Consort, and all the wealth in the Third Prince's Manor will be yours." He knew this girl certainly wouldn't agree, which was why he dared to propose such compensation.

Otherwise, if his Imperial Brother found out, he would absolutely hate him to death.

"Not at all." Gu Xiaowu rolled her eyes. Before Dugu Xun could let out a laugh, she continued, "If anyone is getting married, it's me marrying you. The wealth of your Third Prince's Manor can just serve as my dowry."

Was she joking? She, Gu Xiaowu, wasn't lacking in wealth.

Besides, Ah Xun was quite a beauty after all; even if he truly agreed to marry her, she wouldn't be losing out.

Dugu Xun was nearly spitting blood from anger. *Again, it's happening again!* He really wanted to pry this girl's head open to see what on earth was inside.

Did she think Tianchen was a matriarchal nation from the outer territories? How could a man marry a woman as his husband? If there was to be a marriage, it should be a woman marrying a man.

"You look so reluctant. Are you unwilling?" Gu Xiaowu asked, knowing full well the answer. The wound on her chest suddenly throbbed with pain; she couldn't help but frown, but she deliberately ignored it.

"Even though it's late at night, Xiaowu, starting to dream before you've even fallen asleep is not a very good habit!" Dugu Xun struggled to force out a smile, but it looked more like a grimace than a grin.

"If you don't want to smile, then don't. It looks hideous." Perhaps because her wound had started aching again, Gu Xiaowu's tone became quite harsh.

Dugu Xun froze slightly, but for once, he did not argue.

Among those of royal blood, no one could laugh or cry whenever they pleased.

"Hey, are you okay?" Seeing Dugu Xun acting strangely, Gu Xiaowu couldn't help but feel a bit worried.

She reached out to poke his arm, but Dugu Xun showed no reaction.

"Hey, hey, hey, Dugu Xun! I'm asking if you're okay!" Gu Xiaowu's brow furrowed tightly, unable to understand why Dugu Xun had suddenly become like this.

"Ah?... No, I'm fine." Dugu Xun felt a bit frustrated with himself for accidentally spacing out. "By the way, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Mm, go ahead," Gu Xiaowu nodded.

"Your poison... how much longer can you hold out at most?" This was his greatest concern.

Gu Xiaowu tilted her head, her lips curling slightly. "Don't worry. Within two years, nothing will happen to me."

Within two years, at most, the poison would flare up from time to time. But after two years...

If there was no antidote, she... would likely die, wouldn't she?

*Two years?* Dugu Xun breathed a small sigh of relief. That put his mind at ease.

Two years was enough time for him to figure out her poison and develop an antidote.

Even if, by some chance, he failed to develop an antidote, he would at least have time to find out who poisoned her and seize the cure.

"In that case, when we reach the next town, we will stop there first. Your injuries are not suitable for long-distance travel. Before your wounds heal, we will settle down here, and only once you are recovered will we set off for Tianchen."

He had been in such a hurry before because he was worried her poison wouldn't wait, but now that he knew she would be fine for two years, there was no need to rush back to Tianchen.

As for Imperial Brother and Shiyi, he could simply send a message to inform them.

"...Fine." If Yan Feng had any news, he would certainly find a way to notify her, so staying here for a few days was acceptable.

"Then it's settled." After saying this, Dugu Xun leaned down and stepped out of the carriage.

He sat down beside Gu Xizhi. "Xiaowu's poison can hold out for two years at most, so let's stop at the next town!"

Gu Xizhi gave Dugu Xun a half-smile and a half-glance, then continued looking at the road ahead.

"I heard you just now." Not only had he heard, but he had even known when he took off his daughter's clothes.

The carriage was only this large, and his hearing was quite good; moreover, the commotion inside the carriage was so loud, how could he have missed it?

Dugu Xun's face couldn't help but flush slightly. Fortunately, it was dark, so Gu Xizhi did not see it.

"Mm." He nodded, deliberately ignoring the mockery in Gu Xizhi's words.

*** ***

Dugu Chen and Si Jingjun rode their horses side-by-side at the very front of the procession, while Jian Nan and Jian Bei walked at the very rear.

Dugu Chen's expression remained as indifferent as usual, whereas Si Jingjun's face shifted from a smile to a somewhat sinister expression from moment to moment.

Dugu Chen glanced indifferently at Si Jingjun, who seemed to be performing a face-changing act, and pursed his lips without saying anything.

"Dugu Chen, I know you have designs on that girl Cheng'er, but I must inform you in advance: that girl is currently my betrothed." Although the girl was unaware of this, the arrangement had been made back when Miss Xi was still on Holy Spirit Island.

However, the arrangement had been made between Miss Xi and his father.

Because of Miss Xi's defection, the Island Master had ordered that the daughter born to Miss Xi be promised to him as a wife—half as compensation to the Si family, and half to ensure the continuation of...

Dugu Chen's heart jolted. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, yet he still did not open his mouth to ask anything.

He was indeed shocked to hear this news, but if it meant asking this man questions, he would absolutely never do so.

The fact that he was telling him this now clearly meant he wanted him to ask questions, so he would never grant him that wish.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Cheng'er, he wasn't entirely ignorant of her character.

Given her temperament, even if there truly was a so-called engagement, as long as she didn't like her fiancé, she would never fulfill it.

Furthermore, whether this engagement even existed was still an unknown!

Si Jingjun turned to look at Dugu Chen in surprise, which then transformed into admiration.

"Are you not curious about when she and I were engaged?" Si Jingjun raised an eyebrow.

He had thought this man would lose his composure and demand to know the details upon hearing the news, but to his surprise, he remained indifferent. This truly exceeded his expectations.

*That girl Cheng'er really has decent taste!*

"I am not curious." It had nothing to do with him, so why should he be curious?

Si Jingjun couldn't help but laugh out loud. The less curious he was, the more Si Jingjun wanted to talk about their marriage.

"My marriage with Cheng'er was arranged since childhood, and it was arranged by Cheng'er's maternal grandfather. Cheng'er's mother was also aware of this matter." The only one unaware was Cheng'er herself.

He had once heard his father mention that back then, for the sake of Gu Xizhi, Miss Xi had not hesitated to voluntarily give up her position as the Young Mistress of Holy Spirit Island, even willingly accepting the punishment of exile.

To compensate his father, the Island Master had promised that the first daughter born to Miss Xi would be given to his father's first son as a wife, and Miss Xi had agreed to this.

He even knew that Miss Xi had once instructed Suyue to tell Cheng'er everything in full after her passing; he just hadn't expected Suyue to choose to hide it.

Did that maid really think that doing this was truly for Cheng'er's own good?

Some things, no matter how much one tries to evade them, cannot be escaped. Moreover, how could Cheng'er be the type of person to choose evasion?

"Based on what you're saying, can I understand this to mean that Cheng'er is unaware of the matter?" Dugu Chen keenly grasped the hidden meaning in Si Jingjun's words.

Si Jingjun laughed. "The Prince of Tianchen, Dugu Chen, who is famous throughout the world, truly lives up to his reputation!" To notice such a small detail—this man truly could not be underestimated.

Tianchen... Dugu Chen...

Hahaha, the Emperor of Tianchen had likely decided to make him the Crown Prince the very moment he named him!

No wonder; how could anyone in a royal family not fight for the throne? So that was it!

The Emperor of Tianchen had long since resolved to have Dugu Chen inherit the throne; no matter how much others fought or scrambled, it would be futile.

Furthermore, Dugu Chen was such an outstanding individual!

Looking across Tianchen, the only one who could compete with him would be the Third Prince, Dugu Xun!

It was just a pity that the latter seemed to have no interest in power.

Dugu Chen curled his lips. "I am far from your level."

Knowing that Cheng'er was unaware of this matter put his mind at ease.

"Why must Prince Chen be so modest? In this world today, who doesn't know that Prince Chen has been exceptionally brilliant since childhood? Ever since I left Holy Spirit Island, almost everything I've heard has been about Prince Chen." It wasn't that he was mocking Dugu Chen, but rather that since leaving Holy Spirit Island, the most discussed topic among the common people was indeed the Crown Prince of Tianchen, Dugu Chen.