Chapter 496

“My lawful wife? What evidence do you have to prove that you are my lawful wife?” Xu Heming looked coldly at Zhou Yuxin. Cursing inwardly, he thought, damn this woman, why had she suddenly become popular again?

“Your Highness, I am indeed your lawful wife. You shouldn’t forget the old when you have a new one!”

Zhou Yuxin’s eyes were now filled with jealousy.

Why did that Miss Li matter more to the Prince in his heart than she did?

“Explain to me how you came back from the dead,” Xu Heming said, staring at Zhou Yuxin. If she truly was Zhou Yuxin, it meant she had faked her death back then.

He had wiped out the Zhou family, yet none of them had revealed that Zhou Yuxin was still alive.

He wondered whether the Zhou family had been too ashamed to tell him or truly had no knowledge of it.

Zhou Yuxin, who had still harbored fantasies of rekindling her relationship with Xu Heming, instantly turned pale at his words.

She dared not imagine what he would do if he found out she had eloped with someone else.

“What’s wrong? Can’t explain?” Xu Heming mocked, looking at the woman before him.

“Investigate this!”

Xu Heming believed that if someone had done something, there would always be traces.

But Zhou Yuxin’s eyes reddened as she looked at him, as if he were the one who had wronged her.

Her face turned white, terrified that Xu Heming’s men would find Ding Chen,

Yet she also thought that since she had come to see Xu Heming without Ding Chen’s knowledge, he probably wouldn’t find out.

In fact, Ding Chen already knew that Zhou Yuxin had gone to see Xu Heming—he had even watched her get into the bridal sedan.

Ding Chen understood that with the Zhou family gone, relying on the Ding family for protection was impossible.

If Zhou Yuxin could return to the Prince An’s mansion, it would benefit him as well. After all, even the crumbs from the Prince An’s mansion would be enough for him to live well.

Besides, they could later find a way to get rid of that eyesore, Prince An. Living in the mansion in luxury was far better than roughing it outdoors.

With that thought, Ding Chen was even more eager than Zhou Yuxin for her to regain favor at the Prince An’s mansion.

They both completely forgot that Prince An was no fool—how could he possibly let their ambitions take root there?

Meanwhile, at Songmo Courtyard.

“Miss, why hasn’t the Master returned yet?” Cuiguo said discontentedly, watching her mistress struggling under the heavy wedding crown.

“Sister Cuiguo, in the mansion, you should call her ‘Princess,’ not ‘Miss,’” Qinghua quickly reminded her.

“I understand,” Cuiguo replied, knowing well that the Prince An’s mansion was different from the Li family.

But still, Prince An should have come back earlier to drink the nuptial wine with their mistress, so she could freshen up.

“Princess, don’t worry. The Prince is surely entertaining the guests,” Qingyue said gently, trying to ease Li Zhiwei’s mind.

“It’s fine,” Li Zhiwei shook her head. She knew what Xu Heming was busy with.

In truth, she too was waiting for an answer.

If that woman couldn’t clear things up, she wouldn’t feel at ease either.

Xu Heming didn’t stay long at the Western Side Courtyard before leaving.

He couldn’t yet determine whether that woman was Zhou Yuxin.

But thinking of her reminded him of Xu Qingshi.

“Has the heir returned to the mansion?” Thinking of how Xu Qingshi had caused trouble for him today,

Xu Heming’s expression darkened.

If that woman really was Zhou Yuxin, could he suspect that Xu Qingshi’s behavior today was collusion with her?

“Your Highness, the heir went out early this morning and hasn’t returned yet,” a servant quickly replied.

At that moment, the entire mansion was bustling with activity.

No one had the time to go looking for Xu Qingshi.

“Send someone to the Li family and bring the heir back!” Xu Heming ordered, and a figure immediately departed.

After giving the command, Xu Heming walked toward Songmo Courtyard.

Everyone relaxed when they saw him arrive.

“The Prince is here,” someone called out happily.

Xu Heming, whose mood had been somewhat troubled, immediately brightened.

“I’ve kept the Princess waiting,” he said apologetically, looking at Li Zhiwei sitting upright on the bed.

“Have you taken care of everything, Your Highness?” Li Zhiwei asked without looking at him.

“Yes, let’s proceed,” Xu Heming said, his eyes fixed on her.

As soon as he sat beside Li Zhiwei, a matron began scattering red dates, peanuts, longans, lotus seeds, and some gold and silver ingots onto the bed.

“May the Prince and Princess be blessed with many children!” the matron chanted with a smile.

After that, Xu Heming gently took the round fan from Li Zhiwei’s hand.

Seeing ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‍this, the matron quickly had someone bring a tray with a pair of golden scissors.

“Please, Your Highness and Your Highness, perform the hair-tying ceremony!” the matron announced cheerfully.

Xu Heming picked up the scissors and cut a lock of his own hair.

Li Zhiwei did the same, snipping a strand from her head and placing it on the tray.

“May the Prince and Princess grow old together!” the matron wished.

Then, from a side table, she took two gourd cups tied with red string and handed them over: “Please, drink the nuptial wine, Your Highnesses!”

Li Zhiwei felt a strange sensation. In her past life, after entering the Ru’an Marquis’s mansion, she had never experienced these rites.

She hadn’t even drunk a single cup of nuptial wine.

The two exchanged a glance, linked arms, and drank their wine to the last drop.

Li Zhiwei found the wine a bit harsh.

Xu Heming took the cup from her hand and set it aside.

The matron then brought a bowl of dumplings to Li Zhiwei.

Blushing, Li Zhiwei accepted the bowl, picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks, and took a small bite.

“Is it raw?” the matron asked with a smile.

“Raw!” Li Zhiwei replied.

“Good!” the matron said, pleased.

At that, Qingyue quickly handed red envelopes to all the matrons present, and soon, only Li Zhiwei and Xu Heming remained in the room.

“Princess, let me help you take off your headdress,” Xu Heming said, noticing how she had twisted her neck several times, likely bothered by the heavy phoenix crown.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Li Zhiwei replied without pretension. The headdress was truly heavy and uncomfortable.

Xu Heming carefully removed the crown from her head, explaining as he went.

“That woman claims to be Xu Qingshi’s biological mother. But I don’t understand—I saw her buried with my own eyes. How can she be alive? I’ve already sent people to investigate.”

Xu Heming thought for a moment and decided to explain the situation to Li Zhiwei.

“So, Your Highness has decided to keep her?” Li Zhiwei turned to look at him.

She had originally thought that Xu Heming’s first wife was no longer alive, so she wouldn’t have to compete with a dead woman.

But now, if that woman was truly alive, she didn’t know how to handle the situation.

If both of them remained, who would be the principal consort, and who would be the concubine?