Fulu frowned. No matter how much she acted against the rules usually, she was still a woman.

Although she had said countless times that she was going to raise gigolos, she had never dared put it into action.

At this moment, her bare feet were seen by a man! She was so ashamed that she almost cried.

Fulu pointed at Qiao Lu and said, “How could you deceive me like this? You, you b*stard! You pervert…”

Qiao Lu hurriedly slapped himself and said, “It’s my fault. Princess, don’t cry. If you really mind it, I can gouge out my own eyeballs.”

How could Fulu dare to let him do that? “Why did you deceive me?”

Qiao Lu said, “I was forced to be dressed as a woman the first time I met you. I didn’t mean to deceive you. After that day, I can’t stop thinking about you…”

“Pervert!” Fulu put on her socks and shoes and stomped her feet.

Qiao Lu walked up to Fulu anxiously and nervously. “I’m not. I really like you. I would like to marry you. I wonder if you would be willing to marry me.”

Fulu said, “But I’ll be a widow if I marry you.”

Qiao Lu said, “It’s peacetime now. And even if you become a widow, you can marry another man… If I go to the battlefield, I will definitely transfer all the properties under my name to you, so you don’t have to worry you will not be a pitiful little widow.”

Fulu thought about it for a while. It seemed that marrying Qiao Lu was not bad. Besides, he had seen her feet. What else could she do?

She certainly couldn’t dig out his eyes, so she was left with no choice but to marry him.

And he was the first man who didn’t mind her bad reputation and said he liked her.

Seeing her nodding slowly, Qiao Lu felt his heart almost jump out of his throat. He held her hand. “The scenery here is so beautiful. I learned to weave flower crowns in the Southwest when I was a child. May I make one for you?”

Fulu nodded and said, “Okay.”

Qiao Lu picked flowers and, with trembling hands, weaved a flower crown for Fulu to put on.

Fulu looked at Qiao Lu with a bright smile and asked, “Does this look good on me?”

“Yes, very beautiful. It’s the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Fulu said to Qiao Lu, “How can you be so honey-lipped at such a young age?”

“Don’t say I’m young. I’ll be seventeen in a few days.” Qiao Lu hurriedly said, “My elder sister had already been born when my father was at this age.”

Fulu said, “But you are young.”

Qiao Lu took Fulu’s hand, took her into his arms, and compared her height to his own, saying, “I am not young.”

For the first time, Fulu looked shy. She was the most famous dandy girl in Chang’an, but why was her heart beating so fast when she was in his arms?

It must be because she was tired from her ride.

…

The two didn’t ride back on the same horse to the entrance of Princess Shou’an Mansion until it was almost dusk.

At the door, Fulu turned to look back at Qiao Lu with almost every step she took. She didn’t come back to herself until she walked into the door and saw her mother beamed with smiles.

But Fulu still couldn’t hold back her smile.

Princess Shou’an said to Fulu, “I’ve got you a good husband!”

Smile disappeared from Fulu’s face and she frowned. “Mother, why did you find me a husband without discussing it with me? I’ve already had a man I like!”

Prince Consort Qin frowned and said, “Which man?”

Fulu said, “The man I like is the most talented man with the best family background, and he even holds the commanding power of 100,000 soldiers…”

Princess Shou’an said, “Silly girl, your imperial cousin has already got the Crown Princess. Why do you still miss him? Besides, what’s so good about living in the imperial palace?!”

Fulu said, “No, it’s not my imperial cousin. The man I like is the new Flower Picking Childe!”

Princess Shou’an chuckled and said, “What a coincidence! The man I’m talking about is just him. I had been afraid that you wouldn’t like him! Time flies, my little gourd is going to get married.”

“Mother, you are calling me little gourd again!” Princess Fulu hated this nickname the most.

Shou’an said a bit sadly, “After you are married, there will only be your father and I left at home. Let me call you little gourd when I still can.”

Fulu leaned on Princess Shou’an’s arms and said, “I will often come back to see you even if I am married.”

…

In the Qiao Mansion next door.

Duke Qiao climbed over the wall and entered Zheng Xiao’s room at mid-night again. “Did you find Lu’er a fiancee?”

Zheng Xiao said, “Yeah, Lu’er likes Princess Fulu. I can’t let my tragedy repeat itself on him, and I won’t force him to marry someone he doesn’t love.”

Duke Qiao frowned helplessly and said, “Are you still unwilling to forgive me? I told you that there was a misunderstanding between us.”

“Can you make up for all the wrong things you’ve done?” Zheng Xiao said, “Can my little daughter come to life? I had been separated from Jinniang for so many years. Can you make amends?”

Duke Qiao sighed helplessly. “Xiaoer, they are my daughters too. I’m sad too.”

“I know I deserve it, but I have as much pain in my heart as you!”

Zheng Xiao wept silently. “Pain? I didn’t think you were in pain when you were playing lovey-dovey with your cousin!”

Lord Qiao was silent for a long time before he said, “Xiao’er, I’m afraid Lu’er can’t marry Princess Fulu!”

Zheng Xiao frowned. “Why? Do you care about Fulu’s reputation in Chang’an? Although she is a bit unruly, she is a good girl, and as the only daughter of Princess Shou’an, she is not a bad choice for Lu’er!”

Lord Qiao said slowly, “His Majesty is wise and benevolent, but how many emperors can tolerate a minister who is too powerful? Did you forget the fate of the late emperor’s aunts who rebelled against the late emperor?

“And the princess of King Longxi married the military governor of Longnana, obtained the military power of Longnan, and instigated the military governor of Longnan to rebel.

“His Majesty treats the princesses so kindly, not because of the scarcity of princesses, but because most of the princesses couldn’t marry a decent man, and the royal family would rather them raise gigolos…”

“Think about it, we and the Qin family are in-laws, and although Prince Consort Qin has severed the relationship with the Qin family, he was from the Qin family anyway. Jinniang is the Crown Princess now and gave birth to the Crown Prince’s heir. If Lu’er marries Princess Shou’an’s only daughter, can His Majesty still be at ease with our Qiao family?”

“No matter how benevolent the emperor is, I am afraid that he will not tolerate us.”

Zheng Xiao said, “But…”

Duke Anyuan said, “Zhou Shihui came to me today. She is really a worthy student of Qingming Academy, and she hit the nail on the head with the crisis that our family is in.

“She is more suitable for Lu’er. Firstly, Zhou Shihui’s family background is not bad. The Zhou family is the Queen’s natal family, and we are the Crown Princess’ natal family. The two families will definitely not collude.

“And thanks to the Queen, His Majesty likes the Zhou family very much. The Zhou family is a better choice for us than Princess Shou’an Mansion.”

“Secondly, Zhou Shihui is only Duke Wu’s niece after all. If Lu’er marries her, it will be less likely for His Majesty to suspect our family.

“So I think Lu’er should marry Zhou Shihui.”

Zheng Xiao said angrily, “So it doesn’t matter which girl Lu’er loves?”

“He’s still so young. How can he know what ‘love’ is?” Duke Anyuan said, “I didn’t know who I really loved when I was at his age.”