Chapter 212: I Only Have One Wife In My Heart
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
No matter how he looked at it, he felt they weren’t a good match and found her unpleasant.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his emotions, and slowly walked into the living room, stopping about five steps away from the princess, then knelt.
“I pay my respects to Princess Heyi!”
The princess looked at the man she had been pining for, her eyes filled with affection and a hint of shyness.
“County Governor Yuan, please rise!”
Yuan Jiaqi sat in the place farthest from the princess, putting some distance between them. The princess gazed at him intently.
From a distance, he exuded a spirited and handsome aura, but up close, he had a warm and gentle demeanor, his scholarly air unmistakable. This only made her like him even more. Her husband should be like him.
“Princess? Princess?” Yuan Jiaqi called out impatiently, snapping her back to reality.
“County Governor Yuan, when you rode through the streets that day, I was greatly moved. I thought…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Yuan Jiaqi immediately knelt.
“Please don’t mention this, Your Highness. I am already a married man, deeply in love with my wife. I implore you to reconsider. There are many good men in the world. Please choose another husband.”
With that one statement, the affection the princess had harbored for so long shattered into nothingness.
“Don’t you want to hear my feelings for you?”
“Princess, please respect yourself. I am a married man. I won’t betray my wife. I will continue to love her even after death. Please, take your affection elsewhere. I cannot accept it.”
“Y-you…”
The princess covered her face and began to cry. Her maid scolded sharply.
“How dare you? Who do you think you are to speak to our princess like that?”
Yuan Jiaqi let out a cold laugh. “If she weren’t a princess, her behavior would already have resulted in disgrace in the eyes of the world. You should reflect on your actions. You’ve tarnished your own reputation. What do you expect me to say?
“You! You!”
“If the princess is angry, she can report me to the emperor in the capital. As for me, I will say it once more: in my heart, there is only one wife, and that is my current wife. This will not change for the rest of my life unless I’m reborn after death. ”
Yuan Jiaqi said this with an expression of disgust.
Are all the men in the world dead? A decent girl, let alone a princess, insisted on marrying a married man, trying to snatch someone else’s husband and break up a family. It was utterly shameless. He didn’t even scold her; that was being lenient. With such vulgar and corrupt behavior, she should be grateful he didn’t say worse. If she were an ordinary girl, she would have been drowned in the spit of the commoners a long time ago.
Princess Heyi got up and slapped Yuan Jiaqi.
He knelt on the ground, maintaining his composure with an unwavering expression, calmly receiving the princess’s slap.
“Please leave She County immediately and return to the capital as soon as possible.”
“Do you know how hard it was for me to come find you?”
“I’m already married. I don’t want you to trouble yourself by coming to see me.” “Is it wrong for me to pursue the one I like?”
“But, Princess, the person you’re pursuing is already married, which affects the harmony of someone else’s family. Most importantly, I do not love you. I won’t sacrifice my family for wealth and power. I loved my wife while she was alive, and I will continue to love her even in death. Please, give your love to someone else. I am not worthy of it.”
If he had expressed himself like this to Qiao Mai, he might have won her heart long ago and wouldn’t be sleeping alone.
“I want to see what kind of woman your beloved wife is like.”
The princess stormed out of the room, instructing her guards to prepare a carriage as she intended to visit Yuan Jiaqi’s wife.
Yuan Jiaqi also left, taking advantage of the opportunity to return and confess to his wife. He brought along the six guards Old Master Wang had sent and returned to Lucky Garden ahead of the princess.
By now, it was already dark outside. They traveled alone on horseback while the princess was in a carriage, so they naturally arrived faster. As soon as he arrived home, he headed straight to the backyard.
“Wife, wife?”
In fact, Qiao Mai had considered visiting She County when it grew late. This man was someone she had painstakingly raised, and she wasn’t ready to let him go.
Little did she know he had already returned. What had happened?
She rushed out of the house upon seeing Yuan Jiaqi’s anxious expression. He grabbed her hand.
“Wife, I’m sorry!”
Qiao Mai’s eyebrows furrowed. Had he been unfaithful and confessed after succumbing to temptation?
Her face darkened, “What happened?”
“Wife, I… I offended the princess.”
“How did you offend her?”
“I scolded her!”
So that’s what happened, huh?” Her heart relaxed upon hearing this. “What did you say to her?”
“I told her she had no shame and ordered her to return to the capital. She slapped me and is now on her way to our house. I came back to let you know before she arrives.’
Qiao Mai suddenly smiled, “You’ve committed a grave crime.”
“I’m not afraid. Being able to die with you is enough for me.”
Was he indirectly confessing his feelings for her?
Qiao Mai looked at him, and Yuan Jiaqi dared not meet her eyes, his face blushing crimson.
“What should we do? She’s about to arrive. I’m not afraid of death; I’m just afraid of implicating you and the children. I can’t lie to myself. I feel disgust and dislike when I see her.” “Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Have you met her before?”
“She was at my shop drinking juice. She exudes an air of elegance and beauty.”
“Compared to you, no one else can make me feel as comfortable. I’ve thought about it; if you grow tired of me and kick me out, it would break my heart. I can’t live without you for the rest of my life.”
Qiao Mai’s face turned red all of a sudden. Did he take some medicine? His words were so affectionate. She wondered why she hadn’t noticed this side of him before.
“Well, I admit that my cooking has attracted you.”
“No, it’s not just your cooking. It’s your attitude towards life, your approach to things, your every move, your words – all of it has deeply attracted me.” Qiao Mai touched his forehead to see if he had a fever, but he didn’t.
Yuan Jiaqi held her hands and looked at her affectionately.
“I might have offended the princess, and there’s a possibility I could be accused of a crime. That’s why I need to say this today. Even if I end up being executed, I won’t regret it.”
“What are you saying? The emperor is a just ruler; he wouldn’t execute you for a few words. Don’t overthink it. If there’s a problem, we’ll face it together.” “Wife, 1…
Yuan Jiaqi gathered the courage to hug her. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but I was afraid you’d scold or hit me. I can’t win against you, and I didn’t dare to embrace you like this. But now, I’ve finally gathered the courage. Can I hold you for a while?”
Qiao Mai was dumbfounded by this sudden confession. Her face turned bright red, but she allowed him to hold her.
Yuan Jiaqi’s face was red as a beet. Perhaps it was the first time he had embraced her like this, and he was incredibly nervous.
The two of them continued embracing in the courtyard. Their housekeeper was standing at the courtyard’s entrance, but she couldn’t help but mutter softly under her breath.
“Master, there’s a beautiful girl outside. She entered the house without permission and seems quite angry.”
Qiao Mai looked at the maid. “Got it. Stay away. Don’t come near the living room unless I call for you.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
Qiao Mai gently patted Yuan Jiaqi’s back. “Come on, let’s go meet her first.’
Yuan Jiaqi blushed and took her hand. “Wife, do you understand what’s in my heart?”
“Let’s deal with the immediate matter first.
“Come on. I’ll take you to meet her. I would rather give everything and not betray you.”
Every word he spoke today made Qiao Mai feel cherished.
If only he had expressed himself like this to her earlier, she might have had a kid with him.
However, Qiao Mai felt like the roles had been reversed. She now felt like the man, and Yuan Jiaqi acted like the wife..
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