Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Extra Chapter - Spring in Full Bloom (1/2)

Chapter 662: Extra Chapter – Spring in Full Bloom

The King of Qi was notorious for his womanizing ways, which drove Mrs. Xiao Qiao to despair and forced her to take a young Chu Jinnian back to Yangzhou.

Subsequently, the couple had an easy divorce which initiated a discussion about the custody of Chu Jinnian.

The King of Qi, fretting about his reputation, insisted on having Chu Jinnian brought to the capital. Mrs. Xiao Qiao vehemently disagreed.

Then came the news that Mrs. Ruo had given birth to Chu Jinzhuo in Yangzhou.

Chu Jinnian, being the legitimate eldest son, would potentially lose his claim to the throne if he did not return to the capital, especially given the unpredictable temperaments of the King of Qi and Mrs. Ruo.

Despite her hatred for the King of Qi and Mrs. Ruo, Mrs. Xiao Qiao refused to give up her son’s rightful claim to the throne. Ultimately she agreed to let the King of Qi take Chu Jinnian to the capital.

The same year Chu Jinnian left for the capital, news of Mrs. Xiao Qiao’s impending remarriage began to circulate.

Her new husband-to-be was an ordinary businessman named Chai Lifu.

The royal family was naturally displeased by this turn of events.

After all, Mrs. Xiao Qiao had been the Princess of Qi – their daughter-in-law. Her swift remarriage after her divorce was a great discredit to their reputation.

However, given Mrs. Xiao Qiao’s stubborn personality, the wealth behind the Qiao family, and the King of Qi’s prior misconduct, the royal family left the matter unattended.

Although the royal family might have let it go, the King of Qi took it to heart.

The idea of his woman – even one he did not want – marrying another man was something he could not accept lightly.

Because of this, just a few days before Mrs. Xiao Qiao’s wedding, the King of Qi sneaked into Yangzhou and caused quite a scandal over the marriage.

Even as Princess of Qi, Mrs. Xiao Qiao had never been one to tolerate being bullied. As his former wife, she resisted his tirade fiercely.

Angered at the thought of Mrs. Xiao Qiao serving another man, the King of Qi did something terrible to her…

Following that incident, Mrs. Xiao Qiao intended to call off the wedding.

However, Chai Lifu remained adamant, and magnanimously escorted Mrs. Xiao Qiao into his family home, even after her dowry had been delayed for over two months.

The next year, Mrs. Xiao Qiao gave birth to a baby boy, Chu Jinzhou.

Not being Chai Lifu’s biological son, Chu Jinzhou was naturally ineligible to succeed Chai’s family business. Because he carried the blood of the King Qi, whom Mrs. Xiao Qiao detested, she didn’t want to raise him herself. She assigned him to the care of a trusted nanny who took him to a rural estate for nurturing.

Having been despondent throughout her pregnancy and despairing since the birth of Chu Jinzhou, Mrs. Xiao Qiao’s health rapidly declined and she passed away.

Grief-stricken by the loss of Mrs. Xiao Qiao, Chai Lifu withdrew from the world. Six months later, he was taken by a severe illness and passed away as well.

Mr. Qiao, though he did not like the King of Qi and harbored some resentment against Chu Jinzhou, did acknowledge Chu Jinzhou to have been his grandchild. He thus sent someone to bring Chu Jinzhou to live with the Qiao family, where he lived until Chu Jinnian made arrangements for him to live in the Qingzhuyuan residence, under devoted care.

It would be fair to say that Chu Jinzhou considered himself unlucky.

To the Chu family, he was a child not acknowledged by his own father. To the Qiao family, he was a harbinger of misfortune that indirectly led to his mother’s demise.

The cold remonstrations and indifference he endured in those years were something he can vividly recall to this day. The memory even, occasionally, jolts him awake from his sleep in a cold sweat.

At the same time, Chu Jinzhou also considers himself lucky.