Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 741 - 572: Misses the Old Friends Most, Misses the Old Feelings Most
Yu Mingyue couldn’t help but grit her teeth.
Looking at Shang Ruyi’s gentle and smiling demeanor, she coldly said, "Do you really think you all can win in the end?"
Even though there was some distance between them, Shang Ruyi couldn’t hear her voice at all, but seeing her cold and sharp gaze, and her cherry-red lips slightly opening and closing, it seemed she could also imagine what she was saying to herself at this moment.
A chill penetrated her bones.
It cannot be denied that Yu Mingyue’s appearance indeed was a tremendous shock to her, to everyone, and a challenge never before experienced. Just how much did she know about the future? How would she use what she knew to deploy various means, set up traps? She had no idea.
At this moment, Shang Ruyi understood even more—
Ending the engagement, remarrying, it was all just the beginning.
Only now is she truly witnessing the reality of this life path she has chosen.
Thinking of this, she took a deep breath and looked again towards the slender figure across the long street that still made her breath quicken and heart race, slightly pursing her lips, revealing a faint smile.
Do as you please.
Even if Yu Mingyue were not here, even if she had once truly walked a thorn-ridden path, she would still definitely fend off whatever comes her way. Especially now, with beloved ones, family, and friends by her side, she will move forward with absolute determination.
Facing her smile, Yu Mingyue’s expression darkened, and she turned away.
Only then did Pei Xingyuan see her.
Unlike Shang Ruyi, who would immediately feel a soul-trembling shiver upon seeing Yu Mingyue, he felt some unspoken fear towards this woman, stemming from the night when Jin Daji and his group surrounded him, leaving him with nightmare-like memories. Moreover, from the words of those people, he faintly sensed that he was also a target.
And the target to be eliminated as quickly as possible.
Could it be that her foreknowledge had foretold something about him?
Thinking of this, he looked once more at Yu Mingyue’s retreating figure, her skirt lightly fluttering, that slender silhouette disappearing into Yanzuo Square, and Pei Xingyuan glanced solemnly at Shang Ruyi: "Ruyi, what is the origin of this Yu Mingyue?"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat but still managed to muster a smile, saying to him, "What’s troubling you, Mr. Pei? Haven’t I already told you all? I had Jiang Kesong investigate near Ban Yan Temple—"
"I know all this,"
Pei Xingyuan said seriously, "What I mean is—foreknowledge."
"..."
"When you and your brother talked about this person, you mentioned she seemed capable of foreknowledge. I always assumed that the figure behind Yu Wenqian was some white-bearded old man sitting atop auspicious clouds. Who knew it would be a woman, just about your age?"
"..."
"If she were a Daoist nun or Bhikkhuni, at least it would make some sense, but looking at her, she’s just an ordinary woman, at best someone who’s read a few years."
"..."
"How does she possess foreknowledge?"
"..."
"How did she know Feng Chen would contract the plague, and buy up all the medicine in Central Pass beforehand? And that poem, I had people investigate extensively, and indeed, before the poetry contest, no one had ever mentioned or recorded that poem, yet Wuzheng was certain it wasn’t her creation. Honestly, I trust Wuzheng."
"..."
"So, what is the background of this Yu Mingyue?"
Hearing his words, Shang Ruyi’s heart jumped too—she obviously knew that though Pei Xingyuan usually carried a playful and frivolous demeanor, as the son of the Left Director of the Imperial Secretariat, now embroiled in the court’s most treacherous and severe strife, he would surely become sharp and insightful.
Therefore, from Yu Mingyue’s appearance, he must have perceived the eerie qualities of this person.
Yet—
Shang Ruyi paused for a moment, and hesitantly said, "I want to know too."
Pei Xingyuan slightly raised his eyebrows, looked at her for a while, eyes reflecting a hint of complex emotion, then after a long time, smiled and said, "Since you don’t know either, I won’t ask."
After finishing, he asked again, "Ruyi, has Feng Chen asked you about this?"
Shang Ruyi shook her head.
Pei Xingyuan fell silent for a while, then suddenly smiled, saying to her, "Ruyi, what I asked might not have an answer, so I won’t press further; but if Feng Chen harbors doubts and doesn’t ask, you need to have your answers ready."
Shang Ruyi was taken aback.
Yu Wenye...?
Indeed, apart from just considering what Pei Xingyuan had pondered over earlier, Yu Wenye should have another hint—the connection between Shang Ruyi herself and Yu Mingyue, although he hadn’t spoken much about it, Shang Ruyi could sense he knew something about their ambiguous link.
But he also never brought it up.
It seemed he was waiting, waiting for her to speak first...
But— 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Just as Shang Ruyi’s thoughts were chaotic, unable to find a clue, a servant from the Pei Family came carrying a heavy bundle, presenting it to Pei Xingyuan: "Master, this is what you asked me to prepare."
"Ah."
Upon seeing it, Pei Xingyuan immediately smiled, reached out, and took it.
A strong medicinal smell wafted from the bundle, immediately assaulting the nostrils, scattering Shang Ruyi’s already disordered thoughts, causing her to frown slightly: "What are these—"
"Medicine."
"What for?"
"For delivery, of course."
Pei Xingyuan turned his head towards her, smiling as he said, "Could you kindly show me the way?"
"...?"
Although still a bit confused, when she saw his cheerful face and looked at the large bag of medicine, Shang Ruyi suddenly understood, and a small smile appeared on her face. She said, "I thought Mr. Pei didn’t care for old friends at all."
With that, she turned and walked into Changle Square.
This road, she had walked nearly every day recently, so she was quite familiar with it. Conversely, Pei Xingyuan, though he visited Changle Square daily to "sell" medicine, had never entered. Now, following behind her, he was curiously looking around left and right and didn’t keep silent, saying, "You really misjudged me, Pei Xingyuan."
"Oh?"
"I’m someone who cherishes old friends and old sentiments the most."
As he spoke, the heavy bundle in his hand kept slipping down, and Pei Xingyuan had to prop it up with his thigh, stumbling as he walked and spoke, "When I was a kid, I even saved Su Qinglan."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi turned back to look at him in surprise, her eyes holding a hint of doubt, "Really?"
Pei Xingyuan immediately said unhappily, "What kind of look is that? Am I lying to you? When she was little, she went to the market once, and somehow attracted a few hooligans who surrounded her singing, pulling on her sleeve and the flower in her hair. She was so useless, just squatted and cried, didn’t even know to shout for help, tsk!"
"..."
"But, luckily she encountered me."
"..."
"I didn’t have anyone with me at that time, just me, and I charged in and fought those hooligans, just me against four!"
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s expression slightly darkened.
Seeing her somewhat dazed expression, Pei Xingyuan immediately grinned, "Impressive, right?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi didn’t speak immediately, just looked at him for a moment. Her dazed expression also seemed somewhat lost, but after a while, she smiled slightly and, as if coming back to herself, said, "Didn’t expect Mr. Pei to have such a heroic past."
Pei Xingyuan said, "Hmph!"
Shang Ruyi smiled again, "So, you were quite the hero back then—saving the damsel in distress."
"Of course."
Seeing his face full of pride, Shang Ruyi also chuckled. Only then did she recall how surprised and moved Su Qinglan seemed when she saw Pei Xingyuan at Changle Square before, all their conversation was full of nostalgia for those childhood days.
It turns out they had this story in their past.
It was precisely because of this past that when she saw Pei Xingyuan "selling" high-priced medicine, she felt so disappointed, and left without even meeting him.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi felt a tinge of inexplicable unease rise in her heart.
She subconsciously quickened her pace, while Pei Xingyuan, holding that heavy bag of medicine, wobbled as he walked, repeatedly shouting, "Slow down."
"Quick,"
Shang Ruyi, however, quickened her pace further, muttering, "If we’re too late, it might not make it in time..."
"Make what in time?"
Pei Xingyuan asked in confusion, but could only grit his teeth and carry that bag of medicine closely behind Shang Ruyi.
In a short while, they walked through that long alleyway, and immediately, a clearing opened up in front of them—it was the stable next to the city wall where Shang Ruyi often came before.
Looking up, she saw the familiar, delicate figure still busy at work.
It was Su Qinglan.
Before getting close, Shang Ruyi saw Su Qinglan crouching, withdrawing a silver needle from the body of an elderly lady with white hair, softly saying, "Granny, piercing these acupoints can alleviate your condition temporarily. Once the decoction is ready, drinking it will greatly improve your illness."
But the old lady worriedly said, "But, Doctor Su, haven’t you run out of medicine already?"
"..."
Su Qinglan’s expression slightly darkened, but soon she smiled and said, "I-I’ve prepared some other medicines for you. In any case, they’ll help ease your condition."
"Is that so!"
Hearing her words, the old woman hastily clasped her hands together as if worshipping a Bodhisattva, saying to her, "Thank you, thank you so much."
Su Qinglan chuckled.
Just then, a tall figure came over and crouched beside her, helping the elderly lady up while gently saying, "Granny, the medicine is a bit hot, drink it slowly."
A closer look revealed it was Jiang Xian.
He had indeed remained there, constantly staying at the other side of the stable, and now having prepared a pot of medicine, he immediately brought it over. As the elderly lady followed his advice, sipping the medicine slowly, Jiang Xian supported her, gently blowing the decoction cool.
Then, he looked up at Su Qinglan.
Su Qinglan looked at him, her eyes curved in a smile.
