Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 780 - 594: I Want to Take You Away

As soon as he spoke, Yu Wenye’s expression immediately changed: "What!?"

Shang Ruyi also paused for a moment, not only because of Shen Wuzheng’s words, but also because she didn’t expect such a strong reaction from Yu Wenye. However, before she could ask anything, Pei Xingyuan already laughed and said: "Wuzheng, my old friend, Ruyi—oh no, the Princess Qin’s home, is already in the palace. I heard His Majesty the Emperor arranged for her to stay in Qianqiu Palace; that’s quite a good place. As for your Shen family, that’s her maternal home!"

Shen Wuzheng glanced at him, then looked up at Yu Wenye, saying coldly: "I’ve come to take Ruyi back home...to have a look."

"..."

"I hope Prince Qin will allow it."

"..."

Yu Wenye didn’t speak for a moment, but just furrowed his brows, looking at her, then looked at Shang Ruyi beside him.

It was only at this moment that Shang Ruyi came back to her senses—right, her identity was now Princess Qin. This time returning to the Duke Mansion was to prepare to move some essentials into the palace. From now on, unless Yu Wenye also had the opportunity to set up his own residence and leave the Imperial Palace, their place would be the Daxing Palace, which was the Qianqiu Palace Yu Wenquan arranged for them.

In the future, the opportunities to return home to visit her uncle and aunt, as well as her brothers, will be even fewer.

Thinking of this, she immediately turned her head to look at Yu Wenye: "I—"

Yu Wenye paused for a moment and said: "Do you want to go back?"

Shang Ruyi hurriedly nodded.

After thinking for a moment, she added: "These days, I’ve been busy with matters related to the epidemic, and I haven’t returned to see my uncle even once."

"..."

"This time, if I move into the palace, there will be fewer opportunities to see my uncle and aunt in the future. I want to go back and spend time with them."

In terms of both emotion and reason, it should be agreed upon, especially since not only did Shen Wuzheng make plans and strategies for his matters, even Shen Shiyan went to prison for the major events of Yu Wenquan. Even if Yu Wenquan were here, there would be no reason to refuse.

But Yu Wenye still paused for a moment before saying: "When will you come back?"

"Huh?"

Shang Ruyi was taken aback, and looked back at Shen Wuzheng. Shen Wuzheng immediately said: "I would like to keep little sister at home to rest for a night, after all, our father and mother haven’t seen her for a long time and miss her very much."

Yu Wenye took a deep breath and said: "Okay then."

After speaking, he looked at Shang Ruyi again: "Then you will return—tomorrow."

Shang Ruyi immediately replied: "Okay."

As soon as she agreed, a faint smile appeared on Shen Wuzheng’s somewhat cold face. He immediately turned around, waved to the other side of the long street at the Duke Mansion’s entrance, and immediately a carriage drove over, stopping in front of them. Shen Wuzheng said: "Get in the carriage."

Shang Ruyi nodded, thought for a moment, then looked back at Yu Wenye, and said: "If father—oh no, if His Majesty asks—"

Yu Wenye said: "I will explain."

"Thank you."

Shang Ruyi immediately held Shen Wuzheng’s hand and got on the carriage, while Shen Wuzheng looked back at Yu Wenye, his eyes still cold, but he didn’t say anything, only nodded to Pei Xingyuan, and then got on the carriage as well.

The coachman immediately flicked the whip, driving the carriage onto the long street.

Yu Wenye slightly furrowed his brows, his gaze moving from Shang Ruyi entering the carriage to the rear of the carriage, but he didn’t say anything, just quietly watched as the carriage left the Duke Mansion. After it drove far away, he even took two steps forward.

Pei Xingyuan, watching from the side, first pursed his lips in a smile, but finally couldn’t help and said: "Ah, you look like you’re longing for your wife to return home, she’s just going back to her maternal home, not leaving and never coming back."

"..."

"If you really can’t bear it, why don’t you follow along. I’ll accompany you."

Yu Wenye ignored his jest, still quietly watching the carriage until it turned a corner at the end of the long street and disappeared from sight. Only then did he slowly turn his head to look at Pei Xingyuan and said: "Let’s go, whatever you have to say, say it after we get inside."

After speaking, he lifted his foot and walked toward the main gate, which the doorkeeper had already heard and immediately came to open.

Yu Wenye then led him inside.

Pei Xingyuan followed beside him with a smile, speaking as they walked inside: "Feng Chen—oh no, Prince Qin, how did you manage to pull this stroke of a genius? I was stunned when I heard the news!"

"..."

Yu Wenye didn’t immediately respond to him, only looked back again when the doorkeeper closed the door behind them.

Although, the carriage was long gone.

When Yu Wenye brought Pei Xingyuan into the Duke Mansion, Shang Ruyi, sitting in the carriage, also swayed slightly when the carriage turned another corner, nearly tipping over. Fortunately, Shen Wuzheng reached out to steady her.

Shang Ruyi immediately smiled and said: "Thank you, brother."

Meeting her smile, normally Shen Wuzheng would surely show a gentle smile and say something to soothe her tense emotions from the morning meeting, but today, though his gaze was gentle, his eyes remained somewhat cold, making the moment when only the two of them faced each other even more grave.

And when she met his gaze, gradually, Shang Ruyi’s already somewhat weak spirit grew even weaker. Her breath weakened, and her smile could no longer be sustained.

She lowered her eyelids and dropped her head.

Shen Wuzheng still looked down at her, his gaze deeper and heavier than before, saying in a low voice: "What did you trade with Han King for this?"

"...!?"

The carriage wheels suddenly rolled over a bumpy spot on the ground, causing the carriage to jolt, and Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat too.

But she remained composed and said softly: "What?"

Shen Wuzheng said: "Although I don’t have an official position and can’t attend court, I still have ways to know what happens at Taiji Palace. Moreover, this news has already spread throughout all of Daxing—Chang’an City."

"..."

"Yu Wenqian was originally supposed to be appointed as Crown Prince."

"..."

"Yet today, at the court assembly, he was suddenly appointed as Han King, and Empress Dowager Jiang, who never meddled in court affairs, appeared today and pulled the Emperor down from the Dragon Chair."

"..."

"If I’m not mistaken, it’s her abdication decree that has been exchanged for the new emperor’s enthronement document."

"..."

"So, who made what kind of deal with her?"

Shang Ruyi’s breathing grew tighter.

Of course, she wasn’t surprised that this news spread quickly throughout Chang’an City. After all, this is the capital, having experienced the rule and succession of several emperors, the people here possess a certain sensitivity surpassing any other place. Not to mention such a significant event as the young emperor’s abdication and the enthronement of a new emperor. Even now, not only Shen Wuzheng is questioning himself, but the whole city’s populace is pondering and discussing this very matter.

Capturing Daxing City without military engagement provided Yu Wenquan with the prerequisites to establish the young emperor, earning an unparalleled meritorious service, and later, he successfully governed the plague, initially eradicating the epidemic in Yanzuo Square. He was already the people’s choice for Crown Prince.

Yet today, he only received the title of Han King.

As for establishing a mansion and posts, it was evidently a supplementary reward for his previous efforts in managing the plague.

Something must have happened amidst this.

And the sole anomaly was the sudden appearance of Empress Dowager Jiang and King Qin Yuwen Ye, who seemed unaffected yet benefited from this affair!

While the city’s citizens might still be speculating, Shen Wuzheng before her likely saw through the cause and effect long ago. The reason he’s still asking might be to receive one final confirmation from her lips.

"..."

Shang Ruyi lowered her eyelids, remained silent for a long while, and finally whispered, "Prince Qin... Concubine."

Shen Wuzheng’s brow furrowed instantly.

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath, then looked up at him, her gaze somewhat calmer, and said, "Yu Wenye agreed to Empress Dowager Jiang’s terms, to marry Princess Xinyue—oh no, Chu Ruoyan, take her as concubine, Prince Qin’s Concubine."

"..." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Empress Dowager Jiang used this as leverage, negotiated with His Majesty, and changed the Crown Prince on the appointment decree to Han King."

"..."

The more Shen Wuzheng listened, the more his brows knitted tightly.

After a while, he let out a deep breath and said, "Indeed."

Shang Ruyi widened her eyes and looked at him, "Brother, you—you knew already?"

Shen Wuzheng shook his head, "No."

"..."

"I’ve just always suspected that since Yu Wenye has the ambition to seize the Crown Prince’s position, he wouldn’t just concede; moreover, after the young emperor’s abdication—such a sensitive status is extremely dangerous throughout the ages. Empress Dowager Jiang is cautious, yet kind-hearted, despite the plague causing such chaos in Chang’an City, she never appeared, evidently plotting for some plan."

"..."

"From her standpoint, with the nation up to this point of destruction and family ruin, the only ones she would protect are her two children."

"..."

"And the best way is—allegiance."

Shang Ruyi gently nodded.

Given Shen Wuzheng’s intelligence, she wasn’t surprised he could deduce all of this. Yet, looking at those calm and gentle eyes, now serene to the point of tranquility, she felt an inexplicable sense of wonder.

She cautiously watched her brother.

And Shen Wuzheng also lowered his gaze towards her, amidst their exchanged glances seemingly exchanged thoughts, he opened his mouth and said, "Do you know why I didn’t directly question Yu Wenye earlier, and only asked you at this moment?"

Shang Ruyi shook her head.

In fact, she was also puzzled; given Shen Wuzheng’s personality, he would go straight to the source. Since he had already inferred that today’s shift from Crown Prince to Han King was a transaction between Yu Wenye and Empress Dowager Jiang, he ought to have asked directly when he saw Yu Wenye just outside the Duke’s Mansion.

Instead of bringing her into the carriage, traveling a short distance, and then asking her.

Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi looked at him, "Brother, why did you—"

Shen Wuzheng looked at her, calmly said, "Because, if I had asked him earlier, perhaps he wouldn’t have agreed to let you go home today."

"..."

"I don’t wish to be entangled in unnecessary matters with him."

"..."

"Because today, I don’t just intend to take you home."

"...?"

Shang Ruyi was stunned, her eyes widened as she gazed at him, as if she didn’t understand, or perhaps couldn’t react, while Shen Wuzheng’s usually aloof eyes also finally gained a bit of warmth in response to her somewhat startled gaze.

A warmth of earthly delight.

He said, "I also want to take you away."