Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Chapter 1083 - 778: Deliberate Gentleness

"Oh? Ask me what?"Yu Wenye’s voice suddenly rang out from ahead, causing Yu Wenqian to tremble slightly. He didn’t immediately lift his head, but the light in his already dim eyes vanished at once.

However, Shang Ruyi’s eyes brightened.

She hurriedly looked up, and sure enough, saw Yu Wenye’s tall figure standing ahead. She didn’t know when he had come to the Inner Court but saw his face was slightly pale and his breath a bit hurried, as if he had rushed over in a hurry. Shang Ruyi quickly stepped forward, "You—Your Highness, why are you here?"

Yu Wenye lowered his head to look at her, with an expression hard to read.

He said, "Of course, I had to come."

After saying this, he raised his head, and Yu Wenqian had already returned to his usual expression, slowly stepping forward with a smile, "So, the younger brother also has such an elegance to enjoy the scenery."

Yu Wenye smiled faintly and said, "Not elegance, just here to fetch my wife."

Saying this, he lowered his head to look at Shang Ruyi again, speaking tenderly, "I usually tell you to come out often, but you always make excuses. Today, the sky just cleared, the ground is still wet, and you came out. If you fell, what then?"

Shang Ruyi looked at him, blinking her eyes.

She was not unfamiliar with Yu Wenye’s tenderness. Even if he appeared as a decisive general or even a god of war in the eyes of others, Shang Ruyi knew that was just one side of him. To her and those he cared about, he could be unbelievably gentle.

But this tenderness now seemed somewhat—deliberate?

Though puzzled, she chose to smooth over it, with a smile said, "I have been cooped up for days, just wanted some fresh air. Don’t worry, I’m very careful, and She’er has always been with me."

As soon as she finished, Tushere stepped forward immediately, "Your Highness, rest assured, I’ve been serving by the Princess’s side the whole time, never leaving her for a moment."

After saying this, she cautiously glanced at the Crown Prince.

At this moment, Yu Wenqian no longer spoke, just stood silently, seemingly completely uninvolved, or perhaps, outside the close atmosphere between the two. Yu Wenye smiled and said, "Now that you have been out and about for half a day, you must be tired. Let’s go back and rest."

Shang Ruyi nodded, "Mm."

Yu Wenye then raised his head and said to Yu Wenqian, "Imperial Brother, we will take our leave."

Yu Wenqian smiled faintly, "Alright."

So, Yu Wenye led Shang Ruyi down the Thousand-step Corridor and soon left the Inner Court.

Back at Qianqiu Palace, Shang Ruyi first had her embroidered shoes changed. Although the sky had cleared outside, there was still a lot of water on the ground. As she walked, it wasn’t too bad, but the pair of embroidered shoes were soaked and covered with mud.

Yu Wenye sat by the side, observing, "I just said you were stubborn. Now, a good pair of shoes is ruined."

Shang Ruyi turned to him, "Who says they’re ruined? They can still be worn after washing."

After saying this, she instructed Tushere to take the shoes to be cleaned, and Tushere agreed and left.

After she left, Shang Ruyi immediately turned to Yu Wenye, saying, "I just heard the Crown Prince say, you’re not going on this trip with Father?"

Yu Wenye glanced at her but didn’t directly answer, instead picking up the nearby teacup to take a sip, "What else did he tell you?"

"Don’t worry about that first. Is it true or not?"

"Mm."

"Why?"

"Why what? I don’t want to go."

Shang Ruyi puffed out her cheeks, looking at him for a while before softening her voice, "Is it because you plan to stay in Chang An, to stay in the palace with me?"

Yu Wenye looked at her again but said nothing.

Shang Ruyi became a bit anxious, "But, I think you should go."

"Oh? Why?"

"This time Father is traveling; it’s definitely not just about Fan Cheng’en’s surrender. That confidential report from Tongguan and the map, don’t you want to know what’s going on?"

"..."

Yu Wenye still didn’t speak.

But evidently, Shang Ruyi’s words struck a chord within him. Although he was sipping the tranquilizing tea, his brows slowly furrowed, and a hint of gravitas and sharpness emerged in his cold eyes. Shang Ruyi continued, "And, is Duke Wushan going?"

"...!"

Upon hearing this, a flash of brilliance shot through Yu Wenye’s eyes.

This question from Shang Ruyi clearly struck a chord with him, and after a moment’s silence, he said gravely, "He’s going."

"..."

"Not only is he going, but he also asked for permission to bring his daughter along."

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.

Indeed!

She said gravely, "I’ve always found it strange. Ever since the last incident, Yu Mingyue has been silent, which is not her usual style. If she’s been silent, she’s likely plotting something bigger."

"..."

"Even if this matter has nothing to do with her, it’s definitely part of her plan."

Saying this, Shang Ruyi looked at Yu Wenye with gleaming eyes, "Don’t forget, she can know everything!"

To say she knows everything is somewhat exaggerated. While they can possibly know some significant ancient events, many small matters unworthy of the historian’s pen are lost in the river of history, remaining obscure. But Shang Ruyi had been evaluating the grand victory in the Song and Xu States and Fan Cheng’en’s surrender; no matter what, these weren’t trivial matters, and Yu Mingyue surely knew about them.

And that confidential report and its content—even if she didn’t know beforehand, Yu Wenqian would probably tell her what he knew.

Thus, her holding back her forces must have another agenda.

Sure enough, after hearing what she said, Yu Wenye’s expression became even more grave, yet he remained silent, his eyes showing greater concern and worry as he looked toward Shang Ruyi’s prominently swollen belly, already eight months along. With over a month still to go before delivery, he had already silently started counting the days.

These days, he didn’t want to leave his wife’s side for a moment.

He said, "I will let Fu Ming accompany him on the journey."

Shang Ruyi’s eyes widened slightly—Shen Wuzheng?

Right, compared to military maneuvers, Shen Wuzheng had a more precise grasp of court affairs and people’s minds than any of them. If Yu Mingyue indeed had some sinister intentions, or if there were any other arrangements for this situation, sending Shen Wuzheng should provide countermeasures.

Yet Shang Ruyi still felt some hesitation, "But, I’m still not at ease."

Yu Wenye looked at her, half-jokingly, "Is it that you’re not at ease, or that you make others uneasy? Have you figured it out?"

"Ah?"

"Besides, earlier you and he—you guys, what were you talking about?"