Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Shang Ruyi was taken aback, staring at him with disbelief.

Lou Yingxiong, committed suicide out of fear!

She immediately turned over and got out of bed, sitting by Yu Wenye, and spoke in a low voice tinged with tension: "Is it truly a hanging suicide?"

"... "

"Could it be—"

Yu Wenye turned to look at her, a gleam in his eyes—this was precisely what he was thinking when he first heard this news. However, he didn’t ask the little eunuch who brought the message; instead, he listened quietly, then had Chang Wan reward the messenger with a silver ingot before turning back. Now, hearing Shang Ruyi pose the same question, he pondered and said, "Even if it wasn’t suicide, there’s nothing else to uncover."

"... "

"They act decisively, without leaving traces."

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.

Yu Wenye’s "they" referred to the Crown Prince and those around him. Yesterday’s incident had caused Lou Yingxiong to fall from grace, but the Emperor did not punish him immediately; instead, he was imprisoned, indicating further interrogation would ensue. This raised new questions—besides plotting against Pei Xingyuan, might Lou Yingxiong harbor other secrets?

Do these secrets involve the Crown Prince?

If revealed, how should they be handled?

Therefore, Lou Yingxiong, who had lost the Emperor’s trust and could no longer lead troops in the Eastern Capital expedition, benefited the Crown Prince with his death, whether voluntary or not. If the Crown Prince truly orchestrated his death, regardless of voluntary suicide, forced suicide, or murder, his tactics would leave no trace or evidence.

Even—

Shang Ruyi suddenly wondered why Yu Wenquan did not interrogate overnight but held Lou Yingxiong for a night—why was that?

With this thought, she felt a chill rise from the bottom of her heart, permeating her entire body, causing her to shiver involuntarily, and hurriedly asked, "How will Father handle this matter then?"

Yu Wenye replied, "Since he’s dead, and it’s a suicide out of fear, given the ’main culprit’ is at large, this case has no grounds for further investigation."

With that, he sighed gently and said, "So this matter will, thus, come to an end."

Shang Ruyi furrowed her brows: "But Pei Xingyuan, will he never have a chance?"

"Not necessarily."

"Why?"

Yu Wenye shook his head with a smile: "You pondered over this, but now you’ve forgotten?"

"Ah!"

Shang Ruyi suddenly recalled something, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Right, if this time really—"

Upon saying this, the two exchanged glances, Shang Ruyi refrained from speaking further, yet a gleam shone in their eyes. Yu Wenye adjusted the clothing slipping off her shoulder and said, "Let’s wait for Father’s decree."

The decree arrived swiftly.

During the morning court, Yu Wenquan issued a decree appointing Yu Wenye as the Shandong Road Grand Minister of the Imperial Council, tasked with leading thirty thousand elite troops to reinforce Cijian, departing in five days.

Upon hearing this news, the burden that had weighed heavily on Shang Ruyi’s heart shattered into dust; she first exhaled deeply, then joyfully exclaimed, "This is great! Truly great!" to Yu Wenye.

Finally, after the rain, the sky clears.

He finally gets to lead troops into battle!

Watching Shang Ruyi’s eyes curve into two smiling lines, Yu Wenye also smiled. This outcome was what he’d dreamed of day and night for days, yet now that it was before him, he seemed calm, only smiling slightly, with restrained ambition in his cold, stern eyes: "Yes, it’s great."

After the initial excitement passed, Shang Ruyi immediately sensed his calmness.

Naturally, Yu Wenye wasn’t one to openly express emotions, and when confronted with significant upheavals, he became even more composed.

Yet his calmness at this moment seemed tinged with other emotions.

Shang Ruyi pondered again, then said, "But departing in five days? Isn’t that quite delayed?"

Yu Wenye gave her a glance and replied, "Father originally decreed to depart in three days."

"Why then—?"

"It was I who mentioned that comprehensive preparations were necessary for the army’s departure, hence five days."

"Hmm?"

Shang Ruyi immediately sensed something amiss, looking at Yu Wenye with a hint of surprise: "Why?"

Yu Wenye looked at her: "What do you think?"

The initial joy, like a surging tide, now gradually subsided within Shang Ruyi’s heart, with reason reclaiming her mind. Reconsidering Yu Wenquan’s decree, she immediately said, "This time, you were granted only thirty thousand troops?"

Recall, during the previous Fufeng expedition, Yu Wenye took fifty thousand troops, though another hundred thousand were already awaiting him in Fufeng. Despite losing eighty thousand to Xue Xian before reaching Fufeng, several thousands were still left for command.

But this time—from Shen Tu Tai’s letters, it was clear Yu Wencheng’s forces were nearly decimated. Even if Shen Tu Tai and Shen Wuzheng preserved all they could, combining with Yu Wenye’s forces wouldn’t exceed fifty thousand.

In this scenario, how to contest the tens of thousands of troops in Luoyang?

Watching Yu Wenye’s deep-set eyes, Shang Ruyi furrowed her brow, heavily stating: "You want more troops from Father, hence delaying departure?"

Yu Wenye shook his head, saying, "The court can only muster this group presently. If the Capital’s defense is too weak—"

Here, his tone grew solemn.

Shang Ruyi immediately understood, for though tumult swept the realm now, even with Yu Wenquan as Emperor in one corner of Central Pass, besides Luoyang as the greatest foe, there were also many peripheral warlords. Though not a direct threat, one must guard against their opportunistic advances.

Moreover, there’s still the Turkic threat hanging, like a sword above their heads.

Recalling past clashes with Ashina Zhuxie, Shang Ruyi’s chill intensified.

Thus, the thirty thousand Yu Wenquan provided was the court’s limit, should this Eastern Capital assault fail, Yu Wenquan might struggle to advance eastward in the short term.

Shang Ruyi said: "Then, why delay these few days?"

Yu Wenye glanced at her and replied, "As Shandong Road Grand Minister of the Imperial Council, naturally I must serve the court; however—"

"However what?"

"But as Yu Wenye, I can’t always toil for others, especially this time, which requires staking my life!"

When on the battlefield, one must surely stake their life, but Shang Ruyi understood, this battle would be harder than any before, requiring the utmost sacrifice.

Thus—

She widened her eyes at Yu Wenye: "You, you wouldn’t possibly want—"