Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Shang Ruyi stepped forward and knelt, saying, "Greetings to Father Emperor!"

Behind her, Chu Ruoyan, Tushere, and the others also knelt to the ground, saying, "Greetings to the Emperor."

Even though she was under house arrest, she was still Princess Qin, and because the events of that night had not been concluded, Yu Wenquan did not even allow the palace to spread rumors about it. So, Shang Ruyi was not treated harshly in Chengqian Hall. Before coming here, someone even helped her freshen up, so she looked clean and presentable. However, upon closer inspection, one could see her eyes filled with red veins and a haggard expression.

Seeing her like this, Yu Wenquan’s heart softened a bit.

But there was not a hint of change on his face, and he only said, "What, is the meaning of this?"

Shang Ruyi raised her head. From the moment she entered Liangyi Hall, she saw Han Shanggong standing aside, clearly noticing Han Yuhui’s face turning pale when they walked in, especially when Wo Xue held that little eunuch in her hand. But at this moment, she did not immediately target this person, instead saying loudly, "Father Emperor, your daughter is unjustly accused."

Yu Wenquan frowned slightly and said, "Wronged or not, I need to see evidence. It’s not something you can clarify with just a word."

Shang Ruyi immediately raised her head and said, "Of course, I have evidence."

"Where is the evidence?"

"It’s in that letter presented to Father Emperor that night, that so-called letter I wrote to Sun Xianyue."

"Oh? Is there a problem with that letter?"

"Yes."

Shang Ruyi said, "Before pointing out the problem, I would like to ask Father Emperor to allow me to send someone back to Qianqiu Palace to fetch some other supporting evidence."

Yu Wenquan pondered for a moment, then pointed with his hand and said, "Liu Yu, you go."

Liu Yu immediately stepped forward from beside him, and Shang Ruyi was somewhat surprised because usually, Yu Wenquan was served closely by Chief Eunuch Yu Mingli. Today, however, it was another Chief Eunuch, Liu Yu.

Where had Eunuch Yu gone?

Although curious, she couldn’t bother with this now, so she signaled to Tushere behind her. Tushere immediately got up and left with Liu Yu.

As soon as they left, the atmosphere in the hall became even more peculiar.

Yu Wenquan looked at Shang Ruyi, then at Chu Ruoyan and the others behind her, and said, "Ruyi, why did you come here together with them? Could it be for your own matter?"

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and said, "Your daughter has been reflecting on everything that happened during her house arrest in Chengqian Hall these past two days, originally planning to think it through carefully, gather enough evidence, and then report back to Father Emperor to clear her name. But unexpectedly, before your daughter could clear her own name, someone already took advantage of this period of house arrest to harm Yuan Qian!"

"What!?"

Hearing this, Yu Wenquan’s face immediately darkened: "You said someone is harming my Imperial Grandson?"

"Yes!"

"What’s going on? Speak clearly!"

Shang Ruyi did not speak, but turned to look, and Chu Ruoyan, who was kneeling beside her, immediately raised her head and said, "Your Majesty, a few days ago, your daughter took Yuan Qian to Jinyu Garden for care. But starting the night before last, Yuan Qian had a fever, cried endlessly, and refused to eat. Your daughter was worried he might have whooping cough, so called Doctor Ding from the Imperial Medical Bureau to prescribe medicine."

Yu Wenquan asked anxiously, "Has Yuan Qian’s condition improved?"

Chu Ruoyan said, "Yesterday, after taking the medicine for the first time, his condition improved. He was willing to eat and didn’t cry much. But at midnight, his sleep was very restless, and in the morning, he cried nonstop and started convulsing and retching. Both your daughter and Nanny Feng thought it was whooping cough, so we called the Imperial Medical Bureau’s doctors again. After reconsidering the prescription, we gave Yuan Qian the medicine again."

Yu Wenquan’s face darkened, and his expression showed some anxiety: "Could it be that the prescription is problematic?"

Chu Ruoyan said, "Before coming, your daughter had already asked the Imperial Medical Bureau to review the prescription, and there are no issues with it."

"Then, is there a problem with the decoction?"

"Exactly,"

As Chu Ruoyan spoke, she signaled to Panqing beside her. Panqing immediately handed over the medicine bowl she had been carefully holding throughout the journey. Yu Wenquan took it and glanced at it, "Is it this bowl?"

"Yes."

"What’s the issue?"

Chu Ruoyan said, "Since Yuan Qian arrived at Jinyu Garden, all his food and clothes have been handled by your daughter, including his medications, which your daughter tasted first to ensure it’s safe before giving it to Yuan Qian," hearing this, Shang Ruyi glanced at her with red eyes, but Chu Ruoyan did not notice and continued, "The previous bowl of medicine was slightly stronger in taste, so your daughter did not smell anything unusual. But because Yuan Qian’s condition worsened after taking it, your daughter had Doctor Ding adjust the prescription and reduce the dosage, so this bowl of decoction has a lighter flavor."

Yu Wenquan lowered his head and smelled it, indeed it was so.

Chu Ruoyan said, "And when this bowl of decoction was delivered today, your daughter smelled a strong scent of clove, but there is no clove in the prescription. So your daughter immediately had the person who delivered the medicine arrested and found this on them!"

She finished speaking and took something out from her sleeve. Yu Wenquan signaled with a glance, and the little eunuch assisting him immediately stepped up to take the item and bring it to him. Upon seeing it, it was the lid placed on the medicine bowl by the Imperial Medical Bureau every time decoction is delivered.

On top was a piece of yellow paper with small-seal script, specifying the prescription and the person using the medicine.

Yu Wenquan looked at it and said, "Is there an issue with this?"

Chu Ruoyan said, "Father Emperor, please look at the inside of the lid."

"Inside?"

Upon her words, Yu Wenquan turned the lid over and found that the inside was stained with a lot of powder. He pinched some with his fingers and brought it to his nose, a strong, pungent aroma immediately assaulted him. Yu Wenquan frowned slightly and said, "This is—"

Chu Ruoyan said, "This is clove powder."

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenquan’s face immediately darkened.

Even though he was occupied with handling countless state affairs daily, some small matters around him might escape his attention, but some things are not so easily overlooked—for instance, Yuan Qian’s allergy to clove, something deeply engraved in his mind since last time.

And yet, someone had applied clove powder, which could cause Yuan Qian to react, to the lid of the medicine bowl he used!

Chu Ruoyan said, "Yuan Qian’s allergy to clove is common knowledge at the Imperial Medical Bureau, and they naturally wouldn’t add clove to his medicine. And anyone with ill intentions against him wouldn’t blatantly open the lid midway and add clove powder into the decoction, as that would be too conspicuous."

Speaking thus far, Chu Ruoyan glanced sideways and said, "This method is very similar to how I was framed last time when sending hawthorn cakes to Qianqiu Palace."

Yu Wenquan’s expression became grave once more.