Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

"What?"

Upon hearing that Princess Qin had fallen ill, Yu Wenquan immediately furrowed his brow, and Yu Wenqian, who had just sat down, uttered a startled gasp. Yu Wenquan glanced at him but said nothing, then turned to look at Eunuch Yu, "What happened? Wasn’t she fine yesterday?"

Eunuch Yu said, "I also asked Doctor Su, and heard that she caught a cold from the wind, coupled with being scared these past two days, so she fell ill last night."

"A cold?"

"Yes. Because she’s afraid of receiving visitors, I heard Tao Jieyu just went to visit and was persuaded to leave."

"..."

Yu Wenquan fell silent upon hearing this.

Yu Wenqian was ready to get up, but upon hearing the last sentence, he sank back down, his already pale complexion growing even more severe.

Yu Wenquan was silent for a moment and waved his hand to Eunuch Yu, who was about to turn and leave, when suddenly he asked, "Doctor Su is back?"

Eunuch Yu hurried back to reply, "Yes."

"Summon her here."

"Ah, yes."

Eunuch Yu took the order and turned to leave, but before he exited the hall, he was called back by Yu Wenquan who paused briefly before waving his hand, saying, "No need to bring her here. You may go."

"Yes."

Eunuch Yu dared not say more and withdrew from Liangyi Hall.

Yu Wenquan sat behind the royal desk, contemplated for a brief moment before sighing, then looked towards Yu Wenqian, whose expression had grown even more solemn than before, and said, "Rest for a while, you should return as well."

"Father..."

"Go back!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenqian seemed to understand there was no room for maneuver, at least not presently. He could only slowly rise, using his shaky legs to support his faltering body, bowed to Yu Wenquan, then slowly withdrew from Liangyi Hall.

After leaving the hall, he did not return to his Crown Prince Mansion but instead headed towards Qianqiu Palace.

Soon he arrived outside Qianqiu Palace, indeed seeing the door tightly shut.

The attendant following him whispered, "Your Highness, perhaps we should return."

"..."

Yu Wenqian waved his hand at him, then stepped forward and actually knocked on the door of Qianqiu Palace himself. The surroundings were silent, and though his knocking was not loud, it was resonant.

Before long, a somewhat frantic sound of footsteps was heard inside, and then the door was slightly opened.

It revealed a somewhat surprised half-face of Tushere.

Seeing Yu Wenqian outside the door, she was initially full of surprise but still held onto the door and softly said, "Your Highness, forgive my rudeness."

Yu Wenqian calmly said, "I heard Princess Qin is ill, I’ve come to visit."

Tushere smiled apologetically, "Please forgive my impertinence, Your Highness, the Princess is indeed ill, she’s infected with a cold and is currently weak, the Medical Minister insisted she must rest quietly, so she cannot see Your Highness for now."

Hearing this, the attendant behind Yu Wenqian immediately stepped forward and sternly said, "Audacious! How dare you block the Crown Prince!"

Yu Wenqian turned back and gestured, so the attendant could only step back. Though startled by the attendant’s roar, Tushere still held onto the door firmly and smiled apologetically, "Forgive my impertinence, Your Highness, how dare I obstruct Your Highness, I only look out for Your Highness. The Medical Minister stated, the Princess’s illness might be contagious, earlier Zhang Jieyu and Tao Jieyu and several madams came to visit but all returned."

"..."

"I hope Your Highness doesn’t misunderstand me."

Yu Wenqian looked at her for a while and calmly said, "Alright."

"..."

"Also, please convey my wishes to Princess Qin, may she—soon, recover."

Upon hearing him stress "soon", Tushere was momentarily taken aback but quickly plastered a smile on her face, "I shall certainly convey Your Highness’s kind wishes to the Princess."

Yu Wenqian nodded, then left with the attendant.

Watching them until their backs disappeared, Tushere then immediately shut the door, hurriedly returning to the inner chamber where Shang Ruyi was leisurely reading by the window, Little Yuan Qian was crawling around nearby, Su Qinglan had visited, examined the medicine and pills provided by Lin Shian, and said they were very effective; indeed, after just one night, the little fellow was lively, had it not been for Shang Ruyi occasionally pulling his clothes to prevent him from sprawling to the ground.

When Tushere entered, the little fellow was caught by Shang Ruyi, unable to move, crying out loudly. Tushere hurriedly approached to pick him up, then said, "Princess, the Crown Prince came."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi set down her book, "What did he say?"

Tushere said, "He claimed to come to visit the sick, I used Doctor Su’s words to tactfully refuse him."

"He just left?"

"Yes, but his attendant was quite fierce."

Shang Ruyi faintly smiled and said, "He left rather straightforwardly."

Tushere said, "However, he asked me to give a message, wishing the Princess a speedy recovery."

Upon saying this, Tushere placed the struggling Little Yuan Qian back onto the bed, leaned close to Shang Ruyi and whispered, "Doesn’t he know the Princess is pretending to be ill?"

Shang Ruyi lowered her eyelids, calmly saying, "The Crown Prince has extraordinary insight, my little trick naturally can’t fool him."

"..."

"Not only him, I’m afraid even the Emperor is aware I’m feigning illness."

Tushere widened her eyes, "Since everyone knows the Princess is pretending, why does the Princess continue to pretend?"

Shang Ruyi smiled and glanced at her, "What do you think?"

"..."

Tushere looked up at the ceiling, pondered a moment, and said, "This time the Crown Prince entered the palace to plead for Han Yuhui, but the Emperor likely won’t agree, he came to persuade the Princess?"

Shang Ruyi nodded with a smile, "Yes, you understand."

"..."

"In this matter, the biggest victim is Yuan Qian, followed by me. Yuan Qian cannot speak, if the Emperor is to relent and give Han Yuhui a chance to live, the only way is for the victims to forgive her. If I don’t relent, even if the Emperor genuinely wishes to spare her life, he cannot."

Tushere gently nodded, pondered for a moment and then suddenly said, "Then, does the Emperor wish to spare her life?"

"..."

Upon hearing this question, Shang Ruyi’s smile froze.

She was silent for a moment, then said, "You asked me yesterday, if there was ample evidence, why didn’t the Emperor directly punish her but handed her over to the Ministry of Justice; the answer seems to lie here."

Tushere said, "The Emperor still wishes to spare her life?"

Shang Ruyi replied, "It appears so."

"..."

Tushere bowed her head, pondered further, and her usually cheeky and innocent face suddenly showed a hint of worry. She widened her eyes to look at Shang Ruyi and asked, "Princess, if the Emperor wishes to spare her life but you insist she must die, will it—"