Chapter 199 - 144:
Thinking about this, Lu Ziyuan’s mood really improved.
Human grief and joy are different; while he was happy, Xie Wanqing’s heart seemed to sink to the icy depths, chilling her to the bone.
Her own husband, scheming against her like this, who could feel good about it?
She stared blankly for a long while, her face turning pale again and again, starting to doubt whether her decision to actively seek marriage was a mistake.
To avoid Lu Ziyuan, she hastily married a man who turned out to be full of schemes and tricks, playing her like a toy from beginning to end.
The problem was, Lu Ziyuan hadn’t been avoided.
Moreover, his real identity was as a prince, and the future Emperor.
If she had known Lu Ziyuan’s real identity earlier, Xie Wanqing would have been more cautious, at least not using such an offending way to evade him, risking the Xie family being implicated and settled scores with in the future.
... Were his initial shyness, youth, and the way he let her bully him also just an act?
She took the initiative to kiss him, hug him, ask him if he would marry her...
In fact, it was all within his calculations.
She absent-mindedly lifted her eyes, looking across, Lu Ziyuan’s lips slowly curved into a smile, offering her a reassuring smile.
Xie Wanqing: "..."
This one is not a good person either, his methods likely no less than Pei Yuqing, maybe even more ruthless and heartless, with a possessiveness over her that borders on madness, a madman who won’t let go even in death.
Her heart was trembling, feeling as if the road ahead were pitch black.
Constantly caught between these two men, can she ever lead a peaceful life?
Perhaps not much better than her past life...
She wandered through many thoughts, Lu Ziyuan could not read minds and couldn’t fully grasp her thoughts.
But he knew, the girl must have already had a rift with that sickly fellow.
Thus, all his scheming wasn’t in vain.
He smiled deeper and said softly, "Wanwan, let’s make a bet, see if his scheming stops here. If you win, I’ll let you go back with him."
Upon hearing ’go back,’ Xie Wanqing forced herself to perk up a little, saying, "Speak."
"I brought you here without disguising my whereabouts. With that sickly fellow’s ability, he should be about to come looking for you."
Lu Ziyuan’s fingers rhythmically tapped on the tabletop, talking on one side, unable to resist holding her hand on the other.
"I bet he’ll bring quite a few people along..." Successfully capturing the soft hand in his palm, he squeezed it, adding with a laugh, "To catch an adulterer."
These two words made Xie Wanqing’s struggles freeze, she instantaneously refuted, "Absolutely impossible!"
"Then do you want to bet?" Lu Ziyuan solemnly adjusted his expression, seriously said, "If he comes with people other than the Qingtian Guard, you cannot go back with him."
Today, he restored his status as the legitimate prince and was appointed as Prince Zhenbei, his influence at its zenith, just a step away from becoming Crown Prince.
And Qi Mingyu’s future father-in-law Mr. Chen has been imprisoned, compared to both sides, he couldn’t believe that sickly fellow wouldn’t be anxious.
After all, if he really ascends to the position of Crown Prince and properly mounts the throne...
And now such an opportunity is rare; that sickly fellow only needs to bring several officials over to witness him abducting someone to the military camp.
No minister would support a prince who openly abducts a minister’s wife, bullies men and women, and neglects personal virtue.
Even though Xie Wanqing was not very informed about court matters, she didn’t know that the person in front of her had restored his real identity and was appointed as Prince Zhenbei, but she wasn’t foolish; in just a few moments, she figured out these intricate plots.
Once Lu Ziyuan’s abduction of a minister’s wife is spread, such arrogant and domineering conduct would surely make impeachment petitions pile up on the Imperial Desk, even if Your Majesty favors him, he would surely face difficulties.
After all, does any family not have a wife or daughter?
And as another party involved, what would be her outcome?
Xie Wanqing kept shaking her head, unwilling to believe that Pei Yuqing would do such a thing.
If he brought so many people, was he not afraid that she couldn’t withstand the gossip...?
Wasn’t he afraid she would be angry?
As if understanding her thoughts, Lu Ziyuan sneered, "If he dares to bring people, of course, he can find reasons that won’t make you angry."
"Besides, if I truly did wrong to you, with that sickly fellow’s full belly of schemes, he can probably deceive you into relying only on him in the future."
After this incident, the Pei family and Xie family would surely fall into gossip, Duke Pei and the Eldest Princess, even if they continued to endure this daughter-in-law, wouldn’t show a good face thereafter.
In contrast, wouldn’t an older, gentle, and tolerant man be worth relying on?