Chapter 199 I Have a Way

Shen Qingci gently pushed Chu Jichen away, her clear phoenix eyes filled with a hint of helplessness: "What's wrong with Your Highness now?"

Chu Jichen, however, took the opportunity to grasp her hand and refused to let go, his face completely innocent.

He chuckled softly, his voice slightly hoarse: "Although we were both in the same residence before, I was often busy with government affairs, and you also had your own matters to attend to. We were mostly apart, so I didn't feel anything was wrong."

He paused, then pulled her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, looking at her intently: "But these past few days, we've been spending so much time together every day, I've gotten used to it. Suddenly being apart for two or three hours like this feels quite strange."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci couldn't help but roll her eyes, completely ignoring his words. She simply withdrew her hand and asked seriously, "Your Highness, did you come all this way for something important?"

Chu Jichen then curled the corners of his lips, the playful look on his face fading slightly: "There is such a thing, but... it's not a big deal."

He slowly poured himself a cup of tea before saying, "Emperor Yongming summoned the Prime Minister's wife to the palace today to question Consort Shu about her pregnancy."

"When the Prime Minister's wife heard that Emperor Yongming had been taking contraceptives, she was greatly shocked. She immediately made a promise to Emperor Yongming that she would find out the truth and give His Majesty an explanation."

"After Emperor Yongming left, she privately questioned Consort Shu about who the adulterer was and whose child it was."

A hint of mockery flashed in Chu Jichen's eyes. "Consort Shu insisted that the child was Emperor Yongming's. The Prime Minister's wife did not believe it and argued with Consort Shu in the palace for half a day before finally leaving. As soon as she left the palace, she immediately sent someone to the Yongning Marquis's residence to invite Liu Ruolan over."

"Now, the Prime Minister's wife is waiting for Liu Ruolan in Yunmeng Tower."

Shen Qingci raised her eyes, her gaze shifting slightly: "Yunmeng Tower? Isn't that my place?"

"Yes." Chu Jichen nodded, a smile in his eyes. "It's the place where you saw me 'meeting' with someone in the play."

Shen Qingci's lips slowly curved into a knowing smile: "That's quite a coincidence."

"It's not exactly a coincidence," Chu Jichen smiled and explained, "Yunmenglou is one of the top restaurants in the capital. In addition, your dowry shops were managed by Liu Ruolan before, so she probably used to entertain guests at Yunmenglou. Perhaps that's why the Prime Minister's wife chose to have it there."

Shen Qingci's eyes darted around, then met Chu Jichen's gaze. She smiled and suggested, "Shall we listen to a play?"

"Listen," Chu Jichen said decisively.

Without any delay, the two quickly arrived at Yunmeng Tower again.

This time, they went directly to the room next to the Prime Minister's wife's private room, without any trouble.

Liu Ruolan has not arrived yet.

Shen Qingci poured herself a cup of tea, her voice tinged with uncertainty: "She won't not come, will she? After all, the Prime Minister's wife tried to force her to apologize to me before."

"No." Chu Jichen's tone was full of certainty.

After thinking about it carefully, Shen Qingci realized that it made sense.

Now that she has "disappeared," Liu Ruolan naturally doesn't need to worry about the Prime Minister's wife forcing her to apologize.

Moreover, Liu Ruolan had just learned that Huo Yunzhan had drugged her and arranged for another man to sleep with her. She must already be utterly disappointed in Huo Yunzhan and had no intention of getting pregnant with that stranger's child, and was preparing to find someone else.

If one wants to climb the social ladder, going through the Prime Minister's wife is naturally the best way.

Sure enough, just as Shen Qingci was thinking, the sound of a door opening came from next door, and Liu Ruolan arrived.

Her voice held a hint of hesitation: "Mother, why did you call me here in such a hurry?"

The Prime Minister's wife curled her lip, her voice full of sarcasm: "I thought you planned to stay in the Yongning Marquis's mansion for the rest of your life and completely sever ties with our Prime Minister's mansion."

Liu Ruolan's tone softened instantly, tinged with embarrassment: "Mother, what are you saying?"

"Alright," the Prime Minister's wife seemed unwilling to waste any more words with her. "Now that that bitch Shen Qingci has disappeared, I will let bygones be bygones for the time being. But now, there is a very important matter that I need your help with."

Upon hearing that it had nothing to do with Shen Qingci, Liu Ruolan immediately perked up and hurriedly said, "Mother, please tell me."

The Prime Minister's wife seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly speaking: "Do you know that your sister... is pregnant?"

Liu Ruolan nodded, smiling broadly, her voice filled with joy: "I understand! Sister, the timing of your pregnancy is perfect! Being pregnant at this time will definitely help our Liu family solidify its position!"

The Prime Minister's wife's face darkened instantly: "Consolidate your position?"

She shook her head: "His Majesty suspects that the child... is not his."

"What?" Liu Ruolan's voice was filled with shock. "How could this be?"

Then the Prime Minister's wife told him in detail about how the Regent Prince had been secretly giving Emperor Yongming contraceptives.

After saying that, he sighed deeply again: "According to His Majesty, the child in your sister's belly cannot possibly be His Majesty's."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruolan was also very surprised. Then, as if she had thought of something, she murmured to herself, "No wonder... Sister has been in the palace for more than two years and has always been very favored, but she has never been pregnant."

"Not only her, but no one else in the harem has been rumored to be pregnant. This is indeed... somewhat abnormal."

The Prime Minister's wife nodded, her brows furrowed: "I tried every possible way to ask her today, but your sister refused to say anything, insisting that the child was His Majesty's."

She paused, biting her lower lip lightly: "I've been thinking that you and your sister have had a good relationship since childhood. After she entered the palace, she often summoned you to the palace to speak. So, I want you to go to the palace and try to find out from your sister who the real father of the child in her womb is."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruolan reacted almost immediately. She looked around warily to make sure there was no one else in or outside the private room before lowering her voice even further: "It's not difficult for me to go to the palace to talk to my sister."

“But…” she frowned. “Mother, think about it. If the child in my sister’s belly really isn’t His Majesty’s, then wouldn’t our Liu family… be implicated?”

Her voice was filled with an undeniable certainty: "The child in my sister's womb must be His Majesty's! And can only be His Majesty's!"

The Prime Minister's wife frowned deeply, her voice filled with helplessness and frustration: "His Majesty insists that the Regent has been giving him contraceptives, and that the child can't possibly be his. What... what can we do?"

"I have a way." A chilling glint flashed in Liu Ruolan's eyes. "I have a way!"