Chapter 34 Wei Yunpan, how can I get a divorce? ...

Upon returning to the inn, Wei Xichen fell into a deep sleep again, his jade-like face pale and colorless.

Illness strikes like a landslide; even if it's caused by mental illness, without a cure for the mind, the right medicine cannot be prescribed.

The old eunuch saw this and sighed repeatedly, but dared not let the Crown Prince hear. He walked alone into the courtyard of the post station, his face full of worry.

Meow~

The cat's meow suddenly rang out, especially clear in the quiet night.

The inn was brightly lit with lanterns. The old eunuch followed the sound and walked to the plum tree in the courtyard, where he saw a small tabby cat perched on a branch.

Where did this cat come from?

The innkeeper ran over, shook his head, and said, "It probably sneaked in from outside. I'll throw it out right away."

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Given Qi Bao's experience of being injured, the old eunuch had no desire to see any more cats and dogs in the courtyard.

"Bring it in."

Before the innkeeper could make a move, a clear, slightly hoarse voice suddenly came from the second-floor corridor.

Wei Xichen, wearing a crane cloak, stood in front of the railing, looking down at the little tabby cat on the plum tree. It was thin and small; if it were thrown on the street, it would most likely starve to death.

Fu Zhongcai grabbed the snarling little tabby cat and ran up to the second-floor veranda. "Your Highness, please go back inside to avoid catching a cold."

A gentle breeze on a summer night can be comforting, but it is too much for someone suffering from fever due to exhaustion.

Wei Xichen took the little tabby cat from his arms and patted its head. "Get some goat milk."

Although the little guy was small in size, he had a very imposing presence, and he kept breathing out air, which made Wei Xichen laugh.

A beautiful figure unconsciously appeared before my eyes. When we first met as children, she looked just like this, proud yet charming.

Since it was found on a plum tree, let's call it "Nian Nian".

Whether driven by personal motives or by genuine feelings, Wei Xichen felt a connection with this little cat, given that they met on this particular day and at this particular time.

After wiping the milk foam from the kitten's mouth and patting it to help it burp, Wei Xichen let the kitten crawl into his sleeve and then out of his collar from the back of his shirt.

My mood lightened considerably after finding the kitten.

He leaned back in his recliner, quietly gazing at the bright moon outside the window, accompanied by his little tabby cat, who had fallen asleep on his lap sometime earlier.

**

The next day, before dawn, Qibao was scratching her head and howling incessantly through the crack in the door.

Jiang Yinyue stood at the door, looking at it helplessly.

Before Wei Qin went to his post, Jiang Yinyue stammered, "If I have some free time after my shift ends..."

"good."

She stopped talking, afraid he would overthink it, but he calmly agreed, not wanting to put her in a difficult position.

Wei Qin took the doll from Qi Bao's mouth, bounced it in his hand as a gesture, which made Qi Bao grin.

As dusk fell, Wei Qin took Qi Bao to the post station. As soon as they entered, Qi Bao, familiar with the place, darted up to the second floor.

It was as if we were in an empty place.

None of the guards stopped them.

Wei Qin could only stand downstairs and wait for his name to be announced. After a while, he was led into a small room on the second floor.

"Your Highness, this humble subject greets you."

No need for formalities.

As a subject, I should be concerned about the Crown Prince's health. "How is Your Highness recovering?"

"Much better."

Wei Xichen, who was sniffing each other with Qi Bao and the little raccoon, smiled faintly, his calm and unhurried attitude revealing the noble air of someone in a high position.

From the moment Wei Qin appeared, he didn't even glance at him, let alone treat him any differently.

Fu Zhongcai, who was standing to the side, saw it clearly. He hadn't understood before, but now he understood. His Highness didn't treat other commendable newly promoted officials in this way.

How could someone so eager to recruit talent have such an attitude...?

Qi Bao stared at the frightened little tabby cat, arched its back, and stuck out its butt and stretched forward, only to be hit on the head by the little tabby cat's invisible punch.

The little tabby cat jumped onto Wei Xichen's shoulder, extremely wary.

Qi Bao watched as its owner stood up and "lifted" the little tabby cat to a height it couldn't reach. Just as Wei Xichen bent down to stroke its head, it suddenly ran back to Wei Qin's side and snuggled close to Wei Qin's leg.

I feel wronged.

Wei Xichen hurriedly went to Qi Bao, wanting to hug it, but Qi Bao, with its head drooping, avoided him.

Wei Qin remained silent and bought a lot of food for Qi Bao on the way back.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yinyue scoffed, "That's fine too. We won't have to bring Qibao to see him anymore."

They are fickle and easily bored.

Jiang Yinyue sat in the courtyard with Qibao in her arms, watching the bright moon in the clouds together.

I used to think the Crown Prince was the bright moon, but now he's just a reflection in the water, easily shattered.

In the post station, Wei Xichen, who was working on official documents while ill, put down his pen. Thinking of Qi Bao's drooping head, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

The image of whoever raised the animal resembles that animal is vividly embodied in this moment.

Jiang Yinyue had the same reaction when she saw Yan Zhuyi beside him.

The little tabby cat jumped onto the table and rubbed its head against the back of his hand.

Wei Xichen held it in his hands and examined it closely under the lamp. It lacked Yan Zhuyi's gentle and obsequious nature, and resembled Jiang Yinyue, who was both stubborn and proud.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt compassion.

Fu Zhongcai's familiar and hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Wei Xichen turned his head and furrowed his brows.

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess has arrived!"

A slender hand, stained with nail polish, tossed aside the brocade cloak it was holding. As the door opened, she covered her lips with her orchid-like fingers and giggled, "Your Highness won't blame me for my sudden visit, will you?"

"aunt......"

The newcomer wore a long, dark green dress, had a plump and slender figure, and although she was over thirty, she showed no signs of aging.

"Since Zheng Qianshi has displeased Your Highness, I have come to Yangzhou specifically to apologize. Isn't that sincere enough?"

Wei Xichen stepped forward, naturally extending his hand, and gave the woman's personal guard a deep look, saying, "I was worried that my aunt would blame me."

"How could that be? How could a greedy gigolo possibly have the ability to ruin our aunt-nephew relationship?" The palace secrets that outsiders dared not speak of were no secret to the eldest princess. She took the crown prince's arm, gracefully entered the small room, and glanced at the tabby cat on the table. "Your Highness really likes these cats and dogs. What should we call it?"

"Nian Nian".

The eldest princess raised the corners of her narrow eyes and smiled meaningfully.

**

The news of the Emperor's sister's visit to Yangzhou spread like wildfire. Not only the Yangzhou Prefect, but even the Dowager Consort Xu personally paid a visit to her.

The princess did not stay at the post station, but instead chose a private estate owned by a renowned salt merchant in the city.

The vast manor was filled with countless guards, yet only one person could get close to the princess, who had neither surrendered nor intended to.

"Huo Yi, summon Wei Qin to see me."

Beside the pond where daylilies bloom, the eldest princess slowly spoke.

The handsome and tall bodyguard Huo Yi bowed and withdrew, then rode off to the Salt Transport Office.

When Wei Qin, who was still on duty, heard the announcement from the Princess, he did not show the panic that Prefect Lin Yu had when he learned that the Princess had arrived in Yangzhou; he remained as calm as ever.

"Please wait a moment."

Huo Yi said, enunciating each word clearly, "Wei Yunpan, the Princess requests your presence."

Huo Yi sat on a tall horse, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit and brocade boots, exuding the aloofness of a palace guard.

Although his rank is lower than that of Zheng Qianshi, he has recently gained special favor and has become somewhat arrogant due to this favor.

After tidying up the official documents, Wei Qin leisurely walked to the other old horse that Huo Yi had brought.

The two hurried to the manor one after the other. Huo Yi's horse was of far superior pedigree to the old horse that Wei Qin rode, but no matter what he did, he couldn't widen the gap. He couldn't help but look back at the poor scholar he remembered, and found that Wei Qin was also staring at him.

Arriving at the pond where daylilies bloom, Huo Yi stood behind the Princess, holding the sword at his waist.

The eldest princess sat on an embroidered stool made of golden nanmu wood. After Wei Qin bowed and paid his respects, she smiled and invited him to sit down.

"Wei Yunpan has become even more handsome after not seeing him for several months."

Huo Yi gripped the hilt of the knife tightly.

The princess patted the man's hand reassuringly without looking at him, then looked at Wei Qin, who was already seated, and her smile deepened. "When Zheng Qianshi sent me his last letter, he mentioned Wei Yunpan, saying that you knew about my affair with him. I wonder how Wei Yunpan knew about it?"

“I had a grudge against Zheng Qianshi before his death. Given his despicable nature, he would fabricate a story and use someone else to kill me.”

"You mean he framed you, and you had no idea what happened?"

"Exactly."

The princess smiled but remained silent. Zheng Qianshi was already dead, and Wei Qin vehemently denied it, so there was no way to verify it.

That's all.

After the less-than-appetizing "appetizer," the eldest princess stopped being polite and went straight to the point: "Wei Yunpan is willing to marry into the Jiang family, and what he wants most is nothing more than profit. Name your price, how much silver, and are you willing to divorce the Jiang family girl?"

After saying that, Huo Yi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Princess had set up this trap because of Wei Qin's appearance.

Wei Qin spoke coldly, saying, "It's worth more than a thousand pieces of gold."

"What about the number of Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet?"

“Your humble servant can strive for it himself.”

For a player who came from the top three ranks, entering the cabinet is not an unattainable dream.

The eldest princess took out a stack of silver notes and threw them into the air, saying, "Ten thousand taels."

"Twenty thousand taels."

"One hundred thousand taels."

The fluttering silver notes, like goose feathers in the snow, scattered in front of Wei Qin.

The eldest princess crossed one leg, toying with the enamel nail guard on her little finger. Her tone was as cold as the sudden drop in temperature, "If it weren't for Jiang Song, would I have allowed a commoner like you to pluck the plums from the royal branches? Even if the plums rot on the branches, it wouldn't be your turn. Huo Yi, see the guest out."

Who is the eldest princess? A passerby who plays with emotions in the sea of ​​love and hate.

Last night, through Fu Zhongcai, she learned that the Crown Prince was still deeply in love with Jiang Yinyue. What was this lingering affection? It was nothing more than resentment, bottled up inside for so long, becoming a source of heartache. If she could persuade Wei Qin to initiate the divorce, breaking up the loving couple and shattering this harmonious relationship, would the Crown Prince still be resentful?

"The human heart is most tormented when it desires something but cannot obtain it; the word 'jealousy' explains everything."

She actually thought highly of Wei Qin.

**

With the moon high in the sky, Jiang Yinyue was enjoying the cool air in the backyard with her two younger sisters when she suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves. She ran to the front gate and saw Wei Qin riding back on an unfamiliar horse, with a handsome man following behind him.

Jiang Yinyue couldn't help but glance at the man a few more times, sensing his intense arrogance.

What's with the arrogance?

She ran to Wei Qin and asked him silently.

Wei Qin shook his head, returned the horse to Huo Yi, and watched Huo Yi leave.

Back in the east wing, after listening to Wei Qin recount her experiences of the day, Jiang Yinyue, who had been hesitant about whether to visit the Princess, sat down in front of her dressing table. Looking at the jeweled hairpin in her dressing case, her eyes reflected in the bronze mirror were terribly downcast.

"Have you noticed? That Huo Yi looks like Father."

Wei Qin walked behind Jiang Yinyue and covered her eyes in front of the mirror. "You've misjudged. How can a gigolo who uses his looks to please others be compared to your father-in-law?"

The woman's smiling face was reflected in the bronze mirror; her lips were red and her teeth were white.

"Too."

But it still looks very similar. Jiang Yinyue couldn't help but think of Zheng Qianshi, whose face shape was slightly similar to her father's, and suddenly realized something.

Wei Qinying's eyes in the bronze mirror held a knowing look.

**

A few days later, Huo Yi, who was traveling in style on horseback, was stopped by Jiang Yinyue and Cui Shihan.

Jiang Yinyue asked the attendants of the county princess's mansion for help to wait outside the manor where the princess was temporarily staying, just waiting to intercept Huo Yi.

"Let's talk in private."

Huo Yi sat astride his horse, his arrogance making people uncomfortable.

Cui Shihan was so angry she wanted to brandish a whip in the street.

What's so arrogant about using your looks to please others? Are you just a fox borrowing the tiger's power?

Arriving at a smoky and chaotic entertainment venue, Jiang Yinyue cut to the chase, "Guard Huo is willing to serve the Princess, but what he wants most is nothing more than profit. Name your price, how much silver do you want to sever ties with the Princess?"

Huo Yi hadn't expected the two young ladies to bring him to such a noisy and chaotic place, which was far from elegant and refined, but it did suit their purpose.

Transactions tainted by money.

The purpose of enticing him away from the eldest princess was twofold: firstly, to retaliate for Wei Qin's actions, and secondly, to humiliate the eldest princess.

A male favorite refusing the princess's favor is no different from a servant humiliating his master.

Jiang Yinyue was too lazy to say anything more, so she grabbed a handful of silver notes and threw them at him.

"Ten thousand taels, twenty thousand taels, one hundred thousand taels."

Miss Jiang is very generous; she doesn't even blink an eye.

Cui Shihan fanned the flames from the side, "The imperial family is the most heartless; favor is fleeting. Silver notes are the most practical. Relying on monthly stipends and the princess's rewards, when will we ever accumulate a substantial fortune?"

These words, spoken to others, show that Cui Shihan and Jiang Yinyue are too superficial. Even a waiter who works hard to earn two taels of silver can become the pillar of his family. Gold and silver cannot buy dignity. It is truly wrong to trample on people's hearts like this.

But this was directed at Huo Yi, so it's a different story.

This man, like Zheng Qianshi, has no dignity.

After tossing the silver note over her shoulder, Jiang Yinyue muttered, "Never mind."

Just as she bent down to pick it up, Huo Yi beat her to it.

The two men exchanged a glance as they watched Huo Yi pick up the silver notes from the ground one by one.

I found it deeply ironic.

That night, Huo Yi, who was summoned to warm the bed, knelt motionless by the bedside, as still as a wooden statue, unmoved by the princess's attempts to provoke him.

"roll."

As proud as a princess, how could she tolerate being treated perfunctorily by a servant?

She was furious and couldn't understand why Huo Yi was so cold, but when she saw Jiang Yinyue who came to visit the next day, she suddenly realized the truth.

A young woman in a flowing red dress offered some cooling tea leaves, saying with a charming smile, "It's only fair to reciprocate, Your Highness, please calm down."

As the eldest princess listened to Jiang Yinyue's laughter, it was as if she heard again the witty banter of that young upstart from the past, "Is it worth spending 100,000 taels to repay this palace?"

"In my humble opinion, Your Highness will not stand idly by and watch that fellow make a fortune. Consider this 100,000 taels as a generous gift to Your Highness, a token of your support. Your Highness has shown me the true nature of people, and I will show you the true nature of people in return."

People's hearts can differ greatly.

"I will return everything in full; I don't want to be chased by Jiang Song for debt when I return to the capital."

Seeing the triumphant smile on Jiang Yinyue's lips, the Princess slowed her movements as she stroked her nail guards. She suddenly understood why the Crown Prince was so unwilling to give up. If this woman were merely shallow and foolish, her beauty alone wouldn't be enough to capture the Crown Prince's attention, given the abundance of beauties in the palace. But she was insightful, cunning, and unique; every moment they had shared in the past had become an indelible memory for the Crown Prince.

Even if he doesn't admit it, the Crown Prince must regret it. He regrets not appreciating Qingmei's good qualities back then, and only treating her as a spoiled brat who never grew up.

"Niannian, I watched you and the Crown Prince grow up. I always thought you would get married. Now, all that's left is regret."

"Only I know whether I am feeling well or not. I am doing very well, even better than before."

"So, Wei Qin has replaced the Crown Prince in your heart?"

Jiang Yinyue smiled, just like the smile her father had given when he patted his chest to assure her that he had never misjudged her.

"It's not that I've been replaced by Wei Qin, it's that I no longer care. From now on, the only person I'll hold in my heart is Wei Qin."

At this moment, Jiang Yinyue did not speak carelessly as she had at the Empress Dowager's residence; instead, she calmly and frankly revealed her true feelings.

-----------------------

Author's Note: 100 small red envelopes have been dropped! [heart emoji]