Outside the window, the rising sun slowly ascends, its rays shining brightly and spilling onto the ground through the window.
Zhao Zhi got off the bed gently, afraid of waking the child.
Wearing only a thin nightgown, she walked barefoot to the next room, her gaze tenderly fixed on Yun Xiao, who was fast asleep. Zhang Wan stood silently beside her, watching the way she looked at her grandson, a pang of sadness welling up inside her.
Looking at Yun Xiao's cute little face, Zhao Zhi's eyes welled up with tears.
If it weren't absolutely necessary, she really wouldn't be willing to give up this piece of her own flesh.
However, Yun Chao will soon unleash a bloody storm, and the two children will only face more danger and uncertainty if they follow her.
As a mother, she couldn't bear such a risk, and she didn't want them to get hurt.
Therefore, she had to make this difficult decision. In a way, she was selfish; she took advantage of Shen Hanshan's feelings for her and entrusted the children to him.
Although she knew that Shen Hanshan would take good care of them, she could not shake off the guilt in her heart.
Thinking of all this, Zhao Zhi carefully picked up Yun Xiao, the adorable little dumpling, and gently kissed his chubby cheeks. A month had passed, and the little guy had grown plump and healthy, even rounder than his sister. Watching him grow up healthy filled Zhao Zhi with immense joy.
She reluctantly handed Yun Xiao to Zhang Wan, her eyes slightly warm.
The reluctance in her heart grew stronger, and she couldn't help but kiss Yun Xiao's little face again, then turned away, tears silently streaming down her face.
Zhang Wan and Chao Yan felt as if their hearts were being torn apart by a knife as they looked at the scene before them.
Outside the door, Zhao Shouzhen stood silently at the entrance, gazing at the slowly rising sun, saying nothing. After a long time, he sighed softly, but the loneliness in his eyes was unmistakable.
Meanwhile, in Da Xuan, at the Prince Rui's residence.
Sunny day, warm breeze. Shady trees, lush grass.
"Xuan'er, Xuan'er." Shen Hanshan happily teased his daughter Yunxuan, but suddenly, as if he had thought of something, the smile on his face gradually disappeared and was replaced by endless loneliness.
He muttered to himself, "Xuan'er, why hasn't your mother come to find your father yet? Doesn't she care that you're a girl? Or does she simply not care about me, a man?"
Nanxing and Duheng exchanged a glance as they watched this scene unfold.
Nanxing whispered, "Your Highness, His Highness wouldn't really abandon you, would he?"
Du Heng looked up at the sky speechlessly, thinking to himself, "If you can't speak, then just be a mute."
Shen Hanshan turned to Nanxing and instructed, "Nanxing, go and count how many pieces of wood are in the woodshed."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Nanxing, not understanding what was going on, obediently went to the kitchen to count the pieces of wood.
Du Heng watched her departing figure, desperately trying to suppress a laugh. He thought to himself, "The prince is indirectly calling you a blockhead! Sigh, Nanxing really is a blockhead!"
Just then, the gatekeeper came to deliver a message, saying that the wife of the heir of Li Huai'an requested an audience with the prince.
Shen Hanshan looked at Lanru with a puzzled expression: "Did this woman come to the Prince's Mansion yesterday?"
Lanru bowed slightly and replied, "Your Highness, Zhao Yun came by yesterday. She stammered and couldn't give a clear answer, so I chased her away." She turned to look at the door, pondered for a moment, and then realized the key point, "Perhaps she wanted to use Your Highness's commoner status to ask you for a favor!"
A cold smile crept across Shen Hanshan's lips as he thought to himself, "This Zhao Yun really is omnipresent!"
He had long known that Zhao Yun was no good person. When he broke off the engagement, if Zhao Yun hadn't deliberately revealed that Zhao Zhi wasn't at home all night, how would he have guessed Zhao Zhi's identity? Now that she's actually come to his door, she definitely doesn't have good intentions.
However, although Shen Hanshan felt disgusted with Zhao Yun, he also knew that Zhao Zhi was a person who valued loyalty and righteousness.
If Zhao Zhi were to find out one day that Zhao Yun had once sought her out, but she had turned her away, it would likely cause unnecessary trouble.
Thinking of this, Shen Hanshan took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and strode towards the front hall, ordering as he went, "Bring the person up."
Zhao Yun took a deep breath and stepped into the front hall of Prince Rui's mansion once again, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Deep down, she was terrified of this rumored mad prince, but unfortunately, he might be the only lifeline she could grasp.
Shen Hanshan sat upright in the main seat, his eyes cold and profound.
When he saw Zhao Yun, his face showed no emotion, but he had already begun to make plans in his heart.
He leisurely sipped his hot tea, his gaze fixed on Zhao Yun, quietly waiting for her to speak first.
"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Rui." Zhao Yun lowered her head respectfully and gave a polite bow. Her voice was gentle and melodious, but it contained a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.
"Your Highness's wife, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask what brings you here today?" Shen Hanshan's voice was as calm as a still lake, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
“Your Highness, my second sister…” Zhao Yun said softly, but before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Shen Hanshan.
"Miss Zhao Er has no connection with me whatsoever, and there will be no further contact between us from now on." Shen Hanshan slowly put down his teacup, his tone icy.
Zhao Yun took a deep breath, suppressing her unease, and slowly said, "Your Highness, the reason I've come here today is actually regarding my father-in-law, Li Zan. Recently, he was bewitched by a woman from the Hidden Spring Pavilion, driving away my mother-in-law and causing my son to leave. Now, I am six months pregnant and utterly alone. I humbly request that Your Highness, for the sake of our past relationship—"
Upon hearing this, Shen Hanshan's lips curled into a cold smile. He didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Past affections? The Crown Prince's wife must be mistaken. If I had any affections with Miss Zhao, why would I have broken off our engagement?" Zhao Yun's face paled. She hadn't expected Shen Hanshan to be so blunt and ruthless, but she knew she couldn't back down now. She bit her lip and continued, "Your Highness is absolutely right. It was my second sister who was ungrateful and disregarded her reputation, which is why Your Highness disliked her..."
"Shut up!" Shen Hanshan suddenly interrupted her.
Zhao Yun was so frightened that she trembled all over and almost knelt on the ground.
She looked at Shen Hanshan in horror, wondering what she had said wrong.
Shen Hanshan looked at her coldly, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Zhao Yun, as Zhao Zhi's elder sister, no matter what she has done, you should not slander her in front of a stranger, especially since I am her former fiancé! If you have come here seeking help, then state your conditions directly. I never do business at a loss! If you have only come here to chat, I advise you to leave as soon as possible."
Furthermore! I didn't want to embarrass you because you are the Crown Prince's wife, but you have no sense of propriety and insist on bringing up what happened back then. The Zhao family was at fault in the first place. Of you three sisters, one was pregnant out of wedlock, and another wanted to curry favor with the powerful. How could I possibly marry a woman raised in such a family?
Zhao Yun felt a sharp pain in her heart upon hearing Shen Hanshan's words. She gritted her teeth, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
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