Shen Qianyue returns to her parents' home
In the bedroom, the candlelight was warm, casting a hazy orange light all around.
Xie Shangjia carefully wrung out the warm handkerchief and carefully wiped Shen Qianyue's cheeks and hands, his movements so gentle as if he was treating a rare treasure.
"If you're tired, just close your eyes and I'll comb your hair."
Shen Qianyue closed her eyes obediently, enjoying his service, and sighed softly: "Hmm... my husband is so good."
Xie Shangjia picked up the jade comb, walked behind her, and untied her bun. Her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, carrying the dust of the journey and a faint fragrance.
He put down the comb, but his hands did not leave. Instead, he put his arms around her from behind, resting his chin lightly on her neck, his breath hot.
"My dear, I'm really scared today... I'm afraid you won't want me anymore."
Shen Qianyue felt a touch of wetness on her neck, opened her eyes, and met his deep eyes that were so close to her, and chuckled.
"What nonsense are you talking about? You are my husband. There is no other like him in the world. If I abandon you, how can I find such a good husband?"
Xie Shangjia lowered his head, no longer hesitated, and kissed her deeply, their lips and teeth intertwined, their breaths blending, with the lingering sweetness of the bird's nest and the familiar taste of each other.
"Then I will treat you well all my life, so that you will feel that everyone else is just so-so."
The air heats up quickly.
Xie Shangjia held her in his arms, gently placed her on the soft quilt, and covered her with his body. However, at the last moment, he supported himself with his arms and asked in a hoarse voice: "Is it okay?"
Shen Qianyue hooked her arms around his neck, turned over, and sat in his arms, feeling the strong heartbeat and burning body temperature from his chest, almost melting in this warmth.
"Gentle."
The candlelight flickered over their intertwined figures, filling the room with charm.
Shen Qianyue was immersed in the surging waves, warm beads of sweat slid down her fair back, her long hair was blown back, revealing her slender and fragile neck. Just when she was in a state of confusion and passion, a chill suddenly climbed up her back.
"Husband?"
Xie Shangjia noticed her pause and looked up at her, his arms bulging with veins clutching the quilt tightly: "Well, I'm..."
Shen Qianyue subconsciously shrank into his warm embrace and subconsciously looked back. There was nothing there except the swaying candlelight and the screen.
"Do you... feel... a little cold?"
Xie Shangjia chuckled when he heard that, and kissed her sweaty forehead lovingly. He pulled up the quilt that had slipped aside and wrapped her tightly, then held her in his arms, squeezing out the last bit of space between them.
"The window is open, so the night wind must be leaking in. Wrap yourself up tighter and hug me, and you won't be cold."
Under his gentle attack, Shen Qianyue's thoughts became chaotic again and she responded to his passion.
"Shang Jia...husband..."
The candlelight swayed wildly, and a faint sticky sound of water was heard.
Shen Qianyue was like a boat sailing on the crest of the waves. When her consciousness was scattered, she seemed to hear a very light sigh. She trembled violently, but her body suddenly tightened due to this stimulation, and it flooded.
"What's wrong?" Xie Shangjia sensitively noticed her momentary distraction, slowed down his movements, and asked worriedly.
Shen Qianyue buried her face in his sweaty neck: "Nothing... nothing... hold me tight, hold me tight..."
The candle flame crackled softly, and a flower of light burst into life.
…
There was peace for half a month, and there were only seven days left until the date given by King Dingwu.
The early morning sunlight shines through the carved window lattices, casting warm spots of light in the Shangshu Mansion's bedroom.
Shen Qianyue had finished washing up and was adjusting the last hairpin in front of the mirror. She looked calm in the mirror, but there was a hint of imperceptible thought in her eyes.
Xie Shangjia's voice came from behind her, with a lazy and tender voice. He walked behind her, naturally took the comb from her hand, fixed her hair, and his eyes fell on her beautiful face in the mirror.
"Let me go back with you. I haven't greeted my parents-in-law since I lost my memory."
Shen Qianyue paused for a moment, then turned around, raised her hand and gently smoothed the collar of his pajamas, her tone gentle but with unquestionable insistence: "Today... don't go yet."
Xie Shangjia held her hand, somewhat puzzled: "Why? I promise I will never be rude in front of others."
Shen Qianyue raised her eyes, her eyes were moist and filled with just the right amount of worry.
"Your memory hasn't recovered yet, so many past events and people might not match up. My father values rules and etiquette the most. If your responses are off, he might not say anything, but he'll inevitably think about it... It's better to be cautious."
Her fingertips slid lightly across his palm, and her voice became softer.
"Let me go back and take a look at the situation first, and say something nice to you. When you're better, we can go back together in style, okay?"
Although Xie Shangjia felt a little regretful that he could not go with her immediately, after hearing her sweet words, his persistence faded away, and he was left with only a heart full of consideration.
"Well, go back alone and be careful. Excuse me to my parents-in-law and come back early."
Shen Qianyue gave him a reassuring smile: "Well, don't worry."
The Prime Minister's Mansion was not far away, and the carriage arrived quickly.
Shen Qianyue was thinking all the way about how to talk to her father and how to find out the details of her family without arousing suspicion.
She got out of the carriage with the help of the maid and walked straight to the main hall, thinking that her father might have just come back from the morning court and was having tea and taking a rest.
The Prime Minister's Mansion was still quite quiet in the early morning. Shen Qianyue walked all the way to the main hall without any obstruction. She wanted to greet her mother first and then have a private talk with her father.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped into the hall, his steps stopped.
In the hall, Prime Minister Shen did not take a nap alone as expected, but sat upright with a rare solemnity on his face.
Sitting in the main seat, holding a cup of tea and chatting and laughing with others, was none other than the Prince Dingwu, who was dressed in casual clothes but exuded majesty. Accompanying him was her brother, Shen Qingyuan, the current Minister of Personnel.
Shen Qianyue was confused.
At this hour, Xie Zhiyun should be handling affairs in the palace and rarely appears in the minister's residence, especially when he seems to be chatting like this.
When Prime Minister Shen saw his daughter suddenly come back, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he stood up.
"Yuer? Why are you back?" His tone was filled with a father's natural concern, but there was also a hint of embarrassment due to the presence of distinguished guests.
Shen Qianyue quickly suppressed all her emotions, took a few steps forward, and politely saluted her father and Prince Dingwu: "Father, brother, I didn't know the prince was here. I apologize for my disrespect."
Shen Qingyuan stood up and said with a gentle smile: "Sister is back."
King Dingwu Xie Zhiyun put down his teacup and looked at Shen Qianyue. His eyes were deep and difficult to read, but there was a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.
"Miss Shen's return to her parents' home at this time seems to resonate with me. Could it be that you have finally made up your mind to confess your divorce from Shang Jia to Minister Shen and Minister Shen?"
These two words suddenly exploded in the hall like thunder.
"Divorce?!"
The gentleness on Prime Minister Shen's face froze instantly, his pupils shrank suddenly, he looked at Xie Zhiyun fiercely, then turned to his daughter in disbelief, the teacup in his hand fell on the table with a clang, and he didn't even notice that it had wet his sleeves.
The smile on Shen Qingyuan's face completely froze, and he even thought he had misheard: "Your Highness, you just said...divorce? Who is divorcing whom?"
The air in the hall froze instantly, and you could hear a pin drop.
All the servants had already held their breath and lowered their heads, wishing they could shrink into the cracks in the ground.
Under the shocked and urgent gazes of her father and brother, Shen Qianyue took a deep breath and met Xie Zhiyun's bottomless eyes. She changed the subject slightly, her tone calm but suggestive.
"Your Highness, please stop teasing Qianyue. What did Qianyue come here to find out? Don't you know it best?"
Her answer was clever. She neither admitted to the "divorce" nor completely denied the existence of "this matter", leaving herself room for maneuver.
Xie Zhiyun leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxed, as if he was not the one who had just thrown the thunder. He waved his hand, his tone was contemptuous, and his eyes vaguely swept over Prime Minister Shen, whose face was still ugly.
"That's not necessary. Prime Minister Shen despises this small amount of money and is unwilling to sublet the pawnshop. You don't need to waste your energy here."
Prime Minister Shen was so angry that his beard trembled slightly, and he didn't know how to refute it for a moment.
"Your Majesty, this pawnshop is the source of income for my Shen family. You are often away from the capital, so how can you properly manage it? If it is left idle for too long, even the best position will be wasted."
Xie Zhiyun tapped the table with his fingers and glanced at Shen Qianyue who was standing with her eyes lowered.
"Forget it, just come back with me first."
Prime Minister Shen stood up hurriedly: "Your Highness, this little girl and Minister Xie...when did you start talking about divorce? It's not right for you to take my little girl away like this."
Shen Qingyuan also hurried forward, his brows furrowed, "Your Highness, this matter is of no small importance. Please explain clearly!"
Xie Zhiyun smiled leisurely, her tone still relaxed, but with unquestionable authority.
"It seems that Miss Shen hasn't had time to explain the details to her family yet. Well, Your Majesty sympathizes with the fact that their relationship may have ended and can't bear to torture each other, so he came up with this idea."
"If Minister Shen is curious about the details of an imperial edict, he may ask Miss Shen when he has the chance, or... ask His Majesty directly."
He brought out the "imperial edict" and "Your Majesty", and instantly defined the matter as the unquestionable "will of the Supreme Being", blocking all room for Prime Minister Shen to ask further questions.
Prime Minister Shen's body swayed, his face turned pale and then blue, blue and then pale, and all the words were blocked in his throat.
Shen Qianyue took a step forward at the right time and made a "please" gesture. Her voice was still calm, but it carried a clear meaning of seeing the guest off.
"The prince is busy with affairs, Qianyue dare not stay any longer, you...go back first."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked.
Even Prime Minister Shen and Shen Qingyuan, who were originally furious, were stunned. It was simply horrifying that they directly ordered the prince to leave.
Prime Minister Shen spoke subconsciously, his tone filled with panic and disapproval: "Qianyue! How dare you! How dare you speak to the prince like that!"
Although he was dissatisfied with King Dingwu, he believed that etiquette and hierarchy must not be abolished.
However, Xie Zhiyun, who was ordered to leave, did not get angry, but laughed softly instead.
He stood up, straightened his sleeves, and actually prepared to leave. He casually waved his hand at Prime Minister Shen who was about to say something, interrupting him.
"That's alright. I do have something else to do, so I'll take my leave."
After saying this, he actually didn't even glance at the Shen family father and son, and walked out of the hall. When he passed by Shen Qianyue, his footsteps paused almost imperceptibly, and he said something in a very low voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Wait for you at the alley entrance."
Then, the figure disappeared at the hall door.
The Shen family father and son were left looking at each other in confusion.
Prime Minister Shen's eyes were fixed on his daughter. All his doubts, shock, fear and anger finally burst out. He lowered his voice but couldn't suppress his anger as he scolded her.
"Tell me the truth, what's going on? Is this divorce... because you and him... did something out of line? You're bringing shame upon our Shen family!"
He pointed in the direction where King Dingwu left, his fingers trembling, and the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
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