Chapter 36 The Ex-Husband's Identity is Exposed (Three Chapters Combined)
Shen You subconsciously turned around to look at Chu Xiao.
He sat in his wheelchair, the sunlight falling on his brows, softening his cold and stern features.
Shen You pondered for a moment, but finally shook his head. "If the Duke has any clues, he can go and tell the Jingzhao Prefecture."
After saying that, she bent down and entered the carriage.
However, as soon as she sat down, she heard Green Ivy's exclamation outside, "Your Highness!"
Just as he was about to lift the curtain to look out, the man's tall figure appeared at the car door.
Despite his injured leg, he forcibly got out of his wheelchair and onto the carriage.
"you..."
Before Shen You could finish speaking, he seemed to be exhausted and leaned back on the soft cushions inside the carriage.
Outside the carriage, Mu Geng and Luoluo looked at each other, the latter's eyes showing a hint of disdain.
She hadn't forgotten that back in Qingxi Town, it was this very same Duke Zhenguo who had caused her young lady heartbreak.
Mu Geng touched the tip of his nose, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Inside the carriage.
Shen You sat in the seat furthest from Chu Xiao, her features refined and elegant, and said calmly, "Since the Duke is injured, he shouldn't make things difficult for himself."
Chu Xiao raised his eyes, his gaze fixed on her, yet his words were unusually serious: "The thief in the theft case at the Marquis's residence must be someone you know, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen You looked at him abruptly.
He was seeking her confirmation, but his tone was clearly very certain.
Shen You realized that this kind of thing could not be hidden from Lord Chu of the Criminal Investigation Department.
She nodded slowly. "I do have a suspicion in my mind, but I have no evidence."
The two were having a very serious conversation, and the atmosphere in the carriage gradually became somewhat solemn.
Even though the man in the straw hat lost his jewelry and didn't have time to pick it up, he still covered his face so that Shen You wouldn't see it, clearly not wanting to reveal his identity to her.
Such behavior suggests only one possibility—
That's how he met Shen You.
A young man of medium build, from Lin'an.
Shen You immediately had a corresponding guess.
only...
"We haven't caught up with the person, and there's currently no evidence to prove my theory."
Chu Xiao sat on the side closest to the window, his voice lowered, his tone as stern as when he used to interrogate criminals in the Criminal Investigation Department. "He was seen by you at Liuli Pavilion today, and then fled in a panic." He paused, raised his hand to lift the carriage curtain, and glanced at the sky outside. "At this hour, he should have already left Lin'an City and fled to the outskirts."
Chu Xiao's analysis is not without merit.
Shen You trusted him when it came to solving cases and investigating people.
"Once we leave Lin'an City, finding him again won't be so easy..."
Shen You sounded regretful, feeling that it was difficult to find a breakthrough.
The wheels started rolling without anyone noticing.
The windows were wide open, and a gentle breeze drifted in as I walked, causing the curtains to sway and the light filtering in to create a play of light and shadow.
What is striking is the pearl earrings dangling from the girl's earlobes, and the clean, clear contemplation in her eyes.
What lies hidden is the little bit of hope that has been building up in the man's heart, and the boundless desire to return to her side.
There were two people between Chu Xiao and her. His straight back was slightly leaning forward, and he looked at her expectantly, but he hesitated to speak.
He really wanted to tell her that he could help her investigate.
It was easy to imagine that she would reject him, since she didn't want to have too much to do with him.
But that doesn't mean he can't do anything.
He secretly investigated, and once he had gathered the evidence, he would hand it over to Shen You when she needed it.
Chu Xiao's gaze fell back on her.
Today, Shen You wore a dress with auspicious cloud patterns. The light blue color accentuated her elegant temperament. Her delicate face was free of makeup, and her natural beauty was captivating.
On her feet were a pair of soft-soled embroidered shoes in the same shade of blue. Chu Xiao paused for a moment, then gently pressed the tips of her shoes against her feet without making a sound.
Then he spoke, “I know you have plans to open an embroidery workshop, but today you caught that thief red-handed selling the stolen goods, ruining his plans. Perhaps you should be more careful about the embroidery workshop in the future.”
Shen You had been keeping the opening of the embroidery workshop a secret, but given the many things that happened on the day she met Bao Yunxiu, including encountering Chu Xiao, it wasn't surprising that he knew about it.
She pursed her lips and said calmly, "Thank you for the reminder, Duke."
After he finished speaking, the carriage fell silent.
The carriage had already left the entrance of Liuli Pavilion. He had an injury on his leg, and if she were to kick him out of the carriage now, it would seem that she was heartless.
Shen You didn't speak again, but stayed in the middle of the carriage, trying to keep as far away from him as possible.
However, after only a moment, the man sitting on the other side bent over and straightened his legs, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he was enduring some kind of pain.
“Chen You…”
Shen You looked at him, "What's wrong?"
"Let's go to Baicaotang," he said, leaning back against the carriage wall, his gaze fixed on her, his lips pale.
Shen You suddenly recalled the scene of him forcibly getting out of the wheelchair and into the car despite his injuries, and she felt a little uncertain.
"Does your wound hurt?"
Chu Xiao nodded slightly, still looking at her, and even wanted to reach out and tug at her sleeve.
Shen You disregarded everything else, lifted the carriage curtain and said to the coachman, "To Baicaotang."
Upon hearing this, the people outside knew that the Duke of Zhenguo's injury was unusual, and they quickly hurried to Baicaotang.
——
As evening approached, there weren't many people at Baicaotang.
When the waiter in the front hall saw that the visitors were the eldest daughter of the Shen family and the Duke of Zhenguo, he quickly came out to greet them.
Shen You immediately asked, "Is Doctor Lin here?"
"Yes, yes," the waiter replied, knowing there was no time to lose, and quickly led the person into the backyard.
Lin Gu was still in the room at the very end of the corridor when he saw a group of people coming toward him, and his gray eyebrows furrowed tightly.
Upon seeing Chu Xiao's expression, he understood.
Knowing his habits, the waiter told the others to go out first.
Shen You turned to leave, but her sleeve was grabbed by a force.
She turned around and met Chu Xiao's eyes. "Will you stay?"
It was that same somber, pleading tone again.
Shen You pursed her lips, about to refuse, when she heard Lin Gu, who had entered the inner room to get gauze, call out, "Miss Shen, could you please help me get some things?"
Okay, it seems we can't leave now.
Shen You pulled her sleeve, which was being tightly gripped by Chu Xiao, and turned to go into the inner room.
As night fell, the waiter used a tinderbox to light all the candles in the room before leaving.
Only the three of them remained in the room.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Chu Xiao, following Lin Gu's instructions, raised his hand to take off his clothes.
He was wearing a royal blue brocade robe with wide sleeves today, which had now come undone and piled up at his waist, revealing his strong upper body.
His tanned skin has distinct, well-defined layers, and is strong and firm.
Lin Gu came up behind him and removed the gauze that had been wrapped around his back, revealing the truth at a glance.
"Lord Duke, have you been secretly practicing your sword these past few days?"
Chu Xiao paused for a moment, nodded honestly, and then looked up to find Shen You's gaze.
But then he saw her gaze fall on him, clearly admiring his physique.
He loosened his grip slightly, and suddenly realized that the wound that had reopened from practicing swordsmanship didn't seem so bad.
"Being too hasty will only slow down the healing process."
"And your legs..."
"Even though you are in good health and young, you can't take it lightly."
"You should understand the principle of 'the opposite of what you intended'..."
The room was quiet, except for Lin Gu's rambling voice trying to persuade him.
Finally, he went into the inner room to get something.
Only the two of them remained in the outer room.
The windows were wide open, and the candlelight was bright.
A gentle summer breeze stirred the flames.
The light and shadow fell on the girl's jade-like face, creating a soft, pearly halo.
The wound on his back had already scabbed over, but perhaps because he had been secretly practicing his sword, or perhaps because the movement when he got on the carriage had pulled at the scab, there was now a faint trace of blood seeping out.
Shen You's beautiful eyebrows furrowed more and more tightly.
Chu Xiao reached out and tugged at her sleeve, his voice low, "Don't be angry."
"I will not practice swordsmanship again until my injury heals."
Shen You pulled his hand away, but did not respond.
She simply sat down beside him and took a handkerchief to wipe away the bloodstains.
His voice was calm as he spoke, "You were injured because of me, so it's only natural that you stay at the Shen residence to recuperate, and it's only natural that I care about you."
“But,” she paused, then added, “the injury is on your body. If you don’t take good care of it, it will affect you in the future.”
She didn't look him in the eye when she said this; her gaze remained fixed on the wounds on his back, and she wiped away the blood very gently.
But there was little emotion involved.
It was simply a matter of taking care of an injured person.
Even the appreciation he had just seen in her eyes for his body had vanished.
Chu Xiao's heart sank deeply. "Chen You..."
His tone was aggrieved, a stark contrast to his stern face when he listened to the inquiries from the manager and shop assistants at the Liuli Pavilion.
There's a sense of disconnect.
Shen You finally realized that something was wrong.
How could Chu Xiao of the past have ever spoken or made such an expression?
He has always been cold.
She looked at him with a puzzled expression, then abruptly met his deep eyes before looking away.
Lin Gu returned and applied the prepared medicinal powder to the wound on Chu Xiao's back.
Because his sword practice aggravated his wounds, Lin Gu administered a strong medicine, which is why it hurt.
The pain caused beads of sweat to appear on Chu Xiao's forehead.
He subconsciously reached out to tug at Chen You's sleeve, but she dodged him, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Seeing that the veins on his upper body were bulging from the effort, Lin Gu said in a relaxed tone, "Miss Shen, could you help him hold on a bit, so that this old man's hands don't tremble and spill the medicine powder?"
Upon hearing this, Shen You took a few steps forward, stood next to the wheelchair, reached out, and placed her soft fingertips on his shoulder through his sleeve.
Chu Xiao seemed to be frozen in place.
His breathing was even heavier than before, but he was no longer moving.
She stood beside him, her clothes exuding the familiar fragrance of osmanthus and Longjing tea.
It seeped into his nose little by little, like the best tranquilizer in the world, diverting his attention from the pain of his wound.
It was as if an invisible hand had completely smoothed out his taut muscles.
The girl's light blue skirt fluttered slightly, brushing against the wheels of her wheelchair.
He stared at her for a while, then subtly raised his fingertip and lifted her skirt slightly to prevent it from getting dirty from the mud on the wheels.
******
By the time the medicine was applied, it was already 7:45 PM.
When Chu Xiao came out of Baicaotang, his expression had returned to its usual cold and stern state.
He followed behind Shen You, turning his wheelchair as he tried to get back into her carriage.
Hearing the noise, Shen You turned around and looked at him.
Before he could say anything, the sound of horses' hooves came from the other end of the street.
A man dressed in a tight-fitting, narrow-sleeved outfit, resembling a guard, hurriedly dismounted and bowed to Chu Xiao, saying, "Duke Zhenguo, His Majesty requests your presence in the palace."
Since it was Qi Jincheng who contacted them, it must be for something important.
Chu Xiao no longer cared about getting into the same carriage as Shen You, but his gaze remained fixed on her.
He watched as she stepped onto the stool, bent down, and entered the carriage, and the carriage gradually drove away before he turned his gaze away.
——
After an incense stick has burned, at the Chengde Marquis's residence.
Upon hearing that Shen Xiangning, Shen Yao, and Chen Qiurong were all in the side hall, Shen You went directly there.
The night was hazy, and the candlelight flickered in the courtyard.
Chen Qiurong held a gift invitation in her hand and looked at Shen Yao, "My lord, I think this is a good opportunity."
Shen Yao took a sip of tea, looked up at her, and was about to speak when he heard footsteps outside the door.
He smiled and looked at Shen You, "Youyou is here."
Shen You entered, nodded slightly in greeting, and said, "Greetings."
Those present looked in confusion at Green Ivy, who was following behind her, holding two small wooden boxes in her hands.
"What's this?"
Shen You said, "Father, all the stolen jewelry in Ning'er's and my room has been found."
After speaking, she slightly raised her gaze and gently swept it over Chen Qiurong. Seeing that Chen Qiurong's expression was natural, she then looked away.
Shen Yao was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "You really found it?"
"How were they found? Did they catch the thief?"
Shen You shook his head and gave a general account of what happened at the Liuli Pavilion that day.
"Father, rest assured, I have already notified the people of the Jingzhao Prefecture. I believe they will be able to arrest that thief soon."
The suspect hadn't been caught yet, and a hint of disappointment flashed in Shen Yao's eyes.
But at least the items have been recovered, and the Marquis's residence suffered no major losses, so they managed to save face to some extent.
His expression relaxed slightly, and he was about to have Chen Xiangning thank Shen You when Chen Xiangning got up and came to Shen You's side.
A hint of a smile appeared in her usually aloof eyes as she looked at Shen You and said, "Thank you, elder sister."
Shen You smiled at her and handed her one of the boxes, "Ning'er, take a look, is anything missing?"
Chen Xiangning didn't care about the jewelry. She just casually opened the box and glanced at it. Her clear voice was filled with admiration for Shen You, "Elder sister is so amazing."
Chen Qiurong coughed lightly, a smile playing on her lips, "Now that the eldest young lady has retrieved the jewelry, the rest can be left to the Jingzhao Prefecture."
“Yes,” Shen Yao nodded in agreement.
Chen Qiurong glanced at Shen Yao, then smiled kindly and ordered someone to bring the gift invitation to Shen You.
“Young lady, Madam Wen from the Yong’an Marquis’s mansion has sent an invitation, saying that the multicolored peonies transplanted in the mansion are in full bloom and that a flower-viewing banquet will be held in a few days, inviting us to attend.”
It is currently the height of summer, and the usual blooming season for peonies has passed.
However, the few multicolored peonies in the Yong'an Marquis's mansion were rare varieties. Madam Wen specially ordered people to take good care of them. She was a little disappointed that they did not bloom in the spring, but she did not expect them to bloom so beautifully recently.
That's how this flower-viewing banquet came about.
but...
Shen You looked at Chen Qiurong calmly, knowing that this flower appreciation banquet was definitely not that simple.
As expected, Chen Qiurong added, "At that time, quite a few young masters from Lin'an City will also be going."
"I just discussed it with my lord for a while, and since the third young master of the Yao family will also be there, I thought we could take this opportunity for the two of you to meet," she said, glancing at Shen You's face, and then smiled, "What do you think, young lady?"
Shen You showed no particular emotion towards her frequent arranging of marriage proposals, simply saying, "The Yao family?"
Shen Yao said, "He is the third son of Yao, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy."
“Youyou rarely attended such banquets and gatherings in the past, so it’s good for her to go out and get around more now.”
"Rest assured, the son of the Imperial Academy Chancellor is naturally of superior learning and character."
Shen You had previously been asked to meet potential partners twice, both times in private at a teahouse, but both attempts failed.
Especially the second time, Chen Huarui turned out to be such a timid and cowardly person, which really surprised Shen Yao.
Just then, the Yong'an Marquis's mansion sent over a gift invitation. Chen Qiurong took this opportunity to say that there were many people at the flower viewing banquet, so she let Shen You and the third young master of the Yao family catch a glimpse of her.
If it doesn't work out, then pretend it never happened.
This would also save Shen You from sitting in the teahouse for so long as he had done before.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yao felt there was some truth to it, so he nodded in agreement.
Now, it all depends on Shen You's opinion.
Shen You did not object, so he nodded in agreement, "In that case, I will trouble you to make the arrangements, Madam."
"Okay, good," Chen Qiurong said with a smile, secretly hoping that she could finally marry Shen You off.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Shen Yao got up, waved his hand, and returned to his courtyard.
Shen You also stepped out of the side hall and headed towards Wen Gui Courtyard.
To get from the side hall to Wen Gui Courtyard, one must pass through Yan Sheng Hall.
As she passed by, Shen You subconsciously glanced inside. The courtyard was quiet, and although the lights were on, the main room door was tightly closed, and it was dark inside.
Chu Xiao hasn't returned yet.
With just one glance, she looked away and walked straight ahead without looking to the side.
Upon returning to Wen Gui Courtyard, Granny Zhao took the initiative to talk to Shen You about the flower appreciation banquet.
Shen You hadn't gone out much in the past few years and didn't know much about the noble families in Lin'an, but Granny Zhao knew them very well.
Having learned today that the Yong'an Marquis's residence had sent a gift invitation, I guessed that Chen Qiurong would take this opportunity to do something.
She picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup of tea for Shen You, and handed it to her, saying, "Madam Wen of the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion has a son and a daughter. The two children are twins. When they were born, the young master of the Wen family was not in good health. A wandering Taoist priest predicted that he needed to go to a warmer place to recuperate. So after the full moon, Madam Wen sent him to her maternal home in Jiangnan. He has not returned yet."
"And the daughter of the twins is now of marriageable age. This flower-viewing banquet was actually organized by Madam Wen for her daughter."
Upon hearing this, Shen You responded with a faint sound.
Such practices of using banquets and gatherings to find suitable matches for one's daughters and sons were not uncommon among the noble families of Lin'an.
Seeing that she didn't seem to care much, Granny Zhao continued, "I heard that the Yong'an Marquis's mansion also sent an invitation to the Duke of Zhenguo, but the Duke of Zhenguo did not respond."
Like Green Ivy and Wisteria, Granny Zhao was one of Shen You's most trusted people. Now she also knows that this Duke Zhenguo, Chu Xiao, is the hunter from Qingxi Town.
Although Shen You's attitude was very clear, Zhao Mama still couldn't help but pay more attention to these matters.
Upon hearing this, Shen You put down his cup.
She recalled how a guard had hurriedly ushered Chu Xiao into the palace in front of Baicaotang earlier, and said, "It's normal that the Duke of Zhenguo is busy with affairs and doesn't have time."
Seeing that her expression and tone were normal, Granny Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen You glanced at her with amusement, "Granny, there's no need to worry."
——
And at almost the same time.
On a secluded path in the woods outside Lin'an City, a furtive figure lurked among the trees, spitting angrily at the ground.
"My good deed was ruined by a woman!"
He didn't dare to speak too loudly, but his tone was angry as he forcefully pulled at the grass next to him.
The thought of the jewelry he had painstakingly stolen from the Marquis's mansion, which was almost ready to be exchanged for money, only to be lost in the end, made him so angry that he wanted to grab Shen You and slap him a few times.
Under the dim moonlight, the man wore a straw hat, and most of his face was hidden in shadow, making it difficult to see clearly.
It was late at night, and although it was summer, the wind in the woods was slightly cool.
He shrugged, pulled his clothes tighter, and became even angrier.
If Shen You hadn't ruined his plans today, he would have already paid off his gambling debts and found a decent inn to stay in, instead of suffering from cold and hunger here.
"Shen You! You'd better not fall into my hands!"
He sniffed, curled up into a ball, and began to think about ways to get revenge on Shen You.
Suddenly, he remembered the servant boy from the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion whom he had accidentally bumped into when he ran out of the city at dusk.
What did that servant say again?
They said they were in a hurry to deliver gift invitations to the young masters and ladies of various families, so they wouldn't hold him accountable for not watching where he was going.
He scoffed at it then, but now that I think about it...
The Marquis of Chengde's residence will surely receive this invitation as well. Does that mean that Shen You will also attend this flower-viewing banquet?
He suddenly smiled, pleased with the method of teaching Shen You that had welled up in his heart.
If this matter succeeds, then there will be no need to worry about not being able to pay off gambling debts, and Shen You will become his money bag in the future.
Then you won't have to rack your brains to figure out how to make money anymore.
Thinking of this, he lowered his head and chuckled.
The laughter sounded somewhat eerie in the quiet mountains.
——
A few days later, at the Yong'an Marquis's residence.
Guests arrived at the Earl's residence, and the gates were bustling with activity as people came and went.
Today, to make it easier for guests to enjoy the flowers, a huge curtain has been erected in the open space of the Bo Mansion Garden. In the middle is a round pear wood table, and the multicolored peonies are placed on the table. With the surrounding tender leaves complementing them, they appear even more beautiful and charming.
Amidst the rockery, winding streams, pavilions, and towers, the servants of the Yong'an Earl's Mansion bustled about, entertaining the distinguished guests.
By this time, many people had arrived in the garden, dressed in elegant skirts and fine clothes, chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.
Madam Wen thoughtfully arranged many activities that young people would enjoy, such as pitch-pot, reciting poetry, and painting.
There was a moment of silence in the garden when Shen You and Shen Xiangning appeared together.
But it only lasted for a moment before it quickly returned to normal.
Everyone with eyes could tell why Madam Wen was holding this flower-viewing banquet today, so they were quite surprised to see Shen You here.
A few people stood aside and whispered among themselves.
"Didn't Shen You get divorced? Isn't Madam Wen afraid of bringing bad luck by sending her an invitation?"
"Shh, keep your voice down. She's very much favored by Princess Zhaoyan now."
Aren't you curious?
"What are you curious about?"
"I'm curious about who Shen You's ex-husband is. I heard he was just a hunter, but no one has ever seen what he looks like."
"Hunters? Aren't they all burly, with thick waists and big beards, just rough men?"
"Too."
"It's quite a pity, Shen You is so beautiful, but she married a country hunter."
"What's there to regret? Every life is different."
"Don't get too close to her. I don't want to end up like her, getting married and then getting divorced."
"Hey, aren't you ashamed? It's not even a done deal yet and you're already worrying about divorce."
The group exchanged a knowing smile, but tacitly agreed not to continue the conversation. Instead, they went to play pitch-pot together.
******
Shen You did not hear these discussions.
Even if she heard it, she didn't care much.
Next to the pearwood table under the curtain, there were several rows of tables and chairs, with various pastries and fruits on the tables.
By this time, many ladies had already taken their seats, all wearing kind and gentle smiles, greeting and chatting with others.
Since the Wen family were the hosts, it was inevitable that during the meal, people would praise the Wen family's daughter for her beautiful appearance and elegant demeanor.
As Madam Wen listened to these words, she looked at the young men and women not far away and smiled with dignified elegance.
Chen Qiurong also sat down here.
Shen You approached with Shen Xiangning and greeted the host with proper etiquette.
Today, the young lady wore a jade-colored silk skirt with double butterfly and cloud patterns. Her hair was styled in a traditional Chinese updo, adorned only with simple pearl and jade hairpins. She had bright, beautiful eyes and a refined, elegant demeanor.
As she walked, her skirt swayed gently, revealing her graceful figure.
Madam Wen chuckled and told the two women to dispense with formalities, adding that there was plenty of fun in the garden and they shouldn't feel constrained.
Shen You thanked them and left with Shen Xiangning.
The ladies at the table all stared at that jade-colored figure, their eyes displaying different expressions, but none of them uttered a word.
After all, they are the mistresses of their own households, and naturally they are not as outspoken as the unmarried young ladies outside.
The weather is perfect today, the flowers are in full bloom, and the stream is babbling merrily.
The garden was filled with laughter and chatter. At the other end of the bridge, a group of people were playing pitch-pot, and Yao Yiqian, the third young master of the Yao family, was among them.
Shen You found a pavilion, sat down on the railing, and glanced around before looking in that direction.
The man wore a light-colored brocade robe embroidered with green bamboo, which made him look exceptionally handsome.
His movements in the pitch-pot game were graceful and skillful; he seemed like an outstanding young man.
But she also understood that one cannot judge a person solely by appearances; the incident involving Li Cheng at Yuhua Mountain had only recently passed.
Shen Xiangning followed Shen You's gaze, but no matter how she looked at him, she felt that Yao Yiqian was not a good match for her elder sister.
Seeing Shen You's calm and composed demeanor, she didn't dare to say anything.
The game of pitch-pot has concluded, and applause erupts from the other side. However, the winner is not Yao Yiqian, but another young master from a prominent family.
A group of people escorted the young man as he walked down the corridor, jokingly saying they wanted to ask Madam Wen for good luck.
Shen You realized that this must be the satisfactory candidate that Madam Wen had chosen for her daughter today.
Yao Yiqian lagged behind the crowd, a faint smile on his face. When he reached the pavilion, he stopped following the crowd and turned to step onto the stone steps and enter the pavilion.
Standing before Shen You, he cupped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "I am Yao Yiqian, and I have long admired the names of the two young ladies of the Shen family."
Shen You raised his hand and gestured for him to sit down, a faint smile playing on his lips, "Young Master Yao is quite good at pitch-pot."
She could clearly see that Yao Yiqian had a chance to win, but he quietly conceded a game.
Upon hearing this, Yao Yiqian seemed taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his smile. "Miss Shen, you flatter me. It would be best if you didn't steal the spotlight at today's flower viewing banquet."
This idea coincided with Shen You's.
Her smile deepened, and the sunlight reflected in her clear eyes, making Yao Yiqian seem much more pleasing to the eye.
Yao Yiqian truly lived up to his reputation as the son of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy; his knowledge and etiquette were impeccable, and he handled his conversation with Shen You with perfect composure.
After listening for a while, Chen Xiangning felt that her elder sister seemed to admire Yao Yiqian quite a bit.
The young masters and ladies who had just been looking under the curtain were still there, and the sounds of laughter and conversation with their elders could be heard from time to time.
There were other people admiring the flowers in the garden, and everyone was doing so in a harmonious way without disturbing each other.
However, this harmony was soon shattered.
A servant from the Wen family rushed in from the outer courtyard and whispered in Madam Wen's ear.
Madam Wen's expression suddenly changed. She subconsciously glanced at Chen Qiurong, who was sitting to the side drinking tea, and in a low, solemn voice, carefully instructed the servants, "Stop them!"
"Do I really need to say anything more about this?"
The servant wore a pained expression and was about to say something more.
A crude and unrestrained voice rang out in the garden.
Where is Shen You?
"Get the hell out here!"
Upon hearing Shen You's name, everyone curiously looked outside.
Chen Qiurong's heart skipped a beat, and she stood up to look outside.
Then they saw a man who looked to be about thirty years old, with a thick waist and broad shoulders and a mustache, his face full of menacing features, acting as if he were in an empty place.
Upon entering the Earl's mansion garden, he looked around as if he had never seen the world before, his eyes revealing a sly and lewd glint.
"Hehe, so this is where the rich live."
"Damn it, I'm going to be rich!"
Madam Wen's expression had turned completely cold, and she angrily rebuked, "Are they all dead?! How dare he barge in like this?!"
The servant who had just come in to report hurriedly said, "Madam, he was shouting loudly at the entrance of the Earl's mansion, it was really unsightly."
They had intended to take the man to the woodshed, but they hadn't expected him to be so strong that he knocked down two servants in the mansion.
The guards who arrived rushed forward and almost formed a circle around him.
The man spat on the ground and grinned lewdly, "I'm just here to find Shen You! As long as you hand her over, I promise I won't delay you esteemed guests."
The whispers that had been kept very low gradually grew louder.
Shen You sat in the pavilion in the garden. The man could see her directly from the direction from which he entered, but he seemed unaware of what the person he was looking for looked like. He just stood in the garden and shouted loudly.
All eyes turned to Shen You.
Chen Qiurong looked extremely unwell, and Madam Wen wasn't much better off.
"Who are you?! How dare you trespass into my Yong'an Marquis's residence!"
The man wiped his face, as if remembering something, and knelt down in the garden.
He went from being arrogant and despicable to crying out in grievance, his voice booming, "You esteemed people, you must do me justice!"
"I am Wang Meng, Shen You's ex-husband."
"Four years ago, she disregarded my sincere feelings and abandoned me without caring whether I lived or died!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding murmurs of disdain became impossible to suppress.
"So this is Miss Shen's ex-husband?"
"He is truly a rustic and uncouth hunter."
"What exactly is going on?"
Chen Qiurong's eyes widened in disbelief; she never expected that Shen You's ex-husband... would look like this.
Madam Wen's face turned ashen; she couldn't bear to listen to Wang Meng's wailing and howling in the garden any longer. "Guards! Drag him away!"
"Wait," a clear and calm voice came from the pavilion just as the guards were about to make a move.
Shen You took a step forward, intending to leave the pavilion.
Shen Xiangning instinctively stepped in front of her, and even Yao Yiqian stood up, "Miss Shen..."
Shen You pulled away from Shen Xiangning's arm and smiled gently at her, "Don't worry."
All eyes were on her.
Only then did Wang Meng seem to realize that the person in front of him was actually Shen You.
Good heavens!
She really is a delicate and beautiful woman.
What that person said was absolutely right. If he could stay in Lin'an City as Shen You's ex-husband, he would never have to worry about beauties or money again.
Wang Meng's gleaming eyes were fixed on Shen You, as if he wished he could grab her hand at any moment.
Shen You kept his eyes straight ahead, never giving him a second glance.
She stepped into the cool shade created by the curtain, faced the crowd, and declared firmly, "I do not know this person."
"He is not my ex-husband, Shen You."
Apart from the people around Shen You and Chu Xiao, no one else in Lin'an City knew about the relationship between the two.
This man is impersonating Chu Xiao; he must have ulterior motives.
If this matter isn't resolved in front of everyone today, then countless accusations will be leveled against her in the future.
Upon hearing her words, Wang Meng became anxious, "Wife! How can you go back on your word?"
"Have you forgotten those two years in the south?"
Madam Wen composed herself, forced a smile, and looked at Shen You. "Miss Shen, today's flower-viewing banquet is for everyone to enjoy themselves and appreciate the beauty of flowers. Since this matter concerns the two of you, you should discuss and resolve it yourselves."
The flower-viewing banquet has turned out like this, and Madam Wen is currently holding a grudge.
Whether this man was Shen You's ex-husband or not, she didn't care.
For her, the most important thing was to ensure that the carefully prepared flower-viewing banquet was not ruined.
Wang Meng grinned, his greasy, fleshy face beaming. "This esteemed gentleman is right."
"My wife, let's go back and talk."
Shen You pursed her lips and turned around, her clear and bright almond-shaped eyes seeming to be filled with frost and sharp arrows, shooting straight at Wang Meng.
She sneered, "Since you say you're my ex-husband, then let me ask you."
Where did we live during those two years in the south?
Do you know the exact date we signed the divorce papers?
"Back then, did you go hunting in the mountains every few days?"
What kind of prey do you hunt most often? What price can you sell for for what kind of prey?
Do I prefer mink or fox fur?
"Also, I was standing in the pavilion not far from the entrance just now, why didn't you recognize me?"
"Can you answer these questions?"
The girl's voice was clear and cold, and every word she spoke was firm and resolute.
Wang Meng couldn't answer any of these questions.
"this..."
"You, me..."
"That's been so long, how could I possibly remember..."
He nervously rolled his eyes, then instantly came up with a plan. He abruptly raised his head and said, "Wife, are you still angry with me? Angry that I didn't remember your preferences?"
"My wife, I..."
Who are you calling "wife"?
A chillingly sharp voice abruptly cut off Wang Meng's words.
Everyone was taken aback and looked outside.
"The Duke of Zhenguo?"
"Didn't they say he refused the Wen family's invitation, saying he was too busy to come?"
"How did I end up here?"
"Shh, don't say it..."
Although the man was in a wheelchair, his stern and oppressive aura made it hard to breathe.
His dark eyes were fixed on Wang Meng, who was kneeling on the ground, and a murderous aura flashed in his eyes.
Everyone present stood up, and Madam Wen hurriedly tried to come out to greet them.
Unexpectedly, the man bypassed her and went straight to Shen You.
When he saw the displeasure in her eyes, his patience completely ran out.
No one saw clearly how the longsword in his hand was drawn.
It was just a fleeting glimpse of cold light.
The next instant, a sharp blade was pressed against Wang Meng's neck.
The voice that came out was deep, but clear enough for everyone to hear: "Did you impersonate me and presume to be Miss Shen's ex-husband?"
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