Hongshi pushed open the study door, walked to the cabinet without thinking, and opened the drawer to rummage through it.
Finally, he found a beautiful jade piece in a wooden box. Hongshi examined the jade from all angles, overjoyed, calculating that such a fine piece of jade could be exchanged for several thousand taels of silver.
In an instant, Ningxiang's charming and alluring smile appeared before Hongshi's eyes, and Hongshi couldn't wait to grab the jade and walk out.
"Stop! Prince, you've just returned, where are you going?" Ulanara Shuzhen rushed to the study and blocked Hongshi at the door, suppressing her anger and asking kindly.
Hongshi already harbored deep resentment towards Ulanara Shuzhen, and his refusal to return home stemmed from his desire to avoid facing her. Unexpectedly, she stopped him. The thought that Irgen's death was inextricably linked to her enraged Hongshi. He shoved Ulanara Shuzhen aside and coldly said, "This prince's affairs are none of your concern, woman. Get out of my way! Whoever blocks my path, I'll kill them..."
The maids scattered in fright. Ulanara Shuzhen, upon hearing of Hongshi's return, assumed he had come to his senses and decided to forget Irgen and live a good life with her. But now, she realized she had been foolish; Hongshi didn't care about her at all. Ulanara Shuzhen felt utterly dejected. Suddenly, she noticed the jade artifact in Hongshi's hand—it looked so familiar.
Wasn't this a gift from the Emperor when Hongshi was granted the title of Beile?
Ulanara Shuzhen had a bad feeling. Without thinking, she stepped forward and snatched the jade from Hongshi's hand: "This is a jade bestowed by the Emperor. What are you doing taking it out, Prince?"
Enraged that the jade artifact in Hongshi's hand had been dodged, he pointed at Ulanara Shuzhen and said fiercely, "Give it back to me... Don't think that just because you're the Empress's new niece, I, the Prince, can't do anything to you! Give it back to me now..."
Ulanara Shuzhen guessed that Hongshi was probably going to pawn it for money, and she was extremely sad.
Hongshi, who previously disliked his wife, is now risking the emperor's wrath for a courtesan by secretly appropriating a sacred object bestowed by the emperor.
Ulanara Shuzhen, tears streaming down her face, held up the jade ornament and cried out, "Hongshi, please wake up! This was a gift from the Empress! Aren't you afraid of being punished by her? Even if you don't think of yourself, you should think of the Empress, and the dozens of people in our Prince's household. And...and your newborn little prince..."
Hongshi was struck by Ulanara Shuzhen's words. The little prince... that's right! He has a son... Hongshi felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at the jade in Ulanara Shuzhen's hand and realized that if he had impulsively pawned it, his father would definitely blame him. Not only him, but his whole family would be implicated.
Seeing Hongshi hesitate, Ulanara Shuzhen cautiously approached him and pleaded, "Your Highness, please don't go out. I know the death of the Fujin has been a great blow to you, but you still have me... I will definitely take the Fujin's place and raise the little prince well... Please... go home..."
Hongshi watched indifferently as Ulanara Shuzhen pleaded with him, his eyes devoid of any emotion. He had been hesitant, but upon hearing about the Fujin and the young prince, Hongshi could no longer forgive Ulanara Shuzhen. So, he shook off Shuzhen's hand.
"I'm not pawning my jade anymore..."
“But I never want to come back to this home again. Without my wife, this place is just a cage to me…” Hongshi coldly uttered these words, then turned and walked away without hesitation…
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