When Yan Xuening saw Cheng's haggard appearance, she almost burst into tears—but she knew that her mother was in a state of anxiety and insecurity, and if she could not stand up for herself, her mother would have no one to rely on.
Yan Xuening carefully recalled Shang Shaoyan's usual demeanor.
The next moment, she smiled, as if she couldn't see how disheveled her mother was: "Mom, I've come to see you."
Seeing that Yan Xuening wasn't nervous, Madam Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled for the first time in many days. She quickly pulled Yan Xuening into the room and said, "Come in and sit down."
Madam Cheng pulled Yan Xuening to sit down, then said with some concern, "The young master didn't come, did he? Don't call him. If he knows I've been divorced, he might also despise you..."
Yan Xuening smiled and said helplessly, "Mother is overthinking it. After learning about Yan Heng's disgraceful deeds, the Marquis was even angrier than I was. He said he would seek justice for you. He has already taken people to the prefectural government. Don't worry, you will get everything you deserve."
After a pause, Yan Xuening added under Cheng Shi's uneasy gaze, "Also, you left the mansion through a divorce. We don't recognize any talk of abandonment or the seven grounds for divorce."
Yan Xuening's calm and methodical approach successfully reassured Madam Cheng. Although she was still somewhat uneasy, she ultimately said nothing more.
Not long after, Li Langxuan sent someone to deliver a message, saying that Yan Heng had agreed to sign the divorce papers. Madam Cheng was stunned for a moment, then cried and laughed, "Good, good! A-Ning, you are different from me, you have married the right person!"
...
Shang Yunlan and Emperor Chen entered the gates of Hangzhou and were delighted to see the bustling and prosperous scene. Emperor Chen felt that he was indeed a good ruler, as Hangzhou was incredibly prosperous; Shang Yunlan felt that Prefect Yan was truly capable. The happier Emperor Chen was now, the angrier he would be later, making the slap in the face all the more interesting.
After strolling around for a while, Shang Yunlan suggested, "Your Majesty, the inns outside are dirty and unsafe. My uncle is the prefect of Hangzhou. We can stay at his residence in Hangzhou."
Emperor Chen pondered for a moment, then hesitated—after all, he was here on a private visit, wouldn't this be too boring?
Shang Yunlan was a shrewd person, and she could easily see what he was thinking. She then said, "I only said that you are my good friend. My uncle has not yet returned to the capital to report on his duties and has never met you. He will not find out."
Emperor Chen no longer hesitated and happily agreed, "Excellent, excellent. Minister Shang, you are so thoughtful!"
Shang Yunlan smiled, and then led Emperor Chen all the way to the prefectural government office.
Shang Yunlan had already sent someone to deliver a Yangzhou courtesan to Prefect Yan. Prefect Yan should be frolicking with that courtesan right now. Shang Yunlan then showed his token. The gatekeeper dared not ask him to wait, nor did he dare to call Prefect Yan, for fear of disturbing his mood. After thinking for a moment, he decided that since they were relatives anyway, and Shang Yunlan had given him a lot of money, he let the two of them in.
Yan Xuening had also sent a message to Aunt Ding and Yan Yushuang in advance: "There are distinguished guests coming to the mansion today. Be careful and do not leave your rooms. Be careful not to offend the distinguished guests."
Aunt Ding and Yan Yushuang immediately remembered what Princess Heyang and Yan Xuening had talked about a few months ago about "His Majesty's incognito visit," and they were immediately excited.
So when Shang Yunlan and Chen Huang entered the garden of the prefectural government, they "coincidentally" encountered Yan Yushuang, who was chasing butterflies and laughing among the flowers.
Yan Yushuang had a graceful figure and a beautiful appearance. She wore a light gauze dress. When she chased butterflies, a section of her fair wrist was exposed, and her jade-white skin was faintly visible. Her hair was slightly messy, making her look very charming and cute.
Emperor Chen was no stranger to beauties; Yan Yushuang was merely a common sight. Therefore, he only glanced at her before continuing to chat and laugh with Shang Yunlan.
Yan Yushuang, who was consciously trying to wink at a blind man: "..."
She racked her brains for a while, then realized she couldn't just sit and wait to die, so she quickly tilted her body and was about to fall on Emperor Chen.
Chen Huang tactically retreated to avoid Yan Yushuang falling on him, then patted his chest under Yan Yushuang's incredulous gaze, saying with lingering fear, "You scared me to death, is this the kind of staged accident you were talking about?"
Shang Yunlan suppressed a laugh and nodded, saying, "Exactly, that's what you call a staged accident."
Yan Yushuang: "..."
Her expression twisted for a moment.
Emperor Chen shook his head: "He's not good-looking. If he were more attractive, I... I would have taken him."
Shang Yunlan almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Just as Yan Yushuang was on the verge of collapse, a commotion arose in the front hall.
Shang Yunlan subtly curled the corners of her lips, then feigned concern and said to Emperor Chen, "Your Majesty, shall we go and take a look?"
...
On the other side, Li Langxuan stood at the entrance of the prefectural government office, followed by the elite soldiers of the Shang family brought by Shang Yunlan. These men had fought on the battlefield, and their bloodthirsty aura was undeniable. The gatekeeper of the prefectural government office was so frightened that he trembled and finally said in a trembling voice, "Sir, the prefect will be out soon. Please wait a little longer."
Li Langxuan waved a folding fan in his hand. Although his eyes were covered by silk, he did not show the timidity that an ordinary blind person should have. Instead, he had a dashing and debonair air about him.
He smiled slightly and said gently, "No rush."
The gatekeeper broke out in a cold sweat, secretly lamenting his predicament—if the young man hadn't drawn his sword when he said "no rush," it would have been even more convincing.
Li Langxuan waited for a while before Yan Heng arrived in a hurry. The latter still smelled of perfume, and there was even a lip print left on his neck.
Yan Heng sized up Li Langxuan and saw that although he was blind, he exuded an air of nobility. He immediately thought of the Yongle Marquis whom Yan Xuening had married.
Who in the world doesn't know that Marquis Yongle, Li Langxuan, is a blind good-for-nothing?
When someone reported it, he thought some important person had arrived, but it turned out to be just him.
A hint of disdain unconsciously crept into Yan Heng's eyes. Ignoring the fact that he was merely a fifth-rank official while the other was a high-ranking one, he didn't even bother with formalities and directly asked, "What brings you to Hangzhou, Lord Marquis?"
Li Langxuan's lips curled into a cool smile as he casually remarked, "Why can't I come? Is Hangzhou still under the jurisdiction of Prefect Yan?"
Prefect Yan did not realize that Li Langxuan was setting a trap for him. Hearing this, he sneered: "Hangzhou is naturally my territory. If you don't believe me, go out and ask around. Everyone in Hangzhou only listens to me."
Just as he was feeling smug, he didn't notice that the door behind him hadn't been closed. Emperor Chen was staring at his back with a gloomy expression, while Shang Yunlan had a smile in her eyes. Yan Yushuang and Aunt Ding were kneeling beside him, trembling with fear.
Li Langxuan was blind, so he naturally couldn't see Emperor Chen. When Emperor Chen heard Prefect Yan's audacious words, his face immediately darkened.
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