Chapter 352: What Are You Doing?
Xingqing ran very fast. She ran to the Imperial Garden, turned a corner, and bumped into Ren Zilin.
Seeing her pale face from running, Ren Zilin immediately embraced her and took her away from there.
~
On the other side, Wen Ruiqing, upon hearing the palace maid’s message, flashed a look of impatience on his face. He felt that Shen Ruolan was always looking for trouble. If she couldn’t drink, she shouldn’t have. Why run around after getting drunk?
However, this was the person Princess Changle asked him to find, so he didn’t dare not to look for her.
So he stood up and walked out, planning to find his son first and then search together.
At the same time, the Yong’an Heir Apparent pushed open the slightly ajar door and was about to enter the room when he smelled a faint fragrance of osmanthus wine in the air. He also saw a graceful figure changing clothes behind the screen. He had secretly observed those gestures many times before and was very familiar with them!
It was just that with a hint of drunkenness, the figure appeared even more alluring.
He paused, waved to the servant who wanted to follow him in, and whispered, “Go get a bowl of sobering-up soup.”
“Yes.” The servant closed the door gently and retreated.
Shen Ruolan was already drunk, her head getting dizzier. But her clothes were dirty. She had accidentally bumped into a palace maid earlier, spilling soup on herself. She was changing, but her movements were clumsy due to the dizziness.
She heard someone come in but didn’t hear the Yong’an Heir Apparent’s words. Thinking it was the palace maid returning, she said, “You’re finally back. Come and help me change my clothes. My head is spinning.”
The Yong’an Heir Apparent walked around the screen and saw Shen Ruolan’s bare back. His breath hitched.
Shen Ruolan’s head was spinning, and her movements were clumsy. She accidentally pulled the straps of her undergarment too tight and couldn’t untie them after a long time, so she said, “Quick, help me untie these straps.”
The Yong’an Heir Apparent didn’t move. He knew he should turn around and leave immediately, but his feet wouldn’t obey, as if they had taken root!
None of the others were her. Only she was!
He only wanted her!
The Yong’an Heir Apparent slowly took a step forward.
Shen Ruolan waited for a long time, but the person behind her didn’t respond. She turned around to look and was startled, “Your Highness? Why are you here?!”
The shock sobered Shen Ruolan up considerably. She covered herself and reached for the clothes draped over the screen.
However, she pulled too hard, and as the clothes came down, the screen toppled over as well!
Seeing this, the Yong’an Heir Apparent quickly stepped forward, catching her in his arms with one hand while using his elbow to block the falling screen. With a forceful push, the screen fell to the other side.
At this moment, Wen Ruiqing pushed open the door, happening to see the two embracing.
He immediately recognized the Yong’an Heir Apparent, but the woman in his arms was shielded, so he hadn’t seen her clearly yet. “Your Highness, you…”
At this point, he realized that he had accidentally stumbled upon his son’s private affair and quickly turned around.
Hearing Wen Ruiqing’s voice, Shen Ruolan came to her senses in fright and hurriedly pushed the Yong’an Heir Apparent away, revealing her face.
Wen Ruiqing had only turned halfway when a familiar face caught the corner of his eye. He couldn’t believe it and quickly turned back.
Shen Ruolan?!
Wen Ruiqing’s pupils constricted as he roared, “What are you doing?!”
“Shut up!” The Yong’an Heir Apparent snapped, worried that his father’s loud voice would attract others.
Shen Ruolan was terrified. She frantically pulled her clothes around herself, crying, “We weren’t doing anything, Husband! We weren’t doing anything! I was just changing my clothes!”
Wen Ruiqing felt a surge of anger, his whole body about to explode. He rushed forward, raising his hand to strike Shen Ruolan.
The Yong’an Heir Apparent grabbed his hand.
Wen Ruiqing cursed in fury, “Lewd woman! You… this lewd woman! I’m going to beat you to death!”
He wanted to curse them as adulterers, but his son was the Heir Apparent, deeply favored by the Empress Dowager. He was counting on his son to support him in his old age, so he didn’t dare to curse him, only venting his anger on Shen Ruolan.
The Yong’an Heir Apparent looked at him coldly, threatening, “Things aren’t what you think. If you don’t want this to become public knowledge, be quiet!”
Meeting the Yong’an Heir Apparent’s icy gaze, Wen Ruiqing didn’t dare to make a sound. He just glared fiercely at Shen Ruolan!
It was all this harlot Shen’s fault! Back in the village, she had already tried to seduce him, and now she dared to seduce his son! If this got out, wouldn’t he become a laughingstock? He wouldn’t be able to face anyone.
✿✿✿
Wen Ruiqing felt that not only was his head green, but even his blood had turned green!
He even began to doubt if Shen Xingqing was his biological daughter!
No!
Divorce!
Just the thought of having raised someone else’s daughter for so many years made him furious, wanting to beat both mother and daughter to death!
No, he had to divorce Shen Ruolan and sever his father-daughter relationship with Shen Xingqing!
Wen Ruiqing’s howl did attract nearby palace attendants. The Yong’an Heir Apparent faintly heard someone approaching and frowned, “Someone’s coming!”
Shen Ruolan’s face turned pale!
Would she be caught and drowned in a pig cage?
Wen Ruiqing’s face also paled. He didn’t want anyone to know that he had been cuckolded, and by his wife and son no less!
It was simply preposterous!
The Yong’an Heir Apparent quickly dragged Wen Ruiqing out and closed the door behind them.
Before closing the door, he glanced at Shen Ruolan, wanting to offer some comfort but ultimately remaining silent.
The newcomer was an old eunuch from the Empress Dowager’s palace. He had been ordered to deliver sobering-up soup to the Yong’an Heir Apparent. Seeing the two, he hurriedly bowed, “This humble servant greets Your Highness and Minister Wen.”
Wen Ruiqing trembled with anger, staring intently at the old eunuch, worried that he had discovered his shameful secret.
Minister Wen’s gaze was quite frightening! The old eunuch, however, was skilled in martial arts. He had heard Wen Ruiqing’s howl earlier and vaguely caught something about a lewd woman. He glanced at the closed door, his ears twitching, wanting to eavesdrop.
The Yong’an Heir Apparent immediately said, “Eunuch Yang, did Imperial Grandaunt send you?”
The old eunuch smiled, “The Empress Dowager is worried that Your Highness might harm your health from drinking, so she specifically instructed this servant to bring you this sobering-up soup!”
As he spoke, he glanced at the door, his meaning clear: he wanted to bring the soup into the room.
The Yong’an Heir Apparent picked up the bowl of sobering-up soup from the tray and placed a pouch on it. “Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Yang. Please convey my gratitude to Imperial Grandaunt.”
The old eunuch’s eyes flickered as he smiled, “Thank you, Your Highness. This servant will return to report now!”
The Yong’an Heir Apparent nodded nonchalantly.
The old eunuch then turned and left.
After the old eunuch was gone, the Yong’an Heir Apparent said to Wen Ruiqing, “You’d better return to the main hall now as if nothing happened.”
Having said that, the Yong’an Heir Apparent ignored him, turned, and pushed open the door back into the room.
He had to wait until no one was around to send Shen Ruolan away.
Wen Ruiqing watched him return to the room nonchalantly, his eyes wide!
Anyone who didn’t know would think the person inside was his wife, not his own!
Did he even know who was in there?
Also, he had been cuckolded by his son and wife, and he had to pretend as if nothing had happened?
Divorce!
Even if he couldn’t make a fuss about this matter for the sake of his future and reputation, he had to swallow this bitter pill. He was determined to divorce Shen Ruolan!
Who knew what they had done behind his back at the residence!
Wen Ruiqing left with a dark expression!
The path through the Vice Minister of Personnel was no longer viable. He had to use this opportunity to have his son secure a good official position in front of the Empress Dowager, to console his wounded heart!
Even at this moment, Wen Ruiqing didn’t forget to scheme for his own benefit.
