The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 98 So Blessed
At Princess Zhaoren Mansion in Xishan.
In the evening, the mansion welcomed a frequent guest of late, the Right Prime Minister, Qin Wenzheng.
The Taizi, Feng Zhan, had returned to the Taizi Mansion to handle affairs. Qin Yan did not linger with him intentionally; she had no particular desire to keep Qin Wenzheng waiting. Therefore, Qin Wenzheng did not wait long in the hall.
In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Qin Yan, wrapped in a silver fox fur cloak, entered the hall.
Although the doors and windows of the discussion hall were wide open and the cold wind occasionally swept in, several fire stoves were burning inside, keeping the temperature bearable.
Qin Yan gave Qin Wenzheng a brief, indifferent glance as she walked in. She allowed Shen Ying to remove her cloak and proceeded directly to the seat of honor. Accepting the white porcelain cup handed to her by Shen Ying, she sipped leisurely and delicately.
Qin Wenzheng observed Qin Yan with a complex expression. She was his eldest daughter, with whom he had the most strained relationship, but she was also the only one he was certain was his biological child.
Qin Yan’s appearance resembled Shen Shiying about sixty to seventy percent, yet she also bore some of his own features, and there were subtle resemblances to her aunt, Imperial Concubine Shu.
Qin Wenzheng was certain that Qin Yan was his biological daughter.
In contrast, Qin Nian looked much like her mother, Song Mei, and there was not a trace of resemblance to Qin Wenzheng in her appearance.
Had it not been for Qin Wenzheng overhearing a conversation between Song Mei and Fourth Master Qin last night, he would never have questioned the parentage of the brother and sister duo in the Qin Mansion.
But now that Fourth Master Qin had mentioned Qin Ming, the identity of Qin Nian could not help but be questioned.
Thinking of this, Qin Wen Zheng felt a pang of bitterness. He was facing an awkward and painful situation.
He opened his mouth towards Qin Yan, but he was unsure of how to begin.
On the court, where he argued policies and engaged in debates, Prime Minister Qin could handle a thousand opponents with ease. Yet, when faced with his own daughter, he found himself at a loss for words.
————
Qin Yan put down her teacup and looked at the gray-faced Qin Wenzheng with a calm voice, “Is Prime Minister Qin here for tea?”
Qin Wenzheng felt a pang in his chest. He was somewhat displeased by Qin Yan’s address, feeling that she hadn’t called him “father” since her return to the capital.
But he thought again and realized that this person before him might be his only surviving flesh and blood. His heart softened slightly.
Just yesterday, he had still been contemplating having Qin Yan transfer the family business to Qin Ming. Despite his two decades of experience in the court, priding himself on being smart, his family affairs were a complete mess.
With a deep sigh, Qin Wenzheng said to Qin Yan, “Yan Yan, I have some family matters I wish to discuss with you privately.”
Qin Yan understood that this meant the current presence of Shen Ying, who was standing beside her, was not desired.
Qin Yan disliked Qin Wenzheng’s hesitant manner. She wanted to dismiss him quickly. With the handsome man of the Crown Prince as her companion, why spend more time with Qin Wenzheng here.
She raised her hand, and Shen Ying, understanding her master’s intention, promptly exited and stood outside the hall.
Seeing the door wide open, Qin Wen Zheng’s brow remained furrowed, but he could make no further demands.
Qin Wenzheng looked at Qin Yan, somewhat awkwardly, and began, “Yan Yan, what was the meaning behind the set of jade you sent during the banquet when I conferred Song Mei as an equal wife?”
Qin Yan tapped the desk with her fingers, contemplating for a moment, then merely smiled and remained silent.
With so many matters to handle daily, Qin Yan had not given Song Mei’s affairs much thought. However, it seemed that Qin Wenzheng was finally catching on.
Seeing Qin Yan’s attitude, Qin Wenzheng felt both embarrassed and angry. Since Qin Yan was aware of these matters so early on, why had she not informed him? Was she just waiting to see him make a fool of himself?
Noticing Qin Yan’s continued silence, Qin Wenzheng pressed further, “Is Qin Ming truly my son?”
Qin Yan paused her movements, her phoenix eyes narrowing. The expression on her face shifted from mild surprise to subtle mockery.
“From my people’s investigation, it was discovered that there were unsavory dealings between Song Mei and Fourth Master Qin. It turns out that your precious son is not yours.”
“Is he Fourth Master Qin’s?”
Hearing Qin Yan’s words laced with a hint of mockery, Qin Wenzheng’s face grew even darker.
“What else do you know?”
Qin Yan, losing interest in discussing this matter further with her father, responded coldly to avoid tainting her ears with such talk, “I have no interest in these matters and no intention of discussing them with you.”
“If Prime Minister Qin has questions, you may ask Mr. Ji in my residence. Excuse me.”
“Shen Ying.”
Shen Ying responded and entered.
Qin Yan rose, allowed Shen Ying to drape her cloak over her shoulders, and walked toward the hall door.
“Yan Yan…” Qin Wenzheng called out as he stood up.
As Qin Yan passed in front of him, she turned her head and addressed him with a cold tone, “Back then, you were so insistent on having a son to carry on the family name. Are you still satisfied now?”
———-
That night, after managing some official business and spending an hour at the Northern Yamen, Xie Changyuan finally rode his horse to the Marquis of Yongding Mansion.
This was his first return since moving out of the Marquis Mansion.
The servants at the Marquis Mansion were surprised to see him. Xie Changyuan headed straight for his old courtyard, passing through a maze of corridors. As he turned a corner, he heard hushed voices from the servants discussing among themselves.
Xie Changyuan had excellent hearing and, upon catching a few names in the conversation, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“Has the Marquis gone to Madam Shizi’s courtyard again?”
“Of course. Lately, the marquis visits Madam Shizi’s courtyard every day. He’s even more diligent than his son.”
“I’ve seen Marquis leave Madam’s room only the next day several times.”
“What’s so strange about that? I heard that on the night of the wedding, Shizi didn’t return, and the marquis went to the bridal chamber. The next day, the nurses Wang Ma and Li Ma, who were on duty outside the room, disappeared. They might have been silenced.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wonder whose child is in Madam’s belly — Shizi’s or Marquis’s.”
“Why bother worrying about that? In the end, the child will still be a Xie.”
“That’s true…”
……
Xie Changyuan’s face turned frighteningly black, his aura shifted abruptly. Clenching his fists tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulged as he struggled to hold back his rage and not confront the gossiping servants.
By the time Xie Changyuan arrived at Ye Qingli’s room, the servants had already notified the marquis. He found Ye Qingli sitting at a round table with a young maid standing beside her, but the marquis was nowhere to be seen.
“Shizi.”
The maid, who had previously served A Yan, greeted Xie Changyuan.
With a face as cold as ice, Xie Changyuan said, “Get out.”
The young maid, worriedly glancing at Ye Qingli, did not move immediately.
“Get out!”
Xie Changyuan’s angry roar filled the room.
The maid trembled, but her feet remained rooted in place. The marquis had instructed her to stay and watch, and since the madam was pregnant, she feared she would have no explanation for the marquis if something happened.
Xie Changyuan glared at the maid with increasing displeasure. Could he not even manage a servant now?
Ye Qingli, looking somewhat plumper due to her pregnancy, smiled sweetly at her husband, Xie Changyuan, and instructed the maid,
“You may go now. The young master wants to discuss some private matters with me.”
The maid blushed, cast a wary glance at Xie Changyuan, and quickly left the room.
————–
The atmosphere between the couple in the room was tense.
Xie Changyuan looked down at Ye Qingli, his voice cold, “You are the illegitimate daughter of the former Emperor of Yizhou.”
Xie Changyuan wasn’t asking; he was stating a fact.
Ye Qingli was initially surprised. Her background had been so well concealed that the few who knew about it were long dead. Yet, it had been discovered.
But so, what if it had been discovered?
Ye Qingli was aware of Xie Changyuan’s experience, because of the incident with Princess Anyang, Xie Changyuan harbored a deep hatred for illegitimate children.
Ye Qingli looked up at Xie Changyuan, a mocking smile on her face.
“Yes, I am an illegitimate daughter of a lowly background, but now, I am also the legitimate wife of Shizi.”
Xie Changyuan did not expect that Ye Qingli would not even say a word of sophistry to cover up, as if she was deliberately provoking him.
The once innocent and lovable woman had now become someone he found nauseating.
Remembering the servants’ gossip he had overheard earlier, Xie Changyuan’s anger flared.
“You and Xie An…”
But Xie Changyuan still didn’t know how to finish the sentence. The humiliation was too great for him to even articulate.
————-
Ye Qingli realized that the unpleasant rumors had finally reached her husband’s ears. Xie Changyuan had learned the truth, and it wasn’t in vain that she had gone to great lengths these past few days to keep Xie An close to her.
Ye Qingli let out a light laugh and slowly spoke, “Husband, we’ve known each other for three years. First, we were married by the Emperor’s decree, then by the Empress Dowager’s.”
“On our wedding day, you disregarded me and made me a laughingstock throughout the capital.”
“You were heartless and unkind towards me, but your father, the Marquis, has been very considerate of me, his daughter-in-law.”
Xie Changyuan’s face turned cold and terrifying, while Ye Qingli’s smile widened even more.
“On what should have been our wedding night, your father, the Marquis, did what was supposed to be done by the groom.”
“Who would have thought that the Marquis, despite his age, was so vigorous that night? It was even more enjoyable than our first time in the Imperial Garden.”
“Hahaha, if we’re talking about that aspect, my dear husband, you can’t compare to the Marquis…”
“Shameless woman!”
Xie Changyuan’s roar filled the room as he stepped forward, raising his right hand. But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to strike her.
Ye Qingli lifted her delicate face, looking at Xie Changyuan, “Darling, you may strike me or even kill the child in my womb if you wish.”
“At this early stage, the doctor cannot determine whether the child is one month or two months old.”
Ye Qingli continued with a mocking tone, “Hehe, but with the difference of more than a month, how could I know if this child is my husband’s, or the Marquis’s?”
Ye Qingli gently stroked her abdomen, her voice soft, “Does my husband know if this is his child? Or perhaps it is his brother or sister’s?”
Ye Qingli provocatively taunted Xie Changyuan, using it as a way to vent her long-suppressed grievances and anger.
Ye Qingli was confident that Xie Changyuan would hesitate to act against her due to his concern for Yizhou and the Empress Dowager.
Xie Changyuan’s eyes widened with fury. His raised right hand clenched into a fist, and with a powerful swing, he struck the nearby round table.
With a loud crash, the table shattered into pieces.
———–
“What’s the meaning of this?”
Xie An quickly entered the room, his face filled with concern as he rushed to Ye Qingli’s side. Seeing she was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.
Turning to face his son, Xie An stood in front of Ye Qingli, taking on a protective stance.
When the servants reported that Shizi had entered the mansion, Xie An had left first but couldn’t shake off his anxiety. He had come back to ensure everything was alright.
The two men stared at each other with cold, unyielding eyes. Xie Changyuan, witnessing this, could only smile bitterly.
“Xie An, do you have any sense of shame?”
Xie An’s face flushed with embarrassment. He immediately realized that Xie Changyuan had learned the truth, but at this point, Ye Qingli was his responsibility, and Xie Changyuan had no right to cause trouble.
Raising his voice, Xie An retorted angrily, “You rascal! From the wedding day until now, have you even come back to the mansion once?”
Xie Changyuan’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Was it truly his fault that his father and wife were involved with each other?
Were these two people so devoid of any sense of morality or propriety?
Xie Changyuan felt a profound disgust with the fact that he shared blood with Xie An.
He thought of how he had hurried to seek out the Taizi today, trying to buy some time for Ye Qingli, who was pregnant.
Ha, the Taizi was right. He had been too lenient and had been manipulated by Ye Qingli.
With a cold glance at Ye Qingli’s abdomen, Xie Changyuan turned and walked out. His steps, initially heavy, became resolute as he left the mansion, mounted his horse, and galloped westward.
———–
Left alone in the room, Xie An immediately displayed a tender expression. He grasped Ye Qingli’s soft hands with one of his, gently massaging them, while his other hand soothingly stroked her back, murmuring softly, “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
“Marquis…”
Ye Qingli nestled into Xie An’s embrace, her voice trembling slightly, causing Xie An’s heart to soften.
Yet, only Ye Qingli knew how hardened her heart was beneath the facade of vulnerability, all thanks to Xie Changyuan.
Ye Qingli had been waiting for this day for a long time, but she found no joy in revenge at this moment.
Whether it was yesterday or today, upon first seeing Xie Changyuan, her heart still felt a primal joy.
He was her husband, the man she once admired.
But Xie Changyuan’s gaze would never linger on her.
Had Xie Changyuan shown her even a sliver of kindness, even a tiny bit, she wouldn’t have taken this step.
Ye Qingli gently touched her still flat abdomen. Although her pregnancy wasn’t yet showing, a small life was already growing inside her. This was her child.
Before her marriage, Ye Qingli had experienced menstruation, so she knew full well who the father of this child was.
Let this child become a thorn in Xie Changyuan’s side, deeply embedded in his heart, never to be removed.
Ye Qingli felt a profound sadness. She had once been innocent and carefree, but here she was, having been led step by step to this point.
Ah, this was fate… her fate…
At this moment, Ye Qingli even thought of Princess Zhaoren in Xishan.
Qin Yan, why is she so blessed, so fortunate…