Chapter 113 Wei’s Visit

Shu Yuwan didn’t delve into it further and decided to inquire after the Crown Prince’s  Banquet.

Shortly after, Yumei came in with an expression of difficulty and said, “Crown Princess, Lady Wei Shi and the two young ladies from the Anding Marquis wanted to see you.”

Shu Yuwan looked surprised.

Since the death of An Shaoyu, Zhao Qing Qing had fallen into the hands of the Crown Prince, and Shu Yuwan hadn’t paid much attention to them since then.

However, Wei Shi, the former mother-in-law, was not as shameless as the people from the Anding Marquis. Her relationship with Lu Yi had been quite good.

Shu Yuwan said, “Let them wait in the front hall.”

When Shu Yuwan arrived at the front hall, she saw Wei Shi and Lu Yi sitting there cautiously, their faces showing signs of caution.

Upon seeing Shu Yuwan, they quickly got up to pay their respects.

“Greetings, Crown Princess.”

Wei Shi looked somewhat melancholic upon seeing Shu Yuwan.

If it weren’t for the divorce, Shu Yuwan would still be her daughter-in-law, if An Shaoyu wouldn’t have died. Perhaps An Shaoyu would have had children by now!

Shu Yuwan calmly asked, “What brings you here at this time?”

Suppressing her tumultuous thoughts, Wei Shi, feeling embarrassed by Shu Yuwan’s cold demeanor, reluctantly spoke up. She was initially hesitant to come, but for her daughter’s lifelong matter, she had to swallow her pride and seek Shu Yuwan’s help.

Since Shu Yuwan married the Crown Prince, people in the capital had been avoiding the Anding Marquis, making it difficult for her to find assistance.

With a forced tone, Wei Shi awkwardly said, “Crown Princess, we have come today to seek your help.”

Shu Yuwan listened patiently.

“It’s like this, after your engagement was broken off, Anding Marquis intends to marry her off to the second son of Minister Peng as a conciliatory gesture. Minister Peng’s son is already forty years old, with children of his own, while An Shaoyuan is only fifteen. How can she marry someone like that? Now, no one in the capital is willing to associate with the Anding Marquis. My family, even my family members are unwilling to help us.”

Wei Shi felt disheartened. She was from a collateral branch of the Wei family and wasn’t considered significant within the family. But with her parents gone and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law unwilling to get involved, she felt helpless.

“Everyone… everyone is afraid of offending the Crown Prince. I beg you, based on our past relationship as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, please help An Shaoyuan.”

Lu Yi remained silent on the side.

To be honest, if it were her own daughter, she would definitely have come to ask for help with a thick skin. But now, it was her sister-in-law’s daughter, and she didn’t want to interfere. If it weren’t for the fact that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were crying in her courtyard, she wouldn’t have come.

Shu Yuwan found the situation somewhat incredulous.

An Shaoyuan was absolutely favored at home. As the youngest and only daughter among her three older brothers, she was always the center of attention. Now, she was being married off to a forty-year-old widower as a conciliatory gesture!

For the sake of power, the Anding Marquis was really…

Seeing Shu Yuwan’s lack of response, Wei Shi felt anxious and couldn’t help but cry, “Shu Yuwan, I beg you. If you help me this time, I’ll do anything for you in the future!”

Lu Yi felt somewhat embarrassed on the side and didn’t want to say anything to her mother-in-law.

Shu Yuwan remained indifferent. Wei Shi was desperate, and although she understood, Shu Yuwan didn’t want to get involved in the Anding Marquis’s affairs.

The marriage matters of her daughter were their internal affairs. Besides, the Anding Marquis was her ex-husband’s family. If she meddled in their affairs, it would only invite trouble.

For the sake of her child, she could ignore others’ opinions, but she wasn’t so kind-hearted when it came to An Shaoyuan.

“Madam, you’ve asked the wrong person. I have no right to intervene in Miss Shaoyuan marriage matters.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Shi stepped forward as if to grab Shu Yuwan’s sleeve, tearfully pleading, “Shu Yuwan, the Crown Prince trusts you and you’ve given birth to the Crown Prince’s heir. As long as you speak up, and guide An Shaoyuan’s marriage…”

Shu Yuwan couldn’t help but sarcastically laugh, “Madam, as a second-time bride with a daughter in the palace, already drawing attention, going to arrange a marriage for my ex-husband’s sister-in-law would undoubtedly stir up more gossip. Why should I do that?”

Wei Shi choked up, struggling to find the words to speak.

She knew the situation but felt helpless!

Shu Yuwan continued, “If Madam truly cares for her daughter, she could risk her own reputation. Just like when you went to scold Zhao Qing Qing at the Zhao Mansion, you could go to the Peng Mansion and scold the Second Master Peng for wanting to eat swan meat. I guarantee the Peng family won’t be able to save face and will marry their son to a noble lady.”

Wei Shi was taken aback, hesitating, “But…”

The Peng family was not like the Zhao family. Mr. Peng held the position of a Minister, both his sons held positions in the court, and his daughter was even a respected concubine in the palace. With the Emperor’s harem lacking a leader and the concubine holding power, the Anding Marquis couldn’t afford to offend them.

Moreover, it was her husband who wanted to arrange this marriage alliance. How could she go and scold someone else!

Seeing Wei Shi reaction, Shu Yuwan remarked, “Madam, even you can’t erase the shame of your own daughter. How can you expect me, an unrelated person, to step on my own face to save your daughter?”

Wei Shi tried to speak but couldn’t find the words.

Shu Yuwan calmly said, “If there’s nothing else, please leave. It’s been a long day, and I need to rest.”

Yumei stepped forward coldly, “Madam, please.”

Wei Shi hesitated, feeling embarrassed, but with no other choice, she said, “This… Your servant takes her leave.”

Lu Yi hadn’t said a word throughout the encounter and simply stood by. Seeing Wei Shi preparing to leave, she followed suit and bid farewell.

Shu Yuwan didn’t say much. She had thought of preparing some gifts for Lu Yi but considering the situation at the Anding Marquis, she was concerned that they might perceive her treatment of Lu Yi differently and force Lu Yi to make unreasonable demands when she visited the Palace. So, she reluctantly refrained from doing so.

Later in the evening, after the banquet dispersed and the Crown Prince returned, Shu Yuwan hadn’t settled yet.

The Crown Prince, with a gentle expression, asked, “Why haven’t you rested yet?”

Shu Yuwan helped the Crown Prince remove his outer garment and said, “I was waiting for you.”

She then brought up the matter of the Anding Marquis.

Curious, she asked, “Ah Qing, what is the Anding Marquis up to? Sending their beautiful daughter to the Peng Mansion, what’s the Yilan?”

The Crown Prince chuckled, “Recently, I’ve been considering reclaiming the bit of military power held by the Anding Marquis. The Marquis seems to have sensed it.”

Shu Yuwan hadn’t heard the Crown Prince mention this before.

Finding it somewhat absurd, she asked, “On what basis does he think Minister Peng can help him?”

The Crown Prince explained, “Although Minister Peng is elderly, he is a veteran of two dynasties with many disciples. He still holds some influence in the court. The main point is, apart from the Fifth Brother, the Anding Marquis has no other choice. The Second Brother is not in the capital, and the Zhang Consort’s family isn’t influential. Although she has enticed some power, she lacks someone like Minister Peng, who has the authority to speak.”

“He has to rely on Minister Peng’s household and take a chance.”

After hearing the Crown Prince’s analysis, Shu Yuwan understood.

She had married the Crown Prince, and the Anding Marquis feared an unfavorable outcome for their family after the Crown Prince ascended the throne. They could only turn to the Fifth Prince for support. Initially, this was done discreetly, but now, facing a crisis, they hadn’t provided enough leverage for the Peng family to intervene, so they sacrificed their daughter!

Now, it was up to Wei Shi to sacrifice her dignity to protect her daughter!