Chapter 66 : What’s Her Wrong

Song Ying: “Did the Empress Dowager show up?”

Previously, when Princess Ziyang didn’t get what she wanted from Song Ying, she could only try to cling to the Empress Dowager.

But the Empress Dowager…

Liu Lingyan: “I’m not sure. That’s all I heard.”

Song Ying asked curiously, “You didn’t attend the flower-viewing banquet, so how do you know all this?”

Liu Lingyan: “Li Xingrou told me. While you were away from the capital, I took the kids out for a walk and happened to overhear her chatting with some young ladies from official families.”

Liu Lingyan had incredibly sharp ears.

Just then, Xiaoli ran over and said, “Auntie, eat this.”

Song Ying looked at the peach blossom-shaped bun in her hand, thanked her, and took a bite. “Delicious.”

Knowing how fond Song Ying was of children, Liu Lingyan asked, “Did you see him this time?”

Song Ying: “I did.”

Liu Lingyan: “And?”

Seeing her best friend’s gossipy expression, Song Ying smiled. “What?”

“Hey, don’t play coy with me. Just tell me.”

Song Ying: “That’s it. Let’s wait for him to come back.”

Liu Lingyan grinned, “So it’s really decided?”

Song Ying’s eyes lowered slightly. “When he wins, I’ll ask the emperor to grant us a marriage.”

Liu Lingyan clapped her hands in delight. “That’s more like it! And I have a feeling, he’s definitely going to win.”

Song Ying looked up at the brightest star in the sky, her tone just as certain. “He will win.”

—

At the study in the rear courtyard of Juya Pavilion, the medicine shopkeeper met with the third shopkeeper.

The third shopkeeper, anxiously awaiting his response, greeted him at once.

“Manager Yao, you’re finally here.”

The medicine shopkeeper bowed. “Apologies for the delay. My boss has returned.”

The third shopkeeper looked at him eagerly. “So? When can the medicinal herbs be delivered?”

The medicine shopkeeper replied apologetically, “My boss said all the herbs have already been reserved. I can only suggest that you find another supplier.”

The third shopkeeper looked dismayed. “Ah? But this…”

The medicine shopkeeper said, “I won’t trouble you further. Goodbye.”

The third shopkeeper replied, “Please take care.”

After he left, the third shopkeeper went to report to the chief shopkeeper.

“They said all the stock is reserved?”

The third shopkeeper, Fang Bing, was still disappointed. “Yes.”

Fang Tian responded, “I understand.”

Fang Bing muttered, “Brother, I think Boss Fang did this on purpose. How could it be that every single herb we need is already reserved?”

Fang Tian replied, “If they don’t want to supply us, then they don’t. Perhaps they have their reasons. Don’t take it personally.”

Although Fang Bing was still a little upset, since his older brother had said so, he let it go. “Understood. I’ll take my leave.”

Once Fang Bing left, Yue Shaozhi stepped out from the inner room.

Fang Tian immediately stepped aside and greeted him, “Your Majesty.”

Yue Shaozhi had heard the entire conversation just now.

“How about the other pharmacies?”

Fang Tian replied, “Everything else is in place, except for Pingle Pharmacy…”

Yue Shaozhi said calmly, “Let it be.”

Fang Tian hesitated, wanting to speak. Yue Shaozhi looked up and gestured for him to go ahead.

“Your Majesty, if I may speculate, Boss Fang’s sudden change in attitude… could it be that he has realized this transport mission is actually a trap to lure out the Xiyue people?”

Fang Tian studied Yue Shaozhi’s expression closely. Seeing that he wasn’t angry, he continued, “Chen Ju learned from Chen Hong that after the caravan left, Boss Fang went alone to the military camp to meet with General Huo Zhen.”

“Only you, Your Majesty, Young Marquis Wen, Old General Huo, and my subordinates know about this mission… Boss Fang has a close relationship with General Huo Zhen. Could it be—”

Fang Tian suspected that Old General Huo had leaked the news to Huo Zhen, who then told Boss Fang.

Yue Shaozhi tapped his fingers lightly on the table, the soft sound enough to make Fang Tian immediately fall silent in fear.

“Huo Leiming is not so old that he would act foolishly. Since Fang Xiawen no longer wants to be involved with the Chamber of Commerce, there’s no need to force it.”

Fang Tian broke into a cold sweat. “Understood.”

—

Leaving Juya Pavilion, the carriage rolled along for a while before Yue Shaozhi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them and looked outside instinctively.

The three characters “Xiaohanju” flashed past his eyes.

Yue Shaozhi shut his eyes again, his expression calm, tapping his fingers intermittently.

He believed Huo Leiming wouldn’t have leaked anything, and he also trusted that Song Ying was smart enough to figure things out afterward.

But the sound of the horse hooves stirred memories that should’ve been buried long ago.

“Why don’t you make close friends with them? You never say it out loud, but I can tell you don’t like them. So I rejected them in your name. You won’t be mad, will you?”

“The Empress Dowager? Well, she’s unavoidable. Some formalities have to be followed. As your wife, of course I won’t make things difficult for you. Don’t you agree?”

When he opened his eyes again, the carriage had already arrived at the palace gates.

As he stepped out, Yunchun hurried in through the side entrance.

“Your Majesty, you’re finally back. The princess refuses to take her medicine and insists on seeing you.”

Suppressing a wave of irritation that rose for no clear reason, Yue Shaozhi replied, “I’ll go right away.”

—

That day, Song Ruoer had been so infuriated by Princess Ziyang that she nearly had a miscarriage. Since then, she had been lying at home to recover.

But every time she thought about what Princess Ziyang had said, her heart burned with unrest.

“The prince regent is here.”

Song Ruoer sat up, stretching out her hand toward Yue Shaozhi. “Shaozhi…”

Seeing her looking so frail, Yue Shaozhi softened and quickly stepped forward to take her hand. “Why didn’t you take your medicine?”

Song Ruoer shook her head as tears welled up. “I missed you.”

Yue Shaozhi gave Yunchun a glance, and Yunchun immediately led the servants out and closed the door behind them.

Song Ruoer clung to Yue Shaozhi’s waist, buried her head in his chest, and sobbed, “Shaozhi, everyone looks at me the same way they look at Princess Ziyang.”

She would never forget that moment, when Princess Ziyang spoke those words, the way everyone around her looked, full of ridicule and contempt.

Yue Shaozhi gently stroked her hair and whispered, “You are my lawfully wedded wife.”

But so what?

Those people still believed she had stolen Song Ying’s husband.

But how was it her fault? She didn’t force Song Ying to divorce. It was Song Ying herself who asked for it.

Song Ruoer said regretfully, “Shaozhi, do you blame me? I blame myself for not listening to you and inviting Princess Ziyang. I thought it was just a formality, but I didn’t expect…”

She never expected Princess Ziyang to be so hard to handle. She only said those things in frustration, tired of being harassed.

She regretted them the moment they left her mouth but she hadn’t expected Princess Ziyang to strike back so harshly…

Yue Shaozhi did blame her, for not listening, for making everything more complicated but she was pregnant. In the end, he gave in and coaxed her gently, “You weren’t wrong. They were. Princess Ziyang has already been confined. I’ll make sure you get justice.”

Song Ruoer nodded. “Yes, it’s fine if she insults me, but she shouldn’t have insulted our child. The baby is innocent. Shaozhi, don’t do it just for me, do it for our child.”

Looking down at her tear-streaked face, Yue Shaozhi couldn’t help but think of someone else, someone who never seemed to cry.

No, there was one time. That day in the pavilion.

But was she really crying? Or just pretending?

“Shaozhi?”

Yue Shaozhi snapped back to reality and said, “Don’t worry. For you and our child, I won’t let Princess Ziyang or her family get away easily.”