Chapter 24: The Matter of Divorce 

Yuntian and Yunqi were sent flying by a single slap from their Heir Apparent. Before Yuntian could even process what had happened, Yunqi quickly covered his mouth and whispered, “Shh, the Heir Apparent’s Consort is back.” 

The Heir Apparent’s Consort? 

Since when had Shang Nian’s daughter truly become the Heir Apparent’s Consort? 

They certainly didn’t address her that way in private. 

He Jingheng’s gaze locked onto her face as he said coolly, “Don’t you have anything you want to ask?” 

“Ask what?” Shang Ruoyi smiled faintly. “I don’t ask about things I shouldn’t know. Didn’t we agree that once we reach the exile grounds, we would divorce?” 

She brought up the matter of divorce again. He Jingheng’s eyes turned slightly cold. He had initially thought her earlier mention of divorce was just an impulsive remark made in anger, but now that she had brought it up again, it was clear she had given it serious thought. 

“Why are you so intent on divorce? You should know that even if we divorce, you won’t be able to leave the exile grounds. You’ll be confined there for life.” He Jingheng’s voice was low. “After divorce, as a woman alone in exile, do you have any idea what you’ll face?” 

Shang Ruoyi nodded. “Of course. But who says a woman can’t survive on her own?” 

He Jingheng was momentarily stunned by her question. 

“Since ancient times, you men have always believed that women should obey their fathers at home, their husbands after marriage, and their sons after their husbands’ deaths. Where does this sense of superiority come from?” Shang Ruoyi readjusted the splint on his leg and looked up at him with determination. “In reality, many women can live well without relying on anyone. Though I was born in the Prime Minister’s Residence, I never once enjoyed the life of a Prime Minister’s daughter. Even without that status today, I can still survive. For example, right now, your leg still needs my care.” 

He Jingheng watched the bright light flickering in her eyes and felt a tremor in his heart. 

In his twenty years of life, he had never seen a woman’s eyes shine as brilliantly as hers did at this moment. 

Shang Ruoyi patted his leg. “At your current recovery rate, this leg will be fully healed in another ten days or so. But if you want the other leg to fully recover, it will require surgery.” 

“Surgery?” The term was completely unfamiliar to He Jingheng. 

“Surgery means cutting open this area, reconnecting the severed tendons, and then stitching the incision closed.” Shang Ruoyi suddenly smiled as she spoke. “If I heal the Heir Apparent’s leg, what will you give me in return?” 

“What do you want?” He Jingheng’s eyes held a hint of teasing. “Could it be that the Heir Apparent’s Consort wants…” His face suddenly drew closer as he lifted her chin with a finger. His thumb inadvertently brushed against her lips, but before he could speak, Shang Ruoyi said coldly, “The Heir Apparent’s leg is broken, but it seems his hand is also dispensable.” 

He Jingheng’s finger paused. Meeting her icy, knife-like gaze, he withdrew his hand somewhat awkwardly. “I was just teasing you.” 

“The Heir Apparent certainly has the leisure for it—on the verge of becoming crippled, yet still in the mood for such thoughts.” She stood up, looking down at him with an air of superiority. 

He Jingheng rubbed the tip of his nose and coughed lightly. “Then tell me, what reward do you want?” 

“We’ll talk about it later.” Shang Ruoyi turned away without another glance and returned to her spot. 

He Jingheng watched her retreating figure and pressed a hand to his chest.

Just now, his actions were definitely not meant to tease her. As for why he did it, even he couldn’t explain—it was just a natural impulse. In all his years, he’d never flirted with women before, and there were hardly any women worth opening his eyes to look at in the first place.

Hiding in the distance, Yunqi patted Yuntian’s head. “Now do you understand why she’s the Heir Apparent’s Consort?”

Yuntian’s eyes bulged like a bull’s. If not for the need to remain hidden, he would have shouted out loud: “The Heir Apparent, the Heir Apparent actually—!”

Yunqi nodded. “Exactly!”

“That woman must have drugged the Heir Apparent! Otherwise, how could he possibly make such a vulgar gesture, the kind only street ruffians would do?” Yuntian said angrily. “Does this woman know some kind of witchcraft? No, she can’t stay! Absolutely must not stay!”

Yunqi facepalmed. Was this kid out of his mind?

Their Heir Apparent was clearly smitten.

Shang Ruoyi returned to her spot and lay down at the foot of the mountain in her clothes. Summer nights were tolerable, not too cold, but the mountain was full of mosquitoes. She secretly took out a bottle of mosquito repellent from her Space and sprayed it around herself. Though her consciousness could enter the Space, her body was still outside—if she got bitten by mosquitoes, she’d be the one suffering.

Early the next morning, everyone gradually woke up. The guards on duty rubbed their temples, trying hard to recall how they had fallen asleep.

“Boss, I don’t know what happened—I actually fell asleep last night.”

“Luckily, nothing went wrong. From now on, two people will be on night duty.”

“Got it.”

Shang Ruoyi overheard their conversation and smirked inwardly. If they were hit with sleeping gas, what good would even twenty people do?

The next few days passed relatively smoothly on the exile journey, aside from the occasional trouble stirred up by the second branch of the He family.

But things weren’t going smoothly for the people in the capital.

Ever since the Dingguo Prince Residence was sentenced to exile, Shang Nian had been scheming to retrieve the dowry Shang Ruoyi had taken from the residence.

Naturally, the emperor also wanted to seize all the assets of the Dingguo Prince Residence for himself.

In the imperial study, after discussing state affairs with several ministers, the emperor kept Shang Nian behind for a private conversation.

“My dear minister, now that the Dingguo Prince Residence’s members have been exiled, all their household assets should be confiscated for the national treasury. I entrust this matter to you personally!”

Shang Nian was overjoyed and quickly said, “Your Majesty, my unfilial daughter was married off and then exiled with the He family. Her dowry—”

“Must naturally be confiscated for the national treasury as well.” The emperor smiled. “Since she married into the Dingguo Prince Residence, she is one of them. Her dowry is now the property of the residence. Now that it’s being seized, her dowry must be handed over. Isn’t that right, my dear minister?”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty is absolutely right.” Shang Nian wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“In that case, why are you still standing here? Go at once!”

“Your servant takes his leave.” Shang Nian, armed with the emperor’s verbal decree, personally led five hundred elite soldiers to the Dingguo Prince Residence.

Standing at the gate of the residence, he scowled and said to the imperial guard commander, “The emperor has ordered that all assets be confiscated for the national treasury—not a single scrap left behind.”

“Yes, sir!”

The five hundred elite soldiers stormed into the Dingguo Prince Residence. After searching every corner, they found nothing but some worthless decorations—not even a single tael of silver.

The imperial guard commander reported this to Shang Nian.

“What? How is this possible?” Shang Nian frowned deeply. “Such a vast Royal Mansion—how could it be completely empty? When they left, they were only wearing prison uniforms. Even if they hid some gold and silver, it would be extremely limited. How could they have emptied the entire Royal Mansion?”