RWNEFE -Chapter 303 Zhou Ruyuan Returns to the Capital; Shen Lanxi Is Ordered to Receive Him

That very night, the Shen family’s second branch hurriedly prepared a betrothal gift list and secretly bought a pair of wild geese outside. At daybreak the next morning, they beat gongs and drums and delivered the gifts to the Wu residence.

Time passed in a flash, and Zhou Ruyuan returned to the capital.

Shen Lanxi was assigned the task of going outside the city to welcome him. Someone with ulterior motives deliberately spread the news early, and the excitement surrounding Zhou Ruyuan’s return that day was no less than when Shen Lanxi herself had returned to the capital.

Some people whispered privately: last time it was announced by the court, this time it was the common people who came on their own.

They were not eager to admire Zhou Ruyuan’s heroic bearing; they wanted to see what kind of awkward yet lively scene would unfold when the man rumored to have “called for water three times in one night” met the person involved.

Among those who had returned from the northwest, most had already been assigned posts. Shen Lanxi came with only Wei Dongzhu at her side, followed by the well-trained Zhenbei Army.

Banners fluttered, and their presence was imposing.

This time Zhou Ruyuan had been recalled from Dongchuan in a rather dispirited state. Before setting out, he had specifically instructed his subordinates to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention if possible.

Yet along the way many people still learned of it. Although they said nothing openly, he could sense the pointing fingers behind their polite façades.

They were all laughing at him, all saying that Zhou Ruyuan was inferior to a woman.

“Your Highness, the capital is just ahead,” Bai Qingling said. She too wore armor and had marched day and night with the army. Now she was travel-worn, her face so weathered it was almost unrecognizable.

“Qingling, the army has already slowed down. You can remove your veil now,” Zhou Ruyuan said, looking at the woman before him, whose face was covered except for her eyes, with a complicated expression.

Once, he had felt he could not live without her. Why was it that now, looking at those eyes, he no longer felt the same heartbeat of excitement?

Zhou Ruyuan quietly withdrew his gaze. In his mind instead appeared another pair of striking, sharp, captivating eyes.

“Your Highness, after such a dusty journey, how could I show myself like this? I’ll remove the veil after I return to the manor and wash up,” Bai Qingling said, her voice tinged with insecurity. Along the road they had hurried constantly, and unwilling to fall behind, she had kept urging her horse forward.

If she had not wrapped her thighs in soft cloth beforehand, they would already have been rubbed raw. As for her face, the winds of Dongchuan were like knives, stinging painfully; she felt her skin had been damaged and did not even dare to look in a mirror, let alone let Zhou Ruyuan see her.

“As you wish,” he replied. He had only wanted her to be more comfortable.

Bai Qingling sensed that Zhou Ruyuan’s temper had worsened. She assumed it was because of the setback in Dongchuan. She had tried to console him many times, but he never listened.

Victory and defeat were common in war; perhaps men simply cared about such things more than women did.

A scout returned to report.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has sent the General of the Zhenbei Army, Shen Lanxi, to receive you outside the city.”

Both Zhou Ruyuan and Bai Qingling’s expressions changed at once.

What did the emperor mean by this?

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Ruyuan’s expression returned to normal. “Understood. Pass the order—straighten your gear and keep your spirits up!”

“Yes!”

Bai Qingling’s face immediately darkened. Shen Lanxi again—why did she always appear before the prince?

Why wouldn’t she simply disappear?

From a distance, Zhou Ruyuan saw that dashing red figure. She still liked to wear a red cloak.

Scenes from six years ago surfaced in his mind one after another. The more Zhou Ruyuan recalled, the warmer his face became.

When he reached Shen Lanxi, he found himself too ashamed to look directly at her.

“Shen Lanxi, General of the Zhenbei Army, acting under orders to welcome Prince Zhennan back to the capital!”

“Officers and soldiers, you have worked hard. A banquet has been prepared to welcome you. Aside from Prince Zhennan and his personal guards, the rest are requested to follow the escorting soldiers to the camp.”

Zhou Ruyuan had already made arrangements. With a light gesture of his hand, the formation split into two.

Shen Lanxi looked at Zhou Ruyuan with a smile. “Prince Zhennan, His Majesty has been waiting in the palace for some time. Please.”

Zhou Ruyuan had expected ridicule, even scolding, but not such calmness.

“Many thanks, General Shen.”

Shen Lanxi replied, “It is my duty, to share His Majesty’s burdens.”

Zhou Ruyuan’s gaze could not help following her departing figure. He had only glanced once when his sleeve was tugged.

“Your Highness, I’ll return to the manor and wait for you,” Bai Qingling said.

Zhou Ruyuan’s eyes shifted away as if burned. “Very well.”

The past could not be reclaimed. What had already happened would not change, no matter how much one dwelled on it.

Earlier he had received a secret letter from his mother, learning of the emperor’s intentions.

But someone like her—would she really obey such arrangements?

When Shen Lanxi returned to the palace to report, something happened at the Wu residence.

Under deliberate arrangements, a concubine-born daughter of the Wu family appeared at the betrothal ceremony. No one knew exactly what occurred in between, but Shen Yuanxu, holding the imperial edict, loudly rebuked the Wu family, accusing them of passing off a concubine-born daughter as a legitimate one, deceiving the emperor, and defying the imperial command—an act of grave disloyalty.

What exactly had happened was tightly concealed by the Wu family, but it was undeniable that Shen Yuanxu had stormed out of their residence in anger, edict in hand.

The news quickly spread through the capital and ranked second in popularity.

The most talked-about topic was that Prince Zhennan had returned to the capital, and that his new love and old love had met at the city gates—an especially dramatic encounter.

Wang Bao received the report and hurried in small steps to inform Emperor Renxiao.

“Your Majesty, Shen Lanxi went to the city gate with Wei Dongzhu to receive him, and their behavior was intimate. Prince Zhennan returned to the capital with that woman from before, and the two of them were likewise intimate in front of Shen Lanxi. Afterwards, the woman returned to the prince’s residence, while Prince Zhennan entered the palace together with Shen Lanxi and Wei Dongzhu.”

Emperor Renxiao’s expression gradually darkened.

“Why is that woman still not dead?”

Wang Bao immediately fell to his knees in fright. “Your Majesty, that woman is extremely cunning. Our people have tried several times, but she evaded them each time. It is as if she knows…”

“Knows what?” the emperor demanded sharply.

“In my opinion… she seems to know that we intend to kill her,” Wang Bao said in a low voice.

Emperor Renxiao glared angrily. “If I want her dead, does she dare not die?”

Wang Bao replied, “Your Majesty is benevolent and does not wish to estrange yourself from the prince. That woman must know this, which is why she acts without fear.”

The emperor snorted, apparently accepting the explanation.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. Now that she has returned to the capital, this old servant will make sure she does not live three days.”

Emperor Renxiao said coldly, “You had better handle this properly.”

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. This time I will personally supervise the matter.”

…

After causing a scene at the Wu residence, Shen Yuanxu went straight to the imperial palace.

Just as Emperor Renxiao had summoned Shen Lanxi and the others, a guard arrived with news of Shen Yuanxu.

“Your Majesty, Shen Yuanxu, holding the imperial edict, requests an audience to accuse the Left Prime Minister of deceiving the emperor and defying an imperial command.”

The emperor was already in a bad mood, and hearing of Shen Yuanxu’s complaint made his face grow even colder.

“Nonsense. Of all days, he chooses today to make trouble.”

But after a moment’s thought, he ordered that Shen Yuanxu be summoned.

The Third Prince, Zhou Ruyuan, had not satisfied him in this recent assignment. The welcoming banquet was meant for the soldiers who had risked their lives and for the people to see.

With Shen Yuanxu arriving, it was just the right opportunity to give the Third Prince a pointed reminder.