RWNEFE -Chapter 389 Zhou Ruyuan Returns to the Capital

Shen Conglian and his three brothers thought it over carefully and decided to send their mother to persuade Shen Lanxi.

Madam Liu, putting on a concerned expression, said, “Lanxi, come, let’s go back to your room. So that in the future, if Yuanxin and his wife have a quarrel, it won’t fall on you.”

Madam Miao: “Yes, it’s going to get chaotic here soon. Let’s go to the inner courtyard and set up a separate table.”

Madam Tian: “Lanxi, go back to your room. Fourth Aunt will stay with you.”

They were persuading her, but none of them had the courage to actually mention her status as a divorced woman.

Could Shen Lanxi be like any ordinary woman?

Could she be like an ordinary divorced woman?

She even held a title—what if in the future she had a child to inherit it?

Shen Congwen was completely confused!

Shen Lanxi sneered coldly: “I’ll just ask—shall we sever ties?”

No one in the Shen family dared to answer.

Wei Dongzhu snorted coldly. “Divorced woman, my ass. If not for the circumstances, she’d be a bride right now.”

“Lanxi, since the Shen family doesn’t welcome you, shall we leave?” Wei Dongzhu had already countered when Shen Congwen tried to intervene.

But Shen Lanxi had anticipated everything and had long since ordered him to remain silent.

Shen Lanxi tilted her head and smiled bitterly: “I’ve worried and labored over this family, and yet in the end, I’m despised. They won’t even let me attend the wedding banquet.”

Her voice was full of sorrow.

“Eldest Sister, Father didn’t mean it that way.”

“Eldest Sister, Eldest Uncle didn’t mean it that way…”

Shen Lanxi smiled bitterly: “You don’t need to say any more. What Father said today, I will remember!”

“Lanxi…”

“Eldest Sister…”

Resolute, Shen Lanxi stood up, her face cold and stern.

“Since the family despises me for being a divorced woman, I will never set foot in the Shen family again!” With that, she turned and left.

“Stop! Who told you to leave!” Shen Congwen roared in anger.

He had only forbidden her from crashing the wedding ceremony—not from leaving entirely.

Ignoring the pursuing family members, Shen Lanxi walked straight toward the Juding Gong Mansion without looking back.

Several members of the Shen family chased her all the way to the mansion gates. They shouted, still trying to plead with her.

Once inside the mansion, Shen Lanxi’s expression changed. Her previous resoluteness gave way to calmness and sharp insight.

“I was angry and overwhelmed with grief today. I need half a month of quiet recuperation. I will request leave from the palace later.”

“No visitors allowed.”

“The Northwest has been attacked again by enemies.”

“Yes!”

Issuing several more orders, Shen Lanxi closed the doors and set the tea cup properly, preparing to watch events unfold from a safe distance.

…

The Shen family’s commotion spread throughout the capital in less than an hour.

The Renxiao Emperor was the first to receive the news in the Imperial City and immediately began cursing.

“Shen Congwen, you idiot!”

Wang Bao spoke sarcastically: “Father? He doesn’t care about Shen Lanxi like Our Majesty does. No wonder whenever Shen Lanxi gets something good, she only thinks of giving it to the Emperor—not a single coin to the Shen family.”

The Renxiao Emperor had already been secretly informed that the Shen family had raised the funds to marry the princess through Shen Congwen’s begging.

“He deserves it!” The Emperor thought of how Shen Lanxi still gave the family a thousand taels every month. He felt that even that money shouldn’t have been given.

Wang Bao: “Shen Lanxi just got unlucky being born into such a family. All of them are fools.”

The Emperor chuckled at his exaggerated words.

He had thought that Shen Lanxi, abandoned by everyone, would eventually rely entirely on him—but seeing her forced out of the Shen family still stirred some sympathy.

“Wang Bao, do you think I’m getting old?” The Emperor glanced at the treasures on the dragon throne, the tea cups on the table, the gold and jade trees in the Treasury, and the kingfisher screens in the room.

All of these were offerings from Shen Lanxi.

“Your Majesty is merciful, with a heart for the world. You cannot bear to see someone treated so unfairly.”

The Renxiao Emperor considered: “Once her health improves, I shall have her stay in the Empress Dowager’s quarters for a few days.”

Wang Bao: “Your Majesty is merciful.”

…

Zhou Yunrui had originally planned to make a show of authority for the Shen family on her wedding day. But she didn’t expect the Shen family to make a commotion themselves before she even entered.

Shen Lanxi refused to even set foot in the Shen family. How could Zhou Yunrui accomplish what the Emperor had tasked her with?

The Emperor had instructed her to get close to Shen Lanxi and earn her trust. If she couldn’t even see her, how could she succeed?

Zhou Yunrui’s mind was in chaos. Confused and dazed, she followed the matchmaker through the wedding procedures and was finally led to the inner courtyard.

~

Zhou Ruyuan returned to the capital with Zhou Yunxue’s body.

“Father, I have confirmed that the Fang family is heartless and oppressive in their governance. This is the evidence I collected,” Zhou Ruyuan presented the documents.

The Renxiao Emperor smiled with satisfaction.

“My son, you’ve worked hard. The government’s negligence over distant regions is a failure of the court.”

Zhou Ruyuan: “I was merely doing my duty, not working hard.”

The Emperor read the detailed charges in the memorial, furious to the point his chest felt aflame.

“You’ve been away from the capital for many days. Go back to the residence and rest for a few days. Once you’ve recovered, return to court to discuss matters.”

“Yes!”

The Emperor thought of Consort Shu and reminded him: “Go see your mother. She’s been feeling unwell these past few days.”

Zhou Ruyuan felt a growing distance from his father. Bearing that feeling, he arrived at Chaoyun Hall.

“Mother, why do you look so ill?” Zhou Ruyuan asked, worried, seeing his mother pale and weak.

Consort Shu recalled the imperial doctor’s examination yesterday and clenched her fingers tightly.

“I’m fine. I just didn’t rest well yesterday. My son has traveled far—is this your first day back?”

Due to the difficulty of her pregnancy, Consort Shu had already let go of most matters. But the doctor’s diagnosis yesterday had shaken her, making it hard to focus now.

“Mother, I just returned from the Western Hills,” Zhou Ruyuan said, his tone softened to avoid startling her.

Seeing her son’s exhausted expression, Consort Shu’s resentment intensified.

If it weren’t for her back then…

The throne of the Empress should have been hers, not that wretched Qi Yingqun’s.

“Mother, is the pregnancy difficult?” Zhou Ruyuan asked urgently, noticing her condition.

Consort Shu came back to her senses and patted her son’s arm.

“I’m fine, my son. You’re worried. Probably didn’t rest well last night; I feel drowsy and a bit dazed.”

Seeing this, Zhou Ruyuan immediately stood up.

“Mother, rest well. Once you recover, I will visit you again at the palace.”

Consort Shu smiled and instructed the palace maid to prepare many things for Zhou Ruyuan before letting him leave.

“Your Highness, you must make a decision quickly, or it will affect your health!” whispered the palace maid.

Consort Shu had already decided her strategy when her son entered earlier.

“Find out the recent whereabouts of Crown Princess and figure out a way to bring her to the palace.”

Zhou Rulin had tried to seize her son’s position; she would not allow him to take too much pride.