Chapter 45: Childhood Sweetheart? Him Too?!
Having secluded herself far from the Capital City for three years, Yue Tang had made all the preparations for this revenge.
Of course, she had also guarded against all sorts of possible accidents.
It could be said that from the moment she took her first step until yesterday, everything had still been under her control.
She never imagined that the first accident would actually be from Cheng Qi, whom she had three years ago divorced by sending away the father and keeping the son, and whom she had sent off with a box of gold, silver, and deeds!
Those three months, it was he who had shouldered all of A Li’s affairs except nursing, and back then she had left without seeing him one last time; Yue Tang still felt a bit reluctant.
So whenever she mentioned him, her words always carried respect.
The gold, silver, and treasures she had given him back then were also given with the utmost sincerity.
She had always hoped that he could live the rest of his life in peace and security, never worrying about money.
But now—well then.
She was not really a landlord’s miss, and he was not really a failed scholar.
She had thought she took advantage of a poor scholar.
In the end, this “scholar” had put on a fine show of being a wolf in sheep’s clothing!
What a play!
Yue Tang slowly chewed on peanuts and turned her head to glance at Lan Qin behind her.
She absolutely should not stay in this situation any longer.
She could no longer predict at all; once Yan Bei also discovered her, how could she escape next?
How could she continue to maintain this fake identity?
That would ruin everything!
The usually steady Lan Qin was now pale-faced looking back at her; clearly, she had also recognized this son-in-law.
Who could have thought that Prince Jingyang, whom they had always suspected and guarded against, would actually be the father of the child whom their princess had drugged and dragged into the bridal chamber back then, and finally sent off with a box of money?
No wonder the Prince’s Mansion had previously posted notices everywhere looking for Wang Huan; so he knew Yue Tang was in the Capital City.
But this made it even more dangerous, didn’t it?
The son-in-law was Prince Jingyang, and Prince Jingyang was a relative of the Du Family, a guest of honor at this birthday banquet; it was enough for their relationship to be intimate—what was his exact identity in the middle of it?
The two sides briefly met eyes, and their thoughts were instantly exchanged.
Regardless of whether it was rude or not, they had to leave right now.
But just at that moment, Yan Bei and the others had already sat down at the head seat.
And the guards of the Prince’s Mansion had also stood in a circle behind him, their eagle eyes scanning below.
Everyone had already silently stood respectfully; if they left at this moment, it would be even more conspicuous!
……
Yan Bei led A Li to sit at the head seat, then casually looked below.
There were about ten tables divided into left and right sides, each with wife and children, all smiling, presenting a harmonious and happy scene. Unlike him—
Never mind; once he took down the Du Family, at the next such banquet, he would surely be able to attend with his whole family.
Now that there was a conclusion, she was not really a landlord’s miss, so what the letter had said about finding a new husband was naturally a lie.
As for that divorce letter back then, it didn’t matter anyway; the marriage certificate wasn’t written with real names.
By then, they could formally draw up a marriage certificate, hold a wedding, and announce it to the world; it would be perfect.
Yan Bei believed that as soon as he started acting against the Du Family, she would surely appear on her own.
As soon as she appeared, the position of Princess Jingyang would have someone.
Thinking of this, Yan Bei’s emotions rose a bit; he first raised his cup and smiled at those present: “Everyone, please sit.”
He looked at them one by one, until the last table on the left, where his gaze paused on Xu He’s face, then looked toward the seat beside him.
At this look, his hand loosened!
This top scholar’s wife from the countryside was facing the table, sitting silently, showing only half her face.
But just this half face instantly became a bolt from the blue, exploding above his head!
“Daddy, my milk—”
A Li held the milk porridge, tilting up his little face worriedly toward him.
This full bowl of milk porridge had already caused the cup that slipped from his father’s hand to shatter!
For the first time, Yan Bei ignored the child’s call; he stood up, his widened eyes fixed intently on Yue Tang!
—Damn it!
He hadn’t been seeing things; the one sitting in the top scholar’s wife’s position was truly the “landlord’s miss” who had married him and borne him a son three years ago!
It was his, Yan Bei’s, wife!
“Prince!”
Gao An heard his bones creaking and hurriedly leaned close to whisper.
Yan Bei couldn’t hear!
Countless hornets had drilled into his brain.
Noisy and crowded, blocking him so he couldn’t think.
He swallowed hard and pointed: “The one beside Top Scholar Lord Xu—who is she?”
Xu He, the first named, immediately stood up beaming with pride and bowed: “Replying to the Prince, this is my wife.”
Yan Bei gritted his teeth: “You’re talking nonsense!”
Hearing this, Xu He’s face also paled; he hurriedly said: “This official is not talking nonsense; this is my childhood sweetheart wife—”
Before he finished speaking, a thud came from ahead.
Xu He looked up to see this prince’s face as black as Judge Bao, the hand gripping the cup showing blue veins on the knuckles.
Childhood sweetheart?
And wife??
Damn Xu He.
Did he know that this wife of humble origins was the wife he, Yan Bei, had posted notices all over the city searching for!
They were childhood sweethearts and lifelong couple, so what about him, Yan Bei?
What did that make him, Yan Bei, who had been tricked into the bridal chamber incognito and fathered a child?
Yan Bei felt like he was about to faint!
What great news!
The child’s mother wasn’t dead; A Li would be very happy.
But the bad news was, the child’s mother had a new husband! He wasn’t happy!
Xu He?
He deserved it?!
At this point, everyone present could no longer fail to notice the abnormality.
Dozens of people all shifted their gazes back and forth between him and Xu He’s “couple.”
Gao An also saw Yue Tang; from Yan Bei’s reaction, he had already guessed who she was.
He felt the situation was a bit tricky.
To be honest, ever since Yan Bei discovered that eulogy left by A Li’s mother, he had been a bit off lately.
But it really couldn’t be blamed on Yan Bei for going mad that the future Princess Jingyang would appear in such a setting, and moreover as the top scholar’s wife!
He had only just come to terms with the fact that the child’s mother was still alive and stopped dwelling on having been interrogated, having just coaxed himself better, when she turned around and attended the banquet as a couple with another man!
Anyone in his place couldn’t sit still.
He stepped forward and lowered his voice: “Prince, calm down! Lord Xu is the emperor-appointed top scholar; if you have words, say them later. Besides, her appearance here probably has other reasons.”
Yan Bei’s hands clenched and unclenched; hearing the end, he suddenly looked toward Yue Tang.
Yue Tang was also casting a cool gaze toward him
.
Their eyes met, and Yan Bei shivered.
—That’s right!
The Du Family was her enemy; for her to seek revenge on the Du Family, she would naturally seek opportunities to infiltrate and scout in such a setting.
Though he didn’t know why it was Xu He, given her style of killing the Zhang and Liang Families, she couldn’t possibly have taken a liking to this Xu fellow!
But!
Why was the gaze she directed at him so hostile?
