Prince Cheng and his wife immediately went to see Xue Yanze, Xue Yanze face was deathly pale. He asked in shock, " Ayun, how could you...?"
Du Qingyun clutched her clothes at her abdomen, and said sadly, "Your Highness, now that everyone knows, just tell the truth."
Xue Yanze: "? What did I say?"
Du Qingyun cried, "Your Highness, if you still won't admit it, are you trying to kill Ayun and the child in my womb?"
Seeing that Xue Yanze remained unmoved, Du Qingyun simply knelt down before Prince Cheng and his wife, resolutely saying, "Please, Your Highness and Your Highness, do justice for me!"
The Prince Cheng and Queen were also startled and at a loss, so they could only place their hopes on Xue Ruyun.
Xue Ruyun: "..."
Xue Ruyun asked, "How do you want them to make decisions for you?"
Du Qingyun touched her belly and said, "This child of mine is the heir apparent..."
Xue Yanze interrupted hastily, "How is that possible?"
Du Qingyun looked at Xue Yanze in disbelief, clearly deeply hurt by Xue Yanze words. Wiping away her tears, she said, "Your Highness! Have you forgotten everything? Two months ago, you went out drunk and had relations with me... I was powerless to stop you. Are you now going to turn your back on me?"
Tong Aning sized up Xue Yanze, [Wow, is Xue Yanze really such a scumbag? I didn't realize.]
[Host, you can't tell because Xue Yanze isn't a scumbag at all. The things Du Qingyun described weren't done by Xue Yanze.]
[Wouldn't Xue Yanze be the one who got ripped off? He should defend himself!]
[Host, don't worry, Xue Yanze couldn't possibly be drunk.]
Why can he drink so much without getting drunk?
[Of course, it's because... hehe.]
What are you laughing at?
Distracted by Tong Aning and the so-called system, Xue Yanze calmed down considerably. He looked at Du Qingyun and asked, "You're saying I had sex with you while I was drunk?"
"Yes, yes," Du Qingyun said hopefully, "Your Highness, have you finally remembered?"
"Impossible."
Du Qingyun was taken aback. "What did you say?"
Xue Yanze firmly stated, "I can't hold my liquor; I'm always knocked out after just one drink."
"Impossible! You say you're incapacitated after just one drink? You clearly did something indecent to me, but now you won't admit it. I'm going to His Majesty to reason with him." Du Qingyun stood up and was about to leave.
Tong Aning rubbed her forehead.
[If this matter really reaches His Majesty's ears, Du Qingyun will be the one who's finished... Perhaps those who lie feel emboldened.]
Xue Ruyun stopped her, "Your pregnancy is unstable, it's best not to travel. Don't worry, if Ze'er really wronged you, we will give you justice."
Prince Cheng and his wife nodded as well.
Du Qingyun sat down calmly. Anyway, with the child in her belly, Xue Yanze would have to admit it whether he wanted to or not.
Xue Yanze called over a servant and whispered a few words to him.
Du Qingyun wondered if they were going to investigate what happened that day. She had already made thorough preparations, and it was too late for Xue Yanze to investigate now.
The servant quickly returned carrying a tray.
On the tray were a wine jug and a wine glass.
Du Qingyun stood up, somewhat puzzled.
Xue Yanze poured a glass of wine, showed it to everyone, and said, "This is just fruit wine."
After saying that, Xue Yanze drank it all in one gulp. He had barely swallowed it when he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Prince Cheng: "Hurry up and help the Crown Prince up."
The servants helped Xue Yanze to the table and made him lie face down, then took out another item that had been prepared beforehand—
Suona (a type of double-reed horn).
The servant rang directly in Xue Yanze's ear.
Xue Yanze remained motionless.
Those of them who were still conscious couldn't help but cover their ears.
[Tsk tsk tsk, the servants in the Prince's mansion really have a lot of skills; they can even play the suona. Xue Yanze is really ruthless to himself.]
Xue Ruyun went to see Du Qingyun, "Miss Du, you saw everything."
Du Qingyun said angrily, "You... you all, who knows if you've played some kind of trick?"
Prince Cheng, hands on his hips, said, "Why don't you come and wake Ze'er up? If he wakes up, I'll approve of this marriage."
Du Qingyun: "... You shameless bunch."
Consort of Prince Cheng: "Who is truly shameless? You should hurry and go discuss the marriage with the biological father of the child in your womb."
Du Qingyun stamped her foot, turned around and left.
Prince Cheng said to Xue Ruyun and Tong Aning, "Fortunately, you Miss Tong are here today, otherwise, Ze'er would have been speechless."
Tong Aning waved her hand sheepishly, "I wasn't much of a help."
Prince Cheng and his Consort of Prince Cheng exchanged a glance; this had been a great help.
Prince Cheng, "How about this? There are a few sheep in the garden. Why don't I invite my elder sister and Miss Tong to have some roasted mutton today?"
Tong Aning's eyes lit up at the mention of roasted lamb. "Great! Great!"
She realized what she was saying after she finished speaking, and looked at Xue Ruyun, saying hesitantly, "Isn't this inappropriate?"
Xue Ruyun chuckled and tapped Tong Aning's head, "You."
Cheng T and his wife chuckled.
Tong Aning pointed to Xue Yanze sitting by the table and asked, "What about him?"
Consort of Prince Cheng said, "Send the young master back to his room. How can he sleep here?"
Xue Ruyun said, "I have a hangover pill here, give it to him."
The servant supporting the prince took it, and said, "Yes."
Consort of Prince Cheng couldn't help but complain, "Really, he drank such a big cup of wine without even blinking. Even with my sister's hangover remedy, Ze'er will probably sleep for another hour or two."
Xue Ruyun: "Let him sleep. We'll just focus on eating roast lamb, right, Aning?"
Tong Aning: "Yes!"
*
On the carriage.
Tong Aning said, "The Prince and Princess are such kind people; they even gave me so much roasted mutton."
Tong Aning looked on with delight, her expression suggesting she wished she could have another meal.
Xue Ruyun smiled, "They probably knew you liked it."
[Give me what I like, and I'll be even better off.]
Someone knocked on the wooden car window.
The person knocking was on Xue Ruyun's side. Xue Ruyun didn't want to pay attention, but the person kept knocking even more vigorously.
Xue Ruyun had no choice but to open the car window, and both she and the people outside were taken aback.
Xue Lin said, "So it's Aunt."
Before Xue Ruyun could speak, Tong Aning peeked out from beside her, " Heir Xue, what are you doing here?"
Sichen said, "We were just on our way back to the Prince's Mansion when we saw the Marquis's carriage, so we came to say hello."
Is it really just a greeting?
Xue Ruyun noticed that Xue Lin seemed quite familiar with knocking on the car window, as if he had done it hundreds of times in private. Thinking this, Xue Ruyun glanced at Tong Aning.
Tong Aning was oblivious to what was happening; she was excitedly talking to Xue Lin: "We came back from Prince Cheng's Residence, Prince Cheng and Princess Cheng gave me a lot of roasted mutton. Would Heir Xue like to try some?"
Xue Lin met Tong Aning's smiling eyes. He had always had a poor appetite and avoided mutton at all costs.
But at this moment, under Tong Aning's gaze, he actually felt a real urge to try it.
"Okay, thank you, Miss Tong."
Sichen, who was about to refuse on behalf of the crown prince, asked, "?"
What's wrong with the Crown Prince today?
Tong Aning handed out the paper package, and Sichen, who was about to take it, was beaten to it by Xue Lin.
Sichen: "..."
" Heir Xue, you should go back quickly. It's cold outside; don't catch a cold."
"She's concerned about me?" Xue Lin smiled faintly. " Miss Tong is too."
Xue Ruyun coughed twice.
Xue Lin: "My aunt is too."
Xue Ruyun gave a forced smile, "You still remember your aunt is here?"
Tong Aning: "Master, what are you saying? If it weren't for you, why would Heir Xue have come to knock on the carriage window?"
Xue Ruyun: "..."
Why are you being so sweet-talking today?
Tong Aning said smugly, "I've always been like this."
As the carriages of the Prince's Mansion and the Marquis's Mansion passed each other, Tong Aning suddenly heard several wails.
"Parking."
Xue Lin and Tong Aning's voices overlapped.
Tong Aning said, "Master, you stay in the carriage, I'll go take a look."
Be careful.
"Knew."
Tong Aning and Xue Lin simultaneously lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. Standing side-by-side, Tong Aning pointed to the alley opposite and said, "The sound seems to be coming from over there."
Xue Lin stopped Tong Aning, who was about to step forward, and said, "Let Sichen go and take a look."
Tong Aning pulled her foot back. "Okay."
Sichen walked over there, and only then did Xue Lin feel the unfamiliar warmth in his palm. He quickly let go, saying, "I'm sorry for the intrusion."
Tong Aning rubbed her hands together and said, "There's nothing offensive about it, it's just..."
Xue Lin felt inexplicably nervous and asked, "What is it?"
Tong Aning said, "Your hands are too cold; they're not as warm as mine at all."
Tong Aning ran back to the carriage and handed her hand warmer to Xue Lin.
" Miss Tong..."
"Take it, I told you to take it, so take it."
"Good."
Although he was still standing in the cold wind, Xue Lin no longer felt the bone-chilling cold thanks to the warmth of the hand warmer.
Sichen is back, and she brought two people with her.
"Hurry up."
Sichen said, "Your Highness, Miss Tong, these are the two people. When I arrived, this man almost whipped him to death."
A boy and a middle-aged man; the one whipping the boy was the middle-aged man.
Xue Lin asked, "What is your relationship?"
The middle-aged man had never seen anything like it before, and he quickly said, "He is my son."
Tong Aning's eyes widened. She pointed at the boy whose body was covered in bruises and asked, "Is he your son?"
The middle-aged man nodded.
[Is he even her biological child? How could she be so cruel?]
Xue Lin said, "Even if it's your own child, you can't mistreat them like this. If you continue like this, the authorities will punish you."
"Yes, yes, yes."
[No wonder, this man suspected his wife of having an affair, and that their child was illegitimate. Later, his wife couldn't bear it anymore and ran away, so he vented all his frustration on his son.]
The middle-aged man and the boy left, and a child of about ten years old who had been lurking not far away hurried over.
The middle-aged man was very kind to the child, who watched with a forlorn expression.
[Unheard of! Suspecting his wife of infidelity, he betrayed her and had a child with another woman, whom he now cherishes like a treasure... Sigh, what would he do if he found out this child wasn't his?]