Chapter 46: Thunderbolt

"No!"

What did she mean?

Could it be—oh no!

Yan Bei's heart skipped a beat.

He had forgotten something fatal!

Back then, before he had the chance to reveal his true identity to her, she had left him with a letter of divorce and walked away.

And he was a relative of the Du family, currently sitting as an honored guest at the Du family banquet!

Most critically, he had spent a long time staying by her side while concealing his identity; then, the very day after he disappeared, she was murdered! And it was at the hands of the Du family!

Yan Bei's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

He tried to turn his head back, only to see that Yue Tang wasn't even looking at him anymore; she was calmly sipping her tea.

Yan Bei could barely hold his cup steady now.

It was over.

This was his true thunderbolt!

His expression shifted several times in a short moment. The Du father and son had long been suspicious, exchanging countless meaningful glances.

Du Minghuan had not expected Xu He's widowed wife to be so beautiful!

Yan Bei had never lost his composure like this before, and the way he looked at that woman was anything but innocent. Could this widower actually have a taste for such women?

As the atmosphere grew stiff, Du Minghuan stepped forward: "It seems the Prince wishes to speak with Lord Xu for a while longer. Boyun, why haven't you come over to join the Prince for tea?" He then offered a forced smile to Yan Bei: "The side room is quiet and conducive to conversation."

Yan Bei shot him a look.

*Idiot!*

If he kept that man surnamed Xu here, how would others view Yue Tang?

At that rate, he might end up with another crime added to his name!

Embarrassed by the look, Du Minghuan laughed it off and waved Xu He back to his seat.

Xu He returned, drenched in sweat. He glanced at Yue Tang and thought she was truly spineless; since she had come, she hadn't even made an appearance to pay her respects to the Prince of Jingyang. Staying so motionless, she acted as if this were her own territory.

He couldn't say it aloud, so he merely suppressed his thoughts.

Yue Tang withdrew her turbulent emotions and gave him a smile: "There is no need for me here. It would be better if I went to the other official wives to help you probe the Du family's intentions."

Without waiting for his response, she stood up. She glanced up once more at the child beside Yan Bei at the head of the table, pursed her lips, and then retreated under the cover of the attendants.

The greatest utility Xu He had to her had already been realized; what remained was the person behind the Du family who still had designs on her.

But the crisis had arrived; it wasn't a loss to abandon her position now!

Previously, she had been afraid of drawing the attention of the Prince's household, making it inconvenient to leave.

Now that the Prince of Jingyang's底牌 (trump cards) were all exhausted, what was there left to fear?

She could not stay here. Yue Tang no longer needed to avoid Yan Bei, but she currently had to guard against Du Minghuan.

If the Du family learned her identity, they would absolutely move to kill her.

And since Yan Bei had already posted notices throughout the city to find her, it meant he already knew her identity. Even if he hadn't told the Du family the name "Wang Huan" before, no one could be certain he wouldn't tell them later!

Therefore, they not only had to leave the Du residence immediately, but they also had to evacuate the capital first!

"Quickly send word to Wei Zhang and have them meet us at the front gate. We are leaving immediately!

"Once we are out, send Xiao Huo to Luoyang to find Lady He! Hand over the five hundred taels of silver given by the Xu family to her; it is what she deserves!"

She had already scouted the terrain before coming, so she would naturally be able to master the routes during the retreat. At a time like this, taking the main roads while they were caught off guard would actually offer a better chance of success.

Lan Qin nodded rapidly, pulled a small inch-long ebony whistle from her sleeve, blew three short notes and one long, and followed her footsteps.

But just as they passed through the corridor, Yue Tang stopped again!

"What is it?" Lan Qin asked in a low voice.

Yue Tang gazed at several children playing not far away: "Did you see that Yan Bei brought a child with him just now?"

Lan Qin nodded: "I saw. That is the Heir of the Prince's household; he looks remarkably like him."

Yue Tang turned around: "That child is about the same age as A-Li.

"Furthermore, when I asked him back then if he had married, he said he had neither married nor been engaged.

"Do you think he was lying to me then, or was he telling the truth?"

Lan Qin pondered for a moment and suddenly understood: "You mean that child—is very likely A-Li? Could he be the little Heir of our Duan Prince's household?!"

"I don't know!" Yue Tang gripped the railing with both hands. "But I must know!

"Back then, we only inferred that A-Li certainly wouldn't survive. But then again, we never actually saw him die, did we?"

Lan Qin took her hands: "If that child truly is the little Heir of our Duan Prince's household, then the Prince of Jingyang is very problematic!

"If that conspiracy had nothing to do with him, how could the little Heir happen to be right by his side?"

"That is why I must go back." Yue Tang's eyes burned with determination as she looked toward the garden. "Guessing is useless; I must go and demand the answer from him face-to-face."

"But..."

Lan Qin hesitated, but quickly nodded: "Let's go!"

Going back was indeed dangerous.

But she also knew that no one could resist a mother's longing for her child!

...

If there were anything more terrifying than a wife changing men as easily as changing clothes, it would certainly be being branded a wife-killer by one's own wife!

Yan Bei's mind was in turmoil.

With Yue Tang leaving her seat, he could no longer sit still.

After haphazardly meeting several officials who had brought children to see A-Li, he followed them back to the garden.

He wandered around a circle, but Yue Tang was nowhere to be seen.

Gao An, fearing he would chase after someone else's wife, arranged things at the Haitang Pavilion and hurried into the Changxuan Hall.

He happened to brush past the guard whom Yan Bei had sent to find Yue Tang.

Closing the door, he saw Yan Bei with a dark expression.

Gao An stepped forward: "Seeing that the Madam is perfectly fine with your own eyes, shouldn't you be happy?"

Yan Bei sneered: "I would like to be happy, but how can she let me be happy? I can't clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River now."

Gao An, understanding the stakes, could only offer comfort: "There must have been a reason why the Madam took a liking to the Prince back then. With the bond of a marriage, perhaps things aren't that bad."

"You're overthinking it." Yan Bei shot him a look.

He still kept that letter of divorce perfectly preserved.

Gao An fell silent.

Comforting a despondent man was a skilled task.

Yan Bei straightened up: "Since she hasn't been found yet, she has definitely left. Send someone to the Xu family immediately.

"How could she lower herself to be with Xu He?

"What if Xu He clings to her?

"Why hasn't the main banquet started yet?

"Once it's over, we leave immediately!

"I have to go find her and make things clear!"

Gao An said hurriedly: "It will begin momentarily."

Yan Bei paused, then added: "Call Xu He over here!"

Just as he finished speaking, the guard who had just gone out returned panting and knocked on the door: "Your Highness! Madam Xu requests an audience!"

Yan Bei turned his body as if struck by electricity: "Which Madam Xu?"

"The wife of the Top Scholar!"

Yan Bei froze, then walked to the door. He took a deep breath before opening it with both hands.

Yue Tang stood beneath the doorway, hands clasped behind her back, standing tall and elegant like a straight pine sapling.

Yan Bei stepped over the threshold.

She looked at his magnificent robes and said calmly: "His Highness, the Prince of Jingyang."