Chapter 10: Easy to Invite the Gods, Hard to Send Them Away

Yuwen Ye is here?

Li Yanshang was slightly stunned. Yuwen Qingshuang had already taken her hand and said, "Sister-in-law, let's go take a look. It must be Eldest Brother coming to pick you up." There was an irrepressible sense of pleasant surprise in her tone.

He came out of the palace so quickly? And to come to the Marquis's manor to pick her up at such a coincidental time, as if he had timed it perfectly—could he have come directly from the palace?

Li Yanshang sneered inwardly; the news in this Marquis's manor traveled truly swiftly.

In the main hall, Yuwen Ye sat upright in a chair, a hint of fatigue on his face. His gaze flickered toward the door as the curtain swayed, and when he saw that plain woman, who looked like the Moon Goddess Chang'e, his eyes suddenly tightened.

Her expression was calm, showing not a trace of hidden anger or anxiety. Her features exuded a sense of composure, and her every movement carried a touch of maturity, along with a layer of coldness that felt unfamiliar to him.

The Marquis of Weiyuan rose to salute. His wrinkled face held eyes that were bright and spirited, occasionally sizing up Li Yanshang, though his words were impeccable: "It is truly improper to disturb the Consort of the Heir at this late hour. I ask that the Consort not hold this against us."

Li Yanshang waved her hand gently and paused slightly. "There is no need for such formalities, Marquis. The fact that the Second Master is in critical condition is a much greater matter. I cannot be of much help; I can only come to observe and pray for the Second Master's recovery."

"Thank you for your compassion, Consort. Currently, the Imperial Physician is guarding Shuqi. I ask that the Consort return to the manor with the Heir." The Marquis of Weiyuan bowed toward Yuwen Ye.

Yuwen Ye did not say much. His expression was cold as he slowly stood up. "Let's go."

Li Yanshang bent her knees slightly in a polite bow. "I ask that the Heir return to the Prince's manor first. Second Master Fan has not yet woken up, and his life is uncertain, which is truly worrying. I shall wait until the Second Master wakes before returning. I cannot help with anything else; I can only rely on my prayers for him."

Every word was sincere, every sentence earnest.

Yuwen Ye had not expected her to be so persistent and could not help but look at her sideways. Today's matter should have been settled, but unexpectedly, the Marquis of Weiyuan had caused a scene in the palace in the middle of the night. The Emperor had summoned them to the palace and was naturally in a great rage, about to impose punishment, when news suddenly arrived that the Consort had personally gone to the Marquis's manor late at night to apologize and was waiting there for Fan Shuqi to wake.

Unprecedentedly, the Emperor had allowed them to leave the palace and ordered him to personally fetch Li Yanshang back to the manor.

Yuwen Ye's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at Li Yanshang, but his deep, bottomless eyes revealed nothing of his intentions.

The Marquis of Weiyuan was startled. He had not expected this Consort, who was the subject of much gossip throughout the city, to be so difficult to deal with. Had she not come here to investigate, the Emperor certainly would not have let them out of the palace so easily.

His heart sank. He took a step forward, his words even more respectful. "The entire Marquis's manor is deeply grateful for the Consort's kindness. I ask that the Consort consider her own health and return to the manor with the Heir first."

As he spoke, his gaze turned toward Yuwen Qingshuang, hoping he would help mediate, but Yuwen Qingshuang was currently turning to assist the Marchioness and completely missed his meaningful look.

Just as Li Yanshang was about to respond, Yuwen Ye spoke first. "The Consort has a point. This matter was caused by myself and Third Brother. Since Third Brother is being punished in the palace, as the Eldest Brother, it is only right that I remain here."

Yuwen Ye turned back and sat in his chair, steady and unmoving.

The Marquis of Weiyuan never expected that the Heir, who usually only cared for romance and leisure, would actually follow the Consort's lead. Weren't the rumors spreading everywhere that the Heir hated the Consort to the bone and wished for a divorce? Why were they working together now?

The Marchioness of Weiyuan also grew anxious. The Heir had been detained in the palace by the Emperor; even if it truly delayed the wedding, no one could say anything. But if he stayed in the Marquis's manor, that was a different story. The Heir's side consort was not someone to be trifled with; not to mention the Empress behind her, her father, Minister An, would not let the matter rest easily.

She looked up at the Marquis of Weiyuan with suppressed anger, truly unable to understand how the usually shrewd Marquis could commit such a foolish blunder. If Fan Shuqi failed to wake up, were the Heir and his wife going to live in the Marquis's manor indefinitely?

"Sister-in-law, please sit down and rest. Your body is still very weak, and with all this tossing and turning, you mustn't overexert yourself." Yuwen Qingshuang seemed oblivious to his parents' predicament, personally helping Li Yanshang sit back down on a carved wooden chair lined with brocade.

The Marquis of Weiyuan was momentarily choked with frustration. How could he not know his daughter-in-law's grievances? But he also hadn't expected things to develop this way. Who would have guessed the Consort would personally come to the manor in the middle of the night to wait? And who would have guessed the Emperor would relent while in the midst of his anger?

"Heir, looking at Shuqi's condition, I fear he won't wake up anytime soon. If the Consort becomes exhausted, this old official will not be able to bear the responsibility." The Marquis of Weiyuan steeled himself and continued to persuade, hoping only to send these two "plagues" away quickly.

Yuwen Ye remained unmoved, his voice cold. "The Second Master nearly lost his life; that is the paramount matter. Did the Emperor not say that human life is of utmost importance? Did the Marquis not also say that if the Second Master dies, justice must be sought?"

The Marquis of Weiyuan was instantly speechless, feeling as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly, his face turning a mottled shade of pale and blue.

Li Yanshang coughed timely, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, her voice becoming even softer and more gentle. "Marquis, please do not persuade further. He is currently ill and lying in bed. As the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, the trouble caused by Third Brother should be borne by me. You need not worry about my health, Marquis."

She glanced sideways at Yuwen Ye, who sat as steady as a bell, and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. The Marquis of Weiyuan should now know what it means that it is easy to invite a god but difficult to send one away.

She, however, had not expected Yuwen Ye to actively cooperate with her.

Having reached this point, the Marquis of Weiyuan could no longer say anything else. He could only wish that Fan Shuqi would wake up sooner. His eyes flickered as he signaled to a servant standing by the door, and the servant silently exited the room.

Since the Heir and Consort were both sitting in the main hall, no one else dared to withdraw. The Marquis and Marchioness sat to the side, while Yuwen Qingshuang stood by Li Yanshang's side.

Yuwen Ye's expression was indifferent, his head slightly lowered as if lost in thought.

Li Yanshang sat steadily, without moving a muscle.

For a time, the hall was silent, yet the people within held their own thoughts, all waiting for Fan Shuqi to regain consciousness.

The Prince of Jin's manor was brightly lit. Prince Yuwen Zhi sat in deep thought; the people he had sent to the Marquis of Weiyuan's manor had already returned to report.

Lady Tong leaned to one side, a trace of anger in her brows. "Your Highness, look at this. I thought that since she lost the child, she might change her temperament, but who knew she would be so reckless? Ye-er and Yuan'er have caused such a mess, and yet she goes to the Marquis's manor to cause another scene. Won't people say our Prince of Jin's manor uses its power to bully others? Ye-er is also becoming more and more out of hand, actually letting his wife have her way. Truly..."

Yuwen Zhi raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, his voice slightly cold. "Without your permission, would she dare go to the Marquis's manor?"

Lady Tong's face flushed slightly, and she bit her lip. "I told her to go check on the Second Master; how was I to know she would insist on not coming back?"

Yuwen Zhi gave a cold snort, his expression grim.

Lady Tong did not dare to speak further, but she sneered inwardly. Just as she expected, Li Yanshang truly was someone who couldn't hold her peace. However, what she hadn't anticipated was that Yuwen Ye had also stayed at the Marquis of Weiyuan's manor.