Gifts for the wedding? Return them?

The Shen family dared to ask!

Xie Jin Yan chuckled coldly, his dark, clear pupils without a trace of ripple.

He simply took Yu Qing Wu's hand and strolled inside, instructing Granny Xun as he walked, "Granny, go tell them that if the Shen family wants to break off the engagement, I will ask Father Emperor for permission tomorrow."

"As for the dowry, when did the Duke of Rong's estate get to decide what belongs to the Yu family?"

In the dim light, a hint of sarcasm appeared on the man's lips.

Hearing this, Granny Xun was first stunned, then understood and nodded, retreating.

Yu Qing Wu stood in place, watching Granny Xun's figure disappear into the twilight. After a long while, she slowly came back to her senses, turned to look at Xie Jin Yan, and asked in confusion, "Why is Your Highness doing this?"

She raised her head, looking at his handsome face, and smiled wryly, "Didn't you say before that you definitely had to marry Shen Rou?"

"I did say that before."

"But now…" Xie Jin Yan chuckled, his slender fingers gently lifting the woman's delicate, fair chin. His gaze swept over the curves beneath her riding outfit, the fire in his dark eyes growing fiercer. He lowered his lips to her ear and said obscurely, "If Shijie serves me comfortably, I might consider breaking off the engagement with the Shen family."

Yu Qing Wu paused, not saying anything.

She naturally understood what Xie Jin Yan meant by 'serve'.

She was unwilling and felt ashamed.

But... if it could ruin his marriage to the Shen family, might it be worth trying?

Biting her lip, Yu Qing Wu placed her small hand on Xie Jin Yan's neck, her eyes tinged with a watery hue, and softly asked him, "Your Highness, would it be alright to bathe with Nujia later?"

Heh, his good Shijie, willing to do anything for revenge.

If she knew about that person's existence, how would she try to please him?

Xie Jin Yan was secretly pleased, the sparks in his pupils growing wilder. He pinched the woman's slender waist hard and chuckled in a low voice, "Shijie changes her face so quickly. I can't help but wonder if you want to assassinate me during our time together…"

"So, does Your Highness want me or not? Hmm?" Yu Qing Wu grasped his hand on her waist, her soft palm gently stroking his skin, trying her best to show her most charming and seductive side.

She was already stunningly beautiful, and her usual aloofness was already captivating.

This deliberate display now ignited an even more scorching fire in Xie Jin Yan's heart.

But…

Xie Jin Yan pushed her head back and said, "Not interested today, maybe in a few days."

"Let's go eat, I'm hungry."

With that, he strolled towards the direction of the Zhu Que Courtyard.

His expression, movements, and words were so indifferent, as if the one who had just been speaking suggestive and amorous words to her was not him.

This man? Playing Tai Chi with her?

Yu Qing Wu took a deep breath, suppressing her anger and following him.

"Crown Prince Gege."

Just as the two reached the front courtyard corridor, a sobbing female voice suddenly came from ahead.

Yu Qing Wu focused her eyes and saw Shen Rou walking over, wiping away tears. Behind her were Xu Shi and Shen Zong Yuan, as well as Shen Ke and Qin Yi Liu.

Shen Zong Yuan and Xu Shi wore dark expressions, Shen Ke was expressionless, but his eyes revealed unwillingness and resentment.

As for Qin Yi Liu, she still maintained that gentle and magnanimous demeanor on the surface.

She slowly stepped forward, supporting the weeping Shen Rou with one hand, while gracefully bowing to Xie Jin Yan, "This humble woman greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Her posture was dignified, and before Xie Jin Yan could speak, she softly asked, "Your Highness, just now the mammy from your residence came to report, saying... that you are unwilling to return the dowry and insist on taking Qing Wu cousin as a concubine, and... said you would ask His Majesty to annul the engagement. Is all of this true?"

Under the pale moonlight, Qin Yi Liu's fresh and delicate face held a hint of ambiguity, seemingly speaking up for Shen Rou, but her tone was more like questioning... her own husband?

Shen Zong Yuan and his family of three also stepped forward. Shen Ke cast a gloomy glance at Yu Qing Wu, then looked at Xie Jin Yan and said, "Your Highness, since you insist on taking Yu Shi as a Liangdi (a rank of imperial concubine), our Shen family cannot marry into your family. We cannot afford to lose face like that."

"What? Did your Shen family not know about my relationship with A'Wu before you agreed to marry into the family?"

"Or perhaps? Is the Shen family so arrogant as to think that a marriage can control the current Crown Prince? Do you perhaps want to control the court in the future?" Xie Jin Yan's face was smiling, but his words were calm and pointed.

But every word accused the Shen family of treason.

Hearing this, Shen Ke's face instantly turned pale, and Shen Rou's cries came to an abrupt halt. She quickly waved her hands, panicking and saying, "Crown Prince Gege, we... we didn't mean that. The Shen family would never dare to interfere with who you take as a concubine. But no matter who it is, it can't be Yu Qing Wu..."

"She... she had slept with who knows how many people back in Shu, she would disgrace the royal family..."

"Shen Rou." Xie Jin Yan suddenly called out her full name.

Shen Rou was stunned, looking at Xie Jin Yan uneasily.

Xie Jin Yan smiled faintly, and called her name in a grim tone, "Shen Rou, I never hit women."

"But... if you dare to say another word, I might make an exception today."

His tone was gentle and polite.

But it sent a chill down Shen Rou's spine, and she was even more incredulous.

She didn't believe that Crown Prince Gege would really hit her, a defiled woman, for Yu Qing Wu's sake!

Biting her lip, Shen Rou said with resentment in her eyes and a raised voice, "Crown Prince Gege, don't be fooled by this woman. She really had an affair with her Shidi, they..."

"Shijie, what are you still looking at? Let's go." Shen Rou was still shouting, but the next moment, Xie Jin Yan's sudden words stunned her.

What does he mean?

Yu Qing Wu's that bitch's Shidi is... Crown Prince Gege?

That means that the one who had slept with her in Shu that day was...

In an instant, Shen Rou felt as if struck by lightning.

Qin Yi Liu's face also changed drastically, and she trembled, "Your Highness, you... you said Qing Wu cousin is your Shijie? Then the Shidi in the rumors..."

"That's me..." The three cold words made Qin Yi Liu feel as if she had fallen into an icy abyss.

That's impossible? Absolutely impossible! How could Yu Shi be the Crown Prince's Shijie?

Then wouldn't the nasty things she had painstakingly planned for so long and said in front of the Crown Prince become a joke?

Most importantly, now that Yu Shi had such a big backer, how would she kill her in the future?

Qin Yi Liu's vision went dark, and she almost lost her balance in her anxiety.

Xie Jin Yan glanced at her with a cold smile, ignored the family, and pulled Yu Qing Wu to his side, as if to protect her intentionally. He kept her in his arms all the way until they entered the warm pavilion of Zhu Que Courtyard, then slowly released her, pulled her to sit down, and asked softly, "Shijie, what would you like for dinner?"

"Xie Jin Yan, what's going on between you and Qin Shi?" Before he could finish speaking, the woman opposite him suddenly spoke, staring at him coldly and questioning, "Have you... have you slept together too?"