NCCnovel Chapter 197 Prince Rui's Confession
Chapter 197 Prince Rui's Confession
So they had someone pay the storyteller directly, letting him make up whatever he wanted.
However, Shen Mengyan, who was with her, quickly became a pariah, and she herself would be doomed because of her status as the Third Imperial Concubine and the daughter of the Lou family.
Lou Yao only discovered that Xiao Yan had not been able to leave the palace late at night.
It was not a glorious thing for a prince to collude with the enemy and betray the country. Emperor Qinyong ordered that no one was allowed to talk about it. However, Xiao Yan could not get out of prison so easily.
"Wanwan."
Prince Rui called out to Xie Wanru, who was about to get into the carriage.
Xie Wanru paused. The situation had been urgent, and she hadn't yet realized how intimate Prince Rui's address to her was. Now that she had calmed down, she found it rather strange.
“Prince Rui, please address me as Princess Yongchang. In terms of seniority, you are my imperial uncle, so you can call me by my name directly. The title Wanwan is really inappropriate.”
Prince Rui wasn't angry, but he didn't listen to Xie Wanru's words.
"Wanwan, have you never doubted that Xiao Yi is not the future Shen Yanzhi, but that I, like you, am from the future?"
After Prince Rui finished speaking, Xie Wanru's eyes were filled with shock.
"Prince Rui, may I speak with you in private?"
Xie Wanru pulled the person into the car, fearing that no outsiders would find out about this matter.
Xie Wanru did indeed suspect that this Xiao Yi might be the future Shen Yanzhi, after all, the man's face was burned beyond recognition, and Emperor Qinyong only recognized him because his appearance was somewhat similar to Emperor Qingyun.
But Xiao Yi didn't talk to her just now, which proves that he is not from the future.
But now there's another person... who comes from the future.
"I was reborn a little later than you, but it's also possible that the time was the same. Not long after I woke up, I heard about your divorce. I knew then that you were not Xie Wanru of this time, because in my previous life, Xie Wanru was the matriarch of the Shen family until her death."
At this point, Prince Rui revealed a helpless and distressed expression.
While shocked, Xie Wanru couldn't help but feel a mix of wariness and curiosity. She carefully observed Prince Rui, trying to glean more clues from his expression. "Prince Rui, your words are astonishing, but please forgive me for not believing them immediately. If you truly come from the future, what is your purpose?"
Prince Rui gave a bitter smile, his gaze deep and unfathomable, as if piercing through the mists of time. "My purpose is roughly the same as yours—to change my destiny. In my past life, I thought that living a miserable life was a good thing if it could bring happiness to those I cared about, so I did nothing and let fate take its course, only to end up in a miserable state myself. Now that I've been reborn, I vow to make up for those regrets and protect those I care about."
Upon hearing this, Xie Wanru's heart stirred slightly. She sensed the sincerity and resolute honesty in Prince Rui's words, which also made her fall into deep thought.
She couldn't help but recall her original intention for being reborn, the guilt she felt towards her family and her struggle against fate, which seemed to resonate with Prince Rui at this moment.
“Wanwan, now that we both have this opportunity, why not join forces?” Prince Rui suggested, his eyes gleaming with the prospect of cooperation. “I still have some influence in the court, while you have an understanding of the future. If we work together, we might be able to change many tragedies.”
Xie Wanru pondered for a moment. She knew that in this treacherous court struggle, having more allies meant having a better chance of winning. "Alright, I agree. But on the condition that we must be completely honest with each other and not hide anything from each other."
Who knows if Prince Rui will try to scare her like this again? But considering that Prince Rui already knew her identity and had never threatened her, she chose to believe him this once.
Upon hearing this, Prince Rui smiled with relief. "That's natural, that's what I thought too."
After the two reached an agreement, the atmosphere inside the car became much more relaxed.
It was only now that Xie Wanru began to properly examine Prince Rui.
She was born with captivating charm, making people think she must be a scourge to the country, but unexpectedly, her ambitions were so grand.
On the contrary, some people are born honest but do nothing right.
Meanwhile, inside the Yong'an Marquis's residence, Fu Rou was still heartbroken over Shen Yanzhi's attitude.
She couldn't understand why, despite giving everything, she couldn't gain her son's understanding and acceptance.
Shen Yanzhi was lost in his own thoughts. He had gradually become numb to his mother's pleas and cries. To him, Fu Rou was nothing but trouble.
His inherently inferior genes were not suppressed and appeared very early on.
"But Wanwan, I must remind you that my elder brother, Emperor Qinyong, is a man who cares a lot about his reputation. He will not publicly try Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan's cases. Xiao Yi will definitely not be released, but Xiao Yan's case is another story."
“I know that in your past life, your family was destroyed because of these two people. If they don’t die, it will not be enough to comfort the spirits of your father and brothers in heaven. So if you don’t mind, I can take action to fulfill your wish.”
Xie Wanru hated Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan to the core. The events of her past life were still vivid in her mind, wounds that could never heal in her heart.
But at this moment, she hesitated when faced with Prince Rui's suggestion.
“I appreciate Prince Rui’s kindness, but I hope to handle this matter personally,” Xie Wanru said slowly, her voice firm and calm. “Xiao Yi is no longer a threat; he is nothing but a pathetic wretch blinded by power. As for Xiao Yan, I have my own ways of dealing with him.”
A hint of approval flashed in Prince Rui's eyes.
He still thought Xie Wanru would be blinded by hatred and use him to do her bidding.
"Wanwan, you are stronger and more rational than I imagined. Since you have made this decision, I will naturally support you with all my might. However, the palace intrigues are far more complex than you think, and you need to be even more cautious."
Xie Wanru nodded.
Xie Wanru's decision not to let Prince Rui take action was not because she didn't want revenge.
Moreover, for Xie Wanru at this moment, Prince Rui had not yet reached the point where she completely trusted him and would entrust her life and fortune to him.
Moreover, she didn't think that Prince Rui would just stand by and watch her kill Xiao Yan.
They are uncle and nephew by blood; she wouldn't dare gamble on that.
Xie Wanru had her own considerations, so she didn't notice the look in Prince Rui's eyes at that moment.
After he spoke frankly, Prince Rui's gaze changed.
He was unaware of Xie Wanru's suspicions; he was simply happy that they could trust each other.
There are some things that can't be said too soon, and he doesn't plan to reveal everything at this moment, lest he frighten Xie Wanru.
After the two talked for a while, Prince Rui got out of the carriage.
As he got out of the car, he noticed a figure in the corner, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips, but he didn't say anything.
He knew who that person was: Shen Cong'an.
He could tell at a glance whether a man's gaze towards a woman was innocent or not, and right now, Shen Cong'an, hiding in the shadows, probably wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces.
Prince Rui did not expose this secret; he pretended not to have seen anything, got into his carriage, and drove away.