Rebirth of the High Family's Beloved

Yan Ru looked at Zhao Shihuan in confusion, and listened to what Zhao Shihuan continued to say.

"You said that Princess Xiang tortured you, but you have no evidence. No one would believe you if you told others. Now you are in Yan's residence. If you tell others without any evidence, others will think that you are disrespectful to the princess and left the residence without permission. But it will be different when you go back. Xiao Yizhen will definitely torture you again. When Yan Ci goes to the Xiang residence again under the pretext of visiting you, won't it be easy for him to find fault with Princess Xiang?"

Yan Ru's eyes lit up when he heard this, but then dimmed again in an instant, "Then I will have to be tortured by Xiao Yizhen for a few more days."

"My dear Ru'er, it's worth it to suffer a few more days for your good life in the future."

Under Zhao Shihuan's persuasion, Yan Ru reluctantly agreed.

Ever since Shen Zhaoyan discovered that Yan Ci was involved with the Eastern Palace, he had been thinking about this all the way back home.

If Yan Ci hadn't known about his past with Hua Cijing, he wouldn't have killed her, but he still failed to kill her. Since he couldn't kill her, he decided to make her his.

In life, there are only three things that people seek: power, money, and influence. As a woman, power does not play a big role for Yan Ci. Moreover, she also holds an official position in the court. If she wants to move up, she needs to find a big backer. She must be in contact with the prince for this reason.

But he can give the same thing that the prince can give, and he can give more, so if Yan Ci asks for power, then his chances of successfully winning her over are very high.

If he is seeking money and power, that is not a problem at all. His mother's family plays an important role in the court. Compared with the prince's already declining mother's family, the Hua family, any smart person would know who is the right one to choose.

Shen Zhaoyan sat on a chair in the study, having already analyzed the purpose of Yan Ci's interactions with the prince in his mind, and his idea of ​​winning over Yan Ci became more mature.

But Yan Ci seemed very reluctant to see him, probably because he was afraid that he would attack her again. But if she wanted to discuss things with Yan Ci, she had to ask him to come out.

A gleam of light flashed in Shen Zhaoyan's eyes. How could he forget? Isn't there a ready-made candidate in the mansion?

He immediately ordered Dao Ji, "Go and invite Yan Rulai to his study."

Dao Ji was stunned, then he replied with a cupped hand: "Concubine Yan has gone back to her parents' home and has not come back yet."

Shen Zhaoyan frowned and his voice turned cold, "It's been a few days since he left. Why hasn't he come back yet? Send someone to pick him up immediately."

Dao Ji responded, turned around and left the study. In the study, Shen Zhaoyan's face became even gloomier, and he became more and more dissatisfied with Yan Ru. If he didn't need her, he would never take her away even if she lived in the Yan family until her death.

Thinking about the hard life he would have to live in the palace tomorrow, Yan Ru felt depressed. He leaned on the beauty couch and watched Cuizhi packing her things, then turned his eyes away in annoyance.

At this moment, a little maid ran in from the door and stood at the door and reported with a smile: "Ninth Miss, someone from the palace has come to take you back."

Yan Ru suddenly sat up from the beauty couch, her eyes full of surprise, "Is he really someone from the palace?"

The little maid said, "It is absolutely true. That person is Daoji, the guard beside the prince."

When Yan Ru heard that the person coming was Dao Ji, she knew that it was Shen Zhaoyan's intention to come to pick her up. She thought that Shen Zhaoyan had changed his mind, and she was immediately delighted. She called Cuizhi and wanted to go back to the palace immediately.

Cuizhi looked at the half-packed luggage and said, "Miss, you haven't finished packing yet. How about asking Guard Dao to wait for a while?"

"What are you waiting for? You don't have to pack these things. The palace is still short of a few clothes. Just go."

Cuizhi also knew that her daughter would be so happy to hear that the prince had sent someone to pick her up that she could not stay any longer, so she asked the little maid to tell Aunt Zhao, and then she followed Yanru and left Xiezhuyuan.

After Yan Ru returned to the palace, Dao Ji took him directly to the study.

This was the first time Yan Ru came to Shen Zhaoyan's study. Looking at Shen Zhaoyan, who was sitting in a chair in front of the table with a somewhat cold expression, Yan Ru's joy in her heart sank and she became a little uneasy.

Yan Ru politely bowed to Shen Zhaoyan and said, "I greet you, Your Majesty."

Shen Zhaoyan raised his eyes to look at Yan Ru, and said in a lukewarm tone: "How have you been living in your mother's house these days?"

Under normal circumstances, this would be a very common inquiry, but in the ears of Yan Ru, who had just been taken back to the palace, it sounded like an accountability.

As a married woman, it is understandable for her to go back to her parents' home to visit, but it is inappropriate to stay there for several days in a row.

Yan Ru was filled with fear and he knelt on the ground with his knees bent.

"I have never been back to the Yan family to visit my father and mother since I got married. I really miss them, so I went home to stay for a while. I hope Your Majesty will not blame me."

This reason was the one she had prepared in advance for herself when she returned home on her own. She thought that it would not be needed since someone from the palace would pick her up, but she did not expect that it would still be needed.

She lowered her head, not daring to look at Shen Zhaoyan's expression, but suddenly heard a chuckle.

Shen Zhaoyan stood up from the table, walked to Yan Ru, bent over to help her up, and his expression was much softer than at the beginning.

"What are you thinking, concubine? I don't mean to blame you. I just care about you."

Yan Ru suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Shen Zhaoyan walked to the round table next to him and sat down, then turned back and called Yan Ru, "Come and sit down."

Seeing Shen Zhaoyan's unusual gentleness towards her, Yan Ru felt a little uneasy, but she still obediently walked to the table next to her and sat down on the chair next to Shen Zhaoyan.

As soon as he sat down, he heard Shen Zhaoyan say, "Have you seen your thirteenth sister at home these days?"

Hearing Shen Zhaoyan mention Yan Ci, Yan Ru looked over with suspicion. Why did he suddenly care about Yan Ci? Could it be that Shen Zhaoyan knew about what she had fabricated about Xiao Yizhen at home?

Yan Ru was shocked and didn't dare to say anything for a long time.

After a long silence, Yan Ru could only bite the bullet and answer, "Sister Thirteen went to Qiu's residence a few days ago, but I didn't see her."

Shen Zhaoyan nodded in understanding, "I heard that your thirteenth sister has a lot of insights into political affairs, and I want to invite her to my house for a chat, but you know that my status does not allow me to have too much contact with ministers. You are her sister, so it is most appropriate for you to invite her to my house. What do you think?"

He is using her as a cover to have a secret affair with Yan Ci.

Yan Ru was of course unwilling, but Shen Zhaoyan's words were so high-sounding that she had no reason to object, so she could only say tactfully: "My lord, do you have something to say to my thirteenth sister? I am willing to convey it."

He secretly expressed his intention of not wanting Yan Ci to come.

Shen Zhaoyan's gentle expression suddenly turned cold, and his voice became more stern, "You don't need to worry about this, just call her to the palace, but don't let her know that it was the prince who came to see her, understand."

Yan Ru lowered her head with an unhappy look on her face and said, "I understand. I will write a letter to my sister when I return."

Shen Zhaoyan was very satisfied. "Very good, please hurry up. I don't have much patience."