Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 628 - 507 Past Events

When Yu Wenye returned to the room, the sky had already turned dark.

As he pushed the door open and entered, he caught a faint, warm scent. He was not unfamiliar with this fragrance; it was the unique scent that lingered on Shang Ruyi after her bath. Turning his head, he saw her sitting at the dressing table, not grooming, but organizing a jewelry box. It was filled with those pieces of jewelry given to her by Guan Yunmu.

On the other side, a book lay beside her, seemingly opened to only the second page before it was set down.

Yu Wenye slowly walked in.

As soon as she heard his footsteps, Shang Ruyi hurriedly closed the box and got up to meet him. Yu Wenye glanced at the jewelry box, then at the book on the other side, and said, "Why are you tidying up these things so late at night?"

Shang Ruyi glanced back at the box and smiled, "I was just reading, but couldn’t concentrate. Then I remembered these pieces of jewelry from Mother that I haven’t worn in a long time, and thought I should clean them."

"..."

"Perhaps, in the coming days, I might have a use for them."

Yu Wenye gave her a look, then glanced at the familiar hairpins and jewelry. A previously suppressed faint pang of bitterness in his heart rose again unwillingly.

Shang Ruyi looked at him and asked, "Have you had dinner?"

"I just had something to eat."

"Then, I’ll have someone prepare hot water for your bath, so you can rest early."

"Mm."

So Shang Ruyi instructed Chang Wan and the others to prepare hot water. Yu Wenye took off a coat and casually tossed it onto a chair. As he lowered his head, he noticed the book Shang Ruyi had left on the table—it was "Lessons for Women"—no wonder she couldn’t concentrate.

Soon, the bathing things were ready, and he went over to have a thorough wash before returning to rest on the bed.

The room was so quiet that only the faint flicker of the small candle by the bedside could be heard.

But upon closer listening, one could hear each other’s breathing.

Yu Wenye looked down at Shang Ruyi leaning in his arms. She had been out almost all day, yet her face showed no signs of fatigue, only a serene indifference that saddened the heart.

Yu Wenye gently wrapped an arm around her slender waist, "Still not asking?"

"Hm?"

Despite her indifferent look, Shang Ruyi reacted quickly. She lifted her head from his embrace, gave him a glance, and shook her head again—she knew Yu Wenye was asking about what Yu Wenquan had discussed with him over tea that afternoon, but she honestly didn’t intend to ask.

Yu Wenye watched her for a while and said, "You said this morning that people ask questions for two reasons: one, when they don’t know the answer."

"Mm."

"And when is the second time?"

"The second reason—"

Shang Ruyi lowered her eyelashes, her eyes flickering gently in the dim light, and said softly, "Is when one already knows the other person’s answer, and that answer is exactly what they want to hear."

"..."

"Asking, then, would bring joy."

Yu Wenye’s heart stirred slightly as he looked down at her, "So you didn’t ask today because you already knew what Aunt told me; and you don’t ask now because you’ve guessed what Father might say to me, yet you don’t want me to say it aloud, correct?"

"..."

Shang Ruyi instinctively buried her face into his chest, only after a long time did she muffledly respond with a "Mm."

Such an action between husband and wife would usually be intimate and affectionate, surely igniting a passionate moment; but today, both of them bore a chill that permeated after forcing themselves to calm down. Yu Wenye merely gently stroked her back without any further actions.

Indeed, how could she not know?

If she really didn’t know anything, how could she suddenly decide to organize the jewelry from Guan Yunmu so late in the evening?

Yu Wenye took a deep breath and abruptly said, "Do you know why Father drank so much Nine Brewed Spring on the night of the wedding?"

Shang Ruyi’s breath grew heavy again.

From the occurrence of Shen Shiyan’s incident till now, nearly every word spoken by Yu Wenye and Yu Wenquan was within expectations, even if not predictable, then reasonable.

But, she didn’t anticipate Yu Wenye bringing this up at such a moment.

It seemed like something from nearly thirty years ago.

She gently shook her head and then looked up at Yu Wenye, noticing in the dim light his cold eyes reflecting a hint of intensity from the last candle in the room. Before Shang Ruyi could ask again, he said, "Actually, before that, he never drank."

"..."

"Nor could he drink."

"..."

"Because it was said that Grandfather and Grandmother were very strict, insisting that he study and practice martial arts since he was young, forbidding any other hobbies, so he didn’t even have any favorite foods."

"..."

"And because of this, he could lead troops at fifteen."

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Yu Wenquan could lead troops at fifteen!

Speaking of it, Yu Wenye followed Yu Wenquan to the battlefield to kill enemies at an early age. He was appointed as the Assistant General at nineteen and now promoted to the Heavenly Strategy General. In everyone’s eyes, he was a prodigy born with exceptional talents. Yet, compared to his father, he was still lacking.

Indeed, even when they first discussed marriage, the Yu Wenquan she saw was a kind and amiable elder. But she also knew that the Duke Sheng, known for his exploits of "Terrifying as the Divine Bow at Dragon Gate and building a Capital out of corpses," couldn’t possibly have just a kindly appearance.

Only someone who went to the battlefield at fifteen, killing enemies like a hungry wolf and having countless military achievements, could even the Emperor fear.

She softly said, "Then—"

Yu Wenye said, "But it was also when he was fifteen that his grandfather died in battle in a turmoil, and his grandmother, sick with grief, passed away shortly after."

"..."

"At that time, he was just fifteen."

Shang Ruyi’s breathing became heavier.

Perhaps others couldn’t understand, but she could comprehend that sense of helplessness and pain the most. After all, she too lost her family before she had the chance to understand, and was even kicked out of her home. If not for her uncle and aunt adopting her, she couldn’t even imagine what her situation would be now.

And Yu Wenquan—

Yu Wenye said, "Although he went through similar experiences as you, your circumstances were vastly different."

"Why?"

"You wandered for a while and suffered greatly, but fortunately, Uncle Shen adopted you, and finally.... you had support."

"Mm."

"But he—his grandfather left his soldiers, which might have been his support, but possessing a treasure invites trouble. Especially at his age, in that environment, he could not bear the weight of such a large family and responsibility, so those soldiers became the object of others’ covetousness.

"..."

Indeed, it was already thirty years ago, before the establishment of the Da Ye Dynasty; the world was in turmoil, with smoke all around. Yu Wenye’s grandfather was a pillar of the previous dynasty and later followed Emperor Wen and Chu Yin to conquer this land, laying the foundation of the Da Ye Dynasty. Naturally, he had his own household soldiers, the only support they had in such chaotic times.

However, once the Old Duke died, those soldiers became a juicy piece of meat in others’ eyes.

Shang Ruyi opened her mouth, her voice trembling slightly, "At that time, there must have been many people, many people... oppressing him, right?"

Yu Wenye was silent for a while, his voice hoarse, "Actually, Father rarely talked about those times. Probably he himself didn’t want to recall them. We only learned some things from Uncle Pei and the others when they were chatting over drinks. Rumor has it, he struggled painfully for two years, but the Yuwen Family, at that time, inevitably began to decline."

"..."

"In short, at that time—he suffered greatly."

Shang Ruyi pursed her lips and said nothing.

In truth, just thinking about it, how could Yu Wenquan’s experiences in his youth be summed up with just the word "suffering"?

But fortunately, it’s all in the past now.

Yet the experiences in between—

Just when Shang Ruyi was racking her brains, unable to depict those unimaginable difficult years, Yu Wenye suddenly spoke again. This time, however, infected by some emotion, there was unexpectedly a hint of gentleness in his hoarse voice: "However, Mother was always by his side."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s breath caught.

Mother, Guan Yunmu?

Could it be that she knew Yu Wenquan at such a young age and stayed by his side?

Could it mean—

At this moment, Yu Wenye lowered his head slightly, looked into Shang Ruyi’s flickering eyes, and gently nodded: "Mother was engaged to him."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi gasped.

So, Guan Yunmu was engaged to Yu Wenquan—no wonder they knew each other so young; moreover, if Guan Yunmu was always by his side during his most difficult years, then their relationship must be very deep, deep to a degree where she’s such a cold and detached person, yet wholeheartedly devoted to her husband, staying by his side even if she suffered grievances or gave up her own life.

Shang Ruyi’s heart grew heavier and heavier.

But when she realized again, she found that the heavy heartbeat was not only hers, but also from the chest tightly against hers, where Yu Wenye’s heartbeat seemed so heavy as if it would burst out of his chest at any moment. Yet, at this moment, his face slowly settled, his eyes suddenly turning cold, continuing, "But, Mother could not help him."

"..."

This sentence was left unfinished.

And there was no need to complete it.

Though Guan Yunmu came from an official family, in those war-torn years, holding the title of Duke Sheng, yet being surrounded by wolves and tigers, she couldn’t help him, nor could the civil servant family behind her.

Shang Ruyi opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but her voice was so hoarse that it was just a whisper. Yu Wenye understood nonetheless, and without her needing to say it, he already knew what she wanted to ask.

He said, "At that time, the only one who extended a helping hand to Father and could assist him was the Duke Shenwu—Dong Yan."

"..."

"And the reason he was willing to reach out was for his daughter."