Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Chapter 1135 - 821: Farewell at the Chengqian Banquet

After leaving Qianqiu Palace, Yu Wenye stepped into the gradually reddening glow of the setting sun and walked at an unhurried pace. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he arrived at Chengqian Hall.By this time, the weather was no longer so hot, yet the blazing sunset still gave one the illusion of being in a sea of fire. With his mind still lingering on Qianqiu Palace, which he had just left, Yu Wenye could not help but feel a wave of restless heat. But as soon as he reached the entrance of Chengqian Hall, he immediately felt a chilling wind blow out from within.

In an instant, it drove away all the heat in his body.

It even carried off a portion of the warmth from him.

"Prince Qin?"

Just as Yu Wenye was slightly dazed, Aunt Hui’s voice sounded again behind him. He turned his head and saw that familiar face, always piled with a false smile, still full of that same false smile at this moment. Because of the blazing sunlight, a layer of golden light seemed to be cast around her cheeks, making that face look even more like a mask. She curved her lips and said, "The Crown Prince has been waiting for quite some time. Please, Your Highness, go in."

Yu Wenye said, "Very well."

With that, he turned and walked inside, while Aunt Hui stood motionless at the doorway. Only when she watched Yu Wenye’s tall back disappear through the main doors of Chengqian Hall did the corners of her mouth, deliberately held in an upturned arc, slowly fall. Very soon, her lips pressed into a thin line, and in her gaze, which suddenly turned sharp and cold, there emerged a hint of killing intent.

She turned and left.

Separated by only a wall, Yu Wenye had already begun to slowly walk into the main hall of Chengqian Hall.

Here, just as he and Shang Ruyi had guessed before, everything had long since been moved out. Although he had not come many times before, his memory was good. He could clearly recall how this residence, originally prepared for the Crown Prince, had been furnished—where the chests and cabinets were, where the tables and stools were. But now everything seemed as if it had never existed; the entire great hall was empty, giving one an unexpected sense of desolation.

Even though, in the center of the hall, there was still a table.

Behind the table, a man sat upright.

The moment he saw that tall, straight figure and those almost transparent pupils, which appeared even darker and more shadowed under the dim light, Yu Wenye’s breath unconsciously tightened. Yet there was not the slightest ripple on his face. He simply stopped in front of him, raised both hands, and was just about to salute when another familiar, cold voice sounded from the side.

"Second Brother, you’ve finally arrived."

This time, Yu Wenye’s brows drew together slightly. He turned his head and saw his third younger brother, Yu Wencheng, coming over from the side hall.

This Prince Qi was dressed in a dark-gold robe. Even though the light was dim, his whole person still seemed to gleam with a golden radiance, giving off an air of overbearing arrogance. Yu Wenye took just one look, and his brows instinctively furrowed, but he said nothing more. His cold gaze fell again on Yu Wencheng’s face—the previously injured forehead was wrapped in thick bandages, which had been frightening enough to inspire concern. Now, seeing him again today, much of the bandage had been removed, leaving only a thin layer that still pressed over the corner of his eye and the tail of his brow, making one of his tiger-like eyes look larger than the other and lending him an even more brooding air.

Yu Wencheng said with a broad grin, "Our Imperial Brother and I have been waiting for you for half the day; even the wine and dishes are about to go cold. Shouldn’t you first punish yourself with three cups?"

"..."

Yu Wenye did not speak immediately. He merely watched as Yu Wencheng, hands clasped behind his back, swaggered over. Without saluting him, Yu Wencheng went straight to the table and sat down, entirely at ease, even somewhat leisurely. Yu Wenye, expressionless, said, "Third Brother, where did you just go?"

"Me?"

Yu Wencheng had not expected him to respond with a question. His brows knit, yet he still reflexively replied, "I went to take a look at Imperial Brother’s side hall. Why?"

Yu Wenye said, "Oh? So you do know this is Imperial Brother’s Chengqian Hall."

"..."

"From what you said just now, I almost thought this place was yours, and that I had come to attend your banquet."

"..."

Yu Wencheng’s expression changed slightly. He had not expected that the very first line he meant to use to press down on Yu Wenye would be seized upon and turned back on him, and that it would strike so precisely at the mark that there was not even room for a retort. He was instantly somewhat vexed. Yu Wenye, however, no longer looked at him. He only cupped his hands and saluted Yu Wenqian, who sat upright ahead, silently watching them, and said, "I pay my respects to Imperial Brother."

Only at this moment did Yu Wenqian move.

He slowly lifted his head. Those almost transparent pupils now seemed to be infused with the bone-deep chill of the empty hall, as if all warmth had been swept away. Even his gaze carried a hint of icy coldness as he said slowly, "Second Brother, there is no need for such formality. Please, sit."

"My thanks."

With that, Yu Wenye stepped forward and sat down opposite him.

By now, Yu Wencheng had finally recovered from his irritation. He glanced behind Yu Wenye, then at the empty place setting across from himself, and let out a cold laugh. "Second Brother, you are indeed punctilious in matters of etiquette. But Imperial Brother clearly invited both you and Second Sister-in-law. How is it that you alone have come? What, does Second Sister-in-law refuse to show our elder brother any respect?"

Yu Wenqian’s long lashes trembled slightly.

Yu Wenye said calmly, "Since you address Ruyi as Second Sister-in-law, do you truly not know that your Second Sister-in-law is about to give birth?"

"..."

"Imperial Brother, Ruyi is unwell. The people of the Imperial Medical Bureau have already gone over to await orders. She may go into labor these next two days—or even today. I do not wish anything to happen to her, so I had her remain in Qianqiu Palace. I trust Elder Brother will understand."

Yu Wenqian fell silent for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and picked up the wine cup on the table. "Very well."

"..."

"Since Father set his enterprise in motion, we three brothers have seldom had the chance to gather. Today is a rare occasion. This cup shall be in honor of the bond between us brothers."

At this point, he lifted his lashes and looked at Yu Wenye. "Feng Chen, we are still brothers, aren’t we?"

Yu Wenye’s gaze flickered for a moment, then he immediately smiled. "Imperial Brother must be jesting."

"..."

"We share the same clan and lineage, the same surname and father—how could we not be brothers?"

Yu Wenqian looked at him and said mildly, "Sharing the same clan and lineage, the same surname and father, perhaps we are still brothers; but if our hearts are not as one, it is hard to be brothers."

Yu Wenye said, "Each man has his own mind; naturally, it is hard for them to be the same. However, ever since you returned, which of us three brothers has not exhausted his efforts for Father Emperor’s great enterprise? With such unity and cooperation, how does that not count as being of one heart?"

Just then, Yu Wencheng, who was at the side, suddenly said, "Second Brother, Father Emperor’s great enterprise will in the future be entrusted to Imperial Brother as well. Since that is so, our working together in one accord can also be counted as sharing a heart for Imperial Brother."

"..."

"In that case, we are still brothers."

"..."

"Tell me, am I right?"

As soon as his voice fell, the previously quiet Chengqian Hall instantly sank into an indescribable silence.

Yu Wenye lowered his head and looked at the wine swaying in his cup. On the surface of the liquid were reflected two pairs of eyes, distorted by the ripples into something almost grotesque. He was silent for a long moment before slowly lifting his head, his gaze cool as he said to Yu Wencheng, "Third Brother truly is something."

Yu Wencheng said, "Harmony between elder and younger brothers is as it should be."

Yu Wenye said, "Since Third Brother knows of harmony between elder and younger, do you also know of the order between elder and younger?"

"..."

"This banquet was arranged by Imperial Brother, and this cup as well was proposed by him. For you to usurp another’s role like this—does it accord with the righteousness and propriety between brothers?"

"This—"

Yu Wencheng stiffened. He had not expected that as soon as he opened his mouth, he would be forcibly blocked like this. Anger immediately surfaced on his face, yet he could not vent it, while Yu Wenye had already turned his head to look at Yu Wenqian, saying calmly, "Imperial Brother must not overthink. You and I are brothers, and always will be."

Yu Wenqian silently gave him a glance and said, "Very well."

With that, the two of them raised their cups. Although Yu Wencheng’s face was full of indignation, seeing that Yu Wenqian had already raised his cup to drink, he could not say anything more, and could only drink up the wine in his own cup together with his two elder brothers.

After finishing this cup, Yu Wenqian personally picked up the wine pot and poured wine for all three of them.

When the last drop of wine fell into the cups, Yu Wenye also picked up his cup and said to Yu Wenqian, "Elder Brother, Third Brother, let me offer this cup to you both."

Yu Wenqian looked up at him. His pupils were still faint and calm, but whether because he had drunk that previous cup too hastily or because the wine was too strong, the outer corners of his eyes were tinged slightly red, making him look quite different from usual—ordinarily he was tranquil and detached, like a wisp of pure white cloud; yet now, it was still white cloud, but as though a thousandfold thunderbolts were hidden within.

Perhaps for this reason, he did not speak.

Yu Wencheng instead gave a cold laugh. "Second Brother, what is it you wish to drink to us for?"

Yu Wenye looked at him, then at Yu Wenqian, and said, "We brothers know one another to the core; there is nothing in particular to toast. If we must, better to drink to Father Emperor’s great enterprise."

"Father Emperor’s great enterprise?"

"Indeed. May Father Emperor’s great enterprise endure for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations, its name resounding through eternity."

When he finished, without waiting for the two of them to say anything, he tilted back his head and drained the cup in one gulp.

When Yu Wenqian and Yu Wencheng heard these words, both of them frowned at the same time, but Yu Wenqian then pressed his lips lightly together and said, "Second Brother’s words are well said. This cup, I shall drink."

Yu Wenye calmly watched his elder brother and younger brother finish their second cup of wine, and he nodded. But thinking that the second cup just now had been poured personally by Yu Wenqian, he intended to take up the wine pot himself to pour. Just as he reached out his hand, however, Yu Wencheng suddenly said, "Second Imperial Brother, wait. This third cup should be my toast to the two of you."

Yu Wenye’s hand stopped at the moment it touched the wine pot. He turned back to look at him. "Oh?"

Yu Wencheng smiled and said, "Since it is my toast, I shall use the wine I brought myself."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and picked up a wine pot from beside him.

At a glance, Yu Wenye’s brows knit together.

When Yu Wencheng had entered earlier, he had kept his hands clasped behind his back. Yu Wenye had vaguely felt that he seemed to be holding something, but once he sat down the table blocked his view, so he had not seen clearly. Only now did he see that it was a wine pot.

A wine pot carved with a Tai Chi Diagram.