nashuaworldcup Chapter 398 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
Chapter 398 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
Emperor Xinghe was cured of the poison by Su Jinyue. Prince Jing, Tang Jingfan, also revealed his true colors by poisoning Tang Jingfan again. Emperor Xinghe became wary of Tang Jingfan and naturally would no longer consider making him regent.
It could be said that Su Jinyue had unconsciously changed the ending of her previous life, though she was unaware of it.
Song Zhihua and Shen Mingze's conversation continued.
Faced with Song Zhihua's sophistry, Shen Mingze remained noncommittal.
Emperor Xinghe kept Tang Ruijing's true identity a closely guarded secret, and even Shen Mingze doesn't know it now.
However, Shen Mingze had his own judgment. Tang Ruijing had informed Shen Mingze about the existence of the Song family, and Shen Mingze had also investigated and found that the Song family did not value Tang Ruijing at all.
If they don't value it, how could they possibly be as devoted as Song Zhihua claims to Tang Ruijing?
Shen Mingze didn't want to listen to Song Zhihua's nonsense anymore, but there was something he wanted to confirm with Song Zhihua.
"Zhihua, at the banquet hosted by the Grand Princess Ning'an at the beginning of the year, you were the one who caused my daughter to fall into the water, weren't you?"
Shen Mingze stared intently at Song Zhihua, not missing a single expression on her face.
When Shen Mingze suddenly brought up this matter, Song Zhihua's flustered expression revealed a flaw to Shen Mingze.
Shen Mingze smiled bitterly: "Zhihua, our affairs are already complicated enough, why do you still want to harm my daughter?"
Shen Mingze investigated the matter of Shen Yuxi falling into the water for a long time, and finally found out through clues that Song Zhihua might have been responsible.
He couldn't understand why Song Zhihua would hurt his daughter. In the end, he could only think that Song Zhihua might want to use his daughter to drag him down, so that he couldn't stand idly by in the struggle for the throne among the princes.
Thinking of this, Shen Mingze felt a chill in his heart. He had been in love with Song Zhihua, and he had even accepted that Song Zhihua had ruined his reputation and raised Tang Ruijing, her mistress, on his behalf.
But from the incident where Song Zhihua hurt his daughter Shen Yuxi, Shen Mingze knew that Song Zhihua had changed!
Shen Mingze could do anything for Song Zhihua, but the grudges of the previous generation should not affect the next. Therefore, after learning that Song Zhihua had targeted Shen Yuxi, Shen Mingze no longer intended to do anything for Song Zhihua.
Therefore, when Lady Xuanping later made a fuss about driving Tang Ruijing out of the Marquis's mansion, Shen Mingze did not fight for Tang Ruijing; he chose to acquiesce.
Shen Mingze was convinced that Song Zhihua was responsible, and Song Zhihua, feeling guilty, could no longer argue.
"Mingze, things aren't as you think. It was a case of my subordinates making things worse..."
Shen Mingze waved his hand: "Alright, it's all in the past, I don't want to bring it up again."
Song Zhihua hesitated and stopped speaking; she really didn't know what to say.
There are some things that cannot be told to Shen Mingze. Back then, Song Zhihua's scheme to make Shen Yuxi fall into the water was indeed intended to drag Shen Mingze down with her.
When Song Zhihua learned that the eldest prince, Tang Ruibin, planned to stage a "hero saves the beauty" scene in order to gain Shen Mingze's support, he had physical intimacy with Shen Yuxi in front of everyone, and in the end, Shen Yuxi would have no choice but to marry him. Wouldn't Marquis Xuanping, Shen Mingze, then have no choice but to side with the eldest prince?
Knowing about the eldest prince Tang Ruibin's plan, Song Zhihua had a sudden inspiration. He wanted to use the eldest prince's plan to lure the third prince Tang Ruiqian over and intercept the eldest prince's achievements.
With Shen Yuxi marrying Tang Ruiqian, wouldn't the Song family's plans go even more smoothly?
To everyone's surprise, the Third Prince Tang Ruiqian didn't go to the place where Shen Yuxi fell into the water, and the plan naturally failed.
Song Zhihua came to see Shen Mingze this time to gather information and also hoped that Shen Mingze could help her.
Shen Mingze liked her, and Song Zhihua knew it, but she had previously liked Emperor Xinghe, and later chose to be with Tang Jingfan in order to seek revenge. Shen Mingze's feelings could only be betrayed.
At first, Song Zhihua felt guilty towards Shen Mingze because she knew she couldn't reciprocate his feelings.
But since entrusting Tang Ruijing to Shen Mingze's care eighteen years ago, and the other party has not complained at all, Song Zhihua has gradually become numb.
Over the years, although Song Zhihua had never met Tang Ruijing, she still maintained some contact with Shen Mingze. Shen Mingze always handled Song Zhihua's affairs meticulously.
It was precisely because of Shen Mingze's accommodating attitude that Song Zhihua's appetite grew, and she became casual in her treatment of Shen Mingze.
However, Shen Mingze had previously indulged Song Zhihua because he had good intentions towards her.
Now that Song Zhihua has started plotting against Shen Mingze's daughter, Shen Yuxi, Shen Mingze will naturally no longer tolerate it.
In other words, the backup option no longer wants to be a backup option.
Previously, Shen Mingze did everything for Song Zhihua willingly, but now, the honest man doesn't want to be taken advantage of anymore, so Song Zhihua's words no longer work on Shen Mingze.
Song Zhihua rambled on and on, going around in circles, but Shen Mingze had already decided not to respond.
Song Zhihua felt helpless. She thought that Shen Mingze was probably angry with her because of her scheming against Shen Yuxi.
Shen Mingze is angry right now and won't listen to her, so let's talk about it again in a few days. It's getting late, and Song Zhihua should go back now.
After Song Zhihua left, Shen Mingze remained seated in the private room, asking the waiter to bring him another pot of tea, and quietly sipped it.
After a long while, there was a knock on the door of the private room, and guards from the Marquis of Xuanping's residence entered.
Shen Mingze asked indifferently, "Where did she go?"
The guard knelt on one knee, bowed his head, and replied, "This humble servant followed Miss Song all the way and saw her enter a rouge shop. Then, disguised, she went out through the back door of the rouge shop and entered the side gate of Prince Jing's mansion."
"I overheard the servants of Prince Jing's residence addressing Miss Song as 'Master.' Afterwards, I cautiously inquired with the servants, and it seems Miss Song is Prince Jing's concubine, Consort Hua."
Upon hearing the news gathered by the guards, Shen Mingze scoffed, "Consort Hua? Prince Jing? Heh..."
Shen Mingze felt a sharp pain in his heart, followed by a sense of understanding and clarity.
He, Song Zhihua, and Tang Jingfan are the same age and grew up together like childhood sweethearts. If he could fall in love with Song Zhihua, then it wouldn't be surprising if Tang Jingfan also liked Song Zhihua.
Shen Mingze had always wondered why Song Zhihua was able to fake his death in the palace eighteen years ago and disappear without a trace for so many years without being discovered.
If Tang Jingfan intervened to cover up Song Zhihua's whereabouts, then it makes perfect sense.
Shen Mingze remembered that Tang Jingfan and Consort Hua had a child, but what about himself? He not only got nothing, but also had an indelible stain on his life because of Song Zhihua.
Shen Mingze felt that he had lived a ridiculous life all these years. He had trapped himself in the same place for so many years because of someone who was not worth it, and his life had been a complete mess!
Lost in thought, Shen Mingze suddenly pushed the teacup and teapot on the table to the ground, then slumped into a chair, tilted his head back, covered his eyes with his hands, and remained silent.