Chapter 59

Despite his initial shock, Prince Rong burst into a helpless laugh.

He was not a man driven by lust; moreover, his health has been frail since childhood, so he had never paid attention to any women, preferring to cultivate a tranquil spirit. He had become even more ascetic after he realized that his Consort had been swapped but he couldn’t find any concrete evidence.

It would be a lie to say Prince Rong didn’t feel stifled knowing that an impostor is sitting in the position of Consort for twenty years. However, the impostor has a very good reputation, her natal family was powerful, and they have deep influence within the court officials. To strike her was to move the entire foundation; without solid evidence that they cannot refute, if they have the chance to reverse the truth, even the Emperor could not easily touch the Lin family.

The lotus incident at Xiangguo Temple had made Prince Rong ecstatic. He had secretly coordinated with the Emperor to push and spread certain rumors. The impostor had incurred “heavenly wrath,” and no matter how great the Lin family’s power, it could not outweigh the will of the people of Great Zhou. Her execution was exactly what the public desired.

As for the impostor’s pregnancy, he had been set up on a night he was invited to stay at the Lin estate. Upon waking, Prince Rong remembered nothing, only the impostor lying naked beside him. He wasn’t without suspicion, but she had conceived in a single night, and several imperial physicians had confirmed the “slippery pulse” of pregnancy. It was only after the truth was revealed that he learned the physicians hadn’t misdiagnosed her—the impostor had used a secret medicine to simulate the physiological signs of pregnancy.

After a moment of reflection, Prince Rong thought of his future daughter-in-law’s monstrous strength. He cast a teasing glance at Rong Mo before turning a beaming smile toward Cheng Ruyi.

“How about this: if you give me a few grandsons, I’ll let you have the final say over the entire back courtyard?”

He had already dismissed the few women who served as mere decorations in his manor; he had no interest in such things. Once this girl married in, the management of the household would naturally fall to her anyway. He just wanted to tease her—this little girl’s train of thought was simply too hilarious.

Rong Mo’s mouth twitched. “…”

“Fine! If I have to give birth, I will!” Cheng Ruyi’s eyes darted around. She figured it was a good deal; since she was going to have children anyway, she agreed without a shred of shyness.

Rong Mo smiled faintly. This little fiancée of his is truly too adorable.

Prince Rong laughed heartily, his gaze full of satisfaction. “Good, good! It’s a deal then!”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness, I won’t disappoint you. I’m healthy as an ox—having eight or ten kids won’t be a problem!” Cheng Ruyi declared, thumping her chest heroically.

“Haha!”

Prince Rong laughed again. Where else could one find such a simple and straightforward daughter-in-law?

Rong Mo appeared calm on the surface, but he was secretly overjoyed inside. Did his little fiancée have to be… so bluntly frank? His heart is swelling with happiness. Eight or ten children…

The expressions of the nearby passersby eavesdropping were truly beyond words. As for the two bodyguards, they had long since been used to Cheng Ruyi’s bold proclamations.

After they stopped laughing, Prince Rong asked about their purpose for going out. When he heard they wanted to look for rare books and paintings to “increase the classiness” of the wedding, his mouth twitched.

Prince Rong rubbed his chin seeing his future daughter-in-law’s high spirits. Perhaps he could approach things from her side. The Emperor has been constantly urging the Prince to record Rong Mo into the Royal Jade Records as soon as possible ever since he learned of Rong Mo’s lineage. He was anxious too. But Rong Mo insisted on waiting until after the wedding to officially return to the clan… and Prince Rong couldn’t bear to pressure this son he had only just acknowledge.

But now… Prince Rong looked at Cheng Ruyi’s smiling face, a glint of calculation flashing in his eyes.

Rong Mo did not miss that look. He stifled a laugh, knowing exactly what was on his father’s mind. After attending Cheng Wanru’s wedding today, his little fiancée already found the process tedious, and that was just the standard specification for a noble lady. Royal protocols were far more numerous. His fiancée was simple, but she wasn’t stupid. Prince Rong’s plan was likely going to fail.

Rong Mo stood to the side, leisurely watching the show.

As it was autumn, the “Autumn Tiger” heat was quite intense. The frail Prince Rong had stood in the sun too long, and his complexion began to look a bit off. Furthermore, the crowd of onlookers was growing.

Cheng Ruyi and Rong Mo decided to find a quiet place to talk. After some discussion, following Prince Rong’s suggestion, the group went to Juyuan Restaurant and requested a private booth.

Once Cheng Ruyi heard Prince Rong say he had many rare books and paintings at his place, her desire to “scavenge” vanished. If there were ready-made ones available, why bother laboring to find them? Thus, she was easily coaxed by Prince Rong into going to the restaurant to discuss the matter of the scrolls.

Rong Mo shook his head secretly. So easily fooled. It seems I’ll have to keep a very close eye on my little fiancée in the future.

Juyuan Restaurant was Prince Pingnan’s property, so the chances of running into him there were high. Consequently, many daughters of wealthy families, noble ladies, and young lords loved to spend their leisure time there.

As soon as the trio entered, they attracted many gazes and a flurry of whispers. Under the personal guidance of the manager, the three of them (plus the two guards) arrived at a booth specifically reserved for the Royal Family. The booth was large, decorated with landscape paintings by famous artists; it was quiet, elegant, and filled with a thick scholarly atmosphere.

After they sat down, two beautiful women with graceful temperaments began to brew tea with refined movements. Soon, the light fragrance of tea filled the room. Cheng Ruyi took the cup handed to her and downed it in one go. She didn’t “taste” much, but it left a lingering fragrance in her mouth. She felt it was quite good.

“This tea is much better than what I drank before!”

Prince Rong watched his future daughter-in-law with a smile. Hearing her words, he chuckled. “The tea the restaurant used to serve you before was of a secondary grade. This is tea exclusively supplied to members of the Royal Family.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is. Your Highness, do you like drinking tea?”

Cheng Ruyi nodded. If her future father-in-law liked tea, she could plant a tea tree at the estate and use her wood-element ability to stimulate its growth. The tea leaves she grew would be imbued with life force and would be extremely beneficial for the health.

“Indeed, I do!” Prince Rong replied. He truly did enjoy tea.

Cheng Ruyi made a note of it, planning to give him a big surprise later. Rong Mo gracefully sipped his tea, watching the interaction between his fiancée and his father with a faint smile. Once the two women finished brewing, they tactfully left the booth.

“Ruyi, my girl, don’t you want to elevate the class of your wedding? As long as you get Rong Mo to officially return to the clan, I guarantee your wedding will be even grander than that of a Prince.”

Prince Rong smiled like an old fox tempting a child. At these words, Rong Mo looked down at his teacup, chuckling silently.

Cheng Ruyi rolled her eyes, waving her hand with zero interest. “What do I want such a grand wedding for? It’s exhausting and annoying. I just want some famous paintings and rare books to decorate the storefront, that’s all.”

Saying this, her eyes lit up as she stared at Prince Rong. “Your Highness, A-Mo is your son. Didn’t you say you have plenty of rare scrolls? Just bring them out to give us some face when the time comes. We’ll return them afterward. Anyway, keeping those things is useless; they just sit there catching dust.”

The way she puts it… Prince Rong’s mouth twitched. Only this little girl would think that way.

“Ruyi, if you convince Rong Mo to return to the clan, I’ll give those paintings and books to you as a gift. How about it?” Prince Rong continued to lobby, refuse to give up.

Rong Mo: “…” I’m standing right here, and Prince Rong is trying to bribe my fiancée in front of my face. Is this really okay?

Cheng Ruyi’s eyes darted around. She was a little tempted, but as soon as she thought about how their wedding would have to follow strict royal protocols once A-Mo returned to the clan, she realized it wasn’t worth the trade. She quickly shook her head.

“Never mind, I don’t want them. But I do want to borrow those scrolls to ‘study’ them for a bit, then I’ll go to the bookstores to find some similar ones.”

Prince Rong burst into a laugh, trying to guide her patiently. “Ruyi, you don’t think that studying them for a few days will make you an expert in appraising rare scrolls, do you? If you end up buying fakes, you’ll be the one losing face. It’s better to just convince Rong Mo—it’s faster and easier!”

Cheng Ruyi shook her head like a rattle, saying righteously, “No need! I think there’s more of a sense of achievement in finding them myself.”

In her heart, she thought: I’m just borrowing the scrolls to see if I can use my mental energy to simulate and trace them. Ideally, I’ll create fakes so perfect they look real. Then I can have as many rare books as I want! Hehe!

Prince Rong had a bit of a headache. What kind of ‘achievement’ is that? He looked at his son, who was enjoying the show. No wonder Rong Mo was so calm; his future daughter-in-law was incredibly stubborn. Prince Rong admitted defeat and stopped pushing. However, he resolved to prepare a lavish betrothal gift for his son, which would include rare books and paintings regardless.

The conversation they had on the street quickly spread. Rong Mo’s identity was exposed.

He was the Eldest legitimate Son of Prince Rong who had been lost for twenty years. This news shook everyone. The noble ladies who had been mocking Cheng Ruyi in secret felt their faces turn green. Was Cheng Ruyi the biological daughter of the Heavens? How did every good thing land on her?

When Cheng Qingyao received the news, she didn’t spit blood this time. Her pretty face merely twisted for a moment before she was overcome with a profound sense of frustration. Perhaps she was just getting used to the setbacks.

“Qiulan, tell me… how is Cheng Ruyi’s luck so good?” Her words were full with resentment and jealousy.

The accident during Cheng Wanru’s “brazier-stepping” earlier today had been a point of joy for her, but with the exposure of the identity of Cheng Ruyi’s fiancé, that bit of happiness vanished instantly.

Qiulan had felt lately that her mistress’s mindset was becoming problematic. Speaking of good luck, the Young Miss had a much better life than servants like them, not to mention her own prestigious engagement. She truly didn’t understand why the Miss was so unhappy.

“This servant does not know. Perhaps Miss Ruyi simply has better fortune.”

“Fortune…” Cheng Qingyao sneered, her brow full of disdain. “You actually believe in that?” She never believed in luck; her current status was something she had fought for using her “future knowledge.”

Qiulan lowered her head and remained silent. Seeing her like this, Cheng Qingyao felt a surge of irritation. Lately, Qiulan was becoming less and less perceptive, nothing like the old Qiuxia. Unfortunately, Qiuxia’s face had been ruined, so she had to make do with this loyal but dull maid.

Ever since her engagement to the Heir of Prince Wei, Chu Yu’en, was finalized, the Second and Seventh Princes had become distant. If she hadn’t occasionally leaked “future trends” to them, they would likely have cut ties long ago.

Thinking about how her cousin Cheng Ruyi was becoming more and more prominent… first with Yan Zihao, the second legitimate son of Marquis Huaiyang, and now with Rong Mo, the long-lost Eldest son of Prince Rong… each identity was more noble than the last.

Cheng Qingyao was driven mad with jealousy.

Wait. Something was wrong with Cheng Ruyi’s situation. Aside from the fact that she had engineered the breakup with Yan Zihao, every person whose life trajectory differed from her previous life was connected to Cheng Ruyi.

For example, Rong Mo. He was supposed to have his legs amputated because the toxins couldn’t be suppressed. Now, he was not only standing but his identity kept evolving. Or Luo Fei, the peerless third-place scholar; he hadn’t appeared at all in her last life, yet he was Cheng Ruyi’s biological cousin. Or the Consort of Prince Rong—in her last life, she lived a glorious life until the end. Now, she was not only dead but infamous, and she would be reviled for eternity once the Great Disaster struck in the coming years.

And then there was the “Divine Medicine”… and Cheng Ruyi’s strange strength…

The more she thought, the uglier Cheng Qingyao’s expression became. There was definitely something wrong with Cheng Ruyi. If she could return to the past, what about Cheng Ruyi?

Was she also a returnee? Or had her body been snatched by some other wandering soul?

Once this thought arose, it spread like wildfire. Cheng Qingyao’s gaze gradually turned cold. One “anomaly” in this world was enough.

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