They had no idea that if outsiders hadn't been watching, the Third Prince would have been unable to resist smiling. It was the first time in many years he had seen her so adorable.
"Ignorance is no crime. This is the first time. If anyone does this again next time, this prince will definitely take a detour and stand by idly." The Third Prince's stern gaze swept over the crowd, causing them to lower their heads. Their restless hearts immediately settled down.
Wu Caiwei stood frozen, watching the Third Prince mount his horse and depart with an air of dashing elegance. She couldn't snap out of it for a long time, a silly, infatuated smile still on her face. After a while, she looked around and saw the other women casting envious glances at her. She quickly put her hands on her hips, stomped her foot, and declared proudly, "What? Jealous? If you're jealous, just keep it to yourselves. The Third Prince held my hand today, and I've decided I won't wash it for the next half month."
Watching her stride away with such bravado, one of the women couldn't help but choke out, "Being held by a man and taking pride in it is too shameless, too lacking in feminine virtue."
She could still hear them criticizing her from afar. Wu Caiwei had never done anything like this before, and she found it quite amusing.
She walked on, happily stroking her hand. Only when she reached the depths of an alley did she feel that the "tail" following her had disappeared. She meandered through back alleys, avoiding people, and returned to the back courtyard of the shop. She quickly changed back into her usual attire. It was time, so she swaggered home.
Gao Zimu returned to his room and closed the door. Only when he was alone did he open his palm. There lay a small slip of paper. He read its contents, ensuring he could memorize them, and then placed it over a candle flame to burn it.
Thinking of her actions that day, he couldn't help but sit there alone, chuckling foolishly. He knew he was surrounded by the Emperor's spies. He marveled at her cleverness in devising this plan. When he helped her up, their hands touched, and the information was conveyed.
Wu Caiwei could guess that Gao Zimu was preparing for their union. But the question was, would the Emperor really allow her to marry him? She knew he had other tricks up his sleeve, but she wanted to lend him a hand.
When Yang Zhongqing met with his son again, Wu Caiwei had a sudden inspiration. She gathered her household servants, armed them with cudgels, and marched menacingly towards the Yang family residence.
People on the street saw them and quickly moved out of the way, recognizing them as troublemakers not to be trifled with. For commoners like them, watching a spectacle was fine, but they had to keep a safe distance.
"Whose wife is this? What's she doing, with such a grand procession?"
"I don't know. We're bored anyway. Why don't we follow them from a distance?"
"Okay, but we need to keep our distance. If there's any sign of trouble, we can retreat immediately."
Two plainly dressed men followed them from a moderate distance, and many others had similar thoughts. By the time they reached the Yang family gate, the scene was quite spectacular.
The Yang family's gatekeepers had never seen such a commotion. They rushed to report it, but unfortunately, Yang Zhongqing was not home; only Wu Qingzhi was there.
If it were someone else seeking attention, she might have cowered, but upon hearing it was Wu Caiwei, she became furious. She had already intended to teach her a lesson. The thought of the former court officials being implicated, and almost dragging her down with them, coupled with her husband constantly contacting Zheng Rui, fueled her anger. With old grudges and new resentments, she was determined to meet Wu Caiwei head-on.
Wu Qingzhi personally led the Yang family's people to the main entrance. The moment she saw Wu Caiwei, she couldn't help but sneer, "A divorced woman has the audacity to come to the Yang family. What do you want?"
"Get it straight, I am the original wife. Who was it that immediately broke off the engagement when the Yang family fell into decline? He only rose step by step with the support of my Zheng family. While my son and I were in exile, he used dishonorable means to ascend. I voluntarily divorced him because I didn't want such a man anymore. He's too ungrateful and might stab me in the back at any moment." Wu Caiwei said whatever came to mind. She wanted nothing more to do with the Yang family and wouldn't spare their reputation.
"You were in exile for years. Any man would find that distasteful." Wasn't this just digging up each other's past wounds? Wu Qingzhi was not to be outdone.
"He didn't even bother to look for me before getting involved with you. Besides, we lived in a small town. You could have investigated anytime you wanted, but you never did. He's heartless." Wu Caiwei saw that people had started to gossip about her, knowing her goal was achieved. She was not afraid of being slandered and wouldn't care about such rumors. Perhaps the worse her reputation, the fewer obstacles there would be between her and the Third Prince. Su Dan Novel Network
"You didn't come here today to bicker about these old, stale matters, did you? Say it, what do you want?" Wu Qingzhi, seeing the crowd starting to point fingers at her, realized that regardless of whether she won the argument, her reputation would be tarnished. She quickly changed the subject.
"Of course. I just came to ask Yang Zhongqing about the divorce agreement. It was clearly stated in black and white: the son is mine. What? Seeing that your own son is useless, you want to mend your relationship with my son? He doesn't even want to see him, yet you shamelessly send invitation cards to our house every day." Since the other party was no pushover, she knew exactly what would sting the most. It would be even better if she could make her lose her temper and act impulsively.
Her goal was achieved. Upon hearing this, Wu Qingzhi was enraged. If not for the public spectacle, she would have slapped Wu Caiwei a few times. How dare she call her own son a good-for-nothing? However, it was true that her husband had gone to find Zheng Rui first, and she couldn't refute it.
"No matter what, my husband is his biological father. What's wrong with a father wanting to see his son?" To regain some ground, Wu Qingzhi spoke against her better judgment.
"Biological father? How laughable! For so many years, he's neglected his son. As soon as my Rui'er passed the Xiucai exam, you immediately latched onto us. Your Yang family may have some property, but our Zheng family has defended the borders for so many years, and the Emperor has bestowed many rewards. We truly don't care about your meager wealth. Rui'er now bears the surname Zheng and is a descendant of our Zheng family. I came here today only to give you a warning. If Master Yang doesn't heed this advice, the next step will be direct action."
"You're going too far! My husband is a high-ranking official in the court, while your Zheng family has no officials currently. Don't push it too far." Wu Qingzhi gritted her teeth, looking at Wu Caiwei, her body trembling.
She had thought that after her words, Wu Caiwei would at least show some restraint, considering her son's future official career. To her surprise, the other woman walked directly up to Wu Qingzhi and, before anyone could react, slapped her twice hard.