Your Highness, your wife has had her virginity mark applied and married someone else.

"She deserves better."

Lu Yanzhi put down his wine glass and remained silent for a long time before speaking.

"She has a bright future ahead of her, and we shouldn't disturb her."

"..."

Perhaps not expecting that Lu Yanzhi had no intention of marrying Shen Mingshu, Wei Ziye paused for a while before concealing the emotions in his eyes and drinking the wine in his cup.

"She doesn't deserve it."

Lu Yanzhi frowned, looking at the coldness in Wei Ziye's eyes: "Wei Ziye, did you ever love her?"

Back then, Shen Mingshu was tricked into falling into the water by Zhang Yu. If Lu Yanzhi hadn't intervened, Wei Ziye would have just stood on the shore and watched her struggle indifferently.

When he was angry that he disregarded Shen Mingshu's safety, he also questioned him about whether he loved Shen Mingshu at all.

What was his answer then?

Oh, the answer was four words—"None of your business."

Today, Wei Ziye found the answer and replied, "It's none of your business."

"Wei Ziye!" Lu Yanzhi slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "That kiss back then was an accident. How could you not see that someone was secretly framing us!"

"Afterwards, you didn't investigate or ask any questions. Doesn't that mean you already believed I, Lu Yanzhi, was a shameless scoundrel who coveted your brother's wife?"

Lu Yanzhi truly regarded Wei Ziye as a brother.

Before the concept of balance between civil and military affairs was fully realized, the Lu family was suppressed by military generals for generations. It was Wei Ziye who took the lead in representing the Wei family and expressed that the struggle between the Wei and Lu families should be resolved rather than perpetuated.

In addition, his victory in the Martial Arts Championship allowed him to resolve the grudges of his ancestors in the younger generation of the Lu family.

Lu Yanzhi and Wei Ziye share a deep, childhood friendship and mutual respect.

How could he not know that there must have been many things he didn't know about between Wei Ziye and Shen Mingshu that led to this outcome?

How could he not know that Wei Ziye had no misunderstandings about him, and that because of their understanding and trust, there was no need for him to question her?

But it was precisely because the two of them could have had nothing between them that they ended up breaking off their friendship.

That's what's even more disheartening.

Looking directly into the resentment and anger in Lu Yanzhi's eyes, Wei Ziye stood up, a hint of helplessness finally appearing on his usually indifferent face.

"Lu Yanzhi, even brothers have their unspeakable difficulties."

"If you truly consider me a brother, why would you put me in such a difficult position again because of her?"

Wei Ziye poured the last cup of wine for the two of them without saying a word, his tone flat and without any discernible emotion.

"Whether I ever coveted her or not, do I need to spell it out now?"

Lu Yanzhi frowned: "That's because you didn't know how to cherish it!"

Looking at the resentment on Lu Yanzhi's face, Wei Ziye suddenly felt completely powerless.

He chuckled with a sigh, his voice flat and numb.

"But if I were to say that the decline of the Wei family was her doing."

Do you believe it?

"..." Lu Yanzhi's face stiffened. "What...what did you say?"

In the early days, although the emperor intended to support the Lu family and the Wei family to counterbalance each other, he was not too harsh on the Wei family because of his fear of them, and the relationship between the two families was relatively peaceful.

It wasn't until rumors spread that Wei Congyu was greedy for merit and recklessly went to the battlefield while ill that he was ambushed and ultimately died in the mountains, perishing alongside the enemy general.

The emperor was furious, and thunder and rain fell. If Wei Ziye had not redeemed himself by winning the first battle and taking the title of martial arts champion, the Wei family's situation would have been even worse.

If these things weren't deliberately publicized and fueled by someone, what would have happened?

A chill ran down Lu Yan's spine: "Impossible! A-Shu loved you so much, and knew you respected your grandfather the most, how could she possibly harm him?"

"At that time, you were already engaged. What good would it do her if the Wei family fell from grace?"

"Yes, what are the benefits?"

Wei Ziye's eyes held a deep, suppressed pain as he smiled bitterly: "When I was young and naive, I accepted everything she said without hesitation because I loved her, only to be used by her in the end."

"Lu Yanzhi, you know best how I treat her."

"I might misunderstand her in other matters, but in this one, it's absolutely impossible."

"You—" Lu Yanzhi's words caught in his throat, and in the end he could only say, "You have no evidence for this matter."

Wei Ziye chuckled silently and countered, "On the battlefield, the situation changes in an instant. Who has found solid evidence of General Shen Nian's guilt?"

"But that doesn't prevent the Emperor from sentencing him, does it?"

The same greed for quick success and reckless advance resulted in heavy losses.

Lu Yanzhi's eyes narrowed: "You mean A-Shu approached you to avenge her father?"

He then retorted, "Impossible. Everyone knew back then that General Shen Nian was promoted by General Wei. If we're talking about who was more grief-stricken after General Shen Nian's death, your grandfather would definitely be one of them."

"Even if A-Shu really had doubts, she certainly wouldn't be the first to suspect your grandfather."

"Besides, she was destitute when the Wei family took her in. A-Shu has always been grateful and repaying kindness, so how could she have had such an intention from the beginning?"

Lu Yanzhi's trust in Shen Mingshu surpassed even Wei Yuan's.

Wei Ziye watched him quietly as he made excuses for Shen Mingshu, as if he were seeing his own past self who had almost split apart.

At first, he only firmly believed it, but he couldn't find the reason.

Now that he has found it, he dares not speak again.

"Lu Yanzhi, if it were just suspicion, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

That's all I have to say.

Wei Ziye lowered his gaze, gently touched his wine glass, drank the wine in one gulp, and turned to leave.

Lu Yanzhi stared at his forlorn figure, unable to recover for a long time...

……

Having not knelt for so long in a long time, Shen Mingshu rubbed her knees, which ached from kneeling.

Fortunately, the family reunion was finally completed, and her life finally took a turn for the better.

Of the Zhang family, only the eldest son's branch is barely climbing the social ladder; the rest are cowardly, opportunistic, and selfish.

After Zhang Yu's father and brother died, she was the only one left in the main branch of the family.

After the men from the other two wives managed to enter officialdom, they were no longer willing to take on the risk that Shen Mingshu posed.

Zhang Yu engaged in a heated debate with the scholars, his words both insightful and sharp, which greatly angered both families.

After a series of ups and downs and arguments, it was only when Zhang Yu's grandfather stepped in and struck the wooden clapper that the family recognition ceremony was finally completed.

Having witnessed Zhang Yu's abilities, Shen Mingshu felt relieved and returned to her room to rest.

Before long, a greeting came from behind.

"May the Fifth Sister be well."

"I have come to follow you as arranged by Young Master Lu."

Shen Mingshu turned around and looked.

The newcomer was plain-looking and petite. Although she was dressed in ordinary maid's clothes, her demeanor was so imposing that one could not underestimate her.

This aura was too conspicuous and not suitable for close service. Just as Shen Mingshu was about to say something, the aura of the girl in front of her suddenly changed.

He still maintained that respectful posture, but at first glance, there was nothing special about him anymore.

She was so ordinary that even among a group of maids, she wouldn't be chosen by her master.

Shen Mingshu's eyes lit up, and she asked curiously, "You're not a shadow guard?"

"This servant, Chunxue, is Young Master Lu's bodyguard."

"Deadpool?" Shen Mingshu hadn't expected Lu Yanzhi to have his own Deadpool besides his Shadow Guards. "Does the Lu family all have them?"

Chunxue shook her head: "Besides Young Master Lu, only you know of my existence."

Shen Mingshu was taken aback for a moment.

She hadn't expected Lu Yanzhi to be so prepared, nor did she know why he had given Chunxue to her.