She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

Shen Jingshu walked very fast, almost running back to Yulu Garden. She was both angry and annoyed, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

Jiang Jin'an caught up with her in a few quick steps, grabbed her wrist from behind, and pulled her to his front with a little force.

Lin Yu and Wu Chen exchanged a glance, and with perfect understanding, pulled Yao Qin and Jin Se aside. The group hid behind a flower wall not far away, peeking out and looking around.

"Jing Shu, let me explain."

Shen Jingshu broke free from his hand, took a step back, and increased the distance between them.

Jiang Jin'an's hands were suddenly empty, and he panicked even more. He softened his voice and coaxed, "I encountered some trouble on the way back to the capital, which delayed me. I could have returned yesterday, but I had to report to the Emperor before entering the capital. It was my fault."

Shen Jingshu lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a shadow on her eyelids.

Couldn't you just ask someone to send a message?

She thought about it, but swallowed the words back. She felt that asking the question would make her seem a bit pretentious.

She thought about what happened yesterday, tried to keep her tone calm, and asked him, "So, His Majesty knew all along?"

Jiang Jin'an nodded. "Yes."

He knew he couldn't hide it from her, so he simply confessed.

"The Crown Prince and Crown Princess also knew?"

"Yes."

Shen Jingshu clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to punch him, and asked again, "Where is my father?"

Jiang Jin'an lowered his voice, tinged with guilt, "My father-in-law, of course, also..."

Shen Jingshu: "..."

She felt a surge of anger rush to her head.

So everyone knew, but they kept it from her alone!

When she looked up, Jiang Jin'an realized that she was already in tears.

Tears fell silently, one after another, striking his heart and making him feel flustered.

Since they met, Shen Jingshu has always been confident, resilient, calm and composed. When has she ever lost her composure like this?

"Don't cry, it's my fault, I shouldn't have kept it from you." Jiang Jin'an frantically tried to wipe away her tears, but he couldn't get them off.

He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, coaxing her softly, "Jing Shu, you can hit me or scold me, just don't cry, okay?"

Shen Jingshu listened to his strong heartbeat and felt the warmth of his embrace, but she remained silent.

She wasn't unaware of his predicament, and she knew it was a miracle that he had returned safely. But when she thought of the rumors that were spreading throughout the city, the fear and anxiety she had endured these past few days, and the absurd wedding ceremony, she felt extremely wronged.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Jin'an felt even more heartbroken.

He had no choice but to hold her tightly and gently stroke her back again and again.

After a long while, Shen Jingshu's sobs gradually subsided. Jiang Jin'an cupped her face, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumb, and asked, "Are you still angry?"

Shen Jingshu sniffed, didn't even look at him, and turned away.

She doesn't want to see him at all right now!

Jiang Jin'an stood there, stunned, not knowing what to do.

Wuchen and Lin Yu couldn't help but chuckle at their young master's helpless expression.

"I told you, Madam wouldn't forgive you so easily," Lin Yu said smugly.

Wuchen glanced at him, said nothing, and silently took out a silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yu, "A bet is a bet."

Lin Yu took the silver, his smile widening. "Young master, you've finally met your match!"

"Shut up."

"okay."

Lin Yu immediately shut his mouth, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

Jinse slapped Wuchen on the head: "You lot! It's one thing if you don't even send a message back, but you even used Madam as a gamble! I'm going to tell Madam right now!"

She made a move to leave, but Lin Yu quickly grabbed her and coaxed her with a bunch of nice words.

During lunch, Shen Jingshu ate alone in her room, while Jiang Jin'an was stopped at the door by Jinse.

Jinse stood outside the door looking utterly dejected. She looked at Jiang Jin'an and said, "My lord, please leave. Madam does not wish to see you right now."

Yaoqin pleaded earnestly from inside the room, "Madam, please let the master in; the food is getting cold."

Shen Jingshu was determined and refused to budge, saying, "Let him eat by himself."

Jiang Jin'an had no other choice but to ask Lin Yu to invite Gu Changyi.

Upon hearing that Jiang Jin'an had returned, Gu Changyi rushed to the Jiang residence in a rage, cursing all the way. Before she even arrived at the residence, everyone in the streets and alleys knew that this living devil had actually come back to life.

Upon seeing Jiang Jin'an, Gu Changyi launched into a tirade without a word: "Jiang Jin'an, are you even human? Do you know how your cousin-in-law has been these past few days? And you, without a word, played the suicide card, you..."

Jiang Jin'an didn't hear a word Gu Changyi said. He interrupted Gu Changyi and asked, "Changyi, Madam is angry. How do we appease her?"

Gu Changyi was stunned for a moment, then became even angrier, "You're asking me? You're asking me how to appease your own wife? Jiang Jin'an, are you out of your mind!"

Jiang Jin'an frowned.

Gu Changyi rolled her eyes in anger, "What can I do? It's your own wife, you figure it out yourself!"

Jiang Jin'an remained silent.

Gu Changyi thought for a moment and then said, "Why don't you try the self-inflicted injury strategy? Women are soft-hearted. If you get hurt and suffer a little, she will definitely feel sorry for you."

Jiang Jin'an thought about it seriously, glanced at him, said nothing more, and turned back to Yulu Garden.

Gu Changyi looked completely bewildered and called out to his retreating figure, "Aren't you going to invite me to dinner?"

Receiving no response, Gu Changyi chuckled inwardly, glanced at Lin Yu, and then took her anger out on him again.

Jiang Jin'an stood outside the door, knocked twice, and called out, "Jing Shu, open the door."

There was no response from inside the room.

He pushed open the door and entered, only to find Shen Jingshu already lying on the chaise longue with her back to him.

Jiang Jin'an felt a little worried.

If it's about interrogating prisoners, he has plenty of methods.

But this was to appease his wife; he had no experience with that.

He walked to the bedside, squatted down, and looked at Shen Jingshu's back, pondering how to appease her anger and whether the self-inflicted injury scheme Gu Changyi had suggested would work.

Hearing the commotion behind her, Shen Jingshu felt even more annoyed, so she simply pulled the gauze quilt draped over her head and wrapped herself up tightly.

Jiang Jin'an sighed softly and patted the blanket. "Don't keep yourself cooped up. Come out and get some fresh air."

The person under the covers remained motionless. Jiang Jin'an, helpless, had no choice but to continue, "On the way back to the capital, we were ambushed and nearly killed. We barely escaped. His Majesty said he—"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Jingshu suddenly sat up, startling Jiang Jin'an.

"You almost lost your life? How could it be so dangerous? Are you injured anywhere?" she asked, her hands patting Jiang Jin'an all over.

Touching my left shoulder, I noticed that the fabric there felt distinctly different from the rest of the garment; it was clearly wrapped in white silk.

Jiang Jin'an took her hand, his usually calm and indifferent eyes softening with a smile. "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."

It wasn't that he intended to use a self-inflicted injury as a ruse; he was genuinely injured. But Jiang Jin'an felt that the blow was well worth it.