After the replacement marriage, I was forced to fight at home

Chapter 266 It’s King Rui

The two arrived early, still in the "Wansheng Building", but not in that room. They needed to go through a room and walk two steps inside. It was very hidden.

The room was also very large, with a large huanghuali wood screen in the middle, painted with lifelike floral and bird patterns.

Meng Wan walked around the screen and could see the yard in the backyard and the alley they had just passed. Mingfu had parked the carriage in the shed and was chatting and laughing with a man who looked like a servant.

She was lying on the window watching with great interest. Zhou Yu put the cloak she had just taken off back on her. "Although it's not cold today, you still have to be careful not to get caught in the wind."

Meng Wan nodded, "The view from here is really good, and you can even see East Street." He pointed to a bright yellow corner in the distance and said, "Is that the imperial palace over there?"

Zhou Yu stood behind her and hummed softly, "Yes, that's the imperial palace, which is in a different direction from what we see."

"Can we see the palace from our house?" Meng Wan asked curiously.

"Yes, there is a library over at Liufangwu. You can see it from the top. It is clearer than from here."

Meng Wan didn't know that the Zhou family had a library. "That's great. I must go and take a look when I have the chance."

"Let A Yu take you to see it. There is no obstruction next to the library, and you can see half of the capital city." Zhou Yingrong came in with a smile.

"Sister? Where did you come from? I was staring at the backyard." Meng Wan turned around and greeted Zhou Yingrong happily.

Zhou Yingrong took her hand and looked her up and down, "This outfit is really beautiful."

Meng Wan heard that Zhou Yu was going to take her to meet an important person, so she dressed up today. She had her hair in a high bun, with a jasper phoenix hairpin inserted diagonally, and a pearl hairpin on one side of her temple, which was as small as a millet grain embedded in the gold thread, trembling up and down as she walked, adding a bit of playfulness. She wore a rose-colored tight-fitting robe with sleeves, a pink vest with mink circles on the outside, a silver-white smoke gauze scattered flower skirt, and silver-white deerskin boots on her feet.

Meng Wan was already tall, and this outfit made her look even more graceful, with skin as white as cream and a fragrance as elegant as orchid, making people unable to take their eyes off her.

When Zhou Yu saw Meng Wan dressed up in the morning, he felt that she was charming and beautiful, and even wanted to go out an hour later. Meng Wan could see the surprise and desire in Zhou Yu's eyes, and smiled and pushed him out, saying that she would let him go after he returned home in the evening.

After getting in the car, Zhou Yu still pestered Meng Wan, asking her to wear this outfit and comb her hair like this tonight, and he wanted to undress her one by one...

"She is at the age of blooming flowers. She looks great even without dressing up. Not to mention the Second Madam, who is so radiant, she will be even more beautiful."

Mrs. Song came over with a smile, and Meng Wan greeted her again, "Sister-in-law, please don't praise me anymore. I feel embarrassed."

It seems that Mrs. Song came up with Zhou Yingrong.

Several people walked to the table and sat down. "We came in from another door. Your brother-in-law and Uncle Yue San went to pick up Uncle Lin and they will be here soon. Where is Sister Yue San?" Zhou Yingrong turned her head and did not see Wei.

"When I went upstairs just now, I accidentally got my skirt caught, so I went to change it." Mrs. Song said with a smile.

Meng Wan thought, could it be that the big shot Zhou Yu was talking about was Master Lin? She had met this Master Lin last time at the Pingxi Marquis's Mansion. She didn't know who he worked for, and she didn't ask much. He only said a few words at the time, and everyone was respectful to him.

More people came in one after another, some of whom Meng Wan knew, and some of whom she met for the first time. For example, Gong Xu, who Zhou Yu often mentioned.

Gong Xu came in with Meng Zewen. The two of them were talking and laughing, and it was obvious that they had a very good relationship. After greeting everyone, he punched Zhou Yu on the shoulder and said, "Well, you kid, you've been giving them a lot of eye drops recently."

Zhou Yu chuckled, "Who told me to be the most dissolute playboy in the capital? I can't let this title go to waste. How is it? The effect is not bad, right?"

"That's right, my father pulled my ears and told me to stay away from you." After Gong Xu said this, everyone laughed.

Mrs. Song asked him why he didn't bring his wife out. Gong Xu said embarrassedly that his youngest son had a dream last night and grabbed his wife and couldn't let go, so he couldn't come out.

"Children are important, especially those born in the early years. Take good care of them. If you can't help, go to Qingshan Temple and ask Master Fang Zhi for help."

For a moment, Meng Wan felt like he was participating in a team-building activity in his previous life.

The two ladies were also very enthusiastic and generous towards Meng Wan.

One of them was the wife of Sun Xiandao, the Minister of Taichang Temple. She took Meng Wan's hand and asked softly about Wang's health. She also said that she hadn't seen Madam Wang for a long time, and perhaps they would see each other again soon.

Meng Wan was a little confused at first, but after listening for a while, she realized that the Wang Madam mentioned by Madam Sun was her aunt, Wang's sister-in-law, and Wang Boyuan's wife. It turned out that Madam Sun and Wang Madam were close friends.

The other was slightly younger, about the same age as Zhou Yingrong. She was not very pretty, but very fair-skinned and dignified. She was the wife of a fourth-rank Hanlin Academy attendant scholar. Meng Wan knew that this scholar often went to the emperor's side to give lectures and was highly appreciated by the emperor.

Just a cup of tea later, footsteps were heard on the stairs. Everyone stood up. Meng Wan looked out over Zhou Yingrong's shoulder.

The first person to come up was Yue Zhen, who stood at the door, smiling and looking outside without moving. Then it was Song Lu, who stood opposite Yue Zhen, and the two of them looked toward the corridor together.

Then, Meng Wan saw Master Lin walk in. He took off his cloak as he walked and said with a smile, "I got tripped up by something just as I was about to go out. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long." Song Lu took the cloak respectfully.

Sun Xiandao bowed to Master Lin, and everyone followed suit. Meng Wan listened to everyone and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Prince? Who? Which prince?

"We are outside, there is no need to be so polite. It would be better for you to call me Master Lin." Meng Wan listened to Master Lin's gentle voice.

Meng Wan stood up, still with confusion on her face. She looked at Zhou Yu, only to see Zhou Yu leading Mr. Lin towards her.

"From your expression, I know Yan Yun must not have said anything to you. There is a reason why he has not let you know. You must be very clear about what Yan Yun is doing. Now you can fully support him, which is good."

Meng Wan looked at Master Lin, who had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and was full of vigor and extraordinary appearance. Just when she was wondering how to respond, Zhou Yu stepped forward and said, "This is Prince Rui."

Prince Rui? The Sixth Prince? Meng Qi's husband?

Meng Wan suppressed the surprise and doubts in his heart, and once again performed a standard blessing ceremony to King Rui.

Prince Rui laughed and said, "No need to be polite. From the perspective of the princess, I should call you aunt."

"I dare not, I am so frightened." Zhou Yu did not hold an official position, so she thought about it and removed the word "minister".

"The princess has been thinking about you a lot lately, but I never had the chance to invite you to come over. I thought after the New Year, I would have the time and the opportunity."

Meng Wan thanked him and looked at Prince Rui who was chatting and laughing with everyone. She recalled the gossip that Cai'er had heard when she was a maid in the Huainan Marquis's mansion. It said that there were four most handsome men in the capital, and this Prince Rui was one of them.

Last time at the Pingxi Marquis's mansion, we only met briefly, and I kept my head down the whole time, so I didn't look closely. After a closer look today, I found that Prince Rui and Zhou Yu were completely different in terms of masculine beauty.

Zhou Yu is sunny, handsome, passionate and energetic, while King Rui is deep, elegant, handsome and restrained.

One is a knife drawn from its sheath, and the other is a sword returned to its sheath.

Meng Wan exhaled. There were two reasons why King Rui showed his true identity today. One was that the palace banquet was about to start. Even if the man and woman were having the banquet in different places, the possibility of meeting each other could not be ruled out. The other was that King Rui allowed her to participate in his plan.

If the last time I saw Song Lu here was an interview, then today he was officially hired. It seems that this King Rui is a princeling.

From this perspective, the situation is very subtle. Meng Wan sat down, watching everyone chatting and laughing, thinking about the possibilities he had guessed. The prince was in poor health and had no son until now. Although one of them was pregnant, it was unknown whether it was a boy or a girl.

What direction did the King of Rui follow the Crown Prince in? Even if the Crown Prince took that position, what would he do if he still had no son?

Suddenly a bold idea popped into Meng Wan's mind. She hurriedly looked up at the man's table, but no one could be seen through the screen.

People in the capital said that the Prince Rui was the most useless prince, the most indifferent to the world, and the most cautious in protecting himself. If he was really a member of the Crown Prince's faction, then his goal would definitely not be what he showed.

She didn't believe that Zhou Yu couldn't think of it. Even if Zhou Yu didn't think about it, what about Xu Cheng? What about Yue Zhen? And everyone in this room.

Are these people following the crown prince or King Rui?