Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Fei Liang

Xia Sichen blinked his innocent eyes and asked curiously, “Dad, what’s up with me?”

Xia Wanqing snorted, “I gave birth to you. How could I not know what’s on your mind?”

Xia Sichen immediately said, “Dad, you’re wrong. I was born by my mom. No matter how advanced your martial arts are, you don’t have that ability!”

“No manners! How dare you joke with your old man? I’ll kick you, you brat!” Xia Wanqing glared and kicked out at him.

Xia Sichen took the kick head-on, but he didn’t care at all; he had been kicked around since young. Yet, he still rubbed his butt helplessly and said, “Can’t you be a bit gentler, Dad? Do you know why no women have liked you all these years after mom passed away? You need to change, otherwise, you won’t find a stepmother for me in this lifetime!”

“Stop babbling, are you going to speak or not?” Xia Wanqing was so annoyed that he lost his temper.

Xia Sichen walked over and sat on a chair, putting away his careless demeanor. With a serious expression, he said, “Dad, are you very satisfied with Huangfu Yuxuan?”

Upon hearing this name, Xia Wanqing couldn’t help but smile, “That kid is much more reliable than you!”

“Then how do you evaluate him?”

Xia Wanqing thought for a moment about the other person’s son, then looked at his own disappointing lad in front of him, and said sourly, “Do I even need to say it? Graceful demeanor, outstanding literary and martial talents, refined looks, exceptional! If I had such a son, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams!”

Xia Sichen listened reluctantly. His old man had never praised him like that. He said, “Dad, you’re wrong again. Actually, you do have a son who’s graceful, excelling in literature and martial arts, polite and refined, filial and capable… Dad, that’s me! Do you believe it?”

Xia Wanqing gave him a once-over, his gaze gradually filled with disdain, “I believe your crazy talk!”

“Dad! The son you personally raised, you don’t even believe. Am I not graceful? Not outstanding in literature and martial arts, don’t I have good looks? This, I take after my mom! Except for being a bit less refined, where else am I lacking? What’s wrong with your judgment?”

Xia Wanqing was momentarily at a loss for words. The kid he’d kicked around since young, he never took seriously. But thinking about it, it seemed like what he said wasn’t incorrect. Yet, when it came from Xia Sichen’s mouth, why did he find it so hard to believe? He shook his head, “Don’t brag about yourself like that, it’s fake. I know your true nature, don’t I?”

“Exactly, Dad, that’s the point. You know full well what kind of person your excellent son is, yet in your eyes, you still look down on him. You don’t know the background of someone else’s son, so why do you trust him so much? Even if we’re considering Wenjin, we can’t just grasp at straws in desperation!”

“What do you mean by grasping at straws?” Xia Wanqing said, “He’s destined for our Wenjin!”

“What if he isn’t?” Xia Sichen said seriously, “Dad, I understand how you feel. But have you ever thought, where in this world is there truly a perfect person? It’s too fake! If he wasn’t so perfect, I might trust him, but as it stands, I don’t!”

Xia Wanqing gave his son a look, noticing his rare serious expression, he contemplated deeply, “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Xia Sichen paused and then said, “I’ve seen him on the mountain behind twice!”

Xia Wanqing was unconcerned, “So what?”

Xia Sichen said seriously, “Dad, have you forgotten that although the mountain behind our Haotian Village is not a forbidden area, it’s not a place anyone can just go to!”

Xia Wanqing’s expression turned slightly grim, “You mean you saw him meeting with people from the mountain below?”

“Although he is said to have been forcibly taken up the mountain, we’ve never restricted his freedom. If he wants to go to the mountain behind, which is quiet, we just laugh it off. Few people go there, so whatever he does there is unknown. If I hadn’t accidentally seen it twice, I would have been kept in the dark.”

“Who did he meet?”

Xia Sichen shook his head, “I don’t know. The person was very skilled. I only saw from afar. The day before yesterday, after he left, I tried to follow, but I lost him at the foot of the mountain.”

He looked at Xia Wanqing, “Dad, we’re a Jianghu force, and we operate openly, but it’s inevitable that other forces might envy us, planting spies as undercover agents! Otherwise, how could events in the world coincide so perfectly? Just as Wenjin fell from the horse and slipped into a coma, we relied on the blind man’s calculations from the mountain below to find a man for a wedding to ward off evil, and then he appeared. And he wasn’t afraid or angry, but willing to marry!”

Xia Wanqing gave him a look, “Could it not be that he was captivated after seeing your sister?”

Speaking of Xia Wenjin, Xia Sichen immediately smiled slightly, “Wenjin’s appearance is indeed one that could make someone fall in love at first sight! But even with beauty in front, there should be some doubts in the heart, right? Being at Haotian Village, there would be some worry and fear, no? Did you ever see a hint of that on Huangfu Yuxuan’s face? Dad, because Wenjin’s day is approaching, you’re anxious for her, so you’ve automatically overlooked everything!”

Xia Wanqing cast a glance at him but said nothing. He was indeed anxious for his daughter, but not to the extent of overlooking everything. However, Huangfu Yuxuan didn’t harbor any other thoughts, or he wouldn’t have missed it.

He said, “We’ll wait and see. If he’s really here with ulterior motives, he won’t dare to return. But if he thinks he knows Haotian Village inside out after staying here for some time, that’s impossible. If he comes back, it shows he truly has sincerity, and he’s fated for Jin’er. For the sake of Jin’er’s wellbeing, I’m willing to overlook certain things!”

Xia Sichen said nothing. As long as his sister could live well, even if Haotian Village ceased to exist, relatives went their separate ways, and the stronghold turned to ruins, what would it matter?

According to Fei Liang, the Crown Prince, having distributed aid, is on his way back now. This time, the Crown Prince handled things well, systematically, without the previous chaotic mess, nor did any incidents of refugee riots or mass starvation occur.

Huangfu Yuxuan was pleased. Did the Crown Prince finally take his advice this time?

As long as his father listened to advice, he could ensure his father remained in the position of Crown Prince until Grandfather passed away peacefully, then smoothly ascend to the throne.

This way, the struggle for the throne would be solely between him and his royal brother, without the involvement of the other Imperial Uncles, making matters much simpler.

As they hurried on their way, Huangfu Yuxuan asked Fei Liang, “Where has my father reached?”

Fei Liang respectfully answered, “When I left, His Highness the Crown Prince was already on the way back. By now, he should have reached Qianzhou.”

Getting to Qianzhou meant just a day’s journey away from the Capital City. The carriage moved slowly, but if they hurried, they might arrive around the same time.

At this time, Huangfu Yuxuan was immersed in the joy of having such significant matters settled, unaware of what kind of surprise the Crown Prince had in store for him!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep