Visiting Ding Wang's Mansion

  Visiting Ding Wang Fu

  Dingguo Wangfu

  "Your Highness, Feng San Gongzi has arrived."

  Upon hearing the guard's report, Mo Xiuyao put down his brush and furrowed his brow, saying: "Let him in."

  Before long, Feng Zhiyao appeared at the door of the study with a pampered young master's demeanor, smiling and saying: "The grand wedding is imminent, yet you can still sit calmly?" Mo Xiuyao didn't look at him, only lightly saying: "What are you doing here? Let people know that having dealings with me won't bring any benefits." Feng Zhiyao shrugged helplessly, "It's not like I wanted to come, but someone wants to see you. The threshold of the Dingguo King's residence is too high, so they found me instead." Mo Xiuyao put down his brush, pondered for a moment before raising his head and saying: "Xu Qingchen."

  "The news of the King's wisdom is indeed well-known." A voice laughed outside, and Xu Qingchen walked in with a white robe, his elegant demeanor standing out. The study room suddenly became somewhat crowded as it accommodated three extraordinary men with distinct characteristics. Mo Xiuyao looked at Xu Qingchen for a moment before sighing and saying: "Thank you, Mr. Xu, for your trouble."

  Xu Qingchen nodded in satisfaction and said, "This is not necessary. Even if it wasn't you, someone else's father would still have to come to the capital personally. After all, Li'er... is our Xu family's only daughter." Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow, found a seat for herself, and playfully teased Mo Xiuyao. As expected, the backing of the future Crown Princess was quite strong.

  Xu Qingchen didn't seem to have any intention of being polite, walking over to an empty chair and sitting down, sizing up Mo Xiuyao: "I really didn't think that the once stunningly handsome first young general of the capital would become so... refined and elegant." Back when Xu Qingchen rose to fame, it was also the height of Mo Xiuyao's reputation. The two had some acquaintanceship, but one valued martial prowess while the other revered literature, their personalities being worlds apart, so they didn't have a deep relationship.

  Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze, smiling wryly: "A disabled person like myself, Brother Xu mentioning these things is like rubbing salt in my wounds, isn't it?" Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow and smiled: "If Your Highness can't even accept your current state, what right do you have to ask the Xu family to give Lian'er to you? Besides, I didn't see that Your Highness felt hurt."

  Mo Xiuyao lifted his eyes, a hint of indifference in them: "If I feel hurt, Brother Xu will just not mention it?"

  Feng Zhiyao rolled her eyes and gazed at the two people in front of her, "I'm saying, are you two planning to keep talking about these meaningless nonsense?"

  Xu Qingchen smiled apologetically and said, "Alright, I was rude. But I believe the prince will forgive a brother who is about to send his sister off on her wedding day for being emotional, right?"

  Mo Xiu Yao could only bitterly smile, "Actually, it's quite strange... why would the Xu family agree to marry Ye Miss to the Ding Guo Wang Fu?"

  Xu Qingchen glanced at Feng Zhiyao, who lazily smiled back at him. Xu Qingchen understood that Feng Zhiyao was someone Mo Xiuyao trusted, although he didn't know why Mo Xiuyao would trust a son of the Phoenix family, which was clearly loyal to the Emperor. Xu Qingchen didn't plan on investigating further, "Because the Emperor won't give us the freedom to choose anyway. The Prince of Lei wasn't a good choice to begin with, and it just so happens that Lian'er doesn't like him either. Moreover, the Emperor surprisingly agreed to dissolve the engagement. Why wouldn't he agree? Although the Emperor has given Lian'er another marriage arrangement, compared to the Prince of Lei, I trust the Crown Prince more." Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow, "The Prince of Lei is the number one husband candidate in the hearts of all the noble ladies in the capital." Xu Qingchen didn't care, "That can't change the fact that he's a fool." Is the Prince of Lei really a fool? Of course not. But Xu Qingchen clearly didn't think so. So Feng Zhiyao could only give him a "you're cruel" look.

  "Is the Emperor still unwilling to tolerate the Xu family? Binding the Xu family and the Dingguo King's Manor together, then swallowing them in one gulp. Is his appetite not too big?" After a while, Mo Xiuyao asked faintly.

  In the study, the temperature seemed to turn cold in an instant. Feng Zhiyao involuntarily retracted her unrestrained smile and frowned at Mo Xiuyao.

  "Haha... the king has good eyesight." Xu Qingchen smiled and said, his long fingers lightly tapping on the armrest, still elegant in his demeanor. "Nowadays, it's probably thought that the Xu family and the Dingguo Wangfu are no longer as powerful as before. If they were to act separately, it would be inevitable to startle the snake. It's better... to catch them all at once. The Xu family, after all, controls the first-rate Rui Shan Academy of Great Chu, and among the officials in the court, at least half are from the Rui Shan Academy. How can a king with great talent and vision like you be at ease?" For some reason, Feng Zhiyao felt that the four words "great talent and vision" coming out of Xu Qingchen's mouth sounded more like sarcasm.

  Mo Xiuyao nodded and said: "The Dingguo King's mansion was indeed severely damaged. No wonder the emperor has such confidence."

  Xu Qingchen smiled and said, "I don't think the emperor should have so much confidence. If not, in these years... how could the Dingguo King's mansion still exist?" The Dingguo King's mansion was absolutely a thorn in the eyes of the current ruler, and when it encountered a huge change, if it weren't for the man in front of him who had supported himself with his illness and turned the tide, I'm afraid that now the Dingguo King's mansion would only exist in the memories of the common people.

  Feng Zhiyao looked at the two men in front of her, both equally refined and elegant, and couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. Turning her two most dreaded families into relatives, Your Majesty, do you really hate your own empire that much?

  "I said... can't you two discuss something that normal people can accept?" He's just a young master, why would they discuss something that could lead to the whole family being beheaded in front of him?

  Xu Qingchen nodded in agreement, and tactfully changed his tone: "Alright, I always feel that the marriage between Wang Ye and Li'er will still have some changes. Of course, these things are already beyond the control of the Xu family in the capital. So it's all up to Wang Ye now. Let's just consider it... Wang Ye's sincerity." Mo Xiuyao nodded his head, "Thank you, Brother Xu, for reminding me. I know what to do."

  Xu Qingchen stood up satisfactorily and said: "Since that's the case, I'll take my leave. Let's catch up again when we have time."

  Mo Xiu Yao nodded, his fingers lightly tapping on the armrest of his wheelchair. A brown-clad youth appeared at the door, "Your Highness."

  "See Master Xū off."

  Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow and followed the young man out without saying much.

  In the study room, only two people were left. Feng Zhiyao looked at her friend with a puzzled face, "A Yao, why do I feel that this Xu Qingchen is not quite like what's been said about him?"

  "Are you as good-looking inside as you are outside, Third Master Feng?"

  The phoenix is silent and distant, for who in this world does not live with several masks on?

  "What does Xucqingchen mean? Does that person in the palace really want to take down both the Xu family and the Dingguo Wangfu at once?" Feng Zhiyao asked.

  "The Xus are the leaders of the literary world in Great Chu, and the Dingguo Wangfu has held powerful military forces for generations. Indeed, it's quite annoying."

  "Needless to say, it's not necessary to bring the two families together, is it? Isn't he afraid that you'll join forces and really pull him down from his position?" Is he too confident or does the Emperor himself have a hidden trump card?

  Mo Xiu Yao smiled shallowly: "The Xu family will not rebel, he just needs to frame the Xu family when the Dingguo King's mansion is unlucky. In his heart, he actually knew that as long as Qingyun was there for a day, the Xu family would never betray Da Chu. Even if they became in-laws, the Xu family wouldn't give much help to the Dingguo King's mansion."

  Feng Zhi's shoulders rose and fell as he thought to himself that Xu Qingchen didn't seem like the kind of person who would die for his lord.

  "Let's take a good look at Mo Jing Lei." Mo Xiuyao picked up his brush again to complete the unfinished painting.

  Phoenix lazily fanned herself with a folding fan, "Mo Jingli is now very busy. Who do you think spread those rumors?" As soon as Phoenix heard the rumors in the city, she felt that Mo Jingli was so unlucky this year that he must not have burned incense well.

  Mo Xiu Yao didn't even lift his head, "Xu family, Murong Fu, Hua Guo Gong Fu, Liu Fu, Yu Shi Tai, Chu Xiang Ge, and... this king."

  Feng Zhi Yao was suddenly speechless. Alright, he shouldn't have asked. Having offended so many people, Mo Jing Lei, who else would be unlucky?

  Digression

  Dear ones... Happy New Year! Everyone has a happy and joyful new year, wishing everything goes well next year, may all your wishes come true.