Chapter 13

  "Let's go see the sister of your crown prince's wife." Sima Rui suddenly changed the subject, stood up and walked towards the front hall. In his heart, he secretly thought that Mu Rong Xue must have come this time to find out about Mu Rong Xue, who had been missing for six or seven days. Mu Rong Qing probably also knew that this matter was related to Sima Rui, so he pinned his hopes on his daughter, the crown prince's wife, to mediate.

  "Hello, sister-in-law." Sima Rui lazily greeted her and sat down in a chair.

  Murong Xuan was already used to it and had always kept a distance from the unruly Fourth Prince.

  I don't know what kind of trick Murong Feng is playing, three days ago, someone sent a letter, asking her to personally deliver it to the Fourth Prince's mansion and hand it over to Sima Rui. The messenger also said that if she privately opens the letter, don't expect Murong Xue to be safe and sound. If she listens, I will ensure Murong Xue is unharmed.

  Although Murong Xuan was very curious about the contents of the letter, she didn't dare to open it and take a look. The expression on the messenger's face made her not doubt Murong Feng's message at all. She also found it strange that the messenger arrived just when Sima Rui returned to the Fourth Prince's mansion. How did Murong Feng know that Sima Rui had returned? At the same time, she was also very skeptical, could a single letter really solve the problem of Murong Xue?

  She followed Murong Feng's instructions and pushed the letter from the desktop to Sima Rui.

  Simarui was taken aback, unsure of what Murong Xuan meant. He took the letter and carelessly opened it, but his eyes widened immediately. Inside the envelope was a plain note from the Yinxiaolou teahouse, where customers would occasionally jot down excellent phrases they came up with while drinking. A line of elegant script read: "A gentleman's words are like a team of six horses - impossible to catch. I will return to the Snowy Mansion in three days."

  "Is he still in the Murong Wangfu?" Sima Rui's heart skipped a beat with surprise, and it turned out that Bai Min was still in the Murong Wangfu. "Why didn't he come to see me himself, but instead asked you to deliver a letter?"

  Murong Xuan slightly furrowed her brow, "I heard from Yan Yu that she went to offer incense at her grandmother's place these past few days and hasn't been in the Murong Royal Manor. She's probably still on the road, so she can't personally deliver the letter." Inwardly annoyed, shouldn't your own consort ask you yourself, why bother asking me?

  "I didn't say Murong Feng," Sima Rui said impatiently. "I asked about Bai Min."

  "What Bai Min? What's Bai Min? I don't know him." Murong Xuan looked puzzled.

  Simarui stared at Murong Xuan, his mind flashing back to various scenes in a complex and chaotic manner, with a mix of anticipation and confusion in his heart. "What's going on with this letter?"

  "The letter was entrusted to me by Sanmei and I'm supposed to pass it on." Murong Xuan saw Sima Rui's reaction, which didn't seem normal. Although she knew Sima Rui was a straightforward person, his reaction today seemed a bit too unusual. It was just a letter, after all! Where did this "Bai Min" come from? Who was Bai Min anyway? She felt suspicious and wondered what exactly Murong Feng had written in the letter. Why was Sima Rui's reaction so urgent? Was it related to Murong Xue's rescue or not?

  Simarui was taken aback, "Murong Feng?! Is it really her who entrusted you with this? Who was the messenger? What else did they say?"

  Hesitating for a moment, Murong Xuan said: "The letter was sent to me by my third sister three days ago through Chunliu. She told me to hand it over to you personally at this time today. Nothing else was said, but Chunliu repeatedly warned me that my third sister had emphasized that I absolutely cannot open the letter, otherwise I will bear the consequences myself. That's all." Murong Xuan thought to herself: How can I bring up the matter of Murong Xue?

  Murong Feng? Bai Min? Bai Min? Murong Feng?

  Simarui's mind turned a few times, but he still didn't quite understand. Maybe Bai Min was Murong Feng's friend, and from his words, it seemed like he had a protective intention towards Murong Feng, so they should be pretty good friends. He hadn't expected that the wooden Murong Feng would have such an interesting friend. Could it be that Bai Min actually liked Murong Feng? But...it seemed like something wasn't quite right. Hadn't he said he was also from the Murong royal family? So why didn't Murong Xuan recognize him?

  "Alright, trouble you to pass on to your third sister that I will naturally take care of the matters in the letter. If it's suitable, please ask her friend Bai Min to arrange a place and tell this friend of hers that I'll be treating."

  Murong Xuan was confused, what three sisters' friends, what Bai Min?! What did the letter say? Is it related to Little Sister? Mother misses Little Sister and is bedridden with illness, but San Yaotou took her entourage to her grandmother's house, saying she wanted to offer incense to her grandmother. It's not surprising that she would do so, after all, she grew up living with her grandmother, and it's only natural that she would think of her grandmother. But what about Little Sister?

  Murong Feng had promised to give it a try, apart from this girl, he really couldn't find anyone else to intervene in the matter. After all, Sima Rui was the current fourth prince, and although he had abducted Murong Xue, there was no real evidence, only speculation. If he denied it to his death, who could do anything about it? If it got out, it would likely ruin her reputation for life.

  "Look at me, what am I doing? I said I would do as the letter says, if there's anything strange, just wait for your third sister to come back and ask her. Eldest sister-in-law, I'm tired, if you have nothing else to do, please leave." Sima Rui completely disregarded Murong Xuan's feelings, seemingly ignoring the anxiety in Murong Xuan's eyes, and gave a lukewarm order to drive her away.

  After seeing off Murong Xuan, Sima Rui immediately fulfilled his promise and sent Murong Xue back to the Murong Royal Manor. Since he had the ability to kidnap someone from under Murong Qingliang's nose, he naturally also had a way to send her back without anyone noticing.

  Murong Xue had originally steeled herself to die rather than yield to Sima Rui, but suddenly he sent her back to the Murong royal palace, and for a moment she really couldn't believe it.

  In fact, during the six or seven days they spent together, Sima Rui did not use force on her at all, but was very accommodating and protective, always speaking in a gentle voice, and even paying attention to pleasing her. Whether it was in the Moon Jade Pavilion or in the study of the Fourth Prince's mansion, he seemed to have never made her feel uncomfortable, and she felt that Sima Rui was very different from the person in the rumors.

  "Little Snow," Sima Rui always called her this way.

  This was a term of endearment that only parents and older siblings could use, no matter how much she opposed it, he would still call out to her without hesitation. Murong Xue really had no way to deal with him, and could only listen without responding. Moreover, he was bold enough to send her back to the Murong Wang Fu, staying in her own boudoir, and even having the leisure to chat with her, not hurrying to leave.

  "What's going on?" Murong Xue asked coldly, her own maid Rui Xi had been locked up in the Moon Jade Pavilion, she didn't know what was happening to her now. "Where is my maid Rui Xi?"

  "That girl is too stubborn, she's probably still locked up in the Moon Jade Pavilion. I reckon she'll be sent back to you soon." Sima Rui replied nonchalantly, then asked, "What's your relationship with your third sister like?"

  "What about my third sister?" Murong Xue was taken aback, thinking to herself why she suddenly asked about Murong Feng. "It's fine, we're sisters, so you have to treat me well..."

  "Do you know a man named Bai Min?" Sima Rui impatiently interrupted her, annoyed that she was lecturing him again. How could someone so young be just like her older sister, always putting on airs and acting like an adult? Ridiculous!

  If what Bai Min said is true, he said he was also a person from the Murong royal family. Such an excellent person, Murong Feng should know him, and he should also know about Murong Xue's various things. Although Murong Juan doesn't know him, it's probably because Murong Juan married into the imperial palace, so she didn't know. Murong Xue should know him, right?

  "Bai Min? I've never said that, nor have I ever seen him." Murong Xue replied coldly. A shameless person like Sima Rui, how could he be worthy of her kindness and courtesy? Now if she just shouted out loud, he would probably be caught on the spot... but if she did that, it would probably ruin her lifelong reputation for integrity. This was probably also why Father hadn't openly rescued her.

  Yes, who would have thought that the fourth prince of the current dynasty would abduct his own little aunt after marrying his own sister.