Chapter 52: Prince Duan’s Private Talk
Li Huan spoke little, standing in the courtyard, silent and serious.
Xue Sui did not look at him deliberately, but she could sense the cold glint in his dark eyes.
Lately, Prince Duan had been spending more time accompanying Princess Consort Duan back to her maternal home.
However, neither Li Huan nor Li Zhao were people who would visit without a reason.
She had a vague guess and smiled slightly.
Xue Yuechen was even more anxious than she was.
Staying to watch the commotion was not Li Huan’s nature.
Could it be for Xue Liu?
It was another time that made her feel awkward whether to advance or retreat, both anticipating and fearing. The smile on her face faltered slightly, and she walked closer, gently holding Xue Sui’s hand, then looked at Xue Lan and reprimanded him.
“Brother Lan, you are too out of line. How could you speak such vulgar words in front of His Highness?”
Normally, Xue Lan would have understood the meaning behind her words.
A Ru Ren personally bestowed by the Imperial Consort, even if not yet married, was already the Prince’s person.
Speaking “in front of His Highness” meant some words were inappropriate.
Unfortunately, Xue Lan had been slapped twice by Xue Sui, losing face and his mind reeling from the blows.
Young men driven by anger and blood were heedless of dignity; he widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Eldest Sister, she hit me! I’m the one who was beaten, yet you’re helping this lowly servant? I’m your own brother, what is she?”
“Silence!” Xue Yuechen’s face darkened, wishing she could slap him again.
“Sixth Sister is a Ru Ren of Prince Duan’s Mansion. How can you, as her elder brother, insult her with such foul language? If you don’t restrain yourself, I will report you to Father and have you kneel in the Ancestral Hall for three days!”
“Eldest Sister!”
“Get out!” Xue Yuechen stared at him, raising her voice. “Your sister-in-law is newly pregnant, and instead of cherishing your wife and diligently attending to your duties, you’re out causing trouble everywhere without any sense of propriety. If you continue to act so recklessly, don’t blame me for disregarding our sibling bond!”
As the heavy words fell, Xue Lan’s flushed face turned as red as if it were bleeding. He gritted his teeth in hatred, but with Prince Duan present and his eldest sister protecting Xue Liu, he could do nothing. He could only say a few sarcastic “Alright,” point at Xue Sui’s face, bow to Prince Duan and Xue Yuechen, and leave with Gu Jie and the others.
The garden fell silent.
The spring scenery suddenly felt somewhat sharp.
Xue Yuechen embraced Xue Sui, looking her up and down.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Xue Sui smiled slightly, “I’m fine.”
Xue Yuechen breathed a sigh of relief. “Ah Lan is impatient and spoiled by Mother. He doesn’t act like an elder brother. I’ll speak to Father about him later. You just relax and don’t take it to heart; there’s no need to get upset over nothing.”
Xue Sui’s lips curved slightly. “I think he’s the one who’s more upset.”
Xue Yuechen exchanged a look with her, thinking of the recent embarrassing incidents in Xue Mansion that Li Huan had witnessed, and that Eight Auspicious Star who had shamed her. She felt a little embarrassed.
“Let’s go, we’ll go pay Grandmother a visit together. Today is Fourth Sister’s third-day return from her marital home, it should be a joyous occasion…”
Xue Yuechen tried to ease the tense atmosphere. Xue Sui smiled at her knowingly. Just as she was about to step forward, a voice suddenly came from beside her ear.
“Sixth Miss Xue.”
Xue Sui looked over and met Li Huan’s sharp black eyes.
He stood beneath a crabapple tree, his black hair tied in a topknot, his robes lightly fluttering. A gust of wind accentuated his tall, stern figure, the sharpness of a superior radiating from his eyes, making one inexplicably nervous.
He stared at Xue Sui, unmoving, and those around him dared not move either.
Xue Yuechen paused slightly, then put on a bright smile.
“Your Highness, my Sixth Sister has a rather fiery temper…”
She thought Li Huan was going to bring up the past, perhaps because he saw Xue Liu hit someone and didn’t want to let her into the Prince’s Mansion. Unexpectedly, Li Huan wasn’t looking at her but was staring at Xue Sui.
“Sixth Miss Xue, may I have a word with you in private?”
Xue Sui agreed, her expression neutral.
Xue Yuechen, however, was taken aback and apprehensive.
Li Huan had always been proper. Even though Xue Sui was his betrothed, she had not yet entered the mansion, so she was still an unmarried young lady. How could they be alone…
She couldn’t articulate what she felt, only a mix of emotions, like chewing on bitter herbs. She wanted to find an excuse to refuse but knew Li Huan’s temperament was not open to negotiation. She wanted to go with the flow but felt as if a silver needle had pierced her heart, causing pain with every breath.
She genuinely loved Li Huan.
It pained her to see Li Huan with other women.
It pained her even more to see him with her own sister.
For a moment, Xue Yuechen felt her heart sinking, falling bit by bit as if to the bottom, suffocating her.
Li Huan glanced at her and suddenly said softly, “It’s about official business.”
The heavy stone in Xue Yuechen’s heart, which had fallen, rose again.
“Sixth Sister, you may go.”
Li Huan did not go into the house but walked towards the wind and rain pavilion in the garden.
That pavilion was open on all sides, visible to everyone.
Xue Yuechen stood far away, her heart settling.
Xue Sui had not expected Li Huan to seek her out for a private talk, but since she was going to Prince Duan’s Mansion, meeting Li Huan was inevitable. She was surprised but not flustered.
That day, in their brief glance, Li Huan had not examined her closely.
This time, he entered the wind and rain pavilion first, hands behind his back, and could slowly watch the graceful woman walk towards him, her posture elegant, her movements light and ethereal, her steps neither fast nor slow, but steady and strong.
People who walked like that were mostly calm and self-assured.
The number of people who could be so composed in front of him during their first private meeting could be counted on one hand.
Xue Sui walked into the wind and rain pavilion and curtsied.
“Your Highness Prince Duan.”
Li Huan looked at her calm face, recalling how she had spoken of the Nine Treasures Cake that day. He remembered that she looked slightly different today.
Compared to then, she was more aloof and composed today.
Yet, she did not seem constrained by his status as a Prince.
Li Huan said, “Many things have happened in Xue Mansion recently.”
Xue Sui looked at him, patiently waiting for him to speak.
Before speaking, Li Huan’s lips curved slightly, giving the appearance of a gentle smile, but his eyes were sharp and full of scrutiny, not kind or friendly. The coldness in his bones emanated outwards.
“The deceased who impersonated Third Master Xue was a street thug from Wan’an County in Jingzhao Prefecture, with no prior grudges against the Xue Mansion.”
“The First Madam’s coin purse fell into the hands of such a villain. She inexplicably became a suspect in a murder.”
“Third Master Xue was kidnapped by fierce bandits from Lao Jun Mountain. After failing to get the ransom, Third Master Xue killed them instead, destroying the stronghold and killing all the bandits.”
“Second Young Lady Xue attempted suicide at Third Master Xue’s celebration banquet. It is said that she was saved by Sixth Miss and thus survived. Later that evening, Second Master Yao, who had attacked Second Young Lady Xue, fell into a cesspool at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. After barely surviving, he was left wishing for death…”
“Fourth Miss Xue stole Sixth Miss’s marriage prospects and secretly conceived with Gu Wulang. On their wedding day, her dowry was stolen, and the wedding ceremony became a laughingstock, a topic of gossip…”
He observed Xue Sui as he spoke.
“Of course, Gu Wulang also received a slap from Sixth Miss Xue. Just a moment ago.”
Seeing that Xue Sui seemed unfazed, her expression unchanged, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Sixth Miss, many incidents have occurred in Xue Mansion recently. What do you think?”
Xue Sui suddenly burst into laughter.
She glanced at Xue Yuechen, who was anxiously pacing in the garden, and said faintly:
“I thought that after Your Highness interrogated Daoist Ling Xu that day, you would have had an answer. Unexpectedly, Your Highness actually believes that Daoist’s nonsense and thinks I am a jinx bringing misfortune to the mansion?”
“Sixth Miss is certainly not a jinx.”
Li Huan looked at Xue Sui, remained silent for a moment, and smiled.
“You are the murderer.”
