Chapter 96
Chapter Ninety-Six: Afraid of the Wife?
Zhao Xin Hong was one of the captains of the guard and could be said to be experienced, but when he thought of Wang Fei and her servant girls, he finally understood where the saying came from that women should not be offended.
“Wang Fei and the servant girls are this.” Zhao Xing Hong gave a thumbs up to Mu Tong and then shook his head. “One cannot judge based on appearances, really cannot judge based on appearances.”
A scholarly person like Wang Ye would probably have to move back in front of someone as strong as Wang Fei. A woman who was beautiful and skilled in martial arts was someone whom most men could not accept.
“Our wang ye is also this!” Zhao Xin Hong gave thumbs up with both of hands, his face filled with admiration.
Mu Tong: “…”
Martial artists were martial artists—there were problems with their heads!
After Yan Jin Qiu accompanied Hua Xi Wan back to the wang fu, he turned round and charged into the imperial palace with anger on his face.
Ever since the Crown Princess had hung herself, Qilong Emperor became even more short-tempered, and the people in the palace would avoid being in his presence. Even so, in these short few months, Qilong Emperor had aged greatly.
When he heard that Xian Wang Fei had been the target of an attempted assassination, he was both shocked and angry. After a moment, he said, panting, “Summon Xian Wang.”
“Emperor.” When Yan Jin Qiu entered the hall, his eyes turned red before he spoke. He knelt in the center of the hall and said in a choked-up voice, “Emperor, this subject-nephew and Wang Fei are husband and wife, and deeply in love. Once, due to the guards’ carelessness, an assassin entered the fu and harmed her. This subject had already felt extremely remorseful. Who would imagine that assassins dared to act in broad daylight. Fortunately, the guards protected her with their lives, otherwise…”
Yan Jin Qiu almost wasn’t able to continue. A thread of terror appeared on his handsome face. “If Wang Fei were gone, this subject-nephew would want to go with her.”
“Nonsense! You are a man; you cannot act like this.” Qilong Emperor wanted to lecture Yan Jin Qiu, but seeing him act so out of his mind, he did not say anything. He could only comfort him. “Zhen heard this—is your wang fei all right?”
“Fortunately, my wife had learned some skill at defending herself from her maternal family. When the assassins attacked, she managed to last a few attacks and survive. But she was frightened, and fainted into sleep before we returned to the fu.” Yan Jin Qiu stared with bright eyes at Qilong Emperor. “Please, Emperor, help this subject-nephew.”
Qilong Emperor was also displeased, but this was not directed at Yan Jin Qiu but at someone else. After this event occurred, the first person he suspected was Yan Bo Yi.
That was because the rumors that he would be passing the throne to Yan Jin Qiu had grown in Jing. How could the ambitious Yan Bo Yi stand still? Who in Jing did not know how much Xian Wang loved Xian Wang Fei? If Xian Wang Fei died, Xian Wang would naturally be extremely affected, and it was unknown what reckless things he would do then.
“Zhen knows.” Qilong Emperor nodded and said, “Go back and keep your wang fei company. Zhen will immediately send someone to investigate this matter.”
It was not easy to find the mastermind after the event. Most of the time, a scapegoat was found. Qilong Emperor and Yan Jin Qiu both knew this but no one said it.
Yan Jin Qiu was just expressing to the Emperor what he felt, and the Emperor was just using this matter to cut off some of Yan Bo Yi’s helpers. After Yan Bo Yi’s entire support was cut off, it would be time for him to close the net.
After Yan Jin Qiu left, Qilong Emperor smashed the teacup on his desk and then summoned with a dark face the captain of the imperial guard. This matter was related to members of the Imperial House, and he would take the chance to make a great furor about this matter.
Even if his throne could not be passed onto his own blood, he could not let Yan Bo Yi have it for free.
In Sheng Junwang Fu, Hou shi stood in the corridor and watched as several blue-robed people rushed towards Yan Bo Yi’s study. Her face had a slightly disdainful smile, and she only turned to leave after these people had disappeared.
Listening with a dark face to the report of his subordinate, Yan Bo Yi gritted out, “You sent so many people, and yet was unable to take down a woman?!”
The blue-robed man at the front said with embarrassment, “This subordinate had not expected that Xian Wang Fu would be so cautious, and that even Wang Fei’s servant girls are experts in martial arts.”
“Hmph.” Yan Bo Yi sneered. “Why don’t you just say that Xian Wang Fei is also a great martial artist?”
The blue-robed man was silent for a moment. “Xian Wang Fei’s martial skills are indeed extraordinary.”
Yan Bo Yi could not breathe. “How come ben wang didn’t know that Hua shi, a woman, knows martial arts?!”
All the blue-robed people were silent. None of them had expected that Yi’an Marquis Fu was so strange. The two sons were skilled in both scholarly and martial arts, and even their daughter had learned martial arts. That was raising their daughter as a man. Who would teach their daughter like this?
Seeing the strange expressions on the faces of the blue-robed men, Yan Bo Yi knew that there was no meaning in pressing further. He said, “Clean up after this matter. Do not let the Emperor or Yan Jin Qiu catch anything. Otherwise, they will definitely make trouble.”
“This subordinate understands.” The blue-robed leader hesitated and then gathered his courage to say, “Wang Ye, Xian Wang Fu’s wang fei is very skilled. This subordinate suspects the rumors about Xian Wang not taking any concubines because of his love for Xian Wang Fei are wrong.”
“You mean… Xian Wang is henpecked?” Yan Bo Yi’s face that usually did not show any expression was complicated. He seemed to be unable to think that his good cousin would be henpecked. “Do you have any proof of this?”
The blue-robed man struggled. “This subordinate’s people said that any man who saw Xian Wang Fei’s ferocious appearance would feel small.”
Yan Bo Yi: “…”
He waved his hand weakly. “Withdraw.”
This world was too complex, and he needed to use his mind more.
At this time, Hua Xi Wan who was being discussed behind her back was idly eating iced watermelon and reading the most popular novels from the streets. She listened to the female musician play the zither. Yan Jin Qiu who came back in the heat was so stimulated that he stole her half-full bowl of iced and sliced watermelon.
“If you want to eat, have the servants make another bowl?” Hua Xi Wan saw the sweat on his forehead and hurriedly stole the bowl back. “You are so heated—can your stomach tolerate iced watermelon?” Finishing, she waved with a hand at Bai Xia. “Get the tea that I had you set aside for cooling.”
Bai Xia handed the cold tea to Hua Xi Wan with a smile. Hua Xi Wan thrust the teacup into Yan Jin Qiu’s hand. “Drink this. Rest for a while before eating watermelon.”
Yan Jin Qiu obeyed and drank a few sips before speaking. “Just now, I sent messengers to the marquis fu to tell them not to worry.”
Hua Xi Wan raised an eyebrow. “I was just preparing to send people to the marquis fu. I hadn’t thought that you would rush to do it first. It seems that after a few more years, my paternal family will only recognize the son-in-law and not the daughter.” Finishing, she laughed. “It is fortunate that you thought of it. Otherwise, my paternal family would worry longer.”
“Your paternal family is my paternal family…” Yan Jin Qiu stilled as he felt that the words were not right. He immediately corrected himself. “Your parents are my parents—isn’t reassuring them something that I should do?”
Hua Xi Wan covered her mouth and laughed for a long while. After the heat on Yan Jin Qiu’s body dissipated, she had him change into a loose robe, and then the two of them picked a cool room where to sit together and read.
“Thanks for Jiejie’s matter today.”
Yan Jin Qiu turned to look at Hua Xi Wan. He saw that her expression was as usual, but the tips of her ears were slightly red. He said, “I originally just felt wronged on your behalf, so I wanted to end her life. But you think highly of your relationship with her, and I do not bear for you to be hurt.”
Hua Xi Wan’s hand stilled while flipping the page, and then she sighed. “I hope that Eldest Sister can live her days well after this matter.”
She was not someone who would return good for evil. She had just given Hua Yi Liu her last chance due to their past relationship and for the future interactions between the younger members of the Hua Family.
If she managed to save Hua Yi Liu now, Second Uncle and Cousin Hua Qing Mao would be in her debt. In the future, Hua Qing Mao would support Eldest Brother even more.
The reason why prestigious families were prestigious families was because they knew to show a sliver of mercy in every matter.