Chapter 78
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Marquis Anping stiffened.
He slowly raised his head. Xue Fangli’s expression was cold, as if covered with a layer of thin ice, chilling to the bone. Marquis Anping’s accumulated resentment and anger vanished in an instant, replaced by the feeling of falling into an ice pit.
Prince Li said it, and he could do it.
Realizing this, Marquis Anping’s face turned pale, leaving only fear in his heart.
“Your Highness.”
From the moment Marquis Anping lost control, Su Feiyue had stayed out of it, watching coldly as if it were an inconsequential farce. Only when Xue Fangli was about to take his life did Su Feiyue finally speak.
“Zhaoshi is because me and Fuying didn’t teach him well.”
Su Feiyue frowned, saying with difficulty, “He has indeed been offensive, but…”
Xue Fangli asked coldly, “Are you pleading for him?”
Su Feiyue smiled bitterly, “No matter how disappointed I am, he is still my nephew.”
Su Feiyue’s intention was clear; he wanted to protect Marquis Anping. He said helplessly, “Your Highness, for the sake of me and Fuying, please spare him today. We will give you an explanation for this.”
Su Feiyue’s tone was sincere, but Xue Fangli sneered, “An explanation?”
“Do I need anyone to give me an explanation?”
Xue Fangli was unmoved, not even lifting his eyelids. He said indifferently, “Someone, take his life!”
The guards obeyed, approaching Marquis Anping with drawn swords. Marquis Anping was terrified, “Uncle!”
No matter how disappointed he was, Su Feiyue couldn’t watch his nephew die. In desperation, Su Feiyue said, “Your Highness…”
He glanced at Jiang Juan, reminding him, “Don’t scare the Royal Consort.”
Xue Fangli paused, looking down. Jiang Juan was still in his arms, his white fingers lightly grasping his sleeve. The young man’s eyelashes were wet, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, ultimately remaining silent.
Xue Fangli looked at Jiang Juan. He didn’t care about Su Feiyue and Eldest Princess, but he couldn’t disregard Jiang Juan.
—He couldn’t take Marquis Anping’s life in front of Jiang Juan.
After a long time, Xue Fangli finally spoke, looking annoyed, “Prince Consort, remember your words. I want an explanation.”
Su Feiyue was relieved, “Yes, I and Fuying will make sure you’re satisfied.”
Xue Fangli’s expression was mocking, “Get them out of here.”
This was almost a slap in the face, but Su Feiyue still gratefully bowed, “Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing his life.”
Xue Fangli ignored him. The guards began to escort Su Feiyue and Marquis Anping out. Xue Fangli didn’t even lift an eyelid and slowly said, “Marquis Anping, this time you were lucky. If there’s a next time—” With Jiang Juan present, Xue Fangli didn’t finish, but his aura was terrifying. If there were a next time, Marquis Anping’s fate was clear.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. There won’t be a next time.”
Escaping death, Marquis Anping still felt cold in his limbs. His lips moved for a long time, but he couldn’t utter a single word. It was Su Feiyue who made the promise on his behalf.
The guards pushed them all the way out. With a bang, the gates of Prince Li Residence closed behind them. As they were driven out, Su Feiyue turned back, his expression complex.
“Uncle…”
Marquis Anping closed his eyes and called out hesitantly.
It was his first time being expelled like a street rat. His uncle, no doubt, was also experiencing such treatment for the first time, causing Marquis Anping to feel deeply uneasy.
Su Feiyue didn’t look at him, instead asking calmly, “Do you know why I had you come here to apologize?”
Marquis Anping replied softly, “I was in the wrong for breaking off the engagement. It was right to apologize to the… Royal Consort.”
“Not just that.”
Su Feiyue stood with his hands behind his back. “Zhaoshi, I once thought you were clever. Who would have thought you were so foolish?”
He slowly turned around, his eyes filled with disappointment, his tone regretful, “You had such a good hand, yet you played it so poorly.”
Su Feiyue’s words were vague, leaving Marquis Anping confused. He asked, “……. Why do you say that, Uncle?”
Su Feiyue smiled, “Forget it. You’ve disappointed me. You broke off the engagement on your own, without earning the Royal Consort’s forgiveness. It’s time you learned your lesson.”
“Do you think your marriage was something your aunt and I arranged casually?”
Su Feiyue sighed, “Do you really believe I arranged your marriage just because his grandfather once saved my life?”
“I thought you might have guessed some of it, but you are completely clueless. This marriage was something your aunt and I worked hard for. We spent countless efforts to secure it for you, and you just handed it over to Prince Li.”
“Zhaoshi, by breaking off the engagement, you lost far more than just a marriage.”
As he spoke, a sudden realization dawned on Marquis Anping, causing his heart to pound uncontrollably.
Su Feiyue sighed, “It’s true that the Royal Consort’s grandfather lives in the countryside, but he is no ordinary person. He…”
Su Feiyue mentioned a name, and upon hearing it, Marquis Anping felt as if he had been struck by lightning, freezing in place.
Su Feiyue lamented, “What is meant to be will be, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced.”
For years, he and Xue Fuying had raised Marquis Anping with care, considering themselves good to him. Marquis Anping had never thought deeply about this peculiar engagement, leaving Su Feiyue both amused and frustrated.
Shaking his head, Su Feiyue prepared to leave, but Marquis Anping stepped forward, “Uncle, is it…. true?”
“Are you joking with me because you’re angry?”
Marquis Anping couldn’t believe it, nor could he accept it, “How could this be? How could his grandfather be that man? He doesn’t resemble him at all, he…”
As he spoke, Marquis Anping’s eyes turned red, filled with both regret and resentment, “Uncle, say something! Tell me you’re just joking with me because you’re angry!”
Su Feiyue said nothing, only looking at him silently, conveying everything without words.
How could this be?
How could this be?
“How could this be? Uncle, why did you and Aunt hide this from me? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Su Feiyue asked calmly, “Your aunt and I promised not to say. But when you insisted on breaking off the engagement and getting engaged to the second young master, didn’t we try to stop you?”
“You made the choice to break off the engagement. Now you’re blaming us for not telling you earlier? Zhaoshi, you’re old enough. Breaking off the engagement was your decision, and you must bear the consequences, not blame others.”
Marquis Anping took a few steps back, realizing what he had lost and given away. He felt overwhelming regret and sorrow, almost driving him mad. He began to laugh and cry hysterically.
Having just been released from prison, he was already disheveled and miserable. Now, appearing deranged, he attracted the attention of passersby. Soon, a rumor spread throughout the capital.
—Marquis Anping had gone mad!
Back at Prince Li Residence.
After sending away the Prince Consort and Marquis Anping, it took a long time to calm Jiang Juan down.
“I’m so embarrassed.”
Jiang Juan said sullenly, “I only got angry, couldn’t even scold properly.”
Xue Fangli held Jiang Juan’s hand, gently rubbing his reddened fingertips, “Didn’t you slap him?”
Jiang Juan shook his head, “Not enough, should have slapped him again.”
Xue Fangli looked at him, then silently smiled, his red lips curling, “My wife really looks formidable when fighting.”
Formidable as he was, his fingers still hurt. Jiang Juan lowered his eyes to look at his hand being held, his eyelashes drooping, his expression a bit dejected.
Xue Fangli asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
After a long hesitation, Jiang Juan asked softly, “Your Highness, did you really do what the Marquis said?”
There’s no smoke without fire, but maybe it was just rumors. Jiang Juan trusted His Highness, but at this moment, he felt inexplicably uneasy and wanted confirmation.
Xue Fangli paused in his movements, lowering his head, a shadow passing over his expression. His tone, however, remained gentle, “What do you think?”
After a moment of silence, Xue Fangli added, “Do you believe his words?”
Jiang Juan explained, “I don’t. I just want to hear it from you.”
He looked up, his eyes clear and pure, “Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. There are too many false rumors about you, Your Highness. I don’t believe the Marquis; I only believe you.”
Usually, it was Xue Fangli who pulled Jiang Juan into his embrace, but this time, Jiang Juan took the initiative to hug Xue Fangli, resting his forehead against Xue Fangli’s chest, speaking very softly, “Your Highness, please tell me.”
Tell him.
Tell him what?
That he’s really a madman, completely irrational when he loses control?
Earlier, he truly wanted to take Marquis Anping’s life, and those things he really did do?
When it came to things he hadn’t done, Xue Fangli was keen on mentioning them and gauging Jiang Juan’s reactions. He enjoyed watching Jiang Juan struggle internally for his sake, and he loved seeing Jiang Juan filled with tenderness for him.
But those things, he had done.
Xue Fangli didn’t respond immediately, and Jiang Juan waited for a while before looking up in confusion, urging him, “Your Highness, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I…”
Xue Fangli began to speak slowly, but then suddenly remembered Jiang Juan in his arms, his eyelashes trembling, hesitant to speak. Xue Fangli changed his tone, asking casually, “What were you thinking just now?”
“When I said….. I’d take Marquis Anping’s life.”
Jiang Juan was taken aback, then answered honestly, “Your Highness, you were really scary then, but…”
Xue Fangli’s eyes darkened, “But what?”
Jiang Juan smiled at him, his eyes curving gently, “But I guessed you were just scaring him. The Marquis is too annoying and talks too much. He needed a good fright to stop his incessant chatter.”
No.
It wasn’t just scaring.
Xue Fangli closed his eyes lightly. After a long while, he spoke calmly, “Since you trust me, why ask?”
Jiang Juan was confused, “Huh?”
Xue Fangli lowered his gaze, “You said you didn’t believe Marquis Anping, only me. If that’s true, why bother asking?”
With those words, Xue Fangli brushed off Jiang Juan’s hand and sat down expressionlessly. Jiang Juan looked at him, biting his lip.
It seemed like His Highness was angry.
He shouldn’t have asked more.
Jiang Juan deeply regretted it.
“Your Highness…”
Jiang Juan called out tentatively. Xue Fangli only lifted his eyelids slightly, his expression distant and cold, ignoring him.
“Are you angry?”
Jiang Juan asked uneasily, but as soon as he finished, he realized it was a pointless question. Otherwise, His Highness would have pulled him into his arms by now.
Sure enough, Xue Fangli didn’t respond. Jiang Juan sighed. After thinking for a while, he said, “Your Highness, Marquis Anping made me angry just now. I didn’t want you to worry, so I didn’t tell you.”
“…My chest hurts.”
Jiang Juan pressed his chest a few times, pretending to be in pain. His brows furrowed slightly, his expression convincingly pained. He said weakly, “Can you hold me and rub it for me?”
The young man had been so angry just now that his whole body was shaking, naturally feeling unwell. Xue Fangli looked at him for a few moments, then finally reached out to pull Jiang Juan onto his lap.
Xue Fangli’s hand rested lightly on Jiang Juan’s waist, as if he was truly worried that this slender waist couldn’t withstand much pressure.
Jiang Juan held back, but eventually, he couldn’t anymore. He buried his face in Xue Fangli’s chest, his voice muffled, softly complaining, “Your Highness, you won’t break me if you use more force.”
“You can hold me tighter, I’m easy to hold.”
Author’s note: Not long after, Salted fish Juan cried, “Why are you using so much force? It hurts.”
His Highness: “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t break?”
This comes from [The Expanded Proverbs of Wise Sayings] “What is destined to be yours will eventually be yours; what is not destined for you should not be forced.”
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