Chapter 106: He Reduced Your Father to Tears

Chapter 106: He Reduced Your Father to Tears

"Have you not taken a break for four years? Have you accomplished something extraordinary?"

"And how do you know that Xie Yan has accomplished nothing and is inefficacious?"

"Frankly, he saved Huaiqian. Even the former emperor would have to thank him for his favor."

"You still have the former emperor's hidden guards. What does he have?"

"What gives you the right to appear before him and provoke him with blood feuds? You’ve been constantly remembering your friendship with the former emperor and therefore feel intense hatred for the enmity. Have you considered Xie Yan's feelings, though? The Xie family was almost wiped out. Is his hatred and pain really any less than yours?"

"Are you blind and haven't seen the scar on Xie Yan's face?"

"You haven't asked about it once."

"Eunuch Shu, Xie Yan wants you to consider Huaiqian more before making decisions, but that’s not what I think. I want you to think more about whether the late emperor would be uneasy in his grave. And if you would have the face to meet him after you die."

"Think carefully before you act."

"If you can't think, then there's no need for your head."

"If it's just for show, it's useless."

"Eunuch Shu, I'm telling you all this because I think you're not a bad person. Xie Yan values old friendships. We don't want to end up becoming enemies."

Shu Yuan's breathing grew heavy, and he didn't speak for a while.

He saw it but couldn't bring himself to ask.

When he spoke again, he shouted angrily at Xie Yan, "Xie Silang, stop hacking at that worthless tree and pretending to be deaf. You can definitely hear me loud and clear."

Xie Yan's smile grew wider. "I'm very happy that Mingchao is standing up for me."

Shu Yuan: ...

He suddenly felt utterly out of place.

"Xie Yan, when I went to Beijiang with the former emperor, I carried you in my arms!"

"Show respect for your elders and care for the young!"

Xie Yan refused to respond and threw a stone at Shu Yuan.

"Miss Lu, if Xie Yan dares to ambush you now, he might dare to assassinate you in the future."

Lu Mingchao applied more force and ruthlessly poked Shu Yuan. "His arrows always hit their mark. Not to mention throwing a stone."

"I take back what I said earlier. You damned eunuch, your heart is as black as coal."

Shu Yuan lifted his chin. "Miss Lu's temper is wild."

"How did you suddenly take a liking to Xie Yan? Were you disheartened and just settled for someone?"

"Have you truly let go of Gu Huai from the Duke's family?"

"It wasn't just three or five months. It's been three to five years."

Lu Mingchao gritted her teeth. "Your mouth is really foul!" "A Yan, Shu Yuan is slandering you, saying you're not as good as that dead scumbag Gu Huai!"

A bigger rock was awaiting Shu Yuan.

Shu Yuan: "Poor thing, unloved and uncared for, like an abandoned little cabbage in the field."

Xie Yan chopped the required birch wood and fastened it to Shu Yuan's back.

After passing the axe to Mingchao, he bent down and hoisted Shu Yuan onto his back.

"With such a big axe, aren't you afraid she'll hurt herself?" There was involuntary concern in Shu Yuan's voice.

Xie Yan's voice was deep, "If you knew what happened to her after she left the capital and arrived in Changxi Village, you wouldn't be asking such a dumb question."

Shu Yuan said, "Then let her go first. I just had a fight with her and I'm afraid she'll chop me down with an axe."

Lu Mingchao's mouth twitched. "Didn't the former emperor find this Chief Eunuch at his side annoying?"

"Did the former emperor ever say you were too noisy?"

Shu Yuan successfully kept his mouth shut.

By the time the three of them had descended the mountain, it was already dark.

Lu Mingchao knocked on the firmly closed gate and called out, "Huaiqian, open the door."

All of a sudden, Shu Yuan grew nervous and buried his head into Xie Yan's back.

Lu Mingchao gave Shu Yuan a glance, finding it rather novel.

The gate opened, and Xie Huaiqian blinked in surprise. "Father, Mother, who's this?"

Xie Yan said, "Someone you might not be too thrilled to see."

The words "father" and "mother" kept echoing in Shu Yuan's mind like a clap of thunder, ringing in his ears.

The former emperor's Heng'er referred to Xie Yan as 'father.'

Well, given the life-saving grace he received, it was like being reborn, so it made sense.

"Heng'er," Shu Yuan whispered, half-hidden behind a fan.

Xie Huaiqian's expression shifted, his voice trembling. "Shu Yuan?"

"How are you still alive?!"

Lu Mingchao thought that not long ago, Xie Yan had said the exact same thing.

It seemed like people in that circle always greeted each other that way.

Shu Yuan, usually so sharp-tongued, was suddenly struck speechless, stammering without managing a complete sentence.

Xie Huaiqian's expression turned cold, and he wordlessly walked into the house.

Little Xie Jingyi ran into Lu Mingchao's arms with her short legs, while Xie Ru'an blinked with a shy smile.

Lu Mingchao rubbed each of their fuzzy little heads. "Good kids."

"Come on, Mom's going to take you to the kitchen to whip up something tasty."

The three of them—Xie Yan, Shu Yuan, and Xie Huaiqian—were awkward and tense. She needed to make space for the three of them to have a heart-to-heart; otherwise, they'd continue to stew until it drove her mad.

"Lu Mama, I'll light the fire," Xie Ru'an said with a sweet smile, raising his small hand obediently.

"Okay."

"Ru'an is mother's little helper."

Xie Yan said casually, "Mingchao, let me do it."

Lu Mingchao widened her eyes. Wasn't Xie Yan worried they might lose control and end up fighting?

"Huaiqian is mature beyond his years, calm, and clever."

"Shu Yuan is talented and understands the weight of matters."

"They won't end up fighting."

"Let's go."

Seeing Xie Yan say that, Lu Mingchao decided not to insist.

In the worst case, if they did end up fighting, it was no big deal—she had medicine to fix it.

In the kitchen, helping Xie Yan, Lu Mingchao faintly heard sobbing.

Who's crying?

Was it Shu Yuan or Huaiqian?

These tangled emotions tugged at her heart like little hooks.

Xie Yan said, a bit exasperated, "Mingchao, if you keep zoning out, your sleeve will get soaked."

Lu Mingchao snapped back to reality and realized she had scooped a ladle of water, ready to pour it on her hand.

How embarrassing!

Xie Yan smiled. "I'll tell you the story before bed."

Lu Mingchao's heart leapt with joy, and she nodded happily.

At the dinner table, both Xie Huaiqian and Shu Yuan had red eyes.

Lu Mingchao took a sip of the stewed tofu, thinking to herself, *The secrets were out, and both of them had cried. Whether they cried in each other's arms was anyone's guess.*

With Xie Huaiqian around, Shu Yuan was unusually subdued. Even when he spoke, it was like honey, not venom.

It's true what they say—everything has its match.

Thinking about the drama, Lu Mingchao ate her meal especially quickly.

"Miss Lu..."

As Shu Yuan began to speak, Xie Huaiqian shot him a glance. "You should call her Madam Xie."

"Got something to say?" Lu Mingchao asked in return.

Shu Yuan pursed his lips and swallowed the harsh words he was about to say. "Nope."

Lu Mingchao frowned and asked suspiciously, "Nothing at all?"

Shu Yuan nodded firmly.

Lu Mingchao said, "Are you really not wanting your token back?"

"Is that possible?"

"No, but I can give you some healing meds. You can put it on yourself."

"Once you behave, I'll give the token back."

Shu Yuan got the feeling it's like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone forever.

"Mom, is he acting up?" Xie Huaiqian asked solemnly.

Lu Mingchao nodded solemnly, "In the mountains, he drove your dad to tears out of anger."

Shu Yuan's eyes widened in disbelief.

Born into the Yongning Marquis family, Miss Lu could tell outrageous lies without a shred of shame.

Trying to have it both ways.