Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ye Hanliang sat angrily at the head of the table, with Aunt Xie sitting across from him in a water-red long dress embroidered with peony flowers in golden thread. Her phoenix eyes couldn't hide the schadenfreude. Standing behind Ye Hanliang, Ye Yunshang, in a light blue long dress, was soothing him with gentle words, speaking well of Ye Fuxun. However, the more Ye Hanliang listened, the angrier he became.

"Prime Minister, you have quite the temper," Song Hanzhuo said, shaking his jade bone fan with a dangerous smile. "Even His Majesty has never called me a bastard."

Ye Fuxun rolled his eyes. He didn't call you that, so why are you making a fuss?

Ye Hanliang was startled to see the newcomer and almost fell off his chair. He quickly got up and greeted, "I didn't know Your Highness the Prince was visiting. I am at fault for not welcoming you properly. I deserve a thousand deaths." Why did this ancestor come here!

"Prime Minister, you're being too modest. I just passed by and felt thirsty, so I came in for a cup of tea," said Song Hanzhuo as he sat down in the hall and gestured for Jinanbei to sit. Just when Ye Hanliang was secretly relieved, the prince added, "Indeed, I deserve a thousand deaths for daring to throw a teacup at me."

This sentence scared Ye Hanliang and the others, and they dared not even breathe. He cursed the servants for not explaining clearly and for not reporting that the young lady had returned, but instead bringing along a prince.

Aunt Xie's handkerchief was almost twisted to shreds as she knelt on the ground, unable to breathe, only able to grit her teeth. She didn't expect the little vixen not only to come back but also to come back with the prince! If Yunshang were to be with the prince... the thought straightened Aunt Xie's spine.

"Your Highness, please calm down. My sister missed the day to return home and didn't send any news, so Father was worried and got so angry. If she offended you, I hope you can forgive her," Ye Yunshang said with a charming face and a gentle voice. Her words were reasonable, and combined with her charming face, they evoked sympathy.

"Please, get up. I only came for a cup of tea."

Ye Yunshang was delighted, and she looked at the prince with even more boldness in her eyes. Indeed, men had no resistance to her.

Ye Hanliang thanked the prince and stood up, feeling grateful to Ye Yunshang. He then turned to see Ye Fuxun standing on the side, and his anger surged again. However, seeing a certain prince drinking tea nearby, he suppressed his anger. "Didn't we agree that you would come back yesterday? Why did you only return today? Were you having fun outside?"

His tone was full of indulgence for his daughter, which made Ye Fuxun shiver with goosebumps.

"Father, I encountered bandits on the way. It was thanks to the prince's help that I was able to return safely," Ye Fuxun said, surprising Ye Hanliang, and he quickly thanked Song Hanzhuo.

"How could you encounter bandits? My goodness, thank the heavens, you're back safe and sound," Aunt Xie said with lingering fear, patting her chest and grabbing Ye Fuxun's hand, her eyes full of concern. "Are you injured?"

"Aunt, don't worry, I'm fine."

"In your absence, Aunt Xie has managed the mansion well. I have already made her the mistress. You should call her mother. You should be filial to her in the future," Ye Hanliang said. Aunt Xie coquettishly complained to Ye Hanliang, "Fuxun, if you need anything, tell your mother. Your father may seem cold, but he cares about you."

This scene of maternal love and paternal affection was extremely ironic, and Ye Fuxun's lips curled up, his expression unchanged, and his voice devoid of any emotion. "I know everyone says my father is a man of deep affection and loyalty."

Ye Hanliang was very pleased with this statement and nodded with a smile. Little did he know that Ye Fuxun followed up with, "If my father weren't so cold-hearted and loyal, he wouldn't have sent me to Qingchuan to recuperate after my mother's death, and then made Aunt Xie the mistress to manage the Ye Mansion. This isn't about affection and loyalty; it's about being cold-hearted and loyal."

Upon hearing this, Ye Hanliang's face became extremely ugly, and Song Hanzhuo, on the side, had a hint of a smile in his eyes. This girl really didn't suffer.

"I knew you were still angry, sister," Ye Yunshang said affectionately, linking her arm with Ye Fuxun's and saying, "Since the death of the Lady, your health has not been good, and Father thought Qingchuan would be the best place for recuperation, so he sent you there. With Father being busy with official duties, he had no time to manage the mansion, so he let Mother take over. Yunshang knows you've been wronged, but on account of Father's deep love, please don't be angry, okay?"

Ye Yunshang's words seemed to be an explanation to Ye Fuxun, but in reality, they were telling everyone that the Prime Minister's beloved daughter was very unreasonable.

"I wouldn't dare to be angry with my father," Ye Fuxun said, poking Ye Yunshang's nose, her tone full of the coquettishness of a little girl.

"Yes, that's right. Fuxun is the most sensible girl," Aunt Xie chimed in.

Little did they know that Ye Fuxun dropped another bombshell, "When I went to Qingchuan, I was half-dead, and when I left Qingchuan, I almost died. I was attacked by assassins as soon as I left Qingchuan, but luckily the prince saved me. However, I got separated from Nanny Wei. When my cousin comes, I'll have him investigate who I've offended to want to kill me."

Ye Fuxun's words shocked Aunt Xie. If this girl were to tell the Tang family, with the Tang family's power, who knows what they might uncover?!

"Alright! Don't bother your cousin with this little matter. I've already checked, it's just some bandits," Ye Hanliang frowned and looked at Ye Fuxun. When did this girl become so clever with her words? This matter absolutely cannot involve the Tang family, otherwise some old issues might be dug up, he turned to Song Hanzhuo and gave a bow, "Thank you, my lord, for saving the young lady. She's been mischievous, I'm sure she's caused you a lot of trouble along the way."

Song Hanzhuo seemed to not hear Ye Hanliang's words, and turned to Ji Nanbei, "Mingting, since you're new to the capital, be sure to keep your eyes open. Don't just believe what others say about which family's tea is good or not." Mingting was Ji Nanbei's courtesy name.

"Mingting will heed your teachings, my lord," Ji Nanbei said with a straight face, clearly trying to curry favor with someone.

Ye Hanliang felt very awkward, but because the other party was a well-known and difficult-to-serve figure in the Xuan Yue Dynasty, he dared not speak out in anger.

"Alright, I've finished my tea, so I won't disturb you any longer."

Ye Hanliang breathed a sigh of relief. The big shot was finally leaving. Before he could even offer a polite farewell, he heard Song Hanzhuo say, "The tea at the Ye residence is really terrible. Yun Li, go find out who said the tea at the Ye residence is good. I want to have a word with them. Also, send the Bi Luo Chun that the emperor rewarded me with to Xun'er."

Yun Li acknowledged from the side.

After everyone saw off the big shot Song Hanzhuo, Ye Hanliang also had no strength to reprimand Ye Fuxun. He couldn't figure out her relationship with that big shot, and didn't dare to show his displeasure anymore.

"Master, I've already prepared the Plum Garden. Xun'er must be tired from the journey."

"Alright." Ye Hanliang nodded thoughtfully, looking at Ye Fuxun with a complicated expression. It seemed that some things were slipping out of his control.