Chapter 74

"Xin Xian, why do you have the entry and exit permit of Prince Yong? And what about the package you hid in your bedding?"

In the room of He Xin Xian, the son of the He family, his father sternly questioned him.

Unlike his grandfather, who doted on his grandson, as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Rites, He Xin Xian's father had always been strict with his son, acting like a stern father.

Seeing He Xin Xian kneeling on the ground without a word, he became furious and, picking up a scroll from a large porcelain vase nearby, used the wooden shaft of the scroll as a stick to beat He Xin Xian's back harshly.

Lady Zhang was shocked and, hugging her son with a pained heart, pleaded, "Master, please don't hit him... Xin Xian, quickly answer your father. Where did you get the Prince Yong's token?"

He Xin Xian remained silent.

Seeing this, He Yu's face grew even angrier. He pulled his wife, Lady Zhang, away and said resentfully, "It seems he won't speak unless he's hit?"

As he was about to raise his hand to hit again, He Xiang Xu, sitting on a chair, sighed and said, "Don't hit him."

Seeing his father speak, He Yu dared not disobey and stood obediently to one side, saying softly, "Father, it's fine to favor Xin Xian on other days, but today... it's the entry and exit permit of Prince Yong. Is it something easily obtained? Our Xin Xian has no prior relationship with Prince Yong, so how could he get this token?"

He Xiang Xu, with his slightly drooping eyelids, glanced up and interrupted, "So you think Xin Xian stole it?"

"Eh?" He Yu was taken aback.

After all, the entry and exit permit was of great importance. How could it be stolen so easily?

"You step aside and sit quietly. I will ask Xin Xian." He Xiang Xu waved his hand.

He Yu dared not disobey and walked to one side.

At this moment, He Xiang Xu looked his grandson He Xin Xian up and down and suddenly asked, "The entry and exit permit of Prince Yong, was it given to you by the Eighth Prince?"

"..." He Xin Xian looked up subconsciously, his eyes full of surprise.

"The Eighth Prince?" He Yu was slightly stunned and asked in surprise, "Father, why the Eighth Prince?"

He Xiang Xu glanced at his son and sighed, "You don't know what happens in the palace. ... The Eighth Prince Hong Run is not just a mischievous prince as you and other ministers think. On the contrary, he is highly intelligent and well-versed, but he keeps it hidden. ... The emperor's affection for the Eighth Prince is no less than for the Sixth Prince. Even Prince Yong is trying to win his favor. Therefore, it would be easy for the Eighth Prince to obtain a few tokens from Prince Yong. The question is..."

He Xiang Xu paused and looked at his grandson He Xin Xian, sighing, "The question is, what does the Eighth Prince want you to do with this token, Xin Xian?"

He Xin Xian lowered his head again, remaining silent.

Seeing this, He Yu's face turned angry again, and he shouted, "Disobedient son, why don't you speak the truth?"

"Didn't I say I would ask?" He Xiang Xu glanced at his son reproachfully and then asked He Xin Xian kindly, "Xin Xian, you have the entry and exit permit of Prince Yong and have prepared your luggage. Are you planning to leave the city?"

"..."

"You don't have to say. I have a good idea. ... A few days ago, you unusually asked me to propose to the emperor on your behalf to marry Princess Yulong. In fact, you were using my words to test whether the emperor intended to marry Princess Yulong to Chu, right?"

"..."

"You secretly packed your belongings and took the entry and exit permit of Prince Yong. You were planning to leave our He family and run away with Princess Yulong, weren't you?"

"..." He Xin Xian remained silent, but his heart was in turmoil, for his grandfather He Xiang Xu had indeed guessed correctly.

"What a wicked son!" He Yu trembled with anger.

After all, as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Rites, he was in charge of rituals and ceremonies. He never expected his son to plan such a disgraceful act.

He Xiang Xu raised his hand to stop his angry son and sighed, "Xin Xian, you are the eldest legitimate son of our He family. But what you are doing is driving our He family to a dead end..."

Hearing his grandfather's sorrowful tone, He Xin Xian finally could not hold back. He bowed his head to the ground and said softly, "The Eighth Prince has promised me that he will definitely ensure nothing happens to our He family. ... I beg you, Grandfather, to help me."

Indeed...

He Xiang Xu sighed inwardly and shook his head, saying, "You have thought well. With the Eighth Prince protecting our He family and the emperor's affection for him, our He family will not suffer much. But have you considered that not suffering does not mean the emperor will let it go... If you really do this, will the emperor still trust your father? Your cousins and their careers, and their elders, anyone related to our He family, will be remembered by the emperor. This is a disaster in the emperor's heart... Have you thought about what will happen to our He family if one day the Eighth Prince is no longer in power?"

"..." He Xin Xian was speechless.

"Are you going to watch our He family and our ancestors' legacy be destroyed?"

"Grandson... I would never have such thoughts." He Xin Xian was shaken because He Xiang Xu clearly pointed out that even if the Eighth Prince Zhao Hong Run could protect his family for a while, he could not protect them forever. After all, he was just a prince, not the emperor.

"Since that's the case, why don't you confess, you disobedient son?" He Yu cursed.

He Xin Xian struggled for a long time but eventually recounted his encounter with Princess Yulong, including his request for the Eighth Prince Zhao Hong Run to send a letter and their meeting at the Ten Mile Pavilion at midnight.

"Unbelievable... Unbelievable!" He Yu cursed.

He Xiang Xu pondered for a moment and advised, "Xin Xian, it's only a three-month relationship, and just through letters. How can it be so strong? From my perspective, it's just a young person's impulse. ... I know there are other women in the capital who match Princess Yulong in beauty and talent. Why be so fixated on her and ruin the emperor's view of our He family? Or are you attracted to the title of princess?"

"How can you say that, Grandfather?" He Xin Xian was angry at the last sentence.

"What's wrong with that?" Seeing his beloved grandson almost jump up, He Xiang Xu smiled, "Climbing to the imperial family is both a skill and an opportunity. But for Princess Yulong... I advise you to give up this idea. From what I can tell, the emperor has a poor opinion of Princess Yulong... You can marry any princess, but not Princess Yulong."

He Yu snorted and interjected, "Father, why are you saying so much to this disobedient son? Tomorrow, I will inform the Hanlin Academy and have him confined at home. I'll see where he can run... If necessary, I'll break his legs."

Seeing her husband's angry face, Lady Zhang quickly hugged her son and pleaded, "Xin Xian, quickly answer your father. You won't abandon your family, will you?"

Looking at his grandfather He Xiang Xu's sorrowful face, his father He Yu's angry expression, and his mother Lady Zhang's worried tears, He Xin Xian gritted his teeth and nodded heavily.

"Hmph, you finally see reason." He Yu was somewhat satisfied and coldly said, "Stay at home for the next few days and don't go anywhere." He then said to Lady Zhang, "Have your son choose a woman from the albums and I will propose to her. ... We will arrange the wedding soon to cut off this disobedient son's thoughts."

"This... so hastily?" Lady Zhang hesitated but, seeing her husband's glare, quickly nodded.

Seeing this, He Yu helped his father He Xiang Xu leave his son's room.

Walking to the courtyard, He Xiang Xu could not help but sigh, "It seems I really need to retire from my position as the Chancellor."

"Why, Father?" He Yu asked in surprise.

He Xiang Xu shook his head without explaining.

But he knew that although their He family might not change the emperor's mind, they had already offended the Eighth Prince Zhao Hong Run.

Meanwhile, Zhao Hong Run was riding in his second brother, Prince Yong Hong Yu's carriage, slowly heading to the Ten Mile Pavilion in the southern suburbs of Daliang.

The Ten Mile Pavilion, as its name suggests, was a place for farewells, where people would bid farewell to their friends and relatives after a ten-mile journey.

Due to the hasty departure from the palace, neither Zhao Hong Run and his guards nor Princess Yulong had eaten dinner.

Fortunately, Zhao Hong Run had prepared food and wine in the carriage, originally intended for He Xin Xian and Princess Yulong. Now, hungry, he took out the meat and wine and ate while waiting.

As for the guards, Zhao Hong Run instructed them to search nearby. Since this was an official road, there were inns along the way that provided food, wine, and lodging for travelers.

Mu Qing and Zhu Gui went to find food and returned shortly with several large plates of meat, several jars of wine, and some dried fruits and roasted beans to serve as snacks.

As night fell, Princess Yulong, wearing the fur cloak Zhao Hong Run had prepared for her, waited for He Xin Xian in the darkness. However, He Xin Xian did not arrive for a long time.

Zhao Hong Run's expression gradually turned sour. Although they had agreed to meet at midnight, He Xin Xian should have left the city before the gates closed and arrived at the Ten Mile Pavilion.

But seeing Princess Yulong's increasingly anxious expression, he could only comfort her.

Unfortunately, after waiting for a long time, Zhao Hong Run did not see He Xin Xian's figure.

What was this?

Zhao Hong Run was so angry that he almost crushed the wine glass in his hand.

In his view, if He Xin Xian had made a promise, he should have kept it. If he couldn't, he shouldn't have made the promise in the first place.

In that case, Zhao Hong Run would have found another way.

But He Xin Xian had made a promise and then broken it, which Zhao Hong Run saw as a complete mockery.

"Princess, why don't you rest in the carriage for a while?"

Zhao Hong Run kindly suggested, as he felt that Princess Yulong seemed to have predicted something, drinking wine with a sad smile, far from the joy she showed when He Xin Xian made the promise in the palace.

Princess Yulong shook her head stubbornly.

"No, I will wait here... until midnight."

PS: Strange, why does this book's Three Rivers recommendation not have a reason for being listed? Out of fifteen books, only ours doesn't have one. What's this? A subtle insult? Or a reasonless listing? I can't figure it out.

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