The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!-Chapter 16: Big Mouth

"Reporting to the young master, this... the young master has ordered only a secret investigation, not an open inquiry. Haotian Village has sent out many people; to avoid alerting them, we dared not search brazenly. Miss Xia is clever and agile. She is likely no longer in Jinzhou City! As for where she went, there’s no news yet!"

"A mere country girl, yet you all let her slip from sight. Useless!"

"Your subordinate is incompetent, please punish me, young master!"

"Once we return to the Capital City, rewards and punishments will be dealt!"

That person hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Young master, Haotian Village is just a Jianghu power. The woman from their village is of humble origin and is not worthy of the young master, yet she does not know her place! Is the young master still going to wait here?"

The man in Brocade Clothes’s expression darkened, "Is this something you should be concerned with?"

That person’s shoulders trembled, and he lowered his head, saying, "Your subordinate deserves to die!"

"Enough, enough, there’s no need to search for Xia Wenjin anymore! Withdraw!"

"Yes!"

That person quickly disappeared into the bushes as if he had never appeared.

The man in Brocade Clothes murmured, "A country bumpkin? What do you know?" Unknown to others what he thought of, his expression softened, and he muttered to himself, "Clever and agile, huh? It seems the person this young master wants is indeed intelligent, as Gongyang Jianzheng said!"

He glanced once more at the verdant trees of Haoran Mountain, smiled slightly, and headed to the front of the mountain.

The main camp of Haotian Village was at the front of the mountain, and the fifth group dispatched to chase Miss Wenjin, who fled the arranged marriage, had returned.

The Village Chief, Xia Wanqing, was a robust man in his forties with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding heroic spirit. He was also well-known in Jianghu, and under his leadership, Haotian Village had become the number one Jianghu power in the Southwest.

Upon hearing that the sent people had returned without finding anyone, he expressed his dissatisfaction, "What are these people doing, unable to catch even a little girl?"

The doorway darkened as someone entered.

Xia Wanqing looked at the young man in luxurious Brocade Clothes walking in. Knowing he had heard what was just said, Xia Wanqing chuckled and said, "My dear son-in-law, don’t worry, we will surely catch her!"

The young man in Brocade Clothes smiled warmly, his demeanor polite and courteous, "I have troubled you, Father-in-law. Miss Wenjin only left because she doesn’t yet understand me well. Once Miss Wenjin is back and gets to know me, she might not want to leave again!"

This response was witty and confident!

Xia Wanqing laughed heartily and said, "My dear son-in-law, you are right. This is a match made in heaven; there is no more suitable pair than the two of you."

Behind Xia Wanqing, a young man in a narrow-sleeved outfit muttered, "Father, what’s suitable or not isn’t for you to decide. It depends on whether my sister likes it. If she doesn’t, I won’t accept this brother-in-law, so please stop calling him ’son-in-law’!"

Xia Wanqing glared, "You little brat, what nonsense are you saying? If I say it’s suitable, it is. Haven’t you heard of ’parental orders and matchmaker’s words’? Not only your sister’s marriage, but your marriage too will be decided by me!"

The young man raised his attractive eyebrows, "You’ve scared my sister away! Besides, they aren’t even married yet. Isn’t it too soon for you to call him son-in-law?"

This was Xia Wenjin’s brother, Xia Sichen.

Xia Wanqing’s face darkened. He picked up the teacup on the table and threw it at Xia Sichen, yelling, "You brat, are you rebelling?"

Xia Sichen executed a graceful backflip, catching the scorching hot tea without spilling a drop. He whirled in mid-air and did a split, placing the teacup back in front of Xia Wanqing and stated righteously, "Father, who dared to anger you? Tell your son, and I will dismember him to vent your anger!"

It was as if the person being frivolous just now was someone else entirely.

Xia Wanqing glared, "You brat, are you trying to infuriate your old man to death?"

Xia Sichen widened his eyes, displaying a look of shock and a bit of grievance, "Father, what are you saying? I have always been the most filial and obedient. When you say east, I never dare to go west. When you want wine, I never dare to buy chicken. A good son like me, following the 24 filial exemplars, is hard to find today. Father, you wouldn’t have forgotten your son for a son-in-law, would you? No matter how good a son-in-law is, he’s still someone else’s son. I’m the only biological one!"

Xia Wanqing was amused by his shameless demeanor, laughed, and scolded, "Get out!"

Xia Sichen tapped his heel on the ground, stood up steadily, and with a light posture, bowed deeply, "May I ask, Father, should I roll to the left or the right?"

"Whether left or right, swiftly get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you for three days!"

"Alright then!" Xia Sichen pushed off with his toes, executed several backflips, and elegantly "rolled" out of the hall.

Watching him leave, rolling his eyes, Xia Wanqing then said to the man in Brocade Clothes, "My dear son-in-law, this son of mine is good for nothing, forgive the embarrassment!"

The man in Brocade Clothes smiled slightly, "Brother Sichen is lively and playful, with an energetic and vibrant personality, which I envy!"

Xia Wanqing shook his head, "What’s so good about that? If he had even three-tenths of your steadiness, I’d be at ease!"

The man in Brocade Clothes was none other than Huangfu Yuxuan, whom Xia Wanqing had met at the mountain’s base. His father held a prominent status as the current Crown Prince.

He was the Crown Prince’s second son!

With such a status, he should be enjoying a life of luxury in the Capital City, not venturing to Jinzhou, a place far from the Capital City. However, the current Holy Emperor was in his sixties, and the court’s atmosphere and the Crown Prince’s status were somewhat delicate.

The Crown Prince was officially appointed at the age of four and had been heavily groomed by the Emperor since childhood. His several brothers, once reaching eighteen, were granted titles and moved to their feudal lands, prohibited from staying in the Capital City. In such circumstances, the Crown Prince’s position should have been as stable as Mount Tai.

However, the Crown Prince was mediocre and had a violent and indulgent personality. The tasks the Emperor assigned him were rarely executed to satisfaction. Fortunately, he hadn’t made any significant blunders.

The Crown Prince has held this position for forty years.

His brothers, ruling over their respective territories, became kings in their own right, while he remained the Crown Prince, and the current Holy Emperor continued to age gracefully.

The Crown Prince, originally indulgent, became increasingly lazy.

The Crown Prince, with mediocre abilities, occupied a high position. Among his brothers, granted titles and relocated, some inevitably harbored ambitions.

The Crown Prince was foolish and incompetent, conducting affairs in a way that won little favor, even drawing dissatisfaction from the Emperor.

In the past, kings not summoned by decree couldn’t return to the Capital City, but lately, the Emperor frequently summoned them, nearly annually, with each visit lasting half a year. Notably, Prince Li and Prince Zhuang had become frequent visitors. Prince Zhuang was astute and capable, earning the Emperor’s trust, while Prince Li, being the youngest and showing filial piety, was deeply beloved by the Emperor.

Speculations arose in the court, fearing the Crown Prince’s position might be precarious, hinting that the Emperor intended to appoint a wise and virtuous Crown Prince?

Unaware, the Crown Prince continued his dissipated life, drunk on his indulgent pleasures.

The Crown Prince’s eldest son, Huangfu Hongyi, mirrored his father’s indulgence, reveling in opulence, immersed in hedonistic pleasures daily.

But his second son, Huangfu Yuxuan, harbored great ambitions.