The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!-Chapter 21: Covering the Sky

Xia Wenjin continued asking anxiously, "What will happen if one’s luck is bad?"

Qiao Xi replied impatiently, "Why do you have so many questions? Just settle down as you’re told. Soon, someone will help you with the bath." Her face was full of malice, "You’re new, and good-looking too, surely Miss will call for you tonight!"

Xia Wenjin blinked his eyes and exclaimed as if he had suddenly understood, "I see, so that’s what you mean by servitude! I don’t understand though, even if Nanxia is open-minded, we put great importance on a woman’s honor. Miss hasn’t married yet, and she’s bold enough to keep young men in her house; isn’t she afraid it will be spread and no one will want to marry her?"

"Impudent! Is that any of your concern?" Qiao Xi shouted, looking at Xia Wenjin as though he were a country bumpkin, "Marriage is a concern for ordinary women. Master spoils Miss and lets her enjoy herself and live happily! Anyway, our Master is rich and powerful, who would dare not marry Miss if she wished?"

If Miss were beautiful, Master might even arrange for her to marry into a family more prestigious than his, or even send her to the Capital; if her luck is good, she might get into the palace.

But given her looks, no other family is interested.

And the Capital is out of the question.

Anyway, she is the daughter of the Prefectural Governor; she’s not worried about marriage. She likes handsome young men, and Master has specially built this villa here for Miss to foster male favorites.

This matter isn’t a secret around here.

Any good-looking young man would either marry early or work elsewhere, fearing to catch Wang Wan’er’s eye.

Xia Wenjin noticed the subtle disdain and jealousy in Qiao Xi’s gaze, finding this maid intriguing; she orders others around with her master’s power, yet despises her master for shamelessness!

Nonetheless, Wang Wan’er’s shamelessness truly leaves one in awe.

The more you know, the more you can imagine how Governor Wang dominates Yuqing County!

This time, much thought must be given.

After all, it’s about a Prefectural Governor, an official appointed by the Court!

Haotian Village.

After Bai Feichen left, Xia Wanqing sat alone in Juyi Hall for a while, with a look of worry and contemplation on his face. He sighed softly, stood up, and left Juyi Hall.

The houses of Haotian Village were built tastefully among the green trees, and as the Village Chief, Xia Wanqing’s residence was also a courtyard. The main building housed Xia Wanqing, with a master bedroom, a study, and a reception room. To the right of the entrance was a large reception room, usually unused unless for major events.

The east wing was where Xia Sichen lived, and the west wing was Xia Wenjin’s residence.

The courtyard was large and elegant, ample for the family of three to live comfortably.

At this moment, Xia Wanqing returned directly to the study.

The shelves in the study were neatly arranged and filled with books, including military strategy texts, martial arts manuals, classic works, poetry, songs, anecdotes, and folk tales.

The east wall was bare, except for a single painting.

The painting depicted a young woman.

She was twenty-four or five years old, with delicate features and a gentle smile; Xia Sichen’s eyebrows and eyes greatly resembled hers.

Xia Wanqing stared intently at the painting, his face, usually resolute and heroic, now held a few traces of emotion. He gently sighed, "Zi Wan, that person has appeared, but Wenjin escaped. To let her live well, I can only go against her wishes. Would you blame me if you were here?"

He had just spoken when there was a soft sound.

Xia Wanqing’s expression turned stern as he shouted, "Listening in even when dad is talking to mom, you little brat, get out here!"

A slender figure stepped out from behind the bookshelf, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and said, "Dad, what are you talking about? You’re so loud you scared away my drowsiness!" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"What are you doing in dad’s study?"

Xia Sichen blinked innocently, "Dad, didn’t you say that even though we’re bandits, we mustn’t be ignorant; we should understand military strategies and tactics, be literate and skilled, courageous and wise, so we aren’t deceived, mocked, or belittled? I’ve been following your words, here filling my head with some ink!"

"Do you need to sleep here while reading?"

Xia Sichen blinked again and replied effortlessly, "I sleep after getting tired from reading. Dad, I’ve been following your orders, reading late into the night, endlessly studying, just taking a nap when exhausted. You should be proud of your son’s diligence!"

Between the two rows of bookshelves was a soft chair, where one could take a nap if tired from reading.

"Do you believe that yourself?" Xia Wanqing snorted.

Xia Sichen shifted his gaze and asked, "Dad, did you send Uncle Bai to find Wenjin this time?"

Xia Wanqing’s face turned grim again, his gaze darkly fixed on Xia Sichen, "You little rascal, what tricks are you up to now? Don’t think I don’t know, they had caught Wenjin before, and it was you sabotaging things secretly, letting her escape time and again!"

Xia Sichen replied, "Dad, you’re mistaken about this. Wenjin is clever; I wanted to help her, but she always escaped on her own. Dad, I don’t understand, you used to be so fond of Wenjin and never forced her. Why are you pushing her to marry someone she likes this time?"

Xia Wanqing said dismissively, "What do you know?"

Xia Sichen said, "Dad, I heard what you said to mom. You mentioned that person has appeared, who is that person? Is it Huangfu Yuxuan? You said it’s for Wenjin to live well, what does that mean?"

Xia Wanqing looked sternly at his son in front of him.

Xia Sichen held his gaze, clearly not willing to leave without an answer from Xia Wanqing today.

Xia Wanqing looked at his son’s features that were similar to his late wife’s; the persistence in those clear eyes resembled hers too. Since childhood, Sichen cared for his sister; he kept disrupting the search effort, otherwise, how could it be that after all these days, they still hadn’t caught a young girl who rushed down the mountain, penniless, without experience or knowledge of Jianghu? Even though he’d sent Bai Feichen this time, if Sichen intended to obstruct, Bai Sichen might not be able to bring her back.

However, Xia Wanqing had wronged Xia Sichen this time; Xia Wenjin wasn’t the inexperienced girl without Jianghu knowledge that he assumed.

Xia Wanqing felt a pang of bitterness spreading within him, filling the whole heart, and sighed heavily again before turning his gaze back to the painting on the wall, then saying, "Sichen, do you remember when your mother passed away?"

Xia Sichen’s gaze delved into distant memories; of course, he remembered. That year, he was nine, and his sister was only four. His sister suddenly fell seriously ill, unconscious, with no remedy working, and even dad went seeking the Holy Doctor of the World, who said: the medicine is powerless, what can be saved may not be by medicine!