Chapter 459: Chapter 456: Being Shameless Takes Talent

"What? Are you telling your Fifth Prince to arrest me!"

Ying Fuyan looked at Ying Yin: "There are rules. Master, give him a little lesson."

"An adviser, do you have a place to speak?"

Xiao Huaian sneered, "Fifth Prince, it’s about time the people around you were taught some manners."

Ying Yin’s gaze was deep: "The horse was presented from Mobei to the Holy Emperor; it was gentle before, always well-behaved, but who knows what happened, it almost caused a problem."

"How the people around me are, it’s not your place to point out. Huaian, you’ve crossed the line."

Tsk.

Fool is actually quite protective.

Xiao Huaian snorted, holding out his hand: "If you’re going to arrest me, just do it. It’s not like I haven’t been to prison before, I’ll just think of it as revisiting an old place."

Ying Yin wasn’t interested in bickering with him about this and that.

He looked down on Xiao Huaian but needed Duke Zhongyong’s support.

So, on the surface, their relations were decent.

"Still childish."

"If I weren’t busy, I should go to the Shen Family for a drink."

His tone didn’t show intimacy, yet also didn’t seem distant, just right: "Once you get married, I’ll surely send a gift. But since you’re about to start a family, you should restrain your temper to save Duke Zhongyong daily worries about you."

"Me?"

Xiao Huaian nonchalantly didn’t care.

"Would the Fifth Prince still not know my character? Getting married is just to appease my father, so he doesn’t nag in my ear all day, being annoying."

He spoke as if troubled.

"Shen Zhiyi has a bad temper, and I’m no better off, there’ll be a good show in the future."

Ying Yin wasn’t surprised.

After all, not long ago, Duke Zhongyong had entered the palace to see the Holy Emperor.

The Holy Emperor even ’unintentionally’ asked.

—"In the past, I never heard of Huaian being interested in any girl, suddenly hearing he’s getting married, I couldn’t believe it."

—"Has he been interested for a long time? You’ve worried about his marriage for years, if this boy had such thoughts, why didn’t he mention it earlier? I could have granted him a marriage to complete a good match. However, that daughter of the Ministry of the Imperial Household had a previous engagement, because of this he...."

These words seemed like the emperor cared for the younger generation.

But there was also a probing intent.

Even though Xiao Huaian’s reputation as a dandy was entrenched, any matter could make the emperor suspicious.

Duke Zhongyong laughed.

—"The Holy Emperor overestimates him. That rascal lets everything he’s thinking show on his face."

—"If he had his eye on someone, regardless of whether she was betrothed, he would have already taken her. How could a libertine ever settle down?"

—"But I can finally take a breath from worrying over that brat for half my life. Before, the Marchioness Ning had also liked the Shen Family’s daughter, intending to betroth her to her son, Ning Yunling. She wanted to find someone with a fiery temper to control him, fortunately, it didn’t happen. Allowing my Xiao Family to pick up a bargain."

Ying Yin then understood that marrying the Shen Family’s daughter was most likely Duke Zhongyong and his wife’s intention.

In his earlier years, he indeed never saw signs that Xiao Huaian showed any interest towards Shen Zhiyi. They even had few chances to interact.

As for why Xiao Huaian compromised, aside from her outstanding appearance... Xiao Huaian had to marry someone eventually.

Ying Yin hadn’t been to the Shen Family, but he knew everything that happened there clearly.

What use is beauty? Stupidity is beyond cure.

She hasn’t even been married off and is eager to distance herself from her father.

The marriage itself is already a step up, requiring support from her family, yet she severed her way out. Thus, she can only rely on Xiao Huaian.

Xiao Huaian is not a reliable person to entrust one’s life to. After marriage, with Shen Zhiyi being weaker, he still can indulge himself, and it’s no wonder he’s willing to marry.

Ying Yin’s thoughts were turning.

He let out a laugh.

He no longer spoke with incompetent people.

He watched the quiet carriage with a smile: "Is Gui Zhi inside?"

The curtain was lifted by a pale, powerless hand.

Soon, Rong Di and Yu Tingwan helped him out.

The man’s face was sickly, weak on his legs, he was about to salute.

Ying Yin hurriedly assisted him: "No need for formalities."

Wei Zhao weakly said: "My sickly demeanor might offend your distinguished eyes."

Beautiful!

Clearly just being pretentious.

But the reason is too sufficient.

Ying Fuyan: ...

Someone feigning illness looks even more gravely ill than me, who’s actually sick.

Ying Yin: "No worries, I have something to discuss with you. This is not the place, and it’s unfit for you to stand long. How about going to a teahouse to sit?"

"I reckon I can guess what it is."

Wei Zhao said softly: "Is it because that person has entered the Capital?"

Though ill, he was clear-eared and sharp, well-informed.

Ying Yin saw no issue with it.

"He’s no longer with my second brother, yet hasn’t left either."

"Is the Fifth Prince afraid he’ll come looking for me?"

Ying Yin observed his expression, not withdrawing the hand supporting his arm. On the contrary, he squeezed hard, precisely on the unhealed wound.

She saw it, and so did Xiao Huaian and Ying Fuyan.

But they all chose not to react.

Ying Yin didn’t answer directly but asked instead.

"Gui Zhi, what’s your take on the Yangxin Hall fire?"

"Though the indications all point... but without a definitive conclusion, I am unwilling to believe he’d be so daring, yet I also feel there’s something fishy."

Wei Zhao: ...

Where aren’t you unsure?

You’re worried I’ll get entangled with those people.

Besides, since he returned to the Capital, things have been unfolding one after another, making Shangjing unsafe, inevitably causing apprehension in his heart.

Wei Zhao remained expressionless, only seeming delicate, humming lightly, breaking convention, brushing off calmly: "I dare not speak carelessly, but, you’ve hurt me."

A loud rumbling sounded behind.

A giant beast approached rapidly.

Its body tensed, a low growl rolled from its throat like thunder, as if in warning.

As if should Ying Yin move again, it would pounce and sever his throat’s artery.

Wei Zhao: "Fu Meng, don’t be rude."

Ying Yin calmly withdrew his hand.

"And this is?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Wei Zhao: "Maybe seeing you pulling me around openly, it couldn’t bear it."

Xiao Huaian didn’t know how the situation developed afterward.

He only knew that after getting back onto the Duke Mansion’s carriage, the man who had been calm and collected before now had his forehead resting on Yu Tingwan’s shoulder.

Wei Zhao drawled: "The wound’s torn."

Yu Tingwan hurriedly unwrapped his garment to check.

Indeed.

The white inner garment at that part of his arm was soaked with blood, spreading as dark red gradually seeped out.

"That Ying Yin better not let me catch him!"

Xiao Huaian saw how Yu Tingwan, who previously paid little attention to Wei Zhao, was now cradling his arm with worry, fumbling to bandage it again.

"Your arm just recovered after several days, I thought it was much better, yet he struck hard again!"

Yu Tingwan was really angry.

Even when she punched Wei Zhao, she would deliberately avoid his arm!

She wasn’t willing to touch it!

Wei Zhao: "Hiss."

Yu Tingwan thought she hadn’t been gentle enough and had hurt him, quickly coaxing him.

"Husband, bear with it a little longer."

Wei Zhao played with her waist’s Jade Pendant with his other hand, softly: "Take it easier."

Yu Tingwan promised: "Mm-hmm!"

Wei Zhao: "I don’t want a scar."

Yu Tingwan shared her perspective: "Men with scars are handsome."

Wei Zhao: "I don’t want a scar."

Yu Tingwan regretfully informed him: "You already have quite a few scars on you."

Wei Zhao: "But I don’t want them."

"Alright, alright, I’ll be extra careful."

After finally finishing the dressing, she was about to breathe a sigh of relief.

Wei Zhao softly spoke: "I’m thirsty."

He pulled a pale smile: "Never mind... you continue being angry... I’ll rest for a bit......"

"How could a guilty person like me deserve water?"

Yu Tingwan’s heart almost broke.

Merely water, if Wei Zhao wanted to climb over her head right now, she’d be willing.

Xiao Huaian: ???

Is this still the Wei Zhao he remembers, who never yielded?

This manner of acting like a scoundrel must be a natural gift.

Apparently, he couldn’t learn it.