HLnovel Chapter 216 Unexpected Visitor
Chapter 216 Unexpected Visitor
Chapter 216 216 Unexpected Visitor
Early in the morning, Marquis Anshi was still half asleep and having breakfast when a servant came to report that the Prince of Nanping had arrived and was already outside the Marquis's residence. Marquis Anshi was immediately startled awake. He hurriedly rinsed his mouth with water, wiped his face clean, and rushed to his study as if his pants were on fire.
When Marquis Anshi arrived at the study, Steward Ye had already led Chunyu Jing in. Chunyu Jing was sitting at Marquis Anshi's desk, leisurely drinking tea while admiring the calligraphy that Marquis Anshi had placed on the table.
Marquis Anshi quickly put on a smile and stepped forward, saying, "I didn't expect the Fourth Prince to visit my residence so early. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."
"I arrived in haste and did not inform the Marquis in advance. I'm afraid I may have disturbed your sweet dreams." Chunyu Jing did not look up, and finally sighed, "The Marquis's calligraphy is divine, reflecting the mountains and rivers in his heart. He truly has beautiful handwriting."
"It's just something I wrote in my spare time to pass the time; it's not worthy of the prince's attention."
Butler Ye brought over a bowl of tea and placed it in another seat in the study. Marquis Anshi sat down in that seat and asked with a smile:
"Your Highness has come to visit so early in the morning. May I ask what brings you here?"
Chunyu Jing finally withdrew his gaze, raised his head, and quietly observed Anshihou for a while. His smile was full of meaning, and he said pointedly:
"My lord, you have truly raised a fine daughter."
Marquis Anshi was momentarily confused and asked with a blank expression, "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"
“Oh, I just inexplicably remembered the day when the Marquis hosted a banquet at his residence to celebrate your son’s passing the provincial examination with top honors,” Chunyu Jing said. “That was truly an eye-opening experience for me.”
An Shihou's expression changed. He quickly walked to the door and looked around. After confirming that no one was around, he nervously closed the door tightly.
Marquis Anshi could not possibly forget that day. The banquet was going well until the arrival of the three princes, Chunyu Yang, Chunyu Jing, and Chunyu Shan, which led to such a bizarre incident that he and his manor lost all face.
Fortunately, Chunyu Jing deliberately concealed Ye Yingrou's background that day and did not expose it in public, thus preventing the situation from becoming too ugly.
Moreover, every time he tried to subtly inquire about what had happened, he was met with a cold stare from Ye Pianran, which left him feeling quite resentful.
"That day... I'm truly sorry to have made you laugh, Your Highness." Marquis Anshi said with a dry laugh, "I also thank Your Highness for stepping forward to help Rou'er out of that predicament that day, otherwise Rou'er probably wouldn't have been able to leave the Marquis's residence safely."
“We are all born of the same root, why are we so eager to harm each other?” Chunyu Jing said. “After all this time, I still can’t understand why the Marquis’s two daughters have such a deep-seated hatred for each other.”
Marquis Anshi's expression was not pleasant. He hesitated for a long time before saying, "They have never met before and have had any contact. I'm afraid there may be some misunderstanding, or perhaps they have been instigated by someone..."
“Yes, that’s why I said that the Marquis has raised a good daughter,” Chunyu Jing said with a smile.
His words were so ambiguous that Marquis Anshi broke out in a cold sweat, unsure of what to say next.
Fortunately, Chunyu Jing merely raised an eyebrow meaningfully and did not continue the topic.
"Is this the reason for your visit today, Your Highness?" Marquis Anshi probed. "Could it be that Rou'er has displeased you at home?"
She wasn't just unhappy; she even dared to plot against him. He had thought a lot on his way to the Marquis's residence by carriage, and the only explanation he could come up with for Ye Yingrou's poisoning was that she didn't want Chunyu Jing to get close to Ye Pianran.
But Chunyu Jing is the kind of person who will do whatever you tell him not to do. Everything about him is up to him. If he wants something, even if it wasn't originally his, he will go to great lengths to get it.
"Does the promise you made to me last time still stand?" Chunyu Jing asked calmly, blowing on the scalding hot tea in his hand.
Marquis Anshi knew what he was referring to and said solemnly, "Of course it counts."
“But I still feel uneasy, my lord. What should I do?” Chunyu Jing said.
Marquis Anshi spoke with utmost sincerity: "Please rest assured, Your Highness. I am not the kind of person who would betray my promise. I sincerely wish to befriend Your Highness. I only hope that if Your Highness achieves your wish in the future, you will not forget our Marquis Anshi's mansion."
"The fact that you, Marquis, are so devoted to Rou'er's mother because of your promise from back then, even at the risk of offending the Left Prime Minister, to settle them in the capital, naturally makes me believe in your character," Chunyu Jing said. "However, while verbal promises are easy to keep, what if one day when I need you, you choose to abandon your mistress, who has no status, for the sake of your status as my wife, and suddenly go back on your word? What should I do then?"
My daughter is already in your hands, what more do you want?
Marquis Anshi suppressed his anger and said slowly, "Then what does Your Highness think we should do?"
"I have an idea that can test your sincerity, dispel Gongsun Zhan's doubts after things come to light, and allow you to be a good person. It's a triple win. I wonder if you're interested?"
"Since there are so many benefits, I naturally want to hear about them," said Marquis Anshi.
“Actually, there’s nothing you need to do, Your Highness. Just arrange a marriage with me, and everything will be resolved,” Chunyu Jing said.
Marquis Anshi was taken aback. He meant...
"Your Highness intends to..." He paused, then Marquis Anshi's face flushed, a rare occurrence, "but what about Rou'er's identity..."
“Lord Marquis, you’ve misunderstood something,” Chunyu Jing said coldly. “I’m not talking about Ye Yingrou, but your other daughter, Ye Pianran.”
After saying this, Chunyu Jing felt another violent spasm in his heart. He clenched his fists tightly and forced himself to stay upright so that he wouldn't turn pale on the spot.
Marquis Anshi was startled; he never expected that Chunyu Jing's heart would fall on Ye Pianran.
"Your Highness, are you joking?"
Chunyu Jing felt a sharp pain in his heart and gritted his teeth, saying, "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Hearing his deep voice, which sounded like he was hiding some anger, Marquis Anshi quickly said, "I am naturally very happy to be able to become in-laws with His Majesty, but this matter is too sudden, so I have not been able to react for a moment."
"Oh, I thought the Marquis was unwilling," Chunyu Jing said coldly.
"How could that be?" Marquis Anshi said with a troubled expression. "It's just that Your Highness seems to have forgotten that at Qionglin Garden, Ran'er saved Jin Ding Mohe for His Majesty. She once told His Majesty that she did not want to marry again in this life, and His Majesty granted her wish to dissolve her engagement with the Ouyang family. He also said that he would arrange Ran'er's marriage in the future. I can no longer make decisions about Ran'er's marriage."