Chapter 84: Reluctant

The Yuntai Lake is shining with golden light.

Faced with the girl's questioning, Xie Guanlan fell silent.

His fingertips unconsciously fiddled with the amulet.

After a long while, he finally said, "It was my failure to catch the murderer in time that put you in danger. This butterfly hairpin is my apology."

He looked at the golden hairpin beside Wen Xing's bun and said, "You look good in this."

Wen Xingluo looked up at him.

He was born with a graceful figure and a golden complexion. When he looked at her, his dark pupils reflected the golden light on the lake, as if gentle starlight had fallen from the silent and dark deep sea...

When Wen Xingluo came to his senses, Xie Guanlan had already left.

She realized later that the other party had not answered her question at all.

He is the elder and the superior.

As long as he didn't want to, she couldn't see into his heart at all.

…

When Wen Xingluo returned to the palace, it was already dusk.

The maids in Xiejinyuan were very happy and were arranging fruits and vegetables in the courtyard, saying that they were begging for skills.

According to folk customs, if a spider weaves a web on fruits tonight, it means that one has prayed for good luck and everything will go well.

Cuicui held the empty fruit plate in her hands, feeling distressed. "It's not even dark yet, but I've already eaten all the fruits for tonight! Miss, do you think Xizi would still come to make a net if there were no fruits on my plate?"

Wen Xingluo was silent for a moment, then said honestly, "It's quite difficult."

Unable to bear watching Cuicui wail, Wen Xingluo took a few fruits from his fruit bowl and gave them to her, "I'll share some with you, but don't eat them all!"

Cuicui burst into laughter and said, "Miss, you are so kind. You will definitely be blessed in the future!"

Wen Xingluo also felt that he would be blessed.

But when the moon was at its zenith, spider webs had formed on the maids' fruits and vegetables. Even Cuicui's half-eaten apple was covered with a hardworking spider. Wen Xingluo's fruit plate remained motionless. She suddenly began to wonder where her good fortune lay.

Wen Xingluo sat on the steps with his face propped up, feeling a little lost.

The night is as cool as water.

Cuicui took out her cloak and wrapped it around her, comforting her, "Don't be sad, young lady. Xizi's wish came true when she made a web. It's just a little girl's joke, don't take it seriously. They are just little insects. What can they understand? We can't force them."

Wen Xingluo stared at the fruit plate.

She suddenly said without any context, "I insist on forcing myself."

She stood up.

She would go find the spider crickets herself, put them on the fruit plate, and ask them to weave a thick spider web for her tonight.

The moonlight is beautiful tonight.

Wen Xingluo had not walked far when he saw torches in the garden as bright as day, and maids and guards busying around, no one knew what they were doing.

Suddenly she saw a burly figure.

She walked forward, "Daddy?"

Xie Jing was crouching down and fiddling with the grass. When he heard the sound, he quickly turned around to look at her, scratching his head embarrassedly, "It's Ningning!"

Wen Xingluo was puzzled, "Daddy is not sleeping in the middle of the night, what is he looking for?"

Xie Jing stroked his beautiful beard. "Your mother is bedridden and hasn't smiled in the past few months. I don't know what happened to her tonight, but she suddenly took some fruits to pray for good luck. I stayed with her for two hours, but unexpectedly, not a single lucky bead appeared! Your mother was very sad and went into the house without saying a word. I felt so bad that I mobilized everyone in the mansion to help your mother catch the lucky bead. When she wakes up tomorrow morning and finds the fruit plate covered with dense spider webs, she will be so happy!"

Wen Xingluo was stunned.

My mother lives a secluded life with no desires or requests, so I never expected that she would actually beg for skills.

I don't know what she wants...

Xie Jing waved his hand, "Okay, I still have to continue catching Xizi for your mother. Ningning, go back to sleep quickly. Children who stay up late won't grow taller!"

Wen Xingluo looked at the majestic and powerful middle-aged man, who was walking through the grass with his back hunched, as if he wanted to catch all the happy children in the house to please his mother, and she couldn't help but be moved.

She walked away from the garden and sat on the rockery, holding her fruit plate.

Some people, in order to make their wives happy, would go to great lengths to catch a few small insects in the middle of the night.

Some girls are born lucky, and they don't have to do anything, as the weeds will weave webs on their fruits and vegetables.

But she is unlucky and no one will help her...

Canglang Pavilion.

Xie Guanlan is playing chess with Xie Yanchen.

While waiting for the opponent to make his move, his eyes were fixed on the distance.

A little girl in a cyan-gold chest-length skirt sat on the rockery, holding a fruit plate, not knowing what she was thinking about, and looked very lonely.

Fushan followed his gaze and explained, "Today is the Qiqiao Festival. To please the princess, the prince has mobilized a large army to capture happy children, scaring almost all the happy children in the palace away. The young lady didn't get any luck, so she's sad."

Xie Yanchen arched his eyebrows, "Ningning is so cute!"

Xie Guanlan recalled the stubbornness in the little girl's eyes outside the Xiling Tower boat during the day.

He twirled the chess piece, and Yeshui suddenly appeared from the shadows. "Master, someone is coming from the capital. They're waiting for you in the study."

Xie Guanlan fiddled with the chess pieces, then stood up and went to the study.

Beside the chess table, Xie Yanchen picked up a piece of melon with a bamboo skewer and ate it, then wiped his hands with a smile. "Other things are fine, but I have as many Xizi as you want. Since Ningning likes it, I'll just give her a basket."

Fushan watched him leave, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

A... a basket...

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and went straight to the study to wait for Xie Guanlan.

At this time, in the study.

The spy knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has decreed that Mu Shangming will take over the post of Governor of Shu County! Mu Shangming is already on his way to take up his post!"

Xie Guanlan sat down, "Mu Shangming?"

The spy said, "Mu Shangming is also a disciple of the emperor. He rose from a humble scholar to his current position. It can be seen that he is very cunning. I am afraid he is even more difficult to deal with than Du Guanghong. My lord, how about I lead some people to disguise themselves as bandits and stop them on the way—"

His eyes flashed with ferocity and he made a gesture of wiping his neck.

Xie Guanlan blew on the tea slowly and said, "If we kill him, there will be another Mu Shangming who will take up the position."

"Then kill again!"

"If I kill too many people, my political record will look bad."

The spy scratched his head.

His eldest son is notorious for killing, so why would he care about his political achievements?

Weird outfit...

Xie Guanlan took a sip of tea and asked, "What else happened in the capital?"

The spy reported: "The eldest prince has been officially crowned Crown Prince!"

The eldest prince Xie Xuchi was born to Concubine Zhang, but he was raised by the queen as soon as he was born. It is said that he and the queen had a deep mother-son relationship.

The Queen's mother's family is a prominent family. The eldest prince now occupies the position of "eldest son", and his maternal grandfather's family is powerful. It is not surprising that he was named the crown prince.

only……

Thinking of everything Xie Xuchi did to Xie Yanchen when he was in the capital, a dark gleam flashed across Xie Guanlan's eyes.

His eyelids drooped listlessly, his voice slow and dangerous, "Becoming the crown prince is nothing. Being able to sit in that position is a real skill."

He caught a glimpse of Fushan peeking at the door and raised his eyebrows.

Fushan walked in awkwardly, "Master, the second young master has gone to deliver the baby to the young lady!"