Chapter 54: Love that grows over time may not be inferior to a stunning first sight
When the fighting was fierce, the door of the waterside study suddenly creaked open.
Xiao Ze, dressed in casual clothes, walked out with narrowed eyes. His face was smiling, but there was a strange coldness hidden inside.
He really didn't expect that his good fourth brother, who was always self-disciplined and cold-hearted, would come to the Second Prince's mansion to kill for a woman. But it just happened to be a reason for him to kill him.
As soon as he appeared, all the secret guards consciously stopped their moves, distanced themselves from Xiao Yuan and his companions, and were extremely alert.
The leading man quickly walked up the stairs and whispered something to Xiao Ze. Xiao Ze's expression changed slightly. He looked up into the air, then after a moment his eyes shifted back to Xiao Yuan.
The sinister eyes hide calculations.
"Fourth brother, what are you doing?" He walked down the stairs, his tone cold, "No matter how much my father loves you, I am still your second brother after all. Are you trying to kill your brother by doing this?"
As soon as you open your mouth, you are accused of a great crime.
A hint of sneer appeared on Xiao Yuan's lips, "If Second Brother wants to die, Fourth Brother can help him."
The knife in his hand spun rapidly, Xiao Ze's face darkened, and he took a half step back without leaving a trace.
Not to mention other things, in terms of martial arts alone, he is definitely not Xiao Yuan's opponent. After fighting for several years, he also knows Xiao Yuan's temper very well. If he dares to say it, he really dares to kill him.
"This is the Second Prince's residence!" Xiao Ze gritted his teeth and reminded in a strong voice.
At the same time, noisy sounds mixed with the collision of weapons rang out violently in the Second Prince's mansion, coming from far away and getting closer.
Xiao Ze's face darkened again. He never thought that Xiao Yuan's men would arrive so quickly.
A large number of palace soldiers and secret guards dressed in uniform dark clothes swarmed into the waterside pavilion, making the originally spacious courtyard crowded in an instant. The two sides confronted each other and a battle was about to break out.
Both sides were waiting for their master's order.
Obviously, the morale of the Second Prince's side is weaker. Although they have undergone special training, compared with the Fourth Prince's secret guards who have been on the battlefield and have been eliminated through the survival of the fittest, they lack not only the experience of countless actual combats, but also the ruthlessness of risking their lives.
Xiao Yuan handed the knife in his hand to Qingfeng beside him. The breeze in the courtyard blew up a corner of his robe. He stood still with his hands behind his back, staring at Xiao Ze, whose face was slightly pale.
"Did the second brother release the person on his own initiative, or did the fourth brother raze the Second Prince's mansion to the ground and go find the person himself?"
The cold tone made Xiao Ze feel a chill in his heart, as if everything was slowly getting out of control. He knew what it was. He had miscalculated how much Xiao Yuan cared about the girl from the Shen family.
"How dare you!" He gritted his teeth, his eyes full of viciousness, "Xiao Yuan, you brought people to trespass into my mansion and started a war. Even if the emperor dotes on you, he will not forgive you. And the Imperial Censor, aren't you afraid that they will poke you in the back?"
He didn't believe it. He dared to risk everything and sacrifice his future for a woman.
But the next moment, Xiao Yuan used actual actions to tell him whether he dared or not.
Dozens of secret guards rushed forward the moment his finger fell, and every move was aimed at the opponent's life, even Xiao Ze was not spared.
In less than a cup of tea, the situation became one-sided, and the Second Prince's Mansion was losing ground. Xiao Ze swung his sword to block an attack from one person, but a cold light suddenly came, so fast that he didn't even have time to raise his sword.
The handsome face that he hated to the core was covered with cold frost, and his dark eyes were like poisonous snakes in the abyss, as if he was looking at a dead person. "I will only ask you once, where is the person?"
Xiao Ze swallowed and felt a sharp pain in his throat. He didn't dare to move.
The madness like a storm in Xiao Yuan's eyes made him have no doubt about the knife in his hand. As long as he couldn't give the answer he wanted, the knife would be ruthlessly thrust into his neck.
The secret guards who were fighting also stopped their actions one after another, looking nervously at the two people leaning against the pillars.
Shen Changhe frowned and strode over, but was stopped by Qingfeng, who shook his head slightly at him.
He is not Miss Shen. At this moment, the master is on the verge of losing control. Even if Miss Shen's elder brother speaks, it will not have any effect.
Shen Changhe paused, staring at the two of them with his gloomy eyes, especially at the furious Xiao Yuan. Once the seeds of doubt in his heart sprouted, they would grow wildly.
He didn't know that the Fourth Prince was...
"Let me go, or you'll never see that girl again in your life."
There was cruelty in Xiao Ze's eyes, as if he had discovered Xiao Yuan's weakness other than Concubine Shu.
The veins on Xiao Yuan's hand that was holding the hilt of the knife were bulging, and his face was gloomy without any expression. Xiao Ze grew up with him, so he could naturally understand the turbulent waves hidden beneath his calm appearance.
"Fourth brother, do you want that girl to be buried with me? That's fine. This way, what I can't get, you will never get in this life."
Women and the throne, as long as he dares to take action, he will never have these two things in this life.
Xiao Yuan slowly loosened his hand, and Xiao Ze immediately dodged the blade, taking a few quick breaths, cold sweat running down the back of his forehead.
He was very puzzled as to how Xiao Yuan received the news and rushed over so quickly. If he was delayed by just one night, the bandits would have escaped unscathed, and his plan would have been successfully completed.
If we hand him over at this moment, it would be like losing both the wife and the army!
There were too many unexpected things that made Xiao Ze's mind confused and he was unable to react in time.
"Which girl does fourth brother want?" Xiao Ze stood up straight, an evil smile on his face again.
Xiao Yuan's dark eyes were fixed on Xiao Ze, with a cruelty and determination that could devour someone at any time.
"How about this, let's make a deal." Xiao Ze took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, walked up the stairs and sat down directly.
He held up a few fingers and looked at Xiao Yuan with a half-smile. "Ten files of officials from the south in exchange for a girl. If Fourth Brother wants to save someone, it depends on which side is more important to Fourth Brother."
It all depends on whether the common people and the great cause are more important, or the girl inside?
In fact, Xiao Ze was also uncertain.
Because this is the best opportunity for Xiao Yuan to overthrow him. At least it can make him lose the qualifications and power to seize the throne, and he will not be able to make a comeback within three to five years.
Three to five years later, when he gathered his strength again, the best opportunity to fight had already been lost.
If it were him, there is no way he would give up the opportunity to defeat his opponent for a woman, even if the Second Prince's wife and the child threatened him.
Therefore, he was not sure whether Xiao Yuan would agree. But the arrow was on the string, how could he be beaten up and not get any benefit at all? It would be a waste of time and too cowardly.
Xiao Ze curled his fingers together, feeling inexplicably nervous.
"Fourth brother, you'd better not hope for a sudden attack. After all, the lives of the two girls are in my hands. Life or death is just a matter of raising my hand. No matter how fast you move, it won't be faster than the knife that cuts their necks."
Xiao Yuan's eyes swept across the rooms and finally fell on Xiao Ze's obviously tense face.
He knew that the more anxious he was, the less confident he would be and the more panicked he would be, but he still didn't dare to gamble.
As long as he thought about it, he would feel the suffocating pain in his chest as he thought about the man lying motionless in a pool of blood. He was afraid that those clear almond eyes would never look at him with resentment again.
Does he like her?
Ling Chenyi asked him this question intuitively, but even he himself couldn't explain it clearly. He didn't know whether he liked her or was just after the gentle and smiling eyes in his dreams.
He only knew that deep down in his heart he longed to get those eyes back, and if he couldn't, he could accept the resentment.
As long as it doesn't involve spring and autumn, it has nothing to do with love and sex.
"Qingfeng, go back to the mansion to get it."
"Master." Qingfeng couldn't believe it, but it was also expected.
The master and Prince Ling spent countless days and nights before they finally found an opportunity to completely overthrow the second prince.
It was only after the master had endured humiliation for so many years that he finally got what he wanted.
Xiao Yuan glanced at him indifferently, and Qingfeng immediately lowered his head and agreed with gritted teeth.
Xiao Ze was just stunned for a moment, then he was ecstatic. It was a helpless move to win over and force the Shen family to help. After all, water can carry a boat but can also capsize it. It was still unknown whether it would be a help or a tiger.
Compared with the file list in Xiao Yuan's hand, it is still much lighter and not worth it.
Compared to the Shen family, those officials are the top priority for his revival, so there is no time for this calculation.
Xiao Ze sat on the steps, his hands tightly clasped together, waiting nervously and excitedly.
"The Fourth Prince." As the commander of the Imperial Guard and the eldest son raised by the Shen family, Shen Changhe naturally knew what handing over the list meant to Xiao Yuan.
His throat seemed to be clogged with cotton wool, and he couldn't speak. After all, the person he wanted to save was his own sister. "I will never forget your kindness today."
Xiao Yuan didn't say anything, looking at the room behind Xiao Ze. Just when Shen Changhe thought he wouldn't speak, he suddenly asked, "When does your father plan to arrange a marriage for her?"
"Huh?" Shen Changhe didn't react for a moment, and only came to his senses when he met Xiao Yuan's eyes.
With a complicated look in his eyes, he shook his head, "I don't know either. I've been busy lately, so I... never asked. I think he wants to wait until my marriage is settled."
"When will you get engaged?"
Shen Changhe paused, and the beautiful face with an anxious blush appeared in his mind. The words turned back and forth on the tip of his tongue, and finally he said softly, "The family has decided tomorrow."
She was a kind and bold girl. Things had already been decided, and since he had accepted it, he should treat her well.
Moreover, in order to save An An, the girl took the initiative to tell others that she was his fiancée. For this reason alone, he must be responsible.
Shen Changhe agreed to the marriage, neither reluctantly nor happily.
My mother said that feelings can be cultivated, and love grows over time. The ties of children and grandchildren, and countless days and nights, may not be inferior to a stunning glance.
When Xiao Yuan heard that he was going to get engaged the next day, his already unhappy face became even more gloomy.
Qing'an scratched his head, always feeling that his master was a bit of a sucker, sacrificing so much, but in the end he helped others save his wife. That scholar was the one who won without doing anything.
Xiao Ze was feeling very nervous. Seeing that the two of them were still in the mood to chat about those gossips between women, he looked very unhappy.
Time passed by bit by bit, and Xiao Yuan's eyes scanned again and again, weighing whether he should have another fight. If Shen Changhe was injured, then the engagement banquet tomorrow would probably be postponed.
After all the goings and goings, it would take quite some time to set an auspicious date and exchange invitations. If his marriage was not settled, Shen Anan and that dead scholar could only wait on the sidelines.
Just as he was thinking about it, there was a sudden crisp sound from the waterside pavilion room, followed by a loud bang of a wooden window falling to the ground and dust rising all over the ground.
Shen Anan's face was sweaty, and her beautiful little face was revealed from the window lattice, but at this moment it was gray and a little embarrassed.
Her silent almond eyes burst into light when she heard Shen Changhe's voice, and joy appeared on her face.
The moment Xiao Yuan saw the woman's face, his stern brows slowly relaxed, and when he saw the woman's happy expression, he pulled the corners of his lips.
Then the woman called out in a hoarse voice, "Brother, I'm here."
The smile was frozen at the corner of his mouth, and the woman didn't even glance at him.
He had gone to so much trouble to break into the Second Prince's mansion to save her. Xiao Yuan cursed her for being heartless in his heart, but his eyes kept scanning Shen Anan. He only relaxed after making sure that she was not seriously injured.
"Brother, I knew you would come to save me." Duan Mengmeng also stuck her head out from the window, her face full of tears of emotion, and she looked at Xiao Yuan's tall figure with misty eyes.
At the same time, Xiao Ze, who had been sitting motionless on the steps, stood up quickly, and the secret guards closest to him took action together, putting their knives across the neck of Duan Mengmeng who was trying to climb out of the window.
Shen Anan took a few steps back, exhaled, and sighed that she was lucky to have dodged quickly. Although she knew that the Second Prince would not kill them, it was not a pleasant feeling to have someone hold a knife against them.
Duan Mengmeng was so scared that she couldn't even cry.
When the corner of his eyes glanced at Shen Anan viciously, damn it, it was clearly her who opened the window, why is she always the one who suffers.
"Fourth brother, are you so angry today because of Miss Duan San or Miss Shen?" Xiao Ze had a playful smile on his face.
Xiao Yuan's eyes swept across the eager Duan Mengmeng, and then fell on the silent Shen Anan behind him. His dark eyes were dark, and he said nothing.
Xiao Ze seemed very interested in this question. "Miss Duan San is the granddaughter of your mentor. They are childhood sweethearts. I guess it's because of Miss Duan San."
As he spoke, he glanced back intentionally or unintentionally.
Shen Anan looked indifferent, with no ripples on her cold face, pretending not to see it.
Anyway, he didn't come for her. Not to mention the files of ten southern officials, with Xiao Yuan, it would be a great mercy for him to save her.
Seeing Xiao Yuan silent, Xiao Ze chuckled, "Fourth brother is deeply in love with Miss Duan San, and as a brother, I naturally cannot be unkind. How about this, second brother, let's go, the five officials' files can rescue Miss Duan San, and similarly, the price of Miss Shen's will have to go up, so..."
"Second Prince." Shen Changhe said in a deep voice, "My Shen family does not have the files that the Second Prince mentioned. You can make some other requests. As long as the Shen family can do it, we will definitely not refuse."
"Tsk." Xiao Ze glanced at Shen Changhe, "Then it's none of my business. If you want to save people and can't produce the files of 20 people, then we'll be in trouble."
Shen Changhe's face looked extremely ugly.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Xiao Ze was deliberately trying to provoke Xiao Yuan.
If all the files of the twenty-five officials were handed over, it would mean that all the work on the refugee issue would be in vain and all the efforts would be in vain.
Shen Anan glanced at Xiao Yuan and instantly retracted her gaze, with sarcasm in her eyes. How could Xiao Yuan care about her life or death? Xiao Ze was really sick in the brain, and his loss was not unfair at all.
"The Second Prince so openly kidnapped the daughter of an important official and threatened the Fourth Prince. Aren't you afraid that the Emperor will settle the score later?" Shen Anan said coldly.
Xiao Ze's expression paused, then he sneered, "Do you have any evidence? Besides, who knows whether it was me who kidnapped him or you who were just trying to curry favor with me?"
Anyway, if this matter gets out, he, a grown man, will be the one who suffers. If all else fails, he can just accuse them of deliberate seduction.
His greatest confidence was the files in Xiao Yuan's hands. As long as he got the files, he could prove that Xiao Yuan did have evil intentions, attacked his brothers, and coveted the throne.
In the face of these unspeakable thoughts, his fault was not worth mentioning in front of his father.
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