Chapter 24: So they've already started poaching our players?
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoyu was about to tactfully retreat when Xiao Jingheng grabbed her wrist and pulled her across the threshold.
"Your Highness is overthinking it. She's just an ignorant and uneducated maid who stays by your side to serve you tea and water. She's timid and clumsy, and she doesn't understand anything."
[What? A lowly maid? Clumsy? Can't understand? Young Master, would you like to hear what you're saying? I may want to watch the show, but I don't want to watch it right under the villain's nose!]
But outwardly, she still cooperated by lowering her head and hunching her shoulders, trying to look foolish. The fact that she was also holding a pile of unfinished snacks only added to her 'improper' appearance.
Chu Yan raised an eyebrow, still somewhat doubtful.
A lowly maidservant?
What kind of maidservant could make Xiao Jingheng care so much and personally accompany him shopping for snacks?
His gaze swept over Su Xiaoyu's nice clothes and the exquisite snacks in her arms, and he sneered inwardly.
"I see."
Chu Yan smiled and walked into the private room. "It seems I was overthinking things. Jing Heng, please."
Xiao Jingheng nodded slightly and stepped inside.
Su Xiaoyu braced herself and followed cautiously inside like a little tail.
At first, the two toasted each other and exchanged pleasantries.
When masters clash, their moves are often hidden in the shadows.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Chu Yan casually steered the conversation toward the imperial court.
"The court appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging beneath. His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent, which is a blessing for the people, but sometimes... excessive leniency may not be a good thing for the country."
He gently swirled his wine glass, his gaze fixed meaningfully on Xiao Jingheng. "The Yongning Marquis's family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, deeply trusted by the Emperor. Jingheng, you are an outstanding member of the younger generation. What are your thoughts on the current situation?"
Chu Yan's words were a test.
Although the Yongning Marquis's mansion outwardly supports the Crown Prince, as long as the Crown Prince has not officially ascended the throne, there is still a chance for everything.
Moreover, the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Yongning Marquis's residence is not entirely unbreakable.
Xiao Jingheng's expression remained unchanged: "Your Highness flatters me. The Xiao family has been deeply favored by the Emperor for generations, and we only know how to be loyal to the Emperor and love the country, and to fulfill our duties. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country, and benevolence is also a virtue. We, as his subjects, should do our best to assist him and share his burdens."
His words were impeccable, demonstrating both the Marquis's loyalty to the emperor and his support for the Crown Prince.
Su Xiaoyu was diligently peeling a crab when she heard them talking about the Crown Prince, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself:
The Crown Prince was a good person, but his fate was unfortunate... Sigh, thinking about his later ending in the book, it's such a pity. Such a good person, yet he was crippled after falling from his horse, and in the end... Sigh, it's all because of the Third Prince and his gang! Now he looks respectable, but who knows what he's scheming in his heart!
Xiao Jingheng listened silently, his fingers gripping the wine glass turning slightly white.
Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Chu Yan changed her approach, her tone carrying a hint of heartfelt regret:
"Brother Jingheng is exceptionally talented and has repeatedly rendered outstanding service at the Dali Temple. Are you truly content to remain subservient to others forever? It is known that a wise bird chooses its tree to perch on, and a virtuous minister chooses his lord to serve. This 'tree' may appear lush and verdant now, but who knows if its roots are secure? What if it falters in the future? Wouldn't that jeopardize Brother Jingheng and the Marquis's bright future?"
His words were almost blatant attempts to win him over and sow discord.
Su Xiaoyu had just stuffed a piece of crab meat into her mouth when she heard this, her eyes widened!
Good grief!
[They're already trying to poach our talent?! So blatantly? Third Prince, where's your brain? Shouldn't you offer some benefits or something?]
[Oh, just saying that doesn't make anyone fall for it. The book says that Marquis Yongning is a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince helped him a lot when the Marquis's mansion got into trouble, although in the end... sigh. Anyway, the Heir Apparent is the male lead, a gentleman, and he definitely wouldn't betray the Crown Prince. Third Prince, don't waste your time!]
Xiao Jingheng's pupils trembled slightly when he heard the words "male lead".
If he remembered correctly, the last time Xiaoyu saw Lin Wan'er at the restaurant, she said that she was the female lead!
Now he's claiming to be the male lead.
Could it be...?
Thinking of this, a strange sense of unease arose in his heart.
Xiao Jingheng sneered inwardly.
Chu Yan's ambition is no longer concealed.
He put down his wine glass, met Chu Yan's gaze, and spoke with unwavering certainty:
"Your Highness is mistaken. A subject's duty lies in loyalty to the emperor and love for the country, not in weighing pros and cons and choosing a 'tree' to perch on. The entire Yongning Marquis's household only knows how to be loyal to His Majesty and assist the Crown Prince. Heaven and earth can bear witness to this, and it has never wavered, nor will it ever waver!"
These words were tantamount to a complete rejection of Chu Yan's attempts to win him over.
After saying that, he stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to Chu Yan: "Thank you for your hospitality today, Your Highness. I have other important matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."
Seeing his lack of understanding, Chu Yan's smile gradually faded, and her eyes flashed with a sinister light.
"Since Jingheng has something to attend to, I won't stay any longer."
His gaze swept over Xiao Jingheng's hand holding the little fish. "Then let's talk another day."
Only after getting into the carriage and escaping that suffocating atmosphere did Su Xiaoyu finally breathe a long sigh of relief and pat her chest.
"Finally out! Dining with that prince felt like the air itself was heavy."
Xiao Jingheng leaned against the carriage wall, thinking about the Crown Prince, and only hummed in response to the question.
Su Xiaoyu, who had been holding back a lot of questions, couldn't help but ask now that she was safe, "Young Master, was that Third Prince... trying to win you over just now?"
Xiao Jingheng slowly opened his eyes, looking at Su Xiaoyu's face full of curiosity, his emotions unreadable: "Even you noticed?"
Su Xiaoyu scratched the back of her head, thinking about the final fate of the Crown Prince and the Marquis's mansion in the book, and felt it was still necessary to remind the heir apparent first.
"Of course! Just look at his eyes... he doesn't look like a good person!"
[They appear smiling and polite on the surface, but there's always a hint of calculation hidden beneath their eyes.]
"Young Master, just watch, he's definitely trying to win you over to do things for him because he sees the Marquis's mansion and you, Young Master, are in high positions and have great power!"
After spending half a day together, Su Xiaoyu grew bolder and began to speculate boldly: "I've seen this kind of person a lot... in storybooks. They don't have any real skills, but they think about forming cliques and climbing up by stepping on others. They might be doing some shady things behind the scenes, like... framing loyal officials, accepting bribes, or... raising a bunch of assassins or death squads."
The more she talked, the more reasonable her guess seemed, and she nodded vigorously:
"Yes! That must be it! Your Highness, you absolutely mustn't agree to him. There's no good going to come from hanging out with him. You might end up being made a scapegoat one day!"
In the past, Xiao Jingheng would have dealt with her on the spot upon hearing her rebellious and baseless words.
But now he knows that Su Xiaoyu can see into the future and seems to know everyone very well, as if God has given her a third eye.
He became increasingly convinced that Su Xiaoyu's arrival at the Marquis's residence and by his side was surely an arrangement of fate.
Therefore, he knew that what she said was true, and might even be just the tip of the iceberg.
But! Rules cannot be disregarded.
His gaze was deep, and his tone carried a hint of authority: "Watch your words! His Highness the Third Prince is of noble birth and of high status. How dare you or I speak of him so casually?"
"You may say these words only to me today, but if they get out to outsiders, how many heads do you have to chop off?"
His tone wasn't harsh, but more of a warning, intended to make Su Xiaoyu understand the principle that trouble comes from careless words.
Su Xiaoyu was talking enthusiastically when he scolded her, and she immediately shut up and shrank her neck.
"Yes! This servant knows her mistake! This servant will never dare to speak nonsense again!"
[Sigh, how can I possibly warn the young master to avoid the crisis facing the Marquis's mansion? I'm so worried.]
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng abruptly changed the subject, "Then what do you think the Marquis's Mansion should do? Which side should it stand on?"
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