Chapter 342 Sinister Intentions
That evening, Xu Jinnian left the palace and got into a carriage to go home.
Halfway there, two men suddenly rushed out from the roadside and blocked the carriage's path.
Upon hearing Ah Tian's question, Xu Jinnian, inside the carriage, lifted the curtain.
One of them stepped forward and said arrogantly to Xu Jinnian, "Lord Xu, my prince invites you."
Xu Jinnian glanced at him and asked calmly, "May I ask who your prince is?"
"Princess Pingyuan".
In the quiet and elegant tea room, the faint aroma of tea blends with the wisps of incense, creating a rather unpleasant, chaotic atmosphere.
The princess's residence staff stood guard at the entrance, preventing anyone from daring to sneak in.
Behind Princess Pingyuan stood a man, Wei Ming, the chief guard she trusted.
The two sat opposite each other. Xu Jinnian calmly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and waited for Princess Pingyuan to speak.
Seeing that he was neither humble nor arrogant, and that his demeanor and bearing were far superior to those of the two carefully trained imposters, a dark shadow crossed Princess Pingyuan's eyes.
No wonder Yuan Zhen had been thinking about him for so many years, searching far and wide for people who resembled him.
She had only met two men in her life who were so unforgettable; the other was her husband, Jiang Lang.
They truly are a master and disciple!
A pang of melancholy stirred in Princess Pingyuan's heart, but a gentle smile appeared on her face:
"Lord Xu is highly regarded by His Majesty and is usually very busy with official duties. I had no choice but to resort to this tactic of stopping him halfway through the journey if I wanted to have a chat with him. I hope Lord Xu can understand."
Xu Jinnian put down his teacup and said in a calm and unhurried voice, "Your Highness has invited me, and I dare not disobey."
Sensing the distance in his words, Princess Pingyuan's smile faded slightly: "Lord Xu, there's no need to be nervous. I've come to see you on a private matter."
Xu Jinnian looked up at the woman opposite him who seemed approachable but actually had a sharp edge. Not wanting to waste time listening to her keep him in suspense, he went straight to the point: "I wonder what business Your Highness has with me?"
Princess Pingyuan was displeased and put away her last bit of smile: "Since Lord Xu's time is precious, I will not beat around the bush with you."
At this point, she looked at Xu Jinnian's face and said, word by word:
"Yuan Zhen has admired you for many years and is willing to marry you as a secondary wife. As long as you agree, I will do my best to pave the way for you and help you rise to a high position."
While speaking, Princess Pingyuan kept a close eye on Xu Jinnian's expression, trying to glean something from it.
To her disappointment, Xu Jinnian didn't even blink, as if her promise as a powerful princess was worthless.
This realization greatly displeased Princess Pingyuan.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness, but please forgive me for being unable to comply."
Xu Jinnian suppressed the nausea churning in her stomach, her face showing no emotion.
Seeing his refusal so decisively, Princess Pingyuan was even more displeased: "Lord Xu, a wise man knows when to yield. You are still young and have a long road ahead of you. You cannot ruin your future for a moment of impulsiveness."
In the end, it turned out to be a threat.
Xu Jinnian's lips curled slightly, and under the surprised gaze of Princess Pingyuan, he stood up and bowed respectfully.
"It's getting late, and my family is waiting for me to come home for dinner, so I can't stay any longer. Thank you for your hospitality today, Your Highness."
Having said that, without waiting for Princess Pingyuan to speak, he turned around and left without the slightest hesitation.
"You...you're being insolent!"
Princess Pingyuan was abandoned for the first time in her life. Staring at Xu Jinnian's back, she could barely speak, her well-maintained face filled with shock and anger.
Xu Jinnian didn't even turn his head; he opened the door to the tea room and left.
"Very well, very well indeed! A mere seventh-rank cultivator dares to disregard me!"
Princess Pingyuan slammed her hand heavily on the tea table, causing the water in the teacup to spill out and wet her reddened palm.
"Your Highness, please calm down."
Wei Ming stepped forward and stood beside Princess Pingyuan to persuade her, while beckoning to the maid who was standing at the door, too afraid to come in.
The maids rushed in and carefully examined Princess Pingyuan's hand, only breathing a sigh of relief when they confirmed there was no bleeding or broken bones.
"Get out! You are not to be brought in without my permission!"
Princess Pingyuan, still furious, vented her anger on her maids.
The maids hastily retreated. She closed her eyes and rubbed her throbbing temples, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes:
"He won't listen to reason, so he thinks he's favored by His Majesty and that I can't do anything to him?"
Wei Ming pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness previously disagreed with Miss marrying Lord Xu as a secondary wife, so why did you approach Lord Xu today to request a marriage alliance?"
Princess Pingyuan knew he wasn't a talkative person, and seeing that he asked this question, she didn't hide her purpose:
“Yuan Zhen looks down on those two imposters, and I don’t want my future grandchildren’s father to be a lowly male concubine. Besides…”
Princess Pingyuan's eyes gleamed with ambition, making no attempt to conceal her desire for power:
"The Jiang clan, to which Jiang Lang belongs, wields considerable power in the court. Back then, Jiang Lang consolidated his faction's influence, but now that he has long since withdrawn from the court, this power will eventually be handed over to his most trusted student. That is exactly what I want."
If the cheating scandal hadn't come to light last year, and if Yuan Zhen hadn't become a cripple, she would have had plenty of time to consolidate and expand her power, and gradually take control of the entire court.
Now she can't wait any longer; she must quickly win over other forces to pledge their allegiance to her and pull that man off the throne.
Otherwise, if this continues, those under her control will betray her sooner or later.
She tacitly allowed Yuan Zhen to poison the Sheng family, also because she wanted to recruit Xu Mingyu to her side.
Unexpectedly, he was so tactless, not only rejecting Yuan Zhen's sincere feelings, but also daring to refuse the benefits she promised. He really didn't know what was good for him!
Upon hearing this, Wei Ming concealed the mockery in his eyes, silently stepped aside, and coldly watched the person in front of him court death.
Xu Jinnian got back into the carriage and instructed the driver, A-Tian, "You must not mention what just happened to Madam."
To prevent An'an from overthinking again.
Ah Tian replied, "Yes, this servant understands."
Back home, Sheng An indeed asked Xu Jinnian why he was half an hour later than usual.
Xu Jinnian made an excuse to cover it up.
Xu Chenglin genuinely believed his son was busy with official duties, and with a pang of heartache, he said to him, "Take it easy if you can. Our family doesn't rely on you getting promoted for the meager salary you earn."
Xu Jinnian was both amused and exasperated: "Father, your words make your son feel utterly ashamed."
Xu Chenglin rolled his eyes at him and snorted, "I see you're enjoying your life as a gigolo!"
Xu Jinnian: "..."
His father's pride and lack of shame in supporting him so easily is a major reason why he can live off An'an without any burden.
Xu Chenglin ignored his son's complaints and said excitedly:
“These past few days I’ve had nothing to do, so your grandparents and I went out and found a suitable shop. We’re planning to open a small food stall like we do back in our hometown to pass the time. We’re so bored that our bones are going to rust.”
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