Ji Xinhe stiffly pulled up the corners of her lips, what a childish ghost!
Immediately, she wanted to follow Mu Houchu’s footsteps and leave.
Suddenly, Duan Lan said, "Are you doing well?"
He seemed to be gazing at her obsessively, not having seen her for six years. She was the figure that haunted his dreams; countless portraits of her hung in his study. Today, when he finally saw her, Duan Lan didn’t want to miss a single second.
Ji Xinhe turned her head back to look into his persistent eyes, and calmly said, "I am fine."
Having said this, she didn’t ask how he was and turned around to leave.
She knew what Duan Lan was thinking, she also knew what his heart yearned for. But what he yearned for was something she could never give - not in this lifetime. Therefore, the only thing she could do was to be more ruthless, break his persistence.
Duan Lan pulled up the corner of his mouth bitterly. She was fine, even without him, she was still fine. But why didn’t she ask about him? These years, he had not been doing well at all.
——
As soon as Xin He left, she saw Mu Hou Chu standing outside with a gloomy face.
Ah Guai whispered, "Is Daddy angry?"
Xin He handed Ah Guai to Shulan, "Mommy and Daddy have something to talk about, you go and play with Brother Song Xi and Uncle first."
"Okay." Ah Guai obediently nodded his head, before allowing Shulan to carry him away.
Xin He then sighed, and helplessly said, "I didn’t want to come either, but I know your temper. What if something bad were to happen because of him? That wouldn’t look good to the court. Duan Lan’s identity this time might be an Imperial envoy. This Imperial envoy is equivalent to the emperor, we can’t be too excessive, right?"
If it hadn’t been for Ah Guai who running to tell her, she wouldn’t even have known that Duan Lan had come to the mansion. This had scared her into rushing over.
Mu Houchu snorted coldly, "From what I see, his purpose of coming this time is already clear as Sima Zhao’s heart."
Xin He smiled and said, "Even if it is Sima Zhao’s heart, so what? Are we afraid? Why are you angry?"
Mu Houchu’s gaze became more intense, he looked at her for a while before slowly speaking, "What if I told you that I am genuinely afraid, would you believe it?"
Xin He was slightly shocked, not expecting these words to come from Mu Houchu.
This arrogant man, who didn’t fear death, was afraid of such a trivial matter?
Mu Houchu brushed away some stray hair from Xin He’s forehead, and said in a soft voice, "Xin He, anything that involves you, I can’t help but worry a bit more... and Duan Lan... he’s a bit of a special case."
Mu Houchu paused, his eyes darkened, he had regretted countless times, he had never regretted anything he did in the past, except for that one time he "ran away" from the wedding seven years ago.
He regretted that when facing the overall situation and her circumstances, he chose to let her go. He regretted missing those few months of companionship, he regretted giving Duan Lan an opportunity to take advantage.
Those few months, he was incomplete after all. He didn’t know what kind of seeds Duan Lan had planted in her heart. That was why he cared so much about Duan Lan, and this unknown fear made him feel scared, made him start worrying a lot.
He was worried to the point where even if she met with him once, he would feel insecure.
He should clearly know, who she is in love with.
Xin He wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, saying, "Mu Houchu, what are you afraid of? Do you think I would marry you and bear your children if I didn’t love you?"
Mu Houchu lightly hugged her, his heart inexplicably loosening, "I know."
Ji Xinhe curved the corner of her mouth and smiled, "If you’re really not at ease, then you should keep an eye on Ah Guai. If one day I really run away, as long as you have Ah Guai, I’ll definitely have to obediently come back."
Mu Houchu pinched her little face, "You dare!"
Only then did Ji Xinhe laugh, "But what did Duan Lan tell you exactly? You’re so angry."
Mu Houchu said in a deep voice, "Duan Lan said that his real intention of coming this time isn’t to investigate Yu State’s details. Removing me wouldn’t bring him much benefit either. Instead, the emperor would next shift his target to him. Get rid of the donkey after getting the millstone, this is a common trick of the emperor. He naturally understands this principle. He said he came to Yu state for another purpose."
As Mu Houchu spoke, he solemnly looked at Ji Xinhe.
Ji Xinhe very tactfully didn’t ask what the other purpose was, but instead said, "His words aren’t completely trustworthy. Maybe it’s just to make you lower your guard against him. You should know, right now he and us are completely opposed. The more he can grasp your weaknesses, the better for him."
Mu Houchu said, "Indeed, I’m not that easy to deceive. As long as he is still in Yu state, he had best not dream of making any waves."
"Yes!"
——
When Duan Lan left the Royal Mansion of Pingyang, his face was already gloomy.
The followers with him felt their hearts rise into their throats, totally at a loss as to why their master’s face had changed so much in such a short time.
Even if the weather is changeable, it couldn’t be this quick!
Qingyun, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised and cautiously asked, "Master, should we still stay in Yu state?"
In Qingyun’s opinion, there was no need to stay. The power that Mu Houchu held in Yu state was terrifyingly strong. They could not escape his eyes in everything they did, their actions were completely restrained. In Mu Houchu’s territory, how could they dig up any benefits?
It was simply a dream.
However, Duan Lan snorted coldly, "Leave? Unless Mu Houchu is gone, how can I leave?"
"But now..."
Duan Lan directly mounted his horse, looked up at the closed gate of the Pingyang Royal Mansion, and sneered, "Right now, it may not be such a bad opportunity."
Before Qingyun could react, Duan Lan had already kicked his horse and galloped away.
Qingyun could only sigh lightly and quickly mounted his horse to chase after him.
By the time Duan Lan hurried back to his mansion, a scout was already waiting for him inside.
"How is it?" Duan Lan asked coldly.
This scout was his undercover agent hidden in Yu State for six whole years, never having been put into use until today. His visit to the Pingyang Royal Mansion today was nothing more than a diversion, wasn’t it?
Mu Houchu was right, he had changed - so much so that even he couldn’t tell whether he went today to see Ji Xinhe or to distract Mu Houchu.
He couldn’t even tell whether what he was doing now was in order to get Ji Xinhe or the prosperous kingdom.
"People from the Pingyang Prince’s Mansion were very alert, there was no opportunity to exploit. Unless we can find someone from inside the Pingyang Mansion to use," the scout said.
Duan Lan glared coldly at him, "If I had someone, then what would I need you for?"
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