Chapter 78: Gotten Smarter
Li Xuanyue waved her hand. “Let’s go!”
Her mind was entirely focused on Hua Shan’s safety, so she didn’t refuse Lang Hua’s request, nor did she ask why he happened to be on the road to Xihe Hall.
At this moment, Xihe Hall was bustling with activity. Because of the mournful wailing last night, several clan elders had rushed over.
When Li Xuanyue and Lang Hua arrived, Hua Shan looked exhausted as he explained things to the elders. It seemed they had been talking for a while.
The elders’ faces now showed looks of belief. They didn’t seem surprised by the appearance of Li Xuanyue and Lang Hua.
Conversely, when Hua Shan, sitting at the head of the hall, saw Li Xuanyue and Lang Hua enter, a dark glint flashed through his gloomy eyes.
“Greetings, Father.”
Li Xuanyue and Lang Hua bowed in unison to Hua Shan.
Hua Shan furrowed his brow. “Why have you come?”
He asked knowingly.
However, Li Xuanyue, intent on learning the truth, did not back down because of his question. She stood straight, chest out, and looked directly at Hua Shan.
“Father, this morning I heard from the maids that mournful wailing came from Xihe Hall last night. So I came specifically to check and ask if Father noticed anything amiss in the surroundings?”
Hua Shan wasn’t a three-year-old child. How could he not hear that Li Xuanyue was implying something strange was going on in his hall?
He frowned deeply. “It was just a cat in heat. It couldn’t find a mate, so it cried in Xihe Hall all night.”
“It’s not a major issue. What nonsense are you imagining?”
There was a hint of anger in Hua Shan’s tone.
It made sense. If anyone woke up early in the morning only to face interrogation from so many people, it would be strange if they kept a good mood.
Li Xuanyue was stunned.
She was intimidated by Hua Shan’s stern face. After all, since childhood, Hua Shan had never spoken a harsh word to her. But just now, his tone seemed to carry anger.
Was he mad at her?
Hua Shan ignored the surprise in Li Xuanyue’s eyes. He waved his hand impatiently. “It’s getting late. Do you have anything else to ask? If not, you may leave.”
“I am tired and wish to continue resting.”
To Li Xuanyue, Hua Shan’s behavior was clearly abnormal. In the past, whenever she visited Xihe Hall, Hua Shan would ask her to stay until dark or at least have breakfast before letting her leave.
But today, he didn’t even spare her an extra glance. This was a clear sign he was hiding something.
The elders saw that the fatigue on Hua Shan’s face was not faked. They all bowed and retreated one by one. They had already asked what needed to be asked before Li Xuanyue and Lang Hua arrived. To stay any longer would be tactless.
However, Li Xuanyue stood there immovable as a mountain. She clearly wanted an explanation from Hua Shan.
Seeing this, Lang Hua had no choice but to stand still alongside her.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
Suddenly, only the three of them remained in the vast Xihe Hall. Even Hua Shan’s maids and trusted aides had retreated when the elders left.
Hua Shan’s eyes were dark.
“Why haven’t you left yet?”
Looking at Li Xuanyue standing there stubbornly, his voice carried a trace of impatience.
Hua Shan loved his daughter dearly. But seeing her persist like this, he felt extremely troubled. Didn’t the girl know he was upset right now? Why didn’t she know to leave first and let him calm down?
“Consort Lang, why are you still standing there?”
Seeing that she wouldn’t listen, Hua Shan turned his gaze to Lang Hua beside her and ordered coldly, “Take Yue’er away immediately.”
He was busy enough as it was. He didn’t want to spare extra energy to deal with other matters.
Suddenly named, Lang Hua looked at Li Xuanyue. The meaning in his eyes was clear: What now? Your father is chasing you out. Maybe you shouldn’t insist. Let’s just leave.
Li Xuanyue ignored Lang Hua’s gaze. She stared fixedly at Hua Shan and asked:
“Father, is Xiao Han here with you?”
Li Xuanyue had pondered it in her heart for a moment, but in the end, she asked the question she wanted to ask. Intuition told her that Xiao Han’s disappearance last night was related to Hua Shan.
He used to be Hua Shan’s man, though he was later assigned to protect her. But it was possible that while investigating Xihe Hall last night, he accidentally discovered some hidden secret. Otherwise, why hadn’t he returned yet?
Hua Shan frowned. “Isn’t Xiao Han the man I gave to you? If he isn’t staying dutifully by your side, why run here to ask me?”
Lang Hua, standing to the side, hadn’t expected things to become so complicated.
So that Xiao Han ran to Xihe Hall last night to spy for Li Xuanyue? And for some reason, he suddenly vanished or never returned.
So Li Xuanyue didn’t run here early in the morning out of concern for the events at Xihe Hall, but to question Hua Shan about Xiao Han’s whereabouts? She suspected Hua Shan was responsible for Xiao Han’s disappearance?
For a moment, Lang Hua felt he had stumbled upon a significant secret. His eyes were complex as he lowered his head as much as possible to minimize his presence in the hall.
“He is missing!”
As Li Xuanyue said this, she kept her eyes fixed on Hua Shan’s face, seemingly trying to find a clue in his expression.
Unfortunately, Hua Shan kept a cold face from start to finish, not revealing a single flaw in front of her.
Hua Shan furrowed his brows. “If he is missing, send someone to find him.”
He said angrily, “You come to my palace to question me—do you suspect I did something to him?”
This daughter of his had certainly become much smarter than before. But of all things, she shouldn’t have sent someone last night.
Hua Shan narrowed his eyes. As soon as he recalled the scene of Xiao Han seeing him holding Hua Shan last night, he couldn’t stop the killing intent rising in his heart.
“I didn’t expect the daughter I raised to ignore my health issues and instead run here to question me over a guard.”
He said coldly, “In your eyes, am I less important than that guard?”
Although Xiao Han was someone he had personally assigned to her, since he discovered those secrets last night, Hua Shan had every right to take his life.
“That isn’t what I meant!” Li Xuanyue lowered her head and said solemnly, “Just now when I asked about Father’s condition, Father said you were safe and sound, and that it was just a wild cat in heat. That is why I thought to ask you about Xiao Han.”
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