Chapter 96: Acting Cute
Langhua, who was just about to lift his foot to leave, stopped immediately upon hearing this.
He turned to look at Li Xuanyue.
“The Princess is going to the Lord Consort’s place?”
When Langhua asked this, a dark glint flashed through his eyes. Although it was fast, Junhe beside him caught it.
Li Xuanyue didn’t understand the meaning behind Langhuaās question but nodded. “Father Monarch has invited me; how could there be any reason not to go?”
“But…”
Langhua seemingly thought of something. He didn’t want Li Xuanyue to go, but seeing her looking at him with confusion, he ultimately didn’t voice what he had seen before.
“If Consort Lang has something to say, just say it directly.”
Seeing his hesitant manner, Li Xuanyue thought he was hiding something from her. She asked quite bluntly.
Langhua shook his head. “Nothing!”
He curled his lips slightly, adjusting his mindset. Then, returning to his usual nonchalant appearance, he smiled and said:
“This subject was just wondering if the Princess could take me along!”
Li Xuanyue: “…”
“Young Master, the Lord Consort is likely looking for the Princess to discuss important matters.”
Fengyi, standing by the side, clearly couldn’t bear to look at the ingratiating smile on Langhuaās face.
Was this still the Young Master he knew? How could he act cute like this? It made his flesh crawl.
He made a fist, placed it against his lips, and coughed lightly. Using the steadiest tone to say the most reliable words:
“Look at your clothes right now. You should probably hurry back and change. Letās not delay the Princess from seeing the Lord Consort.”
Langhua rolled his eyes at Fengyi. “Since when do I need you to teach me how to do things?”
So lacking in perception?
Fengyiās mouth twitched. Was he being despised by his own master? His master used to say he was the most perceptive, the one who understood him best. How was he despising him now?
“If Consort Lang truly wants to go, perhaps another day.”
Junhe frowned. Although he couldn’t guess what Langhua was thinking, seeing his determination to follow Li Xuanyue to the Xihe Palace, Junhe knew he must have sensed something. He stepped forward to persuade him.
Langhua glanced at Junhe. “I accept Consort Junās good intentions.”
He spoke ambiguously, “It’s just that the opportunity to accompany the Princess to meet the Lord Consort is rare. This Young Master does not wish to give it up.”
With words spoken to this extent, what reason did Li Xuanyue have to refuse Langhua accompanying her?
“Since you want to go, then let’s go together.”
Li Xuanyue didn’t think much of it. She treated it as a casual visit that would only take half a day.
“Will Consort Jun come with us?”
Since Langhua chose to accompany her, Li Xuanyue couldn’t reason to leave Junhe behind alone. Otherwise, if people found out, they might think she didn’t favor this Consort Jun.
However, Junhe didn’t want to wade into muddy waters.
“This subject will not go.”
Junhe rejected Li Xuanyueās invitation without a second thought. “I hope the Princess and Consort Lang get along happily.”
Junheās refusal didn’t upset Li Xuanyue. On the contrary, she felt he was very sensible.
“In that case, you go back to the Junhe Palace and rest first.”
Li Xuanyue smiled faintly. “When this Princess is free another day, I will come to see you personally.”
Meanwhile, the maid who had delivered the message returned to the Xihe Palace and informed Hua Shan of what had just transpired.
“Master, should this subordinate go and solve him personally?”
The “him” Xiao Ce spoke of was none other than Langhua.
The matter of the fire at Chaoren Palace had been investigated thoroughly. Although Xiao Ce wasn’t clear on how Li Xuanyue knew about the secret chamber, he had investigated Langhua being drugged, kidnapped by Li Qinghe, and subsequently escaping to the Xihe Palace very clearly.
He hadn’t expected his carelessness to allow the other party to discover the location of the secret chamber. Nor had he expected Langhua to see that scene between Hua Shan and Hua Sangāsomething that should never have been seen.
In the past, such a person would have been silenced by Xiao Ce long ago. But days had passed, and Hua Shan had not ordered him to strike. This confused Xiao Ce.
Hua Shan sipped tea from his cup, looking unhurriedly at Xiao Ce.
“Do you want this Lord to be suspected immediately?”
He flicked his sleeve, set down the teacup, and gazed ahead with deep eyes.
“This matter won’t be spread by the other party anytime soon.”
“That Consort Lang isn’t a brainless person.”
Hua Shan analyzed, “If he were going to talk, he likely would have told Yue-er the moment he met her.”
“But so many days have passed, and there has been no movement from him.”
“Presumably, he also fears that if he speaks of this, Yue-er will say he is spouting nonsense.”
Listening to Hua Shanās analysis, Xiao Ce felt it made sense. The person Li Xuanyue trusted most was her Father Monarch, Hua Shan. Langhua was merely a consort sent for a political alliance from a foreign clan.
Did Li Xuanyue not know who was heavier in her heart?
If Langhua truly told Li Xuanyue he saw Hua Shan kissing Hua Sangās forehead in the secret chamber of the Xihe Palaceās rear hall, Li Xuanyue would definitely say he was talking rubbish. Not only that, she would suspect Langhuaās intentions.
Even if Hua Shan didn’t act, Langhua would be discarded by Li Xuanyue.
“Let us watch for changes first.”
Hua Shan made the final decision. “See what he plans to do after following Yue-er to the Xihe Palace shortly.”
As long as the matter wasn’t exposed, he couldn’t let Langhua go.
The journey to Xihe Palace took about seven or eight minutes.
When Li Xuanyue and Langhua arrived, Hua Shan had just ordered a maid to brew a pot of high-quality flower tea.
“Father Monarch!”
Li Xuanyue skipped the formalities entirely upon arrival, rushing directly toward Hua Shan.
This made Langhua, standing to the side, awkward. He couldn’t exactly copy Li Xuanyue and run up to act cute in front of Hua Shan, could he? Leaving aside how weird it would be for a grown man, his relationship with Hua Shan wasn’t truly father and son. How could he be as casual as Li Xuanyue?
Thus, Langhua had to raise his hand and interrupt the harmonious moment between father and daughter.
“Greetings to the Father Monarch.” Langhua spoke softly.
Li Xuanyueās coquetry improved Hua Shanās mood significantly. Consequently, his gaze toward Langhua became much softer.
“Rise.”
Although his words were directed at Langhua, his eyes never left Li Xuanyue.
“I heard you cooked personally today?” Hua Shan asked curiously. “And made many Beggarās Chickens?”
“Mmhmm!”
Hearing Hua Shan ask this, Li Xuanyue guessed what he wanted to know. She hurriedly asked with concern, “How was it, Father Monarch? Did you eat the Beggarās Chicken? What did you think? Did it suit your taste?”
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