Chapter 647: Chapter 647
Fengyu and Xie Xun were indifferent to such petty rumors. Han Ziqi’s cunning calculations fell through, and after the terms were settled, Xie Xun informed Han Ziqi that an envoy would be sent to Sannan after the new year.
Han Ziqi specifically named Xie Jue as the envoy to make the trip to Sannan.
In the Jinluan Palace, Xie Xun grew increasingly vexed with Han Ziqi’s lack of perceptiveness. He had no desire for Xie Jue to have any connection with Sannan and even less intention of sending him there. After all, Xie Jue was his only blood brother. If any mishap befell him in Sannan, razing Sannan to the ground would be meaningless.
Just as he was about to refuse, his gaze met Xie Jue’s. All his refusals caught in his throat, leaving him with no choice but to agree to Han Ziqi’s request and dispatch Xie Jue to Sannan after the new year.
The specifics of the date would be discussed later but would certainly occur before April. After some thought, Han Ziqi also agreed to Xie Xun’s timing. "Then we shall eagerly await Prince Yan’s esteemed arrival. The entire Sannan royal family will extend a warm welcome to you."
Xie Jue was currently the only prince with a single-character title in the Beining Dynasty, making his status exceedingly noble. There was no conceivable reason for him to act as an envoy to Sannan. Many within the cabinet wanted to intervene to stop this, especially as they were concerned about the circulating rumors. If Xie Jue’s status truly held deeper significance, then what would they do?
Such concerns remained merely thoughts, however, as Lin Helin, Zhang Boju, Lin Hongyuan, and others in the cabinet refrained from voicing opposition. Thus, the matter was decided.
Outside the Jinluan Palace, Fang Chuning shamelessly tailed Xie Jue. "Ting Feng, next year I’ll accompany you to Sannan."
"I appreciate the thought, but it’s unnecessary!" Xie Jue’s voice was cold, but Fang Chuning seemed oblivious to the frostiness. Instead, he grinned brightly, sauntering in front of Xie Jue. "Ting Feng, don’t be mad at me! If you don’t let it go, I’m at my wit’s end. How about I kneel to apologize?"
Xie Jue strode forward, only to find Fang Chuning walking backward with a languid air right in his path. That fox-like, mischievous grin on Fang Chuning’s face was downright irritating. He had no clue what he’d done wrong, his expression brazenly saying everything Xie Xun’s annoyingly familiar smile once did: *I’ve messed up; punish me however you like. I’ll just do it again anyway.*
Fang Chuning froze. It was the end of the morning court session, and civil and military officials streamed out in twos and threes, chatting as they went. Everyone seemed to know Fang Chuning had somehow infuriated Xie Jue and was groveling for forgiveness. Rumor had it there had even been an altercation at the gate of the Prince Manor. Fang Chuning had supposedly climbed over the wall in the dead of night, yet still failed to win Xie Jue’s pardon. Now, everyone was relishing the spectacle. Follow current novᴇls on novel_fіre.net
During the period of unresolved peace negotiations with Sannan, the commander appeared at court daily, rain or shine. Due to his father’s influence, Fang Chuning dared not act recklessly and refrained from pestering Xie Jue too much. But after the Sannan negotiations concluded, and the commander took a half-month leave of absence, Fang Chuning returned to his carefree ways, chasing after Xie Jue after every court session.
Other people joked that if Xie Jue were a woman and married to someone else, Fang Chuning would undoubtedly commit the scandalous act of stealing her away.
"You’re really making me kneel?" Fang Chuning’s face twisted in mock despair. If he knelt here, before the entire court, word would immediately reach his family, and his father would likely break both his legs. "If I kneel, does that mean all is forgiven?"
Xie Jue regarded him impassively, his gaze as still as a dead lake. Fang Chuning, still sporting his exaggerated expression of misery, was at a loss for how to plead further. He might kneel in private, but doing so in public would only invite more trouble.
"Enough. Stop embarrassing yourself here!" Xie Jue swept his sleeves and walked away. Fang Chuning, ever adept at finding an escape, chuckled and followed. "Ting Feng, let’s go to Wangjiang Restaurant for a drink. They have the Eight-Treasure Duck you love. I’ve been having the shopkeeper set one aside for you every day."
Xie Xun stood at a distance outside the Jinluan Palace, watching Fang Chuning hound his second brother, thoroughly displeased. Ruyi wasn’t even this clingy. Did Fang Chuning lack any sense of boundaries? Was he trying to flaunt how close they were as if the entire world needed to know?
"What’s wrong with Fang Chuning? Does he have no sense? He’s already twenty-four and still hasn’t gotten engaged?" Xie Xun muttered like a cantankerous elder bent on breaking up a pair of lovebirds. "Doesn’t the Fang Family arrange matches for him?"
The guards had no idea what had sparked Xie Xun’s temper, but they were sharp enough not to ask. These days, Xie Xun’s personal guard had replaced the Jinyi Guard in controlling the capital’s intelligence network. Every major official’s household was under surveillance, and the Fang Family was of particular interest to Xie Xun. Naturally, the guards would keep tabs on the Fang Family’s affairs.
"Mrs. Fang has selected a few young ladies for him. They’re just waiting for the commander to return to the capital to make the final decision," one of the guards replied.