son, don't mess around

Hu Yao's sudden visit to seek refuge was indeed somewhat unexpected for Xu Zhongshan.

However, after calming down and quickly weighing the pros and cons, Xu Zhongshan decided to keep her for the time being and settle Hu Yao in properly.

He had the maids prepare a room for her and assigned people to take care of Miss Hu. At the same time, he went back to explain the matter to the old man.

Hu Yao's appearance caused quite a commotion in the mansion. After all, many servants had witnessed the scene of Hu Yao throwing herself into Xu Zhongshan's arms and crying her heart out.

Many servants in the manor have begun to secretly speculate whether their young master has taken advantage of them and then abandoned them.

Xu Zhongshan found the old man and explained Hu Yao's background to him.

However, Xu Zhongshan remembered Lin Jiangnian's instructions and did not tell the whole story. He only told the old man that Hu Yao was someone the Crown Prince had secretly asked him to get close to, and that everything that happened with Hu Yao was just an act.

After listening, Old Master Xu's gaze narrowed slightly as he stared at Xu Zhongshan: "Is it just an act?"

Old Master Xu's sudden question startled Xu Zhongshan, who subconsciously nodded: "Of course."

Old Master Xu stared at Xu Zhongshan for a while before looking away and saying calmly, "This girl, no matter what, is the eldest daughter of the Hu family."

Xu Zhongshan nodded solemnly, "Grandpa, I will be careful. This matter will not be spread."

The fact that Hu Yao was taken in by the Xu family naturally had to be kept secret. Xu Zhongshan had already given orders to everyone in the mansion to keep quiet and absolutely not to let any word of Hu Yao's existence be spread.

Otherwise, if the Hu family finds out, it will inevitably cause considerable trouble.

"That's not what I meant."

Grandpa Xu gave him a meaningful look: "This girl is the eldest daughter of the Hu family. Now that you have this relationship with her, what do you plan to do?"

"relation?"

Xu Zhongshan looked puzzled: "Grandpa, what do you mean?"

Old Master Xu's gaze was deep: "That girl is not yet married, but she has stayed in our Xu family. If word gets out, how will she maintain her reputation?"

"The fact that the girl took the initiative to come to you means...it's self-evident, isn't it?"

Xu Zhongshan then realized what his grandfather was referring to.

He quickly said, "Grandpa, my relationship with her was just a fling... His Highness ordered me to get close to her, there was no other meaning behind it."

"I know."

Old Master Xu sighed deeply: "While you may be just playing along, it's not entirely true for that girl. Now that you've taken her in with our Xu family, what does that mean for her?"

"How do you plan to handle this situation then?"

Old Master Xu's words left Xu Zhongshan stunned.

How to end this?

He hadn't really considered that question.

At first, he only wanted to sacrifice himself to get close to Hu Yao, and he didn't consider what the final outcome would be.

Of course, Xu Zhongshan hadn't initially planned to consider it. He had absolutely no liking for Hu Yao, and even felt extremely disgusted and wary of her. As for how Hu Yao would react after learning the truth, Xu Zhongshan didn't care.

But now, Xu Zhongshan remained silent, and he had to admit that his thoughts had changed considerably.

Faced with Hu Yao, who was crying so bitterly in front of him today, Xu Zhongshan did feel a pang of pity.

At this moment, his grandfather asked a pointed question, and Xu Zhongshan suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

Grandpa Xu's gaze was deep; he naturally noticed his grandson's hesitation.

"You need to think about the consequences of many things yourself. And whether you can bear the consequences of some things."

Grandpa Xu sighed deeply again, then said, "Zhongshan, you're not young anymore. Come to think of it, you're at the age where you should be getting married..."

"..."

Xu Zhongshan walked out of his grandfather's room in a daze and stood there. He was somewhat lost, and for the first time, his own thoughts began to waver.

Grandpa's words successfully made him realize the seriousness of the matter.

Keeping Hu Yao was certainly not a wise choice. Xu Zhongshan even had to admit that when he agreed to let Hu Yao stay, he subconsciously harbored some selfish motives…

Upon realizing this, Xu Zhongshan's expression changed slightly.

This idea gave him a huge fright.

Standing there, Xu Zhongshan's expression shifted constantly. Finally, he took a few deep breaths, gradually calming himself down.

Realizing that his thoughts had been influenced by his emotions, Xu Zhongshan did not hesitate any longer and immediately left the Xu residence to go to the Jiang residence to see Lin Jiangnian, where he told Lin Jiangnian about what had happened that day.

Jiang Mansion.

When Lin Jiangnian heard from Xu Zhongshan that Hu Yao had come to join him, he was somewhat surprised, but not too much of an astonishment.

"It seems she trusts you completely now?"

Xu Zhongshan said in a deep voice, "Something must have happened to her during the two days she disappeared."

For Hu Yao to become like this in just a few days, besides her father, something else must have happened.

Lin Jiangnian glanced at him: "She went to see that Sixth Prince."

"what?!"

Xu Zhongshan's eyes widened in astonishment: "She's not..."

Didn't she already break ties with the Sixth Prince?
The Sixth Prince has already sent assassins to take her life, how dare she still go to the Sixth Prince?
Immediately, Xu Zhongshan seemed to realize something, and his expression changed inscrutable.

So, it's because she saw the Sixth Prince these past two days that she turned out this way?
"She is indeed quite bold."

Lin Jiangnian sighed with emotion.

Hu Yao went to see the Sixth Prince, and naturally, she couldn't escape his eyes and ears.

As for why Hu Yao went to see the Sixth Prince, Lin Jiangnian didn't know, but he figured it probably wasn't to catch up with old friends.

To be honest, Lin Jiangnian admired her quite a bit; under such circumstances, she still had the courage to go to the Sixth Prince alone.

What agreement did Hu Yao reach with the Sixth Prince?
This is unknown.

However, Hu Yao did not leave the Sixth Prince's place until two days later. When she left, she was pale and weak, walking unsteadily with a limp.

What happened in the past two days is unknown. However, it probably wasn't anything good!
Lin Jiangnian glanced at Xu Zhongshan and saw him sitting to the side, looking somewhat dazed, lost in thought, sometimes frowning, sometimes showing a hint of worry on his face.

"She is now at her wit's end."

Lin Jiangnian spoke.

Hu Yao's audacity in daring to approach the Sixth Prince suggests she might possess evidence that could threaten his secrets. The fact that the Sixth Prince didn't kill her further confirms this.

But the Sixth Prince would not tolerate Hu Yao threatening him and would find a way to get rid of her sooner or later. As a result, Hu Yao's situation became extremely dangerous.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have sought refuge with Xu Zhongshan.

Upon realizing this, Xu Zhongshan's expression inexplicably turned somewhat unpleasant.

"It's almost time to finish."

Lin Jiangnian glanced at him: "You've had a tough time these past few days. It's time for your charade with her to come to an end."

Xu Zhongshan was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and seemed somewhat dazed.

ended?
He was caught off guard.

"It's...it's over?"

"What? You want to continue?"

"No, it's not..."

“She has already broken ties with the Sixth Prince, and what needed to be exposed has already been exposed. There’s no need to keep wasting time with her.”

After visiting Li Cining in the palace, Lin Jiangnian's doubts deepened.

He didn't intend to waste any more time dragging things out. To find out the truth, he had to start with the Sixth Prince.

As for Hu Yao, she was merely a pawn to be used. Once she revealed the Sixth Prince's identity, her value was greatly diminished, and she was no longer worth Lin Jiangnian's attention. However, she might still possess some secrets about the Sixth Prince, and Lin Jiangnian planned to investigate her personally.

Xu Zhongshan suddenly felt uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what do you plan to do with her?"

"Although she was just a pawn being used, she ultimately participated in this assassination attempt."

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes, a hint of coldness flashing across his face.

When Xu Zhongshan sensed the murderous intent in Lin Jiangnian's eyes, for some reason, his heart sank.

The reason is unknown.

……

The Xu residence was quiet.

In the side courtyard, Hu Yao took a bath and changed her clothes. With the help of the maids, she changed into clean clothes and sat by the window, staring blankly at the courtyard.

"Where is your young master?"

After a while, Hu Yao, who had come to her senses, couldn't help but ask the maid.

"Young Master is going out for a while and will be back later."

The maid beside her answered softly, her eyes glancing at the young lady from time to time.

She is very beautiful and has a great temperament; she looks like a young lady from a wealthy family.

Is this the woman the young master brought back?

This is the first time I've seen the young master bring a strange woman back. Could it be that she'll be the young mistress in the future?
The maid was lost in thought until Hu Yao spoke again: "Why are you staring at me like that?"

The maidservant then came to her senses, somewhat nervous. But she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Miss, what is your relationship with our young master?"

what relationship?
This question startled Hu Yao. As she pondered, she heard the maid excitedly say, "You are the first woman my young master has brought back. This is the first time in so many years. You must be the one my young master loves, right?"

The maid's words left Hu Yao somewhat dazed.

Was she the first?

original……

Hu Yao was in a daze, a hint of unintentional joy welling up in her heart.

Looking at the curious maid in front of her, Hu Yao nodded vigorously: "That's right."

Upon hearing this, the maid's eyes widened immediately: "Then wouldn't you be our future young mistress?"

The maid's eyes lit up with even more joy as she spoke: "That's wonderful! Young Master is finally getting married! Our Xu family will have a young mistress from now on!"

Seeing the maid's joyful expression, Hu Yao's mood also improved.

Young mistress?

That sounds pretty good?
Hu Yao murmured to herself, feeling a strange sense of peace that she couldn't quite describe.

In the past, Xu Zhongshan would not have even caught her eye. With her limited perspective, the declining Xu family was not worthy of her, and she would never have given Xu Zhongshan a second glance.

But after experiencing so much, perhaps out of desperation to reach her current state, or perhaps because she craved the sense of security Xu Zhongshan had given her that night, Hu Yao's thoughts have quietly changed.

She suddenly felt a sense of anticipation, wondering what it would be like if she really married him.
It should be wonderful, right?

Hu Yao was lost in thought, a bright smile unconsciously appearing on her face.

Footsteps gradually began to sound.

"Master?!"

The maid's delighted voice reached my ears.

Hu Yao suddenly looked up and saw Xu Zhongshan walking into the courtyard in front of her.

Hu Yao's face also showed surprise, and she got up and quickly went to greet her.

"Miss Hu."

Xu Zhongshan came to the eaves and saw Hu Yao, whose face was full of excitement and joy. His eyes were somewhat complicated.

"where did you go?!"

Hu Yao asked, both surprised and nervous.

"I went out to take care of some things."

For some reason, Xu Zhongshan was somewhat afraid to meet Hu Yao's eyes, and the feeling of guilt in his heart grew stronger.

The maidservant who was standing nearby saw this scene, secretly glanced at them, and then slipped away so as not to disturb the young master and his future mistress's tender moment.

After the maid secretly left, Xu Zhongshan looked at Hu Yao and remained silent for a moment: "I have something to tell you."

At this moment, Hu Yao was still immersed in the beautiful scene of marrying Xu Zhongshan: "What is it?"

"Someone wants to see you." Xu Zhongshan hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.

"see me?"

Hu Yao looked puzzled: "Who?"

Xu Zhongshan didn't speak, but simply took a step to the side and looked back.

Hu Yao's gaze unconsciously followed Xu Zhongshan's line of sight, and soon, she noticed a figure appearing in the corridor.

A man of similar age to her was slowly approaching; he was handsome and had a touch of lazy nobility in his eyes.

Looks familiar!
Hu Yao glanced at him and felt that the man who suddenly appeared in her line of sight looked somewhat familiar.

"who is he?"

Hu Yao glanced at Xu Zhongshan subconsciously, her face showing even more confusion.

"You really don't recognize me?"

A lazy voice came from behind him as Lin Jiangnian slowly walked closer.

Hearing this, Hu Yao stared at Lin Jiangnian for a while. Suddenly, a familiar face and name flashed through her mind, and she recognized him.

The next second, Hu Yao's eyes widened suddenly, and a look of panic and fear appeared on her face: "You, you..."

The handsome and familiar face before her instantly reminded Hu Yao of someone!

"You are the Crown Prince of Lin?!"

When she cried out, Hu Yao's face instantly turned completely pale.

The Crown Prince of Lin?!
A year ago, Hu Yao had seen Lin Jiangnian once at the wedding of Lü Xuan, the eldest son of the Lü family. However, Hu Yao was far away at the time and only caught a few glimpses of him, vaguely remembering what Lin Jiangnian looked like.

After that, I almost forgot about it.

Until now, as she found the face becoming increasingly familiar, it gradually stirred up long-forgotten memories for Hu Yao.

And the blurry face in my memory gradually came together!

I remembered!

I remember everything!

He is the Crown Prince of Lin!
it's him!
At this moment, Hu Yao stood there, her face pale and bloodless.

Her mind went blank. How could the Crown Prince of Lin be here?

How could he come?

and also……

As if realizing something, Hu Yao suddenly turned her head to stare at Xu Zhongshan. At that moment, her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"you……"

"..." (End of this chapter)