son, don't mess around

Outside the hospital.

Zhao Xi paced back and forth, her gaze frequently drifting to the tightly closed door not far away, her expression growing increasingly anxious and worried.

Why has it been so long and there's still no news?
What exactly were Dad and that guy talking about in the room?
Will the talks fall apart?
Will that guy be rude to her father?

Thinking of this, Zhao Xi became even more nervous. She wasn't worried at all that the guy would suffer a loss; what she was most worried about was that her father would be extremely angry after finding out about her relationship with Lin Jiangnian and turn against him.

If that happens, then things will be in serious trouble!

Given the deep-seated grudges and power between the two families, neither might be able to do anything to the other. But, it seems there's truly no chance for her and Lin Jiangnian!
Especially since so much time had passed and there had been no movement from inside the room, the atmosphere was oppressive, and Zhao Xi grew increasingly uneasy. Several times she wanted to rush in and see what was going on inside. But in the end, she held back.

"Miss, don't worry too much."

Xiaoyue offered cautious words of comfort from the side. She was also worried that the master might harm the young master. However, the situation was unclear, and with the young lady so agitated, if she were to actually rush in and worsen the situation inside, it would be difficult to handle the consequences.

Zhao Xi, at this moment, naturally wouldn't listen to any attempts at comforting her.

However, she also knew that worrying at this moment would be useless. The most important thing now was to think about the next course of action.

What if Dad and Lin Jiangnian really fall out? How can we handle this? How can we repair their relationship and resolve this matter perfectly?
That guy is easy to deal with, but getting past my own father is another hurdle...

Thinking of this, Zhao Xi's heart sank.

Her father is not someone to be trifled with.

Her father was inherently stubborn, making it very difficult to persuade him.

What if Dad really...

Just as Zhao Xi was lost in thought, a commotion came from the courtyard.

Not far away, under the eaves of a house in the courtyard, the door opened, and Lin Jiangnian calmly walked out of the room.

Zhao Xi's gaze fell on him, and after confirming that the guy was safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately stepped forward.

"how's it going?"

She spoke anxiously and worriedly, while quickly looking Lin Jiangnian up and down: "What did you say to my father?"

"You didn't do anything to my father, did you?"

Looking at Zhao Xi, whose tone was worried and nervous, Lin Jiangnian chuckled: "You've got it backwards, haven't you? You shouldn't be asking what your father did to me."

The woman didn't care about him when they met; instead, she asked him what he had done to her father.
Listen, is this human talk?

What can my father do to you?

Zhao Xi rolled her eyes. The fact that this guy came out unharmed proved that her father hadn't buried any knife and axemen, nor did he intend to hack this guy to death. What was she worried about?

What she was most worried about was her father's attitude and reaction.

"Alright, stop interrupting, tell me what my dad said to you? My dad he..."

Zhao Xi's gaze followed Lin Jiangnian to the room behind them, and she asked nervously and cautiously, "What is my father's attitude?"

Lin Jiangnian shrugged and sighed, "Your father really is a scoundrel!"

"what?"

Zhao Xi opened her eyes wide, then said angrily, "Don't you dare insult my father!"

"That old man is trying to break us up, and I can't even yell at him?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi looked alarmed.

Although she had expected it, hearing it with her own ears still made her heart skip a beat.

"Is Dad angry?"

"He's going too far!"

Lin Jiangnian sneered: "Your father has gone mad as a prime minister. He can't stand to see us doing well, so he's deliberately making things difficult for us and preventing us from being together!"

Zhao Xi was a little dazed at this moment, her heart almost in her throat.

Father, you want to break them up.

Is this an opposition to the two of them being together?
Although she had expected it, Zhao Xi still couldn't help feeling disappointed.

What did my father say to you?

"He made things difficult for me!"

Seeing Zhao Xi's anxious and disappointed expression, Lin Jiangnian pondered, "Why don't we go?"

"Ah? Where to go?"

Before Zhao Xi could even figure out where she was going, she heard Lin Jiangnian start talking animatedly.

"We're eloping!"

"Since your father objects, shall we stick to our original plan, elope away from the capital, and go to the ends of the earth?"

"Don't worry, I've arranged the route. We'll travel south from the capital by waterway, then switch to the official road, passing through Jiangnan..."

"By the time your father realizes what's happening, we've already reached Linzhou. Once we're in Linzhou, I, the young master, am in charge. Even if the emperor himself came, he couldn't do anything to us, let alone your father."

"I guarantee your dad'll be so angry he'll be grinding his teeth!"

"..."

To be honest, when Lin Jiangnian mentioned eloping, Zhao Xi did feel a momentary flutter in her heart.

But then, he suddenly came to his senses.

Elopement is the worst idea a bad employer could come up with.

What nonsense is this bastard talking about?
If she were to elope, her father and the Zhao family would become a laughingstock in the capital. Zhao Xi would never do something so foolish.

Moreover, she could tell that Lin Jiangnian was talking nonsense.

"What time is it? You're still joking around here."

Zhao Xi asked irritably, "What exactly did my father say to you?"

"besides……"

Zhao Xi gritted her teeth. Her father's opposition was within her expectations, which was why she had never dared to bring up the matter with him.

But now that the matter has been exposed, we have to face it eventually.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xi looked up at Lin Jiangnian: "You didn't speak rudely to my father just now, you didn't provoke him, and you didn't disrespect him, did you?"

"What kind of person am I?"

Zhao Xi remained silent, only staring into his eyes.

Doesn't she know this guy's character?
"Sigh, I really respect your father. It's your father who's gone too far. He wants to break us up and opposes this marriage!"

The conditions Old Deng proposed were too outrageous, and Lin Jiangnian naturally couldn't agree to them.

Unsurprisingly, the two parted on bad terms.

However, Lin Jiangnian did not intend to mention this to Zhao Xi.

His acquaintance and love affair with Zhao Xi did not involve any political grudges between the imperial court and the Prince of Lin's mansion, and Lin Jiangnian did not want her to get involved.

Just as Zhao Xi was filled with worry and wanted to say something, Zhao Xiang's figure appeared silently under the eaves, looking in the direction of the courtyard gate.

"master!"

At the courtyard gate, Zhao Jing, who had been silent all along, spotted the old man.

"father!"

Zhao Xi was startled and quickly turned around, her face tense as she looked at her father.

Zhao Xiang's calm gaze swept over Lin Jiangnian and Zhao Xi, and then he said in a neutral tone, "Butler, see the guests out!"

Zhao Jing was slightly surprised, and then realized what was going on... Had the negotiations really broken down?
For a moment, Steward Zhao looked at Lin Jiangnian with some sympathy, but still looked at him and said, "Your Highness, please."

That old man, he really can turn on you in an instant.

Lin Jiangnian smiled, as if it were expected. But Zhao Xi's expression changed slightly; she hadn't expected her father to actually turn against her and even try to kick Lin Jiangnian out.

"father……"

She opened her mouth, as if to say something.

But Zhao Xiang had already turned around and returned to his room.

"Alright, your dad is probably itching to kill me right now."

Lin Jiangnian glanced in the direction of the room, "Let your father calm down for a couple of days, and I'll come back to settle accounts with him in a couple of days..." He looked at Zhao Xi, who looked worried and uneasy, and smiled reassuringly at her, "What era is this? Why are you still using this kind of 'breaking up lovers' thing?"

"Don't worry, I definitely won't let your father's scheme succeed!"

"You insulted my father again!"

Zhao Xi glared at him. What kind of time is this to be talking nonsense and making fun of her father?

However, this interruption eased her tension considerably. Indeed, things hadn't reached the worst point yet; there was still room for maneuver.

"Then you should go back first, we'll talk again in a few days. My father's side..."

Zhao Xi thought for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "I'll figure out a way to handle this."

Lin Jiangnian naturally didn't think Zhao Xi could solve her father's problem, but right now, she had indeed broken up with that old man and personally came out to drive him away!

These high-ranking old men, none of them have a conscience.

Lin Jiangnian sighed inwardly.

He seemed to have forgotten that, given his behavior today, he was caught red-handed leaving someone's precious daughter's room. If he weren't the heir of the Prince of Lin, he would probably be dead countless times over!
How could the daughter of the current prime minister be so easy to sleep with?

He's only alive now because of his father's powerful status.

"Your Highness, please."

Zhao Jing appeared beside Lin Jiangnian and spoke politely.

Seeing this, Lin Jiangnian gave Zhao Xi a reassuring look before leaving the Zhao residence with Zhao Jing.

On the way out, Lin Jiangnian looked at the usually taciturn butler and asked, "Could you please do me a favor, Butler Zhao?"

Zhao Jing chuckled: "Your Highness, please speak."

"I'm afraid I'll need Butler Zhao's help with my matter with Miss Zhao."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jing glanced at Lin Jiangnian in surprise and shook his head: "I'm afraid that's beyond our control. The matter between His Highness and Miss is entirely up to Master's decision, and no one can change Master's mind."

"However, I am quite surprised that Your Highness would fall in love with my young lady."

Lin Jiangnian chuckled as well: "Indeed, it was unexpected."

After a pause, Lin Jiangnian continued, "Does Butler Zhao know why your master is preventing me from meeting Miss Zhao?"

Zhao Jing shook his head: "I don't know."

"Your master has made several unreasonable demands that he wants me to agree to."

Lin Jiangnian sighed.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jing remained silent.

"Butler Zhao, you should be able to guess what the request is, right?"

Zhao Jing smiled wryly and shook his head slightly: "Your Highness is putting me in a difficult position. I am just the steward of the Zhao family. How would I know about Your Highness and Master's affairs?"

"Steward Zhao is no ordinary person. Prime Minister Zhao trusts you extremely. When you're out and about, everyone knows that Steward Zhao's words represent Prime Minister Zhao's intentions."

Lin Jiangnian sighed.

Zhao Jing smiled without answering, and instead asked, "What is the meaning behind Your Highness's words to me today?"

"I hope Steward Zhao can convey my message to your master... His conditions are unacceptable to me, and I absolutely cannot agree to them. This is my bottom line..."

Lin Jiangnian paused for a moment, then said casually, "If Prime Minister Zhao wants to use his daughter's marriage to blackmail me, then he must have lost his mind."

"In this world, no one can stop me from doing whatever I want."

Lin Jiangnian spoke calmly, yet with extreme confidence.

Zhao Jing listened quietly, taking notes of what the young prince said and pondering it carefully. After a while, he nodded calmly: "I will pass on this to Master."

"Also, tell that old man... tell your master to stop plotting and scheming. He's a prime minister of the country, after all. How can he bully a young man like me?"

"Wouldn't it be embarrassing if word got out?"

"..."

in the courtyard.

"Miss, what should we do now?"

After Lin Jiangnian left, Xiaoyue cautiously and worriedly asked him about it.

Zhao Xi was clearly at a loss, but she quickly calmed down, looked up at the room not far away, and bit her lip: "I'll go talk to Dad first."

As she spoke, Zhao Xi stepped to the door under the eaves, pushed the door open, and went inside.

The study was filled with a rich aroma of tea.

The fire beside the table was still burning brightly, and on the table next to it sat a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. Zhao Xi looked up and saw Zhao Xiang sitting at the desk under the bookshelf not far away, seemingly reviewing something.

"father!"

Zhao Xi bit her lower lip, called out, and stepped closer, lifting her skirt.

Zhao Xi slowly raised his eyes and his gaze fell on her.

Zhao Xi was originally filled with doubts and questions, but when she met her father's gaze, she suddenly felt a little scared for some reason.

I instinctively felt a little panicked!

She forced herself to calm down.

"father!"

Zhao Xi tilted her head slightly, took a deep breath, and then spoke: "My daughter and he are mutually in love and truly love each other."

A glint of light flashed in Zhao Xiang's eyes, and his gloomy aura made Zhao Xi feel inexplicably uneasy.

silence!

The oppressive atmosphere remained silent for a long time before Zhao Xiang let out a cold laugh: "Good, what a fine example of mutual affection, what a fine example of true love!"

My daughter speaks in the exact same tone and manner as that boy, even her words.

Have they been assimilated?

Thinking of this, Zhao Xiang's anger grew even stronger.

What kind of skills does that kid have that he could seduce his daughter right under his nose?

After a cold laugh, Zhao Xiang looked at his daughter: "Xi'er, I've known since you were little that you're intelligent and shrewd. You've never disappointed me. You know very well what you can and cannot do, but this time..."

At this point, Zhao Xiang's eyes were filled with disappointment: "How could you associate with him... Do you even know who he is?"

Zhao Xi bit her lower lip tightly: "My daughter knows."

"Since you know that, why did you still..."

Looking at his daughter with her head bowed, her expression both stubborn and pitiful, Zhao Xiang stopped himself from saying anything.

How could his own daughter not know what kind of person that boy was?

But why would you offer it up willingly?
and……

"Do you know that he is the eldest princess's fiancé?"

Zhao Xiang's tone was slightly somber: "You and the Princess are good sisters, and you know better than anyone the extent of their engagement. Why are you getting involved?!"

Zhao Xi lowered her head. Of course she knew, but some things in this world are just unreasonable.

“Father, I like him, and it has nothing to do with whether he is the heir of the Prince of Lin or anything else.”

Zhao Xi slowly raised her head, looked at Zhao Xiang in front of her, her gaze resolute and her expression stubborn: "I just like him!"

"you……"

A surge of anger rose in Zhao Xiang's heart. This was the first time his daughter had ever spoken to him like this in all her life.

That stubborn expression really resembled her mother's.

Zhao Xiang said in a deep voice, "He already has a fiancée. Do you want to interfere and steal the husband from the Princess?"

“My daughter doesn’t have that idea.”

Zhao Xi remained calm, gently shaking her head. Her expression was gentle and delicate, yet stubborn and unyielding: "He had a prior engagement with the Princess, and naturally, I wouldn't try to break it up. Since I'm the one who came later..."

"Then, my daughter can also be his concubine!"

"..." (End of this chapter)