Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 376 Shameless

"After all, you've always been quiet and reserved, not very talkative with older children. But I still remember how kind-hearted you were as a child. Once, a relative's child had a conflict with you and insisted on having the candied hawthorn you were holding. I thought to myself, how could that relative's child be so unreasonable? But because of our family relationship, I didn't want to scold him. I didn't expect you to be so generous and give him the candied hawthorn. It's clear you've been a good child since you were little..."

Lin Wei rambled on and on, and if an uninformed person were here, they might really think he was a loving father. But Jiu Que was already immune to his act. Chunyu Shuang and the others were a little anxious, afraid that Jiu Que would switch sides because of these seemingly warm words.

At the same time, I couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "These officials are so ruthless. They can say anything without even feeling awkward."

Their ability to make things up out of thin air is truly unparalleled.

But then Jiu Que suddenly laughed. How to describe that laugh? Although it wasn't mocking, it was definitely not malicious.

Jiu Que looked up and carefully examined his biological father from head to toe. It was as if he were looking at a self-deceiving liar.

"That doesn't seem right. I remember that relative's kid, taking advantage of your favoritism, threw a tantrum and even tried to snatch the candied hawthorn from my hand. Didn't you insist that I give it to him?"

"Are you sure you're not mistaken? You were still young back then."

Lin Wei remained completely at ease, showing no embarrassment at being exposed. He was very confident about it because Jiu Que was only three years old at the time. What could a three-year-old remember? He could only believe whatever Jiu Que said!
Jiu Que remained calm, speaking with an air of certainty.

"But I don't really care about that candied hawthorn skewer. After all, I just snatched it from the big yellow dog's mouth before you guys came. If he wants it, then let him have it. It's not like I can't afford candied hawthorn skewers and have to snatch them from someone else."

"..."

Lin Wei's usual humble smile froze. The others beside him burst into laughter without restraint. Chunyu Shuang, in particular, was laughing so hard she was practically rolling on the floor.

"No way? Did that kid eat the candied hawthorn that he snatched from the dog's mouth?"

"Who knows? Anyway, he seemed to enjoy his meal."

Jiu Que's casual reply nearly made Lin Wei furious. He never expected that his daughter would be so disobedient since childhood. It was just that all of this had been hidden beneath that well-behaved exterior, which was why he had never noticed it.

"Jiu Que, I'm not trying to be mean, but he's still your cousin. Isn't it a bit unfair of you to treat him like this?"

Jiu Que was very impatient with this.

"He, as an older brother, bullied his younger sister! Shouldn't you, as her father, protect your daughter? I really find it strange that someone like you can claim to be a good father. If you were truly a good father, you wouldn't have let this happen." "I..."

"Alright, that's enough. I don't want to hear it, Lord Lin. If you have any shame, you should know that I have no fatherly affection for you whatsoever. If you don't want to humiliate yourself, you should go back. Don't waste your time here."

Jiu Que's words directly tore away the mask of paternal love and filial piety, leaving Lin Wei utterly humiliated.

Moreover, Ying Jiuque wasn't the only one here; there were several other young people who had also entered the court to serve as officials watching. Where could he put his face?
“Jiu Que, no matter what, I am your father. You cannot forget the kindness of raising you. Yes, you are successful now, but one should not forget one’s roots.”

Is this the last time he's been unable to keep up the act and is finally tearing off his mask? I thought he could keep his composure, but I didn't expect him to be so impatient. It's really disappointing.

Jiu Que wasn't surprised, after all, she'd known Lin Wei for a long time. It would be terrifying if he could always feign a smile. But what was the purpose of his recent visit? Was it just to show that his father-daughter relationship hadn't been severed? Something felt off.

"So Lord Lin came here today specifically to remind me that I still have a living father to care for? If my memory serves me right, Lord Lin should have his own children, right? You should ask your own children who are recorded in the family genealogy to take care of this matter; it has nothing to do with me."

"You don't have the final say on this."

Lin Wei immediately put on a smiling face again.

"So you still remember you have younger siblings. I won't waste my breath on that. Moran is my most outstanding son, and also your younger brother. He hasn't entered officialdom yet, but with you, his sister who's risen so high in the bureaucracy, his future will be much easier. He might even surpass you and me. It's just a pity he can't participate in tomorrow's presentation of captives because he doesn't have an official position. However, this boy has always admired you greatly and wants to be close to you. Why don't you bring him along tomorrow? It would be good for him to broaden his horizons. In this day and age, if you're alone, you'll probably find it difficult to succeed in the officialdom. If you can help your brother grow up, then when you two become officials, you can take care of each other..."

"Wow!"

A sudden exclamation from afar caught Lin Wei, who had been talking eloquently, off guard. Lin Wei looked at him with displeasure; he had long disliked this disabled child, and now the disgust in his eyes was almost overflowing.

I heard these children came from the Worry-Free Cave, a place where children are said to have dark minds. I wonder what method they used to gain Ying Jiuque's favor, as they've been living in this luxurious mansion for months on end. Children have no right to interrupt adults. However, he wouldn't show it so openly; after all, he'd been an official for so many years, and he still possessed that much self-restraint.

"What do you want to say, kid?"

"Grandpa, I just find it strange how you can say such things with such a self-righteous attitude. Don't you feel ashamed? I want to ask Xiaohua from the blacksmith shop for a favor, and I need to bring her some delicious pastries. You just say a few words and come to my door empty-handed, expecting me to help you. Isn't that a bit too shameless? And the child you're talking about is your son, right? What does he have to do with my sister? He's your son, not my sister's! Besides, I remember your son isn't young anymore, he's a teenager. He has to rely on his father to arrange everything, and even involves his sister who used to be completely unrelated to him. Doesn't he feel ashamed?"

"Or does he know that such a request is too shameless, so he doesn't want to come himself and asks you, his father, to take his place?"