The Demon Prince

Chapter 61 More Money Required

Qin Liangyue almost threw the teacup at him:

"The debt has been paid off. Stay away from Shunhua from now on."

Xiao Xingyue shook his head: "It's impossible."

Qin Liangyue's eyes turned cold:

"What did you say?"

Xiao Xingyue remained neither humble nor arrogant:

"Your Majesty is merely repaying a debt; you have no right to command me."

Qin Liangyue could no longer suppress her anger and stood up:

"Xiao Xingyue, are you determined to harass my daughter?"

Xiao Xingyue remained silent.

Qin Liangyue walked down the steps, her voice chillingly cold:

"Shunhua's dream is to command troops; she cannot be burdened by romantic love, much less... drawn into the mess that is the Xiao family!"

She stared at Xiao Xingyue:

"You can take the money and live a good life, be a stable heir."

But Li Shunhua's husband must be responsible, prestigious, and able to establish himself in the army, not someone who fools around all day and relies on women to get by.

Xiao Xingyue glanced at the silver notes he had just received and sighed.

Qin Liangyue thought he had been persuaded, and her expression softened slightly.

Xiao Xingyue slowly spoke:

"Your Majesty, what I mean is that the Eighth Princess is my beloved."

Qin Liangyue frowned. Was Xiao Xingyue completely unyielding?

But Xiao Xingyue spoke with a pained expression:

"You need to pay more!"

The palace maid nearly dropped the tray, and Qin Liangyue's fingers trembled slightly.

"You...you actually dare to take it?"

Xiao Xingyue's face was full of pain:

Forgetting a loved one is hard.

Staying away from Princess Bajie is even more difficult; I also have to endure the misunderstandings of the world, who say I am greedy and heartless.

These are all wounds, especially emotional wounds, which require healing from the heart. And as you know, Your Majesty, medicine is very expensive.

Qin Liangyue closed her eyes. She was afraid that if she looked at that face again, she would be unable to resist taking down the bow on the wall and shooting an arrow!

Give it to him again.

Another stack of silver notes was placed on the table. Xiao Xingyue accepted them but did not get up.

Qin Liangyue's eyelids twitched: "What else do you want?"

Xiao Xingyue sat up even straighter:

"A batch of commonly used military wound medicines, more than a dozen sets of high-quality armor, a roster of the garrison troops stationed in Beijing, and the personal resumes of each general."

Qin Liangyue narrowed her eyes slightly:

"What do you need these for?"

"Make preparations."

"What preparations?"

Xiao Xingyue said seriously:

"I'm leaving the Eighth Princess, so I need to see who's good enough for her. I have to make the selection on behalf of the Empress."

Qin Liangyue sneered:

"You're so kind."

"I've always been this way," Xiao Xingyue said with composure.

Perhaps it was shamelessness... Qin Liangyue stared at him for a long time, and naturally saw through something.

Xiao Xingyue's words were a mixture of truth and falsehood, but what he wanted was precisely what was crucial.

Give the healing medicine to the old guard in the North, and the armor to the veterans?

The roster and resumes were for checking Pan Yungong and the garrison.

Is he truly just greedy, or does he have a deeper purpose?

Qin Liangyue couldn't tell the difference, but she didn't want Li Shunhua to get involved any further.

"Give it to him."

The palace maid acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Before long, the items were packed into a box, and Xiao Xingyue stood up and bowed:

"Your Majesty is so magnanimous. Shunhua is truly blessed to have a mother like you."

Qin Liangyue gritted her teeth:

"Let's go, right now!"

Xiao Xingyue bowed and returned home laden with his loot.

After the palace doors closed, Qin Liangyue looked towards the side room:

"Come out."

Li Shunhua emerged from behind the screen, her expression complex.

Qin Liangyue stared at her: "You heard everything?"

Li Shunhua pursed her lips:

"I heard you."

Qin Liangyue returned to the main seat:

"You saw it, he's greedy for money."

Such a person might be suitable as an ally, but not as a husband.

Li Shunhua instinctively retorted:

"Mother! Who wants him as my husband?"

Qin Liangyue scrutinized her daughter's expression, and Li Shunhua, feeling guilty, immediately turned her face away.

Qin Liangyue's voice softened:

"If you want to command troops, you cannot let him lead you by the nose."

"I wasn't led by him..."

Li Shunhua retorted, but the scene of the military camp flashed uncontrollably through her mind.

Beneath the tattered banners, Xiao Xingyue stepped on Pan Yungong and shouted, "Where are the Northern Army?" The veterans stood up with red eyes.

He stood at the very front, his robes fluttering in the wind.

At that moment, Xiao Xingyue was completely different from the scoundrel she usually knew; he was majestic, domineering, and quite responsible!

"Mother," Li Shunhua couldn't help but say.

"What he did in the barracks today was right."

Qin Liangyue frowned slightly: "Shunhua."

Li Shunhua whispered:

"Mother! Pan Yungong humiliated the veterans of the Northern Border, and Cao Bi also humiliated the Xiao family. If he hadn't stood up, those veterans would have continued to be trampled on."

Qin Liangyue's heart sank even further. This girl actually spoke up for Xiao Xingyue?

Oh no, oh no, does this mean I have to pay even more money?

……

As soon as Xiao Xingyue stepped out of Zhaowu Palace, he saw a figure squatting by the palace wall.

Li Lingxi was dressed in a eunuch's robe, but because of her excellent figure, the parts that should have been flat were bulging high, which, combined with her tightly bound waist, outlined a hot curve.

Her hat brim was pulled low, and when she saw Xiao Xingyue come out, she immediately jumped up:

"Xiao Xingyue! I'm here!"

Xiao Xingyue pretended not to recognize her and tried to walk away, but Li Lingxi pulled him back, saying, "Are you blind?! It's me!"

Xiao Xingyue glanced at her indifferently:

"Why is the Sixth Princess hiding behind closed doors in reflection, squatting at the foot of the palace wall?"

Li Lingxi raised her finger:

"Keep your voice down, I'm on a secret mission, it's really exciting."

She took out a small imperial edict from her sleeve:

"for you."

Xiao Xingyue took it, opened it, and read two lines.

The content was completely contrary to the official imperial edict; the emperor ordered him to continue fishing.

On the surface, he was ordered to reflect on his actions, but in reality, he was tasked with secretly investigating Pan Yungong, Gou Li's delegation, and those in the court who were involved in the selection of military officers.

Xiao Xingyue raised an eyebrow:

"O holy grace!"

Li Lingxi was somewhat smug:

"Father said that since Lu Chengzhang wanted to control the selection of officials for the civil service, there must be someone else behind him who wanted to control the selection of officials for the military.

He's not the only one with problems in the court. On the surface, my father told me to reflect on my mistakes behind closed doors, but in reality, he wanted me to continue pretending to be Lu Chengzhang and have the two of us investigate secretly.

He said I had done a great job this time, and that they would need my help in the next investigation!

She looked at Xiao Xingyue:

"How was it? Wasn't it exciting?"

Xiao Xingyue folded the small imperial edict and handed it back to her: "I won't do it."

Li Lingxi was stunned: "Huh?"

She panicked: "I helped you last time!"

Xiao Xingyue nodded:

"Yes, I agreed to annul the engagement."

Li Lingxi choked: "Me! What about the investigation?"

Xiao Xingyue shrugged:

"Go have fun by yourself. The world belongs to your royal family. What do I care if the court is in chaos?"

After saying that, he turned and left.