The villain prince is three and a half years old

Xia Jing sighed. This Xue Huaiyuan was really powerful. Not only did he abandon the Ninth Prince, but he also bullied the person that the Ninth Prince had his eyes on.

He stood up and was about to give orders to the housekeeper when he saw a child about Xue Huaiyuan's age rushing over.

The two groups had an argument and started fighting, and one of them even fell into the river.

Xia Jing was stunned. This was even more decisive than the way he beat Ning Chengrui!

After this accident, the lanterns could not be seen. The old lady of the Xue family came to the scene in person to hold the responsible party accountable.

The housekeeper apologized and asked Xia Jing to leave, but Xia Jing of course refused to listen and insisted on staying. He followed the old lady of the Xue family into a room nearby.

The person who fell into the water was one of Xue Huaiyuan's followers. She asked him to change into dry clothes first, and then the old lady began to solve the case.

Chapter 108: You've offended the Ninth Prince and you still want to run away?

The servant brought three bowls of tea, one for Old Madam Xue, one for Xia Jing, and one for Ning Xuenian.

In the whole room, there were only three of them sitting, the four children who participated in the fight were kneeling, and the rest of the Xue family stood on both sides.

Compared to the children, the Xue family was more curious about who the boy and girl on the chair were.

Xia Jing's identity has not been made public yet. Except for a few people, others only know that the boy is a distinguished guest of the Xue family.

Ning Xuenian's identity was known only to the old lady, the housekeeper, and the Qin brothers and sisters who were watching the fun.

Old Lady Xue had no intention of introducing anyone. She took a sip of tea and asked the kneeling person to explain the situation.

Xia Jing looked down and saw Xue Huaiyuan standing behind the four children. As the legitimate son, as the little prodigy in the Xue family school, and as the child favored by the old lady, he had privileges.

Xia Jing thought, it seems that Old Lady Xue didn't know that Xue Huaiyuan had postponed her business, otherwise, she wouldn't have let Xue Huaiyuan show up.

He looked at Mrs. Zhao again. The woman avoided his gaze and looked anxious, but there was nothing she could do. The old lady came too quickly.

He finally looked at Xue Huaiyuan, who was still unaware of the impending disaster and was staring at his archenemy Xue Zhaoju.

Xue Zhaoju was the boy who rushed out at the end to protect Xue Zhixi. He was Xue Zhixi's second brother.

"Grandma, it's all Xue Zhaoju's fault for looking for trouble!" Xue Huaiyuan and his lackeys pushed the blame onto Xue Zhaoju.

After listening to what Xue Huaiyuan said, Old Lady Xue turned to look at Xue Zhaoju and asked, "Do you have anything to explain?"

Xia Jing held his head and looked at Xue Zhaoju. He was surrounded by Xue Huaiyuan's men, and no matter how Xue Zhaoju explained, it was unclear. Furthermore, it was indeed he who started it, kicking a houseboy into the lake.

Xia Jing glanced at Ning Xuenian. A few months ago, the girl had fought with Ning Chengrui, and because she had started the fight, she had been particularly passive. If Ning Xuenian was like this, what about the unpopular Xue Zhaoju?

Xia Jing was expecting Xue Zhaoju's reaction, but saw Xue Zhixi walk out and kneel down below.

The girl kowtowed and said, "Grandma, please forgive me. I was the one who broke into Brother Yuan's play area. Brother Yuan asked me to leave, but Second Brother misunderstood and attacked me!"

Xia Jing sighed inwardly. As expected of a character who had evolved Xi Xue, this move of reducing a major issue to a minor one was a true statesman's move.

Arguing about the truth will only intensify the conflict and cause Xue Zhaoju to receive a heavier punishment. It is better to give both parties a way out, so that Xue Zhaoju's punishment can be lighter.

This was exactly what Old Lady Xue wanted. With outsiders present, she wanted to cut the Gordian knot. Xue Huaiyuan and his group had something to hide and didn't dare to object.

Xue Zhaoju turned his head to look at his sister, lowered his head and said nothing.

Xia Jing saw the loss and resentment in Xue Zhaoju's eyes. The boy did not understand his sister's kindness, but was just used to accepting things.

Old Lady Xue opened her mouth to make a judgment.

Xia Jing interrupted her.

"Grandma, have some tea." He picked up the teacup.

Old Lady Xue took it, thanked him with a smile, and wondered what Xia Jing had done suddenly. Having dealt with power for decades, she was used to thinking deeper about everything she saw.

"Is this Brother Yuan?" Xia Jing looked at Xue Huaiyuan.

"That's right." Old Lady Xue understood the implication.

Logically, the Ninth Prince and Huaiyuan should have met each other, so why do they act like strangers?

"That's strange. I heard from the housekeeper that Brother Yuan was asleep, so how come they started fighting by the lake again?" Xia Jing asked.

Outside the venue, Mrs. Zhao's face turned pale. The housekeeper named by Xia Jing knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Xia Jing and Old Lady Xue, but she did not dare to explain anything.

Xue Huaiyuan didn't take it seriously at first, until he saw his mother's pale face, he realized that he had caused a big disaster.

Madam Zhao hurried out and explained, "Yuan'er had gone to bed, but playful little Tao'er saw the lanterns and woke him up! I hope the Ninth Young Master will forgive me!"

"So that's how it is," Xia Jing pretended to believe it and looked at Old Lady Xue with a smile, "Then there's nothing to worry about."

Old Madam Xue had lived for so many years and had seen everything. Combined with Mrs. Zhao's attitude when they discussed the companion study, she immediately understood the cause and effect.

Her face darkened, and she turned around and scolded Xue Huaiyuan: "Do you think you can hide your thoughts from me? When did that lake become your territory? Are you qualified to chase others away? Come on, drag these three away and hand them over to their parents!"

Immediately, a servant came forward and took away Xue Huaiyuan's three followers.

These three children were just house slaves. Now that they had offended the old lady, how could they possibly get away with it? Leaving them to their parents meant that if their parents didn't discipline them to the old lady's satisfaction, then it would be their parents who would be in trouble!

The cries of the three children faded away, and Old Lady Xue looked at Xue Huaiyuan.

"Mother, please calm down. Huaiyuan was just greedy for the lanterns and was confused for a moment!" Mrs. Zhao knelt down and pleaded with the old lady.

Xue Huaiyuan finally felt fear and knelt on the ground. His lips trembled and he was speechless.

The last time I saw Grandma this angry was a year ago, when a servant had an affair with a maid. Grandma, with a cold expression, had him beaten to death. His wails echoed throughout the Xue residence, and blood seeped into the cracks between the floor tiles, which still have a slight red tinge to this day.

He didn't understand. It was just a fight. They had fought before. Why did it make grandma so angry? On normal days, grandma obviously liked him very much!

Mrs. Zhao understood what was going on and turned to Xia Jing to beg him again.

"He deserves to be punished," Ning Xuenian said, fearing that Brother Jing would be soft-hearted. "I saw him lead others to cause trouble first, and he even pushed that sister!"

"Did you hear that?" Old Lady Xue slammed the table. "You're so young, yet you treat your sisters and brothers like this!"

She stood up and glared at Xue Huaiyuan: "Kneel down until dawn!"

After saying that, she turned around and gently invited Xia Jing and Ning Xuenian to come to her room to play.

Xia Jing jumped down and followed, Ning Xuenian walked behind her.

As the ancestor of the family, there are many treasures in Old Lady Xue’s house, and Ning Xuenian is dazzled.

After letting the maid take Ning Xuenian out to play, Old Lady Xue apologized to Xia Jing, "I'm sorry for making the Ninth Prince laugh."

"Nothing." Xia Jing shook his head. "I sometimes argue with my brothers."

Neither of them mentioned the fact that Xue Huaiyuan pretended to be asleep. Old Madam Xue punished Xue Huaiyuan, nominally for the fight, but in fact, it was to make Xia Jing calm down.

"Tomorrow, I will let that good-for-nothing fellow come to see the Ninth Prince." Old Lady Xue said again.

"No need." Xia Jing shook his head. "Empress Xian asked me to come over so she could see if we were compatible. Now it seems that Brother Yuan and I are not very compatible."

Old Madam Xue groaned inwardly, and her anger towards Xue Huaiyuan and Madam Zhao increased a little.

The Xue family's current power rests with Grandpa Xue, Empress Xian's father. Empress Xian's generation has two male offspring, the eldest and second wives, both of whom are incompetent.

But Old Master Xue is about to retire from his post. Old Madam Xue has seen many things about how people get forgotten when they leave. The Xue family is on the verge of decline, and the only way out is Concubine Xian in the palace!

As long as Concubine Xian is willing and Ning Shouxu cooperates, they will be able to obtain a respectable official position with less power but higher rank from Emperor Kangning, so that the Xue family will not fall into such a state of decline.

Empress Xian had been in the palace for many years, and entertaining the Ninth Prince and finding a study companion for him was her first instruction to the family. If the Xue family couldn't even handle this, how could they ask Empress Xian for help!

Old Madam Xue was extremely anxious, and outside the house, there was someone who was just as anxious as she was.

That is Xue Zhixi.

Chapter 109 Ning Xuenian's Hostility

After leaving the old lady's room, the girl wanted to see another circle of lanterns. The Qin siblings said they missed Xue Renli, so the group split into two groups. Xia Jing accompanied Ning Xuenian to the lakeside.

Yi Qiu stared at the boy's back. In the harem, on the pleasure boat, Yi Qiu had seen the quirky and childish side of her young master. But when she arrived at the Xue family and saw how he had just handled a series of events, she had unexpectedly discovered Xia Jing's steadiness.

She realized it too late. Ning Xuenian had noticed it long ago, so she was willing to have the boy rub her head. She called him "Brother Jing" but actually treated Xia Jing as her brother. She had the dignity of an older sister and the care of a younger sister.

The housekeeper brought lotus lanterns, and the two men put them into the water, gently stirred the water, and watched the lanterns float away.

The children were all in bed. The lakeside was quiet, and the girl was quiet too. She squatted on the steps, the light from the water illuminating her face and making her eyes sparkle. She rested her face on her knees, stirring the water, making a clear sound.

Xia Jing noticed that the girl was a little depressed.

"After Brother Jing went to the study, he didn't have time to play with me." Ning Xuenian turned her head to look at Xia Jing.

Turns out that was what I was worried about.

Xia Jing touched the girl's hair and promised to find time to accompany her.

After putting the last lotus lantern into the water, Xia Jing pulled Ning Xuenian up and walked towards the mansion gate. Concubine Yun was still waiting for her at the Qin Mansion.

The lake reflected the night sky, and the lotus lanterns floated in the air, gradually moving away.

Turning into the corridor, the pillars blocked half of the lake light, and a figure blocked their way.

That's Xue Zhixi.

Ning Xuenian frowned. She had a bad impression of Xue Zhixi.

"Your brother came out to help you, why are you blaming him!" The girl put her hands on her hips and pointed at Xue Zhixi, "They were the ones who bullied you, and you actually said it was your brother who misunderstood!"

Ning Xuenian thought about what happened a few months ago when Xia Jing beat Ning Chengrui for her and the two of them were blamed in the Summer Palace. She put herself in their shoes and became very angry.

Xue Zhixi didn't answer, bowed to Ning Xuenian, and turned to look at Xia Jing.

Letting Yi Qiu and Ning Xuenian stay, Xia Jing followed Xue Zhixi out of the corridor and into the corner.

The courtyard wall blocked out the sunlight, making it dark all around, but the two of them were very close, and Xia Jing could see the girl's facial features more clearly than before.

Gentle and well-behaved, this is the first impression the girl gives people. Like the lake reflecting the sky, there is nothing bright about her, but she can make people stare at her all day long.

If you look at it for a long time, you can see the deep blue undercurrent in the depths of those eyes.

Xue Zhixi is one year younger than Ning Xuenian and shorter than Ning Xuenian, but she gives people a much more mature feeling than Ning Xuenian.

"What's the matter?" Xia Jing looked at her.

Xue Zhixi lifted her skirt slightly and knelt in front of Xia Jing. Yi Qiu and Ning Xuenian, who were not far away, were startled.

"Young Master Jiu has a grudge against Xue Huaiyuan, why would he want to harm my brother?" The girl raised her head and looked into Xia Jing's eyes.

"How did I harm him?" Xia Jing pretended to be confused. "If my sister hadn't spoken up for him, he would still be wronged by you."

"Why is Ninth Young Master pretending to be stupid? From now on, whether it's Xue Huaiyuan, Madam Zhao, or even the old lady, they will all cause trouble for my second brother!"

Xue Huaiyuan was punished and Mrs. Zhao lost face, so they had to seek revenge on Xue Zhaoju.

Because of Xia Jing, the old lady favored Xue Zhaoju and lost the dignity of the legitimate son. She would also seek redemption elsewhere.

Xia Jing looked at the girl's eyes full of resentment and laughed in silence.

"I don't think your second brother is grateful to you." Xia Jing's words were provocative.

"My second brother has to study, so of course he can't understand me." The girl retorted.

Xia Jing was surprised. Even though he had known the girl's personality in the game, meeting her in person still felt incredible.

A five-year-old girl should have been crying because someone said "your mother doesn't love you", but Xue Zhixi was able to ignore other people's misunderstandings and accept other people's disapproval. It was really rare.

When Xia Jing was as old as a girl, she couldn't be so calm.

He thought again that when he first came here, the Ninth Prince and the girl were in very similar situations.

They are all in the vortex of power, are children who are not valued, and have to face bullying and exploitation from others.

Xia Jing formed alliances and found allies for herself, and she has escaped that situation. This was very difficult for the girl. After all, she was just a child, and she had tried her best to protect herself and her family.

Xia Jing reached out and stroked the girl's hair: "Your second brother will be fine, go back without worry."

Before Xue Zhixi could react, the boy had already walked back to the corridor and walked away with his sister and maid.

She knelt there, unsure whether to catch up.

She came to stop Xia Jing, of course not to blame the boy, but to beg for his promise.

She didn't know who the young man was, but he was undoubtedly a distinguished guest of the Xue family. As long as the young man said a few words for her second brother and asked Old Madam Xue to protect him, at least on the surface her second brother would be safe.

She had just started to make a move, ready to awaken the boy's guilt, but the boy easily saw through her purpose and left a promise.

But how to put this guarantee into practice?

Xue Zhixi was a little worried.

She returned to her own yard, but her mother couldn't find her and was very anxious. When she saw her come back, she first hugged her happily, then slapped her hard on the butt twice and asked her where she had been.