Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 826 Threat (3)

Chapter 826: Chapter 826 Threat (3)

Stepping back into Lord Wei Yuan House beneath the vast night sky and having had a simple dinner, Xiao Ruiyuan was about to return to his room to rest when someone from the Prince’s Mansion suddenly came over, requesting him to pay a visit to the Prince’s Mansion.

Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t give it much thought and changed into a fresh set of clothes, preparing to leave the house. However, as he was about to step out the door, he encountered Xiao Xiong and Lady Wei, who had just returned from outside.

"At such a late hour, where is the Princely Heir off to?" Lady Wei asked with seemingly concerned words, making one who didn’t know any better think she had a good relationship with her stepson.

Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t even glance at Lady Wei but breezed past the two of them, heading straight for the gate.

"Stop right there!" Xiao Xiong’s voice thundered sharply, his eyes filled with coldness and contempt, not at all like he was looking at his own son. "What is that attitude? Apologize to your mother!"

Xiao Eleven looked at Xiao Xiong as if staring at a fool. Usually, when they crossed paths, they ignored each other completely. He couldn’t understand what madness had seized Xiao Xiong today, demanding that his master apologize to this woman.

The relationship between Xiao Ruiyuan and Xiao Xiong had always been very poor. After Xiao Ruiyuan had banished Xiao Ruiqing from Jing City and sent him off to watch over the clan’s tomb in their ancestral land, their relationship had dropped to an all-time low. Although living under the same roof, when they did see each other, it was as if they hadn’t, never even sharing a greeting. They’d been in an uneventful peace for nearly a year—did he no longer contain his irritation?

Xiao Ruiyuan had no desire to entangle with these two people, but he was puzzled by their reactions and thus spoke coldly, "My mother has long since passed away. If anyone should apologize to her, it’s not me."

Lady Wei’s face stiffened, and she shifted half a step closer to Xiao Xiong, her face bearing an indescribable sense of grievance. "Princely Heir, how can you speak to Lord Hou in such a manner?"

Xiao Xiong’s anger flared even brighter, and he pointed at Xiao Ruiyuan’s nose, berating vehemently, "You—you ungrateful and disrespectful wretch, what right do you have to be the Marquis’s Young Master?"

If it hadn’t been for the Old Marquis entering the palace and pleading for the title of Princely Heir on his sickbed for Xiao Ruiyuan before he died, given Xiao Xiong’s dislike of his legitimate first-born son, he would most certainly have done something as drastic as replacing the eldest for a younger son.

This was something Xiao Ruiyuan had always been well aware of. Seeing Xiao Xiong bringing this up again, his expression remained unchanged, but his mind was busy interpreting the deeper meaning behind Xiao Xiong’s words.

Seeing him silent, Xiao Xiong’s anger subsided somewhat, and he commanded with an authoritative tone, "Your mother found a marriage prospect for Qing’er. You had better summon someone to bring Qing’er back promptly. Otherwise, if you cause a delay in Qing’er’s life-long affair, it won’t look good for you as his brother either!"

If it hadn’t been for this cursed son keeping close watch, not allowing anyone he sent to get within half a step of Qing’er, he would have brought the person back long ago—why would he need to consider this cursed son’s feelings?

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruiyuan started to understand why this man and woman were behaving so abnormally today. Hmph, what reason was there for someone who had been expelled to be brought back?

"I have said that Xiao Ruiqing will either stay there for a lifetime or I will present evidence of his plot to assassinate his brother to The Emperor. Since you are adamant about bringing him back... I shall accommodate you!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiong and Lady Wei didn’t back down as they did usually. Lady Wei, unable to hide the smugness on her face, said with a laugh, "Princely Heir, Princess Ruining wishes to take Qing’er as her Prince Consort, and The Emperor also intends to grant the marriage. Surely you won’t prevent Qing’er from returning for a lifetime, right?"

Xiao Ruiyuan was inwardly surprised, not having expected that they could have made a connection with Princess Ruining. He couldn’t help but reassess the two people before him.

Princess Ruining, at the tender age of seventeen, was Emperor Huian’s fifth daughter. Due to her stunning beauty and vivacious nature, she was skilled at winning Emperor Huian’s heart. Thus, out of all the princesses, she was the most favored. Even before her coming-of-age ceremony, she had received the title of Princess Ruining, a first among the princesses.