Chapter 21: The Shield Who Walked Into The Trap

“Seventh Prince, Xiao Rui!”

After Xu Xianyang received the news, he was also taken by surprise.

“You said the person who invited Haoran out early in the morning was Seventh Prince Xiao Rui?” Xu Xianyang asked again to confirm.

The servant beside him replied, “Yes, Master, it’s been confirmed.”

Xu Xianyang paced in the hall. He wasn’t familiar with this Seventh Prince. With no backing from the inner palace and no close confidants among the civil and military officials, he was a negligible prince who served just to make up the numbers. As a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Xu Xianyang didn’t take such a prince seriously at all.

He hadn’t expected him to be like an iceberg, with most hidden beneath the surface, keeping something up his sleeve.

So, just how much did he actually know?

And why did he take the initiative to contact Xu Haoran?

At his position, Xu Xianyang couldn’t help but think more deeply about it.

“Go, deliver an invitation on my behalf, inviting him to a banquet at the manor this evening,” Xu Xianyang instructed.

Xu Haoran’s mother asked, “Is that alright?”

“It’s fine! A prince out of favor can’t stir up any waves. Besides, even Yingtian Prefecture couldn’t produce any evidence, what evidence could he possibly have? I reckon the reason he barged in was simply to threaten me, to get my support. It seems this lad has quite the ambition,” Xu Xianyang said with a laugh.

Xu Haoran’s mother hesitated before saying, “The five members of the Wang Family, just died like that…”

Xu Xianyang narrowed his eyes and scolded, “What does a woman know! Back in Luzhou Prefecture, when Haoran got involved with that girl, I intended to cut the knot quickly and have him recalled to the Capital City. That boy begged you, and you whispered in my ear. Coupled with my busy official duties, the matter was delayed, allowing their feelings to grow deep and entangled. If I hadn’t had Xu Ming cover things up, their relationship would have already spread throughout Luzhou Prefecture.”

“Do you not know how much the Prince of Ruyang dotes on his daughter? How could he tolerate his future son-in-law having ties with a common girl, letting his daughter suffer the slightest grievance?”

“If he had returned to the Capital City earlier, would there have been so much trouble? Would I have needed to devise a scheme, to have Xu Ming act out that charade to sever Haoran’s attachment?”

Saying this, Xu Xianyang sighed. “Who would have thought this Wang Family was so ungrateful? They took the money yet dared to come to the Capital City to threaten us. If I hadn’t had Xu Ming drive them away, and this matter had blown up, Haoran’s marriage arrangement would have been ruined. The most infuriating part was that Wang boy actually threatened to beat the grievance drum, to shame our Xu Family and wreck the marriage. Hmph, truly uncivilized lowlifes. How outrageous!”

Xu Haoran’s mother sighed inwardly, not daring to speak. She worried about her husband. Now in a high and powerful position, he had begun to treat commoners’ lives as worthless grass. He would surely reap bitter consequences in the future, but she didn’t dare say more.

At noon, Xu Xianyang’s invitation was delivered to Prince Duan’s Mansion.

Xiao Feng’s Princess Consort, Cao Wan’er, had failed to drive Xiao Rui out. Instead, she lost twenty thousand taels of silver, making Xiao Feng so angry he wanted to give her two punches to vent his fury.

Prince Duan’s Mansion was in the wrong, so he ordered the servants not to tell outsiders that Xiao Rui had already moved out. Therefore, Xu Xianyang’s invitation was still delivered here.

Xiao Feng examined the invitation. The content was simple: an invitation for his Seventh Brother to dine at his manor that evening.

But to Xiao Feng, it seemed as if Xu Xianyang had joined Xiao Rui’s camp, colluding with him to help him contend for the Imperial Throne.

Damn it all!

Enraged, Xiao Feng kicked and shattered a wooden door. He considered himself highly skilled in martial arts, superior to Xiao Rui. Why, after he had tried every possible way to win Xu Xianyang over without even getting a fart in response, was he now eagerly inviting the unremarkable Xiao Rui to a meal?

“Prepare the carriage!” Xiao Feng roared.

Xiao Rui hadn’t expected Xiao Feng to personally come to his door.

He thought it might be to offer apologies, but it turned out to be to demand answers.

“Seventh Brother, this is the invitation sent by Minister Xu, inviting you to dine at his manor. I never imagined, Seventh Brother, you have such means, already a step ahead among us brothers in winning over a Grand Secretariat minister,” Xiao Feng said with a sarcastic, insinuating tone.

Xiao Rui looked at the invitation and wasn’t particularly surprised.

It was just this blockhead Xiao Feng’s sarcasm. Ah, pity the one without brains.

“Fourth Brother, your younger brother has an unreasonable request. I’d like you to accompany me to the Xu Manor for the evening banquet,” Xiao Rui requested.

“Huh?” Xiao Feng was somewhat taken aback and asked, “Is that allowed?”

“Why wouldn’t it be! Grand Secretary Xu invited me to his manor because I helped his son see the truth of a matter, to not live deceived, so he’s specially thanking me. What did you think?” Xiao Rui asked in return.

Xiao Feng scratched the back of his head and said, “I didn’t think anything. Then I’ll accompany you tonight.”

His inner monologue, however, was: I’ll just see if you two are really in cahoots.

Xiao Rui nodded cheerfully.

A shield who walked into the trap on his own, what a good Fourth Brother.

In the evening, Xiao Rui tagged along in Xiao Feng’s carriage to the Xu family.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Xu Manor and announcing themselves, Xu Xianyang personally came out to greet them.

On the way, he had already learned that not only Seventh Prince Xiao Rui had come, but also Fourth Prince Xiao Feng.

Yes, how could he have been so muddled? Xiao Rui lived in Xiao Feng’s home, listening to him in everything. So, the person behind Xiao Rui was actually Xiao Feng?

Wasn’t it said that Xiao Feng was all brawn and no brains? It seemed those were just rumors.

“Greetings, Minister Xu!” Xiao Feng stepped forward first, with Xiao Rui standing behind him. Both cupped their hands in salute.

Xu Xianyang returned the courtesy. “The visit of Your Highnesses brings great honor to my humble manor. Please, come in.”

“You flatter us, Grand Secretary,” Xiao Feng said with a bow and a smile.

Xiao Rui followed behind Xiao Feng. When Xu Xianyang looked at him, he gave him a shy smile.

The three entered the main hall, where wine and dishes were already prepared.

Xu Xianyang had Xiao Feng sit in the seat of honor on the north side as a sign of respect, while he himself took the host’s seat on the east side. Xiao Rui sat on the west side.

Xu Xianyang personally poured the wine. Looking at Xiao Rui, he asked, “Seventh Prince, I heard you invited my son out early this morning?”

“Yes, I heard Young Master Xu was in low spirits, blinded by a lie, so I made a small effort to counsel him,” Xiao Rui said. “It was all taught by my Fourth Brother, to be good at helping others, especially officials valuable to the court.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Xiao Feng chimed in. Although he didn’t fully understand the first part, the latter part praising him was fine.

Xu Xianyang said, “Since you have already counseled him, then stop any unnecessary actions. Let him digest it himself. Getting too involved might get you into trouble.”

Xiao Feng was a bit confused, unable to grasp the meaning.

But Xiao Rui smiled and asked, “Fourth Brother, what do you say? If someone abuses their status to commit misdeeds, even taking lives recklessly, betraying our Imperial Father’s favor, should we let such a person off?”

“Let him off? I’d twist his head off and use it as a chamber pot,” Xiao Feng roared.

Xu Xianyang’s face darkened. “Why not weigh your own strength first?”

“Me? I weigh two hundred and twenty catties. That’s heavy enough, right?” Xiao Feng answered truthfully.

Xiao Rui really wanted to praise Xiao Feng for his powerful answer.

“Fourth Prince, are you deliberately playing dumb?” Xu Xianyang thought Xiao Feng was teaming up with Xiao Rui to make a fool of him.

“Yes, yes, I’m deliberately playing dumb. I’m so smart, I naturally understand everything clearly,” Xiao Feng quickly exclaimed, not wanting Minister Xu to know he understood nothing.

“…” Xu Xianyang’s expression turned stormy.

“Did I say something wrong? Actually, I don’t understand anything, I’m just here for a free meal,” Xiao Feng hurriedly picked up his chopsticks to eat.

“Your Highnesses, please, for the sake of this old man’s humble reputation, let this matter pass. Consider it as me owing you a favor,” Xu Xianyang said.

“Good! Let it pass, let it pass,” Xiao Feng immediately agreed.

Before Xiao Rui could speak, a pleasant sound echoed in his mind again.

“Ding-dong…”