Huh? The Tyrant Cries After My Inner Thoughts Were Exposed!-Chapter 109: Fortunate to Have Met

That night, Ah Juan was kept at the Duke Mansion by Duke Ping under the pretext that the Su Mansion was too far away.

Liu Miaoying and Liu Xuan left the Duke Mansion, and Liu Xuan, recalling his earlier suspicions, spoke softly as if in passing, "It’s so late, yet the Su Mansion hasn’t sent anyone to look for the eldest daughter of the family. How could there be such neglectful parents in this world?"

At this time, the Liu family’s carriage had already stopped at the entrance of the Duke Mansion, with two guards standing next to it, indicating that the Chief Secretary, noticing the late hour and his daughter’s absence, sent someone specifically to fetch her.

Nearby was the carriage that Ah Juan had used during the day, with only a coachman, who seemed to have wandered off for a lazy break, leaving the carriage tied at the entrance.

Such a comparison showed how little the Su Mansion cared about their daughter Ah Juan.

Liu Miaoying didn’t miss the implied meaning in Liu Xuan’s words; he was clearly trying to inquire about Ah Juan.

Her gaze lingered on Liu Xuan, whose exceptional looks were inherited from the Marquis Ping couple. At just twelve years old, his talents amazed everyone. He was always gentle and soft-spoken, exuding an aura of calmness and always caring and advising his friend Xie Xun, who was widely known as a dissolute young man in the capital.

Indeed, many families in the capital wanted to propose marriage to the Liu family, and with such a gentleman who was both talented and handsome, no young lady could remain indifferent; everyone who knew him praised him.

Even the long-retired Elder Zhuo personally wrote the words "Gentleman’s Cautiousness in Solitude" as a gift to him.

Having known him for many years, Liu Miaoying sometimes thought that someone like Liu Xuan, without selfish desires, doing everything uprightly, and always composed and poised, should be like a bright moon hanging high in the sky, admired by people.

But now, he had personal desires, although not obvious, Liu Miaoying had noticed. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

From his reaction when Ah Juan was in danger on Tianyun Mountain, to his later advice, the sobering soup he made for her in the morning, to discouraging her from drinking today, and now this seemingly casual yet intentional remark.

At that time, Ah Juan hadn’t even divorced yet.

"Ah Juan’s biological mother died when she was very young, and Old Master Su soon made the then-pregnant concubine his wife, which might mean to a child without a mother, it’s as if there’s no father."

"To her, perhaps the Su Mansion wasn’t as warm as the Duke Mansion."

Liu Miaoying got into the carriage, slightly lifting the curtain to look at Liu Xuan standing at the entrance, who waited until the Liu family carriage left before getting into the Marquis Ping Mansion’s carriage.

She smiled, releasing her hand.

How could someone with a brief acquaintance remain unmoved after years of acquaintance?

A year ago, Marchioness Ping privately mentioned marriage to the Liu family. When she found out, she had her father politely decline it.

She didn’t want to be a caged bird in a courtyard, and Liu Xuan wouldn’t be bogged down by romance; they both had their paths to follow, vast skies and boundless seas; it was a fortune just to have met.

...

Returning to the Marquis Ping Mansion, Liu Xuan was almost certain that Su Juan was the lost child of Your Majesty.

He walked to the study of Marquis Ping but stopped when the door was already open.

"Father."

It was rare to see him return so late, carrying the scent of alcohol, "With Xie Xun?"

Liu Xuan nodded, "And Miss Su and Miss Liu, at the Duke Mansion."

Hearing that Ah Juan was also there, Marquis Ping’s expression flickered briefly. After the door closed behind father and son entering the study, Liu Xuan openly asked, "Miss Su is the one you and the Lord are supporting."

Marquis Ping looked at his son, unsurprised that he had guessed Ah Juan’s identity. The actions of Duke Ping were too obvious. Spending a fortune to renovate the courtyard for Ah Juan was evident; anyone aware of his grand-niece could easily guess it.

The capital talks about the flamboyance of Xie Xun without knowing that his father is even more extravagant.

Like father, like son, truly a family that can’t produce two different types.

Marquis Ping asked, "What do you think of Su Juan?"

He knew his son heard little about Ah Juan, and wanted to know his son’s impression of Su Juan.

Liu Xuan pondered for a moment, then replied softly, "Miss Su is righteous in nature; she doesn’t speak much, but it’s not hard to see she’s a clever and strategic person."

Listening to his son’s words, Marquis Ping remarked, "She doesn’t speak much..."

Indeed, Ah Juan spoke little, mostly keeping her thoughts to herself.

Liu Xuan’s gaze held confusion, puzzled by his father’s reaction, "Miss Su indeed doesn’t speak much."

When they first met, she quietly followed Prince Jing’s Princely Heir, later becoming familiar after extended acquaintance, eventually speaking more.

Marquis Ping was amused, "If you could hear what she’s really thinking, you might not think that way."

Liu Xuan replied gently, "Why do you say that, father? People can’t hear the thoughts of others."

Marquis Ping immediately retracted his words, "I mean to say, perhaps there is a side to Miss Su unknown to others. If you happen to glimpse it one day, you might not feel the same."

Liu Xuan furrowed his brows lightly, "Even if Miss Su has another side, I should not pry. Living in this world, having aspects unknown to others is normal. Even if one knows, if the person doesn’t want it known, others should cover their ears and close their eyes, as that is the way of being."

Marquis Ping was at a loss for words, lectured by his own son, "It’s late, go rest."

He suddenly felt it was a good thing his son couldn’t hear what Ah Juan said.

Liu Xuan always knew when to stop, "Father should rest early too, I take my leave."

Marquis Ping nodded slightly; if his son could hear, either he would be driven crazy by Su Juan, or vice versa.

One couldn’t live without rules, and the other would say to hell with all rules.

It’s truly something.

...

That night, Ah Juan had a dream.

Under the gaze of the courtiers, she wore the dragon robe, step by step approaching the dragon throne at the highest point of the Golden Hall.

Liu Miaoying, Xie Xun, and others stood below, Duke Ping smiling at her. Just as she was about to sit, everything before her suddenly vanished...

Song Qianfan was sitting on that dragon throne, a crazed, bloodthirsty smile on his face, "Kill."

With the rise of the blade, heads fell, half the civil and military officials were dead.

In the blink of an eye, Duke Ping perished on the road to exile, his corpse gnawed by rats and ants. Xie Xun, in tattered clothes, shackled, was dragged forward in disgrace, his face ashen.

Song Qianhang poured a cup of poisoned wine on the ground, thinking of the people of Prince Jing Mansion till his last breath, as a brother should respect his elder, as a son should honor his parents.

The Liu Family was destroyed; Liu Miaoying imprisoned in the palace, staring at a tree growing beyond the palace walls day by day, dying in depression.

Marquis Ping Mansion suffered unjust accusations, the whole family imprisoned, victim to a treacherous plot, their fate sealed with a massacre, Marquis Ping leaving behind a blood letter to prove his innocence, Marchioness Ping following her husband.

The Emperor ordered a reinvestigation, clearing the Liu family’s grievance, yet those who escaped died fleeing. Of the once-grand Marquis Ping Mansion, only Liu Xuan remained, eventually perishing in the chaos, buried beneath countless corpses.

Ah Juan awoke with a start, drenched in cold sweat.