Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 973 - 948: Disdain

When Mingzhu returned home from the Imperial College, she discovered that Xie Jue had come back. She was ecstatic, more composed than Ruyi. Xie Jue had a cold demeanor and wasn’t fond of speaking, yet both children unexpectedly liked him very much. Perhaps it was because Xie Jue gave them enough confidence to know that no matter what happened, he was always there to back them up. Mingzhu and Ruyi both depended on him, and it was precisely this reliance that made Xie Jue always care for them deeply at heart.

"Ruyi said you were bullied. Who bullied you?"

Mingzhu was taken aback, then smiled and waved her hand, "Father, don’t worry. It’s just a verbal spat. Your daughter has different interests from them, so it’s naturally hard to get along. I haven’t taken it to heart for a long time."

Ruyi stood angrily with hands on his hips, glaring at Mingzhu. The little boy’s eyes were almost spitting fire, but Mingzhu just smiled at her brother and didn’t mind.

Having not seen each other for half a year, Mingzhu had grown taller. Xie Jue didn’t probe into the matter’s root, "Can you handle it yourself?"

"I can!" Mingzhu didn’t want her father to hear those dirty words, "I’ve grown up. When girls come into conflict, if elders interfere, then I wouldn’t be able to make friends in the future."

Xie Jue had long intended to cultivate Mingzhu’s independence, so since she didn’t need help, he wouldn’t meddle, "If you can’t handle it, then tell Father."

"Yes!"

"Father, are you going to leave again?" Ruyi tugged at Xie Jue’s sleeve, "When you’re not at home, Ruyi eats poorly, sleeps poorly, and misses you every day. Please don’t leave, alright?"

Xie Jue hesitated slightly, "If Father has to leave, I will properly bid farewell to Ruyi."

"Hmph!" Ruyi turned his face away angrily, eyes reddening with grievance. Xie Jue knew he had frequently been away from home this year, making Ruyi feel lonely, so he could only hug and console him, "You’re a big kid, why are you still crying?"

"Ruyi will cry if he wants to."

"Alright, then cry."

Ruyi, "...Stinky Father!"

The news of Fang Chuning’s return to life spread quickly in the Capital City and soon reached the palace. When Xie Jue wrote a memorial upon his return to the capital, he included a family letter. Xie Xun learned that Fang Chuning was still alive, but since he hadn’t returned to the capital and his plans were unknown, Xie Xun kept quiet. He worried day and night that Fang Chuning would take his Second Brother on travels around the world. Now that they’ve returned to the Capital City, Xie Xun contemplated that Fang Chuning was sure to be reinstated, but how to arrange it?

He consulted with Lin Helin. Upon hearing it was about Fang Chuning’s career, Lin Helin stood up and excused himself, not wanting to get involved in this matter. Xie Xun found himself at a loss for words.

Actually, the best place for Fang Chuning would be Zhongzhou. If he were to garrison Zhongzhou, in a few years, once he recouped the military power of the Great Marshal, the Fang Family would stand on its own with him at the helm. He would need to garrison Zhongzhou for at least ten years.

If Fang Chuning garrisoned Zhongzhou for ten years, what about his Second Brother? Would his Second Brother have to go garrison Zhongzhou with him? What would that look like? Moreover, how could a prince and a regional commander live in Zhongzhou for years on end? The old geezers in the Capital City would tear the roof off. But giving Fang Chuning a sinecure would be unjustifiable.

A dignified second-rank military general with distinguished military merit, born through perilous warfare, and who made considerable achievements in Sannan, yet would the royal family sever ties with him due to an unethical romance, thereby disheartening so many military generals?

"It’s troubling..." Xie Xun propped his head, absentmindedly teasing his son. Little Xingxing could lift his head now, resembling Fengyu more, with only a pair of eyes like Xie Xun’s. Xie Xun poked his chubby cheeks, causing the boy to giggle, with eyes that seemed to fall like stars, particularly adorable.

The Eldest Imperial Son, surrounded by eight wet nurses, required little concern from Xie Xun and Fengyu. However, Xie Xun enjoyed playing with his son after court, albeit it was a fleeting enthusiasm.

Mostly because all the baby did was eat, sleep, and cry, which wasn’t much fun.

"What should I do? They’re like a pair of mandarin ducks who have to be broken apart!" Xie Xun had a headache. He thought he’d ask Second Brother in the palace later, and Fang Chuning should attend the morning court tomorrow, right?

Just as Xie Xun thought of this, the front court delivered a plea for forgiveness from Fang Chuning. Xie Xun ordered it to be put aside without reading, as he didn’t think any crime was involved, nor did he believe Fang Chuning intended to fake his death. There must have been some misunderstanding, which he would clear up with his Second Brother.

After teasing his son, Xie Xun opened the memorial, and Fang Chuning recounted the reasons for his return from death. After being severely injured in Sannan, he was taken away and poisoned by the High Priest’s men, resulting in memory loss so severe that he couldn’t recall his identity. Later, he escaped from Sannan and met Xie Jue in Yangzhou, where he learned about his identity, with no intention of hiding it, and pleaded for the Emperor’s forgiveness. He mentioned nothing of the Great Marshal in the memorial because doing so would make the Fang Family guilty of deceiving the sovereign. In the end, Fang Chuning also stated he would appear in court to state his case the following day.

When Fengyu returned to the palace, she saw Xie Xun frowning, looking troubled, while their son nibbled on his probing hand in annoyance.

Fengyu went over to pry his fingers away, "Did you wash your hands?"

"I did, I did!" If he dared to play with his son without washing his hands, Ayu would forbid him from holding the child, prohibiting contact for three days.

Fengyu used a kerchief to wipe the drool from the baby’s mouth, "What are you worrying about?"

The rumors in the Capital City had reached her through Chunlu, which was a good thing.

Xie Xun handed the memorial to Fengyu. After a quick review, she asked, "Do you believe it?"

"Is it important whether I believe it? As long as you do."

"I don’t believe it!"

"Then what can you do? Dig deeper and confirm the Fang Family’s crime of deceiving the emperor? Fang Chuning submitting a memorial before the morning court is his way of reaching out. If the emperor doesn’t mind, then what else matters?"

"That’s not the most important!" Xie Xun shook his index finger.

"Then what is most important?" Even though they had been married for quite some time, Fengyu sometimes couldn’t guess Xie Xun’s curious thoughts.

"What exactly does the Great Marshal find unsatisfactory about my Second Brother? I don’t mind Fang Chuning. Why does he get to mind my Second Brother?"

Fengyu, "..."