Xiao Yingxun shifted his gaze away from Gu Lingwan, who was currently rejoicing internally, and said coolly, “Mother, my wrist is injured and has not yet healed, so I am truly unable to write a divorce paper.”
Gu Lingwan quickly turned to look at Xiao Yingxun. “But Your Highness was just holding me in the bedroom.”
If your wrist were seriously injured, how could you possibly pick up a big man like me who weighs over a hundred pounds!
Xiao Yingxun frowned deeply. “It was precisely because I picked you up that the wound tore open, making the injury more severe and preventing me from writing the divorce paper.” He added pointedly, “You were the one who insisted I hold you.”
The Empress Dowager listened to their dialogue, momentarily bewildered. “What did the two of you do in the bedroom that required Yingxun to hold you?” Yingxun detests him so much that he won’t even spare him a second glance, so how did they become so intimate?
Fearing a misunderstanding, Xiao Yingxun explained, “The Heir suffered a leg cramp after jumping into the water to save the Eleventh Brother and fell. I carried him to the bed.”
Gu Lingwan chimed in: “My clothes were soaked through from saving him, and Your Highness kindly allowed me to use his bedchamber to change into some of his boyhood robes. Who could have known that once I took off my wet garments, my legs would cramp up? I fell to the ground, unable to move, and it was only through the Prince’s mercy that he carried me to the bed to spare me the chill of the floor.”
Look at how kind I am. Even though I know you, Xiao the Second, are a villain, I am still helping you craft a good reputation for the sake of those one hundred thousand taels of gold your mother promised me for the divorce.
Xiao Yingxun closed his phoenix eyes in frustration: You are ruining my reputation right in front of the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager’s gaze landed on the ice-blue brocade robe Gu Lingwan was wearing. No wonder the robe looked so familiar; it was Yingxun’s.
Thinking of this, she turned her eyes to Xiao Yingxun and asked, “The Princess Consort was unclothed, and you carried him?”
Gu Lingwan, sensing the shift, hurried to explain for Xiao Yingxun’s sake: “Your Highness was quite repulsed at the time and did not want to deal with me, but he carried me to the bed out of necessity. After all, the palace banquet was underway, and if we were late, it would lead to gossip—especially regarding Your Highness, as someone might use our absence to slander you for disrespecting the Emperor.”
Xiao Yingxun turned his head and gave Gu Lingwan a cold, sharp glance.
Gu Lingwan thought: Vicious Xiao the Second, you really should not doubt me. Among the Xiao royal family members attending the Emperor’s twenty-sixth birthday banquet today, there is one who wants you dead. He mused: Yes, the one called Xiao Zitang. In three days, he will slander you before the Emperor, accusing you of treason.
Xiao Yingxun turned his head back to Gu Lingwan, waiting to hear more in his heart.
Because the carriage you were riding in broke down, delaying your morning court appearance, he will seize the opportunity to stir up trouble in the Emperor’s ears.
The Empress Dowager had been observing them: Yingxun is glancing at the Heir frequently. It seems my eyes were not playing tricks on me. However, she could see that Yingxun did not look at him with the affection of a lover. What on earth has happened between these two? Regardless, she was determined not to let them have another chance.
“Since Yingxun’s wrist is injured, I shall send someone to write a divorce paper for you to give to the Heir.”
Gu Lingwan adopted a submissive, obedient look. “Lingwan will listen to the Empress Dowager’s arrangements in everything.”
Hurry up, do not dilly-dally. Once I have the divorce paper, I can leave and start a carefree, relaxing life.
“Mother…” Xiao Yingxun knitted his brows, a trace of unavoidable helplessness appearing on his face. “This is truly inappropriate. Such deception, even if we find someone else to write the divorce paper, would be invalid.” His tone was calm, yet the firmness within it could not be ignored, showing the Empress Dowager his stance on the matter—he would not be easily swayed or coerced.
Gu Lingwan urged him: “Your Highness, if I do not say anything and you do not say anything, no one will ever know the paper is faked.”
Damn it, you vicious Xiao the Second, stop acting like such a hypocritical gentleman. I will remember the evil deed you committed for the rest of my life.
For once, the Empress Dowager agreed with Gu Lingwan and nodded. “The Heir speaks sense.”
Gu Lingwan was so excited about the prospect of becoming single again and receiving a retirement fund that his arms felt like they were about to sprout wings and fly away. However, Xiao Yingxun snapped those little wings right off: “Mother, do you know how much liquid cash is left in the national treasury?”
The Empress Dowager, having lived deep within the palace walls, would not know such things. Especially with Xiao Lanjie’s extravagant lifestyle, she could never grasp that the treasury was empty.
Beside them, Gu Lingwan felt a sudden, ominous premonition.
Xiao Yingxun continued: “There are only three million taels of gold left in the treasury, yet you are giving the Heir one hundred thousand taels for a divorce. If the common people of Northern Qi were to know, what would they think of the Xiao family? To spend so luxuriously on a mere divorce?”
Gu Lingwan waved his hands at him: “Your Highness, do not worry, I will keep this a secret.”
Xiao Yingxun’s face was as gloomy as water as he stared coldly at him, questioning, “The national treasury has only three million taels, yet the Heir still tries to collect those one hundred thousand? Does he not find such greed and shamelessness excessive?”
How am I greedy or shameless? Northern Qi is dirt poor—what does that have to do with me? It is all because you two brothers wasted it all.
It is no wonder it is going to perish!
Look at the Yunling Kingdom next door. Their Emperor casually gifts ministers millions of taels of gold; the one thing they do not lack is money.
Gu Lingwan complained violently in his heart, but on the surface, he looked at the Empress Dowager with feigned hurt and fragility.
Look at that, old hag, you were the one who proposed the money, and your son is attacking me like a mad dog. Pfft, birds of a feather really do flock together.
The Empress Dowager avoided Gu Lingwan’s eyes, deciding to let him continue to be the scapegoat.
Huh? Gu Lingwan’s eyes widened. This old hag wants me to take the fall? In your dreams. Watch how I deal with you.
“Ah? Your Highness…” Gu Lingwan felt his wrist being gripped by the man, who dragged him out of the Yongkun Palace.
As soon as they stepped out, they saw Xiao Yanming running toward them in a hurry. Xiao Yingxun released Gu Lingwan’s hand. Xiao Yanming was sweating, and after a glance at Xiao Yingxun, he whispered to Gu Lingwan, “Are you alright?”
Gu Lingwan also whispered: “By the time you arrived, the cabbage would have been cold!”
Having failed to divorce Xiao Yingxun and successfully claim that hundred thousand taels of compensation, Gu Lingwan was in a terrible mood. He quickened his pace, leaving both of them behind as he walked toward the Honghua Hall.
Seeing his behavior, Xiao Yanming asked Xiao Yingxun, “Is the Princess Consort in a bad mood?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“How would I know? Go ask him.”
Xiao Yanming sensed that Xiao Yingxun was also displeased: “Have you two had an argument?”
That works perfectly in your favor. Xiao Yingxun replied coolly: “No, we have an appointment to visit the night market later.”
After walking for a while, Gu Lingwan had cleared his mind. One should not add stress to one’s own life; one must make oneself happy. He was already starving. The delicacies might have gone cold, but they were still fine cuisine—he would just head inside and feast.
Thinking this, Gu Lingwan entered the Honghua Hall. As soon as he did, he saw a group of Xiao royal family members staring straight at him, wearing inexplicable smiles.