Chapter 174 - Qu Xing Xu Was Forced?
Chapter 174 – Qu Xing Xu Was Forced?
Qu Xing Xu barely glanced at Yu Fangzhu. He didn't even pretend to look shocked when he saw a glimpse of the foolish prince who he had just stabbed with a chopstick.
But that one glance he used to look at Yu Fangzhu was enough to make him see that the prince still couldn't take the stick in his hands and his face was black and blue from the pain and humiliation he had suffered that day.
'So, he hasn't left earlier. Tsk.' Qu Xing Xu clicked his tongue. His distaste towards Yu Fangzhu intensified upon taking his bride's attention.
"What is he doing here?" Lin Xiaofei repeated her question. Attendant Tan did tell her that Yu Fangzhu was outside for an important matter hence, he couldn't welcome them himself. However, she didn't think that she would neet him here.
'What's wrong with him anyway? Why was he walking strangely as if his tail was burning behind him?' Lin Xiaofei wanted to look again and was about to lift the curtain but her hand that was holding the fabric was suddenly held by Qu Xing Xu..
"You don't need to look at him. I'll tell you why he's here." He said and pulled her to his arms.
Of course, Lin Xiaofei tried to struggle free from him but his strength was too much for her and she could only give up and let herself wrapped up in his embrace.
"I met him in the palace today." Qu Xing Xu planned to end it like that but he got a glare from her and it prompted him to continue. He sighed and said, "We met there and when he saw me, he asked if he could treat me for a drink."
Lin Xiaofei skeptically stared at him. She knew that Yu Fangzhu would never invite Qu Xing Xu out after what happened last night. And even without last night's event, he was a coward who wouldn't ever dream of trying to suck up on Qu Xing Xu and try to anger him.
But Lin Xiaofei didn't try to expose Qu Xing Xu as she let him continue. She let the shameless man continue with his lie if it's making him happy.
"You could've refused him." She told him.
"I naturally wanted to decline but seeing that having more profit coming to Hong Pei Lou was quite a good thing, I accepted his offer in the end." Qu Xing Xu said, appearing aggrieved as if he was forced to come with Yu Fangzhu.
Lin Xiaofei blankly stared at him, "Then, what is wrong with him?"
"What's wrong with him?" Qu Xing Xu feigned ignorance and innocently blinked his eyes as if he didn't have a clue about what she was talking about.
Lin Xiaofei sighed. She might need to choke him before he could completely say every detail that has happened between him and Yu Fangzhu.
She shifted against him and in response, Qu Xing Xu's hand that was holding her own curled towards her waist to hold her tight. "Why does he look so pale and why are there bloodstains on his sleeve?" Asked Lin Xiaofei after her futile effort to break away from him.
Qu Xing Xu shrugged and replied, "Maybe, he's constipated."
Lin Xiaofei: "…"
…
Having not gotten her answers from Qu Xing Xu, Lin Xiaofei decided to ask Gu Yan directly.
Liu Shishi successfully got to eat her meal and the bag of biscuits that she wanted so badly before she was brought back to the Liu family's residence. Lin Xiaofei returned as soon as the other girl was safely returned to her family and called Gu Yan to her room.
The old man was standing before her as she listened to his report.
Apparently, Gu Yan became her loyal servant after getting a harsh scolding after the last favor he asked her. But Qu Xing Xu did reward him greatly soon after his master found out his effort to make the two of them closer.
Qu Xing Xu was already expecting her to ask the old man and let Gu Yan tell him of his heroic deeds privately since if he did so personally, she would definitely get angry at him. The duke certainly didn't want to disturb their time together inside the carriage earlier just for Yu Fangzhu.
"That man… he hurt a royal prince. Won't this become a problem for him?" Lin Xiaofei started to massage her temple with the oncoming headache of what she discovered.
Gu Yan replied, "Yes."
"Will Emperor Yun punish him?" Lin Xiaofei was alarmed. No one has ever survived unscathed after injuring a royal member.
Even if they were a member of the royal family, they would be punished accordingly to the emperor's wishes. And with Qu Xing Xu blatantly stabbing Yu Fangzhu, who was to know if he were to get a heavier price to pay since the emperor favors the prince.
That is, only if Yu Fangzhu was as shameless as Qu Xing Xu and decided to talk about him being stabbed by the duke without fighting back. If the prince somehow tells his father about this, it wouldn't do anything good to Yu Fangzhu.
The emperor might use this as a way to punish Qu Xing Xu, but to Yu Fangzhu, this would only make him look like a coward.
Lin Xiaofei finally sighed in relief upon thinking that Yu Fangzhu wouldn't pursue the matters. She knew the prince's character more than anyone and knew that he hated looking weak in front of others. Thus, he wouldn't say a word about what happened to him and who stabbed him with a stick.
Gu Yan shook his head and opened his lips to say, "The emperor has been quite forgiving towards my master and won't pursue this matter. Madam doesn't have to worry about master as he wouldn't be punished."
Lin Xiaofei looked surprised at his words. It seems that the emperor was quite merciful towards the duke. Is it because he was a hero in everyone's heart? Or was it because he was afraid of the Duke?