The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 141

Chapter 141 Embroidery Workshop Meets
The news from the palace finally reached Prince Yan’s Mansion.

Ruo Su looked at Xiao Xiwei leaning on the couch and silently stared at the candlestick beside her. She did not say anything for a long time and could not help but advise, “Princess, you have done your best in this matter. Your body is heavy now, so you must not think too much about it.”

Xiao Xiwei turned to look at Ruo Su and smiled softly, “Auntie, I know.”

She seemed to be surprised that she managed to persuade Xiao Xiwei so easily. A trace of surprise flashed across Ruo Su’s face.

“Princess, have you … really figured it out?” Ruo Su couldn’t help but ask again because she was afraid that Xiao Xiwei’s words were perfunctory.

“Otherwise, auntie will do it for you?” Xiao Xiwei lightly pulled the corner of his mouth and said in a faint voice, “Human nature is selfish after all.” After saying that, she slowly closed her eyes.

Ruo Su’s lips moved, but looking at Xiao Xiwei’s weak expression, she didn’t say anything. She reached out her hand to help Xiao Xi tuck in the quilt and finally quietly retreated.

After Ruo Su left, Xiao Xiwei slowly opened his eyes on the soft couch.

After a while, Zi Yan quietly entered the room.

“Princess.”

Xiao Xiwei sat up and said, “How is it? Has everything been arranged?”

Zi Yan frowned and looked at Xiao Xiwei. After a moment of silence, she lightly nodded.

“Alright then, let’s hurry up and leave.” Xiao Xiwei lifted the blanket and sat up.

Zi Yan reached out and held Xiao Xiwei’s hand. She frowned and looked at her worriedly, “Princess, are you really going to do this? Don’t you think it’s too risky? Is it worth taking such a big risk for a Ninth Princess?”

Xiao Xiwei looked at Zi Yan and gently grabbed her fingertips. “Zi Yan, there are many things in this world that are not worth measuring. There are always some people in this world that we have to protect at all costs. Do you understand?”

Zi Yan lowered her head and sighed, “This servant clearly doesn’t understand what’s important. The important thing is that you have already made your decision, Princess.”

Seeing Zi Yan’s helpless and obedient appearance, Xiao Xi smiled and said, “Since you know, why don’t you bring me to see him?”

Zi Yan raised her eyes and glanced at Xiao Xiwei. Finally, she heavily sighed. She reached out and picked up the cloak on the shelf. She helplessly looked at Xiao Xiwei and said, “Princess, please.”

It was already 11 o’clock, and the shops on the streets had long since closed.

Located in the embroidery shop on East Street.

From the moment he entered, Lu Haichuan’s burning heart had never calmed down for a moment.

As soon as he came out of the palace, Xiao Xiwei had someone bring him to this embroidery shop. Could it be that she knew that she had messed up the marriage request so quickly? Was calling him here at this time to scold him? The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. He couldn’t sit anymore, so he got up and walked around the room.

“Crown Prince, have a sip of tea first. This is the Biluochun that you just picked this year. Try it.” Seeing Lu Haichuan’s anxious appearance, A Liang picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for him.

Lu Haichuan glanced at A Liang, and finally sat back on the chair. He picked up the cup, raised his head and poured the tea into his mouth.

“Tea needs to be tasted one mouthful at a time in order to taste it. Isn’t it a waste of the beauty of Biluochun for the Crown Prince to drink like an ox?” A gentle voice sounded as the bead curtain in front of him crashed into each other.

Lu Haichuan raised his head and saw Xiao Xiwei walk in wearing a light green turtleneck dress with a silver cloak embroidered with plum blossoms on his face. He hurriedly stood up.

“Princess.” Seeing Xiao Xiwei, A Liang greeted him happily.

Xiao Xi smiled, raised his hand, and said to Lu Haichuan, “Prince, please sit down.”

Lu Haichuan cupped his fists at her and silently sat back down.

“Princess, this tea is a little cold. I’ll make another pot for you.” A Liang smiled and said to Xiao Xiwei.

“Alright.” Xiao Xi smiled and nodded.

After hearing Xiao Xiwei’s words, A Liang removed the tea from the table and closed the door when he went out.

“Princess, I’ve done my best to beg for a marriage.” After hesitating for a long time, Lu Haichuan still stood up and hugged Xiao Xiwei, “I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need for the Crown Prince to do this. This matter cannot be blamed on the Crown Prince.” Xiao Xiwei hurriedly stood up and reached out to support Lu Haichuan’s hand.

Lu Haichuan’s cold and slippery fingertips touched his skin, causing his heart to tremble. He hurriedly took two steps back, “Since I promised the princess this, it’s my fault that I didn’t do it.”

Hearing Lu Haichuan’s words, Xiao Xi smiled. The stereotypes he had towards Lu Haichuan dissipated a lot.

In the past, I didn’t know that this Crown Prince Lu was also a responsible person.

“As I said, I can’t blame the Crown Prince for this, because I knew from the beginning that the Emperor would not accept the Crown Prince’s proposal.” Xiao Xiwei looked at Lu Haichuan and said calmly.

“You, what do you mean?” Lu Haichuan raised his head and frowned as he looked at Xiao Xiwei.

Xiao Xi smiled and supported Zi Yan’s hand back into the chair.

“Didn’t the Crown Prince just come back from the banquet? Could it be that he can’t see clearly?” Xiao Xiwei smiled as he looked at Qian Haichuan.

Lu Haichuan sat back in his chair and did not speak for a long time.

How could he not see that the Emperor had no intention of pushing the Northern Desert away, and even more or less pushed the matter forward to complete the marriage? However, what he couldn’t understand was, what reason did the Emperor have to marry the Ninth Princess to the Northern Desert? Just for Great Yue and Northern Desert? However, with Great Yue’s power, there was no need to sacrifice a princess for the sake of making friends with a country in the middle of the desert. Not only was it unnecessary, it would also be good for Great Yue’s reputation.

Thinking of this, Lu Haichuan frowned and subconsciously looked at Xiao Xiwei, “Does the princess seem to know the reason for this?”

“Presumably, the Crown Prince already knows that the Emperor’s son is actually Prince Shenwang.” Xiao Xiwei looked at Lu Haichuan and said calmly.

Lu Haichuan sneered, “Is there anyone who doesn’t know about this now?”

Who would have thought that the Swallow King, who appeared to be doted on by the Emperor on the surface, was actually only a chess piece that the Emperor had used to deal with the Crown Prince?

“Since you know this, then the Emperor’s intentions are not hard to guess.” Xiao Xiwei lowered his eyes and smiled, “Does the Crown Prince know what the Northern Desert does not lack the most?”

Lu Haichuan frowned, “You mean gold?”

“That’s right.” Xiao Xiwei nodded. “The Northern Desert is rich in gold, and the most important thing is gold.”

“But why does he need so much gold?” Lu Haichuan said, still puzzled.

“Raising soldiers, raising warhorses, building weapons, buying people, which one doesn’t need money? You know, years of war and famine have already exhausted the treasury. If so much money can’t be taken out of the treasury, then there’s no other way.” Xiao Xiwei said.

Ever since Zheng Lin returned to the capital and the Crown Prince died, it was impossible for the Zheng Clan to return to Chu Yanzhi. Although he had the support of the Emperor, Xizhi had quietly cultivated many powers in the capital over the years. Even though the Emperor had repeatedly hinted at the candidate for the Savage Monarch, there were still people in the court who supported Xizhi. This made the Emperor and Chu Yanzhi have no choice but to make other plans. Sending Chu Zuizhi to the Northern Desert, First, he could obtain the support of the Northern Desert King, Secondly, because Chu Zuizhi and Chu Xizhi had a deeper relationship than Chu Yanzhi, In addition, the person Chu Zuizhi liked was her brother. A few days ago, news had just come from Wu City that Madam Xiao was seriously ill. If they were afraid that Lin Yushi would die and Chu Zuizhi would marry her brother, how could the relationship between the Yan Palace and the Xiao Clan become even closer? That was why the Emperor and Chu Yanzhi would send Chu Zuizhi to the Northern Desert for marriage. To them, Chu Zuizhi was not their daughter or sister, but only a chess piece. The most important thing was that they could not let this chess piece be used by their opponent first.

“Since the princess thought of this early in the morning, then why, why did she let me go to the front of the hall to beg for a marriage?” Lu Haichuan asked another question in his heart.

“If I don’t do anything, do you think they will be suspicious?” At this point, Xiao Xiwei lowered his head and smiled. “Everyone knows that the Ninth Princess locked herself up in Yu Li Palace for my brother. If I don’t care about her, do you think they will be at ease?”

“Relax?” Lu Haichuan quickly grabbed the main point from Xiao Xiwei’s long string of words.

Why did he insist on reassuring them?

Xiao Xiwei raised his eyes to look at Lu Haichuan again, and the smile in his eyes deepened a bit. “It seems that the Crown Prince has experienced a lot during this period of time.”

Three days after their departure, they really looked alike. Who would have thought that the once reckless Duke of Lu would actually recognize the main point of her words?

“Is Princess making fun of me for being stupid in the past?” Lu Haichuan frowned slightly and said unhappily.

In the past half a year, he had been ridiculed by many people in the manor, and even the servants in the manor were mocking and discussing him behind his back. He had long since gotten used to learning to endure, but why did he feel inexplicably embarrassed and unhappy when he said this from Xiao Xiwei’s mouth?

“Didn’t the Crown Prince say that it was the past? How could the current Crown Prince have anything to do with stupidity?” Seeing the trace of displeasure in Lu Haichuan’s eyes, Xiao Xi smiled and said. Seeing that Lu Haichuan did not snort, Xiao Xiwei sighed. He stood up and blessed Lu Haichuan, “I said the wrong thing. Please forgive me.”

“You … what are you doing? I, I, I didn’t say anything …” The lower the voice got, the more Lu Haichuan stood up helplessly. A trace of suspicious blush and embarrassment appeared on his dark face.

Seeing that such a big man was at a loss in front of the princess, Zi Yan, who was beside Xiao Xiwei, covered her mouth and laughed.

“Then does the Crown Prince blame me?” Xiao Xiwei raised his eyes and tilted his head to look at Lu Haichuan.

The white jade lotus flower on her head was hanging by her ears, making the two pear eddies on her cheeks as moving as water. Lu Haichuan’s heart skipped a beat and he hurriedly shook his head, “No … no, no, no.”

“Since the Crown Prince doesn’t blame us, then let’s talk about business.” Xiao Xiwei smiled and sat back on the chair.

Lu Haichuan stiffly sat back on the chair. However, he no longer dared to look at Xiao Xiwei, who was beside him. “What does the princess plan to do?”

“I believe the Crown Prince has heard about my brother and the Ninth Princess. To tell you the truth, I want to send the Ninth Princess to Wu City.” Xiao Xiwei went straight to the point.