I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

Chapter 490: How About the Three of Us Share a Family Tree

"I wouldn’t dare trouble the Crown Prince."

"It’s quite a ways to the General’s Manor. Walking back would take at least four hours."

’Walk?’

Ye Qianning turned and held out her arms.

Luo Wen bent down and lifted her into his arms.

"No need," Ye Qianning beamed. "Luo Wen, let’s go."

Luo Wen shot into the air, holding the little girl. Light as a swallow, he vaulted over the rooftops.

"..."

In just a minute or two, the pair had vanished from sight.

A faint smile played on Xiliu Yuan’s lips. ’Interesting.’

"Your Highness, the carriage is ready," a Shadow Guard reported.

Xiliu Yuan withdrew his gaze and stepped into the carriage.

The Shadow Guard drove the carriage away.

Prime Minister Gao stood rooted to the spot, a troubled look on his face. His gaze fell upon his wife.

Mrs. Gao bent down and picked up the divorce letter from the ground. She looked up, her eyes filled with hatred for Prime Minister Gao as she crumpled the letter in her fist.

"Prime... Prime Minister, this humble official has an imperial decree to attend to, so I must not tarry." Li Zhonghuai just wanted to get away as fast as possible. Without waiting for Prime Minister Gao to respond, he hitched up his robes and scurried off.

Now that the matter was resolved, the crowd tactfully dispersed. No one dared to stick around to watch the drama unfold at the Prime Minister’s expense.

In the blink of an eye, only Prime Minister Gao, his wife, and the Gao family servants remained in front of Musha Workshop.

The two stared at each other in stunned silence for a long time, neither saying a word.

The atmosphere was bizarrely awkward.

"Let’s go. Back to the manor," Prime Minister Gao said, breaking the stalemate.

His wife scoffed. "Back to the manor? In case you’ve forgotten, I’m holding a letter of divorce. What manor am I supposed to go back to?"

"Even though we are divorced, I’m not telling you to return to Shu right away. I will set you up with a residence here in the Capital City," Prime Minister Gao said.

Hearing this, his wife flew into a rage. She plopped down on the ground and began to cause a scene.

"You heartless bastard! I married into the Gao family and worked myself to the bone bearing your children, and now you divorce me over a little thing like this...?"

"Someone, shut her up! Quickly!" Prime Minister Gao was horrified.

A servant rushed forward to muffle her.

"MMPH! MMPH..."

"Get her back home immediately! Lock her in her room and post a guard."

"Yes, sir."

One servant ran to fetch the carriage while the other kept his hand clamped over the lady’s mouth to stop her from shouting.

Prime Minister Gao sighed. ’If anyone was to blame, it was her for being so obsessed with saving face. That’s what had led to this situation.’

’Thinking back,’ he mused, ’if Ye Qianning’s carriage hadn’t been in the way, that runaway carriage would have slammed right into the Xi Yan Crown Prince’s. If anyone had twisted that into an assassination attempt, my entire household would have been punished.’

* * *

Upon returning to the General’s Manor, Ye Qianning had Luo Wen recount the events on the street to Xi Fengying. Xiliu Yuan’s visit to the manor must mean he had something important to discuss with Xi Fengying.

’The Xi Yan delegation is under the Beili Emperor’s constant surveillance. They can’t act in secret, so they have to do things out in the open.’

’Xiliu Yuan really played his cards well. He’s forced my hand, even if I don’t want to help.’

"Luo Wen, have men guard the General’s Manor well tomorrow. Then, have someone dig a pit by the flowerbeds in the back garden. Two meters deep should be enough; just dig until it fills with water."

"Young Miss, are you having a well dug?"

"No."

"Then why dig a pit by the flowerbeds? The women of the manor sometimes go into the garden at dawn to collect dew. It would be dangerous if one of them accidentally fell in." Luo Wen couldn’t guess her intentions.

"It’s fine. We’ll fill it in after tomorrow."

"Yes... In that case, I will go have it dug at once."

Luo Wen didn’t dare ask any more questions. He left the room, his face a mask of confusion.

Ye Qianning picked up her teacup. ’I’m not so easily used.’

’Xiliu Yuan schemed against me. I can’t let him off without making him suffer a little. I just want to see what that devastatingly handsome boy looks like when he’s soaking wet.’

’If he doesn’t play along, he can forget about seeing Xi Fengying, even if he makes it to the General’s Manor!’