The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!

Chapter 355 - 352: What a Pair of Scheming Spouses

Can we not be anxious?

Last night, Shen Zhiyi had a fierce dispute with her half-sister, which ended with Mr. Shen rushing in and slapping her.

Consequently, when Xiao Huaian saw Yu Tingwan coming out of the room, he quickly greeted her with a smile.

Yu Tingwan was brightly beautiful and stepped lightly. She had also heard the commotion inside the room just now.

Without waiting for Xiao Huaian to speak, she smiled and spoke first.

"How did Heir Xiao know that Shen Zhiyi invited me to go out to the tea house to listen to music?"

Xiao Huaian didn’t know.

It turned out Yu Tingwan was about to go out.

Upon hearing this, his thoughts stirred.

"It just so happens that I am free now, why not let me accompany you, sister-in-law?"

"There’s no need to trouble you."

"Before listening to music, I still have to accompany her to pick out some jewelry."

Listening to music and picking out jewelry, it seemed there was nothing wrong.

Xiao Huaian was about to sigh in relief.

Yu Tingwan softly asked, "Heir, how do you know again?"

Xiao Huaian: ??

What did he know!!

"The Marchioness Ning, who is my aunt, invited some girls to her house as guests in three days, hoping to choose someone for Yunling."

Ah.

This was something Xiao Huaian indeed heard of before.

He didn’t care.

Not his business.

Yu Tingwan: "Shen Zhiyi also received an invitation."

Xiao Huaian: ?

"That’s why she hurriedly sent a message early in the morning, insisting that her family jewelry is outdated, so she asked me to accompany her to buy some new ones."

Yu Tingwan tidied up her slightly swaying skirt blown by the wind: "It seems she particularly values going to the Marquis Ning Mansion."

Xiao Huaian: ...

"Heir Xiao, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you smiling?"

Xiao Huaian: ...

Alright, alright, alright.

He previously thought Yu Tingwan was weak and easy to bully.

Yu Tingwan then said to Wei Zhao, "I’m heading out."

Wei Zhao: "The carriage is prepared for you."

Watching Yu Tingwan walk away with light steps, Xiao Huaian took a deep breath.

"What a couple with a mysterious charm inside!"

Wei Zhao smiled lightly: "You flatter us."

Xiao Huaian suppressed his thoughts, wanting to finish the main business early and then see just how elaborately Shen Zhiyi planned to dress!

He straightened his expression.

"Did Ying Yin come to look for you?"

Wei Zhao ignored him.

Xiao Huaian continued, "Recently, he got an adviser, someone very capable. Two years ago, Ying Yin received an imperial order to go from the Capital to Jiangnan to handle a case, and it was this person who helped strategize and solve it. Ying Yin treasures talent and wanted to recruit him, but the person refused on the grounds of poor health."

"Maybe he was offered a lot; now he’s in the Capital as his adviser."

Xiao Huaian scoffed.

"I heard he’s very stingy yet requires the best of everything."

"I’ve seen him once, looks even more terrifying than you who seem almost dying. His face is pale, exceptionally pale, and even in this season, he wears a thick fur coat."

The weapon in his hand, however, was quite handy. Wei Zhao tried it and was somewhat satisfied, though a few parts needed redesigning in the blueprint due to clumsiness.

"When speaking to you, at least acknowledge me once."

Xiao Huaian set down the wine: "The Crown Prince is dead; I don’t believe you had no part in it. What exactly are your thoughts? Tell me, so I can be prepared."

With a soft sound, the weapon was placed on the stone table by Wei Zhao.

He took the wine, uncorked it, and directly poured a cup for Xiao Huaian.

The wine was clear and transparent, yet not light, rich but not gaudy, suave and fragrant.

"Fine West Feng Wine, give it a try."

Xiao Huaian was almost laughing in anger.

"You’re really good at dealing with people, using my wine to entertain me?"

Wei Zhao didn’t seem to care, also pouring himself a cup. His wrist turned lightly; the wine swirled gently without spilling a drop.

"What’s the difference between Ying Yin and the one sitting on the dragon throne now?"

"When they need you, you’re indispensable. When they don’t, they think you live too long."

His tone was calm: "You should know, my father’s death back then was not simple. If I support Ying Yin, the tragedy at Duke Shun Mansion could repeat."

The air thinned for a moment.

Wei Zhao narrowed his eyes at him: "Coming to me means... you’ve thought it through?"

"What else could I do?"

Since Wei Zhao survived with a feigned serious illness, he knew that Wei Zhao had some plans and would make a significant move.

"To be honest, I discussed it with my father."

"Though he didn’t agree, he didn’t stop me either."

Xiao Huaian lowered his eyes, drained the wine in his cup, and set it down heavily.

He wanted to laugh, but it was particularly forced.

The wind rustled, blowing his garment hem.

"All these years, I’ve been mediocre and unaccomplished, pretending to be a fool on the outside. Even my mother is kept in the dark; she is often angry, thinking I’m useless. In all of Shangjing, I’m famous for being idle and often cause a scene to show that Xiao Family did something foolish again. Even when I found a girl I liked, I couldn’t surpass Zhou Xuan in the Imperial College assessment like Chu Liulang."

He could rank last.

Or second to last.

Among the four hundred people in his grade at the Imperial College. Chu Liulang often ranked outside the top hundred, but he once performed exceptionally and ranked seventy-eighth

But he couldn’t make seventy-seven.

Shen Zhiyi was that proud.

"She wouldn’t hold my incompetence against me, but I know she wouldn’t fancy me."

Even waking up at midnight, being unable to fall back asleep, he himself was dissatisfied.

"I’m in pain, and my father sees it, how could he not be in pain too?"

"But without a foundation in the Marquis Zhongyong Mansion, your Wei Family is a noble family. Yet now, it’s just you holding it up, making him even more afraid to gamble."

Royal power is heaven.

Emperor Qian has too many lives in his hand.

He constantly warns the officials not to cross the line.

"Having the capability and being repressed all these years is nothing, but I always want to fight for something. I can’t let the next generation of the Xiao Family be as cowardly as I am."

The emotions in Xiao Huaian’s eyes gradually faded, no longer having the usual playful smile.

"But there are only a few princes."

"The Second Prince..."

Interrupted.

Wei Zhao said coldly: "He’s just a cripple."

A cripple who bursts into wrath at the slightest provocation.

Xiao Huaian: "The Fourth Prince, Ying Cheng, is quite alright. Though he has some petty schemes, they are not harmful. But his birth mother’s position is low, lacking capability and courage."

"You surely can’t set your hopes on the child in Li Pin’s womb. Not to mention her being unfaithful, the child has no blood relation to the emperor, and it’s uncertain whether it’s male or female."

Xiao Huaian analyzed carefully.

"Need to think it over carefully."

Looking around, there were no suitable candidates with the Ying surname.

That leaves the ones not surnamed Ying.

Xiao Huaian was suspicious, his gaze wandering over Wei Zhao: "You don’t mean to suggest yourself, do you?"

That would be fitting.

In Shangjing, the only person he could trust was Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao lazily said: "I don’t like choosing two-character names."

Xiao Huaian: ...

But they all have two-character names!

Thinking of something, Xiao Huaian suddenly stood up, acting as though he just remembered something.

He tried to accept it, but it was really difficult, pressing his hand on the stone table.

"You’re not trying to make me go up, are you?"

"I am touched that you value me, and I’m pleased that our brotherhood over the years wasn’t in vain. But no, really no."

Wei Zhao looked at him, silent.

Xiao Huaian’s voice grew smaller as he declined.

He hesitantly asked.

"Am I being self-indulgent?"

Wei Zhao clicked his tongue.

"Indeed, you know how to flatter yourself."

Xiao Huaian: ...

Wei Zhao’s fingers rubbed the rim of the cup: "In a few days, find an appropriate time, and I’ll take you to meet someone."

"Not right, you’ve met them before."