Was this a coincidence?

Could such a coincidence exist in this world?

Perhaps it could, but Xiao Xun didn’t believe it.

“The Xie family has been so quiet all this time. I never expected they would even set their sights on the overlooked Chu Wei,” he remarked, glancing at Ning Kun sitting across from him with a smile. “The Xie family should compare notes with my father. Surprisingly, they have the same idea—both wanting to form a marriage alliance with Chu Wei.”

Ning Kun replied helplessly, “Your Highness, please don’t jest about His Lordship.”

He didn’t find this matter amusing either.

“The Xie family has even targeted someone like Chu Wei. It shows how many moves they’re making behind the scenes. The Xie family hides behind the Crown Prince, taking shelter under the Yang family’s prestige, silently forging connections and gathering support. What a clever scheme.”

Xiao Xun smiled slightly, “Such calculations from the Xie family are only natural. Would they be content to remain beneath the Yang family forever?”

His fingers lightly stroked the table surface as he recalled the scene of meeting Chu Zhao and that postal soldier.

A postal soldier wouldn’t normally catch his attention, but thinking back now, the previously blurry postal soldier became clear—tall and thin, wearing a worn military coat, a young man with bright features beneath his thick hat and scarf.

He asked with interest, “When did Miss Chu learn that this postal soldier was from the Xie family?”

Ning Kun hadn’t witnessed Miss Chu and Young Master Xie together. The news about the Xie son serving as a postal soldier had only just been discovered.

“Xie Yanlai is the son of a concubine. He was only recognized by the Xie family at the age of ten—but let’s set that aside for now. After reaching adulthood, he was assigned to the Imperial Guard, but because of his unruly behavior and troublemaking, he was punished by being sent to the postal soldier camp. As luck would have it, he had a mission to the border prefecture and happened to meet Miss Chu along the way,” Ning Kun explained, emphasizing the words “as luck would have it” and “happened.” “Looking at it this way, the Xie family had planned this, but Miss Chu was certainly unaware.”

Iron Hero nodded beside them, “When I was making inquiries at the postal soldier camp, I saw a postal soldier who was very excited, saying, ‘Miss Chu finally found A-Jiu’—that Xie son used the alias A-Jiu. From this, it’s evident that Miss Chu only just learned the postal soldier’s true identity.”

Ning Kun sneered, “The Xie family is shameless. If this Xie son had revealed his identity from the beginning, Miss Chu would certainly have been wary of him. By posing as a postal soldier to approach her, waiting until Miss Chu’s affections deepened, and then revealing his identity, Miss Chu would be ensnared, and General Chu would be helpless.”

Iron Hero snorted, “Your Highness, you didn’t see the two of them on the street. Miss Chu was shouting and blocking people from beating this Xie Yanlai, calling Third Young Master Xie someone who seeks fame and undeserved reputation—”

Xiao Xun laughed heartily, “Well said! Third Young Master Xie is indeed someone who seeks fame and undeserved reputation.”

Iron Hero added, “Miss Chu’s attitude toward the Xie family at that time was even more disrespectful than when she was with Your Highness.”

Fifty steps, a hundred steps—this wasn’t so amusing anymore. Xiao Xun coughed lightly and said, “Then we’ll see whether Miss Chu’s attitude toward the Xie family is genuine or false.”

From what he could see now, Miss Chu’s unfavorable attitude toward him was genuine.

Iron Hero understood the young master’s meaning and pensively said, “There are rumors on the street that Miss Chu deliberately provoked Third Young Master Xie, intending to establish a connection, because Third Young Master Xie indeed invited her to the Xie residence and personally escorted her out afterward. Many people witnessed this.”

“Third Young Master Xie invited her in, then sent her out, all calm and peaceful, which earned him more praise,” Ning Kun said. “Everyone is saying he respects worthy individuals regardless of status and sincerely offered face-to-face explanations even to a young girl’s slanderous words.”

For a while, everyone on the streets was singing his praises.

The Xie family’s son had caused such a commotion, yet in the end, it only added to Third Young Master Xie’s reputation. How absurd!

“The Xie family truly knows how to manage their affairs,” Ning Kun said coldly.

Xiao Xun was quite impressed. He naturally knew of Third Young Master Xie’s reputation. Previously, he had been in Zhongshan Prefecture while Third Young Master Xie was in Dongyang. The two had never met. Now in the capital, though they still hadn’t met face to face, he could observe Third Young Master Xie’s actions up close, and they were indeed extraordinary.

“Of course they know how to conduct themselves,” he said. “Otherwise, the Xie family wouldn’t be where they are today.”

Ning Kun remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “There’s another matter. His Lordship said Your Highness need not concern yourself with Miss Chu anymore.”

Xiao Xun was somewhat surprised, “Why has Father changed his mind?” Then he smiled, “Could it be he fears the Xie family?” He shook his head, feigning sadness, “How could Father do this? For the sake of my happiness, he shouldn’t admit defeat so easily.”

Ning Kun admonished, “Young Master, you’re mocking His Lordship again.”

Xiao Xun laughed, “Uncle Kun, you’re too serious. If Father were before me now, we would be happily teasing each other.”

This was how he and his father interacted—joyful and relaxed. His father never put on airs in front of him.

“I never enjoyed fatherly love myself, and I don’t know how to be a father,” the Prince of Zhongshan would say, patting his plump belly with a chuckle. “So let’s just do whatever makes us happy.”

Thinking of his father, Xiao Xun watched the dancing candle flame, his smile deepening.

Ning Kun also smiled, “Your Highness can behave however you wish in front of His Lordship, but not in front of us.”

Xiao Xun loved the Prince of Zhongshan; they revered him.

“I understand,” Xiao Xun said with a smile, then asked, “Why did Father change his mind? Although Miss Chu saw through my hero-saving-beauty act and even sent a maid to silence me—”

Recalling what the girl had done, he couldn’t help but laugh again.

“But in the capital, with the Wangchun Garden literary gathering about to begin, there will be many opportunities for Miss Chu and me to meet.”

“Father shouldn’t pity me for being rejected. Such a rare scene should amuse Father as he watches the drama unfold.”

Being humiliated by a girl wasn’t a big deal. Getting angry like the Third Prince was both laughable and weak. For a man, being humiliated by a woman, then winning her over was the true revenge.

Ning Kun smiled, “His Lordship naturally knows Your Highness wouldn’t mind, but now the issue is with this young lady.”

He glanced at the thick darkness outside the door.

“This young lady is no longer unknown and insignificant. She has become famous in the capital, and everyone is talking about her.”

He returned his gaze to Xiao Xun.

“When they talk about her, they naturally talk about her father. Defense General Chu Wei, after being forgotten for over a decade, has once again become a topic of conversation in the capital.”

“We cannot approach Defense General Chu Wei now that he’s the focus of attention, or His Majesty will become suspicious, putting Young Master and His Lordship in danger.”

Xiao Xun was well aware of how wary the Emperor was of him and his father.

“I never expected this girl would become famous through this incident,” he said thoughtfully, then looked at Iron Hero and asked, “Are there only two types of rumors on the street now? One that Miss Chu is trying to get close to Third Young Master Xie, and the other that Third Young Master Xie is humble and polite, not holding Miss Chu’s insults against her?”

Iron Hero nodded.

Xiao Xun smiled, “That won’t do. The story of Miss Chu and the Xie family’s young master meeting, getting acquainted, and growing close—how Young Master Xie abandoned the Liang family’s daughter for Miss Chu, how Miss Chu blocked the whipping to protect Young Master Xie—such devotion is a beautiful tale that should be known to all.”

He had to withdraw due to caution, but the Xie family shouldn’t profit quietly either. They couldn’t do things and still maintain a good reputation so easily.