Chapter 989: 466 Surprise (Second Update) Chapter 989: 466 Surprise (Second Update) Princess Xinyang boarded the first, most luxurious and ostentatious carriage with a darkened face.

Marquis Xuanping also ascended the carriage and threw the whip he was holding into Chang Jing’s arms, “Steady it, the Princess dislikes bumpiness.”

“Oh,” Chang Jing caught the whip and, with one strike, the carriage jolted!

Marquis Xuanping: “…”

The couple sat down inside the carriage, with Marquis Xuanping leisurely observing Princess Xinyang and said with a half-smile, “You refused to see me when I went to Fengdu Mountain to find you, yet you’ve run back to the Capital City on your own. What is it? Are you hiding from this Marquis?”

“Why would I need to hide from you?” Princess Xinyang said indifferently.

Marquis Xuanping tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a mischievous smile, “Come on, Qin Fengwan, you’ve been hiding from this Marquis ever since Xiao Hen died. Sometimes I even suspect that it was you who started that great fire, that you simply can’t face this Marquis, can you?”

Princess Xinyang turned her face away, “Hmph.”

Marquis Xuanping looked toward the carriage ceiling and said casually, “All right then, have your ‘Long Yi’ bring Xiao Hen down. He’s been flying around up there; he might not be tired, but I’m getting tired on behalf of my son.”

After Xiao Hen was saved by Long Yi, or more precisely, after Marquis Xuanping showed up, Xiao Hen had already had Long Yi take him away.

However, Marquis Xuanping’s seemingly casual words carried many implications.

Firstly, he knew of Long Yi.

Secondly, he had already concluded that Xiao Liulang was Xiao Hen.

Originally, Long Yi was a secretive guard at the Princess Residence and only started to come out into the open after going to Fengdu Mountain. During that time, Long Yi never met with Marquis Xuanping.

That is to say, Marquis Xuanping knew about Long Yi’s existence even before the great fire at the Guozijian–an event that indicated not only his awareness of the most formidable Long Yi but also of the other Dragon Shadow Guards.

As for when he exactly found out, it’s unknown–perhaps four years ago, or perhaps even earlier.

As for the second matter.

Considering the situation in the Capital City, Princess Xinyang could roughly guess that Marquis Xuanping’s visit to Fengdu Mountain was to ask her to return to identify Xiao Hen.

Now that she and Xiao Hen were appearing in the same carriage, there was no need for her to tell him personally; he already had his answer.

Marquis Xuanping said, “Chang Jing, go catch those two flying overhead.”

Chang Jing, who was driving the carriage, leapt into action at once!

A short while later, Chang Jing returned to the carriage with a bruised nose and a swollen face.

“Couldn’t beat them.”

Chang Jing felt wronged, but he said nothing.

Marquis Xuanping huffed, “That’s what you get for driving the carriage so recklessly.”

Chang Jing had streaks of frustration on his face; it turned out you were just getting back at me for that little bump!!!

Chang Jing, nursing a grudge, really wanted to drive the carriage off into flight, but he was no match for Marquis Xuanping, the old fox–that was a very sad story.

Inside the carriage, Marquis Xuanping reclined lazily against the carriage wall, his back supported by a soft and thick cushion, his long legs crossed, one hand resting on the armrest beside him, and the other gently placed on his leg with slender fingertips tapping his knee indifferently.

Princess Xinyang sat opposite him, her expression indifferent, without uttering a word.

Marquis Xuanping smiled lightly as if the clouds were brushing the breeze, “Qin Fengwan, will you speak for yourself, or shall this Marquis ask you question by question?”

Princess Xinyang asked, “What do you want me to say?”

Marquis Xuanping replied, “Everything.”

Princess Xinyang looked at him and said, “Why don’t you start by explaining what exactly happened with that mad horse just now?”

Marquis Xuanping responded, “What? You suspect that I did it? I’m not that bored.”

Princess Xinyang remained silent.

Marquis Xuanping narrowed his eyes at her and said, “Wait, are you suspecting someone tried to assassinate you, or Xiao Hen?”

Princess Xinyang exhaled slowly, staring at him unwaveringly, “Before I answer all your questions, why don’t you answer one of mine first? Who exactly was that female slave from the Yan Country?”

Soon after Long Yi delivered Xiao Hen back to Bishui Alley, he left immediately. Before leaving, he bumped into little Jingkong and they exchanged small, manly fist bumps.

“Liulang!”

Xiao Hen was just about to enter the house when he heard someone calling him from behind. He turned around and politely said, “Aunt He, is there something you need?”

Aunt He handed him a jar with a beaming smile, “This is the pickled vegetables I’ve just made; please take them.”

“There’s no need, I haven’t finished the ones you gave me last time,” Xiao Hen declined.

But Aunt He insisted, forcefully pushing the jar into his arms, “Take it, take it! Your family has many members, it will be gone in no time! Besides, it’s just a jar of pickled vegetables, it’s not worth much!”

Xiao Hen, not adept at refusing such genuine kindness, shyly accepted it, “Thank you, Aunt He.”

No sooner had Aunt He left than neighbor Old Zhao from next door came over, called out ‘Liulang,’ and gave him a basket of chicken eggs. He explained that last time, Gu Jiao had made some salted duck eggs, had distributed some to the neighbors, and he had nothing else to offer in return; these were eggs laid by his own chickens.

Indeed, ever since Xiao Ningkong persistently sneaked chicken for a year, Bishui Alley gradually started raising poultry as well.

“Liulang—-”
Madam Yao called out to him from inside.

“Coming!”

Xiao Hen entered the house with a jar in his arms and a basket in his hand.

The family still hadn’t changed how they addressed Xiao Hen, and Xiao Hen felt that this was fine too. He didn’t have a courtesy name, so from now on, Liulang would be his courtesy name. He was Xiao Hen, but also Xiao Liulang.

The life Xiao Liulang hadn’t finished, he would complete for him.

The sceneries Xiao Liulang hadn’t seen, he would see for him.

Xiao Hen’s clothes had become too small, so Madam Yao bought him new ones; the sleeves had been a bit tight the last time he tried them on, but Madam Yao altered them.

Xiao Hen tried them on again, and they fit perfectly.

He thanked Madam Yao and told her about Aunt He and Old Zhao coming over to deliver things.

“Oh my, they’re too polite,” Madam Yao said with a mix of laughter and tears, instructing Yu Yaya to put the items away properly.

Xiao Hen went back to the west room. Xiao Ningkong got out of school early today and at this moment was stuck with his little butt up in the air, burrowing into Xiao Hen’s big chest, rifling through the contents and tossing them out, searching for some treasure.

Xiao Hen was immensely exasperated.

He had just organized it for him the day before yesterday.

Xiao Hen poked someone’s little bum with his walking stick, “What are you up to?”

Xiao Ningkong stopped rummaging, pulled his small head out of the chest, turned back panting and said in disappointment, “I knew it was the bad brother-in-law!”

Jiaojiao would never poke his little bottom!

“Why make such a mess again?”

“I’m looking for something! Jiaojiao’s birthday is coming soon, I want to give Jiaojiao a surprise!”

Gu Jiao’s birthday was next month, merely less than forty days away from now.

Xiao Hen looked at the little guy all covered in sweat and suddenly said with a mischievous grin, “What a coincidence, I also want to give Jiaojiao a surprise.”

Xiao Ningkong patted his little chest and said, “Then my surprise will definitely be bigger than yours!”

Xiao Hen raised an eyebrow, “That’s not necessarily the case.”

Xiao Ningkong stomped his feet and put his hands on his hips, “Jiaojiao likes me the best!”

Xiao Hen curled the corner of his lips, “But she will definitely like the surprise I give her the most.”

Xiao Ningkong’s eyes widened with anger, “You you you… what is your surprise!”

The little fellow immediately became nervous.

Princess Xinyang was right, Xiao Ningkong was indeed very similar to Xiao Hen when he was young, for example, their strong desire to win was almost identical.

Xiao Hen bent down to look him in the eyes and imitated his usual manner, smugly shaking his little head, “I’m not telling you, hehehe.”

So annoying!

Xiao Ningkong secretly clenched his little fists tight.

He would not lose to the bad brother-in-law!

The biggest surprise would definitely be the one he gave to Jiaojiao!

As stated in the art of war, ‘know thy enemy and know thyself, and you will never be imperiled in a hundred battles,’ he must find out what the bad brother-in-law’s surprise is to beat him!

Where has the bad brother-in-law hidden the surprise?

He he he, he will definitely find it!

…

On the carriage, Princess Xinyang finished explaining the whole truth.

Marquis Xuanping’s expression was ice-cold to the extreme. He wasn’t someone who often lost his temper, but at this moment he was struggling to hold it in.

He forced himself to calm down, as he wasn’t used to lashing out at women, “Qin Fengwan, do you think I’m particularly incompetent? That I can’t even protect my own son? You didn’t even see them fight, how do you know I wouldn’t be able to beat him?”

Princess Xinyang said, “Look, look, I knew you would react like this. You haven’t met them, so no matter how much I say, you will only think I’m exaggerating. Alright, you can assume that I hate Ahen, that I don’t want to see Ahen, so I deliberately sent Ahen away!”

Marquis Xuanping furrowed his brow, “What do you mean ‘you can assume’? It either is or it isn’t! You scholars like to beat around the bush too much, saying one sentence with seven or eight meanings, I don’t understand.”

Princess Xinyang turned her face away and said, “If you don’t understand, then never mind. In the end, that woman was brought back by you. It was you who made Ahen’s life miserable and also caused the death of my son.”

“I won’t make excuses for Xiao Hen’s matter. However, as for the death of your son…” Marquis Xuanping paused, seemingly realizing that this term wasn’t appropriate, and after pondering for a moment, he continued, “the death of you and my son truly wasn’t caused by me. I’m afraid that this debt can’t be placed on my head.”