Chapter 152: The Biological, Only Child

"Your Highness, why don't we intercept Second Miss Qin on her way later?" Xiao Xuanzi truly dared not agree to this demand right now. In the estate of Grand Princess Rui'an, he simply did not dare to act presumptuously!

Fearing that his master might do something willful, he lowered his voice and said, "No, it's too much trouble!" Chu Liuchen replied without even opening his eyes.

"Your Grace, this servant heard that Young Master Hao of the Duke Xingguo's Estate is currently staying at Grand Princess Rui'an's estate. Just now, Second Miss Qin also promised Young Master Hao that she would visit him often, and Grand Princess Rui'an has given her consent as well!" Xiao Xuanzi's eyes lit up as he immediately reported.

"When is she coming?" Chu Liuchen's long eyelashes fluttered against his eyelids, and he finally stopped making a fuss about demanding people right this instant.

"They say... within the next few days!" Xiao Xuanzi answered.

"My health has been poor lately, and I get frightened living alone in Prince Chen's Estate. I wish to stay at the Princess's Estate for a while!" Chu Liuchen smiled. His gentle and refined voice carried a faint trace of amusement, revealing that his mood was not bad at all.

"Understood. This servant will go inform the Grand Princess shortly!" Xiao Xuanzi secretly wiped his forehead. As long as they weren't rushing off to find Second Miss Qin immediately, any excuse would do.

Everyone knew that his master was willful and whimsical, acting on sudden impulses, but out of consideration for his sickly and frail constitution, no one ever said anything.

"Are those people still there?" After finishing his inquiries about Qin Wanru, Chu Liuchen lifted his gaze, his eyes turning icy cold. A profound chill seemed to spread outward, and a bizarre, malevolent aura condensed in the corners of his half-raised phoenix eyes, making him look like an entirely different person.

He no longer resembled the sickly and gentle young master of fine jade.

"They are still there!" Xiao Xuanzi answered with utmost caution.

"Tell them all to go back!" Chu Liuchen waved his sleeve. Although the movement was feeble and soft, the coldness in his eyes indicated he meant every word.

"Send someone over to tell them I have a headache and wish to sleep for a while, and instruct them not to make a noise!"

"Understood... This servant will go right now!" Xiao Xuanzi blinked and said, feeling that it was best for him to deliver the message personally.

"Go! Tell them to hurry up! If my rest is ruined because of them and I fall ill from exhaustion, I will certainly go to His Majesty to lodge a complaint against them!"

"Yes, yes, this servant is going immediately. Your Grace, please rest for a moment first!" Xiao Xuanzi nodded repeatedly.

Chu Liuchen closed his eyes once more, resting his head against the side of the soft chair, covered by the blanket Xiao Xuanzi had handed him earlier.

Xiao Xuanzi carefully tucked the blanket around him. Seeing that everything was properly arranged, he turned and went downstairs, heading toward the opposite pavilion. The guards stationed downstairs recognized him; after exchanging glances upon seeing him approach, they both reached out to block his path.

"Our Prince has matters to discuss with the three Princes!" Xiao Xuanzi did not try to force his way through. He stood his ground and politely cupped his hands in greeting to the two guards.

The guards dared not be negligent. After returning the salute, one of them hurried up the stairs and, a short moment later, invited Xiao Xuanzi to come up.

Upon reaching the upper floor, Xiao Xuanzi found that the atmosphere was quite pleasant. The three Princes were chatting and laughing, and as he entered, several pairs of gazes landed on him simultaneously.

Coughing softly, Xiao Xuanzi stepped forward and bowed to the three Princes before raising his head. "My Lords, our Prince is resting in the building directly across from here. He said he wishes to rest undisturbed and asked that Your Highnesses please refrain from making a noise; otherwise, he will have no choice but to find a place to sleep in the Emperor's Imperial Study!"

The underlying meaning of these words was hardly subtle. Once the three of them understood, anger instantly flared within them.

Prince Zhou picked up the teacup beside him and smashed it fiercely against the floor, sneering, "This Prince simply refuses to leave today to see how he dares to chase me away and make a fuss before His Imperial Father! A sickly wretch actually dares to put on airs without even looking at his own status!"

Prince Yue's expression grew increasingly frosty. The light slanting in through the window cast deep shadows across his face.

Prince Xin let out a cold snort. Already in a foul mood, he forgot all about the intimidation Chu Liuchen usually held over him and snapped petulantly, "Third Brother is becoming more and more overbearing lately! Is this courtyard his private residence? Not only does he sleep whenever he pleases, but he actually wants to drive away other guests as well!"

"My Lords, this servant has delivered the message. As for how you wish to handle this, it is entirely up to Your Highnesses!" Xiao Xuanzi said with a dry, awkward smile. Without waiting for a response from any of them, he turned and hurried down the stairs, moving too quickly for anyone to catch him even if they wanted to.

"Guards, seize that wretched dog—" Prince Zhou flew into a rage. As the legitimate son of the Empress, his status was supremely noble; when had he ever been mocked like this by a mere servant?

"Second Brother, do you wish to provoke His Imperial Father's wrath?" Prince Yue raised his head to stop him.

"Second Brother, don't be angry, let's go," Prince Xin muttered with a sullen expression.

Then came the sound of tables and chairs being overturned. Xiao Xuanzi had already reached the ground floor, rolled his eyes upward in annoyance, and nonchalantly made his way back to his master's building.

These three Princes were truly something else, always determined to bring trouble upon themselves. Clearly knowing that his master was resting in the opposite pavilion, they insisted on putting on an act as if they were completely unaware and had merely run into each other by chance. Now, provoked by his master's anger, they made such a huge commotion. In the end, the only ones who grew angry and frustrated were themselves—what was the point?

Every time they made a scene, it ended in mutual exhaustion and humiliation, yet the ones who suffered losses were always those few. Truth be told, his own master was the legitimate and rightful heir to the throne, whereas none of the others were. Even the current Emperor's claim to the throne was illegitimate; if not for the late Empress, how could the current Emperor ever have ascended the dragon throne?

As for the late Empress, the person she had failed the most was his master!

Royal affairs were hopelessly tangled, and some matters were not his place to discuss as a servant. He only hoped that his master would remain safe and sound, and that his health would always stay well!

Thinking of the trace of blood his master had hidden behind his handkerchief earlier, Xiao Xuanzi's eyes grew red. When they got back, he must ask Divine Doctor Qi to prepare some more medicine. How could his master continue like this?

Qin Wanru had no idea that the various Princes were throwing tantrums over Chu Liuchen, causing a chaotic farce. By this time, she and Shui Ruolan had already returned to the Qin Estate, though she had not expected the atmosphere inside the manor to be so grandiose and tumultuous.

As soon as they stepped into Old Madam's Xining Courtyard, they saw the maidservants and mammas standing on both sides trembling with fear, not even daring to raise their voices.

Observing the tense atmosphere in the courtyard, Qin Wanru already had a clear idea of what was happening.

She followed slowly behind Shui Ruolan as they walked inward.

Upon entering the room, Old Madam sat on the seat of honor with a deeply displeased expression. Seated on either side were Madam Di and Qin Huaiyong, while beside Madam Di sat Qin Yurou, who was currently pressing a handkerchief to her face and weeping bitterly.

Hearing the maidservant announce the arrival of Shui Ruolan and Qin Wanru, Qin Yurou lifted a pair of tear-swollen eyes, her expression one of utter heartbreak.

"Qin Wanru! Do I want your eldest sister to die that badly? Even if I am not your birth mother, I have still raised you! How can you be so heartless and ungrateful, digging up those scandalous old events from Jiangzhou just to drive your eldest sister to her grave?" The moment she caught sight of Qin Wanru, Madam Di slammed her palm hard against the table, her eyes ablaze with fury!

"Mother!" Hearing these words, Qin Yurou wailed uncontrollably, sobbing as she threw herself across a nearby table and buried her face in it.

Shui Ruolan's expression turned icy. "Elder Sister, what do you mean by this? Wanru and I went together to Grand Princess Rui'an's estate; how did that somehow turn into trying to harm Yurou?"

"How could it not? Shui Ruolan, stay out of this! This is a matter concerning Qin Wanru. If you don't know the truth, don't go sticking your nose into it!" Madam Di said with a cold glare.

"What do you mean by not knowing the truth? What is this so-called truth Sister speaks of?" Shui Ruolan demanded angrily. She knew Madam Di was saying this deliberately to deprive her of any justification to intervene, but how could she truly stand aside and let Madam Di and her daughter bully Qin Wanru repeatedly?

Before marrying Qin Huaiyong, she had already made up her mind to protect Qin Wanru.

"Have you ever imagined that a child you raised with your own hands would turn around and bite you? Have you ever imagined pouring your heart into raising a little child into adulthood, only for her to repay you with utter ingratitude and unfilial behavior?"

Madam Di sneered, "If you have never experienced such a thing, stop running your mouth!"

She was mocking Shui Ruolan for meddling blindly in affairs she knew nothing about, while simultaneously painting Qin Wanru as an ungrateful wretch.

"Elder Sister sure knows how to slap labels on people, branding a young child as treacherous and disloyal in one breath! Then what is Yurou supposed to be? I may not be entirely clear on what happened when Wanru was little, but now Wanru is my daughter, and I cannot allow her to be bullied without cause! Elder Sister, please explain clearly what happened today! Why was it acceptable for the people of the Yongkang Earl's Estate and Yurou to bully Wanru together, but when Wanru defended herself with a couple of words, it became a crime?"

Glancing at Qin Huaiyong, whose face was as dark as water and who had remained silent throughout, Shui Ruolan's gaze turned cold. She was not foolish; seeing Qin Huaiyong's expression, she knew he had already swallowed Madam Di and her daughter's version of events and was standing firmly on their side.

Since she herself knew nothing of the situation, she had no leverage to fight back and could only demand a full explanation—while naturally bringing up what had previously transpired at Grand Princess Rui'an's estate.

She suspected that the incident over there was the root cause of all this!

"Shui Ruolan, what nonsense are you spouting now? Qin Wanru brought this upon herself with her sharp tongue; don't try to pin her misdeeds onto Yurou! It's one thing that you didn't take Yurou with you when you went to Grand Princess Rui'an's estate today, but when Yurou went alongside the Yongkang Earl's Estate, how did she wrong either of you to make you unable to bear seeing her do well? She is my biological and only child!"

At this point, Madam Di herself began to feel deeply aggrieved. Her eyes reddening slightly, she used her handkerchief to dab at the corners of her eyes. "If anything happens to her, how... how am I supposed to go on living?!"

Qin Wanru sneered inwardly. Standing beside Shui Ruolan, she watched Madam Di's performance clearly. While putting on an aggrieved act, Madam Di kept casting furtive glances at Qin Huaiyong. Since Yurou was Madam Di's only child, she naturally became Qin Huaiyong's only remaining child as well—making her the most precious thing in the world to him!

She was well aware of the weight Qin Yurou carried in Qin Huaiyong's heart, a position she herself could never hope to match. Madam Di was repeatedly reminding Qin Huaiyong of this fact precisely to pressure and suppress her.

A biological child, is she?

As if no one else had any...