Liu Xuan rolled over and lay on her stomach on the bed. Without even opening her eyes, she asked in a muffled, languid voice, “Did you see which household the Crown Prince found for me?”
Bailing stepped forward and skillfully began massaging her body, replying in a low voice, “This servant saw the Crown Prince enter the Yongyu Marquis Estate.”
At those words, Liu Xuan’s eyes flew open. Her watery gaze darkened. After a moment of silence, she gave a soft scoff. “What a coincidence. The capital is full of nobles and powerful families, yet of all the households, it just had to be the Yongyu Marquis Estate.”
Bailing did not understand what she meant and only focused on massaging her.
Liu Xuan’s mood instantly soured. She waved a hand. “No need to massage anymore. Tomorrow, I’ll be going to the capital. You go to Manager Ma first. If anything comes up, I’ll call for you.”
Bailing withdrew her hands, tucked the thin quilt around her, and rose. “This servant will go at once.”
“There’s no need to hurry.”
Liu Xuan turned onto her side and looked at her. “Your qinggong may be good, but there is always someone better. The city gates are already closed; going now would be too risky. It’s not a matter that must be done this very moment. There’s food and water being kept warm on the stove. Eat a little and rest well. It won’t be too late to leave after daybreak.”
Bailing answered yes, then looked at her with some worry. “Miss, are you truly going to the marquis estate alone?”
“What else?”
Liu Xuan smiled at her. “Are you going to stop the carriage halfway and put on an act of selling yourself to bury your father?”
Bailing choked at that and immediately drooped her head, saying nothing.
Liu Xuan smiled at her. “Don’t worry. Your young miss is very capable. After some time passes, I’ll think of a way to bring you to my side.”
Only then did Bailing’s brows relax. She answered yes with a smile and withdrew.
Liu Xuan slowly closed her eyes, listening to the chirping of insects around her and the rustle of the breeze brushing over the grass. Yet in her mind, a voice kept echoing: “Nannan…”
The sun slowly rose, and sunlight spilled into the room. The pillow towel was already damp.
Liu Xuan opened her eyes and sighed softly. She got up to wash, pressed cold water to her eyes for a while, then sat by the bed and waited.
Though they had agreed to Li Ying’s request and were to give her an identity before taking her to the capital, the Yongyu Marquis Estate did not show much importance toward the matter. Not only did they arrive when the sun was already high, they had only sent a steward.
But this was understandable. After all, the people of the capital were not fools. Even if they did not know now, once she met Li Ying, what ought to be known would be known.
Hu Yuan was the Crown Princess Consort in all but name. If the marquis estate acted too eagerly, it would be taking a stand against Prime Minister Hu. Moreover, she was blind and half-deaf. Before the marquis estate determined that she was worth investing heavily in, the most they could do was carry out orders.
Liu Xuan did not mind either. After putting on a scene of reunion with Steward Fang, she obediently got into the carriage.
This place was not far from the capital. After traveling for roughly two hours, the carriage stopped before the gates of the Yongyu Marquis Estate.
Liu Xuan had just stepped down from the carriage and had yet to stand steady when, all of a sudden, an arrow shot straight toward her face from directly above!
The arrow was not very fast, and it was coming head-on. Anyone with eyes would have been able to see it!
The steward supporting Liu Xuan instantly went pale with fright. He hurriedly let go of her and dodged to the side in a panic, leaving Liu Xuan standing there alone in bewilderment as the arrow flew straight toward her face.
Smack!
The arrow struck her right between the brows. The steward was so frightened that he hastily shut his eyes, not daring to look.
This was disastrous!
They had only just brought the person to the gates, and she had been shot dead in the street just like that! How was he supposed to explain this to the marquis and his wife? And how was the marquis supposed to explain it to His Highness the Crown Prince?!
The steward was trembling with terror, even imagining the funeral arrangements, when he suddenly heard a soft, aggrieved cry. “It hurts…”
He hurriedly opened his eyes and looked over, only to see Liu Xuan standing there with a hand over her forehead. Her beautiful little face was scrunched up in grievance, and even her lifeless eyes had welled with tears.
Looking again at the arrow on the ground, he saw that it had no arrowhead at all. A heavy object had merely been wrapped in cloth at the end—most likely a stone.
The steward immediately flew into a rage and cursed, “Which little bastard was that?! Do you have a death wish? Do you know—”
“Little bastard? Are you referring to this heir?”
A man leapt down from the wall, a bow still in his hand. Clearly, that arrow just now had been shot by him.
Steward Fang, who had been bristling with fury, immediately wilted upon seeing the man. He at once cupped his fists and bowed. “This servant greets the Young Duke.”
After saying this, he hurriedly turned to Liu Xuan. “Eldest Miss, this is the heir of Duke Xiao’s household. Quickly pay your respects.”
The heir of Duke Xiao’s household, the Young Duke Xiao Heng?
The afternoon before yesterday, he had still been Li Heng, pretending to be Li Ying and exchanging intimate tenderness with her on the bed. Now he had become the heir of Duke Xiao’s household.
No wonder Li Ying had thought to find her an identity without needing her to hint at it. So there had already been a precedent.
But were they not being a little too bold? Their appearances were only changed by three-tenths, and they had not even deliberately altered their voices, yet they had brazenly become other people just like that?
Liu Xuan lowered her hand and obediently bowed in one direction. “Greetings, Young Duke.”
“Eldest Miss, wrong way.”
The steward gently tugged at her sleeve. “The Young Duke is over here.”
Liu Xuan obediently turned in another direction and bowed to the horse pulling the carriage. “Greetings, Young Duke.”
The steward: …
He smiled awkwardly at Li Heng. “The Eldest Miss is blind. Young Duke, please forgive her.”
“No matter.”
Li Heng picked up the arrow from the ground and looked at Liu Xuan’s red, swollen forehead with a smile that was not quite a smile. “This heir merely heard that the marquis had found a blind daughter and came specially to help him see whether she was truly blind or not.”
Hearing this, the steward dared to be angry but did not dare speak. What decent person tested someone with an arrow?!
However, the person before him was someone even the marquis could not afford to offend, let alone him. He could only keep smiling. “Young Duke, you have troubled yourself. The marquis and madam are still waiting inside. Young Duke, if you would…”
“This heir has always loved joining in on lively occasions.”
Li Heng handed the bow and arrow in his hands to Xun Yi at the side. “Since I’m already here, naturally I must go in and join the fun.”
The steward had no way to deal with him and could only brace himself. “Young Duke, please.”
“No need!”
Li Heng looked at Liu Xuan and said with a smile, “You lead the way in front. I injured a beauty just now, so I’ll apologize to her from behind.”
“This…”
The steward looked troubled. Seeing Li Heng frown, he could only swallow all his words back down and answer yes.
Li Heng watched the steward walk a few steps ahead before coming to Liu Xuan’s side. He tugged at her sleeve and said in a low voice, “Come with me.”
Li Heng’s usual voice carried a frivolous, cynical smile, only five parts similar to Li Ying’s cool detachment. But now that he had deliberately lowered it, he sounded exactly like Li Ying!
Liu Xuan’s steps paused slightly. She turned her eyes toward him and tentatively called, “Husband?”
Li Heng narrowed his eyes, then hooked the corner of his lips and said in a low voice, “Mm, it’s me. Your husband is Xiao Heng, the heir of Duke Xiao’s household. You mustn’t recognize the wrong person.”
Liu Xuan: …
Was this man a bastard incarnate?!
Taking advantage of the fact that Li Ying had not confessed his identity, he was actually playing the trick of getting the first claim here?!