"Father, aren't you more aware of this matter than I am?" Xin Zizhao didn't answer the question Emperor Jinzheng raised directly.
"Are you still angry about your mother's matter? I admit that I did something wrong. But I've realized my mistake, haven't I? I've just made a mistake that all men in the world might make."
"...Your words are just an excuse."
Xin Zizhao's eyes on Emperor Jinzheng instantly turned cold. "Your son has something to attend to. I'll take my leave first."
After he came out of Emperor Jinzheng's room, his face looked grim. He didn't like it when Emperor Jinzheng always shirked his responsibility in this way. It was clearly his own promiscuity, yet he said it was a mistake all men would make. Humph, it was simply nonsense.
Watching his son leave with a scowl, Emperor Jinzheng didn't say anything. He was well aware that there was still a rift between him and this son. After all, it was he who sent his son to Qiuling Mountain, and he had indeed let his mother down.
"Sigh..." No matter how much Emperor Jinzheng mourned the past, the time that had passed could never return.
Xin Zizhao quickly returned to Fenghe Palace with two letters in his hand. He wanted to find Wei Shuxuan but couldn't locate her anywhere. He called Chief Eunuch Li over. "Chief Eunuch Li, where is Miss Wei?"
"Your Highness, the Fifth Prince, Miss Wei and General Ge have gone out."
Hearing that Wei Shuxuan had gone out with Ge Zian, Xin Zizhao inexplicably got angry. He asked in a cold voice, "Where did they go?"
Chief Eunuch Li didn't expect Xin Zizhao to ask such a detailed question. For a moment, he didn't know how to answer. He lowered his head humbly. "Your Highness, Miss Wei and General Ge didn't tell this servant."
"Why didn't you ask?" Xin Zizhao lowered his eyes and looked at Chief Eunuch Li. His gaze was so imposing that Chief Eunuch Li didn't dare to look him in the eye.
"...This servant didn't dare to ask..."
Hearing the hint of fear in Chief Eunuch Li's voice, Xin Zizhao realized that his tone had been too forceful. He reached out and rubbed the corner of his eyes. "...Sorry, Chief Eunuch Li. I'm in a bad mood today. You can go first. If Miss Wei comes back, come and tell me."
"Yes, Your Highness, the Fifth Prince. This servant will take his leave first."
Xin Zizhao nodded and waved Chief Eunuch Li away. Then he went back to the study to be alone for a while.
Not long after Xin Zizhao left Fenghe Palace, Wei Shuxuan, who was reading in her room, heard Chief Eunuch Li come to inform her. "Miss Wei, General Ge is here to see you. Do you want to go out and meet him?"
Wei Shuxuan thought for a moment and then said to Chief Eunuch Li outside, "I see, Chief Eunuch Li. You can ask Zian to wait for me outside for a while. I'll come out later."
"Yes, Miss Wei."
Even though she had confessed her female identity to Emperor Jinzheng, Wei Shuxuan usually still dressed in men's clothes because it was more convenient. After changing her clothes, she went to the main hall. "Zian."
"Xuan'er."
Ge Zian put down the teacup in his hand and looked at her. Wei Shuxuan walked to his side. "Why did you come to see me today?"
"It's all because of my father. He said he wanted to see you and forced me to come here to pick you up. I was so annoyed by him that I had no choice but to come and find you."
Hearing this, Wei Shuxuan knew it was Ge Zian's father who wanted to see her. She had a hunch that this time when she went out, Uncle Ge must be talking to her about the marriage between her and Ge Zian. Thinking of this, she didn't really want to go out. No matter whether her original self had liked Ge Zian before, the one controlling this body now was her, and she didn't want to marry a man she had only known for a short time.
Seeing Wei Shuxuan's expression, Ge Zian knew what she was worried about. He smiled. "Xuan'er, don't worry. I won't force you about the engagement. Although we grew up together on the border when we were young, you went back to the capital later. In fact, we don't have much of an emotional foundation..."
Ge Zian didn't sound very confident when he said the latter part. Although Wei Shuxuan was his childhood sweetheart, she was still a girl after all. He had to take the girl's feelings into consideration when speaking and not make her sad.
Wei Shuxuan understood what Ge Zian meant. She nodded and replied with a smile, "I understand what you mean. I find that you're quite considerate when you talk to me. But why don't you take the shrewd little princess's feelings into consideration at all? She's also a girl."
Wei Shuxuan couldn't help but tease Ge Zian. Ge Zian's face instantly changed. He coughed lightly. "Let's not talk about Princess Nine anymore. You'd better go back to the General's Mansion with me now."
Humph, she wondered what he was avoiding. Wei Shuxuan looked at Ge Zian's back and thought sinisterly.
"I see. I'll go back with you. I have to make it clear to Uncle Ge. He can't just match us up randomly!" Wei Shuxuan said righteously.
"Actually..." Ge Zian looked at Wei Shuxuan hesitantly. Wei Shuxuan looked up at him.
"What are you doing? If you have something to say, just say it quickly!"
"Actually, do you like His Highness, the Fifth Prince?" Ge Zian finally asked Wei Shuxuan.
Hearing this, Wei Shuxuan was stunned for a moment. She glared at Ge Zian. "What are you talking nonsense about! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tell Uncle Ge that you've bullied me and let him punish you!"
"That's absolutely not allowed. My father will surely make me stand in punishment. Don't talk nonsense! Moreover..." Ge Zian didn't finish the rest of his words. He just thought silently that since his father knew that General Wei Tu's daughter was still alive, he would surely treat her better than his own son. And Xuan'er's personality was so unpredictable. If he offended her, he would really be finished.
"Are you going out or not? Otherwise, I'll go back to sleep!" Wei Shuxuan saw that Ge Zian didn't come out for a long time.
"Coming!"
As Ge Zian brought Wei Shuxuan to the Long'an General's Mansion again, Wei Shuxuan nervously glanced at the plaque of the General's Mansion. She didn't know how to get along with Uncle Ge.
"Come in, Xuan'er."
As soon as Wei Shuxuan appeared in the living room, Ge Long'an rushed over after hearing the servant's report. When he saw Wei Shuxuan, he smiled like a flower. "Xuan'er, you're here. I didn't entertain you well yesterday because you were in a hurry to investigate the case. I must treat you well today!"
As a result, Ge Long'an kept telling her about the past deeds between him and her father.