"All I know is this much. That old man got a lot of good wine from your place this time, he must have gone back to find it. Old friends eating together, as for where he actually went, or when he'll return, I truly don't know."
After speaking, Zheng Fan looked expectantly at Zheng Xiang, waiting to be let down.
Zheng Xiang was somewhat surprised after hearing Zheng Fan's words.
Did these three people come in such a grand fashion, causing a commotion in the Prince Duan's mansion, even hanging his son and consort, all just to get news of that old man? m..oΓg
You must admit, Prince Duan, you were spot on.
While Zheng Fan was speaking, Zheng Wei watched Zheng Fan's face and eyes closely, for fear he was lying.
But from beginning to end, he understood that this person wasn't lying; he only knew this much.
Having received his answer, Zheng Wei became even more irritable.
If he had known the answer would be like this, would he have come to ask?
This old man was not in the imperial capital now, and the return date was unknown. Could his paramour wait for him indefinitely?
The more Zheng Wei thought, the more sinister his face became.
Suddenly, Zheng Wei shot up, turned around, and walked towards the main gate.
He wanted to leave this place now. If he stayed any longer, he feared he would be unable to resist striking Zheng Fan down with a single palm.
Just for such an answer, he had wasted half the morning.
Seeing Zheng Wei walk out without looking back, Zheng Xiang's face darkened.
He was leaving without even a word of farewell. What kind of attitude was this?
Yizixie and Sima Han were also extremely disappointed. Seeing Zheng Wei had already left, they also prepared to turn and leave.
Zheng Xiang hurried forward and blocked Yizixie.
Yizixie frowned, looking at Zheng Xiang, "Does Prince Duan have any other matters?"
"Naturally, I, the King, wish to know why you are asking this question."
Zheng Xiang's words also attracted Zheng Fan's attention.
In fact, he was also curious why Zheng Wei was so determined to know about that old man.
Could it be, as he had guessed, that Shen Xiaoyan had encountered some trouble?
Yizixie glanced at Zheng Xiang, then at Zheng Fan, who was straining his ears to listen, and said coolly, "Prince Duan should focus on his own son. If you have this much concern, you'd better spend more time on him, lest he repeat such foolishness in the future. At that time, the people he encounters will not be as easy to deal with as this Grand Tutor."
After Yizixie finished speaking, he turned and left with Sima Han, ignoring Zheng Xiang's calls from behind.
When the two left the Prince Duan's mansion, only two horses remained by the main gate. It seemed Zheng Wei had already lost patience and returned on his own.
This was understandable. He was already extremely worried about Shen Xiaoyan, but he had spent half the morning here and gained nothing in the end. How could this not make him angry?
As the two rode away on their horses, a different scene unfolded within the Prince Duan's mansion.
After watching the main gate for a long time, Zheng Xiang finally withdrew his gaze, walked under the eaves, and let Zheng Fan down.
When Zheng Fan fell, he did not, as before, leap up to catch him. It was only when he was about to land that he reached out and gave him a gentle push to prevent Zheng Fan from falling to the ground.
Upon landing, Zheng Fan, who was struggling to stabilize himself, was slapped across the face by Zheng Xiang before he could even say anything.
Holding his face, Zheng Fan was a bit dazed. He looked at Zheng Xiang, whose face was filled with rage, and stammered, "King Father."
Zheng Xiang was furious. Hearing Zheng Fan call him, he waved his hand and said, "You still know I am your King Father? Have you thrown everything I told you to the dogs?"
Zheng Fan did not understand why Zheng Xiang was so angry. He asked cautiously, "What's wrong, King Father? Did your son do something wrong? Tell me, and your son will surely reform."
Zheng Xiang scoffed at his words, "What did I tell you before? Not to provoke Zheng Wei, and to be polite to the Grand Tutor and the Fifth Prince. But what did you do? You actually dared to make them wait at the gate of the Prince's mansion for half an hour. What do you think you are? Without me, you are nothing."
Seeing Zheng Fan's shocked expression at his words, Zheng Xiang's anger intensified.
"All these years, it's been your mother who spoiled you. Truly, raised by women, and you are useless. Look at Zheng Wei, wandering alone outside. In martial arts and other aspects, he is several levels above you."
The more Zheng Xiang spoke, the angrier he became, and the more he spoke, the more he couldn't stop.
In less than a quarter of an hour, he had thoroughly berated Zheng Fan, leaving his face red.
Seeing Zheng Fan standing there meekly, not daring to say a word, Zheng Xiang became even more incensed. "What are you still standing here for? Go back to your courtyard, reflect on your mistakes. Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave the mansion."
After speaking, he waited for Zheng Fan to leave.
But after waiting for a long time and seeing Zheng Fan not move, Zheng Xiang became even angrier. "Rebellious son, you are not satisfied with what I said? Why aren't you leaving?"
Zheng Fan cautiously glanced at Zheng Xiang, then quickly lowered his head and said in a low voice, "King Father, this is my courtyard."
Zheng Xiang: ...
"You have angered me so much. You have confused me. Go and reflect on your mistakes."
After speaking, Zheng Xiang strode out.
Zheng Fan watched Zheng Xiang walk outside the courtyard. He then heard Zheng Xiang instruct the guards to watch the courtyard closely and not let him out, before he heard Zheng Xiang's departing footsteps.
Standing in place, he let out a bitter smile. Zheng Fan dejectedly walked towards the house.
As soon as he entered, he saw a group of servants standing there, all with their heads lowered, bodies trembling.
Seeing these people, Zheng Fan suddenly felt a sharp pang.
Why did he see himself in these people?
No, he must be too tired.
With a weak wave of his hand, Zheng Fan said listlessly, "All of you, get out."
The servants looked at Zheng Fan standing by the door, none daring to move. They were afraid that if they got close to Zheng Fan, they would be beaten.
This completely enraged Zheng Fan.
He strode quickly towards the servants, kicked at the crowd, and did not even see who he kicked. But he felt incredibly satisfied.
After he finally vented enough, he said to them, "Still not leaving?"
The servants were stunned by Zheng Fan. Hearing Zheng Fan's question, they finally came to their senses. Without regard for anything else, two of them bent down, lifted the person on the ground, and the rest quickly ran out.
Watching them flee as if for their lives, Zheng Fan burst into laughter.
People, indeed, are lowly.
If you speak to them nicely, they refuse to listen.
If you beat them up, they naturally become obedient.
Thinking of this, Zheng Fan's face, which had slightly eased, immediately became even more hideous than before.
How could this be so similar to himself just now?
As Zheng Fan thought, he kicked over a table in front of him and then smashed all the porcelain, jade, various decorations, and furniture he could see.
The servants in the courtyard heard the crashing sounds from the house and were all terrified.
Although the young master's temper was not as good as it appeared on the surface, he had never taken his anger out on them, the servants.
Today, they had witnessed their young master in such a predicament. Would they be silenced by him in the future?
Perhaps all of them had the same thought. When they looked at each other, they all saw the terror and deep worry in each other's eyes.
Zheng Fan, inside the house, felt tired after smashing everything.
With nowhere to sit, Zheng Fan simply sat on the floor.
As he sat on the floor, he felt his legs getting a bit cold.
He looked down and remembered that his trousers had been cut by Yizixie.
This meant that he had been bare-legged all along, and in such an embarrassing manner.
Zheng Wei!
It was all because of Zheng Wei.
If Zheng Wei had not returned, he would still be the eldest son of the Prince Duan's mansion, and the position of Prince Duan would be his sooner or later.
It was because Zheng Wei had returned that he had fallen into this predicament.
Zheng Fan swayed and stood up, turned around, and walked towards the bedroom.
Soon, Zheng Fan's voice came from the room, "Come in and clean up. Xiuyan, come in and help me change."
The servants in the courtyard felt uneasy hearing this, but they dared not disobey Zheng Fan's orders, otherwise, they would only die a more miserable death.
They tiptoed into the room, but did not see anyone. Several young maids breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly having gone into the bedroom.
The young maids crouched down and began to pick up the shattered porcelain pieces on the floor, but a maid in a pink dress, about sixteen years old, stood there, not moving.
"Xiuyan, come in and help young master change."
Zheng Fan's voice came from the bedroom again, with a hint of gritted teeth.
Hearing this, the maids all looked at the girl in pink with concern.
"Sister Xiuyan..."
A young maid walked up to the girl in pink and called out in a low voice.
The girl in pink, Xiuyan, smiled at the maid and then walked towards the bedroom.
Upon closer inspection, one could see that Xiuyan's smile was full of sorrow.
Xiuyan pushed open the bedroom door and was immediately closed from the inside.
When it was closed, perhaps due to excessive force, it made a deafening sound.