350: The arrogant and conceited Xu Fengnian

"Prince, the latest news from Lady Red Musk."

Xu Xiao was taken aback and took the letter. He was very surprised that news had arrived so quickly, though he didn't know what it contained.

Xu Xiao had a bad premonition; he had already given Red Musk clear instructions beforehand.

According to their prior agreement, this news should not have been sent back so soon.

For it to return this quickly, something must have happened that Red Musk could not decide on her own. What could it be?

Xu Xiao opened the letter and read it, his expression instantly turning gloomy.

"This Duan Zhengchun is much harder to deal with than we imagined," Xu Xiao said, his voice cold and carrying a hint of killing intent.

"Oh? Is Duan Zhengchun unwilling?" Li Yishan looked at Xu Xiao in surprise.

Xu Xiao didn't speak, but simply handed the letter to Li Yishan.

Li Yishan took the letter, and when he saw the message Red Musk had sent back, his brow instantly furrowed slightly.

"Prince, what is your view on this matter?"

Li Yishan did not make a decision, but instead looked at Xu Xiao; this matter still required Xu Xiao to decide.

"This matter is a bit difficult to handle. You know how much that boy Fengnian treasures Jiang Ni."

"He definitely won't agree to this," Xu Xiao said with a frown and a sigh of helplessness.

"In that case, has the Prince already made a decision?" Li Yishan looked at Xu Xiao.

"Sigh... it really is a headache."

"We cannot offend this Duan Zhengchun. Otherwise, it won't be good for us."

"If the one in the palace finds out, he might take the opportunity to move against us."

"When that time comes, we will be in real danger," Xu Xiao said, looking at Li Yishan with a helpless frown.

"Based on our previous understanding of Duan Zhengchun, he shouldn't be the type of person who is unreasonable."

"We haven't offended him either, so he shouldn't want to make an enemy of the Prince," Li Yishan said after a moment of contemplation.

"That may be true, but I fear the one in the palace will seek an Alliance with Duan Zhengchun. If Duan Zhengchun agrees..."

Xu Xiao didn't finish his sentence, but Li Yishan understood what he meant.

"Forget it, I'll go talk to Fengnian about this. I hope he can consider the bigger picture and not throw a tantrum." Xu Xiao shook his head helplessly and headed straight for Wutong Courtyard.

Li Yishan watched Xu Xiao depart, his brow slightly furrowed as he gained a new understanding of Duan Zhengchun.

He felt he couldn't see through Duan Zhengchun; whether it was his methods or his style of doing things, he found them somewhat inscrutable.

Jiang Ni's identity was only known to the core members of the Residence. How could Duan Zhengchun, far away in the Kingdom of Dali, be so clear about her identity?

This was something even the Liyang Imperial Clan didn't know. How did Duan Zhengchun find out?

Li Yishan couldn't figure it out. He felt that things were slipping beyond his control.

Xu Xiao arrived at Wutong Courtyard. His son, Xu Fengnian, was lying on a rocking chair by the lake fishing. His younger son, Xu Longxiang, was also there, though the boy lacked the patience for it.

Xu Xiao came to his son's side and lay down, closing his eyes and saying nothing.

Xu Fengnian glanced at his old man, a look of disdain appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"What? Encountered another frustrating matter?" Xu Fengnian's tone carried a hint of mockery.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just bothered and came here to clear my head." Xu Xiao waved his hand impatiently with his eyes closed.

However, the more he acted this way, the more curious Xu Fengnian became.

Just what kind of matter could make a Devil Head like Xu Xiao react this way?

One must know that even when facing the Liyang Imperial Clan, Xu Xiao had never been this troubled. Today's reaction was very unusual.

"Why don't you talk about it? As they say, two heads are better than one. Maybe we can come up with a solution." Xu Fengnian looked at Xu Xiao with a smile.

Xu Xiao opened his eyes at this point, and seeing his son looking at him with a smile, he felt a surge of amusement.

"Sigh, forget it. What would a brat like you understand?"

"Hey, old man, you're looking down on this young master, aren't you? Are you going to tell me or not? If not, then get lost. Don't stay here and make me annoyed just looking at you." Xu Fengnian gave him no Face at all, retorting sharply.

"Look at you... getting angry already? Were your years of traveling for nothing?"

"Do you really want to know?" Xu Xiao looked at Xu Fengnian with suspicion.

Seeing his father's reaction, Xu Fengnian was about to kick him out. But at that moment, Xu Xiao compromised.

"Fine, fine, it's no harm telling you. But you must stay calm after you hear it." Xu Xiao looked at his son with a serious expression.

Seeing his father's reaction, Xu Fengnian's brow instantly knitted together.

"What do you mean? This matter concerns me? By the way, where did Red Musk go? I haven't seen her for a few days." Xu Fengnian looked at Xu Xiao with a frown.

"Cough... what I'm telling you is related to that. It goes like this..." Xu Xiao awkwardly recounted the sequence of events.

He even mentioned the condition Duan Zhengchun proposed regarding Jiang Ni.

When Xu Fengnian heard this, he immediately exploded.

"What? You old fogey! Sending Red Musk away without this Heir's permission was one thing, but now you actually want to give Jiang Ni away too?"

"Is it that my blade isn't sharp enough, or have you, Xu Xiao, grown too arrogant? You actually dare to plot against me like this?" Xu Fengnian glared at Xu Xiao.

Hearing his son's words, Xu Xiao's Face turned quite ugly.

If it weren't for the fact that he felt he owed his son, and that the position of Prince of Beiliang still needed this son to inherit it, he really would have wanted to give this boy a good beating.

"What are you shouting for? Don't you know the stakes involved?"

"If the Liyang Imperial Clan and Duan Zhengchun successfully form an Alliance, what awaits our Xu family will be utter catastrophe."

"Who do you think your old man is doing this for? Isn't it all to find a reliable backer for a rascal like you?"

"If you were willing to practice martial arts and had the strength to protect yourself now, would your old man be forced to be controlled by others at every turn?" Xu Xiao couldn't help but scold him.

"Did I ask you to care? It's just a damn title, who wants it?" Xu Fengnian retorted without the slightest courtesy.

"You... you..."

Xu Xiao was so angry his whole body trembled, wishing he could just strangle this bast*rd son.

"Heir, please calm down..." Old Huang couldn't bear to watch from the side and hurried out to intervene.

"Old Huang, step aside. Don't get involved in this. Today, I'm protecting Jiang Ni for sure. No one can touch her—not you, Xu Xiao, and certainly not that Duan Zhengchun." Xu Fengnian took a hard stance, giving no Face at all.

Old Huang gave a sheepish smile, not knowing what to do, and could only retreat to the side.

As for Xu Fengnian, although he had some cleverness, he was far too conceited.

Little did he know that over these years, if Xu Xiao hadn't been protecting him from behind, with a temper like his, he would have been killed countless times already.

During those three years of traveling abroad, if Old Huang hadn't been by his side protecting him, the grass on his grave would be several meters high by now.

Now your father is doing this just to find you a backer. If you were capable yourself—not even saying becoming a Land Immortal, but even just reaching the Celestial Phenomenon Realm—your father wouldn't have to worry so much.

And now you have the nerve to lose your temper and claim you'll protect her for sure?

Without the Prince of Beiliangs Residence, who could you protect? You can't even protect yourself, so who could you possibly protect?