Chapter 461: Seduction (2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In Xu Yan’s opinion, Imperial Duke Wei and his wife must have deliberately stopped him from seeing Wei Wan. Even Wei Wan might not know that he had been there.
Imperial Duke Wei was speechless.
Imperial Duke Wei looked at Xu Yan steadily, his eyes devoid of any ripples, resembling a cold and bottomless abyss. Deep within, he sighed: Even at this stage, Xu Yan still thinks that its merely a matter of having an extramarital affair?
Xu Yan clenched his fists tightly, and his expression revealed sadness. His eyes were also slightly red. “I’ve hidden Yao’er’s sister’s matter in my heart for seven years and haven’t told anyone.”
“The child was actually born unwell, with a bluish complexion and no signs of life. The midwife and the doctor both said that she had been deprived of oxygen in the womb for too long and wouldn’t survive.”
“I was afraid that she would be sad, so 1 kept it a secret.”
“That’s my flesh and blood. How can 1 hurt that child? I was also in a fit of anger that day, that’s why I said things without thinking… What people say in a fit of anger can’t be taken seriously.”
Xu Yan tried his best to look sincere, but his heart was still in a mess.
When he was in the manor, he was certain that Imperial Duke Wei couldn’t do anything to him. The worst-case scenario would be his separation or estrangement from Wei Wan.
However, he didn’t expect Imperial Duke Wei to not mention a word about his mistress and Xu Luo the next day. Instead, he impeached him for colluding with bandits.
Impeachment was nothing much. After all, he hadn’t colluded with the bandits at all, and had just gotten someone to pretend to be a bandit. It could be said that he had a grudge against the guard, who had been expelled by the Marquis Mansion in the past. Anyway, he could just deny that this matter was related to him no matter what. However, the Emperor had really asked Imperial Duke Wei to eliminate the bandits.
Only then did Xu Yan panic.
He was just a small bandit. There was no need for the dignified Imperial Duke Wei to personally lead troops to exterminate him. If Imperial Duke Wei had lowered himself so much, he must have had a motive, and there was a high chance that it was to trap him. Without evidence, he would create evidence!
That must be it!
Xu Yan tried his best to control the surging emotions in his heart and hide the fear and resentment in the depths of his eyes.
A mistress was a small matter. There were many nobles and courtiers in the capital who raised a mistress. It was just a romantic affair.
If he was forced to collude with bandits, it would probably be difficult to protect the title of Marquis Mansion!
He used to think that Yu Qing was the most important to him, more important than anything else.
But now…
When he looked at Yu Qing, he still had the pity and joy of the past in his heart. When he pulled her into his arms, the fear buried in the bottom of his heart would quickly suppress his love for her.
He was afraid. He was afraid of losing his title. He was afraid of losing everything and being despised…
He asked himself honestly: Can 1 bear to become such a lowly commoner for Yu Qing?!
No.
Xu Yan’s heart trembled. He adjusted his expression and tone, and admitted his mistake even more sincerely. “Uncle, I was young and muddle-headed. After Wan’er left, 1 realized what was most important.”
After a pause, he said slowly, “Yao’er can’t live without a mother.”
He said the last sentence almost word by word, hinting to Imperial Duke Wei that even if Wei Wan divorced him, she couldn’t take Xu Yao away.
This was the law.
Even if he allowed it, the Xu family wouldn’t agree.
One moment, he was pleading, the next, he was apologizing, and the next, he was threatening. It could be said that he was using both soft and hard methods.
Imperial Duke Wei wasn’t a fool. He naturally heard the threat in Xu Yan’s tone, and an extremely cold smile appeared on his lips. He was as still as a mountain.
He said slowly, “That’s right, but if her husband’s family is suspected of rebellion, the Emperor will also show mercy if she puts righteousness before family and exposes her family.”
“Right?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Imperial Duke Wei’s body released an indestructible aura that was like Mount Tai pressing down. This was a murderous aura that came from fighting through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Xu Yan couldn’t help but shiver. He restrained his pleading, sorrowful, and affectionate expression, and his sinister eyes locked tightly onto Imperial Duke Wei’s gaze.
He was expressionless and seemed to have become a different person again. He said in an extremely calm and rational tone, “Brother, I’m willing to hand the Ji’an Mansion to Yao’er to inherit.”
“Brother, what do you think?”
He spoke more slowly, with the determination of a warrior to cut his wrist. There was a sharp pain in his heart that he hid deep in his heart.
This was a choice he made after weighing the pros and cons.
He couldn’t let the Ji’an Marquis Mansion lose its title like the Dingyuan Marquis Household..