Chapter 448: Coaxing a Retard
“Han Er, are… are you serious?”
Chu Hongqing was different from Mdm Jiang. He did not think that Chu Sihan would lie about this.
Moreover, he knew very well that Chu Sihan was on the Eldest Prince’s side.
There were countless people who wanted to get rid of Chu Sihan. His son had a problem with Chu Sihan since he was young, so he could be used by others.
Chu Sihan nodded. “The person beside him admitted it himself.”
“Why can’t I be on someone’s side if you can?”
There was no one else here, and Chu Silin no longer hid anything. He directly revealed his cards and said, “That’s right. I’m on the Crown Prince’s side. So what? Aren’t you on the Eldest Prince’s side too? Neither of us can criticize the other!”
“Shut up!”
When Chu Hongqing heard that, he was shocked and furious.
Even Mdm Jiang paled in fear.
She schemed against Chu Sihan so that the Chu Mansion’s assets would fall into their hands.
However, she had never thought that her son would be so bold as to interfere in the royal family’s conflict.
“You’re being silly!”
Mdm Jiang patted her chest angrily.
Chu Hongqing sneered. “What do you know? Do you know what you’re saying?”
Although the news of the Crown Prince building weapons had not yet spread, most people already knew about it.
Now, everyone who stood on the Crown Prince’s side was already starting to panic. His son was actually still boasting shamelessly that he stood on the Crown Prince’s side?
He was tired of living!
“Father, don’t worry about it.”
Chu Silin smiled coldly. “I know what I’m doing.”
Chu Sihan smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.
He walked forward and looked him in the eye. “If not for the Chu Mansion, you would have been sent to the capital by now.”
If possible, he wanted to kill this fellow with one strike.
However, the Chu Mansion had raised him up. On account of the Chu Mansion’s thin population, he really did not want to see this idiot jumping around in front of him again and again.
“Lin Er, you were just saying words out of spite just now, right?”
Mdm Jiang held Chu Silin’s hand and blinked at him.
Unfortunately, Chu Silin did not receive her signal. He continued saying, “Mother, I’m not saying words out of spite. I’m telling the truth.”
Mdm Jiang was speechless.
How did such a smart person like her give birth to such an idiot?
Even if he really wanted to take sides, he should not have admitted it in front of Chu Sihan!
“I told you to shut up!”
Chu Hongqing was so angry that he pounded his chest.
He walked forward, grabbed Chu Silin’s collar, and pulled him over.
“You’re standing on the Crown Prince’s side? Okay, sure. If you don’t want to return to the Chu Mansion in the future and don’t want to be my son again, go ahead.”
“Old Master!”
Mdm Jiang was angry and heartbroken for her son.
“Shut up too!”
Chu Hongqing glared at the mother-and-son duo. “What does he know? Does he know how the situation is in the Imperial Court now? The Crown Prince’s private creation of weapons has been alerted to the Emperor by the State Minister. His position as Crown Prince has already reached its peak. Understand?”
Chu Silin was dumbfounded when he heard that. He did not even feel anything when he was thrown to the ground.
“That’s impossible! County Magistrate Zhuo clearly said that the Crown Prince would successfully ascend the throne, and I would replace Chu Sihan!”
Chu Hongqing really did not expect Chu Silin’s resentment towards Chu Sihan to reach this extent.
This was already hopeless.
“You think you can replace your cousin?”
Chu Hongqing did not know whether to be angry or laugh.
He knew that his son could not compare to his nephew, but he also felt that his son was not bad.
Only now did he know that his son was obviously stupid.
Everyone knew that the Crown Prince could not fulfill this promise.
Moreover, the person who promised him was Magistrate Zhuo, not the Crown Prince himself.
“Think about it carefully. Which part of you is worth the Crown Prince handing over such a big official position to you?”
“Self-righteous fool. Do you know that your momentary grievance nearly killed me, your mother, and the entire Chu Mansion?”
“I… I didn’t!”
He did not think about these things. He only thought about how to drag Chu Sihan down from his high position.
“How did your cousin let you down? You’re so stupid, yet you’re blaming others for being smarter than you?”
Chu Hongqing took the key and opened the door. He grabbed Chu Silin’s collar again.
“Chu Silin, let me tell you. You have to understand clearly that the Chu Mansion today was not because of you or your uncle and me. It was because of your cousin. Without your cousin, there would not be the high and mighty Chu Mansion today. Do you understand?”
When Mdm Jiang heard that, she felt a little ashamed.
She had only seen the glory of the Chu Mansion. She only knew that as long as Chu Sihan did not die, everything in the Chu Mansion would only belong to him.
She had never thought who brought the Chu Mansion to its state today.
Chu Silin felt his head buzz.
He pushed Chu Hongqing away and laughed maniacally. “Yes, it’s all about Chu Sihan. Since young, all of you have only praised him. What about me? Who am I? Am I only worthy to be Chu Sihan’s foil?”
“Yes!”
Chu Hongqing nodded. “You’re only fit to be your cousin’s foil. Haven’t you ever thought that it’s because of you?”
“What were you doing when your cousin was studying?”
“What were you doing when your cousin was practicing in the snow?”
“When your cousin’s business fell into a crisis and he tried to revive it, what were you doing?”
“Also, what were you doing when your cousin was on the Golden List?”
“I…”
Chu Hongqing’s series of questions embarrassed Chu Silin.
“You can’t answer?”
Chu Hongqing smiled coldly. “It’s good that you can’t answer it. Your aptitude is average, but you’re not working hard. You were playing when your cousin was working hard. When your cousin was on the Golden List, you were fooling around with your friends. When your cousin became a magistrate, you were scheming behind his back.”
“Why should such a useless person like you doubt the intelligence and hard work of someone who has always been working hard?”
Chu Silin fell to the ground and was dumbfounded.
Mdm Jiang shuddered in fear when she heard that.
She definitely contributed the most to how Chu Silin turned out today.
When Chu Silin was young, she had already taught him how to get everything from the Chu Mansion. However, she never thought of making her son stronger and more outstanding.
She even felt that it was all Chu Sihan’s fault for being too outstanding that he stole her son’s limelight.
All these years, she had been cursing Chu Sihan to die early. However, she forgot that he was actually the backbone of the Chu Mansion.
Without a backbone, the Chu Mansion would collapse sooner or later.
If not for her husband’s words today, she would have even felt that as long as Chu Sihan was gone, the Chu Mansion would belong to them and her son.
She swallowed her saliva and hid her trembling hand secretly into her sleeve.
Chu Sihan glanced at her expressionlessly and lowered his eyes without saying anything.
Chu Hongqing closed his eyes and said in shame, “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored you because of the Chu Mansion’s business.”
He looked at Chu Silin and said, “You have to think carefully. In the future, the Chu Mansion only has you and your cousin. Without your cousin, what can you bring to the Chu Mansion?”
“So, you must always remember that the reason why no one has anything against you when you’re arrogant and despotic is because you’re Chu Sihan’s cousin.”
Chu Silin was already in a daze.
He did not hear what Chu Hongqing said next to his ear.
He could only faintly hear the last sentence.
His father said that he could be arrogant and despotic outside because he was Chu Sihan’s cousin.
“Haha. Hahaha!”
He suddenly laughed out loud. After a while, he said in a daze, “I’m Chu Sihan’s cousin. I’m Chu Sihan’s cousin!”
“Sigh—”
Chu Hongqing sighed softly. He stood up and looked at Chu Sihan. With a face full of shame, he said, “Han Er, I didn’t teach your cousin well. I’ve let you down!”
“Uncle, you don’t have to blame yourself.”
Chu Sihan said coldly, “I can let bygones be bygones regarding the past. Uncle, please take good care of him after this. After all, Uncle should understand the current situation. I don’t want to harm the entire Chu Mansion because of his momentary madness.”
Although he seemed to be speaking to Chu Hongqing, his gaze was on Mdm Jiang.
Mdm Jiang lowered her eyes and did not dare to look into his eyes.
“I still have some matters to attend to at the government office. I’ll take my leave first.”
After speaking, Chu Sihan strode out of the prison.
Chu Hongqing watched him leave. When he turned back, his gaze became sharp.
He helped Chu Silin up and looked at Mdm Jiang. He said coldly, “Aren’t you coming over to help?”
“Yes!”
Mdm Jiang was no longer as arrogant as before.
She had a feeling that Chu Hongqing already knew something.
—————
After Chu Sihan came out, he returned to the government office.
Seeing his return, Lu Sheng wanted to ask something. However, she thought that it was his family business, so she changed the topic.
“Lord, are you hungry?”
She smiled and said, “Nanny Yao sent a lot of delicious food over just now. Do you want to try them?”
Chu Sihan glanced at the table and realized that it was filled with snacks.
He smiled and shook his head. “No.”
“Alright!”
Lu Sheng pursed her lips and ate a piece of pastry.
Chu Sihan could tell that she was full.
“Ask whatever you want.”
Chu Sihan took off his cloak and hung it at the side. Then, he sat opposite her and spoke with a faint smile.
“Huh?”
She pretended to blink. “I’m not asking anything.”
Was she that obvious?
“Yes, you didn’t want to ask. I’m the one who wanted to talk.”
Chu Sihan smiled. “I asked Uncle to bring him back to Huang Yang Town.”
“You’re letting him go just like that?”
Lu Sheng frowned. “This doesn’t seem like the Lord’s style.”
“Oh?”
Chu Sihan held his chin and smiled at her. “Then, tell me, what’s my style?”
Lu Sheng smiled and said, “You will take revenge!”
“Yes!” He nodded in agreement and pinched her face. He smiled and said, “Sheng Sheng understands me the best!”
“Ouch, ouch—”
Lu Sheng slapped his hand away, and a faint red mark appeared on her fair face.
“Tsk—”
Chu Sihan reached out and rubbed the mark.
He had used so little force but a red mark was left on her face. If he had used more force, wouldn’t her skin have broken?
However, ever since she took over this body, her skin seemed to be getting more tender.
He was suddenly curious about how the girl looked like in the beginning.
However, he probably wouldn’t have the chance to see it in this lifetime, right?
“Lord, why did you let him go?”
Lu Sheng was really curious.
Chu Sihan’s hand that was rubbing her face paused slightly. He smiled faintly and said, “It’s probably to repay a favor.”
Lu Sheng understood immediately.
Chu Sihan was not the Chu Mansion’s biological son.
The Chu Mansion only had Chu Siyun, who was still lying in hell, and Chu Silin.
They did not even have a daughter. There were too little people in the family.
If Chu Silin died too, only Chu Siyun would be left in the Chu Mansion, and it was unknown when he would wake up.
Could this be the reason why Chu Sihan had always indulged Chu Silin?
She thought that Chu Sihan did not get rid of Chu Silin because of Chu Hongqing.
Lu Sheng patted his head lightly and coaxed him like she was coaxing a child. “Lord, don’t be angry. At most, don’t let him appear in front of you again!”
Chu Sihan was speechless.
He felt that the girl was coaxing a retard…
Seeing Chu Sihan’s complicated expression, Lu Sheng smiled proudly.
Her face was held and her red lips were blocked.
Unlike the previous times when she was shocked, Lu Sheng closed her eyes after this time.
Since she could not refuse, why not enjoy it?
Holding her face, he kissed her gently, his deep eyes flickering with a dark light.
Their heartbeats intertwined in the room, and for a moment, there was no distinction between them.
“Ah—”
Suddenly, a series of cries could be heard.
The duo froze and Chu Sihan looked out of the door with a dark expression.
A man and a woman stood outside the door. The man had a meaningful smile on his face, while the woman stared at them with a red face.
Lu Sheng’s face reddened immediately.
As if she had done something wrong and was caught red-handed, she could only turn her head in panic and cover her face, wanting to cry.
“Sorry, Cousin. I… I didn’t mean to disturb you. I…”
Fu Sisi was also panicking.
She was invited to Lin Jiang Mansion a few days ago to admire the flowers with her new friend. When Yun Ting found out, he specially sent her over.
When she passed by the government office, she wanted to take a look. Who knew…
“It’s not your fault.”
Yun Ting raised his eyebrows and looked at Chu Siyun. He teased, “If you want to blame someone, blame your cousin. He did something naughty in broad daylight and didn’t even close the door.”
Chu Sihan, who was interrupted, was very unhappy. However, the other party was his cousin and friend. So what if he felt unhappy?
Seeing that he was still staring at them, Yun Ting hurried to stand in front of Fu Sisi. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Don’t look at us like that. Who asked you not to close the door? Who’s to blame that you had to show such an unsatisfied expression?”
“Cough—”
Lu Sheng scratched her nose and resisted the embarrassment. She forced a smile and said, “Why are you here?”
“Oh, I was invited here to admire the flowers. I heard that Lin Jiang Mansion has a lot of wattles, so I wanted to come and take a look.”
Lu Sheng knew that wattles were cherry blossoms of the modern era.
Spring was the season when cherry blossoms bloomed.
“I see.”
She smiled, the blush on her face still lingering.
Fu Sisi and Yun Ting were still standing outside the door.
Chu Sihan did not intend to invite them in.
The atmosphere became tense.