Chapter 459: Chapter 443: Brother
Xie Jue remained silent, while Fang Chuning quietly observed him, his patience seemingly endless. After tidying up the chessboard, Xie Jue asked, "Shall we play another game?"
"I’m tired. I need to sleep."
"Alright!"
"You still haven’t answered me. When did you have Ruyi? Is she your wife?" Fang Chuning calculated the days. "The more I think about it, the more it seems this child was conceived during the peace negotiations. I am truly curious—why don’t you enlighten me?"
"There’s nothing to say."
"Now I’m genuinely heartbroken."
Xie Jue chuckled faintly, glanced at Ruyi, and asked Fang Chuning, "Having a son is a good thing, isn’t that what you said?"
Fang Chuning, struck by his own words turned back on him, fell silent and raised his hands in surrender.
An attendant spoke from outside the door, "Second Young Master, Third Miss ran into trouble at the West Wind Inn."
"What!" Xie Jue furrowed his brow and turned to Fang Chuning. "Look after Ruyi for me."
"Of course!"
After Xie Jue left, Fang Chuning carried Ruyi to bed. Outside, the snow-covered world was a frenzy of whistling winds and frost, but inside, warmth prevailed. He poked Ruyi’s chubby little face.
"Little one, I truly envy you."
Five days ago, Fengyu and Han Ziqi had agreed to finalize negotiations regarding the iron mines. After receiving news from Jiangnan, Xie Jue devised a counter-plan. Han Ziqi had been waiting for over ten days at West Wind Inn. Fengyu, however, would not let him leave empty-handed and offered to sell Sannan ten thousand sets of armor and weapons. Upon hearing this, Han Ziqi was enraged. Sannan had requested twenty thousand sets, but Fengyu only offered ten thousand—a stark discrepancy. Han Ziqi felt deceived and accused Fengyu of deliberately prolonging his stay in West State without any intention of conducting business. Ten thousand sets of armor and equipment couldn’t even meet half a year’s wear and tear.
Fengyu had never promised to finalize the deal. In the harsh winter, mining operations were halted, and military supplies were primarily directed to the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, leaving no surplus to sell to Sannan. This had been clearly conveyed to Han Ziqi from the start, without any advance deposit given. Thus, it didn’t count as reneging on an agreement. Deals remain uncertain until contracts are signed, and even signed contracts can bring changes. Yet, Han Ziqi was humiliated and lashed out at Fengyu.
Driven by his desperation for armor and equipment, Han Ziqi’s frustration turned into aggression as he resorted to threats to demand supplies from Fengyu. Fengyu, accompanied by Zhang Da and Nuanyang, had been cautious and kept them close. Han Ziqi’s men failed to approach Fengyu and instead sparked a brawl within the inn. Qiuxiang sent someone back to the mansion to notify Xie Xun and Xie Jue, while dispatching soldiers to intervene.
Standing amidst the snow, adorned in striking crimson fur, Fengyu remained unperturbed. Han Ziqi, knowing she held the upper hand in numbers, couldn’t swallow his indignation and ended up injuring several of the City Lord Mansion’s soldiers. His own men didn’t escape unscathed either.
"Princely Heir, if business negotiations fail, at least maintain some civility. Fighting like this will utterly ruin our fragile camaraderie." Fengyu’s tone was calm and detached. "Surely it’s not worth it?"
"Third Miss, you deliberately toyed with me, and now you blame me for losing my temper?"
"I never said I was certain to settle this deal, did I?" Fengyu brazenly dodged accountability, refusing to admit she had misled Han Ziqi or intentionally delayed his return to Sannan.
"Third Miss is bold enough to act but afraid to admit it."
Fengyu silently reasoned that she was merely following Second Brother’s orders.
"Princely Heir, have them stand down. Escalating this further will serve no one. If you injure me, you won’t make it out of West State City. The Prince is arriving soon, and he’s not known for his temper. Let’s not tarnish dignity on both sides." Fengyu advised him with measured words, hoping to calm Han Ziqi before Xie Xun appeared.
As soon as her words fell, the sound of thunderous hooves echoed—Xie Xun had arrived.
Han Ziqi raised his hand, "Stop!"
Meanwhile, within the City Lord Mansion, at Xiaoqi’s courtyard.
Confined by a cold, Xiaoqi had stayed in his quarters these past days, avoiding unnecessary movement. Yet, his naturally lively personality grew restless from being cooped up. Upon learning that Fengyu and others had left the mansion, he wandered around the plum garden on his own.
Ruyi was playing in the snow within the garden. Xiaoqi felt puzzled; weren’t Xie Jue and Xie Xun out? How was Ruyi still in the garden? Amid his confusion, he heard the sound of coughing.
A gust of fierce wind swept through, carrying flurries of snow and scattering petals like falling ribbons of pink and white, obscuring his view. Lifting his gaze, Xiaoqi spotted Fang Chuning, enveloped in a moon-white cloak, seated on the railing of the corridor, smiling lightly at him. Xiaoqi’s scalp tingled with unease.
Fang Chuning smiled faintly and asked, "Lost your tongue?"
Xiaoqi, startled and nervous, could only stammer, "Brother..."
"Are you coming over willingly, or shall I break your legs and drag you here?" Fang Chuning’s smile disappeared, replaced by an aura of unflinching authority that, despite his injuries, brooked no refusal.