It has to be said that because of what Helian Duo did, the Empress Dowager was quite dissatisfied. At least during the two days when Cheng Xiran was in the mansion, she almost saw her father with a gloomy face every day. He went out early and came back late for social events. Meanwhile, Cheng Zhiyue and Mrs. Liu were no longer as arrogant as before and had become much more restrained.
Cheng Xiran originally thought that Cheng Zhiyue's newspaper office would come up with some more troubles. However, to her surprise, because Helian Duo had clarified the matter in person, everyone sneered at Cheng Zhiyue. Although she still had a lot of secrets about the capital in her hands, no one bought her stories. As a result, the newspaper office was on the verge of closing down after only opening for a few days.
It had been two or three days since Cheng Xiran last saw Helian Duo. Even though she was certain that the person he loved was herself and that she didn't need to worry or be afraid that he would fall in love with Hua Bairu while they were together all day, there was still an inexplicable sense of worry in her heart. She was worried that their relationship couldn't withstand such a small test.
Early this morning, Cheng Xiran got up especially early and asked Zhuque to prepare some breakfast. She planned to send it to him.
Facing the chill of the early morning, the mistress and her maid left the house.
Just then, Prime Minister Cheng staggered out of the carriage.
He seemed to be dead drunk...
A hangover?
Cheng Xiran didn't even want to say hello and wanted to walk past him as if she hadn't seen him. However, he called out to her sharply: "What, now all you can think about is that man Helian Duo. You don't even put your own father in your eyes?"
"Oh, so it's you, Father. I thought it was some drunkard."
Cheng Xiran replied expressionlessly.
Hearing this, Prime Minister Cheng got angry and roared at her: "Don't you even look at the mistakes you've made? If it weren't for me trying my best to save the situation, the entire Cheng family would have fallen apart by now!"
Fallen apart? Isn't this family already like this?
Cheng Xiran suddenly felt like laughing but managed to hold it back. She just said indifferently: "Then Father has really done a great deed. But now we're already drifting apart. Why do we still have to act like this?"
Prime Minister Cheng wanted to throw a tantrum under the influence of alcohol, but the little bit of remaining rationality told him that this was still outside the mansion gate, outside the Cheng Mansion. As the head of the family, every word and deed of his was being watched. He had to remain basically sober at all times.
Cheng Xiran knew that this was exactly what her father was like.
So Prime Minister Cheng sorted out his thoughts and then suddenly smiled: "Anyway, we don't have to worry anymore. When Zhiyue marries into the palace, she will also enjoy wealth and honor. Only then will our family truly be stable."
He seemed to have revealed some rather important information.
But he didn't even seem to be aware of it.
Cheng Xiran quietly listened to his rambling for a while. Finally, the butler managed to persuade him and helped him into the mansion. Otherwise, Cheng Xiran always felt that she could still hear some earth - shattering secrets from his mouth.
For example, how much influence the Empress Dowager had in the court, and what her plans were after the downfall of the Minister of War.
"This is the first time the Prime Minister has smiled in these few days. It seems that his day - and - night drinking has paid off."
Zhuque murmured in a low voice. Hearing this, Cheng Xiran couldn't help but laugh: "Yes, it's despicable to lower one's own stance like a fly on stinking meat. But what kind of success is this?"
The situation was getting more and more tense. She had to remind Helian Duo to make preparations earlier.
She always felt that there was still boundless darkness hidden behind today's warm sun.
She calculated the time when Helian Duo usually woke up and arrived at the prince's mansion on time.
But before she could enter the mansion with the servant, she saw Zuo Yan rushing out from afar. It seemed as if something had happened.
"Good morning, Miss."
After Zuo Yan said this, he was about to leave. Cheng Xiran quickly stopped him: "Where are you in such a hurry to go, Zuo Guard? Has something happened to the prince again?"
"Oh, it's just that the prince sent me back to get his cloak for him."
After saying that, Zuo Yan raised the black cloak in his hand towards Cheng Xiran. There seemed to be another bright color under the black cloak.
It was obviously the tender pink that only a girl would use.
Zuo Yan noticed the look in her eyes and quickly explained: "It's like this, Miss. It was last night, no, it was yesterday. The princess and the prince just played too late..."
The more Zuo Yan spoke, the more inappropriate it sounded, and the more he made things worse. In the end, he couldn't take back his words halfway and had to stop. But his words were like spilled water. No matter how much he wanted to cover it up, Cheng Xiran had already firmly remembered them in her heart.
"I see. You can go."
Cheng Xiran turned around and was about to leave. Zuo Yan quickly stepped forward to stop her and said, "Miss, why don't you go into the mansion and wait? The prince will be back soon."
"No, I didn't come here to find him today. I just happened to pass by. I'm going to visit a friend."
Cheng Xiran quickened her pace and left. Zhuque followed closely behind, leaving Zuo Yan alone standing there stunned.
"I seem to have put my foot in my mouth again."
On the way back to the mansion, Cheng Xiran kept thinking about the half - sentence Zuo Yan had said. Even though it was only half a sentence, she could already imagine a whole series of scenarios. The more she thought about it, the more inappropriate it seemed, and the more uncomfortable she felt in her heart. So she found herself getting stuck in her own thoughts again, and she began to feel confused about her relationship with Helian Duo.
She stayed in the mansion in self - isolation for a full three days. During these three days, Helian Duo came to visit five times but was turned away every time.
On the sixth time, she still remained firm in her attitude. "I won't see him. I don't want to see him now."
It was already evening, and the sky was gradually getting gloomy, as if it was going to rain.
Zhuque really couldn't bear to see Helian Duo standing in the courtyard enduring the cold wind. So she came in again to persuade Cheng Xiran: "Miss, look at the sky. It seems to be changing. It's so cold. If the prince gets caught in the rain, even if he has a good constitution, he will surely fall seriously ill. Why don't you let him in? You might as well clarify things face to face."
"Let it rain. He really needs the rain to cool himself down."
Cheng Xiran's expression remained unchanged, but actually her heart had already wavered a little.
But if she forgave him so quickly every time, wouldn't it make her seem too easy to coax?
She didn't want that.
Zhuque had no choice but to get an umbrella for Helian Duo, but he refused it.
Zhuque accidentally noticed the knife wound on his wrist, which seemed to be a fresh one. So she used his injury as an excuse to persuade Cheng Xiran, which was also Helian Duo's intention.
"So what if he's injured? What does it matter to me?"
Actually, at this time, she already wanted to go out to find out.
But she managed to hold back again and again. She wanted to see Helian Duo's attitude and how long he could persevere.