Chapter 172: The Young General and the Handsome Monarch (25)

Wei Xiaorui stepped into the room with dainty steps.

At first glance, she caught sight of the handsome man sitting straight in the center.

The man was dressed in a white brocade robe embroidered with elegant bamboo leaf patterns, and his hair was crowned with a piece of mutton-fat white jade.

No matter how one looked at him, he cut the figure of a dashing and elegant young gentleman, bearing no resemblance at all to the Fourth Prince of the capital, who was rumored to be clad in black and utterly ruthless.

His gaze was half-drooped, and as he cast a slight sideways glance, it was utterly captivating.

His naturally upturned, thin, red lips were made even more rosy by the tea he had been sipping.

Exquisitely alluring.

Wei Xiaorui felt as though her heart was about to leap right out of her chest.

She stepped forward and offered a bow, her voice sounding sweet and gentle beyond compare.

"Xiaorui pays her respects to Your Highness."

The moment Lord Wei set eyes on his stunningly beautiful daughter, a smile immediately spread across his face. "Xiaorui, why so formal? Noble Consort Wei is my cousin, so the Fourth Prince is practically your cousin as well."

Wei Xiaorui cast a shy, sideways glance and murmured softly, "Cousin."

Yan Ancheng stood up.

He walked toward Wei Xiaorui step by step.

And came to a halt.

The scent lingering around the man was wonderfully pleasant.

Wei Xiaorui raised her head, her limpid gaze meeting the man's slightly upturned, captivating eyes.

Her cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.

Yan Ancheng raised his hand, his gaze dark and gloomy as it fixed upon the white jade hairpin nestled in Wei Xiaorui's hair.

His heart sank deeper and deeper.

"Who gave you this?"

Yan Ancheng pulled the hairpin out. This was clearly meant for a man; he had specifically commissioned the artisans at the Shuyu Pavilion to craft it for the little general.

How could it possibly end up on the head of another woman?

A delicate flush still lingered on Wei Xiaorui's face as she whispered, "It was sent here by Cousin..."

"Silence."

Yan Ancheng spoke in an icy tone.

"Cousin..."

Wei Xiaorui looked timidly at Yan Ancheng, only to find the man's brows filled with hostility.

Frightened, her face turned pale. "Your Highness, you were the one who had this sent to Xiaorui, don't you remember?"

The white jade hairpin turned into a pile of shattered debris in Yan Ancheng's palm.

He looked at Lord Wei, and then at Wei Xiaorui, who was putting on a pathetic act before him.

With a cold smile, he asked, "Where are the rest of those accessories?"

The man's lips curved into a smile, but it was terrifyingly sinister.

"I-In my room."

Yan Ancheng turned his head slightly and commanded the guards behind him, "Go and smash everything to pieces."

Anything that had been touched by another woman, he had no desire to take back.

It was defilement.

Tears welled up in Wei Xiaorui's eyes and fell in a patter. "Your Highness..."

Ignoring her completely, Yan Ancheng turned to Lord Wei and said, "Get your daughter out of here. Her crying gives me a headache."

Lord Wei was utterly bewildered, but seeing the cold and stern expression on Yan Ancheng's face, he did not dare utter a single word.

At that moment, a soft and childish voice suddenly drifted in from outside.

"Father, Ah Si has told you this many times. You were the one who slept with those women, so you deal with them however you see fit. Stop letting those women go and annoy Mother."

Ah Si walked into the room.

She only noticed Wei Xiaorui, who was standing aside sobbing, and Lord Wei, failing to spot Yan Ancheng, who was sitting in the seat of honor with a gloomy expression.

Pouting her lips in utter annoyance, she said to Lord Wei, "If Ah Si ever sees those women in Mother's rooms again, I don't care whose child they're carrying, I will personally teach them a thorough lesson!"

"You've grown too bold!" Even with the Fourth Prince present, Lord Wei could not suppress his anger.

He glared fiercely at Ah Si.

The little girl showed not a shred of fear, opening her eyes wide as she stared right back at Lord Wei.

With an expression that clearly said she was not afraid of him in the slightest.

Yan Ancheng stood up, his gaze burning intensely as it locked onto Ah Si below.

Wei Xiaorui felt this was a prime opportunity to show herself off in front of the Prince.

She immediately stepped forward and grabbed Ah Si's sleeve.

Acting all aggrieved, she piped up, "Elder Sister, you shouldn't speak to Father like that. It's unfilial."