Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

From the moment Liu and her son were dragged away, Jiang Heng clenched his fists secretly, his face grim.

Xiao Lie's expression was meaningful, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"It should be a cause for celebration when evildoers are imprisoned. Why is Your Highness so serious?"

Jiang Heng's expression stiffened, and he forced a smile, "This... of course it's a happy occasion."

"This is also a happy event for Your Highness. Without the Liu mother and son distorting the truth and confusing the public, Your Highness's prejudice against me will be much less. Perhaps I won't need to occupy this Golden Palace next time."

The sarcasm, both overt and covert, made Jiang Heng grit his teeth, almost unable to suppress his anger.

However, in the imperial palace, his words could not be disregarded.

He forced a smile, "It was my oversight to listen to the words of such a petty person. I hope Prince Xiao will not take it to heart."

"Of course, of course. As long as Your Highness can put aside your prejudice against me, I think we can get along well. Maybe one day we can even become close friends."

Xiao Lie's shameless words almost caused some ministers to lose their composure.

Xiao Lie is a notorious good-for-nothing playboy in the capital. What merit or ability does he have to become the confidant of the Third Prince? Isn't he secretly dragging the Third Prince down with him?

Faced with Xiao Lie's seemingly friendly but actually full of criticisms, Jiang Heng suddenly felt like his internal organs were being injured, and he was struggling to hold it in, but he had no choice but to endure it.

He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Your Highness, are you being too polite?"

……

A box of gleaming silver was carried to Yuelai Tower, almost blinding everyone with its swaying.

Lin Yu jumped up from the chair, as if she had seen her dream lover.

"Brother Xiao, Young Master Xiao, where have you made your fortune? Please take me with you!"

Xiao Lie glanced at her, not believing she hadn't heard the recent rumors circulating in the capital.

This girl, she's probably teasing him on purpose by saying that.

He snorted, "Dug out of jail, you want it so badly? I'll send you in there and see what happens."

Despite gambling debts, Liu and her son have been using the Duke of Zhenguo's money to buy land and houses and have saved a considerable amount of silver over the years. All of this silver was dug up from the backyard of their private residence.

Thinking of this, Xiao Lie suddenly felt that being the heir apparent was too stifling. The people who leeched off him had all achieved financial freedom, while he still had to cut back on spending from time to time due to the Duke's mansion's financial difficulties.

For a prince to reach this position, the original owner of this body must have been quite a talent.

Lin Yu pursed her lips, immediately losing interest.

"This silver isn't yours; it should go to Yuelai Restaurant."

"The Yue Lai Lou restaurant is already quite large. Although it can't compare to the top restaurants in the capital, it's still considered above average. Why bother making things difficult for it?"

"Merely above average is not enough; my restaurant must naturally be the best."

"The best? Xiao Lie, I'm honored that you think so highly of me, but you overestimate me. What makes you think our ordinary restaurant can beat those century-old famous shops in the capital?"

She glanced at the silver, struggling and in pain, "Don't even think about using the money for a donkey to buy a thoroughbred. I can't do this job."

"You still want the best? Why don't you go to sleep? You can dream about anything, and it's more real than your nonsense."

Xiao Lie crossed his arms and smiled, "Why not? Is there any brand in the world more prestigious than the royal family?"

Lin Yu's eyes lit up. "Tell me in detail."

Xiao Lie beckoned to her and leaned down to whisper a few words.

……

Inside Qingzhi Courtyard, Lin Wan'er was confined to the courtyard all day, her only pleasure being watching the birds fly in the sky. This kind of life was driving her crazy.

Upon seeing her maid Chunxue return, she was immediately delighted, her eyes filled with anticipation, and she went up to ask.

"Well, has the Prince replied?"

Chunxue quietly took out the pigeon behind her, removed the letter tube, and found a note inside with only one word: "Wait".

Lin Wan'er's face darkened, and she looked utterly dejected.

"Wait, wait, wait, how long am I supposed to wait?"

Moreover, when she was at the Minister's residence, although Jiang Heng was afraid of disturbing her clarity of mind and dared not see her casually, he would still write a tender and poignant love poem to express his feelings.

He had never treated me so coldly before.

There were thirteen notes, each with the exact same content.

Lin Wan'er clenched her fists, her eyes suddenly reddening.

"Your Highness, you haven't forgotten me long ago, have you?"

She was already a member of the Xiao family after she married into it. Although His Highness didn't seem to mind and didn't know that she had been defiled by Xiao Lie, it seems that the title alone is enough to bother him now.

Chunxue quickly comforted her, "Miss, don't worry. It must be because the turmoil a few days ago was too great. His Highness was afraid of affecting you, so he didn't dare to say much to you. If these things were seen by others, wouldn't that be a threat? His Highness must have been thinking of you, Miss, which is why he was so concise."

Lin Wan'er's gaze shifted a few times before she said softly, "I hope so."

Although Jiang Heng doesn't have a new love interest yet, she still has to be careful.

She must firmly win back the prince's heart.

"Chunxue, bring me pen and ink; I need to write a letter to His Highness."

After an incense stick had burned, Lin Wan'er blew the ink off the paper, rolled it up, and stuffed it into the letter tube.

With a few flaps of its wings, the snow-white carrier pigeon suddenly took flight, soaring over this cramped space.

But the carrier pigeon had barely flown past the eaves when it was secretly intercepted by the guards. By the time Xiao Lie returned, the note was already on his desk.

He picked up the note, glanced at it, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're much smarter than before, but to think you can take me down with such a clumsy trap is a gross underestimation of me."

Xiao Lie handed the note to the guard, "Put it back exactly as it is, don't let the Kang Prince's Mansion find out."

"Master, what do you intend to do?"

Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes slightly, "Since they want to scheme against me, I might as well turn the tables on them."

Three days later, Xiao Lie was crossing the street in his carriage when, for some reason, a woman who had sold herself to pay for her father's funeral was pushed out of the way. The horse was startled and nearly trampled her to death. Fortunately, the coachman reacted quickly and managed to control the horse in time, preventing a tragedy.

Even so, the woman was still terrified during that terrifying moment.

She was dressed in plain clothes, her small face was delicate and beautiful, like a lotus emerging from the water. Coupled with her eyes that were filled with tears, she looked even more fragile and pitiful, making people feel sorry for her.

Xiao Lie was instantly captivated, and he softened his voice.

"Young lady, are you alright?"

The woman timidly shook her head. She was thin and frail, with bony wrists, as thin as a dodder plant, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

She held back her sobs and whispered, "Thank you so much for saving me, young master. If it weren't for your men's timely response, Qiu Niang would probably be buried under the horses' hooves today."

First came the burial of her father, and now this brush with death. Qiu Niang could no longer hold back, covering her eyes and sobbing. Her cries made Xiao Lie feel even more sorry for her.

"Alright, stop crying. The fact that you're safe and sound is the greatest joy."

"Sixteen, give this girl some silver."

Sixteen tossed out a small bag of loose silver, heavy enough to feed her father for a year or two, let alone let her live a life of ease and comfort.

Qiu Niang was startled and repeatedly refused, saying, "Young master has already been kind to me, how can I accept your money again?"