The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

"Xiu'er," Xiao Yifan finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of seduction and tenderness, "I did all of this because of you."

Yunxiu was in a state of utter confusion, not understanding what Xiao Yifan meant, but she dared not ask.

She whispered in a barely audible voice, "Thank you, Your Highness, for everything you have done for Xiu'er."

Xiao Yifan gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Don't worry, my promise to you will not change. You just need to wait, and I will find a suitable opportunity to ask Father for permission."

Yunxiu felt a sweet warmth in her heart, and not knowing what to say, she could only nod vigorously: "Xiu'er believes in Your Highness."

"Call me Yifan," he corrected, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Yunxiu's lips trembled slightly, and after a long while, she finally uttered two words: "Yi... Yifan".

Xiao Yifan smiled, lowered his head, placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, lingered on her lips for a moment, and then reluctantly let go.

"My mother might summon you to the palace in the next couple of days. Just wait to receive the decree," he whispered, gently stroking her cheek with his fingers.

Yunxiu's legs went weak and she could barely stand. She had to hold onto the edge of the table to keep herself steady.

She nodded, her voice trembling, "Xiu'er will remember."

Xiao Yifan nodded in satisfaction, took a step back, and resumed his gentle and refined demeanor, as if nothing had happened.

He gently reminded her, "Go ahead, be careful on the road."

Yunxiu withdrew in response.

After leaving the house and getting into the carriage, Yun Heting sat opposite Yun Xiu, looking at her with a complicated expression.

He frowned, and couldn't help but ask, "Xiu'er, what did His Highness say to you?"

Yunxiu lowered her head, thought for a moment, and then said what she could say: "His Highness said that he would find an opportunity to request an imperial decree. He also said that Consort Shu might summon me to the palace in the next few days."

Yun Heting was overjoyed. Did this mean that the matter was settled?

He's going to be the fifth prince's father-in-law, and he might even become the emperor's father-in-law in the future.

Happiness came too suddenly, leaving him somewhat bewildered. He muttered to himself, "Great! His Highness has agreed. If I meet Consort Shu, this matter will be even more certain."

Yunxiu nodded shyly, "I wonder if Consort Shu will like Xiu'er."

"Yes, Her Majesty will definitely like you, and," Yun Heting suddenly whispered, "you are destined to be a phoenix. As long as Her Majesty wants His Highness to ascend to that position, she will definitely like you."

"Mmm." Yunxiu also held a handkerchief over her mouth, unable to suppress the smile in her eyes.

After his initial joy subsided, Yun Heting quickly reminded her, "Xiu'er, you are a woman. Remember this: never cross the line before marriage. Otherwise, you will be worthless. Do you understand what your father means?"

Yunxiu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly assured him, "Father, don't worry, I understand."

Yun Heting paused, then said, "Xiu'er, remember this: a woman's success in this world depends not on her looks or her talent, but on her intelligence, just like your mother. Think things through carefully. If you become confused, no one can save you."

Yunxiu quickly nodded in agreement: "I'll remember."

Yun Heting stopped talking and leaned against the carriage wall, recalling the words the Fifth Prince had said to him: "If we are truly on different paths, we should not be soft-hearted."

And then there's Chu Wanqing. We can't let her stay cold like this any longer. If he can't even handle Chu Wanqing, how can the Fifth Prince believe that he can handle the General's Mansion?

As they approached the Yun residence, Yunxiu suddenly asked, "Father, should we tell Mother about this?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell her not to go anywhere these next few days. If Consort Shu summons you and you're not at home, she'll think you're neglecting her." Yun Heting reminded her, "Besides, you should spend more time with your mother. The reason she was angry with you before was also related to your lack of closeness with her."

"I understand, Father. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere these next few days. I'll also spend more time with Mother and get closer to her in the future," Yunxiu quickly assured her.

……

The Fifth Prince's Residence.

After the two left, the Fifth Prince summoned one of his advisors and relayed to him the words of Yun Heting and his daughter. Afterward, he asked, "Mr. Songzhu, what do you think?"

Mr. Songzhu was originally a commoner from Jiangnan. He was chosen by the Fifth Prince for his talent and became his advisor. He was meticulous and thoughtful, and Xiao Yifan's reputation was largely due to his efforts.

After listening to Xiao Yifan's words, he didn't rush to speak, but instead considered the whole matter carefully.

Xiao Yifan didn't urge him, but leaned back in his chair and waited quietly.

After a short while, Mr. Songzhu finally spoke: "Your Highness, Yunheting is loyal and capable, but he has a fatal weakness."

Xiao Yifan raised an eyebrow: "What weakness?"

Mr. Songzhu held up two fingers: "His biggest weakness is that he can't figure things out. He doesn't know his own worth or where he should stand. A person like that, if used well, can be a knife; if used poorly, he can hurt himself."

Xiao Yifan seemed thoughtful, then nodded: "What you say is quite right, sir." He paused, then changed the subject, "What do you think about his statement that Madam Chu will persuade Chu Duanshan to support me?"

Mr. Songzhu pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, it's three parts true and seven parts false. It's true that Madam Yun took Yunxiu to the General's Mansion. It's also true that Lanying dotes on Yunxiu. But whether Lanying would persuade Chu Duanshan to stand behind His Highness just because of a granddaughter is really hard to say."

Xiao Yifan raised an eyebrow and asked, "How so?"

Mr. Songzhu looked at him earnestly and said, "Your Highness, that old fox Chu Duanshan has been in court for decades and has never participated in the struggle for the throne. If he were truly willing to support Your Highness, Your Highness's success would be seventy percent guaranteed. But the question is, will he really support Your Highness?"

He paused, then continued, "Your Highness, think about it. If Chu Duanshan truly wanted to support you, why wouldn't he come and tell you himself? Why would he send an outsider like Yun Heting to relay the message?"

Xiao Yifan's fingers suddenly paused on the table: "Sir, are you saying this is a trap?"

Mr. Songzhu continued, "That's not necessarily true. In my opinion, the news Yunheting brought tonight may not be false, but it may not be true either. The General's Mansion's attitude still needs to be confirmed by Your Highness. We cannot only listen to Yunheting's side of the story, nor can we only listen to Yunxiu's side of the story. Women are soft-hearted and easily blinded by family affection. Chu Duanshan is not a woman; his heart is harder than iron."

Xiao Yifan nodded: "What you say is true, sir. Then, in your opinion, how should I ascertain the General's Mansion's true stance?"