ASTRP -Chapter 127 Trying to Trick the Prince Into Marrying Some Third Cousin

Madam Chen stood up and walked to Xiao Jinghan’s side, pretending intimacy as she reached for his arm.

Xiao Jinghan shifted two steps aside without leaving a trace, avoiding her outstretched hand.

His voice was cold and distant, carrying a chill that kept people miles away.

“If you have something to say, just say it directly, Madam.”

Madam Chen’s smile stiffened when she grabbed empty air.

“Jingge, about what happened last time, Mother didn’t—”

Xiao Jinghan shot her a frosty glance and interrupted her immediately.

“My mother is already dead.”

“Tsk…” Feng Yunxiao sneered mockingly. “Some people are clearly just maids in the Regent Prince’s Manor, yet they act like a pheasant that’s turned into a phoenix.”

“A pheasant that’s lost her body can hardly become a phoenix anyway—”

Xiao Jinghan’s gaze landed on Feng Yunxiao’s face.

“Didn’t brush your teeth this morning?”

“There’s tea here. I don’t mind helping you rinse your mouth!”

Feng Yunxiao could no longer suppress her temper. She slammed the table and stood up angrily.

“Feng Jingge—”

“Looks like your mouth really does need a proper rinse!”

As the words fell, Xiao Jinghan lifted the teacup—

Seeing the situation turning bad, Feng Mingyue hurriedly tugged Feng Yunxiao’s sleeve.

“Elder Sister finally came back home for once. Younger Sister, please stop making Elder Sister angry.”

“I’m making her angry?” Feng Yunxiao glared. “Second Sister, have you lost your mind?”

“The Regent Prince punished her by making her a maid in the manor, yet she still doesn’t know—”

A sharp light flashed through Xiao Jinghan’s eyes as he raised the teacup again—

Realizing things were going south, Feng Mingyue suddenly stood up and clamped a hand over Feng Yunxiao’s mouth.

Everything Feng Yunxiao tried to say afterward became muffled “mmph mmph” noises.

While covering Feng Yunxiao’s mouth, Feng Mingyue anxiously turned to Madam Chen.

“Mother, judging by the time, the steward should’ve arranged the carriage already, right?”

Arrange the carriage?

Hearing this, Xiao Jinghan’s eyes shifted slightly.

Could it be they still intended to take him somewhere else?

Madam Chen snapped back to herself and immediately understood Feng Mingyue’s meaning. Turning to Xiao Jinghan, she asked: “Jingge, did you tell the Prince about leaving the manor today?”

Xiao Jinghan coldly met Madam Chen’s gaze.

Madam Chen seemed somewhat guilty; her eyes flickered evasively.

He sneered inwardly.

He really wanted to see what kind of scheme this Madam Chen was brewing now.

“The Prince went to court early this morning. He doesn’t know I left the manor.”

Madam Chen’s eyes brightened at once, and she smiled.

“Then Jingge, do you still remember your Third Cousin?”

Without hesitation, Xiao Jinghan replied directly: “I don’t.”

Feng Yunxiao immediately mocked him again.

“Mother, I already told you Feng Jingge is an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.”

“When they were young, Third Cousin broke his leg saving her and stayed bedridden for half a month. Yet Feng Jingge never even visited him once.”

“You’re asking her about Third Cousin now? She probably doesn’t even know who he is!”

Every sentence Feng Yunxiao spoke was barbed with sarcasm, but Xiao Jinghan remained completely unmoved.

He even agreed with her.

“Feng Yunxiao, you finally said something human for once.”

“…”

“You!”

Just as Feng Yunxiao was about to explode again, Xiao Jinghan ignored her entirely and continued: “That’s right. I don’t even know whether this so-called Third Cousin is a man or a ghost. Why should I remember something when I don’t even know if it’s human or not?”

“…”

Feng Yunxiao was nearly dying from anger.

She never imagined Feng Jingge’s tongue could become this vicious and fast.

Unable to think of a comeback, she could only glare fiercely at Xiao Jinghan.

If looks could kill, Xiao Jinghan would already have been hacked into a thousand pieces by her hateful stare.

Treating her like thin air, Xiao Jinghan spoke again: “Let’s go. Let’s meet this Third Cousin.”

After enduring for so long, Xiao Jinghan still boarded the carriage and headed to this so-called Third Cousin’s home.

Because Madam Chen had told him that Third Cousin had only recently returned to the capital and, despite not seeing her for years, still remembered her fondly.

So Xiao Jinghan wanted to see exactly what kind of person this “Third Cousin” was.

Xiao Jinghan and Feng Mingyue rode in the same carriage.

He noticed Feng Mingyue’s gaze repeatedly landing on him, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Unable to bear it anymore, Xiao Jinghan said coldly:

“If you have something to say, then say it.”

“Ah?”

His sudden voice startled Feng Mingyue badly. Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared blankly at him.

Then she quickly regained herself, realizing her loss of composure. Her face flushed red, and she lowered her eyes, speaking softly like a mosquito buzzing.

“I only wanted to remind Elder Sister that once we arrive, you should be careful in everything.”

Xiao Jinghan’s eyes shifted slightly.

Those words… clearly carried another meaning.

It seemed Feng Mingyue knew something.

He decided to probe her.

“What do you mean by ‘be careful in everything’? From Madam’s words, it sounded like Third Cousin’s family is quite decent.”

Feng Mingyue looked up at him in astonishment.

“Elder Sister, didn’t you never believe Mother’s words?”

“Why… are you suddenly believing her now?”

“She said this Third Cousin treated me well, so I believed it.”

Xiao Jinghan paused before continuing: “After all, before I entered the Regent Prince’s Manor, I know very clearly what kind of life I lived in this residence.”

When he said this, Xiao Jinghan deliberately emphasized the words while his gaze swept lightly across Feng Mingyue’s face.

Feng Mingyue’s complexion visibly worsened.

Seeing this, a trace of coldness appeared at the corner of Xiao Jinghan’s lips.

“After all, finding someone who once treated me well is quite rare.”

“Since this Third Cousin supposedly showed me kindness, naturally I should repay kindness with kindness…”

Feng Mingyue could no longer listen.

She interrupted him abruptly.

“What if Mother wants to marry you off to Third Cousin?”

“Would Elder Sister agree to that too?”

Xiao Jinghan remained silent, merely pursing his lips as he looked at Feng Mingyue, waiting for her to continue.

Sure enough, Feng Mingyue spoke again: “The reason Mother specially brought you back today is because she wants to marry Elder Sister to Third Cousin.”

“As for this so-called Third Cousin, I’ve never even met him. How could Elder Sister possibly have met him?”

“The story about him saving you is nothing more than a lie to fool you.”

The more Feng Mingyue spoke, the more emotional she became. Her expression twisted, and both hands hidden in her sleeves had already clenched tightly into fists.

Xiao Jinghan stared at her for a moment before slowly speaking.

“The one deceiving me is your mother. Yet now you’re telling me all this. Aren’t you tearing down your own mother’s scheme?”

Feng Mingyue gave a bitter smile.

“In my mother’s eyes, there has only ever been one daughter—Feng Yunxiao. All these years, I may have looked glamorous on the surface, but in reality, my situation was only slightly better than Elder Sister’s.”

“The reason I’m telling Elder Sister all this is because I hope that one day, if I fall into hardship and come begging before Elder Sister, you’ll lend me a hand.”

Xiao Jinghan sneered.

“With just this little information, you already expect me to help you in the future?”

Feng Mingyue was a smart person and understood the hidden meaning in Xiao Jinghan’s words.

She said: “As long as Elder Sister promises to help me in the future, then anything Elder Sister wants to know—as long as I know it—I’ll tell you everything without holding anything back.”