The children had kept secrets, unbeknownst to their parents. However, the Emperor, overly concerned with the matter, had discovered some early signs and directly brought the issue to Fan Zehao.
His words were skillfully chosen, only subtly touching upon Leng Han's affairs.
Fan Zehao's face showed no anger. With an impassive expression, he stated, "General Leng Han has his wits about him. He wouldn't do anything foolish. Otherwise, do you think I, his father, would tolerate someone bullying my daughter?"
Though he spoke thus, his heart was ablaze with fury, his eyes glinting with a venomous sharpness.
He was truly unaware that Leng Han and Helian Jinli were involved in this.
The Emperor rubbed his nose. He had conveyed all that needed to be said. As for the rest, he would let Fan Zehao handle it himself.
After speaking, Huangfu Xi patted his rear and left.
Fan Zehao did not see him off. He turned and went to his daughter's courtyard, dismissing all the servants before speaking to her seriously and solemnly for the first time.
"Father asks you again today. What exactly happened to you that night at the imperial banquet? I want to hear the truth!"
Seeing her father's solemn expression, devoid of his usual playful and doting gaze, Fan Yumeng realized for the first time the depth of his suppressed anger.
After hesitating for a moment, she truthfully recounted the events to Fan Zehao. Seeing her father's face turn ashen and his body tremble, she quickly clutched his sleeve and whispered, "Father, he didn't succeed. Helian Jinli saved me. I didn't want to make a fuss, so I didn't say anything."
"Besides, Father, after we finish the flower viewing party, we'll return to the inner city. I won't see him again, so it's better not to stir up trouble."
Fan Zehao lowered his gaze, observing his daughter's somewhat timid nature, so different from when they were in the inner city.
He said coldly, "If someone hits you, you retaliate with a hammer blow, let them know what pain is. If you're afraid, don't provoke trouble. If you provoke trouble, don't be afraid."
"You are the daughter of Fan Zehao. You must be strong. What is there to fear? If you kill him, I, your father, will bear the consequences."
Upon hearing that her husband had gone directly to their daughter's courtyard after receiving the Emperor, Zhao Jiaqi felt something was amiss. As soon as she arrived, she overheard her husband's words.
She entered the room and curiously asked, "Who are you going to kill?"
Father and daughter turned in unison. Seeing his wife, Fan Zehao did not conceal anything from her and told her what their daughter had recounted.
Zhao Jiaqi did not question her daughter. Instead, she asked him, "Did the Emperor tell you about Yu Meng's incident?"
Fan Zehao, not realizing the implications, nodded vigorously. "Yes, if he hadn't told me, how would I have known there was such a hidden story? If I hadn't asked, we'd still be in the dark."
Wouldn't that have benefited that young fellow Leng Han!
Zhao Jiaqi took a deep breath and sat down, falling into a thoughtful silence. Fan Zehao assumed his wife was contemplating how to discipline Leng Han.
Thus, he sat beside her and took it upon himself to suggest, "Wife, what do you think? Should we deal with Leng Han? Should we castrate him first and then flay him, or flay him and then castrate him?"
He spoke without restraint, babbling nonsense in front of their child.
Zhao Jiaqi shot him a fierce glare, then asked, "We all think there's no issue. Why did the Emperor specifically come to tell you about Leng Han's affairs?"
This question stumped Fan Zehao.
Seeing him stammer, Zhao Jiaqi pressed on, "Also, the Emperor knows we are protective of our own. But what benefit would it bring him to reveal Leng Han's actions?"
At this, he was completely speechless, his mouth agape, unsure of what to say.
Zhao Jiaqi continued, "If you were to openly seek revenge on Leng Han now, when originally our daughter had no real issue with him, your actions would ruin Yu Meng's reputation. How will you find her a husband then?"
Even if she were to marry, she would be tarnished.
Yu Meng nodded repeatedly from the side. This was precisely why she didn't want to stir things up.
Fan Zehao looked at his daughter's wronged face, his anger unabated. He blurted out, "Are you just going to stand by and watch our daughter be bullied?"
"Nonsense!" Zhao Jiaqi's temper flared up. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, her gaze chilling. "We are not gentlemen. If we cannot do it openly, we will do it in secret. There are plenty of ways to scheme."
This spurred Fan Zehao's mind to clear up considerably. He scratched his head and chuckled foolishly a few times, praising his wife, "You're smarter than I am, my dear. We'll do just that. Just you watch how I deal with that little rascal!"
Zhao Jiaqi didn't want to kill him, perhaps cripple him at most. However, she also did not want to fulfill the Emperor's wishes.
"Find an excuse to bring Leng Han here to our inner city. You can do whatever you want to him here. Remember, do not bring down the Prime Minister. Do not fulfill the Emperor's desires!"
When Zhao Jiaqi turned ruthless, even she didn't recognize herself.
Her words confused her husband. "The Emperor has ill intentions towards the Prime Minister?"
"I don't know, but logically, Huangfu Xi should protect his ministers. Yet, at a time when we were not pursuing the matter, he revealed Leng Han's involvement. His intentions are unclear. Therefore, we should not fall into his trap. It's best to handle this matter as it is."
That Emperor had far too many schemes in his heart. She, who suffered from trypophobia, detested dealing with people who had so many tricks up their sleeves.
Thus, it was better to not cause trouble openly, lest they end up acting on the Emperor's behalf. It wasn't worth it.
The couple discussed it, and a plan quickly formed in their minds, though they did not immediately go to the palace to request Leng Han's presence.
Meanwhile, in the palace, the Emperor waited from noon until afternoon, and from afternoon until night. He asked Wang Shan five or six times if the Regent King had arrived.
The answer he received was no.
This time, Huangfu Xi was somewhat perplexed by the Regent King. Logically, that man was extremely protective, especially of his daughter. Harming his daughter was akin to harming his own eye. Now that he knew Yu Meng had been wronged, why was there no reaction at all?
A day passed with everyone harboring their own hidden motives.
The next day.
Helian Jinli arrived with gifts. Yu Meng knew he was here and hurried to the front hall, her skirt trailing behind her. Seeing him chatting and laughing with her father, a smile also appeared on her face.
"Big Brother, you're here!"
Upon hearing "Big Brother," Helian Jinli offered a wry smile. However, compared to before, this was still an improvement. At least she was speaking to him.
Well, as the saying goes, first call him brother, then sister, and eventually, they become husband and wife.
"I just arrived. I brought you some delicious food. Come and try it."
Helian Jinli opened the bag of snacks on the table, and a sweet aroma instantly filled the hall.
She wasn't a big fan of snacks, but the sweet scent couldn't help but draw her in. She walked over and saw a type of pastry she had never seen before.
She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. It was slightly sweet, with a rich osmanthus fragrance. It had a refreshing scent as it melted in her mouth. She nodded repeatedly, praising it generously, "It's delicious! Even better than Aunt Sisi's pastries."
Helian Jinli watched her eat with delight, his heart filled with joy. He smiled and replied, "I made this myself. Not everyone gets to taste it. You should be happy."
Yu Meng pursed her lips and smiled softly, saying, "You're the only one who is my Big Brother. So, you should be the one who is happy."
Helian Jinli thought about it. Indeed, she was the only woman in this world who could lead troops in battle.
She was truly a remarkable woman, a heroine who rivaled any man.