Chapter 007: Lotus Leaf Rain, Smartweed Flower Wind, Autumn Regrets of Several Red Branches (Seven)

The small boat carrying the sound of the flute glides gently down the river, drifting amidst the starlight that fills the sky and the water. Standing at the bow, Xiao Xun, who plays the flute, feels his heart and soul become as clear as ice and snow. He slowly lowers the flute, standing steadily at the bow, quietly gazing ahead as the scenery on both banks swiftly recedes.

Xiao Xun shrugged, "We haven't even met once, and yet the sisterly bond is already so deep?"

Xiao Xun then lifted the chin of the woman in the white robe with his jade flute, laughing lightly and teasingly: "Ah, that sounds a bit sour. Xia Qinghuang, are you feeling jealous?"

Xiao Xun sneered, "But where are those ministers and the illegitimate princes who threatened Xu Anren's position today? Although Chu Yu is formidable, how could she possibly threaten his position as crown prince? His mother passed away early, yet he has remained the crown prince for forty-one years without incident; how could he be incompetent? General Xia's entire family was exterminated, yet the crown prince was able to protect his young daughter and, when his position became more stable, took her as an adopted daughter; how could he be a person without resolve?"

Xiao Xun said calmly: "Qing Huang, do you think Xu Anren is cowardly?"

Xiao Xun, with his hands behind his back, smiled lightly and said: "I must say, the scenery of the Great Wu is truly remarkable"

The woman in the white robe said: "Being in the position of the crown prince, repeatedly forcing those ministers and the illegitimate princes to the brink of losing their status, is that not cowardice? My adoptive father once served as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, doing everything to protect his status, yet he watched helplessly as the Xia family was annihilated, is that not cowardice?"

The woman in the white robe gazed with gentle hope in her star-like eyes and sighed, "I wonder what kind of girl my sister, whom I have never met, will be like"

Her kick was swift, but Xiao Xun was even quicker. In the confined space at the bow of the ship, he surprisingly turned on his heel to evade, then swiftly leaped onto the cabin, laughing heartily: "Incredible, does your adoptive father want you to assist me, or does he want you to murder me?"

A woman in a white robe stepped out from the cabin, gazed at Xiao Xun for a moment, and smiled, saying: "Young master seems to be in good spirits today"

The clear moon hangs like a hook, the stars flicker in brightness and darkness, all reflected in the vast river waters. The distant sound of the flute is as clear as the water, rippling along the shimmering waves of the river in the deep night

Xiao Xun smiled and said: "A general's family is bound to produce a remarkable daughter. Moreover, Madam Xia is renowned for her extraordinary beauty, so it is only natural that General Xia's daughter would be an exceptional beauty in her own right"

Xia Qinghuang's expression turned sorrowful as she said, "All these years, my adoptive father has been alone, only concerned about the last remaining bloodline left by my adoptive mother, unable to close his eyes until death. He raised me and taught me martial arts and strategies; I cannot allow him to die with regrets. No matter what, I must ensure that my adoptive sister has support for her entire life before he can rest in peace"

Xia Qinghuang's face flushed, she waved away the flute, raised her foot, and kicked towards Xiao Xun, saying angrily: "I might be jealous of anyone, but I wouldn't be jealous of you, right? You have a whole house full of concubines, and I only worry about where to place my sister-in-law when she is married back!"

The woman in the white robe glared at him, "Is it for this reason that you agreed to your adoptive father's dying request to go to Da Wu and ask my sister to marry you and return to Shu?"

Xia Qinghuang snorted and said, "If you bully me or my sister, I swear I will truly murder you"

The woman in the white robe said: "Back then, they forced my adoptive father to leave, which was akin to severing their own arm. Over the years, as Emperor Shun grew older and more senile, although he abandoned the idea of establishing another crown prince, he still favored treacherous individuals like Chu Yu as his chancellor. Now that this incompetent and cowardly crown prince has ascended the throne, I fear that the great Wu will still face turbulent times ahead."