Hu Xiaotian said, "She said some utterly baffling things. In short, I found them very unpleasant! The Xu Family really is heartless and faithless!" His words included Hu Buwei, though he could not tar everyone with the same brush. At least his mother, Xu Fengyi, had been a good person. Her kindness and love would remain engraved in his memory for the rest of his life.
Hu Buwei laughed. He raised his wine cup and took a sip, but did not finish it. "She looks very much like your mother, but their temperaments are entirely different. She has always been accustomed to throwing her weight around in the Xu Family."
Hu Xiaotian deliberately said, "She even thinks I was behind Yang Longjing's disappearance!"
"Oh?" Hu Buwei set his unfinished cup back down. "Who would be foolish enough to use such a method to force the Fragrant Kingdom to give him Princess Yingyue's hand in marriage? Even if the threat succeeded at the time, how could he know the Fragrant Kingdom would not go back on its word afterward? Or retaliate twice as fiercely?"
Hu Xiaotian said, "But she still suspects me."
Hu Buwei said, "Suspects you of what? Of using this affair to take revenge on me?"
Hu Xiaotian chuckled. "Why would I want revenge on you? What connection do you have to Yang Longjing? Could all those rumors outside be true?" For a son to ask his father such a question meant he had already lost even the most basic respect for him.
Hu Buwei gazed quietly at Hu Xiaotian. To his surprise, he actually nodded, then picked up the wine pot and took the initiative to fill Hu Xiaotian's cup. A father pouring wine for his son-such a lowering of his stance was a clear sign that he