The day before the New Year, the weather was exceptionally good, and the warm but not scorching winter sunshine shone in the courtyard. The plum blossoms in Prince An’s mansion were in full bloom, reflecting the snow that had not yet melted on the ground, and the red flowers were full of joy.
The little prince got up early this day, which was quite rare. He sat on the bed, hugged the quilt, and yawned drowsily.
“It’s still early, Master, why don’t you take a nap?”
Shiyi looked at Yan Muning, who looked sleepy, and whispered to him.
Yan Muning shook his head, rubbed his eyes, and yawned loudly, mumbling, “Umm, no, I have something important to do today!”
Shiyi handed over a handkerchief soaked in warm water to wipe the little prince’s face and asked in confusion, “Didn’t the subordinate hear Uncle Zhou say that someone would come to visit today?”
After washing up, the little prince became more awake. He listened to Shiyi’s words and smiled a little wickedly, narrowing his eyes: “Hehe, a secret! You’ll know it later.”
The mysterious little prince not only got up early but also dressed up deliberately.
Yan Muning sat on the couch, poking his belly, and instructed Shiyi to pick out clothes for him for a long time.
After comparing for a long time, he finally chose a bright blue long robe with wide sleeves and a front opening, with a velvet edge, a tea-white brocade shirt inside, and a dark-colored hooded cape outside.
His long black hair was half tied behind his head, and he used a headband of the same color as his clothes, which made the little prince, who had been pampered in recent days, look even more handsome.
Although the robe was loose, his round belly could be seen now, but he did not look clumsy but rather had a different kind of cuteness.
Since he got pregnant, the little prince has always woken up late. Yun Jiangli didn’t expect the youth to wake up at this time today. At this moment, he was talking to Du Zhong about the accounts of Renji Tang in Jiayue Pavilion. When he looked up, he saw Ah Xiao poking his head in from the door—
“Young Hall Master, it looks like Xiao Wangye is going out today!”
Ah Xiao lowered his voice and informed his boss.
Yun Jiangli was stunned: “I haven’t heard of it. What time is it now? Xiao Wangye has woken up?”
Ah Xiao immediately showed an expression of disappointment and said anxiously, “Aiyo, you have such a big heart, today Xiao Wangye dressed up like a…”
Before he could finish his words, Yun Jiangli had already hurried out of Jiayue Pavilion, leaving Ah Xiao and Du Zhong alone, staring at each other.
.
When Yun Jiangli strode into the little prince’s bedroom, Yan Muning was eating breakfast slowly.
The youth heard the noise, leaned back on the chair, and turned to look at Yun Jiangli. The little prince had bright eyes, white teeth, a pale face, and a slightly raised face. This glance made Yun Jiangli’s heart tremble.
Yun Jiangli squeezed the knuckles hidden under his wide sleeves, suppressing the urge to kiss him directly.
He cleared his throat and spoke softly: “Why did you get up so early today? Are you going out?”
The little prince smiled secretly in his heart, letting you act so high and mighty, I will make you jealous to death.
“Not going out ah.”
The little prince responded softly, slowly scooping a spoonful of milk and egg custard and eating it while saying, “Just going to pick someone up.”
Just as he finished speaking, a servant from the front yard came to report that a young master’s carriage had arrived at the main gate.
After that, the servant handed over a waist token, which was exactly what belonged to Prince An’s mansion.
“Alright, I’ll come right over, you retreat first.”
After the servant left, Yan Muning pretended to blink and said to Yun Jiangli, “Look, the person is here. Young Hall Master, do you want to go with me?”
Yun Jiangli saw that the youth was in a good mood, so he didn’t think much about it.
After all, this little thing is always conceited. He just thought that the little prince dressed up more exquisitely because there were guests.
He naturally took the cloak from Shiyi, who was waiting on the side, helped the little prince put it on carefully, arranged it, tied the belt carefully, and rubbed the youth’s hair.
“Go ahead, Xiao Wangye. I’m still stewing soup for you in the small kitchen. It should be ready to eat after you come back from meeting the guests in the front yard.”
Yan Muning pursed his lips, revealing his shallow dimples, nodded, and his slightly drooped eyelashes blocked the cunning that flashed across his round eyes.
.
After an incense stick of time, the news had spread throughout Prince An’s mansion—
The little prince welcomed a handsome young man into the mansion today.
The news spread quickly. It was said that the little prince was particularly affectionate to the young man. It was said that the young man had red lips, white teeth, and a handsome face. It was said that the young man had already entered the backyard! He was almost in the little prince’s yard!
Yun Jiangli: “……”
Is this brat really going to do this?
“Crack—”
Ah Xiao watched as his boss forcibly squeezed the soup bowl in his hand, creating a crack.
“Young, Young Hall Master… calm down ah!”
Ah Xiao spoke tremblingly, fearing that his boss would rush into the little prince’s courtyard and crush the little beauty like the soup pot.
Yun Jiangli had a cold face at this moment, and he seemed to be calm, but in fact, the jealousy in his heart had already broken completely.
He simply didn’t care about the soup, he washed his hands and went to the little prince’s warm pavilion.
“Xiao Qi.”
As soon as Yun Jiangli entered the yard, he saw the little prince and the legendary little beauty.
“Eh?”
The little prince heard his voice, turned around, and happily took the little beauty’s arm and introduced him: “Shao Yun, this is the Young Hall Master of Renji Tang, Yun Jiangli.”
Yun Jiangli narrowed his cold eyes and looked at the man in front of him indifferently, but his youth holding someone else’s hand was so unsightly no matter how he looked at it!
As for this Young Master’s appearance, he is really good-looking, gentle, and scholarly, and his stature is about the same as that of the little prince, but he seems to be a little thinner.
Tsk.
Young Hall Master Yun laughed in his heart, thinking sourly: He is not worthy of his Xiao Wangye.
“What do you want to eat for lunch?”
Yun Jiangli looked away from the person and looked directly into Yan Muning’s eyes. He raised his hand and naturally tidied up his hair and asked softly.
He doesn’t know if he did it on purpose or not, but Yan Muning’s earlobe was touched by the big beauty’s cool fingertips, which made him feel a little itchy and numb.
He unconsciously tightened his arm around Shao Yun’s, lowered his eyes, and stopped looking at Yun Jiangli: “Don’t bother Young Hall Master. I’ve just told Steward Zhou that Shao Yun likes spicy food, so we’ll cater to his taste in the meals in the future.”
Yun Jiangli frowned: “This Young Master likes spicy food? But I clearly remember that Xiao Wangye can’t tolerate spicy food?”
The little prince choked.
Shao Yun seemed to be a little timid because of Yun Jiangli’s aura and whispered to Yan Muning, “Didn’t Your Highness just say that you wanted to eat red bean paste rolls with jujube paste? Can I go to the kitchen to prepare some now?”
Yan Muning nodded: “Go ahead, don’t work too hard. Just tell Xiao Jiu if you need anything.”
Shao Yun left, and only the little prince and the big beauty were left standing opposite each other in the courtyard.
“Xiao Qi, who is he?”
Without outsiders, Yun Jiangli no longer concealed his jealousy and asked the youth sourly.
The little prince was waiting for this sentence and immediately smiled like a little fox, sticking out his little belly and showing his little white teeth: “I found a father for my child!”
“Yan, Mu, Ning!”
Yun Jiangli took a step closer and gritted his teeth, “You dare!”
The distance was too close, so the little prince had to look up to see Yun Jiangli.
He tilted his head and said in an infuriating way, “Eh, I dare ah, why? Could it be that Young Hall Master just thought I was joking before?”
Yun Jiangli’s temperature dropped by another three points, and he stared at the youth in front of him with cold eyes. The anger and jealousy in his chest were entangled together, and his eyes were red.
“Xiao Qi, stop saying things that are meant to anger me.”
He said in a hoarse voice, frowning, “It was my fault before. You can punish me in any way you want, but I won’t allow this one thing.”
Yan Muning seemed to have not expected the big beauty to react like this. His beautiful eyes were filled with sadness, and the little prince almost softened his heart and forgave him.
The little prince gritted his teeth and finally just snorted, then left the big beauty there, turned around, and ran back to the warm pavilion.
.
That day, the Young Master named Shao Yun stayed at Prince An’s mansion.
When Yun Jiangli went to check the little prince’s pulse as usual, Yuchi Zhao happened to be in the room.
Seeing the three of them sitting around and playing around in a familiar manner, it seemed that Yuchi Zhao had known this young man for a long time already.
After taking the pulse, when Yun Jiang left the warm pavilion, the little prince did not say a word to him. He stood in front of the door for a long time, then sighed, lowered his eyes, and returned to Jiayue Pavilion.
That night, Yun Jiangli was about to sneak into the little prince’s bedroom as usual but was stopped at the door by Shiyi.
“Young, Young Hall Master, Young Master Shao Yun is staying in His Highness’s room today, you’d better not…”
Shiyi said somewhat awkwardly.
Yun Jiangli asked again as if he couldn’t believe it: “You said there is someone in Xiao Wangye’s room?”
Shiyi smiled dryly: “Yes…”
The little brat is very daring ah, Yun Jiangli sneered in his heart and stood still for a moment.
Then he smiled in anger and nodded: “Alright.”
After that, he went straight back to Jiayue Pavilion with anger.
Shiyi’s palms were full of sweat. After watching Yun Jiangli leave with a gust of cold wind, he turned and went into the bedroom. He whispered to Yan Muning, “Little Master, Young Hall Master has returned. He looks scary.”
Yan Muning was the only one on the bed in the bedroom.
He hugged the quilt and muttered, “Hmph, I’ll see if he will learn his lesson this time…”
“Ah Ning, I would say you should be more careful. What if Young Hall Master gets angry and runs away?”
Shao Yun, who was sitting on a narrow couch nearby with his clothes on, asked.
The little prince was very proud and raised his chin: “Then I really won’t marry him! Who told him to deceive me first? I’m angry at him. He deserves it!”
.
Yun Jiangli was so angry that he couldn’t sleep at all. He drank two cups of cold tea but couldn’t quench the sour anger in his heart.
However, he didn’t know that he was discovered by Yan Muning the second day after he sneaked into the little prince’s bedroom.
But the clever little prince just pretended not to know and slept soundly in the warm embrace every night.
For so long, Yun Jiangli didn’t realize that he had already revealed his true intentions.
If this happened on a normal day, Yun Jiangli would probably be able to notice some clues, but the young hall master, who was now overwhelmed by jealousy, was actually blinded and had no ability to use rational insight at all.
After sulking for a while, Yun Jiangli called Du Zhong in loudly and ordered him in a cold voice, “Go, check the origins of Shao Yun for me immediately!”
Du Zhong looked at the pitch-black night, then at his boss’s face, which was darker than the night. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing. He agreed and walked out.
.
The next day was the Little New Year[mfn]Little New Year refers to a week before the lunar new year.[/mfn].
The little prince got up early again.
He had a good night’s sleep and was full of energy. Then he compared his eyes with the big beauty’s dark circles… anyone could tell that the young hall master was very angry.
Yuchi Zhao leaned close to Yan Muning and whispered in his ear, “You made him so angry in just one night?”
The little prince secretly glanced at Yun Jiangli’s face and felt inexplicably guilty. It seemed that he hadn’t done anything. Was he really that irritating?
Young Hall Master Yun, who had been jealous all night, was obviously different from yesterday. Even when feeding the little prince every day, he didn’t stay in the warm pavilion for long.
Ah Xiao and Lao Qi quietly squatted in a corner of the courtyard, looking at their boss’s distraught back after he came out of the warm pavilion, shaking their heads.
Ah Xiao muttered quietly, “It’s over. I have a feeling that the mansion is going to change.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Today is the Little New Year. Don’t talk nonsense. Pfft, ptt, ptt!” Lao Qi pointed at the window not far away.
Ah Xiao reached out and patted the window frame, saying ptt, ptt, ptt, while worrying about his master.
Not sure when Xiao Jiu was squatting beside them, he suddenly said faintly, “Young Master Shao Yun is only sixteen years old, what a good age.”
After a while, Chen Tan also squatted over, staring at the warm pavilion with a sour look: “Why did Yuchi go in again!”
The four of them sighed in unison.
After a while, the calmest Lao Qi asked, “Doesn’t anyone find this strange? I think Young Hall Master is worrying too much!”
Ah Xiao touched his chin: “Why do you say that?”
Lao Qi lowered his voice and said, “Why do those three people in this room look like they are all in the same position?”
Ah Xiao and Chen Tan looked surprised: Damn, it seems to be true!
Only Xiao Jiu was confused and asked in a daze, “What position?”
“Cough, cough…”
Ah Xiao pretended to clear his throat and explained in a low voice, “Hey, how come you don’t even understand this? Lao Qi means that the three of them are the one below!”
Xiao Jiu was stunned and pondered for a moment.
Then he said in surprise, “How is it possible! My Little Highness said that he is the one on top! And Shizi ye also… mmmmmm!”
The remaining three people worked together to push this overly straightforward and loudmouthed man to the ground and cover his mouth and tried to find a place in the yard with thick snow—
Let’s bury him right there.
.
The night of the Little New Year was lively, and Yan Muning asked everyone in the mansion to go out and have fun early.
Chen Mo and Lao Qi took the initiative to take the night duty that day, considering that the remaining guards were younger, and asked others to join in the fun.
The little prince, Yuchi, and Shao Yun were noisily eating dumplings in the warm pavilion, but Yun Jiangli was still in Jiayue Pavilion and was in no mood.
The guards had a rare chance to relax. Soon, Ah Xiao, Xiao Jiu, Chen Tan, and a group of people squatted in a row in the corridor in front of the little prince’s warm pavilion, carrying wine jars, steaming dumplings, and peanuts.
The two people on duty did not dare to drink but just ate a few dumplings.
Perhaps it was too noisy here, or perhaps he was in a bad mood. As the group drank, they did not notice that Yun Jiangli had wandered over and joined them in drinking.
After three rounds of drinking, Ah Xiao obviously talked more and more, and the topic became more and more off-topic.
“If, if you want me to say it, Boss is definitely worrying about nothing!” Ah Xiao said with his tongue sticking out.
Chen Mo leaned against the wall with his arms folded, a trace of sympathy in his eyes, quietly watching how this person was courting death.
It would have been fine if Ah Xiao had spoken alone, but there was also Xiao Jiu to help him along.
Xiao Jiu burped: “You’re right! A person who worries about the future is just a fool…”
Ah Xiao stood up and patted his boss on the shoulder, saying earnestly, “Bo, Boss, listen to me!”
“I can tell, tell from how you look that you lack experience… What to do if your wife is not obedient?” Ah Xiao said swayingly.
Xiao Jiu turned around and agreed, “What to do?”
Ah Xiao laughed and said, “Is there any need to ask? He will behave himself after one, one meal a day[mfn]It’s not about the meal btw xD[/mfn]!”
Xiao Jiu continued to parrot him, “Yes! One, one meal a day!”
Yun Jiangli: “……”
He picked up the wine cup and took another sip, narrowed his eyes, and turned to look at the closed door of the warm pavilion.
The two drunken and talkative people beside him were still mumbling in unison: Damn, if one meal a day is not enough, then two…
Yun Jiangli frowned and hesitated. How about… giving it a try?
😂 😂 😂