TL: Hua
“Mother, if my two friends are just shy of breaking through that paper-thin barrier, how should I help them from the outside?” Yin Yuanshuang leaned coquettishly on the Grand Princess’s shoulder, seeking advice.
The Grand Princess gently poked her daughter’s forehead: “Oh, you, always up to something, full of little schemes.”
“Mother,” Yin Yuanshuang smiled brightly, “I am your child anyway, so there is no need for me to stay in the boudoir all day. Just teach me!”
“One is willing but overly indulgent, and the other has a bit of interest but is slow to catch on. You might as well find an opportunity to enlighten the latter,” the Grand Princess was naturally happy to indulge her daughter. Her life had been too difficult, and she certainly didn’t want her daughter to follow the same path.
“But that person is truly too slow-witted…” Even though the Emperor was slowly simmering him like a frog in warm water, Yin Yuanshuang really couldn’t think of a good method.
The Grand Princess turned her head and lovingly smoothed her daughter’s stray hairs behind her ear: “The most obvious love a person has for another person is possessiveness. Boiling a frog in warm water is indeed a good trick, but for people who are emotionally dull, you need to give them a stimulus from the outside to make them take the initiative to understand your feelings.”
Yin Yuanshuang tugged at her mother’s sleeve, a flash of inspiration suddenly striking her. She stood up happily: “Thank you, Mother, I understand.”
With that, Yin Yuanshuang curtsied and darted out of the Grand Princess’s room like a colorful butterfly.
The Grand Princess’s elegant face wore an indulgent expression for her daughter. An eunuch in brocade robes walked in from outside: “What’s wrong with the princess, so cheerful?”
The grand princess casually fanned herself with a round fan and recounted the recent events to the eunuch.
The eunuch walked to the Grand Princess’s side, took the fan, and gently fanned her: “Could it be that the Princess herself has found someone she fancies?”
“From what I see, it doesn’t seem like it.” A flicker of surprise crossed the Grand Princess’s eyes, and she finally chuckled, “Never mind, each person has their own destiny. It’s better if we interfere less.”
The eunuch extended a hand, almost touching the Grand Princess’s back before trembling slightly and retracting it: “Your servant understands.”
“Oh, you!” The Grand Princess looked at the eunuch’s face, which revealed a hint of a weak scholar’s aura, and sighed slowly, placing her hand on the other person’s hand that was fanning her.
—
After Young Master Xu’s pregnancy was revealed to Yin Yuanshuang, she unceremoniously seized her brother’s opportunity to spend time with the young master, pushing her brother into the presence of Prince Huai to busy himself with entertaining the foreign envoys.
Prince Huai naturally welcomed the assistance, readily pulling Yin Yuancheng along, and even politely sent Yin Yuanshuang a set of head ornaments.
Thus, Princess Jing’an, who had “betrayed” her brother, openly settled in Changxin Palace to watch the sky, clouds, and trees with Young Master Xu… their days were as leisurely as could be.
“Today is the imperial banquet for the envoys from various kingdoms! I heard Prince Huai say that those envoys brought many beauties to perform dances for the emperor!” Yin Yuanshuang seemed to recall something suddenly and sat up from the reclining chair: “Do you want to go see some beauties?”
“Beauties dancing.” The salted fish young master lazily sat up from the reclining chair: “Is the princess tired of the beauties in the capital, so you’re setting your sights on foreign beauties?”
Yin Yuanshuang didn’t explain, simply giving Xu Yanqing a casual glance: “Don’t worry about whether I’m tired of Daliang beauties; just tell me, are you going or not?”
Xu Yanqing couldn’t help but click his tongue: “Go, who wouldn’t be eager to watch some excitement?”
The imperial banquet to formally receive the foreign envoys was held in Jiying Palace. Since there were no other nobles in the palace besides the emperor, Prince Huai, along with Young Marquis Yin, jointly organized the banquet.
Fortunately, it wasn’t their first time handling a palace banquet, and with Wen Jing’s help, the task was handled beautifully.
Palace attendants began setting up the banquet during the Shen hour[mfn]3-5 PM[/mfn]. Yin Yuancheng led several palace attendants in checking the seating arrangements multiple times, only relaxing when everything was confirmed to be perfect.
Jiying Palace was where imperial banquets of the Daliang were held. Throughout the year, it was only used once during the New Year, for the arrival of foreign envoys, and for the emperor’s birthday. The scale was naturally grand and magnificent.
On the high platform was the emperor’s golden dragon table. To its right, two tables were placed, one in front of the other, for the Grand Princess and Prince Huai, respectively. To the left, going downwards, were the envoys from various kingdoms. As for the officials of Daliang, they sat in the rear positions on both the left and right.
The Emperor took his seat with the majestic dignity of the Son of Heaven. Below the platform, envoys from various kingdoms stood in two lines, bowing their heads and paying respects to the Son of Heaven of Daliang.
On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor specially bestowed palace osmanthus wine. Each table had a decorative osmanthus branch, so the entire Jiying Palace was filled with a faint fragrance of osmanthus.
Envoys from various kingdoms presented their tribute. Yin Yanjun sat upright like a pine tree before the golden dragon table, his ink-colored eyes holding a touch of profundity.
As the envoys took their seats before their tables, the banquet officially began. Palace attendants with flowing sleeves entered one after another, pouring imperial wine for all the lords.
Music and dance began. It was at this moment that Yin Yuanshuang pulled Young Master Xu behind the screen in the main hall, secretly peeking out.
Inside the hall, wine cups clinked and clanked. Both the officials of Daliang and the foreign envoys were in high spirits.
The dancers in the hall were graceful, holding round fans and dancing elegantly, with a beauty that seemed to reveal and conceal. The music suddenly changed, and the dancers put down their fans, their eyes flowing with charm, alluring but not vulgar.
One envoy even stared blankly. As the dancers retreated with small steps, his eyes remained fixed on them, causing other envoys to glance at him and laugh.
However, this envoy was quite interesting; even after being teased by everyone, he showed no shame or anger. Instead, he stood up gracefully, cupped his hands, and bowed to the Son of Heaven on the high seat: “Your humble servant finds the songs and dances of Daliang truly refreshing and like a fairyland. Our Jie Xiong songs and dances are different from Daliang’s; therefore, our Jie Xiong dancers humbly request to perform for the Son of Heaven.”
Yin Yuanshuang patted Young Master Xu’s arm: “Here they come, here they come. I heard that the Jie Xiong dancers are all extremely beautiful. Today, we can also feast our eyes.”
Young Master Xu blinked, his gaze, however, falling on the Taoist Master in front of the golden dragon table. He couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that even the most beautiful dancer couldn’t compare to the Taoist Master’s aloof and majestic aura.
Yin Yanjun casually raised his hand and responded to the envoy, “Permitted.”
With the Emperor’s assent, the envoy clapped his hands, and a group of dancers gracefully walked in from outside. These Jie Xiong dancers had their chests loosely wrapped with thin shawls, their arms adorned with long flowing sashes held by golden bracelets, and their lower bodies wore layers of red gauze skirts, revealing a section of fair and tender waist adorned with jingling golden ornaments.
If the Daliang dancers earlier were like ethereal fairy maidens from the Moon Palace, then these Jie Xiong dancers were soul-stirring enchantresses.
Their slender waists, seemingly graspable with one hand, swayed with the music as the sashes around their arms swirled out lightly. The accessories on their waists clinked crisply, further emphasizing the dancers’ seductive and captivating charm.
“How are the dances of these Jie Xiong dancers?” Yin Yuanshuang had somehow procured a plate of pastries and casually handed one to Young Master Xu. The two huddled together, eating pastries and enjoying the dance.
The osmanthus cake didn’t have too much sugar, so it wasn’t overly sweet. It melted in the mouth and was exceptionally fragrant and mellow. The salted fish young master munched on the pastry occasionally while admiring the dance, truly embodying a carefree spirit.
“Mmm, indeed good. We’ve certainly had a feast for our eyes today,” Young Master Xu gave his praise without any hesitation.
Yin Yuanshuang’s eyes curved slightly. These dancers weren’t her goal today. Her gaze passed through the screen and landed on the veiled princess of the Xiling Kingdom.
Tuoba Jinshu sat beside the envoy. Today, she wore the wide robes and large sleeves of a Daliang woman, occasionally taking a bite of food under the cover of her sleeves.
When she raised her eyes, she secretly saw the monarch of Daliang. Every time the man on the high throne inadvertently glanced at the envoys, she felt a chilling fear in her heart.
So, Tuoba Jinshu could only discreetly look at the Daliang officials below the steps. Inadvertently, she saw the young man she had accidentally bumped into on the market street that day. He was sitting with an older martial general, and by their looks, they might be father and son.
These two, father and son, were seated in a prominent position, suggesting they were extremely distinguished individuals in Daliang. Tuoba Jinshu shifted her gaze, and this time she was even more shocked, because she vaguely saw half a face from behind a screen not far behind the father and son.
Tuoba Jinshu was a bit dumbfounded, but then she saw the owner of that half-face wink at her, which made her see the person’s appearance clearly.
It seemed to be a girl, dressed very elegantly and luxuriously. The person was waving at her, so Tuoba Jinshu could only nod slightly back.
Immediately, she saw an even more shocking scene: there wasn’t just one person hidden behind that screen; a delicate-looking young man appeared with half his face exposed from the other side.
The salted fish young master took a bite of pastry, then heard Yin Yuanshuang whisper, “Look up.”
“That person greeting us is Princess Tuoba Jinshu of the Xiling Kingdom,” Yin Yuanshuang smiled meaningfully.
“Are you sure that she’s greeting us, and not that we scared the princess?” The salted fish young master couldn’t help but chuckle with Yin Yuanshuang, yet didn’t forget to offer a friendly smile to the princess.
Below the high seat, the Xiling Kingdom princess’s stunned and bewildered gaze toward a certain spot didn’t attract Yin Yanjun’s attention, but it did make Wen Jing, who served by the emperor’s side, first notice the two audacious individuals hiding behind the screen and “flirting” with the Xiling Kingdom princess.
He silently rubbed his eyes to confirm he wasn’t mistaken, then leaned down and whispered to the emperor.
So, the salted fish young master, who had just greeted the Xiling Kingdom princess, looked up and met the Taoist Master’s eyes, filled with imperial majesty.
Instinctively, the salted fish young master pulled Princess Jing’an in front of him, so the person facing the Emperor’s scrutiny became Princess Jing’an, who had only been engrossed in admiring the dancers.
Blinking and smiling ingratiatingly at the emperor, Yin Yuanshuang quietly edged backward, revealing the salted fish young master hiding behind her, looking utterly innocent.
The salted fish was completely exposed under the Taoist Master’s gaze, so he timidly raised a hand to greet the Taoist Master on the high platform: Hey, are you surprised to see this young master, Taoist Master?
There was no surprise, only a hint of helplessness towards the young master. Yin Yanjun subtly whispered a few words to Wen Jing beside him.
Wen Jing smiled knowingly, stepped down from the high platform from behind the Grand Princess’s seat, and quickly brought the two forward.
Yin Yuanshuang naturally nestled beside her mother and brother immediately, giving the salted fish young master a look of “I can’t help you; take care of yourself.”
Under the imperial majesty, the two audacious little rascals still managed to “flirt,” which amused and slightly annoyed Yin Yanjun.
The crowd below was in high spirits with wine and song, so not many noticed the pregnant “noble” who had appeared beside the emperor.
Xu Yanqing covertly tugged at the Taoist Master’s sleeve, trying to curry favor. He had truly been tricked by Princess Jing’an today. He regretted not staying comfortably in Changxin Palace. Now, his father’s and brother’s eyes were practically sparking fire.
The salted fish: My life is in danger!
At this moment, he seemed to realize his mistake. Yin Yanjun’s eyes moved, and he curled his lips helplessly. He was not angry.
On the contrary, he felt that it was just right. His young master was supposed to appear before the officials of Daliang.
The screen in the hall was originally prepared by Wen Jing because Yin Yanjun had intended to bring the young master to see the banquet, but unfortunately, the young master had flatly refused.
For the first time, the dignified, self-possessed, and disciplined emperor harbored a few wild and unrestrained thoughts. He couldn’t help but raise his hand and place it on the back of the young master’s hand gripping his sleeve, skillfully taking the young master’s plump hand into his own palm.
No matter how tipsy the officials were, they still noticed the delicate-faced young master beside the emperor.
However, they hadn’t yet noticed the young master’s prominently bulging belly. A few lords who had met the young master a few times couldn’t help but cast their gazes towards Marquis Wu’an, who seemed “ashamed,” indicating with their eyes: Is that your youngest son?
Marquis Wu’an: No, who said that? That’s not my son. My good son is sitting right beside me!
So, why did his silly boy sneak into Jiying Palace instead of recuperating in Changxin Palace?
Could it be the emperor’s conspiracy, allowing his silly boy to show his face before the officials so he could keep him in the palace afterward?
The more Marquis Wu’an thought about it, the more he felt that this was true. He couldn’t help but curse the emperor in his heart for being a sinister villain. Now, in order to forcibly take possession of a commoner girl… no, a commoner boy had resorted to such despicable and shameful petty tricks.
The emperor’s reputation once again suffered. He merely looked up and calmly scanned the crowd. Upon seeing this, the officials quickly averted their gazes. Ah, these Jie Xiong dancers’ songs and dances were truly enchanting, making one forget the mundane world, as if in a fairyland.
The Grand Princess’s eyes, carved from the same mold as the emperor’s, swept over the young master. She turned and lightly pulled her daughter’s ear: “When we return to the manor, Mother will give you a good lesson!”
Yin Yuanshuang, huddling beside her mother, couldn’t help but lean in and act spoiled, secretly complaining in her heart. She had made a misstep; how could she have forgotten that her mother was also attending the banquet?
However, it wasn’t a huge mistake anyway. The emperor had found someone he liked, and her mother would know about it sooner or later. In short, it was a happy occasion.
Tuoba Jinshu, from her seat below the high platform, quietly glanced up at the young master beside the Daliang Emperor. She saw the usually cold and aloof Daliang Emperor take a piece of osmanthus cake from his table and place it on a small plate in front of the young master.
The young master, eyes smiling, reached out and took the pastry, not sparing a glance at anyone else, focused only on eating.
In reality, the salted fish young master just didn’t dare to look. His father’s eyes were already blazing with murderous intent; the salted fish just wanted to turn into an ostrich and avoid it if possible.
Hmm, it seemed the pastries on the Taoist Master’s table tasted better, especially the osmanthus wine, whose faint, sweet scent kept drifting into the salted fish young master’s nose. Looking down at his prominently bulging abdomen, the salted fish sighed deeply, lamenting how long it had been since he had touched wine because of the little bean in his belly.
Why should a foodie endure such a torturous, fragrant, but undrinkable pain? The salted fish sighed, then took a deep breath. If he couldn’t drink it, he’d just smell it more.
The young master’s little movements never stopped. Yin Yanjun glanced at the wine cup on the table and said softly, “There’s a lot of stored wine in the palace. Once the young master safely gives birth to the child, you can have as much as you want.”
It wasn’t just for the child; Yin Yanjun simply wished to indulge the young master to the greatest extent possible.
“Really?” The salted fish young master’s eyes lit up at the news, as if he had instantly become the wealthiest young master in all of Daliang.
“Of course it’s true. When have I ever lied to the young master?” Yin Yanjun gently raised a hand and softly ruffled the young master’s hair.
Below the high platform, Marquis Wu’an watched, his eyes nearly popping out, thinking only of when he could finally fight the emperor.
Although he had long known of the emperor’s little intentions towards his silly son, seeing his “little cabbage” allow the emperor to make all sorts of gestures and even become accustomed to them filled Marquis Wu’an with resentment.
“Father, didn’t you say Ah Qing was particularly slow in matters of love? I don’t see any slowness in him at all.” Xu Xianzhi also harbored deep resentment. His own brother had never been so well-behaved in front of him.
And so, Yin Yanjun became the great villain in the hearts of Marquis Wu’an and his son, the one who had stolen their little cabbage.
Envoys from various kingdoms looked at the Daliang Emperor on the high platform and the young man beside him, all appearing to be deep in thought.
Although the person beside the Daliang Emperor was dressed in a man’s attire, the prominently bulging abdomen clearly indicated pregnancy. A closer look at the Daliang Emperor revealed his obvious favoritism towards this “noble.” It seemed it wouldn’t be easy if they wished to send their own people into the Daliang’s imperial harem.
However, these envoys had come with missions entrusted by their respective monarchs, so it was naturally impossible to abandon long-planned strategies due to a minor interlude. In the end, they all presented their respective requests to the Daliang Emperor.
The requests made by the various envoys were almost identical. Everyone looked at each other, revealing a shared sentiment: We knew you weren’t honest.
The young master beside Yin Yanjun was only concerned with eating and drinking, seemingly unconcerned about the envoys who wanted to send women to the Taoist Master.
Conversely, Marquis Wu’an and his son, below the high platform, harbored considerable resentment towards those envoys. Their little cabbage was now carrying the emperor’s child, yet these envoys still came to cause trouble. They truly wished they could have taken up weapons and fought them then and there. If they could beat them into submission, there wouldn’t be so many hidden agendas.
Xu Yanqing wasn’t entirely unconcerned about the envoys trying to put women into the Taoist Master’s harem. It was mainly that he had just seen the dancing girls who performed, and they were clearly from a different world than his Taoist master.
Wait, when did Taoist Master Xuanchen become his Taoist master? The salted fish young master subconsciously ignored this question.
In any case, those dancers were not suitable for the Taoist Master, and the Taoist Master would not keep those women with ulterior motives in Daliang.
If the Taoist Master were truly so fond of women, the Daliang harem would not be as empty as it was now.
However, the salted fish young master still let his gaze fall on the Taoist Master’s handsome and ethereal face. Tsk, tsk, being good-looking was also a fault; attracting so many butterflies was truly annoying.
Yin Yuanshuang, sitting below the high platform, propped her chin and watched the spectacle. She couldn’t help but lean towards her mother and humbly ask, “Does this count as the external stimulus Mother spoke of?”
The Grand Princess sat calmly, raising her chopsticks to pick up a dish for her daughter: “These foreign dancers with ulterior motives, not to mention the emperor, even your brother wouldn’t fancy them. How could they make the exasperatingly slow young master by the emperor’s side jealous?”
The phrase “exasperatingly slow” was not the Grand Princess’s own assessment, but rather her borrowing her daughter’s words from yesterday.
“Mother is right; these alluring and beautiful women certainly won’t do.” Yin Yuanshuang said this as if with a hidden meaning.
Young Marquis Yin, who had been engrossed in drinking and joking with Prince Huai, seemed to hear his mother mention him, so he turned to look.
Yin Yuanshuang poured a cup of wine for her brother: “Brother, just keep drinking. Mother and I are just chatting casually.”
“Is that so?” His sister was full of mischievous tricks, and Yin Yuancheng knew this well, so he turned to his mother for a definite answer.
The Grand Princess subtly curved her lips: “You two siblings, don’t make a fuss. Everyone’s watching!”
Alright, Yin Yuancheng turned his head and continued drinking with Prince Huai.
Old Master Su’s seat was also very close to the high platform. He raised his eyelids to glance at the noble person beside the emperor, finding his appearance very familiar, but he couldn’t immediately recall where he had seen him.
Looking up again, he met the emperor’s cold and distant eyes, so Old Master Su quickly lowered his head, though he couldn’t help but continue speculating in his heart.
The envoys from various kingdoms continued their endless persuasions. They were determined to leave the dancers they brought behind in Daliang. Only the Xiling Kingdom envoy sat quietly, saying nothing.
Yin Yanjun’s wine cup landed neither lightly nor heavily on the table, and his tone was extremely cold as he refused them.
Seeing this situation, the envoys dared not persuade further. Only the Xiling Kingdom envoy stood up at this moment: “Our Princess Jinshu loves the mountains and rivers of Daliang and is deeply impressed by the customs and traditions of the Daliang capital, so she petitions the Son of Heaven to allow her to reside in Daliang for a long time.”
This envoy was certainly a clever person. Yin Yanjun had just refused all the envoys who wanted to send people into his harem, so he naturally couldn’t mention the princess again.
Otherwise, it would be a slap to their own princess’s face. So he followed the princess’s wishes and sought an imperial decree to allow the princess to stay in Daliang.
At the same time, Tuoba Jinshu, wearing a veil, stood up from her seat. She had recently been studying the etiquette of Daliang, and her every move was like that of a native Daliang woman.
She raised her hand and removed her veil, revealing a stunningly beautiful face. Her watery eyes were clear to the bottom, carrying an innate serenity. She curtsied: “I humbly request the emperor to grant Jinshu’s small wish.”
This princess of the Xiling Kingdom, deeply beloved by her monarch, was indeed exceptionally beautiful. Her beauty was not seductive or alluring but rather carried a hint of ethereal fragility.
The salted fish young master glanced at this princess from the Xiling Kingdom and felt that she didn’t seem like a pampered princess, but rather like Miss Lin, who had just entered the Jia family in the story[mfn]”Lin Daiyu Enters Jia’s Mansion” (林黛玉进贾府) is a famous chapter from the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. This scene marks Lin Daiyu’s first arrival at the prosperous and aristocratic Jia family’s household, where it sets the stage for the novel’s central relationships and conflicts.[/mfn].
Holding a piece of pastry, the salted fish young master took another bite and then heard the Taoist Master’s clear and cold voice beside his ear: “Granted.”
The Daliang Emperor had actually allowed the Princess of the Xiling Kingdom to stay. This made the other envoys angry and annoyed, feeling that their overly direct words just now had been a miscalculation.
However, no matter how angry or annoyed they were, it was useless. The Xiling Kingdom envoy and Tuoba Jinshu had already resumed their seats at the table.
The Grand Princess looked up at the young master beside the emperor and quietly said to her daughter, “It seems your method has taken effect.”
Hearing this, Yin Yuanshuang couldn’t help but look in Young Master Xu’s direction, but she didn’t see any unusual expression on the young master’s face. He was still holding a piece of pastry, thoughtlessly indulging his appetite.
“Don’t eat too many pastries; be careful of getting heartburn.” Yin Yanjun didn’t glance at Princess Jinshu of the Xiling Kingdom for even a moment. One hand under the table gripped the young master’s small paw, which couldn’t resist reaching for more pastries, while the other hand took chopsticks and served food to the young master.
Young Master Xu was extremely surprised: “Taoist Master, you actually used your left hand to serve food?”
Yin Yanjun’s lips curved slightly at this, and he pinched the young master’s finger with a hint of helplessness: “What’s so strange about that?”
“It’s very strange! I heard that people who can use both hands fluently are naturally exceptionally intelligent. Doesn’t that saying perfectly fit you, Taoist Master?” The young master propped his chin, intently staring at the Taoist master’s left hand as he served food.
The emperor, who usually carried an aura of coldness and aloofness like frost, had his smile deepen a few shades because of the young master’s words.
The officials below the high platform couldn’t help but cast their gazes again at the pregnant young man beside the emperor. They secretly speculated in their hearts that the nobleman in men’s clothing might be a girl from a certain family. Now that she was carrying the imperial heir, she was probably about to soar to great heights.
The music and dance continued, but a hint of fatigue appeared on the young master’s face. Yin Yanjun raised a hand and pinched the young master’s earlobe: “Are you tired? Shall I send you back?”
“Hmm, that won’t do.” The young master shook his head repeatedly: “The banquet isn’t over yet; how can Taoist Master leave early?”
The young master was rarely this serious. Yin Yanjun couldn’t help but smile: “Then I’ll have Wen Jing send you back.”
Xu Yanqing glanced at Yin Yuanshuang below, who was cuddling and acting spoiled beside the Grand Princess: “I’ll have Princess Jing’an accompany me back. She tricked me today, so I have to settle accounts with her properly.”
Yin Yanjun instantly understood the young master’s meaning. He lowered his eyelids, concealing the slightly profound look in his eyes: “Alright, walk slowly on the way back; be careful not to fall.”
“I’m not a child anymore.” Falling on flat ground would never happen. The young master was that confident.
Xu Yanqing gave Yin Yuanshuang a wink. The two had come secretly but now left openly. Before leaving, the young master gave his brother a pitiful, pleading look, hoping his brother could put in a good word for him. Otherwise, the next time his mother came to the palace, the salted fish’s ears might not be safe.
—
Back in Changxin Palace, the salted fish immediately collapsed into his reclining chair: “As expected, a salted fish isn’t suited for going out. Next time Mother comes to the palace and gives me a beating, I’ll definitely put all the blame on the princess.”
“I’m afraid Madam won’t believe the young master’s words, so you should just obediently prepare your ears for twisting!”
Yin Yuanshuang was openly gloating over the misfortune. Then her bright eyes turned, and she said, “Did you see the Princess of Xiling Kingdom, young master? Rumor has it that she’s destined to marry a noble person because of her extraordinary status. Now that the princess has just come of age, the King of the Xiling Kingdom eagerly sent his daughter to Daliang. Their intentions are obvious!”
“So?” The salted fish scoffed, “Feudal superstitions aren’t to be trusted. We need to look further ahead.” The female lead in the original plot was “carrying a phoenix destiny,” but now there is another princess of “extraordinary status”?
“Who else in this world is wealthier than the emperor? The king of the Xiling Kingdom must be eyeing the emperor, which is why he eagerly sent his daughter over.” Yin Yuanshuang gave the young master a look that said, “You really need to pay more attention.”
“So this was Princess Jing’an’s purpose in inviting me to see beauties today?” The salted fish young master blinked.
Yin Yuanshuang looked innocent: “How can this be called scheming? I was truly thinking for your sake. With your lazy disposition, if someone really entered the imperial harem, they’d swallow you whole.”
As if I’d believe you. The salted fish young master couldn’t help but click his tongue: “Why did I make such a bad friend like you!”
“This princess should be considered your confidante, not a bad friend!” Yin Yuanshuang widened her eyes: “Could it be that I can’t even compare to my brother in Young Master Xu’s heart?” The ever-competitive Princess Jing’an even had to compare herself to her own brother.
The salted fish young master looked bewildered. He was just bickering; why was Young Marquis Yin brought up again?
Before the salted fish could speak, Yin Yuanshuang continued on her own: “That’s right, Young Master Xu is fond of handsome men. As a girl, I naturally can’t compare to my brother. Could it be that you actually like my brother?”
“Where did you get that conclusion from?” You can’t just throw dirty water on others like that. Young Master Xu was determined to defend his reputation.
Yin Yuanshuang rubbed her chin: “Oh right, since you’re carrying the emperor’s child now, you must like the emperor.” After beating around the bush, Yin Yuanshuang’s face revealed a teasing expression.
The salted fish young master instinctively wanted to retort, but for a moment, he couldn’t find the words. Facing Princess Jing’an’s “I knew it” expression, the salted fish slumped defeatedly into the reclining chair, took a storybook, and covered his face: “So sleepy, so sleepy, this young master needs to sleep.”
“Alright, but the weather is getting colder. If you’re truly sleepy, go back to bed and sleep.” Yin Yuanshuang, having provoked the ostrich-minded Young Master Xu, decisively announced her departure.
As soon as Yin Yuanshuang left, the salted fish immediately sat up from the reclining chair, silently walked to the bed, and sat there in a daze for a while. To be honest, when the Taoist Master said “Granted,” he did feel a little uncomfortable.
It was the same kind of discomfort as when Li Yueyao’s father scratched the Taoist Master’s face in Xu Family Village—that complex emotion brought about by someone seemingly wanting to harm or possess the person important to him.
This time, that inexplicable emotion was even stronger. Xu Yanqing vaguely understood the Taoist Master’s significance in his heart, vaguely understood the changes within himself, yet couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
So the young master simply burrowed into the covers and began to snore loudly. The sky was vast, the earth was wide, and sleeping was the most important thing. Anything else could wait until he woke up.
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