Chapter 61: The Fake Princess and His God of War Prince (18)
Something was off with Yu Qing, and it hadn’t been just a day or two.
Ever since the day Xiao Ji arrived at the Northern Border, Yu Qing’s entire state had been different from before.
As the saying goes, bystanders see clearly. Even if Lin Heng was dense, he could tell that whenever something related to Xiang Yinnian came up, Yu Qing’s emotions would fluctuate erratically.
But with Xiao Ji present, it wasn’t appropriate for Lin Heng to say much, so he simply said:
“Perhaps she is with child. When my cousin-in-law was expecting, she was just like this. If the moon was missing a corner at night, she insisted my cousin fill it in. If not, she would scold my cousin for three days and three nights. It was terrifying.”
Xiang Yinnian seemed to understand and asked, “Who got her pregnant? When did she take a concubine? This concubine is so unreasonable, provoking her to act crazy here.”
Lin Heng was stunned, then realized and said dumbly:
“My Lord, let’s just say… is there a possibility that General Yu is also a woman?”
The awkward expression on Xiang Yinnian’s face didn’t look fake at all. He pursed his lips, coughed lightly, and scolded:
“Do I need you to blabber? Of course Ben Wang knows she’s a woman. It was a joke.”
Xiao Ji didn’t want to listen to Xiang Yinnian and Lin Heng discuss Yu Qing here.
Xiang Yinnian couldn’t see it, but he saw it clearly: the unconcealable feelings and focus in Yu Qing’s eyes when looking at Xiang Yinnian.
Especially just now, when he took Xiang Yinnian and fell from the city tower, the look of terror on Yu Qing’s face, and her intense dissatisfaction directed at him after she calmed down.
Without comparison, perhaps it wouldn’t be clear. But with the dense Lin Heng standing right there, Yu Qing’s thoughts were practically exposed for all to see.
So Xiao Ji lifted the small brocade satchel again, dangled it in front of Xiang Yinnian, and then turned to walk toward the Wangfu.
Xiang Yinnian’s eyes were instantly fixed on that small satchel. Abandoning Lin Heng, he followed Xiao Ji’s footsteps.
He shouted as he walked, “Why don’t you open it and let me take a look first? You aren’t holding an empty bag just to tease me, are you?”
Xiao Ji said, “I embroidered the bag.”
Xiang Yinnian let out a “Hey!” and chased after Xiao Ji’s backside. He didn’t try to snatch it anymore, but instead began to act spoiled and clingy: “Show me~ I’ll trade you something good for it.”
Xiao Ji chuckled lightly. “Now that I manage the household, I wonder what good things the Wangye has secretly stashed away?”
Hearing Xiao Ji laugh, Xiang Yinnian also started to laugh. “Two pairs of big flowered underpants. I’ll wear them for you to see.”
Xiao Ji had teased Xiang Yinnian enough. He stopped walking and placed the satchel in his hand. “It’s not a valuable object. The chalcedony is top quality, but my craftsmanship is poor, so I ruined the material. If you don’t dislike it, just take it as a token of my regard.”
The local emperor of the Northern Border could have any good thing he wanted; what he sought was merely the sentiment.
Pinching the satchel, Xiang Yinnian opened it while grinning happily:
“What kind of words are those? Even if you gave me a rock you picked up yourself, I’d have to enshrine it later.”
He opened the satchel and pulled out a jade pendant.
Standing under the lantern at the main gate of the Wangfu, he examined the carved pattern carefully by the candlelight.
After looking for a long time, he finally said with a straight face, “I didn’t know you had such skill. The lines are delicate, the carving is exquisite, truly lifelike.”
After the praise, he looked at Xiao Ji. “However, I have a question.”
Xiao Ji nodded. “Wangye, please speak.”
Xiang Yinnian pursed his lips. “Neither you nor I can bear children, so why carve a brooding hen?”
Xiao Ji stared at Xiang Yinnian for a long while, then stepped into the Wangfu gate without saying a word.
Xiang Yinnian didn’t understand what he had said wrong. Seeing Xiao Ji’s reaction, it seemed he suddenly thought of something and became unhappy:
“Xiao Ji, don’t tell me you’ve already started thinking about taking a concubine for me? Ben Wang tells you, don’t even think about this matter. The Xiang family isn’t just me as a single heir; spreading the family line is something Xiang Siyou can do. I don’t have that much energy to waste on the inner courtyard…”
Hearing this, Xiao Ji stopped, looked back at Xiang Yinnian, and said:
“That is a phoenix.”
Xiang Yinnian cursed his miscalculation inwardly, then hurriedly gave a dry laugh:
“I saw that. Wasn’t I just thinking of teasing you?”
Xiao Ji stared expressionlessly at Xiang Yinnian. “Is that so?”
Xiang Yinnian’s heart bristled, but he insisted firmly: “Yes!”
Xiao Ji wouldn’t believe it.
So that night, whether Xiang Yinnian kowtowed or not is aside, but kneel he did—and for quite some time.
…
Because of the decision Xiang Yinnian suddenly made to “rebel,” he became busy again after New Year’s Eve.
It was no longer the idle busyness at the drill grounds to avoid Xiao Ji.
Instead, he spent his days in the military tent, arguing with the military advisors and vice generals.
However, every day at dinner time, no matter what stage the official business discussion had reached, he had to rush back to the Wangfu to accompany Xiao Ji for the meal.
Xiao Ji was happy to have the leisure. He ordered servants to enclose the Lake Heart Pavilion with gauze curtains and hang a rattan chair. Whenever Xiang Yinnian wasn’t around, he would lie alone on the lounge chair in the pavilion, barefoot, feeling the cold breeze, reading miscellaneous books, and not allowing anyone to accompany him.
On the afternoon of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Xiao Ji lay on the rattan chair as usual. As the snowflakes drifted down, gusts of cold wind blew into Xiao Ji’s heart.
He had shed his fox-fur cloak onto the beast-fur rug on the floor. He wore only a plain-colored smoke gauze robe, barefoot, with one leg exposed naked to the air. Beside him lay a storybook he had flipped through a few pages of. He was quietly resting with his eyes closed.
When the sharp tip of a sword thrust toward Xiao Ji’s face with the sound of breaking wind, Xiao Ji remained motionless on his side, not even lifting his eyelids, and spoke faintly:
“Good swordsmanship, General Yu.”
Yu Qing’s sword tip stopped less than an inch from Xiao Ji’s brow.
Hearing Xiao Ji speak, she flourished the sword and sheathed it. “Wangfei is so calm; truly extraordinary composure.”
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Xiao Ji. For a moment, she couldn’t even tell which was whiter—the drifting snowflakes or Xiao Ji’s excessively long leg.
“In broad daylight, for the Wangfei to be so disheveled, have you considered the Wangye’s feelings?”
Xiao Ji’s phoenix eyes opened slightly, glancing at Yu Qing:
“Besides General Yu, no one in this Wangfu is so ignorant of etiquette as to dare barge in here.”
Yu Qing retracted her gaze from Xiao Ji’s leg:
“I have business with you.”
Xiao Ji raised a hand and offered politely, “Please sit.”
In the entire pavilion, aside from Xiao Ji’s rattan chair, there was no place for anyone to sit.
Yu Qing took a deep breath. “No need. I came only to ask the Princess: was marrying far away to come here just to use the Wangye as a spear?”
Xiao Ji looked at Yu Qing. “Why does General Yu say this?”
Yu Qing said, “The Princess knows clearly in his heart.”
Xiao Ji certainly knew, but he pretended ignorance. “I don’t know.”
Yu Qing gritted her teeth. “The Wangye had no intention of warring with the Central Plains before. The Northern Border is high and the Emperor is far away. If he goes to war, it will inevitably waste money and manpower. The Wangye has always been compassionate to his subordinates and kind to the people. If not for the Princess, how could he suddenly make such a decision!”
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