Little Qiu’er saw many people go up the stage. Staring at her palace lantern, she anxiously wanted to take it but daren’t walk over. She asked as she pulled on Yu Xiang’s sleeve. “Where is your elder brother and can you get him over here?” Whatever difficulty would be alright with the elder brother around.
Yu Pin Yan was originally quite a distance away, hence Yu Xiang didn’t sense his presence. It was until the moment she was almost out of the veranda that she sensed him when he followed her more closely. She knew he must be keeping watch in the shadow.
“I don’t know where my elder brother is, but I believe my elder brother will show up on the count of three. You just watch!” Yu Xiang’s smile was particularly sly.
“She has found us?” The Crown Prince was astonished.
Yu Pin Yan nodded as he walked out from the shrub with a slight smile. He raised his chin and quickened his strides towards the whispering little girl who had already counted to two.
“My beloved elder brother, you have finally showed up!” Yu Xiang stretched out both her hands.
Yu Pin Yan spontaneously bent down, allowing her to put her arms around his neck. A gentle smile now filled the usual solemn face. He unobtrusively took a deep breath, her scent made him feel incomparable at ease and joyful when he got closer to her neck.
Little Qiu’er hurriedly hid herself behind the old Momo. She extended half her head out to size up lotus seed cake’s elder brother and secretly pondered to herself; this person didn’t resemble lotus seed cake at all and was rather terrifying.
The Empress deliberately concealed the identity of the Ninth Princess, hence Yu Pin Yan didn’t salute but merely nodded his head to the old Momo, who lowered her body to pay him her respect.
“Lantern.” The Ninth Princess anxiously gazed at Yu Xiang.
“Elder brother, let’s go try.” Yu Xiang withdrew from Yu Pin Yan’s embrace and pointed towards the not too distant platform which was packed with people.
This lantern was a treasured possession of the Ninth Princess. The Empress browbeat the Ninth Princess about giving it away just to deceive the Ninth Princess to come to Xihe Garden. This was of course just a bluff. How would the Empress willing to make her daughter sad, thus the reason she set up this impossible quiz.
There were already many people who went up to try their luck yet no one succeeded and the furthest was only getting through to round five. Even for those intimate sisters or the closest brothers, how many would really have each other in their heart?
How many rounds could Xiang’er and him guess correctly? Yu Pin Yan was secretly pondering with interest as he pushed Yu Xiang into the crowd. After hesitating repeatedly, the Ninth Princess finally conquered her fear and took a step with her little short leg to catch up. Throughout the journey she was following closely beside Yu Xiang that she used the wheelchair to shield her small body.
The Crown Prince stood in the shadow looking at his younger sister’s round back and smiled silently. He was at ease with Yi Feng’s protection. If he was to go over, he would definitely attract a large crowd and at the same time might have badly frightened Little Qiu’er.
Yu Xiang’s wheelchair was like the bulldozer that opened the path as the crowd voluntarily stood over to the sides. No one dared to brazenly sizing up Yu Xiang with the presence of Yu Pin Yan but the occasional prying eyes were sufficient to make one feel loathsome.
The gentle look on Yu Pin Yan’s face was once again replaced with solemnness. He bent down whispering some reassuring words next to his younger sister’s ears, “Elder brother is here, so don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid” Yu Xiang waved her hand as she noticed someone looking keenly over from a group of noble girls not too far away. She was rather tall with a proportionate figure where the places that ought to be slim were tenderly slender and the places that ought to be ample were appealingly endowed, particularly the contour of her face was beautiful like the blooming peony in the spring which was incomparably gorgeous.
She was the only most bedazzled among that many noble girls and attracted countless admiration, appreciation or envious gazes. She was completely unconcerned as she stood confidently allowing people to appraise her with a little arrogance countenance. Only when she looked at Yu Pin Yan that her expression changed. Countless complex and indescribable emotions were hidden inside those limpid eyes such as resentment, indignant and love.
Yu Pin Yan nonchalantly swept her a glance as if she was just a grain of dust.
Her face immediately turned as pale as paper that she bit her lower lip and tugged at her jacket with an appearance of just enduring a big blow.
There must be a story between these two people! Yu Xiang hastily searched through ‘Yu Xiang’ memories but discovered there wasn’t any impression of this beauty.
The customs of the Han Dynasty were relatively open that teens before marriage were not refrained to meet occasionally in public, however all kinds of annoying rules would apply the moment a girl entered the household or after marriage. Yu Si Yu was standing next to that girl. She was tugging on her sleeves indicating that she wished to come over to talk, yet the girl waved her hand and hid behind the crowd.
That person seemed to have quite a close relationship with Yu Si Yu and could presumably have some relation with the Marquis manor, yet the foolish ‘Yu Xiang’ knew nothing except amusing herself. Yu Xiang was somewhat frustrated, thus she grabbed Yu Pin Yan’s sleeves and asked, “Who is that person, Elder brother?”
“Someone of no importance that need not be concerned about.” Yu Pin Yan pinched her jaw to turn her little face back to the platform. A beautiful pair of sisters had just failed at this moment.
“Are there still anyone coming up to try?” The palace servant who was in charge asked loudly.
“Yes!” Yu Xiang full-confidently responded with her left hand raised high.
Yu Pin Yan gazed at her in astonishment. She could still be such unrestrained, uninhibitedly carefree and optimistic with her legs broken. Her strong will had always astounded him time and again. It now seemed somewhat unnecessary for him to leave her alone in the garden tonight.
General Shen Wai’s son had also broken his leg and was unable to move freely. A big strong man became totally emaciated in just three days and was vaguely rumored of seeking death for several times. While Xiang’er on the other hand had cried in secret but there was not the least bit of dejection when she faced the others. She had instead put on a lot of weight and her complexion was getting even rosier in just these three to four months. This was truly very enlightening.
He was extremely proud of being her elder brother.
He rubbed his precious younger sister’s head before steadily going up the platform.