——

The following day, at noon.

Xuan Yanyu, Yan Yunning, and Xuan Yunchen — a family of three — arrived at the General’s Manor. The moment they entered the hall, Xuan Yanyu took Yan Yunning’s hand and found a seat.

“Auntie.” The little one, carrying a gift with his small hands and putting on the airs of a little adult, asked, “Are you feeling better?”

Xuan Zhaoranran smiled warmly. “A bit better, yes. Thank you, our Xiaoxiao, for your concern.”

“Your Majesty, Princess Consort, Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Jiang Xian entered the hall and bowed with cupped hands.

Xuan Yanyu nodded. “No need for ceremony.”

The little one stood beside Xuan Zhaoranran’s bed, and said in his soft, cushiony voice, “Auntie, Xiaoxiao brought you some tonics — the imperial physician said they’re all good for your health.”

“Xiaoxiao, Auntie truly adores you.” Xuan Zhaoranran clasped the little one’s small hand and planted a smacking kiss on it.

“Ah.” The little one scratched his head with a shy cough.

Yan Yunning felt a wave of embarrassment. Neither she nor Xuan Yanyu had thought to bring any gifts when they came to the General’s Manor the previous day — and she hadn’t thought to bring any today, either.

Who would have known that after arriving at the General’s Manor, once they stepped down from the carriage, Xiaoxiao had taken gifts from Ye Chen, who had been waiting at the manor gate all along!!

Compared to that, she and Xuan Yanyu had been quite lacking in courtesy.

“Your son is more considerate than you.” Yan Yunning pinched Xuan Yanyu’s arm — she absolutely would not admit that she herself had also forgotten to bring gifts.

The man curved his lips lazily. “When I come to visit someone, why would I need to bring—”

“All right, I know what you’re about to say — no need to say it.” Yan Yunning released his hand and walked over to Xuan Zhaoranran with a bright smile. “Ranran, I’m sorry — something unexpected came up yesterday, and I left without saying a proper goodbye.”

“It’s fine.” The moment Xuan Zhaoranran saw Yan Yunning, a store of words she had been saving tumbled out of her all at once. “Sister-in-law, why didn’t my little girl come out looking the same as Xiaoxiao did when he was born — all fair and soft?”

Xuan Yunchen blinked and touched his own little face.

Yan Yunning looked at the curious Xuan Zhaoranran and smiled. “All babies are like that at birth — it gets better as they grow.”

A lively eagerness crept into Xuan Zhaoranran’s voice. “How long before she gets prettier?”

“At most three months or so — she’ll grow more and more adorable, as delicately pretty as a carving in pink jade.”

Xuan Zhaoranran’s gaze drifted toward Xuan Yanyu, who was idly toying with a teacup, and a faint smile spread across her lips. “Did you hear what Sister-in-law said? She’ll grow more and more adorable. Surely Prince Xuan’s older brother won’t go on finding fault with my baby by then.”

“When did I ever find fault with your baby for being plain?” Xuan Yanyu’s searching eyes met Xuan Zhaoranran’s expression, which carried a touch of grievance.

“A’Xian!” Xuan Zhaoranran’s eyes grew red-rimmed. “Have Prince Xuan’s older brother shown out!”

Finding fault — she hadn’t even found fault with the baby, yet he’d gone and said her baby was plain. Poor her, poor her little darling, being criticized that way by her uncle…

She was going to tell Imperial Elder Sister and Mother Consort about this.

Xuan Yanyu: “?”

“Ranran… this… ” Jiang Xian stood rooted to the spot, at a complete loss.

Throwing out the Emperor was something he didn’t dare do. But if he didn’t throw out the Emperor and failed to follow Ranran’s instructions, Ranran would be upset.

“Auntie, please stop putting Uncle-Consort in such a difficult position.” Xuan Yunchen said, unable to watch any longer.

“Auntie, being a little plain when you’re small is being a little plain — it’s fine. Didn’t Mother just say she’ll be pretty when she grows up?” The little one added another sentence.

“You go too — leave with your father!!” Xuan Zhaoranran blurted out, unable to hold herself together.

The little one blinked his eyes, perfectly bewildered: “?”

Hadn’t she said just a moment ago that she adored him? She truly was fickle!!

A quarter of an hour later, outside the main gate of the General’s Manor, the little one gave one of the stone lions by the entrance a little kick and let out a small sigh.

“Setting aside your positions, the two of you would really get beaten for behaving like this.” Yan Yunning said with a breezy smile.

“Auntie is simply being too sensitive.” The little one walked between the two of them and took one of each of their hands.

Yan Yunning flicked his small nose. “What do you mean Auntie is being too sensitive? If someone called you plain and ugly, your Mother Consort would be furious.”

“Mother Consort, your son looks like Father, so saying your son is ugly is the same as saying Father is ugly. Who would dare say that? Mother Consort, your son thinks your son is extremely good-looking.” The little one swung the arms of both adults, leaning his body forward, and went bouncing and hopping along, tugging the two of them into a run.

Afraid he might trip and fall, both Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning lengthened their strides to keep up.

“Yes, yes, yes.” Yan Yunning glanced sideways at Xuan Yanyu, then looked down at the little one bouncing along, warmth and amusement brimming in her eyes. “Your father is handsome, and you are handsome too.”

“Mm!” The little one tilted his chin up with proud satisfaction.

“What is handsome about you?” Xuan Yanyu gave the little one’s small head a light pat, smiling faintly.

“If he cries from that, you’re the one comforting him.” Yan Yunning issued her warning in advance.

The corner of Xuan Yanyu’s lip curved, his gaze — carrying a quiet smile — resting on Yan Yunning’s bright and flawless face. “And if I can’t manage to comfort him?”

“Then you’ll submit to whatever punishment I choose. What do you say?” Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow.

Before Xuan Yanyu could reply, the little one looked up at the two of them and asked with suspicion, “Mother Consort, shouldn’t it be Father who submits to your son’s punishment?”

“You want to punish your father now, do you?” The man gave the little one’s cheek a playful tug.

“Imperial Grandfather said that whoever upsets your son ought to be punished.”

“Oh?” Xuan Yanyu lowered his gaze to Xuan Yunchen, smiling with a deeply meaningful expression. “Regardless of whether you’re right or wrong? They should all be punished?”

“No.” The little one shook his small head. “Imperial Grandfather said that if your son has done something wrong, your son should be punished too.”

“Good.” Xuan Yanyu nodded in satisfaction.

“But Father upset your son.” The little one tilted his head and looked up at Xuan Yanyu, asking with great seriousness, “Father, what is not good-looking about your son?”

“Oh? Xiaoxiao, how would Mother Consort feel about taking you to visit your auntie?” Yan Yunning swiftly changed the subject.

The little one shifted his gaze from Xuan Yanyu’s face to Yan Yunning’s. “Auntie? Which auntie, and why?”

“Not your Auntie Yaoyao — Auntie Yuzhi. Shall we go to the Grand Commandant’s manor to find her?”

“Auntie Yuzhi?” The little one tilted his head and thought hard for quite a while, yet no memory of anyone by that name surfaced.

“Xuan Xixi, why don’t you head back to the palace first? I’m going to take Xiaoxiao to the Grand Commandant’s manor.” Yan Yunning asked with a cheerful smile.

“I’ll come along.”

“Good.” Yan Yunning’s smile grew even warmer.

Xuan Yanyu fixed his gaze on the woman’s beautifully smiling, flawless face. His throat moved. He raised a large palm to cover the little one’s eyes, bent down, and brought his lips toward hers.

After a long moment, Xuan Yunchen pried Xuan Yanyu’s hand away, pressed his small lips together, and said in his little milk-soft voice, quivering with the faintest trace of grievance, “Does Father want your son to fall over?”

“No, no — of course not.” Yan Yunning scooped the little one into her arms and shot Xuan Yanyu a glare.

The man’s brow arched slightly. His elegantly boned fingers brushed over his lips, and a mesmerizing smile rose at the corners of his eyes. His expression alone made it plain that he was in a very fine mood.

Yan Yunning stared at him, and found herself, quite shamefully, swallowing. She lowered her voice. “Don’t… don’t do that again.”

“Mm.” Xuan Yanyu nodded obligingly.

“Mother Consort.” Something seemed to come to mind, and the little one asked in his soft, cushiony voice, “Who is Xuan Xixi?”

“Ahem.” Yan Yunning choked on her own spit.

Xuan Yunchen seemed to have understood. He scrunched up his small face, looked toward Xuan Yanyu, and opened his eyes very, very wide.

Gazing at the little one’s look of utter disbelief, Yan Yunning lowered her head and tried desperately to suppress her laughter.