As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly saw a small head with double buns hairstyle peeking out from behind Si Tu Yan.
Yan Mo gasped in shock, instantly taking two steps back.
If Si Tu Yan hadn’t caught him, he would have fallen to the ground by now.
“You… you…”
Yan Mo stared at Xie Yuantang in astonishment.
Xie Yuantang was also examining him, her black agate-like eyes blinking, long eyelashes fluttering, both adorable and alert.
“What do you mean by ‘is he His Highness now’?”
Xie Yuantang tilted her head and asked crisply: “If he’s not His Highness, then who could he be?”
Standing nearby, Si Tu Yan also looked at Yan Mo with suspicion, parroting the question: “Yeah, if I’m not His Highness, then who am I?”
Yan Mo: “…”
After composing himself, Yan Mo looked at Si Tu Yan and then at Xie Yuantang. His gaze lingered on Xie Yuantang for two seconds before his eyes suddenly widened as if remembering something: “Your Highness is the Little Imperial Consort?”
“That’s right.”
Xie Yuantang waved at him with a smile: “Nice to meet you, I’m Xie Yuantang. My husband said you were injured, so I specially came to see you.”
Yan Mo was taken aback, lowering his head respectfully: “Yan Mo thanks Your Highness, thanks the Imperial Consort.”
Xie Yuantang looked at him cheerfully: “You still haven’t answered – what did you mean by ‘is he His Highness now’? Could it be there was a time when he wasn’t His Highness?”
Yan Mo immediately choked up. How could this Little Imperial Consort be so sharp?
He had only said one sentence, and she had already noticed?
“No, that’s not it…”
Yan Mo stammered to explain: “This subordinate was merely concerned about His Highness’s physical condition.”
Before Xie Yuantang could understand, Si Tu Yan suddenly realized: “Ah, I see! You’re worried I might have an episode, right? Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine.”
Xie Yuantang blinked, finally understanding.
So he was afraid that Si Tu Yan might not be in his right mind?
This seemed to make sense, but…
Xie Yuantang still felt something was odd.
She looked at Yan Mo while Si Tu Yan appeared quite guilty, frowning as he looked at Yan Mo’s leg: “It’s all my fault you got injured like this.”
Yan Mo quickly responded: “Your Highness needn’t worry, this subordinate is already fine.”
Xie Yuantang looked between the two of them, then around the surroundings: “So you live here?”
Yan Mo paused slightly before nodding: “Yes.”
Xie Yuantang pointed at his room: “May I go inside and look?”
Yan Mo glanced at Si Tu Yan, hesitating as he said: “I’m afraid… it’s too dirty inside, might soil Your Highness’s eyes.”
“Won’t soil, won’t soil.”
Xie Yuantang waved her hand dismissively, already walking over while Si Tu Yan and Yan Mo followed behind her.
Yan Mo was still quietly asking about Si Tu Yan’s condition: “Is Your Highness truly alright? Is it really… the Little Imperial Consort’s Chong Xi that saved you?”
“Mhm, my wife saved me!”
When mentioning Xie Yuantang, Si Tu Yan’s eyes filled with laughter: “My wife treats me very well, she even helped me beat up Du Wei.”
Yan Mo had clearly heard some rumors, and hearing Si Tu Yan say this now, he couldn’t help but feel surprised: “So those rumors are actually true… Then the Emperor and the Grand Tutor… truly didn’t blame you?”
“Not at all, Father and Uncle even helped me.” Si Tu Yan supported him as he said, “Come back with me, I’ll get you a physician. No one in the residence dares to hit people anymore now.”
“Ah! Fourth Imperial Brother even gave me Xiao Guai!”
Si Tu Yan pointed at the Wu Zhui Horse by the door. “My wife and I are going hunting tomorrow! Once you’ve recovered, you can join us.”
Yan Mo looked at Si Tu Yan, his eyes gradually moistening as he listened.
Having followed Si Tu Yan for many years, he understood him better than anyone else.
Due to his childhood intellectual disability, Si Tu Yan had suffered much bullying and was reluctant to communicate with others, often appearing timid and submissive in front of people.
But now, although Si Tu Yan still spoke simple, clumsy words and couldn’t quite keep up with others’ thinking, he dared to go out and speak in public.
This was something unimaginable over the past decade, except when that person appeared…
“Do you live here alone?”
A clear, spring-like voice suddenly interrupted Yan Mo’s thoughts. He froze momentarily and looked inside the house.
Xie Yuantang stood by the table, looking at him curiously.
Her large eyes seemed empty yet somehow made one feel they could easily see through everything.
Yan Mo instinctively nodded. “Yes, I live alone.”
“Oh~”
Xie Yuantang nodded, pointing at the wine bottle in the corner. Her voice was obedient and cute. “Drinking harms your health. Since you’re already sick, you should drink less.”
Yan Mo’s breath hitched, and he quickly bowed his head in response. “The Imperial Consort’s advice is well taken. Yan Mo will remember.The thatched cottage was extremely simple, almost comparable to the firewood room where the original host lived. Xie Yuantang and the others didn’t linger, directly having the carriage take Yan Mo back to the estate while she and Si Tu Yan leisurely rode Xiao Guai back.
At the estate, Bai Fu had already summoned a physician in advance to treat Yan Mo’s injuries.
Fortunately, it was only a fracture. The physician prescribed medicine and left. After some thought, Xie Yuantang took out a bottle of Nutrient Solution from the Space Research Institute and poured it into the teapot when no one was looking.
This bottle of Nutrient Solution could at least heal half of his injuries.
She couldn’t reveal too much at the moment and could only use this method. Moreover…
She always felt Yan Mo was hiding something.
That question, “Are you His Highness now?” kept bothering her.
Early the next morning, Xie Yuantang and Si Tu Yan rose at dawn.
They were going hunting today, but before that, Xie Yuantang needed to prepare some things.
“Hong Qu, where’s my little bag?”
“Here, here!”
Hong Qu helped Xie Yuantang put on a small crossbody floral cloth bag.
Xie Yuantang quickly ran into the study, grabbing a few items and stuffing them into the bag.
Yan Mo hitched the carriage to Xiao Guai and turned to the couple. “Your Highness, Imperial Consort, everything is ready.”
After a pause, he still felt uneasy. “Your Highness, perhaps this subordinate should still accompany you?”
Hunting grounds sounded like trouble, especially with all those people waiting to “deliver congratulatory gifts.” Yan Mo feared that if he didn’t go along, his master and the Imperial Consort might be skinned alive upon return.
“No need, no need. You should rest and recover at home.”
Before Si Tu Yan could respond, Xie Yuantang waved her hand. “Bai Fu will also stay to guard the house. Hong Qu alone will accompany us.”
With just the two of them, they didn’t need so many servants. Besides, if everyone went, what if someone broke into the estate?
Under the combined pressure from Yan Mo and Bai Fu, Hong Qu nodded solemnly. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect His Highness and the Imperial Consort.”
Bai Fu sighed, thinking to herself that it was precisely because you were following that she felt even more uneasy.
The carriage set off towards the Royal Hunt grounds.
Xie Yuantang and Si Tu Yan sat inside the carriage. Si Tu Yan nervously clenched his fists and said, “My lady, are we really going to give that to Father and Uncle? What if they don’t like it?”