Xiao Jinyan’s face darkened, a surge of anger rushing straight to his head.
Noble as he was, it had been a long time since he had encountered someone who showed him so little respect.
Even the Empress had to weigh her words carefully when speaking to him, thinking through what should and should not be said, not daring to openly break ties with him.
“Father, Mother, I beg you, don’t send me away. I don’t want to go to the capital, I don’t want to find my birth family. I am your daughter, and I don’t want to be separated from you.”
Su Xiao wept pitifully. Having been reborn with great difficulty, she was no longer an orphan and could once again receive the love of her dearest family. She did not want to part with them so soon after reuniting.
Seeing the sincerity of her tears, Xiao Jinyan narrowed his eyes, revealing a hint of pity.
It was understandable for a delicate young girl, upon suddenly learning of her true origins, to be unable to accept it.
Moreover, she was being forced to part from her loved ones.
Anyone in such a situation would feel fear and unease.
This little girl is something else!
Daring to defy the prince.
As the prince’s personal guard, he had not seen anyone who could break the prince’s composure in a long time.
The ever-stern face, shifting through a range of expressions, was truly a sight to behold!
Feng Xiao’s attention remained fixed on his master.
Standing close by, he saw it all the more clearly.
His master had never paid much mind to feminine charms, remaining indifferent even in the presence of great beauties.
Yet, Miss Su had managed to easily stir his nerves.
It had to be said, this was a question well worth exploring.
“Xiaoxiao, if you must blame anyone, blame your father. It’s my fault for not being capable enough to protect you.”
Unaware of the thoughts running through a certain guard’s mind, Su He watched his daughter weeping sorrowfully and, filled with self-reproach and heartache, also wiped his tears with his sleeve.
“I don’t blame you, Father. I just don’t want to be separated from you and Mother.”
Su Xiao cried as if her heart were breaking, seemingly pouring out all the grievances she had suffered in her previous life after her family was destroyed, tears streaming down her face without end.
Xiao Jinyan’s anger was completely extinguished by her tears, and he could no longer bring himself to blame her.
“Your Highness…”
Feng Xiao was quick-witted. Noticing a trace of weariness in his master’s expression, he cautiously gauged his master’s mood and ventured, “It seems Miss Su won’t stop crying anytime soon. Perhaps you should return to your room to rest, and once Miss Su changes her mind, I will report to you.”
“Very well…”
Xiao Jinyan was indeed somewhat tired and had lost the mood to listen further. Rising from the stone stool, he returned to his room to rest on his own.
Seeing his master settled, Feng Xiao slipped out of the courtyard alone and made his way to the riverside, where he released a signal flare.
Before long, several more Shadow Guards from Prince Rui’s residence arrived one after another, making contact with him.
“Has Miss Lin been found?”
“No.”
“Keep searching.”
“Yes.”
After exchanging information, the group quickly dispersed.
The riverbank returned to its original silence, as if no one had ever been there.
The moonlight was enchanting, red candles flickered, and a delicate fragrance filled the perfumed chamber. A moan of “Master,” so intoxicating it could melt bones, stirred passions even further. The bed curtains swayed for a long while before finally coming to rest.
Xiao Jinyan suddenly opened his eyes, glanced around, and felt a wave of shame.
He did not know why, after only a short nap, he had such an absurd dream.
In the dream, a woman who looked strikingly like Su Xiao was moaning softly beneath him.
“Creak.”
The sky had grown somewhat dark when the door to the inner chamber was pushed open from outside. Su Xiao stepped over the threshold, carrying a tray.
Xiao Jinyan abruptly withdrew his gaze from her, his ears involuntarily warming.
"Master, it's time to eat."
Su Xiao's eyes were still slightly red from crying, her voice carrying a soft, nasal tone.
Even so, that tender and delicate "Master" made one's heart tremble.
Xiao Jinyan turned his head back, looking at her with a complex expression.
He didn't understand why he had lost control of his emotions upon hearing her voice.
When she said other things, it was fine, but it was precisely this "Master" that particularly stirred his nerves.
It was as if he had heard it many times before—seductive to the bone, fresh in his memory.
Unaware of the twists and turns in his heart, Su Xiao had taken the initiative to bring him food out of consideration for his status, fearing that if others came, they might not serve him well. A single misplaced word could bring disaster.
She was accustomed to serving him and knew his preferences well.
For dinner, she had personally cooked two dishes according to his tastes.
The Su family was poor, and their only old hen had already been stewed into chicken soup.
Using the chicken broth, she stewed some fresh bamboo shoots she had picked from the back hill, then sliced potatoes into shreds and stir-fried a plate of simple potato strips.
The staple was wild vegetable cornbread, mixed with a bit of wheat flour and sprinkled with salt.
The salty cornbread had some flavor to it, making it more palatable than plain coarse grains.
She had also considered that he was injured and needed to replenish some salt, which was why she had taken such care, specially steaming a few vegetable cornbreads.
The warm broth carried the fragrance of bamboo shoots, the chicken tender and flavorful, and the potato strips crisp and delicious.
Xiao Jinyan did not prioritize indulgence in food and had not expected much from dinner.
To his surprise, the meal Su Xiao brought exceeded his expectations and suited his tastes perfectly.
As for the cornbread, during military campaigns, he had eaten coarse food that was even harder to swallow. In the harsh winter, when steamed buns froze as hard as stones, he had to gnaw on them as long as they didn't break his teeth, just to fill his stomach.
"Who made these dishes?"
He was quite satisfied with the dinner and felt it necessary to express his gratitude.
"It was…"
Su Xiao was about to habitually say "it was your concubine," but she changed her words just in time: "This commoner."
"Your culinary skills are acceptable."
Xiao Jinyan's eyes flickered slightly as he gave her a meaningful look.
Her parents had already entrusted her to him. Since her relatives could not be found, keeping her by his side as a comforting companion wouldn't be a bad idea.
The status of Prince Rui's household was so high that even being a concubine would not disgrace her.
"Master."
As he was pondering, another seductive "Master" reached his ears, tinged with a hint of flattery and strikingly similar to the voice of the woman in his dreams, making him feel a wave of heat.
"What is it?"
Fortunately, he was not one to smile easily, usually maintaining a cold and stern expression, which prevented him from losing his composure on the spot.
"Um…"
Su Xiao rubbed her hands nervously, lifting her eyelids to steal a glance at him.
The faint candlelight illuminated the girl's fair face, adding a touch of alluring blush.
Seeing her hesitate to speak, Xiao Jinyan felt his heartbeat quicken inexplicably.
Their eyes met, and the air seemed to fill with an ambiguous and intimate atmosphere.
Su Xiao seemed to find it difficult to speak, or perhaps she was like a frightened little rabbit, abruptly withdrawing her gaze.
Xiao Jinyan's heartbeat faltered for a moment.
He was of noble status, with women throwing themselves at him like moths to a flame, and he had never paid any mind to those common beauties. But if it were Miss Su…
Thinking of the scenes from his dream, he couldn't help but feel a faint surge of anticipation.
Su Xiao had no idea that someone's thoughts had taken a sharp turn in an instant. Remembering her adoptive parents' impoverished circumstances, she hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to speak.
The next second, Xiao Jinyan watched as those tempting lips parted, and from those beautiful, petal-like pink lips came a sentence.
"This is the only old hen left in the house. There won't be anything to eat tomorrow."
Xiao Jinyan: "…"