With Xiao Jing’an asking this, Pei Yuning immediately associated it with the words Pei Yan had spoken to him.
The person before him was a cut-sleeve, liked men, and harbored that kind of intention toward him.
Frightened, Pei Yuning’s complexion instantly turned pale.
He did not know how to answer Xiao Jing’an’s words.
If he answered honestly and said no, he was afraid that in the next sentence Xiao Jing’an would ask him to be his male concubine.
If he deceived him, since he had never lied before, he was afraid of being seen through at a glance and offending a prince of the realm.
Xiao Jing’an observed every subtle change in Pei Yuning’s expression, taking it all in.
He probed Pei Yuning like this to verify what kind of relationship Pei Yuning actually had with the Third Prince.
That night at the Beishan hunting grounds, he had already ascertained that Pei Yan and Pei Yuning had blundered in by accident.
Pei Yuning was not dispatched by the Third Prince.
Afterward, Xiao Jing’an conducted another investigation into Pei Yuning.
He learned that not only did Pei Yuning lack martial arts skills, but his body was also exceptionally frail and weak.
With such a person, what would the Third Prince use him for?
And he even bestowed upon him that jade pendant symbolizing the imperial family.
Then, there was only that one possibility left.
He was the Third Prince’s underground male concubine.
For descendants of the imperial family to raise underground male concubines as amusement was also a common practice.
And Pei Yuning’s performance at this moment had already allowed Xiao Jing’an to confirm his own conjecture.
“What are you two chatting about?”
Suddenly, a handsome face magnified right before Xiao Jing’an’s eyes.
Pei Yan wedged himself between the two like a sandwich.
Blocking his little dad and Xiao Jing’an.
The intention could not be clearer.
He wanted to protect his little dad from being harassed by the pervert in front of them.
The moment Xiao Jing’an saw Pei Yan, an expression of heavy disgust instantly gathered on his face.
Pei Yan saw the look he harbored toward him clear as day.
“What kind of outfit are you wearing?”
“New clothes!”
As he spoke, Pei Yan spun lightly in place, the emerald-green hem of his robe kicking up a wave of ripples, and his slender figure, set off by the emerald-green gown, involuntarily brought to mind a plump, vibrant green caterpillar on a tree.
Xiao Jing’an averted his gaze in disgust, not wanting to look at him a second longer.
Taking advantage of the fact that Xiao Jing’an’s attention was not on the two of them, Pei Yan hurriedly shot a look at Pei Yuning, signaling him to hurry and escape from the pervert.
Clutching his knapsack, Pei Yuning slipped away as if fleeing for his life.
Up in the tree, Sheng Nan stroked his chin and pondered, “Why does Pei Yan want Pei Yuning to avoid the master? It feels like, as if the master is going to eat Pei Yuning?”
Beside him, Sheng Dong’s mind was not on this; he plucked a large green caterpillar off a tree leaf to take a look, then glanced at Pei Yan.
And said to Sheng Nan, “Hey, just look at it! Pei Yan looks all scholarly and graceful, yet when it comes to styling himself, he’s a downright earthly plebeian!”
Sheng Nan’s gaze landed on the golden-bright belt with square gold plaques hanging around Pei Yan’s waist, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
“Tacky-chic, tacky-chic.”
“The master isn’t looking at him, probably because he feels his eyes are being violated.”
Sheng Dong asked, “Then what now? The master isn’t going to beat Pei Yan up to a pulp, is he?”
Sheng Nan sighed helplessly, “The master usually doesn’t beat people, unless he can’t help it. But seeing that he can still hold back right now, he’s probably going to do something about it.”
Having heard Sheng Nan’s analysis, Sheng Dong looked toward his master.
His master really was about to do something.
“Where are you taking me?”
Pei Yan lifted his robe and closely followed behind Xiao Jing’an.
“Today, aren’t you taking me to the Imperial College to enroll and meet the Libationer?”
Xiao Jing’an walked briskly toward the street ahead.
“I will naturally send someone to inform the Libationer to wait.”
[You’re awesome, happy now!]
Pei Yan stopped making sound, quietly following behind Xiao Jing’an.
The person who had been chattering away like a large bird suddenly quieted down.
Xiao Jing’an seemed to feel somewhat unaccustomed to it.
He turned his head to glance at the person behind him.
“Catch up, don’t follow behind me looking like a slave.”
[If I walk shoulder to shoulder with you, you’ll say I lack propriety and am offending you again.]
[This guy just looks at me the wrong way no matter what.]
However, Pei Yan still obediently caught up.
Xiao Jing’an glanced sideways at Pei Yan’s shoulders, which were a notch lower than his own, and the corners of his lips curved upward slightly, revealing an imperceptible trace of contempt.
“Who bought that white outfit of yours?”
Xiao Jing’an asked suddenly.
Pei Yan did not forget to flatter him with a smile, “Your discernment is truly unique; you could tell at a glance that that white outfit wasn’t my taste.”
Immediately answering Xiao Jing’an’s question, “That white outfit of mine was bought for me by a meddlesome turtle bastard.”
The white outfit Pei Yan wore when he transmigrated back was specially custom-made for Pei Yan by Xiao Jing’an in his past life through the Directorate of Imperial Fashion.
He similarly couldn’t stand Pei Yan’s fashion sense.
Hearing Pei Yan give this answer, the corner of Xiao Jing’an’s brow twitched, vaguely feeling as though he were cursing himself.
“Someone kindly bestowed clothing upon you, yet you disparage others behind their backs, showing such a lack of gratitude.”
Xiao Jing’an lowered his gaze and swept a glance at the fabric on Pei Yan’s body.
“The fabric of that white outfit was far superior to this one.”
In his past life, the fabric of that white outfit was Tianshan brocade contributed as tribute by foreign states, extremely precious.
However, Pei Yan did not know this, thinking it was merely ordinary high-grade brocade from the palace.
Even though Xiao Jing’an knew it was precious brocade, foreign states had not yet contributed this kind of precious brocade to the Longxiao State at the present time.
Therefore, both of them were unaware of the specific value of Pei Yan’s white outfit—it could buy an entire mansion.
Especially since Pei Yan’s attention was not focused on this right now.
“Are you going to buy a set of clothes for me?”
“Yes.”
A hint of sarcasm emerged from Xiao Jing’an’s bland tone.
“Could it be that you’re also going to disparage me behind my back to the previous meddlesome turtle bastard?”
“How could I be so ungrateful, and I wouldn’t dare to have the guts of a bear and a leopard to disparage you.”
Pei Yan curved his eyebrows slightly, smiling apologetically as he explained, “That person meddled in everything concerning me, just like managing a child, managing me to the point where there was almost no blind spot left, it was very stifling.”
Hearing Pei Yan’s words, Xiao Jing’an seemed quite interested in the meddlesome turtle bastard Pei Yan had mentioned.
“Why did he manage you like that?”
“He lacks a son.”
After making a joke, Pei Yan said earnestly, “He said treating me this way was for my own good.”
Xiao Jing’an’s interest grew even stronger, and he even slowed down his walking pace as he moved forward.
“Why would he want to treat you well?”
Pei Yan quietly glared at the muddle-headed emperor who was digging for gossip, his pace forced to slow down along with him.
“I saved his life once.”
“How did you save it?”
“He fell gravely ill, and my blood was used as a medicinal to cure his illness.”
Pei Yan did not know that his illness hadn’t been cured, but merely had his lifespan extended somewhat.
Having heard Pei Yan’s words, Xiao Jing’an knitted his brows in quiet contemplation for a moment: “You believe his management of you was an act of repaying a favor, but have you ever considered that he might feel affection for you and adore you?”