Yun Xiao watched her retreating back, so slender, like a delicate willow, her heart aching intensely. She turned to look at Shangguan Yin and spoke slowly, "What a wonderful girl. I thought she would marry Prince Lin, but I never expected things to turn out this way."
"You, stop worrying about other people's affairs. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; what seems heartless can be full of feeling. You won't know until the very end," Shangguan Yin said, his peerlessly handsome features holding an unfathomable expression, like a master monk with boundless Buddhist wisdom. Yun Xiao immediately drew the curtain, her eyes alight with interest, and asked, "Do you have some inside information? Could it be that Prince Lin also likes Zhi Qiu?"
"You," Shangguan Yin reached out and pinched Yun Xiao's nose. This girl, as soon as she regained her spirit, became as capricious and peculiar as ever. His gaze involuntarily drifted to their sleeping son. He wondered if his son inherited his own cold ruthlessness, or perhaps Yun Xiao's peculiar and capricious nature.
The party entered the palace with ease and familiarity.
Shangguan Lin immediately rushed over to visit his Imperial Sister-in-law and his nephew, whom he had not yet met.
However, Yun Xiao did not give him a pleasant look. Thinking of the suffering Zhi Qiu had endured, she couldn't help but glare at him fiercely, thinking what a careless fellow he was.
Shangguan Lin looked utterly bewildered. He grumbled a bit to himself before continuing to dote on his little nephew. Then, he cast a casual glance around. Not seeing the person he wished to see, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, pondering inwardly if she had returned to the prince's manor.
After their interactions in recent days, he thought he had disliked her. But since her departure, he felt as if something was missing. The longer time passed, the stronger this feeling became.
Now, he was finally certain that he liked that girl. It was because she possessed the same fearlessness as Yun Xiao. They were the same kind of people, and that was the type he liked.
Yun Xiao took her son from Shangguan Lin's hands. She couldn't let her son be influenced by such a heartless and unjust fellow.
"Our Yu'er needs to sleep. Brother Wang, you should go back now."
She directly dismissed him. Shangguan Yin chuckled helplessly from the side; he knew why Xiao'er was being so impolite.
Shangguan Lin, however, didn't mind, as Yun Xiao had never been polite to him anyway.
But before leaving, he couldn't resist asking, "Where is Zhi Qiu? Has she returned to the manor?"
"Hmph."
Yun Xiao let out a cold snort.
Shangguan Yin spoke slowly, "She returned. I heard she went to find her master. Xiao'er wanted her to stay, but she insisted on leaving."
"What?"
Shangguan Lin, uncharacteristically, let out a thunderous roar. His expression changed drastically. Although this roar startled Yu Fan, Yun Xiao was not angry. On the contrary, she was very pleased. She stared intently at Shangguan Lin, wondering what his reaction signified.
He likes Zhi Qiu. This is truly wonderful. Finally, I have developed a close girlfriend. Yun Xiao chuckled slyly. Shangguan Lin paid them no mind. He leaped up and then sprang away, his clear voice echoing back,
"Your Majesty, I need to leave the capital for a while."
"Alright, alright. You must bring Zhi Qiu back. When you return, I will officiate your wedding."
Behind them, Shangguan Yin's doting gaze enveloped her entire being. "Xiao'er, do you want to collect the matchmaker's fee?"
"Why not?"
The two of them laughed. At this moment, Yu Fan began to cry appropriately…
Five years later.
Suzhou City. The martial arts convention, held every five years, convened in Suzhou City. The young Martial Arts Alliance Leader, Yi Yuxuan, had announced that he would select a new leader and then shed his heavy responsibilities to wander through mountains and rivers.
Because of the Martial Arts Alliance Leader's words, Suzhou City was uncharacteristically bustling. All the inns and restaurants were packed. On the streets and alleys, people walked by wearing swords or carrying them. At a glance, the sight was filled with martial artists.
The streets were lively and prosperous, filled with hearty laughter and resounding boasts of brotherhood.
Amidst this lively crowd, two figures walked by, one large and one small. The elder was slender and agile, with refined features. Her movements were elegant and gentle, graceful and soft. Although dressed as a man, she possessed a delicate weakness that evoked pity.
However, in the Jiangnan region, scholars were often frail, so people did not particularly mind. It was the little fellow beside him who drew attention.
He was born with rosy lips and white teeth, eyebrows like autumn leaves, and eyes like peaches. His skin possessed a lustrous sheen like mercury, tinged with the rosy hue of rouge. His nose was small and high-bridged, and his lips were as beautiful as cherry blossoms.
As this little fellow walked down the street, any female, be they old or young, could not take their eyes off him. From seventy-year-old grandmothers to three-year-old little girls, none could escape his charm.
Yet, this fellow, with a self-proclaimed romantic air, held a small folding fan, which he occasionally waved.
On the vast street, gasps erupted, accompanied by faint screams.
"Who is this? So beautiful! Mommy, can we snatch him back?"
A five-year-old girl on the street implored her mother.
Then, several fierce gazes shot over from the side, as if they wanted to devour that girl. Such a pleasing young master, if snatched away, what would they look at?
The slender young man walking in front was Yun Xiao, dressed in men's attire, who had sneaked out of the palace to find some fun. Following behind was naturally her shadow, her son, Shangguan Yu Fan.
She simply couldn't understand why he managed to catch her every time she wanted to sneak out. Look, what good came from bringing him along? People didn't even look at her; they all looked at this dashing young man.
Yun Xiao turned and looked at her son, who was still acting all flirtatious behind her.
"Yu Fan, can you leave a little spotlight for your mother?"
Shangguan Yu Fan, although only five years old, was exceptionally intelligent and astute. Both in intellect and appearance, he inherited from the Shangguan family.
Combined with the guidance of such a mother, this young fellow's wisdom was such that even many adults might not be able to match him.
"Mother, if Father finds out, do you think you'll be able to get out next time?"
Yu Fan retorted with a question. Yun Xiao was immediately rendered speechless. Yes, her dear husband, His Majesty the Emperor, had become increasingly jealous.
If he knew she was so dazzling outside, he would definitely detain her. Therefore, whenever her son was dazzling, she would claim it was for his own good.
"Yu Fan, if you follow me again next time, I'll break your legs."
Yun Xiao said fiercely, hands on her hips, glaring at Yu Fan behind her.
The fellow immediately put away his fan, acting obedient and docile. He looked wronged, with tears welling up in his eyes, just about to fall.
Yun Xiao looked at him inexplicably. Was this fellow not that fragile? To become so wronged after just a word? Just as she was thinking this, she heard discussions around her.
"Who is this person? How can they treat a child like this?"
"Yes, what a cute child! If he were mine, I'd worship him."
One person after another on the street, even some martial arts knights were preparing to step forward to denounce Yun Xiao. At this very moment, Yu Fan added, "Mother, did Mother pick Yu Fan up?"
To prevent the situation from escalating further and receiving more criticism, Yun Xiao quickly took the lead and scooped up Yu Fan.
"Heh heh, let's go, Yu Fan."
She hugged her son and fled in a hurry. Yu Fan snuggled into Yun Xiao's arms with a smug expression, smiling sweetly. His dazzling radiance clearly indicated that as he grew up, he would become another heartbreaker.
He reached out and hugged his mother's neck. Mother's body was so soft and smelled so good. He loved his mother so much, which was why he was so fixated on her and followed her every time she secretly slipped out of the palace.