Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

73. A Bet Between Brothers

Translator: Flying Lines

“You are only suspicious. There is no need to investigate too deeply into this. If I never have anyone by my side, Father would get suspicious.” Xiao Shengnian’s expression was gentle and peaceful. His lips curved into a habitual smile as he said, “Nianxuan has no complicated or powerful identity and no background. It would be best if he stays by my side.”

“As you wish. I only came here to remind you, that’s all…” As he said this, Xiao ShengXian remembered the time when Su Jie slapped his handsome face again. Anger rose in his heart and he added, “And also, Wen Nianxuan is so impulsive, frivolous and inexperienced. It doesn’t seem like he would do a good job as a spy.”

“That’s enough… You are also childish. When you meet Nianxuan, who’s a sore loser, it is only natural for you two to butt heads.”

“Wen Nianxuan is older than me by two years yet he is much more frivolous. He’s obviously more arrogant than I am.”

“Yes,” Xiao Shengnian nodded in agreement, “He is probably the first common folk who dared to hit a prince. Even though I don’t know if other people will follow after him, but at least I know there have been no others like him before.”

“Yet, in the end, you are still protecting him.” There were some hints of resentment in Xiao ShengXian’s tone.

“Perhaps his origin really isn’t that simple. My teacher, Zhou Zaiyue, is very knowledgeable. For those who are acknowledged by him naturally cannot be simple… and as the child of my teacher’s old friend, Wen Nianxuan’s background is definitely not as simple as a normal common folk’s. And the way my teacher treats Nianxuan is worth thinking about too, so I will probably still need you to investigate this for me.”

“Brother, even if my intelligence network is spread far and wide, I cannot do anything about these kinds of things, especially about your teacher. He isobviously an elderly person who has been living discreetly in the mountains, yet his knowledge is unrivaled and he bumped into you accidentally. I am suspicious that his name is fake.” Xiao ShengXian probably felt very useless at this point as he rambled on about his personal assumptions.

He didn’t know that his words actually caused a streak of enlightenment in Xiao Shengnian’s mind. In the many years he had known him, Xiao Shengnian had never opened an investigation into Zhou Zaiyue. This was not only because of his respect towards Zhou Zaiyue but also because Zhou Zaiyue had lived in Mount Mengqi for all these years, which added to his aura as an otherworldly master. But ever since Zhou Zaiyue had organized for people to rescue Sun Shu, Xiao Shengnian began to harbor a thread of curiosity towards Zhou Zaiyue’s history.

“Perhaps we could begin by investigating my teacher’s tiger and parrot. He seems to have studied the language of beasts…” Xiao Shengnian frowned. He vaguely remembered that the books he had looked through had said this but he couldn’t remember the exact words.

“What language of beasts? Are there still people who know this?” Xiao Shengxian let out a little snigger, a wisp of disdain in his eyes. He laughingly said, “I heard that the founder of the former State Yanling could command beasts but the ability has probably been lost to time long ago?”

“State Yanling…” A dim light flashed across Xiao Shengnian’s eyes. At Xiao Shengxian’s reminder, he suddenly remembered.

Xiao Shengnian stroked his chin thoughtfully for a while. There was a cold pleasantness in his eyes. “That’s right. This was probably recorded in a section about the language of beasts in ‘History of Yanling’.”

Xiao Shengxian did not know that his words would inspire his brother. He curled his lips, and said disinterestedly, “Brother, you are still reading up on other countries’ histories? How boring!”

“It’s just that you haven’t discovered the enjoyment of doing so.” To people like Xiao Shengnian who read books as a hobby, who never mind a thick history book, he would even read about the unofficial history of folk rumors.

On the other hand, Xiao Shengxian was visibly uninterested in this conversation. He narrowed his eyes and changed the subject. “Oh yes, brother, I heard that Sun Shu escaped from under your nose. Did Father blame you?”

“Obviously.” Xiao Shengnian answered lightly.

“Who could rescue someone from you?”

“You’re talking as if I am peerlessly formidable.” Xiao Shengnian let out a laugh.

Xiao ShengXian hummed twice and asked, “Did father punish you?”

“He hasn’t yet, but a royal edict will probably arrive tomorrow.”

“You’re not a worm inside Father’s stomach. How would you know when the edict would come?”

“Shall we bet on this?”

Hearing that, Xiao ShengXian rolled up his sleeves. He said with a smile, “Fine. You win every time we bet. I don’t believe it. Father would never tell you beforehand when the edict will arrive. If Father did indeed want to give an edict, you should have received one when you left the palace today.”

Xiao Shengnian just smiled, not saying a word.

Xiao ShengXian asked, “What are you betting on this time?”

“If you lose, you cannot visit Drunken Spring Brothel for a month.”

“If you lose, then you must accompany me to Drunken Spring Brothel every day during this month.” Xiao ShengXian laughed.

“…”

“How about it? Are you too scared now?” Xiao ShengXian smiled so happily that his eyes arched upwards. Even those alluring eyes were shining with laughter.

“Why would I be scared?” Xiao Shengnian raised an eyebrow; the action itself was three parts, charm and seven parts, elegance. He said with a smile, “It’s just that I’m worried your body won’t be able to endure it if you go to Drunken Spring Brothel every day.”

“It’s worth dying just to win this bet, brother. Not to mention, the ladies at the brothel would love it if I could drag brother to Drunken Spring Brothel.”

“Perhaps in your next life. You still haven’t won against me, yet you have already started to entertain all sorts of ideas.” Xiao Shengnian stretched out a hand to knock on his head.

“Brother, will you find a woman in the future?” Xiao ShengXian rubbed at the spot his brother had knocked as he asked suddenly.

Xiao Shengnian was mildly startled. His gaze didn’t have the slightest of warmth and the droop of his eyes covered the coldness in his eyes.

In a calm voice full of steely firmness, he said, “I won’t.”

“Then do youhave someone you love?”

Hearing this, Xiao Shengnian immediately drew up a picture of Su Jiein his mind but then frowned slightly. He didn’t answer the question but asked instead, “Why are you asking about this today?”

“No particular reason, I just felt like it.” Xiao ShengXian stood up and stretched in a display unbecoming of a prince. His figure was well-proportioned and graceful. The luxurious deep purple robe he wore hugged his figure perfectly and with the addition of his charming slanted eyes, he simply looked… exceptional.

“That’s enough. Go back. Yu’er has been quite attached to me recently.” Xiao ShengXian said.

“En.” Xiao Shengnian nodded.