Can't We Just Not Divorce After All? - Chapter 4

The third young master of the Grand Princess’s mansion? An illegitimate son?”

Xiao Yanshi instantly sobered up from the alcohol.

“Yeah, he only just acknowledged his ancestors and returned to the clan two days ago,” Song Qingyuan explained casually. “You tell me if it’s ridiculous—the Grand Princess and the Consort have treated each other with the respect due to guests for decades. The entire city of Jiangling, from high-ranking officials and nobles down to the common folk, knew that the two of them were a harmonious couple, the envy of everyone.”

“But… overnight, the Consort suddenly had an illegitimate son who had been drifting outside.”

Song Qingyuan leaned against the window to get some air. “I heard that the day it happened, the Grand Princess was so angry she nearly fainted. The little County Prince, Xue Qi, even grabbed a whip and went to strike the man. It was only because the Consort had people stop him… but because of that, the matter was taken all the way to His Majesty.”

“On one side is his own sister, and on the other is his brother-in-law who holds the Firearm Battalion. Our Emperor spent a good half-day trying to persuade them to reconcile, and then summoned several other people. They spent an entire day fussing, and I don’t know how they eventually convinced the Grand Princess and the little County Prince to allow that mysterious ‘Third Young Master’ to enter the mansion.”

Song Qingyuan treated it as mere gossip, speaking quite lightly. “Everyone thinks this matter is utterly absurd—some unknown kid just effortlessly enters the Grand Princess’s mansion and becomes a legitimate ‘Third Young Master’… But I’ve heard that this person had actually been taken in by the Consort a long time ago. It was just kept hidden outside, and only recently did the news leak and get caught, which is why the whole thing blew up.”

“The Grand Princess is no fool, and our Emperor is even more omniscient; they likely knew the truth early on… It was just that they hadn’t gotten a solid grip on the Consort’s weaknesses, which allowed this illegitimate son to hide securely for so many years.”

Xiao Yanshi remained silent.

It was only after Song Qingyuan had been talking for a long time that he remembered to poke him. “Look at what I just said. You’ve been in the Northern Frontier all these years, so you’ve had no chance to know such a person. Besides, the Pingbei Marquis estate and the Grand Princess’s mansion have always been at odds. I suppose it’s just that this person looks a bit like someone you know…”

Seeing that Xiao Yanshi still didn’t speak, Song Qingyuan tried to find words to comfort him. “It’s not worth your energy to worry about someone you don’t know. Whether he’s the Third Young Master or the Ninth Young Master, it has nothing to do with you or me, you…”

Xiao Yanshi abruptly pried open the jar of wine nearby before Song Qingyuan could stop him. “Hey, that jar is strong liquor!”

Before a moment had passed, the jar of strong liquor was empty.

This was the first time Xiao Yanshi had gotten completely dead drunk. When Song Qingyuan was bringing him back to the Pingbei Marquis estate, he ran straight into Xiao Yanzhi.

“A-Shi, why is he so heavily drunk?” Xiao Yanzhi was of a slender build, and Song Qingyuan felt embarrassed to dump the intoxicated Xiao Yanshi onto him. He laughed to explain, “A few friends got together and the conversation became quite lively; we ended up drinking too much by accident…”

Xiao Yanzhi nodded. “A-Shi has been in the Northern Frontier for so many years; it’s reasonable for him to want to drink to his heart’s content when finally reuniting with you.”

With that, he called for servants from the estate to support Xiao Yanshi, then turned back to greet Song Qingyuan. “It’s getting late, and the roads outside are slippery and unsafe. A-Yuan, why don’t you stay at the Marquis estate for the night?”

“Then I shall impose on you.”

“A-Yuan, you are too polite.”

Song Qingyuan was arranged in a guest room next to Xiao Yanshi’s courtyard. Although it was not as grand as his own estate, the furnishings were orderly, and the room was warmed by the heated floor. Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, the sun was bright. Song Qingyuan rolled around in his bed several times before finally dragging himself up.

The servants of the Marquis estate did not talk much; they put down the water and clean clothes and retreated. After he bathed and changed, they arrived exactly on time to serve breakfast.

Unlike the previous day, today’s meal was exceptionally rich, with both meat and vegetable dishes. Upon closer inspection, the taste was even slightly familiar.

“How is it? Is it to your liking?”

Just as Song Qingyuan was eating with satisfaction, a head poked in from the window.

Xiao Yanshi was dressed in training clothes; his headband was half-soaked with sweat, and the side of his neck was also damp. It was clear he had just finished martial arts practice.

“Hurry up and change your clothes so you can have breakfast. You’re covered in sweat; you’ll definitely catch a cold if the wind catches you.” Song Qingyuan chattered on, but Xiao Yanshi didn’t care. He braced himself against the window sill, vaulted inside easily, wiped his hands casually, and picked up a steamed bun, biting off half of it.

“Are you hiding something from me?” Song Qingyuan thought of yesterday’s events while eating. He pondered for a while and felt that Xiao Yanshi hadn’t been quite right ever since he saw the Third Young Master of the Grand Princess’s mansion.

“What could there be to hide? You’re overthinking it.” Xiao Yanshi finished two steamed buns and drank a bowl of hot soup, finally feeling more comfortable in his stomach.

When in the Northern Frontier, he rarely drank alcohol, and even then, he only took a sip. Unlike yesterday, the strong liquor had burned his stomach, and he woke up feeling physically unwell all over; now, his head felt somewhat dizzy.

It felt as though he had gotten into a fight with someone, with a fine, dense pain embedded in his very bones.

Song Qingyuan couldn’t pry anything out of Xiao Yanshi, and eventually gave up.

After he finished eating and prepared to return to his estate, he reached the door and suddenly realized, “This breakfast table this morning it’s from that restaurant on the east side of the city, isn’t it?”

Xiao Yanshi stood in the snow and smiled. “Weren’t you always the one who loved their food the most?”

“Bi-jian broth, Ruyi rolls, Qingfeng rice.”

Song Qingyuan laughed along, then added, “And the candied hawthorn sticks from next door to the restaurant.”

“I’ll treat you next time.” Xiao Yanshi curled his lips, and laughter filled the eyes of both men.

Before two days had passed, the Second Prince came knocking at the door.

By the time Xiao Yanshi knew, Xiao Yanzhi had already been kneeling in the snow for the duration of a stick of incense.

He rushed back to the estate. Upon seeing them, he immediately helped Xiao Yanzhi up from the ground, ignoring his brother’s struggles and the dark, gloomy expression on Xue Shao’s face.

“Xiao Yanshi!” Xue Shao was furious, even though Xiao Yanshi didn’t understand where the Second Prince’s anger was coming from.

“This subordinate is here.” Xiao Yanshi knelt without hesitation. His knees hit the ground with a thud, making Xiao Yanzhi frown. “Your Highness, A-Shi, he…”

“Your Highness!” Xiao Yanshi interrupted Xiao Yanzhi. “My brother’s health is weak and he cannot handle the cold wind. May you permit him to return first? This subordinate will listen to your orders.”

Xue Shao glanced at Xiao Yanzhi and hummed, which was meant to grant Xiao Yanshi’s request.

Xiao Yanzhi hesitated for a moment, but left after receiving a signal from Xiao Yanshi.

Once he was gone, Xue Shao kicked Xiao Yanshi’s knee lightly. “I didn’t ask you to kneel…”

This was a sign that he could stand up.

Xiao Yanshi did not want to provoke Xue Shao’s temper any further and rose smoothly.

“Have you eaten?” Xiao Yanshi offered a compromise.

“I’m full from your anger!” Xue Shao glared at Xiao Yanshi.

“That means you haven’t eaten.” Xiao Yanshi stood in place for a moment, then decided to get the short-tempered Second Prince out of the Marquis estate, so he took him out.

Once out of the estate, they walked for three alleys. Xiao Yanshi hadn’t thought of a destination, so he asked Xue Shao, “Which restaurant does Your Highness want to go to?”

Xue Shao was a noble prince; such trivial matters never required his thought. In the past, others would invite him again and again, having already prepared a place to welcome him.

Being asked this by Xiao Yanshi, he was stunned.

To avoid revealing his own ignorance, Xue Shao pointed in a direction at random. Xiao Yanshi looked in the direction he pointed, and suddenly realized something.

“Fine.”

The two of them walked in that direction.

Another heavy snow had fallen the night before, and the snow on the ground hadn’t melted yet. Xue Shao walked with heavy steps, finding it difficult. When he accidentally slipped and nearly screamed, someone caught him by the waist.

The moment he stood steady, Xiao Yanshi withdrew his hand, his low voice drifting on the wind, “Careful.”

Xue Shao pressed his lips together and murmured a sound of acknowledgement, not knowing if Xiao Yanshi had heard him.

The atmosphere between the two was stagnant, and it only improved slightly after Xiao Yanshi took Xue Shao upstairs.

They ordered a pot of hot tea, a few plates of pastries, and two or three hot dishes that were suitable, both meat and vegetables.

Xiao Yanshi pushed the bowls and dishes to Xue Shao’s side. “Your Highness, please make do with this.”

“Oh.” Xue Shao picked up his chopsticks and ate slowly. After a while, he seemed to suddenly remember something and asked Xiao Yanshi, “Are you not eating?”

Xiao Yanshi shook his head. “I already ate this morning.”

“Oh.” Xue Shao lowered his head again.

After all, he was of royal blood. Xue Shao picked and chose for quite a while, yet the food on the plate hadn’t diminished much.

Xiao Yanshi simply pretended not to see.

“You said that day you would come to my estate.” Xue Shao set down his chopsticks and lowered his head slightly.

Xiao Yanshi looked at the crown on his head exquisite and noble. “This subordinate forgot.”

“Did you forget, or were you unwilling?” Xue Shao looked up. “It has been ten years; you still hate me, don’t you?”

There was resentment in his eyes. “It was just a little eunuch; is it worth it for you to keep remembering that incident?”

It was almost a reprimand, but Xiao Yanshi felt a sudden, fleeting daze.

So, that little eunuch had already been dead for ten years!

Xiao Yanshi had been sent into the palace at the age of seven to be the Second Prince’s companion.

The two were similar in age; Xiao Yanshi was only three months older than Xue Shao.

Before entering the palace, Xiao Yanshi had been a little tyrant in the Pingbei Marquis estate, pampered by everyone in the household, which fostered his fearless nature.

But just after his seventh birthday, an imperial decree summoned him into the palace. Everyone was afraid he would be mistreated, but they didn’t expect that this little companion of his would be far from well-behaved. Within a month, the golden and jade-adorned Second Prince had become his little follower.

Xue Shao loved clinging to Xiao Yanshi.

Xiao Yanshi, however, found this little prince somewhat annoying because the kid cried too easily, always wiping his snot all over him. Within half a month, every piece of clothing Xiao Yanshi had brought from the Marquis estate had been ruined by Xue Shao.

One day, Xiao Yanshi’s mother sent him a few new outfits.

This time, Xiao Yanshi cherished them and instinctively stayed far away from Xue Shao, for fear that his new clothes would fall victim to “poisonous hands” again.

Yet, before two days had passed, a sleeve was torn by Xue Shao again.

Xiao Yanshi was so angry his little face flushed red; he covered his sleeve and ran off. The result of running aimlessly was.

He got lost.

It was early autumn, and the rain came just as it was predicted. Xiao Yanshi was drenched from head to toe.

Then, he stood in the rain and broke down, crying loudly.

Tears mixed with rain, and his vision was blurry. He didn’t know when someone had come up behind him, pulling Xiao Yanshi to hide under the rockery. “It’s raining so hard, aren’t you afraid of getting soaked and falling ill?”

The person in front of him was wearing the standard attire of a eunuch, and was only half a head taller than Xiao Yanshi.

But strangely, Xiao Yanshi felt at peace.

“What is your name?” the little eunuch asked.

“Xiao Yanshi.” Xiao Yanshi spoke through his sobs, not forgetting to cover his sleeve. “…You, what is your name?”