Chapter 9.12

Xu-shi saw her son standing by the front door, neither entering nor leaving. His silly and blur appearance was very embarrassing. She quickly moved forward and pulled his sleeve to drag him to stand before Yan Rui.

“You child, why didn’t you tell Mother that you knew wangye? Just now, wangye came looking for you, Mother had gotten quite the fright. I’ll go find the inn manager to arrange the drink and food right now. Accompany wangye and have a good chat.”

Fan Yuan nodded his head stiffly. Xu-shi felt a little worried when she noticed that he had lost his usual sharpness, but in the presence of a noble, she didn’t have anything to say, so she left the room uneasily.

Before she had even left far off, the previously dignified wangye-daren immediately showed his true colours, reaching out and pulling Fan Yuan into his arms. He said with a laugh, “Why, is Second Young Master Ning not happy to see this prince?”

Fan Yuan lifted his gaze and glared at him. He tugged at Yan Rui’s collar and questioned, “What did you say to my mother?”

“You guess.”

The corners of Yan Rui’s mouth gently raised as he slapped Fan Yuan’s buttocks. The crackling sound was particularly clear, and especially shameful amidst the quiet room. Fan Yuan’s ears had thoroughly reddened as well. He tugged at the man’s chest, a wisp of hair covering his lowered face as he tried to urge him, “She’s just a woman in the feudal era, her views are very old-fashioned. Don’t scare her.”

Yan Rui looked at him with narrow eyes and saw Fan Yuan open his eyes silently, looking like he had been wronged. Thus, he could only surrender helplessly, “Rest assured, this prince didn’t say a single thing. It was just that I knew you two mother and son have no home to return to, so I specially extended a helping hand. I don’t know if Second Young Master Ning is satisfied with this answer?”

Fan Yuan giggled with a ‘hehe’, “Naturally, I’m satisfied.” Then he gave him a heavy kiss on the cheek.

A hint of a smile flashed across Yan Rui’s eyes before his gaze seemingly swept across the area outside the door. Nonetheless, he continued to coax him, “Baby, when do you plan to give me a proper status? Don’t tell me you want to keep on having a secret love affair like this forever?”

Fan Yuan blushed and said stubbornly, “What’s wrong with a secret love affair? It’s exciting and fun. Actually……I’m not afraid of others finding out. A cut-sleeve, gay love affair with the most powerful wangye in the current dynasty could be considered a poetic matter. I’m just afraid Mother will be disappointed. This life of hers has been extremely difficult, I hope she can happily spend the remaining years of her life and not get frustrated or wronged over matters like these, or be pointed at and mocked by others.”

Yan Rui snorted, “And you’re alright with me getting frustrated or wronged.”

Fan Yuan felt that this man was being particularly childish tonight. He pulled both of Yan Rui’s cheeks up his hand and spoke with a playful smile, “Who said that I’m alright with it. Come, give Young Master a smile.”

Xu-shi was peeping secretly from outside the door. When she saw this scene, she nearly was so angry that she nearly fainted and she anxiously rushed downstairs. She was afraid that her son would be so silly to the point of offending wangye, so she returned to peep. However, she didn’t expect that Qi’er and wangye had this kind of relationship.

When she thought of the powerful and awe-inspiring Prince Wu flattering her son in private and letting him freely mess about with his face, indulging him instead of stopping him, her heart felt even more complicated.

If her son was being forced to do it, she would have tried her best to save him. But now from the looks of it, the two were clearly in love. It was all because of her that they were holding back, unable to be together wide in the open.

In fact, same-sex relations prevailed in the current dynasty. Many high officials and noble lords had this hobby. She had heard of this as well in the back residence, but she had never thought that her son was also a cut-sleeve.

Xu’s heart twisted and turned, not knowing how to deal with this. She could only pretend that she didn’t know and bring the clothing, food and drink for them. Using physical discomfort as an excuse, she returned to her room first. She needed a little time to mull it over.

Fan Yuan stared at the figure of her back thoughtfully. Yan Rui scooped a spoonful of red date snow fungus porridge to feed him, but Fan Yuan pushed his hand away and spoke doubtedly, “I always feel like something is off.”

Yan Rui placed the bowl down and laughed innocently, “Her eavesdropping can’t be considered me tipping her off.”

“?!” Fan yuan shook his head and said, “No way. If she was just at the door, why didn’t Xiao Wu tell me……” A little pause came, and he suddenly realised, “Bastard, you blocked the signal!”

When Yan Rui saw that he was angry, he quickly attuned himself to Fan Yuan’s temperament, “Xu-shi never expected to enjoy her old age with grandchildren to begin with. She’s very clear on the condition of Ning Siqi’s body too Whether he ends up with a man or woman, that actually doesn’t really matter. Right now, she simply just hasn’t come to terms with it. This way, when we go to this prince’s residence, we don’t have to be hiding and avoiding all the time. Isn’t that good? ”

Although it sounded reasonable, this scoundrel had made the decision without consulting him. It was really irritating. Fan Yuan slammed the table and minced out each word, “If you want me to forgive you, let me eat meat!”

Yan Rui eyed the porridge in his hand, then scanned over the table full of meat and fish. The look in his eyes turned deeper and deeper, and he asked in a deep voice, “What did you say, you wanted to eat?”

Fan Yuan’s body shook with a shiver. He thought back to before where he had been harshly taught a lesson for eating a piece of jerky, and he bit his lip aggrievedly as he opened his mouth, “Porridge.”

“Now that’s good,” Yan Rui was very satisfied. He scooped a spoonful of porridge to his lips, “Ah ——”

Fan Yuan opened his mouth obediently, “Ah ——”

*******************

The morning of the next day, Fan Yuan took Xu-shi back to Ning Residence in a grandiose manner. It was, first, to pack up their belongings, and second, to accept Ning Ximin’s cup of apology tea. Xu-shi had lived in Ning Residence for 30 years and this was the first time she had felt this free and exalted. Her entire aura was completely different.

But Ning Ximin was unwilling to offer up tea. Xu-shi stared at her for a good while before she slowly reached for that cup of tea and took a light sip from it. She said, “Hope Second Young Miss is familiar with reading ‘Lessons for Women’, don’t disgrace the Ning Family in the future.”

Ning Ximin stared at the leaving figures of the two of them and sneered in her heart. These two homeless curs dared to teach her a lesson. She wanted to see how well they could live after abandoning the Ning Family.

Half an hour later, the person she sent to follow them had come back with a report. They reported that they had watched Xu yiniang and the Second Young Master enter Prince Wu’s residence, and the wangye had personally met them outside the residence’s gate.

Ning Ximin gritted her teeth, “Turns out that Ning Siqi’s lover is Prince Wu! With that man’s support, it’s no wonder that he can easily deal with Ning Xirong and Ning Zhe. That bed-climbing slut! Thankfully he has removed himself from the Ning Family ancestry, otherwise this miss wouldn’t let him go lightly! ”

That servant immediately lowered his head, pretending not to hear anything.

A few months later, the news came that Ning Siqi had gotten the top place in the commission examination. Old Madam Ning let out a long sigh, feeling a bit of regret. Second Master Ning said with disdain, “He simply passed the examination to be a xiucai, what’s there to be so proud about?”

Madam Ning shot a bland glance at him and spoke in a tone that was neither hot nor cold, “Siqi is only 14 years old and you are 34 years old now. Let me see if you have the ability to become a xiucai.”

His official post was something the family had spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to gain. Hearing those words from the old taitai, his face turned completely red with shame and he didn’t dare to say more.

At the beginning of spring in the third year, Fan Yuan completed the mission of attaining first place three times in a row, finishing top of board in the prefectural examination, the metropolitan examination and the palace examination. He became the youngest jieyuan, huiyuan and zhuangyuan in the history of Dayuan. However, such an achievement that would glorify his ancestors had nothing to do with the Ning Family. On the contrary, his Royal Highness Prince Wu, who had taken him in when he was in dire straits, was widely praised. The story of this pair of the thousand-li running horse and Bole became a popular topic in the capital for a while.

At this very juncture, the Ning Family was in dire straits. First, in order to marry into the Third Prince’s Residence, Ning Ximin did not hesitate to use drugs in order to copulate with Wen Junhao, which made the Ning Family become a joke. Finally, they put a red cloth over their heads, and a small four-seat sedan was carried in through the back door of the prince’s residence. The old taitai fell very ill as a result of the anger that arose from this.

It was barely a few days after this incident when Second Master Ning’s embezzlement of money that had been directed to disaster relief was found out. The central judicial office personally sent people to arrest him. The old taitai begged for help everywhere, but she couldn’t get him out. Finally, she fainted in front of Ning Residence’s door.

The first thing she did when she woke up was to seize the hand of Wang-momo, who had been serving her for many years, and she exhorted each word clearly, “Go to Prince Wu’s mansion in person and ask the Second Young Master to come back to preside over the whole situation. Just tell him that as long as he’s willing to come back, everything of the Ning Family would be his, and his yiniang’s status can also be elevated to that of a ping wife. If he is not willing to see you, cry and cause a ruckus in front of the door and say that Ning Siqi, the new zhuangyuan, is an ungrateful white-eyed wolf. The Ning Family has raised him for over a decade, who knows how much money has been spent on his medicine alone. Now the Ning Family has met with disaster, yet he turns a blind eye and leaves. If one cannot be a proper person, one cannot become a talent!”

Wang-momo received the order and took some servant girls to the prince’s residence in a hurry. Very quickly, someone led her in, and guards with swords were patrolling throughout the whole way there. She was so scared that her inner top had already become soaked. She thought in her heart, if she really did cry at the door, she didn’t know whether she could go back to the old taitai alive.

Reaching one of the courtyards, the servant said, “Young master is precisely in this courtyard.”

Thus, Wang-momo took the lead to head in with the rest. As soon as they entered the courtyard, a few people thought that they had broken into the fairy palace by mistake. Unlike the heavily-guarded outside, this courtyard was like another world with carved railings, jade buildings and water pavilions. Every part of the place was full of unspeakable elegance and finesse. She had once followed the old madame to the rear palace, but even the imperial palace’s main courtyard could not compare to this.

On a precious mahogany couch sat a fairy-like figure, dressed in a loose white robe with long black hair hanging freely to the ground. His temperament was as elegant as an orchid or bamboo, and it was as if his entire body was filled with immortal energy. There was no doubt that he was their Second Young Master.

In the past, these people all knew what the Second Young Master was like when he was at home. The simple, reserved sickly child was not as good-looking as the Third Young master, and his temperament was not as good as the Eldest Young Master. He was the most mediocre.

Who would have expected that within two years, he would not only be honoured as the legendary scholar in this world, but also become one of outstanding and heroic looks. No wonder it was said that the new zhuangyuan had descended from the Heavens. They thought it was an exaggeration, but it turned out that pig’s oil had covered their eyes!

In the face of such a figure, Wang-momo did not dare to come forward to speak for fear that she would pollute his eyes. She bowed her head and frowned, “This old servant has seen Second Young Master.”

Fan Yuan was still lying down, simply glancing up at her as he hummed with laughter, “I’m afraid that Wang-momo is confused. As of now, Siqi is not on the genealogy anymore. The Second Young Master of Ning Residence is Siyuan.”

Wang-momo wiped the cold sweat on her forehead. She naturally knew this, but the old taitai said he was the Second Young Master, so she could only say it like this.

“Second Young Master, don’t say such words. The old taitai has been thinking about you all this time. She says that among her grandchildren in this life, Second Young Master is the most promising, having the manner of the ancestors. Thus, it is necessary that you inherit the ancestor’s family fortune. Madame Xu can also be elevated to be the Eldest Old Master’s ping wife, so in the future, Second Young Master’s family background will be entirely different, and your career as an official will be even more prosperous.”

Fan Yuan chuckled lightly, “Wang-momo is worthy of being the old taitai’s favourite among those she has kept close to her. To think these words have even moved me. But when I removed myself from the genealogy, the old taitai said that if I want to return home one day, I have to beg her. Siqi is a scholar. There is nothing else but my ambitions that I hold in the highest regard. May Wang-momo please return.”

The task wasn’t even finished, so how could Wang-momo be willing to leave? She gritted her teeth and said, “Second Young Master, the Ning Family has raised you for over a decade. Let’s not speak of the other things, but at least we have never deprived you of medicine and herbal supplements. Who knows how many taels have been spent! To put it bluntly, if it had not been for us, I’m afraid that you, Second Young Master, would have died young. How would you even have the glory of today? People shouldn’t forget our roots!”

As soon as her voice fell, she suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and fell to the ground unknowingly. A pair of black, embroidered, golden flood dragon boots suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. A loud reproval came from above her head, “What are you, that you dare to shout at him.”

She was a person who had seen the world. With such a fierce murderous aura, she could immediately guess who it was. It was already all said that Prince Wu was a yaksha who killed people without blinking an eye. Now seeing him for the first time, she knew that those sayings were true. Just one sentence made a person’s guts turn cold and their legs jelly. She repeatedly asked for forgiveness, “Wangye, please appease your anger! Wangye, please appease your anger! This old servant did not have any intention to be disrespectful, this was all the old taitai intentions!”

Yan Rui spoke coldly, “Tell Old Madam Ning to not go beyond her bounds. If not, it will be hard to say whether Second Old Master Ning has the life left in him to wait for her help.”

Wang-momo trembled and kowtowed, “This old servant knows. This old servant will definitely pass the message to the old taitai word for word, not one less.”

After she went back, Madam Ning fainted again after hearing the report. She skipped over it and never mentioned it again, only speaking of the current.

Seeing Wang-momo supported out by one the people, Fan Yuan let out a chuckle and pulled Yan Rui’s broad sleeve, giving it a shake. He flattered: “Main God-daren, sugoi!”

Yan Rui’s cold expression instantly thawed, and his eyes faintly revealed anticipation. He asked, “Is there any reward today?”

Fan Yuan’s face went slightly 囧 and he refused to answer. Naturally, Yan Rui refused to let him go. He knelt on one knee beside the mahogany couch and pulled Fan Yuan’s face to meet his. The skin under his hand was delicate and tender, making his heart hot. Staring at his bright eyes, he asked softly, “Yes, or no?”

Fan Yuan said in his heart, I can’t agree, I can’t agree! Every time he helped him he would have a sore mouth and pain in throat to the point he couldn’t speak, he even had difficulty breathing and would sometimes even choke. It was really unbearable! This time, he wouldn’t agree even if he was beat to death! He covered his face with his hands and refused to speak.

Yan Rui caught both of Fan Yuan’s slender wrists with one hand and raised them over Fan Yuan’s head, before effortlessly pulling apart his clothes from his chest. His thick fingers gently swept across a certain bulge and he realised that the skin under his hand was trembling lightly. His gaze was evil, “Do you agree or not.”

Fan Yuan glared at him with red eyes, and finally, still nodded.

The Author has Something to Say:

After this we will go to the source world. Below, I have combed through some of the major plot points for my babies. I know that you guys don’t remember it = =

Rebels: Hughes (Appeared in Chapter 65), Yinyue, Ye Chuan, Wei Lan, Mo Tianhe