Chapter 57

"Your Highness, are you asleep?"

Gu Yanling took a nap in the afternoon. His mind was full of what Xiao Xinghan had said to him tonight. He felt sweet in his heart, just like a young boy who was in love for the first time. His heart was pounding and he could not fall asleep. He gently pushed Xiao Xinghan beside him.

Xiao Xinghan turned sideways and pressed him under him, "If you don't want to sleep, then-"

Gu Yanling immediately closed her eyes: "I'm asleep, I'm asleep, I'm already asleep."

Xiao Xinghan kissed him on the lips, then pulled him into his arms, his voice a little tired: "It's late, go to bed."

Gu Yanling remembered that Xiao Xinghan had gotten up early to attend court. Being a crown prince must not be that easy and must be very busy. Thinking of this, she stopped making a fuss and closed her eyes obediently in his arms. She felt like she had forgotten something. When he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly remembered -

He forgot about An An!!!

Gu Yanling dozed off and flew away, and Xiao Xinghan didn't know An An existed yet.

An An's matter was a bit tricky. After all, An An was a descendant of the Gu family and the only son in his family for four generations!

But Xiao Xinghan has no children. If he knew An An's identity, he would definitely bring him back to the palace.

At first, Gu Yanling couldn't sleep because of her love affair, but now she can't sleep because of her worries.

…

Even if he didn't attend the morning court, Xiao Xinghan didn't have the habit of staying in bed. He got up as soon as he woke up. Seeing that Gu Yanling had also opened his eyes, he stroked the haggard area under his eyes with his fingertips and asked, "Didn't you sleep well?"

Gu Yanling had a headache all night last night because of An An's matter. She hadn't figured out how to deal with it. She put her face on Xiao Xinghan's chest and said, "Sleep with me for a while."

Xiao Xinghan naturally enjoyed his coquettish behavior early in the morning and raised his hand to cover his waist, "Yeah."

Li Youfu had originally led the servants in to help His Highness wash and dress, but when he saw that there was no sign of the prince getting up from the bed curtains, he attentively led the servants carrying the utensils out.

Gu Yanling had something on her mind and didn't sleep for too long. In less than half an hour, she and Xiao Xinghan got up, washed up, and had breakfast.

Xiao Xinghan thought he was just worried about his parents. "If you're not in the mood today, don't go riding. The same goes for the autumn hunt. I'll go home with you today."

How could Gu Yanling dare to go back with him? An An would be exposed. "If my father sees it, I won't be able to eat or sleep at night."

Xiao Xinghan: "..."

Gu Yanling's face was full of care: "You must be very busy as the crown prince, don't worry about me, just go and get busy. I have been in the capital for a month and I am very familiar with it. I know where it is with my eyes closed."

After he finished speaking, he saw that Xiao Xinghan's expression was not right. What happened? What did he say wrong again?

Xiao Xinghan wasn't as magnanimous as he thought, and couldn't help but say sarcastically, "After just one month here, you can already tell where the capital is with your eyes closed. You're truly capable."

Gu Yanling felt that his words didn't sound like praise for herself.

Can't you just talk properly? Why do you have to play dumb?

Xiao Xinghan stood up and said, "Alright, since you don't want me to go home with you, then I won't bother you anymore."

He claimed to be alone, and it seemed that he was angry again. Gu Yanling held his hand and coaxed him gently, "It's not that I don't want to. I just want to talk to my parents about our affairs. It's inconvenient for you."

Xiao Xinghan: "You'd better be."

Gu Yanling: “…”

Xiao Xinghan didn't force him: "Forget it, I'll go to the Ministry of Rites."

Seeing that he finally gave in, Gu Yanling nodded quickly, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the lips with a sound. She also began to like Xiao Xinghan more and more.

Xiao Xinghan pinched his face.

The Ministry of Rites and the Gu residence were on opposite directions, so Xiao Xinghan first sent Gu Yanling to the gate of the Gu family mansion. Gu Yanling said hello to him, "Then I'll go back."

Xiao Xinghan: "Yeah."

Gu Yanling jumped off the carriage. Gu Qifu came out just in time and saw the carriage slowly leaving. "Is there anyone else in there?"

Gu Yanling didn't answer, but asked curiously: "Dad, why are you out so late today?"

Gu Qifu was about to go out, but when he saw his son coming back, he hurriedly grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Gu Yanling: "...Dad, I really am not going to die."

Gu Qifu sighed, "I told them to keep their mouths shut about the Crown Prince's visit yesterday. Your mother and your elder sister still don't know about it."

"Oh, right, the eunuch told me yesterday before he left that His Highness has told the Imperial Clothes Department that all the fabrics will be provided by our family. Someone has come to the cloth shop, and Dad wants to go check it out now."

Gu Yanling didn't expect Xiao Xinghan to actually care about such a trivial matter. Knowing that he was doing it for her, she felt sweet in her heart, "That's great."

Gu Qifu: "You can still laugh! When Dad thought about what he exchanged for you, he couldn't sleep at night!"

Gu Yanling comforted him, "Dad, don't worry. It's better for him to give it to you than not to give it to you. Go to the cloth shop quickly and don't keep the people in the palace waiting for too long."

Gu Qifu also knew the importance of the matter. He couldn't afford to offend the people in the palace. "Then Dad will go."

Gu Yanling: "Please go quickly. I'm really fine. His Highness treats me very well."

Gu Qifu just thought he was comforting himself, and he felt even more uncomfortable. His son had grown up, and he didn't tell them about the suffering he had suffered, for fear that they would worry.

Gu Yanling had no idea what was going on in his father's mind, so he hurried back to the yard to find his little darling.

An An had just finished being fed breakfast by Zhao Cai and was sitting on a small stool. "Why hasn't Daddy come yet?"

Zhaocai looked into the yard and saw Gu Yanling coming over: "Master!"

An An turned her head and said happily, "Daddy!"

Gu Yanling picked him up and asked, "Did you cry last night?"

An An nodded and shook her head: "I only cried for a while."

Gu Yanling kissed him on the cheek: "Little crybaby."

An An pouted: "With Daddy not around, An An can't sleep."

Gu Yanling naturally couldn't let him go. An An had been sleeping with him since she could remember. The child was still so young and had never been separated from him for such a long time.

Not to mention that An An was so well-behaved and obedient, Gu Yanling also felt sorry for the child, "Daddy is still thinking of a solution."

An An trusted him very much, "Yeah! Daddy, let's go out and play!"

How could Gu Yanling refuse? She asked someone in the courtyard to inform his mother, and then she went out with An An in her arms.

"Daddy, is An An heavy?"

Gu Yanling rarely carried him for such a long distance, and his arms were sore. Fatherly love blinded his eyes at this moment. He ignored his son's chubby face and said casually, "It's not heavy. It's so light. How could it be heavy? Even if Daddy carries two more of you, it's no problem!"

An An's eyes curved with laughter: "Daddy is so awesome!"

Gu Yanling: "Haha, that's it!"

Zhaocai, who was standing by, could even hear the young master breathing heavily.

"Master, let me hold the little master for a while."

Gu Yanling was waiting for him to say this, but An An hugged his neck and said, "I want daddy to hold me!"

Gu Yanling: "...Okay, okay, daddy, hold me, daddy, hold me."

"Ayan!"

Gu Yanling heard the voice, turned around and saw Shen Qingyun rushing towards him, knowing that he must want to ask about what happened that day.

Shen Qingyun looked at An An in his arms: "A Yan, is this your son?"

Gu Yanling nodded: "An An, say hello to Uncle Shen."

An An blinked and looked at him curiously: "Uncle Shen."

Shen Qingyun felt around and couldn't find a suitable gift. "I'll give you a meeting gift next time. But you know what, Ah Yan, your son looks quite like you."

Gu Yanling: "Of course, if my son doesn't look like me, who else can he look like?"

Shen Qingyun wasn't one to hide things, so he asked straight to the point, "What happened to you that day? Why did His Highness suddenly take you away and have someone question you?"

Gu Yanling originally wanted to say that His Highness had mistaken him for an old friend, but after thinking about it, he decided not to use this excuse, in case it got to Xiao Xinghan's ears, "Your Highness has been to Yangzhou before, and we are old acquaintances."

Shen Qingyun was surprised: "Your Highness has also been to Yangzhou?"

Gu Yanling: "I went there a few years ago. It's normal that you don't know. How could His Highness's whereabouts be known to others?"

Shen Qingyun: "If that's the case, I'm relieved. I've been worried for the past two days, afraid that you might have upset His Highness in some way."

Gu Yanling lied with her eyes open: "How is that possible? Even if I had a hundred guts, I wouldn't dare to offend His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. If I really made him unhappy, how could I stand here and talk to you?"

Only then did Shen Qingyun feel completely relieved.

Gu Yanling: "Why are you the only one here today?"

Shen Qingyun: "It's all because of what happened that day. Lord Li was there and must have told my father and the others about it. They were all put under house arrest. I missed you so I sneaked out and was planning to go to your house to ask about the situation."

Gu Yanling was moved and said, "You are so thoughtful. I'm fine. Don't worry. I'll invite you to Baoweilou for lunch at noon."

Shen Qingyun couldn't bear to hear the name Baoweilou now, so he waved his hands and said, "I don't want to go to Baoweilou for a while."

"I'm glad to know you're okay. I'm going back first. Don't wait for my dad to come back and find out I snuck out. He'll probably scold me again. It's good enough if I don't get punished by the family law."

Gu Yanling thought that they were all implicated by her, and felt a little guilty, "Then I'll treat you next time."

After Shen Qingyun left, An An finally spoke: "Daddy, what is His Highness?"

This uncle and his father just chatted so much that he only remembered the word "Your Highness".

Gu Yanling couldn't hold him any longer. The little guy was so well fed that he felt like a weight. She put An An on the ground and whispered in Zhao Cai's ear while he wasn't paying attention, "That's your mother."

An An's eyes widened.

Gu Yanling: "The secret between us cannot be told to others."

An An covered her mouth and said, "No, no."

Zhaocai asked curiously, "What's the secret?"

An An: "This is a secret between Daddy and me!"

Gu Yanling secretly shook her arms and picked up An An again, "That's right, this is our secret, you can't tell anyone."

An An nodded: "Dad, let's go buy some candied haws."

Gu Yanling bought him one and said, "Don't eat too much."

An An loves this kind of sour and sweet snack the most. She took a bite and said with a smile, "It's delicious."

Seeing that it was still early, Gu Yanling took him to see a shadow play. When it was noon, she asked, "An An, do you want to go back home to eat, or go to Baoweilou to eat?"

An An hadn't finished a candied haws yet, so she asked curiously, "What is Baoweilou?"

Gu Yanling: "A place to eat."

An An: "Let's go to Baoweilou!"

Gu Yanling took the candied haws from his hand and said, "Let's not eat this. Baoweilou has several delicious dim sum, and there's also a braised rice with abalone and shrimp. I'm sure you'll like it!"

When An An heard about the delicious food, he immediately swallowed his saliva. His chubby hand patted his father's shoulder and urged him, "Daddy, let's go quickly."

Gu Yanling had wanted to take An An out to eat for a long time, and she happily carried her son to Baoweilou.

He never expected that Xiao Xinghan would appear here.

The two met at the door of Baowei Building. Gu Yanling held her son and looked at Xiao Xinghan.

The accompanying Minister of Rites, Lord Li, naturally still remembered Gu Yanling. He didn't have dinner with His Highness last time. Today, when it was time for dinner, he saw that His Highness was in a good mood, so he invited His Highness to have dinner at Baowei Tower again.

It seems that we can’t have this meal again.

Zhaocai hadn't noticed anything was wrong yet, "Master, why don't you go in?"

An An was eager to eat delicious food: "Daddy, An An is hungry."

When Xiao Xinghan heard him call him daddy, his face suddenly darkened.

The Minister of Rites saw that His Highness's face was even uglier than last time, and not wanting to know too much about His Highness's affairs, he hurriedly said, "Since Your Highness is busy, I will take my leave first."

Zhaocai and Anan only then paid attention to this side, and they obviously recognized Xiao Xinghan.

Isn't this the young master's enemy? Zhaocai hurriedly looked at Gu Yanling and saw the young master's guilty look, which didn't look like he had met an enemy at all.

An An pointed at Xiao Xinghan and Gu Yanling and complained: "Daddy! It's him! The bad guy!"

Gu Yanling quickly covered An An's little hands and said, "Son, stop talking. Don't you see that your mother's face is so ugly that she looks like she wants to eat someone?"