"Hey bro, can't you find someone else? This is the first time I've ever felt so ashamed that you're my own brother."

When Yuwen Sinian woke up, the first person he saw was not his mother, but his brother. Since his father died, the Seventh Prince had also run off with his mother, mainly to play around.

It's Chinese New Year, so we're going to visit my maternal grandfather.

Entering the palace to pay homage to the new emperor was a necessary task. He was still flattering his confidante when he heard a group of maids running over, chattering away.

"Have you heard? The eighth prince of the previous dynasty was so frightened by our Unrepentant Crimson Python that he fainted."

"ah?"

"I also heard that she was hugged by Huanlu."

"ah?"

"Let me tell you, Eighteen, you have to take responsibility for slandering people. Don't talk nonsense. Yuwen Sinian is a grown man, and he even protected Huanlu when he was forcing the emperor to abdicate."

Ping'er ran towards the Imperial Study with her girlfriends and the guards; all the girls who loved to join in the fun went there.

"Why would I lie to you? Go and see for yourself."

Zhiyin glanced at the Seventh Prince twice but didn't say anything, but the Seventh Prince felt completely insulted.

He saw contempt in the woman's eyes.

It's as if she's saying to him: Is this all the men in your family are? This all? How dare you talk nonsense in front of me?

"Okay, listen to your brother, let's find another one. Let's not have two brothers taking advantage of the new royal sisters."

Yuwen Sinian had just woken up and felt embarrassed, so he covered himself completely with the blanket.

Hearing this, the man felt no longer embarrassed. He sat up with a jolt and said to the Seventh Prince:

Why don't you choose another one?

"What am I supposed to change? There's no way I can be with Zhiyin. What am I supposed to change? I have so many women in my backyard who I have to take responsibility for. Zhiyin will never marry me."

"Then you'll let me change?"

"I just feel ashamed!"

"I'm telling you, you're shameless. You know you have a lot of women in your backyard, yet you still go and fawn over Zhiyin."

"All I want is a soulmate who is musically talented!"

The two brothers, who hadn't seen each other for a year, started arguing again.

If this had happened in the past, Consort Wen and the Seventh Prince's birth mother would definitely have argued.

But not anymore. Now, the two women, wearing cloaks, sit in the Imperial Garden, as if from another world.

Xiao Lanhua also returned, with Wei Shuyi sitting next to her.

Wei Shuyi is doing the best now; her face has gotten fuller, and she's full of energy.

He spoke with much more energy now.

"Oh, life is so good now! How are you doing, Your Majesty the former Empress? How has the past year been?"

Hou Xiangxiang would take her godmother's pulse every month. In her spare time, Wei Shuyi would borrow some guards from the palace to go out and play. She would not go far, but stay near the capital.

"Thanks to Consort Wen, I finally got to live the life I wanted."

The sound of her two sons arguing came from inside the house. Consort Wen glanced back, then returned to continue talking to her sisters.

"Huanlu, why did you agree to meet Yuwen Sinian? Don't you dislike him?"

Ping'er and Huanlu grew up together. She was quite curious. Logically speaking, the two sisters should be as far away from Yuwen Sinian as possible. What was wrong with them today? They even went out of the palace with him. It was strange.

"I don't know either."

Huanlu leaned against the window and reached out to take the roasted sweet potato that Ping'er had given her.

"But you know, I've seen plenty of men growing up, haven't I? This is the first time someone has risked their life for me, so I'm a little touched."

"But he's had concubines before, don't you mind?"

"As long as there's no one else around him, it's fine."

As Ping'er peeled open the sweet potato, she blew on it, and the golden flesh was steaming hot in the cold wind, making it incredibly sweet to put in her mouth.

"So, you want to give him a try?"

"I don't know, I'm just thinking about it here."

"It's alright, you can do whatever you want. Anyway, with Long'er here, he won't dare to make any rash moves."

After Ping'er finished speaking, she handed Huanlu a roasted sweet potato from the stove and continued:

"Go and give him a roasted sweet potato, that kid will be really touched."

Huanlu looked at the roasted sweet potato in her hand and at the door her friend had closed, feeling rather speechless.

Sisters, which kind guy sends you roasted sweet potatoes when you're flirting?

Your daughter is the most beautiful courtesan in the brothel, and Long'er's brother is completely infatuated with her. And all you give me is a roasted sweet potato?

Huanlu arrived at Yuwen Sinian's room with a roasted sweet potato and knocked on the door, saying:

"I'll bring you some late-night snacks."

The noise from the two people in the room immediately quieted down, and the Seventh Prince looked at him in disbelief.

You can do it.

"Aunt Huanlv, please come in."

The woman wasn't shy at all; she simply placed the roasted sweet potato on a plate and handed it over, then sat down at the table and said:

"Next time you're afraid of snakes, just say so. What's the point of pretending? I'm not very brave to begin with, so don't scare me again."

"Um……"

Yuwen Sinian responded softly, and for the first time, the atmosphere between the two became awkward.

“I can’t leave Long’er, and I don’t want you to go back to the capital because of me, Yuwen Sinian. I understand what you mean, but right now… your life has only just begun.”

The man in bed understood what Huanlu meant by those words.

He has just found what he wants to do for the rest of his life, and now is not the right time to abandon everything and return to the capital.

Moreover...

Huanlu would never go with him.

What do you think?

The woman directly asked Yuwen Sinian.

"What my aunt said makes sense, but I cannot suppress my longing for her."

"If Auntie would be so kind as to write to you, I will write to you every day from now on. You can reply whenever you want."

Huanlu suddenly laughed when she heard this.

"Why are you so aggrieved, Your Highness? You are a prince, be generous and straightforward. I will reply to you as soon as I see it, don't worry."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

If we have the chance, we might spend the rest of our lives together.

Even if we are not destined to be together, the friendship we have formed over this period of time is enough.

It's all just a fleeting dream in life; to enjoy life while you can is already a blessing.

"Consort Wei, where are you spending the New Year?" Consort Wen asked.

"If you have nowhere to go, you can come to my house. At least my son has called you 'Mom' before, so I'll have him take care of you in your old age."

"No need, I have a daughter."

"Indeed, Physician Hou is quirky and clever, which makes him quite likable."

"Where will you spend the New Year?" the Seventh Prince's mother asked.

"The palace."

"How dare you, a former imperial palace, spend the New Year on the new emperor's territory?"

"So what? My daughter is here, so I have to stay here."

"Xiao Lanhua, what about you?"

“I’m in the palace too. My brother and sister-in-law are here.”

"If you're not married, why don't you go back to your husband's family for the New Year?"

"My sister-in-law won't allow it."

After struggling for a long time, Xiao Lanhua finally managed to utter this sentence.

Look, we're doing very well now.