Helian Ci withdrew his gaze from Nan Rong Jinghua and met Helian Si's puzzled eyes.

He raised his hand and gently patted Helian Si's head. His handsome face was slightly furrowed, and he spoke earnestly like an older brother.

"Sisi, although you are a princess of my Northern Yin, my Northern Yin has always been a land of etiquette, and you must not be rude."

"Young Master Jinghua has been your teacher since childhood. You must not address your teacher by his name so rudely. Do you understand?"

"Not to mention the saying, 'A teacher for a day is a father for life...'"

Helian Si was no longer listening to what Helian Ci was saying; his mind was filled with his second elder brother's words: "A teacher for a day is a father for life."

"???"

Helian Si glanced at Nanrong Jinghua with extreme horror, then thought of his father, the Emperor.

No, Second Brother, are you serious?

Putting aside whether the Master agrees or not, if the Emperor hears you say this, he might beat you to a pulp first.

"Your Highness is too kind. His Majesty is the supreme ruler, and the princess is of noble birth. I would never dare to accept the title of father to her for life."

Nan Rong Jinghua stroked the teacup with her fingertips, her gaze beneath the long silk robes fixed on Helian Ci. Her divine face was gentle, and her soft, melodious voice rang out.

Helian Ci chuckled softly, his handsome face revealing dark eyes that seemed to rise from a deep pool, sharply meeting Nan Rong Jinghua's gaze. His slender fingers...

The taps on the jade table produced a series of dull thuds. After a long pause, a mocking smile appeared on his exceptionally red lips, and he spoke.

"Indeed, I thought that Young Master Jinghua had forgotten his status. My Sisi has a noble status, and not just anyone can covet it."

He paused, staring into Nanrong Jinghua's eyes, then slowly spoke again.

"Especially, people of his age, like Young Master Jinghua, should not even think about my Sisi."

"Pfft, cough cough cough!!"

Helian Si was stunned by his second elder brother's words. He couldn't help but choke on the tea he had just drunk, coughing until his face turned slightly red.

This immediately drew the attention of the two people, whose expressions were already tense. Nan Rongjinghua, the goddess, frowned slightly, and worry appeared in his eyes beneath his long silk robe.

Helian Ci sat next to Helian Si, almost touching Nan Rong Jinghua. He gently patted Helian Si's back to help him catch his breath, and whispered a complaint.

"You choked on your tea. How old are you now? You're still as clumsy as when you were a child."

Helian Si coughed and looked at Helian Ci with a resentful gaze. "What's wrong with him? Doesn't he even know who's responsible?" he pouted, dissatisfied.

"Isn't it all your fault, Second Prince, for always saying things that are shocking and outrageous?"

Helian Ci raised an eyebrow and wanted to pinch Helian Si's cheek. Why was he speaking up for that bastard Nanrong Jinghua?

"Why does Your Majesty always have to say such shocking things? Young Master Jinghua is already twenty-three this year, isn't that quite old?"

Helian Si's cough subsided slightly, and he subconsciously raised his beautiful peach blossom eyes to look at Nanrong Jinghua, who was sitting on the jade stool.

Nan Rongjinghua's eyes, hidden beneath the long silk robes, met Helian Si's gaze. Her divine face remained unchanged.

Seemingly unconcerned, only the fingers beneath the wide, silver-white cuffs subtly tightened slightly.

Helian Si withdrew his gaze, patted Helian Ci on the shoulder, and with a serious and earnest face, began his serious but absurd argument.

"Second brother, it doesn't matter if he's old or not. What matters is whether he's good-looking or not. Look at the teacher, and then look at our father. Although he's a bit old, he's still handsome, dashing, and debonair!"