Chapter 49

Yin Tai glanced at his son in surprise. Didn't he say that Lan Yueming's constant crying annoyed him to death? And now he was helping her speak up again? Where did he learn this habit of saying one thing and thinking another?

Yin Tai pinched his arm gently and cursed, "You want to show off your ability, huh?"

Yun Kai pretended to be pinched, hissed, and rubbed his arm in grievance, saying, "I'm your own son, and you're so harsh. If you strangle me to death, who will take the blame if something bad happens in the family in the future?"

"It's a good thing you didn't let your eldest brother take the blame for you." Yin Tai rolled his eyes at him and said to Yue Ming with a pleasant face, "Good boy, the second brother has never liked studying since he was a child. What good can he learn from him? If you want to learn, I'll ask the housekeeper to find a teacher for you."

Yueming glanced at Yunkai, who was smiling as he watched Yintai talk to her. He didn't say anything back at his wife's rhetoric, his fingers twirling with his fan. He looked warm now, but Yueming had spent so many days with him that she knew if she dared to agree to Yintai's request, his face would immediately turn.

She racked her brains and came up with an idea: "Not really. The Second Young Master is quite knowledgeable and has many advantages, such as... for example..." She glanced at the rafters on the roof, as if she really couldn't come up with anything.

That embarrassed look made Yin Tai laugh, but almost pissed Yun Kai off to death.

He said angrily: "Lan Yueming, that's enough!"

The food was already served. Yueming was afraid that Yunkai would rush over and hit her, so she quickly helped Yin Tai to sit down. "Eat, eat, eating is the most important thing. If you don't have a good breakfast, you won't be in a good mood for the whole day."

The intermittent sounds of morning chanting from the official Buddhist temple next door drifted in. Yin Tai remembered the letter sent from the Grandfather's residence yesterday and, holding a bowl, said to Yun Kai, "Your uncle will be sending his second son to the temple in a few days. I don't know if your father and eldest brother will be able to make it back. Please be careful and go see if there's anything missing and have the mansion prepare it and send it over."

Yunkai's uncle was Grandpa Tinglai, and his youngest son was going to study at the official Buddhist temple. Sending a boy to study at a Buddhist temple was a major event, and the family celebrated with great fanfare. Grandpa Tinglai was a distinguished figure, and the event would not only be attended by the chiefs of other Mengquan tribes, but also by those of other tribes, so the event had to be handled with care.

Yun Kai nodded: "Okay, I'll go over and take a look tomorrow."

Yin Tai glared at him: "Why tomorrow? What important things do you have to do today?"

Yun Kai raised his chin towards Yue Ming and said, "I just promised to take Lan Yue Ming out to play."

Yueming, who was struggling with the slippery bitter melon, finally picked one up. She was surprised to hear Yunkai using her as a shield, and the bitter melon, which was already not firmly held, fell onto the table and rolled all the way.

Yueming smiled awkwardly: "What did you just say?"

Yun Kai sighed in pain, picked up a bitter gourd with his chopsticks and put it in her bowl, and scolded her: "Lan Yueming, you say you can't study, you can't fight, but you can't even pick up the food when eating. What else can you do?"

Yueming has become numb to the question "What else can you do?" lately, and replied indifferently: "I can still eat."

Yun Kai sneered: "You'll just have the rest to eat."

Yueming rolled her eyes at him, picked up the bowl and put the bitter fruit into her mouth. She gently closed her teeth and the juice and seeds inside the bitter fruit popped out. Yueming immediately closed her eyes because of the bitterness. She wanted to spit it out, but she was probably going to be at Yintai's dinner table, so she could only cover her mouth and whimper to Yunkai.

Yunkai quickly threw down his bowl and asked her if she had bitten her tongue. Yintai also looked at her nervously.

Yueming pointed at the plate of bitter melons, looking as if she was about to cry. Yunkai suddenly understood and asked the maid to bring a water pot for her to spit out the bitter melons. He then personally brought her a cup of tea for her to rinse her mouth. As he handed her the cup of tea, he scolded her, "Why are you picking it up if you can't eat it?"

After Yueming rinsed her mouth, the bitter taste in her mouth disappeared, and she had the leisure and mood to retort.

"Didn't you pick it up for me?" Besides, how did she know that this thing was bitter? She thought it was fried sweet peas. When she picked it up, she was still wondering why these sweet peas were so big?

Yun Kai choked, and Yin Tai couldn't help but turn his head away and laugh. Yun Kai was embarrassed and cursed angrily, "You've been so irritable lately and get angry at the slightest thing. You should eat more of this stuff to help cool down your temper."

After dinner, Yunkai and Yueming said goodbye, and Tonglin brought tea for Yin Tai to rinse her mouth. Thinking of Yueming's face being distorted by the bitterness just now, he couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect the Second Young Master to get along so well with Miss Yueming now. At the beginning, they were like fighting cocks, almost pecking each other when they met."

Yin Tai said calmly, "Young Mu Ai, Yue Ming inherited her mother's good looks. Will that man hate her?"

Tonglin opened his mouth in surprise: "You mean the Second Young Master is interested in Miss Yueming... That's impossible? Miss Yueming is still young!"

Yin Tai recalled his son's previous nervousness and exasperation, and smiled: "If there is love in one's heart, even if one tries to hide it in every possible way, it will still be revealed."

Tonglin said worriedly, "But there are rules for the young master of this mansion to get married. Not to mention the master, even the gentlemen in the government office will not agree."

Yin Tai chuckled: "You yourself said Yueming is still young, why worry about it so early? Let's not talk about whether Yunkai's temper can be long-lasting. If it really happens, someone will stand up for Lan Yueming."

Tonglin asked hesitantly, "You mean... Li Shengmeng?" If Li Shengmeng came forward, Yueming's identity would become Li Shengmeng's lady, which is not impossible.

Yin Tai just smiled without saying anything, lifted the lid of his teacup, skimmed off the foam, and drank slowly. The eldest brother's marriage was already settled, and it would be even better if the second brother, this wild horse, could be tied with a bridle. What's the point of being a grandfather? Lan Yingde couldn't stay in Yunxiang forever. He only had one daughter, so he had to consider everything for his daughter and son-in-law. If they became a family, Yunkai would connect with the Han military, Li Yang's position would be more secure, and the city of Yunxiang would shine like its name.

Yun Kai saw Yue Ming heading towards his yard and called out to her, "Where are you going? Didn't we agree to go to the cockfighting arena to eat roast chicken? You heard me, I have to go to the Grandfather's Mansion to help my uncle tomorrow, so I won't have time to take you out to play."

Yueming wanted to roll her eyes at him again. Hadn't he been talking to himself about going out to play? When had she agreed to that?

Yueming smiled and shook his head: "No, I really have something to do."

Yun Kai didn't believe it, and opened his folding fan in a flash. While fanning himself, he asked her with squinting eyes, "That's strange. What do you want to do behind my back?"

Yueming said helplessly: "How could I carry you on my back? My uncle wants to come to see me, and I have to wait for him today."

I thought he was going to ask which uncle it was, but he waved his hand at her and said, "Okay, you wait for your uncle at home. I'm going out to play. I'll bring you a roast chicken when I come back."

Yueming asked with a smile, "Yours or someone else's?"

Yun Kai closed his fan and tapped her on the head: "You have a crow's mouth?" He put his hands behind his back and pretended to leave.

Yueming touched her head which was hurt by his blow and wrinkled her nose at his back: "I will lose you to death."