How could her words possibly escape An Honghan's ears?
An Honghan's face darkened. He wanted to teach the child a lesson on the spot, but with Duan Yufei present, he couldn't bring himself to do it. So he could only pinch the child's thigh again.
I must say, the flesh on that child's body was soft, warm, and had a very pleasant feel to it.
While arguing with Xi Xizhi, An Honghan did not forget Duan Yufei's presence. He turned his gaze to Duan Yufei and asked in a nonchalant tone, "I wonder what brings Prince Duan to the Imperial Study to see me? Is it because the servants in the palace have not served Prince Duan well? With just one word from Prince Duan, I will immediately take their heads."
Gently brushing aside the stray hairs in front of Xi Xizhi's eyes, her clear eyes were revealed.
An Honghan's movements were natural and practiced, as if he had done it a thousand times. Xi Xizhi also didn't find anything wrong with the large hand on her forehead; everything felt perfectly natural.
The intimate actions and harmonious atmosphere between the two startled Duan Yufei, but he remained calm on the surface and chuckled, "How could this be? The servants in the palace have all served me diligently and have not overstepped their bounds. Your Majesty is overthinking it."
His gaze remained fixed on An Honghan's hand stroking Xi Xizhi's forehead, as if he understood some of the rumors circulating outside.
Rumors are no substitute for seeing. If Duan Yufei hadn't personally witnessed An Honghan's doting affection for someone, he would never have believed that the ruthless and cold-hearted An Honghan could have such a tender side.
Why did he have this feeling?
Compared to his own younger sister, An Honghan preferred the girl in front of him?
After carefully observing Xi Xizhi for a while, I realized she was a seven or eight-year-old child with rosy cheeks, quite endearing.
But the world is vast, and there are many more adorable girls than just Xi Xizhi. So what exactly did An Honghan see in Xi Xizhi? Or rather, what strengths does Xi Xizhi possess that make An Honghan value her so highly?
In Duan Yufei's view, a person's value determines how others treat her, which is why he felt that Xi Xizhi must have some strengths that made An Honghan cherish her.
However, he did not know that in some cases, one person's affection for another is without reason.
For example, how parents treat their children.
The way owners treat their pets.
Even An Honghan didn't know why he had taken a liking to this little guy, Xi Xizhi.
In terms of appearance, Xi Xizhi is definitely not a stunning beauty; at most, she can only be described as cute.
Her personality... is even more muddle-headed. Sometimes she does silly things and causes trouble, and sometimes she acts willfully and recklessly. An Honghan can't even count how many messes he has to clean up for her.
But... he just wanted to pamper her and love her, without any reason or purpose.
Disliking the way Duan Yufei was looking at Xi Xizhi, An Honghan pretended to tap the table and asked, "So, what business does Prince Duan have with me?"
A smart person can always tell the impatience in someone's words.
Duan Yufei wisely withdrew his gaze, remained silent for a few seconds, and a faint blush appeared on his beautiful face. "Actually... I came to see His Majesty to discuss my marriage with the Fourteenth Princess again."
A hint of mockery flashed in An Honghan's eyes, so quick it was almost imperceptible, and a smile played on his lips.
However, no matter how you look at it, that smile has no warmth.
"Oh? It seems that Prince Duan is indeed very charming. In just a few days, it seems that my imperial sister has already been captured by you."
Duan Yufei's lips tightened, as if he had thought of something unpleasant.
These past few days, he has been following An Honghan's arrangements, chatting and laughing with the Fourteenth Princess, and visiting many places to see the sights. However, the Fourteenth Princess's attitude towards him has always been indifferent.
In the past, he could easily win over any noble lady in the capital with a flick of his finger and a smile. But this time, he repeatedly met with setbacks with the Fourteenth Princess.
After much deliberation, Duan Yufei came to a conclusion: the Fourteenth Princess might have someone else in her heart and didn't want to marry him at all.
One doesn't want to get married, and the other doesn't want to be married.
It's truly laughable, which is why An Honghan showed his sarcasm.
Xi Xizhi had been observing the expressions of the two men and had gleaned quite a bit of information from their conversation.
It seems that An Yunyi is still unwilling to give up and is not willing to make peace with Huiying Kingdom.
"Your Majesty, my love for the Fourteenth Princess is as clear as day. I beg Your Majesty to grant my wish and forge a beautiful union between Fengze Kingdom and Huiying Kingdom."
That last sentence was probably your true feeling, wasn't it?
Xi Xizhi sat on An Honghan's lap, her lips moving slightly as she murmured softly.
For many years, Huiying Kingdom had had no dealings with Fengze Kingdom, thus losing its economic resources from Fengze. This time, under the guise of a marriage alliance, they were simply trying to win over Fengze Kingdom and promote their own development. Whether for Fengze Kingdom or Huiying Kingdom, this marriage alliance was entirely beneficial.
After pretending to think for a while, An Honghan glanced at Duan Yufei but did not give a definite answer. "I need to consider this matter. Tonight, I will hold a banquet in Liuyun Palace and let the civil and military officials discuss it. What does Prince Duan think?"
Duan Yufei had a smile on his lips, as if he was absolutely certain.
"This is a major life event for the Fourteenth Princess, so it cannot be taken lightly. It is normal for Your Majesty to consider it for a while. I am willing to wait." Duan Yufei replied politely, leaving no room for doubt.
Afterwards, An Honghan and Duan Yufei chatted for a while, exchanging a few words. It was quite some time before An Honghan finally saw Duan Yufei out of the imperial study.
No sooner had he left than Xi Xizhi couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you really want An Yunyi to marry Duan Yufei? Why are you still considering it now?"
An Honghan gently ruffled Xi Xizhi's stray hairs, his tone deep and profound, "Things that are too easily obtained are often not cherished. Don't you understand this simple truth?"
He repeated the sentence to himself, becoming more and more certain of its meaning.
As Xi Xizhi pondered, An Honghan's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Xi Xizhi, seemingly finding the same meaning in her words.
He has put in so much effort, but to this day, he still hasn't gotten what he wanted.
He pinched Xi Xizhi's tender cheek with his fingers, but... he could wait.
When a child is willing to open their heart to them and truly accept them.
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