Although Yan Huisheng arrived somewhat late, as the Crown Prince, his entrance into the Duke’s Residence was promptly received by the Duke himself.
This was a courtesy not extended to the first and second princes, a privilege solely granted to the Crown Prince.
The Duke, accompanying Yan Huisheng, smiled and asked him, "Your Highness, what brings you here today?"
The royal princes rarely interacted publicly with court officials. As the power struggle intensified, each had their own cards hidden up their sleeves. So normally, they do not easily attend banquets held by family residences. And the Crown Prince, Yan Huisheng, maintained an extremely low profile, never setting foot unless absolutely necessary.
Yan Huisheng replied warmly, "I heard that the second son of the Ye family has arrived in Daliang. Although he is here for a personal matter, the fact that he is staying at the Duke’s residence and is a valued minister of the Nanchu King, my Father the Emperor takes this very seriously. Especially because today is the birthday of the young miss from Ye family. Since the celebration is being held at the Duke’s residence, I am entrusted by my father to come and congratulate, and also take the opportunity to meet Second Young Master Ye, asking about the wellbeing of the Nanchu King and Ye Xiang."
The Duke nodded repeatedly, "Guixue just came out from the inner courtyard not long ago, and is currently talking to the first and second princes." He paused to read Yan Huisheng’s expression, then added, "The first and second princes just arrived momentarily ago."
The implication being, they haven’t been talking for long, you’ve arrived quite early.
Yan Huisheng chuckled lightly, "Let them talk first, I’m not in a hurry. Since I’m here today, I naturally have to partake in the banquet before leaving."
"That is indeed good." The Duke was very pleased, "Your Highness, please!"
Princes Yan Li and Yan Lin’s purpose today at the Duke’s residence was to meet Ye Guixue. In fact, they wanted to meet him for some time now, but Ye Guixue kept a low profile after arriving in the capital, and stayed shut in the Duke’s residence, seeing no one. Therefore, no previous invitations or even the Emperor’s request for an audience were accepted until today when he finally showed up at the birthday party of his niece.
Although Nanchu is a tributary state, it has not paid tribute to Daliang for over twenty years. Coupled with the apparent pride in acting independently, especially given that Ye Guixue was here for personal matters, there was even more room for freedom.
As he did not leave the residence, Princes Yan Li and Yan Lin couldn’t directly rush to the Duke’s residence to see him. So, they’ve been patiently waiting for a few days. Today is a good opportunity, and naturally, they arrived before Yan Huisheng.
This was their first encounter with Ye Guixue. Although they’re also not bad-looking, they felt somewhat inferior when compared to Ye Guixue. You could see this from the young ladies from the harem who were looking straight at Ye Guixue.
However, Ye Guixue remained indifferent to all the attention he was receiving.
Yan Li playfully joked, "Second Young Master Ye, you haven’t married yet, right? Haven’t found a girl you like in Nanchu? Why don’t you choose one from Daliang?"
Ye Guixue shook his head, "Thank you for the concern, I’m already engaged."
Yan Li was stunned.
Yan Lin, on the side, was also stunned, he inquired curiously, "Didn’t you say that you weren’t engaged?"
"Received a letter from my father today, he has arranged my marriage. Once I return to Nanchu, the king will bestow the wedding." Ye Guixue gave a faint smile, like the melting snow of March, everything melting away.
Yan Li and Yan Lin looked at each other, both seeing surprise in each other’s eyes. Yan Li containing his emotions, tentatively asked, "May I ask which noble daughter from Nanchu it is?"
Ye Guixue only smiled and stayed silent.
Yan Li and Yan Lin exchanged glances again, planning to send someone to investigate once Ye Guixue wouldn’t disclose the information. If they couldn’t court Ye Guixue directly, perhaps they could approach through his bride-to-be.
Upon entering the reception room, Xie Lin and Zhou Gu heard their conversation. Not thinking much of it, Xie Lin proceeded, while Zhou Gu abruptly halted. His attention immediately landed on Ye Guixue, heavy and tangible.
Ye Guixue, possessing sharp senses, turned to the entrance, only to meet eyes with Zhou Gu, decked in silk, elegant and casual, reminiscent of a clear night. Their gaze locked for a moment.
Without a word, Zhou Gu turned and left.
Xie Lin uttered an exclamation, "Zhou Gu, you’re not going in? Where are you going?"
Zhou Gu didn’t look back, "There’s someone I dislike. I won’t go in, and I’ll go home."
Xie Lin: "..."
He must be referring to the despised first prince, right? Or the second prince? It couldn’t be the second son from Nanchu, Ye Guixue.
His curiosity for Ye Guixue remained. So even if Zhou Gu left abruptly, he still decided to go in. He turned and entered the reception room, greeting the occupants, "First Prince, Second Prince, Fourth Prince, Fifth Prince, Seventh Prince... Second Young Master Ye!"
Ye Guixue rose to return the greet, "Young Prince Xie!"
Xie Lin eyed Ye Guixue in surprise, stunned by his demeanor. He thought to himself, worthy of being a member of the Ye Family from Nanchu indeed. It is said that Ye Guixue is a prodigy. His reputation spread across Nanchu when he was merely seven. At sixteen, he entered the court, and his fame shook the world. His reputation indeed precedes him.
Xie Lin was always good with socializing, especially when it didn’t conflict with his interests. He was skilled in flattery and always greeted everyone warmly, which he was very good at. Hence, he smiled, saying, "Young Master Ye, I failed to invite you to the feast in my residence due to your tedious journey. You must’ve rested by now, right? I’ll invite you another day and you mustn’t refuse."
Ye Guixue greeted him with a faint smile, "Fine by me."
Xie Lin scanned everyone present, "Oh?" He uttered, "Where is Brother Su?"
Someone answered, "Are you asking about Brother Su Xingze? Brother Lu Fengyan invited him out. They’ve probably gone elsewhere to speak."
Xie Lin realized, "Then, I’ll go to find them."
To tell the truth, he didn’t like the Crown Prince or the Second Prince, nor did he want to get entangled with them. Hence, he turned around and left.
Yan Li and Yan Lin both scowled simultaneously. Xie Lin was better than Zhou Gu. At least he knew to greet them and was polite. Zhou Gu, since he started tutoring the Eastern Palace’s crown prince, has regarded himself as a member of the Eastern Palace. He showed no respect to the princes, always keeping a cold face and a clear boundary. His straightforward attitude was unique in the Capital of Daliang. He blatantly showed contempt towards them, even in front of the Emperor.
However, the princes couldn’t do anything about him. They despised him and hoped for the day they would get a chance to punish Zhou Gu and vowed to not carry the surname Yan if they didn’t.
As Zhou Gu stepped out of Duke Residence, he bumped into the Duke and Crown Prince Yan Huisheng, who were about to enter. He was caught completely off guard.
Yan Huisheng stopped in his tracks, warmly calling, "Zhou Gu."
Zhou Gu abruptly halted, bowing respectfully, "Crown Prince."
"Where are you hurrying off to?" Yan Huisheng asked.
Zhou Gu pressed his lips together, "Nowhere in particular, was thinking of heading home."
The Duke immediately asked, "The feast is about to start. How come you aren’t staying? And why are you leaving in such a hurry? Were you not treated well here?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
"No, it’s just that I ran into someone irritating, which soured my mood. Didn’t want to stay any longer." Zhou Gu glanced at the Duke.
Duke was taken aback, and quite at a loss for words. He could not ask who Zhou Gu found irritating, but he could guess it was likely the Crown Prince.
It was a well-known fact that Zhou Gu disliked the Crown Prince more than the Second Prince, though he was not particularly fond of the latter either.
Upon hearing this, Yan Huisheng nodded, "Then go ahead."
Zhou Gu nodded, quickly turned away, and left. He moved so fast that he was out of sight within moments. Then, he rode his horse away. The sound of the horse hooves could be heard getting further and further away.
The Duke thought to himself that not only the former Duke and the grand dames of the Duke Residence indulged Zhou Gu, but so did Crown Prince Yan Huisheng. He never tried to make Zhou Gu comply with the formalities. This LENIENCY probably fostered Zhou Gu’s nature.
The Duke accompanied Yan Huisheng to the Reception Room, where everyone rose to their feet and offered their salutations upon the Crown Prince’s arrival. At these times, before the public, Crown Prince Yan Li and Second Prince Yan Lin, even though they were older, were always ceremonious and affable towards their younger brother.
After the ritual of brotherly respect, everyone took their seats.
Yan Huisheng began chatting with Ye Guixue, "Second Young Master Ye, I have heard a lot about your reputation. Now that I see you, I see you are indeed extraordinary. How is the Nanchu King? How is Ye Xiang?"
Ye Guixue replied with a smile, "I, too, have heard a lot about your magnanimity, Crown Prince. Many speak highly of you. Today, I feel fortunate to have met you. My King and father are both well. I appreciate your concern."
Yan Huisheng jovially said, "It is my Emperor Father who wishes to enquire about the Nanchu King and Ye Xiang. I am just conveying his wishes."
Ye Guixue humbly said, "I have just arrived in the capital. The long journey left me feeling unwell, which is why I could not visit the Emperor of Daliang immediately. In a few days, I plan to visit the palace. My King is also very concerned about the Emperor’s health. Before I left Kyoto, he expressed his wish for me to provide his regards to the Emperor in person."
Yan Huisheng laughed and nodded, "I heard you might be staying in the capital city for a month?"
Ye Guixue nodded, "Yes, that’s the plan. I am here to accompany my niece while she adjusts to her surroundings."
The words exchanged between the two were mere pleasantries, but they left the others interpreting their hidden meanings. Especially Yan Li and Yan Lin, who couldn’t help but notice that Ye Guixue seemed friendlier towards Yan Huisheng compared to how he acted towards them. Could it be because Yan Huisheng was the heir apparent? Or was it because the Nanchu King intended to support Yan Huisheng? They had no choice but to consider these possibilities.
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