Xin He nodded in agreement, lifting her head and declaring, "Then it’s settled!"
Marquis Mu Houchu gently smiled and responded, "As the new year begins, we will introduce this public school. At that time, Xiao Bei and Xiaochaihuo can attend together."
"Mm, good!" Xin He voiced her satisfaction, hugging Mu Houchu’s neck as she pecked a kiss on his face, "How come you’ve suddenly become so nice to Xiaochaihuo? You used to be always so fierce; I thought you didn’t like him."
Marquis Mu Houchu continued to smile gently, "Is that so?"
He hadn’t admitted to liking him currently.
Xin He laughed, "Isn’t it? You forgot how scared he was of you as a child."
Recalling how terrified Xiaochaihuo had been as a child made Mu Houchu’s smile take on a chill undertone. He had also been deceived previously; the smile was both genuine and forced.
Xin He, wrapped up in her joy, failed to notice the change in Mu Houchu’s demeanor. She merely laughed, "Isn’t it great? The child is very understanding now. Be nicer to him in the future, he will remember your kindness, and he won’t have to go around avoiding you."
Mu Houchu replied with a chilly smile, "Don’t worry, I will treat him even better in the future."
Xin He shivered slightly and asked, "Where did this cold gust come from?"
Mu Houchu stated, "Probably the window was not closed properly. Later I will ask Xiaoyu to close it. The matter of the public school is settled then; you can discuss it with him another day."
"Alright then!"
Xin He happily agreed.
Mu Houchu seemed to perceive a faint sound from outside, he stood, stating, "I’ll make a quick visit to the study, I’ll be back soon to have dinner with you, stay put."
"Understood," Xin He replied.
Mu Houchu parted the beaded curtain and exited the inner room. Upon reaching the entrance of the East Warm Chamber, he could feel a gust of cold air. His expression remained unfazed, as if the slight chill was insufficient to even make him frown.
Outside the East Warm Chamber, Xiaoyu and Shulan were waiting. They usually retreated outside when Marquis Houchu was spending time with Xin He. Seeing him emerge, they respectfully greeted him, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Marquis Mu Houchu’s gaze fell directly on the figure standing behind Xiaoyu and Shulan. His head was lowered as usual, his expression inscrutable, but Mu Houchu could keenly sense his unusually morose mood that day.
Seemingly aware of Mu Houchu’s gaze, Xiaochaihuo looked up at him. His eyes were calm, seemingly devoid of emotion. His prolonged stare, however, suggested otherwise.
Was it resentment, anger, or disappointment?
Seeing Xiaochaihuo’s odd behaviour, Mu Houchu guessed that he must have overheard his conversation with Xin He.
Mu Houchu was unperturbed. He simply walked up to him, took a brief, indifferent look at him and passed him by.
No sooner had Mu Houchu left than Shulan chided Xiaochaihuo. "What is the matter with you? You didn’t even greet His Highness. You just stood there, staring. Do you have no regard for your life?"
Xiaochaihuo lowered his gaze, hiding a trace of disappointment in his eyes. For a moment, he indeed wished he was dead.
"Fortunately, His Highness did not take offense, thanking heavens. He must be in a good mood today, or this could have been troublesome," Shulan sighed with relief.
"Mmm," Xiaochaihuo nodded and turned to leave.
However, Xin He seemed to hear the commotion outside and called, "Is Xiaochaihuo here?"
Shulan replied, "Yes."
"Let him in; I have something to say to him." Xin He ordered.
Only then did Shulan relay to Xiaochaihuo, "The Princess calls for you."
Xiaochaihuo knew what Xin He intended to discuss with him, and understood that he couldn’t avoid it. He pressed his lips together and stepped inside.
Watching Xiaochaihuo’s retreating figure, Shulan shared her confusion with Xiaoyu, "Have you noticed anything odd about Xiaochaihuo lately? He seems to be in a poor mood."
Xiaoyu glanced at Xiaochaihuo’s retreating figure, which seemed to embody melancholy, and quietly responded, "I don’t know."
Shulan continued, "You don’t either? But I think there’s something strange about him. Since His Highness returned, his mood has never improved. Although he never was much of a talker, he never seemed this down. Now, he looks like something serious might have happened, especially just now..."
Xiaoyu looked at Shulan, "Why do you always notice these trivial matters? Doesn’t everyone have their ups and downs? Maybe you should talk less."
Shulan playfully stuck out her tongue, falling silent.
Xiaoyu regarded the direction Xiaochaihuo had gone, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes. She sighed slightly and shook her head.
The Princess called for me?" Xiaochaihuo asked.
Seeing him enter, Xin He put down the flat round pot she was holding and smiled, "Yes, your timing is perfect. His Highness and I were just discussing you. Yu State is planning to implement a refined Imperial Examination System soon. There were thoughts of making some innovations and improvements, and His Highness suggested establishing a public school. Any scholar or above– who receives a teacher’s recommendation– can participate. I thought I’d let both you and Xiao Bei enroll. The school will start next spring. We’ll let you relax for a year, but after the New Year, you’re not allowed to slack off. You must study hard."
Xiaochaihuo tightened his lips, lowering his head, "I don’t want to go."
Xin He widened her eyes in disbelief and frowned, "You’re not going? Do you realize what a fantastic opportunity this is? Just a while ago, you promised that you would become a scholar for me within three years. Now that you finally have the chance to study properly, you don’t want to?"
Xiaochaihuo didn’t know what to say and remained silent. But Xin He understands him; his silence signified non-compliance.
This non-compliance only infuriated Xin He more, "Li Nan, tell me what you’re thinking," she said, frustrated.
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