Chapter 43 The Best Warrior
The next day, the second day of the Lunar New Year, the carriage from Prince Jin's mansion set off early for the General of the Nation's mansion.
Ye Xunyang was in a great mood. His second brother should have returned today as well. From the moment he opened his eyes, he had been talking about his second brother, Ye Xunqin, in the same building.
The carriage stopped in front of the General's Mansion. General Ye and his wife were already waiting at the door and quickly welcomed the guests inside.
In the past, Lou Jin always sat at the head of the table with General Ye, but this time Lou Jin refused to sit there, insisting that Madam Ye sit down and that he sit below General Ye.
Mrs. Ye looked at Ye Xunyang with a bit of flattery, and Ye Xunyang nodded, telling his mother to sit down.
The four of them had barely exchanged a few pleasantries in the main hall when a servant announced that the second young master had returned.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ye Xunqin, who looked travel-worn, stride in. His outfit was covered in dust, but it couldn't hide his heroic spirit.
Behind him, however, was a woman.
The woman was wearing an ill-fitting coarse cotton-padded jacket, her hair was simply tied up, and she looked somewhat tired.
Even in simple clothes, her stunning beauty was undeniable.
In particular, his eyes were clear and bright, curiously surveying the environment of the mansion.
Upon seeing this scene, Ye Xunyang's eyes lit up instantly. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Second Sister-in-law? Hello, Second Sister-in-law!"
Before he could finish speaking, he received a solid slap on the back of the head from Ye Xunqin.
"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting!" Ye Xunqin said with a laugh, but his tone wasn't forceful.
Ye Qing and his wife were overjoyed and quickly said, "Xunqin, please invite this young lady to sit down and rest. She must be tired from her journey. Please take her away to wash up and change into clean clothes before we talk."
A maid stepped forward and respectfully led the woman to the backyard. The woman seemed a little flustered, but she followed her instructions. Her gait revealed that she was not an ordinary, frail woman.
Ye's parents then came to their senses and apologized to Lou Jin. Lou Jin felt they were being too polite, and although he didn't say anything, he was thinking about explaining his relationship with Ye Xunyang to Ye's parents as soon as possible.
Ye Xunjin also rushed back from the outskirts of the capital. After meeting her parents and the Queen, she sat down next to Ye Xunyang.
Ye Xunyang pulled his older brother aside and told him that his second brother had returned, and had brought back a sister-in-law.
"Really?" Ye Xunjin found it unbelievable that Ye Xunqin, who avoided women and didn't even have a maid in his courtyard, had actually found a wife.
"So, big brother, when are you going to find me a sister-in-law?" Ye Xunyang teased.
The five people continued chatting casually in the main hall.
Not long after, the curtain in the side hall was lifted, and the woman from before came out again.
The entire hall fell silent.
She changed into a pale yellow brocade dress embroidered with lotus patterns, which fit her perfectly and accentuated her slender figure.
Her face was fair and delicate, and her features were as exquisite as a fairy in a painting. In particular, her eyes were so bright and sparkling that they made the grand main hall of the general's mansion even brighter.
Ye Xunyang stared wide-eyed, muttering unconsciously, "My God, where did Second Brother find such a fairy...?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet hall.
Lou Jin's eyes darkened, and he put down the teacup in his hand. Although he still maintained a gentle smile on his face, his hand had already reached out without leaving a trace.
She cupped Ye Xunyang's cheeks, applied a little force, and turned his head around, forcing him to look away and meet her eyes directly.
"Why are you staring at this so intently?" Lou Jin's voice was extremely low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible danger, which only the two of them could hear.
Ye Xunyang's heart skipped a beat when he saw him staring at her. He snapped back to reality, his face flushing red. He blinked quickly and whispered, "I... I wasn't looking at anything... I was just a little surprised."
At this moment, Ye Xunqin, having changed into clean casual clothes, walked in looking refreshed.
He first respectfully kowtowed to his parents to wish them a Happy New Year, then turned to Lou Jin and bowed respectfully: "Your subject Ye Xunqin greets Your Highness, King Jin."
"Second Young Master, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise."
Lou Jin nodded slightly, but his gaze remained seemingly fixed on Ye Xunyang, whose ears were turning red, standing beside him.
Ye Xunqin cleared his throat and, facing the curious gazes of the crowd, began to introduce himself.
"Father, Mother, this is Miss Anar. She is from Kapok Village in the southwest."
“I encountered miasma in the mountains before the New Year, but I was saved by Anar’s father. He is the chief of the village and he treated me very well. When he heard that I was going back to the capital, he asked me to take Anar with me so that she could see the prosperity of the capital and broaden her horizons.”
Everyone nodded; so that's how it is.
Madam Ye took Anar's hand and said kindly, "In that case, please stay here, young lady. You saved my son, so I will definitely treat you like my own daughter."
With her left hand held by Madam Ye, Anar bowed to the general and his wife seated at the head of the table with her right hand and said in accented Mandarin, "Anar thanks the general and his wife."
She paused, then turned to Ye Xunqin, her gaze filled with deep affection, her tone surprisingly frank:
"I like Ah Qin."
Ye Xunyang almost spat out the tea he had just taken a sip of, coughing repeatedly as he stared wide-eyed at his second brother.
General Ye and his wife were also stunned and didn't know how to react.
Ye Xunqin's face flushed red to his ears in an instant. He turned his face away abruptly, as if he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into: "Anar, you...you stop talking."
Lou Jin raised an eyebrow slightly, and gently squeezed Ye Xunyang's fingers with his hand under the table, signaling him to tone it down and not to laugh at his second brother.
Anar, however, was completely oblivious to Ye Xunqin's embarrassment. She blinked, her expression both innocent and stubborn: "Why won't you let me say that Aqin saved my fawn and taught me archery? He is the most handsome warrior I have ever seen."
"Father said that if you like someone, you should say it, otherwise how will others know?"
Her straightforward and passionate confession, imbued with the raw honesty of the mountains and fields, was completely different from the reserved and demure nature of ordinary women, leaving everyone present somewhat at a loss for how to respond.
Ye Xunyang's curiosity was now completely piqued. He leaned closer to Ye Xunqin, lowered his voice, and asked with a wink.
"Second brother, tell me quickly, what exactly happened? How did you become the most handsome warrior? Your journey was quite exciting!"
Ye Xunqin was even more embarrassed by his question. She glared at her younger brother, her face still flushed, and mumbled something.
"There's nothing to say! It's just... just a coincidence!"
He really didn't want to recount the details of being passionately pursued by a girl in front of his parents and King Jin; it would be even more embarrassing than having to venture into the dense forests of the southwest again.
Madam Ye, being a doting mother to her son, quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile when she saw the awkward situation.
"Alright, alright, Miss Anar has come from afar and must be tired from her journey. Please settle down and stay at the manor."
"Xunqin, treat the girl well and show her around the capital."
She wondered to herself, this girl is so straightforward, I wonder what her son really thinks.
General Ye stroked his beard but said nothing more, only saying, "Since she is the daughter of your benefactor, you must not neglect her."
Lou Jin spoke up at the right moment, his tone gentle: "Second Young Master and Miss Anar must be tired from their journey. Please rest well today. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Ye Xunyang decided to stay at home that night and get to the bottom of it.
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