“Yan’er, I heard about the Illusionary Beauty Pavilion from Haoyang. Such a big thing, why didn’t you tell your father?”
"I was in the imperial palace, extremely anxious. It wasn't until I received a letter from Haoyang that I learned the crisis had been resolved that I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief and relax."
Ruan Xiyan wrapped her arms around Ling Yunchen's arm, a fawning smile on her face. "I'm the one who made Father Emperor worry."
"It's good that you're alright." What else could Ling Yunchen say besides pampering and indulging you?
He then inquired about some of the things that had happened to Ruan Xiyan outside during this time.
Ruan Xiyan patiently explained it to him little by little.
"I never imagined Yan'er's experiences would be so fascinating," Ling Yunchen remarked.
He suddenly noticed Jun Yu sitting to the side and asked in confusion, "And who is this?"
“Father, his name is Jun Yu, and he is my friend,” Ruan Xiyan replied.
"My friend Yan'er, I'm sorry, I was too focused on catching up with Yan'er just now." Ling Yunchen looked at the handsome man in front of him.
This is the first time Yan'er has brought a friend back to the Imperial Palace, and the key point is that it's a man, which is strange.
Could he be Yan'er's sweetheart?!
Thinking of this, a look of caution flashed in Ling Yunchen's eyes.
This person's appearance is comparable to his wife Yan'er's; they look quite well-matched.
However, appearance is not the most important thing; character and ability are also important.
As a princess of the empire, Yan'er must choose the best husband she can find. He must be talented and handsome, have outstanding abilities, and be devoted to Yan'er. He must be absolutely perfect.
All of these conditions are indispensable.
However, the thought that Yan'er had just returned to his side, and his precious little darling hadn't even had a chance to warm up before being kidnapped by someone else, was unbearable.
Ling Yunchen felt somewhat displeased, so much so that his gaze towards Jun Yu involuntarily carried a hint of hostility.
As an emperor, he was extremely adept at controlling his emotions.
He said politely, "When Yan'er's friend comes to the Imperial Palace as a guest, I will make sure that he is treated well and that Young Master Jun feels at home."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty," Jun Yu said neither humbly nor arrogantly.
Under the twinkling stars of the night, Ling Yunchen prepared a sumptuous dinner.
"I didn't know what Young Master Jun's tastes, so I just prepared some random things. I hope Young Master Jun won't find them offensive."
"I'm not a picky eater."
"How did Young Master Jun and my Yan'er meet?" Ling Yunchen inquired.
Before Jun Yu could speak, Ling Jingyan interjected, "Father, I know that Brother Jun is also a disciple of the Ice Feather Palace. They are fellow disciples who met in the Ice Feather Palace."
Ling Haoyang smiled and put some food on Ling Jingyan's plate, "Eat well, all this food can't shut you up."
Ling Zhiheng also glanced at Ling Jingyan.
That third brother is hopeless, he has no sense of propriety at all.
"Just as Brother Ling said, Ayan and I became acquainted at the Ice Feather Palace."
"This title is rather intriguing," Ling Yunchen thought to himself.
"That really is fate," Ling Yunchen said with a laugh.
Throughout the meal, Ling Yunchen subtly inquired about Jun Yu's situation.
Ruan Xiyan, engrossed in her meal, did not notice Ling Yunchen's unusual behavior and assumed he was concerned about her friends.
After finishing their meal, Ling Jingyan looked at Ruan Xiyan and said, "Yan'er, Brother Jun's residence is near your Xiyan Palace. Since you're going the same way, I'll trouble you to show him the way."
“No problem,” Ruan Xiyan replied. “Father, I’ll go back to rest now.”
Ling Yunchen waved at her, "Go on."
Ruan Xiyan looked at Jun Yu, "Come with me."
Jun Yu's lips curled slightly. "Okay."
Seeing the two figures walk away, Ling Zhiheng could no longer bear it and slapped Ling Jingyan on the head.
"Second brother, why did you hit me! Are you itching for a fight?!" Ling Jingyan cried out in pain.
"Are you stupid! I told you to arrange accommodations, and you arranged for him to stay next to Yan'er. Isn't that like throwing a lamb to the slaughter?" Ling Zhiheng angrily pointed at Ling Jingyan.
Ling Jingyan hadn't reacted yet and asked, confused, "What's wrong?"
“My sister’s Xiyan Palace is one of the best locations in the Imperial Palace. Since I promised to help Brother Jun find a good place to stay, I can’t just do it half-heartedly.”
"It just so happens that the courtyard next to Xiyan Palace is still vacant, and besides Yan'er and me, Brother Jun is not familiar with anyone else in the Imperial Palace."
"If we arrange for Brother Jun to be near Yan'er, he won't have to be so reserved and can relax a bit."
Ling Haoyang sneered, "You've certainly thought things through very carefully."
"Big brother, I feel like you're being sarcastic towards me." Ling Jingyan looked puzzled.
"Being able to detect this means they're not completely stupid."
Ling Zhiheng pointed at Ling Jingyan, "You, you will regret it and cry one day."
After Ling Zhiheng finished speaking, he turned and left.
"What do you mean, Second Brother? Come back and explain yourself to me."
Ling Haoyang sighed helplessly and patted Ling Jingyan on the shoulder as he walked past him. "Third brother, eat more walnuts to nourish your brain."
"If your palace doesn't have any, I'll have someone send some over."
Ling Jingyan stared at Ling Yunchen with his big eyes, "Father, what are my eldest brother and second brother talking about? What kind of nonsense are they talking about? Are they saying I'm stupid?"
Ling Yunchen waved his hand at him, "It's getting late, you should go back too."
He returned to his bedchamber with his hands behind his back, shaking his head and muttering to himself, "I never bumped my head when I was a child, so why am I acting so silly now that I'm all grown up?"
Could it be that he raised his son incorrectly, or that he raised him in the wrong way?!
As Ruan Xiyan led Jun Yu towards their residence, she was completely unaware of what had happened in the palace later.
The two strolled under the moonlight, experiencing a sense of tranquility and peace.
Ruan Xiyan suddenly chuckled.
Junyu asked curiously, "What interesting thing has Ah Yan thought of?"
"Look at the situation now, doesn't it look like when you took me to the disciples' academy when I first entered Ice Feather Palace? Only now it's the other way around."
Upon hearing this, Jun Yu smiled and said, "Back then, Ayan was so cold to me that she broke my heart."
"But we didn't chase you away, did we? You still shamelessly followed us around," Ruan Xiyan said with a smile.
Jun Yu's face showed a hint of smugness and mockery. "If I could be so easily driven away by Ayan, how could I be here today wandering the imperial palace of the Yunli Empire with Ayan?"
"Looking back now, it's amazing how much time has passed, and I've known Ayan for a long time."
The two chatted all the way and unknowingly arrived at their lodgings.
Ruan Xiyan looked into the courtyard and said, "Here you are. Get some rest."
After Ruan Xiyan finished speaking, she was about to turn and leave.
Suddenly, I felt someone tug at my sleeve from behind.
She turned her head and saw that Junyu's eyes were staring at her intently.
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