Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

41. Jealousy

Translator: Flying Lines

Right after noon, a sumptuously ornamented carriage drove out of the imperial palace and was stopped by the Imperial Guards at the gate for routine check. As the carriage came to a stop, from within the carriage came out a slender hand on the thumb of which was a jade ring of superb quality that shined dazzlingly under the bright sun at noon. The color and purity of it indicated it must be priceless.

As the Guards were guessing which extravagant prince might be sitting in the carriage, the lifted curtain revealed Prince Rui Xiao ShengNian’s gentle face with an amicable smile.

“Your Highness,” greeted the guards, surprised. They didn’t expect to see Prince Rui in such an extravagant carriage. Something must have happened or this usually low-keyed prince who was favored by the emperor and usually travelled in ordinary carriages wouldn’t suddenly make such a huge change.

After being permitted to leave, Xiao ShengNian dropped the curtain and took off the jade ring from his thumb, his lips curled into his gentle smile but without any delight in his eyes.

Soon the carriage arrived at Prince Rui’s Mansion.

“Zhui Xing, go get everything ready. We’re setting off to City Hao this afternoon,” ordered Xiao ShengNian the moment he got back without even the time for a cup of tea.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Xiao ShengNian then went back to his room and changed his court wear into a white robe embroidered with blue flower patterns. On his waist was a dark blue belt inlaid with jade. He was standing before the mirror to adjust his clothes with an indifferent look when his expression changed a bit as he was about to wear a white nephire pendant by his waist, thus turning his head to glance at the room next door.

“My little slave should come with me,” said Xiao ShengNian as he walked over and pushed open the door of Su Jie’s room, his voice refreshing and clear like the gurgling water of intermountain spring.

Yet no one was there.

“Where is he?” Brows knitted, he stood at the door with hands behind his back. A moment later, Su Jie was still not back and Xiao ShengNian somehow felt a bit pissed. All these years, he had been the center of focus, being waited upon by others. Yet now he had to accommodate himself to a Jianghu boy he had brought back on a whim.

Then on a second thought, Jianghu was different from the court where boasted strict hierarchy and rules. But still it wouldn’t hurt to let his little slave learn some manners and get some sense of how to serve a prince, would it?

His thoughts ran wild in his short staying at Su Jie’s door. Then he turned around and walked to the room next to Su Jie’s where his master shifu stayed. It was basic decorum to let his shifu know that he would be out of the mansion for a few days.

Coming at Zhou Zaiyue’s door, Xiao ShengNian knocked a few times before saying, “Master shifu.”

“Come in.” There came from inside the room the delighted voice of his master shifu.

Xiao ShengNian pushed open the door and saw Su Jie sitting beside his master shifu who was holding a book in hand as if giving a lesson.

‘There he is, my little slave,” thought Xiao ShengNian, raising his brows in surprise. Yet the next second he frowned slightly when seeing Su Jie not planning to stand up to greet him but he didn’t say a word about it in Zhou Zaiyue’s presence.

“What’s the matter?” asked Zhou Zaiyue with a loving smile.

“This humble student is going to City Hao.”

“Okay, take care.” Zhou Zaiyue gave a slight nod of his head.

“I’m taking Nianxuan with me.”

“Nianxuan?” Zhou Zaiyue found the name a bit familiar but couldn’t remember who it belonged to.

Even Su Jie was caught in a trance when his false name was suddenly mentioned. He even pointed at his own nose, asking with a blank look, “Me?”

“You don’t want to come along?” Xiao ShengNian narrowed his eyes, wearing a faint but somewhat dangerous smile as if threatening Su Jie that his sharp gaze would materialize into piercing blade cutting him into pieces should he refuse.

“No, I do.”

Su Jie’s positive answer gratified Xiao ShengNian who cracked a gentle smile, “Now go pack some of your clothes. Hao City is some distance from the capital and the journey will be longer with you joining us.”

“ShengNian,” Zhou Zaiyue chimed in as he put the book aside, looking somewhat serious.

“Yes, master shifu?”

“This aged man hasn’t been out on a journey for years and I’d like to join you this time. But I fear I might cause you much trouble…” sighed Zhou Zaiyue, his eyes staring fixedly at Xiao ShengNian, who of course, understood what his shifu meant to say and thus was quite shocked as to his knowledge, his master shifu didn’t like traveling around, yet now he should ask to join him on his own initiative.

And there was only one reason for his change – his little slave.

“It is my honor to have you join me.” Xiao ShengNian replied with a gentle smile, his gaze, however, turned to Su Jie.

What was the relation between master shifu and Su Jie? Why master shifu suddenly changed?

“I just hope you don’t think I’m a bother…” Zhou Zaiyue was holding several books in his hand, his face wrinkled because his bright smile. “Then let’s go. I don’t have other things besides these books to take.”

Xiao ShengNian suddenly felt a bit jealous. Zhou Zaiyue had always been serious when teaching him. Suddenly his master shifu began to beam all day in his mansion. It was true that joy puts heart into a man. Ever since his master shifu met Su Jie, he was a different man, full of vigor and hope for life. And that smile never left his face.

Xiao ShengNian said, “Please wait a moment, master shifu. I still have something to deal with before we can leave. NianXuan, now go back to your room and pack your stuff, especially the robes. Those bought outside the mansion aren’t as comfortable as what I have prepared for you.”

Su Jie nodded obediently and went back to pack his clothes when he saw Zhou Zaiyue waiting in the courtyard, smiling gently. He found the scene so heart-warming. He opened his mouth trying to thank the old man but couldn’t find the proper words as for the moment, all words paled before the warmth welling up in his heart.

“Can you be my master shifu?” Su Jie said after a moment of silence.

“That would be my honor.”

Xiao ShengNian happened to come out of his room and heard what Zhou Zaiyue replied, the corner of his eyes twitching as he glanced at Su Jie’s face suspiciously.

He felt something odd between his master shifu and Su Jie. There was something else besides Zhou Zaiyue’s loving and caring attitude to Su Jie, but he couldn’t tell what it was. Perhaps he could ask his little slave what it was.

Having made up his mind, he cracked a smile, “All set, let’s go.” With that, he walked in the lead while Su Jie and Zhou Zaiyue followed in his wake.

He had arranged two carriages, one for his master shifu and the other for he himself and his little slave. However, when he got on the first carriage, Su Jie followed Zhou Zaiyue into the second carriage!

Xiao ShengNian’s face darkened. For an instant, he even wanted to pull Su Jie out of that carriage and kiss him hard, telling his little slave who was the right person he should be close to.

Xiao ShengNian didn’t bring many men with him on this journey beside Zhui Xing and Yu Che driving the carriages.

Zhui Xing, poker-faced, drove the first carriage while the ordinary-looking Yu Che the second. No one would know he was actually Yu Jiang’s brother merely by the look.

Xiao ShengNian sat alone in his extravagant carriage, his lips slightly curved as usual but the look in his eyes a bit sullen.

“Now, bring my little slave to me.” Finally, he yielded to his heart and ordered.