Chapter 783 He Should Be Under the Carriage

Xingxing obviously knew what Wei Shiyu was looking for.

She turned around and gave him a questioning look.

Wei Shiyan paused briefly before nodding.

Xingxing then hopped right down from the carriage.

Wei Shiyu was so excited he nearly froze, his grip tightening on the reins. He dismounted, his movements clumsy, almost laughable, due to his rigid posture.

With a mix of anticipation and nervousness, Wei Shiyu stared at the carriage behind her, his expression complicated.

It was only on his birthday that he learned his second elder brother—who outranked him—was still alive.

Not only that, but he also came to understand why his second brother had to stay hidden from the world for eighteen long years.

His second brother had given up way too much for the sake of the people.

Saying he wanted to check if his second brother truly looked as handsome as their mother had said—better-looking than him—was just an excuse Wei Shiyu used when requesting Emperor Jiazheng's permission to welcome his second brother.

In truth, Wei Shiyu simply wanted to meet his second brother before anyone else.

The carriage curtain was lifted by a slender hand, and a figure stepped out.

The sunlight hit that figure, and Wei Shiyu's eyes went wide immediately.

He realized his mother had downplayed it.

His second brother wasn’t just handsome—he was like a god descended to earth!

Wei Shiyu’s throat felt dry. He took two steps forward but then froze, could only choke out a stiff, "Second Brother." He stammered, "I—I’m your third brother..."

Wei Shiyan’s usually stoic face showed a flicker of emotion.

Third brother—of course, he remembered.

When he had boarded the carriage leaving the capital all those years ago, his third brother could barely walk straight, stumbling after the carriage, calling after his big brother.

Perhaps recalling those childhood memories, Wei Shiyan’s expression turned complicated.

Yet, after so many years apart from his family, beneath that impassive face lay some uncertainty—how to interact with his kin now?

Instinctively, Wei Shiyan looked to Xingxing.

Xingxing gave him an encouraging glance.

Steadying himself, Wei Shiyan’s lips parted slightly, as if about to call out "third brother."

Wei Shiyu also stared at his second brother with anticipation.

—Indeed, from that first glance, Wei Shiyu had been completely won over by his second brother (or rather, his face)!

Second Brother was the absolute best!

Even Crown Prince the Eldest Brother couldn't compare!

But Wei Shiyan stayed frozen, unable to get the words out.

Wei Shiyu’s face fell.

But Xingxing understood Wei Shiyan’s personality inside out.

Him not saying anything wasn’t because he didn't care for his family—quite the opposite. It was *because* he cared too damn much that he didn't know how to interact with them.

Xingxing stepped up and gave Wei Shiyan’s arm a reassuring pat.

It was a small gesture the two of them were accustomed to.

Wei Shiyu’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Before setting off, the Crown Prince, his eldest brother, had repeatedly warned him that his second brother was somewhat aloof and disliked being touched by others. He’d told Wei Shiyu to back off and not be a pest, lest he upset his second brother.

B-but Xingxing was touching him like it was nothing!

Wei Shiyu refused to believe it.

Gritting his teeth, he shuffled closer, as if wanting to give his second brother a high-five or something similar.

But Wei Shiyan instinctively took half a step back.

Wei Shiyu’s eyes widened again!

Ouch. *Major* ouch.

Did you seriously just back away from me?!

That tiny move cut deep!

The kid’s face went white as a sheet!

After instinctively stepping back, Wei Shiyan quickly realized his reaction and just stood there, scrambling for words, seemingly unsure how to explain himself to Wei Shiyu.

Xingxing bit back a laugh and stepped forward to whisper an explanation: "Your second brother... before he turned eighteen, no one was allowed to touch him. He’s used to it—he avoids touch to protect *them*."

Hearing this, Wei Shiyu recalled his brother's circumstances over the past eighteen years and his heart ached.

But then he thought—wait, that doesn’t explain why *you* can touch him so naturally?!

Wei Shiyu knew Xingxing well enough. He squinted at her. "Then what about you?"

Xingxing just shrugged. "Oh," she said matter-of-factly, "I’m different from all of you. Brother Yan and I grew up together."

Wei Shiyu burned with jealousy—*totally* green-eyed!

‘Brother Yan’? Since when were they *that* close?!

He had called him "second brother," and his second brother hadn’t even acknowledged him yet!

The kid’s heart *shattered*!

...

Wei Shiyu dragged Xingxing and Wei Shiyan straight to the palace.

He ditched his horse anymore, he *had* to cram into the carriage to stick to his second brother and Xingxing like glue.

Fortunately, the carriage was spacious. Yu Yonggui was on horseback, leaving only Xingxing and Wei Shiyan inside, so there was plenty of room for the teenager as well.

Wei Shiyu sat in the carriage, looking back and forth between them all the way into the capital.

It had been several months since Xingxing last returned to the capital. When she left, it was still summer, but now it had turned cold.

Xingxing lifted the carriage curtain and looked out at the streets.

Wei Shiyan naturally handed her a piece of fruit.

Xingxing just as naturally accepted it, taking small bites of the fruit while watching the street life.

Wei Shiyu blurted out, “Second Brother, aren’t you going to give me one?”

By now, Wei Shiyan wasn't as awkward anymore as he had been during their first meeting—probably because this younger brother was too comfortable around him, as if they'd never been apart.

So Wei Shiyan went along with it.

Leaning against the carriage wall, his expression calm, he said indifferently, “Take it yourself.”

Wei Shiyu: “???”

Hold on, brother, isn’t your playing favorites a little too hard?

With Xingxing, you actively hand her fruit.

With me, it’s “take it yourself”?!

Perhaps the utter outrage in his younger brother’s eyes was too palpable, because Wei Shiyan paused.

Though he didn’t quite understand why something as simple as grabbing some fruit would provoke such a mix of heartbreak and anger in his brother.

Wei Shiyan thought it must be because the kid had been too coddled by their mother and eldest brother.

He shot Wei Shiyu a cold glance.

Just as Wei Shiyu was about to speak, he saw Wei Shiyan with indifference pick up a piece of fruit and hold it out to him.

Wei Shiyu was dizzy with shock!

In a daze, he took the fruit.

His second brother!

Had handed him fruit!

His untouchable second brother!

Had handed him fruit!

Wei Shiyu practically ate the fruit like it was sacred!

This was fruit handed to him personally by his second brother!

Xingxing, who had been nibbling on her fruit while leaning against the window to watch the streets, seemed to pick up on the mood. She turned and glanced at Wei Shiyu, who was tearing up.

She gave Wei Shiyan a questioning look, as if to ask, *What’s wrong with him?*

Wei Shiyan gave a cold shake of his head.

I don't know.

Don't care.

Looks like a fool.

Is he really his blood brother?

Xingxing laughed softly.

As they passed by a certain shop, Xingxing suddenly called for a stop.

The carriage came to a halt.

Xingxing quickly said, "Just a moment."

With that, she hopped off the carriage.

Wei Shiyan pulled back the carriage curtain to peek outside.

Wei Shiyu also glanced over curiously.

For one, he wondered why Xingxing had gotten off, and second, he wondered why his second brother, who hadn’t glanced outside the entire journey, was now looking out.

Then he spotted Xingxing entering the Yu Family Trading Company’s storefront.

Wei Shiyu wanted to see what his second brother was looking at, only to find him lowering the curtain.

Wei Shiyu blinked. "???"

So his second brother had been watching Xingxing too!

Come on, Brother, you’re not even trying to hide how you favor Xingxing.

Wei Shiyu’s emotions were in turmoil.

No wonder his mother once said that Xingxing was an extraordinarily important person to his second brother.

After barely an hour together, Wei Shiyu got the picture.

...

Xingxing soon returned.

She returned with a food box in hand.

Wei Shiyan held the curtain aside, first took the food box from Xingxing and set it aside, then reached out to help her back into the carriage.

Wei Shiyu stared blankly as his second brother and Xingxing held hands.

Once seated, Xingxing grinned and explained to Wei Shiyan and Wei Shiyu, "That shop back there is my family’s business. I hauled back cartloads of hometown treats and instructed the shopkeeper that Fourth Brother and I would first return to the palace to report, so have the manager deliver those to the Yu residence first. Oh, and also this..."

Xingxing raised the food box. "That shop of ours specializes in pastries, and a few of them are particularly delicious. Brother Yan, taste these—I got the ones you love."

Xingxing popped open the food box and looked at Wei Shiyan expectantly.

Under her eager watch, Wei Shiyan picked up a piece and tasted it, then nodded. "Mm, delicious."

Xingxing beamed, her eyes crinkling happily.

Then she turned to Wei Shiyu and said, "Want some too, Third Prince?"

Wei Shiyu thought with numb detachment, Damn, Xingxing, you're really treating Second Brother differently too...

Wei Shiyu mechanically picked up a piece of pastry and tossed it into his mouth, chewing mechanically.

Hmm, damn, this was good.

It barely eased his heartache.

The carriage rolled on toward the palace.

Wei Shiyu stuck his head out to show his face, and the palace gate guards immediately let the carriage pass.

The carriage finally came to a stop at the entrance to the imperial garden.

From here on, the carriage couldn't go further.

Wei Shiyu jumped down first.

Next was Wei Shiyan, followed by Xingxing.

Wei Shiyu watched as Wei Shiyan automatically turned around and reached out to help Xingxing down, his sense of numbness grew deeper.

It reminded him of that one time he insisted on tagging along with Crown Prince the Eldest Brother and his sister-in-law on an outing.

That same weird, unplaceable vibe.

The kind that made him feel like he shouldn’t be inside the carriage—he should be under it (like in that song).

Wei Shiyu felt his heart grow cold as stone and just as hard.

Yu Yonggui glanced at Wei Shiyu and thought, Poor kid, do you really not understand why he didn’t ride in the carriage?

...

Wei Shiyu led Wei Shiyan, Xingxing, and Yu Yonggui toward Zhaoyang Hall.

Emperor Jiazheng and Empress Nie were both waiting for them there.

On their way through the imperial garden, they encountered clusters of consorts admiring the flowers.

Led by a senior consort, they approached to greet Wei Shiyu: "Third Prince."

Wei Shiyu returned the courtesy politely, "Greetings, Consort Rong. Hello to you all."

Xingxing and Yu Yonggui also bowed politely.

Consort Rong was a senior figure in the harem, who kept to herself and didn't scheme. Later, she gave birth to the Second Princess and earned the title of consort based on seniority.

Consort Rong smiled and said, "It’s been a while since we last saw the young lady in the palace. My, haven't you grown taller?"

This wasn’t just polite talk—Xingxing herself felt she had grown a bit.

Thinking it over, she concluded it was the fish from the icy pool in the mountain cave that had accelerated her growth.

After some small talk, Consort Rong’s gaze lingered briefly on Wei Shiyan and Yu Yonggui before finally settling on Wei Shiyan.

What she saw gave her chills.

For no other reason, this young man she didn't recognize was truly divinely beautiful!

He looked somewhat like Empress Nie.

Moreover, he looked somewhat like the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.

So...

Consort Rong paused. Was this a young man from Empress Nie's maternal family, the Nie clan?

Consort Rong's gaze lingered on Wei Shiyan for too long. Given the current situation, Wei Shiyu remained cautious and didn't reveal that this was his second brother, the Second Prince.

He simply smiled and said, "Consort Rong, His Majesty and Her Majesty are still waiting for us in Zhaoyang Hall. We must be going now."

Consort Rong came back to herself and nodded with a smile. "Of course, I won't keep the Third Prince any longer. Please go ahead."

Wei Shiyu led Xingxing and the others away.

Only then did the lower-ranked concubines dare to chatter excitedly: "...Wow, I thought the Crown Prince was already the most handsome, but that man just now..."

"Shh! How bold of you, daring to gossip about the Crown Prince!"

"Heehee, good sister, we're among friends here. I’m just praising the Crown Prince. By the way, Sister Consort Rong, do you know who that was just now?"

"I’d guess he’s from the Nie family? That young man was so exceptionally handsome, and his bearing resembled Empress Nie, the Crown Prince, and the Third Prince. If not the Nie family, who else could he be?"

"But I’ve never heard of such a figure in the Nie family..."

The lower-ranked concubines chattered away, while Consort Rong remained silent.

After a long pause, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "...Enough. Which family he's from has nothing to do with us. We just need to attend to our own affairs."

The lower-ranked concubines' tongues peeked out, and they quickly agreed, though they defended themselves: "We sisters were just curious, that’s all."

These lower-ranked concubines clearly had a good relationship with Consort Rong. Some even cast mischievous glances, suggesting they’d have their eunuchs inquire.

Consort Rong didn’t stop them.

She was deep in thought.

If that man was from the Nie family, why hadn’t the Third Prince introduced him?

Moreover, only that young man had stood there indifferently without paying any salutations.

Yet, he didn’t seem like someone unaware of proper manners.

So... if he wasn’t from the Nie family, yet bore resemblance to Empress Nie, the Crown Prince, and the Second Prince...

What an odd coincidence!

...Just who was he?

Listening to the lower-ranked concubines whispering about sending their people to investigate his origins, Consort Rong allowed herself a small smile.

Well then, she’d wait for them to find out exactly who he was!

...

As soon as Wei Shiyu passed the imperial garden, messengers came running to Zhaoyang Hall to report.

"The Third Prince and Princess Fusui have just passed the imperial garden!"

"The Third Prince and Princess Fusui have just passed Feixia Tower!"

"The Third Prince and Princess Fusui have just turned past Bishui Pavilion!"

"The Third Prince and Princess Fusui are about fifteen minutes away from Zhaoyang Palace!"