Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Shengdu City is located in the Central Plains, mostly flat, with even the mountains being modest and picturesque. The Five Cross Mountains are situated to the southeast of Shengdu City, featuring both mountains and water. If it were just five large mountains tightly surrounding the area, it would surely be impoverished, as high mountains with no roads would trap the people within.

"...The beauty of the Five Cross Mountains lies in the fact that the Zong Mountain near the coast is quite expansive, blocking all the sea winds and waves. The climate west of Zong Mountain in Zongshan Prefecture is warm and suitable for living, as are the Ming Mountain and Li Mountain, both of which are coastal. Young Master Yan's hometown is in Daxi Mountain, adjacent to the Fu River," Wen Liangru explained the map to His Highness.

The Crown Prince's southern inspection team consisted of 5,000 personal guards, plus officials and attendants, totaling over 5,600 people. They set out from Shengdu, traveled by land carriage for three days, and arrived at the first port of the Fu River, where they boarded a large ship to continue by water, which was faster.

The ships resembled a waterborne army, arrayed like a dragon’s tail.

Dasheng's vast territory encompasses waterways, plains, hills, dense forests, and deserts. However, overall, the waterways are well-developed and convenient, though there are drawbacks. Dasheng spends a significant amount on water management annually, which has also spurred the rapid development of waterway-related industries.

The large ship they were on was exceptionally well-made.

The Crown Prince's ship was the largest, with three decks, stable on water and not causing seasickness. The entire second deck housed His Highness’s private quarters, bathroom, dining room, and other amenities, with the stern half housing the attendants and palace maids serving His Highness.

The first deck housed the accompanying officials, with a large meeting room at the bow.

The officials privileged to board His Highness’s ship were his closest confidants: Lin Zheng, Xu Lingguan, Zhou Quan, Li Ang, Wang Yuansun, Liu Qiang, and the East Palace team.

There were other officials from the court, all on the second ship.

For this southern inspection, Xu Duofu’s initial goal was to find Yan Jinjin. Now, burdened with official duties, he had to oversee the work. Xu Duofu reasoned that with their large entourage and imposing presence, local officials would have already concealed any misdeeds.

Thus, the clever and resourceful Xu Duofu proposed: divide our forces.

Before Lin Zheng could object, Wang Yuyan and Wu Yuanyuan exclaimed, "Your Highness, absolutely not!"

"Eunuch Wang, my trusted companion, I'm not saying I want to sneak off alone without anyone. I mean we can split into two groups and meet up later. I’ll take 3,000 men, and the remaining 2,000 can accompany the officials," Xu Duofu said. At least it would act as a diversion.

Otherwise, would these officials accompany him to visit Yan Jinjin's family? He would definitely stay longer when he visits Yan Jinjin, and since Yan Jinjin is in mourning and cannot go out, how could the accompanying officials stay at Wuxing Mountain for several months?

It would be better for the officials to go and inspect the situation in various places during this time, and then report back to him when they reunite.

Zhou Quan said, "Your Highness is very wise."

"Your Highness, I must follow you," Wang Yuansun said coldly.

He didn't care about the fate of others; this time, he must stay by the Crown Prince's side.

Upon hearing this, Liu Qiang said, "Then I must also protect Xu Duofu."

You’re not really protecting me; you're sticking close to Wang Yuansun. Don’t think I don’t see it. Xu Duofu cursed in his heart but said, "Anyway, since we’re out here, everyone must listen to me, so it's settled."

"Xu Muyu, you, Zhou Quan, and Li Ang, take the officials south. If there’s anything, Xu Muyu and Zhou Quan should discuss and decide together. If you can’t agree and the argument persists, wait for my decision. If it's really urgent, Xu Muyu, you decide," Xu Duofu said.

Xu Muyu was taken aback. He knew the Crown Prince was particularly close to Zhou Quan and Li Ang, but he didn't expect the Crown Prince to let him make the main decisions. Of course, the Crown Prince’s words also implied it was best to consult with Zhou Quan and not act like the overall leader unless absolutely necessary.

He understood.

Xu Muyu himself hadn’t noticed that over the past few years, his thinking, speech habits, and actions had all taken on a ‘Crown Prince’s style.’

Zhou Quan served in the court under the current emperor, while Xu Muyu followed the Crown Prince’s orders in the East Palace. In terms of age and experience, Xu Muyu was superior to Zhou Quan in all aspects. Zhou Quan had indeed gained a lot of experience in various court departments, but the East Palace team was not just for show.

Xu Duofu knew his own abilities and energy were limited. At eighteen or nineteen, he was almost busy every day in the court dealing with political affairs. He was busy, and the East Palace team was not allowed to rest by drinking tea or reading articles—except for Grand Tutor Hu.

Over the past few years, the entire East Palace team had been moved wherever needed.

In the entire East Palace, Wen Liangru was very self-aware, good at diplomacy, and quite smooth and thorough. Xu Muyu was a traditional official with a touch of idealism, clever enough to know when to leverage the ‘Crown Prince’s’ power to get things done effectively.

Xu Duofu had great trust in Xu Muyu, and naturally, he also believed in Zhou Quan's character. However, he hadn't worked much with Zhou Quan before, so in such important matters, he naturally promoted his own subordinates who had been honed by him.

Personal relationships are one thing, but official duties are another.

"Yes," Xu Muyu responded first, then cupped his hands towards Zhou Quan and Li Ang, "I’ll be counting on both of you for the journey ahead."

Zhou Quan hurriedly said, "We’ll follow Xu Daren’s lead."

Li Ang also cupped his hands in return. After three years of mourning, he was out of touch with court affairs and indeed needed more practice.

Thus, when they reached the fork at Fujiang, the fleet of the Shenlong team divided into two groups, one heading south and the other east.

Xu Duofu's team included Lin Zheng—

His father had only sent one skilled agent from the Eastern Depot. Xu Duofu didn’t dare leave Lin Zheng behind, fearing that Lin Zheng would knock him out and take him back. When he jokingly mentioned this, he noticed Lin Zheng showing a look of 'absolutely not,' and Xu Duofu was surprised, thinking, "I actually guessed wrong?"

"I have prepared non-harmful sedatives, painless and harmless," Lin Zheng said with a smile.

Knocking someone out would hurt too much.

Xu Duofu: ...He knew it!

"Brother Lin Zheng, don’t worry, I’ll keep you with me wherever I go," Xu Duofu quickly assured, showing he wasn’t a mischievous prince seeking trouble.

Lin Zheng smiled and moved to a corner. Court matters were not his concern; his only task during this southern tour was to protect the prince with his life.

Besides Lin Zheng, the team also included Wang Yuansun and Liu Qiang, a couple, and his personal guard Xu Lingguan. The Eastern Palace officials were only Wen Liangru and Wen Erdan, and that was it.

The ship had been considerably lightened, mainly because official duties had been set aside.

Wen Liangru was adept at reading the situation. As soon as the team split, Wen Liangru went to play chess with Wen Erdan that very day.

"Shall we go to the third-floor deck? The view is expansive and stunning," Wen Erdan suggested, feeling more at ease speaking freely with Lord Wen.

Wen Liangru smiled and said, "The third floor is windy and sparsely populated, and General Wang patrols there from time to time. It’s best not to disturb his work. Let’s stay here."

Wen Erdan didn’t understand at first but agreed. After sitting down, he suddenly realized.

Everyone in Shengdu knew about the relationship between General Wang and Master Liu. The prince often mentioned it. Previously, when Wang and Liu held a wedding banquet, they even invited the prince. General Liu's parents, who were far away at the Suma Pass, brought their daughter back for the occasion.

This story is quite long.

Anyway, the prince often spoke fondly of Master Liu but actually praised him highly, saying Master Liu was a true man. Indeed, he was.

On the second-floor bow, the prince was flipping around on the couch.

"I’m so bored, so bored," Xu Duofu shouted twice. Shun Cai ran over and asked if he wanted to play checkers. Xu Duofu asked, "Where’s Eunuch Wang?"

"I just saw Chief Steward Wang speaking with Lord Lin," Shun Cai replied.

Xu Duofu muttered, "What’s Eunuch Wang and Brother Lin Zheng discussing?"

Shun Cai actually eavesdropped and cautiously approached, saying, "I caught bits and pieces of their conversation. It seemed they were discussing the prince’s plan to split up, and the Emperor had anticipated it, so he brought five thousand men for the prince."

Xu Duofu waved his hand, letting Shun Cai go play.

As the saying goes, like father, like son. Of course, he knew. When he started this trip, his father first proposed twenty thousand men, which terrified him so much he couldn’t even negotiate properly and ended up saying five thousand. After saying it, he immediately regretted it.

In today's world, recruiting a thousand able-bodied men is no small feat. It would probably require gathering people from several nearby villages. Even if you manage to gather the men, it's another matter to have a thousand men who are skilled in martial arts, armed with weapons, wearing armor, and experienced in marching, fighting, and killing—all of which are incredibly hard to pull off.

In the past, there were still powerful clans in the south, but now, leading two thousand men is more than enough, not to mention that to reassure Lin Zhenggo and Eunuch Wang, he brought along three thousand elite troops.

Presumably, his father had anticipated he’d need to split his forces, so he sent more, giving him room to negotiate.

Xu Duofu rolled over and sat up from the couch, deciding to go find Liu Qiang to hang out.

On the entire ship, the only one left to hang out with now is Liu Qiang. Given Liu Qiang’s tendency to stick to Wang Yuansun like glue, Xu Duofu asked, "Where’s General Wang?"

"Your Highness, General Wang is at the bow on the third floor."

"Don’t follow me. Tell Eunuch Wang I won’t get lost on the ship." Xu Duofu said as he headed to the third floor. He went up the central staircase and, before reaching the bow, shouted, "Liu Jiaojiao, Liu Jiaojiao, can I come over?"

If you two are holding hands and kissing in broad daylight, cut it out—I’m coming over.

There was a commotion at the bow, mixed with Liu Qiang’s yelps—probably because he got hit. After a while, Liu Qiang's voice came, "Xu Duofu, what’s your problem!"

"Liu Qiang, you’re out of line!" Xu Duofu scolded angrily.

This lovesick fool who ditches his friends the moment he gets a wife!

Serves him right for getting smacked by Wang Yuansun!

Wang Yuansun came over first, greeted His Highness with a calm expression and tidy clothes, and said, "Your Highness, do you need something?"

"Nothing much, I’m bored and came to find Liu Qiang to hang out." Xu Duofu asked Wang Yuansun, "Did you just hit Liu Qiang?"

Wang Yuansun: "Just a light tap."

"Heh, he had it coming." Xu Duofu chuckled, guessing right again, and said, "Liu Qiang, stop bugging General Wang with his work. Come over and play Chinese checkers with me."

Liu Qiang dragged his feet, "What’s so fun about Chinese checkers?"

"...You numbskull can’t play Chinese checkers for squat, so let’s play Ludo." Xu Duofu gave in to his friend, then turned back with a 'ferocious' look, threatening, "I’m already cutting you slack, so you’d better take it and quit."

Liu Qiang: "Got it, big guy, you sure love throwing your weight around now."

"Oh, you’ve picked up this phrase—not bad, you’re improving." Xu Duofu went downstairs first, Liu Qiang trailed behind, and Wang Yuansun stayed on the third floor to continue his daily patrol and inspection of the ship.

Liu Qiang walked a few steps and then ran back. Xu Duofu didn’t have eyes on the back of his head, but just hearing the 'thud thud thud' of running footsteps, he knew what Liu Qiang was doing—Liu Qiang was saying goodbye to Wang Yuansun.

Just going to the second floor to play a game, and he still has to say goodbye—ridiculous.

Xu Duofu cursed inwardly. Liu Qiang had really changed since marrying Wang Yuansun—always dragging his feet, super family-oriented, and reluctant to go out and have fun. If there was a gathering with Wang Yuansun, though, Liu Qiang was sure to show up.

At this time, Liu Qiang ran back.

"You, ever since you got married, you’ve really forgotten about your friends." Xu Duofu said, then felt a bit pitiful himself, and added, "Don’t think about yourself, think about Wang Yuansun. Doesn’t he want some personal space?"

Liu Qiang: "Xu Duofu, I think you're just bored. You used to play with Yan Huaijin all the time and didn’t bring me, and I didn’t say anything either."

"And the personal space you mentioned? You think Wang Yuansun wants to be alone? That’s not happening—he definitely prefers being with me." Liu Qiang was confident.

Xu Duofu: ...Speechless.

The two often bickered, it was a habit.

Liu Qiang and Wang Yuansun held their wedding banquet three years ago—it was held at the Liu residence, Xu Duofu even attended the ceremony and banquet, standing up for his good friend.

At that time, the circle of dignitaries in Shengdu City was laughing at the Liu family.

Liu Qiang is the sole heir of the Liu family, which holds significant military power and maintains a good family reputation, earning the emperor's deep trust and favor. The emperor has repeatedly referred to General Liu, the elder, as "Second Uncle" on important occasions, indicating a close relationship.

Among the four great clans that aided Taizu in establishing the empire, only the Liu and Li families remain today. The Li family pales in comparison to the Liu family. Over the decades, three emperors have sat on the throne (excluding Zhong Rui), yet the Liu family remains at the core of the circle, envied by all.

Such a distinguished family has produced a "romantic"—the noble circle ostensibly praises Liu Qiang as a romantic, but in reality, they use this term to mock and belittle the Liu family. The current emperor favors male companionship, and many young scions of the noble circle in Dasheng have also adopted this trend, engaging in playful "brotherly" bonds by mutual consent, without hindering their marriages and family lives.

Only Liu Qiang made it public, insisting on holding a wedding, making it known throughout Shengdu.

Liu Qiang's partner was none other than Wang Yuansun—a figure of notoriety.

In short: their marriage was the talk of the town in Shengdu for a year. At that time, every gathering discussed how Liu Qiang could be so reckless, and why the Liu family didn't stop him. Even Liu Qiqian and his wife returned to attend the ceremony, which was quite a spectacle.

The officials had more intricate thoughts, believing the Liu family was very clever. Liu Qiang's affection for Wang Yuanson meant the Wang family would have no heir, and with the Liu family holding significant military power, they too would have no heir, thus reassuring the emperor.

Xu Duofu overheard his father venting to his own father: "Am I really that petty? Who do they think I am? I still have faith in Liu Qiqian, though he falls short."

Xu Xiaoman was at a loss for words then. He and Liu Qiqian were like brothers because he started learning martial arts late but showed great aptitude. His teacher praised him in front of Liu Qiqian, using Duo Duo's phrasing as a veiled dig. Liu Qiqian, ever the competitive youth, challenged him. Naturally, as a beginner, Xu Xiaoman lost to Liu Qiqian, who, despite winning, was not happy and said, "You started late, so my victory is not fair."

After that, they practiced martial arts together, exchanged ideas, and got along well.

To Zhong Cheng, Liu Qiqian appeared somewhat overeager to please. Xu Xiaoman, after feeling speechless, found his wife adorable, as only Zhong Cheng treated him like a treasure.

But I digress.

To demonstrate he wasn't as narrow-minded as the court officials assumed, the emperor summoned Liu Qiqian and his wife back to Shengdu and held a family banquet. At that time, Xu Duofu met Liu Qiang's sister.

A spirited, brave, and lively little girl, akin to a red egg.

She appeared sharper than Liu Qiang, and Xu Duofu couldn't resist drawing comparisons.

The emperor then said, "I trust and value Qiqian greatly. Your daughter is like my niece."

The emperor's seemingly insincere words held a kernel of truth.

Xu Duofu stifled a laugh, amused by his father's antics. He glanced at Uncle Liu, who at first listened with apprehension but then appeared somewhat at a loss, probably thinking, "At least it's a niece and not a daughter. Let's keep some distance and not get too close."

Regardless, the emperor sought to arrange a match for Liu Biao, saying that any children she had would belong to the Liu family, and with the Liu family stationed at Suma Pass, he felt very secure.

Ensuring the Liu lineage would continue.

The emperor aimed to quell the chatter of the envious, gossip-mongering officials, showing such enthusiasm that Uncle Liu eventually had to comply with his wishes—Xu Duofu came to understand that the Liu family was rather unassuming, loyal to the emperor and devoted to Dasheng, not a family that sought power for personal gain.

Otherwise, how could they have nurtured someone like Liu Qiang?

Thus, three years ago, Liu Qiang and Wang Yuansun's wedding was grand and lively. The emperor decreed the marriage, and the crown prince personally attended the banquet, with the entire noble circle of Shengdu present.

Initially, Liu Qiang wanted to pack his belongings and take his "dowry" to the Wang family. Wang Yuansun was more sensitive, and Liu Qiang publicly declared that he was marrying Wang Yuansun.

But because Liu Qiang insisted on following the traditional three letters and six etiquettes, he wrote a letter to Suma Pass and confessed to his grandfather. After being scolded, their marriage became more formal and grand, and Wang Yuansun also made concessions.

Wang Yuansun was willing to bring his mother to the Liu residence to honor General Liu together with Liu Qiang.

...After witnessing all this, Xu Duofu thought that Liu Qiang was not just infatuated; Wang Yuansun also loved Liu Qiang.

True love, applause!

At that moment, Xu Duofu and Liu Qiang were playing a board game in the living room, with the window open, offering a view of the retreating river scenery. Xu Duofu laid out the map and magnanimously offered, "You can roll the dice first, alright?"

"Hehe, sounds good." Liu Qiang was immediately pleased, shaking the dice while saying, "If you're bored, why didn't you keep Li Ang here?"

Xu Duofu watched Liu Qiang roll a one and was happy with the 'yes.' Then it was his turn. He said, "Li Ang and I can hang out, but he's in a three-year mourning period. Now that he's entered officialdom, he wants to make some achievements. Having him stay here just to play would be unfair to him."

He looked up at Liu Qiang, cutting him off before he could speak.

"Keeping you here isn't unfair to you, so just enjoy it. If Wang Yuansun stays with me, or if you want to join the officials, I’ll let you go."

Liu Qiang was left speechless and hurriedly said, "I’ll never forget the Crown Prince’s generosity."

"Just remember it," Xu Duofu rolled a two, frowning in frustration. Every time he played with Liu Qiang, it felt like he was bringing him down.

They were just as unlucky, neither better nor worse than the other.

Just as he thought this, Liu Qiang rolled an eight.

Xu Duofu: ...

Liu Qiang was overjoyed, laughing heartily, "That’s a huge number! Does that mean I win?"

"Not even close, you’ve got a long way to go," Xu Duofu had already started counting the positions and saw the 'Miss a turn' marker next to it. He burst into laughter, "My turn, my turn, I get to roll twice."

Liu Qiang: ... He just wanted to finish quickly and go find Sun Sun.

Of course, Liu Qiang could only call him 'Sun Sun' on specific occasions.

Xu Duofu and Liu Qiang were just as unlucky, and their big game of Ludo lasted the entire afternoon, mixed with some truth or dare challenges that had to be completed before they could proceed to the next step.

By evening, when it got darker and the lights on the boat were lit, the Crown Prince got hungry. Liu Qiang, hearing this, hastily said, "Go ahead and eat, I’ll head out."

Xu Duofu: ...

"Go on, lovebirds don’t need friends anyway."

Liu Qiang took this as a compliment. He knew exactly what 'love-struck' meant, so he was quite happy and went off to find Wang Yuansun.

Xu Duofu ate alone, and after finishing, he went to the study to write a letter: "Yan Jinjin, let me tell you, Liu Qiang is something else now. He’s been married to Wang Yuansun for three years and they’re still glued together. Playing Ludo with him is like pulling teeth. I miss you."

All his classmates and friends had settled down and started their careers, but he still felt young, like he was falling behind. But he couldn’t blame them—some cared about their ambitions, others about their families and partners.

Only he was still thinking about playing.

Xu Duofu didn’t play every day. He just did the tasks his two fathers gave him, like a regular job. After work, he needed to relax and unwind.

If he wanted someone to play with, he wasn’t short of options. Everyone in the Eastern Palace had high emotional intelligence and knew his temperament. They always let him win and kept him entertained.

But this happiness wasn’t the same as playing with real friends.

Xu Duofu lamented in the letter: "I think I’m getting a little sappy. Oh well, tomorrow I’ll go play with Wen Liangru. The boat is so boring, and we’ve got seven more days to go."

This letter was more of a diary entry. Yan Jinjin was still in mourning, so Xu Duofu wouldn’t invite him for entertainment.

In the following days, Xu Duofu spent every day figuring out what to do to pass the time. Wen Liangru, Wen Erdan, and Xu Lingguan took turns finding ways to entertain him. Of course, Liu Qiang, after getting 'scolded' by Wang Yuansun, came to 'complain' to him.

Xu Duofu shooed him away: "This isn’t a complaint, you’re just here to feed me dog food. Get lost."

He’d had enough of dog food at home; he wasn’t going to eat it outside!

"Big guy, you’re so cold."

"Hehe, likewise," Xu Duofu dismissed Liu Qiang.

Originally, the journey felt endless, but today, Wen Liangru came and said, "Your Highness, we’ll arrive at Daxi Mountain today."

"Daxi Mountain? So, we’re finally here?" Xu Duofu brightened.

His classmate’s hometown is in Daxi Mountain, known as Xishan Prefecture, which is located in the most flat area of Wuheng Mountain, very prosperous, with waterways connecting everywhere.

"Your Highness, the Daxi River isn’t as deep as the Fu River, so we’ll need to switch boats," Lin Zheng explained.

Xu Duofu nodded in agreement.

So the large boat docked at a pier, and Xu Duofu waited on the boat for half a day. By evening, some of his essential luggage was packed and transferred to a medium-sized boat.

Xu Duofu changed boats, and as night fell, they entered the Daxi River, passing between two high mountains and entering the Daxi Prefecture area. It felt like a secluded paradise nestled in a peach blossom forest. Even though the end of February still carried a chill, the banks of Daxi Prefecture were covered in greenery and flowers, already in bloom.

As the sky began to lighten, the boat docked at the pier, and a carriage team was already waiting. The local county magistrate had been waiting at the pier for hours. When he saw the prince’s boat arrive, he quickly knelt in anticipation.

Back then, news traveled slowly, and Xu Duofu had departed hastily. By the time he reached Daxi Prefecture, the local county magistrate had probably only received the news two days prior and wasn't entirely sure if the prince would stay in his jurisdiction. Nevertheless, he had to be there in person.

Officials traveling south followed the same protocol; local officials would gather to greet them at every stop—regardless of whether the prince was on board or not, they had to wait respectfully and arrange a residence for the reception.

Xu Duofu, dressed casually, didn’t keep them waiting long and disembarked with his entourage.

"Your humble servant, Yan He, greets His Highness the Crown Prince."

Xu Duofu saw that the local county magistrate was in his fifties, having waited for who knows how long early in the morning, with a chill in his hair. He spoke gently, "You’ve done well. Please, rise."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Magistrate Yan rose, visibly nervous yet excited, inviting the prince to change to carriages and rest at the prepared residence. "It was arranged hastily and is rather modest. I hope Your Highness will pardon its shortcomings."

Xu Duofu: "Magistrate Yan, no need to be so tense. I’m quite laid-back."

Yan He became even more respectful upon hearing this. When the Crown Prince was overseeing state affairs, even the Chief Grand Secretary Lin, who had served three dynasties, fell under his hand. At that time, the prince was only sixteen years old.

"By the way, where does Yan Ning, Lord Yan, reside?" Xu Duofu knew that Grand Tutor Yan and his elder brother had not separated their households, and the two brothers lived together.

Yan Jinjin had also mentioned in his letters that their home was at the foot of the mountain, and his second sister had a piece of farmland.

Xu Duofu remembered it all.

Yan He gave directions, and then Wen Liangru took over.

Xu Duofu wanted to stay at the Yan family's residence.

Yan He had to send someone to notify the Yan family to quickly prepare their residence to receive the prince.

"The Yan family is still in mourning, so don’t impose too much. I will personally go and see first. If it's not suitable, I will stay at the residence arranged by Magistrate Yan," Xu Duofu said.

So Xu Duofu personally rode a horse, leading the security team towards the Yan family’s residence.

The Yan family was a renowned and respected clan in the region, occupying half of the foot of Daxi Mountain. One side of Daxi Mountain was by the water, and the other was flat land, with mountains connected. The location of the Yan family’s ancestral home was not steep but very gentle.

From the base of the mountain, a villa was visible, and the path upward was flanked by peach trees. At this time, the peach blossoms were on the verge of blooming, and the Yan family’s main gate was shut tight, with white mourning banners draped across it.

It hadn’t even been a hundred days since Madam Yan’s passing.

Liu Qiang got off his horse and approached to knock on the door. After persistent knocking, the wooden door slowly creaked open, and a servant peeked out and said, "Our household is still in mourning and not receiving visitors. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"Please let Yan Huaijin know that Xu Duofu is here," Xu Duofu said, stepping forward.

When the servant heard the name 'Xu Duofu,' he paused for a moment, then left the door open and hurried back into the estate.

Liu Qiang: "Your name freaked him out."

"My name’s so nice, Yan Jinjin must talk about it all the time," Xu Duofu said with confidence.

They didn’t wait long before hurried footsteps were heard from inside. Liu Qiang, standing by the door, peeked through the gap and said excitedly: "The servant just brought a whole crowd here." "There are men and women, all coming." "Where’s Yan Huaijin—"

"Ah, I see him!"

Xu Duofu, who’d been calm and polite, considering it was his first visit to his good friend's home in four years, couldn’t stand still upon hearing Liu Qiang’s reports. He shoved Liu Qiang out of the way to see for himself.

He spotted a kid leading the crowd and immediately recognized him as Yan Jinjin—still the same as when he was little, just a bit taller, with that same cute, doll-like look.

When the group got closer, the servant swung the gate open.

Xu Duofu straightened up, suddenly feeling nervous. As the group arrived and started to bow, Xu Duofu looked down at his little deskmate at the front. His eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but rush over, shouting for them to rise without formalities.

"Yan Jinjin, I came to find you!" He wrapped his arms around his little deskmate.

He let go, excited and happy, patting Yan Jinjin's head.

"You said you’d gotten taller, but you’re still tiny. Aren’t you happy? It’s me, Xu Duofu, you haven’t forgotten me, have you?" When Xu Duofu saw Yan Jinjin’s puzzled look, his heart dropped, and he puffed up in frustration, pinching little Jinjin's bun.

Little Jinjin in his arms turned and called out for help: "Uncle, His Highness has mistaken me."

Xu Duofu: ? What uncle?

A voice from the crowd behind called out: "Xu Duofu, that's my nephew."

Xu Duofu turned towards the voice and looked up to see a young man standing a few steps away, about seventeen or eighteen years old. Their eyes locked, and Xu Duofu’s brain short-circuited.

The young man was dressed in white as pure as snow, his posture as straight as a pine, slender and tall, even taller than Xu Duofu. Just standing there, he looked like a classical beauty in a painting, with a face as smooth as jade, warm and bright eyes, sword-like eyebrows, and phoenix eyes, exuding a handsome and majestic aura—

What the—, his little deskmate has grown up so much?

Why does he look like an adult now?

Where is his little kid Yan Jinjin?

Xu Duofu: Awkward, cringing hard.

Author's note:

Prince Duo Zai: Awkward.