Chapter 168 – Best leave in the early morning
Nightfall, Prince Ying"s manor welcomed a infrequent visitor.
Xiao Yao.
One only saw he had a pot of wine in his left hand and another pot in his right hand as he walked into the prince"s manor with a unhurried expression.
Hearing the servants announcement, Xiao Xu walked out of the room and just so happened to see his second younger brother standing under the banyan tree wearing a messy blue robe. He lifted a hand and waved the pot of wine in his hand, in an outstanding but unruly manner said. "There is moon, there is wind, there is parting, how could it lack the accompanying of wine?"
Saying this, the pot of wine flew from his hand towards Xiao Xu. Xiao Xu could only shake his head and sigh every time he saw this straightforward second younger brother. But tonight, he did have an interest in drinking wine.
As a result, the two walked towards the pavilion in the center of the lake.
They sat in the pavilion, Huang Yi had already received the command and quickly prepared two to three dishes to accompany the wine. After placing it on the table, she and the servants withdrew.
Xiao Yao saw Huang Yi was a sweet, graceful and clever woman, and he couldn"t help but make fun saying. "Don"t blame royal brother for not liking those women this younger brother sent. It seems it’s because this manor has beautiful women ah, so you couldn"t consider those rouge wearing vulgar women."
Xiao Xu shot him a faint glance. "Put away your flippant tongue, otherwise you can leave immediately."
Hearing this, Xiao Yao immediately spread open his hands and compromised to say. "Okay, okay okay. Consider it that this younger brother is afraid of you! Really is good intentions being taken as donkey"s liver to be wasted. If it weren"t for the fact that you are about to leave and I especially made this trip to send you off, what? How come you won"t even let people talk freely?"
"So many years, haven"t you said enough?" Xiao Xu corrected.
Xiao Yao nodded in approval. "I am accustomed to being a talented wastrel for so many years, so have become accustomed to pa.s.sing through ten thousand flowers, not a single leaf touching the body. This younger brother discovered that I am more and more attractive."
Hearing this narcissistic person say such narcissistic words, Xiao Xu did not interrupt him.
"Forget it, you this depressingly dull person, these kind of romantic words and matters, you wouldn"t understand it even if I said it." Xiao Yao bit open the wine stopper and suddenly, the fragrant scent of wine permeated the area. "Twenty year old Nuer Hong, how about it, really fragrant right?" Saying this, he poured two full cups for both.
Xiao Xu picked up the wine cup and took a sip. "Not bad, the wine"s taste is very pure. The alcohol tastes sweet. It is indeed a good wine."
"Of course, this was something this younger brother brought out from Heavenly Fragrant House. Pure and unaltered goods." Xiao Yao said laughing heartily, completely not paying heed to the fact that others may take him lightly for what he said.
"Being among wine and women, for how long do you want to do this?" Xiao Xu said through the clear wine as he slowly looked at him.
Originally he should be this generation"s arrogant son of heaven, but because of living a life of depravity, he was always mentioned with shame by people.
But Xiao Xu"s expression didn"t have a bit of despising him, as if talking to a younger brother who had left home for many days, merely asking when will he come home and nothing more.
Xiao Yao"s hand that held the wine cup paused slightly, then he slowly swirled the cup and laughed with ha, ha. The night was too dark, so one couldn"t see whether his laugh was sincere or not.
"Ten years ah, this younger brother has already forgotten. At that time, what I was like. One side pa.s.sed out into oblivion, the other side being sober and struggling painfully. Seemed happy and free of all ties. In fact, living unaware of anything."
Finished speaking, he drained the cup of wine in one gulp. He couldn"t tell whether it was sweet or bitter. When the wine entered the throat, the complicated mood turned hundreds and thousands of times.
Xiao Xu"s eyes turned to look at him, although second younger brother said this, but among the brothers in the royal family, he lived the most thoroughly. He knew what he wanted and what he didn"t want, so he always lived according to his own wishes.
"Tomorrow I will be leaving, there aren"t that many people under Father Emperor that could be used. Will you not return to Western Xuan to help?"
Xiao Yao gave voice to his laughter, then shaking his head while laughing he said. "Royal brother ah royal brother. What should this younger brother say to you ah that would be best! He treats you like this and you still single-mindedly consider the needs of Western Xuan? At that time when you left the capital, you shouldn"t have come back. The responsibility pressing down on your body, sooner or later it would be as heavy as a mountain and crush you to death!"
Xiao Xu"s gaze flashed, finally he saw the ripple on the cup of wine in his hand and he drank it all in one shot. The scorching feeling filled his mouth, went between his teeth and went straight to his heart.
Xiao Yao"s hand quickly helped him fill up the cup, and with a jeer he said. "Royal brother, I can understand your pain. Everyone of them pressured you too tightly, one needs you to accomplish missions for the country and not let your meritorious services eclipse him as the master of this country. One needs you to protect your mother"s family and places layers upon layers of restriction on you. Fortunately, my mother concubine only wants me to live well. And as long as I"m living well, it"s all good. I don"t have to worry about other things. I have shown enough filial piety and always lived according to this wish of hers. Therefore, I live freely and unrestrained."
He raised an eyebrow and looked at this royal brother in front of him and continued to say. "But you ah. You gave him filial piety and he took it as you having other schemes. He guarded against you everywhere. You give her filial piety and she is not satisfied in all aspects. Give her an inch, she"ll want a mile. Royal brother, why should a person live such a tiring life?"
Xiao Xu held the cup in his hand, the fingertips turned white bit by bit.
What second younger brother said was correct, he was trapped with no way to retreat.
What he wanted to protect, he couldn"t protect. What he wanted to abandon, he couldn"t abandon.
He lived a powerless life that was very hard.
Xiao Yao softly sighed and once again filled his wine cup. "This life, one should freely travel and rest. Since ancient times, all things are like flowing water. Royal brother, you should see things less strictly. Enough, having said this much, how come I haven"t seen your family"s little consort?"
When Xiao Xu heard the little guy being mentioned, the moodiness in his eyes improved by a lot. "She is sorting out the things needed for tomorrow"s journey."
"Snort, snort, snort. I can"t help but say, you picked up a treasure. Your family"s little consort, based on appearance, when she grows up, she will be a devastatingly beautiful woman. Her temperament is not bad, as long as she"s resourceful, maybe in the future when you run into something, she may even be able to help you." Xiao Yao somewhat enviously tsk"ed with his tongue.
"You should also let royal grandfather bestow a marriage for you. In any case, royal grandfather is still in my manor." Xiao Xu raised an eyebrow and looked at him. His tone had a smile that wasn"t a smile flavor.
Xiao Yao heard this and immediately felt a chill on his back. This suggestion wasn"t a bit kind, okay?
He almost forgot that royal grandfather was still living in Prince Ying manor right now. It was best he didn"t encounter him! To avoid being captured by him and given all kinds of teachings!
"Cough, cough, royal brother, this younger brother suddenly recalled there are still various matters that need to be dealt with in my manor. So I should prepare to take my leave!" Xiao Yao smiled embarra.s.sedly as he brushed at his clothes and stood up.
Xiao Xu saw through his thoughts and didn"t call him out on it. He filled the cup and lifted it to respect him. "If you want to go back to being your true self, then go to Welcoming Spring courtyard to look for Water spirit. She will arrange it for you."
Hearing this, Xiao Yao softly sighed. "Royal brother, you always think too much for other people, and don"t think enough for yourself."
Xiao Xu"s lip hooked up with self mockery. "Because I"m the eldest brother."
Eldest brother was like a father. The duties Father Emperor didn"t do, he, this eldest brother could only take care of it one after another.
Xiao Yao understood his intent, in the end he lifted up his wine cup. "With this cup of wine, royal brother I salute you. If this journey can be safe, this younger brother wishes you to go far away and not return again."
Finished speaking, Xiao Yao drained his cup.
Xiao Xu paused, and finally drank the cup of wine in one go.
The rich flavor of the wine, he didn"t know why it tasted as bitter as medicinal soup, causing him to frown from its unbearableness.
Xiao Yao confidently and freely tossed the wine cup aside, then turned with his back to royal brother and waved his hand. He loudly sang. "This time, going for who knows how many years at dawn, like a dream among the mortals, words with many hidden secrets."
Following the sound of his voice that continued to fade with each step, Xiao Xu"s hand clung to the wine cup as the wine entered his mouth, one cup after another.