The sun on the morning of winter slowly rose up. The sky turned into a colorful, magnificent world. Cottony clouds flashed with golden-red brilliance. The dazzling red rose slowly, and for an instant, thousands of golden light lit up the sky pink clouds and a rainbow. Early morning in the winter was quiet. Clear and sweet birdsong rang through Ming w.a.n.g manor. The air was fresh and flowing with a floral scent, refres.h.i.+ng one’s heart. Such a beautiful morning gave people a serene feeling.
Feng Yi Xuan woke up a while ago. Gazing at Nian Nian sleeping in arms, his heart was full. Recalling last night’s intimacy, Feng Yi Xuan felt his body starting to stir. Because of his consideration for Nian Nian’s tiny body, he’s been very attentive since the night he had Nian Nian help him, not allowing his desire to frighten off the girl in his arms. But last night the alcohol rushed to his head, paired with being in the bathing pool, plus Nian Nian was touched, he lost control as he kissed her. In the end, he had Nian Nian use her hands to solve his desire.
Feng Yi Xua ma.s.saged Lan You Nian’s small hands under the blankets. Remembering Nian Nian’s red teary eyes from being kissed, Feng Yi Xuan’s lips curled upwards. Ever since the last time he learned of the magic of Nian Nian’s small hands, it took a while for him to come last night in the pool. Though he felt good, after the fact, looking at Nian Nian’s red hands, Feng Yi Xuan felt his heart ache. He was really afraid he will be unable to stop himself taking Nian Nian one day.
Lan You Nian opened her eyes, dazed. Her big eyes were dazed, blinking like a cute thing. Then, looking at her hands that were being ma.s.saged, Lan You Nian’s cheeks flushed red. Lifting her head, she shot a glare at Feng Yi Xuan, very angrily saying, “Pervert!”
Feng Yi Xuan choked. Recalling last night carefully, it appears he pressured Nian Nian into using her hands to help him. But Feng Yi Xuan will not confess to being a pervert. He pecked the top of Lan You Nian’s hair, smiling, “You are my woman. How am I a pervert?”
Lan You Nian’s teeth itched. She grabbed Feng Yi Xuan and took a bite of him, but she didn’t use much force and let go, threatening, “When did I become your woman? Hmph!”
Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes narrowed with danger upon hearing this. “How aren’t you my woman? Or do you want to become a woman right now?” He didn’t like to hear these words. They belonged to each other.
Lan You Nian knew her words made Feng Yi Xuan unhappy. Feeling Feng Yi Xuan’s hands becoming restless in the blankets, Lan You Nian plead for mercy, “I am!” But the hands in the blankets didn’t stop, so Lan You Nian continued, “Lan You Nian is Feng Yi Xuan’s! Forever!”
Only then did Feng Yi Xuan stop his hands. Actually, he didn’t really want to stop. The skin under his touch was slippery like mutton fat jade, so soft it made Feng Yi Xuan reluctant to tear his hands away. But he knew if he continued, he will really make Nian Nian angry.
“Is there morning court this morning?” Lan You Nian watched at Feng Yi Xuan got out of bed, tucked in the blankets, and grabbed the outfit on the hanger to dress himself.
Feng Yi Xuan put on the outer robe, nodding, “En, it is necessary to attend this morning’s court a.s.sembly. There’s still time for you to sleep some more. After I get back from court, I’ll eat the morning meal with you.” Usually, he didn’t need to go to morning court, but he must be present for the important court a.s.semblies. This was his responsibility.
“Mhm, okay!” Lan You Nian snuggled into the blankets, only revealing her head outside, cute like a little toddler. Feng Yi Xuan kissed Lan You Nian’s forehead, and walked out of the room to attend morning court. As for Lan You Nian, she didn’t feel sleepy at all after Feng Yi Xuan left, so she got out of bed.
“Young miss, you’re awake?” Lan Qu’s voice drifted in from outside.
Lan You Nian was surprised, because Lan Qu was at Lan manor last night. Lan You Nian replied, “En!”
Lan Qu walked into the room and guessed her young miss’s surprise, saying, “Last night young miss and Ming w.a.n.g didn’t come back, so I knew young miss came to Ming w.a.n.g manor to rest, so I let Lan Ren send me over, so young miss will have someone to serve you!”
Lan You Nian allowed Lan Qu to brush her hand, asking curiously, “Where did you rest last night?” After all, there wasn’t a single female in Ming w.a.n.g manor.
“Young miss, rest a.s.sured, An San prepared a place for me. If young miss were to rest in Ming w.a.n.g manor in the future, I will be able to serve young miss here!” Lan Qu beamed, sighing in admiration over young miss’s beautiful looks.
After was.h.i.+ng up, Lan You Nian walked out of the room. Because she wanted to wait until Feng Yi Xuan came back to eat together, Lan You Nian strolled around in Ming w.a.n.g manor with Lan Qu out of boredom. The manor has been swept clean, without a single snowflake. Lan You Nian had to admire the speed of Ming w.a.n.g manor’s manservants.
“w.a.n.gfei!” Steward Uncle Feng exclaimed when he saw Lan You Nian, “It’s so cold out. Why doesn’t w.a.n.gfei rest in the room? This old slave will have someone to set up a charcoal fire in the grand hall! Why don’t w.a.n.gfei go to the grand hall to sit? If you get cold, w.a.n.gye will die of heartache!”
Lan You Nian chuckled dryly. She knew this elder was sincerely concerned about her, but why does every single person consider her made of porcelain. What Lan You Nian doesn’t know is that her outward appearance was too deceptive, making people unconsciously feel she is frail, not a pretentious frailty but a genuine frailty.
Lan You Nian wanted to say something. A guard came over to Lan You Nian saying, “w.a.n.gfei, there are two women outside asking to see w.a.n.gye!” On a normal occasion, they would inform the steward and the steward would have them intercept the women, but now w.a.n.gfei was in the manor, the one to make the decision was w.a.n.gfei.
“Oh?” Lan You Nian wondered who would visit Ming w.a.n.g manor at the start of the new year. Could it be some rotten peach blossoms? “Have you asked whose family the women are from?” Lan You Nian asked.
“Answering w.a.n.gfei, one is the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Manor, the other says she is the Dowager Empress’s grandniece. Do you need this subordinate to chase them off?” The guard asked. Their entire Ming w.a.n.g manor was united: they won’t allow for anyone to bully w.a.n.gfei!
“Let them in!” a soul-touching smile emerged on Lan You Nian’s beautiful face, her slightly curved eyebrows were smiling, but the eyes under her brows were piercingly cold, “Oh right, bring them in from the back door. Not just anyone can enter Ming w.a.n.g manor’s front doors!”
The back doors were entered by those who didn’t have presentable ident.i.ties. If concubines and such weren’t favored, they can only enter from the side doors. For Lan You Nian to have them enter the back doors, wasn’t that saying they weren’t even worthy of being concubines?
“Yes!” Though Ming w.a.n.g manor didn’t allow for a single female to enter, since w.a.n.gfei gave the orders, the guard followed her command. w.a.n.gye already said w.a.n.gfei’s words were the same as w.a.n.gye’s, any disrespect to w.a.n.gfei was disrespecting w.a.n.gye.
“Uncle Feng, prepare some tea. This is Ming w.a.n.g manor’s first guest of the year!” Lan You Nian said to Uncle Feng.
“Yes! This old slave will go prepare!” Uncle Feng said and left, wondering where in the manor was inferior tea leaves. When he still wasn’t able to think of where there were inferior tea leaves, in the end, he dug out the tea leaves that have been gathering dust in the warehouse for ten years. They’ve already been nibbled on rats and were unbearable to look at.