CHAPTER 13: FRIGHTENED
“What did he do to you just now?”

Jiang Fuyuan looked for a long time at Yan Luan who was squatting on the ground without moving, she was still somewhat afraid after the event. Jiang Fuyuan’s timing was bad when she came just now, as she by chance caught sight of Yan Jing pressing on Yan Luan, she became tensed and let out a yelp unconsciously. When Yan Jing walked past, he glanced at her with a murderous gentle smiling expression, frightening her until her legs became soft.

Yan Luan covered her pale small face, squatting at the grass that was covered with the fallen cherry petals. In a low muffled voice she said: “He, he… groped my butt! Wu wu~”

Although her lovely bum was separated by several layers of skirt, she still felt the remaining feeling of the man’s caress and pinch, this was absolutely not something that an older brother would do!

“That pervert ah! But, you know, even after living these many years, this is the first time I have seen such a beautiful man, it can be counted as living a worthy life, tsk tsk!” Jiang Fuyuan also squatted down, patting Yan Luan’s fluffy hair, feeling that she was pitiable.

She understood clearer than anyone that Yan Jing wasn’t an ordinary person as he would sooner or later dominate all the lands under the heaven. The woman that he loved should be the type who’s obedient and would follow his every word, but with Yan Luan’s short temperament, she reckoned that Yan Luan would eat a few sufferings in the future.

“Alright, don’t cry anymore, it looked like that man coveting his own sister wasn’t just a matter of one or two days, you just have to be more careful.”

“I’m not crying, I was only scared by him, he was really scary.” Yan Luan recalled that Yan Jing just now had looked at her unmasked expression; her fiery stubbornness wasn’t covered in any pretense for him to see, so her scalp tingled in fear.

These two brothers, one was excellent, one was frightening.

“Just a moment ago, when I came over, I saw the Emperor. Although he wasn’t as handsome as your brother, but his beauty isn’t bad at all ah, it’s just his age was still too young, and he also looked a bit sick.”

Jiang Fuyuan remembered when she took a quick glimpse just now, the young man who was wearing a crimson imperial robe, although his body looked weak, but he had a rare handsomeness that’s delicate and pretty. Standing in the middle of numerous descendants of noble families, his imperial poise was completely intimidating.

When a refreshing breeze blew over, it brought a wisp of flower’s fragrance that dispelled the turbid annoyance inside Yan Luan’s heart. She hit Jiang Fuyuan who was immersed in her daydream, a thread of pity flashed inside her brilliantly black pupils: “Don’t think about it anymore, he was well-known as a puppet Emperor who died young, he wouldn’t even live past eighteen.”

“What did you say? I don’t believe it! I don’t care, in any case, I want to be the Empress.”

Looking at her determined attitude, Yan Luan also didn’t want to speak too much, she knew what kind of person Jiang Fuyuan is: instant enthusiasm that would flash as quick as it comes, so she reckoned that if her friend meet another beautiful man, she wouldn’t want to be married to the imperial family anymore.

……

The state banquet was held in front of Feng Tian Hall, with men and women not divided into group, and instead was separated by official’s rank. The stage on top of the ten jade stairs was the Phoenix seat and Dragon throne, two seats was prepared on the two stairs below; left side for the prime minister, and right side for Marquis Huai. Another two steps below was prepared for dukes and other marquis ranks, and in similar fashion, every seat was taken by thousands of people.

Yan Luan was led by Princess Yong Kang to take her seat, at that time, Marquis Huai, Yan Rong, had already seated there with an upright kneeling position, drinking a cup of strong liquor without saying a word, proposing a toast with the chancellor once in a while and smiled.

“Princess has come.”

With the help of the brightly shining lanterns, Yan Luan could finally discern her father’s appearance and felt that it was understandable that Princess Yong Kang chose him as her fuma [T/N: Imperial princess’ husband]. Even though he already reached middle-age, but it still didn’t decrease his handsome and elegant brilliance; it could be said that half of Yan Jing’s appearance definitely followed his father’s scholarly and refined temperance.

“Fuma has worked hard.”

Yan Rong got up and supported Princess Yong Kang to her seat, his every movement showed his greatest care, the sides of his lips raised in a smiling expression unceasingly while talking with her, and after a while, he then turned sideways and saw Yan Luan who was hurrying over behind her mother.

“It’s been half a year that I hadn’t seen Luan Er, does this girl not recognize this daddy anymore? Come on quick, let your daddy take a look at you.”

Yan Luan who just knelt down to take her seat, her skirt had already been arranged neatly by her momo, but because of Yan Rong’s one call, she had no alternative but to get up again. She was an obedient child in the family, so Yan Rong really pampered this one di daughter of his.

Perhaps because he practised martial arts throughout the year, Yan Rong’s palms were rough with calluses all over. He pulled Yan Luan with those rough hands, pampering her by rubbing and patting her head, then fished out a small brocade box from his bosom.

“This is what daddy found when daddy’s troops arrived at Pingwu county, does my daughter like it?”

Yan Luan was still a bit not accustomed to this kind of heavy love from her father, she gazed at Yan Rong’s expectant look then slowly opened the brocade box and discovered a peach blossom hairpin. The first-class white jade was carved exquisitely, forming a magnificent bouquet of life-like peach flower at the pin’s head. She carefully looked underneath, the stamens were inlaid with expensive rubies, extremely dazzling.

“So beautiful.” she praised from the bottom of her heart.

Lifting up her eyes that were spilling with smile and joy, she found that Princess Yong Kang was looking at them father and daughter too. Yan Luan’s happiness was just like the spring’s corona, her lovely and smart appearance greatly moved Princess Yong Kang’s heart,

“Fuma is considerate.”

Yan Rong was somewhat overwhelmed by Princess Yong Kang’s rare genial expression: “It’s good as long as Luan Er can be happy, what’s the need for Princess’ praise?”

Yan Luan took the gift and sat back down to her own seat, when he finally found that Yan Dao had already came over, giving his regards to father and mother then directly sat at Yan Luan’s right-hand seat. Looking at the special empty seat in the middle of their seats, Yan Luan felt anything but reassuring.

And just as she expected, that seat was left for Yan Jing!

He came a little bit late along with the imperial carriage. After he followed the crowd of officials to give salute, he escorted Emperor Qi Ling to the Dragon Throne, then turned around to Marquis Huai’s seat. Under tens of thousands of illuminations, his hand was holding a jade folding fan, his luxuriously exquisite robe fluttered with his movements, his brimming beauty could be revered by the nine deities themselves, and all the men on the scene sighed over their own inferiority.

Yan Luan was also perplexed by his beauty and gave a quick reaction, comparing Yan Dao’s flat and common respect to their parents before, Yan Jing merely called out ‘mother’, and Princess Yong Kang’s tears already flowed down. Fortunately she was soothed by Yan Rong at her side, so she then told her eldest son to take his seat. The disparity could clearly be seen on how Princess Yong Kang treated and loved her own two sons.

Yan Jing’s seat was placed between Yan Luan and Yan Dao. When his heavy steps past behind Yan Luan, her back subconsciously became stiff. To cover up her nervousness, she anxiously raise the jade cup from the lacquered wooden table, ‘gulp gulp’ she drank the jade-like wine ravenously with her small mouth.

“Eldest brother has returned in triumph, this younger brother will drink in your honour.”

Yan Dao emptied the glass of strong liquor in one gulp with a wooden expression. Yan Jing gracefully knelt down and smiled warmly with his sexy thin lips, picking up a small wine cup and gave the respect back by downing the wine too. He indifferently said: “Second Brother is too polite, it has been a long time since we last met, is your injury healed now?”

“There’s no harm anymore.”

The empty wine cup was put back on the table and the imperial palace maid on the side busily filled it with jade wine again. When Yan Luan’s beautiful eyes glanced at the widely opened jacket of the maid when she retreated, there was a sudden big happening!

Under public’s eyes, her beautiful left hand that was under the table was unexpectedly gripped by Yan Jing. Because she wasn’t prepared against this, her tensed gorgeous face instantly turned pale in a blink of an eye.

The wide sleeve of his Changpao was spread under the tablecloth, the completely different hands of the two people were hidden from the crowd’s eyes, but only Yan Luan knew that Yan Jing’s big palm was gripping her so tightly until it felt painful.

His palm that held swords throughout the years was better than their father by a lot, his slender fingers were fine and hot but ruthlessly not giving her the possibility to struggle off so Yan Luan glared at him with anger.

Yan Jing smiled lightly like a gentle breeze and just turned his head around to speak with Yan Dao, his big palm was sticking closely with Yan Luan’s delicate small hand, cracking jokes frequently while rubbing her hand.

Yan Luan’s small jade-like face frowned, she tried several times to throw him off, and her cheeks flushed red with annoyance, but she still didn’t dare to exert too much strength lest she would provoke Princess Yong Kang’s attention. Fortunately, the dance and music performance was already playing in front of the hall.

The very first one who discovered the abnormality was Yan Dao. When he was giving Yan Jing the second toast of honor, his sight swept past the two people’s close sleeves. Looking at Yan Luan’s red pitiful face that was between anger and hopelessness, he pinched the small wine cup and coldly humphed.