The guards were dressed in flared black robes with grey rat fur cloaks. Each of them was tall and their bodies seemed to brim with strength thanks to their years of martial arts training. Adding on their clean faces, just like Tang Yan’s, the group of men made for a nice spectacle.
Wasn’t there a saying that went something like, women put on makeup to show respect to others? These men before her had taken the time to clean up and dress well, and that was a similar form of respect. Chu Lian suddenly felt that the customs of the Great Wu Dynasty weren’t too bad.
She praised them unreservedly, “Sir Tang is quite the spectacle today.”
Who didn’t like praise? Even Tang Yan wasn’t exempt from this. On the way here, Tang Yan had already become familiar with Chu Lian. He understood that there was no other meaning to her words and that she was purely praising him for his looks.
He was already in a good mood. The full wash up he had done this morning was the first time he had taken a bath this whole trip. Washing off all the dirt and detritus of a long journey could always make anyone feel refreshed. Getting this unexpected praise lifted up his mood by a bit more.
Tang Yan was about to speak up when a cold snort sounded from the entrance. Following that, a low, magnetic and cool voice resounded in the room, practically forming icicles, “What a way with words you have, Lian’er.”
Once the voice finished speaking, Chu Lian stared at the entrance in astonishment. He Changdi was standing there stiffly behind the felt curtain covering the entrance. Behind him was the anxious yet helpless Wenlan.
More than half of his face was covered by his thick facial hair, so she couldn’t tell what his expression was like. However, massive waves seemed to be rippling in those narrow eyes of his. Chu Lian felt as if she might be overcome by one of this waves in the blink of an eye.
Chu Lian frowned as she stared at him. His appearance at this time was completely out of her expectations.
There were a few snowflakes on He Sanlang’s shoulders and his tied up hair was a little messy. His tough armour was looking a little worn out and dirty as well. His thick army boots were covered in mud and snow. He Changdi’s wretched appearance was a huge contrast when set against the clean and neat appearance of Tang Yan and his group.
Just now, if Wenlan hadn’t noticed the huge beard that had become his trademark, she might not have realised that this was her very own master.
Chu Lian stood up and walked slowly in He Sanlang’s direction. “Why have you come at this time?”
It was just a normal question, but it sounded like disdain for his presence to He Sanlang’s ears. His expression turned even darker.
The corner of his lips tugged downwards, “What? Lian’er doesn’t welcome Husband back?”
Chu Lian tilted her head to one side and looked carefully at He Changdi. She could detect that trace of unhappiness in He Sanlang’s words. Was this guy going on a bend again? If she remembered correctly, they hadn’t even met these few days. She couldn’t possibly have made him mad again, right?
Hadn’t they been just fine the last time when he had left?
However, Chu Lian was already completely used to He Sanlang’s bipolar attitude. This time, her emotions remained unchanged. When she heard his words, she only smiled and didn’t reply.
Tang Yan stood up at this time and greeted He Changdi.
Even though there was practically no relation between He Sanlang and Tang Yan and they were acquaintances at most, when He Changdi looked at the bare-faced and neatly dressed Tang Yan at this moment, a strange feeling of dissatisfaction rose in his heart.
Tang Yan hadn’t interacted much with He Changdi and they had only met at Prince Jin’s estate once or twice.
He generously explained the reason he had come to find Chu Lian today to He Sanlang.
He Changdi took in a quick breath to calm his emotions and nodded in acknowledgement. He sat down assuredly at the table. At the moment he sat down, he gritted his teeth forcefully to bear with the pain on his buttocks.
Chu Lian didn’t mind at all. Since the last time when she had inadvertently overheard Mo Chenggui’s words, she had been absent minded these few days. Now that she was finally meeting him again, the attention that she had originally placed on Tang Yan and Prince Jin’s guards was completely drawn to him. She wanted to ask He Sanlang whether he had been punished or not, but with Tang Yan still around, it wasn’t the right time for her to ask. She could only sit at the table together with He Changdi.
At this time, Wenqing came in with breakfast. To her surprise, Third Young Master had come.
After she bobbed in greeting, she placed the food on the table. Today’s breakfast was fried spring rolls and shredded chicken and mushroom porridge.
When Tang Yan saw the food, his eyes lit up. He picked up a pair of chopsticks. “Honoured Lady, Third Young Master He, I won’t stand on ceremony with you then. I’ll start first!”
Once he was done speaking, he immediately started wolfing down food.
Chu Lian picked up her own spoon and lowered her head to have a sip of porridge. She was about to ask whether He Changdi had had breakfast yet, but in the next second, the spoon in her hands was stolen by him.
Chu Lian could only watch as that fellow used her own spoon, right before her very eyes, and dug a up a spoonful of porridge from her bowl and stuffed it into his mouth.
Chu Lian was absolutely stunned. That… that He Sanlang! That was her breakfast! Wasn’t he being overly familiar with her?
She glared at him with wide eyes, completely forgetting to speak. Her eyes were filled with the scene of He Changdi gulping down her breakfast voraciously. His movements were even faster than Tang Yan’s. When she looked at how the two men eating, she was seriously questioning whether they were really nobles from the capital.
It was Wenqing who reacted first. “Third Young Madam, please wait. This servant will get another bowl for you.”
Chu Lian pursed her lips and could only nod.
By the time Chu Lian’s new bowl of porridge was served up, the spring rolls on the table had disappeared into thin air…
He Sanlang kept count inwardly. He had eaten one more spring roll than Tang Yan. With that result, his mood became much better. He set down his chopsticks and looked at Tang Yan.
Tang Yan had already sensed He Changdi’s disdain towards him by now. Since he had already eaten the gourmet food he had come for, there was no other reason for him to stay. Thus, he bid them goodbye. “Third Young Master He, Honoured Lady, why don’t you discuss it between yourselves first? Once you’ve decided, just send someone to inform this subordinate.”
