Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Behind the two children were their wet nurse and palace maids, and beside them were the brothers Hu Zi and Si Jie.

Xu Chengyao straightened his back, repeatedly recalling Xu Sheng's instructions: "Your elder brother, the Crown Prince, is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Just do what you need to do and don't be afraid. If you are really afraid, remind yourself three times: cold on the outside but warm on the inside, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, cold on the outside but warm on the inside."

Luo An sat down, leaned back, rested his hands on the armrests, relaxed, and stared at Xu Chengyao expressionlessly. The temperature in Ciming Palace suddenly dropped several degrees.

Xu Chengyao felt a chill run through him, like a prisoner, and lowered his head slightly to avoid Luo An's gaze: Cold on the outside but warm on the inside? That's too cold! He doesn't seem to have a warm heart.

Xu Chengyou was too young to understand the subtle atmosphere between adults. She ran up to Luo An and said, "Brother Crown Prince, you are even more handsome than Father."

Who taught her to call me that? But she's a soft, sweet little girl with a babyish voice, bright, star-like eyes, and a rosy, happy face...

Luo An pretended not to see or hear anything. He wanted to ask the wet nurse to take Xu Chengyou away, but he was afraid of hurting the little girl's feelings, so he said, "Everyone, get out."

Without a second thought, Xu Chengyao turned and rushed out, only to hear Luo An say, "You stay."

Xu Chengyao panicked and paused slightly before continuing to rush out: they didn't know each other, so it couldn't be about him; even if it was about him, he would pretend not to know unless someone was named.

Outside the door, it was warm and bright; inside, it was gloomy and cold. The joy of impending escape had barely begun to form in Xu Chengyao's mind when he felt his legs go numb, and he fell flat on his face.

Xu Chengyao landed with his head outside the door and his legs inside, his chest aching from the fall. Ignoring his embarrassment, he planned to leap out like a frog.

But he couldn't move his legs? Xu Chengyao was terrified. He propped himself up with his hands and sat up, staring at Luo An: "You...you...you..."

Luo An remained as steady as a mountain, his posture and expression unchanged. Hearing Xu Chengyao call him "you" repeatedly, he didn't even lift his eyelids, let alone look at him.

Xu Chengyou ran over to help Xu Chengyao: "Big brother, walk slowly."

Xu Chengyou was too weak to stand up. Eunuch Wei looked at Luo An, took Xu Chengyao's hand and put it on his shoulder, and pulled Xu Chengyao up with all his might, helping him to sit opposite Luo An.

Seeing that Luo An's expression shifted slightly, Eunuch Wei realized he had guessed correctly and tentatively asked, "Your Highness, shall we go out first? Please call if you need anything?"

As expected of the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household, he is meticulous and perceptive. Luo Anwei nodded almost imperceptibly, and Eunuch Wei breathed a sigh of relief, leading everyone out.

Xu Chengyao stared down at his immobile legs and silently repeated three times: "Cold-faced but warm-hearted, cold-faced but warm-hearted, cold-faced but warm-hearted!"

Thinking back to when Xu Sheng returned to the palace, he brought a whole bunch of novel and strange gadgets. From his parents to the palace maids, everyone was delighted by him. The atmosphere was so joyful that words couldn't even begin to describe it.

Looking at Luo An, he had no recent grudges or distant enemies; in fact, they were related. Yet, Luo An was cold and indifferent from their first meeting and even attacked him so viciously.

No! I still can't convince myself even after repeating it three times.

Xu Chengyao continued reciting: "Cold face, warm heart, cold face, warm heart... cold face, cold heart, cold face, cold heart... cold face, black heart, cold face, black heart..."

Luo An picked up the teacup and twirled it in his hand, then suddenly asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Cold-faced and black-hearted!"

Xu Chengyao looked up in shock. What had he just said? How could he have blurted out his true feelings?

Luo An didn't seem to mind, but his tone was indifferent: "Where's Xu Sheng?"

Xu Chengyao said, "Your Highness has something to attend to and has left."

Xu Sheng walked very fast, so fast that even the Black and White Impermanence, who came to claim his life, couldn't catch him.

When Luo An told him to rise, Xu Sheng grabbed the conch shell and galloped to the palace gate. By the time Eunuch Wei led Luo An back to Ciming Palace, Xu Sheng had already ridden out of Qinzhou City and headed west to meet up with Zhou Yan.

Luo An asked, "Where is your mother?"

Xu Chengyao said tremblingly, "Mother is going to Licheng to find Father."

Luo An asked, "Where's your brother?"

How did Luo An know he had a younger brother? Xu Chengyao was puzzled but didn't dare to ask: "He went to Licheng with his mother to find his father."

Luo An's voice was colder than ice: "You left yesterday after noon?"

Xu Chengyao nodded, not daring to say anything more, his eyes full of doubt: How did you know?

Very well, this is how Xu Sheng treats him! Not only did he escape, but he also sent the Empress away and left two children with him.

What makes Xu Sheng think he'll get involved? What gives him the right to interfere? What business is it of his? He's not going to interfere today, let's see what anyone can do to him.

Luo An gritted his teeth, picked up the urn on the table, and left.

Xu Chengyao reached out and shouted, "My leg?"

Luo An walked very fast, and behind him, Eunuch Wei, not knowing why, jogged close behind him, while Hu Zi and the Si Jie brothers followed closely.

A group of people walked to the palace gate, and Luo An said without turning his head: "Don't follow me, or I'll cripple the eldest prince."

Eunuch Wei shrank back, and only after Luo An disappeared from sight did he jog back to Ciming Palace, kneeling on the ground and knelt down to pinch his leg: "Your Highness, how is your leg?"

Xu Chengyao shifted his legs and stood up from the chair: "Okay."

"Is that all?" Eunuch Wei asked. "All done? What was the First Prince doing just now?"

Xu Chengyao thought he might have misunderstood Luo An. Luo An remained seated the whole time without moving: "I accidentally stepped on my right foot with my left foot."

Eunuch Wei patted his chest: "Your Highness, you scared this old servant to death."

Xu Chengyao had only taken two steps when he felt light reflecting into his eyes. He looked closely, bent down and picked up two silver needles from the ground, thinking to himself: Well, it really is you, you cold-faced and black-hearted fellow.

The four brothers stood at the palace gate in a very difficult position.

Jie Jiao: "The prince ordered the four of us to follow him closely at all times?"

Jiezao asked, "What about the eldest prince?"

Abstinence from Money: "Our responsibility is to follow him; what do we care about the eldest prince?"

"What if he ruins us?" (Quitting pornography)

Tiger exclaimed, "Of course the guards listen to their master. If he says to follow, they follow; if he says not to, they don't. What's there to fuss about? Come on, let's see what good wine and food this palace has."

Luo An walked slowly along the embankment of Mingsheng Lake. Mingsheng Lake, which is usually bustling with tourists, was unusually quiet today. There wasn't a single person in sight. No, there was one person.

Nianyao sat under a willow tree on the outer side of the lake embankment, resting her chin on her hands and gazing at the lake. Fish in the lake were jumping out of the water one after another, foreshadowing an impending change in the weather.

Luo An stopped and stared at her for a while, then turned and walked up the path beside the willow grove, trying to bypass Nian Yao.

Nianyao kept staring at Luo An's reflection in the water. At first, it was a profile that got closer and closer, then the profile stopped and became a back view, and finally the back view disappeared.

Luo An placed Nianyao in the Xue residence, forbidding her from entering the palace. Nianyao understood, and besides, she didn't like the restrictive life in the palace.

Knowing that Nian Yao was waiting for him at Ming Sheng Lake, Luo An still took a detour: What did that mean? Did he not want to see her?

Nianyao was instinctively a little angry, but her anger dissipated before it could fully rise. She picked up the short hoe and shovel beside the willow tree and followed the path after them.