Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Yuan Feng got up and walked towards the backyard: "I gave you a hint, I thought you would come back."

Nanfei followed him out: "What hint?"

Yuan Feng said, "When my father was seriously ill, I sent you two sets of red clothes."

"Is this really for me? I thought it was a wedding gift from the palace for the young master?" Nanfei flicked his sleeves. "Why isn't the dress embroidered?"

Yuan Feng said, "My father is seriously ill, and I bought this on a whim. I didn't have time to deliver it to the embroidery shop. I also brought you a note."

Nanfei frowned: "Defend the country?"

Yuan Feng said, "Mm."

Nanfei turned around and walked backwards in front of her: "Explain, what does protecting the country have to do with your father's illness?"

Yuan Feng stopped and pulled the amulet hanging around her neck outside her clothes, turning it inside out: "You carved this for me yourself, saying I'm a heroine who protects my country, the most outstanding woman in the world. You also said that peach wood can ward off disasters and evil spirits and keep me safe. Have you forgotten?"

Nanfei remembers that one side of the amulet was engraved with the image of protecting the country, and the other side with a phoenix. He was twelve years old at the time, and his carving skills were poor.

For so many years, Yuan Feng has always kept it close to her chest? Is this what she touched last night?

Nanfei was taken aback: "This thing isn't worth much, and my carving isn't very good either. You've been wearing it all this time?"

Yuan Feng said, "I think it's fine, so I've been wearing it all this time. When I miss you, I touch my chest and pretend you like me too?"

Nan Fei frowned slightly: "What does this have to do with your father leaving?"

Yuan Feng suddenly pushed him away forcefully and continued walking forward: "It's okay."

Nanfei immediately panicked: "Don't cry, I hate it when girls cry. I don't know how to comfort them."

Yuan Feng said, "I didn't cry."

Nanfei said, "Aren't you about to cry?"

Yuan Feng's voice was cold and hard: "I didn't cry. Aren't you very good at teasing girls?"

Nanfei said, "I was just teasing them, I wouldn't make them cry."

Yuan Fengjin closed the gate to the South Garden, and Nan Fei stepped inside, bracing his foot against the door: "Don't lock me out again, jumping out the window will ruin my image."

Yuan Feng's face was grim.

Nan Fei pulled up a chair and sat opposite her: "Protecting the country and the people, and hiding it in a melon seed. I thought it was a secret order from the Crown Prince, telling me to keep an eye on the Dahe Gang and Nan Yue."

Yuan Feng said, "I've been sending you embroidered earth-colored clothes, but suddenly you're sending me two sets of bright red clothes. Something's definitely wrong. Haven't you thought about going back to check on things?"

Nanfei said, "I thought it was a gift from the palace... Sister, if you can't be subtle, then don't be subtle. Two sets of unmarked red clothes and a little note with the words 'Protect the country,' even if I had ten heads, I would never have guessed it was from you. And I have no way of connecting it with your father's serious illness. Why didn't you just write 'Father-in-law is critically ill'?"

Yuan Feng wanted to say something but held back.

Nanfei coaxed, "It was my fault, I'm just not very bright. General Yuan, Sister Yuan, please forgive my mistake, don't be angry, anger is bad for your health..."

Yuan Feng asked, "Am I getting old?"

Nan Fei replied without hesitation: "How could he be old? General Yuan is young, handsome, and full of vigor. It's a well-known story in Bianjing that flowers were thrown at his carriage when he went out. He's still young."

Is this how he coaxes girls? Yuan Feng didn't press him further, but asked, "What did you and Xu Sheng agree on? What promises did you agree to keep?"

Nanfei recounted the incident in detail, pounding the table: "He made me wear women's clothing and hang upside down from a tree to beat me, and I even had to pay him money. It was an utter disgrace..."

He wore the women's clothes but didn't give them to the girl? Yuan Feng's anger, which had been building up since morning, vanished instantly. Her tone softened, and her assessment became objective: "You lied to him first."

Nanfei said, "He... should know that I lied to him."

Yuan Feng said, "That doesn't change the fact that you lied to him."

Nanfei glanced sideways: "Are you my wife or his wife? You're not on my side, you're on his? Then why are you with him?"

How childish! Yuan Feng couldn't help but laugh and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek: "I'm your wife."

Nanfei shook his head and pointed to his lips: "Give me one more kiss, and I'll forgive you."

"How arrogant!" Yuan Feng laughed and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

Nanfei was prepared. He put one arm around her neck to prevent her from leaving, and with the other hand, he pulled her over and made her straddle his lap.

Nanfei, young and vigorous, and Yuanfeng, consumed by longing, hadn't had enough of their first tryst last night. Now, they were tugging at each other's clothes, their bodies disheveled, their waists a mess. Nanfei, panting, was about to press down on Yuanfeng.

Tiger knocked on the door: "Nanfei, the young master wants to see you."

Southward flight, low curse.

Hu Zi continued knocking on the door: "Nan Fei, are you in there?"

Yuan Feng quickly replied, "Yes, I'll be right there."

After Yuan Feng finished tidying her clothes, she blushed and pulled Nan Fei, who was sitting stiffly with his head down, up. She helped him straighten his clothes and tie his belt: "Let's go."

Yuan Feng pulled him towards the door. Nan Fei wrapped his arm around her, pinning her against the door, and kissed her firmly. Yuan Feng felt his restless embrace and coaxed softly, "Tonight..."

Nanfei said, "I'm free to come anytime tonight..."

Yuan Feng said, "As long as you have enough stamina..."

Nanfei glared at her: "What do you mean?"

Yuan Feng pushed him out the door, her face flushed: "Hurry up, the young master is waiting."

Luo An sat by the acacia grove, exuding an aloofness that demanded undisturbed attention.

Nianyao sat down next to him, took his hand and placed it on her knee, and took out the small pebbles from his palm one by one.

Luo An asked, "What's wrong?"

Nianyao asked, "Why do you like to hold something when you're thinking?"

Luo An took a while to say, "When I was little, I liked to eat my fingers and bite my nails, sometimes until they bled. My father had my uncle bring a box of black nightshade from the palace, and I was told to keep a handful in my pocket at all times so I could peel the nightshade whenever I wanted to bite my nails. At first, I peeled them to eat, but when I got tired of eating them, I peeled them to play with. Later, I got used to having something in my hand."

Nianyao asked, "What are you thinking about? Can you tell me?"

Luo An said, "I haven't been back for a long time."

Nianyao said, "I'll go back with you."

Luo An turned to look at her, and Nian Yao met his gaze, saying earnestly, "You haven't been back for so long, your uncle and aunt must miss you very much. I also want to go to Heaven and Earth."

Luo An said softly, "Okay, let's go back together."

The two sat quietly for a while.

Luo An and Nian Yao spoke at the same time:

—"Nianyao..."

"—Luo An..."

Luo An said, "You go first."

Nianyao didn't argue with him: "You're saying that Dad jumped off a cliff to commit suicide but didn't die, and by some twist of fate brought back the reclusive Prince Ning and his family?"

Hearing her call him "Dad" filled Luo An with warmth. He held her hand, his thumb gently rubbing against her skin: "Hmm, what's wrong?"

Nianyao held the stone in her hand, suppressing a slight itch and a flutter in her heart: "Did Prince Ning elope with someone and go into seclusion?"

Luo An paused for a moment: "Did Nan Fei say that?"

Nianyao said, "He said it, but the prince's elopement must have caused quite a stir. Xu Sheng and General Yuan both know about it. Why didn't he propose marriage, go through the proper formalities of betrothal to marry the princess, and establish a strong alliance between the two countries? What girl would willingly elope with someone?"

Luo An looked at her.

Nianyao said, "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. But this kind of gossip is easy to find out, and you can't hide it even if you want to."

Luo An said, "Rumors in the marketplace are often exaggerated and unfounded; what you hear may not necessarily be true."