Until they entered the Duke of Wei's mansion, Xie Jiang did not dismount from Xu Hengyan's horse, which made Xu Hengyi's nose almost crooked with anger.
Looking at Xie Jiang's smug face, clinging shamelessly to his second brother's back, when he asked her to get down, she even swept him with her eyes. Her obnoxious behavior was definitely provoking him!
His second brother must have been enchanted by Xie Jiang. He even let her be! When he cursed Xie Jiang a few times, his second brother actually gave him a dirty look!
Who was he doing all this for!
"Who am I, Xu Sanshao? Is my second brother still my second brother?"
Xu Hengyi threw the reins to the waiting servant, looking at the two figures in front of him chatting and laughing. The sourness was so strong it felt like he had swallowed a mouthful of aged vinegar.
"The genealogy is in the ancestral hall, isn't it? Wouldn't it be known if you just flipped through it?"
Yi Shan really didn't know how to persuade him. It was a fact that his young master was being neglected, but to say it was provocation was a bit far-fetched.
The Crown Prince and Marquis Xie were so close that not even a mosquito could get between them. How could he spare a moment of precious time to pay attention to his young master?
"Before my second brother returned, I was Xie Jiang's best friend, right? The number one best, Ruan Ziji and the others had to stand aside. Now that my second brother is back, Xie Jiang doesn't even see me!"
Before the Crown Prince returned, Marquis Xie didn't see him either...
Yi Shan didn't dare to say what he was thinking. If his young master was hurt, they would have to comfort him themselves.
The laughter in Madam Xu Tai's room was exceptionally lively, but this liveliness was not because of Xu Hengyan.
Paying respects to one's elders was as solemn and upright as attending court. How could the Xu family's women laugh with such a heart? The lively atmosphere in Madam Xu Tai's room was all because of Xie Jiang.
She didn't need to be as sweet-mouthed and good at coaxing people as Xu Hengyi. If the great Buddha Xie bestowed a smile, it could make all the women of the Xu family, young and old, overjoyed.
When a person's appearance is beautiful to a certain extent, they can be so unreasonable.
There wasn't much warmth in the exchange between Xu Hengyan, Madam Xu Tai, and the Duchess of Wei. It was more like going through a familiar routine.
The Duchess of Wei inquired about Xu Hengyan's health. Once she confirmed that he had recovered well, she had no more to say. What mother wouldn't want to be close to her child?
However, Xu Hengyan, in his position as the Crown Prince of the Duke of Wei's mansion, had developed a deep-seated aloofness towards everyone, which often made the Duchess of Wei unsure of what to say.
Although the Duchess of Wei was his mother, she found it difficult to fathom his thoughts.
It was Madam Xu Tai who, relying on her age and status, didn't have to worry too much.
Madam Xu Tai was very happy.
Xu Hengyan and Shen Qinghuai's wedding date had been set. It was estimated that by this time next year, the mansion would have welcomed a new addition.
"The wedding date is set for the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Although the time is a bit tight, all the proper rituals will be observed. You and Qinghuai..."
Xu Hengyan put down his teacup and said indifferently, "Just do as Grandmother and Mother wish."
Xu Hengyan did not appear enthusiastic, but he also did not resist their arrangements. Madam Xu Tai was very satisfied.
Her grandson was the highly anticipated Crown Prince of the Duke of Wei's mansion. The responsibilities of the Duke of Wei's mansion and the Xu clan weighed heavily on his shoulders. It was not good to put too much of his mind and energy into romantic affairs.
Madam Xu Tai felt that Xu Hengyan was just right.
Xu Hengyan had no requirements for the details and arrangements of the wedding. After sitting in Madam Xu Tai's room for a short while, he got up to leave.
Xie Jiang, holding the snacks that Madam Xu Tai, the wet nurses, and the maids had stuffed into her embrace, cupped in her skirt, waved goodbye and left with Xu Hengyan.
As soon as they came out of the room, Xie Jiang grabbed Xu Hengyan's skirt and dumped all the things in her arms into his.
Xu Hengyan looked at her with a helpless expression, "Can you finish all this?"
Seeing the small, high-legged table placed under the Hibiscus mutabilis tree in the courtyard, Xu Hengyan prepared to put down the things in his arms.
Xie Jiang grabbed Xu Hengyan's hand and made him hold his skirt to cup the items, "If I can't finish it, I still have you."
Xu Hengyan didn't say he disliked these things. Whether he liked them or not was not important. Whatever she put into his mouth, he had to swallow it with a frown.
"If you like them, I'll have someone send some to Shi'an Courtyard later."
Xie Jiang refused to let him put the things down, "How is that the same? Are these just ordinary snacks?"
Where were they not ordinary? "This Ruyi Liang Gao is all squashed. Can you still eat it?"
Xie Jiang said, "Even if you were squashed, I could still eat you. It's all the love everyone has for me. Can't you see it?"
Xu Hengyan only saw a bag of crushed pastries, but he finally didn't insist on dumping everything out. Resigned, he pulled his skirt to hold the pile of assorted pastries and walked out of the courtyard without regard for his image.
Madam Xu Tai watched this scene from the window, her eyes filled with uncontrollable smiles. "Everything in this world has its match. Little Xie is here specifically to tame our Hengyan."
Madam Xu Er covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled, "This is the first time I've seen our Hengyan look so helpless and unable to do anything."
Madam Xu San laughed heartily, "Only Little Xie can do this. Anyone else would not be able to. It's rare for Hengyan to have so much human touch."
The Duchess of Wei couldn't help but smile, "Hengyan is closer to Little Xie than to us. But with Little Xie, I'm relieved." Being too cold-hearted is not a good thing.
"Ah?"
Madam Xu Tai suddenly noticed that Xu Hengyi was still sitting by the door, looking numb and impatient.
"Hengyi, why are you still here? Why aren't you going to Shi'an Courtyard with your second brother and Little Xie? Don't you like playing with Little Xie the most?"
"I've been sitting here for half a day, a living person. Grandmother, you finally see me. Am I still your most beloved eldest grandson?"
As soon as Xu Hengyi spoke, the sourness overflowed, "You and Mother and Aunts don't see me, and my second brother and Xie Jiang can see me? They walked past me without even looking at me..."
"Which one of you do I not love? Little Xie is truly likable, and if you don't like it, why do you follow her every day?" Madam Xu Tai pointed at him and laughed.
Madam Xu Er looked at her son with amusement, "Your second brother and Little Xie share similar interests. Your second brother rarely comes back, so they naturally have endless things to talk about. You, child, are being sour about this?"
"You don't know how much the difference is in Xie Jiang's attitude towards me and towards my second brother!"
Xu Hengyi wanted to use his hands to illustrate the gap, but then he realized that having only two hands was not enough.
"And my second brother, he protects that scoundrel Xie Jiang like anything. If I curse Xie Jiang once, my second brother's eyes look like he wants to swallow me alive..."
Madam Xu Tai's smile suddenly disappeared, "Who are you calling a scoundrel, child?"
Madam Xu Er glared, "You're still cursing Little Xie!"
The Duchess of Wei and Madam Xu San also looked at him with condemnation.
"..."
Seeing that his mother also looked like she wanted to swallow him, Xu Hengyi belatedly raised his hand and slapped himself. He had actually naively thought that these women would stand on his side!