The person in her arms squirmed and grumbled endlessly.
She was drunk, yet her words were clear. If she wasn't drunk, she was speaking nonsense.
Her chest was exposed again, her face rubbing against it.
Xiao Shan endured and returned to Feng Que Lou, placing the person on the bed. He held her face and gritted his teeth, demanding, "Did you rub against anyone else last time?"
"Anyone else?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion. Her lips were rosy, but her eyes were as pure as a child's.
Xiao Shan, unsure if she was truly drunk, leaned closer and whispered, "Who am I?"
"A Shan! The Great General! There is only one in Jing Country!" She raised a finger and tilted her small face proudly, "My man."
"The most powerful!"
"How powerful?" Stroking her rosy lips, he swallowed.
She was drunk, speaking the truth, acting foolish and silly like a dazed rabbit.
He wanted to bully her.
No, was she like this in front of Xie Bo last time?
For a moment, cold air emanated from him again.
She even set off fireworks for him, freezing herself into an ice block.
He was furious!
"Very powerful! Get lost, or I'll have A Shan beat you. He's very petty, his heart is only this big." She pinched her fingers to indicate a small distance.
Good, very good.
"I won't get lost. I'll be your man too. Let him beat me then." Xiao Shan pressed down and kissed her. It was sweet and fragrant, with a very faint smell of wine.
Could this little bit of alcohol make her drunk?
"A Shan's scent, hee hee." Ling Yao pouted and rubbed against Xiao Shan again.
Xiao Shan took the opportunity to suck on her lips. She was so alluring when she drank, a little vixen.
He vowed never to let her drink outside again.
A name suddenly surfaced in his mind. Xiao Shan, driven by some unknown force, asked, "Who is A Ye?"
"My man."
"What?" Xiao Shan pushed her away, his dark eyes staring at her, "Who did you say A Ye is?"
"Who is A Ye?" she repeated foolishly, with utter innocence.
"I'm asking you."
"A Ye, A Ye... Mm." She murmured repeatedly, then looked up in confusion, "A Shan is my man."
"I'm asking about A Ye." Xiao Shan felt as if cat claws were scratching at his heart, making him impatient.
"A Ye is A Shan!"
What? What did that mean?
"The A Shan in the painting is A Ye. Mm, I have two men." Ling Yao held up two fingers and grinned foolishly at Xiao Shan, "Two!"
So, she still thought he was ugly?
Did she create that painting to compensate for his shortcomings?
Xiao Shan stood up in anger and retrieved the painting from the box.
He burned it himself.
"Now there is only one A Shan! No A Ye, understand?"
"A Shan, hug me~" Ling Yao whined coquettishly, climbing onto Xiao Shan, her face nuzzling his neck with affection.
Oh, she was so alluring.
Why did she become like this after drinking?
So troublesome!
Xiao Shan, who found it troublesome, still enjoyed it, teasing the person in his arms like he was playing with a cat, until drowsiness overcame her and she slumped, no longer moving.
Alas, he hadn't teased her enough yet!
A slender figure sat outside the door. As Xiao Shan emerged, Ling Xi looked at him timidly.
"Xiao, General Xiao."
Xiao Shan frowned slightly, glancing at her leg. "Are you using the wrong title?"
Ling Xi was nervous. What should she call him? Great Yao Divine Lord? Or驸马 (Fù mǎ - Emperor's son-in-law)? Or... She glanced at her attendant, Ling'er, who also pursed her lips, not daring to speak.
"Shouldn't you be calling me brother-in-law?" Xiao Shan kindly reminded her.
"Ah! Brother-in-law, I came to visit my Imperial Sister." Ling Xi said hastily, "And to thank her."
"Mm, come back when she wakes up!"
Xiao Shan walked away with his hands behind his back. Ling Xi refused to leave, waiting there.
By nightfall, Ling Yao finally woke up. Yu Liu heard the commotion and came in to attend to her.
"Yu Liu, are your injuries healed? Why aren't you resting for a few more days?"
"Your servant's body is strong and is fine now." In truth, the medicine from Princess Yongfu was good, far more effective than Yu Shan's.
Yu Liu helped her up and exclaimed in surprise, "Princess, after just a few days, your belly seems to have grown bigger!"
"Really? I don't feel it." Ling Yao touched her stomach. "It does feel a bit heavier."
"Then you must be extremely careful."
"Yu Liu, I'm sorry that you and Yu Shan were beaten this time, it was all my fault." She hadn't expected the rules of Xian Wang Sect to be so strict, dealing with them according to military law.
"Princess, what are you saying? It is our fault for failing to protect you. We should have been executed and replaced. This is already the Lord showing mercy."
Ling Yao shook her head. "You are my people now. In any case, he is not allowed to touch you anymore."
Yu Liu hummed, her voice thick with emotion.
The Princess, as a Divine Maiden, cared so much for a mere servant. She and Yu Shan had been chosen from Xian Wang Sect and had fallen into a nest of fortune.
Otherwise, they would still be living a life of fighting and hiding in the shadows.
"Princess, Princess Ling Xi has been waiting outside since this afternoon."
"Her leg should be much better now, right?"
"Yes, it looks fine. The General met her briefly when he left."
"I think I drank too much again." Ling Yao pondered. She vaguely remembered him carrying her back, but couldn't recall anything after they entered the room.
She remembered threatening to castrate him, and his already dark face had turned even darker, like the bottom of a pot. Hahaha.
Silly, even when drunk, she could recognize him.
It was late, and an attendant came to inform her that the General would be back late and would not be dining.
That was perfect, she could have a simple meal with Ling Xi. Yu Liu ordered the food to be served.
In her memory, the two sisters had never eaten together before.
"Imperial Sister, I, thank you for saving me." Ling Xi was very reserved, her chin pointed, and her face still thin.
"We are sisters."
Although they hadn't been close before, they were related by blood. With their father, mother, and imperial concubine all gone, she felt that their siblings could be closer.
Ling Xi was not good with words, but she yearned for familial affection. Ling Yao could see the caution and hope in her eyes.
"Imperial Sister, I want to move out of the main hall. That place should have been yours all along. I have already..." She had occupied the nest for too long.
In recent days, many palace maids had been added to the hall, a stove had been installed, the pool had been filled with hot springs, and various decorative items had been added. The place had been redecorated to be comfortable and beautiful, but she felt uneasy living there.
This was not something she should enjoy.
"It is improper for Imperial Sister, as a Divine Maiden, to live in this side hall," Ling Xi murmured.
"There is nothing improper. I am a Divine Maiden, but in the eyes of my family, I am still your sister, your Imperial Brother's sister, no different from before. You can live here with peace of mind. When Imperial Brother establishes an Empress, I will move to the General's mansion."
"Ah? Imperial Sister will leave the palace? To live with brother-in-law in the General's mansion?" That would mean, a marriage of lower status?
She called him brother-in-law quite smoothly.
Ling Yao smiled and nodded. "You too. No matter if you marry or take a驸马 in the future, you will have to leave the palace. So, live here with peace of mind. There are only two princesses in the palace, where you live is the same. If we are closer, we can talk often."
Ling Xi's eyes lit up. "Can I come to find Imperial Sister often?"
"Naturally. Eat more, gain some weight back." Ling Yao placed a piece of steamed pork with rice flour for her.
Ling Xi stared blankly for a long time before slowly eating it bite by bite.
A child starved of love, when someone shows her even a little kindness, she feels that even winter can be warm.