Chapter 31
Chapter 31
The people in the room were currently gossiping about what had happened to Wang Hu’s servant.
“I happened to be out shopping then, and I saw Nanshu from our estate leading a group of people. They were dragging that servant from Commander Wang’s residence, beating gongs and drums while shouting at the top of their lungs that Commander Wang was taking a concubine and inviting everyone to come and watch.”
“I heard about that too. I heard Commander Wang’s face turned green when he saw them. Is that true?”
“It certainly is! I followed along to watch. He looked like he wanted to kill someone on the spot, but our people aren’t pushovers. They loudly proclaimed how his new concubine had ‘invited’ our Young Master, and Nanshu was so sarcastic that he left the man utterly humiliated.”
“That Commander Wang has replaced the City Guard with his own people. Those useless gluttons do nothing but throw their weight around the city. I wonder when the Young Master will finally deal with them.”
“He really has no shame. To think he expected our Young Master to give him face for taking a concubine… he deserves to be cursed for the things he’s done. He really thinks our Young Master is an easy target.”
Jiang Yunsui listened with great satisfaction.
She felt it was a bit of a pity that she hadn’t been able to see it with her own eyes.
Once the maids had left, Jiang Yunsui stroked the fur of the two puppies, stood up to shake herself off, and went back to get ready for bed.
She had to go to work tomorrow.
The next day, Cook Chen took her to the Front Courtyard as usual.
She looked at the two puppies with concern. “Is it really alright to bring them along?”
Jiang Yunsui replied, “I’ll ask Heiwa to help watch them!”
After saying a sweet goodbye to Cook Chen, Jiang Yunsui, dressed in a little pink dress, trotted along on her short legs. She greeted the guards at the gate and headed inside.
Everyone in Ji Yan’an’s courtyard was very serious and disciplined, making the place feel quite quiet.
When she entered with the two bouncing puppies, the atmosphere immediately became lively.
“Hello, Nanny Zhou. Hello, Nanmo. Hello, Sister Hongliu…”
The little girl greeted everyone she knew in her milky voice.
She even greeted the little swallows under the eaves.
“Nanny Zhou, can I go in now?”
She stood at the door, her fuzzy little head peeking slightly into the room.
It was exactly like a kitten peeking around a corner.
The two puppies followed her lead, mimicking her posture.
Then, she met a pair of gentle eyes.
Ah, it was Doctor Shen.
The caught Little Mushroom shyly pulled her head back.
Shen Qingzhu withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes to continue checking Ji Yan’an’s pulse.
Since Jiang Yunsui didn’t hear Ji Yan’an call for her, she squatted by Nanny Zhou’s feet. Resting her chin on her small hands, she swayed her head back and forth while staring at everything in the courtyard.
She seemed curious about everything; her eyes sparkled whether she was looking at a tree or a blade of grass.
“Oh, my little ancestor, why didn’t you go inside when you arrived?”
Uncle Li came out and, seeing Jiang Yunsui, quickly pulled her up.
With a dazed expression on her small face, Jiang Yunsui followed Uncle Li into the room.
As soon as she stood still and looked up, she met Ji Yan’an’s dark, somber gaze.
Her small body immediately stood bolt upright.
She stared at him with wide eyes, but then she couldn’t help but let out a giggle.
In an instant, several pairs of eyes turned toward her.
Jiang Yunsui thought: *Stupid mouth, shut up!*
But she couldn’t stop. She could only cover her mouth with both hands.
However, the mirth was still obvious.
She couldn’t be blamed; the silver needles stuck in Ji Yan’an’s head looked far too funny.
Oh no…
Ji Yan’an’s face darkened slightly. He gritted his teeth and called for Nanshu.
“Nanshu, go get the Thousand Character Classic. Teach her how to read.”
Jiang Yunsui: “…”
She stopped laughing instantly, her little face slumping in despair.
This time, the ones who couldn’t hold back their laughter were Nanshu and Shen Qingzhu.
The expression on the little girl’s face was simply too precious.
Nanshu replied with a booming voice, “Coming right up!”
He quickly returned with a book in hand.
“Come on, little girl, read along with me.”
“The sky is dark, the earth is yellow; the universe is vast and primordial…”
Jiang Yunsui opened her small mouth and mumbled softly in a sweet, milky voice, “Sky… earth… dark… yellow…”
“Oh, this dragging won’t do at all. You need some spirit when you’re reading!”
Once the Little Mushroom followed along for another round, he added, “Look at the characters! You have to look at the words on the page. How are you going to recognize them if you don’t look?”
Jiang Yunsui’s little face drooped even further.
Watching this, Ji Yan’an’s mood finally improved.
By the time the Little Mushroom was dazed and bleary-eyed from staring at the characters, the silver needles were finally removed from Ji Yan’an’s body.
She immediately pushed Nanshu aside and scurried over to him.
“I was wrong.”
The Little Mushroom very sensibly lowered her head and apologized in a pitiful tone.
Ji Yan’an arched an eyebrow. “Wrong about what?”
“I shouldn’t have laughed at you for looking like a hedgehog just now.”
The corners of Shen Qingzhu’s mouth twitched upward, but out of consideration for the petty Young Master, he didn’t laugh out loud.
Ji Yan’an pointed at Nanshu and said expressionlessly, “Go back and keep learning.”
Jiang Yunsui’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had clearly apologized!
Nanshu grinned so wide his teeth showed, clearly enjoying himself.
This kid was truly entertaining.
Jiang Yunsui looked aggrieved, her beautiful little face scrunched up in a frown.
It was obvious she didn’t want to go back.
“Can I not read characters?”
“You can.”
The Little Mushroom’s eyes lit up; she hadn’t expected him to be so easy to talk to.
But in the next second, she heard him say, “Write them instead.”
The light in the Little Mushroom’s eyes died instantly, and she gave him a look of pure condemnation.
This villain was just playing with her!
Shen Qingzhu stood up. “I’ll go brew the Young Master’s medicine.”
Ji Yan’an nodded.
He stood up to stretch his body before sitting down at the writing desk, pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve his fatigue.
“Come here. I’ll teach you how to write.”
The Little Mushroom was somewhat reluctant.
She was a mushroom! Why did she have to learn such complicated human characters?
However, the Little Mushroom was no match for the Great Demon King, and refusal was futile.
Nanshu’s eyes widened, feeling a bit envious.
The Young Master was teaching her personally.
The Young Master’s own calligraphy had been learned from the Crown Prince. However, compared to the Late Crown Prince, his handwriting had a few more touches of sharp, piercing intensity.
Jiang Yunsui held the brush.
Ji Yan’an picked up a wooden slat he had prepared at some point.
“If you don’t write well, you’ll get a smack on the palm.”
The Little Mushroom fumed, her teeth gnashing.
If she could, she would much rather bite Ji Yan’an’s hand!
Then she heard Ji Yan’an say leisurely, “If you write well, I’ll give you a silver melon seed.”
He beckoned with his hand, and Nanshu brought over a pouch embroidered with a beautiful pattern.
When it was opened and poured out, the inside was filled with beautiful, sparkling silver melon seeds.
So pretty!
Jiang Yunsui couldn’t take her eyes off them.
It wasn’t because they were money, but simply because they were beautiful.
The Little Mushroom had a habit of collecting pretty things. In her past life in the mountains, she loved collecting beautiful leaves, the most striking feathers from birds or pheasants, pretty little mushrooms, and interesting plant seeds.
Since coming here, her biggest regret was that the beautiful collection in her mushroom cave hadn’t come with her.
These sparkling little silver seeds were beautiful; the Little Mushroom liked them.
Ji Yan’an noticed as well; her likes and dislikes were written far too clearly on her face.
The youth raised an eyebrow and waved a gold melon seed in front of her.
He watched as the silly little girl’s head and large eyes swayed back and forth, following the gold piece exactly like a cat watching a feather.