C12 The 12th Chapter

After laughing for a while, Wu Chengzhao asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Yan Xiuchuan didn't answer. "What are you laughing at?"

Wu Chengzhao placed his hands behind his head. "I'm laughing at myself. Going back in this state, my dad will probably be so mad he'll have a fit. And after that, I'll be stuck in bed for a month."

Yan Xiuchuan sighed, feeling a shared sense of misfortune. "I'm in the same boat."

The two exchanged a glance, feeling a mutual understanding.

Yan Xiuchuan stood up and reached out to help him up. As he stood with the light behind him, the sunset cast a rosy glow on his face. Already strikingly handsome, the light made him look as if he were wearing blush.

Wu Chengzhao's heart skipped a beat, momentarily mistaking him for a beautiful young woman.

"They're coming," Yan Xiuchuan whistled, and a little yellow horse grazing nearby trotted over.

Wu Chengzhao shook his head, realizing there was no beautiful maiden, just Yan Xiuchuan giving him a sidelong glance.

"Sanlang, where did you hide? I had a hard time finding you," Xie Zixiao said, slightly out of breath as he sat on his horse. As soon as he saw Yan Xiuchuan, he started to complain. "I caught a deer today. Let's have roasted venison tonight... Oh? Erlang, you're here too?" He turned to see Wu Chengzhao, who was bruised and battered, and couldn't help but feel concerned. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Erlang, you should join us. We have a new chef at the house who makes some amazing Southern dishes."

"I'm not going," Wu Chengzhao waved his hand, swung onto his horse, and suddenly thought of something. He pulled the reins, "Yan Xiuchuan, once you catch a good cricket, let's have another match." With that, he spurred his horse and rode off.

Xie Zixiao anxiously stomped his feet, "How could you just let him go like that?"

Yan Xiuchuan was indifferent, "It's better this way. I can't eat with his face around, and it would waste your venison."

Xie Zixiao replied, "Venison is nothing. You beat him up like that, do you think he'll just let it go? No matter how useless he is, he's still the son of Prime Minister Wu. If the old man gets angry..."

Yan Xiuchuan helped him onto his horse, ignoring his constant chatter, and remained calm, "Relax, we don't need to lift a finger. Prime Minister Wu will have him bedridden for a month."

"What... what?"

Yan Xiuchuan chuckled and gave the horse a light whip on the rear. Caught off guard, Xie Zixiao almost got thrown off his galloping horse.

"Come on, let's go back and enjoy that venison!"

The venison meal had Yan Xiuchuan grinning from ear to ear, and he ended up drinking a few more cups than usual. By the time the sun was setting, he was slightly tipsy.

"What time is it?"

Xie Zixiao replied in a soft voice, "It's dawn."

Yan Xiuchuan let out a yelp, jumped up, and shouted, "Where's Huang Bingquan? Hurry up and bring the horse!"

Xie Zixiao, puzzled, advised, "Why are you in such a hurry? It's almost curfew. You might as well stay here for the night."

"I've got something to do!" Yan Xiuchuan replied, adjusting his clothes as he strode towards the door.

Outside, the clanging of metal could be heard. Xie Zixiao listened closely, "Sanlang, the curfew has started. If you don't head back now, you'll be stopped."

Yan Xiuchuan mounted his horse, not caring if Huang Bingquan could keep up, and galloped away, "If I get caught, you come bail me out."

The little yellow horse was a prized breed, a cross between a Dawan steed and a celestial horse, gifted to the Yan family by other officials trying to curry favor. Yan Xiuchuan had insisted on having it, throwing a fit until he got his way. Now, it was proving its worth.

As soon as he left the Xie residence, he ran into the city patrol. Yan Xiuchuan covered his face with his sleeve, and the louder the patrol shouted, the faster he rode. Thanks to the horse's exceptional speed, he managed to reach the Yan family estate unscathed. The patrol, recognizing the family crest, turned a blind eye.

Once home, Yan Xiuchuan headed straight to his quarters, the Waterside Pavilion, and stretched out his arms for the maids to help him change, comb his hair, and wash his face. "Did anyone come looking for me today?"

The head servant, Li Gui, replied respectfully, "Sanlang, the master sent someone to inquire about your injury, and Third Madam had Xiao Cui bring over some pastries. She said later, Nanny Yu would bring some osmanthus ice."

Yan Xiuchuan beamed, "Mom always knows what I love to eat."

Just then, there was a knock at the courtyard gate, followed by some chatter outside. A few maids came in to announce that the Third Madam had arrived.

Yan Xiuchuan was taken aback and quickly asked the maids to check if everything was in order. Once he was ready, the Third Madam entered.

The woman who came in had her long black hair styled in a simple, loose bun at the back of her head. Since it was evening, she opted for a more understated look, wearing just a single jade hairpin that complemented her pearl necklace, highlighting her flawless skin.

"Mom, what brings you here? I thought it was Nanny Yu," Yan Xiuchuan greeted her and personally served tea.

Xue Junxuan took a small sip and said softly, "Ever since your father punished you, you haven't visited me. I know you've been recovering and feeling a bit sluggish, but not seeing you for several days worries any mother."

"Mom, please don't cry. Look, I'm perfectly fine!" Yan Xiuchuan, always uneasy when his mother cried, quickly jumped around and spun in a circle to show how strong he was. "I went to the Xie family's place today. Sanlang invited me for a hunt. I even shot a few rabbits and gave them to the cook. These rabbits are really tender, and I'm sure you'll love them."