"Yun'er, you're scaring your meimei again." It was the doting voice Huang Li Yun missed so much.
"Smile for your meimei. Look, isn't she cute?" The light brown hair of the speaking woman looked like a halo underneath the setting sun.
The young him scowled at the said woman and the little dumpling who was clutching his sleeves. He was already ten and the midget was three.
He heard their mother encourage him from the side yet again.
Li Yun was exhausted. As the midget was growing, their father was more and more panicked. He kept on telling him to protect his little sister, do not let anyone approach yadda yadda. And so, his training was becoming more intense.
He picked up the midget but kept her at arm's length in front of him. She was covered from head to toe with their mother's pieces of art. Every piece of fabric on her body was specially made by their mother.
His clothes were like that too but hers were more vibrant.
Li Yun narrowed his eyes at the small babbling prick. Her hair and eyes were as fiery as father's but her face was an exact replica of mother's and of him.
Her chubby cheeks puffed and drool dribbled down her chin. "Da...ge..."
Young Li Yun was surprised. He looked askance to his mother who was also shocked.
"Oh, our Qiaoqiao spoke her first words! Husband! Husband! Where are you?"
That day the whole household was festive. The young miss spoke for the first time in years! She wasn't mute after all. She was just a late talker.
Recalling the way she frowned as though trying to form the words with her small mouth strangely brought warmth to Li Yun's heart. But he didn't let it show on his face.
He still looked as grumpy as ever.
"Come here, son." He heard his father call.
Father was sitting beside Mother who was holding the midget.
"Do you know what a great honor this day has brought you?"
His father was speaking in circles again. Why couldn't he just say what he wanted to say? Asking stupid questions like this irritated Li Yun.
Seeing his son's ugly face- well, he wasn't really ugly, the boy was a spitting image of his wife after all- Huang Hexia knew that he didn't understand. So he changed his phrase.
"You see, my little bratty son, your sister's world is still so small." Huang Hexia even gestured with his fingers how small it was.
"And you..." He pointed at his son's chest. "entered that world. Proof of this was how she learned who you are and what to call you. Because she wants you to acknowledge her."
Li Yun gawked at his father. There was this deep reason?
He looked at his mother for confirmation and got her smile in return. "That's why you should treat your meimei with care from now on ah. It's mom's dream for her to rely on you and for you to dote on her. Always smile for Qiaoqiao, Yun'er."
---
Duke Li woke up in his temporary study, the harsh sunlight stinging his eyes. He was still in the district designated for the dignitaries in Great Han.
>The Li in his title: 力 - lì - power/strength<
"A'mei..." He clenched his fist, wanting to destroy everything within his sight.
>阿妹 - ā mèi - younger sister<
"I still can't find you."
Three nights before, assassins from an infamous organization entered the capital and targeted a daughter of a mid-ranked official of Great Han without reason.
This was classified information and Duke Li knew it too late. If they were in Huo Ai, he could get the latest news as early as he wanted.
Here, he could only rely on a handful of people to avoid alerting the spies the Emperor of Huo Ai set up to monitor him.
Huang Li Yun kept trying to deduce the reason some 'high-level' assassins would target an unknown official's daughter. And he hated how the possibility that that person was his sister. It was probably another ploy by the old shriveled thing on the throne of Huo Ai.
Yet, the duke couldn't wreak havoc here.
Yemin entered the study at the moment Huang Li Yun was considering to drop everything and go all-out.
"If you try to do something out of the ordinary, the whole clan will suffer." Yemin reminded.
The duke's closest attendant understood the depressing aura that surrounded him. Huang Li Yun was smiling amiably like usual but it looked scary for those who knew him.
So Yemin had to imply that the trusted Censor of His Majesty was with them.
"I know..." Huang Li Yun's eyes turned into crescents as he gripped his fingers together. "But I'm wondering if I can exchange three thousand lives for my one and only sister."
"If my guess is correct, some crazy maggots are already trying to get her. As if their pathetic attempts will affect our Huo Ai. They're only provoking me but and I can't strike back like I want to."
Yemin was used to the duke's ruthless words and cheerful face. The disparity didn't shock him anymore but as his subordinate, he had the duty to nudge his master in the right direction.
"Young Lady Huang will only be safe when the clan's foundation is strong."
Which meant: Don't do something stupid that will ruin our clan's standing.
He didn't comment on how his master described the people from other nations.
The duke could only do so little in this foreign land with all the restrictions placed upon him. Even Yemin could feel the suffocation of not being able to do anything. He was afraid that if they confirmed that the young miss Huang was really here in Great Han, his master wouldn't be able to control himself.
It was a good thing that among the leaders of the other four nations, only the Emperor of Great Han was present. The others only sent dignitaries like Huo Ai.
Yemin knew for certain how hideous the duke's bloodthirst was. If worse came to worst, he could only persuade the duke for a little while.
A series of soft knocks were heard after a few moments of silence.
"Your Grace, his Highness-"
"Brother, this prince is finally here! Today, we shall drink wine in this foreign land! This prince heard the rice wine here is pretty good. Sure, it'll barely have an effect on you but at least on this prince, it'll be effective!"
>He's using the informal: 哥們 - gē men - brother (a diminutive form of address between males)<
The fifth prince barged inside the study as if it was his house, ignoring the servant who attempted to announce his presence. His thin frame was drowning in the fashionable robes he wore. His bony fingers were clutching a crane feather fan and waving it enthusiastically, without a princely demeanor.
Media: Crane Feather Fan
Source: Alibaba
But his hollowed eyes were sparkling with unknown desires that could give the onlooker the goosebumps.
Yemin retreated to the side and bowed his head in respect to royalty.
"I was wondering why his Highness insisted to come?" Duke Li's impeccable amity was back, not mentioning appropriate behavior at all.
It could be said that among the aristocrats in Huo Ai, Duke Li was the best in handling this ridiculous prince. All the others, court ministers and royals included, couldn't keep a straight expression in disgust.
The prince's gaunt face looked dumb as he answered. "Imperial Father said this congregation is to forge relations with the other four nations. That's why we must also invite them to drink!"
He slapped the bottom of his fist to his open palm looking like his thoughtfulness was a big achievement. His shoulders trembled slightly. It was said that the prince looked ill because of his overindulgence in alcohol, gambling, and women.
But the Emperor turned a blind eye to this and even spoiled him further because his mother was extremely doted upon even up to this date.
Yemin from the side wanted to bang his head on the wall. Such a stupid prince would make his master's intelligence drop!
While his right-hand man was suffering, Duke Li's smile never waned. "It's a good idea, your Highness but the other nations won't warm up to us yet. It is better to drink in your courtyard for now."
Such patience for a trashy person was worth admiring.
"Ah yes, at least the flower houses here will send this prince a few girls to play with. I won't mind if Brother will get one or two."
"Many thanks for your generosity but this subject won't dare."
The 5th prince shook his head, disappointed at the duke's abstinence. Duke Li was five years older than him but the Li Estate still had no heirs and there was only one woman who was the main wife.
Meanwhile, in his estate, there were several consorts and concubines. There was also no heir but they had different circumstances.
Everybody knew Duke Li had no interest in his wife while the 5th prince had too much interest in his women that it affected his seed.
In short, overexerting oneself in bed affairs would take a toll on one's fertility.
Forgetting his momentary disappointment, the fifth Prince Nuan Lin Che changed topics faster than the weather.
"Ah, I haven't seen the Censor since I arrived."
---
Huang Li Yun
煌 - huáng - brilliant
李 - lǐ - plum
暈 - yùn - halo
Nuan Lin Che
暖 - nuǎn - warm
凜- lǐn - imposing/majestic
澈 - chè - clear (water)