Chapter 345: Restrain Yourself (1/2)

Jun Huang soon heard about Nan Xun's punishment for the servants. She was momentarily stunned. The one delivering the news to her said teasingly, “You don't know how much influence you have in the manor, miss. The prince has punished a good number of servants for you, a majority of whom are his confidantes.”

Jun Huang put away her book and threw the servant a cool glance, scaring the servant into silence. “The prince has his reasons. Why would I be involved?”

Jun Huang knew what Nan Xun's motivation was, of course. She curved her lips into a smile. Others took that as her laughing at their misfortune.

Jun Huang brought it up the next time she saw Nan Xun. “You know I don't care about what they said. There's no need for you to get angry and make things difficult for yourself.”

“They're irrelevant. I know you care about me, and I gladly accept your kindness. However, you shouldn't be too harsh on them. We both know how fickle the human heart can be.” Jun Huang's tone was earnest, and her expression serious.

Nan Xun realized that Jun Huang had heard about what he'd done. He sighed. “You're too soft. People are going to walk all over you. You should know that as well.”

“I simply don't want to waste my attention on them,” Jun Huang said calmly.

Nan Xun ruffled her hair. “Qi Yun summoned me to the palace. I can't stay with you today.”

Jun Huang chuckled. “Go ahead. Don't let me delay you. I'll spend my time reading books and wait for you for dinner.”

That warmed Nan Xun's heart. He was reluctant to leave, but he didn't have a choice. He turned around to look at her every step he took. Jun Huang saw him off before returning to her book.

Nan Xun made his way to Qi Yun's residence and entered after the eunuch had notified Qi Yun. When he entered, the young prince was approving reports.

“Is there an emergency?” Nan Xun asked without preamble.

Qi Yun looked up at him and asked faintly, “I hear Royal Brother has punished a lot of servants recently. I'm curious, aren't they your most trusted people? What have they done to deserve your ire?”

If Nan Xun was bothered by the question, he didn't let it show. “It's nothing. They said the wrong thing to the wrong people. I punished them. Simple as that.”

Qi Yun arched an eyebrow. He heard that Nan Xun had gotten angry for a woman. The vague explanation made him suspicious. He wondered what Nan Xun was hiding.

After some deliberation, he cleared his throat. “Oh, I asked you to come for the grain storage in the northern part of the city. Last month, the man in charge claimed that there was a leak and a big portion of the grains were ruined. However, he hasn't given me the exact number. Why don't you go get an answer for me, Royal Brother?”

Nan Xun did consider that worthy of his attention. He nodded and walked out of the palace. The eunuch waited until Nan Xun had left before he said, “There are many officials at your disposal, Your Highness It's a simple storage. You could've sent anyone. Why would you order Prince Nan to take care of it? He's only just returned. He must be tired...”

“Oh?” Qi Yun's face turned cold. The eunuch knew he'd gone above his station. He shut his mouth.

Qi Yun rose to his feet. “Get prepared. I'm leaving.”

“Where is Your Highness going?”

“His manor,” Qi Yun said with an unreadable look. Before the eunuch could respond, Qi Yun went off to get changed. It dawned on the eunuch why his master had been so insistent about sending Nan Xun away.

Not long after, Qi Yun visited Nan Xun's manor under the guise of a private inspection. The housekeeper was scared and worried. He feared that he'd get Nan Xun in trouble if he failed to treat the de facto emperor well enough. “Apologies, Your Highness. Prince Nan isn't in.”

“I know. He's been sent to the northern part of the city. I simply came because I have some free time”

Ignoring the housekeeper's reaction, Qi Yun went straight into the manor. He heard a familiar voice coming from the back. His heart pounded. Something unexplainable drew him to the voice.

He spotted Jun Huang immediately. In a fit of uncontained joy, he rushed forward and threw his arms around her. “When did you return, Jun Huang?”

Jun Huang frowned and broke out of his hold, taking a few steps backward. She stared at him without hiding her discomfort and indignation.

a.s.suming that he'd angered her somehow, Qi Yun rushed to explain, “What's wrong, Jun Huang? Have I scared you? Please forgive me for my outburst. I haven't seen you for a while, and I didn't know when I'd get to see you again. It's such a pleasant surprise to run into you here today. That's why I couldn't control myself.”