Три мандариновые утки и полторы пары

Глава 3

"Yes, yes, that's the person."

Remembering that Uncle Dao had mentioned this name, the two sisters nodded quickly.

"Big brother, what's your name?"

Before the boy in white could respond, a low call came from a waiting carriage on the street behind him.

"Shao Chu, their master has arrived." The voice coming from inside the carriage curtain was calm and deep, like a warning.

The boy, called Shao Chu, looked towards the street corner not far away. A magnificent sedan chair arrived in front of the most prestigious restaurant in the city. Although it did not make a show of its status, the guards around the sedan chair were all imposing and awe-inspiring, and it was clear at a glance that they were no ordinary people. When the person in the sedan chair stepped out, the accompanying people were even more vigilant.

"Huh? Isn't that Uncle Dao?" When did he get standing there?

"Really! Uncle Dao was there all along, why didn't he care about us?" They were left standing in the snow, cold and hungry.

The two young girls looked at the gray-haired old man who was respectfully waiting in front of the restaurant, their eyes filled with confusion.

"Big brother, could you take us there?"

Uncle Dao told them to stand here and wait. If they ran over there on their own, they would be scolded badly. He told them to have someone else take them there, pretending that they were being led there by someone else and that it wasn't their own choice.

"Big brother?"

The two sisters looked at the boy who had been standing beside them, but he had vanished without a trace.

The gray-haired old man in front of the restaurant quickly greeted the person getting out of the sedan chair and respectfully reported the matter to the person inside. Then, the gray-haired old man raised his eyes to the direction of the two sisters who were hiding behind the wall diagonally opposite. The tall man with a slender back and wearing an expensive brocade robe seemed to nod, and then walked into the restaurant with his hands behind his back.

"Why are these two sisters attracting your attention so much?" the person inside the carriage asked in a deep voice.

The carriage, parked in the shadows of the alley, revealed a pair of eyes watching the two young sisters through its half-lifted curtain.

"They...are so cute!" The young, handsome man smiled indifferently.

The gray-haired old man who had been waiting in front of the restaurant quickly came over and led the two sisters into the restaurant. When he saw that they were both wrapped in a large fur coat, he was obviously a little surprised. Then, he seemed to scold them for accepting things from strangers.

"Is that all?"

"Perhaps there's also a bit of... the surprise of reuniting, but it's a pity the little baby in the swaddling clothes doesn't remember me." Her brows furrowed as she chuckled softly, revealing a thoughtful look in her eyes.

"You can still recognize the baby in your swaddling clothes from back then?"

"You know, I've always had a good memory for cute little girls." Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled teasingly at the face that mirrored his own. "Especially when it comes to twins, my feelings for them are even more uncontrollable."

"Your uncontrollable behavior is indeed difficult to manage. We're both heading back to the capital, so hopefully you can behave yourself."

Upon hearing this, Su Shaochu's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that our serious, quiet guy who doesn't like to laugh or play around, trying to be affectionate with me? He wants me to spend more time with him, right?"

The person opposite him simply propped his head up with his eyes closed, too lazy to reply.

"Sigh! Can't you learn a bit more from me? You always give off such a dull, cold, and somber vibe." Su Shaochu sighed, only to see his sibling opposite him open his eyes and stare intently at him. "What? Want some golden advice in return?"

"If the Su family had another person with a personality like yours, I wonder if it would be a blessing or a curse?"

"Yes, that's a question worth understanding, studying, and deliberating on. I'll answer you in a few years."

"Is it really necessary to go to so much trouble?"

"It will take me several years to influence and transform you into someone like me before I know whether it's a blessing or a curse?"

Feeling that answering any of his questions would be a waste of breath, he simply closed his eyes, which he had been pretending to sleep, and said indifferently, "If the Third Prince is a royal demon, then you should be the Su family's Ghost Jin. Neither of you are easy to deal with."

"Alas! Demons versus ghosts, monsters versus ferrymen; I wonder if in the end the ghost ferrymen will be no match for the demons and monsters and will be killed."

Recalling his childhood, Su Shaochu sighed to himself, then looked out of the carriage, where the two little sisters had been led into the restaurant.

"What are Zhu Yu's intentions towards these two young ladies?" Su Shaochu pondered.

"Won't."

"What?" He turned around when he heard the sudden voice from the side.

Then, those eyes, which had been closed, opened again, their light shining brightly.

"With me here, you can always be your Guijin; with me here, you don't need to worry about the fate of the Sixth Son. Even if you disappear, I will find you!" Each word was firm and resolute: "With me here, no one can hurt you anymore!"

Upon hearing these words, Su Shaochu stared directly into the other person's resolute eyes, his arms crossed and his chin rubbed with interest.

"It sounds like I can do whatever I want as long as you're around."

"Didn't you do this a long time ago?" Relying on the same face, he was left to deal with the consequences of his evil deeds.

"Oh dear! This kind of thoughtless response and unwavering expression is truly heartbreaking, frustrating, and lamentable. I never imagined that in the eyes of my closest relatives, I would be seen as a thug and bully."

The other party just snorted and didn't want to pay attention to his pointless grumbling.

"So, could this rogue brother have a small, insignificant request?" Su Shaochu put on a serious face, but could not hide the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Could a rogue's 'demand' be something small and insignificant? It's better to ignore it!" It's probably not a good thing.

"If you don't listen to the demands of a thug, the consequences are always unimaginable!" I mimicked him, propping my head up to the side, crossing my legs, and giving him a knowing smile. "It's not difficult. Just say that touching vow you just made to me before each meal, and repeat it again before I go to sleep, so I can fall asleep with sweet dreams." It was rare to hear this guy, who rarely spoke emotionally, utter a sensible word, so of course I had to oblige him three times a day to whet my appetite.

It was indeed a pointless and unworthy wish.

"Now that you've finished showing concern for those two sisters, we should head back."

With the New Year approaching, the family was eagerly awaiting their return home. Unexpectedly, this guy, who was always carefree, was immediately captivated by the adorable young ladies as soon as he entered the capital.

"Alas! My first little wish, which is nearing the end of the year, cannot be fulfilled. Next year, my fortune will likely be low and I will find it difficult to achieve my goals."

Too lazy to argue with him any further, he had already ordered the carriage to depart, and from where he closed his eyes to rest, he made his way home.

***Exclusively produced by Fengmingxuan*** ***

The top-class dining room, reserved for high-ranking officials and nobles, was lavishly furnished. When the two sisters were led in, they looked around with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

The outer hall was filled with many burly men, all dressed in civilian clothes, yet each one was well-trained and exuded a fierce and imposing aura, instilling a sense of dread and pressure in all who passed by.

Arriving before a draped curtain, one could hear sweet, teasing whispers emanating from within.

"Third Prince, the person you requested has been brought up," said Yan Pingfei, the chief steward of the Second Prince's residence, from behind the gauze curtain.

"Come in."

A mellow, languid tone drifted out leisurely.

The gauze curtain was instantly pulled up by the attendants on either side. The furnishings inside were different from the magnificent and luxurious outside; instead, they were elegant and tasteful. However, the man sitting in the high seat was definitely more dazzling and intimidating than any of the furnishings in the outer hall.

The two sisters were stunned by the person in front of them, with his gorgeous attire and noble demeanor. At such a young age, they were not only astonished by the grandeur and unfamiliarity he had never seen before, but also fearful.

"Third Prince, why do you have to personally select such a trivial matter as finding a maid?" a beautiful woman pouring wine asked with a smile.

"This time, I'm looking for a personal maidservant for this prince. Since she'll be by my side, she must be someone who catches my eye and is someone I'm drawn to."

The third prince, in his early twenties, was even more handsome and tall, with flowing black hair like silk. He was adorned with pearls and gemstones, with seven-colored beads strung around his shoulders and neck and hanging down to his waist. Gold hoop earrings were also elegantly dangling from his ears. His graceful figure and noble royal bearing made him appear even more dazzling and unapproachable.

"Personal maids!" Looking at the two trembling little girls in front of him, he said with some surprise, "They... are still very young."

"Dogs raised from puppies are easier to train; they can even be taught to express emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness."

His leisurely laughter and casual speech, delivered in his unchanging, elegant tone, always exuded a relaxed and gentle air, yet it was clear that people were merely playthings to him.

"You can teach joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness?!" The beautiful woman covered her mouth and laughed. "Like this young swordsman beside you, Third Prince?"

A boy of about ten years old, who remained silent, sword in hand, never more than five steps away from Zhu Yu, had a pair of deep eyes despite his young age.

"Feng Yan." His handsome, almost flawless face looked at the expressionless young boy standing beside You Li. "He is beyond my control, which is why I keep him by my side."

"The Third Prince can't control him, so why does he keep him around?"

"The more difficult a person is to control, the more people want to control them. Human nature and the human heart are the most interesting and fun things in the world."

"This is interesting. It seems that Feng Yan has been trained to be more loyal than a loyal dog, to the point that the Third Prince finds him difficult to control?" A pair of charming almond-shaped eyes looked at the upright young man.

"Yan Niang is very interested in Feng Yan?" Zhu Yu gently pinched her chin. "Playing around is fine, but don't even think about touching my people! What belongs to me will remain with me until death. Even if they betray me, only I can deal with them personally."

Ignoring the trembling, timidly looking sister before her, and Feng Yan and Yan Pingfei, the chief steward of the Third Prince's mansion, standing to the side, Yan Niang boldly leaned into his arms, teasing him. She kissed his face and the corner of his lips with her crimson lips, and provocatively asked, "Is Yan Niang someone that you, the Third Prince, will personally deal with?"

"The woman I could personally deal with is no longer here." Zhu Yu took a sip of wine, his brows furrowed and a deep smile playing on his lips. "I once thought I had found what I wanted, even if it was a transgression against the natural order that was not accepted by the world. Unfortunately, it was all just an illusion in the end."

"An illusion, a life lost, and unprecedented leniency—truly befitting your style, Third Prince." Yan Niang poured him another small cup of wine. "Is there no one in this world who can capture your heart, Third Prince, and steal all your feelings and attention? To be honest, Yan Niang hopes to see such a person appear and seek justice for those who suffered under your ruthlessness."

Yanrong smiled at him, but her words were firm.

"I suppose you hate me, Yan Niang, and never forget to seek revenge."

"It is hardly surprising that you, Third Prince, took advantage of her vulnerability and caused Yan Niang to be abandoned by her husband's family." She chuckled coquettishly, her charm alluring, her cold resentment half-true and half-false, leaving one unable to fathom her true intentions.

Lu Yanniang came from a scholarly family and was immersed in classical learning from a young age. She was well-versed in poetry and literature and possessed exceptional beauty. After reaching marriageable age, she was betrothed to a prominent family by her elders. However, when her upright husband was convicted of a serious crime by a powerful figure, Zhu Yu accidentally discovered this beautiful and charming woman.

Zhu Yu has always viewed "beauty" as prey. Regardless of gender, the unique beauty of a person's personality and appearance can stir his sadistic heart that loves to play with "people." He sets up a scheme, watching his prey step by step walk into the scheme, watching his prey fall into his hands and be played with. It is a game that he enjoys very much.

"Your husband and his family never believed you or appreciated what you did for them. I, the prince, will tear away this facade for you. You should be happy."

"Perhaps what I hate even more is that the Third Prince went to any lengths to get Yan Niang, but in the end, she wasn't even worth your personal attention. No, I should say that you never took Yan Niang seriously from the very beginning."

"Why does Yan Niang seem to have so many feelings today?" Zhu Yu said with his usual lazy smile, stroking her beautiful face.

"Seeing these two young sisters about to fall into your hands again, I can't help but wonder if Heaven has eyes." Yan Niang looked at him with a reproachful expression, as if he had done many evil deeds and would be punished by Heaven sooner or later.

"Does Heaven have eyes?" Zhu Yu laughed loudly. "Then let this prince eagerly await whether such a person will truly appear, someone who evokes such reluctance in this prince, someone who makes this prince feel that he desires, someone who belongs to this prince until death, and someone who will never allow anyone else to have him."

He also wanted to know what that feeling was like, what it felt like to be obsessed with someone. He thought it would be interesting, but unfortunately, he underestimated himself, because there would never be anyone in this world who could make him feel that way from the bottom of his heart.

The woman he had to deal with himself, after he delivered that fatal blow, the reluctance he had expected, the deep affection he had thought he would feel, all vanished in an instant! He didn't even feel a trace of sadness, only that something had ended. What exactly was emotion to him?

Why would anyone risk their life and everything to pursue this love story? It's nothing but laughable and absurd.

"Since we parted, I recall our meeting; how many times have my soul and dreams been with you... Your Highness..."

Despite the constant flow of blood from her lips, she smiled at the person who had delivered her final blow, as if she didn't care about her impending death, only about seeing him one last time before she died. She even looked at him with pitying eyes and trembled as she touched his cold, smiling face.

"Third Prince... Yu'er, you are a pitiful person..." A bloodstained hand touched his face, leaving a bloody mark on his cheek. "May my death... bring mercy from heaven, so that my Yu'er can find... someone who understands... how to give... feelings... someone who knows how to tell you... how to express... kinship and true love... Poor Yu'er..."

He's a pitiful man! Looking at the two young sisters in front of him, Zhu Yuyang curled his lips. Perhaps what he crushed with his palm was not life, but the beginning of another.

"Hehehe... The uglier human nature is, the more absurd life can be. I really look forward to this final curtain call!"

Zhu Yu suddenly curled her lips into a sly smile and said to the young women who had been standing there for a long time, "Come up here."

The two sisters stood there, stunned, as if they didn't realize that the person in front of them was calling them.

"Come, go forward and greet the Third Prince."

Yan Pingfei, the chief steward of the Three Emperors' Palace, said to them.

The two sisters timidly stepped forward, but dared not get too close.