Chapter Thirty-Six: From Now On, I'll Stick with Your Brother-in-Law

The banquet concluded, and the officials returned to their respective residences. Xu Da, in high spirits, summoned his two sons to instruct them that they were to follow by Zhu Xiongying’s side from now on.

"What? Father, you want us to follow the Imperial Grandson?"

"Father, are you mistaken? I heard the Imperial Grandson is only seven years old and a sickly child at that! If we follow him, won't our lives be ruined?"

The two sons were immediately displeased. Previously, they had wanted to enlist and follow their father into battle, only to be rejected on the grounds that they were too young and needed to train at home for a few more years. To their surprise, they were now being assigned as attendants to a seven-year-old child. What kind of future could that possibly hold?

Xu Da’s face darkened. "What do you two brats know? His Highness the Imperial Grandson has extraordinary talent; he is undoubtedly destined to be an emperor! Grab this position before anyone else realizes it! It won’t be so easy to get people by his side later on!"

"Father, the Imperial Grandson is only seven. By the time he becomes emperor, we might not even be around anymore!"

"Indeed! If you had arranged for us to serve the Crown Prince, that would be one thing—at least there would be something to look forward to! But the Imperial Grandson... isn't that a bit too far-fetched?"

The two sons remained sullen, looking extremely reluctant.

"Enough nonsense! You will go because I told you to...!" Xu Da’s fiery temper flared up as his sons defied him. "Not only are you going, but you must protect His Highness well! He is your future brother-in-law! If anything happens to him, your sister will be a widow!"

"What? Father! Miaoqing is only seven, and you’ve already betrothed her to the Imperial Grandson?"

"Isn't that a bit too early? At least wait until she’s ten!"

Upon hearing this, the brothers were even more disgruntled. What kind of magic did a seven-year-old possess to have their father so completely spellbound? To be sending both his sons and his daughters to the Imperial Grandson's side?

*Clatter...*

Xu Da poured himself a cup of hot tea and said nonchalantly, "It’s not Miaoqing; it’s Miaojin!"

"What...?"

The brothers’ voices suddenly spiked in pitch, startling Xu Da so much that his hand trembled. Tea spilled out, scalding his skin until it turned red.

"You two rascals! What are you shouting for?"

He took off his boot, ready to strike them. The sons, seemingly accustomed to this, saw the situation going south and took to their heels. Within moments, they had vanished.

***

Even though the two were unhappy, they could not defy their father. The very next morning, they were dragged to the palace gates to wait.

It was not until the sun was high that the palace gates slowly opened. A polished, soft-featured little boy emerged, accompanied by a dozen attendants! It went without saying that this must be their future brother-in-law, the current Imperial Grandson.

The brothers exchanged a glance and walked over with extreme reluctance, offering a perfunctory bow. "Your Highness the Imperial Grandson..."

Zhu Xiongying scratched his head in confusion. He searched through all the memories of the original host but could not find any trace of these two.

"Who are you...?"

"Your Highness, our father is the Duke of Wei, Xu Da...!" The slightly older of the two introduced them. "I am Xu Huizu! This is my younger brother, Xu Yingxu!"

After the introduction, they clamped their mouths shut, not offering a single extra word.

Zhu Xiongying looked at them and asked, "Did the Duke of Wei send you to follow me?"

"Correct!"

The two were as stingy with their words as if they were made of gold, unwilling to say a syllable more. They silently prayed to themselves: *Let us go, let us go...*

Their petty thoughts were impossible to hide, and Zhu Xiongying, having lived two lifetimes, saw through them at a glance. So, they didn't want to stay? Then he would make sure they did.

He nodded immediately. "Good! You may stay!"

"What...?"

As expected, the two were so shocked that their jaws nearly hit the floor. Their disappointment was glaringly obvious.

"Yes," they replied, completely deflated.

To better experience the local customs of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Xiongying did not take a carriage. The two followed behind him, watching as he ran from a sugar figurine stall to a lantern stall, playing to his heart's content.

"Sigh! Father said the Imperial Grandson had great ability, but to me, he’s just an ordinary child!"

"Indeed! How is he any different from other children? Other than having a better pedigree!"

While waiting, the two leaned against a large tree to rest, muttering in deep disappointment.

***

Not far from them, the little one was browsing at a handicraft stall. In this era, there were no machines; all crafts were hand-woven. From small dragonflies and grasshoppers to large lions and tigers, each was vivid and lifelike.

Zhu Xiongying intended to buy two to take back for the two little girls, Yilun and Jiangdu.

*Crash...*

Just as he was carefully choosing, a loud bang erupted, and an elderly man with white hair and beard suddenly flew out, landing right beside the little boy.

The Imperial Guards moved with lightning speed, rushing to the front to shield him.

"Move aside, move aside!"

The little one furrowed his brows, and the plainclothes Imperial Guards immediately cleared a space while maintaining a state of high alert. If even a single hair on the Imperial Grandson’s head were lost, their own heads would roll. For the sake of their own necks, they had to protect him at all costs.

"Oh? Is that the Lin family’s eldest son causing trouble again?"

"Must be! Otherwise, why would Manager Fang be thrown out like that for no reason?"

"Tsk tsk! That Lin family has no sense of decency! The man is so old, yet they still resort to such violence!"

"Hmph! The Lin family is accustomed to bullying; they don't care about anyone's age...!"

The surrounding vendors, seemingly used to such scenes, shook their heads and sighed helplessly.

Just then, a girl who had been crying until her eyes were swollen rushed out and threw herself over the old man. "Grandfather! Are you alright? Grandfather...! Please, don't scare me!"

Following her, a man with a sharp, monkey-like face emerged, wielding a folding fan and looking like a strutting peacock. "Fang Wan'er, let me tell you! As long as you refuse to marry me, you will never have a day of peace!"

Behind him followed twenty or thirty thugs with cruel expressions, each clutching a wooden club. It was clear that the old man had been beaten by them.

At that moment, a childish voice suddenly rang out. "In broad daylight, to think there is actually such a thing as forcibly seizing a maiden!"

The Lin family’s son, holding his folding fan, looked left and right, failing to find the source of the voice. It wasn't until his servant pointed it out that he noticed the luxuriously dressed Zhu Xiongying.

He burst into laughter. "Heh? I haven't heard such talk in years! To think it comes from the mouth of a child today? Hahaha! A newborn calf is truly not afraid of a tiger!"