Chapter 207: Special - : Xuange

Chapter 207

Special Chapter: Xuange

Xuange, the eldest son of Jun Wang, turned twelve this year. When he was younger, Jun Wang was poisoned and barely survived, leaving him in poor health. Since then, Jun Wang had to step back from court affairs to focus on his recovery. Mu Guifei, bitter and angry with Mu Qiuxiang, refused to allow her body to be buried in the royal family’s or the Mu family’s tomb, instead having her remains wrapped in a mat and thrown into a mass grave.

Before the poisoning, Jun Wang was like a towering pillar for the Mu family and for Xuange. Everyone feared him, and even though it was known that the Emperor did not favor the Mu family, many believed that if it came down to choosing between Rui Wang and Jun Wang, the Emperor might have had no choice but to give the throne to Jun Wang. However, when the situation changed, and Jun Wang was no longer able to ascend to the throne, forcing the Mu family to find other ways to survive. They shifted their support to Kang Wang instead. Being a wise man, Jun Wang understood the realities of the world and did not complain, he just let things go and choose to focus on his recovery in Jun Wang’s palace.

Xuange secretly rejoiced that his father had become a powerless Wang. It gave his father more time to teach him. Nevertheless, Xuange was always mindful not to trouble his father too much, knowing that his health was fragile. Xuange was aware that his father harbored grand ambitions to govern the country with his wisdom, but he also felt that his father was not well-suited for such a role. If it weren’t for the obligations to the Mu family, his father would have been a man who preferred solitude.

Among all of Jun Wang’s sons, Xuange was the one most like his father. He had inherited both his father’s intelligence and striking looks. Xuange devoted himself to his studies and, unlike his father, did not have the same desire to serve the Mu family. Instead, he found immense joy in learning, particularly from reading books. His teachers often praised him for his deep understanding of various classics and his ability to write eloquently. Unlike other children, Xuange didn’t play around. Once his lessons were over, he would return to the palace, following this routine day after day.

In his free time, Xuange frequently visited his grandmother, Guifei. Ever since his father had fallen ill, his grandmother seemed dispirited and unhappy. Only when Xuange came to visit would her face light up with a smile. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman who often told him about the affairs of the royal court and the noble families. She shared these stories not without purpose; she wanted him to understand the complex web of power dynamics.

“Xuan’er, our Mu family still relies on you. When you grow up, do not forget your duty to the family.”

Whenever his grandmother said this, Xuange would obediently nod, but in truth, he didn’t quite agree. He wanted to question why he should care about the Mu family. After all, when his father lost his power, the Mu family didn’t seem to care much. But having been raised to respect his elders, he kept these thoughts to himself.

“Do not be like your aunt. Even though she had the fortune to become Taizi Fei, she betrayed the family. The Mu family is struggling now, and we must rely on her connection to Taizi. Otherwise, we would never consider her as family.”

Xuange didn’t quite understand the matter as well. His aunt, originally named Mu Rongying, had run away from her household and eventually married Kang Wang as his princess consort, later becoming Taizi Fei. Throughout everything, she never cared about the Mu family, while it was the Mu family that, seeing her newfound power, sought to reconnect with her. Even though Guifei never hid the truth about this aunt, she forbade him from interacting with or visiting her. He had seen this aunt from a distance before and thought she was quite beautiful.

One day, while Xuange was returning from visiting Mu Guifei, he saw several palace maids carrying trays of snacks and tea. When they saw him, they respectfully curtsied. Xuange glanced at the trays, curious about who the treats were for.

“Where are these going?”

“To Taizi Fei and the guests from the Yong An Hou Manor, Your Highness.”

Hearing this, Xuange waved them on their way, but he couldn’t help but glance toward the pavilion in the garden. He had always obeyed his grandmother and avoided interacting with his aunt. However, hearing that the guests were from Yong An Hou Manor piqued his curiosity. General Song and his wife were famous in the capital. The General was a revered war hero known for his victories in the northern wars, and his wife’s background was not ordinary, as she came from a merchant family and had built the renowned Xiangyun Tea House. They also had six children, including two sets of triplets.

Xuange had seen the two older twin boys, who studied at the royal palace, but he had never seen the rest of their siblings. Intrigued, he decided to observe them from a distance, curious about what they looked like.

He walked along a winding path and, upon reaching the pavilion, hid behind a large tree. From there, he could see Taizi Fei sitting in the pavilion, smiling as she conversed with two other women—likely Princess An Le and the wife of General Song. Several young children played nearby under the watchful eyes of their nannies. One of the girls appeared to be Ye Rongji, Taizi Fei’s daughter. Two identical girls, likely Princess An Le’s twin daughters, were also playing. A slightly older, pretty girl was probably General Song’s daughter. Five or six boys ran around on the grassy field near the pavilion, their laughter echoing joyfully. Xuange couldn’t help but smile as he watched. Apart from Song Wuqin and Song Wujun, whom he had met before, the other children were unfamiliar, though they shared some family resemblance. The boy dressed most elegantly was likely his younger cousin, Ye Tianpeng. All of them were running and playing so energetically that their faces were flushed red with sweat.

As Xuange enjoyed watching the children, a sudden sound from behind startled him. He quickly turned around and saw a cute little girl dressed in red. Upon noticing his surprise, she burst out laughing, her face beaming with joy. The sight caused Xuange’s cheeks to flush slightly.

“Keke. Did I scare you, big brother?”

Xuange believed it was improper to scare others, but seeing her bright smile and crescent-shaped eyes made it hard for him to scold her. He furrowed his brows slightly and asked in a calm voice,

“Why did you try to scare me like that?”

“I didn’t mean to. I was lying on the tree, and suddenly you walked by. My mother says it’s rude to stand above someone’s head, so I jumped down, that’s all.”

Xiao Hua Hua explained to the older boy. Sensing he was gentle and kind-hearted, and he also secretly watching her siblings play, she felt sorry for him. She assumed he probably didn’t have anyone to play with, so he wanted to join in but didn’t dare. She grabbed his hand.

“Come play with my siblings. Don’t just stand here spying.”

Caught red-handed, Xuange blushed.

“I wasn’t spying. I was just passing by. Besides, I’m not a child anymore. Why would I play like that?”

Xiao Hua Hua tilted her head, observing this gentle and handsome older boy. He was much older than her and her siblings, and she figured he might feel embarrassed to play with younger children. But from the way he looked so happy watching her siblings running around, it was clear he wanted to join but wouldn’t admit it. So, she decided to offer to play with him herself.

“Alright then, let’s play just the two of us. Whatever you want to play, I’ll join in.”

Seeing her warm, big eyes looking up at him, Xuange couldn’t refuse. She was an adorable, friendly child, so he let her lead him away willingly. A twelve-year-old boy playing with a six-year-old girl—if anyone learned about this, they’d surely laugh at him for being so silly.

“Doesn’t your mother scold you for climbing trees like that?”

As they walked, he couldn’t help but ask, feeling that this little girl was quite odd.

“I already told her. This is my usual spot. So, what would you like to play, big brother?”

“Whatever you want,”

Xuange replied, he really didn’t know what children liked to play. He had grown up mostly studying and reading books.

“Then let’s play house. A’Li will love it for sure.”

Xiao Hua Hua suggested as she tugged him towards the pavilion. But Xuange resisted.

“I...don’t want to meet anyone.”

Xuange could still remember Mu Guifei’s warning, so he tried to avoid Taizi Fei. Seeing his discomfort, Xiao Hua Hua didn’t push him further. Her mother had taught her not to force others.

“Alright, you can wait here. I’ll get the toys and bring A’Li. It won’t take long.”

Xuange simply hummed in response as Xiao Hua Hua dashed back to the pavilion. He watched as she talked to her mother, then her mother briefly turned and glanced in his direction before nodding. Shortly after, Xiao Hua Hua returned, hand in hand with a sweet-looking younger girl around four years old. A nanny followed behind them, carrying toys, including dolls and miniature clay figures. The younger girl, A’Li, clutched a cloth doll in her arms, looking up at the stranger curiously.

“A’Li, this is Brother...What’s your name, big brother?”

Xiao Hua Hua said to her younger sister. Smiling sweetly, A’Li called him brother.

“My name is Xuange. You can call me Xuan Ge,”

He introduced himself to the two girls.

“I’m Ziwei, but everyone calls me Xiao Hua Hua. This is my sister, Zili.”

They all sat down on the grass and started gathering leaves to pretend to cook. The two sisters started playing house. A’Li obediently followed her elder sister’s instructions and acted as their child. Xiao Hua Hua seemed particularly fond of Xuange. Unlike her two brothers, who refused to play house, Xuan Ge was patient with them. When their mother called for them to return, Xiao Hua Hua turned to her newfound older brother and said,

"Hua Hua wants to play with Xuan Ge again. Next time, you have to come play with me."

Xuange smiled back and linked pinkies with her, making a promise. As the heir to Jun Wang, he had always been raised under strict rules, which made him distant from his half-siblings. However, spending time with Xiao Hua Hua and A’Li gave him a warm, comforting feeling.

Xuange made up his mind that the next time Xiao Hua Hua came to the palace to visit Taizi Fei, he would join her for play again. However, the news of him playing with Xiao Hua Hua all afternoon quickly reached Mu Guifei’s ears. In the inner palace, very few things escaped her notice. As a result, Xuange was summoned and scolded. She strictly forbade him from having any further interactions with Taizi Fei or anyone from the Song family.Since then, Xuange often found himself returning to the tree where he first met Xiao Hua Hua. Whenever he heard that people from the Yong An Hou Manor were visiting, he would only watch from afar, obeying his grandmother’s orders. He could only hope that Xiao Hua Hua wouldn’t hold it against him for breaking his promise and that she wouldn’t forget him.