Cui Yunchu always felt that their gazes held some hidden meaning, but when she looked up, she could not catch the slightest trace of it. So, she lowered her voice and asked Shen Xiabai.
"Don't you think the way they look at us is a bit strange?"
Shen Xiabai glanced around, then calmly withdrew his gaze. "They probably just think you eat too much."
"..."
This was the dignified Crown Prince's estate; could it be that they couldn't even feed a little lady like her?
"You're talking nonsense."
Shen Xiabai remained silent, but the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
"Speaking of which, I am here to visit my relatives. Why exactly did you come today?"
Shen Xiabai fell silent. He couldn't spout nonsense like Cui Yunchu did, so after a long while, he simply said, "That is not something you should ask."
Cui Yunchu narrowed her eyes, the suspicion in her heart growing even stronger.
Cui Yunfeng asked, "Big sister, what are you and Lord Shen whispering about?"
She wore an innocent expression.
Cui Yunchu reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "What nonsense are you saying? Who is whispering with him?"
"..."
She jumped even higher than Xiaobai.
Cui Yunfeng stroked the white cat in her arms, turning to look at Tang Qingwan. "Cousin, did I say something wrong?"
Tang Qingwan was looking down and sipping her tea. Hearing this, she shot Cui Yunfeng a glance.
This child really lacked the ability to read the room.
She glanced at Cui Yunchu, who looked like she was about to lose her temper, and smiled as she changed the subject. "His Highness has prepared a chessboard and leaf cards in the back garden. Since we have nothing else to do today, let's go play for a while."
Tang Qingwan and the Crown Prince stood up, followed by Cui Yunfeng. Xiao Yi followed Cui Yunfeng, his eyes fixed on her the entire time; it was highly likely he hadn't even heard what Tang Qingwan said.
But since Cui Yunfeng was leaving, he followed.
Then it was Cui Yunchu. Seeing that everyone had left, Shen Xiabai also stood up and followed.
On the stone table and chairs in the back garden pavilion lay a deck of leaf cards for Tang Qingwan, Cui Yunchu, and Cui Yunfeng to play with.
Not far away, a small table was set up with a chessboard.
From beginning to end, Tang Qingwan was not very enthusiastic toward the Crown Prince, but Xiao Chen was extremely attentive. "I've heard that Lord Shen's chess skills are exceptional. It just so happens that my royal brother's chess skills have also been praised by our royal father. Take this opportunity to play a match and see who is better."
...
Xiao Yi watched as the Crown Prince sat down in the pavilion with Tang Qingwan, whispering softly, "I'll watch you play leaf cards and can give you some advice."
Xiao Yi frowned, his expression rather displeased.
He looked up at Shen Xiabai, who had already lifted his robe and sat down opposite him, and then at Yunfeng, who was smiling beautifully in the pavilion. He felt even more displeased.
He was not here to play chess.
"Royal Brother is being modest. My chess skills are still inferior to yours. It would be better for you, Crown Prince Royal Brother, to play."
Shen Xiabai already had a chess piece pinched in his hand, just sitting there listening to the two brothers defer to each other.
...
It was truly a rare sight of brotherly love and respect, the likes of which hadn't been seen in a hundred years. If the officials in the royal court saw this, they would have to rub their eyes in disbelief.
If only they could be so yielding when it came to the dragon throne.
Shen Xiabai lowered his eyes and stared at the chessboard. His mind was focused on the game—how to place his pieces, how to control the board, where the opponent might move, and how to win.
He had been thinking for a long while, yet the two brothers still hadn't finished deferring to each other.
The Crown Prince wanted to accompany Tang Qingwan, and with Cui Yunfeng sitting there, Xiao Yi was even less willing to face a man.
Shen Xiabai finally caught on to the hint of disdain in their words. His face turned slightly red and green. "Actually, I can just play by myself."
This was his last bit of stubbornness; it was always better than being pushed back and forth like a nuisance.
For the first time, Shen Xiabai felt that he was utterly worthless, that his dignity had been tarnished.
One must know that looking across the royal court, countless people longed to play chess against Lord Shen.
He felt as if he could finally understand Cui Yunchu's feelings.
If things continued like this, although he wouldn't stir up trouble from both sides like Cui Yunchu, he would take a stick and break up these two pairs of lovebirds.
It was truly going too far.
Xiao Yi and Xiao Chen acted as if they hadn't heard him and continued to argue. In the end, the Crown Prince refused to play, so Prince An could only reluctantly sit down.
Only then did he realize that the chessboard was already more than half full. Shen Xiabai held a black piece in his left hand and a white piece in his right, playing happily by himself, though his expression was not very pleasant.
"Which color does Your Highness want?"
Prince An did not even look at the board. "Black, I suppose."
Shen Xiabai really wanted to say: Why don't you get up, and I'll play by myself.
Not taking one's opponent seriously was a naked insult.
And at this moment, Xiao Yi couldn't even spare a glance from the corner of his eye for the chessboard.
A game of chess lasted no longer than the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Xiao Yi lost completely, but he didn't care at all. He knocked over the board and said, "Again."
It was completely perfunctory.
But after all, he was a prince...
Shen Xiabai had excellent patience. He didn't rush him, even if he had to wait a very long time for Xiao Yi to place a piece, and even if Xiao Yi wasn't looking at the board at all.
At most, he would just adjust the position of Xiao Yi's pieces for him.
Xiao Yi would casually drop a black piece, and Shen Xiabai would silently push that piece to where he thought it should be, then say, "It's Your Highness's turn."
Xiao Yi kept his eyes lowered, completely oblivious.
In the pavilion, the card game was also in full swing.
Under Cui Yunchu's strong demands, the Crown Prince was not allowed to participate too much and could only occasionally offer a pointer or two.
Naturally, Tang Qingwan and Cui Yunfeng were no match for Cui Yunchu, and in a short while, they had lost quite a bit of silver.
Cui Yunchu smiled so broadly that her eyes turned into crescents, gathering the silver closer and closer to her side.
"Playing for this loose silver is boring. How about we raise the stakes?"
Tang Qingwan replied, "I'm out."
Cui Yunfeng weighed her nearly empty coin purse. "In your dreams."
Cui Yunchu curled her lips, losing interest. "Stingy."
They had so many shops and estates, yet they couldn't even bear to bet a few sets of jewelry.
The Crown Prince sat beside Tang Qingwan, acting very considerate. He kept her supplied with tea and fruits without interruption. This was hardly something a dignified Crown Prince should be doing, yet Tang Qingwan remained calm and unhurried, showing no sign of being overwhelmed by the favor. Instead, she continued to give him the cold shoulder.
The Crown Prince glanced at Tang Qingwan's nearly depleted silver and asked, "What kind of prize does Eldest Cousin want to play for?"
As soon as the Crown Prince spoke, Cui Yunchu's eyes lit up. This was the Crown Prince's estate! The entire Great Liang dynasty was his; wouldn't he have anything she could possibly want?
Tang Qingwan glared at the Crown Prince, afraid that Cui Yunchu would demand an exorbitant price.
She was fully capable of doing so.
"I don't agree," Tang Qingwan said.
"Don't be so stingy. Let's just bet a set of jewelry."
Tang Qingwan, "..."
Cui Yunfeng, "..."
They knew it.
The Crown Prince wore an expression that said it was a trivial matter. "I agree. I will provide the prize, but I must participate and offer advice to Qingwan."
Xiao Yi, who was resting his chin on his hand and casually tossing black pieces onto the chessboard, also chimed in, "I will cover Yunfeng's share."
Shen Xiabai looked back for a moment, then turned around and silently moved the chess piece Xiao Yi had just tossed to where it actually belonged.
Cui Yunchu suddenly lost all her excitement. She even felt like throwing the cards in her hand away.
It was truly going too far!
Once she had a powerful, wise, and courageous husband, she would definitely show off like this too.
