Chapter 163: with translation of chapter title

At this moment, in the warm pavilion of Peach Blossom Pavilion, Gu Jiu Ling was teasing a parrot that was extraordinarily gaudy and flamboyant in appearance, speaking to it.

I don't know where Xiao Yin bought this little cutie; it mimics speech exceptionally well, perhaps Xiao Yin had trained it beforehand, and upon seeing Gu Jiu Ling it kept shouting "Princess Consort, myriad blessings!"

Gu Jiu Ling was overjoyed, it was so much fun; this guy, not to mention speaking, actually imitates Xiao Yin's voice vividly, an icy, frosty tone with a hint of magnetic charm that makes the heart race.

It was as if Xiao Yin stood before her, shouting "Princess Consort, myriad blessings!" over and over; this contrasting cuteness completely captivated Gu Jiu Ling's heart, and she played with it to her heart's content.

Say "Congratulations and prosperity!"

Congratulations and prosperity!

Gu Jiu Ling shouted it over and over.

Congratulations and prosperity!

Princess Consort, myriad blessings!

Congratulations and prosperity!

Princess Consort, myriad blessings!

Gu Jiu Ling laughed helplessly, not knowing how Xiao Yin had trained it; why won't this little thing listen to her words?

Moreover, its temperament was just as aloof as Xiao Yin's; perhaps it had grown tired of listening to Gu Jiu Ling, so it simply turned its head toward Xiao Yin, as if disdaining her.

Gu Jiu Ling laughed and said, "All right, now that your master has sent you to my side, if you don't obey me, I'll pluck out all your feathers and make you a bald bird!"

"Congratulations and prosperity! Congratulations and prosperity!" the parrot shouted a few times indistinctly.

Gu Jiu Ling was overjoyed, turned her face away and asked Xiao Yin, "Have you decided on a name?"

Xiao Yin leaned back in his chair, having just taken off his court robes and changed into a plain indigo-blue gauze robe, which made his entire appearance look fresh and handsome.

A smile flickered in his eyes; this was because, while attending court, he had heard that the Assistant Minister of Works kept a parrot with exceptionally clever speech, and he had coerced and enticed someone to buy it and bring it over for Gu Jiu Ling to play with.

This time he also didn't know what the parrot was called; indulgingly looking at Gu Jiu Ling, he smiled and said, "Just help me think of a name."

Gu Jiu Ling pondered, then smiled and said, "Looking at its coloration, it resembles a great parrot; how about calling it Gangzi?"

Xiao Yin's hand holding the teacup paused slightly there; suddenly he regretted letting her name the bird—what a ridiculous name they'd come up with!

The maidservants around them all pursed their lips and laughed; whether person or bird, anything the master helps name is always a headache.

"Prince, is this name good?"

Xiao Yin coughed once, suppressed the urge to complain, and smiled, "Hmm… very good!"

"Master! Miss Wan is coming!" Jiu Yue lifted the curtain, stepping aside to let Su Wanrou, who was walking over from behind, pass.

Her eyebrows lowered, a hint of wariness rising in her heart; she didn't know why, at this late hour, this woman had come to see the master and what mischief she was up to.

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes flickered slightly; she ordered Yun Duo to take the parrot together with its cage out to the outer room, then she brushed the nut crumbs from her hand and sat beside Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin also furrowed his brows slightly; after the incident at Pánlóng Temple, he had also grown somewhat dissatisfied with Su Wanrou.

After all, she was someone he kept by his side, and moreover the blood of General An; he had never imagined raising her to become like this, and he truly felt a bit guilty in his heart.

Now that he had spoken of a marriage for Su Wanrou, he only wished she could marry off safely and peacefully.

He also didn't want any entanglement between Su Wanrou and Gu Jiu Ling, after all, to him they were both very important women in his life, and sometimes he really found it difficult to handle.

"Waner greets the elder brother and sister-in-law!"

Su Wanrou cautiously stepped forward and bowed to Xiao Yin and Gu Jiu Ling, lowering her gaze; her bearing was pitifully endearing.

Xiao Yin nodded: "No need for excessive ceremony; we're all one family, please have a seat."

"One family?" Gu Jiu Ling lowered her eyes to look at her own covered teacup, a hint of mockery flashing in her gaze.

However, since the prince had spoken, the people of Peach Blossom Pavilion—Jiu Yue and the others—could not leave Su Wanrou out in the cold, so they had to bring over an embroidered stool and place it at Xiao Yin's left hand.

Xiao Yin looked at her and said, "It's so late; your sister-in-law is pregnant, so try not to disturb her if you have any business."

Su Wanrou's eyes reddened at the corners, yet hatred surged in her heart.

How come? Are you saying that even in a cherished household with a child on the way, guests can't come?

She also didn't want to see Gu Jiu Ling, but tonight's matter she must resolve.

After Hongyu ran away, many things became uncontrollable.

As Su Wanrou spoke, her eye sockets had already reddened; she lifted her hand to look at Xiao Yin, and only then did he notice her fingers were broken, his brows furrowing: "What happened?"

Su Wanrou had just ordered a maid to fetch silver needles, then she pierced each of her own fingertips one by one; seeing the dense pinholes, she was truly frightened.

She looked at Xiao Yin, her expression growing ever more wary; only when Xiao Yin furrowed his brows did she timidly glance at Gu Jiu Ling, who was holding her teacup, head lowered and silent.

"Elder brother, I have a request; I don't know if sister-in-law can agree to it?"

Gu Jiu Ling's hand holding the teacup paused, then she laughed: "Look at what you're saying, little sister; what's with all this begging? When you speak to me, you don't need to use that word—it's exhausting for me as your sister-in-law."

Xiao Yin furrowed his brows slightly, feeling that this woman's words were laced with hidden barbs.

Today he had been summoned by the emperor to the palace, busy investigating the salt merchants of Southern Qi and those privately opened mines; Southern Qi's finances were truly a chaotic mess, severely deficient.

Emperor Longqing also wanted to reform, and was currently selecting people to go to Jiangnan and the southwest to audit accounts.

The previous batch of officials sent there—some died, some were injured, and a few even hanged themselves on the official boats—showing just how deep the waters run.

I also don't know whether something else has happened between these two women in the mansion.

He instinctively reached out to smooth Gu Jiu Ling's hair, his large palm almost resting on her head, when he suddenly realized Su Wanrou was still sitting here.

Those little intimacies between husband and wife are not suitable to be displayed in front of outsiders.

He halfway withdrew his hand, half-clenched it into a fist, placed it at his lips and coughed once, then looked at Su Wanrou.

Su Wanrou saw what Xiao Yin was about to do; she was truly unwilling, having accompanied him in the mansion for so many years, while Gu Jiu Ling had only just arrived.

This person is actually biased to such an extent?

Clearly Gu Jiu Ling was the one who first spoke sarcastically, yet Xiao Yin actually went to soothe her first?

Xiao Yin looked at Su Wanrou and said, "Your sister-in-law is right; we're all one family, why bother with that word 'beg'? What do you want to do?"

Su Wanrou spoke with a hint of a sob: "Elder brother, I'm so clumsy; I just can't embroider the wedding dress properly."

"Seeing that the wedding date has been set, yet I don't even have a decent wedding dress—wouldn't that be a laughingstock, and I'd only embarrass the elder brother for nothing."

This is easy to say! Xiao Yin laughed and said, "Tomorrow, elder brother Wang will go to invite Shang Jing's best embroiderer; today I was also busy and confused, I actually forgot about this matter."

Su Wanrou's resentment grew a bit more—what forgot? You probably never even thought of it.

Moreover, this is basically the Princess Consort's dereliction of duty, yet you're busy admitting fault first—what's that supposed to be?

Su Wanrou suppressed her jealousy and slowly said: "Today I actually found a person whose embroidery skill is far better than those embroiderers in Shang Jing, right here in our Wangfu; Wan'er wants to temporarily borrow her to my Tan Chun Garden for a few days, and return her after the wedding dress is embroidered."

Xiao Yin laughed: "Sure! There's such talent in the Wangfu; borrowing her for a few days is fine!"

Su Wanrou's expression eased a bit; she rose and bowed to Gu Jiu Ling: "Sister-in-law, then tonight I will take Jinzhi to my place."

"I have already prepared her lodging; her food and daily life will certainly not be neglected."

Gu Jiu Ling's drooping eyelids finally lifted slowly; she coldly looked at Su Wanrou.

"Not lending!"