Chapter 607

Baili Yan entered the palace and was led to the rear garden of Jianzhang Palace, where it was said His Majesty awaited him at the Quiet Reflection Pavilion. When she arrived at the garden, she found not only Baili Jing but also Lao Qi, Baili Zhang there.

By rights she doesn't even know Baili Zhang, and she's never seen Baili Jing's face either, but there are only two youngsters in the palace, so it's easy to tell them apart. Besides, that damn Great King shouts too loudly.

"Lao Qi, go for it! You absolutely cannot lose to Little Gold!"

He watched the tall one grab a white plate and fling it hard. A child in green clothes and a golden dog rushed after it. The plate soared high, spun in the air, didn't drift far, and came back. The person and the dog chased to grab it, you after me, and in the end the golden-haired dog snatched it first. The Great King shouted from behind, "Lao Qi, grab it!"

The green-clad shorty, hearing that, revived with full energy, clumsily ran over to try to snatch it, but the golden dog kicked him over……

Zhao Bao: ……

The Great King kept bouncing in the back, cheering: "Lao Qi, get up and kick it back!"

Baili Zhang had no time to cry; he got up, stretched out his short legs, hadn't even made a kicking motion, when Little Gold arrogantly tripped him.

Little Gold huffed and ran back, spat the plate onto the ground, glared fiercely at the Great King, and yelled, "You say, who should he kick?!"

The Great King is so clever, he immediately fetched water. "Look how stupid he is, I'm just teasing him—I've been shouting all day and he still can't beat Little Gold, Sir!"

The golden-haired mythical beast held its head high and chest out; Da Wang sent out rainbow farts for free, saying, "Little Gold, you've worked hard bringing the stupid brother to play—how about I give you an extra meal at noon today~"

Zhang Xu stepped forward only then to report, "The Princess Consort of Ru Nan has arrived."

Da Wang lifted his head, glanced at Bai Li Yan, then leisurely took the handkerchief Zhao Ba handed over, wiped his hands, after wiping he casually dragged over the just‑climbed‑up Bai Li Zhang, roughly wiped his face twice, and shoved a piece of candy into his hand.

"Your older brother is very pleased with your performance today—come~ I'll split the hidden candy with you, keep practicing running hard tomorrow, and when you grow up, will you fight for your older brother? You don't object, right? Then it's settled."

Bai Li Zhang clenched the candy tightly in his fist, nodded vigorously, grinned wide enough to drool. It's rare to have a playmate; these days he runs into him now and then, and Lao Qi and this older brother have already become acquainted.

Even Wei Shen, who was sipping tea and watching nearby, felt a bit sorry for him—at an age when he's still drooling, he's run into the king of schemes, willing to sell himself for a single candy.

Bai Li Yan watched the whole scene, inwardly smirking with contempt. Just these two losers? Heh.

Bai Li Yan noted that she was a few years older than the Eldest Princess of Ning Guo, probably around eighteen or nineteen. Dressed in gold and jade, her attire was splendid, flamboyant like a peacock.

Among the noble ladies of Chang'an, this outfit would still stand out, but the people of the northern borders are used to the refined makeup and avant‑garde style of the chief steward; Bai Li Yan's attire is rich enough but lacks refinement. In Wei Shen's words, it's just… a bit rustic.

Zhao Ba smiled and reminded Da Wang again, "Your Majesty, the Princess Consort of Ru Nan has arrived."

Only then did Da Wang lift his head, and Bai Li Yan stepped forward a few paces. At that moment Bai Li Zhang stood not far in front of Da Wang, even closer to her. This person was also interesting, speaking loudly: "Is this the younger son of the older brother?" She stepped forward without hesitation and scooped up Bai Li Zhang, saying, "Zhang'er, I am your aunt."

Da Wang: "... Huh?"

Oh no, I've met my match! I've run into someone even more shameless than I am!

Even Wei Shen was stunned!

No way, she's the daughter of a prince, and yet so rude?!

She snatched Bai Li Zhang up first—clearly she had no intention of giving Da Wang the proper obeisance.

Even Zhao Ba and Zhang Xu, who understood Da Wang's ways, now thought her foolish, unaware of her own weight.

Could it be that she thinks she can push Da Wang around just because he's young? Zhang Xu's eyes widened, eager to watch the show. He's recently realized that as long as he stays single‑minded and honest, he ought to be able to die a peaceful death under her hand. Anyway, his mindset has become much more peaceful lately—ah, growing old, there's nothing left to fight over—and he's been observing Da Wang with keen interest.

"Is this Your Majesty? You truly have a fine appearance, just like the older brother." Bai Li Yan hugged Lao Qi, striking a pose of casual chitchat.

Da Wang had already retreated to the seat in the pavilion and sat down; without a word, hearing that, he only raised an eyebrow at Zhao Ba, "…Which older brother are you referring to?"

This guy's even more outrageous—he means he hasn't straightened out the generational lines; we're all just distant relatives.

Zhao Ba knows him all too well: "He might be referring to the former emperor."

Oh.

Your Majesty doesn't know me yet—I am Aunt Yan of Ru Nan.

Da Wang had no choice but to look up at her; he was just thinking about giving her a tit‑for‑tat and wondering if she'd burst into tears and flee the palace, when he saw his good cousin rise to his feet.

Wei Shen was even more arrogant than Bai Li Yan; he rose, crossed his arms, and looked at her with his lower eyelids: "I just understood—you're the consort of the Prince of Ru Nan? Are princesses of princely states now this rude? Do you really think that because Ru Nan is wealthy you can be rude to His Majesty? Seeing His Majesty not kneeling, not observing propriety, and calling yourself his aunt—is that really the custom of the Ru Nan prince?!"

Da Wang almost laughed out loud, deciding tonight to rip two pages out of his grudge ledger against his cousin—this comment was way too thorough!

Bai Li Yan's face flushed red, and she snapped, "Who are you again?!"

With his cousin speaking up, Da Wang immediately switched tactics, deciding to take another approach. He recalled the "green tea" style of speech from the books, and spoke softly: "Cousin, please sit down and don't be angry—I just misspoke, I thought the Eldest Princess Chao Yang had come back to life, and I didn't react in time~"

?!

Wei Shen: "…Can you speak louder and straighten your tongue?"

Zhao Ba and Zhang Xu: "Just watch, just watch! He won't suffer a loss!"

Bai Li Yan grew even redder with anger.

The Eldest Princess Chao Yang is the same‑mother sister of Emperor Ning De, and is Da Wang's proper aunt—though she's been gone for many years. If someone could claim seniority before Da Wang, she'd count as one even if she were alive.

Even if we give it ten thousand steps, Bai Li Yan and Princess Chao Yang belong to the same generation, but their ages differ vastly—Princess Chao Yang was forty when she passed. To Bai Li Yan, who looks down on everyone, that's also unacceptable.

Zhang Xu stepped forward to explain that, reckoned by generation, the Princess Consort of Ru Nan belongs to the same generation as the former emperor. Da Wang warmed up to the conversation: "Oh, it was just a misunderstanding~ The aunt of the Princess Consort of Ru Nan… indeed she's a bit too unrestrained, come sit down."

Everyone: "……"

Bai Li Yan simply doesn't know how to hold a child; Bai Li Zhang was already uncomfortable from being squeezed, and now, provoked by Da Wang and Wei Shen, he instinctively tightened his grip, hurting Bai Li Zhang, who whined, "Let… nest… let go……"

Bai Li Yan was mortally embarrassed; the two debt‑collectors each said a line that put her on the spot, and Bai Li Zhang's outburst also counted as breaking the tension. She immediately pinched Bai Li Zhang's cheeks, saying, "Holding you as your aunt isn'tbad……"

When she got emotional, her grip grew even stronger—after all, she hated him enough to make her teeth itch. Bai Li Zhang, pinched painfully, heard a sharp "slap!" as Bai Li Yan's face was struck with a loud smack.

Bai Li Yan was dumbfounded, unable to believe it. Bai Li Zhang, however, let out a wail and reached out to Da Wang, crying, "... brother!"—this idiot doesn't even know how to say "older brother."

Seeing this, Zhao Ba rushed over to catch him, and Da Wang almost laughed out loud.

Although he's an idiot, he still managed to slap Bai Li Yan—eh~

Da Wang took Bai Li Zhang in his arms, saying, "Don't cry—now it's just the two of us brothers relying on each other. Though we're still weak, helpless, and pitiful, the older brother will certainly stand up for you!"

Bai Li Yan: "……"

Who exactly got slapped?!'