Chapter 15. The Son of One of the Three Dukes Causes a Storm of Jealousy?

“Young Master……”

Huai An hesitated, seeing Shen Yuan give him an inquiring look, he hurriedly added, “In the past, you always declined Young Master Liu’s invitations. Besides, the Fifth Imperial Princess will also be going tomorrow……”

At this moment, Shen Yuan was still calculating how to make Su Jin cry, and absent-mindedly nodded to indicate he should continue.

Huai An carefully chose his words and replied anxiously, “What if Young Master Liu causes a storm of jealousy tomorrow and makes a scene in front of everyone? It might embarrass you, Young Master.”

A storm of jealousy?

Reaching for a cup to moisten his throat with tea, seeing the small servant’s nose breaking out in a cold sweat, Shen Yuan smiled and said, “You must have read too many stories about young men fighting over women.”

“Young masters from noble families are usually mindful of their face. Now that Liu Ming’s every move is being watched, how could he lose face and displease Gu Zhi.”

“Instead of worrying about this, you’d better find out what I should wear tomorrow so as not to be discourteous.”

Huai An paused, realizing he must have talked too much again. He scurried off to the wardrobe to select a few items and had someone bring them over.

Shen Yuan rested his chin on his hand, looking over lazily.

“The red one is out, Gu Zhi loves red the most, Liu Ming will surely wear a red robe tomorrow.”

“The pale yellow is lively but lacks grandeur, it’s out.”

“The celadon green……” Shen Yuan paused, he had actually forgotten he also had a celadon green outer robe.

Seeing him pondering silently, Huai An quickly put on a smile, “Young Master, didn’t the Fifth Imperial Princess praise you last time for wearing this color, saying you were as beautiful as green bamboo? Why don’t you wear this one tomorrow?”

The fingers gripping the cup suddenly tightened, and even the heart in his chest seemed to stop abruptly. Shen Yuan’s voice, which had just moistened his throat, revealed a hint of uncontrollable emotion.

“Huai An, was I wearing this celadon green when Su Jin first came to the manor?”

Though Huai An’s words and phrases were sometimes lacking, he was very clear about what color clothes Shen Yuan wore each day.

His small beady eyes rolled slightly as he shook his head, “Young Master was wearing a moon-white robe when you met Miss Su that day.”

“Not celadon green?”

Huai An continued shaking his head. Seeing Shen Yuan’s spirits suddenly drop, he quickly motioned for the servant holding the celadon green robe to withdraw.

The ink-black phoenix eyes seemed to be covered by a layer of mist, impenetrable and unfathomable.

His gaze was heavy, as if about to become angry.

Remembering Su Jin’s flattering words earlier, Huai An hurriedly tried to imitate and flatter, “Young Master is as beautiful as an immortal, even wearing……”

He had barely begun when Shen Yuan glanced at him sideways, stopping him mid-sentence. “Huai An.”

“Yes, Young Master?” The confused small servant meekly came forward.

“Copy ‘On Literacy’ ten times.”

“Eh? Young Master, please spare me.” Huai An felt aggrieved, he had clearly learned from those scholars’ wives’ original words, there was no way he could have made a mistake.

He didn’t like reading, much less copying books. After pondering for a moment, he finally mustered up the courage to plead with Shen Yuan.

“How can I spare you? After copying so many times, you still only manage a few dry words when flattering someone.”

Shen Yuan frowned, “It seems all the past ink and paper were merely scribbles on paper, and did not enter your heart.”

He scolded seriously, Huai An stood quietly, not daring to make a sound, but grumbling in his heart. When Miss Su said it like that, he had clearly seen the Young Master smiling.

How come it didn’t work when it came to him?

***

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and there were faint sounds of servants moving about outside the room.

The wind had picked up last night, and many fallen petals now littered the courtyard. Pink, purple, orange, and yellow, sprinkled over the stone tiles, but unable to cover the earthy smell.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that the sky cleared.

In the past, Gu Zhi would always come to pick him up personally for outings.

Today, there was only a lonely carriage at the manor gate.

“Young Master, shall we wait a bit longer?” Huai An secretly glanced at Shen Yuan beside him.

The moon-white clothes made the young man’s face appear even more jade-like, his thin lips tinged red. His phoenix eyes, seemingly filled with the night’s starry river, showed complete understanding, as if he had anticipated this situation.

Huai An didn’t give up, peering down the street again.

“Stop looking, get in the carriage.”

Lightly tapping the small servant’s shoulder with his folding fan, Shen Yuan curved his lips. Today was at Liu Ming’s invitation, and since Gu Zhi was to be his future wife-master, she naturally couldn’t stay by his side like before.