Ji Xianxian laughed and said to Yin Hui, “Are you afraid of crickets? Well, I’m afraid of big black bugs. Now that Wu Lang has piqued San Lang’s interest, you should be prepared for Wu Lang to ask you for crickets.” Her words were actually a mockery of Xu Qingwan for not teaching San Lang properly and even letting him bring a cricket over.
Yin Hui ignored her and looked at Xiao Heng with concern. The cricket looked quite intimidating at first glance. Her son had never been exposed to any insects. Would he be frightened?
There was a small hole in the lid of San Lang’s bamboo tube for ventilation. Xiao Heng leaned over to take a look.
She wasn’t sure if he saw her or not, but Xiao Heng didn’t show any strange emotions on his face. San Lang got impatient and simply opened the lid.
Xiao Heng was about to take another look when a black cricket with long, short, and thick antennae suddenly jumped out. Everyone saw a flash of a black shadow, and when they looked again, the cricket had disappeared.
Ji Xianxian was genuinely afraid of crickets. Seeing this, she screamed, jumped up, and ran out of the door, her face turning pale.
Since Er Lang had been punished and grounded by his grandfather last year, he had become more well-behaved. However, he had a mischievous streak in him. Seeing the cricket jump to his side, he immediately forgot about rules and etiquette, and bent over to catch the cricket.
“Mine, you’re not allowed to grab it!” San Lang ran over and joined the impromptu cricket-catching contest.
Xiao Heng’s nurse quickly hugged Xiao Heng, fearing that he would be frightened.
Seeing that Xiao Heng was also about to catch the cricket, Yin Hui quickly signaled to his nurse.
The nurse stopped Xiao Heng halfway and skillfully diverted his attention. Xiao Heng didn’t cry and instead focused on watching his brothers jumping around. When San Lang accidentally landed on Er Lang’s back and was pushed aside, Xiao Heng burst into laughter, as if he had heard an excellent joke, nearly running out of breath.
Concubine Xu was still in the room when she heard Xiao Heng’s laughter.
She shook her head lightly, realizing that she, too, enjoyed the sight of children laughing so happily.
When Princess Xu came out, Er Lang and San Lang had already been separated by their nursemaids, but the cricket had disappeared.
“Why is the second daughter-in-law waiting outside?” Concubine Xu sat in the main seat, first glancing at Ji Xianxian, who was hiding in the yard and peeking in.
Xu Qingwan smiled gently and said, “San Lang was mischievous; he brought a cricket here and played with it without a care. The second sister got scared.”
Perhaps guessing that she was being talked about, Ji Xianxian came in with a pale face and couldn’t help but glance at Xu Qingwan. She scanned the ground for the cricket’s whereabouts and suddenly spotted it beside Yin Hui’s chair.
Wei Ying lowered her head and noticed the cricket lying motionless beside her chair leg.
She bent down quietly, reached out, and picked it up.
“Third aunt is truly amazing!” San Lang ran over, looking up at Wei Ying with big, admiring eyes.
Wei Ying put the cricket back into his bamboo tube with a smile and then touched the little guy’s head, saying, “From now on, you can only play in the garden, and you are not allowed to bring it into the house, okay?”
San Lang nodded vigorously and returned to his mother contentedly.
Only then did Ji Xianxian finally return to her seat in peace.
Xu Qingwan said softly, “Are the second brother and sister all right? It’s my fault that I didn’t take care of San Lang. I will teach him a lesson later.”
Ji Xianxian, for the time being, didn’t have any grudges to talk back, so she drank tea to calm down her shock.
When the hall calmed down, Concubine Xu said, “For the Dragon Boat Festival, the King will hold a dragon boat race on the inner city river, and the King, the third son, and the fourth child will all participate. The King also asked me to take you all to watch the race. In addition, the King also invited some officials and their female relatives to have fun together. You, as family members of the palace, pay attention to your manners. There are many mosquitoes by the water. If you are afraid of insects, add some insect-repellent herbs in the sachet first, so as not to become a laughing stock.” Ji Xianxian’s pretty face immediately turned red.
Concubine Xu continued, “Okay, the weather is hot, let’s all go back while it’s still cool.”
With that said, everyone left
As soon as she walked out of Concubine Xu’s courtyard, Ji Xianxian became angry with Xu Qingwan, “My sister-in-law is lucky. If my father-in-law were here or found out that San Lang had caused trouble, you would inevitably be confined for a few days.”
Xu Qingwan remained calm and replied, “San Lang is at fault, but you shouldn’t try to guess what Father wants.”
Ji Xianxian bit her lip and lowered her head to stare at San Lang.
San Lang wasn’t afraid of her, so he put on a face, stuck out his tongue, and rolled his eyes upwards.
Xiao Heng was lying on the wet nurse’s shoulder, watching the scene with big curious eyes.
In the evening, Wei Luo came back.
That day was supposed to be a rest day, but for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, Wei Luo still went to the river outside the city. There were also dragon boat races among the common people, and the river was very lively. Busy, Wei Luo sweated a lot, and the robe on his body was wet from sweat and then dried by the sun. He couldn’t stand the smell, and once he returned to Chengxin Hall, he asked the servants to bring two buckets of water.
Men who practiced martial arts all year round bathed in cold water in summer.
After bathing and feeling refreshed, Wei Luo went to the back.
Yin Hui was in the study.
Xiao Heng had taken a keen interest in brush and ink recently, and Yin Hui was happy to encourage her son’s curiosity. Wei Luo stepped in and saw Yin Hui standing on a chair with Xiao Heng holding a brush in his hand, and a bit of black ink had accidentally smeared on his face.
Wei Luo frowned and scolded Yin Hui, “He’s still so young, and you’re letting him make a mess like this?”
Yin Hui replied, “We can wash it off later.” Xiao Heng rolled his eyes, the black pupils turning upwards, revealing the whites of his eyes, which was both comical and adorable.
Wei Luo couldn’t believe his eyes as Xiao Heng rolled his eyes again, this time directed at his father.
Wei Luo found it both amusing and exasperating. He turned to Yin Hui with a stern expression, “Did you teach him this?”
Yin Hui was a bit perplexed, “Teach him what? How to write?” She turned over the paper for Wei Luo to see.
Xiao Heng grinned and rolled his eyes once more.
Yin Hui was taken aback, wondering where her son had learned this.
Jinzhan, who had been observing, suddenly had a realization and guessed, “Did he learn it from San Lang? When we returned from paying respects to the concubine this morning, on the way back, the Second Madam scolded San Lang, and San Lang made a face at the Second Madam.”
Yin Hui suddenly understood and smiled. She gently poked her son’s little face, saying, “It’s not nice to make faces, so don’t do it again.”
Xiao Heng found it fun, so he did it once more.
Yin Hui looked at Wei Luo helplessly.
Wei Luo frowned and firmly told his son, “Don’t do it anymore.”
But Xiao Heng continued his antics.
Wei Luo pursed his lips, looked away, and noticed that on the large piece of paper on the table, amid Xiao Heng’s scribbles, there were a few well-written words: “Dragon Boat Festival,” “Zongzi,” and “Dragon Boat.”
Yin Hui looked proud, pointed to one of the characters, and asked Xiao Heng, “What is this?”
Xiao Heng momentarily forgot to roll his eyes and answered cheerfully, “Dragon!”
Yin Hui exchanged a glance with Wei Luo, making him swallow his objections in silence.
Author’s note:
Xiao Heng: I won’t allow Father to roll his eyes at Mother again.
Third Master: …Profound love and profound responsibility.
Xiao Heng decided to roll his eyes at his grandfather.
King Yan: ? ? ?
Xiao Heng: My father said, this is called profound love and profound responsibility.
King Yan: Bring your father over here, and I’ll teach him that scolding means loving and hitting means kissing!