By the time lunch was ready at Imperial Prince Jing’s Estate, Zhu Junyang still hadn’t come back. Princess Consort Jing and Xiaocao both thought that Zhu Junyang would be taking lunch with the emperor in the palace. Since Wu Junling was here as a guest, the prince’s estate split the lunch table into two tables with a screen in-between. The table on the outside only sat Imperial Prince Jing and his heir.

By the time they were about half finished with lunch, Zhu Junyang hurriedly came in. As soon as he entered the residence, a servant told him that Miss Yu had come to visit. When he entered the reception pavilion, he discovered that only his father and elder brother were at the table, eating silently. He hesitated for a moment and then heard the clear and sweet voice of the little lass behind the screen. He was just about to go behind it when his father stopped him, “There are female guests inside. If you haven’t eaten yet, then sit out here and eat ah.”

Zhu Junyang rather unwillingly sat down and picked up the chopsticks that one of the servants handed to him. He slanted his ears towards the screen to attentively listen to the voices beyond the screen. He knew that his little lass never visited without a reason. He wasn’t sure whether she was here for his lady mother or for himself this time. 

“Lord Father, when Xiaocao came over today, did she say what she was here for?” Zhu...