Song Yixiao went downstairs and still looked pale. Seeing that Jian Limiao didn"t go into the room and just waited for her in the yard, she hurried to curtsy to him.

“Did they scare you?” Jian Limiao let her up and said kindly, “These two servants are rude. Please don"t mind them.”

“I don"t mind.” Song Yixiao puckered her lips. Jian Limiao didn"t let them leave. She had a look at them secretly and was shocked that they didn"t look ferocious. One of them had delicate features and looked so weak. He smiled with an apology and seemed to be a well-behaved person.

But she still remembered the scare just now. Otherwise she would think it was her own illusion about the cold eyes.

“Where is Xubai?” Jian Limiao took her into the room and didn"t see Jian Xubai. So he asked the servants around.

“His Highness said he was tired and then went to rest in the wing-room.” The house steward said quickly, “I"ll tell him to come here!”

Jian Limiao waved his hand to let the house steward leave. Then he turned to talk with Song Yixiao, “I found that you were upstairs just now. Were you looking at the collections there? Is there anything you like?”

Song Yixiao knew that he wanted to send his collections to her. So she hurried to refuse, “I"m not talented and just look at them casually.”

“We are family. Why are you so polite?” Jian Limiao couldn"t help laughing, “Please make yourself at home!”

“I dare to tell the truth because we are family. If other people know I"m not talented, I will lose Xubai"s face!” Song Yixiao didn"t covet his treasure although she was surprised about his wealth. So she changed the topic, “Uncle Limiao, you really look good today. Are you fine now?”

Jian Limiao smiled, “You are so humble… I really feel better recently.”

The wing-room was nearby. So Jian Xubai came quickly after they just chatted for a short time.

After entering into the room, he paid respect to Jian Limiao first and then saw these two people. He nodded to them slightly and talked with them in an intimate tone, “Uncle Lyu. Brother Luo!”

“Your Highness!” These two people gave a salute to greet him and then apologized for scaring Song Yixiao. Before Song Yixiao said, Jian Xubai had said with a smile, “She is always brave. How can she be scared due to your glance?”

Song Yixiao was speechless.

Was he praising her?

They didn"t talk about it any more. Then the servants of kitchen sent them hot pastry. Jian Limiao invited his nephew and nephew"s wife to have a taste and cared about their current situation. Obviously, he read many books and was broad and profound.

He talked about many allusions and anecdotes casually and could even talk about embroidery after knowing Song Yixiao was good at it. When he was excited, he asked servants to take his Zheng and played a piece of music called “Jackdaws Played on Water”. Hearing his music, people could imagine that there was a lake in the room and several jackdaws played around freely on water, flying or perching. Song Yixiao really admired his excellent skills.

In a word, they had a good time on that day and the couple didn"t leave until they finished dinner.

On the way back, Song Yixiao couldn"t help asking a question, “Who are the Uncle Lyu and Brother Luo? I don"t think they are ordinary people.”

“You"ll know in the future.” Jian Xubai had a look at her curiously after hearing her words, “Why do you ask that? Are you really scared because of them today?”

“I was just shocked after seeing the strange men.” Song Yixiao said flatly after hearing his deride.

Jian Xubai smiled meaningfully and didn"t speak any more.

It had been late after they came back to Duke of Yan"s mansion. They had eaten with Jian Limiao, so they directly went to take a bath separately.

After Song Yixiao taking a shower, she returned to her room and found some scrolls and a brocade box on the table. She never saw them before. So she asked, “What are these?”

Jinxun reported with a smile, “Third Master just sent them here. He said that they were for you.”

Opening them, she found there was an ancient painting of the previous dynasty that she had stared before, as well as several similar paintings in style. These paintings were all of famous artists and were well preserved. And a Gilded Lion Incense Burner was in the brocade box.

The ancient incense burner was only the size of a fist. Song Yixiao turned it over and saw a label under it, which showed that it belonged to the imperial palace 300 years ago. Although it was not so precious, it was not a cheap collection.

“Uncle Limiao is so generous!” She sighed with feeling and didn"t put it away. After Jian Xubai came in with half wet long hair, she asked him, “How should I deal with them?”

“Just accept them.” Jian Xubai was not surprised, “Uncle Limiao has many collections like them. If you like, you could ask him for more next time.”

Song Yixiao rested a.s.sured after seeing his casual att.i.tude. She asked servants to put them in the storehouse and then said, “Take out some top-quality herbs in the storehouse and send them to Uncle Limiao tomorrow.”

She had a look at the dark sky and then told Jian Xubai, “Shall I tell Chief House Steward tomorrow that Mother wants some servants?”

“You are in charge of the domestic affairs. It"s up to you.” Jian Xubai put a towel in her hand and said, “Towel my hair.”

Song Yixiao twitched the corner of her mouth and let Jinxun leave. Seeing the door closed, she complained, “Ji Su has served you to bath, why don"t you ask him to towel your hair?”

“So you don"t need to do anything?” Jian Xubai only wore underclothes and the belt wasn"t tightened, exposing his st.u.r.dy chest. Drips dropped from wisps of his hair on his chest. Under the light, he was like a marble statue. He squinted at his wife with his eyes whose corner was red by steam, charming and attractive. “Why?” He snorted.

Song Yixiao was speechless. She dried his hair angrily and said, “Forget my question!”

Touching his thick black hair, she was sure the hair had been dry. She started to frown and said, “I want to condole in the Sikong Family tomorrow.”

“Okay. But don"t spend much time.” Jian Xubai tossed his quilt aside and lay down. “I"m not free tomorrow. You should go there alone.” He said.

Song Yixiao looked at the place he lay and said slowly, “I"m not close to other people of the Sikong Family, either. I just want to mourn Yiluo.”

She lifted the corner of her dress up to step on the bed. When she climbed over him, she pretended to step on his leg by accident. But before she did, her ankle had been caught by a long and white hand. Then Jian Xubai suddenly dragged her into his arms and she screamed at the same time!

“I know you are cunning!” Jian Xubai turned his arms to press her on the bed hard and sneered, “It"s necessary for me to teach you to be a really good wife!”

Then he lowered his head to kiss her lips fiercely and suddenly tasted the smell of blood. He let his wife go and looked down at her red lips opening slightly. Observing carefully, he found her swollen underlip was bleeding inside slowly.

“I heard the grievous news about Yiluo in the Qingxi Hall. So I bit my lips for a while for fear of forgetting my manners in public.” Song Yixiao suddenly realized after seeing a little blood on his lips. She explained, “Yuguo reminded me to wipe them when we were outside the hall. I don"t know the wound is still bleeding.”

“How can the wound heal quickly when bleeding?” Jian Xubai said in an angry tone but didn"t continue to kiss her. He got out of the bed and found a box of ointment in a nearby cupboard. Then he sat back on the bed and said casually, “Come on!”

Song Yixiao moved to the edge of bed and reached out. “Let me put the ointment by myself!” She said.

“The wound is on your lip where I have already kissed. Why are you still shy?” Jian Xubai laughed at her and opened the ointment. He dipped a little with his finger and was about to put it on her.

“I"m afraid you will take the opportunity to retaliate against me!” Song Yixiao still turned around to avoid his finger and said alertly, “I tried to step on you just now!”

Jian Xubai narrowed his eyes after hearing that and stared at her for a moment. Then he said with a faint smile, “What you guess is right!”

He used a hand to easily stop Song Yixiao who wanted to escape to the inner side of the bed. Then he shook the hand with ointment in front of her and smiled unkindly, “If you don"t keep still, I will put the ointment on you casually. I don"t know where I will put on, either.”

Song Yixiao who was struggling felt so angry. After weighing it over, she had to stop moving and said, “I"ll go out tomorrow. Don"t go too far!”

At the same time, Jian Xubai"s finger had put the ointment on her wound. She felt painful suddenly and frowned to bear it. A few moments later, she wasn"t painful and just felt cool. Jian Xubai had put the ointment next to the pillow. He lifted his clothes to climb her over and lay down on bed"s inner side.

“From now on, you should sleep on the outer side of the bed.” Seeing his wife looking at him confusedly, he claimed with a smile, “So you will serve me in time because you can wake up when I get up early!”

Song Yixiao was so shocked!

In the early morning of the next day, Jian Xubai really did that. He pushed his wife to awaken her before getting up. It was not until he had forced her to dress him up that he asked servants to come in.

What made Song Yixiao speechless was that, although Jian Xubai looked happy to see her reluctant appearance, he pretended to care about her in front of maids. “I"ve told you to continue to sleep and just let maids serve me. Why do you still get up together with me?” He said.

Jinxun and others were all excited that His Highness treated Madam so well. Song Yixiao had to bear it silently.

It had been light when she finally sent him out. Song Yixiao rubbed her forehead and asked servants to let Chief House Steward come. After telling him the requests of Jinguo Grand Princess, Song Yixiao saw that he heaved a sigh of relief. She didn"t want to say more and just waved her hand to let him leave. Then she changed her bright clothes to plain clothes and then went to condole in the Sikong Family.

Although Sikong Yiluo was the beloved daughter of the Sikong Family and the fiancée of Prince of Liang, she hadn"t been at the age of marring. Her grandmother and parents were still alive. So it was not proper to make her funeral ceremony grand. As a result, the vehicles and horses in front of the Sikong Family"s mansion were not much more than usual.

Song Yixiao entered the second gate. Then eldest sister-in-law of Sikong Yiluo, Madam Chang, talked polite formula with her and then apologized, “My grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law are all so sad and don"t want to see other people. Please don"t mind!”

“Sorry to bother you.” Song Yixiao hurried to say, “How dare I disturb the elders?”

“This way, please!” Madam Chang stretched out her arm to guide her, “Yiluo is still young. So her mourning hall is not in the main hall. It"s a little far away from here.”

They walked there and mourned Sikong Yiluo. When they were about to enter a moon gate, a girl with gunny clothes came out of there. She was good-looking and looked so angry on her face. This was the girl who had ridden a horse to the Eastern Palace yesterday.

She glanced at Madam Chang and Song Yixiao, and curtsied to them. She greeted Madam Chang and then asked, “Is this the close friend of Sister?”

Madam Chang frowned slightly and seemed to fear something. She asked, “Why do you come out?” Then she said to Song Yixiao, “She is my husband"s youngest sister, Yihan. She always lives in the estate outside the city because she is weak. So you didn"t see her when you came here last time.”

Then Madam Chang answered Sikong Yihan"s question, “This is Duke of Yan"s wife, Madam Song, and also close friend of Yiluo. She comes here to mourn her.”

“How dare she come to mourn my sister?” Unexpectedly, Sikong Yihan looked dark after hearing that and sneered, “Yesterday, she helped Wei Yinlian to prove…”

“Shut up!” Madam Chang had known that Sikong Yihan always spoke without due consideration. Madam Chang"s eyelids twitched after hearing that and she couldn"t let her continue to say. Even if the mourning hall was not far, she hurried to interrupt Sikong Yihan loudly, “Grandmother has asked you to think in person in your room! How dare you come out and talk nonsense with the respected guest? I know you are sad about your sister"s death. But you can"t be mad like this!”

Seeing Sikong Yihan still trying to refute, Madam Chang nervously told servants, “Take her away! If she dares to say more, shut her mouth directly!”