Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 867 - 843: Leaving the Capital

After having breakfast, Ruyi saw Ying Er. Despite his young age, he was very clever, knowing that if Ying Er was home, his father must have returned. The little guy hurriedly ran with his short legs to Xie Jue’s courtyard; his uncle wasn’t lying, father truly came back. Ruyi shouted for his father as he ran.

Xie Jue had just finished washing up and caught him with a smile. Little Ruyi’s eyes sparkled as he happily hugged Xie Jue’s neck, giving him a strong kiss, "Father, Ruyi missed, missed, missed you very much."

Ruyi’s sweet words came easily, "I missed you so much that I couldn’t sleep, and the food wasn’t as tasty."

Xie Jue lifted Ruyi in his arms; his son’s longing was truly lacking in persuasion, yet Xie Jue still felt warm and comforted. Ruyi had always been his precious treasure, every smile and move was something he adored.

"Father sees Ruyi has gained weight."

"Not fat, not fat..." Ruyi insisted on arguing, "Ruyi is thin indeed."

Xie Jue, both amused and helpless, listened as Ying Si explained that the Feng Family matriarch missed Ruyi, taking him in for a fortnight. Elderly folks tended to raise children plump and healthy. During that time, Fengyu was busy preparing military provisions and couldn’t attend to Ruyi. When he was brought back, he was round like a chubby doll. Fengyu reduced Ruyi’s meal portions, and lately Ruyi had indeed slimmed down a bit from hunger.

Xie Jue carried him to the warm pavilion; Ruyi could see his father seemed tired and thoughtfully touched his face, "Did father not sleep well, disturbed by Uncle?"

Xie Jue chuckled softly, saying, "Father was just missing Ruyi."

Ruyi immediately cheered up, and Xie Jue asked him how he had been in recent months and what happy events he had experienced. Ruyi promptly sat up straight, "Father, I can write big characters now; I can write my name, yours, and auntie’s too; the teacher also taught me the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Text, and Ruyi studied them well." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Such a good boy!" Xie Jue thought to himself, wondering if he had been too strict with Ruyi, as his willingness to talk about his learning was sincere now, unlike when he had studied big characters unwillingly before Xie Jue left for Sannan.

Eager to show off and earn praise, Ruyi lightly took down the study tools from the walls of the warm pavilion. Using Xie Jue’s adult-sized brush, little Ruyi couldn’t hold it properly, leading to two sheets being wasted without writing his name well. Ruyi was upset, "This brush isn’t good!"

Xie Jue was amused, indeed the brush was not suitable for Ruyi, but what he intended to express was evidently blaming the brush instead of his writing.

"This brush is poor, certainly not that Ruyi can’t write the name well."

Ying Si had already brought over a suitable little brush for Ruyi, who gave him a approving glance and wrote his name with proper posture.

Though the strokes were slightly crooked, the name was indeed written, showing good progress.

He was writing his official name.

Xie Jue couldn’t resist patting his head and praising Ruyi, "Ruyi is amazing."

After being praised, Ruyi felt proud, and the more Xie Jue looked, the more he saw resemblance to Xie Xun as a child. The little guy wrote Xie Jue’s name, Xie Xun’s name, and Fengyu’s name all in one go. His learning differed from others; he insisted on learning family names first, stubbornly, and coupled with the indulgence from Xie Xun, the teacher had no choice but to teach them.

Having discussed his studies, he then asked about his daily activities, seeing that this time, his father was not focusing heavily on his academics. Ruyi began sharing what he had been doing these past few months, including nurturing a young leopard, saved during Xie Xun’s winter hunt. The mother leopard was killed while foraging outdoors, leaving the cubs starving; one had already died, leaving only one. Finding it pitiful, Xie Xun brought it back, originally intending to have it raised in the Hundred Beasts Garden. But the leopard cub, akin to a kitten, was adorably cute, and Ruyi loved it so much that Xie Xun let him raise it. The cub now had little aggressiveness; it was fine for Ruyi to care for it, they ate and slept together closely bonded. Now, the two-month-old leopard cub was slightly bigger than an adult cat, and Ruyi especially adored it.

Xie Jue frowned as he looked at Ying Si; he didn’t like Ruyi raising such small creatures, especially a leopard whose large size would present great danger in the future. It would have to be returned to the wild, leaving Ruyi heartbroken.

Ying Si quickly shifted the blame, "The Emperor decided to let the little lord raise it."

Ruyi named the leopard cub Big Yellow, and yesterday, he had left the palace hastily without it. He was eager to show Xie Jue in hopes that he would also like his little companion.

Seeing Ruyi’s joyful face, Xie Jue knew he was well-nurtured, truly growing up surrounded by love from everyone. The Feng Family elders cherished and cared for him, Xie Xun and Fengyu treated him as their own, and Ruyi would grow up well and wonderful. Xie Jue gently stroked his face, eyes full of reluctance.

"Ruyi, father has to go far again. You need to be good at home and listen to your little aunt."

Ruyi was confused, unable to understand; his father had just returned home yet had to leave again. "Father, you’ve been away for so long; can’t you stay with Ruyi at home?"

"Father has some matters to handle; once they’re settled, I’ll return home to accompany Ruyi."

"Then can you take Ruyi along?" Ruyi innocently asked, "Ruyi will be good."

Faced with this well-behaved and cute face, Xie Jue couldn’t answer, nor find half a word to refuse. Holding Ruyi tenderly, he felt somewhat melancholy; he didn’t want to leave Ruyi either.

The turmoil within the court had no connection with the Prince Manor. After court, Xie Xun also listened to reports from the Jinyi Guard about the Manor’s situation and hurriedly exited the palace to find Xie Jue, right at lunchtime.

Seeming to know his arrival, Xie Jue ordered many dishes that Xie Xun loved. This table wasn’t for just one person’s portion, with Ruyi full of energy playing in the plum grove, leaving only the Xie brothers in the dining hall.

Xie Xun scrutinized Xie Jue thoroughly; aside from being a bit thinner, nothing seemed amiss; his second brother appeared always as everyone knew him — leisurely, calm as daylight. Yet Xie Xun knew things weren’t the same; with tacit understanding, he didn’t mention Fang Chuning, saying instead, "Second Brother, Ayu and Mingzhu both missed you, would you like to dine together tonight? Ayu’s prepared many dishes you love."

"Alright!" Xie Jue didn’t oppose it either. The palace planned to hold a feast celebrating Sannan’s successful negotiations and to invite Han Ziqi, but Xie Xun postponed it until an official surrender was signed between Han Ziqi and them, waiting till then for a banquet wasn’t too late.

"Ruyi and Mingzhu keep complaining about feeling restricted in the palace, not at ease; with you back, I’ll send them home tomorrow, to avoid disturbing Ayu and me in the palace." Xie Xun spoke casually, yet truthfully, he hoped Mingzhu and Ruyi could live in the palace longer.

For second brother, having Mingzhu and Ruyi would be a form of comfort.

"Once Sannan’s matters conclude, I plan to leave the capital for a while; Ruyi and Mingzhu can stay in the palace, no need to move around."

Xie Xun suddenly felt like facing a great foe, "Where are you going?"