The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 117 Xianxian, do you really understand? (Second update)

Chapter 117: 117 Xianxian, do you really understand? (Second update)

All the maids and guards turned away in a haste when they saw Yelu Yan and Li Xianyun embracing each other.

"Look not where you should not; see not what is improper..."

Despite their curiosity, they dared not look.

Zhuo Ma glanced at Youlan and winked at her.

Youlan raised an eyebrow in response.

Li Xianyun was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

She could distinctly feel the warmth of Yelu Yan’s lips pressing tightly against her forehead.

The fresh scent unique to Yelu Yan lingered around her nose, and she could sense his slightly disordered, hot, and burning breath.

Li Xianyun’s head was reeling, and she felt a tingling sensation all over her scalp.

She raised her little hand and gently pushed against Yelu Yan’s firm and sturdy chest.

Yelu Yan had no choice but to let go, and he gazed down at her peach blossom-like delicate face without blinking.

Li Xianyun took a step back, away from his broad and solid embrace, and dared not meet his eyes, instead fixing her gaze on his chest.

Yelu Yan, looking at her, said softly, "This Khan did not mean to offend you on purpose."

Li Xianyun "hmmed" in response and said, "This consort understands, this consort will return to the palace first."

"Wait."

Yelu Yan said as he caught Li Xianyun’s slender wrist.

Once Li Xianyun came to a stop, Yelu Yan released her hand and gazed intently into her watery eyes.

Her eyelashes were long, and her eyes, clear and captivating.

Yelu Yan said, "The words I had earlier weren’t finished."

Li Xianyun’s mind was somewhat muddled, unsure of which words he meant.

Yelu Yan leaned in to look at her, his gaze nearly level with hers.

His tall stature combined with the patient bending of his body conveyed an indescribable doting.

Yelu Yan seriously said to Li Xianyun, "The Father Khan has many children, so this Khan has a lot of sisters, but this Khan never speaks to them with this tone, nor does he recognize any woman without blood relation as a sister."

The statement couldn’t have been more direct, Yelu Yan was just short of saying directly:

This Khan has never seen you as a sister, but only as his own woman.

Seeing that Yelu Yan remained bent over after finishing his words, looking at her, Li Xianyun looked up and met his deep and attractive tiger eyes.

They were already quite close, just a step apart, and with his bending over, they were even closer.

It was only after meeting Yelu Yan that Li Xianyun realized a person’s eyes could be so scorching.

She clenched her small hand lightly, pretending to be calm as she peered into Yelu Yan’s tiger eyes and said softly, "This consort understands."

Yelu Yan, clearly unsatisfied with her response, smiled and said, "Xianxian, do you really understand?"

Li Xianyun nodded and gave a light "hm" in acknowledgement.

Yelu Yan stood up straight with a smile; the little girl obviously hadn’t grasped his meaning.

Well, some things must not be rushed.

What if he frightened her away?

It would be best to plan carefully.

Yelu Yan smiled at Li Xianyun and said, "Go inside."

"Mhm."

Li Xianyun cast a quick glance at Yelu Yan, then hurried into the Khan Palace with Zhuo Ma and her entourage.

Yelu Yan watched her retreat in haste, the smile on his lips growing even more intense.

Only after Li Xianyun’s petite figure had completely disappeared at the entrance of the Khan Palace did Yelu Yan stride towards the palace.

Jinwu couldn’t help but remark as always that his Khan was only this smiling and exceedingly gentle when facing the Khan’s consort.

At other times, she remained unsmiling and coldly serious, inspiring fear and deterring anyone from approaching.

Li Xianyun, followed by her attendants, went straight to the inner chamber and sat in front of the copper mirror, gazing at her slightly rosy cheeks.

How could she not understand Yelu Yan’s implied meaning?

Yet, she deliberately refused to believe it.

Through the mirror, Li Xianyun saw Youlan and Zhuo Ma exchanging glances and laughing joyfully behind her.

She lifted her hand to unravel her long hair, which had been pinned up, and said, "That was just a coincidence earlier; don’t overthink it."

Youlan said, "This servant believes that the Khan towards the mistress..."

Li Xianyun interrupted, "Go fetch a basin of water; this consort wants to wash her face and hands, and rest for a while."

Zhuo Ma said, "Mistress, you haven’t had lunch yet. Why not eat first before sleeping?"

Otherwise, the Khan would say they were not serving her well.

Li Xianyun picked up a wooden comb and combed her cascading hair, saying, "I ate late and had plenty this morning; I’m not hungry. I only want to sleep now."

By noon, she would be unbearably sleepy and needed to sleep well to have the energy for work.

She never skimped on sleep or food for herself.

Zhuo Ma and Youlan weren’t hungry either, and, hearing Li Xianyun say this, they had no choice but to drop the matter.

Youlan waited inside the room, while Zhuo Ma went outside to fetch water.

The two had a clear division of labor and worked in tacit understanding.

After Li Xianyun finished brushing her hair and had just changed into her sleeping clothes, Zhuo Ma came in with a wooden basin.

Li Xianyun washed her face and hands, feeling much more refreshed.

She initially wanted to take a bath, but the preparations for the afternoon banquet didn’t allow it, so she had to give up the idea.

Li Xianyun slipped off her shoes, climbed into bed, and said, "Zhuo Ma, ask Bater to go to Haoyang Palace and instruct the Chief there to have the kitchen staff wash the usual ingredients in advance and wait until I arrive to prepare the meal. At the same time, have him order the Palace Servants to clean the main hall for guests thoroughly, wiping down everything."

"Yes!"

Zhuo Ma bowed and withdrew from the room.

Youlan let down the mosquito net on both sides and went to the window to untie the ropes that held the sheer curtains in place, lowering them to block out the intense, glaring sunlight.

Li Xianyun lay on her side in bed, closed her eyes, and said, "Youlan, wake me in half an hour."

She didn’t dare sleep too long at noon, or she’d have trouble sleeping at night.

The feeling of sleeplessness was truly unbearable.

After half an hour, Youlan gathered and hung the mosquito net, calling several times before finally waking Li Xianyun.

After a moment of grogginess, Li Xianyun got up to wash her face, change her clothes, and arrange her tresses.

Once everything was in order, she had the Chief of the kitchen and kitchen maids carry baskets filled with jujube cakes and mung bean cakes on their way to Haoyang Palace.

She planned to place a tray of pastries on each table to see the reactions of the royalty and nobility who would eat them.

Before reaching Haoyang Palace, she saw the Chief from Haoyang Palace waiting with a group of people at the palace gate.

"Greetings to the princess consort," the group saluted.

"Rise," Li Xianyun said.

"Thank you, princess consort."

Li Xianyun instructed the Chief and kitchen maids to take the items to Haoyang Palace’s kitchen while she and others headed to the main hall meant for entertaining guests.

She wanted to check how well the main hall had been cleaned before going to the kitchen; that way, she could stay in the kitchen after that.

Just as she reached the entrance of the main hall, she heard a Palace Servant say lazily, "That’s enough, stop working; there’s no one watching here."

Then a young voice replied, "The princess consort ordered us to clean the main hall; we must take it seriously."

"What is there to clean in the main hall? If we cleaned it three hundred times a day, even a fly would slip and fall."

"Indeed, the princess consort sure has her own way of doing things, unlike the Grand Imperial Consort who understands us servants, not summoning or dismissing us on a whim."