The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 123: Khan was a bit jealous (second watch)

Chapter 123: Khan was a bit jealous (second watch)

Yelu Qi, upon hearing Yelu Yan talk about having children with Li Xianyun, involuntarily paused in his drinking, a peculiar light flickering in his eyes.

He tipped his head back and drained the cup, his eyes no longer betraying his emotions.

Li Xianyun, slow on the uptake, realized that many people were looking at her, particularly the women, whose faces were filled with envy.

She turned her head in confusion towards Yelu Yan and asked, "Khan, why are they all looking at me and smiling?"

The chief instigator herself, her lips curving upwards, smiled innocently.

"This Khan doesn’t know either, perhaps because they like you as the princess," he said.

When Yelu Yan spoke, he didn’t hide the indulgence in his eyes.

Li Xianyun furrowed her brows slightly, finding it hard to believe.

However, she hadn’t the time to ponder it further, as the little darling in her arms started calling "Godmother" again.

Li Xianyun looked down at the little darling in her embrace, patiently answering Yelu Xuan’s myriad of peculiar questions.

Yelu Yan watching her adorable and gentle demeanor, found his smile growing wider.

But it wasn’t long before he started to feel slighted.

Li Xianyun kept talking to Yelu Xuan, not sparing him a glance, let alone talking to him.

Seeing the two converse back and forth without end and with no intention of stopping...

Yelu Yan had no choice but to say to Li Xianyun, "Xianxuan, Xuanxuan must be tired, let him go rest."

Li Xianyun looked down at the excited Yelu Xuan, who didn’t seem the least bit tired.

Yelu Xuan tugged lightly on Li Xianyun’s sleeve and said with a babyish voice, "Godmother, Xuanxuan is not sleepy."

Li Xianyun laughed, "Then let’s talk a bit more. Oh, Godmother has a nice thing to give to you."

Yelu Xuan asked with anticipation, "What is it?"

Li Xianyun glanced at Youlan beside her.

Youlan, understanding her cue, took out a small bamboo object like performing a magic trick and handed it to Yelu Xuan.

Yelu Xuan held it in his chubby hands, moving it about as he asked, "Godmother, what is this?"

"This is a Bamboo Dragonfly."

Yelu Xuan looked down at it, murmuring, "Bamboo Dragonfly?"

Li Xianyun patiently explained, "You see, its two sticks are like the wings of a dragonfly, and it can fly up with a spin, that’s why it’s called a Bamboo Dragonfly."

Yelu Xuan nodded his head.

Li Xianyun took his white and tender little chubby hands and said, "Godmother will teach you how to play. Stretch out your hands, place them on the bamboo stick, one hand in front of the other like this, and give it a rub; the Bamboo Dragonfly will fly up."

With a rub and release of their hands, the Bamboo Dragonfly truly took flight.

Li Xianyun caught the Bamboo Dragonfly and smiled,

"This place isn’t very spacious, so Godmother didn’t use much strength. When you get home, you can rub it hard, and the Bamboo Dragonfly will fly high and far."

"Okay, thank you, Godmother," Yelu Xuan laughed, "Godmother, you didn’t make this, did you?"

"How did you get so clever?" Li Xianyun touched his little head and laughed, "Godmother made this especially for Xuanxuan, do you like it?"

"I like it," Yelu Xuan beamed, "Godmother, how did you make the Bamboo Dragonfly?"

Seeing the two about to launch into another endless conversation, Yelu Yan finally lost his patience and said to Yelu Xuan,

"Xuanxuan, your godfather and godmother need to talk, go on ahead. Your godmother will play with you another day."

With Yelu Xuan around, Li Xianyun didn’t say a word to him.

Honestly, Yelu Yan was starting to regret letting Yuchi Qian and Yelu Xuan come.

Yelu Xuan, upon hearing this, very sensibly slid off from Li Xianyun’s lap, performed a courtesy towards the two, and happily went back to his own mother with the Bamboo Dragonfly in hand.

The ladies sitting around Yuchi Qian noticed how affectionate Yelu Xuan was with Li Xianyun and became much warmer towards Yuchi Qian, constantly smiling, chatting about various topics, and being so enthusiastic that it made Yuchi Qian feel somewhat overwhelmed.

After Yelu Xuan left, Yelu Yan picked several pieces of seedless cantaloupe, cut into small pieces, for Li Xianyun, his mouth curving into a smile as he said, "You’ve been talking for quite a while, eat some fruit to moisten your throat."

Li Xianyun speared a piece with a bamboo pick and bit into it, asking, "Khan, what did you want to tell me?"

"I wanted to ask if you were tired," Yelu Yan said.

"Not tired," Li Xianyun replied, "is that all you wanted to ask me, Khan?"

Watching his solemn demeanor earlier, Li Xianyun thought something must have happened.

Yelu Yan gazed at her and smiled, "Can’t I?"

Li Xianyun looked ahead, chewing on the cantaloupe.

Could she say he couldn’t?

It wasn’t a private matter, there was no need for Yelu Xuan to leave because of it.

Just then, Li Xianyun also had something to say to Yelu Yan.

She looked at Yelu Yan and asked, "Khan, who is that man?"

Yelu Yan leaned closer to her and followed her gaze before answering, "That is the Great Prince, Yelu Shu."

Among all the brothers, Yelu Shu was the eldest and Yelu Yan ranked second.

"Are you close to him?"

Just now, she saw the two men talking enthusiastically.

Yelu Yan turned back to her and nodded, asking, "What about it?"

Yelu Yan’s imposing figure was very close to her, and as he turned his head, their heads were almost touching.

Without making it obvious, Li Xianyun turned her head away and speared another piece of fruit to eat.

"I noticed that his health seems to be very poor, that’s why I asked," said Li Xianyun.

He was coughing frequently, and every cough made his face flush and his neck thicken as if he was about to cough out his heart and lungs. It looked quite distressing.

Yelu Yan replied, "The Great Prince fell ill when he was young, and after he recovered, he was left with a coughing problem that has persisted for more than ten years now."

Li Xianyun continued eating her fruit, deliberately not turning to look at him to avoid being too close.

"Khan, after the banquet is over, I would like to take his pulse and see if I can help. Would that be alright?" Li Xianyun asked.

A look of surprise appeared on Yelu Yan’s face as he asked, "Is there a chance for the Great Prince to recover?"

Li Xianyun replied, "I can’t be sure for now, I will know after taking his pulse."

She never made promises too lightly, to avoid giving false hope and leaving only disappointment if she couldn’t help in the end.

The banquet lasted until 9-11 PM before concluding.

Everyone stood up, respectfully seeing off Yelu Yan and Li Xianyun.

Yelu Yan took Li Xianyun to a side hall, and shortly after, Yelu Shu was invited over by Jinwu.

Joining them were the Great Prince’s wife, their three sons, and a daughter.

Yelu Shu, leading his family, performed a respectful salute to Yelu Yan and Li Xianyun, saying, "Greetings to the Khan, greetings to the Princess Consort."

Yelu Yan, looking at Yelu Shu, said, "The Princess Consort suggested taking your pulse to see if she can cure your illness."

A glimmer of hope shone in Yelu Shu’s eyes, but it extinguished quickly.

Over the past decade or so, he had sought countless renowned doctors, drunk endless amounts of medicinal brews, and tried various methods, but in the end, none of them cured his cough.

After so many years, he had given up hope.