The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 146 Khan, do you want to raise your concubine as a piglet? (First update)

"I was just passing by here on my way back from attending to some business outside the palace."

With one hand casually resting on the back of her chair, Yelu Yan took a sip of tea from the cup in his other hand.

Even as he drank his tea, his gaze never strayed from Li Xianyun’s petite face, no larger than the size of a palm.

Yelu Yan’s explanation was quite different from someone else’s story.

...

Next to the private dining room marked by the character for "heaven," there was a place for the servants to have their meal.

The guards took turns eating so that everyone got a meal and there would be someone ready to serve the Khan whenever he called.

A win-win situation.

Jinwu said to Zhuo Ma, Youlan, and Bater, "Go have your meal. We’ll stay here and keep watch."

Zhuo Ma nodded and looked at Jinwu, asking, "Jinwu, how did you and the master end up in the West Market?"

Jinwu glanced at Youlan, who was daydreaming, and said, "The master got home and didn’t see the mistress, so he came out to look for her. Hearing that you had come to the West Market, the master decided to wait for you in the tavern. It’s quite a coincidence that you also ended up here—it’s like it was meant to be."

Zhuo Ma nodded and said, "Indeed, what a coincidence. So, you’ve been here for quite a while now?"

"Yes," Jinwu replied, "we’ve been waiting here since before it got dark."

And now it was thoroughly dark, well past dinner time.

Zhuo Ma remarked, "That really is quite a long time."

They had been in the West Market looking at rental shops with Ali for at least a couple of hours.

Zhuo Ma couldn’t help but smile when she noticed Jinwu was constantly glancing over at Youlan.

This reticent iron tree was finally about to bloom.

Zhuo Ma looked at Youlan and intentionally said, "Youlan, is your hand feeling better?"

Upon hearing this, Jinwu strode over in one step and asked, "Your hand is injured?"

A vast shadow loomed suddenly before her, and Youlan was startled, instinctively stepping back as she said, "No, it’s not."

Youlan’s first impression of Jinwu had not been good; she found him particularly frightening.

The first time they met, Jinwu placed the cold scabbard of his knife against her neck, his expression menacing and fierce.

As time went on, Youlan gradually realized that Jinwu wasn’t as unapproachable as she had imagined. In fact, he even gave off a somewhat simple and innocent vibe, often blushing easily.

"So what’s wrong with your hand?" Jinwu asked, looking down at her hand.

Youlan laughed, "Don’t listen to Zhuo Ma’s nonsense. I just counted too much money, and now my hand is a bit sore."

A hundred and sixty-two copper coins make up one guan; the rest had to be counted by hand, and after a while, her hand would go numb.

"Oh," Jinwu said, standing by Youlan’s side, "then go in and have your meal."

That’s it? Can’t he say something a bit more caring?

Zhuo Ma was almost at a loss with this blockhead.

He couldn’t even seize the opportunity to show off when it was handed to him.

...

Inside the private dining room marked by the character for "heaven."

The dishes were served soon after.

The Khitan cuisine was quite spicy, with onions, chili peppers, and carrots being indispensable ingredients in each dish, giving them a strong flavor.

Normally, Li Xianyun would not eat much of such food, but after a day filled with activities and lots of walking, she was somewhat tired and her appetite had opened up.

She finished all the dishes Yelu Yan had served her, and as she saw him about to serve her more, she protested.

Li Xianyun stopped him, saying, "Khan, I’m full."

Yelu Yan served her a small piece of beef and said, "Eat this piece of meat."

Looking at the beef, Li Xianyun hesitated for a moment, then picked it up with her chopsticks, placed it in her mouth, and chewed slowly, saying, "Khan, are you trying to raise me like a little pig?"

Yelu Yan looked at her with a smile and said, "And what’s wrong with that?"

"I can’t," Li Xianyun said with a laugh, "I don’t want to get fat."

Yelu Yan wanted to say that she would still be cute if she got plump.

He ultimately did not utter those flirtatious words.

It wasn’t the right time. He would wait for the right moment to say them.

Noticing that Yelu Yan was taking care of her and not eating much, Li Xianyun picked up the serving chopsticks and served Yelu Yan some food, smiling, "You’ve been busy serving me and haven’t eaten much, please eat more."

After serving the food, she also filled his cup with water.

Yelu Yan’s profound tiger-like eyes gazed at her as he smiled, "If I don’t feel like eating, I won’t eat. There’s no need to be so diligent with me."

Caught with her thoughts read by Yelu Yan, Li Xianyun pursed her lips and smiled, "Then do you agree to let me stop eating?"

Yelu Yan chuckled "Mmm" and started to eat the food he had picked up.

How could he not eat what Li Xianyun had served him for the first time?

As Yelu Yan ate, Li Xianyun sat obediently by his side, drinking water.

Yelu Yan was not only tall and handsome, but even his eating was elegant.

Li Xianyun couldn’t help but turn her head to look at him.

Just then, Yelu Yan’s deep eyes suddenly looked over at her.

Caught staring, Li Xianyun quickly shifted her gaze to a wooden shelf on the side.

Seeing this, Yelu Yan couldn’t help but let a smile curve the corners of his mouth, his eyes brimming with mirth.

Li Xianyun saw many expensive items on the shelf used as a decoration against the wall. There were ivory pieces, necklaces made from animal teeth, as well as porcelain vases and jars, and in the center was an older horsehead fiddle.

Looking at Yelu Yan, Li Xianyun asked, "Khan, can you play the instrument?"

Yelu Yan glanced at the horsehead fiddle on the shelf, his smile lingering as he looked at Li Xianyun and asked, "Would you like to hear it?"

"You can really play?" Li Xianyun said in surprise.

She really couldn’t imagine what Yelu Yan looked like when he played the fiddle.

Yelu Yan, serious and restrained, seldom smiled and did not seem like someone who would play the instrument.

Yelu Yan smiled, "What? Do you have such a rigid impression of me?"

There it was, he had seen through her thoughts again.

Li Xianyun pursed her lips and laughed, saying, "Not at all, it just seems like you’re very busy and wouldn’t have time to play the instrument."

Yelu Yan picked up a sweat towel to wipe his hands and then turned to look at her.

One arm rested on the back of her chair, as if embracing her in his arms.

Yelu Yan’s handsome tiger-like eyes watched her unwaveringly, the corners of his mouth curving up, "Xianxian, there’s a saying ’the more one tries to explain, the more one complicates things.’ Haven’t you heard it?"

He was very close, his gaze intense.

Li Xianyun’s ears tingled with heat. She glanced at him hurriedly and lowered her head to drink water.

Her fingers were white and slender. The dark blue teacup in her hands made her tiny hands look as delicate as young shoots.

Yelu Yan smiled, "Are you still going to eat?"

"No more," Li Xianyun said softly.

Yelu Yan’s smile grew, "Then let’s go."

"Where to?" Li Xianyun looked at him puzzled.

Yelu Yan looked at her, smiling and relaxed, "Come on, I’ll take you for a stroll in the West Market."

"But you haven’t eaten much yet," Li Xianyun said.

Yelu Yan laughed, "Unlike you, eating like a little cat, I don’t need to eat much."

Li Xianyun recalled that while Yelu Yan was taking care of her, he seemed to have eaten quite a bit as well.

Yelu Yan said this and stood up.

He was tall and imposing, which made Li Xianyun seem even more delicate and dainty when he stood up.