The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 204 The habit of loving to hear compliments needs to change (first update)

Chapter 204: 204 The habit of loving to hear compliments needs to change (first update)

As soon as Yaduo finished speaking, Zhuo Ma immediately gave up her chair to her.

Yaduo walked over to sit beside Li Xianyun, looking at the newly cut "petal" in her hand, "Xianxian, I didn’t expect you knew how to make flower lanterns."

Li Xianyun passed the scissors and paper to her with a shallow dimpled smile, "When I was a child, I used to make them while playing with my younger brother and sister."

While snipping the paper, Yaduo asked, "How old are your brother and sister now?"

"My brother is fourteen this year, and my sister is twelve."

Li Xianyun’s lips curled into a smile, filled with warmth and charm, as she spoke of her family.

"Being an elder sister must be quite hard for you."

Li Xianyun chuckled lightly, "My brother and sister are quite obedient, so it’s rather worry-free."

The two chatted amicably about all sorts of things.

The maids and palace servants were more relaxed as well, chatting and laughing.

Amidst the laughter, time passed like flowing water, and dozens of flower lanterns were completed, which seemed sufficient. But Li Xianyun felt it was safer to make more just in case, to be prepared rather than sorry.

It’d be embarrassing to run out on the day and have a few people without flower lanterns.

Yaduo, feeling some back pain, went back to her room to lie down.

Li Xianyun continued making flower lanterns with the maids and palace servants.

As soon as Yelu Yan finished his official duties, he returned to the Khan Palace early. Before even reaching the main building, he heard the sounds of joy and laughter.

His eyes immediately found Li Xianyun. She was sitting amidst the group, smiling at Zhuo Ma.

It seemed Zhuo Ma had said something funny.

Yelu Yan walked over.

A sharp-eyed maid saw Yelu Yan and quickly stood up to bow, "Greetings, Khan."

The rest of the maids kneeled and bowed in unison upon hearing this.

Knowing that Yelu Yan did not require her to bow, Li Xianyun did not stand up but stayed seated in her chair, smiling at him.

Yelu Yan came straight to Li Xianyun’s side, placing his hand on her slender, beautiful shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Making so many flower lanterns, what for?"

Li Xianyun looked up at him, "Hmm, I plan to let everyone release flower lanterns to pray for blessings after the banquet of the August festival. What do you think?"

Yelu Yan looked at her with a smile in his eyes, "Whatever you arrange is fine."

"Hmm."

"Xianxian, it has been a long time since your husband took you out for fun. It’s still early today, how about I take you out for a bit?"

Who doesn’t love a day out?

Upon hearing this, Li Xianyun’s eyes lit up, "Then I’ll go inform Grandmother."

Yelu Yan took the half-made flower lantern from her hand and passed it to Zhuo Ma, "Just have Zhuo Ma inform her, that will be sufficient."

Zhuo Ma eagerly and respectfully accepted it and said, "Rest assured, my Lady, I will inform the Imperial Noble Consort."

Yelu Yan, leading Li Xianyun, moved towards the exit of the palace.

Li Xianyun pulled on him, smiling, "I haven’t changed my clothes."

Yelu Yan then realized, and bending down, he swept Li Xianyun off her feet in a horizontal carry, striding towards the main hall like carrying a little chick.

The two of them quickly changed their clothes.

Yelu Yan was dressed in solemn black, reflecting his personality – serious, restrained, and reserved.

Li Xianyun, on the other hand, wore a light lotus-colored dress, her hair coiled up, with a few loose strands by her ears, both gentle and bewitching.

When the pair arrived at the entrance of the Khan Palace, the moment they got into the carriage, Yelu Yan pulled Li Xianyun into his embrace.

"What are you doing?" Li Xianyun said with a coquettish voice.

"What do you think?"

"Mmm..."

After that, one person was hugging and kissing, and Li Xianyun had no strength to resist.

Yelu Yan and Li Xianyun took the carriage from the Imperial Palace and headed towards the West Market.

Li Xianyun always had affairs to attend to whenever she left the palace, but now she was purely out for fun, feeling relaxed and cheerful, her entire demeanor was lively.

She sat on Yelu Yan’s lap, swinging her legs leisurely, opened the carriage window, and lifted the curtain to look outside.

Everything outside was pleasing to the eye.

As she gazed outside, Yelu Yan watched her with a smile. His woman was so lovely in his eyes, the kind he could never tire of looking at.

Li Xianyun’s face heated up from his intense gaze, feeling too embarrassed. She tried several times to cover his eyes with her small hand but to no avail, and finally gave up.

When the carriage arrived at West Market, it was not yet dark. The streets were bustling with people, very lively.

Yelu Yan walked casually through the market, holding Li Xianyun’s small hand.

Li Xianyun attempted to withdraw her hand with a pouting gesture, but the grip of that someone tightened further.

"Husband, let go, no one holds hands here," Li Xianyun whispered.

Yelu Yan assertively responded, "Don’t mind others."

Li Xianyun knew that sometimes Yelu Yan could be as stubborn as a rock, so she just went along with it.

With the eighth month festival approaching, many of the items for sale on the streets were related to the festival: food, decorations, calligraphy, and paintings.

After visiting just a few shops, Li Xianyun had bought many things, most of which were for her and Yaduo, with only a small portion for Yelu Yan.

In the past, it was Jinwu who paid, but this time it was Yelu Yan’s turn.

The vendors, seeing his generosity and his extraordinary demeanor brimming with nobleness, couldn’t help but praise him.

Commending him for his talents and good looks, his deep love for his wife, and wishing them to have children early, Yelu Yan felt quite pleased inside.

He became even more liberal with his spending.

Turning his head, Yelu Yan saw Li Xianyun looking at him with a smile, "What is it?"

"Husband, don’t you think you should change your habit of enjoying flattery? It might lead to being taken advantage of," she said.

Just now, Yelu Yan had given the vendors extra money after their flattery, which seemed a bit wasteful.

Yelu Yan, with an unconcerned air, said, "They are merely speaking the truth; they deserve to be rewarded."

Li Xianyun decided to just let it be.

At that moment, Li Xianyun saw a woman’s food container bearing the mark of Ruyi Square, and she wanted to go have a look.

"Husband, Ruyi Square is just ahead of us, let’s go take a look," she suggested.

"Okay," he agreed.

Yelu Yan also wanted to see, even though he had learned from the Hidden Guard’s reports that Li Xianyun had opened an Ice Porridge Shop and Ruyi Square, and even constructed a Drying Room and a workshop, resolving the issue with unsold fruits, he had yet to see it for himself.

The pair headed towards the street where Ruyi Square was located.

Along the way, many people cast envious glances at them, having never seen a couple so attractive and well-matched.

From a distance, they could see a crowd bustling at the entrance of Ruyi Square, which was beyond Li Xianyun’s expectations.

She had thought that the business at Ruyi Square wouldn’t boom until after the eighth month festival, but it had picked up in just a few days.

After a moment’s thought, Li Xianyun realized what had happened.

There’s an old saying, "You don’t find the shadow you desire by planting flowers, but the willow trees grow into shade when unintended." It was indeed true.

At the time, to shake off Yelu Qi, she had loudly revealed his identity in front of Ruyi Square, drawing quite a crowd, which made Ruyi Square known to many.

Additionally, since everyone thought Yelu Qi had come for Ruyi Square’s opening, if such a lofty figure as the Ninth Prince was attracted here, how could they fall behind?

People flocked to Ruyi Square, partly to see what charm it held, and partly in hopes of encountering the Ninth Prince.

Although they originally visited Ruyi Square with ulterior motives, they became captivated by the delicious dim sum, preserves, and ice porridge once they arrived.

Within a few days, word of mouth transformed Ruyi Square into a place of some renown, all thanks to Yelu Qi.

One wonders how Yelu Qi, with a face full of red pimples, would feel upon hearing this news.

Thinking of this, Li Xianyun couldn’t help wanting to laugh.

"What’s so funny?" Yelu Yan asked her, seeing her laughter.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Hmm?"