After flirting with the aloof prince, the concubine ran away pregnant.

Just as he was about to explode and overturn the table, Song Yan, who was at the head table, sensed that things were not going well and quickly walked over with his wine glass.

"Young Master Li, you're quite drunk. You even dare to joke with Young Master Xie." Song Yan grabbed Li Heng's arm and half-pulled, half-dragged him back. "I have a singing girl here, a real beauty. Would you like to see her?"

Li Heng tried to argue, "Hey, I haven't finished yet. Ten for one, Xie Xun, you're guaranteed to make a profit..."

"My beloved maidservant will never be replaced."

Xie Xun coldly uttered those words and abruptly stood up.

Ignoring the stares from the other guests, he reached out, grabbed Afu's wrist, and pulled her up from the ground.

"Walk."

Afu stumbled as he pulled her, and could only hurry to catch up.

The two walked through the crowd and headed straight out of the courtyard.

The atmosphere at the gathering returned to normal, and everyone treated it as a minor incident after drinking, quickly resuming their toasts.

Only in the lower seat, Xu Heng held a white jade wine cup, his gaze passing over the noisy crowd, quietly watching Xie Xun and Afu's departing figures.

He put down his wine glass, and a fleeting trace of melancholy flashed across his gentle eyes.

The night breeze swept through the forest, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves, and brushed against Xie Xun's tense profile. He gripped Afu's wrist, taking long strides.

Afu was dragged along by him, her wrists aching from his grip, but she didn't utter a sound. She knew that speaking now would only provoke Xie Xun's anger.

The two of them returned silently to the small courtyard that had been assigned to them, one after the other.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Xie Xun suddenly let go of his hand.

Afu rubbed her reddened wrist, took two steps back, and kept her distance from him.

Xie Xun stood in the middle of the courtyard, his back to her, his chest still rising and falling slightly, the moonlight casting a long shadow of him.

"You don't need to attend these kinds of banquets anymore," he said, his voice still carrying a lingering chill.

"Yes," Afu replied softly.

She felt nothing, and even felt a little amused. It was better not to go; it would save her from kneeling until her legs went numb and having to see someone like Li Heng.

Xie Xun turned around, his gaze falling on her, his brows furrowed. He wanted to say something, but the words that came out were something else: "Tomorrow is the hunt. You stay in the courtyard and don't go out."

The fleeting sense of relief that had just risen in Afu's heart vanished instantly.

She had originally planned that once they all went hunting, she could wander around the manor. The scenery at Qixia Manor was so beautiful, and there were even deer calling from the back mountain; it was much better than being cooped up in the Marquis's residence.

Unexpectedly, I was grounded again.

It's all Li Heng's fault.

Afu's face showed obvious frustration, which she didn't even bother to hide.

Looking at her drooping lips, Xie Xun's anger inexplicably subsided a little.

He was silent for a moment before speaking somewhat stiffly: "It's not safe in the mountains. If you feel bored, I'll have Changsong catch a brood of rabbits for you to play with."

Afu raised her head and looked at Xie Xun.

His face was expressionless, and his tone was neither soothing nor commanding, but his words sounded somewhat... clumsy and ingratiating.

She found it somewhat absurd that this high and mighty young master's way of coaxing people was by catching rabbits.

Afu forced a smile: "Alright, thank you very much, Your Highness."

Something is better than nothing.

Xie Xun saw her smile, and his tense jawline relaxed a little.

He grunted in response, said nothing more, turned and went into his main room, slamming the door shut behind him.

.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Xie Xun changed into a smart riding and archery outfit and followed the large group to the hunting grounds behind the mountain.

The entire Qixia Mountain Villa became lively, with the sounds of horses' hooves, dogs barking, and people shouting and laughing carried from afar.

Afu's courtyard, however, was unusually quiet.

She took a nap, and when she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Bai Zhi wasn't there; Xie Xun had sent her to the kitchen to oversee the meals, leaving her all alone in the courtyard.

Afu went to the small kitchen to boil water, washed up quickly, and then moved a bamboo chair to the porch, staring blankly at the few green bamboos in the yard.

It's really boring not being able to go out.

A short while later, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Afu got up and opened the door. It was Changsong. He had a smile on his face and was carrying a fluttering cage in one hand. Inside, three gray, fluffy little rabbits were crammed together, staring at the outside world with their red eyes wide open in fear.

In his other hand, he was carrying a food box.

"Miss Afu," Changsong handed over the cage, "I just caught this for you to keep you entertained. This is breakfast I just got from the kitchen."

Afu took the item, looked at the trembling rabbit in the cage, and felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Thank you for your trouble.

Changsong scratched his head and said, "Master also instructed that the young lady should stay in the courtyard and that he would have someone bring over the roast meat for the dinner."

"understood."

After completing his task, Changsong left in a hurry.

Afu placed the rabbit cage in the corner, opened the food box, and found the breakfast inside still steaming.

She didn't have much of an appetite, only drank half a bowl of porridge, and then sat down on the veranda, idly teasing the rabbit in the cage with blades of grass.

The afternoon passed by in this state of utter boredom.

As evening approached, the resort came alive again.

The hunting party returned with a full catch.

The prize for this hunt was a precious sword crafted by a descendant of Ou Yezi, a master swordsmith of the previous dynasty. In the end, the prize fell into Xie Xun's hands.

He came out on top, not only with the most prey, but also by shooting down a robust adult male stag all by himself.

The evening banquet was held on the most spacious lawn of the resort, turning into a barbecue feast. The bonfire was blazing, and a huge deer was roasted over it, sizzling and releasing its aroma that traveled far and wide.

Afu didn't go.

She could smell the overpowering aroma of meat even in her own little courtyard.

Not long after, Changshun came over carrying a huge food box.

"Miss Afu, this was sent by Master."

As soon as the food box was opened, a rich aroma instantly filled the entire room. On top was a plate of sliced ​​roasted venison, its skin golden and crispy, while the meat inside was tender and juicy, sprinkled with a fine layer of spices.

Below are several skewers of roasted pheasant and rabbit, accompanied by a small dish of plum sauce to cut through the richness.

Afu's eyes lit up.

She hadn't eaten much all day, and was starving by now.

She thanked him, closed the door, and began to eat heartily without any hesitation.

Putting everything else aside, Xie Xun is absolutely perfect when it comes to food.

Just as she was gnawing on a deer leg, her mouth greasy, a commotion arose again from outside the courtyard.

The voice was sticky and cloying, with a hint of drunkenness. Afu knew who it was as soon as she heard it.

Li Heng.

"Xie Xun, Young Master Xie, come out and have a drink with your brother!"

Immediately following was Song Yan's gentle persuasion, and the commotion from the other young masters.

Afu stopped what she was doing and frowned.

This person is truly a persistent ghost.

In the courtyard, the campfire crackled and popped.

Li Heng, carrying a jade bowl filled with wine, staggered towards Xie Xun. The wine was a bright red color, appearing somewhat eerie in the firelight.

"Thank you, Xun! This is some good stuff!" Li Heng slurred, pointing to the wine in the bowl. "Freshly obtained hot deer blood, mixed with thirty-year-old aged wine! It's incredibly nourishing!"

Xie Xun sat in his seat, wiping the sword he had just won back, without even lifting his eyelids.

Li Heng didn't mind and said to himself, "Just drinking isn't fun. How about we make a bet? Whoever gets drunk first lets the other take something, okay?"

He chuckled, glanced around the crowd, and when he didn't see the person he wanted to see, he pointed directly towards the small courtyard behind Xie Xun.

"Let's bet on your little maid. If you lose, she's mine! If I lose, the pair of luminous pearls that my Prince Yong's mansion presented as tribute from the East China Sea are yours!"