Chapter 64: Winning Hearts

  As soon as Min An returned to the bamboo house, Yu Mi pounced over and chirped. Min An thought it was hungry and grabbed some melons and fruits, but it didn't eat them. He looked at its gestures carefully and sighed, saying: "Brother is just a miscellaneous servant, can't help you take revenge. The general is born noble, losing a single feather is worth a hundred taels of silver, if you lose the fight then just admit defeat, don't provoke it again, understand?"

  The corn screamed in protest at Min's arrangement. Min was afraid it would go seeking revenge, so he tied it up with a chain and started chopping bamboo with an axe to make a fence for it. The corn continued to scream as it walked back and forth beside the bamboo basket, annoying Min so much that he loosened its restraints slightly, whereupon it took off like a shot, only to return two moments later, wounded, with a white feather clutched in its hand.

  The corn was handed over to Min'an like a treasure, and he was so happy that he jumped up. Min'an saw that its front paws were pecked bald in two places, with bloodstains still on them, and his heart ached as he hugged it, almost shedding tears.

  "Why do you have to suffer too? Is it impossible for me to live a good life following you... either dead or injured..." Min An's heart was filled with worries, and he hadn't recovered yet, so he couldn't help but feel some sadness. He went out to take a look around, saw that the raccoon dog was guarding the birdhouse very loosely, turned back and discussed with Yu Mi: "Young Master, we can't win by fighting, but we can think of a way to get revenge, what do you say?"

  Corn was still yelling. Min'an rummaged through the bamboo house, took out the soft armor he used to ride and play ball, cut it into three pieces, and made a leather helmet and a pair of leather gloves for Corn. Corn looked at his new clothes and was even more delighted. Just as he put on the specially made armor, Li Peinan walked in with a swish of his embroidered robe.

  Min An thought to himself that this was not good, doing bad things and getting caught in the act. How did he come in without even knocking on the door? This is really his temper... Min An waved his hand at Yu Mi, telling it to hide, Li Pei Nan's bright eyes swept over, seeing the handkerchief stained with blood and monkey hair on the chair, then looking at Yu Mi's attire, already understanding what had happened.

  Min An stood there, somewhat embarrassed and speechless. Li Peinan was the first to speak: "If Yu Mi is going back for revenge, how can he not bring a weapon? Why not take a small spear in hand?"

  Min An thought Li Peinan was mocking him for his clumsy actions, and with a flushed face, he lowered his head and said: "Young master, don't be angry. The corn's strength is low, it can't beat the general, so I wanted to give it some protective gear."

  Li Peinan didn't respond, and quickly got busy. He first went to the courtyard and cut a bamboo stick, carving a sharp point at the top with his small knife. After thinking for a moment, he pressed the blade against the point and dulled it slightly. He returned to the house and said to Min An, "Get two strips of cloth." Min An looked around but couldn't find any, and shook her head in embarrassment.

  Li Peinan walked up to Min An's side and said, "Stand still, don't move." Min An remembered the previous two times, Li Peinan had told him not to move, then snuck in and kissed his face twice. His heart grew even more tense, and he involuntarily raised both hands to cover his face.

  Li Peinan smiled at Min An and before the smile had even faded from his lips, he reached out and pulled away Min An's waistband. "Next time I definitely won't let you down."

  Min An was secretly resentful and humiliated by the meaning of Li Peinan's words. He realized that when they were alone, he was no match for Li Peinan at all. Even in front of others, he still didn't dare to resist him, allowing himself to be bullied time and again with impunity.

  Min An ran far away, standing at the corner of the house with a somewhat helpless look on his face. Li Peinan cut open the silk waistband and tied the gray tassel and handle to the bamboo spear, which he handed over to Yu Mi. At this point, Yu Mi was fully armed and all set, only lacking a small leopard as a war horse to take him to the battlefield.

  Li Peinan asked: "Don't you go take a look? You can also gamble two rounds while you're at it."

  Min An felt curious, but looking back, he thought it was not suitable and couldn't help saying: "Young master, doing this isn't helping to foster a frivolous atmosphere among the subordinates, is it? If discipline is broken, things won't be good."

  Li Peinan carried the corn into the bamboo basket, saying lightly: "Since I met you that day, is there still any discipline in this mansion?" One sentence made Min An blush with shame, and he couldn't help but feel guilty. He slowly followed Li Peinan to the birdhouse. He had been punished many times, gradually submitting to the strict rules, and had tried his best to follow all kinds of rules. Unexpectedly, the young master had changed his temper and wanted to play with him now.

  All the way, Min An was quietly advising Li Peinan not to take the monkey's tricks seriously and to be serious as he should. From then on, Li Peinan indeed followed Min An's intention, being very serious and solemn, with an air of majesty as strong as ever. Without saying a word, he stood in front of the bird shed, and every guard's eyes were fixed on him, as if they had received a silent order.

  Min An stood tightly against the pillar, able to stretch his head out to survey all the circumstances. Li Peinan carried a bamboo basket and said to the neatly lined up guards at the door: "The mansion has been dull for a long time, today I'll give you all an opportunity to see the family's beloved flying birds competing in a fun contest."

  Li Peinan's tone was very calm, his face as clear as snow. When he gave orders to deal with the offenders, it was also with this attitude. Everyone thought that the young master had come to punish them for their private amusement, and they all expressed that they had no intention of having fun. Only team leader Zhang Fang saw that Min An was following behind the young master, and looked curious, so he pushed through the crowd and came out, shouting: "How can you just watch without enjoying? I propose to give the young master a reward!"

  Everyone couldn't help but look at Zhang Fang, their eyes filled with surprise. Just as they thought Zhang Fang would be severely punished, Li Peinan calmly replied: "Good idea."

  Zhang Fang smiled and took out his usual dice box, walking to the front of the guards, shaking the iron plate chips: "Place your bets, place your bets."

  Li Peinan put down the bamboo basket, and a corn wearing armor and holding a small spear ran out, made a circle, and then returned to the basket. The guards opened their waist bags one after another to bet on the corn, but when Li Peinan raised his eyes and looked over at them with deep meaning, they came to their senses and put their bets on the general instead.

  Li Peinan turned to ask Min An, "Will I substitute for you next?" Min An still couldn't grasp Li Peinan's sudden change in temperament and hastily shook his head. However, Li Peinan acted as if he hadn't seen it and tossed a valuable jade pendant into the iron box, instructing Zhang Fang to record the bet on Min An's account.

  Min An raised his foot to take a look at the jade pendant, and suddenly felt familiar. If he wasn't mistaken, the owner of this jade pendant should be Fei Yi. Previously, in Qingquan County's Ya Town prison riot, Fei Yi had also lent it out once.

  Min'an twice paid attention to this jade pendant, and there is a reason for it. At the age of five, his grandfather took him to an overseas island to worship the Empress Dowager, who was still dressed as a little girl at that time. The Empress Dowager saw his white and chubby appearance, and she was overjoyed, immediately wanting him to be her imperial grandson's wife, regardless of his grandfather's words of obstruction. When the Empress Dowager heard that he had already been betrothed to a cousin, she still insisted on keeping him, smiling at his grandfather and saying that if he regretted the engagement in the future, he could rely on a piece of cold cicada jade pendant passed down by her own hands as a token, and marry the little girl to the imperial grandson who held the jade. At that time, he was young and vaguely remembered two tall shadows on the beach, one big and one small, dressed in luxury, which should be the imperial grandsons mentioned by the Empress Dowager.

  Many years later, he had forgotten the past. If it wasn't for his father entrusting him to his master, and his master retelling this unwritten agreement, he really couldn't remember any details of the incident. Fei was also young at that time, just like him, and had also forgotten about the matter.

  But Li Peinan was already... Min An calculated for a moment, he was already 12 years old, with the title on his body, looking like a young master, and might still remember the laughter of the Empress Dowager... He thought that since Li Peinan didn't say anything, why not just muddle through and pretend it never happened. Besides, the Empress Dowager was just joking, and it's said that Grandfather didn't respond at the time, so how could it be true?

  Min An thought for a while and felt more at ease. He didn't know that Li Peinan had promised to do two things for Fei Yi in exchange for the jade, without telling Min An about it. Li Peinan was cautious and set a deadline of one month with Fei Yi to complete the tasks. When Fei Yi heard that he could easily control the young master to do things for him without being suspected of being a slave, he asked Li Peinan why he valued the jade so much. Li Peinan replied that it could cure all poisons and would give it to Min An as protection. After thinking about it, Fei Yi handed over the jade pendant, which was then passed on by Li Peinan in his name.

  Li Peinan made a gentleman's promise to Fei Yi, after which he would no longer consider himself the master of the jade pendant. Fei Yi, also adhering to the principles of a gentleman, agreed to this additional agreement. Li Peinan searched his living quarters and brought out many treasures to give to Fei Yi, including coral trees, rare calligraphy and paintings, and water-repellent clothes, all with a smile on his face, something he had never done before.

  The birdcage side, the gambling den officially starts.

  Corn saw the general, with a particularly red-eyed momentum, as if meeting an old enemy. It poked forward with its bamboo spear. After a brief fight with the sharp-beaked and clawed general, it was about to lose again, but then turned around and chirped at Min An. Min An stood beside Li Peinan, surrounded by many guards, not daring to show any unusual intentions. Just as he opened his mouth to tell Corn in a monkey-like language "Grab the chain" and "Pin down the general's dead spot", Li Peinan whistled, and the general immediately stopped moving its wings. Corn jumped out, raised its spear, and finally stabbed the general's body, injuring it severely and causing it to wail incessantly, thus achieving a great victory in front of everyone for the first time.

  The guards dragged out their voices and sighed, for some reason, Min An was very happy after hearing it. He resisted not taking the silver won, Li Peinan held up the jade pendant and handed it to him, saying very clearly: "You don't take their silver, it's because you look down on them; if you don't take this jade again, it's because you disobey the master's house, advise you to think carefully."

  Min An didn't dare to look down on and disobey Li Peinan in front of many attendants, so he put away the Han Chan jade and followed his orders, wearing the jade pendant around his neck.

  After walking back to the bamboo house, Min An couldn't help but glance at the corn that was laughing uncontrollably beside him. He thought of his pet finally getting revenge and his gloomy mood instantly lifted, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Li Peinan had expected him to be happy, so he immediately asked him to change his dressing, taking the opportunity to say some small talk without regard for whether Min An's face could withstand it.

  Min An slowly came back to his senses, suddenly realizing that the young master was keeping his promise, just like what he said in the morning "For your sake, I am willing to do anything". He thought of this sentence and became alert again, refusing Li Peinan's request to change the medicine. Until Li Peinan frowned and ordered him to sit down, he reluctantly stretched out his arm.

  Using the Wi-Fi of the brother next door to post a chapter, it seems he's going to shut down and rest now, I'll respond to your comments tomorrow morning, bye-bye (*^__^*)

  Thank you for the hand grenade (*^__^*) Pig ear, coco, I am mu mu, and the landmine of en na (*^__^*)