Chapter 86

In the evening, Lady Mu rarely sent someone to invite Xu Hao to have dinner in the inner quarters. Xu Hao then bid farewell to Zhao Hesong and others, who looked envious, and set off with Mu Ang.

On the way, Mu Ang suddenly stopped, looked up at Xu Hao, and said, "I have a question for you. Are you still thinking about my sister?"

Xu Hao asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

Mu Ang said word by word, "I've cursed all those bastards to death. I warn you, if you don't want to die, don't have any ideas about my sister."

Xu Hao, unwilling to argue with this little kid who had a crush on his sister, smiled and said, "I know my limits, don't worry."

"Then I'll let you off for now," Mu Ang said proudly, then frowned and added, "I'm almost driven crazy by the tutor who hits my butt. If you can help me beat him up, I won't mind that you like my sister."

Xu Hao was surprised and said, "What do you mean by hitting your butt? I don't understand."

Mu Ang had a look of disdain, as if Xu Hao knew even less than he did, and said, "I'll show you tonight. You'll see for yourself."

Xu Hao nodded and thought to himself as they walked, "Could it be that Jiang Song has a preference for men? It's quite possible. Among the wealthy young men I know, more than half have done this. It's not about being gay, but rather that, like me, they have many maidservants at home but few opportunities to act on their desires due to the many eyes around. Often influenced by the luxurious and licentious trends of the time, they take advantage of the handsome young servants to relieve their urges, without responsibility and without fear of causing trouble."

In ancient times, male love was not considered a big deal, and everyone was accustomed to it. Even brothels had male prostitutes. In the southern literati, male love was even seen as a refined and fashionable act. Additionally, scholars who traveled to the capital for the imperial exams or went out to serve as officials often had no women around, and the young servants could serve as a good way to adjust their moods.

However, the despicable act of someone like Jiang Song, who was old enough to force other people's young servants, was similar to the wealthy families who kept young entertainers to satisfy their perverted desires, and was considered quite disgusting.

"You let your tutor play with your servants, and as the master, you remain indifferent. I'm ashamed for you," Xu Hao said coldly and walked ahead.

Mu Ang, who was very sensitive to provocation at his young age, caught up and said, "They're just servants. I can't use this as a reason to do anything. Even if I tell my mother, she can't make the tutor leave."

Xu Hao smiled and said, "Whether he leaves or not doesn't matter. The most important thing is to vent your anger. If you dare to act, I'll help you come up with a plan."

"Good, it's a deal," Mu Ang said happily. He had always lacked a strategist. In the past, he treated the tutors at home with a non-violent and indifferent attitude, which was very effective. However, Jiang Song was even more unscrupulous, could see through his pretenses at a glance, and dared to say and do anything, and his mother and sister both approved of it.

Feeling a bit closer to Mu Ang, who usually looked down on others, Xu Hao was very happy. He intended to deepen their relationship and said with a smile as they walked, "After the exam, I'll take you to the capital for a few days. You can visit the Prince of Yan's, the Prince of Qin's, or the Prince of Chu's palace, whichever you like."

Mu Ang was surprised and asked, "You can take me in and out of the princes' palaces at will?"

Xu Hao deliberately smiled proudly, "If it weren't for your sister, do you think I would be your study companion? If you don't believe me, ask around in the capital. I, Xu Hao, am also a well-known figure."

Mu Ang suddenly realized, "No wonder my brother and Zhan Yu all know you. Your status is similar to mine. Strange, you don't seem like a wealthy young man except for the feeling you share with your sister."

Xu Hao smiled bitterly. He didn't know what the feeling he shared with Mu Ningsnow was, but indeed, he didn't have the innate arrogance and nobility of a wealthy young man. There were many reasons for this, but he could never learn that deep-seated sense of superiority and short-sighted arrogance.

Mu Ang, being a child, never inquired about things he didn't care about and only thought about playing. He was like a flower in a greenhouse, and all the events of the past year had been kept from him by Lady Mu and Mu Ningsnow.

As they entered the inner quarters, a maidservant led the way. Xu Hao didn't think much of it. Since his elder sister and younger sister were guests at the Mu family, it was only proper for them to invite him to dinner.

In the flower hall, a table of vegetarian dishes was already set. Lady Mu had changed into a silk palace dress, her long sleeves fluttering, making her look radiant. Her black hair was piled high, adorned with golden hairpins, and her face was lightly powdered.

Xu Hao was stunned. This was the first time he had seen Lady Mu in such formal attire, and she looked much younger, perhaps even ten years younger.

Beside Lady Mu stood a beautiful young girl with bright eyes and white teeth. She wore a Ming Dynasty princess-style palace dress with a large embroidered phoenix and peacock pattern, the main color being goose yellow, and a strange red and white embroidered vest. Her head was adorned with a very beautiful and bright headpiece, like a peacock spreading its feathers. Her hair was tied into a long braid, wrapped in a flower headscarf and coiled high, making it look like a unique and interesting tall hat. A white, flowing tassel hung from the left side of her face, giving her a strikingly beautiful, pure, lively, and playful appearance. She was about twelve or thirteen years old, her phoenix eyes looking at him up and down with curiosity.

Xu Hao had been at the Mu family for some time, and even though he hadn't met her, he could guess that this girl was the second daughter of the Mu family, Mu Qingshuang, who was a concubine's daughter but treated like a legitimate daughter. She was the daughter of a Bai ethnic concubine that Mu Ying had married in Yunnan.

The Bai ethnic group has a long history, not inferior to the Han people. They have always been a major local clan in Yunnan, with the Kingdom of Bai existing since the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the Bai people reached their peak, with the most famous being the Dali Duan clan, who ruled Yunnan for hundreds of years. They survived the Yuan Dynasty's attempt to exterminate them and continued to rule Yunnan under Mongol rule due to their noble status among the ethnic groups in Yunnan.

After the Ming army conquered Yunnan, they adopted a policy of assimilation, burning Bai cultural books and diluting the Bai population. Mu Qingshuang's mother was a princess of the Duan clan. Mu Ying's decision to marry her had political considerations.

After Mu Ying's death, Mu Qingshuang's mother is said to have committed suicide with her husband. Xu Hao guessed that she was executed by the court. By then, the Duan clan had no heirs, and with the death of this last princess, the Bai people lost their royal lineage and gradually became indistinguishable from the Han people.

Later, the court granted the title of Commander of Yanmen Guard to two Duan brothers and gave them the name "Gui Ren." However, the Bai people didn't take the brothers seriously, and after their deaths, the court stopped granting titles to the Duan clan.

Therefore, although Mu Qingshuang was young, she was the last surviving member of the Duan royal lineage, with unparalleled prestige in Yunnan. Because of her Mu family bloodline, this was the fundamental reason why the Mu family could continue to govern Yunnan until the fall of the Ming Dynasty.

Mu Qingshuang grew up in Yunnan. To pacify the various ethnic minorities, especially the Bai people, she was granted the title of Princess of Dali at the age of eight. Last year, at the age of eleven, she accompanied her father's coffin to the capital for burial and met the emperor. After missing her hometown, she returned to Yunnan with Mu Chun. Unexpectedly, she came to the capital again this year.

In fact, Mu Qingshuang had just arrived. She had been in the palace all morning, meeting Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and the various concubines. The Princess of Dali, with her lively and热情的少数民族女子特有的气质，加上混血赋予的美丽容颜，所到之处无人不喜欢她，连朱元璋都破例和她相处了一个多时辰，临走时还一反常态，亲自依依不舍地送她出了乾清宫。

随行的沐府官员和管家第一时间去了京城黔宁王府通报，不巧沐晟在都督府，他的夫人去了亲戚家吊唁，夫妻俩都不在家。眼看时辰不早了，管家以为郡主劳累一天，遂自作主张安排沐青霜今晚入住府上，不料沐青霜非要来乡下别院。

因此，沐夫人没有收到消息，等下人进来禀报，匆匆忙忙换上了一身宫装，脸上的水粉胭脂都没来得及擦掉，正好她原本打算宴请徐灏，这才被徐灏遇个正着。

穆昂皱着眉头眨眨眼，终于认出了这位很陌生的二姐，不甘不愿地说道：“姐姐好。”

沐青霜含笑道：“弟弟也好，倒是比去年更高了些，身子也结实了。”“哦。”穆昂闷声闷气地回答。

眼看孩子们见面后还是很尴尬，沐夫人忙指着徐灏介绍道：“这位是魏国公家的徐灏，娘请他陪着你弟弟一起读书。眼看着三天后就要乡试了，还得劳烦人家到时照顾你弟弟，因此请他过来用晚膳。”

沐青霜笑吟吟地抢先开口：“这么说你是斯斯文文的读书人了？我也学过几天的四书五经，还会对对子，作诗呢。”

徐灏摇头道：“不算是读书人，我家和沐家一样，皆是武将世家。”

沐青霜哦了一声，笑道：“原来大家的学问都差不多。那你精于骑射吗？上过战场杀过人吗？”

徐灏又摇头道：“我年纪尚幼，只当过几天的侍卫，会骑射却不精，没有上过战场，更没有杀过人。”

沐青霜拍手笑道：“巧了，又是和我一样，我可不敢杀人，会骑马却马马虎虎，力气小只能连续开弓三次。”

徐灏忍不住笑道：“这已经不简单了。我也希望京城女子都能骑马射箭，不要一味地呆在闺房里足不出户，时常做些户外运动，锻炼力气对身子很有好处。”

沐青霜眼眸一亮，赞赏道：“难得见到通情达理的男人，可惜这里是京城，要是在云南，我一定交你这个朋友。”

此时身边的沐夫人一头黑线，生怕这野丫头说出更多的胡话来。心想二丫头倒是和徐灏那小子乃是一丘之貉，怪不得两个人一见投缘呢，当日徐灏还问凝雪是否是朋友来着，岂有此理！又不是那民间男女，大户人家的公子小姐岂能私下里以朋友相处？

“好啦好啦，有话等会再说不迟。”沐夫人含笑拉起了沐青霜的小手，说道：“你先去见过你大姐，正巧徐灏的姐姐妹妹都在咱家做客呢，他妹妹和你年纪差不多大，天真烂漫娘一见之下很是欢喜，兴许你们俩一见面就成了手帕交，这有了朋友，往后你也就不会吵着无聊要回云南了。”

沐青霜笑道：“那好，我先去寻姐姐和客人。对了母亲你比去年见面，要年轻了十几岁！我刚进来时还以为你是我大姐呢。”

沐夫人顿时脸色一红，慎道：“去，小孩家家的说话没个把门。”

徐灏暗自一笑，目送沐青霜娇笑着离去，心想老子总算也有小姨子了，感觉还不错。

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In the morning, Mu Qingshuang, with her lively and热情的少数民族女子特有的气质，加上混血赋予的美丽容颜，所到之处无人不喜欢她，连朱元璋都破例和她相处了一个多时辰，临走时还一反常态，亲自依依不舍地送她出了乾清宫。

The officials and steward from the Mu family immediately went to the Qianning Palace in the capital to report. Unfortunately, Mu Sheng was at the capital's military headquarters, and his wife was at a relative's house for a funeral. The couple was not at home. Seeing that it was getting late, the steward, thinking the princess was tired from her journey, decided on his own to arrange for Mu Qingshuang to stay at the mansion that night. However, Mu Qingshuang insisted on going to the countryside villa.

Therefore, Lady Mu had not received the message. When the servant came to report, she hurriedly changed into a palace dress, not even having time to remove her face powder and rouge. She had planned to invite Xu Hao for dinner, so she met him just in time.

Mu Ang frowned and blinked, finally recognizing his very unfamiliar second sister. He said reluctantly, "Sister, hello."

Mu Qingshuang smiled and said, "Brother, hello. You've grown taller and stronger since last year." "Oh," Mu Ang replied sullenly.

Seeing the awkwardness between the children, Lady Mu quickly introduced Xu Hao, "This is Xu Hao from the Wei Guogong family. Mother has asked him to study with your brother. The provincial exam is in three days, and we need him to take care of your brother, so we invited him for dinner."

Mu Qingshuang smiled and said, "So you are a refined scholar? I've studied the Four Books and Five Classics for a few days and can also write couplets and poems."

Xu Hao shook his head and said, "I'm not really a scholar. My family, like the Mu family, is a military family."

Mu Qingshuang said, "Oh, so our backgrounds are similar. Are you skilled in archery and horseback riding? Have you been to battle and killed anyone?"

Xu Hao shook his head again and said, "I'm still young. I've only been a guard for a few days. I can ride and shoot, but I'm not very skilled. I haven't been to battle and haven't killed anyone."

Mu Qingshuang clapped her hands and laughed, "What a coincidence, just like me. I don't dare to kill anyone. I can ride a horse, but I'm not very good, and I can only draw the bow three times in a row."

Xu Hao couldn't help but laugh, "That's already quite impressive. I hope the women in the capital can also ride and shoot. It's not good to stay in the boudoir all the time. Outdoor activities and physical exercise are very beneficial for health."

Mu Qingshuang's eyes lit up, and she praised, "It's rare to meet a man who understands. If we were in Yunnan, I would definitely be friends with you."

At this moment, Lady Mu was embarrassed, fearing that this wild girl would say more nonsense. She thought, "The second girl is just like that Xu Hao boy, no wonder they hit it off. That day, Xu Hao even asked Ningsnow if they were friends. How ridiculous! This is not like common people; young men and women from wealthy families cannot be friends privately."

"Alright, alright, we can talk later," Lady Mu said with a smile, taking Mu Qingshuang's small hand. "You should go meet your elder sister first. Coincidentally, Xu Hao's sister and younger sister are also guests here. His younger sister is about your age, very innocent and lovely. Mother really likes her. Maybe you two will become close friends, and with a friend, you won't complain about being bored and wanting to go back to Yunnan."

Mu Qingshuang smiled and said, "Alright, I'll go find my sister and the guests. By the way, Mother, you look much younger than last year! When I first came in, I thought you were my elder sister."

Lady Mu's face turned red, and she said, "Go, you little one, you talk too much."

Xu Hao smiled inwardly, watching Mu Qingshuang leave with a giggle, thinking, "Finally, I have a little sister-in-law. It feels pretty good."

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