Xiao He and Yu Niang did not give the swift, affirmative response everyone expected. Instead, Xiao He's expression darkened, and his shrewd, unfathomable eyes fixed on Jian Shang as he asked gravely:
"What do you mean by that, Huan King?"
It looked as though Xiao He would fight the Huan King to the death if he had taken a fancy to Yu Niang and wanted to steal his beloved. Yet that did not quite seem right either. His reaction was strange, difficult to put into words!
"Hmm?"
Now it was Jian Shang's turn to be puzzled. Did Xiao He not know Yu Niang's true identity? Had he mistakenly thought Jian Shang had taken a fancy to her?
Of course, Yu Niang had a face like a flower beneath the moon, a beauty unmatched among ten thousand. She also came from a distinguished family, had endured the ruin of her country and family, and had spent years managing a household. Thus, her dignified bearing carried a steady, virtuous grace, with a heart as refined as orchids. She was the ideal devoted wife and loving mother. She was merely a little older, but that lent her a charm of her own. Even if Jian Shang had taken a fancy to her, it would have been perfectly natural.
"Nothing! I was merely asking. Troubled times can unsettle the heart as well. If your feelings are mutual, I naturally offer my congratulations. If there are other motives involved, you would be better off parting!"
His thoughts whirled, and Jian Shang shook his head, speaking with deep meaning. After a pause, before Xiao He and the others could respond, he quickly instructed those around him:
"Let's go!"
With that, he took the lead, and everyone hurried after him.
"Ow..." Xiao He had calmed himself and