He was interrupted by a crash against the door.
It was louder and fiercer than the kick they had delivered upon arriving, and it sent Jiang Huai'an's fury surging to new heights.
"Which blind fool is it? Don't you know I'm-"
The instant he saw the scene behind him, Jiang Huai'an froze into a statue from sheer fright.
Jiang Yanchuan stood against the light, his expression obscured, but that soft, angry scoff was enough for everyone to fill in the rest of the picture in their minds.
He was angry.
For a moment, that was the only thought left in anyone's head.
Jiang Yanchuan carried the chill of the snow and ice outside, yet the cold radiating from him eclipsed even that.
His dark gaze swept over the children before he actually gave a quiet laugh. "Tell me, what exactly were you doing?"
Jiang Huai'an seemed stunned by that chill. His legs shook, and his teeth chattered involuntarily.
As he lowered his head, his eyes brimmed with shock.
At this hour, their imperial father should have been holding an inner court session. He should never have appeared here. How could Jiang Huai'an be so unlucky today, running into his imperial father on an inspection visit just as he was about to strike?!
Jiang Huai'an swallowed and forced down the terror in his eyes. He was just about to speak when Jiang Yingcheng, who had finally been quiet for a moment beside him, burst into another loud wail.
"Waaaaah—Fourth Prince! The Fourth Prince bullied me! Waaaaah—"
The little girl kept sobbing, and a rare crack appeared in Jiang Yanchuan's icy expression.
He stood stiffly in place for a moment. Then, beneath everyone's astonished gazes, he slowly approached Jiang Yingcheng and reached out to pick her up.
As he walked toward the