Cunning General Si Ning

Si Ning sighed and stopped. "Are you having cold feet?" He asked. He had wanted to ask the question since they stepped out of the house and when he couldn't take it anymore he decided to ask only to notice that Xiu Junjie seemed to be lost in thought and couldn't hear him because he didn't stop but continue walking.

It was a bit surprising to Si Ning when he found out it was just a calligraphy pen lying inside the box that contained the Emperor's gift, It was such a beautiful pen that Si Ning guessed it was specially made. Xiu Junjie approved of the pen gift for the Emperor but didn't approve of the crafted jade mirror for the Queen Dowager, Xiu Junjie further explained that the Queen Dowager only loved golden ornaments.

After searching and racking his brain if he had any unique golden ornaments, Si Ning was lucky to find a new golden barrette his mother kept for him in a special compartment in his jewelry box, Ah Dai told him it was Ge Mengshu that placed a special request to be made by a famous jeweler in Yokohama and it was shipped to Xiu. She made it and gave it to Si Ning as Si Ning's gift to the daughter-in-law he would bring home, it was kept in Si Ning's jewelry box and Ah Dai didn't remember to leave it out at home because there would never be a daughter-in-law for Ge Mengshu.

The quality of the barrette was top notch, the design was curved and at the end sat a perfecty shaped golden bird with white jade embedded all over it making the barrette to sparkle when ever it hits a little ray of light. Ah Dai told Si Ning it was a sparrow and after Si Ning turned it over and over, he found it too girly and was able to make peace within himself to present it as a gift to the Queen Dowager.

"Are you having cold feet?" Si Ning repeated and placed a hand on Xiu Junjie's shoulder but the boy was quick to moved away on instinct.

Si Ning raised a brow, he was a bit interested in Xiu Junjie's walking steps, Xiu Junjie that offered to accompany him was now walking so slow that Si Ning had to fall in line with him and they had all been walking extremely slow like they were hesitating but it was Xiu Junjie that was not looking so good that his face kept switching between happy and unsure and it was the boy's pace they all wanted to match, Si Ning had no choice than to stop him because a ninety year old man couldn't even walk at the slow pace they were walking. 

"Cold feet? You mean I am reluctant to go? How absurd!" Xiu Junjie shot daggers at Si Ning.

"You are walking too fast for your short legs." Si Ning said sarcastically as he pointed at Xiu Junjie's legs.

"What Si Ning? can't you see you are the one walking so slow you old man!" Xiu Junjie yelled as he glared at Si Ning.

Si Ning and Xiu Junjie started bickering, their voice loud enough for the guards in front of the Imperial study to turn their head just with the hope to catch those who were arguing behind the fence till they appeared and the guards wore quite a shock as they turned to Xiu Junjie then back to Si Ning.

"Shush...!" Xiu Junjie gave Si Ning a light kick just to notify him they had gotten to their destination. 

Si Ning didn't realised they had gotten to the study until he directed his attention to the two guards then turned back to Xiu Junjie. "Did you just shush at me." He whispered bending a little to avoid a third ear listening in.

"Why wont you do as your Master tells you, Si Ning save me some face." Xiu Junjie whispered as he folded his hands and shook his head in disapproval of Si Ning's behavior.

"King Consort, Your Highness." The two guards saluted because the visitors were now closer to them.

Si Ning was unable to come up with a reply to Xiu Junjie because of the guards that interrupted. He straightened up appropriately like Xiu Junjie. "I am here to see his Majesty." He said aloud to indicate he was going to see the Emperor alone, he glanced at Xiu Junjie to see he doesnt look worried or interested in going in with him.

Seeing Xiu Junjie attitude made Si Ning wondered if it was right for a Prince to come to the Imperial study without paying respect to the Emperor because Xiu Junjie doesn't look bothered by the statement he just made.

"King Consort, his Majesty is inside with the Prime Minister, do King Consort have a message for this loyal servant to deliver?" One of the guard said.

Si Ning was about to shake his head when the door opened, he held his breath and heard a sharp intake of breath which made him to turn to see that Xiu Junjie seemed to stiffen up, his eyes glue to the door. Si Ning had no soothing word to say to Xiu Junjie because he was also not ready to see Xiu Zhicheng even though he had mentally prepared himself and was dying to see him yet for some reason he doesn't know why he was holding his breath, staring at Xiu Junjie to avoid looking at the door and Xiu Junjie that looked tensed up was making him nervous.

"Ah General Si Ning, Your Highness."

Si Ning sighed, relieved when he turned to see Lin Fan closed the door behind him. "Lin Fan."

"You are here, let me go and inform his Majesty." 

"Ah no no." Si Ning shook his head and raised his hand to indicate as a stop sign to Lin Fan. "I heard his Majesty is with the Prime Minister, I dont want to disturb them and I just want to deliver this." He quickly made a sign to the guard holding the box that contained the calligraphy which Xiao Pei collected the box from him and stepped forward.

Lin Fan descended the two short steps and collected the box from Xiao Pei. "I will be sure to deliver it but his Majesty is not really busy so General Si Ning can see him if I tell his Majesty General Si Ning is here."

Si Ning smiled as he wonder if Lin Fan was sincere about wanting him to see Xiu Zhicheng because his expression says otherwise. "No no no thank you, I will have to come again." He shouldnt judge Lin Fan just by his expression because they were not close and Lin Fan's expression might just be his resting face. 

"Will his Highness like to see his Majesty?" Lin Fan directed his question to Xiu Junjie.

Xiu Junjie jolted like he just got woken up into the presence. "I... I... I... Hmm."

Si Ning noticed Xiu Junjie complexion was looking bad, the Crown Prince with a sharp mouth seemed to be unable to come up with a reply. "I am helping his Highness study and we have to go."

Si Ning noticed Xiu Junjie's turned and gave him a sharp look even though he didn't turn to look at it and now it was up to Xiu Junjie to agree with him or not. The least he could do was to help the Crown Prince when he looked like he needed help and wanted to escape, as expected Xiu Junjie nodded to agree with Si Ning.

"Till then." Lin Fan bowed.