Xiao Zai could think of several things he wanted to do more than entertain his brother, especially if he was drunk.

Chu Yun ignored his stiffness and kept dragging him towards the table Xiao Yuan had taken over with his concubine, and…that man.

He grinned as soon as he saw Xiao Zai, raising his cup to him in a mockery of a toast. “Brother! To what do we how the honour?”

Xiao Zai sat down, following Chu Yun’s lead, but said nothing.

Chu Yun took the pitcher and filled Xiao Yuan’s cup, holding up his fan with his other hand. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t get to deliver brother-in-law’s invitation in person. I truly never expected that so many people would come” He put down the pitcher and sighed. “To tell the truth I was hoping that we could invite brother-in-law for a more intimate family gathering.”

Xiao Zai straightened his back. For some reason, the way Chu Yun said those words sounded almost suggestive, as if he was implying something lurid.

Judging by his smirk, Xiao Yuan had picked up on it too. He leaned across the table, supporting  his chin on his open palm. “Are all alphas in Xin like brother-in-law, or is he special?”

It was hard to tell from his tone and his posture, if he was addressing Chu Yun directly or asking Xiao Zai. 

In any case, it was Chu Yun who answered him. “I’m unique in every way,” he said, one corner of his lips ticking up.

Xiao Yuan said nothing, but the way he kept smiling at Chu Yun raised Xiao Zai’s hackles. He didn’t know why Chu Yun was allowing this to go on. He really couldn’t be this clueless.

He was about to get up and get some fresh air, when Chu Yun turned towards the manservant sitting behind Xiao Yuan.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help thinking about it during the engagement ceremony, but have we met?” he smiled innocently. “You remind me of someone, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

Xiao Zai went very still, his eyes briefly meeting Xiao Yuan’s above Chu Yun’s head. There was a veiled threat in his gaze. 

For once, Xiao Yuan didn’t start any trouble. “Jiang-er gets that a lot, he must have one of those faces,” he said, smiling at Chu Yun and then taking another sip of his wine.

Chu Yun hummed.

Xiao Zai couldn’t guess at what was going on in his mind. He doubted he had come here just to ask Xiao Yuan about his manservant. If he truly wanted answers, he knew it would be easier to get them without Xiao Zai present.

“Well, if he needs employment we have some space, and the estate is so large…we could always do with more servants,” Chu Yun said, so smoothly that it took Xiao Zai some time to make sense of his words.

His eldest brother too, was stunned for a moment, before regaining his bearings. His languid posture stiffened immediately. The indulgent, predatory looks he had been shooting Chu Yun were gone, replaced by a cold assessment. 

“He’s already employed,” Xiao Yuan said.

His most senior concubine let out a sigh, and dabbed at her face with a silk handkerchief she pulled from the inside of her sleeve. It was clear from her body language, that if she had her way, he wouldn’t be.

Chu Yun’s eyes widened comically, and he lowered his fan. “Oh, maybe brother-in-law hasn’t heard?” He leaned across the table conspiratorially, as if he really was looking forward to sharing a secret with Xiao Yuan.  “I’ve been spending some time at the palace, and I was told that the king would be gifting his First Highness with a new estate ahead of his upcoming marriage, outfitted with highly trained new servants as well.”

He was speaking loud enough to attract the attention of some of the nearby guests, but not so loud that it seemed like he was doing it on purpose.

Xiao Yuan’s face went through a series of expressions before settling on a grim smile. “Is that so?”

Chu Yun shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s what his Majesty did for us,” he paused and tilted his head towards Xiao Zai, as if the two of them were sharing a joke. “Of course, we didn’t keep all of them, his First Highness won’t need to, either, but it meant that we both had to let go of some of our personal servants.”

He looked at Xiao Zai expectantly. Xiao Zai wanted no part in this but he still grunted in acknowledgement. 

Xiao Yuan rapped his knuckles against the tabletop and hummed in silence, and then got up with a loud exhalation of breath.

“Darling?” his Concubine asked, getting up after him when it became apparent he was leaving to go outside.

The manservant who Xiao Zai couldn’t stand to look at for too long, got up soon after with a muttered ‘by your leave’.

Chu Yun watched him go and then turned to Xiao Zai with a smug smirk, half-hidden behind his fan. “And now we wait.”

—

They didn’t have to wait long. Chu Yun was dragging Xiao Zai through another round of elbow rubbing with the guests when the First Princess stormed through the reception room, looking outraged.

Some of her steam dissipated when she came face-to-face with Chu Yun and Xiao Zai innocuously making small-talk with a pair of guests.

She came to a stop in front of Xiao Zai and cleared her throat. “Thank you for the invitation, but I’m afraid I must be on my way.”

Chu Yun plastered on a concerned look. 

He could imagine how unpleasant it must have been for her to run into a drunk, raging, Xiao Yuan. He was sure her estranged second brother wasn’t looking half as bad now — especially in the company of his attentive, gracious, husband.

“Did something happen?” he asked, snapping his fan closed and squaring his shoulders. “Please let us know if we can be of assistance.”

He knew the First Princess wasn’t going to complain publicly about Xiao Yuan, but everyone gathered in the reception hall could put one and two together. 

Another clean victory for Chu Yun.