Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Double-Standard Brother

"Really?"

Just as Ming Lingyi was feeling a little uneasy, Ming Chengyu suddenly asked in surprise.

"You did it all for money? You wheedled that person into giving you his private seal?"

Before Ming Lingyi could say anything, she heard her brother burst out laughing. He didn’t look the least bit displeased. In fact, he seemed a little... proud and smug?

Ming Lingyi: "???"

"The fact that you thought to use Li—AHEM—that person to make money is brilliant! You truly are my Yuan Niang, so clever! Good! In that case, we’ll buy our books here today. See if there’s anything else you want, and we’ll get it all!"

Ming Chengyu’s disdain for Liufang Bookstore’s ways vanished. In the blink of an eye, he had become its biggest supporter.

Ming Lingyi: "???"

’Isn’t this change a little too drastic?’

When Ming Chengyu noticed his sister’s confused gaze lingering on him, he cleared his throat and tried to suppress the smug smile on his face. "Well, I was just thinking that this is actually a good thing. At least, um, this bookstore isn’t just about boosting... you-know-who’s reputation, right? We’re not trying to ride his coattails. We’re just using his name to do business and make a profit. I think that’s great. Yes, great!"

Ming Chengyu repeated himself, as if that would make his stance clearer.

It took Ming Lingyi a moment to process this before she suddenly let out a soft laugh.

She finally understood what her brother meant.

Her brother looked down on any bookstore that had a vague connection to Li Yun, and he especially scorned any that used Li Yun’s name to raise its own status. That was because he likely had absolutely no goodwill toward Li Yun.

However, if the idea was hers and was purely about using Li Yun’s fame for profit, then of course her brother would love it.

Still, it did sound a bit like a "double standard."

Ming Lingyi never expected her brother to have such a childish side. How could she possibly hold back her laughter?

Ming Chengyu probably knew his behavior was rather "unbefitting of a gentleman." But seeing Ming Lingyi laughing, he could only shake his head in resignation. He picked up the book he had just put back on the shelf and walked toward the payment counter.

By the time they came out of the bookstore, Ming Lingyi discovered that in just that short amount of time, a line had already formed outside on Vermilion Bird Street. Without a doubt, these people were all waiting to buy the official gazette from Liufang Bookstore.

Ming Chengyu also saw the "grand sight" and couldn’t help but remark, "Liufang Bookstore’s business is certainly going to be excellent today."

Even if everyone only spent the minimum of five Silver, with this many people, there was no telling how many books they would sell.

Ming Lingyi nodded. "This way, Ming’s Restaurant’s reputation will also grow."

After all, since everyone was here for the official gazette, it would be a huge boon for their restaurant’s promotion.

After feeling happy for Ming Lingyi, Ming Chengyu finally remembered something else that had been bothering him.

"So, Yuan Niang, you’ve already met that person?"

Ming Chengyu didn’t want to call Li Yun the Emperor. If possible, he would rather not mention the man in front of Ming Lingyi at all.

When the news came from the Imperial Palace back then, the entire Ming Family felt as if their world was collapsing.

Yuan Niang, who had been cherished by the entire family since childhood, had died so young in the depths of the palace. Ming Chengyu could still remember his grandpa, after tending to his constantly weeping mother, standing alone in the courtyard late at night—a lonely, self-reproachful figure.

Ming Chengyu knew his grandpa was filled with remorse, regretting that he had betrothed Yuan Niang to Li Yun back when they were at the frontier.

People always fantasize about what could have been after a loss.

Ming Lingyi had been so focused on telling Ming Chengyu how she had opened Ming’s Restaurant in Shangjing City that she forgot to confess the details about her and Li Yun.

Now that her brother had asked, Ming Lingyi hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"I’ve also seen Little Huachao," Ming Lingyi said.

When she mentioned Little Bun, her expression softened considerably. "It feels like I just blinked, and he’s already gotten so big..."

Hearing Li Yan’s childhood name, the expression on Ming Chengyu’s face also changed significantly.

He couldn’t stand Li Yun, but he was incredibly fond of his only nephew.

It wasn’t just because the boy was his sister’s child. It was also because if Little Huachao hadn’t appeared back then and diverted his mother’s attention, she might have never stopped drowning in the grief of losing her daughter. Besides, the child himself was just so lovable.

"I haven’t seen Little Huachao in a long time either..." Ming Chengyu said.

He knew that Li Yan had a Crown Prince Mansion outside the Imperial Palace. After all, something so unconventional tended to become common knowledge very quickly.

Ming Chengyu thought that this might be a good thing. At least for him, the maternal uncle, visiting his eldest nephew outside the Imperial Palace was much easier than visiting him inside.

If he hadn’t been so eager to see Ming Lingyi the moment he arrived in the Capital City today, he might have already seen Little Bun by now.

"Brother, if you want to see Little Huachao, how about tonight...?" Ming Lingyi suggested, tempted by the idea.

"No, tonight is too rushed. As his uncle, I should at least wash up and make myself presentable before seeing the child, don’t you think?" Ming Chengyu said with a laugh before changing the subject. "Now that Li Yun knows your identity, have you thought about what you’re going to do?"

"He wants me to return to the palace," Ming Lingyi said.

"Absolutely not!"

Ming Lingyi hadn’t even finished speaking when Ming Chengyu had a huge reaction, cutting her off almost instantly. "Return to what palace? You’re Ming Yao now, not Ming Lingyi, and certainly not Empress Hui Ming! What would you go back to the palace for? Stay out here, at home. You have me, and Grandpa and Mom can take care of you. Going back to the palace is out of the question."

Hearing the rare urgency in her brother’s voice, Ming Lingyi couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at her lips.

’Only someone who truly cares whether you’re happy would be unwilling to sacrifice you for the sake of honor and glory.’

"Don’t worry, I won’t go back," Ming Lingyi said.

"In that case, has he been pestering you?"

It wasn’t that Ming Chengyu thought Li Yun was deeply in love. He just felt that Li Yun was stubborn and obsessive. Judging by the things the man had done for Yuan Niang over the past five years, Ming Chengyu felt Li Yun had become fanatically obsessed.

Now that his obsession had turned out to be real, he was worried that Li Yun would force Yuan Niang back into the palace.

The question caught Ming Lingyi off guard.

’Does what Li Yun is doing count as pestering me?’

’It seems so, but it’s also not what I once imagined it would be like. At least, during this time, Li Yun hasn’t just made decisions on his own and tried to force me into anything.’

’Even though we’ve argued a lot about returning to the palace, not once has Li Yun had someone tie me up and drag me back.’

’If Li Yun really wanted to ignore my wishes, I’d definitely be back in the Imperial Palace by now, and I wouldn’t have been able to see my brother so easily.’

’So, does this really count as pestering?’