Chapter 13
Steward Feng, who had taken care of him since young, stared at him…
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The more than ten servants in the room stared at him…
From the heavens, the successive generations of Yu family ancestors stared at him…
The young Yu She gritted his teeth, setting down his chopsticks . Lifted the plate of braised venison before him and placed it in front of Zhong Wan .
Yu She’s ears bloomed a hint of red, and making a strong effort to compose himself, he said, “If you want to eat it, then grab it yourself…”
Looking at the dish in front of him, Zhong Wan let escape a sigh of disappointment . He had failed to disgust Yu She .
Meat dishes were not to his tastes, and Zhong Wan definitely did not want to eat braised venison . Even if they were cooked well, they still carried a gamey scent . So he had said earlier that he didn’t want to eat any, using the excuse that the dish was closest to Yu She .
Steward Feng let out a sigh of relief . He was pleased that that little yao hadn’t bewitched Yu She .
Not once had Yu She’s gaze left Zhong Wan’s form . Noticing that Zhong Wan appeared somewhat depressed, he wondered if he had caused the other party to lose face . After a moment of thought, he ordered, “Starting tomorrow…”
Steward Feng raised his head, alert .
Yu She glanced at Zhong Wan . “Prepare venison for meals three times a day . ”
A dry chuckle left Zhong Wan’s lips . “No, I don’t…”
Steward Feng glared at him, cursing in his heart that the latter was a calamitous beauty . With much reluctance, he said, “Understood . ”
Yu She nodded . Then his gaze fell upon Zhong Wan once more .
Zhong Wan could not utter a word about his suffering . He thought, what’s the meaning of that expectant gaze? Are you waiting for me to kneel and say ‘many thanks for the special grace?’’
Yet he smiled bitterly . “Thank you…Heir . ”
Yu She weighed the advantages and disadvantages, balancing each side’s power . And he came to the conclusion he had handled the situation quite nicely . He even ate half a bowl of rice more than usual for this meal .
Zhong Wan had lifted a rock and dropped it on his own feet . In low spirits, he stared at the plate of venison that wasn’t to his tastes . He only nibbled a few bites .
After they had finished the noon meal, Yu She went to read again with Zhong Wan in tow .
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He had to disgust him . He had to keep on trying to disgust him .
If he didn’t disgust Yu She to the point of abandoning him, how could Zhong Wan leave and find Xuan Rui and the others?
Yu She allowed Zhong Wan to use his desk, and he sat like he had previously on a low couch next to the window . As he read, he diligently annotated the margins .
Zhong Wan searched for an excuse to get closer to him . “It’s too dim at the desk . How about I move by you…?”
Yu She nodded . Lifted his folded book . And he graciously rose to his feet .
After they had switched places, a distance of two zhang still separated the two .
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Zhong Wan wanted to bite Yu She to death .
Pa kjr fnlvfca Te Vtf vlvc’a kjca tlw mibrf . Itbcu Qjc tjv cb batfg mtblmf yea ab atlcx bo jcbatfg qijc .
“Te Vtf…” rjlv Itbcu Qjc jii bo j revvfc . “P gfwfwyfg atja rajgalcu ogbw ijra sfjg, Uglcmfrr Ebsji yfujc ab rfjgmt obg j qglcmlqji mbcrbga obg sbe . Ljnf sbe mbwf ab j vfmlrlbc sfa?”
Yu She stilled . Then he said, “They’ve only just mentioned it… Nothing concrete has been decided . ”
“Oh?” Zhong Wan’s eyes lit up . “Then, could it be said that the discussions have started? Which family? Is it… Third Princess?”
Yu She didn’t bother raising his head . “It’s not Third Princess . Stop talking nonsense . ”
“Your Emperor-Uncle dotes on you so much that he almost considers you a son . Perhaps he wants you to be his son-in-law?” Zhong Wan just wouldn’t quit it . “Just tell me which family it is . Tell, tell… Of the Three Letters and Six Rites, which have you completed so far?”
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Yu She stopped writing . After a long period of silence, he said, “None of it . It was just a bit of talking . ”
Complicated emotions rose in Zhong Wan’s heart . “Just which family is it? Say it already… I promise to keep it a secret . I have no one to tell anyway . ”
Helplessly, Yu She lifted his head from his book . “Why are you asking this?”
“In the future, she’ll be the main consort and I’ll be a concubine,” said Zhong Wan innocently . “I just want to have a headstart in knowing her, lest I receive punishment later . ”
Shocked, Yu She wanted to explain, but in the end not a word left his lips . He once again looked down at his book, ignoring Zhong Wan .
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“So what if you just tell me?” said Zhong Wan in a pitiable manner . “Yu She… Once you marry a principal consort, would you still come see me at the side courtyard?”
Yu She sat there, speechless .
Putting down his book, Zhong Wan leaned against the low couch . Started to plan for his future . “Would she charge in here with a large crowd?”
Yu She acted as if he didn’t hear him .
“Would she like me?
“Would she burden me with many rules?
“Would she call me a vixen?
“Would she find an older female servant to pierce me with needles?”
Yu She took a deep breath, still ignoring Zhong Wan .
But Zhong Wan didn’t find himself the slightest bit annoying . In fact, he continued to ask, “At that time, could we still read together like this?
“In the future, would I be able to have my meals with you?”
Eyes reflecting a deep sadness, Zhong Wan looked at Yu She . “Would I still be able to eat braised venison?!”
Yu She finally set down his book . And stared straight at Zhong Wan, gaze carrying a trace of anger .
In an instant, Zhong Wan grew alarmed and no longer spoke .
After the room was silent for fifteen minutes, Yu She suddenly said, “Don’t worry . Apart from I, no one will be allowed to come here . Even if it were… Princess Royal or Father, they still cannot enter . ”
For a moment, Zhong Wan sat there in a daze . After thinking for a bit, Yu She said, “From today on, the number of guards here will be doubled . They will definitely be able to protect you . ”
“Nononono…I’m not afraid that others would come to cause trouble for me, really! Don’t send any more people here!”
Yu She stood resolute . “Don’t worry . ”
Zhong Wan really wanted to slap his previous self .
“That… Generally speaking, no matter how much you try to protect me, there would still be people who would harass me . ” In the face of death, Zhong Wan tried to claw a way out . “If you really cared about me, then you should just leave me alone . Call away all the servants in this side courtyard, and don’t allow me to eat until full and dress until warm . Only then, would I be saf—”
“Then you’ll be able to escape . ”
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Zhong Wan was rendered speechless . So Yu She… wasn’t stupid?
Yu She countered, “Where did you hear such bizarre words?”
“From a prompt book,” said Zhong Wan, appearing miserable . “They’re all written like this . ”
Yu She furrowed his brows . “A prompt book? I’ve never read one . ”
A spark of interest . “How about I go outside and buy you a few copies?”
But Yu She was not interested at all . “I don’t want to read them . ”
“Fine . ” Zhong Wan withered, becoming well-behaved for a while .
An hour later, Zhong Wan said out of the blue, “You didn’t answer before . Which family is it?”
His marriage hadn’t actually been set in stone . Yu She did not want to disgust the girl who had yet to marry over, but if he didn’t open his mouth, Zhong Wan would keep guessing . Hesitating for a moment, Yu She said, “I heard from Mother… that she’s from Duke Wenguo’s estate . ”
After thinking it over, Zhong Wan remembered that Duke Wenguo had a granddaughter that was close in age with Yu She .
“The statuses match up . Not bad . ” Zhong Wan nodded . “Is it Duke Wenguo’s granddaughter?”
Yu She looked down, not a word escaping his lips .
“What’s wrong? Isn’t it good to discuss marriage with you?” said Zhong Wan dryly . “It’s a good match though . ”
Yu She had the urge to say something, but in the end he held himself back . He went back to reading .
Narrowing his eyes, Zhong Wan was suddenly hit with the impression that something was wrong . “Yu She…Are you not happy about this marriage?”
After a moment of silence, Yu She said, “Mother helped me choose . Naturally, I would be happy . ”
“I don’t think so . ” Zhong Wan swept his gaze through Yu She from top to bottom . “If you truly were happy about this, you would have answered me the first time I had asked . Even if you didn’t want to chat, you wouldn’t be able to help but say a few words . If you truly adored her… you wouldn’t be able to hide it . ”
Yu She’s brush stilled . A small drop of ink fell onto the page, a black lotus gradually blossoming .
If one truly adored someone, one would not be able to hide it no matter what .
A while later, Yu She said, “Duchess Wenguo… brought her granddaughter to Princess Royal’s estate to appreciate flowers . ”
Then slowly, Yu She continued to say, “That day, Mother also told me to attend . So that I could extend greetings to Duchess Wenguo . Actually…”
Realization struck Zhong Wan . “It was actually so that you could meet that girl in advance . You two were unable to meet in private without chaperone, and could only use the excuse of paying respects to the elders to share a look from afar . ”
Yu She nodded .
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Blinking, Zhong Wan asked, “How does she look like? Is she pretty?”
“Very pretty . ” Yu She muttered to himself, “But I don’t want to marry her . ”
Following a period of thought, Zhong Wan guessed that Duke Wenguo’s granddaughter must be beautiful . If not, she wouldn’t have entered Princess Anguo’s eyes . However, Yu She might not have liked her moral character . He was a gentleman . Gentleman did not speak poorly of others behind their backs .
Once again, Yu She set the brush down . “In fact… Judging by Duchess Wenguo’s appearance, she did not seem quite willing . ”
“Hah! She agreed to her granddaughter marrying you, but still wasn’t willing? When it comes down to it, they’re marrying up by tying their household with yours in marriage . How could they not be willing?”
Yu She shook his head . “I don’t know . But I noticed that Duchess Wenguo was speaking evasively . As she looked at me… her gaze seemed strange . As if she were terrified of me . And as if she were worried about something . ”
Zhong Wan could not figure it out . “What’s she worried about? Princess Anguo only has you as her legitimate son . In the future, you would take over the position of Prince of the First rank without a problem . Let’s not talk about this… The emperor is so biased toward you . What’s to worry about in the future?”
Yu She also couldn’t wrap his head around it .
“I’m worried that this was all Mother’s idea, and Duke Wenguo’s estate dared not decline . ” Voice near whisper, Yu She said, “I didn’t want to marry at the start . To be forced to marry someone… has no meaning . ”
Those words were the truth . Princess Royal Anguo was trying to find a daughter-in-law for herself . Whoever caught her eye could only yield and thank her for the grace . Who would dare to disagree?
“Then let’s go talk to the princess,” said Zhong Wan . “Tell her you don’t like this marriage . ”
Yu She furrowed his brows . “Command of parents—”
“This is something that will last your whole life!” Laughing in spite of himself, Zhong Wan simply said, “How about you…take me outside once . I promise I’ll get Duke Wenguo’s estate to have the full courage to refuse the marriage head on . ”
Hesitating, Yu She asked, “How do you plan to do this?”
“Don’t ask for now . It definitely won’t lose face for you . ” Ready to risk it all, Zhong Wan massaged his shoulders and neck . “By now… I’m an expert in causing trouble . ”
Actually, Yu She already had a plan . He had prepared to pay a visit to the Princess Royale’s estate tomorrow, and tell her exactly how he felt . But as he took in Zhong Wan’s current gleaming gaze, he unconsciously said, “Okay . ”