Chapter 44
It wasn’t that Zhong Wan didn’t want to go see Yu She earlier . He had truly gotten caught up in some business .
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Xuan Jing had come knocking, ready to fight .
Yesterday, Lin Si had made a trip outside of the city for him . Lin Si was worried that Zhong Wan would feel anxious, so didn’t take a carriage . He personally rode a horse to make the trip . Though he was in great health, he still became fatigued . The next day, he woke up a bit later . He had just gotten out of bed, but outside, Xuan Jing had already entered the estate .
Lin Si slapped on some clothes and fled to Zhong Wan’s room .
“You…” Zhong Wan had a headache too . “Why are you hiding? Aren’t you going to go explain things to him?”
Lin Si’s eyes were red . He shook his head and signed, “His Highness might not be here to search for me . Even if he is, I’m too embarrassed to see him again . ”
“You took advantage of him . Of course you’d be embarrassed!” Though he said this, Zhong Wan had always been protective . He wouldn’t force Lin Si to do anything . He lowly ordered, “Go to Xuan Yu’s courtyard . ”
At most, Xuan Jing would only charge into Zhong Wan’s courtyard . He wouldn’t forcefully enter Xuan Yu’s, and especially Xuan Congxin’s, side of the estate .
Zhong Wan straightened his clothes and fixed his hair . Then, he walked out to greet Xuan Jing .
Zhong Wan thought about Lin Si’s situation a few times to himself, preparing to answer Xuan Jing’s questions . Unexpectedly, Xuan Jing opened his mouth and shouted furiously, “Are you the one who made up all those rumors about Yu She?!”
Zhong Wan was completely lost after hearing this question .
It had been many years since their last meeting . Zhong Wan could never have expected that his reunion with Xuan Jing would first entail a debate about this topic .
Zhong Wan made to bow to Xuan Jing as per protocol . Xuan Jing angrily said, “Don’t give me this act!”
Zhong Wan sighed . He didn’t want to bother bowing either . He waved a hand to signal the servants to bring Xuan Jing some tea, doing his best to be as modest as a subordinate . “I can’t fathom what Fourth Highness is talking about? These days, I’ve had my doors closed and haven’t left . I don’t actually know what’s going on outside…”
“Don’t try to fool me! Xuan Qiong has been blamed by others and can’t rid himself of suspicion . Now, he’s causing trouble for me . He reported me to Imperial Father, saying that I arranged for spies in his estate . He said that I’m watching the fire from the other side and that I caused him and Yu She to fight it out like a snipe and a clam . ” Xuan Jing was extremely angry . “I thought and thought about it and realized that there was a great possibility that you had done this!”
Zhong Wan: “…”
Zhong Wan really had done it, but he had only done a “fifteen . ” He honestly didn’t know who had done the initial “first . ”
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Zhong Wan sincerely stated, “I truly don’t know . ”
“You think I’ll believe that?” Xuan Jing felt that Zhong Wan’s nose wasn’t a nose and that his eyes weren’t eyes . “You’re the only one who would know what Yu She’s like in bed . If you weren’t the one who spilled the beans, who else could it have been?”
Zhong Wan was disturbed . So many years had already passed . How could Xuan Jing still be so stupid?
While thinking of a plan to shoo Xuan Jing away in the fastest, most polite manner, he respectfully said, “I wouldn’t know about Young Prince Yu’s intimate secrets . ”
Xuan Jing laughed coldly . “Back then, he bought you and stayed in the same place with you for half a year . The boundaries between you two were unclear . Who would believe you if you were to say now that you’re still innocent?” Xuan Jing glanced at Zhong Wan disdainfully . “Your situation is contagious, isn’t it? It’s whatever if only you have it, but it can also spread to others, making them… making them the same as you!”
Zhong Wan inhaled deeply . He looked outside… Xuan Jing hadn’t brought a lot of people with him . It wouldn’t be hard keeping him here and beating him, but it would be troublesome to take care of things afterwards .
Zhong Wan decided not to argue with someone missing a part of their brain . He smiled . “It might truly be contagious . So if Your Highness stays here with me, things might also end badly . ”
Xuan Jing looked at Zhong Wan, alert . He furrowed his brows . “Stop looking at me! I’m not like you guys! I don’t have that problem . ”
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Zhong Wan looked at Xuan Jing . He felt tired having to act in front of the other . Zhong Wan was still preoccupied with going to see Yu She . He could only see the other once every ten days, so couldn’t let his time get wasted like this . He sighed . “Your Highness… What have you actually travelled all the way here to say?”
Xuan Jing’s intentions were exposed by Zhong Wan . For a moment, he had nothing to say . He barely got a drink of tea in before furrowing his brows and saying, “Where’s Lin Si? Hurry and hand him over!”
Zhong Wan’s pupils shifted slightly . He said, “A few days ago, he truly did come . ”
Xuan Jing’s eyes lit up . Zhong Wan continued, “But he didn’t stay here . He told me that his inappropriate actions had insulted Your Highness and that he had gotten kicked out by Your Highness . Then, he left . ”
Xuan Jing froze . “To where?”
“I don’t know . ” Zhong Wan asked in response, “Didn’t Your Highness say that you never wanted to see him again?”
Xuan Jing had no response . He vaguely muttered, “He knows so many of my secrets . How could I let him run around freely?”
Zhong Wan nodded . “Then there’s nothing else to do . At the time, he was extremely down and distracted . His sentences weren’t even making sense . After telling me what had happened, he left . He didn’t tell me where he was going to go . ”
Xuan Jing observed Zhong Wan in suspicion . “Really?”
Zhong Wan openly said, “I won’t keep this from Highness – I’m searching for him too . If Your Highness happens to find him, please tell me . That way, I’ll be able to relax too . ”
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Xuan Jing was silent for a moment . He agitatedly said, “I’ll think about it if I can find him . ”
Zhong Wan stared at Xuan Jing for a moment . He said, “Your Highness, back in the day, you once wanted to buy me out of prison…”
“Don’t overthink things!” Xuan Jing hurriedly shouted . “I was young at the time! My brain had temporarily short circuited, which was why I had such a thought! I didn’t want to touch you at all! Even if I had purchased you, I probably would’ve only beaten you up, then arranged for a location for you to stay at . ”
Zhong Wan smiled . “I know . I still appreciate your good intentions the same . ”
Xuan Jing, embarrassed, said, “At the time, it really was only a moment of impulse . Before I had even prepared the money, I first got scolded by my Concubine Mother . That would’ve been fine, but I also got interrogated by Yu She . Who did I piss off…”
Zhong Wan abruptly looked at Xuan Jing . “Young Prince Yu interrogated Highness before?”
“Ah,” Xuan Jing said with disdain . “The lunatic has been a lunatic since young…”
Zhong Wan’s heart started beating faster . He said, “I’d like to ask Your Highness to go into detail . ”
Xuan Jing glanced at Zhong Wan, disgusted . “Why would I talk about him?”
Zhong Wan held his anger back . “If I receive news about Lin Si, I’ll immediately send someone to notify Your Highness . ”
Xuan Jing’s expression froze .
Xuan Jing pinched his nose and reminisced for a moment . He relayed everything to Zhong Wan, then added, “Tell me, hasn’t he been mentally ill since young? Are normal people capable of doing such things? I told my Concubine Mother a long time ago! He’s been weird since young! I also wanted to tell Imperial Father, but he was biased and refused to listen…”
Zhong Wan didn’t have the energy to deal with Xuan Jing . He stood up and spoke in a daze, “Rest assured, Your Highness . As soon as I have news regarding Lin Si, I’ll… I’ll immediately dispatch someone to inform you . ”
Xuan Jing was displeased with how suddenly Zhong Wan wanted to send him away . However, as soon as he thought of the fact that he still had official business to attend to, he didn’t bother hounding Zhong Wan again . With a disdainful hum, he left .
Zhong Wan looked around the courtyard twice, but couldn’t find Lin Si . He figured that Lin Si was in hiding, so didn’t bother searching further . He told the servants to give Xuan Congxin a heads up . Then, he left alone .
The side courtyard of Prince Yu’s estate . As soon as Zhong Wan got out of the horse carriage, someone walked out and greeted him . Then, they hurriedly herded him into the inner courtyard .
“Young Master Zhong, you’re finally here . ” Steward Feng was so panicked that his forehead was covered in sweat . He quietly said, “Heir started frequently asking for the time since this morning . For some reason, just now, after asking for the time again, he suddenly became outraged . His gaze didn’t even seem normal anymore . For an instant… Heir suddenly asked if there was still any cold food powder remaining . ”
Zhong Wan’s heart clenched . “You didn’t give any to him, right?”
“Of course not! We’ve long since gotten rid of that kind of medicine in this estate . Our Prince checked several times back in the day . There also haven’t been any vendors for it in the capital for a long time . However, quite a lot of doctors know how to prepare it . If Heir wanted it, he could definitely acquire it,” Steward Feng said bitterly . “Young Master Zhong, Heir hasn’t consumed that thing in two years . Please don’t mess with him anymore… We can’t have him being even crazier than before . ”
Zhong Wan furrowed his brows . “Someone suddenly arrived at the estate… I know now . ”
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Steward Feng left . Zhong Wan walked into the study by himself .
Yu She was reading .
Yu She held the book in his right hand . His left hand rested on the desk . His left index finger was rapidly tapping against the surface of the desk . He seemed to be anxious about something
Zhong Wan gently heaved a sigh . He said quietly, “Heir . ”
Yu She pressed his left palm flat against the desk and stopped moving .
Yu She didn’t look up . His expression was normal as he asked in a deep voice, “Here so early?”
The corners of Zhong Wan’s lips quirked up slightly, but his heart twinged with pain .
Zhong Wan thought about it . He said, “I originally wanted to come earlier, but Fourth Highness suddenly arrived at our estate . I had no other choice… so wasted some time . ”
Zhong Wan didn’t know if this was an illusion, but he felt that the furrow between Yu She’s eyebrows had slightly relaxed .
Yu She continued reading . He asked, “What did Xuan Jing want with you?”
Zhong Wan sat down by himself . He said, “Fourth Highness thought that I was the one who spread those rumors about Heir a few days ago . ”
Yu She calmly said, “It wasn’t you . ”
Zhong Wan was speechless . “Heir knows who did it?”
Yu She closed his book . “Does your hand hurt?”
There was still white cloth covering Zhong Wan’s right hand . Yu She furrowed his brows and pushed a little bottle on the table forward . “This medicine… is probably better than the one at your estate . ”
Next to the medicine was also a white cloth that had already been folded . Zhong Wan grabbed that too .
Zhong Wan sat down . He undid the cloth on his right hand and set it off to the side . Using only one hand, he unscrewed the lid of the bottle . His left hand wasn’t as agile as his right . Thus, quite a bit of powder spilled .
Yu She watched from afar .
Zhong Wan was largely unbothered . He sprinkled some medicine onto the palm of his right hand . Much of it landed on his clothes . The powder emanated a bitter scent . Zhong Wan sneezed a few times . Displeased, Yu She looked over .
Zhong Wan shook open the clean white cloth . Using his teeth to hold onto one side, he used his left hand to hold onto the other . Slowly, he circled the cloth around his right hand . In a moment of carelessness, he disturbed the wound on his right hand . Zhong Wan was in pain; he furrowed his brows and hissed . As if unable to bear it anymore, Yu She stood up and walked over .
Zhong Wan wanted to laugh, but didn’t dare to .
Yu She slapped Zhong Wan’s left hand away . He started bandaging the wound personally . Zhong Wan stared at Yu She and remembered what Xuan Jing had just said .
Seven years ago, when Zhong Wan had taken medicine to feign illness, he and Yu She had given each other the silent treatment for several days .
Those days, Yu She was in a bad mood too . Each day, a cold expression was painted on his face . When he encountered Xuan Jing in the palace, the insensitive idiot Xuan Jing purposefully scooted close to Yu She and asked, enigmatically, about how he and Zhong Wan were doing .
At first, Yu She disregarded him . But Xuan Jing was determined to be annoying . He told Yu She, “If you’ve become sick of him, give him to me . I’ll pay you half of what you paid for him . It’s no big deal . ”
Young Yu She’s expression suddenly changed .
It had been Xuan Jing’s first time seeing Yu She so angry . He was extremely surprised and thought that Yu She would start fighting with him . But Yu She didn’t .
That day, during Imperial Preceptor Shi’s lesson, when asked about his opinion regarding “depraved human relationships,” fifteen year old Yu Ziyou stood up and walked in front of Xuan Jing . As everyone watched, he furiously scolded Xuan Jing for being an immoral brother and friend .
Yu Ziyou was just and stern in his word usage, and also very loud . His scolding rendered Xuan Jing completely speechless . Even Old Imperial Preceptor Shi was so shocked that he forgot what his lesson for today was supposed to cover .
Zhong Wan looked up at Yu She . Little Ziyou, yet you still dared to say that on that day, you didn’t feel anything .
Yu She told Zhong Wan to place his wrist in Yu She’s palm . He lowered his head and helped Zhong Wan bandage it . His expression was displeased . “Done . ”
Zhong Wan gently moved the fingers of his right hand . Yu She hadn’t bandaged the wound too loosely or too tightly; it was just right .
Zhong Wan thought of that serious youth . His heart palpitated with pain .
“Heir…” Zhong Wan pressed his lips together briefly . He softly asked, “Today, are we not kissing?”
Yu She hadn’t expected for Zhong Wan to suddenly say this . He froze .
Zhong Wan cleared his throat, then looked down and fidgeted with the white cloth covering his right hand .
Zhong Wan’s head was lowered as he heard Yu She squeeze out each word individually through clenched teeth, tone disbelieving . “The . Sun . Is . Still . Out…”
Zhong Wan closed his eyes and squeezed his mouth shut . Oh no . He had said the wrong thing again .
Zhong Wan did his best to act natural . Without waiting for him to say anything, Yu She seemingly exasperatedly but also seemingly furiously said, “Zhong Wan… You can never get enough, huh?”
Zhong Wan couldn’t help himself . His ears instantly flushed red .