Chapter 83
Once Yu She had reached the door to his estate after rushing there, he finally realized what happened . Before he disembarked from the carriage, Yu She grasped Zhong Wan’s wrist and said in a low voice, “What are you playing at? Are you pretending to be pitiful for Xuan Jing’s sake?”
Figured out by Yu She, Zhong Wan did not try to hide it . Laughed . “Are you angry?”
Yu She did not comment .
Zhong Wan honestly said, “It’s true that I pretended to be pitiful for his sake . It’s also true that he’s too stupid . ”
A smile spread across Yu She’s mouth . He threw his own cloak to Zhong Wan . “Wrap it around you before you hop down . ”
The evening meal had yet to be fully prepared . Yu She first ordered people to summon the imperial physician . He wanted him to examine Zhong Wan’s chest and see if it was truly scalded .
Zhong Wan complained with no end, saying, “I merely fell asleep by accident and forgot about this, so burned this red mark . It’s really not a big deal . Don’t make people call me delicate again! I didn’t go outside for these past two months, and didn’t know there are all types of rumors about me . My reputation has been completely destroyed . ”
Innocently, Yu She said, “Nonsense . When have I ever tarnished your reputation?”
Zhong Wan dared to be angry but not show it . Many years ago, he had caused a lot of rumors to spread about Yu She, and now this was karma . It was his turn now . Actually, he didn’t have a position to question Yu She . Today, when he had left the estate, he heard from the old eunuch of Xuan Jing’s palace many rumors about himself . They startled Zhong Wan . If he had not known that those rumors were about him, he would have also believed them .
Zhong Wan truly did not want any other strange rumor to spread about him . In a miserable manner, he said, “If you can’t be at ease, then look at it yourself . ”
Yu She frowned . “I don’t have any medical experience . ”
Although he had said this, Yu She took a look outside . It seemed the imperial physician would not arrive so soon . He rose to his feet . Let down the curtains to the inner chamber . Then he made his way in front of Zhong Wan . After a moment of slight hesitation, he unbuttoned the button to Zhong Wan’s collar .
Zhong Wan slightly raised his head to make it convenient for Yu She’s actions .
Yu She undid his clothes and once again took a look . He felt like the red mark on Zhong Wan’s chest grew an even deeper red . “Did you get this from a burn?”
Zhong Wan raised his head to look at Yu She, Adam’s apple bobbing a hint . “There’s only this spot? What about below?”
Just now, Yu She had not checked lower . After hearing his words, he frowned . ”Your belly got scalded too?”
Yu She undid Zhong Wan’s clothes a bit more, examining his flat belly . “…There’s nothing red below . Where does it still hurt?”
Pursing his lips, Zhong Wan whispered, “Go lower… Help me take a look . ”
Yu She’s fingers paused . Then he realized something .
Yu She stared into Zhong Wan’s eyes . Calmly, he asked, “Guiyuan, so you actually heated up the jujube cake just now by sandwiching it between your legs? How could you be this frivolous?”
Zhong Wan failed at flirting with Yu She . Embarrassed, he coughed . “Of course not . ”
But Yu She was ruthless . “If not, then why does it hurt so much down there?!”
The imperial physician carried the medicine case as he approached the room . Yu She let go of Zhong Wan, lifted open the curtains, and ordered the imperial physician to examine Zhong Wan’s wound .
Yu She would hardly hide things out of embarrassment . In fact, he cooperated with the imperial physician to a great degree, carefully explaining this matter to him . The red mark on Zhong Wan’s chest was left by a burn from the jujube cake . And Zhong Wan had carried this pastry to Yu She for Yu She to eat .
The imperial physician criticized in his heart, it doesn’t matter who this jujube cake is for . If it causes an injury, then it causes an injury .
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Te Vtf cbvvfv jcv lcragemafv atf lwqfglji qtsrlmljc ab ifjnf yftlcv atf wfvlmlcf .
As they ate their dinner, Zhong Wan said, “If Imperial Consort Yu’s plan fails this time, would she come find trouble with you again?”
Yu She helped pick up food for Zhong Wan, placing it in the latter’s bowl . “Probably . However, she just comes up with these small plans again and again . At most, they just disgust me . These tricks can’t do much . ”
Zhong Wan muttered to himself, “She has no true power in her hands, and also has Tang Qin watching her every move . She’s unable to make any large waves . Right now, we’re afraid of Prince Yu’s side . Prince Yu… What did he do these past few days? Do you know?”
“He’s bearing patiently and doing nothing unusual,” said Yu She . “After falling into a trap due to the two of us, he suffered the crimes of someone else twice . So he won’t be so easily fooled by us anymore . At present, the emperor does not allow anyone to see Xuang Qiong . Now Prince Yu is out of plans . In these two days… if I guessed correctly, he’s quietly hiding all the human testimonies and material evidence . He wants to reverse the verdict given to your estate . ”
Zhong Wan was shocked . “Our estate? Are you talking about the Zhong state or Prince Ning’s estate?”
“Prince Ning’s,” said Yu She . “Since he has the intention to turn Xuan Rui into a puppet emperor, then he would need to reverse the verdict given to Prince Ning’s case . To make the imperial clan members and high-ranking court officials believe that back then, the previous emperor truly wanted to confer Prince Ning the position of crown prince .
“There are many people with the surname of Xuan in this generation . This is the simplest and most reasonable way of proving Xuan Rui is the destined one . ” Yu She laughed at himself . “However, there’s nothing wrong with this . Back then, if it weren’t for these people stealing the throne, Prince Ning would have smoothly ascended the throne . And the person who should be the emperor now would be Xuan Rui . ”
Yu She looked at Zhong Wan . “Guiyuan, what are you trying to fight for in Xuan Rui’s sake? I’m not talking about currently . I’m talking about the past . You were friends with him back then, right?”
Zhong Wan swallowed the food in his mouth . Laughed in a relaxed manner . “I wasn’t trying to fight for anything .
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“From the start, Xuan Rui had the chance to ascend the throne . However, that’s not because he’s more skilled than others,” said Zhong Wan dully . “It’s because Prince Ning was very intelligent, which made the previous emperor favor him immensely .
“He merely received benefits from his affiliation with Prince Ning . ”
Zhong Wan sighed . “Even Prince Ning did not become the emperor . So how could Xuan Rui have this fortune? Moreover, I just hoped they would survive, and did not think of something like this .
“No,” said Zhong Wan after thinking a bit and furrowing his brows . “At present, Xuan Rui is considered in your hands . Why would Prince Yu change his plans so quickly? Xuan Qiong still has the chance to become the emperor . Why did he spend this much time and energy on Xuan Rui?”
Yu She took a sip of soup . A good while later he said, “Who knows? Maybe… he felt that as long as Xuan Rui lives, he can become a puppet . It’s merely spending a bit of time to transport him back to Prince Yu’s estate . He’s certain that I won’t kill Xuan Rui at least . As such, he’s able to be this at ease . ”
After thinking about it, Zhong Wan also found it reasonable .
Other people misunderstood Yu She . However, Prince Yu should be very clear that no matter how ruthless Yu She showed himself, he wasn’t actually a cruel person who killed whenever he pleased .
Yu She said softly, “Let him torment himself . Isn’t this great?”
Zhong Wan laughed in spite of himself . “You’re borrowing Prince Yu’s hand to help our family reverse the verdict, right?”
Yu She smiled carelessly .
Again, Zhong Wan thought for a moment . Then he felt assured . “Then in the future, your days would be a lot more pleasant . ”
Yu She raised his brows . “What do you mean?”
“If Prince Yu has this intention, then he certainly would draw in his claws and act in the shadows,” said Zhong Wan . “He’ll pretend to be content with his lot, and naturally would not oppose you tit for tat . Nevertheless, he would act like he lost . ”
Zhong Wan had guessed correctly . The following half a month, Prince Yu drew in his claws on the surface . After Emperor Chongan had openly and covetly scolded Prince Yu, he took it wellbehavedly . He did not try to explain for himself . Whether it was Xuan Qiong’s matter or other trivial things, as long as Prince Yu was held accountable, he would admit to it . And he even admitted to it very sincerely . One after the other, the booklets that spoke of his humble apology were sent to the emperor, lowering his position more and more . As if he truly accepted his wrongs and tolerated Emperor Chongan recognizing Yu She as his son, no longer daring to complain even a little .
Meanwhile, Prince Yu acted in secret . What had happened in that year had originally been the combined efforts of him and Emperor Chongan . On that day, he hid something . Other than the servants who had waited on Little Imperial Consort Zhong, there were many more human testimonies and material evidence like them . It was more convenient for Prince Yu to do something like this than other people .
Whether Emperor Chongan was enchanted was anyone’s guess . Yu She and Zhong Wan definitely would not trust Prince Yu . Zhong Wan was up to mischief, and told Yu She to ask the Cabinet for help . To make a lot of trouble for Prince Yu .
Since he wanted to pretend like he was obedient, if they didn’t bully him now, then when could they bully him?
Yu She was certain about this .
Ever since that day, apart from earnestly making trouble for Prince Yu, Zhong Wan had one other task: picking up Yu She and escorting him back to his estate every day .
No matter if it was raining or snowing, he always enjoyed doing it .
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Yu She said to him a few times that he didn’t need to work so hard . But Zhong Wan did not listen .
Once, when they talked about the time they had gone to school with each other, Yu She inadvertently mentioned that he hated how lucky Xuan Rui was . Since he had been inseparable from Zhong Wan every day .
Zhong Wan understood that Yu She wasn’t jealous of Xuan Rui; he was merely unresigned .
Unresigned to the fact that he didn’t become close with Zhong Wan earlier in his youth, and didn’t get to grow up as childhood sweethearts .
Zhong Wan was also very unresigned about this . If in his teens, they were together, and passed love letters to each out in secret with Imperial Preceptor Shi around, and be intimate in a place with no around, that would be very exciting .
The past had already passed . Now, Zhong Wan tried his best to make up for each other .
That day, he went to pick up Yu She as usual . The moment the carriage stopped moving, a little eunuch rushed toward it .
This was the eunuch who followed Yu She into the palace every day . Noticing that Zhong Wan had arrived, he rushed to pay respects to him . “Young Master, Heir said that the Cabinet is busy today, and perhaps they would be busy until evening . He says for your honored self to return first . ”
The documents passed on to the Cabinet each day must be worked through before the members could leave . When there were a lot of documents, Yu She indeed could not leave . Zhong Wan nodded . “Alright, you can go . ”
The little eunuch left after relaying Yu She’s message . But Zhong Wan did not leave .
There was nothing to do at home anyway, so he’d just wait by the door .
The days were getting warmer and warmer . It wasn’t cold even during twilight . Zhong Wan disembarked from the carriage . Leaned against it as he closed his eyes . A short while later, an old eunuch who had escorted people out of the palace approached him to pay respects .
Zhong Wan smiled . “I don’t dare accept your salute . Gonggong, why are you doing this?”
“This old slave was doing my duty and by happy coincidence saw Young Master Zhong . ” After he had asked what Zhong Wan was doing here and received an answer, the old eunuch said with a smile, “Young Master Zhong isn’t like other people . Your honored self can wait inside the Cabinet chamber . It just so happens that this old slave is delivering the refreshments His Majesty bestowed on Young Prince Yu . Does Young Master Zhong want to come along?”
Zhong Wan hesitated . The old eunuch wholeheartedly wanted to curry favor with Yu She, and said softly, “Young Master just needs to say that you are sending something from the estate to Young Prince Yu . ”
Indeed Zhong Wanted to see Yu She’s everyday appearance while handling official business . He smiled . “Thank you, Gongong . ”
The old eunuch politely led the way .
It wasn’t easy to enter the Cabinet’s restricted area . Once the old eunuch had led him there, he said deferentially, “The sirs inside are probably having their evening meal . Young Master should wait here for a moment . This old slave will inform Young Prince Yu of your arrival . ”
Zhong Wan nodded, wellbehavedly standing in the entrance hall .
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He looked up at his surroundings, shallowly smiling .
When he was very young, Emperor Chongan had asked him if he wanted to be the secretary of the emperor . And Zhong Wan had arrogantly told him to wait until he passed the Imperial Exam .
In the end, it was an empty dream .
Because Zhong Wan could not become a cabinet member, he was very curious how it was inside .
Standing at the entrance hall, Zhong Wan was able to hear clearly what was happening within .
The clink of cups, and the rustle of little eunuchs arranging the booklets .
Zhong Wan didn’t know when Yu She would come out, so he held his breath…
Inside the room, everyone rushed to eat their meal so that they could finish quicker and leave earlier .
The old Cabinet members didn’t have as big of an appetite as that of a young man . They would quickly and carelessly eat a few mouthfuls and left it as that . As they waited for the others, they watched as the dishes continued to come and chatted .
A cabinet member sighed . “These past two years, my chest always felt uncomfortable . An imperial physician told me to eat less meat . My indoors-one controlled my meals very strictly and won’t let me touch meat . I can only look at these dishes, but not eat them . ”
Another cabinet member empathized with the first one . “Yes, these past two years an imperial physician told me to quit drinking alcohol . At first, I was unable to quit . But my wife controlled me . ”
Cabinet Minister Sun laughed . “Recently, I don’t know who my indoors-one heard this from, but she did not allow ginger to be put in our dishes, saying that my old body couldn’t bear it . And after that, I never had ginger again . ”
Yu She, who was sitting quietly at the side as he ate, looked up . Glanced at two ministers chatting . And he felt a bit jealous .
However, he was in good health and there wasn’t anything he should avoid eating . Zhong Wan also had never controlled what he ate . Therefore, Yu She did not join in their conversation out of embarrassment .
However, he really wanted to talk a bit about his “indoors-one . ”
A cabinet minister said, “My indoors-one won’t let me eat chicken breast . She said it will harm my liver and spleen . ”
Another cabinet minister thought of something, and added, “She doesn’t let me eat pickled dishes . She said it will harm my kidneys . ”
Yu She wanted to say something, but hesitated . He wanted to butt in a few times, but was unsuccessful .
After everyone had finished speaking, the room grew quiet . Yu She set down his chopsticks . Strove his hardest to lightly say the first sentence he would say today in the Cabinet . “My indoors-one said I should eat less cold-food powder . He said I would die . ”
Such words rendered the cabinet members and the Zhong Wan who was waiting outside speechless .
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