Chapter 38 The cabbage raised with dissatisfaction was...

Wang Xiang seems to be a gentle and kind person at first glance, but at second glance he is extremely cunning and a real old fox.

At that time, Zhang Jin had not yet cultivated into a human spirit, so he was a little hesitant when facing a cunning person like Wang Xiang. When he heard Wang Xiang's invitation, his heart tightened, but he kept a calm smile on his face.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiang noticed the fleeting nervousness. The eunuch sighed softly and pointed to the nearby tavern: "Sir, please leave!"

Zhang Jin naturally couldn't refuse, so he asked Mu Xue to take the princess back and settle down first. He went alone and didn't want the Jinyiwei to follow him. He followed Wang Xiang into the tavern.

This tavern has a strong northwestern style, with a bold interior and dishes mostly consisting of steamed buns with braised pork. Wang Xiang took Zhang Jinwei to ask for a private room and ordered two large bowls of turbid wine and a plate of fried soybeans.

"Is this all Eunuch Wang wants to eat?" Zhang Jinwei raised his eyebrows when he saw the empty table, and turned around to call the waiter.

Wang Xiang said calmly, "Your Excellency, please forgive me. The beef and mutton in this restaurant are not cheap. If you treat us to meat later, it will empty your pockets. The princess will probably be angry when we settle the bill."

He spoke in an intimate manner, as if he was talking about his own daughter or sister, and his words showed that he disliked Zhang Jin as a son-in-law.

Zhang Jinwei smiled and said, "Don't worry, Eunuch. Xianxian is my wife. I'm the one who comforts him when he's unhappy. I see that Eunuch Wang is so busy with all sorts of things. Why does he like to meddle in other people's family affairs?"

Wang Xiang took a sip of wine upon hearing this, then leisurely picked up a soybean, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly. Zhang Jinwei was also in no hurry, sitting leisurely without moving his chopsticks.

"How dare we interfere in the princess's family affairs?" Wang Xiang slowly finished eating a soybean and looked at Zhang Jinwei with a complicated expression. "It's not our family who should interfere, it's His Majesty who should interfere. Now that the Prince Consort also knows the princess's true identity, can't he understand His Majesty's intentions?"

Zhang Jinwei said calmly: "Forgive my ignorance, please give me some advice, sir."

Wang Xiang smiled faintly, fine lines forming at the corners of his eyes. "I remember that the Prince Consort was a favorite student of Elder Mei. Now that Elder Mei has returned home, the Prince Consort of the Qingliu faction can have a say. The Emperor, mindful of your Qingliu aspirations, has specially entrusted the future Crown Prince to you for training... Alas, it seems something has gone wrong."

"You..." Zhang Jinwei almost stood up, his expression twisted for a moment, his hands resting on his knees trembling violently. It took him a long time to calm his turbulent emotions. He asked hoarsely, "Zhou Xian can't possibly agree... Does he know?"

Wang Xiang took another sip of his wine. "That boy is incredibly clever, so he might be able to guess something. Why, aren't you two always open to each other? Didn't he share his guess with you? Or perhaps even someone as quick-witted as the Prince Consort couldn't guess the emperor's intentions?"

The eunuch sounded gentle in his words, but he was actually very aggressive. Three consecutive questions made Zhang Jin break out in a cold sweat. Zhou Xian's pale face kept flashing before his eyes. He knew that he absolutely did not want to take that position.

Zhou Xian should have been free. The world is so big, and one day Zhang Jinwei would accompany him to travel all over the mountains and rivers. He has been bound for so many years, why should he be bound again?

Zhang Jinwei considered himself to be of a calm disposition, and his childhood neglect by his uncle and aunt, as well as his long years on the imperial examination path, had never wavered in his resolve. But now, facing Wang Xiang's malice, he was tempted to take Zhou Shan away, regardless of the consequences.

"The Prince Consort?" Wang Xiang knocked on the table, his expression extremely amused. "It's rare to see the Prince Consort like this. When Elder Mei contradicted His Majesty, the Prince Consort remained calm and didn't show any resentment at all—"

"Wang Xiang, do you know? Xianxian is very sad." Zhang Jinwei stared at the eunuch in front of him with a gloomy gaze. "He liked you very much and regarded you as a teacher, thinking you were his family... There are not many people he can trust, and yet you betrayed him."

Wang Xiang chuckled. "Betrayal? How can I talk about betrayal? My family is the emperor's loyal servant. As long as we don't betray the emperor, we will not hesitate to betray the whole world. Princess, you are still naive!"

As the saying goes, you can know a person’s face but not his heart.

Zhang Jinwei couldn't stand it any longer. He stood up suddenly and said coldly, "Eunuch Wang has been making such a fuss here that I won't accompany you any longer. Whatever the princess wants to do and where she wants to go is up to her. As for the emperor's throne, whoever wants to sit on it can sit on it. I will never let anyone force him to do anything he doesn't want to do, even if he dies."

"Good! A true man!" Wang Xiang laughed heartily, clapping his hands upon hearing this, almost crying. He also stood up, his figure like a ghost, suddenly floating in front of Zhang Jinwei. His dark eyes held no trace of a smile as he whispered in Zhang Jinwei's ear, "Zhang Jinwei, you are ambitious and talented, and His Majesty truly admires you. But I must warn you, it's easy to break when you're just young! You think you can protect Zhou Shan, you think you can defy his predetermined fate, you think you're a lovestruck person... No, in front of His Majesty, you, and Zhou Shan, are nothing."

After saying this, Wang Xiang floated back to his seat and drank leisurely.

Zhang Jin suppressed his turbulent emotions and kept a calm expression. As he was about to leave the room, the annoying Wang Xiang spoke again: "To be honest, I'm quite dissatisfied with you. I just feel that the cabbage I raised with so much effort..."

The door slammed shut with a clang, and Wang Xiang stopped talking mid-sentence. He didn't get angry, but happily finished two large bowls of wine, knocked on the table, and called his adopted son in.

He asked his adopted son, "Did you find the old doctor I asked you to look for in the capital?"

The adopted son said, "We found him. The old man was quite clever. He secretly dug a tunnel and hid for three days. The boys finally found him."

Wang Xiang said, "Bring him to Yan'an Prefecture and arrange for him to be a...miracle doctor. The child should also recognize his grandfather."

…

Zhou Xian returned to the courtyard where she was temporarily staying in Yan'an Prefecture. She could do nothing but lie down on the couch.

No one had lived in this room for more than a month, but it was kept clean and dust-free. Thick and soft bedding was already spread on the couch. Zhou Xian was helped onto the couch, took off her outer clothes and hair bun, and wrapped herself in the quilt.

Mu Xue said helplessly: "Princess, please cover yourself with the quilt. How can you not get sick if you sleep wrapped like this every day?" The girl was only sixteen or seventeen years old, but she looked old and spoke in the tone of an old nanny.

Zhou Xian lay down obediently. He had no energy to struggle anymore. His body seemed to be burning again, and he felt a dull pain all over.

The maids and eunuchs outside came and went, fetching hot water, wringing handkerchiefs, boiling medicine... but Zhang Jinwei didn't come back.

During the trip, Yuxi came once. She was ill and was afraid of infecting others, so she covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and quietly went into the inner room. Unexpectedly, Zhou Xian was awake. Seeing her, she smiled and said, "Aunt, you are not feeling well. Why did you come out? You should lie down for a few days."

"Look at you! You still have the nerve to criticize me..." Yu Xi couldn't help crying when she saw his expression. "I'm in good health. I took a few doses of medicine and I'm almost recovered today. What about you? You've been sick for half a month, making everyone uneasy!"

Zhou Xian smiled softly, "Okay, I know I was wrong."

Yu Xi sat on the edge of the couch, took an ice towel and placed it on Zhou Xian's forehead. She sighed, "You just left without telling me. I was so scared! Will you leave again?"

Zhou Xian lowered his eyes: "For now... I won't leave."

"That means we will have to go again in the future!" Yu Xi wiped his face with a hot towel again.

Zhou Xian smiled: "Next time we go, I'll take my aunt with me openly. We can travel and enjoy the scenery, and go wherever we want!" He paused for a moment, lowered his voice and said: "But we may have to wait..."

How long to wait?

Three years?

ten years?

Anyway, we have to wait until that old guy dies.

The sooner the better.

Yu Xi was so happy with his coaxing that she said she would ask the kitchen to make him some almond milk to cleanse his mouth after taking the medicine. They talked about many things they had seen and heard on the road. When Zhou Xian mentioned the greedy monk, Yu Xi couldn't help but sigh, "Oh my god!" She was amazed that there were still such stingy people in the world.

When it was getting dark, Zhang Jinwei came back.

Zhou Xian lay on the couch, reading a storybook, his cheeks flushed red, like a delicate, sick lotus. He had a headache, but couldn't sleep, so he took out the storybook and tried to read until he fell asleep.

Outside the house, there was the sound of Zhang Jinwei talking to Mu Xue. After a while, the door curtain was picked up by Mu Xue. A tired-looking man walked into the inner room and smiled faintly at Zhou Shan who was lying on the couch.

Zhou Xian put down the storybook and asked, "Why did you come back so late?"

"Something delayed me." Zhang Jinwei sat next to him, leaned over and wanted to kiss him.

Zhou Xian was being naughty. She blocked Zhang Jinwei's mouth with the script and said angrily, "I have a headache!"

Zhang Jinwei just stopped where he was, his dark eyes looking deeply at Zhou Shan. The candlelight flickered inside, and there was a small Zhou Shan.

"Stand back a little!" Zhou Xian poked his face.

So Zhang Jinwei stepped back a little.

"Too far!" Zhou Xian said again, and beckoned to Zhang Jinwei, "Come closer."

Zhang Jinwei sighed helplessly, stepped forward and hugged Zhou Shan into his arms.

Zhou Xian snorted, "I'm trying to make you laugh, why do you look so unhappy?"

Zhang Jinwei kissed Zhou Xian on the cheek: "Someone said something unpleasant."

Zhou Xian: "So you're unhappy? No, you have to be happy for me... You said you like me, so you have to listen to me and smile!"

Zhang Jinwei kissed Zhou Shan on the corner of her mouth this time: "Okay." After saying that, he smiled seriously at Zhou Shan.

Zhou Shan stretched out her hands and put them around the man's neck. His palms were burning hot, and the breath he exhaled from his mouth and nose was also burning hot. The fragrance on his body was especially noticeable because of the heat, and the warm and subtle fragrance lingered at the tip of Zhang Jinwei's nose.

Such a frail body, a waist so thin it could be held in one hand, a small, soft chest… yet within it lay an untamed heart, precious and warm, something no one, not even Zhang Jinwei, could take away. He simply wished Zhou Shan were a bird in his palm. If she wanted to fly away, he would follow, keeping her within sight, yet he also didn't want her to remain trapped in his grasp.

"Eh, eh."

Zhou Xian tilted his head: "Hmm?"

Zhang Jinwei hugged him and whispered, "Do you want to be the emperor?"