Chapter 37 Hiding a fox is very simple! "Are you...?"

What does "accomplice" mean? The fox wasn't quite sure, so he tugged at Tinglan's sleeve, hoping he would explain it more clearly.

But Pei Yue, who was standing to the side, seemed to be furious. He jumped up from his chair and said in a low voice, "Tinglan, what are you doing! Why did you have to drag Xiao Jiqing into this!"

As she spoke, she pulled the fox over, placed her hands on his shoulders, and said solemnly, "Good boy, just pretend you didn't hear anything. This is a matter of life and death, you must not tell anyone. Go play, this is not something you can get involved in."

The fox looked up at Tinglan, unsure of whose advice to take.

He obediently sat down next to his best friend, then took an orange out of his sleeve and handed it to Pei Yue, saying, "Don't be angry anymore."

Pei Yue's anger vanished after the fox's antics, leaving him speechless and only able to sit there silently.

He then glared at Tinglan with a reproachful look, saying, "Look at such a good child, how could you bear to do this to him?"

He sighed, took the small orange, quickly peeled it open, and stuffed it into his mouth with great frustration.

"So what were you talking about just now?" the fox asked curiously.

"Didn't you hear everything?" Pei Yue leaned closer, increasingly suspicious.

The fox lowered its head somewhat embarrassed. It had heard what was being said, but whether it understood it was another matter entirely.

"Alright, stop asking." Tinglan patted the fox's hand.

He turned his head and said somewhat solemnly, "This servant has nothing that Your Highness needs to do, but Your Highness must keep today's matter a secret and not mention it to anyone."

Pei Yue felt a headache coming on whenever he heard Tinglan address Ji Qing as "servant." He looked down helplessly, rubbing his head, thinking, "Are you really getting into this act...?"

"So, you want that emperor dead?" After listening for a while, the fox finally realized what was going on.

"Did he do something bad?"

"a lot of."

"Okay," the fox replied softly, its expression unchanged, as if it had simply received a normal answer.

"You? Not surprised, not afraid, this is regicide..." Pei Yue's gaze towards his younger brother had changed.

The fox shook its head. "If he's done a lot of bad things, it doesn't matter if he dies."

He looked up and laughed, "And if he dies, I can go home."

Tinglan's expression remained unchanged after hearing the young prince's words.

On the contrary, Pei Yue's gaze towards Ji Qing was somewhat complicated, as if he were meeting his younger brother for the first time.

After a moment, he turned his head blankly and changed the subject, "He's probably taken on a new harem recently, hasn't he?"

"Yes, she was twelve years old. Her parents were unwilling to marry their youngest daughter into the palace, but if they didn't marry her, they would exile their whole family to Lingnan."

“She’s already entered the palace… I hope this girl doesn’t become the second my mother.” Pei Yue leaned his head back in the chair and sighed deeply.

Their words about killing the emperor hadn't shocked the fox, but the twelve-year-old new concubine had terrified him.

Twelve years old! He's still a cub, he should be in his nest eating roast chicken and drinking goat milk.

The fox felt a little down. He sat in the chair, kicking his legs, and clutching his little ball in his hand.

Tinglan's expression remained unchanged. He gently placed his hand on the little prince's wrist. Only after Pei Yue left did he suddenly turn around.

A barely perceptible glint flashed in her eyes, but her tone remained soft and gentle, her gender ambiguous.

"I think I misheard you. Did His Highness say he wanted to go home?"

The fox nodded blankly. "I miss my sister a little."

"Does Your Highness wish to return?" Tinglan's tone was inexplicably laced with resentment.

A red glow shone through the window, and the setting sun on the horizon was as red as a duck egg yolk, gurgling down the western mountains.

"But I can't bear to part with you." The fox obediently crossed its legs and looked at the tips of its shoes.

"If I leave, who will take care of you? You probably won't eat breakfast again."

The master over there suddenly fell silent, as if he had heard something unexpected.

Instead, the fox excitedly took his hand and said, "If you'd like, you can come home with me. I have a small yard where I grow apples and grapes. They bear fruit in the fall, and they're so sweet. I'll pick some for you to eat."

“In winter, it snows where we live, lots and lots of snow. If I can’t hunt, we eat our stored food. It’s so warm at home, and we can sit around the stove and eat roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chicken, and roasted duck eggs.”

The fox tilted its head and leaned close to its best friend's face. "So, how about it? But my house is a little far away."

Tinglan bit her lip and awkwardly tilted her head. "Okay."

The fox leaned on Tinglan's shoulder and let out a small cheer.

Yay, sister, I'm taking my best friend home!

*

With the New Year approaching, although the war in the south was not yet over and the Xiongnu were raiding in the north, none of this would stop the high-ranking officials and nobles from seeking pleasure.

But with disasters piling up and public opinion boiling, even if the emperor were to do nothing, he still had to make some show of it.

"Tinglan, what do you think about sending the Crown Prince to provide disaster relief?"

"Your Majesty is wise, but His Highness the Crown Prince still needs to review the Ministry of Revenue's funds and cut expenses. If we send His Highness to provide disaster relief at this time, I'm afraid he will be overwhelmed."

"What you say makes sense." The emperor pondered for a moment, then asked, "How busy have the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Eastern Depot been lately?"

"Just some daily chores."

"Then you can go. It's not a big deal anyway, and you should be back before the New Year." The emperor casually tossed the string of beads on the table and glanced at Tinglan as he spoke.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

A hint of drowsiness appeared on the emperor's face. He waved his hand and said, "I'm a little tired. You may leave."

Tinglan bowed and respectfully withdrew from the Imperial Study.

The news that the Director of Ceremonial Affairs was in charge of disaster relief caused an uproar throughout the court and the public.

"Your Highness has really struck it rich this time; that disaster relief fund is a considerable sum of money."

"It doesn't matter who earns this money, it's all the same. How come it fell into the hands of the eunuch faction? What bad luck..."

But Tinglan has not yet paid attention to these comments. He is still looking through the maps of the disaster-stricken counties, his fingers tracing over the small place names one after another.

This departure may be long, so I should go and say goodbye to the young prince.

His Highness should be asleep by now... so let's not disturb him.

Tinglan rubbed his temples, lifted the soft couch covering his knees, and carried the candles into the inner room.

The curtains on the couch were half-drawn, and a lamp was lit by the bedside.

Tinglan took off his outer robe, leaving only a thin inner garment, and walked to the bedside.

But there was a pair of shoes lying crookedly beside the bed.

A person was lying on the bed in a starfish position.

She lay sideways on the embroidered brocade quilt, her long hair loose, fast asleep, making soft, sweet noises.

"Your Highness?"

When the fox heard someone calling him, it lazily raised its eyelids and glanced at him, then closed its eyes again, grunted twice, and rolled to the side to make room for Tinglan.

He patted the side of the bed, yawning repeatedly, "You're finally back. I waited for you until I fell asleep."

"Why did Your Highness stay?"

"What's wrong? You're allowed to sleep in my bed, but I'm not allowed to sleep in yours?" The fox lazily rolled over again.

"This servant has something important to tell Your Highness."

The fox suddenly opened its eyes, got up mysteriously, and asked in a low voice, "Are we going to kill the emperor tonight? I'll go get the knife right now."

He killed the emperor, and then happily took his best friends home, sat by the stove, and ate roasted sweet potatoes. Ah!

Sister, I'm so close to a happy life!

Tinglan was somewhat amused and exasperated, and shook her head helplessly, "It's not about that. I'm going on a long trip and I'm afraid I won't be back for a long time."

If the fox had ears, they would be drooping now.

"Oh? Can't you take me with you? I won't cause you any trouble." The fox tugged at Tinglan's sleeve and began to whine.

"This place is plagued by bandits and is quite dangerous."

The fox jumped out of bed with a thud, hands on its hips with great pride, "Then I'm even more determined to go, I want to protect you!"

"No means no. Your Highness should go to sleep early. There is no room for discussion on this matter."

The fox sat back on the bed listlessly, hugged his knees, and began to sullenly.

"Don't you like me anymore?"

Are we still best friends?

The moment this label was put on him, the Ninth Prince was caught completely off guard.

His pale, thin lips opened and closed, but in the end he could only manage to utter one sentence: "This servant would never dare."

The fox turned its head to the side. "I don't believe it!"

"Then what does Your Highness want with me?"

"Take me with you."

"There is no room for discussion on this matter."

The fox flopped onto the bed with a thud, crossing her arms over her chest. "So you don't like me, you don't consider me a friend, I'm not talking to you anymore."

The fox was very determined. For example, tonight he didn't share a blanket with Tinglan. He wrapped himself up in the blanket like a silkworm cocoon and kept sticking his butt out at him.

Why use his buttocks? Because the fox wants to show his resolute attitude, and he can't face Tinglan directly.

"Your Highness."

The Ninth Prince was cornered on the bed by the young prince, looking quite pitiful.

The fox reluctantly glanced back at him, then rolled to the side to make room for him on the bed.

He snorted loudly through his nose, meaning this wasn't over yet, and he hadn't forgiven him.

Tinglan rubbed the bridge of her nose and tidied the little prince's disheveled hair. "Your Highness, go to sleep."

In the pitch-black night, the fox opened his shimmering eyes and said, "You say you won't take me, so I won't go?"

I'm a fox, so I can fit anywhere there's room for luggage.

We'll see what you do then, hehe.

A few days later, everything was ready and the caravan was about to depart. Tinglan wanted to find the young prince to say a proper goodbye.

He thought that as long as he promised to bring the young prince some special pastries, he should be able to win him back.

But Changqiu Palace was empty, and the young prince was nowhere to be seen in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Tinglan shook his cloak, his eyes filled with helplessness.

If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off admitting my mistake and apologizing to His Highness that day.

"Alright, let's go."

The rumbling wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs of the palace gate and then over the sandy road.

Finally, a pair of white fox ears emerged from between the boxes.

Alas, the plan worked.

My little fox is so clever.

I'll go find my good friend after I've gone a bit further away, otherwise he'll definitely send someone to take me back.

The fox, with his own little scheme in mind, comfortably lay back down between the boxes, and casually picked up a piece of dried meat and put it in his mouth to chew.

It's a bit hard, which is good for exercising your teeth.