Chapter 7 Moments of Infatuation "Can you bear to let him ruin his reputation by following you..."

"What, are you planning to take me back to jail or just kill me?" Pei Yue sat down on the ground, grabbed a chicken leg from the table, and took a vicious bite.

Even in death, I'd rather die a full-bodied ghost.

The fruit platter was overturned, and round grapes rolled all over the floor. Tinglan frowned and looked around the little prince's room. Many of the furnishings here were arranged by his people, and with Pei Yue's presence, it was quite an eyesore.

"If I hadn't come, were you planning to stay?" Tinglan looked coldly at Pei Yue, who had completely given up resisting. This man still had some brains; he knew that if things got out of hand, Pei Jiqing would be dragged into it.

Pei Yue was taken aback, and said indistinctly, "What's it to you?"

The fox, unable to get a word in edgewise, watched the two men at each other's throats and felt a little panicked.

Did he cause trouble?

But that person is his nominal older brother... Shouldn't we care...?

The fox lowered his head, nervously fidgeting with his fingers. Humans were so strange, so complicated. He had tried so hard to understand, but he still couldn't. He couldn't pretend to be different either; people could tell at a glance that he was different.

Tinglan ignored Pei Yue's clenched teeth. He turned around, slowly tucked the stray hairs from Ji Qing's forehead behind his ear, and asked, "Does anyone else know he's here with you?"

"Qiu Yuan knows too, he even held a knife to her throat yesterday." The fox tugged at Ting Lan's hand as if complaining, then turned to Pei Yue and muttered, "Remember to apologize to Qiu Yuan, you even drank the porridge she made."

"Good brother, it was all my fault yesterday." Pei Yue sat slumped on the ground, squeezed out a few tears, and looked pitifully at Ji Qing.

Pei Yue figured it out. Although he didn't know why, this damned eunuch cared a lot about Pei Jiqing and even showed some damned tenderness in front of him.

Recalling Tinglan's earlier self-proclaimed status as a servant, Pei Yue felt a chill run down his spine. He estimated that no one in the entire palace had ever seen the Ninth Prince in such a state, and he himself had certainly had his eyes opened.

The fox tugged at Tinglan's sleeve, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Did he do something really wrong?"

Tinglan lowered her eyes and did not answer.

If it's a huge mistake... well, it's not that serious; it's just blood for blood.

But it's still an eyesore.

"Stop acting." Tinglan kicked Pei Yue to the ground, stood up and looked down at him, her tone nonchalant, "Whom did you come to the palace to kill?"

"What do you think? I can't kill the emperor, so who else has harmed me like this?" Pei Yue dropped his nonchalant demeanor and stared at him with sharp eyes.

Tinglan said calmly, "You can't kill him now, and you can't keep him here, but you don't have to go back to the Imperial Prison."

If this guy were allowed to stay, he would definitely gossip to the young prince, and Tinglan would never do something so self-destructive.

"No...really?" Pei Yue got up from the ground and asked incredulously, "How are you going to explain this to the imperial prison?"

"I have my own way."

Pei Yue was dumbfounded... This eunuch was actually quite nice?

Hearing this, the fox finally breathed a sigh of relief, tilted its head and smiled at the two of them, secretly reaching behind them to grab Tinglan's little finger.

I'm sorry, I think I've caused you trouble...

His sleeves covered his face, so outsiders couldn't see clearly, but his intimate gestures were quite obvious.

Pei Yue, standing before him, was immediately startled and quickly looked away.

He gradually understood everything.

no!

wrong!

That's my brother!

Good boy, good brother, why are you so close to that eunuch!

I've been scammed! I've definitely been scammed!

Who is Tinglan? How old is Pei Jiqing? He just entered the palace. Let alone playing tricks, this child hasn't developed a single cunning mind. What good can he possibly gain from falling into Tinglan's hands?

Pei Yue opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but said nothing. After all, he was now in Ting Lan's hands and could hardly protect himself.

Tinglan temporarily left Pei Yue at his residence. The fox, being quite unambitious, still longed to have a meal with Tinglan, so he went along too.

The two were drinking tea when the fox, with its little bottom sticking out, wandered around in the yard picking chestnuts. After it finished picking them, it tilted its head back and stood on tiptoe to watch the birds. Its sleeves were bulging with chestnuts, and it was holding another piece in its hand, insisting on feeding it to the canary in the cage.

Looking at his silly, clueless younger brother from afar, Pei Yue couldn't help but ask, "Does Your Highness really have to take a liking to him?"

"Oh, what do you mean by that, Your Highness?" Tinglan smiled and put down his teacup.

"Don't call me that. You know exactly what I mean. I'm grateful that you didn't arrest me and take me back, but could you..." He took a deep breath, "could you let Ji Qing go?"

“He is still young. He has just entered the palace and knows nothing. Even if the entire palace owes you, the Emperor, he does not owe you anything.”

"Owe?" Tinglan chuckled softly, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in his eyes.

Pei Yue continued, “How old are you? How old is Pei Jiqing? Look at him, as easily as looking at a caged bird. The Ninth Prince has seen too much wealth and power, while Jiqing is happy even if he picks up a chestnut... Such a good boy, you insist on ruining his reputation with you, can you bear it?”

Tinglan didn't react to these words. He just tilted his head and looked out the window. The little prince was running around in the courtyard, his fair face flushed. When the wind blew and the sun shone on him, his hair was fluffy, like some kind of small animal.

Noticing his gaze, the fox looked over with sparkling eyes, then skipped over with a silly grin, perched on the windowsill, squinted its eyes, waved, and said happily, "Tinglan, can you come here for a second?"

"Alright." Tinglan ignored Pei Yue and walked straight over, bowing slightly at the window. "What is it, Your Highness?"

"Til your head."

Tinglan squatted down and obediently tilted her head, her earlobes, hidden in her black hair, turning faintly red.

The fox reached out and carefully tucked a light purple hairpin flower into his dark temple.

After arranging the flowers, the fox tiptoed, turned his face to the side, and leaned in to show off his hair, speaking softly as if he were telling a secret, "Look, I have one too."

Tinglan's face flushed red instantly. The Ninth Prince, who was used to wealth and honor, raised his hand and carefully touched the small flower at his temple.

As for the previous thoughts of testing and scheming... they were all drowned out by the long-silent heartbeat at this moment.

He was just an ordinary person, a desperate ordinary person, who couldn't think of so many things. He only knew that if he let go, he would definitely regret it.

Pei Yue, who was behind him, witnessed everything, silently closed his eyes, and buried his head in his arms.

No, little brother, what's going on with you?

My brother is getting old and doesn't understand. Could you tell me why you seem more proactive than that eunuch Tinglan these days...?

Are you really interested in that eunuch? That can't be, can it?

He's almost ten years older than you! He's not a man!

Why did you fall for him? There are so many men in the palace, why did you choose anyone else?

Pei Yue looked up and saw his best little cabbage climb in through the window. The dead eunuch even reached out to help her up. The two walked over as if they were inseparable, chatting and laughing.

I am heartbroken! My heart is breaking!

Pei Yue covered his head with his hand and looked up at the sky.

Instead of seeing the sky, they saw a curious face. "Seventh Brother, is your head bothering you?"

He is his upright, kind-hearted, and beautiful younger brother, but he is not very bright.

"No." Pei Yue gritted his teeth, sat up straight instantly, and forced a stiff smile.

"That's good."

The fox plopped down in front of Pei Yue and pulled up his arm.

You look unhappy, so I'll treat you to some chestnuts.

Pei Yue was puzzled and his hand was loosely clenched when Ji Qing pried his hand open and placed a handful of warm chestnuts that had been sun-dried on his hand.

"Here you go, I've picked them out, they're all big ones," the fox said proudly, its eyes gleaming.

These are Fox's carefully selected chestnuts, guaranteed to be sweet.

Very well, now even our Seventh Prince, who has seen the world, finds these worthless chestnuts extremely precious...

Even in his daze, he gradually came to understand Tinglan: such a good Pei Jiqing is not good enough for anyone else; it would be better to benefit himself than to let someone else benefit.

Realizing what he was thinking, Pei Yue suddenly pinched his thigh hard without warning. What on earth was he thinking...?

The fox circled around and found a comfortable spot to sit down. He then began to dig out chestnuts, otherwise his sleeves would be bulging and heavy, making it difficult to lift his hands.

Tinglan sat to the side, laughing as she looked at the mountain of chestnuts. "I had them roasted with sugar and sent back to Your Highness."

The fox nodded repeatedly, "My good friend, you understand me best."

Tinglan got up and poured a cup of tea for the young prince before getting down to business, "Have you heard that the emperor has summoned a group of Taoist priests to the capital?"

"I'm locked up in the Zhaoyu prison, how would I know?" Pei Yue took a sip of water speechlessly. He felt uncomfortable and heartbroken whenever he saw Tinglan and Pei Jiqing sitting together.

"Now you know."

"...What are you planning to do?" Pei Yue frowned slightly. He knew this guy had no good intentions, and sure enough, he was waiting for him here.

“One of the Taoist priests who entered the palace was an old friend of yours.”

"Your Excellency seems to know better than I do what you need me to do?"

"Don't worry, it's not dangerous. I just need him to add one more common medicinal herb to the emperor's elixir."

The fox sat there blankly, fiddling with the hem of his clothes. He only heard Tinglan say that the old emperor had summoned a group of Taoist priests, and he couldn't hear the rest.

He didn't care to listen; he only had one thought in his mind.

It's over...it's all over!

One Taoist priest would be fine, but why did a whole group of them come?

The Taoist priests outside weren't like the easy-going guys next door, who spent their days laughing and playing with cats and dogs.

What if someone with high spiritual power recognizes him, or someone who likes to catch monsters... will he never see his sister again?

But I haven't done anything wrong; I came here because I wanted to help.

If Tinglan knew I was a vixen, she probably wouldn't talk to me anymore. Ji Qing lowered her head helplessly, took out the money pouch her sister had given her from her sleeve, and held it tightly in her hand.

A note from the author:

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Here's a little fox to squeeze; it'll squeal when you do! [cat emoji]