Zhu Yu turned to the manager and instructed, "Take my brother and the others to the private room on the first floor. The second floor is closed to the public today."
Lu Yucheng was baffled: "Sister..."
Zhu Dan then said, "There are several leaks in the examination hall during this spring examination. I would like to trouble Prince Lu to take a look."
Zuo Xiu, who rushed over, touched his head. Where was the examination hall leaking? Didn't they check it just a couple of days ago when it rained and there was no problem?
What could Lu Yucheng say? At least his sister let him have a meal, but the Fifth Prince's intention to send him away was too obvious; he didn't even give him a meal.
He bowed and accepted the order: "Yes."
Zhu Dan: "Zuo Xiu, quickly send someone to inform Zhang Fengrui to take Prince Lu to thoroughly inspect the examination hall."
Zhang Fengrui was the old man in charge of cleaning the examination hall.
Zuo Xiu understood everything. He said "yes" and immediately ordered his men to make a few holes in the roof before the young master Lu arrived at the examination hall.
Lu Yucheng left with Luo Wang, leaving Qi Yu, who was unaware of the situation, behind.
Qi Yu glanced at the three masters in front of her, and they were also looking at her.
She said, "Miss, I'll go to East Street to buy you peach shortbread."
Zhu Yu nodded, then winked at Qi Yu, and silently uttered two words.
Qi Yu suddenly understood.
It would take at least half an hour to travel from here to the East Street, and if she dawdles any longer, it will definitely take an hour.
As she went downstairs, she also casually relayed a false order from Prince An, instructing Jiang Chuan to travel alone back to Prince An's residence.
Jiang Chuan had no idea about the intricacies of the situation. Upon hearing that it was a command from His Highness Prince An, he didn't hesitate and immediately set off in his carriage.
When only the three of them remained in the room, Zhu Yu sat down next to Lu Xiaoyun.
He placed a piece of Dongpo pork into her bowl: "Ayun, this is your favorite food, have a taste."
Lu Xiaoyun: "..."
A-Yun? When did he start calling her that? He always calls her by her full name, "Lu Xiaoyun."
Zhu Dan stopped him, saying, "Fourth Brother, Yun'er doesn't like greasy food; she's afraid of gaining weight."
Zhu Yu raised his eyebrows: "That's my body, A-Yun, you don't need to worry about it, eat whatever you want."
Zhu Dan: "..."
Lu Xiaoyun imagined herself as the fat Prince An and was terrified.
Zhu Yu then placed another piece of Five-Flavor Almond Milk Goose into Lu Xiaoyun's bowl.
So Zhu Dan picked up a piece of venison with his chopsticks and put it into Lu Xiaoyun's bowl.
Zhu Yu used his chopsticks to pick up the sliced venison from Lu Xiaoyun's bowl: "This venison isn't fresh anymore. No matter how good things were in the past, there's no need to buy them now."
Zhu Dan: "..."
Lu Xiaoyun silently lowered her head and ate her rice.
Zhu Yu, in a good mood, also picked up his bowl and started eating: "Fifth brother, eat up, don't be shy, this Lianfulou is mine."
Zhu Dan put down his chopsticks. Could he still eat?
Lu Xiaoyun almost ate herself to death after that meal.
Zhu Yu served her food and soup throughout the meal, and occasionally took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of her mouth, saying affectionately, "Look at you, you're such a grown-up, and you still spill food while eating. I bet you won't be able to eat properly without me by your side from now on."
Zhu Dan watched, his anger reaching its peak.
After Lu Xiaoyun finished eating and put down her chopsticks, Zhu Yu looked at Zhu Dan.
Zhu Dan's lips twitched: "Is there anything else, Fourth Brother?"
Zhu Yu gestured with his chin toward the table full of leftovers: "You've finished eating, shouldn't you pay the bill?"
Zhu Dan's forehead veins bulged: "Fourth Brother, this is your restaurant."
"Yes, so what? My restaurant, does that mean Fifth Brother doesn't have to pay when he treats me and A-Yun to a meal? Why say you're paying?"
Zhu Dan tolerated it, but he didn't say he would invite his fourth brother to dinner.
He suppressed his rising anger: "Waiter, the bill!"
The sound, coming from the second floor, almost startled the diners in the lobby on the first floor, who thought it was thunder.
The shopkeeper came in with a smile, bowed to Zhu Dan and said, "Your Highness, please accept this: one hundred taels in total."
Zhu Dan pulled out a silver note from his sleeve, about to point out a hundred-tael note, when he heard Zhu Yu say, "The Fifth Prince is rich, there's no need to give him a discount, just go with the original price, one thousand taels."
One thousand taels!
Zhu Dan gritted her teeth: "Miss Lu, why don't you just rob me!"
"That makes sense." So, he reached out and snatched the stack of silver notes from Zhu Dan's hand.
The innkeeper silently left the private room. "When gods fight, don't let this little brat get caught up in it."
Zhu Yu counted the money in front of Lu Xiaoyun and Zhu Dan; it totaled five thousand taels.
Then he tucked it into his robes, took out his silver notes from the other sleeve, counted out five thousand taels, and stuffed them into Lu Xiaoyun's hand: "Ayun, this is for you."
Zhu Dan: "..."
He was furious.
"Fourth Brother, you're bullying me too much!"
Zhu Yu chuckled: "Really? I didn't think so. A-Yun, did you think so?"
Lu Xiaoyun lowered her head and drank her tea, implying that she shouldn't be dragged into the battle between the two of them.
The three of them went downstairs and walked to the door, where only the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was there.
Lu Xiaoyun blinked and silently asked Zhu Yu, "Where is her carriage?"
Zhu Yu silently gave Qi Yu a thumbs up in his heart, and decided to increase the girl's monthly allowance when he got back.
Zhu Dan looked at Zhu Yu: "Miss Lu, where is the carriage from the Prince An's residence?"
Zhu Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness, Fifth Prince, you jest. How would I know about the carriage from the Prince of An's residence? I've been upstairs having dinner with the two princes the whole time."
Zhu Dan laughed, "I don't believe you for a second!"
Zhu Yu pulled Lu Xiaoyun into the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Zhu Dan also wanted to get on, but Zhu Yu braced his hands on the carriage door and gave Zhu Dan a bright smile.
"Your Highness, my carriage is too small and there's not enough room for everyone. I'll have to trouble you to walk back to your residence yourself."
Zhu Dan's lips twitched.
Then he saw his fourth brother, with Yun'er's face on his head, waving goodbye to him.
Inside the carriage, Zhu Yu and Lu Xiaoyun sat facing each other; the space was extremely spacious.
Lu Xiaoyun looked at Zhu Yu: "Is it fun?"
Zhu Yu thought about it seriously for a moment and nodded: "Not bad."
Zhu Yu instructed the coachman, "Go to the Prince An's residence."
After that, Zhu Dan always had the feeling that someone was watching his Fifth Prince's residence.
Zuo Xiu and his men searched the place thoroughly several times, but they couldn't find out anything.
But he knew that this was most likely because his good fourth brother had his eye on him.
Otherwise, how come the mansion opposite the Fifth Prince's residence, which has been vacant for five or six years, was suddenly bought in the last few days?
With the imperial examinations fast approaching, he simply didn't have any extra time to think about anything else.
So he told Zuo Xiu not to investigate any further.
During this period, many unfamiliar faces came to Shengjing City and stayed in various inns.
Many people don't notice anything amiss upon close inspection, but upon closer examination, some clues become apparent. They are large and burly, with thick eyebrows and a thick nose. Although they are dressed as scholars, they just don't seem like the real deal.
These people were quickly reported to Lu Xiaoyun and Zhu Dan.
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