Chapter 32: The Confidence of Arrogance
"Hey, good morning, Qing." Qing Yi was not shy at all for coming out of someone else's room so early in the morning. He greeted Qingqing openly.
"...You should leave quickly, she will be back soon." Qingqing said impatiently. She had deliberately led Ruyi away.
Gently thinking back to Qingfeng's visit to him just now:
"Is there something wrong, Qingfeng?" At that time, it was just dawn and Qingfeng hurriedly came to knock on her door.
"Young Master Qingyi is in the master's room. It's daybreak now. You should lead Ruyi away to avoid a meeting." Although Qingfeng's voice was calm, what he said was full of gossip.
"Ah? Didn't the master arrange for him to sleep in the guest room last night?" Qingqing asked in surprise. However, she changed her mind and realized that Qingyi had never been a quiet person. He must have secretly run away to find the master in the middle of the night.
"That brat, what a fool! What's he running around for? His face is thicker than a city wall!" Qingqing couldn't help but curse, but her hands were busy. She quickly got herself ready and went to do what Qingfeng had asked. She and Qingfeng were the young prince's true confidants, while people like Lin Zongguan and Ruyi were, after all, the Northwest King's men.
Qing Yi was in a very good mood, his narrow eyes full of smiles. Qing Qing was such a good girl! "Thank you so much!" Qing Yi thanked her and then quickly left Ye Qingyu's bedroom using his Qing Gong skills. He didn't see any guards around Ye Qingyu's bedroom, so Qing Feng must have moved them away in advance. Qing Yi thought to himself that he had to let Xiao Ye reward these two people. They were so sensible!
After Qingyi left, Qingqing went into the bedroom and helped the young prince wash up. Not long after, Ruyi returned. Qingqing consciously stepped aside and handed the task of tying her master's hair to Ruyi.
"Master, I just went to see the fabrics sent from the palace. They are all high-quality brocade tribute. They are just right to make you a few long gowns for this season." Ruyi spoke to Ye Qingyu in a soft and gentle voice.
"Well, are they all still white?" Ye Qingyu asked, looking up.
"Yes, my master, haven't you always liked to wear white? I guess the people in the palace knew your preference and picked it out specially." Ruyi was puzzled as to why her master asked this question. Her master always loved plain clothes, and his daily clothes were mostly white. He only wore the royal costumes on some necessary occasions.
"Ask if there are any blue ones and make a few sets for Young Master Qingyi." Ye Qingyu ordered.
"Yes." Ruyi responded, but secretly murmured in her heart: Why does the master think of that lecher even when it comes to the clothes he wears? This is tribute cloth, and only the young prince has such treatment. How can other young masters of noble families get it easily?
"Qingqing, go and invite Young Master Qingyi to have breakfast with me." Ye Qingyu turned his head and said to Qingqing who was standing beside him.
Hearing this softly, he responded softly, secretly laughing in his heart: Master, you have also started to play the trick of repairing the plank road in the open while secretly attacking Chencang.
By the time Qing Yi arrived, a sumptuous breakfast was already served. Qing Yi, after a few pretentious polite remarks, sat down at the table below Ye Qing Yu, with Ru Yi waiting on him.
"That brat really has the confidence to be so arrogant. Look at the master, he actually lets Sister Ruyi stand and watch them eat..." He stood aside, thinking wildly in his mind.
"Xiao Ye, why is there no wine?" Qing Yi looked at the rather sumptuous breakfast on the table and sighed inwardly, they were indeed a wealthy family. Little did he know that Ye Qingyu had specially asked the kitchen to add some dishes. A few days ago in the Western Regions, he had witnessed Qing Yi's amazing appetite and was worried that he would not be full.
"Why are you drinking so early in the morning?" Ye Qingyu simply ignored Qing Yi's suggestion.
"No wine, no joy; no meat, no flavor. Feixia wine is really good. To my taste, it tastes better than Linglongzui from Jiangnan." Qingyi prefers strong liquor. Feixia is brewed by the King of the Northwest, with a mellow and spicy taste, while Linglongzui is a fine wine from Jiangnan, which is like the soft Wu dialect lingering on the tip of the tongue, soft and delicate.
"Although you are praising Feixia wine, I'm afraid my father won't be very happy to hear it." Ye Qingyu hinted that this kid must have Feixia wine with every meal now. It has become a must-have with rice.
"Ah? He is the prince of the Great Chu, but he can't even bear to give away a jar of wine? I don't think the King of the Northwest is a petty person." Qing Yi pretended to be confused.
"Eat well." Ye Qingyu didn't want Qing Yi to complain about his father in front of the servants, so he lowered his head and ate silently without saying anything else.
After they finished their breakfast and packed up, Ye Qingyu brought Qingyi and Qingfeng into the palace. One reason was that Emperor Chu wanted to meet Qingyi, the chivalrous young man who had saved Ye Qingyu's life, and the other was to investigate the case of the missing jade.
Inside the Palace
"Young Prince, the Emperor summons you." A young eunuch came to deliver the message. Ye Qingyu took Qingyi with him and asked Qingfeng to wait.
At the door of the Imperial Study, the one on duty today was Eunuch Chang, the man who had escorted the Seven Herbs to Prince Shi's residence under the Emperor's orders. He had met Qing Yi before and knew that Qing Yi had drunk the medicinal wine made from the Seven Herbs that the Emperor had painstakingly sought. However, Prince Shi and the Northwest Prince had both warned him not to report the matter to the Emperor, lest the Emperor be furious, implicating not only Qing Yi but also himself, the escort. Eunuch Chang knew that since the two princes were unwilling to speak out, why should he? Even if the Emperor learned of it later, Prince Shi and the Northwest Prince would have the responsibility.
"Long live the young prince." Eunuch Chang bowed quickly.
"Eunuch Chang, you don't have to be polite. Is the emperor in there?" Ye Qingyu asked softly.
"I'm here, I'm here! I haven't seen you for three years. Young Master Qingyi has become more handsome and elegant!" Eunuch Chang greeted Qingyi with a smile.
"Eunuch Chang, you still remember me!" Qing Yi raised the corners of his mouth and smiled.
The two entered the imperial study, and Ye Qingyu said respectfully: "Uncle Emperor, your nephew and Qingyi are here to pay their respects to you." After that, he knelt down first, and seeing this, Qingyi had no choice but to kneel down as well.
"Stand up!" Emperor Chu put down the chess piece in his hand and his eyes fell on the two people below.
"Are you Qing Yi?" The Emperor of Chu sized up the young man in the blue robe before him. He was tall and slender, slightly more built than Qing Yu, with a darker complexion but strikingly three-dimensional features. His narrow eyes seemed to hold a smile, and his lips were slightly thin. With the Emperor's discerning eye for character, he knew he must be extremely intelligent.
"It's me." Qing Yi secretly complained in his heart, isn't this asking a question you already know the answer to? Didn't you call me here?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
