Zhuang Li leaned on the car window and looked out.
The coachman ran to the door of the manor and knocked a few times. When the doorman poked his head out of the small corner door with an impatient look on his face, he took out a token from his pocket and showed it to the doorman.
The doorman suddenly opened his eyes wide, as if frightened. He bowed several times before turning around and running to the backyard, his back looking very panicked.
Not long after, two servants hurriedly opened the red-painted main door, hung two huge lanterns on both sides of the doorposts, knelt down several feet away, and kowtowed several times.
Looking inside through the open door, servants were busy coming and going, some were sweeping, some were hanging small lanterns on the eaves, and others were wiping the stone slabs in front of the door with a rag.
The sound of roosters crowing, occasionally mixed with the barking of dogs, completely broke the silence of the night.
It was already midnight, and the master and servants of the Zhuang Mansion were almost all asleep, but they were all awakened by the arrival of a person and began the grand welcoming ceremony.
Zhuang Li pointed to the brightly lit Zhuang Mansion, then to the Panlong jade pendant tied around the man's waist, and said with a feigned sudden realization, "Are you Feng Yi's uncle?"
Feng Yi is the fat young man. He is the prince of Prince Ping's mansion, and Prince Ping is the cousin of the current emperor.
The man and Feng Yi are uncle and nephew, which means that he is either a prince or the ruler of this dynasty.
But the princes of this dynasty had long been deprived of all power by the current emperor. They were just a group of idle people kept in captivity. Their arrival would not cause the dignified Minister of Revenue to make such a big fuss.
Zhuang Li then pointed to the sky, further hinting at the man's identity. He now knew that his lover's name in this life was Feng Ming.
Feng Yi covered his forehead and groaned inaudibly. "My cousin, if you've already guessed it, why are you still asking? Why don't you just hide in the corner and act like a quail? How can you be so tactless?"
Zhuang Xiaohui's fingertips twitched slightly, not because of fear, but because of the irresistible urge to beat her brother up.
How did the current emperor obtain the throne? Everyone in the Great Yan Kingdom knows this. How could my brother not be afraid of such a man who doesn't recognize his relatives?
"You guessed right." The man's deep voice made the night even darker.
He stared at the young man intently, waiting for his next reaction. Would he kneel down and kowtow in fear or cover his mouth and remain silent?
However, he didn't like either of these reactions.
The man's brows were furrowed and his face was stern, making him look even more terrifying.
The cold sweat on Feng Yi's forehead had gathered into bean-sized drops of water that fell down, but he didn't even dare to wipe them off.
Zhuang Xiaohui lowered her head and grabbed the hem of her skirt tightly.
Zhuang Li stared blankly for a few seconds, then rolled up his sleeves, revealing his thin arms, and asked incoherently, "Do you think I'm skinny?"
The man stared at the dazzlingly white arm and hummed softly.
Zhuang Li patted his thin chest again and continued, "How many beatings can my small body withstand?"
The man's stern expression froze slightly. He had never expected him to ask such a strange question.
Feng Yi and Zhuang Xiaohui, one holding their forehead and the other covering their face, their already unstable emotions on the verge of collapse. "Knowing he's the emperor, couldn't you have said a few less words? And you're still resisting a beating? Two more blows and you're dead!"
The two had originally thought that the Emperor would be annoyed by Zhuang Li's barrage of strange questions, but something even stranger happened. The Emperor actually looked him over seriously, shook his head, and said, "Don't worry, I won't let you get beaten."
Huh? What does this mean? What's going on? Feng Yi and Zhuang Xiaohui were completely bewildered.
Zhuang Li heaved a sigh of relief, then smiled broadly. He poked the hibiscus flower in the man's palm with his fingertips and said lightly, "I knew you were a good person."
The man's dark eyes seemed to flicker with a smile, but it quickly vanished. He had long forgotten what joy felt like.
As soon as the two finished their conversation, Zhuang Ai hurried out with his wife and two children.
"Go down." The man ordered in a deep voice.
Zhuang Xiaohui and Feng Yi had no choice but to resign themselves to their fate and climb down from the carriage, standing timidly aside.
Zhuang Li tried to climb down, but the man's strong arms held him tight around his waist. Finally, he was carried down. The man gently placed him on the ground, as if protecting a fragile object.
This is the tenderness that men never show to others.
Zhuang Ai led the entire family to kneel down and pay their respects. After being allowed to stand up, they cautiously raised their eyes and looked at the emperor, then showed a look of surprise.
"Why are you here?" He pointed at Zhuang Li and Zhuang Xiaohui, then looked at his wife, as if he understood something.
Mrs. Zhuang, Mrs. Hu, looked a little flustered.
So Zhuang Ai immediately withdrew his gaze, unable to bear revealing his doubts about his wife in front of others.
He had just ordered his wife to call Zhuang Li and Zhuang Xiaohui out to greet the emperor, but she said they were fast asleep and couldn't be woken. He had lost his temper and threatened to give them a good beating after the emperor left. It turned out it wasn't that they couldn't be woken, but that his wife hadn't bothered to call them, otherwise she wouldn't have known there was no one in their room.
The wife didn't want these two siblings to show up in front of the Emperor, right? As a mother, she inevitably gave more consideration to her own children. Without those two siblings to disrupt the situation, Yuqing and Yunzhu might be able to win the Emperor's favor.
Zhuang Ai understood his wife's thoughts, but he didn't feel angry. Compared to Zhuang Li and Zhuang Xiaohui, a pair of useless people, his heart naturally leaned towards his eldest son and youngest daughter.
He bowed and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, how could my two children be with you? I had no idea they ran away in the middle of the night."
Although he didn't know what happened, he had already cleared himself of any responsibility. This was definitely not the behavior of a father who loved his children.
Feng Ming raised his chin and said in a cold tone, "Let's go in and talk."
"It is my negligence. Please come in, Your Majesty." Zhuang Ai immediately bent down and invited the person in.
Zhuang Li followed Feng Ming closely, enjoying Zhuang Ai's attentive care. Someone would open the curtains when he passed through a door, hold a lantern when he turned, and extend an arm as he ascended the stairs, respectfully shouting, "Please watch your step."
This feeling is not too noble.
He also put his hands behind his back and secretly hooked his index finger at Feng Yi and Zhuang Xiaohui, signaling them to follow closely.
Feng Yi and Zhuang Xiaohui had no choice but to follow, their faces turning pale and red, and they felt uncomfortable with the sharp gazes of Zhuang Ai and Hu.
On weekdays, they often heard people talk about how shameless and unruly Zhuang Li was, but they didn't feel much. They would even argue with these people in a frenzy, saying that Zhuang Li was not as bad as they described him to be.
Today, however, they discovered that those outsiders hadn't wrongly accused Zhuang Li. When it comes to courage and shamelessness, he's undoubtedly the most outrageous person in this imperial city! Even the future Crown Prince Feng Yu couldn't be as calm in front of the Emperor.
The two walked cautiously, but Zhuang Li suddenly stumbled.
Feng Ming immediately reached out to hug him, and said in a low voice: "Watch the road carefully."
"I can't see at night." Zhuang Li hugged his arm tightly, with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
The lights in the brothel were ablaze, and with Zhuang Xiaohui pulling him along, he hadn't noticed this body was suffering from night blindness. This was a condition caused by severe malnutrition. It seemed the original owner's condition was worse than he had expected.
Feng Ming also knew very well what this disease was.
He held the boy's slender hand, his tone much softer than before: "Then I'll hold your hand."
He obviously slowed down his pace, and whenever he came across a corner, steps, or threshold, he would always give a reminder in advance. Although there was no expression on his face, his attitude was extremely gentle and patient.
The servant holding the lantern for them also felt that the candlelight was too dim and wanted to change it for a brighter one, but the emperor waved his hand and refused.
Zhuang Ai, who was standing by, didn't show it on his face, but his heart was filled with shock and suspicion. He had been in the court for many years and had a good understanding of the emperor's temperament. The emperor was far more cold-blooded and ruthless than the outside world rumored. The care and patience he showed to Zhuang Li was absolutely unprecedented.
But why? What was it about Zhuang Li that made the emperor so appreciative?
Zhuang Ai racked his brains but couldn't figure this out.
At the same time, Feng Ming turned around while walking and looked at Zhuang Yuqing and Zhuang Yunzhu who were walking in the darkness without any hindrance, and a cold look flashed in his eyes.
He knew better than anyone how such a family would treat four children differently, as he had gone through the same thing in his early years.
The group marched into the main courtyard and into the inner hall. Fruits, snacks, and tea were already laid out in all their glory on the table.
Zhuang Li breathed a sigh of relief when he could finally see his surroundings clearly. It was really uncomfortable to be blind every night.
Feng Ming let go of his hand, but couldn't help but twist his fingertips. The delicate and soft touch was something he had never experienced before.
Zhuang Ai presented a cup of hot tea.
Feng Ming didn't answer it, and said in a very cold tone: "Leave it there."
A drop of sweat slowly dripped down Zhuang Ai's forehead as he pondered what he had done wrong to cause the Emperor's displeasure. Even though he held the highest rank, he still trembled with fear and tread cautiously in the Emperor's presence.
Zhuang Li lay on the table and muttered, "I'm thirsty."
His cheeks were flushed, his eyes were wet, and his body was soft as if he had no bones. He looked completely drunk.
Zhuang Ai turned his back to the emperor and glared at him fiercely, then waved his hand and said, "Pour the Second Young Master a cup of hot tea."
Without his orders, the servants in the room didn't even think of Zhuang Li as a master who needed to be served.
Feng Ming's eyes were so dark that not a single ray of light could be seen. Through these small details, it was not difficult for him to guess what kind of life the young man led in the banker's family.
A maid picked up the teapot and poured water.
Feng Ming waved his hand to send the other person away, then picked up the hot tea that Zhuang Ai had prepared for him, took a sip to test the temperature, and when it felt a little hot, he blew on it gently, then fed it to Zhuang Li's lips.
"It's a little hot, drink slowly." He whispered.
Zhuang Li took a few sips slowly, then lay back down.
"If you don't know how to drink, then don't drink." Feng Ming scolded in a slightly harsh tone.
Zhuang Li was originally lying on the table with his head half tilted, but now he covered his entire face with his arms, as if he was impatient to listen to these nagging.
Seeing his wanton behavior, Feng Yi and Zhuang Xiaohui's moods gradually turned from fear to numbness, while the others were horrified.
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