Chapter 31 Following Jinjiang's First Publication
Zhou Xiaoyan turned his head and looked at Fu Mingzi with a frank expression: "It's just a struggle to survive."
Fu Mingzi smiled: "Your Highness is too modest. If it were merely a matter of survival, there would be no need for such elaborate planning."
Zhou Xiaoyan stared intently at Fu Mingzi, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "In that case, does Fu Qing think what I did was right or wrong?"
Fu Mingzi stepped forward and said in a low voice, "If Your Highness has great ambitions, Mingzi will naturally follow you."
These words were simple and plain, without any fancy embellishment, yet they sounded incredibly sincere. Zhou Xiaoyan clenched his teeth, momentarily at a loss for words.
“You…” Zhou Xiaoyan looked at Fu Mingzi with a complicated expression.
"You protected me in the last life, and I will never let you suffer any more grievances in this life," Zhou Xiaoyan thought to himself, but couldn't bring himself to say it.
"I will protect you." After a long while, he finally managed to say these words dryly.
Fu Mingzi was amused by his words: "Then thank you very much, Your Highness." He said his thanks casually, because in his opinion, Zhou Xiaoyan was already doing a good job of protecting him at the moment.
Zhou Xiaoyan naturally understood his thoughts, but he didn't explain further. He just gave him a deep look and then said in a low voice, "Let's go back."
Fu Mingzi nodded, feeling very happy. In his opinion, he and Zhou Xiaoyan had finally cleared up some things today, which would be very helpful for how they would get along in the future.
**
Zhou Xiaoyan returned to the West Third Palace, and before he could even sit down and have a cup of tea, the emperor's reward arrived.
All the belongings were carried into his courtyard, and everyone serving Zhou Xiaoyan was beaming with joy.
However, Zhou Xiaoyan, the person in question, showed no sign of happiness whatsoever.
He saw off the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree with a grateful smile, then his face turned cold.
"What does Your Majesty mean by this?" Fu Mingzi's smile held a chill: "Are you using His Highness as a target?"
Zhou Xiaoyan didn't respond to that question, but instead looked at Wei Baocheng: "Do the other princes have them too?"
Wei Baocheng said somewhat nervously, "Yes, there are, but none of them are as substantial as yours."
Zhou Xiaoyan scoffed coldly upon hearing this.
Fu Mingzi's smile had vanished, and her face, which had previously appeared somewhat frivolous, now held a sharp edge.
"Your Majesty has truly gone to great lengths." This "go to great lengths" was definitely not a compliment.
Zhou Xiaoyan, however, seemed to have expected this, and coldly said, "He just likes to do these underhanded tricks."
These words were incredibly disrespectful, and Wei Baocheng broke out in a cold sweat, wishing he were deaf.
But Fu Mingzi laughed. She had previously found Zhou Xiaoyan amusing, but now she found him incredibly amusing.
“Your Highness’s words are not entirely wrong, but Your Highness previously taught me to be careful with my words and actions. Has Your Highness forgotten this?” Fu Mingzi teased.
Zhou Xiaoyan gave Fu Mingzi a deep look, then turned his head away and said in a calm tone, "I have nothing to hold back in front of you."
These words stirred the hearts of both of them.
Wei Baocheng could barely maintain his composure. He suddenly looked up at Zhou Xiaoyan, his astonishment undisguised.
Fu Mingzi was also stunned. He didn't expect Zhou Xiaoyan to say such things so casually.
"Your Highness..." Fu Mingzi murmured, feeling a little moved. He had always thought of Zhou Xiaoyan as a man of few words and introverted personality. For Zhou Xiaoyan to say such things in front of outsiders was probably quite rare.
"Alright." Zhou Xiaoyan waved his hand slightly, as if he hadn't seen their expressions. "I actually expected what happened today, but there's no need to worry too much. If you want to get ahead, you have to go through this kind of thing. If you can't even handle this kind of pressure, you might as well be a foolish prince for the rest of your life."
Fu Mingzi knew that Zhou Xiaoyan was right. If you wanted to stand out, you had to pay a price. It was one thing for others, but it was Zhou Xiaoyan who was treated this way by the emperor. Fu Mingzi felt a pang of heartache. After all, he was her son. She had ignored him in the past, but now that she remembered him, she used him as a weapon. People say that the imperial family is heartless, and now it seems that this is indeed true.
"Your Highness is right." Fu Mingzi sighed and said no more.
Wei Baocheng was trembling with fear, feeling that today had been incredibly exciting.
Zhou Xiaoyan glanced at Wei Baocheng. Having experienced his past life, he knew that this person was trustworthy, so he didn't want to hide some things from him: "Go and prepare some things, and send them to the Crown Prince in a while."
Wei Baocheng was taken aback. The emperor had bestowed many gifts today, and the crown prince had also sent some things. However, they were not so obvious under the emperor's generous gifts. If Zhou Xiaoyan hadn't mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten about it.
"Yes." Wei Baocheng hurriedly bowed and accepted the order.
Watching Wei Baocheng leave, Zhou Xiaoyan finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Fu Mingzi: "After today, I'm afraid my days won't be so easy. My second brother will never let me go, and my fourth brother will probably be very unhappy that I sided with the Crown Prince. My future will not be a lifeline, but it will be fraught with danger. Fu Qing, you are from a noble family, and even without me, you have a bright future ahead of you. Even so, are you still willing to follow me?"
Although Zhou Xiaoyan knew Fu Mingzi's attitude towards him because of what happened in his previous life, now that the time had come, he still wanted to ask him if he was really willing to follow him into this quagmire.
Fu Mingzi laughed when she heard this.
“Your Highness, don’t you know? From the moment I came to your side, we have been bound together.” Fu Mingzi walked up to Zhou Xiaoyan and bowed deeply, “I am willing to serve Your Highness!” His tone was firm and sincere.
Fu Mingzi knew very well that he was indeed attracted to Zhou Xiaoyan at first sight, but after spending so much time with him, he had also gained a deeper understanding of the man.
He appears aloof, yet is actually gentle; he seems shrewd and calculating, yet behind this facade lies a hint of sorrow, making one wonder why he is like this and why his schemes are so ingenious.
He always attracted Fu Mingzi's attention and stirred his emotions. Over time, the so-called lustful thoughts he had before had gradually faded, and instead, he wanted to understand this person more deeply.
Fu Mingzi has always been a willful and reckless person. If he wants to do something, he will definitely do it. Moreover, the merit of following the emperor is something he yearns for. Therefore, when Fu Mingzi heard Zhou Xiaoyan's words, he was not worried at all, but rather excited.
What's the point of living a mundane life? A true man should be full of vigor and ambition, forging ahead without hesitation. What future is there in living off the achievements of our ancestors?
Zhou Xiaoyan sighed. He should have known that Fu Mingzi was the kind of person who would never back down because of difficulties and dangers. His words only fueled his ambition.
“Alright.” Zhou Xiaoyan grasped Fu Mingzi’s hand firmly: “From this day forward, I will stand with you through thick and thin!”
Fu Mingzi raised her head, looked intently at Zhou Xiaoyan, and smiled.
**
Zhou Xiaoyan invited Fu Mingzi to stay for dinner. After they finished eating, it was getting late, so Fu Mingzi hurriedly left, afraid of missing the time when the palace gates would be locked.
However, he was lucky enough to make it in time. When he came out, the Fu family's grooms were all waiting anxiously. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him come out.
"Fifth Master, you really scared me to death," the coachman said with a bitter face.
Fu Mingzi was also shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. He had just stepped out of the palace gates when the gates were locked.
However, he still put on an air of complete control, smiling and saying, "I've already made my plans, so don't worry unnecessarily."
The coachman remained noncommittal, his face still contorted with a pained expression: "Then next time you should come out earlier, so you don't scare the little one again."
Fu Mingzi laughed and cursed, then got into the carriage.
Because the curfew was approaching, the coachman drove very fast, and Fu Mingzi was shaken quite a bit while sitting in the carriage.
When they arrived home, Fu Mingzi almost couldn't get out of the car; the coachman had to help him down.
"Fifth Master, I'm sorry to have troubled you." The coachman looked guilty.
Fu Mingzi waved his hand dismissively: "It's not your fault, it's me who wasted time."
The coachman thought he was going to be scolded, but to his surprise, the gentleman was lenient today, and he couldn't help but smile gratefully: "Fifth Master is kind."
Fu Mingzi smiled. He was genuinely happy today, and nothing could affect his mood.
However, when he was helped into the mansion by the coachman with his gait swaying, he saw that the head steward was waiting at the door. Upon seeing him come in, the steward rushed over anxiously: "Oh, Fifth Master, what happened to you? Why are you only coming back now?"
Fu Mingzi still had a sense of shame, and waved her hand somewhat embarrassedly: "I'm fine. The palace offered me a meal today, so I came back a little later."
"You're back far too late. Master and the eldest master have been waiting for you for a long time," the butler grumbled.
Fu Mingzi asked in surprise, "Did something happen at home?"
The head steward shook his head: "This servant doesn't know either. You should go and see, the master is waiting for you in the study."
When Fu Mingzi heard that the Duke of Jingguo was waiting for him, he was also a little surprised. So he ignored his sore back and buttocks and hurriedly ran to the study.
When they arrived, they found the study door tightly closed, with a servant guarding the door.
"Is the master in?" Fu Mingzi asked.
When the servant saw Fu Mingzi arrive, he hurriedly stepped aside: "Fifth Master, the Master wants you to come in directly."
Fu Mingzi raised an eyebrow and ordered someone to guard the door, indicating that something big was going on today.
Fu Mingzi pushed open the door and went in, only to find that the old man was sitting at his desk writing.
“Father!” Fu Mingzi said blankly.
"Sit down." The old man didn't even look up. "Wait a moment, your eldest and second brothers will be here shortly."
"Second Brother is back?" Fu Mingzi was somewhat surprised. Since Fu Mingbai was promoted last time, he had returned to the Yuntai Camp. It had only been a little over half a month, and he was back again.
“Your second brother has less to do these days, so he only gets a break every two weeks,” the old man replied, his mind still on the pen in his hand.
Fu Mingzi didn't ask any more questions and found a seat that wasn't too far away.
After a short while, Fu Mingsong and Fu Mingbo arrived. They seemed to have come together, as they were talking as they came in.
Upon seeing Fu Mingzi, Fu Mingsong asked, "Why are you so late today?"
Fu Mingzi smiled and said, "It's because the Fifth Prince invited me to stay for dinner that I'm late."
Fu Mingsong shook his head without saying anything, but Fu Mingbai frowned and glanced at Fu Mingzi.
Before Fu Mingzi could ask him what he meant, the old man spoke first: "Alright, now that you're all here, let's get down to business."
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