Chapter 14 You're Not Allowed, You're Not Allowed to Risk Your Life
Knowing that the Yang family had entered the capital, Fu Mingzi felt an even greater sense of urgency. Could he really marry a daughter of the Yang family?
Fu Mingzi had never entertained this thought. He could never marry that Yang family girl he had never met, and he was even unwilling to marry any of the girls in the capital he had met. It would be more like someone like Zhou Xiaoyan, Fu Mingzi thought vaguely.
But after thinking about it, he realized he was just dreaming. If Zhou Xiaoyan could marry him, he wouldn't need to be so anxious and scheming.
The next morning, Fu Mingzi entered the palace looking dejected. When he arrived at the West Third Palace, Zhou Xiaoyan was having breakfast. When he saw him, he invited him to sit down and eat as well.
Fu Mingzi waved his hand, looking distressed.
Seeing his expression, Zhou Xiaoyan's expression changed slightly. He roughly understood what time it was and couldn't help but whisper, "What's wrong?"
Fu Mingzi hesitated for a moment, but decided not to say anything. He felt that it was not appropriate to bring this up in front of Zhou Xiaoyan, but he hadn't thought about why.
"It's nothing, I just didn't sleep well last night," Fu Mingzi replied casually.
Zhou Xiaoyan's gaze was deep, and his suspicions were basically confirmed.
"Let's go to the study," Zhou Xiaoyan said softly, putting down his chopsticks and getting up.
Fu Mingzi nodded and followed Zhou Xiaoyan out of the West Third Institute.
Throughout the journey, Fu Mingzi was uneasy. He had figured out what was going on with the Yang family. His father didn't give him any room to resist. It seemed that he couldn't get this out of his own family; he had to find a way to get it from the Yang family.
Having figured this out, Fu Mingzi felt a little more at ease. It was difficult for him to leave a good impression, but leaving a bad impression was a piece of cake. Thinking of this, Fu Mingzi showed his first smile of the day.
Zhou Xiaoyan, who was walking ahead, knew without turning around what decision Fu Mingzi would make in this life, because he had done the same thing in his previous life. However, he had already made up his mind that this matter would not lead him down the same path as in his previous life.
When the two of them arrived at the Imperial Study, they learned that Scholar Duan had asked for leave that day. The Emperor was supposed to find someone else to fill in, but for some reason, he didn't send anyone. He only said that school was exempted for today, but the martial arts class in the afternoon would proceed as usual.
Fu Mingzi thought about it and realized that it was not entirely Duan Xueshi's fault for being too psychologically fragile. He had a position that was firmly in his grasp, but it was gone just like that. Even if he were put in his place, he would get sick.
However, this was a good opportunity for Fu Mingzi. He could spend the whole morning with Zhou Xiaoyan. So after hearing about this, he did not take the opportunity to go home. Instead, he suggested going back to the West Third Palace with Zhou Xiaoyan. He had ready-made excuses: going back would waste time, so it was better to stay in the palace.
Zhou Xiaoyan nodded, agreeing with his point of view, and seemed very easy to talk to.
Fu Mingzi couldn't help but feel a little happy.
When they returned to Zhou Xiaoyan's courtyard in the West Third Courtyard, Zhou Xiaoyan went into his study. Fu Mingzi, having nothing to do, followed him in. Despite the importance of the place, Zhou Xiaoyan did not resist and let him follow him in like a tail.
"Your Highness, what happened to Consort Zhao yesterday?" Fu Mingzi had nothing to do, so she sat lazily in her chair watching Zhou Xiaoyan read. After a while, she remembered this matter and couldn't help but ask.
Zhou Xiaoyan then looked up from his book, his handsome face expressionless: "My mother is naive and always does some inexplicable things. Minister Fu, you don't need to pay her any mind."
Being naive is not a compliment for women in the palace.
Fu Mingzi chuckled lightly: "My elder brother said that Her Majesty has been used by someone. I wonder who in this harem would dare to use Consort Zhaoyi." Fu Mingzi's words were no longer an implication, but a direct statement.
Zhou Xiaoyan glanced at him, his gaze quite complicated.
Fu Mingzi didn't care about his gaze at all; on the contrary, she seemed to enjoy his attention. She continued with a smile, "Your Highness, whether you have ulterior motives or not, you should be careful. I have a feeling that the person coming here is not well-intentioned..." Fu Mingzi said meaningfully.
Zhou Xiaoyan tightened his grip on the book, his knuckles turning slightly white. He seemed to have said the same thing to him in his previous life, but at the time he thought the man was talking nonsense and trying to sow discord between the imperial family and scolded him. He never wanted to speak to him again after that.
Looking back now, weren't his words truly insightful and penetrating, something everyone else could see through? It was only because he was too foolish that he ended up like that.
"I know." Zhou Xiaoyan gritted his teeth to keep from turning pale on the spot; it was difficult for him to say just those two words.
Fu Mingzi didn't notice his stiffness. Hearing his words, she assumed he believed her and couldn't help but feel happy: "That's good."
Zhou Xiaoyan lowered his eyes, looking at the words of the sage in the book, and suddenly felt that it was absurd. The words of the sage were profound and subtle, but unfortunately they could not fully explain the human heart in this world.
Half an hour later, Wei Baocheng brought in some snacks. Fu Mingzi glanced at them and found that they were all his favorites. In particular, a bowl of almond shaved ice was a rare treat. He rarely ate it even a few times a year in the Duke of Jingguo's mansion, let alone as an unfavored prince like Zhou Xiaoyan.
But Wei Baocheng simply placed the bowl of ice cream in front of him, and even the oblivious Fu Mingzi noticed something was wrong.
"This ice cream should be given to His Highness, not me." Zhou Xiaoyan only had a plate of pea flour cake, which looked very meager. On the other hand, he had three or four kinds of pastries. Not to mention the ice cream, the plate of lily cake and mille-feuille were better than the pea flour cake.
Upon hearing this, Wei Baocheng laughed: "His Highness doesn't like these sweet things, but when he heard that the Fifth Young Master likes them, he instructed me to prepare them for him."
Fu Mingzi was stunned when she heard this. She turned to look at Zhou Xiaoyan, but he had his eyes downcast and she couldn't see his expression. However, Fu Mingzi could see a hint of stiffness in his posture.
“I do like sweets.” Fu Mingzi couldn’t help but laugh, but in his heart he found Zhou Xiaoyan rather cute. “Then thank you, Your Highness.” His tone was somewhat flirtatious, as if it had a hook.
Zhou Xiaoyan's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he still didn't look up.
Wei Baocheng, however, was all smiles: "This ice cream was hard to come by. Your Highness saw it at Consort Zhao's place yesterday and asked about it before you could get it."
Fu Mingzi raised an eyelid and looked at Zhou Xiaoyan, a half-smile on his face: "So that's how it is. I am truly flattered."
Zhou Xiaoyan coughed lightly, seemingly feeling a little embarrassed: "It's just a bowl of ice cream, what's there to say? Go down."
These words were spoken neither too harshly nor too lightly, but Wei Baocheng sensed the annoyance in his tone and dared not say another word. He cupped his hands in greeting and withdrew.
Wei Baocheng was afraid, but Fu Mingzi was not. He walked up to Zhou Xiaoyan with a grin and said, "Your Highness is so kind to me. I am truly unworthy of such kindness." He whispered these words in Zhou Xiaoyan's ear, deliberately breathing into his ear. In the next instant, Fu Mingzi saw the tips of Zhou Xiaoyan's ears turn bright red.
Zhou Xiaoyan gripped the book tighter: "It's nothing, go sit down over there." His voice was a little hoarse, and there was a hint of panic in his tone.
Fu Mingzi found him increasingly adorable and couldn't resist teasing him again. However, seeing his nervous expression, she couldn't bear to make things difficult for him, so she could only sigh and say with some regret, "Alright, this humble subject originally wanted to repay Your Highness's kindness with my life, but I didn't expect Your Highness to dislike this humble subject so much." There was a hint of grievance in her words.
"You are not allowed to risk your life!" Zhou Xiaoyan suddenly raised his voice and turned to stare intently at him.
Fu Mingzi stared blankly at Zhou Xiaoyan's bloodshot eyes. He had originally meant to tease Zhou Xiaoyan, but he hadn't expected him to...
He had never seen Zhou Xiaoyan so angry before. His originally handsome face was now consumed by rage, making him look somewhat terrifying.
“Your Highness…” Fu Mingzi murmured.
Zhou Xiaoyan also realized his lapse in composure and quickly turned his face away to hide his expression.
"You should go out and rest first, I have something to do." Zhou Xiaoyan's voice was a little dry.
Fu Mingzi felt that he might have messed up. Although he didn't know what kind of mess he had messed up, his subconscious told him that it was best to let Zhou Xiaoyan calm down.
Fu Mingzi stood there silently. He originally wanted to follow his heart and leave immediately, but when he saw Zhou Xiaoyan's slightly red face, his feet seemed to have grown roots, and he couldn't move for a long time.
"Aren't you leaving yet?" Zhou Xiaoyan turned around at this moment, his previous anger gone, and he returned to his previous expression of indifference, with only a slight redness in the corners of his eyes.
Fu Mingzi pursed her lips: "I'm not leaving."
Zhou Xiaoyan stared at him intently, without saying a word.
Fu Mingzi suddenly laughed: "Your Highness, I was just joking. What do you mean by risking one's life? Someone as cowardly as me would probably only dare to hide behind Your Highness and tremble when danger comes."
Zhou Xiaoyan remained expressionless, and only he knew how Fu Mingzi would choose at this critical moment. But the more he thought about it, the more bitter he felt looking at Fu Mingzi's frivolous face.
He said he was afraid of death, but why was he so resolute when he drank that cup of poison?
Zhou Xiaoyan closed his eyes: "That day will never come."
I've already experienced it once in my previous life, am I so foolish as to go through it again?
No, absolutely not.
Zhou Xiaoyan looked at Fu Mingzi: "You're not allowed to say such baseless things in the future."
Seeing that he seemed to have returned to normal, Fu Mingzi chuckled and nodded, "I will obey Your Highness's orders." Her tone was as flippant as ever.
After saying that, Fu Mingzi didn't leave. Instead, she walked to the chair she had been sitting in and sat down as if nothing had happened.
Zhou Xiaoyan sighed. He couldn't do anything about Fu Mingzi in his previous life, let alone in this one. He stopped thinking about it and continued reading.
Before they knew it, it was noon. Wei Baocheng announced from outside that it was time for lunch, and Zhou Xiaoyan and Fu Mingzi then came out of the study and headed towards the dining hall.
Wei Baocheng remained calm, as if he hadn't heard anything from inside the room. However, Fu Mingzi knew that the old man must have heard everything, because when Zhou Xiaoyan told him to leave earlier, he had glanced at the hem of Wei Baocheng's robe.
"Eunuch Wei, is the palace peaceful today?" Fu Mingzi didn't know what she was thinking, but she wanted to tease Eunuch Wei a bit.
Wei Baocheng smiled and nodded to Fu Mingzi: "It's nothing serious, it's just that Consort Wu from Consort Zhaoyi's quarters in Changchun Palace is ill. The imperial physician has been summoned, and the Fourth Prince has also gone there. I'm afraid he'll have to take leave from his afternoon classes."
Fu Mingzi raised an eyebrow, not thinking much of it, only that Zhou Xiaoheng's biological mother was working under Zhou Xiaoyan's mother.
But upon hearing this, Zhou Xiaoyan suddenly turned around, his brows furrowed as he looked at Wei Baocheng: "Why didn't you say this sooner?"
Wei Baocheng was taken aback, and hurriedly bowed to apologize: "Your Highness previously said that matters concerning the inner palace did not need to be reported every day, so this servant..."
"Alright." Zhou Xiaoyan calmed down. He couldn't blame Wei Baocheng; he could only blame himself for being too stupid before.
"You must personally speak to Mother about this matter. Take good care of Consort Wu these next few days. After all, she is Father's concubine; you cannot be too harsh on her," Zhou Xiaoyan instructed Wei Baocheng with a stern face.
Wei Baocheng didn't know why Zhou Xiaoyan cared about this, but since it was something his master cared about, he could only do as he was told.
"This servant understands," Wei Baocheng replied hesitantly.
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