Chapter 56 Undercurrents (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Fu Mingzi was already numb to Miss Yang's bluntness. After a pause, he replied, "It's indeed done, but we still need the right opportunity."
Miss Yang's eyes flickered slightly, and she said urgently, "I will persuade my mother to go to Huguo Temple to offer incense before I take my vows. You can make the arrangements then."
Fu Mingzi was taken aback: "Why before placing the grand bet?"
Miss Yang pursed her lips: "It's better than having all six rites done first. It will have less impact on your reputation."
Fu Mingzi couldn't help but smile: "Then thank you for your kindness, Miss."
Miss Yang pursed her lips and remained silent, but her expression softened somewhat.
"Then it's settled. I'll try my best to persuade my mother within the next two days. You must keep an eye on things," Miss Yang instructed.
Fu Mingzi nodded: "I know, don't worry."
For a moment, the two fell silent again. Fu Mingzi felt a little awkward and shifted her feet uncomfortably.
After a long while, Miss Yang finally spoke: "Then I'll be going now. Take care."
Fu Mingzi nodded and waved to the maid and Xiao Yunzi not far away.
The maid immediately came over, looking at Fu Mingzi with a wary expression, and then quickly helped Miss Yang away.
Fu Mingzi was both amused and exasperated. Did this person think he was bullying their young lady?
Fu Mingzi shook her head helplessly, then looked at Xiao Yunzi: "Don't report this matter to His Highness."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunzi's face immediately showed some difficulty. No matter how much he served Fu Mingzi, he was still someone close to the Fifth Prince. If the Fifth Prince asked about it, he...
Seeing Xiao Yunzi's troubled expression, Fu Mingzi finally said, "What I mean is, if His Highness doesn't ask, then don't say anything. If he does ask, I'll talk to him myself."
"Okay." Xiao Yunzi breathed a sigh of relief: "This servant has remembered everything."
Although she didn't know what was so important about Young Master Fu's meeting with his fiancée that His Highness couldn't know, Xiao Yunzi was still self-aware enough to know that it was best not to pry into things she shouldn't know.
"Where are you going now?" Xiao Yunzi asked cautiously.
"Let's go and meet with His Highness first."
Fu Mingzi flicked his sleeves and headed towards the front hall, with Xiao Yunzi hurriedly following.
Upon arriving at the front hall, the emperor had not yet arrived. The crown prince was inside talking with several palace attendants. Zhou Xiaoyan sat next to the third prince, his face cold and expressionless. The third prince, on the other hand, was rambling on and on to him, looking all fawning.
Fu Mingzi's mind raced. The Third Prince used to fawn over the Second Prince, but now that the Second Prince had messed up and was confined to his home, and since the Second Prince and the Crown Prince were not on good terms, the Third Prince was probably afraid of the Crown Prince's revenge, so he fawned over Zhou Xiaoyan, the newly appointed 'favored prince'.
Fu Mingzi chuckled inwardly, wondering what the Third Prince's expression would be if he knew that Zhou Xiaoyan and the Crown Prince were on the same side.
The thought only flashed through Fu Mingzi's mind for a moment. Fu Mingzi paused for a moment before heading towards Zhou Xiaoyan's direction again.
After bypassing the midfield, Fu Mingzi quietly walked behind Zhou Xiaoyan.
"Your Highness," he said, bowing softly.
Zhou Xiaoyan had already seen him enter, so he wasn't surprised. However, the Third Prince was startled and jumped back, spilling the wine from his cup.
"Sit down," Zhou Xiaoyan replied softly to Fu Mingzi, then glanced at the Third Prince: "Third Brother, are you alright? Would you like to change your clothes?"
The eunuchs who served the Third Prince had already come forward to help him up, but the Third Prince waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, just that the hem is a little wet. It's alright."
Zhou Xiaoyan glanced at the slight dark spot on the Third Prince's robe. It was indeed not very noticeable, but they were going to come out and pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager later. The Third Prince's actions could be considered disrespectful.
However, he didn't say these words aloud. The Third Prince may look foolish and obsequious, but he wasn't a real idiot and didn't need him to remind him.
"Then please do as you see fit, Third Brother." Zhou Xiaoyan said indifferently.
The Third Prince paused, turned around and glanced at Zhou Xiaoyan. A hint of doubt flashed across his honest and simple face, but a moment later, it returned to his usual honest smile: "Fifth Brother is truly ingenious. The jade cabbage that you presented to Grandmother today, which you designed yourself, seems to be very much loved by her."
As he said this, his small eyes glanced at Fu Mingzi, who was sitting behind Zhou Xiaoyan.
Fu Mingzi noticed it, and then immediately looked up at the Third Prince and gave him a generous smile.
The Third Prince's pupils contracted, and he quickly turned his gaze away.
Zhou Xiaoyan seemed oblivious to the subtle tension and said calmly, "As long as Grandmother is happy."
The third prince smiled somewhat awkwardly, then waved to the eunuch behind him: "I think I should go change into a different robe. If Father finds out, he'll probably scold me again."
Without waiting for Zhou Xiaoyan's reply, he stood up and followed the little eunuch out of the hall.
Watching the Third Prince walk away, Fu Mingzi chuckled and approached Zhou Xiaoyan, saying, "This Third Prince seems to have some ulterior motives. Could he be trying to sow discord between me and His Highness? He didn't even change his clothes when he saw me arrive, insisting on saying those words before leaving."
Zhou Xiaoyan's expression remained indifferent, but a hint of tenderness appeared in his eyes. He said in a low voice, "You've been making such a big fuss about procuring these things outside. How could those people not know? No matter how much Father Emperor doesn't value Third Brother, he is still a prince. He must know what you've been procuring. He's just testing us today. I just don't know who he's testing for."
As Zhou Xiaoyan spoke his last words, his eyes turned to the Fourth Prince sitting opposite him, his gaze filled with icy coldness.
Fu Mingzi followed his gaze and had a general idea of what was going on. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly. He hadn't known that the Fourth Prince had such charisma that he had won over the Third Prince.
Or perhaps the Third Prince was simply a fence-sitter and a two-faced opportunist?
Fu Mingzi felt that the second possibility was more likely. If the Fourth Prince had really won over the Third Prince so easily, then he was underestimating the Third Prince. After all, as an unfavored prince, he had successfully married a princess from a high-ranking family and was granted the title of Prince of Lu. If he didn't have some ability, how could he have stood firm between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince?
"Let's leave that aside for now." Fu Mingzi concealed her true thoughts and continued, "Was the Empress Dowager satisfied with His Highness's gift today?"
Zhou Xiaoyan glanced at Fu Mingzi with a hint of helplessness: "Of course I'm satisfied." Zhou Xiaoyan didn't believe that Fu Mingzi hadn't noticed this.
Fu Mingzi chuckled: "Only when Your Highness speaks will this humble subject feel at ease."
Zhou Xiaoyan shook his head helplessly, but his eyes revealed a tenderness.
“The food at today’s banquet is probably not very good. Have some snacks to tide you over. Eat less of the food later, as it will all be cold and not good for your stomach,” Zhou Xiaoyan said, handing over a plate of snacks from his table.
Fu Mingzi was somewhat reluctant to accept it and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, don't just give it to me; you should also take a bite."
Zhou Xiaoyan shook his head: "I just used a little bit, you don't need to worry about me."
Fu Mingzi then accepted it: "Alright, when Your Highness leaves the palace in the future, I will take Your Highness to eat delicious food outside."
Zhou Xiaoyan smiled and said, "Okay."
The interaction between the two was so heartwarming, but the fourth prince sitting opposite them couldn't maintain his smile. He wondered if the jade cabbage really was made by Zhou Xiaoyan. He clearly remembered that Zhou Xiaoyan wasn't good at these things.
Just then, the Sixth Prince came over and said somewhat resentfully, "He's managed to climb the social ladder and gain some attention. He's just the son of a duke, yet he's worth a prince like him fawning over. He's shameless."
The fourth prince's heart stirred, but his face remained calm: "Sixth brother, you're going too far. Fifth brother and Young Master Fu are as close as brothers. How could it be as bad as you say?"
"Hmph!" The Sixth Prince snorted coldly, clearly unconvinced. Although he didn't dare to confront Zhou Xiaoyan directly like the Ninth Prince, his resentment was still deep: "He's just the son of a poor family. How well-mannered can he be? I want to see what will happen to him in the future, since he doesn't respect his brothers at all."
The Fourth Prince's face darkened. The phrase "from a poor family" not only struck a nerve with Zhou Xiaoyan, but also with him. After all, his mother's status was even lower than that of Zhou Xiaoyan's mother.
However, the Fourth Prince was quite shrewd, and his expression remained unchanged: "Alright, let's not talk about such impolite things. Fifth Brother is also outstanding in horsemanship, which is why he has won Father's favor. Sixth Brother, you are outstanding in literature. If you put more effort into riding and archery, I think Father will be pleased as well."
The fourth prince subtly pointed the sixth prince down a dead end, but the sixth prince was overjoyed: "Fourth brother, you're right, but my mother always feels that it's beneath me to learn these things. Fourth brother, when you leave the palace and establish your own residence, I'll go to your residence to learn riding and archery, so I can avoid my mother, okay?"
The fourth prince sneered inwardly, but on the surface he feigned a troubled expression: "Consort Shu does not want you to learn riding and archery. If she knew I was helping you learn, she would probably be angry with me..."
"What's the big deal!" The Sixth Prince hurriedly interrupted, "We just won't tell Mother Consort. By the way, we can't tell Xia Zezhen either, he always tattles on me."
The fourth prince finally smiled, his expression gentle: "If that's the case, then your fourth brother will definitely help you."
The sixth prince also laughed, thinking that his fourth brother was a really good person, no wonder his mother wanted him to spend more time with his fourth brother.
The Fourth Prince lowered his eyes, concealing the coldness in them. He was just a fool. So what if he was the grandson of the Xia family? He was still being manipulated by him. The Fourth Prince gripped the wine cup in his palm, feeling smug.
Zhou Xiaoyan had been observing the situation on the other side without making a sound. Seeing the Sixth Prince's jubilant expression, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Just like in his previous life, he couldn't help but attack the Sixth Prince. It seems that even if the Sixth Prince was willing to be his dog, he was not satisfied that the blood flowing in the Sixth Prince's veins was more noble than his own. He needed to trample the person under his feet to feel at ease.
However, in this life, he will not let him have it so easy.
Just as both sides were preoccupied with their own thoughts, the emperor finally arrived, as announced by the eunuch.
The voices in the hall paused abruptly, and everyone rose to their feet to pay their respects.
The emperor walked step by step from the back to his seat, and then gently raised his hand: "My ministers, please rise."
Once everyone had stood up, he smiled and said, "Please take your seats."
The princes and ministers then sat down tremblingly, while the emperor, sitting above them, watched the scene with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
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