Chapter 89 Leaving Beijing (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
When Fu Mingzi returned home that night, she told her father-in-law that she had finished dealing with her affairs and was preparing to leave the capital with Zhou Xiaoyan.
The old man had been grumbling about Fu Mingzi's sudden postponement of the last time. He had initially believed Fu Mingzi's nonsense, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Although Fu Mingzi seemed carefree, she was not the kind of person who didn't understand the bigger picture. Since she had taken the initiative to accept the task of escorting Fu Zefan last time, it was impossible for her to have suddenly forgotten.
Before he could even process what Fu Mingzi had said, Fu Mingzi replied again. The old man breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he might have been overthinking things. Perhaps something really was keeping him occupied.
"That's fine, it will also allow Zefan to have some contact with the Fifth Prince." The old man nodded with a smile.
Fu Mingzi paused for a moment, but ultimately said nothing more, only responding with a smile.
**
Two days later, Zhou Xiaoyan was finally about to set off. Fu Mingzi had also made all the necessary preparations. Early in the morning, he took Fu Zefan out of the Fu family gate and headed towards the Prince of Jin's residence.
When Fu Mingzi arrived, the mansion was bustling with people. After a quick look, he realized that the scale of the event was quite impressive, with even the prince's ceremonial carriage being brought out. He feared that the entire procession would be set up.
Wei Baocheng, with his sharp eyes, spotted Fu Mingzi immediately and hurriedly came forward: "Young Master Fu, you've arrived! You're early. His Highness is having breakfast now, so you'll have to wait a while."
Fu Mingzi smiled, then stepped aside and pointed to Fu Zefan, who was following behind her: "This is my nephew Zefan. He's with me this time."
"Young Master Fu." Wei Baocheng quickly bowed again.
Fu Zefan was somewhat surprised and hurriedly avoided Wei Baocheng's courtesy, saying helplessly, "You are too kind, Father-in-law. I really don't deserve such courtesy."
As the personal eunuch of a favored prince, Wei Baocheng's manners were not something everyone could tolerate.
Fu Zefan glanced at Fu Mingzi without showing any emotion. He smiled and waved to Wei Baocheng, saying, "My nephew here is shy, so please don't scare him, Father-in-law."
Wei Baocheng smiled, glanced at Fu Zefan again, and already had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
The group headed towards Zhou Xiaoyan's study, and the further they went, the quieter it became. By the time they reached the courtyard of Zhou Xiaoyan's study, there was no noise at all.
"Your Highness, Young Master Fu and Young Master Fu have arrived," Wei Baocheng relayed, holding his breath.
In fact, this process was completely unnecessary for Fu Mingzi in the past, but because Fu Zefan was also present this time, Fu Mingzi had already discussed with Zhou Xiaoyan that they could not be as close as usual when they were together.
"Come in," Zhou Xiaoyan replied immediately from inside the room.
Wei Baocheng paused for a moment, then smiled and stepped aside to make way, saying, "Young Master Fu, please come in."
Fu Mingzi nodded and stepped inside.
Fu Zefan followed silently behind, secretly keeping this scene in his heart. His fifth uncle and the fifth prince had a really good relationship.
The two entered the room. Zhou Xiaoyan had already finished his breakfast and was drinking tea. The servants were clearing the plates off the table, and their movements were completely silent.
"You're here, please have a seat." Zhou Xiaoyan looked up at Fu Mingzi and nodded.
Fu Mingzi didn't approach with a cheerful smile as usual. Instead, she nodded slightly, sat down, and said, "Your Highness, this is my nephew." Then she looked at Fu Zefan and said, "Zefan, quickly pay your respects to His Highness."
Fu Zefan stepped forward and bowed deeply with trepidation: "Student Fu Zefan greets Your Highness Prince Jin."
Zhou Xiaoyan then turned his gaze to Fu Zefan, glanced at him up and down, and nodded: "Indeed a young talent, please sit down."
Fu Zefan then sat down next to Fu Mingzi.
Zhou Xiaoyan took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and said in a deep voice, "It will probably take a while to pack things up outside. Let's wait and see."
Fu Mingzi nodded, then glanced at Fu Zefan before turning to say, "Your Highness, I have something to say to you. Perhaps you could ask Zefan to sit outside for a while?"
Zhou Xiaoyan frowned slightly, seemingly a little impatient, but nodded nonetheless: "Someone, lead Young Master Fu to the front hall for a seat."
Fu Zefan dared not utter a word of complaint, and obediently got up to take his leave, following a eunuch out the door.
After Fu Zefan left, Fu Mingzi, who had been so serious, finally breathed a sigh of relief. His straight back slumped down, and he leaned back in his chair, looking at Zhou Xiaoyan with a half-smile: "Your Highness did a good job acting. Just now, that frown made me really think that Your Highness was unhappy with my overstepping of bounds."
Zhou Xiaoyan seemed a little more relaxed than before, and glared at Fu Zefan: "You still dare to criticize me? With your serious expression, I don't think your nephew will believe you."
Fu Mingzi smiled and said, "Although I used to be a dissolute person, I haven't had much contact with Fu Zefan. He only knows my reputation. He probably only heard about my character and how I conduct myself. That should be enough to fool him."
Zhou Xiaoyan shook his head: "Are we supposed to be putting on an act the whole way?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Mingzi's eyes lit up: "Does Your Highness not want to act? I knew it. Your Highness can't be without me for even a moment. But as things are now, I can only ask Your Highness to make do."
Hearing his distorted words, Zhou Xiaoyan's face flushed red and then turned pale. He couldn't help but glare at him fiercely again: "You're talking nonsense again."
Fu Mingzi loved his shy and coy appearance the most, and couldn't help but lean in again, kissing and touching him for a while, not wanting to let go of his lips and tongue.
Zhou Xiaoyan was breathless from his kisses, so he punched him a few times before reluctantly letting go of Fu Mingzi's hand.
"The thought of not being able to get close to Your Highness these past few days has been burning me with anxiety," Fu Mingzi sighed in Zhou Xiaoyan's ear, panting heavily.
Zhou Xiaoyan felt a tickle on her ear from his teasing, and felt ashamed, but upon hearing his words, she couldn't help but soften and lean against him.
“I’ll have someone distract him,” Zhou Xiaoyan finally said after a long silence.
Fu Mingzi couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Your Highness is so cute. I knew Your Highness couldn't live without me."
Zhou Xiaoyan's face turned bright red with anger. He had been tricked by him again. This man was truly despicable.
Seeing Zhou Xiaoyan's ashamed and furious expression, Fu Mingzi didn't dare to be too presumptuous. She stopped laughing in time, leaned in and kissed him for a while, and then let go of him just before she was about to lose control.
"Your Highness, rest assured." Fu Mingzi said in a low voice while tidying Zhou Xiaoyan's clothes, "I will always find a way, and I will definitely not let Your Highness be alone."
Although Zhou Xiaoyan was somewhat angry that he had twisted his meaning, he couldn't help but ask after hearing this, "What do you want?"
Fu Mingzi looked at him and pointed to her cheek: "If Your Highness kisses me, I will tell Your Highness."
Zhou Xiaoyan was so angry at Fu Mingzi's shameless behavior that he simply turned his head away and ignored him.
Seeing that Zhou Xiaoyan was angry, Fu Mingzi smiled and came over to coax him, "Alright, alright, Your Highness, I'll say it, I'll give Your Highness a kiss." Before Zhou Xiaoyan could react, she leaned in and gave him a loud kiss. Then, without waiting for Zhou Xiaoyan to get angry, she started talking about her plan.
"I see that His Highness has a full retinue, so I imagine that when the time comes, he will set off in a grand and ostentatious manner. His Highness can find an excuse to put me and Fu Zefan in the carriage furthest away from each other, and then after we leave the city, he can say that he has something to discuss with me and summon me to His Highness's carriage. Then, under the pretext of not disturbing the people, he can prevent people from wandering around. Wouldn't that restrict Fu Zefan?"
Upon hearing Fu Mingzi's words, Zhou Xiaoyan finally realized that he had been limited by his own thoughts. He always thought that he must be in the same carriage as Fu Mingzi, and that he would have to find some excuse to talk to Fu Mingzi in private. But now that Fu Mingzi said this, he finally understood that in the eyes of outsiders, Fu Mingzi was just his advisor, and it would be strange for them to be sitting in the same carriage. This way, he could blur the line of sight.
Although Zhou Xiaoyan had figured this out, he wouldn't say it aloud, otherwise Fu Mingzi would probably laugh at him again. However, Zhou Xiaoyan himself suddenly realized that he now considered Fu Mingzi to be so important.
After the two of them joked around for a while, the ceremonial procession outside was almost ready. Zhou Xiaoyan straightened his court robes, put on the princely ceremonial procession, and went to Guang'an Gate to bid farewell to the emperor. Naturally, the emperor would not come out to say goodbye to Zhou Xiaoyan in person as he had done to Zhou Xiaoheng in the previous life. Instead, he sent his personal eunuch to announce the imperial edict.
Zhou Xiaoyan was not surprised at all; he already knew how he and Zhou Xiaoheng were treated differently by the emperor.
Fu Mingzi, however, had a cold expression. It was indeed normal for the emperor not to come out in the past, but thinking of the scene of Zhou Xiaoheng leaving the capital as described by Zhou Xiaoyan, Fu Mingzi couldn't help but feel indignant on Zhou Xiaoyan's behalf.
After bidding farewell to the emperor, they turned and headed towards the city gates.
The procession traveled for over an hour before finally leaving the capital. Throughout the journey, Fu Mingzi and Fu Zefan rode in the same carriage. Fu Mingzi, acting like a kind uncle, advised Fu Zefan to be careful and not to wander off, thus laying the groundwork for what would happen later.
Then, after leaving the capital city gate and passing the first post station, Zhou Xiaoyan sent a message, summoning Fu Mingzi to come and talk.
Fu Mingzi solemnly agreed, then asked the guards on both sides to look after Fu Zefan before leisurely going to the front.
Fu Zefan stood there watching Fu Mingzi's back, his heart heavy with thoughts. Fu Mingzi was so favored by the Fifth Prince, and the Fifth Prince was so trusted by the Emperor. Could his and his father's plan really succeed?
Fu Mingzi was unaware of Fu Zefan's thoughts. Once she felt out of Fu Zefan's sight, she quickened her pace, almost running all the way to Zhou Xiaoyan's carriage, and then climbed up the carriage wall.
Zhou Xiaoyan inside the carriage gasped in surprise, then the curtain was lifted, revealing his tense face: "If you want to get on, just let the carriage stop. Why make such a dangerous move?"
Fu Mingzi chuckled and said, "I just couldn't wait to meet Your Highness."
Zhou Xiaoyan blushed and glanced at the guard driving the carriage. The guard immediately turned his face away, as if he hadn't heard anything.
"Come in," he said helplessly.
Fu Mingzi smiled and got into the carriage.
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