Chapter 33 The Thirty-Third Kill

Of course, nothing was baked in the end.

Xiaoyu refused Zhou Xunran righteously, "With your current small body, let alone grilled food, even hard and dry food, Dr. Chu won't let you touch it. If I really grilled something for you, he would nag me to death."

Xiaoyu chattered for a while, but didn't hear Zhou Xunran's reply. Then she noticed that he had closed his eyes at some point and was sleeping soundly.

She originally wanted to find a reason to ask him to withdraw his order to arrange for Tian Xiaohui to follow him, but now it seems that she can only talk about it another day.

After covering him with the quilt, Xiaoyu tiptoed out of the room.

Tian Xiaohui was waiting at the door. When she saw Xiaoyu coming out, she immediately followed her.

Xiaoyu took two steps forward, but couldn't help herself, so she stopped and said to her, "Didn't you see it just now?"

Tian Xiaohui was puzzled: "What?"

Xiaoyu pointed at the room and said, "What the prince said was just for show. In his heart, he definitely doesn't want you to follow me. Think about it, how can I, a maid accompanying the prince, let a young lady like you protect me? If this gets out, you will still have face, and outsiders will say that the palace does not distinguish between the upper and the lower."

Tian Xiaohui was half-believing and half-doubting, and thought carefully about her words.

Xiaoyu decided to press the issue: "The prince is the regent of the dynasty, and his words usually need to be broken down and studied. If everything he says is true and it is so easy to guess, then look at how Zhou Yi got that strand of white hair on his head, it took a lot of thought."

Tian Xiaohui asked: "Zhou Yi has white hair? How come I have never seen it before?"

"He must have hidden himself because he was afraid of being discovered." Xiaoyu brought the subject back. "So what the prince told you is definitely not as simple as it seems. You'd better go back and think about it."

Tian Xiaohui thought for a moment and said firmly: "I can't figure it out. Anyway, the prince asked me to follow you twelve hours a day, so I will follow you. If I do something wrong, or if he has other ideas, he will definitely tell me."

Seeing Xiaoyu turning around to leave, Tian Xiaohui immediately followed: "Where are you going?"

Xiaoyu said unhappily, "We're going to the toilet, do you want to follow me?"

Tian Xiaohui said as a matter of course: "That's right."

Xiaoyu: “….”

When this trick failed, Xiaoyu immediately thought of another idea: "Where's your cousin? Isn't he seriously injured and unconscious? Aren't you going to take care of him?"

Speaking of him, Tian Xiaohui's tone was filled with anger: "He actually let me die for a hopeless future. I don't have such a cousin."

"Oh, we are all blood relatives. Even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected. You..."

Before Xiaoyu finished speaking, Tian Xiaohui said, "The prince has already sent him away. My mission is to protect you closely."

Xiaoyu finally understood Zhou Xunran's comments on the father and daughter of the Tian family. They were indeed stubborn and unyielding.

Then, she spent two days trying not to loosen Tian Xiaohui's mouth at all.

At most, when she went to the toilet, Tian Xiaohui said she could step back two meters and not get so close to the toilet.

So what, two meters is two meters. It’s really impossible to persuade her, and Xiaoyu can only comfort herself and accept her.

After giving up the idea of ​​persuading Tian Xiaohui, Xiaoyu felt her body suddenly relaxed.

When Minglu came to find her, she even teased, "What good news has happened to you that makes you so happy?"

"I don't have any happy events," Xiaoyu glanced at Tian Xiaohui and whispered to Minglu, "The prince has sent people to monitor me."

Minglu had naturally heard about this, and invited Xiaoyu to dinner today to ease her mind. Minglu touched her shoulder and smiled, "Why surveillance? The prince is worried about your safety, so he sent someone to protect you."

Tian Xiaohui stood aside, motionless, as if she didn't hear what they said.

Xiaoyu shook her head: "I don't agree."

"Okay, don't think about it anymore. Come to my house for dinner tonight." Minglu said.

"What's the point of eating a good meal?"

Minglu explained seriously: "My father came back and heard about what happened between you and my mother. He said he would make amends for you."

"ah?"

Seeing her stunned, Minglu smiled and said, "I'm just joking with you. The prince is going too, and my younger brother Mingyang is also back from the Imperial Academy. Let's just talk together."

Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, I'll go back and pack up and then I'll be there."

Minglu usually lived in the inner courtyard of Qingwu Courtyard. Her father, Han Zongguan, was the chief steward of the East Courtyard of the palace. According to the palace rules, they could not live in the palace with their family. But because Zhao Mama was respected by Zhou Xunran and Minglu was someone close to him, Zhou Xunran vacated a separate courtyard in the palace for them to live in. He only spent money and did not put it into the palace account.

When Xiaoyu arrived at Jintangyuan where they lived, Zhou Xunran had already arrived half a quarter of an hour earlier and was sitting in the hall taking Mingyang's homework.

This was the first time Xiaoyu met the youngest son of the Han family, Mingyang, who was now studying at the Imperial College.

He was about fifteen or sixteen years old, tall, elegant, and wearing the student uniform of the Imperial College. Even in front of the serious and reserved Zhou Xunran, Mingyang's attitude was still neither humble nor arrogant, and he was answering the questions raised by Zhou Xunran in a gentle voice.

"Xiaoyu is here, come in quickly." Minglu walked over from the side hall, "It just so happens that the food is ready, Prince, father, we can eat now."

Zhou Xunran also saw Xiaoyu and raised his hand to signal her to follow him.

He was the most distinguished person here, so he naturally sat in the main seat. When Xiaoyu walked to his side, the Han family had already sat in order, from the head steward Han, to Nanny Zhao, Minglu and Mingyang.

Zhou Xunran raised his chin slightly and let Xiaoyu sit down on his left.

Seeing that the Han family didn't have any abnormal reaction, Xiaoyu sat down next to Zhou Xunran.

Manager Han was a middle-aged man with a simple and honest face. He looked at Xiaoyu with a smile, "I haven't seen the prince for a long time. When I was in the study before, I saw at a glance that the prince's health has changed a lot compared to before. He looks much healthier. I think it's all thanks to Miss Xiaoyu."

He looked kind and gentle, and spoke to her like a kind elder. Xiaoyu put aside her nervousness and said, "No, it's Doctor Chu and Chef Zhang who have worked hard."

Manager Han looked at Zhou Xunran, who was smiling, and knew that he was very satisfied with what he said. He continued to smile and said to Madam Zhao and Minglu, "Doctor Chu and Chef Zhang did not come in the past two months."

What this means is that they have been here for such a long time, but Zhou Xunran's health has only improved in the last two months, and it is all thanks to Xiaoyu.

The flattery was so sophisticated that it made people feel warm and happy. Xiaoyu finally understood why Manager Han was so powerful and could thrive in this palace which was like a big mess.

Zhou Xunran just symbolically drank a sip of the soup that Xiaoyu had scooped up, then put down the bowl, "I'm done eating. Mingyang, come to my study after you're done eating."

This is to continue to examine his meaning.

Mingyang was very happy. When he heard Zhou Xunran's words, he immediately put down his chopsticks and said, "My Lord, I am also fine."

But after all, Xiaoyu still saw from his calm face that he was reluctant to leave the food on the table.

This is the expression a 15 or 16-year-old boy should have.

Chief Steward Han also stood up and said, "I will see the prince off."

The three of them got up and walked outside.

Seeing Xiaoyu was about to get up, Zhou Xunran said to her, "Go back after you finish eating. I won't be leaving the house tonight, so you don't need to follow me."

Xiaoyu nodded, looked up and smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

She hadn't even taken two bites, so she wasn't full.

Zhou Xunran couldn't help himself, so he reached out and touched her head before getting up and leaving.

Xiaoyu was happily holding the bowl and was about to pick up some food when she saw Madam Zhao staring at her. Xiaoyu looked at her warily and asked, "Why, you won't let me eat after the prince left?"

Nanny Zhao glanced at her, opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it again.

Xiaoyu looked at Minglu in confusion, seeing that she had no fighting ability at all.

Minglu didn't know why she was so depressed, "Mom?"

Nanny Zhao sighed and put down the chopsticks in her hand dejectedly.

Her eyes were fixed on the cold minced chicken meatballs on the outermost circle of the table, and she murmured, "The young lady loved eating chicken meatballs the most back then. I wonder if she can still eat them now."

Xiaoyu and Minglu looked at each other, and Minglu said, "What Miss, what are you talking about?"

Madam Zhao said, "When the incident happened in the mansion, you were young and you don't remember that the prince had a younger sister in the mansion."

Minglu was shocked, she had never heard of this person in all these years.

"Sister? Where is she now?"

Nanny Zhao's eyes immediately turned red. "That year, people in the mansion were arrested or beheaded, and the young lady was taken away and her whereabouts are still unknown. Some said she was killed, while others said she was sold. The prince has been looking for her for so many years, but there is no clue at all. Gradually, everyone stopped talking about it for fear of hurting the prince."

Xiaoyu looked at the plate of cold coriander and chicken meatballs far away from her, and thought that Zhou Xunran must have seen this dish and remembered his sister, so he got up and left.

Xiaoyu was worried about this matter. When she was going back, she passed by Zhou Xunran's bedroom and found that the light was still on.

She greeted Lin Kun, who was guarding the gate, and pushed the door open and walked in.

She talked with Nanny Zhao and Minglu for a long time. It was already late at night, and Zhou Xunran was still sitting at the desk, writing something with his head down.

Looking up and seeing that it was Xiaoyu, he put down his pen and asked, "You're back?"

The lights in the room were on, and Xiaoyu walked up to him, "Prince is waiting for me?"

"Not really. I'm not sleepy at the moment. I might as well go through tomorrow's memorials before sending them to the palace."

Xiaoyu looked down and saw that on the memorial paper, which was as high as two palms, Zhou Xunran had written densely with comments in red pen to help Emperor Wen Jing make a decision.

Xiaoyu said, "Your Majesty is in power now, so you should let him handle state affairs independently. If you keep protecting him in all aspects, how can he grow up?"

Zhou Xunran nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

"Since you listened to me, you should go to bed early instead of staying up late with the lights on."

Zhou Xunran immediately stood up and walked towards the bed.

"What did you say to Aunt Zhao?"

Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment when he asked her this question out of the blue. "Ah? Nothing."

She looked at him cautiously, wanting to ask something but not daring to.

Zhou Xunran took off his coat and put it on the rack, but did not choose to let her go. "If you don't tell me, I will ask Lin Kun to call both mother and daughter over."

“Don’t!”

Now that winter has arrived and the weather is dry and cold, Zhou Xunran has placed a brazier in his room early on.

Xiaoyu was standing close to the fire basin, and waves of warmth washed over her face.

Xiaoyu looked at him, choosing her words carefully, "Did the prince have a sister?"

Zhou Xunran was not angry, nor did he show any abnormal emotions. He explained calmly, "Well, there was a turmoil in the mansion before, and she and my parents were all gone."

"The prince is so kind to me, is it because he thinks I am her?"

Xiaoyu asked what was in his mind.

Zhou Xunran immediately retorted: "You are you, she is she, how can you confuse them?"