Chapter 4: Prince "Xiao Wangshu, you know I hate you being like this. ...
"Eunuch Wei, please don't laugh at this kind gesture. I wonder why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants my young master to enter the palace this time?"
As he said this, Mo Shu stuffed the red purse into Eunuch Wei's hand, but Eunuch Wei slapped him back, dodged a step, and scolded him with a smile:
"Oh, this might kill me. Everyone in Bianjing knows the friendship between your young master and the prince. If I take that little prince's life, my life will be in danger~"
"Mo Shu, is there a guest outside?"
After opening the curtain, Xiao Wangshu met Eunuch Wei who was walking quickly.
Just as he was about to greet and invite the guest to have tea, he was interrupted by Eunuch Wei's words.
"I won't drink tea at home. The Crown Prince has issued an order for Master Wangshu to follow me into the palace as soon as possible."
He first waved his hand, then grabbed Xiao Wangshu's wrist and pulled him away.
"Eh? Slow down, slow down!"
Seeing this, Mo Shu wanted to chase him, but then he heard Xiao Wangshu say:
"Mo Shu, let me guard the yard. I'll go by myself."
Worried, he followed the person out of the yard. When he saw the person walking away, Mo Shu finally stopped.
"Master Wangshu has truly been offended. If you delay any further, the Crown Prince will be angry."
As they walked and talked, Eunuch Wei had a smile on his face and walked out of the Xiao Mansion's gate while talking.
The servant who was guarding the door before disappeared, which also explained why no one informed the master when Eunuch Wei came to the mansion. Eunuch Wei felt relieved because of his anxiety.
After getting into the carriage and sitting down, Eunuch Wei wanted to give a few instructions.
"Your Highness, please, it's not that I have anything to ask you. Young Master Wangshu returned to his hometown to participate in the Autumn Examination and has not been back to the capital for half a year. Your Highness misses you."
He smiled and shook his head. He had watched His Highness and Young Master Wangshu grow up since they were young. Now he was old and could not handle everything. With Young Master Wangshu by the side of the Crown Prince and as his godson, he felt more at ease.
His Highness has no doubts about Young Master Wangshu's feelings for him, but since the Crown Prince's birthday last year, Young Master Wangshu and His Highness have become much colder, and he hasn't even received a letter in the past six months.
In the absence of Young Master Wangshu, His Highness has become increasingly irritable. Even he has been scolded in the past six months, and the other eunuchs and maids in the Eastern Palace will have it even worse.
Now that Young Master Wangshu has returned to the capital, he naturally has to say a few good words for His Highness, and of course also for himself and the younger ones under him.
"Eunuch Wei, please don't make fun of me. Your Highness shouldn't say such things."
When saying this, Xiao Wangshu smiled gently. Eunuch Wei sighed and finally did not dare to persuade him anymore.
A long silence fell in the carriage. Before Eunuch Wei could think of anything else to say, the carriage arrived at the Meridian Gate. Of course, carriages were not allowed to enter the palace.
Walking in the seemingly endless alley, Xiao Wangshu felt as if he was in another world.
Not long after entering the East Palace gate and passing through the hanging flower gate, you will see a small pavilion on the rockery. A clear stream flows around the rockery and forms a small pond in the west corner of the courtyard. There are several koi in the pond. There are purple wisteria climbing up the rocks in the bamboo forest beside the pavilion. There are stone paths at the bottom of the steps, which shows a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.
Passing through the rockery pavilion and the winding corridor is the prince's bedroom.
When they arrived, the courtyard was silent except for the gurgling of a stream, and the air was filled with a dangerous atmosphere.
"Your Highness, Master Wangshu has arrived."
Outside the room, Eunuch Wei half-bowed and shouted through the curtain.
"Enter."
There seemed to be hidden emotions beneath the cold tone.
Only the servants of the Eastern Palace knew how rare it was to have such a "normal" Crown Prince.
Without any formalities, Xiao Wangshu lifted the curtain and walked straight in. Here, he never had to care about those red tapes and etiquette rules.
He should have noticed it earlier.
"Your Highness."
He bowed and called out, "Eunuch Wei is outside the house, and only he and His Highness are inside."
"Xiao Wangshu, you know I hate you being like this."
The sound came from the couch, and the room was filled with smoke but not pungent.
He looked up and saw the master of the East Palace, the future emperor of Zhongshan Kingdom, lazily leaning on the couch, his beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, staring at the green smoke rising from the incense burner, as if deliberately ignoring him.
A few strands of hair fell down, the black coat was turned inside out, revealing a white inner garment, and the long boots were casually thrown on the ground, with fruit peels scattered all over the ground.
If those old scholars read it, there would definitely be several memorials.
Xiao Wangshu walked closer in silence, naturally picked up the boots that were blocking the way, and placed them neatly under the couch. Xie Xuanhui didn't even raise his eyelids.
Standing up, he took the fruits and snacks on the small table away, and then Xiao Wangshu instructed:
"Your Highness should eat less of this. It's autumn now and the weather is cold. Your Highness still has a cough, so you should take care of yourself."
Turning his head away from him, Xie Xuanhui sneered and said in a mocking tone:
"Why do you do this?"
But he suddenly turned his head, stared at Xiao Wangshu, and grabbed his wrist with such force that it seemed as if he wanted to tear his arm off.
"I know what happened this morning."
He paused for a moment and asked again,
"Why not me, why me."
If others heard it, they would probably think that His Highness was "crazy", but Xiao Wangshu understood.
"For the people, and for myself."
A moment of disappointment and grievance flashed in Xie Xuanhui's eyes. His wrist was released and Xiao Wangshu did not try to hold him back.
"Now, what do you want to do?"
His arms hung limply, and his voice was so soft that it sounded like a hum coming from his nose.
“Now, I want to live for myself.”
There was suddenly light in Xie Xuanhui's eyes. He leaned forward and looked up at Xiao Wangshu.
"You choose me?"
"I've come to see you."
Facing Xie Xuanhui's gaze, Xiao Wangshu sat beside the couch. They were very close, closer than ever before. It seemed like the hypocrisy, targeting and calculations of the past twenty years did not exist.
"Don't lie to me."
From a very young age, Xie Xuanhui knew that the royal family was born cold-blooded, and exploitation and betrayal were happening every day in the palace.
But he would never let go of those who betrayed him, but later he found that he would do it again and again. Xiao Wangshu was the exception that made him constantly compromise.
"No, not this time!"
He took off a purse embroidered with green bamboo from his waist and said softly.
"Here are some medicines I found. They will be good for you. Wear them."
Later, they talked for a long time until the sun set and Xiao Wangshu asked to leave.
At the gate of the East Palace, Xie Xuanhui faced the setting sun and looked at Xiao Wangshu's gradually blurred back, his face suddenly turned cold.
He pulled out the purse from his waist with such force that his fingertips were shaking, but he placed it steadily into the outstretched hand of Eunuch Wei who had been waiting nearby.
"Go check what's inside, and also check who he has been seeing in the past two months."
His tone was cold, without any trace of friendship, or perhaps he was hurt too deeply, so he closed his emotions.
"yes."
Eunuch Wei kept his head down. His Highness had changed two months ago. His godfather and the palace maids were glad that it was Young Master Xiao who was coming back and that His Highness was controlling his temper.
But Eunuch Wei, who was suddenly named for promotion, knew that this was not a good thing. When the prince looked at the bright moonlight in the dead of night, the madness in his eyes was enough to explain the problem.
He thought that this change had nothing to do with Young Master Xiao, but now it seems that he was wrong, and extremely wrong.
But he couldn't understand why two such good people would end up like this.
Just like he didn't understand why Xie Xuanhui's gaze at Xiao Wangshu's receding back was as crazy as the prince's gaze at the moon that night.
The author has something to say:
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What's in his purse? Which prince has Ah Shu hooked up with? Is his love for the prince genuine or a scheming one? Please read the next chapter~
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