Bai Lixin held his cheek and smiled. “Damn ghost, how did you remember?”
Elder Qingcheng had gradually become accustomed to the unconventional address. He hesitated for a moment and said, “I don’t know, it just came to me all of a sudden.”
“Oh,” Bai Lixin continued to smile at the opposite side, “So, do you remember everything? Do you recall the events from the previous copies?”
“Not really,” Elder Qingcheng’s eyes flickered, “I just remember a little. I only recall that you are dear to me, I can’t remember details from other copies.”
“Haha,” Bai Lixin laughed, and the smile in his eyes widened.
Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment, “Why are you laughing?”
Bai Lixin: “Hahaha, nothing. I’m just happy to see you. Your presence is enough, you don’t need to remember everything.”
‘How could you remember everything? You’re not my old gong.’
As the sky outside darkened, Bai Lixin stood up, “I’m leaving.”
Elder Qingcheng was stunned. He suddenly stood up, asking in confusion, “Didn’t you say you would stay for dinner before leaving? Why are you going now?”
Bai Lixin: “I have to go. I didn’t go to the prince’s mansion last night and they’re angry. If I don’t go today, I won’t be able to play as a spy in the yamen anymore. Don’t drag me down, or I’ll get angry, you dog.”
Elder Qingcheng froze in place, smiling stiffly, “Alright, when will you have time next? When can I see you again? I really miss you, you know, I wish we could be together every day.”
Bai Lixin’s eye twitched, “If our love lasts for a long time, how can we stay together day and night? We’ve been through many copies, even if we can’t meet in this one, there’s always the next.”
“How can that be?” Elder Qingcheng suddenly became anxious, “Each copy has its own joy, right?”
Bai Lixin: “That’s true, but I usually have a lot of things to do in the yamen. Is there any way to contact you?”
Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment, then quickly took out a jade pendant from his sleeve, “Take this, it’s a voice transmission talisman. If you miss me, just silently think of my name while holding the jade.”
He paused, and hinted, “You know my real name, right?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes flickered, “I remember, Elder Qingcheng, right?”
“Not that,” Elder Qingcheng continued, “It’s my true name, you remember it, right?”
There was a flash of confusion in Bai Lixin’s eyes, “Your true name? What is it? You never told me.”
He tilted his head, “Do you have one? Maybe I forgot, what’s your name?”
Elder Qingcheng chuckled, “Oh, right, I was mistaken, you don’t know it. Just call me Elder Qingcheng.”
After taking the jade pendant, Bai Lixin casually threw it into his backpack, “Alright, I’m leaving now. We’ll meet again, you bastard.”
“Wait a moment.” Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment and suddenly stopped Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin turned around in confusion, and saw Elder Qingcheng slowly approaching, saying, “Dear, we haven’t seen each other for a long time. I think…”
Disgust flashed in Bai Lixin’s eyes.
He never knew that Dijia’s face could make such a repulsive affectionate expression.
“It’s not the right time,” Bai Lixin dodged and winked at the man in front of him, “Wait, I haven’t prepared the surprise yet.”
Elder Qingcheng stood still, “W-What surprise?” Bai Lixin said mysteriously, “It’s a very exciting surprise.”
Elder Qingcheng’s eyes flashed: “How exciting is it?”
Bai Lixin laughed: “Can it be exciting to the point of death, are you looking forward to it?”
A greedy look flashed in Elder Qingcheng’s eyes, and he took two steps back, “Alright, I’ll wait for you. You must come find me.”
Bai Lixin: “A gentleman’s words are hard to pursue, I will definitely come to find you.”
After that, Bai Lixin turned and left in a hurry.
…
When Bai Lixin arrived at the prince’s mansion, it was already dark.
He knocked on the door, and the gatekeeper who had seen him that day immediately said, “The sir has arrived.”
Bai Lixin: “Excuse me, can I come in?”
“Of course,” the gatekeeper immediately said respectfully, “The princess just instructed that if the sir comes tonight, he must be let in. Please come in quickly.”
After thanking him, Bai Lixin walked in. The servant next to him led him forward, “Sir came at just the right time. The princess just ordered that if the sir comes early, he can catch up with dinner. The kitchen should have just started serving. Please follow me quickly.”
It wasn’t a coincidence, Bai Lixin had calculated the timing.
He figured it was about time for dinner now. Dinner was the time when the family gathered the most each day. Coming at this time was just right.
He followed the servant through the corridor. He had been here once, so he was already familiar with the route.
Passing through the bamboo forest, the backyard, and after a short walk, they arrived at the dining hall.
When they reached the bamboo forest, he subconsciously glanced in the direction of the woods.
That day, he vaguely saw a blurry figure at the edge of the forest, disappearing in the blink of an eye. He didn’t know if it was his illusion.
So, this time, when he reached this forest, he curiously looked over again.
In the pitch-black bamboo forest, bamboo leaves rustled with the wind, and from a distance, he heard the sound of swishing.
In the bamboo forest, a faint shadow could be seen.
“Ah!” Bai Lixin exclaimed.
The servant instantly stiffened his shoulders and turned back, “Sir, what happened to you?”
The young man pointed in the direction of the bamboo forest with a horrified face, “Just now, just now, I seemed to see a black shadow flash by.”
“Is there a ghost?”
“Huh, what ghost? That’s Concubine Shu, the prince’s concubine. She…she’s not very easy to be with, she’s always acting crazy,” the servant pointed to his head, “When there’s nothing to do, she likes to run into the bamboo forest, especially at night. Outsiders who don’t know will indeed be frightened at first sight.”
The young man patted his chest after learning the truth, “So that’s how it is. How did this concubine go mad? Did she go mad when she entered the mansion, or…”
The servant hesitated, “This… we shouldn’t talk much about the matters of the master’s family. I hope the sir understands.”
Bai Lixin directly handed two gold leaves to the servant, “Brother, I’m now the crown prince’s tutor. The prince and the crown prince are both close relatives of the royal family. If I serve them carelessly and offend them, I will offend the powerful. In the future, I want to take the imperial examination in the capital and achieve success. If I offend the royal family, it’s equivalent to offending the emperor.”
“Brother, you also know that it’s not easy for us country folks to get ahead. I hope you can give me some guidance, so that I can avoid making mistakes and ruining my future by saying something wrong one day.”
The servant touched the two heavy gold leaves and immediately smiled, “So that’s how it is. This Concubine Shu’s situation is not a secret, and it’s fine to tell the sir.”
“The prince is handsome and outstanding. Which woman wouldn’t like him? Soon after the prince and the princess got married, they gave birth to a son. The couple were harmonious and deeply in love. However, the prince had a passion for music, while the princess loved handicrafts and only knew a little about music.”
“As time passed, their emotions may have faded. Later, the prince met an official’s daughter from the capital who was knowledgeable about music and was eloquent. She and the prince chatted happily, and this led to a remarkable story. This lady from the capital is Concubine Shu.”
“When Concubine Shu first entered the mansion, she was quite normal. She was knowledgeable and gentle. She and the prince were very much in love and always together. Not long after, Concubine Shu gave birth to a son.”
“But not long after that, due to her negligence, the little prince accidentally fell into the lake. Since then, she started acting crazy. It’s said that her child is buried in the bamboo forest, so she often goes there to visit. Some say she goes to the bamboo forest because the bamboo forest has taken away her one soul and three spirits, so she became crazy. She goes there every day to find her lost soul and spirits.”
“Anyway, those are just rumors. The prince deeply cares for the mad Concubine Shu, he has been sending people to take good care of her.”
Bai Lixin: “In such a vast mansion, are there only the princess and Concubine Shu as the two ladies?”
Servant: “Yes, sir. The prince is a romantic type, believing in a lifetime commitment to one person. It is said that when he married the princess, he promised to be like Nuwa and Fuxi, only for each other.”
“Speaking of this,” the servant showed a wry smile, “as you have seen, later on, there was an unexpected Concubine Shu. I heard that the prince went to the princess again, saying that they could also emulate the story of Houyi and Feng, making it another good tale.”
The corner of Bai Lixin’s eye twitched.
‘*Nuwa and Fuxi.
Yi Huang and Yi Nuying.
Why does this prince always like to reference profound allusions before doing anything?’
*In ancient Chinese mythology, there are two creation gods, one is Fuxi and the other is Nuwa. They are also regarded as ancestors of Chinese civilization, and are said to have been husband and wife.Yi Huang and Yi Nuying were two sisters who shared a husband (Emperor Shun), and were known for their loyalty and dedication to him. After his death, the two sisters felt so much grief that they decided to commit suicide.The servant and Bai Lixin exchanged glances, sharing a knowing smile.
There were bright lights ahead, and the servant said, “Alright, sir, I have sent you to the door.”
“I think it’s just starting inside, you should go in quickly.”
Bai Lixin thanked him again before heading towards the dining hall alone.
Because it was summer, the dining hall wasn’t closed. From the outside, you could see inside, and from inside, you could see outside.
When the prince and princess looked up, they saw Bai Lixin approaching. Although they were now in Qingcheng Town, they were still a family of imperial relatives. Even though they saw him walk in, they didn’t stand up to greet him like a typical family would, and just smiled politely.
The princess pointed to a seat next to the prince, “I thought Sir might come tonight, so I specifically had an extra chair added. I didn’t expect Sir would really come. It seems I can also set up a table outside, just like those wandering fortune tellers, to tell people’s fortunes.”
On hearing this, the prince immediately laughed happily, “You, that’s like a blind cat encountering a dead mouse. If you hit it right you start wagging your tail?”
The princess joined in the laughter, “Meeting you is also good luck.”
Bai Lixin sat down amidst their laughter.
As soon as he sat down, a servant immediately brought a basin of water for washing hands. For imperial relatives, the etiquette was meticulous. If this were an ordinary meal, one would wash their hands and start eating by themselves. Here, an attendant was needed even to wash hands.
‘I just want to ask, can hands washed like this be clean?’
“Sir, why didn’t you come last night for no reason?” Before Bai Lixin’s seat could get warm, the princess asked, “Do you know how worried we were waiting for you? We were concerned that you encountered some bandits on the way. We were so worried we didn’t sleep all night.”
“I’m sorry for making the Princess worry,” Bai Lixin maintained a polite smile, “It’s just that there were too many cases in the yamen recently. As a newcomer to the yamen, there are many things I haven’t figured out yet. If the Princess didn’t sleep well at night, the commoner also had a sleepless night, even to the point of saying there was no sleep at all.”
The princess frowned, “Is there no one left in the yamen? Is Sir so important in the yamen?”
“Not exactly important, but many things can’t do without me. I am the scribe in the yamen and need to record cases. I didn’t go anywhere last night. I stayed in the yamen’s study, organizing cases all night. If the Princess doesn’t believe it, you can ask Zhang Biao, the yamen’s head constable. He also slept in the yamen last night and helped me organize files all night.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe,” the princess smiled gently, “I’m just concerned about Sir.”
“You coming today is excellent. Shen’er mentioned you to me today, saying he really misses you and hopes you can come. In so many years, it’s the first time I’ve seen Shen’er actively inviting someone. It seems Shen’er really likes Sir.”
The somewhat gloomy crown prince was at the dining table. After hearing this sentence, he immediately awkwardly shouted, “Mother!”
Seeing this, the princess just smiled, covering her lips with her sleeve.
After dinner, Bai Lixin followed Shen’er to the study.
The study was lit with many candles, making the room as bright as daylight.
Just like the first day, their interaction pattern was one sitting behind the bookshelf, and the other sitting back on the coffee table.
Bai Lixin was about to go to the bookshelf as usual, but when he raised his hand, he found that all the books on the bookshelf were gone.
It was empty, there wasn’t a single book.
“I had someone move all the books out to air them,” Shen’er had been secretly observing Bai Lixin. Seeing Bai Lixin’s somewhat surprised expression, he quickly spoke, “What to do? Without books, how will you spend your night?”
Bai Lixin’s face didn’t change much. He withdrew his hand, walked to Shen’er’s desk with his hands behind his back, and casually glanced at the table, “Strategies of the Warring States?”
Shen’er: “You understand it?”
Bai Lixin: “I have some understanding.”
Shen’er wrinkled his nose and looked at Bai Lixin, “Didn’t you say you didn’t understand?!”
Bai Lixin: “I didn’t before, but the night before last, I read some books on the shelf. Now I understand.”
“Tch, look outside, do you know why the sky is so dark?” Shen’er sneered disdainfully.
Bai Lixin glanced at the pitch-black sky outside, “Why?”
Shen’er: “Because all the boasting you did flew up to the sky!”
“You don’t believe it? Then just ask me a question randomly, and you’ll know whether I’m boasting or truly knowledgeable.”
“Fine,” The crown prince was young after all and couldn’t stand being provoked. He immediately asked Bai Lixin several questions.
Bai Lixin answered fluently, all correctly.
Watching Bai Lixin talk eloquently, Shen’er tossed the Strategies of the Warring States aside with dissatisfaction and pulled out another book.
Again, random questions and fluent answers.
After five or six books like this, Shen’er truly believed that Bai Lixin indeed knew everything. “Hey,” Shen’er looked at Bai Lixin, who was sitting back on the coffee table, propping his head as he started to doze off, “You win. Stay and accompany me to read.”
“Your Highness,” the young man lifted his eyes lazily. “I am he had to tutor you, not to accompany you. Also, I don’t go by ‘hey’, I have another name. As a student, you should use a specific title instead of directly addressing me by my name.”
After hearing this, Shen’er’s face changed slightly, “Who wants to call you teacher? I won’t call you teacher. Don’t even think about it.”
“If that’s the case, then I’m not your teacher.” The young man finished speaking, stood up from the chair, walked straight out of the door, and left.
Shen’er: “…”
‘Humph, trying to provoke me with the stimulating method? Just wait and see if I’ll be fooled.’
In the past, others had used this method on him. Those who left this study didn’t take long before coming back.
The crown prince sat in the study and waited for a while. He waited for more than the time of two incense sticks, but he still didn’t see the man returning.
He stared at the books in front of him. The more he looked, the more unbearable it became. The words inside seemed to be against him, rushing to hide behind the books.
In the end, he couldn’t sit still. He slapped the table, stood up, and walked out of the door.
Outside the door were two maids who had been waiting to serve. They immediately greeted, “Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Where is the scholar who just left my study?”
“Back to Your Highness, the scholar said he went back to his room to sleep.”
Crown Prince: “!!!”
“What?!” The prince’s voice rose a little higher, “I haven’t slept yet, and he went to sleep first?”
“According to the instructions of the queen, she said the scholar worked hard last night. If the scholar felt tired, he could go to sleep first.”
Crown Prince: “…”
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
What’s the matter with this person? Every time, he doesn’t follow the usual rules. Not only that, he doesn’t respect him at all. Either he doesn’t come for a day, or he just goes through the motions in front of him and leaves immediately.
He is too perfunctory!
Shen’er glared in the direction of the guest room, turned back to the study and slammed the door.
The two maids exchanged glances. The door remained quiet, and they continued to stand obediently outside the door. The reason Bai Lixin returned to his room was because during the time in the study, a sudden drowsiness began to overwhelm him.
The feeling before transforming into a fox was just like this.
Bai Lixin held his cheek and smiled. “Damn ghost, how did you remember?”
Elder Qingcheng had gradually become accustomed to the unconventional address. He hesitated for a moment and said, “I don’t know, it just came to me all of a sudden.”
“Oh,” Bai Lixin continued to smile at the opposite side, “So, do you remember everything? Do you recall the events from the previous copies?”
“Not really,” Elder Qingcheng’s eyes flickered, “I just remember a little. I only recall that you are dear to me, I can’t remember details from other copies.”
“Haha,” Bai Lixin laughed, and the smile in his eyes widened.
Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment, “Why are you laughing?”
Bai Lixin: “Hahaha, nothing. I’m just happy to see you. Your presence is enough, you don’t need to remember everything.”
‘How could you remember everything? You’re not my old gong.’
As the sky outside darkened, Bai Lixin stood up, “I’m leaving.”
Elder Qingcheng was stunned. He suddenly stood up, asking in confusion, “Didn’t you say you would stay for dinner before leaving? Why are you going now?”
Bai Lixin: “I have to go. I didn’t go to the prince’s mansion last night and they’re angry. If I don’t go today, I won’t be able to play as a spy in the yamen anymore. Don’t drag me down, or I’ll get angry, you dog.”
Elder Qingcheng froze in place, smiling stiffly, “Alright, when will you have time next? When can I see you again? I really miss you, you know, I wish we could be together every day.”
Bai Lixin’s eye twitched, “If our love lasts for a long time, how can we stay together day and night? We’ve been through many copies, even if we can’t meet in this one, there’s always the next.”
“How can that be?” Elder Qingcheng suddenly became anxious, “Each copy has its own joy, right?”
Bai Lixin: “That’s true, but I usually have a lot of things to do in the yamen. Is there any way to contact you?”
Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment, then quickly took out a jade pendant from his sleeve, “Take this, it’s a voice transmission talisman. If you miss me, just silently think of my name while holding the jade.”
He paused, and hinted, “You know my real name, right?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes flickered, “I remember, Elder Qingcheng, right?”
“Not that,” Elder Qingcheng continued, “It’s my true name, you remember it, right?”
There was a flash of confusion in Bai Lixin’s eyes, “Your true name? What is it? You never told me.”
He tilted his head, “Do you have one? Maybe I forgot, what’s your name?”
Elder Qingcheng chuckled, “Oh, right, I was mistaken, you don’t know it. Just call me Elder Qingcheng.”
After taking the jade pendant, Bai Lixin casually threw it into his backpack, “Alright, I’m leaving now. We’ll meet again, you bastard.”
“Wait a moment.” Elder Qingcheng hesitated for a moment and suddenly stopped Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin turned around in confusion, and saw Elder Qingcheng slowly approaching, saying, “Dear, we haven’t seen each other for a long time. I think…”
Disgust flashed in Bai Lixin’s eyes.
He never knew that Dijia’s face could make such a repulsive affectionate expression.
“It’s not the right time,” Bai Lixin dodged and winked at the man in front of him, “Wait, I haven’t prepared the surprise yet.”
Elder Qingcheng stood still, “W-What surprise?” Bai Lixin said mysteriously, “It’s a very exciting surprise.”
Elder Qingcheng’s eyes flashed: “How exciting is it?”
Bai Lixin laughed: “Can it be exciting to the point of death, are you looking forward to it?”
A greedy look flashed in Elder Qingcheng’s eyes, and he took two steps back, “Alright, I’ll wait for you. You must come find me.”
Bai Lixin: “A gentleman’s words are hard to pursue, I will definitely come to find you.”
After that, Bai Lixin turned and left in a hurry.
…
When Bai Lixin arrived at the prince’s mansion, it was already dark.
He knocked on the door, and the gatekeeper who had seen him that day immediately said, “The sir has arrived.”
Bai Lixin: “Excuse me, can I come in?”
“Of course,” the gatekeeper immediately said respectfully, “The princess just instructed that if the sir comes tonight, he must be let in. Please come in quickly.”
After thanking him, Bai Lixin walked in. The servant next to him led him forward, “Sir came at just the right time. The princess just ordered that if the sir comes early, he can catch up with dinner. The kitchen should have just started serving. Please follow me quickly.”
It wasn’t a coincidence, Bai Lixin had calculated the timing.
He figured it was about time for dinner now. Dinner was the time when the family gathered the most each day. Coming at this time was just right.
He followed the servant through the corridor. He had been here once, so he was already familiar with the route.
Passing through the bamboo forest, the backyard, and after a short walk, they arrived at the dining hall.
When they reached the bamboo forest, he subconsciously glanced in the direction of the woods.
That day, he vaguely saw a blurry figure at the edge of the forest, disappearing in the blink of an eye. He didn’t know if it was his illusion.
So, this time, when he reached this forest, he curiously looked over again.
In the pitch-black bamboo forest, bamboo leaves rustled with the wind, and from a distance, he heard the sound of swishing.
In the bamboo forest, a faint shadow could be seen.
“Ah!” Bai Lixin exclaimed.
The servant instantly stiffened his shoulders and turned back, “Sir, what happened to you?”
The young man pointed in the direction of the bamboo forest with a horrified face, “Just now, just now, I seemed to see a black shadow flash by.”
“Is there a ghost?”
“Huh, what ghost? That’s Concubine Shu, the prince’s concubine. She…she’s not very easy to be with, she’s always acting crazy,” the servant pointed to his head, “When there’s nothing to do, she likes to run into the bamboo forest, especially at night. Outsiders who don’t know will indeed be frightened at first sight.”
The young man patted his chest after learning the truth, “So that’s how it is. How did this concubine go mad? Did she go mad when she entered the mansion, or…”
The servant hesitated, “This… we shouldn’t talk much about the matters of the master’s family. I hope the sir understands.”
Bai Lixin directly handed two gold leaves to the servant, “Brother, I’m now the crown prince’s tutor. The prince and the crown prince are both close relatives of the royal family. If I serve them carelessly and offend them, I will offend the powerful. In the future, I want to take the imperial examination in the capital and achieve success. If I offend the royal family, it’s equivalent to offending the emperor.”
“Brother, you also know that it’s not easy for us country folks to get ahead. I hope you can give me some guidance, so that I can avoid making mistakes and ruining my future by saying something wrong one day.”
The servant touched the two heavy gold leaves and immediately smiled, “So that’s how it is. This Concubine Shu’s situation is not a secret, and it’s fine to tell the sir.”
“The prince is handsome and outstanding. Which woman wouldn’t like him? Soon after the prince and the princess got married, they gave birth to a son. The couple were harmonious and deeply in love. However, the prince had a passion for music, while the princess loved handicrafts and only knew a little about music.”
“As time passed, their emotions may have faded. Later, the prince met an official’s daughter from the capital who was knowledgeable about music and was eloquent. She and the prince chatted happily, and this led to a remarkable story. This lady from the capital is Concubine Shu.”
“When Concubine Shu first entered the mansion, she was quite normal. She was knowledgeable and gentle. She and the prince were very much in love and always together. Not long after, Concubine Shu gave birth to a son.”
“But not long after that, due to her negligence, the little prince accidentally fell into the lake. Since then, she started acting crazy. It’s said that her child is buried in the bamboo forest, so she often goes there to visit. Some say she goes to the bamboo forest because the bamboo forest has taken away her one soul and three spirits, so she became crazy. She goes there every day to find her lost soul and spirits.”
“Anyway, those are just rumors. The prince deeply cares for the mad Concubine Shu, he has been sending people to take good care of her.”
Bai Lixin: “In such a vast mansion, are there only the princess and Concubine Shu as the two ladies?”
Servant: “Yes, sir. The prince is a romantic type, believing in a lifetime commitment to one person. It is said that when he married the princess, he promised to be like Nuwa and Fuxi, only for each other.”
“Speaking of this,” the servant showed a wry smile, “as you have seen, later on, there was an unexpected Concubine Shu. I heard that the prince went to the princess again, saying that they could also emulate the story of Houyi and Feng, making it another good tale.”
The corner of Bai Lixin’s eye twitched.
‘*Nuwa and Fuxi.
Yi Huang and Yi Nuying.
Why does this prince always like to reference profound allusions before doing anything?’
*In ancient Chinese mythology, there are two creation gods, one is Fuxi and the other is Nuwa. They are also regarded as ancestors of Chinese civilization, and are said to have been husband and wife.Yi Huang and Yi Nuying were two sisters who shared a husband (Emperor Shun), and were known for their loyalty and dedication to him. After his death, the two sisters felt so much grief that they decided to commit suicide.The servant and Bai Lixin exchanged glances, sharing a knowing smile.
There were bright lights ahead, and the servant said, “Alright, sir, I have sent you to the door.”
“I think it’s just starting inside, you should go in quickly.”
Bai Lixin thanked him again before heading towards the dining hall alone.
Because it was summer, the dining hall wasn’t closed. From the outside, you could see inside, and from inside, you could see outside.
When the prince and princess looked up, they saw Bai Lixin approaching. Although they were now in Qingcheng Town, they were still a family of imperial relatives. Even though they saw him walk in, they didn’t stand up to greet him like a typical family would, and just smiled politely.
The princess pointed to a seat next to the prince, “I thought Sir might come tonight, so I specifically had an extra chair added. I didn’t expect Sir would really come. It seems I can also set up a table outside, just like those wandering fortune tellers, to tell people’s fortunes.”
On hearing this, the prince immediately laughed happily, “You, that’s like a blind cat encountering a dead mouse. If you hit it right you start wagging your tail?”
The princess joined in the laughter, “Meeting you is also good luck.”
Bai Lixin sat down amidst their laughter.
As soon as he sat down, a servant immediately brought a basin of water for washing hands. For imperial relatives, the etiquette was meticulous. If this were an ordinary meal, one would wash their hands and start eating by themselves. Here, an attendant was needed even to wash hands.
‘I just want to ask, can hands washed like this be clean?’
“Sir, why didn’t you come last night for no reason?” Before Bai Lixin’s seat could get warm, the princess asked, “Do you know how worried we were waiting for you? We were concerned that you encountered some bandits on the way. We were so worried we didn’t sleep all night.”
“I’m sorry for making the Princess worry,” Bai Lixin maintained a polite smile, “It’s just that there were too many cases in the yamen recently. As a newcomer to the yamen, there are many things I haven’t figured out yet. If the Princess didn’t sleep well at night, the commoner also had a sleepless night, even to the point of saying there was no sleep at all.”
The princess frowned, “Is there no one left in the yamen? Is Sir so important in the yamen?”
“Not exactly important, but many things can’t do without me. I am the scribe in the yamen and need to record cases. I didn’t go anywhere last night. I stayed in the yamen’s study, organizing cases all night. If the Princess doesn’t believe it, you can ask Zhang Biao, the yamen’s head constable. He also slept in the yamen last night and helped me organize files all night.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe,” the princess smiled gently, “I’m just concerned about Sir.”
“You coming today is excellent. Shen’er mentioned you to me today, saying he really misses you and hopes you can come. In so many years, it’s the first time I’ve seen Shen’er actively inviting someone. It seems Shen’er really likes Sir.”
The somewhat gloomy crown prince was at the dining table. After hearing this sentence, he immediately awkwardly shouted, “Mother!”
Seeing this, the princess just smiled, covering her lips with her sleeve.
After dinner, Bai Lixin followed Shen’er to the study.
The study was lit with many candles, making the room as bright as daylight.
Just like the first day, their interaction pattern was one sitting behind the bookshelf, and the other sitting back on the coffee table.
Bai Lixin was about to go to the bookshelf as usual, but when he raised his hand, he found that all the books on the bookshelf were gone.
It was empty, there wasn’t a single book.
“I had someone move all the books out to air them,” Shen’er had been secretly observing Bai Lixin. Seeing Bai Lixin’s somewhat surprised expression, he quickly spoke, “What to do? Without books, how will you spend your night?”
Bai Lixin’s face didn’t change much. He withdrew his hand, walked to Shen’er’s desk with his hands behind his back, and casually glanced at the table, “Strategies of the Warring States?”
Shen’er: “You understand it?”
Bai Lixin: “I have some understanding.”
Shen’er wrinkled his nose and looked at Bai Lixin, “Didn’t you say you didn’t understand?!”
Bai Lixin: “I didn’t before, but the night before last, I read some books on the shelf. Now I understand.”
“Tch, look outside, do you know why the sky is so dark?” Shen’er sneered disdainfully.
Bai Lixin glanced at the pitch-black sky outside, “Why?”
Shen’er: “Because all the boasting you did flew up to the sky!”
“You don’t believe it? Then just ask me a question randomly, and you’ll know whether I’m boasting or truly knowledgeable.”
“Fine,” The crown prince was young after all and couldn’t stand being provoked. He immediately asked Bai Lixin several questions.
Bai Lixin answered fluently, all correctly.
Watching Bai Lixin talk eloquently, Shen’er tossed the Strategies of the Warring States aside with dissatisfaction and pulled out another book.
Again, random questions and fluent answers.
After five or six books like this, Shen’er truly believed that Bai Lixin indeed knew everything. “Hey,” Shen’er looked at Bai Lixin, who was sitting back on the coffee table, propping his head as he started to doze off, “You win. Stay and accompany me to read.”
“Your Highness,” the young man lifted his eyes lazily. “I am he had to tutor you, not to accompany you. Also, I don’t go by ‘hey’, I have another name. As a student, you should use a specific title instead of directly addressing me by my name.”
After hearing this, Shen’er’s face changed slightly, “Who wants to call you teacher? I won’t call you teacher. Don’t even think about it.”
“If that’s the case, then I’m not your teacher.” The young man finished speaking, stood up from the chair, walked straight out of the door, and left.
Shen’er: “…”
‘Humph, trying to provoke me with the stimulating method? Just wait and see if I’ll be fooled.’
In the past, others had used this method on him. Those who left this study didn’t take long before coming back.
The crown prince sat in the study and waited for a while. He waited for more than the time of two incense sticks, but he still didn’t see the man returning.
He stared at the books in front of him. The more he looked, the more unbearable it became. The words inside seemed to be against him, rushing to hide behind the books.
In the end, he couldn’t sit still. He slapped the table, stood up, and walked out of the door.
Outside the door were two maids who had been waiting to serve. They immediately greeted, “Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Where is the scholar who just left my study?”
“Back to Your Highness, the scholar said he went back to his room to sleep.”
Crown Prince: “!!!”
“What?!” The prince’s voice rose a little higher, “I haven’t slept yet, and he went to sleep first?”
“According to the instructions of the queen, she said the scholar worked hard last night. If the scholar felt tired, he could go to sleep first.”
Crown Prince: “…”
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
What’s the matter with this person? Every time, he doesn’t follow the usual rules. Not only that, he doesn’t respect him at all. Either he doesn’t come for a day, or he just goes through the motions in front of him and leaves immediately.
He is too perfunctory!
Shen’er glared in the direction of the guest room, turned back to the study and slammed the door.
The two maids exchanged glances. The door remained quiet, and they continued to stand obediently outside the door. The reason Bai Lixin returned to his room was because during the time in the study, a sudden drowsiness began to overwhelm him.
The feeling before transforming into a fox was just like this.
