Zhong Wan sneezed.
“It’s already autumn. Young Master Zhong, have you caught a cold?”
Within the central room, the local county magistrate courteously said, “Every day, Young Master Zhong works so hard in and out of the estate. You must take good care of yourself. Don’t neglect yourself. How can one not get sick when all one eats is the same five types of grain? I remember that when Young Master Zhong had first arrived, you were not used to living here and fell ill for a year. Now, it’s the middle of autumn, and Hanlu is just around the corner…”
Due to the county magistrate’s trying monologue on taking care of his health, Zhong Wan could not help but have his thoughts drift away. However, his expression remained very amiable, and he nodded again and again. More than fifteen minutes later, the county magistrate finally got to the point.
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“This humble official has worked in this position for a long time, yet has never entered the capital. However, this humble official has heard of Young Prince Yu’s elegant demeanor, and possesses a strong admiration for him. I hope to one day have a chance to enter the capital and pay an official visit to His Highness. Only then would this humble official not be disappointed.” The county magistrate carefully smiled at Zhong Wan. “Word has it that back then, the prefecture magistrate was able to pay an official visit to Young Prince Yu by using a token of Young Master Zhong…”
Zhong Wan fell into a daze once more.
When he had just arrived at Nanjiang, the days at the prince estate were hard to endure.
Everyone could tell that the emperor tossed away Prince Ning’s three children to such a barren and impoverished region so that they must fend for themselves. For the officials managing the fiefdom to not pay an official visit was already considered good. Those with evil schemes tried to please those in the capital who desired the death of the three children. At that time, Zhong Wan had only been in his teens. Trying to protect the prince estate that was on the verge of collapse had proved difficult to the extreme.
In the past, Prince Ning had given Zhong Wang a great grace. As such, even if he had no idea, he still had to wrack his brains on how to save the estate. First, he helped the heir, Xuan Rui, return the title he was supposed to inherit from Prince Ning to the emperor, so as to slightly dispel the emperor’s wary. But this would only grant them a temporary reprieve. Nanjiang was barren and impoverished in the first place. If they could not control the populace there, one would fear they would lose even their fief. Zhong Wan would rather be shameless than let the people of the estate starve.
And so, Zhong Wan had to turn to drastic measures. In the past, he had been Xuan Rui’s reading partner. Because the Imperial Preceptor had taught a crowd of princes and princesses, Zhong Wan reluctantly had a bit of a friendly acquaintanceship with Young Prince Yu. From there, he fabricated a story that he and Young Prince Yu had grown up together. He later added that Yu She considered him as a friend. As time went on, Zhong Wan grew more and more shameless. He simply said Yu She and he shared a deep and intimate friendship. Over the years, even if Zhong Wan had begged for something, he would not be able to obtain it. But now, whatever he had asked for, he would receive.
Yu She had been young back then, and did not have true power. However, his father was the country’s sole Prince of the First Rank of a different surname. His mother was the full-blooded sister of the emperor, the Princess Royal Anguo. Her identity was extremely noble. If others were to be in his presence, they would naturally know the amount of respect they needed to show him.
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Back then, Zhong Wan had been implicated because of Prince Ning and had been stripped of his status as a civilian. Turned into a slave. Then, Young Prince Yu purchased him. He lived in Prince Yu’s estate for half a year in a side courtyard. Once he had fabricated those stories, when asked for witnesses, he gave witnesses. When asked for evidence, he gave evidence. For a while, he was able to scare the locals at Nanjiang.
After standing firmly in Nanjiang, Zhong Wan had Xuan Rui personally ask to be demoted to a Prince of the Third Rank. Half a year later, the first and long-overdue annual reward from the capital arrived. It had been February 6th. Zhong Wan’s seventeenth birthday.
Zhong Wan’s birthday passed in peace and he let out a slight breath of relief. Then he started to worry again. After these officials who sent the annual reward returned to the capital, would they casually mention the “romance” between him and Yu She?
At that time, when Prince Ning had suffered his downfall, Prince Yu’s estate had been one of the main instigators behind it. Later on, they hit Prince Ning’s estate when it was down. Until now, whenever Xuan Rui had so much as thought of them, he felt the urge to eat them alive. Zhong Wan was able to accept what had transpired. However, he was worried that after Yu She heard of the lies he had woven, he would burst in fury. Then request from his uncle the emperor an imperial edict, to flatten Prince Qian An’s estate that instant.
One year passed. Then two. The rumors in the capital spread. But Yu She’s side did not make any movements.
During that period, there had been a brave prefecture magistrate. Who, during the time he had arrived at the capital to report to the court, brought an old fan that Zhong Wan had said belonged to Young Prince Yu. And as he prepared to knock on the main gates of Prince Yu’s estate, he carried it with him.
The moment this prefecture magistrate had arrived at the capital, Zhong Wan planned for a funeral.
However, unexpectedly, the prefecture magistrate returned with a radiant face a few months later.
The prefecture magistrate brought back many gifts. He thanked Zhong Wan immensely. Yet Zhong Wan was frightened to the bone. He hesitated before asking, “Ziyou… Is he well?”
Yu She’s courtesy name was Ziyou.
In a generous manner and with much excitement, the prefecture magistrate praised Yu She to the heavens.
Zhong Wan cautiously asked, “Then what Sir had wanted…?”
Delighted beyond measure, the prefecture magistrate said, “Of course he permitted it! Once he took the token, he…” The prefecture magistrate coughed. “The former affection between the two of you will naturally be well.”
Before he had even turned twenty years old, Zhong Wan had been forced to discipline himself, to the point where he became slick and sly to the extreme. Only then was he able to maintain his composure and propriety on that day. And tried his best, with impeccable etiquette, to send off the overjoyed prefecture magistrate.
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“This humble official dares not delude oneself, but the Prince said ‘at least for half a year.’ This humble official really cherished the memory. Only then was this humble official able to think, could it be…?”
Itbcu Qjc ifoa tlr atbeutar. Lf rwlifv mbegafberis ja atf mbecas wjulragjaf ktb kjr ralii yijyyfglcu, ecvfgrajcvlcu atja atf ijaafg tjv mbwf obg rbwfatlcu.
Lf ragbxfv atf pjvf wfvjiilbc tjculcu ogbw tlr kjlra. Ktlr kjr atf ijra atlcu tf tjv rabifc ogbw Te Vtf. Yglulcjiis, Itbcu Qjc tjv kjcafv ab xffq la. Dea atfc tf gfmjiifv tbk atlr mbecas wjulragjaf tjv agfjafv Wejc Eel klat wemt mbegafrs veglcu atf olgra ofk vjsr atfs tjv jgglnfv ja Rjcpljcu. Cr remt, Itbcu Qjc bkfv tlw j vfya bo ugjalaevf.
In Zhong Wan’s whole life, what he was unwilling to do the most was to owe someone. He removed the jade medallion hanging from his waist. Smiled. “This was worn by Young Prince Yu back in his youth. He’ll recognize it with just a glance…”
The county magistrate was ecstatic. He reached out with his palms facing up to receive it. And then made his way out the door, still enveloped in utter joy.
Zhong Wan rose to his feet. Followed the other man to send him off.
“Hurry on your way.”
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They needed to leave for the capital today. Prince Qian An’s estate should be in a state of disarray by now. The servants rushed to deliver the luggage, scurrying in and out of the doors. From afar, the old steward of the prince estate watched as the county magistrate left. Then the steward no longer paid attention to him. Standing in the courtyard, he lifted his head to check the position of the sun. He still resented the servants for moving too slowly, and continuously yelled, “Faster! Tie the horse to Young Miss’ carriage first! Prepare the inner courtyard first!”
The steward managed everything at once. He looked back and saw Zhong Wan approaching. Then he went to receive him, unhappy. “For what reason have you come?”
“Nothing much. I’m here to send the county magistrate off. The prince was too impatient to receive him. So I dealt with him instead.” Zhong Wan smiled. Casually took the heavy crate of books from the hands of a nearby servant girl. As he placed the crate on the carriage, he said, “No need to rush. They haven’t finished cleaning up the interior yet.”
The servant girl curtsied to Zhong Wan. Cheeks flushed, she lowered her head and rushed back to the central room.
Zhong Wan was a sight for the eyes. Figure tall and slender. That he had a good personality and did not possess a haughty manner was hard to come by. He was kind to everyone, in his twenties, and not yet wed. The servant girls of the estate all liked him very much.
The old steward, Yan Pingshan, drew his brows together tightly. “This isn’t your duty. Go wait inside.”
Zhong Wan finished tying up the crate of books. Slapped it. “Waiting is boring.”
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Yan Pingshan did not comment on that. Then he said in a low voice, “These past few years, His Majesty has never remembered our prince during His Majesty’s birthday. So why did he do so this year…?”
A light smile graced Zhong Wan’s lips. “It’s nothing.”
Voice thick with worry, Yan Pingshan said, “His Highness’ inner chamber was lit up through all of last night. He had just turned seventeen last month. At such a young age, he—”
“Is it possible to not travel to the capital now that His Majesty has permitted His Highness entry?” After the little servant girl had left Zhong Wan’s sight, he softly said, “His Majesty just cannot be at ease. He wants to see these children. So let him see. Once he has and feels relieved, he would naturally let us return. At that time, we will live out our days in peace.”
But Yan Pingshan still appeared to have something to say. Zhong Wan’s voice grew even softer. “Xuan Rui has the position of Prince of the Third Rank over his head. He will come of age very soon. Is it possible not to let His Majesty take a look at him?”
Yan Pingshan furrowed his brows. “Then why does he want to see Second Young Master Yu and the Young Miss for? They’re still so young…”
Young Master Yu was Xuan Yu. The Young Miss’ name was Xuan Congxin. They were Prince Ning’s dragon and phoenix twins.
A smile blossomed on Zhong Wan’s lips. “You’re also aware that the two of them are young. And as such, they are even less of a threat. Would His Majesty be able to cause problems for those two children? Plus, they still have me.”
Yan Pingshan still had the urge to say something, but was unable to utter a word in the end.
With Zhong Wan around, it seemed there really wasn’t anything to be worried about.
Come Si Shi, the people of the estate finally finished packing up and placing the luggage on the carriages. Prince Qian An, Xuan Rui, led his younger brother Xuan Yu outside.
Xuan Yu was only ten years old and ignorant of the world. Once he had heard they would be leaving the estate, he was full of joy. He darted his eyes left and right, telling the servants to go faster. Xuan Rui smiled bitterly. He lifted his younger brother onto the carriage.
“Your Highness,” said Zhong Wan by the horse-drawn carriage. He helped support Xuan Rui onboard. In a low voice, he said, “There’s no need to think too much.”
Xuan Rui’s furrowed brows illustrated his worry. He glanced back, looking straight into the eyes of Zhong Wan. The worry in his heart dispelled a shade, and he nodded before entering the carriage.
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Zhong Wan climbed atop his horse. He pulled the reins, so that the horse’s head turned back as it trotted, his gaze falling upon Xuan Congxin. After making sure nothing was wrong, he pulled the reins once more, and the horse let out a shrill neigh. The long fleet of carriages gradually moved forward. Prince Qian An’s estate had never acted on pageantry. There weren’t any people striking gongs or yelling for the crowd to make way. The servants were quiet in their march. Once they were on the street, the dust they kicked up was even less than the other passerbys’.
Two months later, they arrived at the suburbs.
Another half day, and they would reach the capital. The people of Prince Qian An’s estate took a short break. Zhong Wan had been tossed around on horseback for two months, his whole body sore. Now he lay down on the bench in the carriage and rested. All of a sudden, the carriage sank. His eyes burst open. Exhausted, he asked, “Uncle Yan, what’s going on?”
He sat up. Before he could even pull the curtain aside, someone crawled into the carriage.
Joy struck Zhong Wan. “Lin Si!”
Lin Si was skilled in martial arts; he had quietly entered the carriage unbeknownst to anyone. Inside, he knelt before Zhong Wan. Zhong Wan pulled him to his feet. “Have you prepared the things I’ve asked for?”
Lin Si nodded, retrieving a paper travel permit from his sleeve.
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Zhong Wan received it, a smile tugging on his lips. “My self-selling contract is… still at Prince Yu’s estate. In a little while, if I enter the capital and someone interrogates and examines me, perhaps they will make trouble for me due to my identity as a slave. Having this well be a great help.”
Lin Si was mute. After hearing Zhong Wan’s words, he broke into a faint smile. With sign language, he told Zhong Wan to be at ease.
Lin Si had been Zhong Wan’s reading partner when he had still been a child in the Zhong family’s estate. Following the events of Prince Ning, they were both sold to Prince Yu’s estate. After that, Zhong Wan accompanied Prince Ning’s three children to Nanjiang. Lin Si stayed behind in the capital, and secretly helped Zhong Wan manage the matters there.
Using sign language was too slow, so Lin Si took out some paper and a brush. He wrote a report of everything he needed to tell Zhong Wan. Zhong Wan lit his handheld brazier, burning each sheet of paper after he had read it.
The carriage shook. Within thick with silence. Only the sounds of squeaking wheels and crackling of flames could be heard. Two hours later, Zhong Wan let out a light sigh. “It’s close to what I had predicted.”
Lin Si used sign language to say, “Everything has already been prepared appropriately. There is no need to worry.”
Zhong Wan nodded. After a moment of silence, he hesitated before saying, “Who…?”
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Lin Si’s quiet gaze fell upon Zhong Wan, and he patiently waited.
Zhong Wan laughed mockingly toward himself. He said in a low voice, “Was it… Young Prince Yu?”
Lin Si’s stare was still on Zhong Wan. He waited for him to continue speaking.
In his thoughts, Zhong Wan cursed the fact that Lin Si could not talk and was unable to read others. Only after hitting him would he move a bit. He could only directly ask, “How is… Young Prince Yu?”
Lin Si’s next words had their worth weighed in gold: very good.
The two fell into a bout of silence. Time passed peacefully for five minutes.
In the face of fortune, Lin Si understood things he had yet to understand before. He signed, “Master wants to know what happened to him?”
Feeling uneasy, Zhong Wan said, “In any case… he’s still my lover in name. Now that I’m about to enter the capital, it should be fine to show some concern for him.”
Lin Si thought for a moment. Once again he picked up paper and a brush, and wrote.
Zhong Wan took his time reading the words.
“He’s a year younger than me.” Zhong Wan fed sheet after sheet of paper into the handheld brazier. Softly said, “He should be twenty-three this year. Why… has he yet to marry?
“Don’t tell me… he was held back by the rumors of our ‘romance?’”
Lin Si shook his head. Then he wrote, “Young Prince Yu came of age three years ago. His Majesty and Princess Royal Anguo had searched for many excellent young ladies from renowned families to match with Young Prince Yu. But Young Prince Yu rejected it with no exceptions.”
Lin Si wrote down many names of daughters of good families. Zhong Wan frowned. “Was he unsatisfied? Then who else did he want?”
Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.
Lin Si wrote, “Young Prince Yu said he wanted Princess Huiyang.”
Princess Huiyang, the Fourth Princess of the reigning emperor.
Zhong Wan choked on his spit. “Huiyang has only just turned nine years old… Has he gone mad?”
Once again, Lin Si shook his head. He wrote that Yu She “hadn’t gone mad.” That he was still “of very sound mind.”
Zhong Wan could not help but laugh. “His Majesty has spoiled him too much. It can’t be he actually agreed?”
Lin Si wrote, “No, His Majesty had been furious. He almost beat up Young Prince Yu.”
Zhong Wan’s heart trembled. Near whisper, he said, “In my youth, I accompanied Xuan Rui to study in the imperial palace. And I came across a secret…”
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Lin Si nodded. He wrote, “It has been spread continuously that Young Prince Yu is actually—”
“Shhh.” Zhong Wan shook his head.
Lin Si paused. Then he wrote, “In His Majesty’s rage, he almost stripped from Young Prince Yu his position of heir. Nevertheless, when the princess entered the palace that same night, His Majesty was finally persuaded not to do so. After that… Young Prince Yu was so favored. Naturally, the matter was left unsettled. His Majesty treated Young Prince Yu coldly for two months. Afterward, His Majesty showed him the usual imperial grace. And his marriage was delayed even further.”
A smile spread across Zhong Wan’s lips. “His Majesty isn’t even that patient with his own sons.”
Once more did Zhong Wan furrow his brows. “Although Young Prince Yu has a bad temper, he would not do something like this. He clearly knew this marriage would fall through, so why deliberately anger His Majesty?”
Lin Si shook his head.
Unable to understand the implications, Zhong Wan asked, “What does you shaking your head mean?”
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Lin Si did not write any further. He lifted his head. Stared at Zhong Wan with serious eyes. And he signed, “I don’t know the complete details, but in recent years, the temperament of Young Prince Yu has changed.
“Don’t see him unless it’s necessary.”
Zhong Wan sneezed.
“It’s already autumn. Young Master Zhong, have you caught a cold?”
Within the central room, the local county magistrate courteously said, “Every day, Young Master Zhong works so hard in and out of the estate. You must take good care of yourself. Don’t neglect yourself. How can one not get sick when all one eats is the same five types of grain? I remember that when Young Master Zhong had first arrived, you were not used to living here and fell ill for a year. Now, it’s the middle of autumn, and Hanlu is just around the corner…”
Due to the county magistrate’s trying monologue on taking care of his health, Zhong Wan could not help but have his thoughts drift away. However, his expression remained very amiable, and he nodded again and again. More than fifteen minutes later, the county magistrate finally got to the point.
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“This humble official has worked in this position for a long time, yet has never entered the capital. However, this humble official has heard of Young Prince Yu’s elegant demeanor, and possesses a strong admiration for him. I hope to one day have a chance to enter the capital and pay an official visit to His Highness. Only then would this humble official not be disappointed.” The county magistrate carefully smiled at Zhong Wan. “Word has it that back then, the prefecture magistrate was able to pay an official visit to Young Prince Yu by using a token of Young Master Zhong…”
Zhong Wan fell into a daze once more.
When he had just arrived at Nanjiang, the days at the prince estate were hard to endure.
Everyone could tell that the emperor tossed away Prince Ning’s three children to such a barren and impoverished region so that they must fend for themselves. For the officials managing the fiefdom to not pay an official visit was already considered good. Those with evil schemes tried to please those in the capital who desired the death of the three children. At that time, Zhong Wan had only been in his teens. Trying to protect the prince estate that was on the verge of collapse had proved difficult to the extreme.
In the past, Prince Ning had given Zhong Wang a great grace. As such, even if he had no idea, he still had to wrack his brains on how to save the estate. First, he helped the heir, Xuan Rui, return the title he was supposed to inherit from Prince Ning to the emperor, so as to slightly dispel the emperor’s wary. But this would only grant them a temporary reprieve. Nanjiang was barren and impoverished in the first place. If they could not control the populace there, one would fear they would lose even their fief. Zhong Wan would rather be shameless than let the people of the estate starve.
And so, Zhong Wan had to turn to drastic measures. In the past, he had been Xuan Rui’s reading partner. Because the Imperial Preceptor had taught a crowd of princes and princesses, Zhong Wan reluctantly had a bit of a friendly acquaintanceship with Young Prince Yu. From there, he fabricated a story that he and Young Prince Yu had grown up together. He later added that Yu She considered him as a friend. As time went on, Zhong Wan grew more and more shameless. He simply said Yu She and he shared a deep and intimate friendship. Over the years, even if Zhong Wan had begged for something, he would not be able to obtain it. But now, whatever he had asked for, he would receive.
Yu She had been young back then, and did not have true power. However, his father was the country’s sole Prince of the First Rank of a different surname. His mother was the full-blooded sister of the emperor, the Princess Royal Anguo. Her identity was extremely noble. If others were to be in his presence, they would naturally know the amount of respect they needed to show him.
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Back then, Zhong Wan had been implicated because of Prince Ning and had been stripped of his status as a civilian. Turned into a slave. Then, Young Prince Yu purchased him. He lived in Prince Yu’s estate for half a year in a side courtyard. Once he had fabricated those stories, when asked for witnesses, he gave witnesses. When asked for evidence, he gave evidence. For a while, he was able to scare the locals at Nanjiang.
After standing firmly in Nanjiang, Zhong Wan had Xuan Rui personally ask to be demoted to a Prince of the Third Rank. Half a year later, the first and long-overdue annual reward from the capital arrived. It had been February 6th. Zhong Wan’s seventeenth birthday.
Zhong Wan’s birthday passed in peace and he let out a slight breath of relief. Then he started to worry again. After these officials who sent the annual reward returned to the capital, would they casually mention the “romance” between him and Yu She?
At that time, when Prince Ning had suffered his downfall, Prince Yu’s estate had been one of the main instigators behind it. Later on, they hit Prince Ning’s estate when it was down. Until now, whenever Xuan Rui had so much as thought of them, he felt the urge to eat them alive. Zhong Wan was able to accept what had transpired. However, he was worried that after Yu She heard of the lies he had woven, he would burst in fury. Then request from his uncle the emperor an imperial edict, to flatten Prince Qian An’s estate that instant.
One year passed. Then two. The rumors in the capital spread. But Yu She’s side did not make any movements.
During that period, there had been a brave prefecture magistrate. Who, during the time he had arrived at the capital to report to the court, brought an old fan that Zhong Wan had said belonged to Young Prince Yu. And as he prepared to knock on the main gates of Prince Yu’s estate, he carried it with him.
The moment this prefecture magistrate had arrived at the capital, Zhong Wan planned for a funeral.
However, unexpectedly, the prefecture magistrate returned with a radiant face a few months later.
The prefecture magistrate brought back many gifts. He thanked Zhong Wan immensely. Yet Zhong Wan was frightened to the bone. He hesitated before asking, “Ziyou… Is he well?”
Yu She’s courtesy name was Ziyou.
In a generous manner and with much excitement, the prefecture magistrate praised Yu She to the heavens.
Zhong Wan cautiously asked, “Then what Sir had wanted…?”
Delighted beyond measure, the prefecture magistrate said, “Of course he permitted it! Once he took the token, he…” The prefecture magistrate coughed. “The former affection between the two of you will naturally be well.”
Before he had even turned twenty years old, Zhong Wan had been forced to discipline himself, to the point where he became slick and sly to the extreme. Only then was he able to maintain his composure and propriety on that day. And tried his best, with impeccable etiquette, to send off the overjoyed prefecture magistrate.
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“This humble official dares not delude oneself, but the Prince said ‘at least for half a year.’ This humble official really cherished the memory. Only then was this humble official able to think, could it be…?”
Itbcu Qjc ifoa tlr atbeutar. Lf rwlifv mbegafberis ja atf mbecas wjulragjaf ktb kjr ralii yijyyfglcu, ecvfgrajcvlcu atja atf ijaafg tjv mbwf obg rbwfatlcu.
Lf ragbxfv atf pjvf wfvjiilbc tjculcu ogbw tlr kjlra. Ktlr kjr atf ijra atlcu tf tjv rabifc ogbw Te Vtf. Yglulcjiis, Itbcu Qjc tjv kjcafv ab xffq la. Dea atfc tf gfmjiifv tbk atlr mbecas wjulragjaf tjv agfjafv Wejc Eel klat wemt mbegafrs veglcu atf olgra ofk vjsr atfs tjv jgglnfv ja Rjcpljcu. Cr remt, Itbcu Qjc bkfv tlw j vfya bo ugjalaevf.
In Zhong Wan’s whole life, what he was unwilling to do the most was to owe someone. He removed the jade medallion hanging from his waist. Smiled. “This was worn by Young Prince Yu back in his youth. He’ll recognize it with just a glance…”
The county magistrate was ecstatic. He reached out with his palms facing up to receive it. And then made his way out the door, still enveloped in utter joy.
Zhong Wan rose to his feet. Followed the other man to send him off.
“Hurry on your way.”
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They needed to leave for the capital today. Prince Qian An’s estate should be in a state of disarray by now. The servants rushed to deliver the luggage, scurrying in and out of the doors. From afar, the old steward of the prince estate watched as the county magistrate left. Then the steward no longer paid attention to him. Standing in the courtyard, he lifted his head to check the position of the sun. He still resented the servants for moving too slowly, and continuously yelled, “Faster! Tie the horse to Young Miss’ carriage first! Prepare the inner courtyard first!”
The steward managed everything at once. He looked back and saw Zhong Wan approaching. Then he went to receive him, unhappy. “For what reason have you come?”
“Nothing much. I’m here to send the county magistrate off. The prince was too impatient to receive him. So I dealt with him instead.” Zhong Wan smiled. Casually took the heavy crate of books from the hands of a nearby servant girl. As he placed the crate on the carriage, he said, “No need to rush. They haven’t finished cleaning up the interior yet.”
The servant girl curtsied to Zhong Wan. Cheeks flushed, she lowered her head and rushed back to the central room.
Zhong Wan was a sight for the eyes. Figure tall and slender. That he had a good personality and did not possess a haughty manner was hard to come by. He was kind to everyone, in his twenties, and not yet wed. The servant girls of the estate all liked him very much.
The old steward, Yan Pingshan, drew his brows together tightly. “This isn’t your duty. Go wait inside.”
Zhong Wan finished tying up the crate of books. Slapped it. “Waiting is boring.”
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Yan Pingshan did not comment on that. Then he said in a low voice, “These past few years, His Majesty has never remembered our prince during His Majesty’s birthday. So why did he do so this year…?”
A light smile graced Zhong Wan’s lips. “It’s nothing.”
Voice thick with worry, Yan Pingshan said, “His Highness’ inner chamber was lit up through all of last night. He had just turned seventeen last month. At such a young age, he—”
“Is it possible to not travel to the capital now that His Majesty has permitted His Highness entry?” After the little servant girl had left Zhong Wan’s sight, he softly said, “His Majesty just cannot be at ease. He wants to see these children. So let him see. Once he has and feels relieved, he would naturally let us return. At that time, we will live out our days in peace.”
But Yan Pingshan still appeared to have something to say. Zhong Wan’s voice grew even softer. “Xuan Rui has the position of Prince of the Third Rank over his head. He will come of age very soon. Is it possible not to let His Majesty take a look at him?”
Yan Pingshan furrowed his brows. “Then why does he want to see Second Young Master Yu and the Young Miss for? They’re still so young…”
Young Master Yu was Xuan Yu. The Young Miss’ name was Xuan Congxin. They were Prince Ning’s dragon and phoenix twins.
A smile blossomed on Zhong Wan’s lips. “You’re also aware that the two of them are young. And as such, they are even less of a threat. Would His Majesty be able to cause problems for those two children? Plus, they still have me.”
Yan Pingshan still had the urge to say something, but was unable to utter a word in the end.
With Zhong Wan around, it seemed there really wasn’t anything to be worried about.
Come Si Shi, the people of the estate finally finished packing up and placing the luggage on the carriages. Prince Qian An, Xuan Rui, led his younger brother Xuan Yu outside.
Xuan Yu was only ten years old and ignorant of the world. Once he had heard they would be leaving the estate, he was full of joy. He darted his eyes left and right, telling the servants to go faster. Xuan Rui smiled bitterly. He lifted his younger brother onto the carriage.
“Your Highness,” said Zhong Wan by the horse-drawn carriage. He helped support Xuan Rui onboard. In a low voice, he said, “There’s no need to think too much.”
Xuan Rui’s furrowed brows illustrated his worry. He glanced back, looking straight into the eyes of Zhong Wan. The worry in his heart dispelled a shade, and he nodded before entering the carriage.
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Zhong Wan climbed atop his horse. He pulled the reins, so that the horse’s head turned back as it trotted, his gaze falling upon Xuan Congxin. After making sure nothing was wrong, he pulled the reins once more, and the horse let out a shrill neigh. The long fleet of carriages gradually moved forward. Prince Qian An’s estate had never acted on pageantry. There weren’t any people striking gongs or yelling for the crowd to make way. The servants were quiet in their march. Once they were on the street, the dust they kicked up was even less than the other passerbys’.
Two months later, they arrived at the suburbs.
Another half day, and they would reach the capital. The people of Prince Qian An’s estate took a short break. Zhong Wan had been tossed around on horseback for two months, his whole body sore. Now he lay down on the bench in the carriage and rested. All of a sudden, the carriage sank. His eyes burst open. Exhausted, he asked, “Uncle Yan, what’s going on?”
He sat up. Before he could even pull the curtain aside, someone crawled into the carriage.
Joy struck Zhong Wan. “Lin Si!”
Lin Si was skilled in martial arts; he had quietly entered the carriage unbeknownst to anyone. Inside, he knelt before Zhong Wan. Zhong Wan pulled him to his feet. “Have you prepared the things I’ve asked for?”
Lin Si nodded, retrieving a paper travel permit from his sleeve.
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Zhong Wan received it, a smile tugging on his lips. “My self-selling contract is… still at Prince Yu’s estate. In a little while, if I enter the capital and someone interrogates and examines me, perhaps they will make trouble for me due to my identity as a slave. Having this well be a great help.”
Lin Si was mute. After hearing Zhong Wan’s words, he broke into a faint smile. With sign language, he told Zhong Wan to be at ease.
Lin Si had been Zhong Wan’s reading partner when he had still been a child in the Zhong family’s estate. Following the events of Prince Ning, they were both sold to Prince Yu’s estate. After that, Zhong Wan accompanied Prince Ning’s three children to Nanjiang. Lin Si stayed behind in the capital, and secretly helped Zhong Wan manage the matters there.
Using sign language was too slow, so Lin Si took out some paper and a brush. He wrote a report of everything he needed to tell Zhong Wan. Zhong Wan lit his handheld brazier, burning each sheet of paper after he had read it.
The carriage shook. Within thick with silence. Only the sounds of squeaking wheels and crackling of flames could be heard. Two hours later, Zhong Wan let out a light sigh. “It’s close to what I had predicted.”
Lin Si used sign language to say, “Everything has already been prepared appropriately. There is no need to worry.”
Zhong Wan nodded. After a moment of silence, he hesitated before saying, “Who…?”
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Lin Si’s quiet gaze fell upon Zhong Wan, and he patiently waited.
Zhong Wan laughed mockingly toward himself. He said in a low voice, “Was it… Young Prince Yu?”
Lin Si’s stare was still on Zhong Wan. He waited for him to continue speaking.
In his thoughts, Zhong Wan cursed the fact that Lin Si could not talk and was unable to read others. Only after hitting him would he move a bit. He could only directly ask, “How is… Young Prince Yu?”
Lin Si’s next words had their worth weighed in gold: very good.
The two fell into a bout of silence. Time passed peacefully for five minutes.
In the face of fortune, Lin Si understood things he had yet to understand before. He signed, “Master wants to know what happened to him?”
Feeling uneasy, Zhong Wan said, “In any case… he’s still my lover in name. Now that I’m about to enter the capital, it should be fine to show some concern for him.”
Lin Si thought for a moment. Once again he picked up paper and a brush, and wrote.
Zhong Wan took his time reading the words.
“He’s a year younger than me.” Zhong Wan fed sheet after sheet of paper into the handheld brazier. Softly said, “He should be twenty-three this year. Why… has he yet to marry?
“Don’t tell me… he was held back by the rumors of our ‘romance?’”
Lin Si shook his head. Then he wrote, “Young Prince Yu came of age three years ago. His Majesty and Princess Royal Anguo had searched for many excellent young ladies from renowned families to match with Young Prince Yu. But Young Prince Yu rejected it with no exceptions.”
Lin Si wrote down many names of daughters of good families. Zhong Wan frowned. “Was he unsatisfied? Then who else did he want?”
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Lin Si wrote, “Young Prince Yu said he wanted Princess Huiyang.”
Princess Huiyang, the Fourth Princess of the reigning emperor.
Zhong Wan choked on his spit. “Huiyang has only just turned nine years old… Has he gone mad?”
Once again, Lin Si shook his head. He wrote that Yu She “hadn’t gone mad.” That he was still “of very sound mind.”
Zhong Wan could not help but laugh. “His Majesty has spoiled him too much. It can’t be he actually agreed?”
Lin Si wrote, “No, His Majesty had been furious. He almost beat up Young Prince Yu.”
Zhong Wan’s heart trembled. Near whisper, he said, “In my youth, I accompanied Xuan Rui to study in the imperial palace. And I came across a secret…”
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Lin Si nodded. He wrote, “It has been spread continuously that Young Prince Yu is actually—”
“Shhh.” Zhong Wan shook his head.
Lin Si paused. Then he wrote, “In His Majesty’s rage, he almost stripped from Young Prince Yu his position of heir. Nevertheless, when the princess entered the palace that same night, His Majesty was finally persuaded not to do so. After that… Young Prince Yu was so favored. Naturally, the matter was left unsettled. His Majesty treated Young Prince Yu coldly for two months. Afterward, His Majesty showed him the usual imperial grace. And his marriage was delayed even further.”
A smile spread across Zhong Wan’s lips. “His Majesty isn’t even that patient with his own sons.”
Once more did Zhong Wan furrow his brows. “Although Young Prince Yu has a bad temper, he would not do something like this. He clearly knew this marriage would fall through, so why deliberately anger His Majesty?”
Lin Si shook his head.
Unable to understand the implications, Zhong Wan asked, “What does you shaking your head mean?”
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Lin Si did not write any further. He lifted his head. Stared at Zhong Wan with serious eyes. And he signed, “I don’t know the complete details, but in recent years, the temperament of Young Prince Yu has changed.
“Don’t see him unless it’s necessary.”
