Chapter 35: CH 30

“I’m indecent…”

“I’m frivolous…” 

Zhong Wan did his best to ignore that last phrase. He ground his teeth together and thought, I truly am just as dangerously seductive as in the past. Without even removing an article of clothing, I was capable of causing the Yu She of today to lose control. If I had half-taken off or completely taken off something, wouldn’t that have made Young Prince Yu lock me up in his home, never to let me leave?

Also, Yu She must truly be crazy. What illogical reasons were these?

Zhong Wan refused to accept the current situation. He reread the letter a couple more times, trying to figure out what Yu She was actually thinking. But after spending some time looking over it again, only one thing remained in his mind…

Kissed? 

Zhong Wan thought in a daze, kissed. How did the kiss happen?

Kissed where?

H-How did they kiss?

Zhong Wan still felt thirsty. He downed the half cup of tea remaining and sat down, trying his best to remember. 

But he couldn’t remember anything.

“He must have done this on purpose.” Zhong Wan crushed the letter into a ball. “If he’s so capable, he should’ve been more outright…”

But if he really had been more outright… Zhong Wan’s ears flushed red as he thought of how Yu She had looked barging in that day. He truly… wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

The Yu She now was too terrifying. 

Zhong Wan forced himself to first stop dwelling on the issue of whether or not they had kissed. He still didn’t understand. Even if they actually had kissed, why was Yu She angry? Angry to the point that he didn’t want to see him and had kicked him out early in the morning.

The Yu She now truly had a temper that was unpredictable.

Zhong Wan threw the letter into the brazier and collected himself. Using Xuan Yu’s tone of voice, he wrote a booklet for Emperor Chongan.

Zhong Wan didn’t make Xuan Yu copy it in his own handwriting. Emperor Chongan wasn’t dumb; he would be able to tell these were Zhong Wan’s ideas in an instant. Thus, Zhong Wan didn’t even bother hiding his handwriting. He generously finished writing it and ordered someone to take the booklet into the palace. 

Zhong Wan had already made Prince Qian An’s estate’s stance very clear: We don’t want to get mixed up with the issues in the capital. We only want to return to Qian An earlier to live peacefully, but also don’t dare to betray the emperor’s blessings. Thus, even though Prince Qian An is gravely ill, he is still leaving his younger brother and sister born of the same parents to celebrate the emperor’s birthday.

Prince Qian An’s estate had already given their greatest sincerity. They only hoped that Emperor Chongan would allow their Prince to return to Qian An earlier to heal. With such a humble attitude, Emperor Chongan naturally gave his permission.

The same day, people arrived from the palace. As usual, they granted several health supplements. The stone in Zhong Wan’s chest landed on the ground. All was well as long as they could send Xuan Rui away.

Xuan Rui finally stopped taking the medicine. Yan Pingshan intended for Xuan Rui to rest for a few more days to recover. Without even thinking, though, Zhong Wan said, “No. Leave tomorrow.” 

Xuan Congxin set down the needle and thread in her hands. In surprise, she asked, “So rushed?”

“Things may change with time,” Zhong Wan replied. “Who knows when Third Prince will pass? Third Prince is Xuan Rui’s elder cousin. If anything really happened, they’d be mourning while we’d be happily returning to Qian An. Would that be suitable?”

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Zhong Wan picked out the servants heading back to Qian An with Xuan Rui, then personally helped the other pack his luggage. The entire estate was in a mess. Zhong Wan made several trips in and out, causing him to become exposed to the cold wind. In only a moment, he started feeling a bit feverish.

“How disappointing…”

Zhong Wan didn’t want to bother seeing the imperial doctors in the estate. He returned to his own room and found two medicine pills for curing the regular cold and swallowed them with water. After, he wrapped himself in thick clothes and walked out the door again. 

After half a day of chaos, the luggage was finally all packed and counted. Yan Pingshan returned alone.

“Where is he?” Zhong Wan lifted his head. “Where’s the mute?”

In front of the other servants, Yan Pingshan only ambiguously stated, “Didn’t find him.”

Zhong Wan furrowed his brows, then led Yan Pingshan back into his own room. 

“Lin Si doesn’t want to leave.”

Yan Pingshan stated in agitation, “I told the spies we have on Fourth Prince’s estate to tell him. He said that he can’t leave. I then found a way to call him out and personally ask. He… said he doesn’t want to leave.”

Zhong Wan burst into laughter. “Why?”

Yan Pingshan shook his head. “He didn’t say why. He’s a mute, so I wasn’t able to get any answers out of him. I told him to write them out, but he wouldn’t. When he got impatient with my questions, he even stopped gesturing.” 

Zhong Wan carefully thought back and suddenly discovered that since he had returned to the capital, the few times that he had mentioned wanting Lin Si to return to Qian An, Lin Si had always been hesitant.

“He…” Zhong Wan lowered his voice, “Has he been trapped by something?”

Zhong Wan said in amusement, “Lin Si isn’t young anymore. Perhaps he has a lover in the capital?”

Yan Pingshan was lost. “How would I know… but shouldn’t he at least tell us?! We finally have a chance to return to Qian An. Isn’t returning earlier more important than anything else? I’m unable to persuade him; he doesn’t like listening to me either. While it’s still early in the day, how about you go seek him out…” 

“There’s no need.” After being lost in thought for a few moments, Zhong Wan suddenly smiled. “Let him be.”

Yan Pingshan urgently said, “How can we allow him to do as he wills? Fourth Prince’s estate isn’t a good place to stay! If anything happens in the future and he gets implicated, he would be alone. We wouldn’t be able to help even if we wanted to. By then…”

“Uncle Yan,” Zhong Wan softly said. “Stop planning things out for him.”

Yan Pingshan looked at Zhong Wan, stunned. “You’re not going to control him?” 

“I can’t control him. Lin Si isn’t my slave,” Zhong Wan answered, unbothered. “Though he always calls me ‘master,’ in actuality, he’s my wet nurse’s son. Technically, he’s almost my blood-related brother. My wet nurse passed early on. He’s wandered from place to place with me these past few years, suffering quite a bit.”

Zhong Wan smiled. “Even if the Zhong family had given him some small graces and favors back then, he has long since returned all of them after all these years. Now… let him be.”

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Yan Pingshan didn’t understand. “What do you mean let him be? Isn’t this for his own good? He’d be alone…”

“If I were to act for my own good,” said Zhong Wan, holding back a smile, “I would be returning with you guys as well. But I can’t leave right now too, right?” 

He had gotten stopped in his tracks by someone with a strange temperament.

Zhong Wan gently said, “People all have their own destinies. Since Xuan Rui is safe now, I want to do some other things. Lin Si probably thinks this way too.”

Yan Pingshan didn’t understand, but looking at Zhong Wan currently, he suddenly felt that at this moment, something had already changed in this estate.

“I’ll definitely ask him about it,” Zhong Wan comforted. “When I seek him out again, I’ll ask him. Forget about everything else… Since he’s unwilling to return, you can just accompany Xuan Rui back.” 

Yan Pingshan was shocked. “I leave? What about you guys?”

“There’s nothing important in the estate. It’ll be enough to keep a young steward around,” Zhong Wan answered casually. “The two kids and I aren’t troublesome, so won’t need this many people taking care of us.”

Yan Pingshan wasn’t reassured, but after thinking of the sickly Xuan Rui and weighing his options, he said in exasperation, “Alright. After Prince has safely reached Qian An, I’ll return.”

“Please don’t. By then, the two little ones would possibly already be on the way back.” Zhong Wan had a headache thinking about this. “The trip there and back is already several months. You might even miss each other in the middle. All you need to do is take good care of Xuan Rui.” 

Yan Pingshan thought about it and realized this was true. He could only nod and say, “Then you… pay more attention to your health.”

Zhong Wan smiled uncaringly.

In a change of plans, Yan Pingshan suddenly needed to leave. He had a bunch of business to take care of once more, so had no spare time to continue speaking with Zhong Wan. He lifted his foot to leave. Before stepping outside the door, Yan Pingshan turned back to look at Zhong Wan. Out of the blue, he said, “Zhong Wan… Who knows what year it will be the next time we meet.”

Zhong Wan was most terrified of these woeful goodbyes. He smiled and said, “What? Rushing me to pay you in advance for this year?” 

Yan Pingshan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. With a complicated gaze, he looked at Zhong Wan. “Either way… take care.”

Zhong Wan nodded. “I know.”

The next day, everyone in Prince Qian An’s estate woke up early. As the sky started to lighten, Yan Pingshan and Xuan Rui left the city.

Zhong Wan accompanied Xuan Congxin and Xuan Yu in standing atop the second door for a while. Xuan Yu wept silently. “Eldest brother… eldest brother’s body is so weak. The trip is so long. Halfway through the trip, will he…” 

“He won’t,” Xuan Congxin answered. “Shut up.”

Xuan Yu forced himself to remain silent. He didn’t dare to make another sound, instead scooting closer to Zhong Wan.

Zhong Wan held back a smile. He rubbed Xuan Yu’s head and was just about to urge the two little ones into the room when a servant stumbled in from outside.

Xuan Congxin furrowed her brows. “What’s wrong?! Do you still remember how to behave?” 

Zhong Wan felt slight worry in his heart. He stopped Xuan Congxin and asked, “What happened?”

The servant knelt on the ground and spoke with a quivering voice, “Third Prince…died.”

Zhong Wan thought to himself, so close.

Zhong Wan glanced at Xuan Congxin. Xuan Congxin carefully said in a low voice, “It’s a good thing we listened to you. I… should I have someone prepare the white cloth now? We should cover up these red lanterns first, right?” 

Zhong Wan actually didn’t really understand the customs regarding important events such as weddings or funerals. Now that Yan Pingshan had already left, he could only force himself to take care of them. “I believe so. Have people prepare the mourning attire. I predict that in less than half a day, someone will be here from the imperial clan. At that time, we can ask them.”

Xuan Congxin looked at her younger brother who was in the middle of crying. With furrowed brows, she said, “Xuan Yu and I definitely won’t be in the same location if we go to keep vigil. He most likely won’t be able to go by himself. Can you accompany him?”

Zhong Wan smiled. “Naturally.”

Xuan Congxin relaxed. She went ahead to take care of the inner courtyard. Zhong Wan suddenly thought of something. His heart dropped. 

Yu She… needed to go keep vigil too, right?

Zhong Wan’s ears flushed red. In his heart, he quietly prayed, regardless if he does it for Third Prince who has died young or for whomever, please, please don’t let Yu She go crazy in the funeral hall and start asking me why I’m so indecent…

“Dead?”

The side courtyard of Prince Yu’s estate. Yu She played with his bird and cheerily said, “He dragged it out for so many days. Finally left?” 

Steward Feng passed him the mourning attire. “Yes, he died this morning. I heard that Imperial Consort Xian almost passed out from crying. Princess Royal has already headed over. Before she left, Princess Royal sent people over and said, said…”

Yu She impatiently asked, “Are you going to say it or not?”

“Yes, yes,” Steward Feng smiled. “Princess Royal said this year, Heir has had misfortune with water and fire, and has also recently been frightened…”

Yu She scoffed. Steward Feng smiled apologetically. “She naturally has to say these things to the public. Princess Royal means that funerals are originally Heir’s taboo. And, Heir has just been placed under house arrest by the emperor. How about… not going?” 

Steward Feng lowered his voice, saying, “Princess Royal is considering things from Heir’s perspective. When Heir encounters Imperial Consort Yu later, what should you say? It’ll be awkward for both parties. Better to just avoid the situation.”

Yu She hadn’t been interested in attending in the first place. “Then I won’t go.”

Steward Feng smiled. “That’s the idea. Keeping vigil is so much suffering, why bother… But you’ll still have to wear the mourning attire. Heir, go change into it first. After forty nine days, Heir can make an appearance when the coffin gets carried out and that’ll be enough.”

Yu She changed into the plain-colored clothing before suddenly asking, “Has Prince Qian An… left?” 

Steward Feng was startled. “Yes? Probably yes. Speaking of, Young Master Zhong is very decisive. He didn’t even waste a moment. If this had been half a day later, they most likely wouldn’t have been able to leave the city.”

“He…” Yu She paused. “Did he leave with them?”

Steward Feng naturally knew who Yu She was asking about. He hurriedly responded, “No, no. The spies are keeping an eye out every day. Young Master Zhong is still at the estate. He hasn’t left.”

Yu She’s expression became slightly better. He pondered a bit and said, “Prince Qian An has left, but Xuan Yu hasn’t, right?” 

Steward Feng was confused, “That’s right.”

Yu She said, “Then I’ll go keep vigil.”

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