Chapter 30 - The Fox Schemes, The Wolf Frets

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Xiao Zai was oddly subdued during their ride back to the Prince of Jing's estate, something that filled Chu Yun with silent glee.

No doubt he was trying to turn the events of the previous night around in his mind -- a fruitless endeavour, someone that drunk would have trouble recalling their own name, let alone what they did.

Chu Yun was once again riding his beloved Little Butterfly, and his mood had improved considerably compared to the day before.

Sometimes he sneaked sideways glances at Xiao Zai, and could see his expression drawn in pensive frustration. He couldn't make sense of his actions the night before, and the fact that Chu Yun was withholding the details from him was driving him insane.

But Chu Yun hadn't become a renowned strategist at such a young age out of the blue. He was going to keep that information close to his chest and dole it out only when it could be useful for him.

It was already being useful.

When they met yesterday, Xiao Zai had been very belligerent and upset over Chu Yun's behaviour -- which was admittedly, warranted -- but now he was too busy trying to piece together the missing pieces in his memory to be upset at him.

The whole thing had been forgotten because he thought he had done something worse, and couldn't believe how comprehensive Chu Yun was being about the whole thing.

Besides, Xiao Zai had revealed some important information last night that Chu Yun wanted to keep to himself.

He smirked just remembered those whispered, frantic, declarations.

"What are you smirking at?" Xiao Zai asked, looking at Chu Yun in extreme suspicion.

"Me? Nothing, I'm just enjoying the view."

He took advantage of his newfound information by releasing a subtle wave of pheromones. Immediately Xiao Zai started sniffing the air. He glanced at Chu Yun, but when Chu Yun's expression didn't change he lowered his eyes and stayed quiet.

And just like that, Chu Yun had an effective way of shutting him up forever and winning every argument from then on. To say nothing of everything else Xiao Zai had feverishly revealed.

The days ahead didn't feel so strained anymore, Chu Yun might just have stumbled into the perfect way of ensuring this marriage worked in his favour.

He would be kingmaker, and he would have the future king of Zui eating out of his palm.

After all, the man had told him as much himself.

---

Xiao Zai felt no small amount of embarrassment when he arrived at the Prince of Jing's estate.

Madam Jing was already waiting for them by the gates, and rushed to Chu Yun's side as soon as he dismounted.

"Where have you been? You left without saying a word...staying out all day like that...I was so worried something might have happened!"

Chu Yun shot a glance at Xiao Zai, and for a terrible moment Xiao Zai was worried that he'd tell his mother that he'd found Xiao Zai in a brothel and that they stayed the night there -- he surely wouldn't be able to live that down.

"Lanzhou is a very big city, his Highness wanted to see the sights and got lost," he smiled charmingly at his mother and shrugged, "it took me some time to find him, and by then it was too late for the two of us to return so we just stayed at an inn."

The Madam sighed in obvious relief, but after some time smacked Chu Yun on the shoulder with the billowy end of her wide sleeve. "That's for worrying your mother! You insolent brat."

Chu Yun followed her into the house, cajoling her with sweet words.

Xiao Zai was relieved to have been spared the humiliation, and to be alone once again. He took both horses by their leads to the stables, where he found Little Pan and a few other of his and Chu Yun's servants milling about.

The conversation died down the minute he approached, which left Xiao Zai immediately on high alert.

He cleared his throat and approached the servants. "Has...something happened?"

They all lowered their eyes or looked somewhere else, except Little Pan who squared his shoulders and lifted his chin.

"Your Highness, a delivery of produce arrived to the estate late last night from Lanzhou."

Oh no.

At this point two other servants were tugging on Little Pan's sleeves to get him to stop talking, but he went on, undaunted, "they brought news from the capital. According to them the Prince of Jing's first son, and the second son of the king of Zui were seen going up together into a room in one of the capital's most famous brothels."

Oh no.

Xiao Zai's face was probably doing something terrifying, judging by the looks on the faces of the other servants.

Only brave Little Pan didn't seem to fear for his life. "Your Highness will be pleased to hear," -- Xiao Zai wasn't pleased to be hearing any of this --, "that those simple labourers from the capital had no idea they were talking to his Highness' private servants, and we managed to disencourage them from discussing that kind of baseless gossip with anyone else."

At that, all the other servants started nodding enthusiastically. "Swear on my ancestor's graves we haven't told a soul," one of them said, a bald man who must have been in his early fifties.

Xiao Zai finally breathed out a sigh of relief. "Yes, good, it wouldn't do for those baseless rumours to spread further." He cleared his throat. "You'll all be rewarded for your excellent work once we return to Zui."

With that, Xiao Zai squared his shoulders and left, walking in the direction of his and Chu Yun's guest quarters in the Prince's estate.

The group of lively servants watched their master depart in silence, until the youngest of them all, a boy of no more than sixteen asked:

"Do you think we should have told him that those men also said that the 'rumours' had spread all over the capital in less than a few hours?"

The bald man smacked the young boy upside the head.

"Foolish boy, next you'll want to tell him they're drawing up pornographic paintings of the two of them as we speak!"

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