CH 6

Xiao Min and Gu Yan had been classmates so he had always understood his temper. Seeing that he was already expressing annoyance, he shut his mouth.

There was a moment of silence in the central room and Gu Xuan spoke up to smooth things over: “Brother Shouyu was just joking around, so don’t take it personally, Cousin.”

He escalated the awkward situation and Xiao Min immediately laughed: “That’s right, Zicheng, why are you so nervous, it’s just a servant, I have plenty of them there, I won’t fight over one with you.”

Gu Yan drank his tea without saying anything.

Xiao Min asked again, “Zicheng, where is my future sister-in-law, why don’t you let him come out to meet us. The Third Imperial Prince and I are curious as to who has taken your heart and soul.”

Gu Yan responded: “He is not in the manor right now.”

“Not in the manor?” Xiao Min thought for a moment, “Since you didn’t get an Imperial edict a while back, it was natural for you not to want to show him to others. But now that the wedding date has been fixed, why aren’t you bringing him over to the manor? Do you even know what the people outside are saying?”

Gu Yan asked, “What are they saying?”

“They say that Prince Rui’s love interest is either incredibly ugly or a hooker, which is why he doesn’t dare show him to anyone.” 

Gu Yan faintly swept him a glance and Xiao Min immediately sought to make amends with a guilty conscience: “I’m not the one who said those words, the Third Imperial Prince also knows about this, right Yuanhui?” 

Yuanhui was Gu Xuan’s courtesy name.

Gu Xuan said in a warm voice: “Don’t be angry, Cousin, it’s just some rumors. The Empress Dowager’s birthday is coming up and Father will invite all the officials to a banquet to celebrate the occasion. When Princess Consort Rui appears in public at the birthday banquet, the rumors will naturally be dispelled.”

Gu Yan hummed in agreement and said nothing more.

The three of them chatted for a while. Xiao Min wanted to invite Gu Yan along to enjoy music, but Gu Yan refused on the grounds that there were still matters to be dealt with in the manor.

Gu Yan sent someone to send them away and when Xiao Min left the room, he lamented: “This guy, although he used to be cold in nature, he never resisted when asked to do something delicious and fun. Now look, after having his own family, I probably can’t ask him to come out for fun anymore.”

Gu Xuan used the folding fan in his hand to knock him as he laughed: “Brother Shouyu shouldn’t only focus on how to play all day long, I heard that Prince Yu has worried a lot about your marriage. After Imperial Brother Yan’s marriage, the next one getting married might be you.” 

“I certainly hope not, I don’t want to find someone to control me at all.”

The two of them were walking and talking when they suddenly heard a crisp bird song. Gu Xuan looked up and a small gray sparrow was squatting on the branch. Its soft and fluffy feathers made it look like a small ball from a distance.

The little gray sparrow originally intended to leave the manor with Ye Zi. However, Ye Zi was taken away by Gu Yan and it didn’t dare to follow so it had to wait alone on the branches of the tree. But it soon fell asleep from waiting until just now, when it woke up due to someone talking. 

It called out discontentedly, opened its eyes in a daze, and saw the man under the tree.

The man looked gentlemanly and majestic, exactly the same as the talented, gentle, and affectionate scholars described in the books.

How could there be such a good-looking person?

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The little gray sparrow stared at him with two small black eyes and was dumbfounded for a while. Since it wasn’t paying attention, it fell off the branch and into a pair of warm hands.

The little gray sparrow lay on its back in Gu Xuan’s palms, still looking dumbfounded.

Xiao Min scoffed: “Where did this stupid bird come from? It’s gray and dull and even fell from the tree, can it not fly?” 

I can fly, I can fly!

The little gray sparrow jumped up, fluttered its wings twice, and stood firmly in Gu Xuan’s palms.

Xiao Min exclaimed in surprise: “Yo, this bird understands my speech? It’s quite intelligent.” However, there was some regret in his tone, “If it wasn’t a little ugly, I would have taken it back home to raise it.” 

The glow in the little gray sparrow’s eyes dimmed.

It was indeed not good-looking enough.

The little gray sparrow was gray and only the top of its head and beak had a little white. Compared to many of its kind, it really was too ugly. And because of this, no one wanted to keep it at all.

Everyone liked a good-sounding skylark and a beautiful oriole with bright feathers, but no one liked a gray sparrow like itself.

Gu Xuan reached out and gently stroked the little gray sparrow’s feathers, saying in a warm voice: “No, it’s cute.”

After he said this, he raised his hand and put the little gray sparrow back on the branch. The little gray sparrow stood on the branch as it looked at his figure leaving Prince Rui’s manor and didn’t move its gaze for a long time.

That person complimented it and said it was cute.

This was the first time someone had said it was cute. 

When he got on the carriage, Gu Xuan was still staring thoughtfully in the direction of Prince Rui’s manor.

Xiao Min laughed: “If you really like that bird, why don’t you take it back to the palace? You’re bored staying in the palace anyway, so you might as well find something interesting.”

“I don’t like it.” Gu Xuan lowered his eyes and said lightly, “Such a weak and harmless thing won’t live long.”

——Just like his birth mother, who died alone after a lifetime of suffering.

Gu Xuan’s birth mother was once a famous beauty in Jiangnan and was brought back to the palace by Emperor Jinghe when he went south. She was also favored for a while as well, unfortunately, she had an innocent personality and was set up by a jealous concubine. Not before long, she ended up making a big mistake that angered Emperor Jinghe, and was sent to the cold palace.

Gu Xuan was born in the cold palace. Shortly after his birth, he was taken to be raised by the Noble Imperial Consort while his birth mother passed away in the unattended, cold palace in misery.

If one doesn’t strive, if one doesn’t fight, then they die.

This was the first thing that Gu Xuan’s Concubine Mother taught him.

On the other hand, inside the central room, Gu Yan stroked the rim of the cup with a thoughtful look.

Xiao Min didn’t have any intentions and most likely only wanted to visit him this time, but Gu Xuan wasn’t that simple.

Emperor Jinghe had been sick several times in a row recently and there were rumors in the Capital that the Emperor wouldn’t last for a few years. However, the current Crown Prince’s qualifications were dull. Both his wisdom and tactics were far from being able to become the standard of an Emperor.

Although no one dared to touch this subject in front of Emperor Jinghe, many people in the court had begun developing the thought of abolishing the current Crown Prince.

Emperor Jinghe only had three sons. The Crown Prince didn’t have good qualifications and the Fifth Imperial Prince was still young. The only one they could rely on seemed to be the Third Imperial Prince.

Thinking of this, Gu Yan’s eyes darkened.

Gu Yan didn’t say anything for a while. Ye Zi was idle so he went over to clean up the tea used by Xiao Min and Gu Xuan.

Gu Yan frowned: “You don’t have to do that.”

Ye Zi was stunned.

Wasn’t he brought here by Gu Yan to serve?

If he doesn’t do that then what should he do?

When Gu Yan saw him acting stupid, his heart burst into anger as he chided: “Just now when Xiao Min wanted you, why didn’t you take the initiative to say you didn’t want to go?”

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Ye Zi didn’t understand why Gu Yan was angry again and answered in a low voice: “But even if I said it, it wouldn’t have counted…….”

He was already deeply rooted in the fake servant persona. 

“How would it not have counted, you are——”

Gu Yan suddenly stopped talking.

He stared at Ye Zi, paused for a while, then his tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed.

Very well, he still wanted to pretend. 

Then he could continue pretending.

“You’re right, it doesn’t count. So, just now it was me who saved your life.” Gu Yan raised his gaze with a deeper meaning in his eyes, “Aren’t you going to do something to repay me?”

Ye Zi: “……”

How did this person’s face flip faster than a book? 

Ye Zi was so angry that he ground his teeth. If this person’s status wasn’t high and couldn’t be provoked, he would have…….

Forget it, he could endure.

Endure for a moment of peace and quiet.

A little impatience would spoil great plans.

He had endured for ten years. After finally having the chance to escape to the vast world waiting for him, he couldn’t be shot down first.

Ye Zi reluctantly showed a little smile with patience and carefully asked: “How does Your Majesty want me to repay you?”

Gu Yan stood up and walked over toward him.

Every time Gu Yan took a step, Ye Zi took a step back, and the two of them continued until Ye Zi’s back was against the door.

Ye Zi was about to escape when Gu Yan suddenly reached out and pressed him against the door panel.

Gu Yan looked at him condescendingly and said softly, “What do you think I want in return?”

Those words, this posture, coupled with Gu Yan’s straightforward and undisguised gaze. Ye Zi understood no matter how slow he was.

Bastard!

Libertine!

Shameless!

How could he say such things when he was going to be married?!

Ye Zi was so angry that he couldn’t speak, and his face turned red.

Seeing Ye Zi’s shameful and annoyed appearance, Gu Yan, who was only teasing him, couldn’t help but feel a little meandering in his heart at this moment. He reached out and lifted that pink and jade-like face, and was about to personally collect his reward from this person when footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

“Your Majesty, the housekeeper said——”

When Qiu Tang, who had hurriedly stepped in, saw their appearances, she froze in place like she had been struck by lightning. 

Doing this in broad daylight, was a bit too exciting……

Qiu Tang quickly turned her back and said hurriedly, “The housekeeper said that all the things you ordered were bought, but there are some things that you need to go through personally. This servant has finished speaking, please continue.”

After saying that, she ran away in a hurry.

Ye Zi: “……”

Gu Yan: “……”

********

The author has something to say:

Qiu Tang: Ex-Exciting.jpg

Ye Zi: Listen to me……forget it, I don’t want to explain anymore. GivingUp.jpg

Daily bullying of the small immoral plant √

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Reminder, this novel has a side CP, they won’t have much scenes and if you don’t like it, you can skip them.