CH 18

Ch 18 Xie Chaoyuan, this is fear.

Early in the morning of the next day, after eating breakfast at Chen Shi, Xie Chaoyuan led Xie Chaoling out to the back of the manor.

After coming to an agreement yesterday to go boating, Xie Chaoling had been thinking about this matter the entire time and was very interested. He was only in his teens, just the age for fun.

When passing by Qiming Pavillion, Xie Chaoling turned his head and glanced. The place was no longer lively like last night, the courtyard door was closed, and there were magnolia branches protruding from the wall in the courtyard, which was a bit sluggish at this time of year.

“Did King Ding’s beloved who passed away really live here before?” Xie Chaoling asked Xie Chaoyuan hesitantly. They came to watch the fun last night, and he couldn’t help but sigh when he heard people talking about it in a low voice.

Xie Chaoyuan looked in the direction of his line of sight, paused for a moment, and said: “I don’t know, the rumors are not to be believed. Royal Uncle went to the border at the age of fifteen, and returned to the capital with a serious injury at the age of twenty. After that, he has been alone for nearly ten years. There was not even a concubine in the residence, even if that woman exists, she was definitely not an ordinary person.”

Xie Chaoling thought, maybe she was not a woman? Your Highness’s family all have special hobbies.

But he was just thinking about it, Xie Chaoling didn’t say it.

When they reached the back of the lake, the pleasure boat stopped by the water bank. Xie Chaoyuan specially ordered someone to ask Xie Fengzhen to borrow it early in the morning.

In the early morning of early winter, the mountains were empty, the smoke and water were misty, and the cold weather brought out white mist, but Xie Chaoling’s great interest couldn’t be stopped. He got on the boat first, and stretched out his hand to Xie Chaoyuan with a smile: “Your Highness, I will pull you up.” 

Xie Chaoyuan held his palm and stepped onto the boat firmly.

The boat goes to the center of the lake, with green mountains and clear water all the way.

“King Ding must really enjoy it. I didn’t expect that there would be such a big lake behind this manor.” Xie Chaoling leaned against the side of the cabin to look at the scenery outside, and sighed casually. Compared with the lake in Prince Ke’s mansion, it can only be regarded as a pool.

Xie Chaoyuan peeled an orange, and fed it to his mouth: “There is an island in the middle of the lake, and the scenery on the island is even better.”

Xie Chaoling turned to look at Xie Chaoyuan, and asked with a smile, “Does Your Highness envy King Ding’s life?”

“What is there to envy?”

“Wealth and enjoyment for a lifetime, it seems good to be an idle king like King Ding, but His Highness’s ambition is not there.”

“This king is different from Royal Uncle.” Xie Chaoyuan said.

He wanted Xie Chaoling, and he used despicable means to trap Xie Chaoling by his side. He could do it for a while, but not for a lifetime. So he wanted that position, only in that way can he really keep Xie Chaoling.

But these, he didn’t intend to talk to Xie Chaoling about.

Half an hour later, they landed on the island in the middle of the lake. The island was very small, there was stairs and at the top, one can see the surrounding scenery.

Xie Chaoling stood at a high place and looked into the distance, the rising sun dotted the distant sky, reflecting a large swath of red clouds. Occasionally, a bird flew across the water, dragging a long shadow under the rays of the sun until it disappeared into the sky.

This place was really nice.

“Linlang likes this place?”

Seeing the joy in Xie Chaoling’s eyes, Xie Chaoyuan asked in his ear.

Xie Chaoling nodded: “It’s not bad, but it’s a pity that this is King Ding’s manor, so I can’t come here often.”

“There are many places like this in this area outside the capital. If you like, I can build a manor like this for you.”

Xie Chaoling leaned over with a smile: “Is Your Highness rich?”

Xie Chaoyuan patted his shoulder and didn’t say much.

They had lunch in this garret at noon, and then Xie Fengzhen sent someone over to invite Xie Chaoyuan to drink with him. Xie Chaoyuan could only leave. Xie Chaoling said that he wanted to sit here for a while, and had Xie Chaoyuan go back first.

Xie Chaoyuan didn’t disappoint him: “I’ll bring the boat back to pick you up later.”

Xie Chaoling waved: “Your Highness, go slowly.” 

Watching the pleasure boat go away, Xie Chaoling stretched his waist and yawned. Behind him,  Wang Jin asked him in a low voice: “Your Majesty, would you like to take a nap for a while?”

Xie Chaoling ignored the person and pitched the flower branch from outside the window in his hand, and suddenly said: “I seem to have been to this place before.”

Wang Jin was startled, and Xie Chaoling glanced at him: “Did I know King Ding before?”

“…I don’t know.” Wang Jin swallowed his saliva and answered falteringly.

Xie Chaoling sneered, the man’s expression told him that he guessed right.

He had been to this place, and he also knew King Ding.

When the ship docked, Xie Chaoyuan saw Xie Chaoqi who was in a daze in the pavilion on the shore, and took the initiative to say hello.

Xie Chaoqi was pale, wrapped in a thick cloak, and holding a hand warmer, looking sleepy. Xie Chaoyuan asked him: “Fourth brother, are you not feeling well? It’s just winter, why are you so afraid of the cold?”

Xie Chaoqi glanced at him coldly, ignoring the person. Xie Chaoyuan didn’t take it seriously: “Royal Uncle asked me to go over to have a drink, are you going?”

Xie Chaoqi still didn’t say anything, Xie Chaoyuan approached him, and lowered his voice: “Fourth brother, I found something interesting a few days ago, do you want to hear it?” 

Without waiting for Xie Chaoqi to answer, Xie Chaoyuan continued on his own: “There is a general in Dongshan Ying who took the imperial soldiers’ salary and put ushers outside, and I heard that he forced someone to death.”

Xie Chaoqi’s expression moved slightly: “Why are you telling me this?”

“It’s nothing. When I suddenly thought of this, I just said it. You can just pretend that I do not like second brother and since he always finds me unhappy, I don’t want him to be happy either.”

Xie Chaoyuan’s face was full of unscrupulousness, both like and dislike on display on his face. Xie Chaoqi stared at him, and his thoughts turned a few times. It’s not that he didn’t suspect that this kid had ulterior motives, but Xie Chaoyuan was notoriously lazy, playful and unwilling to make progress, and his thoughts were not on the right path. He said that Xie Chaorong was not pleasing to the eye with a face too calm. Xie Chaoqi believed these words, and finally suppressed the doubts in his heart.

“Why don’t you just tell Father?”

Xie Chaoyuan disagreed: “I just heard it. If I told Father without evidence, won’t Second Brother hate me even more? With his mind, will I have a good life in the future? “

“So you want me to help you deal with him?” Xie Chaoqi said coldly, “Why should I do what you want?”

Xie Chaoyuan smiled and said: “Whatever you want. If you have heard it, then it’s fine. Let’s say I didn’t say these words.”

After finishing what he had to say, Xie Chaoyuan went to Xie Fengzhen’s for a drink.

Today there was only this nephew and uncle. After what happened last night, Xie Fengzhen seemed to have stopped having fun, and only asked Xie Chaoyuan to drink with him.

“If Royal Uncle is unhappy, it’s better to get drunk.” Seeing that the glass in front of Xie Fengzhen was empty, Xie Chaoyuan continued to add wine for him.

Xie Fengzhen smiled, “Only you can say such a thing.”

“Nephew is telling the truth.”

Xie Fengzhen put down the wine glass and turned it slowly in his hand, and asked him suddenly: “Did you take someone to play on the lake this morning? This was the first time this king had seen you care so much about someone.”

Xie Chaoyuan poured a sip of wine into his mouth: “Ah, he wanted to play so I took him.”

Xie Fengzhen looked into his eyes slightly. After a pause, Xie Chaoyuan smiled frankly and continued drinking.

Xie Fengzhen didn’t say anything, and picked up the wine glass again.

When Shen Shi was approaching, the sky suddenly darkened. Wang Jin looked out of the window, and saw that the sky, which was clear just now, was now covered with dark clouds, and it was going to rain.

He turned his head to look at Xie Chaoling. Xie Chaoling had been like this since before, fiddling with the dagger in his hand with lowered eyes, his expression cold. He didn’t know what he was thinking.

Wang Jin’s heart kept pounding, and he didn’t dare to ask too many questions right now. He just reminded him cautiously: “Sir, Sir, it’s raining, let’s go back?”

Xie Chaoling finally raised his eyes: “Has the boat returned?”

No.

The wind was already blowing outside, and there were waves on the lake, but there was no shadow of the boat.

After a muffled thunder, the torrential rain came.

Xie Chaoyuan put down his wine glass, heard the sound of rain falling outside, frowned and signaled Wang Rang behind him: “Send someone to see if Langjun is back.” 

Wang Rang immediately ordered someone to follow up. A moment later, the head servant came back to report that the boat was previously borrowed by other people who were playing on the lake, and they did not go to the island in the middle of the lake to pick them up. Now it is raining heavily, and the boat is moored on the shore, and they dare not go out again.

Xie Chaoyuan suddenly got up, without even saying bye to Xie Fengzhen, he strode away.

Wang Rang asked a group of people to run behind Xie Chaoyuan holding umbrellas, but they still couldn’t keep up with him. When they got to the lake, the pleasure boat was swinging on the water with the strong wind, and the servants in charge of docking the boat didn’t know where to hide from the rain. Xie Chaoyuan immediately ordered his guards to untie the anchor and board the boat.

Wang Rang was drenched to the ground. He hurried to keep up, and reminded Xie Chaoyuan: “Your Highness, the rain is too heavy, and the wind is strong on the lake. You’d better not go in person…”

Xie Chaoyuan glanced over coldly. The rain and fog behind his eyes was without the slightest temperature. Wang Rang’s more persuasive words were stuck in his throat, and he bowed his head and dared not speak anymore.

If something happened to Xie Chaoling, they would all have to be buried with him.

Xie Chaoyuan threw out the sentence “speed up and go to the island in the middle of the lake” in a deep voice, and entered the cabin.

The heavy rain was pouring down. Xie Chaoling stood by the window, staring at the rising water; the lake soon covered half of the stone steps.

Wang Jin was so anxious that he subconsciously wanted to ask Xie Chaoling for help: “My lord…”

Xie Chaoling ignored him and looked forward.

After the mist filled the sky, the cruise ship finally appeared. It cut through the wind and waves with difficulty, and gradually approached them.

The maidservants behind him let out a sigh of relief, and Xie Chaoling’s eyes moved. He seemed to have seen Xie Chaoyuan standing at the bow of the boat, staring in his direction.

As soon as the boat landed on the island, Xie Chaoyuan immediately got off the boat and stepped on the water. In his haste, his wet arm and clothes were cut by the iron sheet beside the cabin door, and a long line of blood was drawn on his arm. He walked up the stone steps and entered the garret.

Xie Chaoling stood there without moving, watching Xie Chaoyuan striding forward covered in moisture with a complicated expression, and hugging him to his arms.

“It’s fine now, come back with me.” Xie Chaoyuan’s voice was low, and he hugged Xie Chaoling tightly.

After a long while, Xie Chaoling hesitated and raised his hand, patting him on the back: “…en.”

On the boat back, Xie Chaoling helped Xie Chaoyuan bandage the wound on his arm.

Xie Chaoling felt helpless, then he finally raised his hand to caress his cheek: “Don’t worry, I’m really fine, isn’t it alright?”

Xie Chaoyuan grabbed his wrist with all his strength, and pulled him into his arms again.

For the first time, Xie Chaoling realized that Xie Chaoyuan was afraid. After all, His Royal Highness was only sixteen years old.

Xie Chaoyuan was not afraid of death. He braved the wind and rain to pick him up, but he was afraid that something would happen to him. Xie Chaoling felt his heart full, and unspeakable emotions boiled in it.

The return journey took more than half an hour, and the rain eased, and there were only a few patters of rain left in the end.

Xie Fengzhen personally came to the shore to pick them up and those lazy boatmen had already been escorted by Xie Fengzhen’s order, and handed over to Xie Chaoyuan for disposal. Xie Chaoyuan didn’t look at those people after landing, and said coldly: “Fifty sticks each.”

Xie Chaoling hearing this, quickly grabbed his sleeves. Xie Chaoyuan was too impolite. King Ding brought someone to him as an explanation, so he had to show face to his uncle no matter what, yet he just opened his mouth, saying fifty sticks each.

Although Xie Chaoling was very skeptical, if this was a servant of Prince Ke’s mansion, Xie Chaoyuan would have already ordered someone to take their life.

Xie Chaoyuan looked back at him without saying a word, making it clear that he didn’t want to change his mind.

Then he asked Xie Fengzhen again: “Does Royal Uncle think my proposal is acceptable?”

Xie Fengzhen smiled nonchalantly and said, “Since this king has said that I will leave it to you, I will follow you.”

Xie Chaoyuan nodded, and once again ordered: “Drag them away.” 

The sounds of wailing and begging for mercy gradually faded away, Xie Chaoling had no choice but to give up.

Xie Chaoyuan was not in the mood to be more polite to Xie Fengzhen, he took care of the people, thanked Xie Fengzhen, and led Xie Chaoling away.

Xie Chaoling followed, and whispered to Xie Chaoyuan to comfort him: “Your Highness, don’t be angry?”

Xie Chaoyuan ignored him, took his hand, and refused to let go.

Xie Fengzhen watched their dragging backs go away, and his pupils shrank fiercely after hearing Xie Chaoling’s voice clearly.

The furrowed brow never loosened.