CH 49

Ch 49 “Is crown prince brother really drunk?”

Afternoon, the crown prince carriage went out of the palace in a low-profile manner. Out of the city, they first traveled north for a while, and then turned to the south side of the city.

It was said that they were low-key, but they brought more than 20 guards, as well as a group of servants.

Early in the morning, Xie Chaoling had been working with Emperor Qianming’s gang to deal with political affairs, and later had lunch with his Royal Father, in which he mentioned that he was going out of the palace. Burn incense inside, for peace of mind. The reason he gave was that he had come back from the dead, and wanted to go to the imperial temple on the outskirts of the city to burn incense and seek peace of mind.

The emperor didn’t get suspicious, he just told him to bring more people and be more careful outside, so he let him out.

Xie Fengzhen was also there at the time, and when Xie Chaoling talked about this with his Royal Father, he glanced at him and did not expose him.

Later, when they came out together, seeing that Xie Chaoling was still calm, but could not suppress the joy in his brows, Xie Fengzhen stopped him and asked him, “Crown Prince, are you going to see King Ke?”

The smile on the corner of Xie Chaoling’s mouth froze for a moment, and then he said: “Royal Uncle is worrying too much, of course not.”

He just wanted to save someone, Xie Chaoling thought.

After leaving the city, the road became more and more uneven as he travelled south. Xie Chaoling sat in the carriage with his eyes closed and rested, no longer thinking about those complicated things, and his mind gradually calmed down. When the carriage stopped, Liao Zhi reminded him in a low voice outside: “Your Highness, we are here.” 

The carriage door opened, Xie Chaoling was helped down, and it was the steward of the village who came out to greet him, but Xie Chaoyuan was not seen.

Liao Zhi raised his eyebrows and asked, “Where is His Royal Highness King Ke? Why didn’t he come out to meet him in person?”

The steward who was kneeling on the ground trembled and said, “His Highness said that Your Highness the Crown Prince came here incognito, so there is no need to engage in such a big battle, so he will not come out to meet you, and told these subordinates to welcome His Royal Highness to enter.”

Liao Zhi was very dissatisfied when he heard the words, and he wanted to say more, but was stopped by Xie Chaoling. He told the person on the ground: “Get up and lead the way.” 

The steward led all the servants in the villa to get up, and led Xie Chaoling into the yard that he had lived in for two months.

Xie Chaoling’s people were stopped outside the gate of the courtyard, a group of guards drew their swords immediately, and Xie Chaoyuan’s people also drew their swords out of their sheaths. The two confronted each other, refusing to give in to each other. Xie Chaoling frowned, and the steward lowered his head while trembling and insisted: “Your Highness, please go in alone.”

After a moment of silence, Xie Chaoling ordered: “You wait here.”

Liao Zhi said worriedly: “Your Highness, at least let this slave go in with you.”

“It’s nothing, you can wait here too.”

Xie Chaoling stepped into the door, and the courtyard door closed behind him.

He paused a bit, looked up, the flowers that had been planted in the courtyard were already in full bloom, and Xie Chaoyuan was standing alone in the porch, staring at something intently, as if admiring the flowers but not at all.

It was evening, and the afterglow of the setting sun enveloped his figure, outlining the sharpness of his profile. Xie Chaoling looked at him for a while, and inexplicably thought that this kid really didn’t look like a young man who was not yet seventeen.

It’s really not pleasant at all.

Xie Chaoling didn’t approach until the man’s eyes turned to him.

“Why didn’t crown prince brother come over?” Xie Chaoyuan spoke first. 

Seeing that Xie Chaoling was still standing still, Xie Chaoyuan pulled the corner of his mouth: “You don’t dare to come over? Why? Did I scare the crown prince with the gift I sent to the East Palace?”

“Sixth brother’s nonsense should also have a limit,” Xie Chaoling finally stepped forward and taught the other in a stern elder brother’s way of teaching, “Once or twice, I just treated it as you being young and ignorant. If you continue to be so crazy…”

“So?” Xie Chaoyuan said, cutting off his words.

“Let him go,” Xie Chaoling said, “He didn’t provoke you, why are you so aggressive?”

“Why does the prince think he didn’t provoke me?”

Xie Chaoyuan disagreed, “He provoked me more than once or twice, I wanted to teach him a lesson, if crown prince hadn’t protected him, why wait until today.”

Xie Chaoling suppressed his impatience and said: “Even if he did something to make you unhappy, what you did is too much. He is from the Li family. For the sake of myself, let him go. “

“For the sake of the Crown Prince Brother,” Xie Chaoyuan repeated this sentence, as if he had heard something very funny, he was smiling, but the smile couldn’t reach his eyes, “That’s not what the Crown Prince Brother said the day before yesterday. Didn’t you thank me for helping you teach him a lesson? Did I teach him too much ?”

“You went overboard,” Xie Chaoling frowned, “What on earth do you want?”

Xie Chaoyuan looked at him and sneered, “Aren’t you tired, Crown Prince Brother? There isn’t even a servant here, how long are you going to pretend like this with me?”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Xie Chaoling remained unmoved, “If you let him go, I will persuade him not to report you in front of the emperor, otherwise this matter will be ruined. I won’t be kind anymore.”

Xie Chaoyuan sneered, and suddenly asked him: “Crown Prince Brother leaving the palace at this time, what excuse did you tell His Majesty? After all, you will never honestly say you came here….”

Xie Chaoling didn’t say a word.

Xie Chaoyuan smiled, and the sarcasm in his words became even more serious: “King Xun has just been gossiping in front of His Majesty, slandering the relationship between the Crown Prince Brother and this king, and ruining the reputation of the Crown Prince Brother; His Majesty’s doubts must not have been resolved. “

“I don’t need Sixth Brother to worry about this.” Xie Chaoling said.

“So Crown Prince Brother came here specifically to find me to ask for someone?”

Xie Chaoling said coldly, “Yes, it’s been three days, and you’ve done enough, let him go.”

But Xie Chaoyuan didn’t answer: “Crown Prince Brother came at this hour, it would be too late to rush back to the palace. Could it be that Crown Prince Brother was prepared not to return to the palace, and specially chose this time to come?”

Xie Chaoling said calmly: “This is my business, there is no need to explain it to sixth brother. After sixth brother has let him go, I will not stay here to chatter with sixth brother.”

Xie Chaoyuan seemed not to have heard what he said: “Since crown prince brother is here, how can you leave without even drinking a cup of tea, otherwise you will spread the word to tell people that I don’t understand the way of hospitality. This is perfect as I just told the servants to serve dinner, please join Crown Prince Brother.”

Xie Chaoling didn’t move. Xie Chaoyuan looked at him: “Is Crown Prince Brother unwilling to give me this face?”

Xie Chaoling understood what he meant from his eyes.

If he doesn’t sit down to eat this meal today, Xie Chaoyuan won’t let him take him away.

Xie Chaoyuan not only had the meal prepared, but also wine.

The wine was good, but very strong, Xie Chaoling glanced at it, smelled the strong aroma of the wine, and did not stop Xie Chaoyuan when he poured the wine for himself.

Xie Chaoyuan picked up the wine glass: “That day I suddenly saw Crown Prince Brother appearing at royal father’s place, which really surprised me. Then I heard Crown Prince Brother talk about the dangerous experience outside the past few months, I was so worried about Crown Prince Brother, I forgot to congratulate crown prince brother. Now that Crown Prince Brother is finally back safe and sound, after this experience, I think there will be good luck in surviving a catastrophe.”

The words that this little beast said were like words mocking themselves. Xie Chaoling was very upset when he heard this, but he still had a smile on his face: “Then I will take Sixth brother’s good words.”

But he didn’t raise his glass, and Liao Zhi stepped forward behind him, holding a silver needle in his hand. The food and wine were checked in the same way.

Xie Chaoyuan looked at his movements coldly. Just now he said that they would have dinner, so Xie Chaoling’s people were let in. This eunuch, the chief eunuch of the East Palace, had always been honest and never concealed things with him, and today it was even worse. Two young eunuchs tasted it, and brought a cat to try it, when they couldn’t find any faults, they reluctantly returned them. 

Xie Chaoyuan smiled contemptuously: “Crown Prince Brother is so cautious, do you know that there are some things that cannot be tested with silver needles?”

Xie Chaoling did not think, and sent the wine into his mouth.

A Gu can’t be tested with ordinary silver needles, but his needle was given by the wandering sorcerer, who can test Gu insects; he had to guard against this little beast giving him those messy Gu’s again.

Xie Chaoyuan gave food to him, and all the dishes on the table were cooked according to Xie Chaoling’s preferences by the cooks specially recruited by Xie Chaoyuan, which he couldn’t even eat in the East Palace.

“Crown Prince Brother, how do you think the food and drinks are compared to those in the East Palace?”

Xie Chaoling ate slowly, and answered him casually: “Sixth brother enjoys himself well, the food is better than the ones in East Palace, which makes people envious.”

“Is that so?” Xie Chaoyuan said slowly, “But some people just don’t like it. That’s right, King Ke’s mansion is small in size, how can it compare to the East Palace, where everyone flocks to it.”

“Since sixth brother knows that human nature is like this, why bother to talk too much.” Xie Chaoling said.

“Crown Prince Brother is always right.”

Xie Chaoyuan finished in a low voice, and continued to pour wine for him. Xie Chaoling didn’t answer, and drank the wine as it was delivered, not restraining himself.

At the end of the Xu Shi, the food and drink stopped completely. Xie Chaoling supported his flush face with one hand, as if he was drunk, and he looked at Xie Chaoyuan: “It’s time for me to go back. Sixth brother, let the person go.”

Xie Chaoyuan asked him with a smile that was not a smile: “At this time, not to mention the palace gates, even the city gates are closed. There are no people within ten miles of this villa, where does Crown Prince Brother plan to go?”

Xie Chaoling didn’t care, “This is not sixth brother’s concern.”

Liao Zhi stepped forward to help the person, but Xie Chaoyuan took the first step to support Xie Chaoling.

Xie Chaoling might indeed be drunk, he subconsciously leaned towards Xie Chaoyuan’s side, and stuck to his arm. Xie Chaoyuan took him into his arms and motioned to Liao Zhi: “The crown prince is drunk, so he will stay with me tonight. Liao Gonggong has worked hard today, so take the people outside to rest. The king will ask someone to arrange a place for you.”

Liao Zhi refused: “His Highness is drunk, and this servant must stay to serve His Highness.”

There was a fleeting coldness in Xie Chaoyuan’s eyes: “Does Liao Gonggong know how to serve His Royal Highness who is drunk?”

Liao Zhi choked for a moment.

Xie Chaoling had never been drunk before, and he really didn’t know why their Royal Highness was drunk, obviously he didn’t drink much.

“I can’t leave, Your Highness…”

“Liao Gonggong is tired, I’m afraid you won’t be able to serve His Highness the Crown Prince at night, so I’d better invite Liao Gonggong to go down and rest.” Xie Chaoyuan ordered in a deep voice.

Wang Rang immediately brought someone up, almost dragging Liao Zhi down.

“What does His Highness King Ke mean by this? What do you want to do to His Highness?!”

Liao Zhi cast an anxious eye. Xie Chaoyuan ignored him, and lowered his head to ask Xie Chaoling who was leaning in his arms: “Do you want me to serve you at night, or do you want this castrate?”

Xie Chaoling’s eyes were not clear, as if he was confused, he nodded his head randomly, and replied: “You.”

Liao Zhi: “…”

Chasing away the person in the way, Xie Chaoyuan bent down and picked up Xie Chaoling, and went to the back room.

Throwing him on the bed, Xie Chaoyuan threw himself on him, and as before, tied Xie Chaoling’s wrist with silk cloth, tying him to the bedside post.

Xie Chaoling frowned, and muttered in a daze, “Sixth brother, what are you doing?”

Xie Chaoyuan pinched his chin, stared at his eyes, and said hoarsely, “Is crown prince brother really drunk?”

Xie Chaoling’s eyelashes moved slowly, met Xie Chaoyuan’s gaze, and gave a soft “mm”.

“The other day before yesterday, crown prince brother passed by my side, and the Buddhist beads in his hand were scattered. Did crown prince brother do it on purpose?”

“What does crown prince brother want to do? Are you deliberately seducing me?”

“Does crown prince brother believe in Buddhism? Did you know that it is disrespectful to the Bodhisattva?”

The more Xie Chaoyuan talked, the more Xie Chaoling shook his head indiscriminately, still in the same drunken and bewildered state: “…I don’t know what you are talking about, let go of myself.”

Xie Chaoyuan lowered his body, breathing hot air straight into Xie Chaoling’s ear: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t admit it, you delivered yourself, don’t even think about running away tonight.”