Chapter 57 - The Fox Miscalculates

The First Princess and her honour guard left in a cloud of awkwardness. The rest of the guests pretended not to be on tenterhooks over this, but groups of them had none too subtly, started drifting towards the open doors leading to the courtyard.

If anyone expended more than ten minutes thinking, they would realise that it was a huge waste for the reception room to be heated, no doubt burning through a lot of coal and costing the Second Prince's estate several gold taels, only for the doors to be open, letting all the heat escape.

It was almost as if Chu Yun wanted them to watch the show.

He was glad the First Prince had showed up. His alternative plans in case he hadn't weren't nearly as entertaining.

Chu Yun and Xiao Zai were speaking with the elderly Minister of Agriculture and his daughter, both of whom were valiantly trying to listen as Chu Yun explained Xin agricultural practices, while outside the First Prince was screaming something about:

"He has already taken everything from me, what more does that old man want?"

"He can't take you from me, Jiang-er! I won't let him."

"Let go of me you shrill harpy, this doesn't concern you."

Chu Yun allowed things to progress in that vein for a little while longer, before excusing himself and going outside, making a point to close the room's doors behind him.

---

Xiao Zai watched Chu Yun go outside, and immediately followed him out, closing the door behind him a lot less discreetly. 

He found Chu Yun patting and inconsolable Xiao Yuan on the back, while walking him towards his carriage.

"This can all still be a big misunderstanding," he said, sounding contrite, "perhaps the person who told me this just wanted to feel like they had some big gossip to share." He shared a look with Xiao Yuan's dolled up concubine who nodded eagerly. 

"Yes, darling, let's not rush to conclusions so early on," she said, taking Xiao Yuan's other arm and helping him climb the carriage's steps.

Xiao Zai watched all this from a distance, his arms crossed in front of his chest while he admired how skilfully Chu Yun handled the matter.

At this point all Xiao Yuan could do was blabber some more, drunk out of his mind, although he was no longer behaving aggressively.

Chu Yun kept plying him with platitudes. "I'm really so sorry that my careless words ruined the evening, I should have offered his First Highness some more food, it's not good to drink on an empty stomach." 

He fretted over Xiao Yuan some more until he was seated inside the carriage and then addressed him from the ground:

"I'll invite his First Highness for a private family gathering whenever possible," he said, nodding towards both the concubine and the manservant. 

After a last quick exchange of words, the carriage finally departed.

Chu Yun watched its retreat for some time before turning around. He stopped when he saw Xiao Zai watching him.

"You really are something," Xiao Zai said, stopping Chu Yun with a hand around his waist. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Chu Yun looked up at him from beneath his lashes, his fan lowered at his side, now that he had no more use for it. "I always do," he smirked at whatever he saw reflected in Xiao Zai's eyes. "Let's go back inside, our guests are waiting for us."

Xiao Zai had half a mind to wipe that smug smile off of Chu Yun's lips with his own, but he knew it wasn't the time or the place.

He followed him back inside. Against his dam's advice, he was willing to continue marching to the pace of Chu Yun's war drum -- for now.

---

Chu Yun went to bed in his quarters that night with the knowledge that his feast would be the talk of Haolin for weeks to come.

He had no idea what the First Prince would remember come morning, but his concubine at least would be quick to assure him that Chu Yun had been most gracious and attentive.

The First Princess was successfully reminded of how unfit to rule her eldest brother was, and would surely bring that up with people in her confidence.

The guests had seen Xiao Zai interacting politely, if coldly, but that too perhaps suited his image, when compared with the brash Xiao Yuan.

All in all, Chu Yun spent the next day basking in his success. Xiao Zai kept himself scarce but that wasn't surprising. He had a standing lunch appointment with his dam twice a week. An appointment to which Chu Yun wasn't invited. 

He didn't like that. Who knew what Gu Wei was telling him. 

With that in mind, and determined to find out more about not only Gu Wei, but the inner workings of the harem as a whole, Chu Yun departed the next morning for the palace. 

Hua Nanyi accompanied him, and together they found Min Sezhui sitting at her usual place at the stone table in the Pearl courtyard. Her slender back was turned towards them, clad in bright peach robes, hunched as always over the weiqi board.

Chu Yun took a seat in front of her, but his smile slipped the moment he saw her face.

"What happened to Sister Min's eye?" 

There was a bright purple, shiny, ring around Min Sezhui's right eye. It reminded Chu Yun of fruit that had gone ripe and rotten in the sun.

She lifted her fingers to her eye self-consciously. "The King didn't like that I went around spreading rumours."

A cold dread slid down Chu Yun's back, freezing him in place. He couldn't take his eyes off Min Sezhui's bruised skin.

She sighted. "I asked what he meant but he never explains himself," she shrugged, as if this was a common occurrence.

Moments later a guard approached Chu Yun. "Your Grace, the King summons you for an audience."

Chu Yun stood up without a word. As he turned to follow the guard, Min Sezhui seized him by the trailing hem of his wide sleeve.

"Don't talk back to him, be nice," she swallowed drily, "He's always meaner to the boys, so....," her guileless humid eyes looked up at Chu Yun with genuine concern, "Be careful."