After Pretending to be an Idiot, I Was Targeted by the Cold-Blooded Zhangyin - Chapter 21

Gu Feiyi felt a headache coming on; he found the situation utterly absurd. Various emotions swirled in his chest, eventually dissolving into a low chuckle. “The Little Highness is truly a miracle doctor.”

Xie Changsheng grinned. “You’re too kind, too kind.”

Gu Feiyi chuckled again. He asked Xie Changsheng once more, “Little Highness, are you truly unwilling to marry?”

Xie Changsheng shook his head so hard it was like a rattle.

Gu Feiyi leaned a bit closer to Xie Changsheng, whispering with a lingering smile, “What if this servant says he can make His Majesty abandon the idea of the Little Highness marrying?” He asked, “How will the Little Highness thank this servant?”

Xie Changsheng bit his lip, knitting his brows in deep thought for a long time before saying, “I can give you a hundred ‘thank yous’.”

Gu Feiyi: “…”

Seeing Gu Feiyi silent, Xie Changsheng’s expression became hesitant. He counted on his fingers and asked foolishly, “Not enough? Then, a thousand? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Twenty thousand and one? Twenty thousand and two? Twenty thousand and three…”

Seeing that Xie Changsheng intended to count forever, Gu Feiyi finally couldn’t help but interrupt: “…What use does this servant have for that many ‘thank yous’?”

Xie Changsheng let out an “Ah” and asked blankly, “Then, what do you want?”

Gu Feiyi’s gaze landed on Xie Changsheng’s cheek. He thought Xie Changsheng’s question was quite interesting.

What did he want?

He began to ponder. He wanted the Old Emperor’s life; he wanted the imperial sons and grandsons kneeling at his feet. He also wanted a well-behaved, obedient little pet.

Gu Feiyi thought for a long time. It wasn’t until Xie Changsheng curiously poked his shoulder to tell him to “wake up” that he smiled again. He reached out to smooth the wrinkles on Xie Changsheng’s shoulder and looked down at him with a commanding air. “This servant hasn’t decided yet. Let’s say you owe me, alright?”

Xie Changsheng let out an “Ah” in a dazed, flat tone. “That’s not very good, is it?”

“What’s not good about it?”

Xie Changsheng asked Gu Feiyi, “Do you know how dangerous over-leveraged consumption can be?”

Gu Feiyi laughed. “There you go again with the strange words.”

The hand on Xie Changsheng’s shoulder moved back, sliding his slender white fingers into the boy’s thick, unbundled black hair. Using his fingers like a comb, he began stroking through Xie Changsheng’s strands, one pass at a time.

Gu Feiyi told him, “The Little Highness only needs to agree.”

Xie Changsheng stared blankly into Gu Feiyi’s eyes. He saw a hint of coercion in that gaze. So, Xie Changsheng shrugged. “Okay then.”

Gu Feiyi narrowed his long eyes in satisfaction.

Xie Changsheng had assumed that with Gu Feiyi on the case, the business of “marrying for luck” would quickly die down. He hadn’t expected that while the Old Emperor stopped pressuring him, the news of the search for a wife had not been officially halted.

Many powerful families, eager to form a marital alliance with the royals, used various connections to have portraits of their daughters sent to Xie Changsheng. To show his firm stance against marriage, Xie Changsheng stayed up late into the night drawing mustaches on every single portrait.

Xie Hemiao heard the news and specifically rushed over from a tavern to see the fun. When he arrived, Xie Changsheng was still asleep. He felt someone poking his face incessantly.

“My, my… you don’t even want a wife. They call you a fool, and you really are a fool.” “Quick, stop sleeping. Open your eyes and let Second Brother see if you’ve become even stupider.”

Seeing Xie Hemiao, Xie Changsheng scrambled out of bed and expertly hopped onto his back with a look of surprise. “Second Brother!”

Xie Hemiao stumbled. He waved off Yang Luo, who wanted to support him, and laughed. “Little fool, want to leave the palace? Second Brother will take you out to play.”

Xie Changsheng’s eyes went wide. “Yes, yes!”

Xie Hemiao had Yang Luo find a set of clothes for Xie Changsheng that looked less flashy. He then spent a long time lecturing Xie Changsheng on things he might encounter outside. Only when his throat was dry and Xie Changsheng was fully dressed did Xie Hemiao stop, take a step back, and size him up.

Even though he wasn’t draped in jade or gemstones, that face of his still screamed from every angle: I am rich, come steal my money.

Xie Hemiao tapped his fan against his palm and asked, “Little fool, do you remember what I told you? What do you do if we get separated?”

Xie Changsheng’s face was full of sincerity. “Find the police.”

Xie Hemiao asked again, “What do you do if someone steals your money?”

Xie Changsheng: “I don’t bother those who don’t bother me, but if they bother me, I bother them back… Steal it back!”

Xie Hemiao asked one last time, “If someone gives you food, do you eat it?”

Xie Changsheng answered, “I eat it!”

Xie Hemiao: “…”

Xie Hemiao looked at him sorrowfully and sighed. “Forget it. I’ll just make sure to keep a very close eye on you.”

Xie Changsheng followed Xie Hemiao into a carriage, heading toward the bustling market. Along the way, Xie Changsheng looked out the window with constant novelty.

“What’s there to look at? It’s just more people,” Xie Hemiao said. “Little fool, come chat with Second Brother.”

Xie Changsheng turned his head and let out a sigh. “Second Brother, can’t you be a bit more mature like me?”

Xie Hemiao: “…” His lip twitched. He hit the top of Xie Changsheng’s head with his fan and finally stopped talking.

About an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of a tavern. Xie Hemiao led Xie Changsheng upstairs into a private room. Xie Changsheng saw that someone was already sitting inside.

Fang Ling.

The young general was dressed in crisp, efficient attire, looking exceptionally capable and clean. Seeing Xie Hemiao and Xie Changsheng enter, Fang Ling rose to salute.

Xie Changsheng looked at him. “Wow, you’re Big Brother Fang Ling. Why are you here?”

Fang Ling pursed his lips. Before he could speak, Xie Hemiao answered for him, “He’s here to play with you too.”

“Second Brother and Big Brother Fang Ling are both playing with me? Great, great!” Xie Changsheng clapped his hands excitedly. “Then you two compete! See who can be the first to calculate the last ten digits of Pi!”

Xie Hemiao: “…” Fang Ling: “…”

The two stared at Xie Changsheng for a moment. Neither ignored him, but they turned to call the waiter.

The waiter asked, “What would you three gentlemen like to eat?”

Xie Changsheng slapped the table, imitating a period drama. “Two ounces of wine, two ounces of steamed buns, and two ounces of meat!”

Fang Ling sprayed his tea all over the table.

“Pay him no mind,” Xie Hemiao said as he ordered several proper dishes. Before long, the exquisite food was served.

Xie Changsheng hadn’t even eaten breakfast before being dragged out by Xie Hemiao, so he was currently starving. He buried his head and ate seriously, but he felt Xie Hemiao’s gaze on him. He looked up, meeting Xie Hemiao’s eyes.

Xie Hemiao hadn’t eaten much but had been drinking steadily. After several cups of cold, fast wine, he was beginning to look intoxicated. However, while his expression was drunken, his eyes remained sharp and clear.

Xie Changsheng tilted his head in a silent question. “Second Brother?”

Xie Hemiao’s smile deepened. After another cup, he said, “Second Brother just suddenly remembered a rumor he heard recently.”

“I heard that the Lord Palm Print, Gu Feiyi, seems to be quite fond of your eating habits, little fool. He’s even brought food boxes to your palace several times to feed you personally.”

“Just now, I observed for a while. Truth be told, you really do make eating look delicious.” At this, Xie Hemiao suddenly turned to Fang Ling. “What does Young Marquis Fang think?”

Fang Ling kept his gaze down. “…This humble official does not know.”

Xie Hemiao chuckled, pulled the pipe from his waist, and began puffing out clouds of smoke. The smoke was thick; Xie Changsheng choked on it and looked at Xie Hemiao with displeasure.

Xie Hemiao said, “Little fool, Second Brother has a question for you.” He leaned closer. “You’ve received many portraits of ladies lately, haven’t you? Do you remember their names or faces?”

It was only then that Xie Changsheng realized the truth. He had wondered why Xie Hemiao had suddenly sought him out and taken him out of the palace. It was to fish for information. Did he want to know which officials and nobles were trying to take a side?

Even though he understood, Xie Changsheng couldn’t help him. There were simply too many people, and he hadn’t remembered any of them. He tried to recall the portraits: “I only remember that they all had hair, and they all had eyes, a nose, and a mouth.”

Xie Hemiao: “…” He spoke, yet said nothing.

Fang Ling’s lips twitched into a small smile, but he quickly went back to a stiff face. He pressed his finger against the skin under his eye and asked Xie Changsheng, “Do you remember seeing a woman with a mole right here?” Fang Ling added, “If you really want to marry, pick anyone but her.”

Xie Changsheng sniffed, sensing a hint of gossip. He held up a pinky finger and asked Fang Ling, “You… like her?”

Fang Ling’s face went black. “What nonsense are you saying? That’s my sister! My biological sister!”

Xie Changsheng retracted his pinky, his interest gone. He asked Fang Ling and Xie Hemiao, “Have you ever heard the saying: ‘The wise do not fall in love; they build a beautiful China’?”

Xie Hemiao arched an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“It means… I won’t marry anyone.” Xie Changsheng took another bite of porridge and laughed. “Please rest assured, Organization.”

Fang Ling let out an “Oh,” staring a bit blankly at Xie Changsheng’s bulging cheeks as he chewed. He unconsciously pursed his lips, feeling strange in his heart—he had just eaten his fill, so why did he feel hungry again?

Feng Wang looked up at Gu Feiyi. No matter the time, Gu Feiyi usually wore the same expression—that unreadable, half-smiling look. But today seemed different. He felt Gu Feiyi’s smile was much fainter than usual.

Why? Was something troubling him? Could the Lord Palm Print—above ten thousand but under only one—actually have troubles?

Feng Wang was about to think further when he heard Gu Feiyi say, “Withdraw.” Feng Wang acknowledged the order, left the room, and quietly closed the door.

Inside, Gu Feiyi stood at his desk, picking up a brush and ink. As he moistened the brush, he thought of the news Feng Wang had just brought back.

Xie Changsheng went out with Xie Hemiao. Xie Changsheng met Fang Ling. Xie Hemiao mentioned him feeding Xie Changsheng pastries. Xie Hemiao praised Xie Changsheng’s appetite. Fang Ling told Xie Changsheng not to marry the Fang family lady.

He was the one who had deliberately suppressed the news that the Emperor had stopped the marriage search. He was the one who wanted to test who else would side with the Emperor and Xie Changsheng. He had even guessed that Xie Chengjing or Xie Hemiao would come to investigate.

Yet, when he actually heard that the little pet he was raising was getting close to others so foolishly, his heart felt quite unpleasant.

Gu Feiyi looked down at the word “Idiot” he had unconsciously written on the paper, then reached out and tore the rice paper to shreds.