After Pretending to be an Idiot, I Was Targeted by the Cold-Blooded Zhangyin - Chapter 33

The words left both their mouths at the same time, colliding in mid-air, leaving them both momentarily stunned.

Xie Changsheng let out an “Ah.”

He had just heard Gu Feiyi mention the matter of the eunuch and maid from earlier that day, and while having his ear rubbed and being told he was “full of youthful vigor,” his train of thought had naturally veered in that direction. He had genuinely thought Gu Feiyi was looking for a “companion-spouse” relationship. For a moment, his heart had skipped a beat.

But he never expected Gu Feiyi wanted to be his father.

Why? Because he wants a member of the imperial bloodline to address him as Father? To enjoy the same title as the Emperor?

Xie Changsheng didn’t have time to overthink it; to cover up his previous outburst about “companion-spouse,” he gave a silly grin and said: “Godfather.”

Gu Feiyi, however, went silent.

His hand, which was holding Xie Changsheng’s chin, stroked his skin—from the soft flesh of the jaw, meticulously tracing up to Xie Changsheng’s ear. He caught the earlobe between two fingers, rubbing it gently, and then inserted a finger into the ear canal to scrape it twice.

Because Xie Changsheng was sitting on his lap, Gu Feiyi could clearly feel the boy’s body go stiff. Not only was he stiff, but he also tilted his head to dodge the finger. Gu Feiyi didn’t pursue him further; he simply rubbed his fingers together and curled his lips into a smile.

He thought to himself that his guess was indeed correct. His little pet’s weakness was his ears.

Speaking of the little pet, Xie Changsheng’s loud cry of “Godfather” echoed in Gu Feiyi’s ears. The reason he wanted Xie Changsheng to recognize him as a Godfather was that he realized that ever since he started staying at Yuling Palace, he worried several times more than he had before.

One moment he worried Xie Changsheng’s hair wasn’t dry before he slept; the next he worried the boy was staying up too late; then he worried the boy had eaten too much of something, or was kicking the blankets at night. Yet he was never weary of it, finding it only interesting. Even seeing Xie Changsheng’s physical reaction was interesting—how was this like raising a pet?

After the conversation with Feng Wang earlier, and thinking of how the Ninth Princess had recognized Feng Wang as a Godfather, it suddenly dawned on him.

…Rather than raising a pet, he was more like raising a child.

Gu Feiyi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Yet, hearing Xie Changsheng call him “Godfather,” he didn’t feel as satisfied as he had imagined. Instead, he felt a bit awkward.

He said, “Forget it. Do not call me ‘Godfather’ anymore. Call me ‘Master’ as before.”

Xie Changsheng blinked, his face full of bewilderment, as if he didn’t understand why Gu Feiyi was going back on his word. But he didn’t ask, simply stating submissively, “Okay, Master.”

“Mm,” Gu Feiyi said. “Call me a few more times.”

Gu Feiyi wrapped one arm around Xie Changsheng’s waist while relaxing his body, leaning back against the chair and half-closing his eyes to listen to Xie Changsheng’s strange, sing-song calls.

“Master↑ Master↓ Master↑ Master↓ Master↑ Master↓”

Gu Feiyi’s other hand turned the brass ring on his index finger. Usually, when he wanted Xie Changsheng to call him Master, he had to pinch his chin and force him—when had the boy ever been this obedient?

A fool’s mind was exceptionally easy to read; the boy was clearly just babbling nonsense to make him forget the embarrassment of shouting “companion-spouse” because he had misunderstood.

But Gu Feiyi was unwilling to let Xie Changsheng have his way.

He teased Xie Changsheng into calling him Master several times and fed the boy a few bites of a pear he disliked. Just as Xie Changsheng let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking the matter had been forgotten, Gu Feiyi maliciously asked, “Did the Little Highness think this servant wanted a ‘companion-spouse’ relationship with you?”

Xie Changsheng was currently squatting in the corner playing with his pinwheel. Hearing these words, he looked back at him, his eyes full of disbelief.

Gu Feiyi smiled as he met the gaze.

Xie Changsheng threw the pinwheel aside, covered his face, and began rolling on the floor to play the fool: “I beg you, for the sake of my poor brain, stop talking! You insist on making me embarrassed, don’t you? Not everyone is like you and never misspeaks! If you say it again, I’m going to spit on you! Ptooey! Ptooey!”

Gu Feiyi: “…”

Clearly a simpleton, yet he actually knows how to act like a mad fool.

Xie Changsheng being like this actually made him want to praise the boy for being clever. He scolded: “Little animal, the floor is cold. Get up immediately.”

Tonight, Gu Feiyi did not stay at Yuling Palace. In the middle of the night, for reasons unknown, the Old Emperor made a scene demanding to see him. Gu Feiyi donned his outer robe with a dark face and departed.

Once he left, he was gone for several days. Xie Changsheng didn’t know where he went.

On the afternoon of the third day, the Emperor suddenly ordered a banquet. The courtiers hurried into the palace upon the command, and Xie Changsheng went as well. Upon his arrival, he immediately saw Xie Hemiao and Fang Ling talking.

Seeing him, Xie Hemiao sized him up and gave a drunken laugh. “So it’s the little fool. When you were walking over, Second Brother thought you were a young lady from some house.”

Xie Changsheng reached out, pointed to his temple, and twisted his finger in a circle. Then he pointed to his own eyes and twisted his finger again. Finally, he looked at Xie Hemiao with deep concern.

Though he didn’t speak, his meaning was clear: Is there something wrong with your brain and your eyes?

Xie Hemiao: “…”

He was so annoyed he reached for his pipe, only to remember he had come to the palace in a hurry and forgotten it. He decided to just reach out and ruffle Xie Changsheng’s head.

Xie Changsheng hopped away to dodge, but Xie Hemiao seemed determined to hit him and immediately gave chase. Xie Changsheng truly couldn’t understand how a cripple like Xie Hemiao could move so nimbly and cover so much ground with his steps.

Seeing he was about to be caught, Xie Changsheng used Fang Ling as a shield, grabbing his clothes and cowering behind him to hide. Xie Hemiao pointed at Xie Changsheng’s forehead across Fang Ling’s body. “You, come out!”

Fang Ling reached out to straighten his rumpled robes, but his hand accidentally pressed onto the back of Xie Changsheng’s hand. He froze, as if he had been burned, and jerked his hand back. Fang Ling’s hand clenched into a fist beneath his sleeve, and he advised with a stiff face, “Second Highness, please let him be.”

Xie Changsheng’s foolish laughter came from behind Fang Ling. “Big Brother Fang Ling is the best!”

Xie Hemiao was about to speak when an announcement sounded outside—Xie Chengjing had arrived. Xie Changsheng immediately turned, cheered, and pounced onto Xie Chengjing’s back.

Xie Chengjing caught him. “Changsheng, you seem to have gotten thinner.”

Before Xie Changsheng could reply, Xie Hemiao let out a light huff. “Little fool, open your mouth.”

Xie Changsheng didn’t ask what he was doing; he just giggled and opened wide. Xie Hemiao stuffed something into his mouth.

Xie Chengjing asked, “Second Brother, what did you feed him?”

“Poison,” Xie Hemiao said crossly. “To poison this little fool who takes sides with outsiders.”

Xie Changsheng smacked his lips and laughed. “It’s candy!”

The four of them hadn’t been together for long before the Old Emperor arrived. He sat on the Dragon Throne and waved his hand; musicians, singers, and dancers stepped forward. Ambiguous music instantly filled the hall.

The Emperor clapped and laughed, looking perfectly satisfied. The weather had been cold lately, and he had been feeling weak; coupled with the Empress’s passing, he hadn’t held a large banquet. Now that his health and spirits had improved, he immediately invited the officials for a revelry.

Perhaps having been repressed these past few days, the Emperor’s spirits were exceptionally high tonight. He ignored the gazes of others and fed wine and meat mouth-to-mouth to his current favorite Western beauty, their tongues intertwining.

Watching this, Xie Changsheng felt he couldn’t even eat his food. He could only silently sing “Gagi Gagi Gagi” (Ikkyu-san theme) in his head to soothe his nausea.

But the Emperor’s actions became increasingly excessive. He laughed and tore the beauty’s robes; the woman was pressed onto the table with her shoulders half-exposed.

A voice stopped the Emperor’s movements: “Your Majesty.”

“Feiyi?” The Emperor’s voice sounded confused. “Didn’t we say that as long as I don’t touch the wives and daughters of courtiers, it’s fine?”

Gu Feiyi stepped forward from the shadows. The dim candlelight cast a play of light and shadow across his fair, immortal-like face. He smiled and leaned down, whispering something to the Emperor. The Emperor’s face lit up with joy, and he released the beauty.

“True, Feiyi, you are right.” The Emperor clapped and laughed. “A starving man finds even wild grass delicious. I should save the beauties for the very end! It will surely have a different flavor!”

Xie Changsheng truly couldn’t listen anymore. He looked left and right, saw that no one was paying him any mind, and slipped out.

Once outside, he realized it was snowing. Unlike the light snow from before, this snow was sticking to the ground and had already formed a thick layer. In deeper spots, it reached over Xie Changsheng’s ankles.

Seeing him come out, Yang Luo walked toward him with a shawl. “Little Highness, be careful not to catch a cold. Put this on.”

Before she could finish, Xie Changsheng was already running joyfully through the snow. He enthusiastically stomped a circle of footprints into the surface, and not feeling satisfied, he simply threw himself onto the snow to roll around, leaving a trail behind him like a crawling caterpillar.

Yang Luo looked on with a mix of anxiety and amusement. “Little Highness…”

She was about to go pull him up when a tall silhouette walked past her. The man wore a deep-red python robe and an unfathomable smile. It was Gu Feiyi.

He walked to Xie Changsheng’s side, looking down at him. “Little Highness, why are you rolling around here?” He reached out his hand. “Little Highness, get up.”

Xie Changsheng reached out and took his hand, but suddenly giggled with mischief and gave a forceful pull, trying to bring Gu Feiyi down. Gu Feiyi, however, seemed to have seen through the plan and stood firmly in place.

He said again, “Get up.” This time, he didn’t add the “Little Highness,” and the smile on his lips faded slightly. He actually looked a bit angry.

Xie Changsheng, knowing when to fold, immediately scrambled up from the soft snow. Gu Feiyi brushed the snow from his head, shoulders, and body with his hands, then took the shawl from Yang Luo. “Stay back. Let this servant be with the Little Highness for a moment.”

Yang Luo and the other servants immediately moved far away.

Gu Feiyi turned back, wrapped the shawl around Xie Changsheng, and meticulously tied the ribbons. His fingers were very cool—colder even than Xie Changsheng after rolling in the snow. Occasionally they brushed against Xie’s chin, making him shiver.

Suddenly, Gu Feiyi spoke, asking Xie Changsheng: “Did the Little Highness not see this servant earlier?”

“Huh?”

“At the banquet. Did you not see me?” Gu Feiyi asked. “This servant was away for several days; did the Little Highness not know to come and offer a greeting?”

Not only did he not greet him, but he was so intimate with Xie Chengjing, Xie Hemiao, and even Fang Ling. Yet, when he saw Gu, he didn’t even give him a glance. And to think he had been running around all this time for Xie Changsheng’s sake.

To his surprise, as soon as he spoke, Xie Changsheng looked aggrieved. He defended himself loudly: “I waved at you! Twice! You ignored me!”

Gu Feiyi froze. “When?”

“When the Old Man first arrived, and… and when that dancer was dancing right over here.” Xie Changsheng couldn’t describe it well and imitated a pose the dancer had made, but it was all crooked and wobbly.

Gu Feiyi let out a light laugh. The anger that had been so easily triggered by Xie Changsheng dissipated just as easily. He reached out and rubbed Xie’s earlobe. “Little animal, at least you have a conscience.”

Xie Changsheng: “…” Is this the right attitude for someone who wrongly accused me?

Feeling indignant, he squatted down, grabbed a handful of snow, and secretly threw it onto Gu Feiyi’s clothes. “Ah, the snow flew onto your robe by itself. How strange—bad snow! Bad snow!”

Gu Feiyi: “…”

Gu Feiyi reached out and hauled Xie Changsheng up again. He asked, “One more thing. Did the Little Highness not eat much today?”

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it. Once he did, Xie Changsheng’s entire face puckered. “…It was too disgusting!” He was referring to the Old Emperor.

Gu Feiyi squinted and smiled. The current Xie Changsheng was indeed worlds apart from the old one. If the Xie Changsheng from before he hit his head had seen the Emperor playing with beauties, he would have watched without blinking. Despite having a beautiful face, that lustful gaze had made him look somewhat greasy and wretched.

The current Xie Changsheng was different. When he encountered such things, he avoided them if he could. He hid if he could. At tonight’s banquet, Xie Changsheng hadn’t even lifted his head much, and he was so nauseated he barely ate.

Thinking back to Xie Changsheng’s panicked expression when he shouted “no companion-spouse,” Gu Feiyi had a vague, not-so-pleasant suspicion in his heart.

He grabbed the ribbons of Xie Changsheng’s shawl and pulled him closer, saying in a soft voice: “The Little Highness need not develop a shadow toward matters of the heart because of the Emperor.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Gu Feiyi felt he truly was like a father educating his child. He let out a soft sigh, released the shawl ribbons, and raised his hand. His icy fingers unexpectedly stroked Xie Changsheng’s lips.

His slender fingers pried open the boy’s lips and delved into his mouth. He used his fingertip to press against Xie Changsheng’s soft, warm tongue, feeling the boy recoil.

Withdrawing his hand, Gu Feiyi took out a snow-white handkerchief and meticulously wiped his fingertip, telling Xie Changsheng: “The Little Highness need not resist because of this. Between Heaven and Earth, when Yin and Yang combine, all things flourish. It is the most normal thing in the world.”