After Pretending to be an Idiot, I Was Targeted by the Cold-Blooded Zhangyin - Chapter 35

Once one has a puppy, one wants the whole world to know.

Xie Changsheng originally intended to take Suisui to see Xie Chengjing, Xie Hemiao, and Fang Ling. However, Yang Luo wouldn’t allow it. She claimed that with the end of the year approaching, there were too many thieves and kidnappers outside, making it unsafe.

Xie Changsheng thought about how every time he left the palace, he was surrounded by layers upon layers of guards; let alone thieves, even a fly might not be able to get in. But seeing that Yang Luo was on the verge of tears, her eyes turning red with worry, he could only let the matter drop.

He let out a soft sigh and said sorrowfully, “How great would it be if I could post on WeChat Moments?”

Since he couldn’t go out, he could only have others come to him. Xie Changsheng asked someone to bring a message to Xie Chengjing and the others, inviting them to Yuling Palace to play.

But before he could wait for them, a semi-unfamiliar face arrived instead. It was Feng Wang’s goddaughter, the Ninth Princess.

The Ninth Princess timidly toyed with her handkerchief and asked Xie Changsheng, “Third Brother, I heard you’re raising a puppy. Can I see it?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Suisui waddled over on its short legs. The Ninth Princess gave a delighted low cry, squatted down, and cautiously touched the top of Suisui’s fluffy head with her fingertip.

Xie Changsheng squatted beside her to chat. “Do you know the family members and division of labor in a bee colony?”

The Ninth Princess shook her head, looking at him with curiosity.

Xie Changsheng explained, “The bee family is divided into worker bees, drones, and the queen. The worker bees are the most numerous and are responsible for collecting nectar; the drones are responsible for breeding the next generation with the queen; as for the queen, she is their ruler.”

“Speaking of which, this setting feels a bit like ABO.”

The Ninth Princess blinked. “What is that?”

Xie Changsheng blinked his dazed eyes. “I’ll tell you when I grow up.”

A voice sounded from behind him: “Shouldn’t it be ‘I’ll tell you when you grow up’?”

Xie Changsheng and the Ninth Princess were both startled. They turned to see that Fang Ling had arrived at some point. He was wearing a blue cloak, his hair tied high in a ponytail, making him look spirited and handsome.

Xie Changsheng waved at him. “Big Brother Fang Ling.”

He held up Suisui to introduce the puppy. “Dog.” Then he pulled the Ninth Princess’s sleeve. “Little girl.”

Fang Ling: “…”

An introduction had been made, yet it was as if nothing had been introduced at all. He looked helplessly at Xie Changsheng, then bowed to the princess. “Greetings to the Ninth Princess.”

Xie Changsheng recalled that in the original book, the Ninth Princess had ended up in a ghost marriage with Fang Ling. He wondered if this was the first time they were meeting while both were still alive.

He watched the two of them curiously, wondering if any sparks would fly. However, Fang Ling was only interested in Suisui, and the Ninth Princess was too shy, hiding behind Xie Changsheng before soon taking her leave.

While the Ninth Princess had been quiet, her departure made Fang Ling suddenly feel that the vast palace was uncomfortably silent. He looked at Xie Changsheng. “Weren’t you quite the talker? Say something.”

Xie Changsheng thought for a moment. “Then I’ll tell you a story! Daiyu Thrice Beats the White Bone Demon, Wukong Poisonously Sets a Lovesick Trap—have you heard them?”

Fang Ling: “…”

He listened to Xie Changsheng ramble through a nonsensical, illogical story about a delicate female monkey named Sun Wukong for a while. Feeling his head throb, he rolled his eyes and told him to stop.

He reached out to rub Suisui’s head. “Alright, I’ve seen the dog. It really is cute. I have things to do, so I’ll be going now.”

He stood up to leave but remembered something halfway out. “By the way, I brought you a white fox fur. I had your maid put it away. You can make it into a rug or spread it on your bed.”

Xie Changsheng gave a dazed “Oh,” though it was unclear if he actually understood.

As Fang Ling walked a few steps away from Yuling Palace, he heard Xie Changsheng calling from behind. “Big Brother Fang Ling!”

He turned and saw Xie Changsheng. The boy had wrapped himself in the snow-white fox fur he had just gifted; from a distance, he looked just as round and fluffy as the dog he was raising. He waved at Fang Ling. “It’s so warm. Thank you, Big Brother Fang Ling.”

Fang Ling stood there staring at Xie Changsheng. First, for reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt the boy was pitiable. Then he remembered he still had a tiger skin and many other things he could give him. Then he thought of his conversations with Xie Hemiao and his father.

Looking at the ignorant Xie Changsheng, a strange, indescribable feeling rose in Fang Ling’s heart. His fingertips felt inexplicably tingly, as if an ant had bitten him. He pursed his lips and suddenly strode back toward the boy.

Xie Changsheng asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Did you drop something? You aren’t coming to steal Suisui, are you?”

Fang Ling reached out to straighten the crookedly draped fox fur. He said in a low voice, “…Stay away from the Palm Print.”

After Fang Ling left, Xie Chengjing and Xie Hemiao arrived. The two reached Yuling Palace one after the other and were both startled to see each other.

Xie Chengjing coughed twice and smiled. “Second Brother.”

Xie Hemiao plopped into a chair, inconspicuously rubbing his right leg which was aching from the cold. “If I had known Big Brother was coming, I would have come later.”

Xie Changsheng held up Suisui for them to see. The puppy was quite cooperative, giving each of them a lick on the face.

Xie Hemiao studied Suisui. “This must be a pup from that big white hunting dog at Prince Rui’s estate. I remember asking him for one last year and he refused. It seems our Lord Palm Print has quite a bit of influence.”

He took out his pipe and took a deep puff, smiling through the smoke. “Speaking of the Palm Print, I only learned today that Little Sixth Sister is being sent away for a political marriage. That was also the Palm Print’s idea.”

He repeated pointedly, “Big influence. Truly a big influence.”

Xie Chengjing smiled but said nothing. Xie Changsheng, of course, didn’t dare chime in. He just giggled foolishly while grooming Suisui, nearly combing the poor puppy bald.

That evening, Gu Feiyi came over again. He pulled Xie Changsheng into his embrace and asked with a half-smile, “I heard many people visited Yuling Palace today.”

Xie Changsheng gave an “Mm.” “Is that so? Maybe they came, maybe they didn’t. Like-come (Tathagata).”

Gu Feiyi: “…”

He pinched Xie Changsheng’s face and asked again, “Did the Little Highness hear many bad things about this servant today?”

Xie Changsheng shook his head.

Gu Feiyi countered, “It is useless for the Little Highness to play dumb. This servant even knows you ate two extra pastries today, let alone a few sentences of conversation. This servant has only one question.” Gu Feiyi gripped his chin, forcing their eyes to meet. “Between me, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Young Marquis—who does the Little Highness like best?”

Xie Changsheng blinked and asked back, “Then do you like Grandpa or Grandma best?”

He actually wanted to ask if he liked his father or mother best, but considering his father died early and his mother was taken by the Old Emperor, Xie Changsheng considerately chose the grandparents as the options.

Unfortunately, Gu Feiyi didn’t appreciate the consideration. He smiled with narrowed eyes, insisting on an answer.

Xie Changsheng had no choice but to say, “The Party.”

Gu Feiyi: “…” He narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction. “This servant said you may only choose from the four.”

As if to punish him, Gu Feiyi gripped Xie Changsheng’s sensitive earlobe, rubbing it heavily and scraping it with his fingernail. Xie Changsheng’s body instantly stiffened. He leaned back to avoid the hand and blurted out, “You, you, you-you-you! I like you best!”

Gu Feiyi let out a light huff. “Perfunctory.”

But ultimately, that was the answer he wanted. Gu Feiyi’s eyes flickered with satisfaction, and he finally let the boy go.

A few more days passed, and the end of the year was upon them. Officials from distant provinces, princes of the blood, and envoys and kings from tributary states all arrived at the capital to offer New Year greetings. Boxes of gifts were presented—every kind of strange curiosity and foreign beauty imaginable.

The Old Emperor was delighted and held another welcoming banquet. With the tributes flowing in, there was even more gold and silver available for the festivities than usual. Tonight’s banquet was more luxurious than any Xie Changsheng had attended before. Countless exquisite lanterns and candles made the venue as bright as day. The dancing was more grand than anything he had ever seen.

The Emperor was in high spirits and even sang a tune himself. The officials cooperatively cheered for him.

Xie Changsheng sat in his place, feeling a bit of a pity—with so many people here, if he could just crawl around a bit, it would be a very lively scene. He could scare so many people and knock a few over. But before coming, Gu Feiyi had warned him not to crawl or talk nonsense. If he did something wrong, he would be “severely punished.” It was the first time Gu Feiyi had used that phrase, and his expression had been very stern.

Xie Changsheng could only sit there obediently. Gradually, he began to feel bored.

Gu Feiyi was busy attending to the Emperor. Xie Chengjing was socializing with officials. Xie Hemiao was sitting with his birth mother. Fang Ling was even further away, sitting with his younger siblings in the ministers’ section. Xie Changsheng couldn’t even find anyone to talk to.

While he was bored, someone suddenly approached him. Xie Changsheng looked up to see a burly, robust man with deep features and bright blue eyes—clearly a foreigner. He held two wine cups, handed one to Xie Changsheng, and said in broken Chinese: “The Third Prince is truly beautiful! Fine wine for a beauty! Drink! Hahahaha!”

Xie Changsheng had never liked alcohol and had a low tolerance. He was about to shake his head in refusal, but the cup was already pressed to his lips. Without a word, the man forced a mouthful of strong liquor into his mouth.

The man laughed loudly, and his clansmen at a nearby table laughed along with him. Xie Changsheng coughed from the sting. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone walking toward him quickly.

A figure blocked him. “What is the Khan doing to the Third Prince?”

It was Gu Feiyi. Xie Chengjing and Xie Hemiao also noticed the commotion and walked toward them with furrowed brows.

The Khan smiled and waved it off, but he was feeling suspicious. Last year when he came, he had seen Xie Changsheng whipping a servant in front of everyone. Everyone had looked at him with disdain. Even if he were a fool now, others should be gloating. Why were they protecting him like a treasure?

He had intended to toy with Xie Changsheng for a bit of fun, but now he felt something was wrong. Being a man who could adapt, he immediately waved his hands and said heartily, “It is only that the Third Prince is so beautiful one cannot help but like him, so I came to offer a toast.”

He downed his own cup as an apology and retreated to his people under Gu Feiyi’s watchful gaze.

Gu Feiyi turned back to Xie Changsheng. “Is the Little Highness alright?”

Although Xie Changsheng couldn’t drink, it was only one mouthful. Aside from the coughing and a burning throat, it wasn’t much. He shook his head and gave a silly grin to Gu Feiyi and the arriving brothers. “Heh heh, doesn’t taste good.”

Seeing he was fine, the three men relaxed. Xie Changsheng sat back down to continue eating. Gu Feiyi glanced at the Emperor from a distance; seeing him busy with a beauty, he sat down beside Xie Changsheng and served him two dishes.

The crowd immediately broke into whispers. Gu Feiyi didn’t care what they said or speculated; he even deliberately used a handkerchief to wipe the corner of Xie Changsheng’s mouth, telling him with a slow curl of his lips, “Little Highness, eat slowly.”

Since he didn’t care, Xie Changsheng didn’t care either. He was just a fool who understood nothing anyway. He ate the snack Gu Feiyi handed him, but his chewing suddenly faltered, and he knit his brows.

“What is it?” Gu Feiyi noticed his hesitation.

Xie Changsheng opened his mouth but didn’t speak. In the freezing weather, he sat there, yet for some reason, his entire body had begun to feel feverish and restless.

…That wine had likely been drugged.