After Pretending to be an Idiot, I Was Targeted by the Cold-Blooded Zhangyin - Chapter 41

The following day was New Year’s Eve.

Xie Changsheng was awakened by the frequent sound of palace servants moving about. He sat up, feeling dazed. The sky was just beginning to brighten, and Gu Feiyi was no longer sleeping by his side. Reaching out to touch the bed, he found it cold; Gu Feiyi must have been gone for a long while.

At the thought that someone slept even less than he did when he was sleep-deprived, Xie Changsheng smiled with immense satisfaction.

When Yang Luo heard the movement and entered, she saw Xie Changsheng sitting on the bed with his hair disheveled, grinning to himself. While smiling, he muttered something under his breath: “I can’t stand to see my brother suffer, but I can’t stand to see him driving a Land Rover even more.” He looked as if he were possessed by a ghost.

Yang Luo patted her chest in lingering fear and said, “Little Highness, please get up quickly. Today is New Year’s Eve; there is much to be done.”

Xie Changsheng gave an “Oh.” After he washed up, Yang Luo busied herself with helping him dress. She held the inner garment and approached him, slipping it on from behind. However, when she moved to the front to tie the sashes, she froze.

What was that on his neck?!

A winding, reddish-purple mark was exceptionally prominent against his snow-white skin. It looked startling.

A bedbug? A flea?

Impossible. The palace was cleaned and aired out daily; there wasn’t even a speck of extra dust, let alone such insects.

A mosquito?

Even more impossible. Not to mention it was the dead of winter; even if there were mosquitoes, they couldn’t possibly leave a mark like that. Moreover, no matter how she looked at it, it appeared to be…

Yang Luo didn’t dare think it, but the answer she was fighting finally floated to the surface of her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

So that was it.

She had told herself that if the Little Highness had turned “foolish,” the Zhangyin (Regent/Chief Eunuch) would surely take his revenge. She had waited with her life on the line, trembling with fear for so long, yet she had never been dragged down to the grave with the Little Highness.

It turned out the Zhangyin was using a different method to enact his revenge.

No wonder. No wonder the Zhangyin came to Yuxiu Palace day and night. And no wonder that whenever the Zhangyin was present, not a single palace servant was allowed to wait on them.

Yang Luo opened her mouth to say something, but swallowed her words back down.

—Forget it. I’ll just add a scarf for the Little Highness later.

Xie Changsheng’s usual style of dress was already flamboyant and eye-catching, but today was even more so. He wore a bright red robe with gold-threaded borders, a double-sided embroidered waist sash, and a crimson headpiece. His body and head were draped in gold, silver, and jade ornaments.

Xie Changsheng felt as though he had gained at least ten pounds. With the slightest movement, he sounded like a wind chime come to life, jingling and clanking from head to toe.

Just as he finished dressing, the outside became noisy and festive. The Ninth Princess and several other princesses arrived, lively dragging Xie Changsheng along to exchange auspicious greetings.

Xie Changsheng was also very happy. He pulled them aside and asked, “Found a partner yet? Finished your homework? How are your grades? How many books have you read?”

Everyone: “…”

By noon, the Old Emperor held a family banquet in the inner palace. The consorts, princesses, Xie Changsheng, Xie Chengjing, and Xie Hemiao were all in attendance. However, the Old Emperor had not yet arrived.

The group chatted while waiting. Seeing Xie Hemiao talking to his birth mother, Xie Changsheng flopped onto Xie Chengjing’s back: “Big Brother! I’m hungry!”

Xie Chengjing caught him: “Changsheng, I have candy in my pocket. Have some first.”

Xie Changsheng replied, “I don’t want candy. I want McDonald’s.”

Xie Chengjing asked in confusion, “What is that?”

Xie Changsheng laughed heartily: “It’s good stuff! As the ancients said: Eat fries in winter and drink Coke in summer to detoxify, beautify, and brighten the mood. It is truly a great tonic!”

Xie Chengjing grew even more confused: “And what are those things?”

Before Xie Changsheng could explain, Xie Hemiao’s voice came from behind: “Just listen to the little fool’s words and leave it at that. If you ask for details, the only one with a headache will be the listener.”

Xie Changsheng turned around: “Second Brother!”

“Don’t call me Second Brother,” Xie Hemiao said with a feigned stern face. “You didn’t even know to come over and greet me; I had to come find you.”

Xie Changsheng gave an “Oh”: “I see, Second Sister.”

Xie Hemiao: “…”

He reached out and gave Xie Changsheng’s head a hard knock, then asked, “You’re sweating. Aren’t you hot? Take off that scarf to cool down; the sun is quite nice right now.”

Xie Changsheng hurriedly covered his neck tightly with his hands: “No, I’m not hot.”

Xie Chengjing looked over and caught a glimpse of red on Xie Changsheng’s neck. He asked, “What happened to your neck? Are you hurt?”

It truly was a case of whichever question Xie Changsheng feared most being the one asked. Fortunately, he had a counter-strategy ready—If you have a younger brother, blame the brother; if not, blame the dog.

He didn’t have a younger brother, but he happened to have a dog.

With a heart full of guilt toward Suisui, he said, “…While I was playing with Suisui, I was bitten by her.”

Xie Chengjing had once slept while holding Suisui and remembered that little cotton ball as being quite gentle. He asked in surprise, “Suisui actually bites people?”

Xie Hemiao narrowed his eyes with a languid smile. His gaze fell behind Xie Changsheng, and he said pointedly, “All dogs bite. You have to discipline them frequently, otherwise, they’ll stand on their master’s head.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Changsheng heard a light chuckle from not far behind him.

Xie Changsheng turned and saw Gu Feiyi. Today was New Year’s Eve, and everyone was dressed in red. Yet, Gu Feiyi wore a pale moon-blue cloak, looking completely out of place with the crowd.

Gu Feiyi walked over to Xie Changsheng’s side with a smile. Instantly, the cold fragrance of white plum blossoms drew near. He nodded to the three princes and asked, “What are your Highnesses discussing? A dog?”

Xie Hemiao said lazily, “Yes. Suisui bit the little fool’s neck. Did you know?”

Gu Feiyi smiled, his features softening as he asked, “Such a thing happened? Little Highness?”

Xie Changsheng whistled and looked away.

Later in the evening, the Old Emperor arrived. Beside him was a woman who bore a resemblance to the deceased Lady Wu. Xie Changsheng heard the whispers of the consorts and learned she was Lady Wu’s younger sister, sent into the palace as Gu Feiyi’s chosen successor for Empress. They were only waiting for the first month of the year to pass to hold the investiture ceremony.

Once the Old Emperor arrived, the originally harmonious atmosphere turned bleak. Even the exquisite food lost its flavor.

Xie Changsheng blinked, suddenly feeling the timing was perfect. Heavenly timing—it was quiet. Geographic advantage—everyone was gathered together. Human harmony—Gu Feiyi hadn’t specifically warned him not to act crazy today.

So, Xie Changsheng suddenly stood up.

Laughing loudly, he spun around, tearing off the ornaments on his body and throwing them haphazardly. He smashed the empty plates in front of him onto the floor; some shattered and some didn’t, creating a loud clatter as they hit the ground.

Most people present were startled. A young princess tucked her head into her mother’s arms, but before she could even cry, Xie Changsheng had already sat back down. Acting as if nothing had happened, he picked up his chopsticks again and popped a piece of venison into his mouth.

Xie Chengjing: “…” Xie Hemiao: “…”

It was truly a hearty yet swift “episode.” It happened and ended so fast it was like a summer rainstorm—it was over before anyone could even get wet.

The servants stared blankly for a long moment before scurrying forward to clean up. Yang Luo, stuck between tears and laughter, hurried forward to pick up all the jewelry Xie Changsheng had scattered. As she gathered them, she felt relieved—the things Xie Changsheng had thrown like flower petals were all sturdy; not a single one was broken.

The Old Emperor was also startled and looked at Xie Changsheng with irritation: “You…”

He looked ready to lose his temper, but before he could say another word, Gu Feiyi leaned down and whispered something to him.

The Old Emperor’s furrowed brows instantly smoothed out, replaced by a beaming expression: “Truly?”

Gu Feiyi smiled and nodded. The Old Emperor, his face flushed with excitement, stood up and walked out without saying a single word to anyone, leaving the crowd staring at each other in confusion.

Lady Wu sent someone to see where the Emperor went. After a while, a young eunuch returned with news: “The Emperor has gone to Danfu Palace.”

There was only ever one reason for the Old Emperor to go to Danfu Palace: to practice alchemy. Even for an Emperor, abandoning his wife and children at a family banquet to go make pills was utterly ridiculous.

The consorts’ faces darkened, and they couldn’t help but cast resentful glances at Xie Changsheng. The princesses, however, became lively again, and smiles returned to their faces.

After the meal, Xie Changsheng played with Xie Chengjing and Xie Hemiao for a while. As dusk fell, everyone headed to the front hall.

Looking at the dense crowd in the distance, Xie Hemiao sighed, “Sigh, why must we socialize again? My mouth is almost dry from talking these past few days.” He turned to look at the snickering Xie Changsheng: “Don’t say it—sometimes I really wish I were a fool too.”

Xie Changsheng encouraged him: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Keep it up, Second Brother!”

Xie Hemiao: “…”

Xie Chengjing and Xie Hemiao were surrounded by people, and many also came to exchange pleasantries with Xie Changsheng. But the difference between Xie Changsheng and them was that he could run away.

He chose a thick plum tree and hid behind it, away from the crowd. He was focused on picking at the tree bark when footsteps sounded behind him. Xie Changsheng thought someone had found him again and pouted, but when he turned around, he saw Fang Ling.

“Happy New Year,” Fang Ling said. Looking at Xie Changsheng’s bare wrist, he asked, “Are you not wearing the prayer beads I gave you?”

At the mention of this, Xie Changsheng felt a bit guilty toward Fang Ling. He scratched his face; he couldn’t say Gu Feiyi had taken them, and he felt bad blaming Suisui again. He could only say, “I lost them.”

Fang Ling’s eyes widened: “Lost?” He crossed his arms and looked at Xie Changsheng speechlessly. “You lost them after just one night? What happened? Where did you lose them? Should I go look?”

Xie Changsheng rubbed his foot against the ground, feeling as though his sole was about to strike a spark.

“You… lift your head. I didn’t say I blamed you.” Fang Ling’s tone was one of annoyance mixed with concern. “If they’re lost, they’re lost. Next time my mother goes to the temple, I’ll have her bring another set for you.”

Just as Xie Changsheng was about to say it wasn’t necessary, someone called for Fang Ling from afar. Fang Ling clicked his tongue and waved at Xie Changsheng: “I’m going.”

Xie Changsheng squatted behind the tree and continued picking at the bark until he heard the news of the Old Emperor’s arrival, at which point he circled back out.

The Old Emperor’s face was much ruddier than it had been at noon, and his spirits were high. He even went down to join the dancers, dancing clumsily and awkwardly. Gu Feiyi stood at the head of the hall watching this farce, a flash of mockery crossing his eyes.

His lips instinctively twitched into a smirk, but he suddenly thought of something and lowered his gaze.

“Feng Wang,” Gu Feiyi pointed to a bowl of fish soup in front of him. “Take this to him. Ask him where he lost the Young Marquis’s bracelet. Does he need this servant’s help to find it?”

Feng Wang went, and returned a short while later. He brought back Xie Changsheng’s words:

“Your complexion looks poor. Are you hungry? You are so careless with your health; I fine you one box of gold.”

Gu Feiyi: “Go tell the Little Highness that this servant’s poor complexion is not because of hunger. This servant has already eaten.”

Feng Wang went again and returned with Xie Changsheng’s reply:

“Then are you stuffed? You are so careless with your health; I fine you another box of gold.”

Gu Feiyi: “…”

Fine.

He would like to see who dared to call Xie Changsheng a fool from now on. In his eyes, Xie Changsheng was incredibly clever—he had even learned how to talk his way into a profit.