The Loyal Dead Soldier Did Not Plan to Run with a Bun (Pregnant) - Chapter 11

Wei San had considered many people, but when the other person stepped slowly across the threshold and he saw the face clearly, he could not help but be stunned for a moment.

The person who arrived was none other than Crown Prince Wei Heng.

Logically speaking, Wei San should have risen to salute the moment the Crown Prince entered, but a scholar who had just arrived in the capital for the examinations should not recognize the Crown Prince. Besides, in his heart, he did not want to rise to salute.

At first, the Crown Prince did not pay him much mind. He scanned the room, likely failing to see the person he was looking for, and only then did he cast his gaze upon Wei San.

The scholar was indeed as beautiful as rumors suggested; even the Crown Prince, who did not care for male beauty, was momentarily dazed when he saw this face.

It was no wonder that his foolish brother, who was obsessed with beauty, had taken a fancy to him at a glance and was willing to defy his Father to keep the person by his side.

Perhaps the experience of being forcibly snatched had left the scholar feeling completely hopeless. Even upon seeing someone, he had no great reaction, only staring blankly with a pair of dull, lackluster peach-blossom eyes, looking both indifferent and sorrowful.

The Crown Prince’s mind shifted. This kind of fragile bird with clipped wings, who could be easily bullied, was the easiest to exploit.

He slowly curled his lips into a kind smile and asked in a low voice: “Do you know where your Master has gone?”

In fact, he was asking while knowing the answer. He had come deliberately when he knew Wei Zheng was away from the estate, all to see who exactly this so-called “Master Sui Yun”—the person who had bewitched his Seventh Brother into a state of infatuation—really was.

He looked at Wei San with eyes full of appraisal and scrutiny, as if trying to discern something from the scholar.

Wei San pretended not to notice the probing in his eyes and lowered his gaze, saying: “I do not know.”

Wei San’s indifferent attitude displeased the Crown Prince. He originally intended to use this as a pretext to make things difficult, but in the next instant, as if something occurred to him, he smiled with significant meaning: “Rumors in the streets say that the Virtuous Prince has acquired a new beauty; you must be that Master Sui Yun.”

Wei San felt alert and raised his eyes to look at him: “If I am, then what?”

The Crown Prince looked around at the furnishings in the room and said meaningfully: “The Prince’s estate is opulent and luxurious; countless people would break their heads trying to squeeze their way in. It is a pity that they do not know that this is also just a prison that traps one’s freedom.”

“A person as free and easy as Master Sui Yun likely does not enjoy being trapped in a cage.”

“What do you mean by that?”

This Crown Prince really intends to harm my Master!

Wei San’s tone was somewhat urgent. He clenched his fists, struggling to suppress the anger within, but in the eyes of the Crown Prince, it appeared as though he hated the Virtuous Prince to the core.

The Crown Prince merely smiled without answering, leaving him to his own guesses. At this moment, he was already firm in the belief that Wei San would obediently fall into the trap he had dug in exchange for a chance to escape his enemy.

Wei San sneered inwardly, biting down on his back teeth so hard to keep himself from stabbing the poison needles hidden in his sleeves directly into the Crown Prince.

He pretended to be tempted, yet remained suspicious: “Why should I believe you?”

The Crown Prince did not deny this, merely lowering his head to straighten his robes, looking as if inadvertently, revealing the four-fingered dragon jade pendant tied to his sash.

The five-fingered golden dragon represented the current Emperor, while the one who could wear the four-fingered dragon could only be the heir apparent of the country.

Master Sui Yun was indeed silent, staring fixedly at that jade pendant. Although he expressed nothing, the Crown Prince knew that he had been tempted.

“It is neither easy nor difficult for a living person to vanish into thin air from the Virtuous Prince’s estate; it all depends on what Master Sui Yun decides to do.”

He did not explicitly demand Wei San do anything, but the implication was heavy. After leaving this sentence for Wei San to ponder for himself, he turned, flicking his folding fan, and stepped out of the side hall.

Wei San watched his departing figure with cold eyes, his killing intent gradually emerging.

The Crown Prince’s lack of concealment made Wei San have to start thinking deeper.

What is the Crown Prince’s purpose in suddenly visiting? He did not believe the Crown Prince would come in person just because of a street rumor.

He had always known that there were many nails buried by the Crown Prince in the Prince’s estate. Although these nails were monitored by the dead soldiers and secret guards, as long as they existed, they would eventually become daggers aimed at the Master’s vital points at some critical moment.

And the mastermind pushing those nails was now right here in the estate.

Wei San knew the Crown Prince wouldn’t dare to harm the Master so brazenly within the estate, but just the thought that the Master might be in danger made him unable to sit still.

He made up his mind, immediately rising to push open the window, bending his fingers to knock a code on the windowsill.

Before long, Wei Jiu sneaked into the room like a shadow. Before he could even ask what Wei San wanted him for, he saw Wei San begin to strip off his clothes for no reason.

He widened his eyes in shock, sucking in a cold breath. “Third Brother, this is the Master’s side hall. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to be so proactive? I’m not prepared at all.”

Wei San: “…”

Wei Zheng only found out the Crown Prince had visited after returning to the estate. He frowned subconsciously. “Second Brother came, and you didn’t send someone to find me?”

His tone was cold and hard, but those accompanying him merely assumed he was dissatisfied that Steward Li had not informed him in time.

Steward Li said in distress: “The Crown Prince would not allow this slave to send anyone to find you, saying that waiting was fine and it wasn’t necessary to trouble you. This slave is of low status and did not dare to defy him.”

Steward Li was originally from the imperial palace; although he had become Wei Zheng’s steward, he could not forget the rules etched into his bones.

Wei Zheng did not reprimand Steward Li excessively. After dismissing the female official, he ordered him to take him to find the Crown Prince immediately. Along the way, he learned from Steward Li that the Crown Prince had looked for him in the main hall of the bedchamber, failed to find him, and then went to the side hall.

Steward Li had been ordered to stay outside and did not know whether the Crown Prince and Master Sui Yun had met, or what had happened; he only knew the Crown Prince had stayed in the side hall for less than a quarter of an hour.

It wasn’t a long time, but it was enough for many things to happen.

He naturally would not suspect Wei San’s loyalty; he only felt that the Crown Prince’s actions were truly laughable.

He didn’t know what kind of expression his “good” Crown Prince brother would have when he found out that the male concubine was actually his own dead soldier.

That was something for the future, but it wouldn’t make him wait too long.

Wei Zheng put away his thoughts and followed Steward Li to the edge of the lotus pond in the Prince’s estate.

It was early June, the season when the lotus flowers were in full bloom. A clear breeze blew, bringing with it a faint lotus fragrance.

The Crown Prince stood on the riverbank, hands behind his back, carefully observing a pink lotus bud that was about to bloom.

He wasn’t particularly fond of the lotus; it was just that seeing such beautiful, fragile flowers gave him the urge to destroy them.

He had just raised his hand to pluck the bud when the corner of his eye caught Wei Zheng rushing toward him like a football.

He saw his foolish brother charging toward him, shouting: “Second Brother, why didn’t you tell me you were coming in advance? It leaves me with the charge of poor hospitality. If Father finds out later, he’ll surely scold me again.”

He was standing close to the pond water; if Wei Zheng collided with him, the chances were high that he would lose his footing and fall into the pond.

He quickly withdrew his hand and stepped forward, but it was too late. Wei Zheng plunged straight toward him. He didn’t even think before dodging to the side, and then he watched, wide-eyed, as Wei Zheng plunged into the water with a plop.