The Young Marquis is Ruining the Court! - Chapter 22

Chi Zhou ultimately did not go to Jifu Lane, not for any particular reason, but simply because he ran into Lu Zhongyuan on the way.

It was a coincidence, two men of such prominent backgrounds, one following the other, neither taking a carriage, wandering until they bumped right into each other.

Lu Zhongyuan was slightly stunned to see Chi Zhou, but a smile quickly broke across his face. “Where is the Marquis headed?”

Chi Zhou had an envelope tucked in his robes. He had been walking with his head down, brooding over which tree merchant had dug up the peach tree he planted with his own hands. Hearing the familiar voice, he blinked and looked up into Lu Zhongyuan’s smiling eyes.

He glanced behind Lu Zhongyuan, unsure if the man had just finished his shift at the Hanlin Academy or was returning from somewhere else.

Perhaps Lu Zhongyuan really was clever enough, for seeing Chi Zhou’s expression, he took the initiative to clear the air. “I just came back from Xie Jiu’s place.”

Chi Zhou’s expression shifted slightly. Lu Zhongyuan laughed. “That kid, I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately, but his face is cold enough to scare people to death. He’s radiating so much resentment that the moment I hit the alleyway, I was nearly choked out by that ‘bitter widow’ vibe.”

Chi Zhou couldn’t stand still anymore. He turned to go find him, his heart heavy with guilt over the cold shoulder he’d given him these past few days.

When it came to Xie Jiu, he was always torn, never knowing what to do. One moment he’d steel his heart to ignore him, and the next, he’d be drowning in regret.

Lu Zhongyuan raised a hand to stop him, chuckling. “Don’t be in such a hurry, Marquis. He’s out.”

Chi Zhou asked instinctively, “Where did he go? Does he even have friends in Jindu?”

Lu Zhongyuan arched an eyebrow. “How could he not have friends?”

The implication was that since Xie Jiu was famous throughout the capital, he surely wouldn’t lack “friends.”

Chi Zhou’s heart tightened. He pursed his lips tightly, and as much as he wanted to know more, he refused to ask, fearing he’d hear something that would upset him.

Lu Zhongyuan watched him with interest for a moment, and after having his fill of amusement, he laughed. “Just joking. He left the capital.”

Chi Zhou looked at him in confusion. Lu Zhongyuan explained, “He has a distant relative doing small business in Jindu. A shipment of goods got stuck outside the city and couldn’t get in, and the relative couldn’t get away. Xie Jiu happened to be free these past couple of days, so he went out to help him look into it, mostly just to clear his head.”

Chi Zhou asked, “He has relatives in Jindu?”

Lu Zhongyuan thought to himself, Of course he does, a whole bunch of them, and they all live in the Imperial Palace. But he couldn’t exactly tell Chi Zhou that his Sixth Highness had waited for him for days like a “husband-watching stone,” and when Chi Zhou didn’t show, he’d returned to the palace in a fit of pique.

He wanted to say it, but he was afraid that little maniac Xie Mingjing would dismantle his house if he found out.

Lu Zhongyuan sighed quietly. “Yes, they haven’t been in touch much. Xie Jiu wasn’t usually willing to deal with them, but he’s likely truly frustrated lately, which is why he agreed to help.”

Chi Zhou naturally attributed that “frustration” to himself. The envelope in his robes felt as if it were growing hot, burning against his chest. He furrowed his brows, saying nothing, yet the steps he meant to take toward Jifu Lane simply wouldn’t move.

Lu Zhongyuan grabbed him by the shoulder, grinning. “Since he’s not there anyway, there’s no time like the present. Marquis, come have dinner with me.”

This was a blatant move to score a free meal. Chi Zhou saw through it clearly but wasn’t annoyed. He simply shifted, shaking his shoulder free from Lu Zhongyuan’s hand.

After walking a few steps, he remembered something and asked, “What about Xiaochuan?”

Lu Zhongyuan was still looking at his hand, which had suddenly been left hanging in the air. Hearing this, he asked back, “Xiaochuan?”

Chi Zhou clarified, “The dog he’s raising.”

Lu Zhongyuan’s expression suddenly turned very strange. Chi Zhou realized how odd that name must sound to an outsider and regretted his lapse in judgment for asking so directly.

Sure enough, Lu Zhongyuan rubbed the goosebumps on his arms, let out a breath, and then lied with a straight face, “He took it with him.”

“Oh.” Chi Zhou quickly dropped the subject, asking no more.

But Lu Zhongyuan seemed to have found something fun. He caught up in two steps, whispering suggestively, “Marquis, I’ve got a bunch of cats and dogs at my place. Why don’t you take one back and name it Jiu Jiu?”

Chi Zhou paused, giving him a suspicious look, not understanding why this man’s train of thought was so similar to his own.

However, since that idea had already been rejected by Xie Jiu, Chi Zhou naturally wouldn’t entertain it again. He shook his head. “No need.”

Lu Zhongyuan wouldn’t give up. “How about a bird? I ordered a batch of sparrows the other day, all white and fluffy and chubby. You’d definitely like them. Why not take a few back to raise?”

Chi Zhou was truly puzzled. He called out, “Master Lu?”

Lu Zhongyuan blinked, instinctively sensing that whatever came next wouldn’t be a compliment. He was about to say forget it, then, when he heard Chi Zhou ask with genuine confusion, “Aren’t you so poor you can barely afford to eat? How do you still have the heart to keep so many pets?”

Lu Zhongyuan: “…”

He looked as if he’d been dealt a heavy blow and remained silent for a moment.

Chi Zhou felt as if he’d finally won a round, and the corners of his lips curled into a slight arc.

The light of the setting sun reflected off his profile, and the waters of the Xuanxing River rippled beside them. Lu Zhongyuan stared at him for a while, then smiled.

He stepped forward and raised his hand as if to ruffle Chi Zhou’s hair, but the movement paused in mid-air. In the end, he just gave Chi Zhou’s shoulder two firm pats.

He said, “What can I do? Those were mementos left to me by someone else. How could I not take good care of them?”

Chi Zhou was stunned at first, but he quickly caught the teasing tone in the man’s voice and ruthlessly called him out, “You just said you ordered a batch of sparrows. Are those ‘mementos’ too?”

Lu Zhongyuan burst into loud laughter, slinging an arm around Chi Zhou’s shoulder. “Alright, alright, I know you’re smart, stop exposing me. I’m starving. What are we eating?”

Chi Zhou was utterly speechless. He couldn’t understand why a cold person like Xie Jiu would have such an unreliable friend like Lu Zhongyuan.

But there was no helping it. Since he’d run into Lu Zhongyuan on the street today, he was destined to be shaken down for a heavy meal. The man even planned to take leftovers home, piteously claiming his whole family was still starving and asking the Marquis to be a “good person” and provide one more meal.

Chi Zhou truly had nothing to say.

After a few cups of wine that evening, he returned to the Marquis’s manor feeling a bit tipsy.

He’d been busy all afternoon, yet he hadn’t seen the person he wanted to see, nor had he given the gift he wanted to give. Chi Zhou sighed, suddenly realizing he was already starting to miss Xie Jiu.

He shook his head, washed up, and went to bed. He noticed a fruit plate by the small couch containing a single, washed peach.

Chi Zhou thought for a moment, took it, turned it over in his hands a few times, and took a bite. It was succulent and sweet, truly a top-tier tribute.

Before falling asleep, the young Marquis couldn’t help but wonder when Xie Jiu would return to the capital and how many peaches would be left by then.

He wanted him to taste one too.

It was truly very sweet.

The Great Jin court sessions were held every three days, with Grand Court Assemblies on the first and fifteenth of every month.

By rights, as a Marquis who had inherited his title, even if Chi Zhou had no official business to report, he should have attended the Grand Court Assembly to pay his respects to the Emperor.

But Emperor Chengping truly doted on this family. Years ago, because the original host was young, the Emperor made an exception and exempted him from the obligation to attend court. He enjoyed his salary without having to do anything at all.

At the point when Chi Zhou transmigrated, the original host had no intention of entering officialdom to serve the country, choosing instead to spend his days in pursuit of pleasure.

Afraid of blowing his cover, Chi Zhou simply leaned into this persona. He never had any intention of attending court, let alone entering the palace.

So, when Ming Xi woke him from his blankets before dawn the next day, Chi Zhou was still dazed. “What are we doing?”

As Ming Xi grabbed clothes to dress his master, he said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Going to the palace to give thanks, of course.”

Chi Zhou was completely bewildered. “Give thanks for what?”

Ming Xi was even more confused. “The peaches, Master. The peaches you ate yesterday.”

Looking out the window, the sky was pitch black. Chi Zhou had barely slept for half an hour. Hearing this, he went numb. “You mean to say, he ‘voluntarily’ sent me ten peaches, and now I have to get up in the middle of the night to scurry into the palace just to thank him?”

Ming Xi nodded. “Yes, Master.”

At that moment, Chi Zhou felt the peaches weren’t sweet at all.

And by the time he was standing in the square outside the Zichen Hall, his face wooden as he greeted waves of officials who approached him like they were visiting a tourist attraction, Chi Zhou even felt like throwing up the peaches he’d eaten yesterday.

The Marquis of Ningping wore his court robes, standing on the white jade tiles. Even in silence, he possessed an air of casual elegance, though no one knew that Chi Zhou was secretly pinching his own hand until it nearly broke.

This bit of tension and frustration dissipated slightly the moment he saw Lu Zhongyuan.

A surge of joy rose in Chi Zhou’s heart. He was about to go find his acquaintance, only to see Lu Zhongyuan spot him from a distance. Lu Zhongyuan’s expression froze for a split second, and then he immediately looked away, catching up with his colleagues and leaving while chatting and laughing.

Even as slow as he was, Chi Zhou could see the coldness in the gesture. His steps stopped in place, and he didn’t move for a long time, feeling a rare sense of irritation.

He really did hate this place. No sense of belonging, no one he knew, no memories, and no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

The morning light of late spring spilled over the white jade tiles. Chi Zhou kept his head down, staring at the silhouette reflected on the ground, not moving for a long time.

That was until a lazy, casual voice sounded beside him, and a hand clamped onto his shoulder intimately. The newcomer called out with a smile, “Xiao Zhou, why have you come to court today?”

Chi Zhou was pulled back from his empty daze. He turned his head to see Xie Mingjiang and the group of people following him. There were court officials and servants from the Eastern Palace, a bustling crowd surrounding him.

Chi Zhou forced a smile, looking relaxed. “His Majesty bestowed several peaches upon me, so I came to the palace to give thanks.”

Xie Mingjiang was amused. “So that’s it. I thought you came to see Xiao Liu.”

It took Chi Zhou a moment to realize “Xiao Liu” referred to Xie Mingjing. His body immediately tensed, and even the blood racing through his veins felt unnaturally cold.

Fortunately, his abnormality wasn’t noticed. Someone behind Xie Mingjiang laughed maliciously, their words flippant and suggestive, “Isn’t the Prince joking? Why would the Marquis come to see the Sixth Highness instead of taking this time to enjoy himself? In a while, won’t he be able to see him whenever he wants and do whatever he pleases?”

Chi Zhou woke from that icy coldness, hearing the laughter of the crowd at the remark.

He instinctively furrowed his brows. He first glanced at the speaker, then turned his gaze to scan the assembled officials.

After finding the person he was looking for, Chi Zhou let out a breath and laughed. It seemed casual, yet it also felt like a friendly warning, “The official had better watch his words. There are historians taking notes.”

the man’s smile froze. He instinctively glanced at the few people holding brushes on the outer circle, then looked toward Xie Mingjiang.

Xie Mingjiang didn’t even look at him. Instead, he continued to press down on Chi Zhou’s shoulder. His phoenix eyes gazed at him for a long time, and he leaned down to whisper, “I didn’t know, Xiao Zhou, when did you start protecting him like this?”

He hooked a strand of hair peeking out from under Chi Zhou’s official cap, twining it around his finger several times. He asked with a smile, though his eyes were as cold as a venomous snake waiting to strike, “Don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for that bastard?”

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