Chapter 31
Face-Slapping the Son of a Concubine and a Transmigrating Girl (5)
Editor: ghost
Zhou Xu’s mood was quite good. Right when he was about to leave, his path was blocked by someone.
“Young Master, our young master has requested to see you.”
Zhou Xu was surprised. It was still daytime, this person really was not polite.
“What if I don’t go?” Zhou Xu looked at the two taller men scornfully.
“Young Master, our young master is surnamed Zuo.”
After a slight pause, Zhou Xu decided to follow them to take a look. After all, not many people in this world was surnamed Zuo, but the royal family was one of them.
Climbing to the second floor, Zhou Xu found out that this was indeed a good place, able to clearly see the situation below, but covered by a sheer layer of curtain so that the people below could not see above. It was the perfect place to peep and eavesdrop on people.
Opening the sheer curtain, Zhou Xu was invited in. Upon seeing the person seated inside, Zhou Xu bent his tall, slender, and seductive body, “Your highness, I trust that you have been well since our last meeting.”
Zhou Xu took off his silver fox mask, but the crown prince stood up, putting the mask back on him.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I like it.” The crown prince Zuo Ming Tao replied, his expression cold as usual. If it was not for Zhou Xu firmly believing that the crown prince was interested in him, normal people would instead feel that the crown prince hated him.
“There are matters that require my help and it’s best if I’m not exposed, right?” Zhou Xu guessed it at once. In addition, he also mostly guessed what this matter was – the other few princes might soon be making a move.
The crown prince nodded his head. In actuality, the fluctuations in his heart was very great. Only he was used to hiding his feelings, especially in front of the person he liked, and so could not express himself. Afterall he was royalty, any weakness he presented would be viciously taken advantage of.
“Afterwards we can address each other informally, how about it?”
“I’ve never addressed myself as “this commoner”.”
The crown prince was slightly embarra.s.sed; he was always addressing himself as “this prince”.
“Tomorrow, late at night, the second prince will plan to force me out of the palace. I will get injured, no need to save me. I only need you to bring my corpse back at dawn. I will wake up in a day or two; how about it?”
In the original world, this matter was carried out by Zhou Zong Han purely because he coincidentally met the crown prince. However, Zhou Xu felt that anyone would be willing to do it. Simply looking at the crown prince’s clothes would let one know that he was not someone without money and power.
“How did you know I was here and why do you choose me?” Zhou Xu spoke.
“I had an expert follow you since yesterday. As for the other question, my answer is that I don’t want to let other people touch my body. What do you think?”
“Very good,” smiling faintly Zhou Xu spoke, “but I want a reward.”
“What reward?”
“The Deep Sea Dragon Silk. Hard to find even in a hundred years, but as the crown prince you can help me find it right?”
“I can.”
Afterwards, the two fell silent and the atmosphere became a little awkward. Of course, Zhou Xu did not find it so, but rather the few imperial bodyguards. Why would their master and his friend continue to face each other, but keep silent?
“No other matters?”
The crown prince was once again quiet for a long time before replying, “I want to keep looking at you; I’m reluctant to part.”
“Since that is the case, then make tomorrow’s ‘injury’ lighter so you can wake up a little earlier to see me.”
Zhou Xu turned to leave. Afterall, if people found out and took advantage of this, his Zhou family would encounter some difficulties.
Previously Zhou Zong Han had coincidentally met the crown prince, hence no one took notice of it. Now that it was the crown prince and Zhou Xu becoming allies, its significance was different.
Zhou Xu had no right to interfere in the royal family’s matters. Since the crown prince requested him, he would properly do his part. As for the expert a.s.signed to him by the crown prince, this was the first time Zhou Xu saw him.
“What’s your name?”
The black-clothed man’s skin colour was a bit dark but his facial features were straight. Neither handsome nor ugly, he could only be described as somewhat simple and dull.
“Ye Qi.”
“How old are you, how long have you been practising martial arts?”
“21, 19 years.”
Zhou Xu stopped asking because he was not willing to continue communicating with such a dull person; it was too troublesome. Hence he straightforwardly ordered, “No need to worry about me, go follow your master.”
“No.”
“Your master ordered you?”
“Yes.”
“Your master still listens to me, ah. Go back to your master. Who knows, maybe your master would have more convenience with you around.”
“No.”
Zhou Xu really did not want to interact with this kind of dull person; he would be angered to death.
In the end, Zhou Xu still got Ye Qi to return to the crown prince. Zhou Xu had threatened him, “You know that your master has taken a liking to me right? What if I say that I have taken a liking to you?”
Ye Qi’s complexion turned black as ink and gloomily returned to his master. Zhou Xu simply felt stifled. He really had not felt this stifled in a long time.
Zhou Xu had Ye Qi leave because in the previous world, Ye Qi was definitely in front of the crown prince. If Ye Qi now left and the crown prince had an accident, then the loss would outweigh the gains.
Before dawn, Zhou Xu followed the plan and arrived at the designated spot, meeting the crown prince who was covered head to toe in blood. However Zhou Xu could tell with a glance that those frightening-looking wounds were only flesh injuries; they would indeed scare someone, but the person was definitely all right.
After ascertaining that no one was nearby, Zhou Xu nudged the crown prince, “Wake up, I know you are just pretending.”
The crown prince slowly opened his eyes, carefreely speaking a sentence, “But I’m bleeding, you aren’t feeling anything for me?”
“As long as the person in pain isn’t me. Quickly go.” Zhou Xu intended to immediately pull the crown prince up the carriage. He recently bought this carriage, even if someone saw it, no one would place suspicion on Zhou Xu’s head.
While Zhou Xu exerted his utmost strength to pull, the crown prince still laid there like a heavy weight for a long time. Finally, Zhou Xu could only say, “Mr. Great-and-Mighty, acting spoiled at this time. Do you feel that this is appropriate your highness?”
The crown prince sat up and stared deeply at Zhou Xu before he stood up to board the carriage by himself.
The atmosphere was awkward in the carriage. In truth, Zhou Xu was still a bit nervous but the crown prince’s priorities were already messed up.
“Do you like me?”
Zhou Xu turned his head to look at the blood-covered crown prince who still had a dignified appearance. He suddenly laughed and asked, “Crown Prince, do you have the right to say “like,” this word to me? I’ve already said, before you talk about other things, you must first be able to make decisions on your wedding matters. Furthermore, are you willing to abolish the imperial harem for me? These two points: if you aren’t able to do it, then don’t ask me if I like you.”
“I am working hard. But the second point, if I ascend to the throne, then I can guarantee you, how about it?”
“Crown Prince, have you never liked a person before?”
“….Only you, what about it?”
“Oh, no wonder. Since this is the case, you should learn how to win the heart of your beloved. At least, like now for example, when your beloved has no intention to talk about love, then you’d best keep your mouth shut and follow along, understand?”
The crown prince fell silent but Zhou Xu could clearly see that his earlobes turned red; seems like he was feeling embarra.s.sed?
Zhou Xu felt like he might have gone a bit too far, but he had no intention to change. After all he truly had good feelings towards the crown prince, however it was not to the point that he would listen to whatever the crown prince wanted.
After the crown prince was sent to the prepared courtyard, Zhou Xu mixed the wound medicine well before turning around to speak to the crown prince whose earlobes were still a bit red, “Strip.”
“You are ordering me?”
“Correct.”
“Okay.”
The crown prince was faintly embarra.s.sed as he took off his clothes. Zhou Xu looked at him, then asked the crown prince, seemingly smiling yet not, “You plan to have the medicine applied on your inner robes?”
Hence the crown prince took off his inner robes. Zhou Xu maintained his expression of smiling yet not, “Take off your pants too. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you, purely only applying medicine.”
The crown prince’s ears became redder, but his face still maintained his usual cold and aloof expression. Zhou Xu was starting to suspect he had facial paralysis.
While waiting for the crown prince to strip himself clean, Zhou Xu was a bit muddled. It was not only because his figure was too good, but also he had a bright red mole on a certain part of his body. This mole, Han Zikui of the first world had it, Xia Qingfeng of the second also had it. Now, this crown prince unexpectedly had it as well.
Unconsciously Zhou Xu’s gaze was fixed on that place. Meanwhile, unexpectedly because of that, the person in front of him had that large place slowly raised.
Zhou Xu was truly speechless, “Seems like there are really no severe injuries. Your feelings are quite good ah, happily getting hard?”
The crown prince quietly covered that place with both hands. Zhou Xu laughed faintly. Deciding to stop teasing him, Zhou Xu began to focus and apply medicine.
Although they were all flesh injuries, a body wholly covered in scars was too startling. The wounds on the back were still okay but the injury on his leg was a little deep, likely taking a few days to heal.
Only after all the wounds were smeared with ointment did Zhou Zu ask, “Are you returning tomorrow or the day after?”
“Tomorrow, then these injuries will be more frightening.”
Zhou Xu nodded. Anyway, the royal family’s matters were too complicated; he did not want to continue asking. Hence he took out a set of clean robes for the crown prince to wear.
Pale blue robes, covered by an outer layer of light blue gauze. The previously n.o.ble crown prince immediately became an elegant and modest gentleman; looking at him made one feel calmer.
The crown prince covered his forehead to hide his discomfort. Zhou Xu froze. The action was something Han Zikui liked to do; Xia Qingfeng did not do it as often, but when he was embarra.s.sed he would similarly do it too.
Not knowing how, a thought suddenly flashed in Zhou Xu’s mind. However this thought really only flashed by, after all it could be coincidental, just like this world’s older brother was also called Zhou Yang.
Meanwhile, Qi Lan and Zhou Zong Han returned to the maternal home because those rumors were really too intolerable to Qi Lan.
Kneeling on the floor, Qi Lan’s eyes were filled with tears. This miserable and pitiful appearance made Prime Minister Qi feel distressed and angry at the same time. “Ai, Lan Er, you ah, you…”
Prime Minister Qi heaved a sigh, but could not say anything. Normally, he could still control the situation. It was just some unruly people, it made the local authorities be more alert. However, at present, it was a time of emergency. The second prince and crown prince had already begun fighting; the emperor seemed to lack any opinion too. As someone who has been prime minister for over ten years, he unexpectedly could not see through the royal family’s situation.
Right now Prime Minister Qi knew that he could not play any tricks. If a new emperor ascended the throne, he would definitely want to catch someone to make an example of. Naturally the higher the position, the better. Moreover, after being made an example of, that person’s faction would then fall.
“Lan Er, you are no longer a person of my Qi family. You should leave, I’m getting old. I don’t have the energy to care about you.”
Zhou Zong Han also kneeled down, “Prime Minister, I don’t matter, but Lan Er is your biological granddaughter. Other people speaking such nonsense, how can Lan Er meet others in the future?”
It did not matter if Zhou Zong Han did not speak up. After he said that, Prime Minister Qi was enraged and raised his cane to smash Zhou Zong Han’s back.