Seeing that the little wolf cub was about to get angry again, Shen Qingzhuo calmly added, “If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn’t have waited from yesterday until now.”
Xiao Shen paused and couldn’t help but look at his bandaged left hand.
“Just stay here and be at ease. If you are really worried, wait until nightfall and then go back to your own place quietly, so as not to attract other people’s attention.” Shen Qingzhuo stood up and emphasized again, “No one will disturb you, including me.”
After saying this, without giving the dumpling a chance to refute, he turned around and walked out of the inner room.
Xiao Dezi was guarding the door. When he saw him come out, he immediately followed him.
“Don’t follow me today.” Shen Qingzhuo turned around and ordered, “Watch this door. No one except you is allowed to enter. Do you understand?”
Xiao Dezi: “The servant understands.”
After arranging everything, Shen Qingzhuo went to the small study in the backyard alone, intending to study the original owner’s collection of books first.
He soon discovered that although Dayong was a fictitious dynasty, but most of its historical texts and poetry culture used real historical materials. After all, the original authors’ level was limited, and he could not compile it himself.
Fortunately, he has been very interested in history and culture since he was a child, and he chose history as his major in college. He wouldn’t say that he is well-read or talented, but he can barely be considered well-read.
However, he didn’t expect that he would be able to travel into a fictional novel one day, which would be quite useful.
However, just as Shen Qingzhuo flipped through two books in his collection, an uninvited guest came to Jiyue Pavilion.
The person who came was a young eunuch holding a whisk who claimed to be sent by the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. He said that the weather was cold and the Crown Prince had prepared a jar of good wine and invited the young master to go to the Eastern Palace for a chat.
Shen Qingzhuo calmly put down the book and rolled his eyes in his heart.
Knowing that the weather was cold, he still insisted on asking him to come over. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince must have ulterior motives.
But no matter how unwilling he was, he had to go.
Facing the cold wind, Shen Qingzhuo followed the eunuch all the way to the Crown Prince’s mansion in the Eastern Palace.
“Greetings, Young Master.” As he entered the outer hall, a beautiful palace maid came forward to greet him. She bowed gracefully and respectfully took off his snow-white cape and put it in her arms.
It seems that they are old acquaintances.
This is not surprising. The original owner has been in the Eastern Palace for three years and must be familiar with the people here.
Shen Qingzhuo could not help but be on his guard to deal with this Crown Prince, whom he had never met before.
The young eunuch led him into the inner hall, where he saw a young man sitting on the main seat in the hall. He was dressed in scarlet attire and was handsome, dignified, and had an imposing manner.
According to the description in the original book, the Crown Prince of Dayong, Xiao Yichen, who was only 21 years old, appears gentle and benevolent on the surface but is actually arrogant, conceited, petty-minded, good at playing power games, and a complete hypocrite.
The reason why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was so obsessed with torturing Xiao Shen was simple: his biological mother, Mrs. Li, had died at the hands of Noble Consort Zhao.
Mrs. Li was originally a maidservant in Noble Consort Zhao’s palace. She was unexpectedly favored by the emperor and gave birth to a prince, so she was named Concubine Li.
However, the good times did not last long. A few years later, Concubine Li drowned in the lotus pond in the imperial garden. The murderer was not found for a while, and the old emperor had no intention of investigating either. The case was closed as a case of accidental fall into the water. Concubine Li died in this unclear way.
The young Second Prince was adopted by the childless Empress and was soon named the Crown Prince.
When Xiao Yichen was a teenager, the Empress deliberately told him that it was Noble Consort Zhao who killed his mother.
So the Crown Prince hated Xiao Shen and his mother and secretly tortured and retaliated against his own brother.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Shen Qingzhuo bowed and saluted, following the etiquette of the Dayong Dynasty.
“We haven’t seen each other for a while. How come Qingzhuo became so unfamiliar with Gu1I, used by the crown prince.?” Xiao Yichen walked down and gave him a hand. “Didn’t Gu say that we don’t need to be polite in private?”
Shen Qingzhuo straightened up and replied calmly, “The minister has caught a cold recently. Your Highness should stay away from the minister to avoid having passed the cold to Your Highness.”
Xiao Yichen showed concern on his face: “You are weak, it’s freezing cold, you must pay attention to keep warm.”
Shen Qingzhuo: “Thanks Your Highness for his concern.”
Xiao Yichen looked at him and casually said, “Qingzhuo has been ordered to teach Seventh Brother for some time already. Gu wonders how the progress is?”
Shen Qingzhuo calmly said, “The progress is slow.”
“Seventh Brother is stubborn by nature and has yet to be enlightened. It must be very difficult to teach him.” Xiao Yichen sighed pretentiously and suddenly changed the subject. “But Gu heard that yesterday, Seventh Brother was punished to kneel for two hours, and Qingzhuo actually carried him back to the pavilion yourself?”
Without waiting for his answer, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked with a half-smile, “Qingzhuo, are you soft-hearted?”
“I’m not soft-hearted.” Shen Qingzhuo’s expression remained unchanged. “It snowed heavily yesterday. The minister was just worried that if the Seventh Prince was really frozen to death, the minister would not be able to bear His Majesty’s blame.”
As he expected, Xiao Dezi was not the only spies in Jiyue Pavilion. Someone was watching his every move and reporting to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace at any time.
“What are you afraid of? Gu is still here, right?” Xiao Yichen stared at him with a half smile. “Besides, do you think Emperor Father really care about Seventh Brother?”
Of course he didn’t care; otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Xiao Shen grow up in that kind of environment.
But Shen Qingzhuo refused to answer, he just turned his head to cover his lips and coughed, “Cough, cough.”
“Sit down first.” Xiao Yichen paused, and his tone softened. “Someone, bring the tea.”
Shen Qingzhuo sat down as he was told, took a sip of hot tea, and then said quietly. “Your Highness, you also know my situation.
“In this palace, thanks to His Majesty’s love, everyone calls me Young Master Shen, but in fact…”
Xiao Yichen stood with his hands behind his back: “You are not only Young Master Shen, but also someone from my Eastern Palace.”
“That’s why.” Shen Qingzhuo raised his eyes, his gaze frank and sincere. “My every word and action in the palace is watched by someone. Your Highness, have you ever thought that since I am from the Eastern Palace, I am also Your Highness’s person? What if someone makes a big deal out of this?”
After saying this, Xiao Yichen realized the problem.
His Emperor Father didn’t care about his seventh brother and even condoned them bullying him, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate someone killing his son right under his nose.
The royal family has always been most averse to their sons killing each other.
But now everyone in the palace knows that Shen Qingzhuo was someone who left the Eastern Palace. If Xiao Shen really gets into trouble at his hands and someone with ulterior motives makes a fuss about it, how can the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace completely distance himself from the matter?
“Some things don’t need to be brought to the surface.” Shen Qingzhuo smiled slightly. “Under the circumstances where no one is killed, the minister will do it more covertly so that no one can find fault with it.”
Little did he know that this smile would actually make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince stunned for a moment.
The Third Young Master of the Shen clan has a handsome appearance, yet he is not stained by the scent of makeup. He is also very well-maintained and is as beautiful as a flawless jade.
But he never liked to smile, and there was always a hint of depression on his face. But at this moment, he suddenly smiled, and his picturesque eyes instantly became vivid and beautiful, so beautiful that it took one’s breath away.
Shen Qingzhuo: “Your Highness, what do you think?”
“Hmm?” Xiao Yichen suddenly came back to his senses and turned around as if to cover up. “Qingzhuo is really thoughtful. Let’s do as you say.”
He sat back in the main seat, picked up the teacup, and promised sincerely, “Qingzhuo, don’t worry, when Gu ascends the throne, Gu will definitely give you the honor you deserve.”
“The minister thanks Your Highness for your grace.” Shen Qingzhuo accepted the offer for the time being. “However, the minister is not feeling well today. Cough, cough.”
“Third Young Master, has your old illness returned?” He was coughing when he heard a voice as clear as the moon coming from outside the hall.
Shen Qingzhuo glanced sideways in search of the voice, and a tall and slender figure appeared in his sight.
He frowned slightly. Who is this again?
[The Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor, Pei Yanqi.] The dormant system woke up at some point and answered his questions in time.
Shen Qingzhuo remained silent and tried to retrieve the relevant information about this person in the original book from his memory, as well as his relationship with the original owner.
Pei Yanqi, whose courtesy name was Yun Qing, was a man as gentle as jade and as quiet as a breeze. He was the second person in the Dayong Dynasty to win the top three places in the imperial examination. He was chosen as the top scholar by the old emperor and later entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor.
Because he was indeed talented and was a rare talent in Dayong, the old emperor appointed him as the Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor and sent him to the Eastern Palace to teach the Crown Prince.
After the death of the Crown Prince, Junior Preceptor Pei felt that he had no way to survive, so he resolutely resigned from his post and retired. Before leaving, he warned the original owner that if he wanted to stay alive, he should stay as far away from the Seventh Prince as possible.
Unfortunately, it’s too late.
System: [Your old lover.]
Shen Qingzhuo: “?”
System: [Pretend I never said that.]
Shen Qingzhuo: “Don’t lie to me, isn’t this a CP-free power-seeking novel where everyone is working on their careers?”
Where did he get this old lover?
The system stopped talking and silently disappeared again.
Shen Qingzhuo came back to his senses, stood up, and bowed: “Junior Preceptor Pei, long time no see.”
Pei Yanqi looked at him carefully and sighed, “After all, it’s not as comfortable outside as in the Eastern Palace. Third Young Master has lost weight.”
Shen Qingzhuo’s scalp tingles when he hears this melancholy tone. He thought to himself, Could this Junior Preceptor Pei really have some old relationship with the original owner?
“Qingzhuo has indeed worked hard during this period.” Xiao Yichen waved his hand and said, “Come here, bring the warm jade Gu got a few days ago, and give it to Shen Qing2Qing is a title for minister.”
Shen Qingzhuo thanked him and expressed his loyalty, saying, “The minister will work hard for His Highness the Crown Prince.”
As soon as he moved, the hand hidden under his sleeve was exposed. Pei Yanqi’s eyes instantly fell on his hand, and his brows slightly frowned. “Are you hurt?”
“No problem.” Shen Qingzhuo lowered his arms and put them behind his back calmly. “I was accidentally bitten by a puppy yesterday.”
Xiao Yichen frowned. “Which palace raised the little beast? Did you see clearly?”
“Just a little puppy, and his teeth haven’t fully grown yet, so it doesn’t matter.” Shen Qingzhuo bowed and said, “If Your Highness the Crown Prince has no other instructions, the minister will take his leave first.”
Junior Preceptor Pei came to see His Highness the Crown Prince because he had important matters to discuss, so he tactfully asked to leave.
Xiao Yichen agreed, but Junior Preceptor Pei looked at him twice more, which made him feel uneasy.
This person is extremely intelligent and meticulous. If he spends a long time with him, it is inevitable that he will notice some problems. He must try to avoid dealing with him in the future.
Fortunately, when the original owner learned the truth about his entry into the palace, he was devastated. From then on, his temperament became gloomy, and he was not warm to anyone in the palace, which saved him the effort of acting.
On the way back to Jiyue Pavilion, Shen Qingzhuo tried to summon the system again, and this time it worked successfully.
System: [Didn’t I tell you not to call me if there’s nothing?]
Shen Qingzhuo: “Just get straight to the point. Just tell me what kind of help you can provide me right now.”
System: [It is better to rely on yourself than on others.]
Shen Qingzhuo: “……”
“Hehe, no wonder all the hosts before me failed.”
System: [You got the cause and effect wrong.]
Shen Qingzhou: “What do you mean?”
System: [Because the first two people’s missions failed, I was sanctioned by the Book Management Bureau, and most of the functions that should have been available were disabled.]
The lazy electronic sound now sounded faintly like gnashing teeth.
Shen Qingzhuo: “……”
“Most features are disabled, so what’s left?”
System: [I can provide things other than entities. For example, if you want to know any questions, I can help you find them.]
Shen Qingzhuo: “Baidu Encyclopedia?”
System: [……]
Shen Qingzhuo: “Forget it, you should just continue to sleep.”
After finishing the conversation with the system and approaching Jiyue Pavilion, he suddenly heard a loud noise coming from inside.
Shen Qingzhuo’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace. As soon as he stepped into the door, he saw several young eunuchs pressing the dumpling to his knees on the ground.
Like a young animal that accidentally fell into a hunting trap, the little wolf cub struggled hard, but in the end he was outnumbered and was held down by the young eunuchs so tightly that he couldn’t raise his head, and his right cheek was rubbed back and forth on the ground.
He was shocked and angry: “What are you all doing?”
“Young Master, you’re back!” The leading eunuch immediately trotted over to claim credit, “The servant caught His Highness the Seventh Prince stealing something from your bedroom!”
Shen Qingzhuo’s face suddenly darkened: “You still know that he is the Seventh Prince?”
Xiao Dezi originally was stamping his feet anxiously at the side. Seeing this, he shouted, “Young Master has already spoken, why don’t you all quickly let His Highness the Seventh Prince go?”
Several young eunuchs let go of their hands with a bewildered look on their faces. Xiao Shen immediately gritted his teeth and stood up, swaying unsteadily twice.
The little wolf cub had not yet recovered from a serious illness. He was only wearing a thin robe, which was covered in mud. His pale face was dirty, with a trace of blood on his lips, and his expression was full of humiliation and resentment.
The leading eunuch couldn’t help but say: “Young Master, His Highness the Seventh Prince just secretly appeared in your bedroom.”
“What’s your name?” Shen Qingzhuo interrupted him coldly.
“My Lord, the servant’s name is Wang Gui.” Wang Gui replied in a flattering manner.
At this time, Wang Gui was still feeling proud. The Young Master had always been arrogant and didn’t even bother to look at a group of servants like them. But today he actually took the initiative to ask for his name. It seemed that he had really taken advantage of the Young Master’s wishes!
Shen Qingzhuo said in a low and cold tone, “Who gave you the courage to treat His Highness the Seventh Prince like this?”
The Third Young Master had a pure and elegant appearance, but he had a pair of slightly upturned peach blossom eyes, which showed a bit of affection even when he was not smiling.
But once his face turned cold, there was a chill between his eyes, which made people feel terrified and weak in the knees.
“The-the servant…” Wang Gui didn’t expect the Young Master to react like this. He panicked and raised his hand to slap himself. “The servant deserves to die, the servant deserves to die!”
Shen Qingzhuo didn’t say anything and just stared at him coldly.
Being stared at with such cold eyes, Wang Gui dared not stop and could only slap himself back and forth. The crisp and loud slapping sounds kept echoing in his ears.
No one dared to breathe.
“Without rules, there will be no order.” Shen Qingzhuo had heard enough of the slaps, and then he said word by word, “Remember this well. If the Seventh Prince does something wrong, this young master will educate him. It is not your turn to overstep the boundaries.”
In the huge courtyard, people immediately knelt on the ground.
The author has something to say:
Qingzhuo: My little disciple, only I can educate him.
