Chapter 108 – Extra 1
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With a “pa” sound, the porcelain teacup shattered, making a crisp sound as it broke into several pieces.
Hearing the sound, Fu Nian, as if accustomed to it, emerged from the shadows, bent down, patiently picked up the fragments of the teacup, and made sure there were no sharp shards left.
After tidying up, Fu Nian retreated behind the folding screen.
Just after he finished tidying up, in no time at all…
A “clang” sound echoed as something fell to the ground. This time, it was a pen holder.
Fu Nian glanced at the mess on the floor and then discreetly looked at the young man writing at the desk.
There was still a trace of baby fat on his face that hadn’t completely disappeared, but the sharpness in his eyes was no less than that of an adult. The fierceness between his eyebrows was somewhat reminiscent of a young wolf.
“Really looks like a dog,” said the young man when he crouched down to clean the floor.
Fu Nian raised his head and answered seriously, “Your Highness, I am only here to protect you.”
“Be straightforward. That old father of mine,” the young man said with a light cough, “sent you to monitor my every move and report regularly. We both know it, there’s no need to make it sound so grand.”
Fu Nian didn’t deny it. “But the first item in the orders I received was to ensure your safety.”
“Get lost,” Chu Zhaoyi’s tone didn’t hide his disgust.
“Stay away from my study and bedroom. What you do in your spare time is your business, and how you report is up to you. But if you interfere with me too much… Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re from the palace.”
“Understood.”
Naturally, he wouldn’t really leave. Instead, he would be more discreet in his actions, trying his best to make the hot-tempered young prince not feel his presence.
He entered the palace by the command of the Distant Moon Sect and was ordered by the Emperor to serve as an Imperial Shadow Guard in the royal residence.
The Emperor’s orders were clear: to place an obvious thorn by the side of his son, so that Chu Zhaoyi would be uncomfortable but wouldn’t dare to eliminate him. Fu Nian, as this unfortunate thorn, had to navigate this precarious position.
The sunlight was slanting in the west, and even after entering autumn, the heat had not dissipated, making the air feel stuffy.
Today, he had one more task.
As the young prince had come of age, it was only natural to have a concubine to serve in his chambers. The palace had already selected a candidate for the role, a palace maid who had served the Emperor for over a decade. However, since this palace maid had entered the royal residence, Chu Zhaoyi had completely ignored her. Even when she was forcefully placed in the same room, there was no progress.
They said she was a maidservant in the inner palace, but she held almost the same status as a concubine, and being so close to the emperor, she practically monitored every word that Chu Chaoyi said by his bedside.
Thinking about this, Fu Nian glanced at the small jade bottle in his hand.
Using poison was part of their assassination training, and it included this kind of… unconventional methods.
Fu Nian shook his head.
He had grown up with his master and senior brother, and he was well-versed in such matters. He couldn’t help but think that this prince was truly peculiar.
It should have been an enjoyable matter; otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many assassins trying to seduce their targets in advance.
During the evening meal, Fu Nian had already arranged everything with his kitchen informant and had hidden under a tree, reviewing a martial arts manual while waiting for the young prince to finish his meal, so they could pick at the leftovers.
He hadn’t practiced the martial arts manual for long when he heard footsteps approaching.
He quickly put away the bamboo sword in his hand.
Their sect’s martial arts manuals were not to be shown to outsiders.
“Fu Nian, the prince is calling for you.”
Fu Nian raised his head and saw that it was the young prince’s personal guard, the one always seen by his side. Rumor had it that he had been picked up and brought to the royal residence from a young age. His name was Chu Yao.
“In the front hall,” Chu Yao pointed in that direction with his finger.
“Is His Highness angry?”
“I’m not obligated to answer your questions,” Chu Yao glanced at the person in front of him with a prosthetic limb.
Chu Zhaoyi had instructed him to keep a distance from the palace informants within the residence.
Fu Nian nodded.
He could understand why the prince and his allies didn’t like him.
Without asking further questions, he headed straight for the front hall.
Upon entering, the aroma of the dishes wafted into his nostrils.
Fu Nian glanced at the tempting dishes on the table before offering a greeting, “I’ve seen Your Highness. May I inquire as to the purpose of summoning me?”
Chu Zhaoyi made a gesture of invitation.
Fu Nian was puzzled.
“To test for poison,” his voice was cold and without much emotion.
Fu Nian picked up his chopsticks and cautiously picked up a plate.
He no longer had control over that jade bottle. After handing it over to the kitchen informant, he had no idea which dish or soup it would end up in. However, he had received training in poison resistance since childhood, and the diluted doses in the dishes wouldn’t harm him.
After trying all the dishes, Fu Nian put down his chopsticks and said, “Your Highness, you may eat.”
With that, he was allowed to leave the room. He waited for about fifteen minutes. Fu Nian didn’t feel any effects from the substances. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As expected, after the evening meal, Fu Nian saw that Chu Zhaoyi, unlike usual, hadn’t focused on his reading and had returned to his bedroom early.
More than half an hour later, Fu Nian received a message. Chu Zhaoyi’s servant boy instructed him to bring a basin of hot water.
Fu Nian didn’t mind tasks outside his duties. He held a wooden basin in his hands and entered the bedroom, stopping outside the folding screen.
Having waited this long to call him in for hot water, it was likely that the scene inside was gruesome.
To his surprise, the bedroom was eerily quiet. There was only the faint scent of incense that had been burned and the smell of books and ink.
Fu Nian stood outside the folding screen and said, “Your Highness, I’ve brought the hot water.”
Before he could finish, Fu Nian heard a cough from behind the screen.
“Place the basin of water outside the folding screen and come in.”
Fu Nian obeyed the order and entered the room. He saw the young man sitting solemnly at the table, his eyes fixed on a scroll. When he noticed Fu Nian entering, he raised his head slightly.
Chu Zhaoyi continued casually, “Sit down and have some tea.”
Fu Nian had no choice but to sit down and looked at the teacup in front of him.
The new tea, paired with osmanthus flowers, had a sweet and enticing aroma. However, he knew that this young prince wouldn’t be so kind as to offer him tea for no reason, so he hesitated and didn’t touch it.
“Drink your tea,” Chu Zhaoyi commanded again, his tone clearly showing his displeasure.
Fu Nian: “…”
He had no choice but to comply. After hesitating for a moment, he finally picked up the teacup and drank it in one go.
As the scalding tea went down his throat, Fu Nian felt something was wrong. While it was still early autumn and warm, the room was cooled by ice blocks and shouldn’t have been this hot.
He immediately remembered the vial he had given to the kitchen informant. Shouldn’t it have already been added to Chu Zhaoyi’s meal?
Sweat formed on his forehead, dampening his hair. Kneeling became increasingly uncomfortable, and Fu Nian swallowed saliva, speaking softly, “Your Highness, this subordinate will leave first.”
After saying this, without waiting for the other person’s consent, Fu Nian quickly got up and rushed to the door, stumbling along the way.
He banged on the door repeatedly, but there was no sign of it opening.
He checked the latch multiple times, and even tugged at it, but it was all in vain.
In just half a moment, his breathing had become heavy, and the silence inside the room seemed deafening.
His strength in his hands was also gradually fading.
At the same time, he heard footsteps approaching from the inner room near the desk, getting closer and closer.
As he continued to pull at the door, hoping for a miracle, Fu Nian heard the cold and aloof voice behind him.
“I appreciate your attention to my meals, and even asked the chefs to take special care,” said Chu Zhaoyi. His voice was devoid of any emotion, and he kept his eyes fixed on Fu Nian, who was gradually slumping to the ground. “Such kindness naturally deserves to be repaid.”
Fu Nian: …
Perhaps the kitchen informant had been discovered when trying to administer the poison, and Fu Nian hadn’t received timely information, leading to his current predicament.
As expected, what the emperor had said was true; this prince was like a ruthless beast. Without proper vigilance, he would surely cause trouble.
“I thought this vial of poison was meant to be deadly. Now that I see you’re still breathing normally, could it be that I misunderstood, and you were genuinely being kind?” Chu Zhaoyi continued, taking out a jade vial from his sleeve and examining it in his hand.
Suddenly, without warning, he lifted his leg and stomped forcefully on Fu Nian’s lower back.
“Ugh.” Fu Nian’s initial reaction wasn’t pain.
Perhaps due to the effects of the poison, his skin felt much more sensitive than usual. He instinctively recoiled, trying to shake off the tingling sensation that had reached his fingertips. His breathing grew even heavier.
He felt the foot on his back hesitate for a moment, as if it hadn’t expected such an unusual reaction from him.
“Your Highness…” Fu Nian had just wanted to beg this young prince to let him go, but the words that came out of his mouth were different from what he intended.
His voice, which was usually clear and flat, had taken on a more tender and pleading tone in his ordinary words.
After speaking, his back was suddenly pressed down even harder, and he couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan.
Fu Nian managed to bite back his groan this time.
Suddenly, he felt his collar being harshly pulled up, forcing him to look at the young man in front of him.
“Hoo, hoo,” Fu Nian could hear his own heavy breathing.
When his vision finally focused, he felt that in those fiercely sharp eyes, there seemed to be something indescribable.
Before he could fully grasp the situation, his body was suddenly lifted into the air.
Fu Nian realized that he had been picked up, but his body’s weakness left him unable to offer any resistance.
Then, he felt himself being forcefully thrown onto the bed.
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