Chapter 63
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After the Empress had picked her favorite handicraft, a late dinner had been summoned and Xue Yao was asked to dine with them.
Of course, when they all parted ways, they first respectfully bid farewell to the Empress.
After seeing off the Empress, it was time for the Crown Prince and his wife to enjoy some private time together, but the Empress didn’t forget to take the Crown Princess with her to the temple.
The Empress even left a young palace maid by her side to assist the Crown Prince in freshening up.
The Crown Princess didn’t show any signs of discontent or unhappiness, maintaining a stoic expression, but she seized any opportunity to cast a hungry glance back at the Crown Prince.
Every time she glanced, she couldn’t help but curl her lips in a fleeting smile.
From the contented look on her face, Xue Yao could even imagine how much she had missed her husband over these two months.
Clearly, the Crown Princess didn’t mind a night of scripture recitation, and perhaps the young palace maid left behind by the Empress didn’t bother her much either. The safe return of the Crown Prince was enough to dispel all her anxieties.
The Crown Prince seemed to sense the satisfaction these extra glances brought to his wife.
Consequently, the Crown Prince followed the Empress’ palanquin, escorting her all the way from the Crown Prince’s hall to the corner of the palace lane, just so his wife could sneak a few more glances at him.
The Crown Princess worried that his actions might displease the Empress. Her once contented glances turned into a state of panic, and she even discreetly waved her hand at the Crown Prince, silently urging him to return.
In her haste, the Crown Princess’ handkerchief slipped away, and just as she reached to retrieve it, a gust of wind whisked it out of reach.
She decided not to chase after her handkerchief, but from the corner of her eye, she saw the Crown Prince step forward with a quick stride, raising his hand to intercept the fluttering fabric. With long strides, he caught up to her procession and stood beside her.
He placed the handkerchief back into her hand and whispered softly, “You can rest assured.”
The Crown Princess paused, suddenly unsure of what there was left to be concerned about.
Her beloved man had safely returned to the capital long ago, so she had already put her worries to rest.
The Crown Prince was amused by her bewildered expression, leaned in close to her ear, and softly said, “I won’t get involved with other women.”
The Crown Princess’s body began to tremble slightly.
Just the sight of this man from afar had already left her in a state of fluttering emotions.
His sweet words were irresistible, leaving her heart and mind in turmoil on this night at the temple.
To Lu Jinan, that statement appeared to be a commitment driven by a sense of duty.
Lu Jinan possessed a handsome and refined appearance, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was a rough-and-tumble gentleman just like his brothers, not skilled in the art of charming women.
For him, responsibility meant not betraying his wife as Father Emperor had.
Before the age of eight, young Lu Jinan had witnessed the deeply affectionate bond between Father Emperor and Mother Empress. He had also experienced almost all of Father Emperor’s paternal affection.
That was, until Noble Consort Hua appeared, and the Sixth Prince was born.
Father Emperor redirected his limited attention away from Lu Jinan and Mother Empress, allocating it to Noble Consort Hua’s palace.
Young Lu Jinan had once spent days staring out of the palace gates alongside the Empress, eagerly awaiting the Emperor’s return from court to change into bright yellow and silver robes and join in playful banter with them.
But it never happened.
Frankly, young Lu Jinan had once resented Noble Consort Hua and the newborn Sixth Prince.
However, with the arrival of Consort Xi in the palace, Noble Consort Hua and her child replicated the tragic story of him and the Empress. It was then that Lu Jinan gradually found understood.
The mistake wasn’t Noble Consort Hua taking Father Emperor away. The true error lay with Father Emperor himself.
Lu Jinan didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of Father Emperor.
The affectionate farewell of the Crown Prince and his consort left Xue Yao with a jealous expression.
In his previous life, abandoned by his parents and working tirelessly while even waiting tables to pay the rent, Xue Yao felt his circumstances were too meager to enter the realm of love and harm young girls.
He had originally aspired to graduate from a prestigious school and then embark on a sweet romance, but he didn’t make it to graduation. He met with an airplane crash.
A truly tragic fate!
However, in this life, at just seventeen years old, he had received a reward of a thousand silver taels from the Empress, equivalent to more than six hundred thousand yuan in purchasing power.
With his future looking bright, he was determined to find someone…
The sudden thought that crossed Xue Yao’s mind startled him.
Why did he instantly think, “I must find someone as confident and responsible as the Crown Prince”?
After two lifetimes of being a lonely heart, had he lost the courage to dream of young girls?
Xue Yao realized that his mental state was in a precarious condition. He needed some serious self-reflection.
Originally, when he bid farewell to the Crown Prince, Xue Yao had intended to return to Qingqiong Hall to tend to the chubby cub. However, the Empress had given him a pile of gifts, and the Crown Prince arranged a carriage to send Xue Yao out of the palace back to his residence.
He couldn’t have the Crown Prince’s attendants lugging a bunch of stuff around in a circuitous route to Qingqiong Hall while waiting for him to soothe the chubby cub.
Xue Yao could only depart the palace ahead with the carriages, planning to tend to the chubby cub tomorrow at the school.
Upon returning to the Zhou residence, Xue Yao’s mother, Zhou Rui, and his maternal grandfather, Zhou Chong, were left dumbfounded by the rewards Xue Yao had acquired.
Xue Yao had refused to pursue an official career, and Zhou Chong had always been skeptical of his grandson. However, seeing him rise in favor as a reader-in-waiting and advisor to the current Crown Prince, Zhou Chong couldn’t help but regard him with newfound respect.
Xue Yao unearthed some unique handicrafts he had purchased in Jinling City and presented them to his mother. He also entrusted Zhou Rui with keeping the thousand taels of reward silver on his behalf.
However, Zhou Rui felt that her son had grown up. After leaving the Xue residence, she had been managing the household without her husband. She encouraged Xue Yao to establish an account at a bank and take on the role of overseeing the family finances himself.
•••
Early the next morning, as he headed to the academy, the Sixth Prince brought Xue Yao’s rabbit along.
The rabbit appeared much livelier than the previous day and had a pleasant scent.
The Sixth Prince was exceptionally attentive, sharing many tips on rabbit care with Xue Yao.
Xue Yao was afraid of inadvertently causing harm to the small meaty rabbit. After all, it was challenging to find another one with such a gentle disposition. He diligently took notes of the Sixth Prince’s rabbit-raising wisdom.
The Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince entered the school just a step behind.
“I think swordsmanship mainly emphasizes agility and versatility, but I might be better suited to weapons for head-on combat,” the Fifth Prince justified himself throughout the journey, hoping that his younger brother would understand that his strengths lay elsewhere.
The Seventh Prince remained silent, listening to Fifth Brother’s continuous chatter. He hadn’t felt any particular emotion until the moment they entered the school. It was then that the Seventh Prince’s cold pupils fixated on the heartless reader-in-waiting who was conferring with Sixth Brother.
“Touch this spot on its head.” The Sixth Prince pointed to a soft patch of fur on the rabbit’s head.
Xue Yao cautiously used his index finger to gently stroke it, and the rabbit immediately closed its eyes in contentment.
“So obedient!” Xue Yao exclaimed, looking pleasantly surprised at the Sixth Prince.
“Stroking this part of its fur is very soothing. When it’s nervous, a touch like this makes it behave,” the Sixth Prince explained with a smile.
“Is it really that magical?” Xue Yao said in disbelief.
The Sixth Prince pursed his lips and leaned his face closer to Xue Yao’s. “Don’t believe me? Try touching me, I’ll be obedient too.”
Neither of them noticed the sharp gaze of a certain Long Aotian behind them.
The Fifth Prince, absorbed in his role as the elder brother, continued explaining, “Do you know what I need? It’s not a sword or a bow, it’s a pair of meteor hammers. One swing, and it smashes the opponent’s skull directly!”
“Is that really fitting? After all, he is your grandpa’s Sixth Brother,” the Seventh Prince, with a gleam of determination in his narrowed eyes, responded while closely watching the back of the Sixth Prince’s head.
“I meant smashing the opponent’s skull, not our Sixth Brother’s!” The Fifth Prince was annoyed. “Did you even listen to what I said?”
The Fifth Prince’s shout made Xue Yao and the Sixth Prince both turn their heads.
“Your Highness!” Xue Yao’s eyes lit up as he picked up the rabbit and hurried over to the chubby cub, gently stroking the rabbit’s head to show off. “Look, how well-behaved this little guy is? He listens to me.”
The Seventh Prince glanced at the rabbit in Xue Yao’s arms with an expression that remained unchanged.
The Fifth Prince also looked at the rabbit and then asked Seventh Brother, “Isn’t this the silly rabbit you were searching for in the Imperial Kitchen the other day? It looks like you’ve been taking good care of it. I remember it was half-bald that day, bullied into a corner by a black rabbit. I thought it wouldn’t survive, but now its fur has grown back.”
“……”
What? The Seventh Prince had also searched for the rabbit in the Imperial Kitchen?
The smile on Xue Yao’s face gradually faded…
The chubby cub must have rescued the silly rabbit before him!
Realizing that his fake rabbit in his arms had been exposed, Xue Yao looked at the Seventh Prince in terror.
The Seventh Prince responded with a polite but subtly menacing smile.
It’s over.
Xue Yao felt as though he was the little white rabbit that had been bullied and left bald by the black rabbit, shivering under Long Aotian’s gaze.
“This is the rabbit that Sixth Brother gave to Yaoyao,” the Seventh Prince stared at Xue Yao but answered his fifth brother’s question, “As for grandpa’s, it’s still being kept inside.”
Fifth Prince: “Why not bring it out for some fresh air?”
“It only has a few tufts of fur left. If you expose it to the wind, it’ll go completely bald.” The Seventh Prince looked down at the rabbit in the heartless reader-in-waiting’s arms. “Yaoyao already received a new rabbit from Sixth Brother.”
Xue Yao handed the rabbit over to the Seventh Prince and said, “I picked this rabbit from the Imperial Kitchen yesterday. If Your Highness doesn’t mind, you can take it to cook.”
The Seventh Prince turned away coldly, refusing to accept the rabbit.
The Sixth Prince hurried over to intervene, “Why eat it? If you don’t want it, give it to me!”
He reached out to take the rabbit!
Before the Sixth Prince’s hand could touch the rabbit, the Seventh Prince swiftly lifted the rabbit by its ear, snatching it away. He glared fiercely at Sixth Brother and said coldly, “Yaoyao said it’s a gift for your son.”
Xue Yao: “……”
Self-perceived shortcomings causing a confusion in titles seriously affected Long Aotian’s dignity.
The Sixth Prince still wanted to compete for custody of the rabbit, but just in time, their lecturer arrived. The young princes promptly took their respective seats and began their diligent morning studies.
Although the Seventh Prince accepted Xue Yao’s rabbit, his expression remained cold, clearly still sulking.
Xue Yao had to find an opportunity to mend things with the chubby cub and inquired about the Celestial Rabbit’s health, “Is the little white rabbit still eating well?”
The Seventh Prince’s eyes remained fixed on his books as he quietly replied, “No, Yaoyao doesn’t want it anymore.”
Xue Yao: “……”
Was this chubby cub slyly implying something to himself?
Going to gather provisions with the Crown Prince was all about securing the Crown Prince’s position!
Otherwise, if the Third Prince gained power, this chubby cub would end up being bullied every day!
Xue Yao looked at the chubby cub, pouting with a forlorn expression, and suddenly felt quite disheartened.
When would this child learn to understand others’ hardships like the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince?
Perhaps, due to congenital emotional perception issues, he might never truly grasp the concept of considering others’ feelings?
Xue Yao felt a wave of disappointment in his heart.
Although he never expected the Seventh Prince to give him equal care and attention, the thought that he had to work tirelessly, even risking his life for the chubby cub, yet couldn’t even receive basic understanding, left him feeling a bit wronged.
Xue Yao began to read the book gloomily.
Since the chubby cub was ignoring him, he decided to give the cold shoulder in return.
After school, the Fifth Prince was eager to practice swordsmanship and hurriedly called his younger brothers to head to the training grounds.
“Let’s go through that set of sword techniques from last time again,” the Fifth Prince led the way, firmly instructing the Seventh Prince, “You’re not allowed to improvise like you did last time. You must follow the prescribed techniques.”
The Seventh Prince paid him no mind.
Xue Yao walked behind them, pretending not to care about the chubby cub, keeping his head down.
He wanted the chubby cub to take the initiative and ask about his feelings!
The Sixth Prince turned and walked up to Xue Yao. “Why don’t you let the Seventh Prince leave the rabbit with me for care? Even his own rabbit is almost bald from being raised by him, and you’re still letting him keep it?”
Xue Yao had no intention of concerning himself with the rabbit, but he also didn’t want to brush off the chubby cub. So, he turned and explained, “That rabbit wasn’t made bald by the Seventh Prince. It was bullied by a black rabbit… oh!”
Not paying attention to his steps, Xue Yao accidentally stepped on a round stone, stumbled, and fell backward.
In an instant, the Sixth Prince’s eyes slowly widened, as if he wanted to reach out and help, but it was already too late.
The Seventh Prince, who was walking ahead, swiftly turned around and rushed forward, extending his hand to steady Xue Yao’s arm.
Xue Yao regained his balance and looked in surprise at the chubby cub. “Your Highness?”
Could it be that this chubby cub had a built-in radar on him?
How could he, walking in front, know that he tripped? And what was with this incredible reaction time!
The Seventh Prince let go of the young reader-in-waiting’s arm with a disdainful expression and scolded, “You can’t even stay on your feet after stepping on a small stone. Do you expect your grandpa to carry you around all day?”
Xue Yao immediately looked down, kicking the stone to argue, “This stone was too big. I just stumbled for a moment. I haven’t fallen like that before!”
The Seventh Prince snorted and questioned, “Haven’t fallen before? Who was in the north garden yesterday—”
As he spoke, the prince suddenly realized that exposing this incident would reveal his own embarrassing behavior of “waiting for the reader-in-waiting to come see me, but since he didn’t, I had to follow him myself” from yesterday.
The prince quickly shut his mouth and turned away, coolly snorting.
After the snort, he cast a disdainful side glance at Silly Yaoyao, with a look that clearly said, “What would you do without me?”
Truly, His Highness was burdened with worry!
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