TPATTHU Chapter 25
by VolareShen Zhejiang thanked him and dismissed the official. He pushed the porcelain bowl full of meat porridge in front of Xiao Zhinian and said, “You don’t like scallions, and you always pick them out when you eat. This bowl doesn’t have any. Drink it.”
Xiao Zhinian shifted his gaze to Shen Zhejiang sitting across from him and said happily, “Teacher still remembers my preferences.”
“It’s not difficult,” Shen Zhejiang said, feeling a little awkward after being seen through. He shifted his gaze to the open window and said, “Hurry up and drink it. It’s already late.”
“My shoulder hurts. Teacher, feed me.”
Xiao Zhinian chuckled to himself. How could his teacher be so adorable? Even when he felt embarrassed, he made people want to tease him.
Shen Zhejiang was completely unaware of Xiao Zhinian’s thoughts. He frowned and scolded softly, “Your hand isn’t injured. Drink it yourself.”
Xiao Zhinian raised his shoulder in a showy manner, then let it droop again, smiling mischievously, “Could it be that Teacher wants to watch me starve to death? Then who will serve the people in the future?”
“……”
So, he insisted on being fed.
Xiao Zhinian had been pampered since he was young and was used to being served by palace servants. Now that he was out and about, he didn’t bring any attendants with him, and had to do everything himself. Shen Zhejiang thought that feeding porridge wasn’t a complicated task, so he picked up the porcelain bowl and stirred the porridge in a clockwise direction with a spoon. The rising white mist steamed his face, making it feel a little warm.
He scooped up a mouthful and brought it to Xiao Zhinian’s lips, but saw Xiao Zhinian staring straight at him. The infatuation and sincerity in his eyes seemed to drown him. Although Shen Zhejiang had never experienced romantic affairs, he was no longer an ignorant youth and could not possibly misunderstand the meaning in Xiao Zhinian’s eyes.
His heart trembled slightly, and he said, “Drink up.”
Xiao Zhinian obediently opened his mouth. The grains of Luo City were coarse, and the porridge was not as soft and delicious as the ones cooked in the palace, but Xiao Zhinian tasted a sweet flavor that surged all the way down his throat and into his heart.
The sweetest thing in the world was a bowl of hot porridge fed by the person you loved.
Therefore, Xiao Zhinian drank very slowly, savoring every mouthful. A full half an hour passed before he finally finished the bowl.
Shen Zhejiang got up with the bowl and said, “I’ll go return the bowl.”
“Don’t go!”
Xiao Zhinian couldn’t bear to have Shen Zhejiang leave his sight, he was worried, and quickly pulled him back.
Shen Zhejiang was caught off guard and stumbled.
In a dizzying moment, the porcelain bowl fell to the wooden floor with a thud and rolled towards the bronze lamp standing in the corner, finally falling upside down with a clatter.
“Ugh!”
Shen Zhejiang didn’t know where he had bumped into, but it was hard and painful, and he let out a muffled groan.
He raised his eyelids, and all he saw was a piece of smooth satin fabric. Shen Zhejiang’s mind went blank, he actually fell onto Xiao Zhinian’s lap, and his hands, which had been grabbing wildly, were now clutching Xiao Zhinian’s shoulders.
This posture was very embarrassing, making him look like a fallen young woman…
These words flashed through Shen Zhejiang’s mind, causing his head to burn as if it were emitting green smoke.
More importantly, Xiao Zhinian didn’t realize what was happening at all. He just hugged Shen Zhejiang’s waist tightly, not letting go for a moment, and said with affection, “Don’t leave. Just let someone come up to take it.”
Shen Zhejiang pushed him away, “Your Majesty, your words and actions should not be so unrestrained.”
The two faced each other, very close, their shadows almost merging into one on the ground.
“This isn’t the Capital City, and there’s no Emperor here. I’m just Xiao Zhinian.”
He whispered softly.
Xiao Zhinian leaned close to Shen Zhejiang’s face, and the faint medicinal fragrance filled his nostrils, which smelled very good and made him feel extremely at ease.
“Xiao Zhinian only wants Shen Zhejiang.”
“……”
Shen Zhejiang vaguely guessed what he was going to say next and was about to stop him, but Xiao Zhinian still beat him to it.
“Do you know why I’ve been frequently leaving the palace all these years? Whether it’s the Northern Borders or the South of the River, I’ve been looking for you.”
Actually, there was no need to think about it to know that Xiao Zhinian wouldn’t give up easily.
Back then, Han Zitang was the only one responsible for Shen Zhejiang’s faked death. Shen Zhejiang only found out about it after he was sent out of the Capital City.
That letter was written by him personally, just to dispel Xiao Zhinian’s thoughts of searching for him. Despite this, Xiao Zhinian still stubbornly believed that he was not dead.
“Those old fogeys in the court are all advising me to establish an Empress, and the portrait albums they send up are endless, but I haven’t even glanced at them,” Xiao Zhinian grabbed one of Shen Zhejiang’s wrists and lowered his head to kiss the back of his hand tenderly and sincerely, “In the past, it was the Crown Prince Consort, and now it’s the Empress. That position is reserved for you, Shen Zhejiang, are you willing?”
Shen Zhejiang felt as if he had been burned by a branding iron and quickly pulled his hand back. Xiao Zhinian’s strength was great, and he struggled several times but couldn’t break free. He immediately turned cold and said, “Your Majesty is the Emperor of Yan Country. The person in the Empress position must be carefully selected. How can it be a child’s play? Moreover, Your Majesty doesn’t know what I want at all.”
One “Your Majesty” after another, cold and aloof.
Xiao Zhinian was greatly shocked and said anxiously, “I know! I know about the Shen family’s affairs! I’ve been investigating, and the truth will come out soon. I’ll restore the Shen family’s innocence!”
“There’s no need. Usurping power and plotting rebellion was indeed my father’s doing. Why should I deceive myself again?” Shen Zhejiang’s tone was slightly cold. “Your Majesty, the scenery of Luo City is pleasant, and I’ve let go of the past. Please don’t disturb me anymore.”
“What about today then?”
“……What?”
Seeing that Shen Zhejiang’s expression had softened slightly, Xiao Zhinian continued, “Don’t you want to know who was behind that dagger? I once sent people to investigate, but I couldn’t find any clues. The person behind the scenes seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, but they just happened to appear today. Doesn’t Teacher find it strange?”
A wooden boat floats on the water’s surface, luring them to approach, but once they get close, the wooden boat immediately disappears into the vast ocean, as if someone deliberately pulls a thread, attracting them to a certain place.
Shen Zhejiang had long suspected that Xiao Jing was behind it, but if he wanted to take his life, why hadn’t he made a move in the past three years, when he was most defenseless?
Coincidentally, on the day Xiao Zhinian appeared in Luo City, he just happened to encounter a threat from a man in black, and then, that jade knife was thrown out like bait.
Everything was too coincidental.
No one knew about Xiao Zhinian’s secret trip to Luo City. Then, how did Xiao Jing know everything so clearly, unless—
Shen Zhejiang’s whole body broke out in goosebumps, and he blurted out, “Someone is following you.”
“No, Teacher, your every word and action are under their surveillance,” Xiao Zhinian said something shocking. As he spoke, he stroked Shen Zhejiang’s temples, his eyes filled with longing, and rubbed Shen Zhejiang’s earlobes. How could he still be able to seriously say slowly, “I only informed Yang Shihui about my trip, but later, the merchant who sold the post horses also knew about it. I’m afraid that Teacher and I are having a secret candlelit conversation in the room, and they can see it clearly.”
So, there were ears on the other side of the wall!
A chill ran up his spine to the top of his head, and his scalp tingled.
Shen Zhejiang was lost in thought and didn’t notice Xiao Zhinian’s intimate gestures. He muttered to himself suspiciously, “It’s Xiao Jing’s spy. What exactly does he want to do?”
“Bang!”