Chapter 260.3: Clever Scheme
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Azurixa] [Celeste S.] [Christine G.-L.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[J Jean] [K.Rom] [Manon] [Tori D.] [Ziana K.-P.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Fav Akira] [Leticia P.] [Maria P.] [Mel Melz] [Nicole] [Passerby]
G O L D S T A R
[Cindy] [Nanashi D. Y.] [Reece P.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Amanda] [Book W.] [Britnae M] [Caroline] [Christigale M.] [DetectiveGeek421] [Haruka N.]
[Hong] [Kiiayame] [kuroneko_chan] [Lily J.] [Liznel M.] [Michelle K.] [onepiece]
[Quae] [Ray] [Smurfinbatik] [Victoria]
"You really want to give me things so badly?" Liu Yisheng looked at him and asked.
"Yep!" Yuan Tang nodded with wide eyes.
Liu Yisheng said, "Leave that cat then, take the rest away."
Yuan Tang：“…”
Yuan Tang finally took back the silver banknotes with him, because he knew very well that once Liu Yisheng refused, he would rather throw it away than take it.
He left his white cat behind.
Liu Yisheng put the white cat on the table after everyone left, and at the same time, his eyes fell on the purse.
He hesitated briefly, but still picked up the purse and opened it, only to find that it contained not only a few silver ingots, but also three flower hairpins.
……
East Palace.
Xiao Liulang finally met the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at the young man dressed in scarlet brocade official robe in front of him and he was beside himself with shock, unable to speak for a long time.
He stood up from his seat, walked up to Xiao Liulang, and circled around him, observing even every strand of hair of his head closely.
It was unknown how long he scrutinized the other party, but he finally found his voice, "You, you are the new Zhuangyuan? The scholar surnamed Xiao?"
"Yes." Xiao Liulang answered without glancing sideways.
Compared with the Crown Prince's unease, he was much calmer. After all, it wasn’t his first day in the capital, and some things would have to be faced sooner or later. He had envisioned it many times during the countless nights of tossing and turning, and he had long learned to be calm.
The Crown Prince returned to the main seat in disbelief, staring intently at a face so similar to the one in his memory. He opened his mouth and inquired, "What is your full name?"
“Xiao Liulang.”
"How can you have such a simple name?"
Xiao Liulang responded, "The elders in my family can neither write nor read. Since I was born on the sixth day, they named me Liulang."
The Crown Prince asked suspiciously, "You say your birthday was on the sixth day? What month?"
Xiao Liulang said, "Eleventh month."
"My cousin’s birthday is on New Year's Eve..." The Crown Prince murmured as he squeezed his fingers, and then his eyes rested on his crutch and lame leg. "What's wrong with your leg?"
Xiao Liulang: "It was injured a year or two ago."
Crown Prince: "Can't it get healed?"
Xiao Liulang: "I don't know."
Being a cripple actually made him less perfect. The Crown Prince cleared his throat and added, "What's your relationship with the Marquis Xuanping Estate?"
"Nothing much." Xiao Liulang said simply.
Not like his cousin, not at all.
His cousin was not so cold. He respected him very much and always looked very happy whenever he saw him. Unlike this guy whose entire body was emanating an icy cold aura, his cousin had an extremely warm smile.
But this face was really just too similar. Looking at him made him feel like his cousin was still alive. The only thing that was missing was the tear mole under the right eye.
The Crown Prince looked rather pale.
Eunuch Huang whispered, "Your Highness, are you all right? Do you want... this servant to send Zhuangyuan Xiao off first? You can summon him again another day."
The Crown Prince waved his hand and motioned Eunuch Huang to step down. He looked at Xiao Liulang again and said, "Do you like chestnuts?"
"I like it." Xiao Liulang replied.
His cousin didn’t like chestnuts.
The Crown Prince added, "What about spicy food?"
Xiao Liulang said, "I can eat them."
The Crown Prince made a gesture to a palace maid, who then brought a bowl of spicy dried meat slices.
Xiao Liulang looked at the dried meat slices sprinkled with chili pepper, and without raising his eyelids, his slender fingers picked up a small piece and ate it slowly.
The Crown Prince watched him eat for a while, not letting any of his reactions escape.
His cousin was not able to eat spicy food. A little spicy taste would make him spit out his tongue furiously, and this bowl of dried meat slices should turn one’s face flush with spiciness.
However, Xiao Liulang ate it easily.
The Crown Prince felt relieved, though he couldn't tell why.
Xiao Liulang left the palace afterwards.
The twilight was boundless, and the imperial palace was shrouded in a warm orange sunset.
Liu Quan's carriage stopped near the palace, and Xiao Liulang walked over on a crutch. As soon as he got into the carriage, he found Gu Jiao waiting for him inside.
Gu Jiao was leaning against the carriage wall, her eyes slightly closed as though asleep, looking somewhat peaceful and somewhat lovely.
Xiao Liulang's eyes inadvertently swept over to her soft lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He hastily looked away and seated himself into the carriage.
The carriage shook slightly, waking Gu Jiao up. When she opened her eyes and saw him, her eyes shone with light, "You're here."
"En." Xiao Liulang sat down on the seat opposite her.
Liu Quan brandished his whip and the wheels began to roll.
When Old Chief initially bought this carriage, he never once thought that it would be used by a second person, so there wasn’t much space inside. With the two of them sitting within the carriage, their breath quickly permeated and entangled.
The weather during the end of the fourth month was really hot.
Xiao Liulang thought to himself.
"Last night... I drank too much." He said.
"Hm." Gu Jiao didn’t care much.
Xiao Liulang collected himself then added, "It won't happen again."
"Hm?" Gu Jiao looked at him puzzled.
Xiao Liulang avoided looking her in the eye and simply clenched the fists on his legs and said seriously, “I will never overdrink myself in the future... and do that to you.”
"Oh." Gu Jiao felt a sense of loss.
Seeing the trace of loss that flitted across her eyes, somehow, Xiao Liulang's forehead heated up, "I’ll do it when I‘m sober."
Gu Jiao: "Eh?"
Xiao Liulang was stunned silly as soon as the words escaped his mouth. He swore he didn't mean to say that! He was going to tell her that he would always stay sober from now on so as not to commit such frivolous acts against her again, but how did it become another sentence as soon as it reached his lips?
I’ll do it when I‘m sober.
Was this something people would say?
That was too imprudent! What was the use of reading the Books of Sages!
Xiao Liulang's face suddenly turned bright red, and he couldn't wait to find a crack to crawl into.
"I... I didn't mean that, I... mean, I… I'm not going to..." Xiao Liulang was really embarrassed to say the word.
Gu Jiao said it for him, "To kiss me again?"
Xiao Liulang was really embarrassed, "En."
Gu Jiao thought for a moment and pointed her index fingers together, saying, "That is, when you’re not sober?"
"En..." Xiao Liulang shook his head with shock, "No!"
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