Chapter 17: What If I Insist on Interfering?
Xuan Qiao did not have a sweet tooth. He rarely ate sweets, finding them far too cloying in large amounts. Yet, this time, he finished the entire sugar painting.
After finishing it, he simply downed two cups of water.
The last time they visited the Crown Prince's suburban estate, Yuan Jiabai had been too nervous to look around. This time, he was much more relaxed, glancing curiously in every direction. While Xuan Qiao ordered the servants to prepare lunch, he spotted Yuan Jiabai crouching by the pond, tapping the surface of the water to tease the koi fish.
Seeing how much fun he was having, Xuan Qiao had someone fetch fish food. Yuan Jiabai scattered a little here and a little there, making the koi swim back and forth, happily trailing after him.
Oh my, does this count as 'good luck chasing after me'? Yuan Jiabai was having a blast, letting out clear, cheerful laughter.
After playing for a while, he turned around and realized Xuan Qiao was gone. He asked a young eunuch standing nearby, "Where is His Highness?"
"To answer the young master, His Highness is currently in the side hall discussing matters with several guest advisors. Would you like to go over there?"
Yuan Jiabai shook his head. He had just been asking casually. Still, the Crown Prince really is busy.
Even when lunch was served, the Crown Prince still didn't show up. Qi Guangde came back to pass on a message, saying that His Highness wanted him to eat first.
So, Yuan Jiabai ate by himself. Since he had woken up late today, he decided to skip his afternoon nap. With nothing else to do, he simply wandered aimlessly around the estate.
It wasn't until around two or three in the afternoon that Yuan Jiabai saw the Crown Prince again.
---
Later that afternoon, they made it back to the Eastern Palace just before the palace gates were locked for the night.
Xiao Xiangzi greeted them with overwhelming joy. He took Yuan Jiabai's small bundle and helped him unpack. Having not seen the young master return earlier today, his heart had been in his throat; only now did he finally feel at ease.
Just as they were talking, a group of eunuchs suddenly filed into the room. Each carried a tray covered with a red cloth, lining up in a neat row in front of Yuan Jiabai.
Thoroughly confused, Yuan Jiabai looked at Qi Guangde, who was leading them. "Eunuch Qi, what is this?"
Qi Guangde lifted the nearest red cloth, revealing the dazzling items underneath. With a slight bow and a smile, he said, "These are all rewards from His Highness. He said they are for the young master to play with. Please take a look, young master. Do you like them?"
Yuan Jiabai stepped forward to look. There were six trays in total, brimming with gold, silver, and jewels. There were sandalwood bracelets, jade pendants carved with bats, glazed agate beads, two folding fans, and Su embroidery pouches. Every single item was incredibly valuable.
Yuan Jiabai's eyes widened, and he pointed a finger at himself. "Are these really all for me?"
Qi Guangde chuckled. "How could this be fake?"
"Wow." Yuan Jiabai reached out to touch them, then suddenly remembered his manners and quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Eunuch Qi! I love them!"
"As long as the young master likes them."
Qi Guangde waved his hand, and the eunuchs placed the trays on the table before taking their leave alongside the chief eunuch.
Yuan Jiabai clicked his tongue in amazement. No wonder some people loved clinging to a big shot's coattails so much. these coattails were truly fantastic to ride!
Just look at this! He had only offered up a single sugar painting, and he got so many things in return. If one were to sell these, an ordinary family wouldn't have to worry about money for the rest of their lives.
He placed the items he could use on the dressing table and packed the rest away neatly in a trunk.
---
The last time he entered the palace, he had immediately been given the task of reviewing accounts. This time, he had no such duties, so he could only wander around the Eastern Palace. The Eastern Palace was certainly massive, but the overall decor was largely the same everywhere. It didn't take long for Yuan Jiabai to lose interest.
Seeing him bored, Xiao Xiangzi suggested, "Young Master, how about I take you out for a walk?"
Yuan Jiabai, who had been sprawled over the stone table like a melted cat, immediately snapped his head up and asked eagerly, "Can we? Can we really?"
"We can," Xiao Xiangzi assured him. "As long as we don't go toward the places where His Majesty handles state affairs or the Western Palace where the consorts reside, it will be fine."
Yuan Jiabai cheered, "Oh yeah! Xiao Xiangzi, you're the best!"
He had already seen the Eastern Palace; now, he was finally going to see the rest of the Imperial Palace.
As they walked, Xiao Xiangzi acted as a guide, introducing the various locations to Yuan Jiabai. Perhaps because it was his first time seeing them, even though they didn't look drastically different from the Eastern Palace, Yuan Jiabai still found it absolutely fascinating.
Encouraged, Xiao Xiangzi spoke with even more enthusiasm.
He had served quite a few nobles in his time, but to say something treasonous, Yuan Jiabai was his absolute favorite. It wasn't because Yuan Jiabai gave the best tips or had the highest status. Rather, it was because, in their interactions, he could clearly feel that Young Master Yuan treated him like a human being, not just a lowly servant.
---
As they walked to a more secluded area, they suddenly heard faint curses, accompanied by the muffled thuds of fists and feet landing on a human body.
"Dodge! Why aren't you dodging anymore? I'm telling you, if you dare dodge one more time, I'll beat you to death right now!"
In the corner of a courtyard, several men dressed in the dark blue robes of eunuchs were punching and kicking a single person. That person, also wearing a eunuch's robe, was curled up on the ground, clutching his head. Painful, muffled groans escaped his lips, but with nowhere to run, he could only instinctively protect his vitals.
Yuan Jiabai instinctively moved to rush out but was grabbed by Xiao Xiangzi. "Young Master, those men doing the beating seem to be from the Second Prince's palace."
His footsteps faltered. Hearing the word "palace," he was starkly reminded that they were in the Imperial Palace.
"What about the one being beaten? Is he also from there?" he asked.
Xiao Xiangzi squinted to identify him and shook his head. "No, he isn't. Nor is he a servant of any of the other princes or princesses."
Then what kind of deep-seated hatred could they possibly have, for several people to gang up on him like this?
One of the eunuchs delivered a vicious kick right to the victim's abdomen. A trail of blood leaked from the corner of the fallen eunuch's mouth, his internal organs were definitely injured. Contorted in pain, his face was exposed, revealing that he looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old.
Yuan Jiabai's pupils constricted.
The current Second Prince, Xuan Wen, was born to Noble Consort Liang. Both mother and son were highly favored by the Emperor... Those men belonged to the Second Prince's palace. What if interfering offended the Second Prince?
But since they chose such a secluded spot, this has to be a personal grudge, not an official order. Even if the Second Prince found out, he most likely wouldn't do anything about it.
The young eunuch violently spat out a mouthful of blood, narrowly missing one of the men's shoes. Furious, the man ruthlessly kicked him again.
Xiao Xiangzi pressed his lips together, his brows furrowed tightly, but he didn't say anything to Yuan Jiabai. Though he was angry, he couldn't cause trouble for his master.
Unable to bear it any longer, Yuan Jiabai took large strides forward and shouted sternly, "Stop!"
The sudden voice startled the men. They turned around and saw a handsome, fair-skinned young master.
Yuan Jiabai crouched down in front of the young eunuch and asked softly, "Can you hold on? Bear with it a little longer, I'll take you to the Imperial Medical Academy."
The leading eunuch, Zhang Yonggui, was displeased. Maintaining a strained semblance of respect, he asked, "May I ask which family you belong to, Young Master?"
Yuan Jiabai lifted his eyelids and replied smoothly, "I am Yuan Jiabai, son of the Count of Zhongqin, Yuan Songting."
Zhang Yonggui thought for a moment. The Count of Zhongqin? Just a declining, impoverished aristocratic house. If he had been a little panicked before, he was feeling fully emboldened now.
"So it is the young master of the Zhongqin Count's household. However, Young Master Yuan, this is a private matter among us servants. I must ask Young Master Yuan not to interfere."
Yuan Jiabai was silent for a moment. "And what if I insist on interfering?"
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