spoiled brat

Chapter 136 135. Empty Flowers (5)

Woof woof——

A few barks came from beside her feet. Zhao Zhao stopped drinking her porridge, broke off a piece of pancake, and threw it down.

The puppy ate with gusto, its head bobbing, which pleased her. Someone nearby remarked, "Did you go play the hero again last night?"

"I may be a hero, but what does he count for?"

Zhao Zhao wiped her hands and looked at Xiu Yi across the table: "Praise me if you want, there's no need to involve others."

"You show up the moment he's in danger; you two are even more destined for each other than I thought."

After finishing his breakfast, Xiu Yi took a sip of tea and said sarcastically:
"Blocking knives, stopping bandits, slaying snakes, what's the next act?"

"Who knows?" Zhao Zhao didn't bother to look at him and squatted down to play with the puppy. "Even you, Young Master, said that we are destined to be together. Maybe it will really turn out like in the novel. There will be things like marrying each other and vowing to follow each other to the death. It will be as touching as it gets."

"If it really works out, just let me know." Xiu Yi put down his cup. "The manor has a stake in the theater. The stage isn't just for show; it's perfect for singing about your love story."

Changing the subject casually, he asked, "Have you been going to the east side of the city a lot lately?"

Li Qingwen lived in Yanghua Lane in the east of the city, near a gold thread shop.

Zhao Zhao often patronized the business, not because the tobacco was cheap, but because she liked the young and clever shopkeeper who was observant and knew what to say and didn't ask what he shouldn't ask.

Every time Zhaozhao went there, the shopkeeper would lower his voice and say: "Yesterday morning, Master Li hired a sedan chair and went towards the Jiang residence. He was dressed in casual clothes, so he was probably not busy with official business. This noon, he was wearing a green official robe and headed towards the prefectural school..."

"You care about me that much?" Zhao Zhao looked at him, her eyes teasing with a smile. "You know exactly where I went and who I met."

"With your Prince's Mansion plaque waving around so arrogantly outside, it's hard for me not to understand you."

Xiu Yi leaned down slightly and rubbed the dog in Zhao Zhao's arms. The dog liked the cool fragrance on him and rubbed its fluffy head against his hand.

Zhao Zhao stared blankly at the shadows under his long eyelashes, but he looked up and said, "Next time, buy better tobacco leaves."

"Ok?"

"Cheap stuff is awful."

There are expensive tobacco products in the tobacco shop, such as Ruijin tobacco, Chenzhou tobacco, and Mengzi tobacco. I have tried them all, but I think they are too bland. I still prefer strong and spicy dry tobacco.

Cheap products may not smell good, but they may work well.

She had nightmares every night and couldn't sleep. She needed a pungent cigarette to numb her mind and suppress the many thoughts that were about to surface.

"Does it smell bad?" Zhao Zhao sniffed the sleeve. Actually, there was no smell of smoke. Xiu Yi was just picking a fight.

She smiled. "What you're smelling isn't cigarette smoke. That student was very close to me last night, it might be—"

Before she finished speaking, the curtain on the west side of the hall was lifted by a maid, and Xiu Ning slowly stepped out. Her moon-white dress reflected the morning sun, as if shrouded in a layer of golden mist. Her face, as white as frost and as smooth as jade, had a rare rosy hue, and her expression was serene and peaceful.

"The princess!"

Zhao Zhao went to greet her, helped Xiu Ning sit down, ladled out a bowl of porridge, and held it to her side:
"Today's breakfast was light; the porridge only had lily bulbs and lotus seeds added, without any of those fancy ingredients like bird's nest or chicken mousse."

Knock knock, a knock was heard on the nanmu wood hanging flower gate, and a shrill voice rang out: "This old servant is being disrespectful, may I ask if the Princess has arrived?"

Zhao Zhao's smile faded, and Xiu Yi's expression turned cold. The maids in the hall all looked annoyed, and someone muttered, "Here we go again."

The eunuch outside the door was none other than Li Fu, the chief eunuch who had almost had his head pierced by Zhao Zhao's arrow a few months ago.

Since the brother and sister came to the capital, he has come every few days, saying that the emperor was concerned about Xiu Ning's health and had specially bestowed medicine upon her.

Unable to refuse the emperor's favor, Xiu Ning had no choice but to accept it.

The first few times the medicine was delivered, Zhao Zhao tested each bowl with a silver needle. After tasting it and finding no problems, she then presented it to Xiu Ning.

She was terrified that Xiu Ning would be tricked, but to her surprise, the medicine was not only not bitter, but also very beneficial to Xiu Ning's health. After drinking several bowls, his pale face gradually regained color. Everyone in the mansion was overjoyed, and Li Fu, who delivered the medicine, was also happy. Because of this joy, he came even more frequently, and every day before dawn, he led people to guard the dining hall.

The hall door opened a crack, and Li Fu timidly squeezed in.

He wore a magnificent robe with a lion-embroidered back, yet his steps were so light they lacked any imposing presence. He tiptoed to the sandalwood table, put down the food box, and steadily took out a bowl of medicine. He bowed and said, "Please have some, Princess."

Zhao Zhao stood up, pretending to test the medicine, but before her hand even touched the rim of the bowl, Li Fu grabbed her hand: "Miss, you can't test today's medicine."

"Why?"

“This medicine was bestowed by His Majesty himself,” Li Fu said, looking at Xiu Ning and carefully observing her expression. “It was then personally brewed by His Highness.”

Zhao Zhao disliked both of them and frowned slightly.

Xiu Yi was about to tell Li Fu to pack up and leave when Xiu Ning picked up the medicine bowl, drank it all in one gulp, her expression indifferent and her eyes cold.

Li Fuli put away the food box, stepped forward and nodded, saying, "His Highness asked this old servant to convey a message: the official school was opened hastily and has many shortcomings. If the princess has any opinions, she can send someone to the palace to convey the message."

After saying this, he bowed and took his leave, and the hall fell silent.

The three sat silently, and the maids beside them also remained silent. A ball of light flickered on the sandalwood table.

Zhao Zhao glanced to the side and saw a crystal jar on the table by the window. It was clear and bright, and there were several colorful carp inside, which shone brilliantly in the morning sun.

Xiu Ning was also watching, her bright eyes as clear as glass, quietly reflecting the world around her. Xiu Yi blocked her view and said softly, "It's my fault."

Xiu Ning nodded and gestured, saying, "Brother is really not good. He always looks down on me, thinking I can't handle anything. He apologizes all the time."

As they looked at each other, Zhao Zhao secretly took the glass jar out and handed it to someone outside the hall, saying, "Don't put these things in the mansion anymore."

The person who received the vat was a little confused: "...These things?"

Zhao Zhao pondered for a moment: "Fish in a pond, birds in a cage."

-

Behind the dormitory, in a quiet corner.

Pang Xuan stood in the shadows, his face covered in sweat, when a suspicious voice sounded above him:
"You mean, that girl didn't have any marks branded on her shoulder?"

"No... My brother was close to her and managed to glance at her shoulder. It was fair and clean, nothing there."

The messenger stood with his hands behind his back, repeatedly saying "strange" with a deep frown.

After muttering to himself for a while, he asked, "Is your brother reliable?"

"Reliable, reliable."

Pang Xuan chuckled and said, "My brother is so poor he's gone crazy trying to make money, so he's naturally sincere and wouldn't dare to cheat in the slightest."

The messenger was suspicious, with one hand tucked into his sleeve, seemingly hesitant to reach inside.

Sweat beaded on Pang Xuan's forehead, and with a thud, the fist-sized silver pouch was thrown to his feet.

He thanked her gratefully and squatted down to pick it up.

Before he could straighten up, a hand pressed down on his shoulder, and a chilling voice rang in his ear: "Brother Pang, there's another task for you to do, do it yourself."

"……it is good."

Xie Xiaoqing leaned against the wall, anxiously gazing at the other side of the corner.

He was afraid he couldn't fool them, afraid of harming Pang Xuan, and even more afraid that the people in the shadows would use different methods to scheme against Zhao Zhao.

Xie Xiaoqing was burning with worry. After a long while, Pang Xuan came out from around the corner, wiping the sweat from his brow with trembling hands, and forced a smile:
"Let's go, it's the first day of class, let's not be late."