Ch. 50 - Xiao Nong: the little bird will probably be scared and unable to sleep
Reborn: I Found The Wrong BrotherThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Zhong Yansheng asked Yun Cheng to go to the kitchen and ask the cook for a jar of pickled radish. He originally wanted to send it to Xiao Nong to see if the awkward Prince Ding was feeling better. However, Huo Shuang came over, so he had to ask his personal guards to send it to Xiao Nong.
Xiao Nong's black-armored army mainly stayed on the third floor. Huo Shuang naturally would not make things difficult for himself, so he took Zhong Yansheng to patrol the third floor, mainly patrolling the first and second floors.
By now, most of the soldiers had already boarded the ship and were still busy coming and going.
Huo Shuang and several captains and officers followed Zhong Yansheng and introduced the situation on the ship to him.
In August, the weather in Beijing is still very hot. After the morning mist dissipates, the sun shines brightly and the air gradually becomes hot.
A group of men were sweating profusely, huddled together. It was unknown how long they hadn't washed their clothes. The smell of sweat mixed with the smell on the boat made Zhong Yansheng dizzy. He was too shy to say anything, so he could only try to maintain a serious expression and listen to their reports with his mind wandering.
This little prince favored by His Majesty had black hair, white skin, red lips and white teeth. He was clean and beautiful. People like beautiful things. A bunch of people squeezed together and tried to get close to Zhong Yansheng: "If there is anything, please tell me!"
"I heard that your stateroom is very close to that person's. If you don't mind, you can exchange staterooms with me and live next to me!"
"Your Highness..."
Zhong Yansheng felt even more suffocated when he was squeezed by them. Seeing their enthusiastic attitude, he didn't know what to say. Just when he was feeling uncomfortable, he was suddenly grabbed by the collar and pulled back.
Then a cold voice came from above his head: "Oh? Why didn't you ask me to come with you when you were inspecting the ship?"
The originally noisy surroundings suddenly became quiet.
A bitter and cold breath brushed past his nose, and Zhong Yansheng was finally able to breathe. He glanced at the corner of a green shirt and his heart leaped with joy: "...Uncle!"
Huo Shuang became nervous when he saw Xiao Nong and almost drew his knife reflexively. He wanted to step forward to separate the two, but was blocked by Zhan Rong who moved sideways. He was very angry.
Hearing Zhong Yansheng's call, Xiao Nong felt a little unhappy.
Why call him Uncle? It makes him sound so old.
There was silence all around. Xiao Nong didn't look at Zhong Yansheng, but raised his eyelids and said, "Why didn't you continue what you were talking about just now?"
“…”
No one was crowding around him anymore, Zhong Yansheng felt relieved. Seeing that no one dared to talk to Xiao Nong, he spoke up: "We have almost finished inspecting this floor, it's time to go to the next floor."
Huo Shuang nudged Zhan Rong with his shoulder and said, "Yes, Your Highness, please follow me."
Huo Shuang was Zhong Yansheng's deputy general, and Zhan Rong couldn't kick him off the boat, so he gave Xiao Nong a look that showed he had tried his best.
Xiao Nong glanced at Huo Shuang, said nothing, and followed him.
As soon as Xiao Nong appeared, the others didn't dare to move anymore and each one became more obedient than the other.
Zhong Yansheng glanced at Xiao Nong's face. Seeing that he looked normal, his seasickness should have improved a lot. He didn't know if he had calmed down by now. He asked tentatively, "Uncle, what do you think?"
The wind on the deck was strong, blowing Xiao Nong's robes. He leaned on his side with his hands folded, looking lazy and indifferent, like a sleeping cheetah. Listening to Zhong Yansheng's words, the corners of his mouth twitched: "No big deal."
Everyone's faces suddenly turned green, and their expressions became unfriendly.
Being stared at by a group of people, Xiao Nong pretended not to see it. He stared at Zhong Yansheng with his eyes downcast, and said in a light tone: "They are like a group of sick chickens. They can't even peck at a handful of rice thrown on the ground. Let alone the barbarians outside the pass, they will become a group of monkeys without knives when they meet bandits."
"……you!"
Someone couldn't bear the humiliation and took a step forward. Xiao Nong glanced at him and his face turned pale, and he couldn't say a word.
Xiao Nong was indeed qualified to look down on them. When he came to the ferry just now, the well-organized formation of the five hundred black-armored soldiers was enough to crush the three thousand soldiers.
Not to mention his past achievements.
But given the arrogant temper of His Royal Highness Prince Ding, why did he go out of his way to humiliate them?
Everyone couldn't help but look at Zhong Yansheng.
I heard that the Eleventh Prince had a bad relationship with Prince Ding. Now it seems to be true!
The surroundings seemed empty again, and everyone else was backing away.
Everyone obviously thought that Xiao Nong's anger was directed at Zhong Yansheng. Zhong Yansheng glanced at Xiao Nong, who was standing behind him as if threatening and protecting him, and saw that the others had moved a little further away from him, and he felt relieved instead.
Huo Shuang saw this, and when he thought of the old emperor's instructions, there was a gleam in his eyes.
Before leaving, the old emperor, who was dying on his sickbed, actually called him over to see him.
In the dim bedroom, the most distinguished old man in Dayong coughed weakly, but his thoughts were still hard to figure out. He told him not to interfere with the relationship between the Eleventh Prince and Prince Ding, and let the Eleventh Prince handle it himself, so as to temper with the Eleventh Prince's soft temper.
Prince Ding is an uncontrollable wolf, and even His Majesty himself is afraid of him. His Majesty is also aware of the weakness of the little prince, but he still gave such orders.
He clearly dotes on his youngest son so much... Aren't you afraid that the little prince will be bullied by Prince Ding?
Thinking of the secret rumors he had heard about Zhong Yansheng, Huo Shuang lowered his head and said nothing more.
After inspecting one floor, the soldiers on the three ships were also ready. After Huo Shuang asked Zhong Yansheng, he issued an order. Then a horn sounded on the ship and the ships officially headed south.
When Zhong Yansheng followed Xiao Nong back to the third floor from the bottom warehouse, Zhan Rong stopped Huo Shuang and several guards behind him with his hand. "The third floor is where the prince and the little prince rest. No outsiders are allowed to enter."
Being stopped by the same excuse again, Huo Shuang carefully avoided any possible traps this time and said coldly: "We are the personal guards given by His Majesty to His Highness the Eleventh Prince, and we must stay by His Highness' side."
I won't be fooled.
Zhan Rong thought for a moment and drew his sword directly: "Okay, since you are given to the young prince by His Majesty, let me see if you have the strength."
“…”
There seemed to be a bit of commotion in the back, but Zhong Yansheng didn't want to care. He looked at Xiao Nong's back and followed him: "Wait for me! Uncle!"
Xiao Nong acted as if he didn't hear anything and just opened the door and walked in.
Zhong Yansheng hesitated for a moment, but still followed him in.
As soon as he stepped in, the door behind him slammed shut. His vision darkened, and he was pressed against the door by Xiao Nong.
Behind him was a cold wooden board, and the pair of dark blue eyes were very close to him, squinting at him like some silent beast.
Zhong Yansheng was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously sensed some danger, and his voice softened: "Brother?"
His soft voice always evokes people's sympathy and love.
Xiao Nong pinched his chin with two fingers and lifted that delicate and pretty little face. His eyes were still bright and clear as ever, looking at him with a bit of confusion, as if he didn't understand what he was doing.
"Brother, what are you angry about?" Zhong Yansheng really didn't understand. Being pinned against the door panel was not very comfortable. He couldn't help but struggle a little and blinked his long eyelashes. "Can you tell me?"
…
This little bird doesn't even know what he's mad about?!
The annoyance, frustration, anger and embarrassment of the past few days... seemed to have nothing to do with Zhong Yansheng. He just called him brother lightly, and it made people feel uneasy and toss and turn.
The person who was plucking the strings just brushed them with his fingertips unintentionally and looked at him with his head tilted, without any emotion.
Even when facing the old emperor, Xiao Nong had never felt so passive.
The pride in his bones was offended. Xiao Nong frowned, rubbed the tender skin with his fingers, and said in a low voice: "Do you talk to everyone like this?"
There were thin calluses on his fingertips. When they rubbed against his skin, he couldn't tell whether it was painful or itchy. Zhong Yansheng shrank back and looked at him in confusion: "What?"
Xiao Nong looked at him, and could not see any signs of deliberateness in his eyes.
He suddenly recalled that early morning in the palace, when he was rubbing the skin on the side of Zhong Yansheng's neck, unable to control his emotions, but the child was still unconscious and didn't react at all.
Staying in the same room with him, being pressed against the door like this, the eyes that were so close to me were still clear and bright, without any fear, shyness or worry, just looking at him quietly.
Xiao Nong's heart sank, and he suddenly raised his leg, spread Zhong Yansheng's legs apart, and pushed him to sit on the door. Zhong Yansheng was caught off guard, and cried out, and hurriedly hugged Xiao Nong's neck, looking down at him in confusion, feeling very nervous: "Brother, brother? What's wrong?"
"Why did you come here alone?"
Xiao Nong put his hand on the back of his neck, slowly kneading the skin with the birthmark. With his other hand, he restrained his thin wrist and tightened the force slightly. He looked up at him dimly and said, "You are in the same room with me, aren't you afraid of what I will do to you?"
Zhong Yansheng was forced to sit on his knees, because he was afraid that he would fall off, so he hugged Xiao Nong's neck tightly. His lips were wet and red when he spoke, and his warm breath brushed across Xiao Nong's eyebrows, with a soft fragrance, like some kind of monster in the mountains who is good at bewitching people: "Will my brother do anything to me?"
But those eyes were clearly black and white.
Zhong Yansheng seriously felt that the discord between him and Xiao Nong was just a show for the old emperor's people.
His brother was so good to him, of course there was no way he could do anything.
There was a sudden force on the back of his neck, pressing his head down, forcing him to lower his head to meet those deep blue eyes.
Zhong Yansheng realized only now that Xiao Nong's gaze at him was dark and not as bright and upright as he thought.
Is my brother still angry?
He opened his mouth and was about to ask when the hand on the back of his neck slid down. The big hand held his face, and almost half of his face fell into the shackles of the hand, and his lips were heavily brushed by the tip of the thumb.
As if rouge was applied, the already wet and red lips became even redder.
Xiao Nong's voice was a little hoarse, but his tone was cold: "Yuan Yuan, are you pretending or have you really forgotten what happened on the painted boat that night?"
Zhong Yansheng's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his raven-black eyelashes began to tremble uncontrollably.
Of course, he remembers.
It's just that he has been trying hard to avoid that matter and didn't want to talk about it again. It has been so long since Xiao Nong exposed his identity. When he saw that Xiao Nong didn't mention it, he thought that Xiao Nong was not going to talk about it anymore.
Now that it was suddenly brought up, he vaguely realized that, although it was different from the pleasure boat, he was now in the same cabin with Xiao Nong.
"After what happened, you still think it's safe to stay in the same room with me?"
Xiao Nong moved closer to him, his eyes as deep as an icy lake, and asked in a bad tone: "What do you think of me?"
Zhong Yansheng bit his lip. He didn't know why Xiao Nong brought it up. He was hurt by Xiao Nong's bad attitude. His eyes turned red unconsciously. He bit his lip and explained in a panic: "Yes, I'm sorry, but I was drugged that day, and I was unconscious..."
He was drugged and unconscious, which is why he had an affair with him.
Don't want it anymore now?
Realizing that the thin body in his arms still had no reaction, Xiao Nong paused for a moment. He realized very clearly that what he was thinking seemed more like self-indulgent thoughts, and his face remained calm.
After Zhong Yansheng finished his explanation, seeing that Xiao Nong still didn't say anything, his temper, which he had suppressed before, finally flared up.
He had already apologized obediently, but Xiao Nong's attitude was still so bad.
He will get angry too!
Zhong Yansheng pursed his lips and pushed Xiao Nong's shoulder unhappily: "Since His Royal Highness Prince Ding doesn't want me to stay with you, then let me go... I want to go back."
Xiao Nong didn't let go.
Zhong Yansheng was really angry.
He tilted to the side and was about to fall. Xiao Nong was quick and immediately pulled his legs back to catch him, frowning: "What are you doing..."
He couldn't utter the rest of the words when he saw those eyes filled with tears.
When he was angry, his eyes became brighter, and they could reflect the filth in people's hearts like a mirror. Zhong Yansheng frowned, shook off his hand and opened the door.
With a "bang", the cabin door slammed shut.
Zhong Yansheng did the most impolite thing in his life.
Xiao Nong didn't have time to hold him back and was almost hit by the door slamming shut. He stood there in a daze, slightly stunned.
……Angry?
You were fine just now, why are you angry?
Xiao Nong frowned and opened the door, meeting Zhan Rong's accusing eyes: "Master, what did you do to the young master? He looked so angry when he left."
Xiao Nong had never been so unhappy in his life: "...Get lost."
Zhan Rong had a fight with Huo Shuang and the others just now, but it was impossible for them to really fight. In the end, he let Huo Shuang and several guards go to the third floor and allowed them to patrol near Zhong Yansheng's cabin at night.
The sight of Zhong Yansheng angrily leaving Xiao Nong's cabin naturally caught the attention of several guards.
They looked at each other and felt that they had guessed the truth.
He must have been bullied by Prince Ding.
Poor little prince.
Returning to his cabin, Zhong Yansheng closed the door.
Yun Cheng was tidying up his things in the cabin. Seeing Zhong Yansheng coming back with a frown on his face, he quickly came up to him and said, "Master, what's wrong?"
Zhong Yansheng didn't know how to swear, and he had never cursed anyone. After holding it in for a while, he blurted out, "Your Highness Prince Ding is mentally ill!"
Yun Cheng looked around and saw that Xiao Nong was not there, so he nodded: "...I think so too."
After he finished telling the story of how the young master had found the wrong person that day, His Royal Highness Prince Ding's face looked horrible.
Zhong Yansheng took out the books from his bag and said, "Yuncheng, please guard the door for me. I won't see anyone."
In the short term, he didn't want to bother with Xiao Nong anymore.
He sat in the room and read for a while. Yun Cheng knocked on the door and said, "Master, His Royal Highness Prince Ding sent someone to ask if you are hungry?"
It was obvious that the two cabins were only a few steps apart, yet they had to send someone to ask.
Yun Cheng was very puzzled.
Zhong Yansheng said with a stern face: "I'm not hungry."
After a while, Yun Cheng came and knocked on the door again: "Master, are you thirsty? Master Zhan brought some honey tea."
Zhong Yansheng could certainly guess whether it was Zhan Rong who sent it or someone else.
But instead of calming down, he felt even angrier: "Not thirsty!"
He gave me the cold shoulder for no apparent reason and didn't come in person, but instead sent people to deliver this and that. Does he need food and drink?
Zhong Yansheng turned over and turned his back to the door: "Yuncheng, I don't want anything, I don't want to see anyone, tell them to stay away."
Yun Cheng sighed, turned around, and gritted his teeth and lowered his voice: "Your Highness Prince Ding, you also heard it, the little prince doesn't want to see anyone..."
The wooden door of the cabin was not very strong and opened with a kick.
Xiao Nong weighed it for a moment, and in order not to make Zhong Yansheng even angrier, he retracted his foot and nodded lightly.
Zhong Yansheng has a very good temper. Normally, he would only get a little angry when provoked, but when he was furious, it would be very difficult to appease him.
Zhong Yansheng didn't come out until dinner time.
The sachet and pickled radish seemed to have no effect. Xiao Nong sat outside the cabin waiting for an entire afternoon, his face changing from gloomy to bright, and he began to feel dizzy again.
There were still the old emperor's men watching the third floor, so he naturally couldn't let these people see him seasick. Xiao Nong let out a breath, returned to the cabin, and decided to wait until the symptoms of seasickness eased a little before sneaking into Zhong Yansheng's room at night and digging him out of his nest first.
Unexpectedly, as night fell, the wind and waves became stronger, and the surroundings became quiet again. The frequency of the ship's shaking became even more severe than usual.
Xiao Nong frowned, covered his stomach and turned over. Just when he was about to ignore it and go to the next cabin to snatch the person, he suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from the window.
Assassin?
The third floor is the territory of the Black Armor Army, and there are Zhan Rong and secret guards guarding outside. It is impossible for them to allow an assassin... who sounds so clumsy, to approach.
Xiao Nong instantly realized who it was, thought for a moment, and closed his eyes.
Zhong Yansheng stayed in the room for the entire afternoon. The more he thought about it, the angrier and more resentful he became.
He has been tolerating Xiao Nong's bad temper, but Xiao Nong didn't get any better, but got worse.
He asked Yun Cheng to lead away Huo Shuang and the others who were guarding the door, and he sneaked out. In order to avoid being stopped by Zhan Rong, he sneaked to the window and tried to pry it open for a long time.
The secret guard crouching nearby was about to stop him but was stopped by Zhan Rong.
So everyone turned a blind eye and watched the young master prying for a long time, and they were so anxious that they wanted to lend a hand.
Zhong Yansheng slipped out in a hurry, without even wearing socks. Covered in the pure moonlight, he tiptoed barefoot into the window and saw Xiao Nong sleeping soundly on the bed.
Zhong Yansheng curled his lips.
My brother still sleeps so soundly. How could there be someone who loves sleeping more than him?
He walked to the bedside and squatted down. The moonlight fell on the handsome and heroic face of His Royal Highness Prince Ding. Zhong Yansheng choked on the words he opened, but he was still angry and began to scold him in a low voice: "Xiao Xianwei, uncle said that you had a bad temper when you were a child, and you are a dog when you grow up!"
Xiao Nong was speechless: "..."
The last person who dared to call His Royal Highness Prince Ding a bastard has grass three feet high on his grave.
Zhong Yansheng's insults were not very lethal. After he cursed, he would think for a while before continuing: "You bastard, you gave me the cold shoulder for no reason and got angry without saying anything. Are you the rich lady in the storybook?"
The secret guards outside: "..."
Well, you are so bold, you are worthy of being a young master!
"I don't want to care about you anymore." Zhong Yansheng sniffed, feeling aggrieved, "You were very mean to me."
He was so timid that he was suddenly brought into the palace and placed under the close surveillance of the old emperor. He was already panicked and scared, and was only slightly comforted by the sachet and note that Xiao Nong sent into the palace.
He finally left the palace and was able to talk to Xiao Nong alone, but he was so fierce and ignored him.
The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
He originally wanted to come over to talk to Xiao Nong, but he thought Xiao Nong had already woken up when he pried open the window.
He didn't expect Xiao Nong to sleep so soundly, but fortunately Xiao Nong slept so soundly, otherwise he wouldn't dare to scold him in front of Xiao Nong who was awake.
I felt much better after cursing.
The night wind from the river poured in through the window. Zhong Yansheng was only wearing his inner wear and shivered with cold. He squatted beside the bed with his feet still numb. Seeing Xiao Nong still sleeping with his eyes closed, he muttered again: "You bastard, you won't wake up even if I scold you. You sleep better than a pig."
Xiao Nong: “…”
Another gust of cold wind blew in. Zhong Yansheng shivered, looked at the quilt on the bed, and simply climbed onto the bed and pulled Xiao Nong's quilt over to cover himself.
Anyway, Xiao Nong doesn't know.
He huddled in the quilt, muttering and cursing Xiao Nong a few times. Gradually he felt sleepy and curled up in the quilt without realizing it.
Xiao Nong opened his eyes, looked down at the beautiful face, and raised his finger without raising his head.
The secret guard outside the window held his breath and gently closed the window.
As the window was closed, the disturbing wind stopped and the room was not so cold anymore. Zhong Yansheng slept even more soundly, his eyelashes quietly closed, like two clusters of butterflies.
The moonlight fell on his face, his snow-white complexion was like jade or glass, clear and bright. Just looking at it made people feel peaceful.
He was quiet, but Xiao Nong was disturbed by the little thing that came to scold him in the middle of the night and climbed onto his bed.
He reached out and fiddled with Zhong Yansheng's long eyelashes. Zhong Yansheng didn't wake up, but his eyelashes trembled. He turned his head and fell asleep again, breathing deeply and sleeping soundly.
Xiao Nong found it somewhat amusing.
Who is the piglet?
His eyes fell on the corners of his soft, bright red lips, and Xiao Nong's eyes dimmed slightly.
It seems that Zhong Yansheng really doesn't regard him as a threatening man. He sneaks into his bed in the middle of the night and sleeps so soundly. He is not afraid of being dealt with at all.
But looking at Zhong Yansheng's sleeping face, Xiao Nong couldn't bring himself to do it.
He should have woken Zhong Yansheng up and talked to him, but Xiao Nong just looked at his sleeping face patiently without disturbing the little bird that was taking a nap in his arms.
Zhong Yansheng huddled up beside Xiao Nong and slept soundly until the second half of the night, when he woke up in a daze.
He found himself wrapped in the quilt with his hair all spread out in his sleep. He suddenly felt guilty and glanced at Xiao Nong with gritted teeth - His Royal Highness Prince Ding's quilt had been taken away by him, and he was lying on his side on the bed, still not even awake yet.
Fortunately, he didn't wake up, otherwise it would be so embarrassing, and I wouldn't know how to explain it.
If Xiao Nong opened his eyes at this moment, he would really have to move to the cabin on the second floor to hide.
Zhong Yansheng breathed a long sigh of relief and quickly and quietly climbed out of bed.
When he turned his back, Xiao Nong opened his eyes, his gaze followed the boy's thin shoulders to his narrow and beautiful waistline, and his eyes narrowed like an animal staring at its prey.
As long as he wanted, he could immediately reach out and push Zhong Yansheng back onto the bed and do it.
There were guards patrolling outside, so Zhong Yansheng wouldn't dare cry out loud even if he wanted to.
He moved his fingers, and when Zhong Yansheng turned around, Xiao Nong still closed his eyes.
Zhong Yansheng got off the bed, put on Xiao Nong's slippers in a daze, put down the thin blanket wrapped around him, thought for a moment, and only covered Xiao Nong halfway. He said seriously: "You can only cover yourself with half a blanket, you bastard."
Xiao Nong: “…………”
Zhong Yansheng always had trouble sleeping and had nightmares in the palace. After taking a nap next to Xiao Nong for a while, he actually slept more comfortably than before.
However, in order to avoid being discovered by Xiao Nong, he did not dare to stay any longer. The moonlight was just right tonight, and he took advantage of the moonlight to open the window and climbed out again. He did not care whether the open window would hurt His Royal Highness Prince Ding, and sneaked back to his cabin.
Xiao Nong's seasickness symptoms had all disappeared. He opened his eyes and put the headband that the careless Xiao Yuan'er had accidentally dropped into his sleeve. On the other side of the bed there seemed to be still a soft, warm, and hazy fragrance lingering.
After being scolded for half the night, some of the anger that was caused by my self-esteem was completely extinguished.
Xiao Nong looked at the window that was opened and closed by the wind, and then looked at the slippers that had been taken away under the bed.
If I go there again tonight, the little bird will probably be scared and unable to sleep, so I will have to comfort it tomorrow.
With the scent left by the little guy before he slipped away, Xiao Nong covered himself with half a quilt and had a rare good sleep.