Ch. 34 - Xiao Nong: It is indeed very difficult to raise this little bird, Zhong Yansheng
Reborn: I Found The Wrong BrotherThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
It was not known whether Xiao Nong was dissatisfied with the "I'm sorry" or the address as "Your Highness Prince Ding". Zhong Yansheng sensitively noticed that Xiao Nong was not very happy after he blurted out this sentence.
Forget it. His Royal Highness Prince Ding is always unhappy anyway, and changes his attitude faster than turning the pages of a book.
The last time he went fishing, Marquis Huai'an reminded him to be careful when interacting with His Royal Highness Prince Ding.
Zhong Yansheng thought quietly in his heart and asked carefully: "Your Highness Prince Ding...can you let go of my hand?"
His chin was stuck, and he had to keep his head tilted back, so his neck felt so sore.
He tilted his head back, his rosy lips unconsciously parted, looking as soft as silk. Xiao Nong's gaze rested on them for a moment, then he moved his eyes upwards very gentlemanly, and saw Zhong Yansheng's long eyelashes fluttering due to nervousness, and he sighed inwardly.
His Royal Highness Prince Ding?
Previously at King Jing's private banquet, he called the guy next to him "brother" twice in a row, and his voice sounded so nice. Why did he change the way he addressed him when he was in front of him and stopped calling him "brother"?
His face was gloomy: "Sorry? When did the young master do anything to offend me?"
Zhong Yansheng hesitated, too embarrassed to mention that night on the pleasure boat: "I, I shouldn't have concealed my identity and lied to you."
It's fine to call him His Royal Highness Prince Ding, but why do you call him "you"?
[T/L NOTE:- Here 'you' is referred to in sense of stranger.]
The nameless anger in Xiao Nong's heart grew even stronger.
There was a slight rustling sound, and Zhong Yansheng uttered a low "ah". He opened his eyes wide and watched Xiao Nong move closer while pinching his jaw.
The bed curtains were drawn and it was getting dark. In the dim light of the room, the pair of dark blue eyes seemed like those of some kind of animal, staring straight into his eyes. A cold and bitter breath lingered around him, wrapping him up completely, like some kind of vine, tightly entangling him.
Just like the deep sea described in the book, Zhong Yansheng sank in his sight, as if he would drown in those eyes. He felt Xiao Nong's fingertips brushing across the corner of his lips, causing a slight itch.
He really wants to stick out my tongue and lick it.
But he held back.
"How come I don't know what other identity the young master is hiding?"
Zhong Yansheng came back to his senses and was stunned: "..."
This person is playing dumb and refusing to admit it!
The handsome face so close to him was too aggressive and invasive. The closer he got, the more oppressive it became. Zhong Yansheng felt like he was almost out of breath. He didn't know where to look. He couldn't help but lean back and said with a guilty look, "Your Highness knows who Yuan Yuan is, right?"
"Oh." Xiao Nong responded calmly, "I'm looking for Yuan Yuan. What does it have to do with you, Zhong Yansheng?"
Zhong Yansheng: "…………"
Zhong Yansheng was so choked up that he couldn't speak.
He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, his stomach growled softly.
He had no appetite for breakfast and only ate a little bit. He hadn't had lunch at King Jing's place yet. He drank three glasses of wine, which was then snatched away by Xiao Nong. He hadn't eaten for almost the whole day.
Xiao Nong raised his eyebrows.
Zhong Yansheng blushed, and the momentum he had just built up disappeared again. He turned away sullenly: "I want to go home."
But as soon as he said that, Xiao Nong loosened his grip on his jaw and slid down. His big hand pressed against his soft, flat belly through his clothes and rubbed it, "Are you hungry?"
The only time Zhong Yansheng had a stomachache when he was a child was when his stomach was gently rubbed by the Marquis's wife, but this never happened again after he grew up.
Moreover, Xiao Nong was very strong, and he rubbed him without any hesitation, which made him shiver. He couldn't tell whether it was itchy or something else, and he curled up like a cooked shrimp: "Ding, Your Highness Prince Ding!"
Xiao Nong's hand was clamped on his abdomen, and his eyebrows raised again: "Why go home? It's not like I can't feed you."
Zhong Yansheng was stunned by his confident argument and for a moment he didn't know how to refute it.
Xiao Nong deliberately pulled his hand away: "Do you still want to clamp my hand?"
Zhong Yansheng then realized that the two of them were still lying on the bed, and holding Xiao Nong's hand was really inappropriate and unseemly, and there was a hint of intimacy in that, so he quickly let go.
Xiao Nong withdrew his hand, sniffed it with the tip of his nose, and smelled a faint fragrance.
After sleeping for an afternoon while holding Zhong Yansheng, his headache was greatly relieved and the breath was faint and refreshing.
It was clear that he just sniffed his fingertips and didn't say anything, and didn't even look at him, but Zhong Yansheng was still ashamed and embarrassed. This time even his neck turned red. He stared at him and couldn't speak.
His Royal Highness Prince Ding is really...too much of a rogue.
Xiao Nong didn't feel like he had done anything rogue, he even felt pretty good about himself - he just held the little beauty in his arms and slept with him, he didn't do anything, wasn't that gentlemanly?
After smelling the orchid fragrance, he sat up, his long hair disheveled, his collar wide open, looking like some kind of sated beast, lazy and leisurely, completely different from how he was in the morning. He got up from the bed and said, "Stay here. I'll ask someone to bring dinner."
Zhong Yansheng shrank into the corner of the bed without making a sound. He curled up in the quilt like a beautiful bird building a nest. His round black pupils looked at him. But he also had a pair of amorous peach blossom eyes, which seemed to be full of affection when he looked at him.
Xiao Nong looked at him, lifted the bed curtain with great satisfaction, and left the room in his wooden clogs.
The footsteps faded away, and then the creaking sound of a door opening and closing was heard.
Zhong Yansheng waited for a moment, made sure the sound had gone away, and immediately got up from the bed.
Only a fool would wait here.
Xiao Nong definitely has bad intentions!
Marquis Huai'an and his wife must be worried about him, so he wants to go home!
The clothes on his body were fine, but Zhong Yansheng felt something strange when he bent down to put on his boots.
Isn't it said that after a hangover, your head will hurt? Why doesn't he feel anything at all?
It was a bit strange, but he didn't think too much about it. He put on his boots, tiptoed to the door, opened it a crack, and secretly stuck his head out to look out.
Not a single person.
Zhong Yansheng opened the door and walked out with confidence.
Having been to Prince Ding's Mansion last time, he should still remember how to get out.
The secret guards hiding in the dark popped their heads out in the corridor, watching Zhong Yansheng walking briskly. They looked at each other, and thinking of His Highness' order that "no harm or touch" should be done to the young master, they did not dare to show up and scare him, and hurried to report to Xiao Nong.
After Xiao Nong gave instructions to the kitchen, he did not return to the house immediately, but went to the study first.
Lou Qingtang was sitting on the armchair, crossing his legs and waiting for him. He looked up when he heard the voice and saw Xiao Nong, who was half dead in pain this morning, now recovered. He said with a click of his tongue, "Your Highness, forgive me for being blunt, but you are like a goblin who has sucked the essence of life back from the place where he went."
Xiao Nong looked at him indifferently.
Lou Qingtang sat up straight. As a doctor, he could best see the changes in Xiao Nong's condition, so he naturally had some vague guesses: "So your good medicine is the young master in Huai'an Marquis' Mansion who is in love with you? Does it have such an effect?"
Xiao Nong sat down opposite him quietly and poured himself a cup of tea.
Lou Qingtang suddenly realized and deduced: "No wonder you made such a big fuss to look for him everywhere, and contrary to your usual behavior, you were so patient with him. I was wondering how you could possibly succeed, it turns out you saw that he had such an effect..."
Xiao Nong frowned and interrupted: "Are you done with the nonsense?"
He went to see Zhong Yansheng and had a different attitude towards Zhong Yansheng from others. Naturally, it was because Zhong Yansheng could help him relieve his headache, but... there was more than just this reason.
Seeing that Xiao Nong was about to lose his patience, Lou Qingtang straightened his face and stopped teasing him: "I remember you said that your headache started when you were fourteen. At first, you just felt a little dizzy, and then it got worse every year. I suspected that you were poisoned, but I checked all the poison prescriptions related to headaches, and I didn't find a poisoning situation like yours. If you were poisoned, it was too perfect. The pain came in waves, and it got worse each time, but it didn't kill you all at once."
Xiao Nong took a sip of tea and said nothing.
"If that's the case, there must be a rare poison master in the world who is very trusted by you and has been lying in ambush beside you, poisoning you every once in a while." After Lou Qingtang finished speaking, he quickly denied it, "I don't think it's possible."
It was indeed impossible. When the headache first broke out, Xiao Nong had already checked everyone around him. At that time, the only ones following him were the loyal remnants of the old King Ding.
"So? You suspect it's not poison?"
"No, I still think you're poisoned." Lou Qingtang shook his head, "It's just that I haven't figured out what the poison is, so I think... it's not a coincidence that this young master Zhong can relieve your headache."
Xiao Nong naturally felt that it was not such a coincidence, but thinking of Yuan'er's clear eyes, he took another sip of tea.
"The Huai'an Marquis' Mansion has never had any dealings with your Xiao family, right? But this young Master Zhong is not the Huai'an Marquis's biological son. I think you can send someone to check his background, maybe you can find out something."
Xiao Nong nodded.
He sent Zhan Rong to Gusu to investigate Zhong Yansheng's background, but someone deliberately erased some clues and hid the news about Zhong Yansheng, so he found nothing. The secret guards are still investigating.
"Or just be more straightforward."
Lou Qingtang suddenly came up with an idea and licked the corner of his mouth: "Your Highness Prince Ding, let me ask you a question."
Xiao Nong's expression was cold: "Ask."
"Do you like this young Master Zhong?"
Xiao Nong's face was blank for a moment, and he quickly denied it: "How is that possible?"
Lou Qingtang was relieved and rubbed his hands excitedly: "That's good, you brought him back home, and your headache has eased a lot now, why don't you hand him over to me, I'll let him bleed and do some research... Hey! Why did you hit me!"
Lou Qingtang already had two blue marks on his face, and if he hadn't dodged quickly and avoided the oncoming teacup, he would have almost had another one.
Xiao Nong took his hand back, expressionless: "Don't set your sights on him."
Lou Qingtang: "…………"
Who was the one with such a cold and heartless face just now? If Xiao Nong hadn't saved his life, he would have turned hostile!
Before Lou Qingtang could jump up and curse, there were a few knocks outside the study room. The secret guard flashed in silently and reported with his head down: "Your Highness, there is a situation."
Xiao Nong was not in a good mood. He raised his eyelids and said impatiently: "Speak."
"Young Master Zhong ran away."
"…"
The last time he left Prince Ding's Mansion, Zhong Yansheng was so panicked when he saw his paintings and seals that he didn't even look at the surrounding way. He just focused on following the guide and didn't remember the route out of the mansion.
So when he passed by the same rockery for the third time, he realized that he seemed to have been going in circles.
Zhong Yansheng was still hungry. After walking a few laps, he was already out of breath. He leaned against a pillar and wiped the sweat off his face, feeling extremely desperate.
How come Prince Ding's Mansion is bigger than Changliu Villa?
The secret guards who were following Zhong Yansheng after receiving the order looked at each other. It was nothing special after following him in circles for a long time, but they just couldn't stand it anymore. They wondered whether they should throw something to show the way to this young master.
A few people poked their heads out from the eaves, like a group of black crows, and were about to throw out tiles to point the way, but when they caught a glimpse of a figure approaching in the distance, they quickly retracted their heads and hid again.
Zhong Yansheng seemed to hear a rustling sound, not knowing where it came from, and looked around nervously.
Are there still rats in Prince Ding's mansion?
Suddenly, a big hand gently pressed down on my head, and a familiar voice sounded behind me, with a low tone: "Are you lost?"
Zhong Yansheng felt a chill on his back as he leaned against the pillar. He turned his head and said, "Your Highness Prince Ding."
Xiao Nong was wearing a loose turquoise robe, still looking casual. He rubbed his head lightly with his palm: "Didn't I ask you to wait in the room?"
Zhong Yansheng bit his lips and whispered, "I want to go home..."
Xiao Nong looked at him and thought of the letter placed in the secret compartment of the study.
Half of the letter was spent asking him to take good care of Zhong Yansheng, saying that the child was difficult to raise.
The little beauty looked so aggrieved and sad that it was hard to refuse him, but Xiao Nong was as hard as iron and pretended not to hear him. He put his hand on his shoulder and led him in a different direction: "The kitchen has prepared dinner. Come eat with me."
Zhong Yansheng was not as strong as him, and Xiao Nong used an affirmative sentence. He was not good at refusing, so he had to follow him.
It was completely dark, the room was lit by bright candles, the food was all placed on the round wooden table, but there was no servant around to serve.
In other words, whether in Changliu Villa or in Prince Ding's Mansion, Zhong Yansheng had never seen Xiao Nong with any servants or maids serving him despite coming and going so many times.
...Zhan Rong doesn't count.
Zhong Yansheng couldn't help but feel curious. After washing his hands and sitting down, he still looked outside.
Xiao Nong glanced at him: "What are you looking at?"
This question has been around for a long time, and Zhong Yansheng couldn't help but ask: "Is there no one else in the mansion?"
Xiao Nong smiled casually, knowing what he wanted to ask: "They are all dead."
"Ah?"
Xiao Nong's eyes were indifferent. In the candlelight, they were a dark blue like a deep pool. "Sixteen years ago, Mobei City was destroyed. Except for Xiao Wenlan and me, no one survived. When the news reached the capital, everyone in the mansion, except the old housekeeper, committed suicide to sacrifice their lives for their master."
Zhong Yansheng was stunned, biting the jade chopsticks. Xiao Nong's expression was very calm, but so many people died.
Sixteen years ago... His Royal Highness Prince Ding was only nine years old at that time.
He lost his parents and relatives at the age of nine, and only had his cousin Xiao Wenlan left. Xiao Wenlan was so unreliable, and it must have been very uncomfortable for him to stay alone in the capital.
Zhong Yansheng felt a little sympathetic, so when he looked down and saw the table full of rough northwestern dishes, he hesitated for a moment, and swallowed the food silently without saying a word.
Xiao Nong was not in a hurry to eat. He held his chin with his hand and looked at Zhong Yansheng, who was eating obediently across from him with his cheeks slightly puffed up, and felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.
Isn't he easy to raise? He will eat whatever you give it.
Very well-behaved.
This relaxing thought disappeared after the meal.
Zhong Yansheng has a sensitive and fragile stomach, so his usual diet is very light. He won't eat anything he doesn't like at home, and the only thing he craves is snacks.
But he would not eat too much. A piece of snack could take him a cup of tea to chew slowly. But now he forced himself to eat something greasy and oily. His stomach quickly felt uncomfortable and started to churn. He quickly grabbed the cup of tea beside him and took a sip to try to calm himself down.
Xiao Nong noticed that he was not in a good state, frowned, stood up and walked over: "What's wrong..."
Zhong Yansheng's face turned pale, and he didn't have time to reply. He rushed to the pink big-bellied bottle beside him. His stomach cramped, and he vomited while holding the bottle.
Xiao Nong: "…"
Xiao Nong was stunned for a rare moment, then he immediately went over, gently patted Zhong Yansheng on the back, turned around and ordered sternly: "Bring Lou Qingtang over here."
Zhong Yansheng was dizzy and his hands and feet were numb from vomiting. He held the big-bellied bottle and almost emptied his stomach. His face was pale, with a layer of sweat on his forehead and tears in his eyes: "I'm sorry..."
This big-bellied famille rose vase looks valuable, but it's too flashy and ugly.
It made his stomach feel even worse.
Xiao Nong frowned and said nothing. He didn't even look at the bottle. He bent down and picked up Zhong Yansheng.
Zhong Yansheng was so exhausted from vomiting that he let him pick him up limply. He thought half-deadly, this must be the third time that His Royal Highness Prince Ding has held him... Counting the time on the pleasure boat, it might be the fourth time.
Your Highness seems to be quite kind?
Lou Qingtang had just left the palace and was not far away when he was caught by Zhan Rong.
When he hurried back to Xiao Nong's bedroom, Xiao Nong wrung out a hot towel and wiped Zhong Yansheng's face and hands.
The little beauty who was still full of life a few minutes ago, now lay there listlessly. His face was as white as a piece of paper, and his drooping eyelashes were wet. He looked like a bird that fell into the water, and looked very pitiful.
Lou Qingtang followed Zhan Rong around the screen and stood not too far away, looking at Zhong Yansheng. He felt deeply that even if Xiao Nong was willing to let Zhong Yansheng bleed for him to study, he might find it difficult to do it with his beautiful face.
When he heard someone coming in, Zhong Yansheng didn't have the energy to look. Even after vomiting, his stomach still felt uncomfortable.
Xiao Nong brushed his hair aside and touched his cold forehead which was covered with sweat. For some reason, his expression was even uglier than Zhong Yansheng's: "Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"
Zhong Yansheng nodded with a pale face.
Xiao Nong's hand was still a little warm, so he reached into the quilt and placed it on his belly, covering his stomach through the thin clothes and skin.
The hand covered his stomach, and the discomfort in his stomach was relieved a little. Zhong Yansheng hesitated for a moment, but still did not struggle.
Xiao Nong didn't even turn his head: "What are you standing there for? Come and take a look."
If you protect him like your food, who would dare to go there without permission?
Lou Qingtang curled his lips, took a few steps forward, put three fingers on Zhong Yansheng's wrist, checked his pulse for a while, and asked Zhong Yansheng how he felt.
Zhong Yansheng was unconscious on the pleasure boat last time and couldn't remember the existence of someone named Lou Qingtang, but seeing that he looked like a doctor, he answered all the questions in a hoarse voice.
Lou Qingtang had an idea in mind. He walked to the table, took out a pen and paper, and wrote a prescription in a few strokes: "The stomach is too weak. Go get some medicine and boil it. Drink it before going to bed. Then cook a bowl of millet porridge and add some scallops. What did you feed him?"
The latter sentence is asked to Xiao Nong.
Looking at Zhong Yansheng's weak appearance, Xiao Nong remained calm and did not answer.
Lou Qingtang looked at Zhong Yansheng, who was almost asleep because of his weakness, and sighed, "Your Majesty the heroic Prince Ding, you really found a little ancestor. This little ancestor is delicate and prone to illness. You can't raise him the way you raised Taxue, or he will die."
The last sentence ignited Xiao Nong: "Get lost."
Lou Qingtang rolled away quickly.
When the scallop millet porridge was cooked, Zhong Yansheng had already fallen asleep.
He looked like he didn't sleep very well, with sweat on his forehead. Xiao Nong sat beside the bed with a dark look in his eyes. He didn't wake him up until Zhan Rong came in with warm millet porridge: "Yuan Yuan."
Zhong Yansheng opened his eyes dazedly and murmured in a weak voice: "Your Highness."
Xiao Nong stroked his cold, pale face with his fingers, and said with a hint of pity: "Get up and eat some porridge."
In the past, Zhong Yansheng would vomit when he ate something bad. After vomiting, he would doze off for a while, and then the marquis' wife would wake him up and let him eat something hot to warm his stomach.
He was used to this. He nodded and sat up. His mind was still a little wandering, so he didn't pay attention to who was feeding him. Xiao Nong fed him a bite and he ate it.
It looks like it was just like before at the dinner table, eating whatever was given to it and being very well-behaved.
Xiao Nong was filled with unspeakable anger. After feeding him the warm scallop porridge and seeing that his face had regained some rosy color, he took the handkerchief and wiped his hands, saying sternly, "Why didn't you say you were not used to the food in the palace?"
Zhong Yansheng glanced at him secretly and said in a low but honest voice: "...I don't dare."
Xiao Nong said indifferently: "I see that you are quite courageous, and you feel quite at ease being served by me."
"I don't have the strength." Zhong Yansheng said aggrieved, "Why don't you just let me go home?"
He missed his parents and Yun Cheng a little.
Yun Cheng must have been terrified watching him being taken away.
Maybe Zhong Sidu was also scared.
But it was already dark, and it seemed that the Marquis of Huai'an and his wife had not yet come to Ding Mansion to ask for him...
Recalling the reaction of Marquis Huai'an when he was fishing last time, Zhong Yansheng's not-so-bright little brain slowly realized something.
It seemed that His Royal Highness Prince Ding had tacitly been approved of taking him away.
Xiao Nong really ignored the second half of his sentence, sat at the head of the bed, frowned and said: "If you feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable, just tell me, don't bear it yourself."
Zhong Yansheng blinked: "Really?"
Xiao Nong: "Yeah."
He didn't want to see Zhong Yansheng vomit like that again.
"Can you please take your hands off my stomach first?"
Xiao Nong remained calm and said, "I'll cover your stomach. Change your request."
Zhong Yansheng felt that he was dishonest and did not keep his word.
I had to bring up something else: "The pillow is uncomfortable."
Too hard.
"The quilt is not comfortable either."
Too heavy.
"Can you change the bed curtains?"
Too dark.
Zhong Yansheng had already understood from the tacit attitude of the Huai'an Marquis' Mansion and Xiao Nong's attitude that he might have to stay in Prince Ding's Mansion for a while. In order not to vomit like he did tonight, he gestured with his fingers and counted carefully one by one: "I can't eat mutton, I can only eat stewed beef, I can only eat pork tenderloin, ginger and garlic are fine with a little foam, and sesame paste will also make me vomit."
Xiao Nong: "…"
Xiao Nong waved his hand, signaling Zhan Rong, who was stunned behind him, to go and instruct the people in charge of housework to prepare.
It was not until this moment that Xiao Nong truly realized that the lengthy instructions in the letter delivered to the palace that afternoon were not nonsense, but were of great significance.
It is indeed very difficult to raise this little bird, Zhong Yansheng.