Chapter 66 The Big Bad Wolf’s Transformation
“Your Highness, please…”
The word “anger” was like a stone stuck in An Ruyi’s throat, choking An Gonggong. An Gonggong’s face went from pale to red with suppressed breath. But the expected thunderous anger from the Regent didn’t come.
Instead of anger, the Regent’s expression took an extreme opposite turn.
He appeared exceptionally calm.
Except if one didn’t observe his tightly pursed lips, the slowly clenching palm under his royal robes, and the burning eyes.
An Ruyi opened his lips: “…” He wanted to comfort him again; the emperor was merely going outside the palace to relax with his friend.
—But what kind of relaxation would cause Secretary Xiao to ignore his official duties and directly take the emperor out of the palace?
An Ruyi simply shut his mouth and also knelt on the ground, minimizing his presence.
Thus, the only one standing in the entire Zhongshu Province was the Regent.
He was silent, a mass of irritable fire in his chest; he still couldn’t understand.
Why did Wei Wanlan always seem to be hiding things from him?
Before, he would come to him.
Now, he hides when he sees him.
He admitted that he had bullied him last night…
Why didn’t he just lose his temper? Even if Wei Wanlan punched him twice, smashed Zichen Palace, and burned down the Regent’s residence, it wouldn’t matter; after all, he was the one who provoked him; he deserved it; who told him to act impulsively?
But Su Jingzhi couldn’t understand why Wei Wanlan had run away, and why he had run away with Xiao Ji? Why would he go with him!
Where did they go?
It was so chaotic outside.
Xiao Ji was also a bastard; did he not handle the affairs of the Zhongshu Province? Or did he not know how important the emperor was to the court? He dared to take the emperor out of the palace; wasn’t he afraid that his ancestors would know and have no face in the afterlife?
The Regent thought this way.
The two were so resolute that he couldn’t help but recall some folk rumors:
—Eloping.
The stinging pain from the Yuyao acupoint spread through his body like an electric current.
Su Jingzhi took a deep breath.
His vision blurred, constantly flashing with the shadows of Wei Wanlan and Xiao Ji, dancing before his eyes:
When he was young, he often went to listen to storytellers in Chang’an City; among all the stories, the one he disliked the most was about a wealthy young lady and a fair-faced scholar becoming lovers. The pale-faced poor scholar couldn’t carry or lift anything; he had no fame, yet he often incited the young lady to elope.
What happened after the elopement?
Pulling the young lady down into the mud, from being pampered and untouched by spring water to doing everything personally for life’s hardships.
What was the point? Could love sustain life? Love can’t feed one.
“Heh.”
Su Jingzhi suddenly gritted his teeth and let out a series of cold laughs.
The poison was affecting his vision and his rationality, making him particularly sensitive and narrow-minded in matters of love. Therefore, although Su Jingzhi was laughing, the entire Zhongshu Province was terrified by this laughter.
After a long while.
Finally, a close friend of the Regent, a courageous official, tremblingly spoke, breaking the deathly silence of the Zhongshu Province:
“Your Highness, a country cannot be without a ruler for a single day.”
The meaning of this sentence is worth pondering.
If the country cannot find the emperor for a long time, and the emperor voluntarily gives up his throne and elopes, the throne might change hands. Needless to say, the Regent would naturally succeed the emperor.
Without explicitly stating it, the ministers knew the Regent understood.
All the courtiers waited for the Regent’s order; perhaps the Regent’s next words would be his last decree as a prince.
After that, if Su Jingzhi said anything else, it would be considered an imperial decree:
“We await the Regent’s instructions.”
Su Jingzhi’s expression was solemn: “Pass the order.”
All the courtiers held their breath.
Su Jingzhi opened his lips and slowly suppressed his turbulent emotions:
“From today onwards, government affairs will be jointly deliberated in small court meetings. Seal off news of the emperor’s departure; continue the secret search daily. If there is any situation, immediately send a carrier pigeon to inform this Prince.”
All the courtiers’ held breaths were disturbed; they didn’t expect this instruction.
But they had to obey the Regent’s words:
“Yes. We understand.”
Tang Tuan blurted out, “Where is Your Highness going?”
Su Jingzhi bit his teeth again without changing his expression, causing the muscles on his jawline to twitch slightly: “In-cognito-inspection.”
Activate the intelligence network.
Bring the person back.
Kill Xiao Ji, the bastard who ran away with his Little Wan.
Punish Wei Wanlan severely.
Near curfew.
Zuixian Tower.
It was completely dark.
The city lights were dim, only waiting for the drums and flags announcing the curfew to sound, when people would return to their homes to rest and meet again tomorrow.
But Jinguang Gate, due to repairs, was the opposite of other gates in Chang’an. There were stones and other materials for repairing the city outside the gate, waiting for the last group of people entering and leaving the city to be released before nighttime lighting construction.
Wei Wanlan and Xiao Ji had been waiting for a long time.
Wei Wanlan was quite sleepy now; his eyes were unfocused; it was probably around 10 pm.
But since there were no mobile phones or other electronic products for Wei Wanlan to pass the time in ancient times, and he had been adjusted by the Regent’s biological clock, he got sleepy on time and got up early.
As a result, he was so tired that he lay on the table at Zuixian Tower. His head was buried in his arms, curled up lazily and small.
—Like a small animal.
Xiao Ji could only carefully place the newly bought clothes on the emperor’s thin shoulders, watching the emperor yawn long and languidly: “Thank you, An Gonggong…”
“It’s not An Gonggong; it’s Xiao Ji.” Xiao Ji’s expression was a little helpless. The young emperor was always like this; he could inexplicably arouse others’ protective instincts. “Young Master, sleep a little longer; we have to leave in a moment.”
“Oh, okay, Eunuch Xiao, thank you.”
Eunuch Xiao is even more wrong!
Xiao Ji was terrified; he was inexplicably identified as a eunuch by the young emperor and felt a chill between his legs.
But he heard the young emperor continue to make dangerous remarks:
“Eunuch Xiao, it’s time for bed; has the Regent returned?”
Xiao Ji was stunned.
Because of this sentence, even the title “Eunuch Xiao” didn’t attract as much attention. What does this mean? Do they sleep together?
—Su Yan’s control over the young emperor is so complete…
No wonder the young emperor wanted to leave the palace.
No wonder the young emperor was so afraid when he heard the Regent return to the Zichen Palace that night.
In fact, besides admiring Wei Wanlan’s talent and worrying about his current situation, Xiao Ji did have selfish motives in getting close to Wei Wanlan.
He hoped to help the young emperor regain his power and hoped that the young emperor would appoint him as a minister, continuing the glory of the Xiao family’s sixth generation of ministers.
But now that he saw the young emperor suffering, Xiao Ji felt that these things, although important, were not as important as suppressing the sense of justice that was about to erupt in his heart.
What happened to the young emperor after being dragged away by the Jinwu Guard last night?
Did Su Yan abuse the young emperor?
So small, so obedient and soft, so cute, and so considerate. How could this scoundrel do such a thing!
The more Xiao Ji thought about it, the more gentle he became towards the young emperor.
He picked up a piece of silver, beckoned, and called for the waiter of Zuixian Tower who was always on standby; he softly instructed:
“The young master is not in a good condition to move now; he’s tired. You hire a carriage; we need to leave the city before curfew.”
The son of a minister has a family fortune; Xiao Ji was not a poor scholar.
The waiter felt the heavy silver in his hand; he nodded repeatedly and quickly ran downstairs. The candlestick on the dinner table shook for a moment.
Wei Wanlan’s dream was disturbed by the flickering light and shadow: “Wuwu, big bad wolf, don’t bite…”
Talking in his sleep.
What kind of dream is this? Dreaming of being chased by a wolf?
Just as Xiao Ji took out paper and pen from his sleeve to record his experience of leaving the palace with the emperor, preparing to compile it into “Records of the Eastern Inspection” later, he had only written a few lines.
There was a thudding sound on the stairs of Zuixian Tower:
“Sir, it’s here! The carriage is here!”
“So fast?”
The waiter, having received the reward, seemed to be urged by money; his movements were unbelievably fast. He quickly hired a carriage:
“You’re lucky; the carriage is downstairs; it’s a new one; it’s quite spacious; the young master can sleep inside.”
The waiter of Zuixian Tower gestured and described.
From across the floor, Xiao Ji could also hear the sound of the silver bells gently swaying in the night wind at the four corners of the carriage, and the neighing of the horse; it was a good horse; its voice was full of energy.
Xiao Ji laughed brightly: “That’s wonderful. Here’s another reward.”
“Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!” The waiter was already grinning from ear to ear.
Supporting Wei Wanlan downstairs, Wei Wanlan was still sleepy. Although he had just been sleeping, he hadn’t slept soundly.
In a daze, he first dreamed of a big bad wolf.
The wolf was so big, chasing him frantically, and then he ran, far, far away.
But how can a person outrun a beast?
Wei Wanlan finally tripped over an old vine and was pushed down from behind by the giant wolf. Then the wolf’s two paws pressed hard on his shoulders, making him unable to move!
Then the wolf’s head lowered…
Using its hot breath to sniff him.
Sniffing his ear, his neck, and while sniffing, using its soft tongue with barbs, rough and wet, to slide across his cheek, and then licking its lips.
“No, wuwu QAQ”
“Get in the carriage.”
“Eh?”
Wei Wanlan opened his eyes.
His thoughts were pulled from his dream back to reality. He steadied himself and found that he was outside Chang’an Zuixian Tower; there was a carriage in front of him; he was being supported and standing on the street.
He remembered that he had just fallen asleep; now they had to leave the city before curfew to go to Luoyang to investigate the case.
Wei Wanlan rubbed his eyes.
The young driver suddenly repeated in a low voice:
“Give me your hand; get in the carriage.”
Even sitting, one could tell that he was tall and strong. The driver’s appearance wasn’t particularly good-looking, but he was definitely handsome. His coarse linen clothes were grayish-brown, highlighting his broad shoulders and straight back.
Perhaps Wei Wanlan was used to being a puppet emperor.
Hearing such an ordering tone, even a slightly angry tone, his reaction wasn’t anger but rather a daze; then he obediently offered his hand.
His white tender dragon claw landed in the driver’s large palm, but Wei Wanlan flinched back as if he was burned.
“Young Master, what’s wrong?” Xiao Ji asked.
Wei Wanlan curled his hand.
He didn’t know how to describe it.
The driver’s palm had too many calluses, and his palm was very hot; it hurt.
But he didn’t want to tell the truth; after all, drivers who ran around doing physical labor had calluses, it was normal; telling him would offend him.
His dragon claw that the driver touched was also hot, and his skin temperature inexplicably rose; he instinctively felt that this feeling was strange and instinctively felt a little afraid of this driver.
But the curfew was coming soon, and it was too late to change the carriage; the condition of this carriage was not bad either.
Wei Wanlan got into the carriage again, pulled by the driver; his palm was in the driver’s palm, and after getting into the carriage and settling down, the hot and rough feeling remained.
Wei Wanlan’s little face suddenly turned red, thinking it was because he hadn’t slept well.
There was a blanket in the carriage; it was brand new; it seemed that the driver was a fastidious person; not only did he not smell the hot and stinky smell that was occasionally found in rental carriages… there was a faint woody fragrance in the carriage.
Wei Wanlan liked this smell.
He pulled the blanket and wanted to nap.
The driver’s voice was still low and muffled; his words came from outside through the carriage board, addressed to Secretary Xiao:
“Where — are you taking him?”
Xiao Ji might have been tired from being tossed around all day; he only felt a sense of oppression from a commoner; he didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was an illusion rather than hostility.
Secretary Xiao maintained his composure and reported his itinerary normally:
“Please take us to Luoyang. Be careful on the road; I will give you extra fare.”