My Years in the Jianghu with the Prince: A Time of Unethical Conduct

After healing herself with her internal energy and spending more than half a month in bed, Xie Yan's injuries had mostly healed.

But he still pretended to be weak, usually only doing small chores and rarely going near Dong Feng, behaving just like a frightened maid.

Xie Yan stood to the side, watching Dong Feng affectionately pat the head of the simple-minded child, and said to Madam Su, "The doctor said that Xiao Yi's condition has improved a lot."

Mrs. Su gently held the child, pressed her face against his small face, and said nothing.

Dong Feng withdrew his hand, had someone take the child away, and then embraced Su Shi tenderly, saying, "Once Xiao Yi is fully recovered, I will divorce that poisonous woman and marry you."

Perhaps because he had said these words many times, Su's face remained completely unmoved.

She nestled obediently in Dong Feng's arms, her eyes drooping as she watched the child leave, lost in thought.

It seems that Su Shi didn't have as deep feelings for Dong Feng as one might have imagined.

Xie Yan bowed and stepped back, then quickly walked past the five people who were constantly surrounding Dong Feng with her head down.

As he passed through the hall, he saw people carrying out and displaying many precious porcelain treasures. He heard that Dong Feng had somehow obtained information that a certain "distinguished guest" was passing through Yong'an Prefecture, and he seemed to want to receive the guest at the Su residence.

Xie Yan's eyes darted around, a suspicion rising in her mind: Could this distinguished guest be related to Dong Feng's rebellion?

Considering he had stayed here for so long, he had not only visited the Su residence but also the Dong residence, and had searched the side rooms when no one was around, but he had not found anything.

Despite being a county magistrate, Dong Feng rarely went to the yamen to handle official business. He usually stayed at home and didn't seem to have any close relationships with anyone.

It seems the only way to break through is to focus on that distinguished guest.

A few days later, the distinguished guest arrived as promised.

Xie Yan stood quietly behind the others, watching Dong Feng humbly walk out of the mansion to welcome Chu Ling in.

Xie Yan: ...How come it's you, kid?

Today, Chu Ling was dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, his hair was tied with a jade crown, and he was playing with a paper fan in his hand.

He had handsome features, a smiling face, and an air of nobility. He stood in stark contrast to Dong Feng, who was leading the way, causing the maids in the manor to stare in disbelief.

Xie Yan's petite figure after shrinking her bones was inconspicuous among the maids, and her face was even somewhat unremarkable.

But when he looked up and followed Chu Ling's gaze, they immediately met.

Xie Yan was somewhat stunned. When he looked again, Chu Ling had already shifted his gaze and was walking inside chatting and laughing with Dong Feng.

Xie Yan: It must be an illusion.

Chu Ling withdrew his gaze, cheerfully waved his fan, and looked at Dong Feng, whose smile was stiff, and said, "Lord Dong is quite capable. I had barely arrived here when you found me."

Dong Feng broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, unsure how to respond.

Fortunately, Chu Ling quickly changed the subject, saying, "I am traveling incognito this time and do not wish for anyone else to know. There is no need for such a grand display."

"Good, good."

Dong Feng wiped his sweat, led Chu Ling to the main hall, and turned to the steward, saying, "Find a few honest and dutiful maids who won't talk nonsense to serve you."

Therefore, Xie Yan, who was "mute," became the best choice and was directly assigned to serve Chu Ling.

Xie Yan: ...It's true what they say, life is full of unexpected encounters.

The food was changed batch after batch, just to ensure it was at the perfect temperature for Chu Ling to eat when he arrived.

As Chu Ling watched the dishes, comparable to delicacies from land and sea, being served, a cryptic smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Seeing Chu Ling smiling, Dong Feng's old face also broke into a smile: "Your Highness, uh, please. This jade quail is oily but not greasy, the milk bird's nest is sweet and refreshing, and this golden shark fin soup melts in your mouth... These are all dishes that ordinary people can't afford."

Xie Yan, who was listening from the side, was speechless. It's true that if someone is determined to die, you can't stop them.

Before he could even roll his eyes, he saw the butler frantically giving him meaningful glances, and Dong Feng was also glaring at him.

Xie Yan glanced at the maid next to Dong Feng, who was also looking at him with a puzzled expression, and silently wondered if he was supposed to serve food to Chu Ling.

Hesitantly picked up the extra pair of chopsticks and tentatively took a bite of food. Only then did the maid beside Dong Feng seem to breathe a sigh of relief and also take a bite.

So Xie Yan held up a chopstickful of bok choy and brought it straight to Chu Ling's mouth.

He was somewhat moved by the scene before him.

The last time he did this was when he was being given poison.

Chu Ling was stunned when he saw the food being brought to his mouth, and Dong Feng next to him was also stunned.

Xie Yan didn't notice and continued to push the chopsticks forward. Chu Ling's lips twitched slightly. The food was about to smear onto his face. He opened his mouth amidst the shocked gazes of everyone.

Seeing that he had eaten, Xie Yan firmly remembered her role as a maid and maintained the composure of an actress. She then picked up several more chopsticks and fed him without stopping.

Just as he was about to pick up the rice bowl beside him, Chu Ling helplessly pressed his hand down, saying, "I can do it myself."

Chu Ling had never had such a miserable meal in his life. Xie Yan kept feeding him, and he almost choked.

Upon stopping, he breathed a sigh of relief without even realizing it, and politely wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

When Xie Yan looked up, he realized that everyone else was looking at him with a horrified expression.

Seeing the dish of food served by the maid in the small dish next to Dong Feng's bowl, and then looking at Chu Ling's empty small dish, Xie Yan fell silent: ...Ah, so he didn't mean for me to feed him.

The meal was finished in an eerie silence.

Xie Yan rarely felt embarrassed, especially when the housekeeper chased after him and told him to wash up that night with a rather "appreciative" attitude.

"Little Cui, Little Cui, I never knew you had this trick up your sleeve."

The butler looked Xie Yan up and down, then clicked his tongue incessantly in his criticism: "Look at you, you're just average-looking, and you don't know how to read people's expressions. At least your face is pretty. How did that lord take a liking to you?"

Xie Yan listened silently to the butler's malicious comments without expression, and immediately decided to break his legs that night.

15:00 PM —

Xie Yan was about to break the steward's legs when the next moment someone pushed open his door and dragged him away without saying a word, accompanied by several maids.

After a short while, Xie Yan, whose clothes had been torn and disheveled, sat on Chu Ling's bed, deep in thought.

Unexpectedly, Chu Ling, who looked respectable, was actually a lecherous man who coveted his good looks.

Xie Yan decided that when Chu Ling returned, she would break one of his legs as a token gesture.

As a result, Xie Yan simply collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep without a care in the world.

When he noticed something was wrong and opened his eyes, he saw Chu Ling lean down and remove his hand from his face.

Xie Yan didn't know when Chu Ling had entered, and the fact that it took him so long to notice meant that either Chu Ling's skill was comparable to his own, or...

Xie Yan glanced groggily at the extinguished incense burner on the table, lay there for a moment to think, and then calmly asked, "Which leg do you want?"

Chu Ling simply pinched Xie Yan's cheek: "?"