Xie Jiang propped himself against the door, peering through the crack to see Yi Yancheng's furious back.
"Yi Yancheng, Yi Yancheng?"
He laughed so hard his head bobbed, then spotted Wen Feng, also locked out. Suppressing a giggle, Xie Jiang said to Wen Feng, "Your master is too easily teased..."
Wen Feng looked helpless. "Young Master Xie, you are too mischievous. Why do you always tease the master like this? You say things in jest, but the master takes them to heart."
Xie Jiang's cheeks flushed red with laughter. "Doesn't Yi Yancheng look amusing when he's huffing and puffing?"
Wen Feng: "..."
Amusing? The master would eventually be angered into sickness.
"Although Yi Yancheng has a bit of a temper, he has one good quality, and that is that no matter how angry he gets, it only lasts for a while."
"The master is reluctant to be angry with you; others don't get this treatment."
"That's why I dote on Yi Yancheng the most. You have no idea how much I missed Yi Yancheng during my days in Ninghe..."
Yi Yancheng, inside the room, suddenly let out a cold laugh. "If you spoke any quieter, I might grudgingly believe you!"
Xie Jiang continued to lean against the door. "If I speak quietly, you won't hear me. Should I throw my affections to the blind?"
Yi Yancheng's cold voice came through. "Wen Feng, are you dead or something! Letting someone cause a scene in front of your master's door!"
Wen Feng wasn't dead yet, but he wished he could die. What could he do? Could he lay a hand on Young Master Xie, or speak harshly to him? He was in a difficult position!
"Young Master Xie?"
Wen Feng wanted to persuade Young Master Xie to leave first, and come back after the master calmed down...
Xie Jiang threw a punch.
Wen Feng cried out in pain, falling to the ground, seeing stars.
Xie Jiang called out to the room, "Wen Feng is dead. I killed him."
Wen Feng clutched his aching face and lay on the ground, unsure whether to get up or continue playing dead.
"Yi Yancheng, open the door. I haven't eaten yet..."
"Starve!"
"Yi Yancheng, you have a heart of stone. Can you bear to let me starve to death?"
"Starving saves trouble!"
"Oh, Young Master Xie is here too. What's going on?"
A sharp, high-pitched voice suddenly came from behind. It was Hong Tao, holding a whisk, entering from outside.
Seeing Xie Jiang peeking through the door crack and Wen Feng on the ground, Hong Tao looked somewhat surprised and uncertain.
These two must have done something to anger the Yi heir and been kicked out. Wen Feng, covering his face, seemed to have been hit.
The Yi heir actually hit someone?!
Hong Tao was astonished.
"Little Eunuch Hong, why have you come?"
Wen Feng realized it was no longer appropriate to lie on the ground and quickly scrambled up.
"His Majesty wishes to see the Yi heir. Is the Yi heir inside?" Hong Tao raised his voice slightly, then asked Xie Jiang, "Is Young Master Xie alright?"
Xie Jiang said with feigned distress, "I've made a mistake that all men in the world make."
Hong Tao was startled. "Ah? This..."
So, what exactly had offended the Yi heir?
As they spoke, Yi Yancheng opened the door and walked out.
What mistake did all men in the world make?
He would never make it!
How could she represent all men in the world?
Yi Yancheng glanced at Xie Jiang and, with an unpleasant expression, told Wen Feng, "Escort Young Master Xie out of the palace."
His Majesty summoning him now was likely about her affairs, and it was time to arrange for her.
Xie Jiang followed Yi Yancheng out of Shangyi Pavilion, then suddenly kicked Yi Yancheng in the backside.
Then she took off running.
Yi Yancheng, caught off guard, stumbled.
"Xie Jiang—"
Hong Tao stared, watching Yi Yancheng's furious expression, his lips twitching to suppress a smile.
As expected of the rumored little devil king, daring to kick the Yi heir!
Wen Feng, covering his face, escorted Xie Jiang outside the palace gates. Nie Tong was waiting with two horses. Wen Feng watched the master and servant disappear into the distance before turning back.
Xie Jiang returned to the Xie residence to catch up on sleep. Being a dissolute young master required quite a bit of energy.
To her surprise, Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi were there. It was said they had been waiting at the Xie residence for an hour. "Why are you two not at home and instead here with me?"
"Did you meet my father the Emperor just now? Does my father know we gambled all night and stayed at Qunfang Pavilion?" Xia Zeshi's anxiety was unconcealed.
"I did not meet your father the Emperor." Seeing Xia Zeshi's nervous and guilty demeanor as if he had done something wrong, Xie Jiang couldn't resist teasing the honest man.
"Ah?"
"I only saw a vague figure through a curtain, and couldn't look directly. So, it doesn't count as meeting, right?"
Xie Jiang hadn't even clearly seen what Xia Zeshi's father looked like.
He made it all so mysterious.
"Ah? Uh, that certainly counts."
Who goes to meet the Emperor with the intention of seeing what his father looks like?
"Oh."
"Does my father know about what happened last night?"
"The Emperor's first words to me were, 'Did you have fun last night?'"
Xia Zeshi's heart sank halfway. "...And what did you reply?"
"I said I had fun." Xie Jiang sat down on a lounge chair, crossing her legs.
Yan'er and Yueyue brought out fruit and tea snacks.
Xia Zeshi said, "And then?"
Then she pretended to ask if she could go play again in the future, and the Emperor laughed heartily.
"...Did Father mention... me..." Since Father knew about last night, he must know he was there.
Xie Jiang looked at him, sighing inwardly. "His Majesty did not mention it."
Not a single word.
Xia Zeshi appeared worried about the Emperor's reprimand, but in reality, he harbored a secret hope.
What child doesn't want their father's attention?
"Oh, that's good, that's good..." Xia Zeshi breathed a sigh of relief, but a bitter taste and a hint of disappointment welled up in his heart.
His father didn't care where he went or what he did last night, so why was he so anxious and uncertain?
"What about you? His Highness the Fifth Prince is waiting here for me. Are you worried about the Emperor's punishment? What are you here for?" Xie Jiang asked Xu Hengyi.
"I knew you were returning to the capital these past few days, so I specifically requested several days off. I sent someone back to say I was with you. My grandmother and mother... regarding you..."
At this point, Xu Hengyi rolled his eyes. Who was the young master of the Xu family? Were he and Xie Jiang switched at birth?
"When I'm with you, my grandmother and mother have no worries. When I left home yesterday, my grandmother specifically instructed me to invite you to our manor for a meal when you have time."
How blind is one when they like someone?
Even if he went to the gambling house with Xie Jiang, and went to places of pleasure with her, his grandmother and mother found it harmless.
But if it weren't for Xie Jiang, and he went alone or with others, he would be waiting for family punishment.
How absurd!
He had originally planned to explain to them that he was worried Xie Jiang would be led astray by Ruan Ziji and the others, and that he was following her to help her at critical moments, to prevent her from going down the wrong path.
He had good intentions! Sincere intentions!
... But because they were infatuated with Xie Jiang, this explanation was useless.
Xie Jiang said, "I'll have time tomorrow."
It was a good thing Madam Xu liked her. The more she liked her now, the more pain and anger she would feel in the future.
She would go to the Duke of Wei's manor tomorrow and bring warmth to the Duke of Wei's manor.
Nie Tong hurried in from outside, looking eager. "Young Master, our front gate is blocked. They're telling you to come out and face death..."