Chapter 0066: Preserving the Beauty Xie Chengze, the Sickly Tyrant Xie Jinyu

Xie Chengze thought he meant that if he died, there would be no one to pay their monthly salary, and they might even have to follow him in death—a true nightmare come true.

He understood. Royal servants really had it tough.

He comforted them, “Don’t worry. If I’m ever about to die, I’ll definitely leave a will in advance, making proper arrangements for you and settling your retirement plans as well!”

Wuji couldn’t help but chuckle, rubbing his cheek against Xie Chengze’s fingertips. “Thank you, Your Highness. You’re so kind.”

But…

How could they possibly let His Highness die before them?

Even if His Highness were to disappear again, they would guard this body until… he returned.

Wuhen, kneeling by the bed peeling an orange, had finally removed every last bit of the white pith from the segments. Just as he was about to feed one to Xie Chengze, Zhu Xiaobiao rushed in frantically. “Your Highness! Your Highness, pretend to be asleep! The Crown Prince is here!”

“Damn! Why is he here?!” Xie Chengze immediately put down his crossed leg, burrowed under the covers, and accidentally brushed against the wound on his arm, hissing in pain. But he had no time to dwell on the pain. He quickly placed his hands properly, furrowed his brows, closed his eyes, and pretended to be unconscious.

Wuhen silently held the orange segment in his hand, earning a merciless laugh from Wuji beside him. “Serves you right for peeling so slowly~”

Wuhen wanted to shove the entire orange into Wuji’s mouth to shut him up, but in the end, he couldn’t bear to waste the meticulously peeled fruit. Instead, he stood up, grabbed the orange peels from the tray, and stuffed them into Wuji’s collar to destroy the evidence.

Then, using the same hand that had peeled the orange, he grabbed Wuji by the collar and dragged him to the position where a subordinate ought to stand.

Wuji was fuming. “Wuhen! You did that on purpose! Orange juice is hard to wash out too!”

Wuhen lowered his head, pretending not to hear.

Wuji was about to say more when familiar footsteps suddenly sounded at the door. He frowned slightly and reluctantly lowered his head as well.

The footsteps drew closer, and a pair of deep golden boots came to a stop before them. In the entire imperial palace, only three people were worthy of wearing this symbol of royal wealth and status—Emperor Jian, the Empress, and the Crown Prince before them, Xie Jinyu.

Xie Jinyu stopped in front of Wuhen and Wuji, his gaze neither warm nor cold as it swept over them. His voice was gentle but carried a trace of imperceptible aloofness. “Both of you, step outside.”

Wuhen and Wuji hesitated for a moment but eventually turned and walked toward the door. Xie Jinyu watched their retreating figures until the wooden door closed behind them. Only then did he turn to look at Xie Chengze, lying unconscious on the bed.

His breathing was deep, his chest rising and falling, his eyelashes fluttering slightly.

Xie Jinyu’s gaze swept over the tray of tribute fruits on the nearby stand. Everything seemed normal, as if the faint, elusive scent of oranges he had caught earlier was just an illusion.

His boots shifted slightly as he strode toward the canopy bed and sat on its edge. His eyes fell upon the slender arm wrapped in white bandages, a flash of ruthlessness quickly passing through his gaze, followed by overwhelming heartache.

He reached out and gently covered Xie Chengze’s hand, his tone neither warm nor cold as he murmured with downcast eyes, “Second Brother, does it hurt?”

The unconscious figure on the bed couldn’t respond, so he continued speaking to himself, “The useless fools at the Dali Temple still haven’t uncovered the mastermind behind the assassination attempt.” Father has already handed the matter over to Shen Yuan and transferred him to the Ministry of Justice…”

Xie Jinyu’s hand slipped down to the bed, his four fingers encircling the unconscious youth’s hand as he gently lifted the palm. His thumb slowly stroked the joint of the youth’s little finger as he said gravely, “Shen Yuan takes after Shen Taifu in temperament – overly rigid and loyal. No doubt Father recognized this too, which is why he decided to assign him this case. However…”

He glanced at Xie Chengze’s pale, ashen face, the back of his index finger lightly grazing the youth’s jawline. His tone carried ambiguous meaning as he murmured, “Do you think the culprit he uncovers will truly be the mastermind?”

Within just one day, Shen Yuan had thrown the imperial court into turmoil. Memorials impeaching him piled up like mountains. Astute officials had already sensed that Shen Yuan was using the assassination case as pretext to thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of disaster relief funds in Yi Province.

A mere transport envoy from Chengdu Circuit could never satisfy Shen Yuan’s ambitions.

And someone as perceptive as Xie Jinyu – how could he fail to notice the peculiarities in all this?

Xie Chengze kept his eyes tightly shut, not daring to move a muscle. He absolutely didn’t want to get involved in this affair.

Especially with Xie Jinyu’s current tone and actions, which clearly served as a veiled warning: Second Brother, stop pretending. I’ve seen through everything long ago. From now on, you’d better behave yourself. Don’t conspire with Shen Yuan to build some glorious reputation, or else I’ll strangle you…

See! See! His hand was actually moving to grip his neck now!

The man’s fingertips traced along that tantalizing neckline until they reached the youth’s slightly prominent Adam’s apple. Then his broad, slender hand unfolded to gently clasp Xie Chengze’s pale, slender neck.

Beneath his palm lay warm skin and a faintly pulsing heartbeat, much like the youth himself – delicate yet profoundly warm.

The man’s gaze lingered greedily. When his eyes fell upon the youth’s somewhat pale lips, he unconsciously leaned closer, only to pause mid-air just before making contact.

Xie Chengze only sensed the darkness before his eyes deepen slightly, as if Xie Jinyu had leaned in closer.

What was he trying to do now?

Could it be that he thought his face was too handsome and wanted to peel it off to wear himself?

As Xie Chengze’s thoughts ran wild, he heard Xie Jinyu sigh. “Never mind.”

If he frightened him, he’d just avoid him later.

The darkness before his eyes returned to normal, and Xie Chengze quietly sighed in relief: That was close! My good looks are preserved!

After sitting upright, Xie Jinyu picked up a tangerine from the nearby stand and began peeling it with deliberate slowness.

Come to think of it, it used to be him, Xie Jinyu, who peeled fruits for his second brother.

When they were young, Second Brother was lazy – he disliked peeling fruits and getting his hands dirty, so he’d rather go without than touch them.

Yet even so, he’d still accompany him playing in the water, patiently staying up late with red-rimmed eyes to carefully apply ointment to the whip marks on his back from punishment, blowing on his wounds to soothe him to sleep.

Back then, he had taken on all of Second Brother’s fruit-peeling duties.

No one knew that the esteemed Crown Prince had practiced until he could peel fruits without breaking the skin.

But later, Second Brother personally threw the peeled fruit he’d offered onto the ground, calling it unlucky.

He still gazed intently at him, yet what he saw was not just him, but also his identity as the Crown Prince.

Second Brother grew increasingly disgusted with him, increasingly distant. Xie Jinyu didn’t know what he had done wrong. He had even thought that if Second Brother cherished this Crown Prince position so much, he wouldn’t be unwilling to relinquish it willingly.

As long as Second Brother… would stay forever in Jingcheng, forever by his side, with eyes that held only him…

Such a simple thing it would be.