“No!” Mei Jinshu snapped back to his senses. How could he soften his heart to this extent? He had kept the tragic defeat of his past life firmly in mind and would never allow himself to fall into that trap or let down his guard around anyone.
The room was warm, and he had consumed quite a bit of alcohol, which was why his excessive worry had made him lose his composure and treat this brat far too well.
Seeing Mei Jinshu’s exhausted expression and bloodshot eyes, Meng Xueran said with concern, “The bed in the Plum Cottage is very large. It will not crowd Imperial Father-in-law.”
Mei Jinshu said coldly, “Have you not been weaned yet? Why do you always need someone to keep you company?”
“Not that!” Meng Xueran wanted to explain, but his lapel was unceremoniously yanked away, leaving him to only watch as Mei Jinshu walked out of the Plum Cottage without looking back. A sharp ache pressed against his lower back, and as his palm felt around, it encountered a purple crystal brow pendant.
Why.
He had only wanted to show some concern, nothing more.
Mei Jinshu fled the Plum Cottage as if escaping for his life because he realized that when people spend a long time together, even a heart of stone will inadvertently reveal a soft spot. After all, he was not a born villain and could not maintain cold indifference straight down to his bones.
He was probably the most useless villain of all, lacking even the qualifications to lie flat. Sometimes, he really did not want to be human.
His eyes ached with fatigue. Lying on the bed, he felt completely drained in both body and mind. He thought to himself that Meng Changqi must also rely on and like him a great deal; at this rate, becoming the Crown Prince’s trusted confidant was not far off.
Aside from the Emperor and Empress, the only person the Crown Prince could truly trust was him.
The next day, Mei Jinshu woke up early. After a sound sleep, he felt refreshed and clear-headed.
Meng Xueran had been waiting in the main hall early for him to have breakfast together. After all, this was the only time he could spend a little while with his adoptive father. He did not know why his adoptive father treated him hot and cold one moment and distant the next, but he simply felt very happy.
“Imperial Father-in-law, I had someone prepare a hangover soup.”
“I am already sober.”
“Is that so? I have never drunk alcohol, so I did not understand. I acted on my own accord.”
It was this same sensible, ingratiating, and pitiful look again. Mei Jinshu wanted to open his mouth and scold him for acting on his own accord, but he was cut off preemptively, leaving him with no way to vent his frustration, forcing him to silently eat his breakfast.
To be honest, that hangover soup really looked quite good. It contained honey, red dates, and even a stewed pear.
“Fine. Since it has already been brewed, we cannot let it waste.” Mei Jinshu picked up the bowl and took a tentative sip. It was indeed delicious; the pear was soft and tender, and the broth was clear and sweet. Even though he liked it very much, he still put on a stern face and scolded, “You do not need to do these trivial chores in the future.”
A look of delight blossomed on Meng Xueran’s face as he said, “There are few people in the estate. Being able to contribute even a meager effort for Imperial Father-in-law is Mei Jiu’s honor.”
“Cough!” Mei Jinshu nearly choked on a piece of pear. Good heavens, this fellow just where did he learn this art of flattery? He completely surpassed his teacher. Mei Jinshu finished his breakfast in a flash and turned on his heel to leave, feeling too ashamed to remain there any longer.
Meng Xueran smiled, stood up, and said, “Time for the academy.”
Time flew by in another five years. Meng Xueran stood under a large tree making a mark. He had grown taller again! Every early spring, a few months before his birthday, he would make a new mark. There were already five marks on the tree, and he had grown into a young man who could look his adoptive father straight in the eye!
The academy remained as harmonious as ever. Although he still frequently had petty spats with Bu Jinyu and her lackeys, fortunately, he never suffered in silence and would always secretly retaliate later.
Being in their teens was precisely the age when romantic affections quietly sprouted, to say nothing of the female senior students who were two years older than him.
The pear and peach blossoms inside Fanghua Academy bloomed with dazzling brilliance. Baitang plucked a pink peach blossom and pinned it to her hair bun, making her delicate face look even gentler as she spoke in soft, hushed tones. She was the very image of the perfect young lady of a noble household in Meng Xueran’s heart.
“Mei Jiu, does it look good?” Baitang pointed to the peach blossom on her head.
“Mn, it looks good.” Meng Xueran calculated the time and said, “It is time to return to the classroom.”
In the spring, the academy would distribute new uniforms. Qu Jingzhu personally handed out the appropriate garments to each student. Knowing that Baitang was not the daughter of an official, but rather served Bu Jinyu in the Marquis of Yi’s estate, Qu Jingzhu never brought up money with her and instead showed her special care.
Meng Xueran packed away his new clothes and was about to stand up and leave when he heard a miserable scream.
Baitang clutched her cheek and collapsed limply to the floor, knocking over the desk behind her. She had not done anything today, nor had she even spoken to Bu Jinyu, and she had no idea why she was being hit.
“Princess, why?”
“Naturally because you are unfitting!”
“No! Princess, I truly did not.”
“Still daring to make excuses, it seems you have not been disciplined for too long and have forgotten the rules of the Marquis’s estate.” Bu Jinyu’s stunning and radiant face was overflowing with haughtiness as her fingers fiercely grabbed a handful of Baitang’s hair and yanked upward.
Baitang shrieked and struggled, her scalp stinging with pain as tears fell uncontrollably.
Meng Xueran kicked a desk aside, strode straight over, reached out to tightly grip Bu Jinyu’s wrist, and snapped angrily, “What did Baitang do wrong? Bullying others using your status should have its limits! Let go right now!”
Bu Jinyu’s wrist hurt from the squeeze, and she sneered, “What right do you have to protect her? I am disciplining the cheap servant of my own household. It is not your place as an outsider to meddle!”
“You are going too far!” Meng Xueran had practiced martial arts for years, and his grip strength was far beyond ordinary. When he applied pressure again, the pain forced Bu Jinyu to let go, leaving red fingerprints across her fair wrist.
“How dare you bully this, Princess!” Bu Jinyu was both furious and aggrieved. From childhood until now, no one had ever dared to treat her like this.
Meng Xueran paid no attention to her rampaging, instead turning to help up Baitang, whose hair was disheveled and face was stained with tears.
“Oh. I see it now.” Bu Jinyu detested seeing Meng Xueran show concern for others. She pointed at the two of them and said, “For all these years, the two of you must have been carrying on a clandestine affair!”
Meng Xueran said, “What nonsense are you talking about!”
Seeing how angry he looked, Bu Jinyu became even more convinced and said, “If you are not carrying on an illicit affair, why else would you treat her so well?”
Meng Xueran said, “I simply cannot stand to watch you bully people! Do not forget, you used your status to bully me back then, too. How can there be a noble young lady as wicked as you, slandering the innocence of others without a shred of proof? Since you are a woman, how could you not know how important a woman’s innocence is?”
“I ask you, in Fanghua Academy, aside from Baitang, who else is even willing to speak a few words with me? Was that not all because of your orders?”
“You are a princess, and no one dares to cross you or cross your face.”
“But in my eyes, you are nothing more than a venomous snake!”
“What? How dare you speak to me like that?” Bursting into tears on the spot from the scolding, Bu Jinyu went wild trying to scratch their faces. Some students stepped in to pull them apart while others stood by refusing to let the matter rest, instantly plunging the place into utter chaos.
Someone secretly ran off to report the incident to Qu Jingzhu. By the time she arrived, the classroom had already been thrown into a foul, chaotic mess.
Because of this incident, everyone was ordered to kneel outside the classroom. Qu Jingzhu walked over to Baitang, speaking in a gentle, comforting tone: “Get up. You were wronged today. Come with me to tidy your hair.”
Bu Jinyu protested, “Why is the Dean biased toward her as well?”
Qu Jingzhu said, “The Princess holds a noble status and is Her Majesty the Empress’s own niece, with a father who serves as a State Duke. You are destined to enjoy boundless glory and wealth in this life. But if you wish to possess both virtue and talent and stand at the very pinnacle, you must not target the weak in the first place.”
“I, I did not target her.” Feeling a twinge of guilt beneath Qu Jingzhu’s words, Bu Jinyu defended herself. “It was simply that she lacked propriety, showing off her colorful trinkets for who knows who to see.”
A tree that won’t grow straight cannot be carved. Qu Jingzhu softened her patience to reason with her: “You are all in the prime of your youth, and a love for beauty is universal. Must she be slandered like this simply because she pinned a single peach blossom to her hair?”
“I know Baitang best. Whether it is you or anyone else bullying her, she has always been one to endure it in silence without a word. Now that I know, I cannot simply sit by and do nothing.”
“No. I was just.” Bu Jinyu never expected that the matter would draw the Dean out and cause her to lose so much face. Feeling both angry and mortified inside, she wanted to continue arguing, only to find herself completely devoid of any plausible excuses.
The Dean was far too sharp and intelligent for her to fool with haphazard pretexts.
Qu Jingzhu said, “The rest of you may leave. Bu Jinyu, kneel here in reflection for half an hour.”
Once the crowd had dispersed, Qu Jingzhu broached the crucial point: “The Princess has already reached the age for marriage discussions, and you must think three times before acting in all matters. Fanghua Academy is the sole girls’ academy in the capital personally inscribed by the reigning Emperor, gathering the daughters of prominent and noble families. Whatever the Princess says or does today, even if others dare not offend or openly criticize you out of fear, who can say those things will not turn into blades aimed at you tomorrow?”
Although arrogant and headstrong, Bu Jinyu knew she could not afford to stir up any more trouble. Otherwise, she would have no way to explain herself to her parents. Lowering her head, she replied, “I will not bully her anymore.”
Qu Jingzhu said, “Then use the time to reflect properly.”
“Understood.” Bu Jinyu gritted her teeth and accepted the punishment.
On the way back to the estate, Meng Xueran feared that Bu Jinyu might target Baitang again, so he advised, “Do not go back to the Duke’s estate. Bu Jinyu was forced to kneel in punishment today and lost face. She will definitely harbor resentment toward you and me. Why not let me send you back to your brother instead?”
Baitang said in a timid voice, “It is fine. The Princess only has a bad temper; she will not truly do anything to me.”
“You are too foolish. Why do you trust her so much?” Seeing Bu Jinyu walking toward the two of them, Meng Xueran immediately stepped in front of Baitang. “What are you doing? Still trying to bully people?”
Bu Jinyu smiled coldly and said, “Rest assured, this Princess still cares about her reputation. I will not touch her.”
Meng Xueran said, “You had better mean what you say.”
“Heh. You really do care about her, don’t you?” Bu Jinyu taunted. “Do you perhaps actually fancy Baitang? The Prime Minister’s adopted son, matching with a lowly maidservant of the Duke’s estate.”
“How amusing. Baitang, back to the estate.”
Baitang shook her head at him and turned away.
Meng Xueran was on the verge of exploding with anger. Sitting inside the carriage with a gloomy expression, unlike all the previous days when he would chatter away to Mei Shiyi about what happened at the academy, he remained completely silent the entire journey back.
Back at the estate, Mei Jinshu was seated beneath the veranda, browsing through a register.
Just as he saw Meng Xueran walking toward him, he handed over the roster in his hand and said with practiced indifference, “Take a look.”
“What is this?”
“Read it first before asking.”
“Alright.” Meng Xueran opened the roster and saw rows of names listed: “The daughter of the Minister of Works, the legitimate daughter of the Zhou clan of Huai shui. What is the meaning of this?”
Seeing the color instantly drain from Meng Xueran’s face, making it obvious that he had already guessed the truth, Mei Jinshu, who knew how sharp the boy usually was yet forced to play dumb anyway, simply cut straight to the point: “Arranging a match for you.”