Futile Devices Scans

Along the journey, Mu Xueshi drifted in and out of sleep.

Each time he woke and saw that the Third Prince was still there beside him, he would relax and fall asleep again without worry.

Cradling Mu Xueshi in his arms, the Third Prince rode slowly the entire way, showing not the slightest sign of haste.

By the time they arrived at the Grand Tutor’s Manor, it was nearly noon.

The household servants, upon hearing that the Third Prince had personally come, lined up neatly at the gate and knelt to greet him. Among them were Madam Mu Wan’er, the Grand Tutor’s wife, and the Grand Tutor’s favored male companion, Wu Cai.

Seeing such a spectacle—and the expressions of awe on everyone’s faces—Mu Xueshi could not help but sigh inwardly.

The Third Prince really does command quite the presence.

He completely forgot his own identity and stood beside the prince, craning his neck this way and that, his face full of excited curiosity.

Wu Cai first noticed the Third Prince.

The man reputed as the most beautiful in the realm truly lived up to his fame. Though Wu Cai had long heard the praises sung by others, this was the first time he had seen the prince in person.

His gaze then shifted to Mu Xueshi.

He had already heard that Mu Xueshi had been disguised by the Third Prince. Yet he had never imagined that such an ugly face could be made presentable like this. It seemed the Third Prince truly possessed no shortage of rare treasures.

When Mu Xueshi met Wu Cai’s gaze, goosebumps instantly rose across his skin.

How should he describe that expression?

After thinking for a moment, only one word came to mind.

Seductive.

It felt strange to have such an impression of another man. Wu Cai was even more delicate and alluring than many women—his eyes long and narrow, lips red against pale skin, his gaze brimming with languid charm.

Though Wu Cai was indeed handsome, his beauty was of an entirely different kind from the Third Prince’s. Compared with that seductive elegance, Mu Xueshi preferred the prince’s bold and upright good looks.

While thinking this, Mu Xueshi turned and studied the Third Prince again with unconcealed admiration.

He even tugged lightly at the prince’s sleeve and whispered,

“Still… you’re the better-looking one.”

The Third Prince did not know the precise meaning of the word handsome as Mu Xueshi used it, but after hearing it many times, he roughly understood its intent.

Mu Xueshi was comparing him to that lowly consort.

The Third Prince felt no anger at all. Instead, his attention fell upon Mu Xueshi’s changed attitude.

In the past, Mu Xueshi despised Wu Cai more than anyone.

Wu Cai not only mocked Mu Xueshi’s appearance behind his back but was notoriously licentious. Whenever he encountered a good-looking young man, his mind would wander toward unsavory thoughts.

Yet the Grand Tutor doted heavily upon Wu Cai, allowing him to behave arrogantly within the manor and treat everyone else with disdain.

Since Wu Cai and Mu Xueshi were nearly the same age, Mu Xueshi had never shown him the slightest respect.

The Third Prince coldly told the kneeling servants to rise and then walked straight into the main hall.

Mu Xueshi followed behind, looking everywhere with curiosity, chattering endlessly at every new sight.

Eventually he noticed the Third Prince’s solemn expression and realized the prince had not been listening to a single word he said. Immediately he shut his mouth and obediently walked behind him.

Wu Cai watched Mu Xueshi’s retreating figure with great astonishment.

Aside from a faint resemblance in build, this person bore almost no trace of the former Mu Xueshi.

If Steward Wang had not warned him in advance, Wu Cai would never have guessed that this lively youth was the same Mu Xueshi who had once endured countless cold stares.

Steward Wang was already elderly and shuffled slowly after them.

Hearing his labored breathing from behind, Mu Xueshi turned back and said kindly,

“Grandpa, do you want me to help you walk?”

The moment he addressed him as Grandpa, Steward Wang’s face changed dramatically.

He collapsed to his knees with a thud, trembling violently.

His speech was already unclear due to age, and now, overcome with fear, his lips quivered so badly he could not form a single sentence.

At that moment, Madam Mu approached.

Without even glancing at the kneeling steward, she first bowed respectfully to the Third Prince. Then her gaze shifted to Mu Xueshi.

“Xue’er, you’ve returned without even sending word to your mother first. I’ve missed you terribly. You must have suffered so much.”

As she spoke, she even raised a handkerchief to wipe tears from her eyes.

Mu Xueshi froze.

Only then did he remember—this was his home.

Which meant this woman… was his mother.

He glanced at Steward Wang still trembling on the ground and said apologetically,

“Mother, I’m fine. Please wait a moment—I’ll help Grandpa up first.”

With that, he bent down to lift the old steward.

Steward Wang immediately croaked hoarsely,

“Please, Young Master, you mustn’t!”

He struggled to stand on his own and looked at Mu Xueshi with overwhelmed gratitude.

“Young Master… even if this old servant dies now, I would have no regrets.”

Mu Xueshi felt an uncomfortable heaviness in his chest.

This old man had likely served the household his entire life, yet when he fell in his old age, not a single person had helped him up.

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