Watching Ning Xuan strut over in high spirits, completely oblivious to the grand commotion he had caused along the way, Yi Xuan’s eyes immediately welled with tears. He slapped a hand heavily onto Ning Xuan’s shoulder the moment he approached and sighed emotionally, “Good kid, you’ve got your brother’s style from back in the day.”
The sudden slap left Ning Xuan utterly baffled, though he dared not argue. After freezing for a moment, he hurried straight to the point.
“Brother Yi Xuan, are you busy?” Ning Xuan plastered on what he believed to be a flawless, impeccable smile.
But in Yi Xuan’s eyes, that smile sent chills down the spine of someone who had spent years immersed in power struggles and schemes. He immediately stepped back with a wary expression. “If you’ve got something to say, then say it. Stop beating around the bush like this—it’s making me shiver.” A sly gleam flashed through his eyes as he grinned wickedly. “Don’t tell me you caused trouble again and want me to clean up your mess?”
Ning Xuan stiffened, suddenly wondering what kind of image he normally gave people for “causing trouble” to be their first assumption. Though technically this time did count as “causing trouble,” it was… a rather special kind. The one who had been “troubled” had looked quite pleased about it. The thought instantly sent Ning Xuan’s imagination spiraling out of control, and a lovestruck expression spread across his face.
Seeing that look, Yi Xuan involuntarily shuddered. Staring at the drool practically threatening to pour down from the corner of Ning Xuan’s lips like a waterfall, Yi Xuan only wanted to turn around and pretend he didn’t know this idiot. It was too embarrassing!
Grabbing Yi Xuan by the sleeve, Ning Xuan dragged him aside. After cautiously glancing around at the other servants—who outwardly maintained blank, obedient expressions while inwardly looking ready to pounce over and eavesdrop—Ning Xuan actually hauled Yi Xuan over the corridor railing and jogged all the way into a secluded corner. Only after deciding it was safe did he awkwardly ask, “Brother Yi Xuan has been serving beside the prince for many years, right?”
Yi Xuan raised an eyebrow noncommittally, clearly thinking, Isn’t that obvious? His eyes plainly conveyed: Get to the point. I don’t have time to wander around aimlessly with you.
Ning Xuan gritted his teeth and steeled himself. Hesitating awkwardly wasn’t his style anyway. It was just pursuing someone—not something shameful. “I just wanted to ask Brother Yi Xuan about the prince’s preferences. Like what colors he likes, what tea he drinks, what desserts he prefers… or what styles of clothing, what dishes, his daily habits, anything really. The more detailed the better. Just tell me whatever you know.”
Yi Xuan’s expression turned strange. He looked Ning Xuan up and down several times before speaking in a deliberately odd tone. “Do you not know that servants aren’t allowed to gossip about their master behind his back? Forget you—even if the princess consort asked, unless the prince gave permission, we’d still have to pretend to be deaf and dumb.”
Ning Xuan choked on that rejection. Only then did he realize that while his process had technically been correct—trying to curry favor by first approaching someone close to the person he wanted to impress—the time and place were disastrously wrong. This was ancient feudal society, where hierarchy ruled everything. A servant gossiping behind his master’s back could die ten different ways and none would be considered excessive. And here he was, not even bothering to hide it, bluntly asking directly without even attempting subtlety. Wasn’t that basically courting death? Forget Yi Xuan refusing to tell him anything—if the man simply turned around and casually reported this conversation to Steward Mo or the prince, even without exaggerating, Ning Xuan could ascend to the Western Paradise early.
Ning Xuan’s expression instantly collapsed into something bitter enough to rival a bitter melon, colors flashing across his face like a palette. Seeing it, Yi Xuan finally lost control and burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.
“Hahaha! Look how badly you got scared! Your expression is priceless!”
Ning Xuan froze before finally realizing he’d been played. His face immediately darkened to charcoal black. Squatting down to stare at Yi Xuan—who was bent over laughing so hard he practically wanted to roll around on the ground—Ning Xuan felt that if he weren’t currently begging for help, he’d absolutely claw the man’s throat first and ask questions later.
Seeing Ning Xuan’s increasingly murderous expression, Yi Xuan finally decided to stop while he was ahead. Though he still snickered occasionally, he managed to speak properly again. “So you finally figured things out and decided to improve yourself, huh?”
Ning Xuan still looked furious, but he nodded cooperatively, clearly signaling for Yi Xuan to hurry up and talk.
Thinking about his unfathomable master, Yi Xuan unconsciously shrank his neck. “Honestly, the prince’s preferences are impossible to predict. Let me tell you the truth—even those of us who’ve served him since childhood still can’t fully figure him out. All we can do is try our best not to make mistakes. But if you could somehow pry information out of Steward Mo, that would probably be much more reliable.”
Steward Mo?
Ning Xuan immediately remembered the stern young man from their first meeting, the one who looked so dignified he barely seemed like a servant at all. Ning Xuan instinctively shivered.
Managing such a massive prince’s estate while keeping everything perfectly organized—especially balancing the eastern and western courtyards—was enough to make Ning Xuan’s head split in two just imagining it. Clearly the man not only held Feng Xuanyi’s deep trust, but also possessed extraordinary skill and ability.
But then Ning Xuan remembered how that same man had studied his face for ages during their first meeting with a thoroughly uncomfortable expression before ultimately concluding that Ning Xuan looked “seductive” and should be stationed far away to avoid charming the prince!
Who could have guessed how quickly fortunes would reverse? It hadn’t even been a few months before the river flowed back the other way.
The problem now wasn’t that Ning Xuan had seduced the prince—it was that he’d apparently eaten the prince clean down to the bone!
Thinking of that, Ning Xuan immediately beamed smugly. If he had a tail right now, it would probably be sticking straight into the sky.
But on the other hand, getting useful information out of such an absolutely loyal servant would probably be harder than ascending to heaven.
Thinking it over, Ning Xuan could only shake his head. If even people who’d served beside Feng Xuanyi for years had no solutions, how could a newcomer like him possibly shake such a massive immovable Buddha statue?
“Then we can only work backwards—avoid making mistakes and start from the little details,” Yi Xuan said, clearly understanding Ning Xuan’s thoughts. Though Steward Mo outwardly appeared like a respectful servant to everyone, he was actually the person the prince trusted most. Even the various consorts and young masters—including Prince Rong’s consort—had to give him some face. Fortunately, the man understood propriety and never overstepped his bounds.
“The prince wakes up every day during the Yin hour, and his morning temper is terrible. Under normal circumstances, it’s best to carefully avoid him during that time—”
Before Yi Xuan could finish, Ning Xuan suddenly interrupted in a resentful tone, “So that means when you said the other day that it was to help a newcomer get familiar with the work, you were actually just pushing me into a pit of fire?”
Unexpectedly, the usually carefree Ning Xuan held grudges quite well. Yi Xuan hurriedly waved his hands vaguely. “How could there be so many reasons behind it? Are you still listening to the rest or not?”
Futile Devices Scans 
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