Ning Xuan did not know whether it was something he had said or his attitude that displeased Feng Xuanzhe. Feng Xuanzhe’s brows tightened, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, and dark currents surged in his eyes for a long while before he finally suppressed them. “Heh. Interesting. Truly interesting. This is exactly how it should be.”
“It seems this prince really was overthinking things. I misunderstood from the very beginning. Or perhaps I should say I only saw the surface and failed to understand the true meaning beneath it.” The arm around Ning Xuan’s waist tightened a little. “I always thought you were only someone kept in Fifth Brother’s residence as a bargaining chip to win over Eighth Brother. I didn’t expect that not only did you have the ability to successfully make Eighth Brother interested in you and deeply devoted without regret, even Fifth Brother became one of your guests beneath the curtain. But now that Fifth Brother has given you to me, you are mine. I don’t like my possessions constantly thinking about others. Not even the slightest bit.”
Ning Xuan raised a brow, neither confirming nor denying it. “That is why servants are servants and masters are masters. From beginning to end, have I ever had a choice?”
“I will give you the chance to choose. Only, the only person you can choose is me, because only I can give you what you want.” Feng Xuanzhe smiled with confidence.
Ning Xuan only smiled without speaking. How could Feng Xuanzhe possibly understand what he wanted? Even if he understood, he could not give it. Just like Feng Xuanyi—perhaps even Feng Xuanyi did not know what Ning Xuan truly sought.
After Feng Xuanzhe said those possessive words to Ning Xuan, Ning Xuan’s value soared overnight. Feng Xuanzhe was different from Feng Xuanyi, whose romantic reputation had spread far and wide. As a prince and marquis, having wives and concubines was only natural. If Feng Xuanyi could be called exaggeratedly excessive, then Feng Xuanzhe was exaggeratedly sparse. In his entire rear courtyard, aside from Princess Consort Yi, there was no second woman. When Ning Xuan first saw this, he did not know whether Feng Xuanzhe was too devoted to one person or simply too cold and lacking in desire. Now, it seemed neither was true. He was neither cold nor devoted. Although Princess Consort Yi held considerable status in the residence, their relationship was merely the normal mutual respect between husband and wife. In ancient times, this probably counted as a decent way for a married couple to get along. Feng Xuanzhe had poured almost all his energy into his career—in other words, seizing the throne. As for the imperial seat, as for the position of Crown Prince, he was determined to obtain them.
Because of a single sentence from Feng Xuanzhe, Ning Xuan had been moved into Fufeng Pavilion in the western wing. Leaning by the window, he looked at the red plum blossoms blooming throughout the garden. They were bright and flourishing, reducing some of winter’s bleakness and adding a touch of summer warmth.
Status and position had never been what he sought. The laughable thing was that now he had obtained them, and they had not been granted by the person he loved. It truly made one unsure whether to laugh or cry. Ning Xuan knew better than anyone why he had come here. He clearly did not love glory, wealth, or luxury, yet he could not help being moved by everything before him. Prosperous pavilions, gold carvings, jade structures—the lives of so many people were all bound to this struggle for the throne, where the winner would be king and the loser a defeated outlaw. No matter what purpose Feng Xuanzhe had in allowing him to obtain all this, it was still something he had never received from Feng Xuanyi. Sure enough, people were still worldly creatures, willing to simply believe in and sink into what lay before their eyes. Just like how, over these past days, he had never been willing to examine why, if Feng Xuanyi truly had him in his heart, Feng Xuanyi had not been willing to give him even this little bit of worldly status and protection. Or perhaps… perhaps he was overthinking things again.
He was unwilling to think deeply. Unwilling to examine it. He only wanted to believe that Feng Xuanyi had him in his heart—not merely a place, but an important one. Because Feng Xuanyi had actually been willing to fight a battle he had no confidence of winning for his sake. He wanted to believe that Feng Xuanzhe had other motives, and was not simply driven by possessiveness…
“This servant greets Young Master. Master will come to Fufeng Pavilion tonight and asks Young Master to prepare.” The sun had only just sunk westward, and the evening clouds along the horizon were still golden and brilliant, when Hesheng, the young servant by Feng Xuanzhe’s side, came to deliver the message.
“I understand.” Ning Xuan waved for him to withdraw.
Silks and satins, a warm chamber and soft bed—Ning Xuan now had everything one could ask for. Compared to his days at Prince Rong’s Manor, it was many times better. Even during the moments others had seen as his most glorious and what he himself had thought the most warm and carefree, he had never received treatment like this. This was even more incomparable to those final days, when even asking for a single charcoal brazier to survive the winter had required enduring so much gossip, cold stares, and ugly expressions. No matter what one’s circumstances were, no matter how one regarded money as dirt, one still had to bow for five pecks of rice. You did not need to take it as your faith, but you could not be separated from it for even a moment.
Toying with the fishbone coral hairpin in his hand, Ning Xuan could not help laughing bitterly.
“Young Master.” Seeing that Ning Xuan had no intention of moving at all, Xiao Dong, who had been transferred over to serve him, approached with a bright smile. “His Highness will be coming soon. Does Young Master not need to prepare anything?”
Ning Xuan raised a brow, the corners of his lips lifting into a bewitching smile. “What do you think I should prepare?”
Xiao Dong choked and retreated resentfully. In his heart, he thought that this young master sent over from Prince Rong’s Manor was truly arrogant. Even so, Master cared so much about him. It seemed he would have to serve even more carefully from now on.
When Feng Xuanzhe arrived, night had already fallen. The setting sun had left only one last blood-red line along the horizon. Ning Xuan was still standing by the window, looking at the blooming red plum blossoms outside as though he would never tire of them. Even when Feng Xuanzhe arrived, he did not go out to greet him from afar. Only after Feng Xuanzhe had already entered the room did Ning Xuan respectfully bow, neither servile nor arrogant, frightening both the servants attending Feng Xuanzhe and those transferred to serve Ning Xuan into cold sweat.
But Feng Xuanzhe did not mind at all. With a sweep of his long arm, he pulled Ning Xuan into his embrace.
“The window is open so wide, and you’re standing right in front of it. Aren’t you cold?” His voice was warm and gentle, as though the two of them truly were lovers deeply in love. His hands rubbed Ning Xuan’s icy fingers as he frowned at Xiao Dong, who was waiting nearby. “So careless. What use is there in keeping you?”
Xiao Dong dropped to his knees with a thud, knocking his head against the floor again and again with loud bangs. “This servant does not dare anymore. Please forgive me, Master. This servant will never dare again.”
Feng Xuanzhe valued authority and intimidation. His rewards and punishments were clear, almost cold-blooded. No one in the entire residence dared disobey or speak out of turn. Even though Ning Xuan had come with such a status, if this had been Prince Rong’s Manor, it certainly would have caused an uproar. Perhaps every person spitting a single mouthful of contempt would have been enough to drown him. But in Prince Yi’s Residence, that would not happen. Everyone fulfilled their duties strictly and believed that speaking too much would only lead to mistakes. So after arriving at Prince Yi’s Residence, although Ning Xuan had no way to control what others thought in their hearts, no one dared say a single unnecessary word, much less act recklessly. In a certain sense, Ning Xuan’s days in Prince Yi’s Residence could be considered peaceful. As for today’s matter, Xiao Dong was indeed innocent. They were both servants whose lives were not their own. Why make things difficult for someone in the same position?
“It has nothing to do with him. I was the one who stood in the draft too long.”
“I thought you wouldn’t say a single word to me aside from greeting me and taking your leave.” Feng Xuanzhe smiled like a man whose scheme had succeeded, leaving poor Xiao Dong so frightened that half his soul had nearly flown away.
“This servant does not dare.”
“Servant? Who says you are a servant now?” Feng Xuanzhe raised a brow. “Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
Ning Xuan’s answer clearly pleased Feng Xuanzhe. The gloom on his face swept away, and his smile softened considerably. “Then eat with me.”
With that, Hesheng understood and gestured toward the door. Maids carrying an abundant meal filed into the hall.
Next
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment