Chapter 181 - Let's Play the Game
“Young master appears to be preoccupied today. Would you like a cup of tea to soothe your thoughts?” The young man extended a cup of steaming tea towards Tang Yue.
Tang Yue's hand had almost reached for the cup but he withdrew it. “I've been sipping tea with His Highness for the better part of the day. I'm practically waterlogged.”
The young man didn't insist and instead focused on a scorebook, saying, “I've heard that Crown Prince has a wide range of interests, from music and chess to painting. I wonder if there's a chance for me to engage in some discussions with His Highness.”
Tang Yue thought to himself, “Just as expected, he's here for his associate. He's still hoping to learn Boya and Ziqi. Isn't he giving himself too much credit?”
“His Highness has a hectic schedule,” Tang Yue replied succinctly.
The young man didn't display any disappointment; his gentle smile remained intact. It was difficult to guard against such a smile.
If Tang Yue hadn't suspected something was amiss with him, he might have been charmed by it.
“I've heard that young master has culinary skills. Coincidentally, I enjoy making snacks myself. I used your kitchen to steam some pastries. Please have a taste.” The young man pushed a plate of pastries forward and picked one up, placing it in his mouth.
“It might be a tad sweet; I'm unsure if it suits your palate. Why don't you try it?” The young man selected another piece and offered half to Tang Yue, devouring the remaining half himself.
Tang Yue felt relieved seeing that he was unharmed after consuming it. It was likely that he didn't dare to poison him within the Crown Prince's residence, hence consuming that half of the cake.
The taste was quite pleasing, indicating that the other party had put in considerable effort. “Did you develop this on your own, or did someone teach you?”
The young man rested his chin on his hand, revealing a smooth, fair wrist as he smiled with shifting eyes. “I learned it especially for someone I know has a fondness for it.”
Tang Yue couldn't pinpoint what was unusual about the situation. He felt a sense of unease. When he glanced at the young man again, he appeared normal, gazing out the door with his head supported.
“Do you enjoy indulging in fine cuisine, young master?”
Tang Yue intended to respond, but as he opened his mouth, he realized his throat was slightly parched. A warm sensation emanated from his lower abdomen.
He initially attributed it to the food he had consumed, only realizing he had fallen into a trap when his vision started to blur.
Crown Prince Zhao had already taken his leave from Mr. Xuan Jing and returned to the study. Before he could sit down and warm his seat, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside.
He raised his gaze and saw the housekeeper entering in a state of panic. “Your Highness, this humble servant has something to report.”
Crown Prince Zhao nodded, gesturing for the housekeeper to continue.
“It's like this, Your Highness. While passing by the second gate, I overheard two servants engaged in a hushed conversation. Initially, I paid no attention, but I overheard them mentioning ‘young master'… ‘young master seems to be quite close to the youth in the front yard.'”
Crown Prince Zhao's expression turned grim. “Discussing the Crown Princess is not within their purview. Have them all escorted out of the palace.”
“This humble servant has already taken action against them. They've been apprehended and confined in the woodshed. However, their words…”
“It's mere nonsense. No need to give it any heed.” Despite his reservations about Tang Yue associating with the young man, Crown Prince Zhao maintained his trust in Tang Yue. He believed Tang Yue wouldn't easily succumb to the influence of an unknown young man.
The butler had something to say but hesitated. He refrained from uttering anything that could tarnish the reputation of the Crown Princess and decided to discreetly assign someone to keep an eye on her instead.
While he had full faith in the Crown Princess, he couldn't afford to be complacent about the other party.
The butler swiftly exited the room and vanished into the courtyard. Crown Prince Zhao stared at his retreating figure for a moment before rising and making his way toward the front yard.
“Young master… young master…” Tang Yue heard a deep voice calling him. He narrowed his eyes, realizing that this wasn't his intended target.
A hand rested on his shoulder, accompanied by a pleasant fragrance wafting over. He was startled, and his nearly shut eyes threatened to open.
A peculiar dizziness overcame him. It seemed the other party had immense confidence in their potion, making Tang Yue an easy target.
He was curious about this youth's intentions.
His question was promptly answered. A hand brushed his waist, as if searching for something.
Subsequently, the young man loosened Tang Yue's belt, removed his coat, and dropped it to the ground. Just as Tang Yue began to fret about his virtue, the young man also shed his own clothes, revealing a fair and unblemished chest.
Crown Prince Zhao consoled himself as he proceeded. It wasn't due to a lack of trust that he was investigating; he simply intended to summon someone for dinner.
Upon reaching the location where the young man resided, Crown Prince Zhao surveyed his surroundings. The entrance lay wide open before them, an eerie silence filling the air.
Naturally, Crown Prince Zhao remained vigilant. Given the circumstances, he had a foreboding sense that something was amiss. He approached the door with determined strides, about to knock, when he heard a noise coming from a side chamber.
He sidestepped and forcefully kicked the door open, resulting in a heavy thud inside the room as something weighty crashed to the floor.
At the sight within, Crown Prince Zhao's eyes widened, and a surge of anger coursed through him.
On the room's floor, a young man with long white hair was pinned down by another man, their entangled forms resembling an embrace as they wrestled.
Furthermore, their clothing was disheveled, and their faces flushed crimson. It was inconceivable that nothing untoward had occurred.
Stepping forward, Crown Prince Zhao forcefully separated the young man in white from the other and lifted Tang Yue to his feet, clutching him tightly. He ordered the guards who had arrived, “Detain him in the dungeon for now. I will question him later.”
Only now did the young man in white react. His legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with tears, “Your Highness, I am indebted to your kindness for taking me in. I dare not refute your judgment, but… I implore you not to hold Crown Princess responsible. It was merely a misunderstanding.”
“Humph, your words carry no weight here. Take her away!”
After everyone had left, Crown Prince Zhao flung the person from his arms back to the ground. Just as he was about to douse them with cold water, he heard a sudden exclamation of pain.
Tang Yue swiftly rose from the floor, patted his rear, rearranged his attire, and cast a sidelong glance at Crown Prince Zhao.
Crown Prince Zhao's expression remained dark. Tang Yue offered an explanation with a forced smile, “It was an accident. I was going to apprehend him.”
Such a feeble explanation was hardly convincing. Tang Yue promptly recounted the events that had transpired.
“It appears to be some kind of aphrodisiac. It induces delirium while heightening sexual desire in men.”
“So, you had an encounter with him? Wasn't it a perfect moment for me to come and interrupt you two?” Crown Prince Zhao inquired through clenched teeth.
“Of course not. When I noticed something amiss with the pastries, I discreetly concealed some in my sleeves. I merely wanted to investigate his intentions.”
Tang Yue hadn't anticipated Crown Prince Zhao's unexpected arrival, but the timing had been fortuitous. If he had fallen victim to the young man's scheme, Crown Prince Zhao would have caught them in bed instead of this compromising scene.
Tang Yue remained perplexed. Wasn't the other person here for Crown Prince Zhao? Why employ this seductive approach on him? It felt like an extravagant effort.
Crown Prince Zhao gripped his chin and inquired with a cold tone, “So, did you discover anything?”
Was this a ploy to deceive them? If he didn't show up, should he go along with the act and get him into bed? Then, when the truth came to light, he could say one more thing: “I sacrificed myself to lure the snake out of its den.”
Contemplating this, Crown Prince Zhao couldn't extinguish the fire in his heart, no matter how hard he tried. Consequently, he shot a fierce glare at Tang Yue.
Tang Yue acknowledged his wrongdoing. No matter how much he explained, he said, “I have a feeling that something is amiss. It appears that he's here for me. Moreover, there might be a spy within this prefecture.”
“What do you mean?”
Tang Yue pulled out a chair for Crown Prince Zhao to sit on and explained, “I questioned the servant who attended to him. Apparently, since he arrived at the manor, he hasn't inquired about you at all. Instead, he asked numerous questions about me.
Initially, everyone assumed he was attempting to seduce you. His inquiries about me were merely a tactic to know his enemy. It seemed like he was planning to oppose me in the future, so nobody paid much attention to it.
As for the spy theory, it's purely speculative. People recalled that the guard mentioned he hadn't brought anything with him when he entered the residence. His clothing, shoes, and socks were all provided here. However, now he has access to medicine that could be administered. It suggests that someone delivered it to him.”
“This theory doesn't hold much water, as he could have retrieved it when he went out. The guard wouldn't have scrutinized him too closely upon his second entry into the residence.”
Tang Yue shook his head. “Though lacking concrete evidence, my instincts are usually reliable. Furthermore, his actions in broad daylight weren't motivated by a genuine desire for me, but rather to achieve a specific objective.”
Crown Prince Zhao had been pondering this ever since Tang Yue shared his thoughts. The entire scenario seemed too smooth and straightforward. It didn't appear to be meticulously planned.
However, if there was an insider within the prefecture, then this seemingly straightforward plan might not be so simple after all.
But was the other party's objective truly to obtain Tang Yue? Or was it to disrupt their relationship? Regardless of the intent, Crown Prince Zhao had to concede that they had identified his vulnerability this time.
They were astute to concentrate their efforts on Tang Yue.
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