How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

Zhu Xiaobiao got into the carriage and untied Jing Ze and others.

"Sir, are you okay?" Seeing that Zhu Xiaobiao was still alive, Jing Ze and others immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but felt a sense of fear.

"It's okay. The Second Prince and I were just acting." Maybe it was because of the hot weather, Zhu Xiaobiao was sweating all over. He untied the ropes for everyone while explaining, "The Second Prince was afraid that if he took me away, you would be sold out if you stayed in the county government office, so he planned to take you with him. But it's a bit suspicious to take everyone away at once, so I can only resort to this bad plan to rescue those of you who are willing to stand up for me first."

"As for the others, he has already arranged people and will find an opportunity to take them away from the county government office." Zhu Xiaobiao scratched his neck a little too hard, leaving several scratches that were very noticeable.

"Sir..." Jing Ze couldn't bear it and held his wrist tightly, "Stop scratching."

"It's okay, it's okay." Zhu Xiaobiao panted heavily, as if he was trying his best to endure some kind of pain, and said intermittently, "We have escaped, and things will get better and better."

Will it get better? Jing Ze didn't comment.

Hearing that the second prince was moody, the top scholar two years ago was ordered to be executed for simply writing a poem praising his beauty.

The students of Jian'an were most concerned about the future and current situation of the top three candidates in the imperial examination. The top three candidate was executed after attending the Qionglin Banquet, and there would always be someone who leaked the gossip. Then the students returned home, and the news spread throughout the court along the way.

And now, they are likely jumping from one fire pit into another.

This fire pit may burn more vigorously and fiercely, and die faster.

"I know what you are worried about." Zhu Xiaobiao trembled as he took out a few money bags from his sleeves and put them in Jingze's hands. He said solemnly, "Before, my stepmother threatened me with your lives in order to control me. Now that you have escaped from the Zhu Mansion, you can take this money and find your own way out. You don't have to accompany me here to die."

"Sir!" Jing Ze threw the purse hard on the ground and said angrily, "What are you talking about? You are addicted. Once you get addicted, you can't take care of yourself. You can't always serve His Royal Highness the Second Prince. I'm afraid no one will secretly find an antidote for you. If I leave, you will definitely die!"

After saying that, he turned his head and looked at the concubines behind him, "If you want to leave, you can just take the money and leave. It's not easy for women. There's no need to stay here and die in vain. I'm here for you, sir!"

Several concubines shook their heads, "We are your people in life and your ghosts in death. Since we dare to risk our lives, we are determined to follow you!"

"Why bother?" Zhu Xiaobiao smiled bitterly. "Before, when you followed me, you were worried about your life, but at least you had good food and drink. But now, you are going to Yizhou with the Second Prince. Do you know how difficult the journey is?"

"If you can endure this, how can we poor people not endure it? Since the journey is difficult, it is better for us to serve you!"

"Yes, we are all willing to follow the adults!"

"You have never suffered hardship. If we were not here, what would you do if you became skinny and hungry?" A concubine wiped her tears and said, "Even if I go out to beg, I will still make sure you have enough to eat."

Zhu Xiaobiao: ...That's not necessary~

"Whatever." Zhu Xiaobiao sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Since you are willing to stay, I will not force you to leave. You can regret it at any time."

Then he seemed to have lost all his strength and fell down in the carriage.

"Sir!" Several concubines exclaimed in a low voice.

Zhu Xiaobiao held onto the chair and waved his hands, saying with difficulty, "Don't make any noise, I'll bear it for a while, it will be fine after I bear it..."

The Second Prince gave him plenty of time to reminisce about the past, which was enough to get him through it.

……

Zhu Xiaobiao returned to Xie Chengze.

"Are they all willing to stay?" Xie Chengze lay on the window sill of the carriage like a limp little salted fish, enjoying the cool breeze from passing by.

"Yes, Your Highness, they were all pitiful people once. Even if they left, they would probably be homeless." Zhu Xiaobiao sighed, feeling somewhat helpless as if he had let someone else down.

"You've done very well." Xie Chengze said lazily, "Many people in this world can't even do what they can."

Zhu Xiaobiao smiled bitterly, "My place is also another pit of fire."

Xie Xianyu, who was sitting on the windowsill, turned over and said calmly, "I will find a doctor to cure your addiction. Don't worry."

Zhu Xiaobiao was startled, then he reacted and immediately knelt down in fear, "Your Highness!"

However, the carriage was moving, and when he knelt, he missed Xie Chengze in the carriage. He could only stand up again and hurriedly catch up with the carriage.

At the same time, he was secretly shocked. How could His Highness know about his addiction... ?

"I visited the county government's courtyard in my spare time. I saw poppies and corn poppies planted together on purpose. I think someone is trying to confuse people and poison someone secretly."

Xie Chengze glanced at the scratch marks on Zhu Xiaobiao's neck and said, "It seems that someone doesn't like your existence."

Zhu Xiaobiao smiled bitterly, "Your Excellency must know that although my life seems good, it is actually because of my stepmother's flattery and my father's indulgence. When I realized what was happening and wanted to resist, I was drugged. Because of the danger to my life, I had no choice but to be controlled by her."

His father used to be not greedy, and he even had a harmonious relationship with his mother, the most talented woman in Jizhou. Until ten years ago, when the concubine's aunt killed his mother and brought in his stepmother, his father gradually changed. He would not listen to his explanations and even thought that everything he did was unreasonable.

The entire county government is controlled by his stepmother, and now he can only live in the Zhu Mansion in a daze, enduring his addiction. He even has to be wary of the other party's constant calculations, just like the perfect "good news" yesterday when the second prince asked his father whether he was willing to take the blame.

She hadn't been pregnant for ten years, so how could it be such a coincidence that she got pregnant when he was being targeted by the Second Prince and was likely to be executed?

She was clearly forcing her father to give up her "only" offspring.

Fortunately, the Second Prince was observant enough to take him away, otherwise, perhaps in another two years, he would not be able to bear the control of the addiction and would dismiss his beautiful concubines at home, and use the names of Zhu County Magistrate and the prefect's wife to provoke a big shot and have the other party slaughter his entire clan.

Even if he dies, he will take these people with him.

Xie Chengze couldn't help but think of the original text, where the author described Zhu Xiaobiao's street teasing in just a few words.

What was Zhu Xiaobiao thinking at that time?

No one knows.

After all, he was not the reborn Xie Chengze, and the real reborn person was not present at that time.

Xie Chengze couldn't help but look at Shen Yuan who was riding on a black horse beside him.

Noticing Xie Chengze's gaze, Shen Yuan couldn't help but speak cautiously, "What does Your Highness want to do?"

What trouble is he trying to make?

Xie Chengze smiled and narrowed his eyes, "Master Shen, have I washed my clothes?"

Shen Yuan: ...

"Wash after dinner!" Shen Yuan threw the reins with a little embarrassment and rode forward. It was obvious that he didn't want to be in the same space with Xie Chengze anymore.

That night, as it was still far away from the nearby county town, the convoy heading down to Yizhou camped in the forest beside the official road. The official road was close to a river. After dinner, Shen Yuan half-knelt by the river, resignedly scrubbing the red palace robe in his hands.

Lord Shen Yuan, who held great power in the court, had not washed his clothes himself for a long time, so he had no idea that the palace robe was made of the finest cool silk and could not be exposed to water. As a result, after just a few rubs, due to his careless use of his hands, a big hole was rubbed out on the palace robe.

Shen Yuan: ...

At this moment, Shen Yuan felt more desperate than when he was stabbed by Xie Chengze.

He could almost imagine Xie Chengze's reaction after seeing the hole. He would definitely say something jokingly: "Oh~ It's torn after washing~ It seems that Lord Shen will have to compensate His Highness with a new robe~"

Um? etc?

How could he say what he was thinking?

Shen Yuan, who heard the sound, realized it belatedly and stood up suddenly, bumping into Xie Chengze's chin behind him.

“Hiss——” Xie Chengze covered his chin, tears streaming down his face due to the pain, “Shen! Yuan!”

"You..." Shen Yuan, holding the wet robe in his hand, looked at Xie Chengze in shock, "Why are you standing behind me?"

"I'm here to remind you that this silkworm clothing cannot be washed or exposed to the sun!" Xie Chengze glared at him, his delicate chin was hit by his hair crown and left some bloody marks, "You are a martial artist, but you didn't even hear my footsteps? Did you do it on purpose?"

Yes, Xie Chengze is not a martial artist, so why didn’t he hear Xie Chengze’s footsteps just now?

Shen Yuan was also confused, but the fact was that he did hurt Xie Chengze, and he should apologize no matter what.

"It's Shen's fault. How would your Highness the Second Prince like to punish me?" Shen Yuan put away his aura and his tone returned to his usual cold and distant tone.

"Hmph! Think about it yourself!" Xie Chengze flicked his sleeves and walked away.

This made Shen Yuan at a loss as to what to do for a moment. He couldn't guess how Xie Chengze wanted him to apologize.

After his rebirth, Xie Chengze has become even more difficult to understand.

That night, Shen Yuan almost suffered from insomnia again. Until the dawn, he pinched a branch and raised his head to rinse his mouth, and suddenly caught a glimpse of Wuhen's figure on the tree.

Shen Yuan: ...

Shen Yuan:!

He seemed to know why he didn't hear Xie Chengze's footsteps when he came over.

This guy didn't even walk here!!!

Damn, this kid tricked me again!

Shen Yuan was so angry that he broke the branch in his hand.