Testing the Waters

Jiang Liang put on an astonished expression and approached Bolao.

The eunuch's relationship with the Crown Prince was subtle. He seemed respectful, but rebellion lurked beneath the surface.

The little Crown Prince punished him harshly. If anyone in the Hall of Inherited Blessing could serve as a weak point to exploit, it was him.

She exclaimed, "His Highness the Crown Prince is incredible!"

"Have you always served His Highness? Could His Highness be a sage born with knowledge?"

Bolao hurried after the little Crown Prince.

A master so young needed someone to attend him in the privy and catch his waste in a chamber pot.

But even as a toddler, the little Crown Prince had disliked anyone watching him poop or pee, so the Qi Emperor had ordered privies built that only masters could enter.

They were fumigated daily with mugwort, and a thick layer of mugwort ash, incense ash, and plant ash was spread inside and perfumed to prevent odors and splashing. In summer, insecticide was sprinkled and insect-repelling sachets hung up to keep flies and bugs away.

Every privy had a concealed door with a designated eunuch standing guard. Once the master came out, a eunuch would immediately enter through the concealed door to clean up.

Filthy as the work might seem, it was a lucrative post. The brocade and silk masters used to wipe their bottoms were fine fabrics. Gather them up, wash them clean, and a large enough stash could fetch a tidy sum outside the palace.

The two followed him all the way there and stood guard at a respectful distance. Only then did Bolao have time to spare her a glance.

He critically surveyed Jiang Liang's scallion-like figure and gave a contemptuous smile.

"Don't think that just because His Highness brought you into the palace, you can covet things above your station."

Jiang Liang's expression cracked.

Buddy! Did all those punishments awaken some kind of kink in you?

Bolao, however, thought he had hit the nail on the head, and his gaze sharpened.

He had only said it offhand, but this little scallion really did have crooked ambitions!

What were Simiao and Fat Eunuch doing?!

Then he recalled how His Highness had kept her at his side every day lately, feeding her well without making her work, as though he were keeping a useless freeloader!

His Highness never kept idle hands around.

Bolao's sense of danger sounded the alarm. He had to behave himself...

At that moment, he realized Jiang Liang was different to the Crown Prince!

He was no longer special or irreplaceable. If he made another mistake, His Highness might kill him without hesitation, and Jiang Liang would slip seamlessly into his place!

Fuck! I underestimated her!

He had actually made a mistake in front of Jiang Liang and been punished by His Highness. That little scallion must have identified him as the weak link and wanted to take his place!

His stare made Jiang Liang's scalp prickle. "You... I was only asking you about His Highness. Even if you don't want to answer, you don't have to look at me like that."

Bolao found her both stupid and rude. Remembering that His Highness allowed Jiang Liang to dispense with strict etiquette, he felt a sour taste rise in his mouth.

But then his thoughts took a turn. If Jiang Liang made a mistake and some noble beat her to death, or she crossed one of His Highness's taboos...

A sly glint flashed through Bolao's eyes, and he smiled amiably.

"You want to know about His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Jiang Liang was genuinely unnerved, but curiosity about the little Crown Prince's secrets clawed at her heart. Simiao and Fat Eunuch kept their lips sealed tight; one extra question from her would earn suspicious looks from them both.

And she did not dare leave the Hall of Inherited Blessing. Bolao, standing before her, was the only person she could ask.

"His Highness answered Grand Tutor Zhang's questions without missing a beat today! I admire him so much."

"Quite right. It's only proper that you admire His Highness. His intelligence and brilliance are unparalleled, and he was born to be the heir who stands above all others."

"Without His Highness's kindness, you and I would still be wandering homeless out there."

Jiang Liang said, "Yes, yes, yes. You're absolutely right, Eunuch Lao."

Bolao looked faintly displeased. "Don't call me Eunuch Lao. Use my name."

"You've only seen His Highness's bright, glorious side. You don't know about the flashing blades and clashing swords in the shadows. Lady Zhou and Lady You both made moves against His Highness."

"But His Majesty protects him."

Jiang Liang had heard a little about these matters. The Crown Prince was favored, and others envied him; that made sense. He had kept her with him every day lately, but she had never noticed him make a move.

If the Crown Prince acted even once, she could confirm outright that there was more to him than met the eye.

"Does His Highness have anything he likes or dislikes?"

Jiang Liang hoped to glean something from that angle.

Something dark shifted in Bolao's eyes.

"The place His Highness visits most often is the Nine Bends corridor in the Imperial Garden. A little while ago, he went two or three times a day."

"As for dislikes... the Crown Prince often stands outside the corridor and gazes east. We servants wouldn't dare ask what he's looking at."

Jiang Liang wisely refrained from pressing further and quietly committed it to memory instead.

She picked up a stick and, pretending she was tired of standing, began scribbling something on the ground.

Bolao glanced at it. The shapes were strange and incomprehensible.

Before long, the little Crown Prince came out.

Jiang Liang stood up and waved to him.

Once he reached her, Jiang Liang began rubbing out the things she had drawn with her foot, drawing his attention to them.

All the while, she stared straight at the little Crown Prince, watching his expression.

What she had drawn should never have existed in this world: Arabic numerals!

If the little Crown Prince was like her, there was no way he could remain unmoved!

The little Crown Prince saw the symbols on the ground and frowned slightly.

"You drew these? They look like a ghost's scribbles. Don't draw them again. Father won't like them."

With that, the little Crown Prince clasped his little hands behind his back and led the way off like an old man taking a stroll... no, like an emperor taking a stroll.

Jiang Liang hurried to rub out all the numbers on the ground.

Her test had revealed nothing.

Jiang Liang furrowed her brow, replaying the little Crown Prince's expression frame by frame in her mind.

There had been nothing unusual about it. The little Crown Prince truly did not recognize those numbers.

Jiang Liang did not know whether she felt disappointed or relieved.

If the little Crown Prince had used the word "write" to describe the numbers she had made, Jiang Liang would never have set aside her suspicions.

But his expression had been calm, and he had used the word "draw."

Yes, anyone who knew what numbers were used for would instinctively say "write," not "draw."

The little Crown Prince was not one of her kind.

Yet Jiang Liang still could not believe such a genius existed in the world.

The little Crown Prince was remarkably precocious. Or perhaps, once Jiang Liang's suspicions had taken root, she could not easily let them go.

She needed to visit the Imperial Garden and see whether she could find anything strange.

88 spoke to the little Crown Prince. "That scared me to death, Host!"

Qi Yuanzuo said calmly, "Something's wrong. I stood out today, but not enough to make Jiang Liang test me like this."

"There must be another reason she sensed something was off about me."

88 asked, "What reason?"

Qi Yuanzuo said, "The system attached to Jiang Liang."