What An Audacious And Sly Servant! Chapter 13

This is supposed to be an extra chapter for my birthday (11 Feb) but my hands failed me so I turned this to just a normal extra chapter of the week. By the way, in the previous chapter when Chu Xun listed out all the things he wanted to bring and the things he brought in the end, did anyone notice what he forgot to bring?

Chapter 13 – A Brief Interlude

Neighbouring the capital was a rich and prosperous small town.

Chu Xun was extremely happy as he aimed for this town's best inn.

Mei Qian Deng drove the horse carriage. Chu Xun leant over the carriage window with his eyes not blinking, dreadfully feared that Mei Qian Deng who usually would not listen to him would drive to another place.

"It's that building, the Yue Lai Inn where big, red lanterns are hang! Tonight, I want to stay there."

Mei Qian Deng turned around. The horse carriage curtain was lowered so she couldn't actually see the stupid appearance of the Crown Prince sticking up his b.u.t.t. However, her indifferent eyes were slightly profound and even had slivers of laughter.

Quickly, following Chu Xun's wish, Mei Qian Deng stopped the horse carriage outside that luxurious Yue Lai Inn. Chu Xun was impatiently jumped down without taking care of his appearance. His hair was quite messy a bit and his fine clothes had lots of creases due to long time of sitting. At the centre of his forehead, there was a rhombus-shaped 'stamp' like Erlangshen[1]'s third eye which was identical to the carving design on the horse carriage window. It was precisely the result of this guy being too excited, desperately sticking himself to the carriage window.

Why was he so agitated about? It was nothing more than wanting to as soon as possible eat tasty food then take a warm water bath and later take a long, comfortable and deep sleep. No, no, no, he needed to go to the toilet first. He wanted to sit on a clean jade bucket to relief himself thoroughly. The horse carriage jolted for the whole day, he couldn't even relief himself by normal mean.

"Waiter, bring us three best rooms!" Chu Xun clapped the manager's table. Impatiently, he added, "Let the waiter quickly show the way."

That manager hit the abacus and without lifting his head, he said, "Three silvers."

Chu Xun was muddled for a moment. "I don't stay yet, why are you asking for my money for?"

Now, that manager had raised his head. He used his pair of small yet beaming eyes to throw a cold-shouldered expression to Chu Xun as he sneered. "Why am I asking for your money? To earn honest money of course! Don't you know? Look at this young man, he's immaculately dressed but had never stay at a luxurious inn." The unspoken words were, you must be coming here to act like a pretentious p.r.i.c.k right?

Chu Xun was furious now.

He coldly snorted. What about an inn, this whole land under the heaven in the future would be his. After snorting, he curled his lips and lowered his head as he touched his chest. Then he touched his waist belt. Eh….. Ah! He suddenly realised the truth as his pretty eyes turned around left and right.

Earlier during the wu time when they were leaving the palace, he had packed fully the bundle with beautiful clothes and useful skin protection products. Actually, even the phosph.o.r.escent jade cups used for wine drinking had been brought as well. Too many things had made the bundle turned into a giant ball. At that time, he had even been laughed at by Mei Qian Deng that sly servant.

However, it seemed actually he had completely forgot about bring money with him.

Coming out and asking what money was used for, why didn't he ask directly people to promise in life and death instead!

Say, what was he doing taking so many things with him, earlier he should bring a pile of silver banknotes and put it inside his pocket. No matter where he went what he bought, he wouldn't be lacking of it.

But actually when we got to the bottom of this matter, this Crown Prince couldn't be blame. Chu Xun had stayed inside the palace for many years and had used to not using money. Even if he occasionally went out of the palace there would be some attendants serving him, it also didn't need him to take out money.

Moreover, the Emperor and the Empress had never give the Crown Prince even a copper money for allowance. During the Chinese New Year or the other festivals, if he was bestowed with rewards, they would be rare treasures. How could the imperial family be that ordinary, what use would it be giving monetary reward!

Chu Xun silently stood for a short moment. No one knew that an unknown big war was developing inside his heart. Anyway, all could only see he quickly adjusted the expression on his face. Flinging his head, he haughtily threw a line, "What luxurious inn, with such bad customer service, this Young Master unwilling to stay."

It was exactly this moment that a soft 'clack' came from the manager table. A pair of jade hands had put something on it. Mei Qian Deng removed her hands, revealing a gold ingot. The manager's eyes instantly shone like the little star in the sky.

"This n.o.ble young master, please stay! Xiaodian[2] earlier is not attentive enough, it's truly……"

Mei Qian Deng didn't speak. She just crossed his arms stably as she separated from Chu Xun and the others.

The manager hastily turned around and shouted for the waiter to bring the people upstairs.

The Crown Prince was much smarter now as he instantly stretched his hand——shoving that gold ingot on the manager table into his own pocket. Then, he smoothly turned around. With his chin raised up so high and aired out from his nose. "Already said, this Young Master doesn't care, let's go."

Mei Qian Deng pulled back her arms as she followed Chu Xun leaving. From the start until the end, she never made a single sound.

"Young Master."

"What?"

Inside Chu Xun's heart, he was angry. He had never been not angry with Mei Qian Deng but this time, he was much angry with himself. Not bringing money when going out, it was just like not bringing paper when going to the toilet. Mei Qian Deng must be ridiculing him again.

"Return that gold ingot in your sleeve to me."

That was Mei Qian Deng's own money, Crown Prince please don't think of taking others' as yours.

"Who want your money? Who cares about your money?"

You boor! You sly servant!

Chu Xun was furious, furious that he couldn't rest.

Tonight, Mei Qian Deng simply found an inn to stay. Chu Xun was angered until he was unwilling to step down from the horse carriage. In the end, he was kicked down by Senior Official Song.

"From now on, only those that have money can be the decision maker."

Mei Qian Deng threw a friendly glance to Senior Official Song.

About the matter of serving the Crown Prince, they had already taciturnly made a consensus.

Inside the kitchen of the inn, there was still some leftover dishes and leftover rice. Senior Official Song let the waiter warmed them up and personally sent them to the Crown Prince's room.

Chu Xun laid on the table and looked a few times at the dishes inside those white china bowls. Some of the bowls had some cracks which successfully lowered his mood further.

Senior Official Song rarely lowered his voice as he approached Chu Xun and said, "Young Master, right now we are on an inspection tour in incognito, cannot reveal out ident.i.ty, isn't it?"

Chu Xun nodded.

"If you're Young Master and Little Deng acts as your little servant, it's normal for a n.o.ble Young Master bringing along his servant to secretly travel around to play. But you even brought along laofu who is this old, it's obviously conspicuous."

Chu Xun frowned but remained silent.

Senior Official Song grinned sheepishly. "Furthermore, if you're the core of the three of us, it's very eye-catching. Young Master you know too that you are too handsome than the others."

Chu Xun used the phosph.o.r.escent jade cup to drink the cu tea[3]. The way Senior Official Song was exactly like this cu tea. On the account that it still have some acceptable parts, one would reluctantly swallow it. He subconsciously rubbed his throat. There was already a small lump on it. The books wrote that this was called as laryngeal prominence[4]. It was a sign of a man gradually becoming an adult.

"I admit, I'm handsome a little bit too much but you can't blame me."

Senior Official Song nodded. "Indeed, hence laofu had already think of a good strategy. You have to know that this is also to protect you."

"What sort of strategy?"

"Young Master, you and Little Deng together act as the little servants while laofu will act as that eye-catching one. Anyway, laofu is already this old, it's nothing if dead."

Chu Xun's eyes twitched. "Senior Official Song, are you trying to deceive your superior?"

"Laofu doesn't dare."

"A rotten old man yet bringing two excellent looking little servants……" Wait, why am I saying two, obviously it's just one!

Senior Official Song rushed to answer, "Right, this will then make it much obvious that laofu this rotten old man have a strong background, isn't it? Plus, you had said it, two excellent looking people. It's not only one outstanding but both have an equal share. Young Master, this is the safest strategy."

"Can't do, I don't agree."

"Young Master." Mei Qian Deng was immersed in eating. When she had done, she put down her chopsticks and finally opened hr mouth.

"What?!"

"Do you have money on your body?"

When staying outside, no money, couldn't be the decision maker.

Chu Xun suppressed the redness on his pretty face, meaning that he had nothing to say in reply.

After a long time.

The whole small inn could hear Chu Xun's furious roar. "THE DISHES IN THESE BROKEN BOWLS, WHY ARE——THEY——GONE?!"

[1] A Chinese deity with third truth-seeing eye on his forehead

[2] Literally small store, used by the store manager to refers himself

[3] A type of tea which used rough, big and old tea leaves (common and cheap type)

[4] Also commonly known as Adam's apple. I didn't use this one since people of this ancient China setting doesn't use this term.