Chapter 84: A Surprise Visit
By the time Zhang Zhengyang had the time to mind her she Zhao Xing had long gone.
Zhao Xing reached her quarters feeling dejected, all she wanted to do now was rest. That day had indeed been a long one and she was exhausted. When were her days this packed? She threw herself on her bed, and both her servants came to attend to her.
"Grand Tutor must be exhausted from all the running around." Lan'er said as she massaged Zhao Xing's feet.
"Of course she would be." Nuo Nuo said, nudging Lan'er.
Zhao Xing sighed, she stared at both of them.
"Aiya, the palace is not a nice place to be, if I could I would never like to go there ever again." She remembered what the Crown Prince had said, and no longer continued to speak, or else she might say some blasphemous things that could have her punished.
The two maids glanced at each other as if wanting to say something, but in the end they didn't speak.
Zhao Xing thought about this morning when she met with the Empress Dowager in the palace, although it looked beautiful nothing good ever came out of it and everyone entangled with this place would automatically become a sinner.
In that big lavish place, there was the Emperor that was dying but still looked terrifying when you looked at him, there was his mother that bullied the new comers that came into the high society, and a punch of princes that were a bunch of white-eyed wolves, smiling and greeting their father every day, giving expensive and rare gifts while plotting something evil against him. Oh there were also the mother of these princes, she hadn't interacted much with them, and had only seen those beautiful women that were wasting their beauty staying in that cage. There were also the scary officials, no one ever knows what their intention actually are and is really behind their flattering words. Among all these people she has mentioned, she doesn't know which one was more terrifying.
"If I could go home as frequently as before, I would have time to take a breather and not have to deal with these people so much."
Staying here for so long made her feel a bit suffocated. She began to forget some people she had good relationships with, she started to wonder if her entanglement with this world would affect her, and make it difficult to return to normal when she had completely completed her mission here.
She hadn't thought about it before, now she was suddenly a 'princess', her fate and that of the people of this land would be closely tied together, she'd meet many people learn about them and what they've been through, she might make some enemies as well, in a nutshell, she was going to experience a lot of drama, unfortunately, it won't be like the times when it was her doing the watching and being entertained.
She would be leaving the Crown Prince's manor very soon. She wondered how it would be to own a place of her own. Today when Tang Rongyi had visited her, she mostly talked about her manor, she had been there, or more precisely she had sneaked in, although the place wasn't as big and as lavish as the Crown Prince's place she said it was just perfect and that she could turn it into whatever she wanted.
To be able to have her own house before even graduating from high school she must be extremely lucky in this lifetime. At least that's how she felt.
Thinking about high school, she had a vague memory of her having a test back in her world or something. Her brows creased as she tried to recall.
'Test…'
'Exam?'
Seeing her in deep thought, both Nuo Nuo and Lan'er silently retreated.
She thought for a while. It wouldn't be good if she had exams and didn't revise, she didn't know if she'll still return to the same day she was before she came here the last time. What if days had passed and the exams were already very close. No, what if the exams passed.
She held her forehead, she felt like she'd really get a headache from all the thinking. Then she remembered she had brought her books. In that case, she shouldn't worry too much, she would just have to review as much as she could. If she returned and happened to miss the exams then she could only succumb to her fate.
'Life is really unfair.' This was her last thought before she drifted into deep sleep.
Zhao Xing went to the Crown Prince's study the next day to review, apart from studying etiquette and the like she also had to study for her exams, just in case she was able to go back soon. She felt with the bookish air in the study it would be easier to study here than in her quarters where she always felt like having fun instead of reading all the time.
Soon Zhang Zhengyang returned from morning court and came straight to his study, it seemed that this was the place one could find him the most.
"Grand Tutor?" He was surprised to see her here with some weird looking book scattered on one of the tables.
"You're back?" She turned to greet him before her eyes went back to her notes.
He walked up to her, she didn't sound as annoyed as yesterday. Seeing her so concentrated on the book she read, made a smile appear on his face, "I never thought Grand Tutor could be so focused while reading…"
Zhao Xing turned to him with glare. "What's that supposed to mean. It's still early in the morning, I happened to wake up in a good mood, don't spoil it."
Zhang Zhengyang chuckled. And sat in front of her. He found it was especially fun to tease her when she was being serious.
"Oh? Yesterday you were very grumpy, what made you wake up with such a mood?" He asked, his smile held no good intentions.
Zhao Xing looked up at him once more, already annoyed. How couldn't she know what he was up to? She didn't answer and continued studying.
Zhang ZHengyang flet like he had been found out but had no intention of giving up so easily.
"Grand Tutor, these books you're reading, what are they about?" He said taking one of her text books into his hands to read.
Zhao Xing snatched it back.
"Zhang Zhengyang, I think a Prince of your status should be very very busy, you should go work, before you turn yourself into some frivolous young master."
Zhang Zhengyang laughed when he heard this. Indeed before, in his eyes only his third and ninth brother fit the words 'frivolous young master' as that was how they were called by many due to the way they show themselves to the public. He, only cared about his plans and ambitions, nothing else was as important. He was always plotting, trying to guess the meaning behind whatever people said and the reason behind their attitude towards him, this was why he had problems trusting people easily.
With Zhao Xing, he could easily laugh and have the instinct to tease people, without having to think too much.
He didn't know why, but seeing her acting silly every now and then makes him feel that the world wasn't that ugly, and pure hearted people still existed. He really couldn't fathom what Zhao Xing's world was like to make her end up like this. Here, even the peasants, and villagers, one would have to be careful with them.
Zhao Xing saw him laugh and flinched.
Seeing her reaction Zhang Zhenyang smiled and asked, "What? Did I frighten you?"
She stared at him for a while feeling he suddenly looked weird. "Zhang Zhengyang, are you feeling unwell?"
"No" He answered puzzled.
"Seeing you laugh like this all of a sudden, sounds like bad luck is about to befall me..."
Zhang Zhengyang chuckled, feeling that this girl seemed to get sillier by the day.
But just then, Xiao Chen came to report from outside. "Master, the general is here, he...also brought his wife along with him."
"General...?"
Xiao Chen nodded, "General Yang"
A carriage was packed outside before the gates, and a man got down before turning to open the curtains for another person.
A delicate and white hand landed on his, and soon a beauty was revealed from the inside. She was calm and expressionless. As if nothing in this world could move her.
Her husband's expression was no different. With their matching clothing they looked like a couple made in heaven, a perfect match.
A small 'thank you' escaped her mouth, after her husband had helped her down the carriage. But the General didn't reply. But she didn't mind, a small smile appeared on her face as she walked together with him into the manor. It made her look benevolent, and made people around feel comfortable.
When General Yang saw the Crown Prince walking towards them, a big grin graced his face, very different from the look he had previously. If one wasn't looking, they would have thought that they had switched two different people.
"Crown Prince." He greeted respectfully, he left his wife's side and hurried to see the Prince. Leaving her walking in her own pace.
Madam Yang didn't look surprised in the slightest. The smile on her face didn't diminish, it was like she was already used to it. When she arrived she curtsied before the Crown Prince.
"Greeting the Crown Prince."
Zhang Zhengyang smiled at her, "Madam doesn't need to be courteous."
"Thanking the Crown Prince." She said.
General Yang's smile faltered a bit when he heard her voice. But he still went on to explain the reason they had come. "Crown Prince, my wife was very impressed by Lady Zhao's bravery and really wanted to see her, so I decided to accompany her.
'Accompany? Looks like you have your own agendas.'
Zhang Zhengyang came out to greet the guests along with Zhao Xing, only she was reluctant to come and hadn't arrived yet, still trailing behind. When she arrived she saw the three of them chatting, though it didn't look so harmonious. The atmosphere looked stressed.
Zhao Xing: '....?'
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