“Don’t think today was a coincidence. Also, don’t think that coincidence is because of you.” Ning Yi took her cup of wine and played with it on his lips, “Even if they wanted to secretly slip you a piece of paper to ask favors they would not have chosen to do it here…listen to me, leave with me in a bit.” 

Feng Zhi Wei fell silent, thinking this person and herself are not on the same side, should she really leave with him like this? 

There was no way to ask his reasons in front of this many people so she could only smile brightly as she stood up with a wine jug in hand. Clasping her hands together, she apologizes in all four directions “…Brothers…gotta go to the loo…this…”. 

The Second Prince laughed loudly behind her and said “Official Wei, you are going to carry the wine with you to the loo? Wrong, wrong, wrong direction!” 

Ning Yi stood up with a smile and said, “Come on, seeing how drunk Official Wei is, he could very well use the kitchen as the latrine. I will…just go along with him.” 

With slightly slanted steps, he walked over and grabbed Feng Zhi Wei’s hand. The two drunks supported each other, walking out amidst the teasing laughter of the Second Prince and others. Behind them, the people were busy drinking and making a ruckus.  

Waving away the attendants who attempted to offer their help at the door, Ning Yi held firmly onto Feng Zhi Wei, their arms draped around each other’s shoulders as they stumbled towards the direction of the latrine. 

Over half of Ning Yi’s body was almost completely leaning on Feng Zhi Wei, his long hair tickling against the side of her face. Feng Zhi Wei could feel her sore shoulder silently complaining. She gritted her teeth and endured, but a certain person refused to behave and continued to blow on the little whisps of hair by her ear. The burning breaths on her earlobe caused her already wobbly body to lose even more strength, making the originally pretend stumbling steps become truly wobbly now.   

By her side, Ning Yi let out a low throaty laugh, deep and seductive, seemingly conveying its owner’s good mood. Feng Zhi Wei gave him a slide glance, held up the wine jug, and said drunkenly “Wine drunken together with guest…helps one forget …Your Highness…let’s drink more!” (The first two little parts are part of a Chinese poem.) 

Seemingly as if her hand had suddenly lost strength, the wine jug tipped, and the wine came pouring out…aiming straight for Ning Yi’s face. 

A soft laugh sounded. Ning Yi, as if he had foreknowledge, suddenly averted his head and pinched Feng Zhi Wei’s shoulder, sending a force into her, causing her hand to jerk. The wine did come pouring down but they all ended up on her own shoulder. 

The corner of Feng Zhi Wei’s mouth twitched, feeling an overwhelming urge to smash the wine jug in her hand over someone’s head. However, Ning Yi is already chuckling and pointing wildly “…Offical Wei…this way…this way…” As he chuckled, his voice almost a low murmuring, yet the tip of his tongue is already lapping a droplet of wine on her earlobe, sucking in softly. With a soft whispering laugh, he said “So pure…so fragrant!” 

Feng Zhi Wei felt her whole body go up in flame in that instant. 

After a year apart, this person’s shamelessness has been elevated to another level! 

In the past, he would at least pay attention to the location and occasion. But where are they now?! This place is brimming with people. They might as well be standing in the middle of a busy market with people everywhere. The two of them, with their respective special status, were already drawing enough attention with their stumbling around and he dare to do this publicly?! 

Even though he had kept his sleeve half raised the whole time and she had used the wine jug to provide some cover as well, but if someone was brave enough to walk closer they would be able to see everything clearly…then tomorrow the whole Imperial Capital would be covered with Wei Zhi’s gossip. 

Feng Zhi Wei squeezed the wine jug until it rattled– he had better have some urgent news or else…ha! 

The man alternated between muttering by her ear and licking her earlobe. Her earlobe was very sensitive so with each flick of his tongue her heart would lurch and her body would weaken. Amidst the faint and moist wine fragrance, his seductive and cool scent seeped into the depth of her heart, producing a hot searing wind, turning everything into ash wherever it went. Feng Zhi Wei knew that if it wasn’t for the skin mask she was wearing, then her face must be hot enough to bake yams. 

She tilted her head in frustration, using the wine jug to cover her mouth, and said in a low voice, “Ning Yi, you dare! There are plenty of beauties in this place, don’t use me for your convenience!” (Convenience= as in using anyone to fulfill his um…carnal desire.)

Ning Yi stopped, resting his chin on her shoulder, puffed up his cheeks, and blew on the hair by her ear. His voice was one of grinning laughter but it was cold, “Feng Zhi Wei, I think I am the one you are using for convenience. You won’t look at me properly, then fine, I will show you how far I dare to go.” 

 Feng Zhi Wei was silent, then smiled, “Bullying using an advantageous situation, that’s considered a skill?” 

“This is bullying?” Ning Yi retorted, “Feng Zhi Wei, please, don’t treat yourself like a mannequin just because you are used to wearing a mask. Feel your own heart, who causes it to beat the hardest?” 

“Oh?” Feng Zhi Wei tilted the wine jug, the expression in her eyes as hard to capture as the spilling wine, “I thought I am already without a heart.”

“Let me find it again for you.”

The March spring breeze entered in, passed through the corridors, a man and woman pretending to be drunk, supporting each other’s stumbling bodies as they go from one direction to another, and suddenly both stopped. 

A moment later, Feng Zhi Wei who never answered Ning Yi’s last sentence, pushed open a door “We are here.”

Then promptly closed her eyes, rushed forward, and begin to vomit violently into a pit. The steaming smell of alcohol permeated the room, prompting the men who were already in the latrine to quickly finish up their business and leave. 

Once everyone was gone, Ning Yi leaned back, blocking the door. 

Feng Zhi Wei wiped her mouth and turned around, her eyes were clear and sober, “Your Highness, we can’t occupy the latrine for too long, long story short please.” 

“This year’s spring exam is a bit late. The chief examiner was supposed to be the previous Minister of Rites.” Ning Yi’s voice was also clear and sober, “Since he was supposed to be pre-appointed to be the chief examiner, he already had accepted many gifts and favors in exchange for certain promises from him. However, you returned abruptly and then immediately took over as the Minister of Rites which then naturally made all those previous promises moot. Some gifts could be returned but some couldn’t. There are obviously certain vested interests that can’t be touched or else, certain people would be in trouble.” 

“So they want to go after me?”

“You became famous at a young age and showed your brilliance for all to see, yet it is difficult to discern which faction you belong to. Everyone wants to win you over but they are also all leery of you. Both the Crown Prince and Fifth Prince had fallen in your hand, so naturally, there are those out to get you.”

“How are they going to get me?”

“We couldn’t dig up to that extent of detail.” Ning Yi replied, “That’s why I want you to not go home. You might as well pretend to be drunk and go back to my manor with me. Tonight is most likely the night they will make their move, you can’t be home or else no one will be your witness if something happened. You can’t stay at the Department of Rites either. The previous Minister of Rites was in that position for many years. Most of those in that department could not be trusted. Your choice is to either stay with me or stay here at the feast all night. However, staying out all night partying might land you in hot water with the censoring officials and place a stumbling block in front of these aspiring academy students as well. You’d better go with me.” 

Feng Zhi Wei pondered and asked, “Whose handiwork do you think this would be?” 

“It’s either the Second or the Seventh.” Ning Yi said, “Others don’t have this much influence. In the previous spring exams, this is when every faction try their mightiest to insert as many of their own people into the exam as possible. This helps to expand one’s control and also helps to assure the subordinates. Before, the Crown Prince had always taken the biggest piece, and the rest was divided up equally among everyone else. This year, no one could figure out where you stand. Moreover, ever since you showed up, none of the princes had gained any benefits from you. Rather, they have all suffered some loss in one way or another because of you. Many people suspect that you are only loyal to His Majesty. With you rising so fast, how can they rest easy?”

“Oh?” Feng Zhi Wei remarked with a half smile, “Your Highness is probably the one who is the most worried.”

“I only worry about when you might run away.” Ning Yi said matter of factly, “I rather have you raising havoc right in front of my eyes.” 

Just as they were talking, someone abruptly started pounding on the door, and the Seventh Prince’s laugh immediately followed, “These two people are taking their sweet time going to the loo. Are they trying to kill the rest of us by making us wait for the loo?” 

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