Disrespecting The Prince

"Zhang Zhengyang, I haven't seen a vision since." Zhao Xing changed the topic. How was she going to help the Crown Prince if she couldn't see a vision?

The Crown Prince's expression didn't change, as he continued to eat, irritating Zhao Xing.

"How can you eat when your life might be on the line?"

Zhang Zhengyang looked at her, his eyes carried an amused glint. "My life has always been on the line. I don't want to become a hungry ghost. Besides, wasn't it Grand Tutor that told me to eat?"

Zhao Xing couldn't refute what he said. But she was still a bit restless. It wasn't like they were going to live here forever. They would leave soon, and if they did leave they had to worry about the Fourth Prince's men, or whoever might be plotting against the Crown Prince.

"What are your plans then?" She asked.

Zhang Zhengyang looked at her then smiled, "You only just came back, won't you rest?"

Zhao Xing rolled her eyes, she's been resting the whole day, ok?

"I've rested enough."

Zhao Xing thought for a bit and turned to him, "Zhang Zhengyang, why don't I go with you when you go out tomorrow, I promise to act obediently."

Her request made him pose his gestures, his eyes turned to meet hers, "No."

It was a direct disapproval.

Zhao Xing frowned. She knew it would be inappropriate to take some unknown person out, with the officials watching.

Right now she only had the identity of a lowly scholar the Crown Prince took along…

"Eh, Zhang Zhengyang, even if I'm seen as a scholar, doesn't it mean I can go out and have a look? Instead of staying here all the time. Maybe I could get to see something that stimulates a vision to appear?"

"No, it's too dangerous. The supervisor already has his eyes on you, and some of the officials are already secretly questioning your appearance, among themselves. The time you had disappeared, I told them you went to visit a sick relative. They were still suspicious. Acting obedient isn't enough for you to go out this time." He paused and played with the cup full of water. "If you were to give yourself away when you're with me, I won't be able to protect you."

Zhao Xing frowned. It was all her fault for being stupid. If she could be like the heroines in those dramas then it would have been easier for her, she would be able to help the Prince.

If he died, then her mission would fail, then she would never have her life back to normal. Actually, she enjoyed being in this strange world, meeting new people, experiencing new things. But the she had her life to live. She couldn't stay here forever. These days she wasn't able to return to her world. She had some fears deep down. It might be because she had to take care of the Crown Prince throughout this journey, but what if she got trapped and couldn't return home? What would she do?

She missed her family and friends. She had never once complained about her normal life, living with her Mother and little brother. Going to school every day, meeting her friends and having lots of fun with them.

She even made a new friend, but she found out she couldn't remember his name. Her heart sank when she realized this.

She sighed once again.

Zhang Zhengyang saw her dejected look and felt helpless. "Don't worry, I won't die easily."

Zhao Xing looked at the clueless man in front of her, and sighed again. She felt tired suddenly.

"When you're done you go sleep, don't stay up late." She said as she stood up.

Zhang Zhengyang: "…"

"It's hard to raise you." She really felt like she'd been given the impossible job of raising this prince, but she had neither the brains, the power nor money to do so. She had nothing.

"Zhao Xing? Are you going to sleep?" The Crown Prince asked in disbelief.

"Talking to you burns me out, of course I have to go sleep. Do you even know what time it is." She walked away.

Zhang Zhengyang watched her back speechlessly as she went behind the screen. In his entire life he had never been treated as such.

The rest of Zhao Xing's days were spent idling, she didn't forget to get permission from Zhang Zhengyang to get whatever she wanted, all she had to do was to send one of the prince's people. Some lived around the mayor's house, some were the shadow guards that protected the prince at all times. Everything was prepared so she didn't need to go out. Zhao Xing didn't waste time, and asked one of them to get her herds she needed to concoct the medicine.

The prince had asked her what she needed such medicinal herbs for, but she just gave him a random excuse that she wanted to do some research, he did get suspicious but he let her have her way, to her surprise. Well it should be expected since she had to stay locked in as if she was under house arrest. She had already prepared as many arguments as she could to counter anything he might say about it, but he didn't ask many questions.

Because she didn't do much during her stay, it made Zhao Xing became more and more anxious, she had tried so many times yet she couldn't see any vision, like she did the time they were in the capital. How was she going to protect the Crown Prince like she said she would, if she couldn't see anything?

While staying at the Mayor's house, to pass time she'd play with the kids, or help the madam, that is despite her declining multiple times. There weren't maids in the house like in the Prince's Manor, it was the Mayor's wife that did the housework. She couldn't help much though, because she was currently a 'Man' there wasn't much that was appropriate for her to do, it made her feel a bit guilty, but what could she do? They soon got to know each other a bit more, the Mayor's wife wasn't the talkative type which was quite rare, at least for Zhao Xing. The madam was two decades older than her, but her three children were still little so she could only speculate that she had given birth at a later age. The Mayor, it was hard to see him every day. Though she slept early she didn't wake up that early, the man would be gone before she realized it, along with the Crown Prince.