Chapter 1257: Rule 21 for Raising a Loyal Dog

Zhou Zihong still remembered the important matter, so he could only hastily agree to everything.

After the banquet started, the ladies were all escorted by Zhou Dage's wife to the Northern Garden to view the chrysanthemums, but the chrysanthemum garden actually had a different show to perform.

The dance girls filed in, and the string-and-bamboo music was pleasing to the ear.

Soon someone recognized them: these were all the famed dance girls of Wanling City's Wuyue Workshop, usually hard to see, so everyone spontaneously perked up to watch.

Jin Chen yawned, lifted his hand to block Yajiu's eyes, and said domineeringly, "What's there to look at?"

Originally his attention wasn't on the dance girls either; Yajiu held Jin Chen's finger and softly said, "Then master shouldn't look either."

Yajiu summoned his courage, moved Jin Chen's hand aside, lifted his gaze to meet his, his eyes glistening.

"After we go back, I'll perform a sword dance for you."

"Good, then you must wear such attire." Jin Chen immediately agreed, his handsome face smiling affectionately, "It's settled then."

"What…"

Yajiu finally looked properly at the dance girls' outfits, his face instantly flushed red, and he leaned back into Jin Chen's arms begging for mercy.

"Wearing such attire makes it inconvenient to wield a sword."

His voice was like a mosquito's buzz, he shook Jin Chen's finger, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Master bought so many new outfits; I'll wear those to perform a sword dance for master."

"No."

Jin Chen patted his back and softened his tone, "Good Little Nine, just obey."

Yajiu had always been unwilling to refuse Jin Chen's requests, even if… it was embarrassing.

He lowered his eyes, slowly nodded, trying to ignore the thundering beat of his chest like a drum.

"Then… alright."

Zhou Zihong couldn't stand seeing Jin Chen so content, and insisted on doing something to cause him trouble.

Raising his wine cup, Zhou Zihong called out to the seated Jin Chen: "Today we admire chrysanthemums; seeing Your Highness in high spirits, I suppose you also love this garden full of autumn chrysanthemums."

"I wonder if we might be fortunate enough to hear Your Highness compose a chrysanthemum‑admiring poem, so that everyone present does not make this trip in vain."

"How is the groundwork still not finished?"

Jin Chen was already tired from waiting.

He lifted his gaze, his tone Youyou: "You watch the dance, and let this Heir Apparent perform a poem?"

The young lords who were about to stir up trouble shook their wine‑cup wrists, unable to bear such a charge, and not one dared utter a word.

Zhou Zihong wasn't annoyed either, and added, "Yes, yes, Your Highness is right; it was my oversight."

He waved his hand, and immediately a dance girl twirled her slender waist, took tiny steps, and approached Jin Chen with a charming smile, saying, "Let me pour you wine."

Jin Chen was hit with a face full of perfume, instantly leaned back against the chair, and called, "Little Nine!"

Yajiu blocked the dance girl, his voice suddenly cold: "No one may approach the Heir Apparent; put the wine jug down."

His aura was too icy; the dance girl trembled in fear, yet made an "I understand" expression, saying, "Yes… then I'll switch to someone else."

Then, from the other side of the chrysanthemum garden, a red‑clad man beautiful as a demon walked over, holding a jade jug, his smile bewitching.

"He's the top flower young master of the Wuyue Workshop!" someone immediately recognized, and envy flared: "Only the Heir Apparent could have such fortune; nobody else does."

Jin Chen glanced at the flower young master, guessed the main show was about to begin, and even as Yajiu reached out to stop him, he said, "Let him pour the wine."

Yajiu blinked, lowered his blocking arm, and took a deep breath with downcast eyes.

What was he thinking? The master's interests are not something a single guard like him can influence.

Moreover, the master likes male beauty; this so‑called flower young master is indeed gorgeous, so it's… normal.

Thinking this way, Yajiu originally meant to convince himself not to feel anything, but he only grew more uneasy, the fingers at his side slightly curling.

But… the master had just said that in all of Wanling City, only he could catch his eye, right?

Yajiu lifted his gaze and saw the flower young master leaning beside the master, pouring wine.

The master's gaze, which usually rested only on him, also fell on the flower young master, accompanied by that familiar smile.

At one point Yajiu even felt like striking out and killing the flower young master, but the master would certainly not consent.

Yajiu's usually straight, slender waist slumped a bit, making him look flustered and uncomfortable.

Jin Chen was still checking whether that person was poisonous, while the vinegar of the little guard beside him kept bubbling up, impossible to ignore.

Just as he was about to drive the person away, a jug of wine suddenly drenched him.

He speechlessly pressed his lips, leaned back against the chair, and rolled his eyes.

As it turned out, they were performing this terrible play.

"Ah…" the flower young master exclaimed, tears instantly welling in his eyes as he bit his red lip, looking pitiful: "Your Highness the Heir Apparent, forgive me… I… I was just too nervous."

Saying that, he reached for a handkerchief to wipe Jin Chen's body.

"No way!" the wet part was his waist and abdomen.

Jin Chen hastily shifted back and snapped, "Impudent! Get lost!"

"Si…" the flower young master stared, horrified, at the blade pressed to his throat, unable to utter even half a syllable.

"Get lost."

Yajiu ruthlessly flung him aside, letting the flower young master fall to the ground face‑first.

The surrounding young lords showed sympathetic faces, but dared not step forward to comfort him, only watching Jin Chen nervously, fearing his wrath.

Yajiu squatted, drew a handkerchief from his sleeve, and gently wiped the wine from Jin Chen, his movements delicate and careful.

"And here, it really reeks."

Jin Chen did a complete about‑face from his earlier fury, even pointing at the spot still untouched and saying, "Next move, it's time for this Heir Apparent to change clothes."

Before Yajiu could even wonder, Zhou Zihong hurriedly said, "Your Highness, this flower young master was too careless; please go change into clean clothes right away—it's just in the rear courtyard."

Yajiu realized, knelt before Jin Chen and lifted his head: "There's an ambush."

Jin Chen rubbed his head, "Let's go meet him."

He still couldn't help complaining, "All these modern time‑travelers, and they haven't even updated their framing methods—how dull."

"Still not leading the way." Jin Chen glared at Zhou Zhihong, "Going to your banquet is truly ominous, and it's really irritating."

"Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness, please this way."

Whenever Zhou Zhihong thought that Jin Chen would soon be dead, he smiled in a fawning manner.

"Don't go, Brother Chen, it's obviously a trap—how could you still be fooled by this idiot?"

Zhou Zhihong tried to stop them, but he saw the keen interest in Jin Chen's eyes.

Before they played a prank, Jin Chen would always laugh like this.

Sure enough, Jin Chen gave him a look to follow, then strode toward the courtyard.

Zhou Zhihong turned to Xu Huaiyu and said, "Don't be scared, Little Jade, I'll be right back."

Even though he knew the guy couldn't hear anything, Zhou Zhihong still wanted to say something, then followed Jin Chen.

Xu Huaiyu knew his cousin had already prepared, glanced a few times, then continued drinking tea—until he suddenly felt a cool breeze brush past.

He lifted his head as if sensing something, but all he saw were leaves blown by the wind.