She had him

"Of…of course…" Zhao Xing responded, but she just couldn't hide the fact that she was hiding something, because of how nervous she was, and Zhang Zhengyang saw right through her.

"Oh, here I thought Grand Tutor had been avoiding me."

"…"

How was she going to explain this? Zhang Zhengyang kept staring at her, he had on a small smile as if there was nothing that could pass those dark deep eyes of his. He stared for a long time, that Zhao Xing thought she would sink, and drown in those eyes.

It was only after a while that she remembered that she had forgotten to answer his question.

"I'm not…" her voice shrank.

Zhang Zhengyang nodded, but it was clear that he didn't believe her. "Before you used to lie without batting an eye, so much so that even if I didn't believe it I would be forced to because of how convincing you sounded, but today seems a little different."

Hearing him, Zhao Xing also felt that it wasn't like her to back out like this, it had clearly been the later's fault for playing tricks on her before, why was she the one being nervous and uncomfortable? Shouldn't she teach this kid how to behave?

After this self-encouraging words she stood up and pointed at him.

"Isn't because of what you did the other day! You played dirty tricks, saying you were proving to me that you and Xiao Qi weren't a thing, but you were clearly taking advantage of me!" Having said that she sat back down, and folded her hands looking annoyed.

Zhang Zhengyang's eyes widened, he looked a bit surprised, one couldn't tell if it was because of the way she spoke, or the things she had said.

But he suddenly broke into a smile, he really found it funny. She still remembered the things from that day, and that was what had been bothering her for the past few days.

Zhang Zhengyang chuckled, "That's what has been bothering Grand Tutor?"

Zhao Xing stared at him. This guy clearly had no shame! This world was certainly very different from hers. People weren't as conservative as she thought. Now she really had to worry about her safety.

"Zhang Zhengyang, is it funny?! The last time…" Discovering she had raised her voice, she looked around to make sure the servants weren't close enough to hear, and lowered her voice to continue.

"The last time, you were drunk, you entered my room!" Heaven knows how scared she had been that night, but since he didn't do anything weird, she no longer worried about it. But once is once, twice is something else, she mustn't allow a third time, or she wouldn't be safe anymore.

Zhang Zhengyang heard this, his expression changed, he looked like he was trying to recall "Did I?"

"…?" How can he not even remember? After the incident, none of them mentioned it, then, she had thought that he knew but wanted to keep it a secret, but now it seems it wasn't the case.

Zhao Xing sighed and calmed down. She felt this guy needed a proper lecture on decency, as well as self-consciousness and self-awareness.

"Zhang Zhengyang, if not for all the things you've done for me, help me when I'm sick, help me take medicine, and make sure I have enough of what to eat what to wear, a place to sleep, I would have called you indecent right to your face, but there's no need. Let me advise you, if you know you can't handle your liquor, don't ever drink in the future, as the Crown Prince, it would be bad if something were to happen to you while you're drunk.

You're a man with great ambition, make sure you don't let anything or anyone hinder you from getting what you want." She looked at the sky from where she sat. It was almost lunchtime. She then looked at the man that sat before her. He still had that small smile of his on as he stared at her. She rolled her eyes. Sometimes she really couldn't tell, between the two of them who was older.

"Don't worry, what happened the other day, I'll take it as if it never happened, besides, I'm no longer living with you, so…" Zhang Zhengyang often acted in strange ways she didn't understand, she wasn't going to bother trying to decipher what was going on in his mind. She just needed to play her part, and protect herself. Maybe, he wasn't a creep, if he was, the beautiful and alluring Xiao Qi should have been his first target. She worked under him, served and respected him wholeheartedly. But after analyzing things it was clear there was nothing going on between them….

She looked at the garden over the pond. "Thank you." She smiled as she nodded towards the scenery before her. She didn't know how he did it, but he did anyway, and had such beautiful arrangement made before she moved in.

"I'll surely miss Grand Tutor's presence in the Crown Prince's manor." This was the only thing he said after a long time of listening and not speaking.

This statement came out of nowhere, and it stunned Zhao Xing, but she grinned at him. "Of course, wherever I go, I'm wanted, when I leave, no one will forget me."

Zhang Zhengyang laughed at her words, then got up to leave.

Zhao Xing: "…"

"Eh! What about the thing you wanted to talk about?" He had clearly said he wanted to discuss with her, why was he leaving just like that?

"I came to clear some misunderstandings, just in case a certain person becomes willful and refuses to visit me when I ask for them." He had his hands behind his back as he slowly walked away.

Zhao Xing's eyes widened in shock. 'Wait…so he already knew?'

Zhao Xing got on her feet and was ready to scold him with a loud voice. If she didn't remember that they were no longer in the Crown Prince manor, she would have done just that.

"Zhang Zhengyang, just you wait!" She said in a hushed voice, as she waved her long sleeves.

"Ah." Zhang Zhengyang said as if recalling something. "Remember to be mindful of the people in your little home. Now that you're Noble Princess, things wouldn't be as simple as they once were."

There were already servants in the Noble Princess manor, unlike the Crown Prince's manor, they weren't people she could easily trust. In this country, things like these were given to the minister of rites to take care of, and the current minister of rites was on the fourth prince's side. The Crown Prince normally didn't have the right to meddle with affairs such as these. And so he could only send Nuo Nuo, Lan'er, Jiang Mama and Xiao Qi as her faithful companions. It wouldn't be too hard to eliminate any mole, but it won't be an easy task either. It all depends on whether Zhao Xing was capable enough. Anyway, for now, he didn't have to worry about it. His brother was too smart to try anything at the moment.

As a woman in this land, it would be hard to live normally without a backer, it was even harder in high society, even when one had a high rank. Among the nobles, no one stood alone, everyone secretly depended on someone else. Zhao Xing wasn't alone, she had him. He was going to protect her well. Besides, no one knew her true worth. So no one would really fight him for her, it's just that his brother was too cunning, he couldn't let his guard down.

"You mean all those servants aren't your people?" Zhao Xing asked with widened eyes.

"Not all, but I managed to sneak one here, let's see if you can guess who?" Zhang Zhengyang grinned at her. Although he always looked good when he smiled, it didn't make one feel good at all.

Zhao Xing pursed her lips in annoyance. Was it really time to have fun and play the guessing game?

"Take good care of yourself." With that the Crown Prince left.

Zhao Xing would have seen him off, well just for 'the sake of it', but Zhang ZHengyang asked her to rest since she was weary. How could Zhao Xing bother? She was more than pleased to do so. When had she ever cared about this man's face when she still lived in the Crown Prince manor?

Looks like she really had to do something about the people in her manor. Or else she'll have to live uncomfortably in her own place.