In the afternoon, it was time for self-study again. Zhou Fu studied the bamboo slips seriously. He sorted through the pile of bamboo slips, then picked up a new one to read and annotate. When he was done, he turned his head and saw that Zhao Gao was staring blankly out the window. He asked, "Why do you look so preoccupied today?"

Zhao Gao snapped out of his daze. When he saw the concerned look on the young man's face, he relaxed slightly. "Your Highness, you can see through it but don't say it out loud."

Zhou Fu tilted his head. "Can't I say that I care about you?

There are only the two of us here. "

Zhao Gao turned around and smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. This servant is fine."

Zhou Fu nodded. "Alright. If you have something to say, just tell me. Maybe I can help you."

Zhao Gao nodded. He still maintained a relaxed smile on his face.

However, Zhou Fu felt that Zhao Gao was not relaxed. He looked at him suspiciously. If Zhao Gao did not say anything, then he simply ignored him and continued to study the bamboo slips.

After a long time, Zhao Gao said faintly, "Your Highness, the Second Prince's men came looking for me."

"The Second Prince?" Zhou Fu thought for a moment. He suddenly realized. "Oh, it's the good man who gave me the first place!"

The emotions that Zhao Gao had just been brewing were like a punctured balloon. They flew away with a whoosh. He said helplessly, "Your Highness, you think that the Second Prince is a good man?"

Zhou Fu nodded. "He seemed to be quite against me in the past. However, he didn't have any ill intentions towards me after that."

"Then does Your Highness know that Sishui is now the Second Prince's man?" Zhao Gao asked.

Zhou Fu shook his head. "I don't know about that. Did Sishui look for you?"

"Sishui said that the Second Prince can help me find the real culprit who framed my father," Zhao Gao said honestly. He didn't have to hide anything. If there was anyone in Zhouwang Palace that he could trust, it would be the Fifth Imperial Prince and perhaps his dog.

"You don't believe what she said." Zhou Fu said with certainty.

"Yes." Zhao Gao's face was cold. "I don't trust any of them."

"Why don't you agree on the surface and see what they want?"

Zhou Fu suggested, "I can't extend my reach beyond the palace yet. Sishui, let's keep this person for now and see if there are any new side quests."

Zhao Gao was surprised. "Your Highness, you don't mind if I contact the Second Prince?"

"I know you like me a lot. You won't change sides." Zhou Fu smiled. "Go ahead and see if you can get more information.

Be careful. If you have any problems, come to me. "

Zhao Gao saw that the Fifth Imperial Prince not only didn't raise his guard but also encouraged him to contact the Second Prince. He was speechless but also touched. The Fifth Imperial Prince was really careless. How could this silly child trust others so easily? It was better for him to worry more. Otherwise, he wouldn't even know if he was betrayed.

After that, Zhao Gao took the initiative to contact the Sishui, causing the Sishui to think that Zhao Gao had already surrendered to the Second Prince. He gradually began to despise him and revealed some information to him. For example, the Second Prince was going to make a move on the First Prince during the next month's hunting event.

Zhao Gao didn't care about the matters of the previous dynasty. With his current status, knowing more might not be a good thing.

Then, the Sishui gave him a bag of powder and asked him to pass it to an imperial guard patrolling the Fifth Imperial Prince's palace.

Zhao Gao asked Zhou Fu, "Do you want to do it?

If you do, can you bear the consequences? "

"Of course." Zhou Fu said matter-of-factly. Who knew where he got his confidence from?

Of course, he wouldn't tell him that he was still under the novice protection period. Zhao Gao could only guess that Zhou Fu's confidence came from somewhere else. For example, Emperor Zhou.

Zhao Gao did as he was told without batting an eyelid. Gradually, he figured out the spies that the Second Prince had planted around the Fifth Imperial Prince.

However, he realized that it didn't seem to be of any use.

This was because the Fifth Imperial Prince's men didn't have a bottom line. Zhao Gao felt that it was very strange. Even the way he looked at Zhou Fu was a little strange.

Zhou Fu's animal instincts sent him a signal. He raised his head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Zhao Gao lowered his head. He felt that he was being too sensitive. The naive and innocent boy was still the same naive and innocent boy. There was nothing strange about him.

Zhou Fu looked at him a few more times. He noticed that the words above Zhao Gao's head had become lighter. He didn't know what this meant. He tilted his head and remembered these changes.

The next day, the Eldest Prince fell from his horse in the hunting grounds. The horse was found to have been drugged. This implicated a group of people. The trail stopped at the guard who handed out the poison. Emperor Zhou was furious. He removed a wave of the Second Prince's men. For a time, the prison was filled with people.

"Your Highness, the following arrangements are in place." The strategist reported to the Second Prince in a low voice. The Second Prince lost men, but he was laughing in his manor. This was because the Eldest Prince's death meant that the position of Crown Prince was definitely his.

As for the other princes, he had his own ways to deal with them.

A few days later, Zhao Gao received the news that the guard who brought the poison had been executed. His back immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He hurriedly found Zhou Fu to tell him.

After that, Emperor Zhou's men followed the guard's trail to Zhao Gao. Jing Shichang changed his usual carefree attitude and solemnly asked Zhao Gao to leave. After all, they knew each other. He was still kind to Zhou Fu.

"You …" Jing Shichang wanted to say something, but stopped. He didn't understand why Zhao Gao wanted to leave when he was staying by the Fifth Imperial Prince's side.

The Second Prince's muddy waters could easily cause the Emperor to misunderstand. After all, there were already people in the court who wanted to make the Fifth Imperial Prince the Crown Prince.

That person was the late Empress' brother and the Fifth Imperial Prince's uncle. He used to be a very low-key general. He held military and political power, but he was always careful. Now that the Eldest Prince was in trouble, he couldn't help but make a move.

"You guys go. Wait for my news." Zhou Fu waved his hand, indicating for Zhao Gao to relax.

After they left, Zhou Fu tidied himself up and patted his cheeks. He planned to meet Emperor Zhou.

He had many questions in his heart. For example, he had been to many places without any obstructions. He had even been to the South Palace. Although it had something to do with the talent that Nana gave him, Zhou Fu could feel that Emperor Zhou was deliberately avoiding him. Why was he avoiding him?

Also, Emperor Zhou's attitude towards him was very vague. Zhou Fu didn't want to wait. He still hadn't learned the skill of beating around the bush. He might as well go straight to the South Palace.

This time, Emperor Zhou's Imperial Maid of Honor was waiting in front of the South Palace. She respectfully bowed to Zhou Fu and said, "His Majesty is inside. Your Highness, please enter."

Finally, he was no longer avoiding him.

Zhou Fu's heart relaxed a bit. He nodded to the maid and pushed open the palace door.

Walking into the palace, he saw Emperor Zhou's imposing figure standing with his back to him. After the palace door closed, Emperor Zhou sighed and turned around.

"You're here."

How should he describe the impression that Emperor Zhou gave him?

Was it the calm, reserved, and majestic aura of an Emperor? Or was it his handsome and unparalleled appearance?

Or was it his complicated and difficult to distinguish thoughts and deep emotions?

What was he feeling guilty about?

What was he looking at through him?

Zhou Fu didn't understand. He felt that Emperor Zhou's gaze directly penetrated his body and looked into his soul.

Zhou Fu looked up at Emperor Zhou's face, which was exactly the same as his face when he grew up. He sighed in his heart, "He's really tall. I'll be as tall as him in the future!"

"You're here because of Zhao Gao, right?" Emperor Zhou reached out his hand and rubbed Zhou Fu's head. The affection he showed made Zhou Fu feel wronged.

Zhou Fu tilted his head. He didn't know what he was feeling wronged about. Could it be that he missed Nana?

"Zhao Gao is my man. You can't take him away," Zhou Fu said to the Emperor.

"Do you know that he's a sharp blade? He hurts others and himself, and he'll bite back at his master?" Emperor Zhou said calmly.

"He won't hurt me," Zhou Fu said with certainty. "I won't let him hurt me either."

"He will betray you. He has already betrayed you." Emperor Zhou looked straight into Zhou Fu's eyes and said seriously, "Even so, you still want to protect him?"