spoiled brat

Chapter 143, Section 142: The Sun Flame (Part Two)

Darkness enveloped the surroundings once more, the night so thick it was impossible to dispel.

Zhao Zhao had already heard footsteps behind her, and needless to say, the person they were looking for was definitely not a good one.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword. As the footsteps grew closer, she swiftly drew her blade, its edge reflecting the moonlight like a cold pool, and stopped at Xie Xiaoqing's neck with a sharp killing intent.

He never expected that the crippled Zhao Zhao would suddenly draw her sword, and he was so frightened that he took two steps back. When Zhao Zhao saw that it was him, she frowned and said, "What are you doing here?"

This idiot didn't say anything, making her nervous for nothing.

Xie Xiaoqing gestured for Zhaozhao to sheathe her sword first, and said with a wry smile, "I..."

How should I put it?

She didn't want to be seen in her disheveled state. Xie Xiaoqing had originally planned to leave, thinking it wouldn't hurt to talk about it the next morning. But it wasn't good for her, a young woman, to walk alone at night, so Xie Xiaoqing wanted to follow behind and protect her.

Looking back now, it was completely unnecessary. The other person was very fierce, so there was no need for him to protect them.

“That beast won’t give up.” Xie Xiaoqing decided to get down to business. “He sent a message to Wu Jiu, telling him about your past, trying to use someone else to do his dirty work.”

"Understood." Zhao Zhao sheathed her sword, unsurprised. "You may leave."

Xie Xiaoqing knew he should leave, but for some inexplicable reason, he followed after him and said presumptuously, "...It's too dangerous for you to walk alone, I'll take you back."

"trouble."

Zhao Zhao disliked his servile attitude, his tendency to grope her unintentionally, but instead of telling her to get lost, she remained silent for a while and then said softly:
“I used to have a friend who was always worried about me being alone… Actually, I’m much stronger than him, but he always thought of me as weak. He was so silly.”

Xie Xiaoqing thought to himself, "He's not stupid. He's afraid you'll run into trouble, and he wants to be the first to step forward and protect you."
"Then why isn't he here right now?"

This sounds strange, like it's meant to sow discord: "If we were truly friends, we should offer to carry you in a sedan chair or prepare a fine horse to take you home comfortably."

Zhao Zhao retorted sarcastically, "If you know so much, why didn't you arrange for a sedan chair and horses to escort me?"

Xie Xiaoqing blushed and stammered out three words: "I have no money."

"That sounds familiar."

"……what?"

"Some poor men, upon entering a brothel, unable to pay but still wanting to please women, would use flowery words and empty promises to coax them into bed—"

She doesn't shy away from her background, speaking about it casually.

Xie Xiaoqing couldn't stand it anymore and exclaimed, "It's not like all men in the world live for that thing. I may not have money, but I have other things."

It was a dark and windy night. He reached into his pocket and fumbled around for a while. After a while, he pulled out a small object and shoved it into Zhao Zhao's hand with a snap.

Zhao Zhao weighed it in her hand; it felt like a heavy piece of gold, wrapped in thick cloth, which was rather strange.

She tore open a crack, and the object burst forth with a sharp, dazzling light—it was the largest luminous pearl!
"...Thank you for saving me so many times." Xie Xiaoqing stared intently at the shoe. "The beads are for you."

Zhao Zhao tightened the cloth bandage, puzzled, and asked, "How did you get it?"

Xie Xiaoqing honestly confessed: "After you went out to chase after the person, I explained the princess's military strategy to her. Before long, His Highness the Crown Prince, Minister Jiang, and the young master arrived and tested the princess on the questions she had raised again."

"Seeing everyone rushing to answer, I also got up and gave my own answer, saying that the enemy country had an honest and upright government and a well-organized military system. My colleagues scolded me for boosting the morale of others and diminishing our own, saying that I must be a spy and a traitor, and that I should get out of the official school as soon as possible."

“If even the truth can’t be spoken, what’s the point of having anyone answer? I’m telling the truth, but everyone loves to hear how stupid, incompetent, and absurd the enemy is! If it were really as they think, would our two countries have been locked in a stalemate for twenty years? I…”

Zhao Zhao didn't care about any of that and interrupted, "Get to the point: how did this bead end up in your hands?"

"Amidst the chorus of curses, someone on the high seat clapped softly and said in a low voice that it was a reward, and the bead ended up in my hands."

Zhao Zhao asked, "Did you see clearly who spoke?"

"He is a young man, but I can't tell if he is the Crown Prince or the Heir Apparent."

Xie Xiaoqing tried hard to recall, and once again sighed inwardly at how handsome that person was. "When class ended, he stopped in front of me, glanced at me with his eyes down, and his gaze was very strange..."

Zhao Zhao tossed the bead back: "Keep it, I can't afford this."

Having said that, he strode forward, intentionally leaving Xie Xiaoqing behind.

Xie Xiaoqing was stunned. Why did his expression suddenly change? He chased after her, humbly supporting himself with his hand, almost begging Zhaozhao to accept it: "I don't buy houses or land, so taking this thing is useless to me. You said that beast earlier—" He suddenly fell silent.

Not far away, there was a large banyan tree. The pale moonlight was shattered by the branches and leaves, sprinkling like snowflakes onto the person under the tree.

The man stood tall and elegant against the wind, slender and graceful. Xie Xiaoqing froze; this was none other than Xiu Yi, who had been admiring the pearl.

As luck would have it, there was also a jet-black horse beside Xiu Yi, clearly there to pick up Zhao Zhao.

No wonder she wouldn't let him come along.

No wonder she didn't want it.

Xie Xiaoqing's hand, holding the beads, was still suspended in the air. He wanted to pull it back, but his ears and face were burning, and his hand wouldn't obey him.

He could only watch helplessly as Xiu Yi stepped forward, giving him a faint, indifferent look: "I thank you for your kindness on her behalf."

What kind of relationship do you need to so casually utter the word "substitute"?
"I..." Xie Xiaoqing felt even more ashamed, wishing he could disappear into the ground immediately. He shouldn't have followed him!
Seeing that he was stunned, Xiu Yi picked up the bead, held it slightly above Xie Xiaoqing's palm, and then suddenly released it.

This was, after all, a priceless item. When the bead fell into Xie Xiaoqing's palm, he instinctively held it with both hands, afraid of dropping it.

It's perfectly understandable for ordinary people to do this; it's about protecting and cherishing treasures.

Xie Xiaoqing found himself increasingly ridiculous. He frantically tried to catch something that someone else had dropped so easily, like a dog trying to catch a bone.

In addition, he was already shorter than Xiu Yi, and when he bent over to hold the pearl, he appeared even shorter.

Xiu Yi lowered his eyes and said calmly, "Thank you, young master. Farewell."

His words and actions weren't arrogant, but his aura was overwhelmingly superior to Xie Xiaoqing's. Before Xie Xiaoqing could even offer a farewell bow, he had already led his horse away with Zhaozhao.

Xie Xiaoqing remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the backs of the two people and the horse. The moonlight was cold, and the wind blowing from their direction carried the fragrance of flowers.

Perhaps the gust of wind woke Xie Xiaoqing up, and he suddenly realized why he had felt that the young master's gaze was strange—because he was not worthy of the young master's attention at all, and when the young master looked at him, he was not actually looking at anything.

Xie Xiaoqing lowered his head little by little, feeling indescribable frustration and defeat. He couldn't even say exactly where he was hurt... He just felt so sleepy and wanted to go back to his room for a good night's sleep.

He walked a few steps dejectedly, then suddenly stopped, a flash of clarity crossing his mind.

its not right.

...He never introduced himself, so how did Xiu Yi know that his surname was Xie?
The moonlight was bright, illuminating the stone path, and the horses' hooves made a clear, resonant sound as they trod across it.

Zhao Zhao's knees were really sore, and she was really tired after kneeling for half a day. They were still far from the princess's mansion, and she wanted to lie down on the horse and take a nap.

But some people couldn't stand to see her doing well, and said leisurely, "He's really generous to you. He can buy more than a dozen houses with pearls and just give them away. It's not easy for someone from a poor family to do this."

"Yes, I'm so touched." Zhao Zhao laughed. "If you hadn't suddenly appeared, I would have cried and offered myself to you." She changed the subject. "There are plenty of maids and guards in the manor. Why did you come to pick me up? I can't accept the honor of the young master personally leading the horse."

Xiu Yi held the broken willow branch and teased the horse's mouth intentionally or unintentionally, saying lightly, "I didn't want to come either, but I'm scared."

Zhao Zhao became interested and stared at the corner of his slightly upturned eyes. She hated this feature the most; he was too handsome and always tempted people to look at him greedily.

"Are you afraid?"

Xiu Yi said casually, "I'm afraid you'll complain to Xiu Ning, and I won't be able to explain it to her."

"That's pointless," Zhao Zhao scoffed. "Then how do you know his surname is Xie?"

"His strategy today was quite insightful. I just consider him a talented young man, so why bother to find out his name and habits?"

Xiu Yi didn't tell the truth: "Who would have thought that he would be the one destined for you?"

"He not only has a connection with me, but also with Minister Jiang."

Zhao Zhao smiled and briefly explained the past between Xie Xiaoqing and Minister Jiang, "His answer was good. Are you and the princess the only ones who appreciated it? Didn't Minister Jiang and His Highness the Crown Prince say anything?"

The tone was as if she were asking about her lover's future.

Xiu Yi replied indifferently, "Your Highness has not spoken, but Minister Jiang seems to be willing to promote me."

Zhao Zhao's eyelids twitched, and a plan came to mind—Li Qingwen rose rapidly in rank thanks to Minister Jiang's appreciation, but if someone were to share that favor with him, would he still be able to climb the ranks smoothly in the future?
Anyone can do something like cutting off someone's fuel supply.