spoiled brat

Chapter 155, Section 154: The Frost's Startling Touch (Part Four)

The wooden barrel bobbed up and down in the waves. The attendant threw out a hook and pulled it ashore. The lid was lifted, and the water poured out, and the oblivious person inside rolled out.

Why bother using the scabbard to lift his head? Seeing him clearly in the moonlight, she was stunned: "How could it be this idiot?"

Xie Xiaoqing was deathly pale, his face was swollen and bruised, and blood was still seeping from the wound on the back of his head. It was clear that he had been murdered by a villain.

Why suppress the water in Xie Xiaoqing's chest? He checked Xie's breathing; it was extremely weak. He frowned and said, "This fool is on the verge of death. Even a god couldn't save him. Perhaps..."

Xiu Yi gave him a cold look, said nothing, and cut off a piece of his robe to cover the wound on the back of Xie Xiaoqing's head: "Take it back."

-

With solid ground beneath him, Xie Xiaoqing shoved spoonful after spoonful of bitter soup into his mouth, swallowing it in a daze.

The person feeding him the medicine was impatient, banging the porcelain spoon against his front teeth as if they had a grudge against him and were taking the opportunity to torment him.

Xie Xiaoqing tremblingly opened his eyelids and met a handsome but fierce-looking face, his mind suddenly clearing.

Why put down the medicine bowl? "It's good, you've been saved." Though he said this, there was no joy in his tone.

Xie Xiaoqing recognized him; he was the notorious vicious dog under the young master's command. His cold attitude was exactly like his master's, and his words and actions exuded a condescending air.

"You..." Xie Xiaoqing's head ached. He raised his hand to touch it, and found a bulging wad of cloth wrapped around his head, with a piece of fabric hanging in front of his eyes. Judging from the texture and pattern, it was Xiuyi style. He was stunned for a moment: "...Your young master saved me?"

He Bi rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "You're lucky to have met my kind-hearted master." With that, he tossed over a set of clean clothes: "Change into these."

Xie Xiaoqing was dizzy and his hands and feet were somewhat unresponsive. He frowned, quickly put on his clothes, and pulled him out of bed: "Get out of here, don't get in my way."

He didn't like him, and Xie Xiaoqing seemed to know why. He slowly moved a few steps away, then turned back and said, "...Your master saved me, so I should at least thank him in person."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "If you really have any gratitude, you don't need to say it in person. Just do something for my master."

"What's the matter?"

"From now on, never see my Zhaozhao again."

The two of them still had to take revenge together, but Xie Xiaoqing shook his head: "That won't work."

He Bi scoffed, "Fine, then let's try something else—from now on, don't drag her into the inn every few days and let her stay in the room for hours."

"Although Zhao Zhao'er is an unmarried girl, her status is far higher than yours. If others know about this, they will not laugh at her for being unrestrained. Instead, they will say that you are deliberately flattering her in order to curry favor with the royal family."

Xie Xiaoqing's ears burned red, both ashamed and embarrassed: "It's fine if you look down on me, but don't belittle her! It's true that we always meet at the inn, but it's not as sordid as you think!"

Why bother raising your hand to poke Xie Xiaoqing in the heart, forcing him to retreat step by step? "What's in the side room? There's a bed in the side room! Why don't you go ask around on the street, what innocent couple would meet in a place like that? If you stubbornly admit it, I'll respect you as a man. Who would have thought you'd be so cowardly? Zhao Zhao'er is truly blind to have fallen for you!"

Xie Xiaoqing stopped in his tracks, no longer backing down, and met He Bi's aggressive gaze: "Then who wouldn't be considered blind if they took a fancy to someone? Your master?"

To He Bi, these words were undoubtedly a blatant provocation.

He watched with his own eyes how Xiu Yi took Zhao Zhao in, taught her archery and reading, provided her with fine clothes and food, and raised her like a rich young lady; he also watched with his own eyes how Zhao Zhao's personality changed drastically after arriving in the capital, and how she inexplicably got involved with this poor fool.

The pig has stolen his cabbage, and the pig is even squealing with smug satisfaction. He tightened his sleeves, laughing through gritted teeth, "You brat, you son of a bitch—"

When Xiu Yi reached the threshold, the room erupted in chaos. He Bi straddled Xie Xiaoqing, pinning his hands behind his back, and said fiercely, "If you dare to see Zhao Zhao again, I'll slap you!"

Xie Xiaoqing died twice in one night, and was not afraid of his threats at all. She retorted defiantly, "I will see her! If you have the guts, slap me now, and I'll crawl to see her!" Xiu Yi watched coldly and knocked on the door with his finger.

Deng.

He suddenly looked up, then abruptly dropped Xie Xiaoqing, like a child who had done something wrong: "Master..."

"go out."

The door closed, making the room a little darker.

Xie Xiaoqing stared at the spotless boots in front of him, gritted his teeth and tried to get up, but his head was dizzy and his limbs were weak. He thrashed about on the ground like a crab that couldn't turn over.

In the end, Xiu Yi bent down and carried him to the bed.

"...Thank you for saving me." When he said this, Xie Xiaoqing did not dare to look Xiu Yi in the eye—he hated the subtle arrogance in Xiu Yi's expression, but he had to admit that Xiu Yi's words and actions were worthy of his noble status.

"Don't worry about it," Xiu Yi said.

Xie Xiaoqing surveyed the room's furnishings; they were simple and elegant, like those of a prince's residence: "Miss Yuan, she..."

“This is not the Princess’s residence,” Xiu Yi said calmly. “You narrowly escaped death when you left the water; it is not appropriate to bring you back so she can see you.”

Xie Xiaoqing's heart skipped a beat; he was afraid.

Fearing that Zhaozhao would worry and be sad for him, he kept the matter of his drowning and near-death experience a secret.

He Bi is right. With such a brilliant person as a benchmark, if Zhao Zhao were to fall for him, she would truly be blind.

"Young Master Xie," Xiu Yi said, looking at the injury on his head, "who have you offended?"

"I..." Xie Xiaoqing clenched his sleeves, suppressing the urge to tell the whole story.

He asked Zhao Zhao why she didn't inform Xiu Ning, Xiu Yi, or Minister Jiang about Li Qingwen's actions and ask them to take charge.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Zhao said: "The Prince of Ning's Mansion and Minister Jiang are close friends and are inseparable allies. I am just an outsider of unknown origin and have no solid evidence. If I confess rashly, I will not only fail to gain any help, but it will also seem like I am framing someone, which will undoubtedly cut off my path to power."

"I've offended those eunuchs," Xie Xiaoqing said with a wry smile.

Xiu Yi roughly knew about the task that Minister Jiang had assigned to Xie and Li: "Really?"

“Really?” Xie Xiaoqing still felt lingering fear when he recalled being tricked that day. The few days he had been unconscious after falling into the water were enough for Li Qingwen to pull off many stunts.

He should go back immediately and keep a close eye on Li Qingwen, but he was also a little afraid that if he was careless again, he would be killed silently by Li Qingwen.

Xiu Yi seemed to be able to hear his thoughts and said calmly, "Young Master Xie, how about this, I'll escort you back to the martial arts arena in the north of the city, as a way of showing you respect. From now on, when you travel outside, just say you're my close friend. Although I may not be as high as the heavens, those below me will always have some restraint and won't be too presumptuous."

Xie Xiaoqing looked up in a daze: "Young Master..."

The light and shadow shifted, giving the person in front of me a sense of detachment; even though they were close at hand, they seemed to dissipate like a thin mist.

Xie Xiaoqing always thought he was aloof and indifferent to everything, but she never expected him to be so considerate, even taking care of his beloved's "lover".

"If you want to thank me," Xiu Yi pondered for a moment, then lowered his thin eyelids, "you should advise her to smoke less tobacco."