Chapter 136
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Regardless of who was the mastermind behind the scenes, the issue with the blessing practitioner must be resolved first.
This blessing practitioner was loyal to Consort Xi, but unfortunately lacked intelligence. She betrayed Xue Yao because a ministry official frightened her, claiming that someone suspected Consort Xi of influencing the Emperor.
If Xue Yao admitted to the crime of influencing the late Emperor to establish Prince Ning, the masterminds behind it must be Consort Xi and Prince Ning. Otherwise, why would he, a mere attendant, go through such trouble?
So even if the blame was placed on him, Consort Xi and Prince Ning could not escape involvement.
He explained these reasons to the blessing practitioner.
There were various speculations about why the late Emperor chose to establish Prince Ning. No one could provide a definite answer, but this decision unquestionably originated from the late Emperor’s own intentions, not influenced by others. It must not be coerced or manipulated by those with ulterior motives.
Only if it was the late Emperor’s intention could Prince Ning rightfully inherit the throne.
The blessing practitioner nodded repeatedly, expressing her understanding. She then knelt down, admitting her own confusion, and pleaded for Xue Yao’s forgiveness.
Xue Yao helped her up and explained that, to ensure a smooth ascension for Lu Qian, they would temporarily have the Crown Prince arrange for guards to protect her temple. Without permission, unauthorized individuals would not be allowed in, preventing any exploitation by officials.
Though this measure sounded somewhat like confinement, it would only be for a few months. Xue Yao believed it would be more acceptable to Consort Xi, and the blessing practitioner naturally agreed.
After finishing his tasks, he went to the study to find the cub.
Because he entered the palace early, Xue Yao waited at the study door for a moment before hearing the announcement that Prince Ning had arrived outside.
Usually at this time, Xue Yao would be holding a milk pot, eagerly waiting for the cub to enter. But today was different. In the previous moment, he was preoccupied with the blessing practitioner’s situation, and in this moment, his mind automatically replayed last night’s kiss.
Before Lu Qian entered, Xue Yao pondered: Could he peacefully coexist after rejecting Long Aotian’s confession?
The moment Lu Qian entered, Xue Yao quickly tidied his clothes and hair. Then, with an elegant turn of his head, he casually looked towards his cub.
Xue Yao in his own eyes: A composed and poised charismatic man.
Lu Qian’s perception of the little reader-in-waiting: A panda.
“What happened to your eyes?” Lu Qian asked the reader-in-waiting with dark circles.
“What happened? What’s wrong with my eyes?” Xue Yao, who cared about his appearance more than usual, nervously touched his eyes. Turning to one of His Highness’ maids, he requested a bronze mirror. Upon seeing his reflection, he discovered that his dark circles seemed as heavy as smoky eye makeup.
“Didn’t sleep well last night.” Xue Yao was quite dissatisfied with his current appearance, but he pretended to be indifferent. He looked at Lu Qian with his panda eyes and said, “It’s alright, a nap at noon will fix it.”
“Didn’t sleep well,” Lu Qian tilted his head, assessing the little reader-in-waiting. “Feeling guilty for rejecting Your Highness?”
“No.”
“There’s still time to change your mind.”
“No regrets,” Xue Yao, with resolute panda eyes, affirmed, “Didn’t we agree to act like nothing happened?”
Lu Qian nodded. “You can treat it like nothing happened.”
“And what about Your Highness?”
“What happened happened.”
“This will make me feel guilty.”
“Then change your mind.” Lu Qian’s smirk was mischievous.
“……” Xue Yao sensed something amiss.
This mischievous brat had no intention of letting him off, but he didn’t want him to resist too strongly, so he didn’t push too hard.
“We agreed on it last night.” Xue Yao frowned. “If Your Highness wants me to change my mind, then I’ll have to bid farewell.”
“Bid farewell?”
“Yes.”
Lu Qian puzzled. “Do you need Your Highness’ permission to bid farewell?”
Xue Yao thought about it and realized he was right. “…Yes.”
Lu Qian smirked. “Yaoyao thinks Your Highness would permit it?”
“……” Yaoyao felt that His Highness’ naturally aloof personality was becoming more apparent. “Your Highness wouldn’t force someone against their will.”
At that moment, Lu Xiao arrived.
As soon as he stepped into the study, Lu Qian and Xue Yao ceased their conversation, turning to look at him simultaneously.
Lu Xiao’s face turned pale. Why were Seventh Brother and A’Yao glaring at him?
Could it be that his dine-and-dash misdeeds had become known throughout the capital?
Lu Qian furrowed his brows warily, noticing the suspiciously matching dark circles under Sixth Brother’s eyes and the little reader-in-waiting’s eyes. He then looked back and forth between their dark circles.
“What were you two up to last night?” Lu Qian suspiciously interrogated the two pandas.
“Nothing at all,” Lu Xiao and Xue Yao chorused, but both seemed quite uneasy.
Lu Qian’s gaze sharpened.
Remembering the events from last night, Xue Yao turned to the warm baby and apologized, “Sorry, Your Highness, oh no, A… A’Xiao. I got separated from you last night, so I went back to the mansion.”
Lu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his devilish deeds hadn’t been exposed yet. “No problem, I went back to the palace directly.”
“A—Xiao—?” Hearing the new name the little reader-in-waiting used for Sixth Brother, Lu Qian’s expression looked as if he had consumed thirty bowls of tofu personally prepared by the Sword Saint and was struggling on the edge between vomiting and death.
“I suggested A’Yao call me that.” The warm baby, whose misdeeds weren’t exposed, immediately regained his vitality. He reveled in Seventh Brother’s jealous gaze, couldn’t help but smirk, and proudly approached Seventh Brother. “Doesn’t it sound pleasing? A’Xiao, A’Yao, and the Little Silly Seventh Brother.”
【Warning: Lu Qian’s acid level is 79, exceeding 100 may lead to a bleeding event. Host, please be cautious.】
“You’re joking again, hahaha!” Xue Yao sprinted to stand between the rebellious brat and the warm baby!
Lu Qian dangerously lowered his head to question the little reader-in-waiting, “Little Silly Seventh Brother?”
Sixth Brother and Silly Yaoyao secretly disdained His Highness to such an extent!
“Of course not!” Xue Yao earnestly reassured, “Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent, far from being silly.”
The warm baby, without giving any face, laughed. “The lecturer is coming. Sit, A’Yao.”
“Certainly, Your Highness,” Xue Yao replied perfunctorily, then turned to continue pacifying the rebellious brat.
After Lu Xiao took his seat, he reminded A’Yao, “You should say, ‘Certainly, A’Xiao.'”
【Warning: Lu Qian’s acid level is 83. Host, please take preventive measures promptly.】
Xue Yao quickly pulled Lu Qian, sat a bit away from the warm baby, and changed the subject by opening a book. “Which passage should we read today?”
“A’Xiao, A’Yao.” Lu Qian’s eyes was icy. “Why can they form a word?” [xiao(逍/to wander) + yao(遥/far) = free/unrestrained]
“Just a coincidence!”
“Your grandpa wants coincidence.”
“Then should Your Highness be called A’Qian?”
Lu Qian pondered — this title didn’t match Yaoyao at all.
【Warning: Lu Qian’s acid level is 84.】
“What would Your Highness like to be called?” Xue Yao, sweating, tried using Lu Qian’s courtesy name, suggesting, “How about A’Yuan? It sounds pleasant too.”
The scoundrel Long Aotian, with the surname Lu, given name Qian, courtesy name Li Yuan, meaning “hidden dragon in the abyss, soaring into the ninth heaven,” perfectly suited Long Aotian’s demeanor. However, it had no connection with Yaoyao’s name, and thus, the acid level remained high.
The warm baby continued to add fuel to the fire from the back table, “How about calling Seventh Brother A’Li? Leaving Yaoyao far away.” [li(离) : depart/leave]
【Warning: Lu Qian’s acid level is 91.】
“Please stop!” Xue Yao turned to prevent the warm baby from adding insult to injury.
In the past, Lu Xiao would have surely relented, but the current Lu Xiao, a devil in the making, not only didn’t want to relent but also wanted to tease Seventh Brother further.
Thankfully, the teacher arrived just in time, calling a ceasefire between the two brothers.
There must be something wrong with the warm baby, Xue Yao thought. This kid’s rebellious phase came too late!
How did he suddenly become so mischievous? He used to be very fond of his seventh brother.
He must get to the bottom of this.
Before the lunch break, Xue Yao asked to talk with the warm baby.
“Your Highness, what’s been going on with you lately?”
“Call me A’Xiao.”
“The Seventh Prince doesn’t like that title.”
“But I do. In this world, is A’Yao still under Seventh Brother’s control? Do even my titles have to conform to his wishes?”
“It’s not…” Xue Yao frowned. “Why do I feel like you’ve been deliberately at odds with your younger brother lately?”
“Do you want to know why?” Lu Xiao’s expression turned serious.
“Of course.”
“Then you have to promise me,” Lu Xiao said, “Regardless of the reason, you can’t hate me or avoid me because of it.”
“I won’t hate you. No one could hate you. You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.”
Lu Xiao was momentarily stunned, his gaze darkening. “Not anymore.”
“Why?”
“I’m a sinner.” Lu Xiao dined and dashed last night, turning an innocent man into a beggar.
“Why say that?”
“No matter why.” Lu Xiao looked at him. “Can you accept the unkind side of me?”
“That depends on how unkind it is.” Xue Yao suspiciously stared at the warm baby. “If you keep intentionally teasing the Seventh Prince like this…”
“I’m not teasing him!” Lu Xiao frowned. “He’s bullying me. He wants to take everything away!”
Xue Yao’s eyes widened. “Take away what?”
His cub had just eaten a bit more during lunch. It was not like he devoured both of the chicken legs!
Lu Xiao looked aggrieved. “He wants to take you away.”
You are everything in my lonely life.
“Me?”
Lu Xiao nodded. “A’Yao, when I said Seventh Brother was ‘misbehaving’ that day, it was because he told me he wanted to marry you.”
Xue Yao’s eyes widened but quickly regained composure. He laughed. “I heard the Seventh Prince once married a rabbit.”
“He’s serious.” Lu Xiao looked at Xue Yao seriously. “I won’t let him marry you. You’re mine.”
“Good friend,” Xue Yao instinctively added to Lu Xiao’s words.
“Not a friend. I like you, A’Yao. I don’t want to get married, and it’s because of you. Having you accompany me for a lifetime is enough. I don’t want anyone else.”
Xue Yao had turned into stone.
What on earth kind of messed-up life was this?
A prince confessing every day?
Did he receive some Mary Sue script?
“Your Highness…” Xue Yao stared blankly at the warm baby.
“A’Xiao.” Lu Xiao insisted he change the way he addressed him.
Xue Yao looked desperate. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be that kind of feeling to be lifelong companions. We’re just…”
The door was suddenly pushed open!
“Yaoyao?”
Seeing that it was Lu Qian who had come, worried about his acid level exploding, Xue Yao quickly went up and smiled, “Your Highness, take a break. You still have sword practice in the afternoon.”
“How long do you want to rest?” Gu Qingyuan’s lazy voice came from outside the door. “Someone will be here watching you rest.”
Xue Yao was stunned and peeked outside, “Hero Gu is here? Wasn’t it supposed to be at the end of the month? Why…”
Behind them, there was a loud “bang”!
Xue Yao and Lu Qian simultaneously turned their heads to look inside —
The warm baby was gone.
Xue Yao searched around and found the warm baby hiding under the Eight Immortals table, clutching his head.
“What are you doing?” Xue Yao, puzzled, walked over when he saw the warm baby’s pale face.
Lu Xiao was so frightened that he waved his hands, urging them to leave and quickly shut the door!
The “wronged protagonist” seeking revenge in the palace, and the big villain Lu Xiao instantly hid under the table.
“Come out, Big Brother.” Lu Qian didn’t forget Sixth Brother’s misdeeds of dragging the little reader-in-waiting into a private meeting. He stared coldly at Sixth Brother under the table. “Let’s have a man-to-man duel.”
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