Chapter 106
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Xie Xiu didn’t answer his Sixth Brother’s question, but with an expectant look, he handed the armor model he had been holding in his hand to Prince Yan.
Prince Yan was very familiar with Xie Xiu’s expression at this moment.
It was the kind of look where the lips were tightly pursed, the corners of the mouth upturned, the eyes shining as they looked to the side, and the corner of the eye couldn’t help but observe Prince Yan’s reaction.
This was Xie Xiu’s expression of saying, “Big Brother, I’ve made something really cool, you better praise me quickly.”
Seven years ago, Prince Yan had to face Xie Xiu’s expression like this almost every three to five days.
Meeting again at this moment felt like a different lifetime.
Prince Yan lowered his head to look at the small object Xie Xiu handed him, then looked back at Xie Xiu with disbelief.
Indeed, it was the same expression from childhood.
Not a bit had changed.
Prince Yan had thought of many scenarios for another face-to-face conversation with Xie Xiu.
He thought that after he had eliminated all of the supporters of Prince Duan, he would mock and accuse Old Seventh coldly, listing his crimes as a victor.
Then he would watch Xie Xiu, who had nowhere else to turn, regret his past actions and cry, begging for forgiveness.
After that, Prince Yan planned to intentionally ignore his deeply wounded younger brother. He would wait for Xie Xiu to follow him just like in their childhood, seeking refuge. Only then would Prince Yan gradually forgive him bit by bit.
Besides that, Prince Yan absolutely wouldn’t interact with that jerk.
Any talk of peace or ceasefire was out of the question.
In fact, the moment he saw Xie Xiu sitting in the room, he should have immediately turned cold, slammed the door, and left.
Surprisingly, his legs didn’t obey, but just walked into the room.
Right after, his hand acted against his will, actually accepting the little trinket Old Seventh handed over.
Xie Guang truly wished he could chop off that useless left hand right now!
But since he had already accepted it, Xie Guang could only say with a stern face, “What kind of trick are you playing?”
“This is an armor, with three different forms.” Xie Xiu proudly restrained himself and began explaining his design.
While Xie Guang listened to his younger brother’s explanation, his hands were busy following Xie Xiu’s instructions to change the armor’s form. After fiddling with it, he was left utterly astonished.
After being dumbfounded for a good while, he raised his head and only then noticed Old Seventh giving him that look of expectation, silently seeking praise.
“This is really…” He almost blurted it out, but fortunately, the words “impressive” weren’t out yet. Xie Guang remembered that the guy in front of him was his mortal enemy, not the childhood follower, so he quickly shut his mouth.
“Hmph.” Xie Guang immediately adopted a cold expression and said, “I heard you’re now obsessed with herbal medicine and healing. Why are you tinkering with these mechanical gadgets again?”
“I heard you went off to fight in Luozhou,” Xie Xiu finally turned to face Sixth Brother and explained seriously, “I made you a set of armor models. I’ve sent them to the armory for production. You haven’t even returned from the battle, and it’s already on its way.”
Xie Guang furrowed his brow. “Now you’ve learned to taunt people?”
Xie Xiu smiled and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Xie Guang was uncertain again.
His silly little brother couldn’t understand jokes or make them when he was a child. Naturally, he couldn’t taunt either.
If his personality hadn’t changed, then that earlier statement should have just been the literal meaning, without any taunting about his return without fighting.
“What do you want?”
Xie Xiu didn’t understand why Sixth Brother was asking this question. He had just explained it.
Perhaps he hadn’t heard it clearly, so Xie Xiu repeated, “I made you a set of armor models.”
This time, it was Xie Guang who looked puzzled.
With a serious expression, he gazed at the expectant Xie Xiu and thought the whole situation over several times.
From Master Xiaobai’s visit to the mechanical hand and then Old Seventh’s “gift.”
Suddenly, Xie Guang clenched his fist, threw the armor model back at Xie Xiu, and turned away angrily. “I haven’t stooped to needing your pity! The Chieftain of Luozhou will become a ghost under my blade sooner or later. Put away your compassion, return to your mansion. There will come a day when we settle our accounts.”
Xie Xiu was taken aback by his words and quickly walked up to Sixth Brother, holding the model, and asked, “Are you still going to war?”
“Of course!” Xie Guang responded with anger!
Xie Xiu immediately looked disappointed, lowered his head to the armor in his hands. “Can we go to war in six months? The Weapons Bureau said it would take that long to finish this armor.”
“I don’t need you to make armor for me.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Xiu held up the armor model in his hand and began explaining once more, highlighting the offensive and defensive advantages of each form of the armor, emphasizing its superior defensive capabilities compared to regular cavalry armor from various angles.
Xie Guang firmly refused, “I know! But I don’t need it. Take it back!”
The smile at the corner of Xie Xiu’s mouth disappeared as he immediately started a new debate with Sixth Brother — why not choose armor with superior defense and agility.
Xie Guang was about to go crazy with his incessant chatter and finally shouted in frustration, “No means no! I don’t need your help!”
“You do need help.”
“I don’t!”
Xie Xiu warned seriously, “Lives are at stake in battle. You can’t be stubborn.”
Xie Guang looked fierce. “I can be as stubborn as I want. What do you care? Even if I die in battle, what does it have to do with you!”
Suddenly, Xie Xiu’s face turned pale. He fell into a brief silence, looking desperate as he replied, “I only have one Sixth Brother.”
In an instant, it felt as if a gust of wind had transported the two back to the past.
Xie Guang remembered the first time he rode a horse, and seven-year-old Xie Xiu had this desperate look, with a youthful voice, telling him, “You mustn’t get hurt. I only have one Sixth Brother.”
Coming back to his senses, Xie Guang opened his trembling mouth. After a long pause, he finally said, “What did you call me?”
Xie Xiu glared at him. “Sixth Brother, you’re not obedient.”
Xie Guang: “……”
Xie Xiu’s emotions were getting worse. He slowly lowered his head, beginning to repeat, “Sixth Brother, not obedient, Sixth Brother, not obedient, Sixth Brother, not obedient…”
“Alright, alright, I’ll wear it! I’ll wear it! I’ll wear the armor you made!” Xie Guang surrendered just before Old Seventh had a breakdown.
Xie Xiu lifted his head, and the curve of his upturned mouth was like a rainbow after the rain. His eyes sparkled as he gazed at Sixth Brother. He started swaying back and forth, like a roly-poly toy.
Xie Guang didn’t expect that after all these years, Old Seventh hadn’t changed a bit.
Watching his brother wobble, Xie Guang felt like all the pain of the past few days had been washed away by a flood. He felt unexpectedly cheerful and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
He suppressed his laughter, looked his brother up and down, and pretended to be stern. “You’re as skinny as a bamboo pole. If I’m not here to watch over you, you wouldn’t eat properly.”
Xie Xiu wobbled even more excitedly and handed the model to Sixth Brother.
Xie Guang no longer held back his happiness. With a big grin, he took the armor model and moved to the Eight Immortals’ table, where he started examining it.
Xie Xiu immediately brought a little stool, just like in their childhood, and sat next to Sixth Brother, waiting for praise.
Xie Guang, the more he looked, the more surprised he became. “You know what, this armor is really well thought out. You have no experience in combat, so how did you come up with these clever defensive tactics?”
Xie Xiu proudly replied, “Fourth and Fifth Brothers used to beat me up when you weren’t around. I have a lot of experience getting hit.”
Xie Guang shook his head. “You, kid, are truly a genius.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Xiu’s eyes lit up. He immediately leaned his head forward, seeking a comforting touch from Sixth Brother.
When praising his younger brother, Xie Xiu would use head-patting as a way to compliment Xie Duo, something he learned from Xie Guang during their childhood.
Nearly eight years later, once again seeing his naive little brother nuzzle his head into his lap, Xie Guang felt a sudden, inexplicable lump in his throat.
Although he hadn’t received an explanation yet, and no apologies had been made, the half-asleep Prince Yan couldn’t help but slowly, and solemnly, raise his hand to gently run his fingers through his little brother’s hair.
In the adjacent room, one of the four pairs of ears on the wall was missing because someone was busy wiping away tears.
“Why is Master Xiaobai crying?” Xie An was the first to notice the choked sobs beside him.
“Who’s crying!” Han Jiao quickly widened his bloodshot eyes and fiercely retorted, “I didn’t sleep well last night, my eyes are just a bit irritated!”
As he spoke, tears gushed out!
With a nervous expression, Xie An pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Master Xiaobai to wipe his tears.
Han Jiao took the handkerchief and vigorously rubbed his eyes. However, he couldn’t contain the intense emotions in his heart. His mind was filled with Xie Xiu’s words, “I only have one Sixth Brother!”
He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Guhhhhhh!”
With tears increasing as he wiped, the three princes lost interest in eavesdropping and surrounded Han Jiao with worried expressions.
Xie Duo, standing on the left, took out his own handkerchief and handed it to the little child prodigy, quietly commanding, “Use mine.”
Han Jiao, as if it were a precious treasure, quickly accepted the second handkerchief, wiped his nose, and obediently said thank you.
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Same Han Jiao, same I’m not crying 😭😭