Chapter 52
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In this era, it was not uncommon for nobility to keep male companions, and the big boss’ recent actions did startle Han Jiao.
However, Han Jiao should have seen it coming.
Regarding Xie Duo, this fearsome big boss, what “intimate” intentions could he have possibly had?
Just like taking full responsibility when caught ghostwriting homework to mitigate the guilt, or playfully saying “give me your hand” in the study room to intimidate him for fun, or going after kidnappers all alone just out of competitiveness.
So how could he misinterpret Xie Duo’s recent actions…
He was guilty, and he reflected.
But for some unclear reason, when he was “hugged across space,” Han Jiao, deep inside, seemed to feel a strange sense of pleasure.
This unexplainable pleasure was wrapped in layers of surprise and fear, yet it was sharp and impossible to avoid, making it difficult for him to dismiss.
He was quite annoyed!
He couldn’t tell if he was annoyed at his own misunderstanding or at the big boss’ mischievousness.
“Your Highness, why tie the purse around my neck!” Han Jiao glared at Xie Duo.
“Right under your nose, it’s safer.” Xie Duo, in a rare act of goodwill, assisted the less fortunate in safeguarding their belongings.
“But having a purse hanging in front of my chest makes me look silly.”
“You should consider the deeper reasons for why you appear silly.”
Han Jiao glared at the big boss and walked away.
The purse hanging in front swayed as he walked, making him even angrier!
Seeing the little child prodigy quicken his pace and walk ahead silently, Xie Duo caught up in a few steps. “Why are you not speaking anymore?”
“Your Highness, what would you like me to say?”
“Tell me what these stalls are selling.”
Han Jiao dragged his feet, briskly passing each stall, pointing lazily, “Sugar-coated chestnuts, malt candy, plum cakes, dumplings, cheap jewelry…”
Xie Duo, following closely, asked, “Your explanation earlier was different.”
Han Jiao found a reason to retaliate, “I can’t remember how I explained it earlier. The purse on my neck is too heavy!”
Sensing that the little child prodigy might be in a bad mood, Xie Duo asked, “Why are you walking so fast? Are you making it difficult for this Prince to keep up?”
“I’m clearing a path for Your Highness.”
Despite the big boss’ repeated orders to slow down, Han Jiao continued to walk briskly, planning to rush through the crossroads and leave the big boss trailing behind, hoping for a small victory.
“Han Xiaobai!”
The big boss finally stopped Han Jiao with a warning tone in his voice, bringing back his calm.
Han Jiao turned around and glared at the “slower” big boss.
Only then did he notice that the big boss had been left behind by a considerable distance. He was surrounded by a group of young women, each holding marriage divination sticks, excitedly following along.
Perhaps they had lingered too long at the marriage divination stall, catching the attention of the young ladies. The big boss’ “ideal husband” appearance led the ladies to think their divination sticks had worked.
While this era was relatively open for women, basic etiquette regarding physical contact between men and women still existed. Surrounded by a group of young ladies, Xie Duo couldn’t easily push them away. He watched in frustration as the figure of the little child prodigy almost disappeared into the crowd.
Seeing the anxious expression on the big boss’ face, Han Jiao smiled with satisfaction and approached to help.
A horse-drawn cart passed behind them, not very fast, but it stirred up a gust of wind, lifting Han Jiao’s wide sleeves.
As the carriage passed by, a protruding nail at the edge caught Han Jiao’s cuff!
Xie Duo was still struggling within the crowd when, unexpectedly, he saw the little child prodigy raise his arm and suddenly start chasing a carriage!
Han Jiao actually dared to leave behind the number one cuju master of Great Chu!
Xie Duo instantly abandoned the royal decorum passed down through generations. Without hesitation, he pushed aside the girls blocking his path, took a quick step, and was about to express his anger when he saw the little child prodigy grab the cart’s railing and shout to the driver in fear, “Stop the cart! Quickly stop!”
The driver turned at the sound and, about to rein in the horses, suddenly heard someone on the side yell, “Don’t block the way!”
Another carriage was rushing towards them!
A cracking of a whip, and the horses panicked, suddenly galloping!
Han Jiao’s caught sleeve was yanked forward abruptly, and he stumbled ahead—
A long sword unsheathed with a sharp clang, followed by a “snip” as it sliced through the wide sleeve caught on the nail. He was lifted around the waist and fell into strong arms from behind.
Still trembling, he panted heavily.
The person behind him still had his arm firmly around his waist. Han Jiao looked down at his own arm. It was just a bit of sleeve missing, still wearable.
“Did you really take me for a bodyguard?”
From behind, there came the big boss’ displeased voice.
Suddenly realizing that he was encircled by the big boss’ arm, Han Jiao grumbled in annoyance, “Every time I meet Your Highness, I seem to have bad luck.”
“Sounds like you’re blaming me,” Xie Duo dangerously questioned.
“That’s not what I meant,” Han Jiao reminded, “Could Your Highness please let go first?”
“If I let go, can you stand on your own?” Xie Duo pinched Han Jiao’s side, and sneered, “As soft as cotton.”
Han Jiao immediately struggled to turn around, raising his arm angrily, flexing his biceps, “I mainly trained my arm strength!”
“Young Master is quite skillful!” came the praise from the surrounding girls.
Han Jiao felt a moment of joy and turned in the direction of the voice, finding a girl speaking with a face full of admiration, looking at Xie Duo.
Witnessing the thrilling moment of rescuing someone, the girls gathered around. Some cheerfully suggested, “It’s turning a bad situation into good luck, a good sign! The two Young Masters should get a fortune stick too!”
“We don’t really…”
“Yes! Come and get a fortune stick to thank the gods!”
“Get one, maybe Young Master’s fate is right here!” The girls blushed and giggled.
The two of them were surrounded as they walked back to the fortune teller’s stall.
The girls enthusiastically urged the two distinguished young masters to draw a fortune stick.
Xie Duo remained expressionless, unmoved, while Han Jiao was a bit more pliable and, not long after, gave in to the girls’ requests. He sat down and drew a fortune stick.
The fortune stick read: “When Wenqu fades, Ziwei takes its place. Longing seeps, as they meet face to face.”
[T/N: Wenqu is the star that represents literature while Ziwei is the star associated with emperors]
Han Jiao asked for an explanation, but the fortune teller requested that he toss a bamboo board, stating that the interpretation depended on the divination.
“Do we need to pay extra for that?” Han Jiao asked a practical question.
The fortune teller smiled and shook his head, making a welcoming gesture.
Han Jiao obediently tossed the board and asked the fortune teller to interpret.
The fortune teller, upon seeing the divination and reviewing Han Jiao’s fortune stick, frowned slightly and displayed a surprised expression. He stroked his beard and muttered, “Strange, the best fortune stick encountering a terribly ominous divination. This is the first time I’ve seen such a thing.”
Han Jiao wasn’t particularly superstitious, so when he heard “terribly ominous,” he didn’t panic or urgently request some charlatan’s remedy. He casually asked, “What does that mean?”
“Judging from your fortune, Young Master, if you enter a career, you’ll gain the Emperor’s favor and receive titles and high positions. Your future is immeasurable!”
“Thank you for the kind words,” Han Jiao was pleased to hear and decided to give the fortune teller a bit more tip.
The fortune teller quickly added, “But I haven’t finished. Young Master’s excellent fortune stick, combined with the divination, appears quite ominous, and the future…”
“I don’t want to hear the bad part,” Han Jiao promptly interrupted the fortune teller, taking out a few coins from his purse hanging on his chest and handing them over. “Let’s just say I only drew an excellent fortune stick.”
Xie Duo stood nearby, looking down at the little child prodigy and said, “Timid. If you lack courage, just pay him to help you dispel bad omens. No need to deceive yourself.”
Han Jiao shot a discreet glare at the silver-tongued big boss and asked the charlatan, “How much to dispel the ominous divination?”
The fortune teller smiled with satisfaction. “Just half a coin is enough.”
Han Jiao stood up and said, “Then, next time. My money isn’t enough right now.”
With a loud “thud,” a piece of official silver was placed on the table by a slender hand. Xie Duo stared at the fortune teller and ordered, “Help him change the ominous divination into a favorable one.”
Han Jiao estimated it was two taels of silver.
What a crime!
The lazy Great Chu Prince being swindled by a fake fortune teller on the street!
“No need!” Han Jiao quickly reached for the silver, but the fortune teller snatched it away first.
“I’ll do my best, ha, I’ll do my best!” The old fortune teller rocked the silver in his hands, joyfully thanking Xie Duo with a nod. However, as he examined Xie Duo’s appearance more closely, his eyes squinted in a smile, and suddenly a look of horror crossed his face.
He hastily stood up, rubbed his eyes, and stared intently at Xie Duo. His lips moved, as if he were muttering some incantation in a low voice. After finishing, he shivered all over, unexpectedly picked up the piece of silver and returned it to Xie Duo, trembling as he said, “This humble monk has no ability to alter one’s destiny. The divination, changing one’s fate, depends solely on one’s own fortune. Please, take back the offering, kind Master!”
The onlookers were all stunned, witnessing the old fortune teller return the silver he had just received.
Han Jiao was now even more unhappy. Wasn’t this just an attempt to scare people?
Xie Duo was also perplexed. He didn’t believe this wandering mystic could really predict anyone’s fortune. He gave this money to ease the nerves of the timid child prodigy.
Yet this fortune teller proved to be rather tactless. He not only returned the silver but also said such unsettling words, potentially causing anxiety in the little child prodigy.
“Why suddenly lose this ability? You agreed to it earlier.” Xie Duo refused to take back the silver and frowned as he commanded, “Fine, use half the fee to change the divination, and the rest is a reward. You needn’t look into it.”
The fortune teller shivered and went around the stall, kneeling before Xie Duo. “Please, kind Master, take back the offering! Take it back! This humble monk lacks the ability to defy destiny. This Young Master’s fate is extremely valuable yet extremely ominous, and altering it can only rely on his own efforts!”
“Forget it,” Han Jiao took the silver back from the fortune teller’s hand and laughed. “If you won’t alter my fate, I’ll go find a cheaper fortune teller later.”
The fortune teller, as if granted a reprieve, turned to Han Jiao and prostrated, “Kind Master, I’m indebted for your life-saving grace!”
Han Jiao pulled Xie Duo and rushed out of the crowd.
They finally shook off the crowd as they turned the corner onto a street.
Han Jiao chuckled and stuffed the piece of silver he held into his purse hanging on his chest.
Suddenly, the big boss cleared his throat twice, reminding him that the silver’s rightful owner was right beside him.
“Your Highness, this money was for changing my fortune,” Han Jiao explained seriously, justifying why he had kept the silver all to himself. “Since the fortune teller couldn’t do it, I can do it myself, so the silver should rightfully belong to me.”
Xie Duo tilted his head and observed him. “You’re not afraid of what he said?”
“Well, yes,” Han Jiao dangled the silver in his hand, “but…”
He struggled to find the right words and sneakily glanced at the big boss.
“But the joy of getting two taels of silver conquers your fear?”
Master Han, exposed and feeling guilty, looked at the big boss.
A moment of silence.
Suddenly, Xie Duo let out a playful smile, revealing his two sharp tiger teeth.
Han Jiao couldn’t help but smile too. He glared at the big boss with a mix of amusement and annoyance.
Xie Duo suddenly suppressed his smile and, after a while, decided to give the little child prodigy another chance for honesty.
“Han Jiao.”
“Yes?”
“Did my Sixth Brother really kick you out?”
Han Jiao’s smile froze at the corners of his mouth, and he looked at Xie Duo with suspicion.
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“The person behind him still had his arm firmly around his waist. Han Jiao looked down at his own arm. It was just a bit of sleeve missing, still wearable.”
His sleeve is cut ¬‿¬