Chapter 49: The Peeping Tom in the Corner
Xiao Er hesitated for a long time before finally lowering his head and admitting his mistake. "Young Miss, I've caused you trouble."
Ordinarily, he would never bow his head. But for Sun Jiaojiao, he could.
For her, he would do anything.
Sun Jiaojiao didn't want to leave the Minister's Residence, so he would stay here and guard her. Sun Jiaojiao was willing to marry the Crown Prince, so he would silently guard her from behind.
He was born for her, and he would die for her.
"You... you're such a blockhead. You don't know how to be flexible at all." Sun Jiaojiao saw that he knew his mistake and wasn't being stubborn, so she relaxed. "As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. Why did you have to go head-to-head with His Highness the Crown Prince? He is a noble prince, such an arrogant person. How could he accept being defied?"
Sun Jiaojiao lectured him for a long time. Xiao Er didn't find it annoying at all. He only felt that Sun Jiaojiao was concerned about him, that she cared about him. His heart felt warm, and he smiled slightly and nodded forcefully.
"Mmm!"
After His Highness the Crown Prince left, Minister Sun returned to discuss important matters with Sun Jiaojiao.
Since the father and daughter had things to say, Xiao Er quietly withdrew. He returned to the guards' quarters, but who knew that as soon as he entered, Xiao Yi would lock the door and stare at him coldly.
"Leader..." Xiao Er didn't know what he meant.
"How does it feel to get your head back?"
"That was you just now?" Xiao Er immediately realized that the person His Highness the Crown Prince had failed to hit in the corner... was Xiao Yi. He couldn't help but frown.
He had gone to eavesdrop outside the main hall because he was afraid something would happen to Sun Jiaojiao. But why had Xiao Yi gone to eavesdrop?
"Hmph! I just finished teaching you not to forget our status, and you, boy, go and risk your life to listen at the master's wall. I see you're really tired of living!"
Xiao Er listened to the lecture without defending himself, just standing straight, letting Xiao Yi say whatever he wanted.
Xiao Yi was their leader. Don't be fooled by his cold, merciless face and his strictness. He actually cared a lot about them. One time, the housekeeper miscalculated Xiao Er's and Xiao San's monthly allowance. It was a small matter of about ten wen. Xiao Er and Xiao San couldn't be bothered to argue about it. But Xiao Yi, unafraid of offending people, went to argue with the housekeeper and got every last bit of their allowance back.
All the guards deeply respected Xiao Yi, and Xiao Er was no exception.
"What's with that expression? You don't care?" Seeing him silent, Xiao Yi became even angrier, and his words became more direct. "Don't think I don't know what kind of disgraceful thing you and the Young Miss did. The Young Miss of the Minister's Residence... is she someone you can covet? Even if she weren't the Young Miss of the Minister's Residence, just an ordinary girl, you should still understand etiquette and shame, sullying the body of an unmarried maiden."
Xiao Yi was exasperated.
He had always had a very upright moral compass. Ever since that night when he vaguely stumbled upon the 'thing' between Xiao Er and the Young Miss, he had been very angry. He was angry at Xiao Er's lack of self-awareness and self-respect. He blamed himself, feeling it was his own fault for not being strict enough in his daily discipline.
The reason he had flown out to listen at the wall just now was because after Xiao Er left, the more he thought about it in the guards' quarters, the more something felt wrong. He was afraid Xiao Er would do something impulsive in front of the Crown Prince, so he had chased after him. It was just... the timing was bad. He'd run right into the Crown Prince wanting to kill Xiao Er. Not only had he failed to protect Xiao Er, he'd almost gotten himself killed. The moment that golden 'seed' was thrown, Xiao Yi understood one thing—his own martial arts, compared to His Highness the Crown Prince's, were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
He had dodged back, anxiously trying to think of a way to save Xiao Er, when, as luck would have it, Xiao Er returned, having escaped death.
Xiao Yi was especially angry at Xiao Er, and for good reason.
He couldn't understand why Xiao Er was so muddled, willing to risk his life for a woman he couldn't even covet.
He had to look out for the lives of the good brothers he had trained.
"Leader, I know I was wrong." Xiao Er sighed. He understood Xiao Yi's good intentions. It was just... the matter of 'love'... who could avoid being muddled once they were caught in it?
To ask him to stay away from the Young Miss just to save his own skin... he couldn't do it.
"As long as you know." Xiao Yi warned him angrily. "That matter of yours... heaven knows, earth knows... you absolutely must not let anyone else find out, understand? If it leaks, your little life... will truly be forfeit!"
Xiao Er verbally agreed, but the moment he turned around, he went and dutifully told Sun Jiaojiao that Xiao Yi knew about their "affair."
Get instant access to all chapters now.
Post a Comment