Chapter 150: Offering One's "Body"
Ever since that day he'd had improper relations with Sun Jiaojiao, Xiao Wu had been guiltily fulfilling his duties as a Dark Guard, avoiding Sun Jiaojiao at all costs, determined not to cross paths with her.
Who knew Sun Jiaojiao would send her maidservant to summon him. He couldn't hide, so he could only brace himself and go to her room to report.
Just thinking about that day when Sun Jiaojiao, wearing that strange, revealing scrap of cloth, seduced him, made Xiao Wu blush uncontrollably.
"I heard you used to be a scholar?"
"Replying to Young Miss, yes."
"Why did you stop studying and sell yourself to the Minister's Residence to be a guard?"
"My family was poor, and we really couldn't afford the travel expenses." Xiao Wu hadn't expected Sun Jiaojiao to ask about this and couldn't help but feel a little afraid.
Xiao Wu wasn't originally named Xiao Wu; he was called Liu Tan.
Originally, as a weak scholar who knew no martial arts, he had never thought of becoming a guard. But his father fell ill, and he had no money for medicine. A well-connected relative gave him an idea, saying that the Minister's Residence was buying guards and paying well. In any case, the residence had so many guards, he could blend in, get some money, and buy medicine to save his father's life.
Xiao Wu had no skill for earning money and was desperate for medicine, so he agreed.
But he never expected that after he sold himself, before he even had a chance to send the silver home, his father passed away.
Xiao Wu clutched the few taels of silver from selling himself, cried, and kowtowed at the bedside for an entire night. The silver for medicine became silver for a coffin.
From then on, the poor scholar Liu Tan no longer existed. There was only the Dark Guard Xiao Wu.
After selling himself, his dream of studying and taking the exams was buried. Only every year, when the new Number One Scholar paraded past the Minister's Residence, would he watch from afar with envy.
He never thought this dream would be brought up again by the Young Miss.
Sun Jiaojiao asked casually, "That's quite a pity... Speaking of which, if you were given a chance to continue your studies and take the exams, would you still do it?"
Xiao Wu was stunned, not knowing what Sun Jiaojiao meant.
A scholar does not lie. He nodded and said, "I would!"
Sun Jiaojiao, remembering how the Eighth Prince had been thwarted by Xiao Wu, was in a great mood. "Look at you, you don't even know martial arts. Not only can you not protect me, but you're also wasting the residence's food..."
Before she had even finished speaking, Xiao Wu dropped to his knees in fright.
Xiao Wu thought she was going to punish him.
"Young Miss... I have been learning martial arts..."
"With those skinny arms of yours, they might not even be as thick as mine. What kind of skill could you learn? If an assassin really came, I might have to protect you." Sun Jiaojiao lamented. "I hear you're also a man who loves to study. This Young Miss is in a good mood today. How about I release you to go back to your studies and take the exams?"
Xiao Wu froze.
Not punishing him? But releasing him to take the exams?
"Is Young Miss being serious?"
"As serious as a needle." Sun Jiaojiao called for Yu'er. "Yu'er, go ask the steward where Xiao Wu's deed of sale is. Find it and bring it to me. Also, give him fifty taels of silver. Consider it travel money from the residence."
Yu'er acknowledged and went out to find the steward for the deed of sale.
Ever since his father passed away, Xiao Wu had not shed a single tear, because a man does not cry easily.
But Sun Jiaojiao's words made Xiao Wu want to cry.
He knew the Young Miss was truly kind-hearted, willing to let him go back to study and take the exams.
He kowtowed heavily on the ground three times, his clean, fair forehead almost turning red from the impact. Then he raised his head solemnly and, in his usual mosquito-like, soft voice, said word by word: "Xiao Wu has no way to repay Young Miss's great kindness. I can only... only offer my body in gratitude. I hope Young Miss will not disdain it."
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