Fearing that her battered body would hurt even more if it got wet, Xi Xizhi clung to her little nest, refusing to leave no matter how much An Honghan pulled her away.
An Honghan's good temper completely vanished. His eyes flashed with coldness as he warned, "If you don't let go, I'll throw you and Xiaowo out together."
These were no jokes. Overwhelmed by the imposing aura emanating from An Honghan, Xi Xizhi shrank back and shrank her head.
She had a deep-seated grudge against the Empress Dowager, and without An Honghan as her backer, her fate was predictable. Moreover, An Honghan was her 'bread and butter,' and if she angered him, she would surely starve to death in a foreign land before she could even protect herself.
After thinking it over for a while, Xi Xizhi blinked and slowly released her grip on Xiaowo's hand.
A moment of patience brings calm; a step back opens up a vast horizon. Xi Xizhi gritted her teeth and jumped out of her small room. It's just a bath, right? At worst, her wound will just get infected from getting wet.
An Honghan's anger finally subsided a bit. He picked up the little sable's round, chubby body and said, "If you live under the same roof as me, you must follow my rules."
The rule An Honghan referred to was that one must bathe daily. He could not tolerate anything dirty, so Panlong Palace was exceptionally clean; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as spotless.
"Chirp chirp..." I understand.
Xi Xizhi tilted her head and nestled in An Honghan's arms. She hadn't intentionally avoided showering; she was just afraid of the scars all over her body…
The palace maids helped An Honghan undress, removing his clothes one by one.
Xi Xizhi ran to the edge of the bathtub, stretched out one front paw, and dipped it into the warm water to test the temperature. It was a bit hot; if poured on her wound, it would be like adding fuel to the fire. Her body trembled as she took two steps back, and Xi Xizhi began to shrink back again.
An Honghan walked over completely naked, not giving the little ferret a chance to back out, grabbed it, and walked into the bathing pool together. The warm, soft pool water surged in, squeezing the bodies of the two who had just entered the water.
The moment the little ferret touched the water, its body trembled violently. The hot water stung its burning wounds, causing Xi Xi's teeth to chatter in pain. She broke free from An Honghan's large hand, clung to his arm, and climbed onto An Honghan's shoulder in a few steps, where she sat and breathed heavily.
"Chirp chirp..." The little ferret cried pitifully, sticking out its tongue and licking its wet fur.
An Honghan was startled and flustered by the little sable's violent reaction. His deep, intelligent gaze shifted to the little sable on his right shoulder, where patches of bluish-purple were visible beneath its wet fur. If An Honghan still didn't understand what had happened, then he was unworthy of being the ruler of a nation.
Standing up from the pool, An Honghan exuded a chilling aura, like a biting wind blowing in the dead of winter.
Unexpectedly, An Honghan suddenly stood up, causing Xi Xizhi to sway. She managed to keep from falling by tightly gripping An Honghan's shoulders with her two chubby paws.
The little ferret lay face down, its two front paws resting on An Honghan's chest, its two hind legs on An Honghan's back, and its belly pressed against his shoulder. This position perfectly showcased An Honghan's naked, flawless physique.
A surge of blood rushed to her head, and Xi Xizhi, fearing she would embarrass herself and get a nosebleed, quickly covered her eyes with her hands. No wonder sages throughout the ages have said, "Do not look at what is improper, do not listen to what is improper"—truly a truth summarized by our ancestors. If she looked any longer, she couldn't guarantee where her wicked claws would reach.
"Why don't you say?" A deep, magnetic voice sounded in Xi Xizhi's ear.
Xi Xizhi was so engrossed in his voice that she couldn't come back to her senses for a long time. When she finally understood what An Honghan had said, she was first taken aback, and then slowly lowered her head.
Without summoning any palace maids to serve him, An Honghan placed the little sable on the white jade floor, picked up the robe that had been prepared beforehand, and dressed as if no one else was around.
He brushed his wet, black hair behind him. After straightening his clothes, An Honghan turned his gaze to the little sable again: "Who raised you?"
It was such a simple question, yet Xi Xizhi couldn't figure out what An Honghan was up to. She raised her little paw, pointed at An Honghan, and chirped twice… "You."
"Since you belong to me, is there any part of your body that doesn't belong to me?" An Honghan picked up the little sable, held it in his arms, and carefully parted its fur. Its once delicate skin was now covered in grime.
An Honghan's face was gloomy, his eyes as deep as a still pool. "Do you really think that I will let you be bullied by others?"
Xi Xizhi had a thousand words in her heart, but she couldn't utter a single one. She lay flat on her back in An Honghan's arms, quietly resting there.
That person is your birth mother. Even if she is bullied, what can you do? Are you really going to commit such a heinous act as to cause trouble for the Empress Dowager? Xi Xizhi thought that was impossible.
Annoyed by the little sable's listless behavior, An Honghan turned and walked towards the outer hall. As soon as he went out, he ordered the eunuch, "Go and summon that old veterinarian to me."
Seeing His Majesty so angry, the eunuchs and palace maids lowered their heads meekly and dared not breathe.
An Honghan used a handkerchief to wipe the ferret's fur, being extremely careful not to touch its wounds.
Seeing An Honghan's serious expression and actions, Xi Xizhi's azure eyes welled up with tears. Besides her master, only An Honghan treated her the best. Meeting this 'kind' man in a foreign land was truly the greatest honor of her life. At this moment, Xi Xizhi had long forgotten how An Honghan had teased her earlier, first scheming for its meat, and then for its fur.
"If you are bullied next time, just tell me, and I will get revenge for you." A ruthless glint flashed in An Honghan's eyes.
Xi Xizhi stuck out her tender red tongue and licked An Honghan's finger, her tongue rolling over his calloused fingertip.
An Honghan had originally intended to scare the audacious little ferret again, but seeing the ferret's moved eyes, he stopped himself. Sometimes, doing things that touch its heart is more effective at winning it over. This principle is similar to political maneuvering; at a certain stage, you have to give those treacherous lackeys some sweet treats to make them willingly risk their lives for you.
Upon hearing the summons, the veterinarian rushed over with the eunuch.
As soon as they stepped into the Panlong Hall, the old veterinarian's voice rang out, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
He adored the Phoenix Cloud Sable, and from the moment he stepped into the Panlong Palace, his gaze searched for the little sable. Finally, he spotted the adorable chubby creature on An Honghan's lap. But his eyes also fell upon the little sable's body covered in bruises, and he exclaimed in shock, "How did you get these injuries?"
Having practiced medicine for many years, he could see through such a scar with his keen eyes; it was clearly done intentionally.
The Phoenix Cloud Sable was just an immature cub; who could be so cruel? The old man first glanced at An Honghan, after all, this emperor had a reputation for cruelty.
An Honghan gave a cold smile. "Doctor Xu believes it was me who did it?"
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