The once orderly groups in the courtyard were thrown into complete chaos by the earth-shaking noises, scattering like ants on a hot plate in astonishment and confusion.
Soon, they were scattered among piles of ruins, as if trapped in a maze. In the hazy dust that blotted out the sun, they were surrounded by high piles of rubble. Unless they moved the piles of broken bricks, they had no way out, giving them the illusion that they had encountered a ghost in broad daylight.
As for the servant boy in brown, he was focused on heading towards the woodshed in the backyard, and the loud noises drew his attention countless times.
At first, the loud noises repeatedly stopped him in his tracks, but gradually he realized something was wrong and hurried to the backyard. The loud noises behind him no longer made him stop or delay, but instead made him quicken his pace.
"Brother Crown Prince, that fierce uncle isn't stopping, and he's getting faster and faster!"
The little boy nestled in his older brother's arms, his little ears perked up, and in his sweet, childish voice, he reported the brown-clad servant's itinerary to him.
Huo Chengche listened, his expression remaining unchanged, and he gave an expected "hmm".
Xuan Di followed leisurely behind. Upon hearing this, his dark face brightened, and he whistled with schadenfreude, "Oh, so someone miscalculated? What are you going to do now? They won't fall for your trap."
Huo Chengche glanced at him and said indifferently, "Fifth Young Master is stupid, so don't drag me into it. I never intended to trap this person with the ruins, I just wanted to control the other people in the manor. One pair of eyes is enough, any more will only cause trouble and make things worse."
Xuan Di was taken aback, then a dark glint flashed in his eyes, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Does the Crown Prince want him to witness this, so he can pass on a message to his master?"
Huo Chengche tacitly smiled, his dark eyes filled with a deep smile, "If no one is watching, then all my efforts will have been in vain?"
The little boy couldn't understand the two men's babbling, so he simply listened intently to the gruff uncle's movements.
"That uncle is in the courtyard in front, and that scholar is there too! But the scholar seemed really scared when he saw the uncle; his breathing became short."
The little dumpling suddenly raised his head and pointed ahead.
Immediately afterwards, Lin Xiucai's terrified voice came from inside the house.
"What...what are you going to do! I...I'm a scholar who's on the official list! What do you want to do!"
Upon hearing this voice, Huo Chengche's relaxed smile suddenly turned sharp. He narrowed his deep eyes, scooped up the little boy, and, using his lightness skill, soared into the air.
Xuan Di, who was following closely behind, also heard the voice. His playful smile turned serious, his gaze sharpened, and he followed.
"Hmph, 'Master Scholar'? Hahaha..." The servant in brown laughed sarcastically, "With that title, you can only scare the village brutes in your little mountain village! In the capital, who would care whether a poor, pedantic scholar lives or dies?"
The brown-clad servant's words turned Lin Xiucai's face deathly pale. As he looked at the brown-clad servant who had drawn a sharp blade, his last hope vanished, and he collapsed to the ground, his body going limp.
The servant in brown, seeing Lin Xiucai's resigned expression, grinned maliciously. "Just be a good scholar. If you don't pass this year, you can try again in three years. Why did you have to be so nosy and meddlesome? Look, not only did you not get your degree back, you even lost your life. What was the point?"
"Go to hell!" The brown-clad servant was clearly anxious and unwilling to say more. As he approached, he immediately brandished a sharp blade, his face twisting into a ferocious expression, his eyes gleaming with a menacing light.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
