After he finished speaking, he heard Mu Xiao report from outside the hall.
"Your Highness, the bath is ready."
"Understood." He Jinran stood up and instructed Mu Xiao to bring the bathwater to his bedroom.
Surprised, Mu Xiao did as instructed and was leaving when he happened to run into Mu Bai, who was carrying braised fish and some food to report back.
When Shijiu saw the braised fish in Mu Bai's hand, his whole body went limp, and the pain in his lips and teeth made his face turn pale.
He Jinran had absolutely no appetite when he saw the braised fish.
After a moment of surprise, Mu Bai brought in the food and then, at He Jinran's prompting, took his leave.
Throughout the entire process, Xuanming and Xuanying remained speechless.
However, at the same time, they became extremely vigilant.
Something unusual must be going on. They felt that their young master was up to some kind of trouble again.
Once only He Jinran and Nineteen remained in the room,
He Jinran looked at Nineteen and suddenly said,
"Since you are willing to be a slave, can you do it from beginning to end?"
"Your Highness, I am your servant, and that will never change!"
"Very well, from now on you will be one of my shadow guards, following me like a shadow, and able to deceive even the most discerning eye."
"A fake that's indistinguishable from the real thing?" Nineteen was stunned.
However, He Jinran didn't give him any time to ask questions.
"You're too dirty. Take a bath first, then have your meal."
If we don't wash it soon, the water will get cold.
Nineteen: "A bath?" This is even more dangerous than making him eat fish.
"Your Highness, you mustn't. I am of lowly status and would be afraid of defiling your bedchamber."
He Jinran shook his head and laughed, "If His Highness says it's okay, then it's okay! You're all filthy, living in my bedchamber like this, how am I supposed to sleep in the future?"
Nineteen's body suddenly tensed up.
What is Your Highness saying? He lowered his head slightly, his whole body tense and unable to control himself.
He Jinran: "What are you still standing there for? Take off your clothes."
"Your Highness, I...I am...I am a man...not a woman," Nineteen stammered.
Is Your Highness attracted to his appearance and intends to... favor him?
Thinking of this, Nineteen's face turned deathly pale, completely losing its color.
He Jinran had just taken a sip of tea when, just like before, he accidentally sprayed it all over Nineteen's face.
"What are you thinking about?"
Who says assassins don't have emotions and desires? They know everything, don't they?
"Would you like me to help you take it off?"
His words were so flirtatious that even he found them disgusting.
"No need," Nineteen said hastily, but his eyes were somewhat unfocused.
If Your Highness truly desires to...favor me, then...what about my dignity?
No, he himself has no face to speak of.
In His Highness's eyes, wasn't he just a lowly slave?
However, he only wanted to be a weapon, not a plaything for His Highness's amusement.
"Your Highness, I... cannot."
He Jinran was both amused and exasperated; this nineteen-year-old was becoming increasingly interesting.
He had never met such a stubborn man.
"Can't do what? Can't you take off your clothes?" He Jinran laughed as he asked the question.
"Yes." Nineteen was forced, her clothes disheveled, into the bathtub.
The bathwater touched his battered body; the pain would be unbearable for an ordinary person, yet he didn't utter a single groan.
However, his slightly trembling body revealed his nervousness at that moment.
He Jinran stared intently at Nineteen, his jaw dropping at the dense array of wounds covering his body.
He suddenly remembered the scene from several years ago when Qin Susu teased him, and burst out laughing.
His laughter made Nineteen even more nervous.
He Jinran: "I really wonder how you've survived until now."
With these new and old wounds piled up, an ordinary person would have already lost their life.
Nineteen lowered her eyes, her cheeks burning hot, a frightening red.
"What's there to be afraid of? We're all men!" He Jinran didn't seem to care. "Hurry up and wash, the food's getting cold."
Nineteen silently complied, but she was like a newlywed bride, shy and hesitant, not daring to look He Jinran in the eye.
His deep-seated inferiority complex made him feel flattered.
Seeing Nineteen's reaction, He Jinran simply stopped looking at him.
He got up and took out a white undergarment and his own purple robe from the wardrobe.
Say a word,
"Put it on after you've washed it."
Nineteen: "...It's against the rules."
"You must not disobey!" He Jinran said, adding as he went.
"After putting it on, go to bed immediately and do not let your father see your face clearly."
After finishing speaking, he glanced at the slightly open skylight and added:
"Remember to close it." It's too stuffy inside the palace; he needs to go out for some fresh air before getting back to work on the Nuwa Temple.
Then, he silently leaped onto the skylight and disappeared from Nineteen's sight.
Looking at the clothes He Jinran took out, Shijiu finally understood the meaning of the phrase "deceptively realistic".
So that's what Your Highness meant.
He misunderstood.
It was only because of my short stature that His Highness took a liking to me.
After taking a bath, he cautiously glanced at the braised fish on the table and began to eat.
He will starve to death if he doesn't eat.
Honestly, even if that fish were just sitting there, it would be terrifying.
Fortunately, His Highness left and did not force him to eat fish anymore.
………………
He Lin didn't go to the East Palace last night because he had been reviewing He Jinran's answer sheet ever since the palace examination.
After reading it, he sometimes frowned, sometimes smiled.
This morning, he first returned He Jinran's answer sheet so the examiners could review it.
Then, they went straight to the East Palace.
However, when they arrived, He Jinran was still not up.
He pushed open the door and entered the palace. Looking at his son sleeping soundly on the bed with his back to him, he wondered how tired he must be.
I suppose it's because I've been having him accompany me to the palace examination these past few days.
He instructed Mu Bai and the other three to take good care of Jin'er and not allow anyone to disturb her today, before going to check the exam papers.
Who will be the new top scorer? It's something everyone is eagerly anticipating.
Zhao San and Qiu Ling'er arrived at Wangyou Hall early in the morning.
At this very moment, Qiu Ling'er was handing over accounting matters to Zhao San.
"Ling'er, your handwriting is really good," Zhao San praised as he checked the account book.
"Uncle Zhao, Ling'er isn't just good at writing; she's good at everything." Qin Susu chimed in with a smile. Ling'er was indeed good at everything.
She found it hard to imagine what kind of man could be worthy of her little apprentice.
"This little girl is so different now," Zhao San sighed, while also hoping that his precious daughter could be as learned and talented as Qiu Ling'er.
"Uncle, Master Susu, please stop praising me. Ling'er will become arrogant." Qiu Ling'er felt that no one is perfect, and she knew that she still had many shortcomings.
“Ling’er has the ability to do so,” Zhao San said, stroking his beard as he continued working on his abacus.
Qin Susu quickly added herbs to the medicine cabinet.
The bodyguards from Baiyang brought a lot of herbs with them this time.
In the blink of an eye, Qiu Ling'er saw Duan Xiang rushing over in a panic.
As soon as he entered the room, he was panting heavily, and it was obvious that it was because of his son Duan Xiu's illness.
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