Chapter 16 Chapter 16 “M-Master?” Xie Bao…
"M-Master?" Xie Baoqiong tried to run away, but found herself frozen in place.
"Did I grant you permission to leave?"
The person on the couch stood up, slowly walked to him, leaned down and leaned closer, his gaze probing as he scanned him inch by inch.
He unconsciously held his breath, letting those vertical pupils roam over his body.
"Heh, you say you're not a cultivator? Then could it be that Lin Zhechun cast the Concealing Breath Technique on you out of boredom?"
As Chishong mentioned the name, an image of a face covered with white silk appeared in his mind. Since Lin Zhechun was not around at the moment, and in order to get out of this situation as soon as possible, he immediately agreed with Chishong's words.
He had just nodded when he saw Akamatsu's gaze, fixed on his face, harden.
"This aura? You're not human, you're a demon." The tone was firm, leaving no room for the demon to defend itself.
Xie Baoqiong's heart tightened, and she suppressed the urge to reach for the jade pendant hanging on her chest, focusing instead on listening to Chisong's unending words:
"I don't recall any demon in the court having a child your age. You little thing, you've told quite a few lies. Don't you know that telling too many lies will get you struck by lightning?" The last sentence was mocking, yet it carried a threatening tone.
Xie Baoqiong, however, was not frightened at all by these words. He had been struck by heavenly lightning and, unlike the other lesser demons, was not afraid of it. But Chisong's words gave him an idea, and he suddenly had a flash of inspiration:
"Why don't you release me, sir, and hand me over to Heavenly Thunder for disposal?"
"Heh." Seeing that the man was not intimidated at all, Chishong sneered and said with a forced smile, "But you have seen my secret."
As Chishong's voice rang out, a faint rustling sound came from the ground, followed by something unknown wrapping around the ankle that had been immobilized.
Through the shoes and socks, he couldn't tell what it was for a moment, and instead of probing his divine sense in front of a great demon like Chishong, he kept his eyes tightly closed.
"I didn't see anything."
Vision went completely black, touch and smell were amplified, something around my ankle tightened slightly, and a chill came through my shoes and socks.
The person in front of him seemed closer, and then a cold voice suddenly rang out from within arm's reach:
"He's an idiot..."
Before Chishong could finish speaking, he caught another scent, like plum blossoms falling in the snow. A hand landed on his shoulder, and the restraining spell on his body was released, along with the bindings on his ankles.
He opened his eyes slightly, tilted his head, and glanced at the person who had come in.
His gaze met a white ribbon, and he abruptly closed his eyes and turned his head away, only to hear an impolite laugh from the other side.
"Left Prime Minister, His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence." The voice was like a cold mountain spring slowly flowing out.
"The Grand Preceptor has actually found time to do the job of relaying messages." Another voice, with its usual sarcasm, came from where Chishong had been standing moments before.
"It's better than the Left Prime Minister scaring the children here." Lin Zhechun's voice was emotionless, but his words were sharp and undisguised.
"This child saw something he shouldn't have seen. Since he's one of the Grand Preceptor's people, I wonder what kind of compensation the Grand Preceptor will give me?" Chishong sneered, his words losing their previous sarcasm and becoming somewhat intriguing.
Lin Zhechun hadn't removed his hand from his shoulder since earlier. Now he gently patted him and said, "Xiao Bao, open your eyes. What did you just see?"
The conversation between the two just now revealed Lin Zhechun's attitude. He understood that Lin Zhechun was helping him, although he did not know why. But now his best choice was to do as Lin Zhechun said.
So he opened his eyes and first glanced at Lin Zhechun standing beside him. The latter noticed his gaze and loosened his grip on his shoulder slightly, as if to comfort him.
Turning to look at Chishong opposite, the latter had already regained his human appearance, his vertical pupils had turned into human pupils, and the edge of his robe revealed a corner of his boots.
He blinked, staring at the boots he hadn't seen before, and said truthfully, "I just saw the...the Left Prime Minister."
Lin Zhechun gave a cryptic snort: "Chishong, are you so ashamed to be seen by others?"
Having said that, he pulled Xie Baoqiong and turned to leave. Once outside the tent, he spoke gently, "Your father is looking for you everywhere. How did you end up here..."
He glanced sideways at Chisong, who was revealed behind the lifted tent flap, and said, "He and your father don't get along."
Xie Baoqiong followed Lin Zhechun's words and looked at Chisong, who had come out closely behind the two of them. His eyes lit up, as if he had heard some useful information again.
Chishong, who had just emerged, frowned slightly. "This child isn't yours? Whose is it?"
"Who does he look like to you?" Lin Zhechun replied casually.
Upon hearing this, Akamatsu stared intently at his face, a mixture of surprise and bewilderment appearing on his expression: "Could it be someone from Xie Zhuo's family?!"
Lin Zhechun nodded.
"Hahahaha." Chishong laughed under Xie Baoqiong's bewildered gaze, but offered no explanation. Instead, he wore an expression of anticipation, saying, "Then I'll trouble the Imperial Preceptor to send the person back."
After saying that, he walked past the two and left, guessing that Chishong was probably going to find the prince that Lin Zhechun had mentioned.
Lin Zhechun then led him in another direction.
After walking some distance, he finally asked the question that had been interrupted by Akamatsu's appearance: "Why does my father not get along with Lord Akamatsu?"
Lin Zhechun maintained a calm expression: "Disagreement on political views."
After saying a few words, Lin Zhechun seemed to remember something and continued in a gentle tone, "However, he is not inherently evil, it's just that... he has a bad temper, so just don't provoke him in the future."
Lin Zhechun's words were vague, and Xie Baoqiong had no intention of pressing him further. As long as Chisong and Princess Huayang's case were unrelated, he had no need to waste his energy on irrelevant people.
Thinking of this, he nodded: "I understand, thank you for helping me earlier, Grand Preceptor."
Unexpectedly, Lin Zhechun countered with, "What have I done to help you?"
While Xie Baoqiong was in a daze, Lin Zhechun's face, which was usually expressionless, broke into a smile.
One can't help but wonder what the eyes look like beneath the white silk.
Her clear, melodious voice further fueled his curiosity.
"Then consider it Xiaobao's gratitude for my help."
"But I have nothing to give you..." He was cut off by Lin Zhechun's words before he could finish.
"How about Xiao Bao lend me a hand at this spring festival?"
Before he could answer, Lin Zhechun continued:
"Go ahead, Lord Xie is waiting for you there."
He looked in the direction Lin Zhechun pointed and found Xie Zhuo looking at the two of them.
"Isn't the Imperial Preceptor going over there?" Xie Baoqiong had just taken a step when she saw Lin Zhechun standing still, so she turned around and asked.
Lin Zhechun did not look down at him; her face, covered by a white silk ribbon, was turned towards Xie Zhuo. She shook her head slightly and said:
"Lord Xie probably doesn't want to see me right now."
After hearing Lin Zhechun's explanation, Xie Baoqiong felt even more confused, but a force gently pushed him forward from behind.
"Go quickly."
—
A few quarters of an hour ago, Xie Zhuo had just finished discussing matters and returned to his tent. Xie Rongjing had sent someone to deliver a message not long ago, and Xie Baoqiong was left alone in the tent.
They looked around the tent but didn't see anyone.
Xie Zhuo summoned a servant and asked, "Where did the young master go?"
"The young master left half an incense stick ago. Before leaving, he asked me where the other young masters and ladies were having a small gathering," the servant guarding the door answered truthfully.
Xie Zhuo recalled the area he had just passed through, but he didn't see Xie Baoqiong anywhere.
He gave instructions to the servant and immediately lifted the curtain and went outside.
But then an unexpected figure appeared in front of them.
"What business does the Imperial Advisor have with me?" he asked, waving his hand to signal the servant to go find someone.
Lin Zhechun did not answer the question immediately, but instead said, "Lord Xie sent someone to look for Young Master Xie. If that's the case, there's no need to go to any more trouble. I just saw him."
A barely perceptible hint of melancholy crept into Xie Zhuo's eyes: "As expected of the Imperial Advisor, his predictions are uncanny."
He stopped the departing servant, ordered someone to brew a pot of tea, and then invited Lin Zhechun into the tent.
"The Imperial Preceptor isn't preparing for the Spring Festival, so what brings him here?"
Lin Zhechun took a sip of tea, his expression serene: "This tea is excellent, Lord Xie."
After a few polite words, Lin Zhechun bluntly stated his purpose:
"I met Young Master Xie at your residence last time, and he seems to be an excellent prospect. I wonder if Lord Xie would be willing to let Young Master Xie become my disciple?"
Upon hearing Lin Zhechun's request, a dark look crossed Xie Zhuo's face, and he reluctantly withdrew his polite smile.
"My tea is certainly not as good as the Imperial Preceptor's treasured tea."
Lin Zhechun could not have missed the hidden meaning in his words, but he still insisted, "Lord Xie, you don't need to tell me the answer right away. No matter when you decide, my words will always stand."
Having said that, he walked out without waiting for Xie Zhuo to get up and see him off.
Xie Zhuo gazed at the tea leaves floating in the teacup, his expression unreadable, and said:
“There are countless cultivators, but only a handful who attain enlightenment. The hardships along the way are even harder to swallow. I originally just hoped that it would end.”
Xie Zhuo put down his teacup, but ultimately swallowed his words, leaving only the sentence: "If he is willing, I will not stop him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Zhechun's calm and composed voice drifted over: "Lord Xie, he has his own path, which is different for you and for me..."
Lin Zhechun opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end he only said one more sentence: "I will protect him."
—
"Father!" Xie Baoqiong rushed over, drawing Xie Zhuo's attention back.
Xie Baoqiong turned around and glanced at the place Xie Zhuo was looking, only to find that Lin Zhechun, who had been standing there, had already left.
Xie Zhuo supported Xie Baoqiong's slightly swaying body with one hand and tucked the stray strands of hair that had fallen out of his ear with the other.
He naturally noticed the extra object on his head.
"Qiong'er, what's this?"
"Oh, it's a little bird that my brother and I found in the woods." Reminded by Xie Zhuo, he reached out and gently touched the baby bird nestled in his hair.
Xie Zhuo didn't say anything more, but slightly tightened his fingers and asked another question: "Where did you go just now?"
While adjusting the position of the baby bird on her head, Xie Baoqiong replied, "I went to the gathering over there, and then I got lost and ended up in someone else's tent. The Grand Preceptor saw me and said that my father was looking for me, so he brought me back."
After adjusting the position of the chicks, he shifted his attention to Xie Zhuo, whose expression seemed somewhat unnatural and whose attention was slightly unfocused.
Did he say anything to you?
A note from the author:
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