"I'm just a little sad." This was the first time Xiao Xiyou had revealed his feelings to Zhou Zhizhi.
“We used to…” Xiao Xiyou thought about his past with Xu Cang.
...
"Your Highness, please stop kneeling and go back." Xu Cang, a young man on patrol, said to Xiao Xiyou, a young man kneeling in front of the Phoenix Palace in the heavy snow.
"Could you please tell Her Majesty the Empress that I will definitely be obedient from now on? Little Meow is very well-behaved. Could you please not kill it?" The young Xiao Xiyou looked up at Xu Cang with tears streaming down his face, as if he were looking at a lifeline.
Xiao Miao is a cat that Xiao Xiyou keeps in the palace. It is usually very well-behaved and stays in Xiao Xiyou's bedroom.
I don't know why I suddenly appeared at the school today. I saw Xiao Nan Gua bullying Xiao Xi You, so I scratched the Third Prince Xiao Nan Gua.
Upon hearing the news of the Third Prince's injury, the Empress was furious and ordered the cat to be executed, along with the servants and maids who were present at the time.
Given Prince Xiaoxiyou's status, he was only punished by being confined to his quarters for half a month to reflect on his mistakes.
"Your Highness is too kind. The Empress is of the highest rank and status. How could a mere guard like me possibly meet her?" The young Xu Cang felt sorry for the pitiful prince kneeling on the ground.
But he made a request that he simply couldn't fulfill.
"Waaaaah~." Xiao Xiyou knew he was about to lose his little cat, and although he tried to hold back his tears, he still let out a soft whimper.
At this time, Xiao Xiyou was still young and was very ignorant about the intricacies and rules of the palace, lacking the cunning and shrewdness he possesses now.
Seeing him crying so sadly, Xu Cang sighed.
"Your Highness, you must take care of your health." He looked at Xiao Xiyou with sympathy, thought for a moment, and then decided to speak.
"Although I am not able to help you save the kitten, usually pets that are stabbed to death are thrown near the Cold Palace. I can take the kitten's..." Xu Cang paused, the two words he wanted to say were self-evident.
Xu Cang pursed his lips before slowly speaking, "If Your Highness doesn't mind, I will send Xiaomiao to your palace at midnight, as a keepsake."
Listening to the young Xu Cang's words, Xiao Xiyou knew that this was the best effort he had ever made.
Because ordinary guards are not allowed to wander around their assigned area at will, and the Cold Palace is quite far from the Phoenix Palace.
Just as the two were talking, a child's voice rang out.
"Why are you still kneeling here! Your mother clearly punished you by confining you to your room to reflect on your mistakes and copy scriptures. Why aren't you accepting your punishment? Instead, you're here making things difficult for me." The young Xiao Nan stood angrily in front of Xiao Xiyou and Xu Cang.
"Your Highness, Third Prince." Xu Cang hurriedly bowed to the person who had arrived.
Young Xiao Nan had bright red scratches on his face, neck, and hands. He put one hand on his hip and pointed at Xiao Xiyou with his index finger, looking like he was about to cause trouble.
"Third brother, I was wrong today. Could you go and talk to the Empress and ask her to spare Xiao Miao?"
"As long as you can spare Xiao Miao, I'll agree to whatever conditions you ask for." When Xiao Xiyou saw the Third Prince arrive, he disregarded the fact that he, as a prince and the Third Prince's brother, should not kneel before him.
He only hoped that Xiao Nan could plead with his mother, the Empress, to save Xiao Miao's life.
"Why should I let that bad cat go? Didn't you see he scratched me?" Xiao Nangua shouted.
"Third brother, please..."
"Little Meow is really important to me."
"I'll definitely teach Xiao Miao a lesson when I get back. Can you spare his life?" Xiao Xiyou wiped away his tears and said to Xiao Nangua.
"It's no use begging me anymore." Xiao Nan pulled back the hand that was pointing at Xiao Xiyou. "Xiao Miao is already dead."
Upon hearing the news, Xiao Xiyou collapsed to his knees, unwilling to accept the fact.
"I ordered it to be beaten to death." Xiao Nanguai looked at Xiao Xiyou's distraught appearance and couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
"I'll give the order in a moment to burn your little cat's body in the fire, leaving you not even ashes." Xiao Nanguai became more and more frantic as he spoke; he wanted to see Xiao Xiyou break down.
"You!—" Xiao Xiyou was just a child after all, and he didn't fully understand the saying "a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan." He was completely enraged by Xiao Nanguai, and he stood up angrily and shoved Xiao Nanguai hard.
Xiao Nan Gua was caught off guard by Xiao Xi You's actions and was unexpectedly pushed to the cold ground.
Seeing what was happening, the hairs on Xu Cang's body stood on end.
These two princes were fighting right in front of him. Even if he had ten lives, he wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility!
"Third Prince, please get up quickly, the ground is cold." Xu Cang rushed forward and helped Xiao Nan Gua up.
"Xiao Xiyou, how dare you!" The Empress's majestic voice rang out.
"Your Majesty the Empress is well." The young Xu Cang quickly bowed.
The Empress had come out to look for the Third Prince, who had wandered off, and when she arrived here, she witnessed Xiao Xiyou pushing Xiao Nangua down.
"My dear son, does it hurt?" The Empress quickly stepped forward, picked up the Third Prince, and gently cared for him.
"Mother, my second brother hit me!" Xiao Nan Gua accused the villain first, feigning pitifulness in front of the Empress.
"My son, don't cry. Your mother will help you get revenge."
The Empress was already furious because Xiao Xiyou's cat had scratched her child, but given the many gossips in the palace, it would be detrimental to her image as the Empress if she severely punished a prince for the mistake of a beast.
That little beast is something else. If he's not punished, he thinks he's invincible and starts hurting her child even more.
"You, slap me hard in the face," the Empress said to the young Xu Cang.
"Why are you still standing there? What? Can't I even order a mere guard around anymore?!" The Empress questioned Xu Cang sharply when she saw him standing still.
"This servant dares not, Your Majesty the Empress." Xu Cang dared not disobey the Empress, so he could only extend his hand to the Second Prince.
"Slap! Slap!" The sound of a slap hitting flesh echoed in the empty corridor, sounding particularly desolate along with the howling north wind and the gradually falling snow.
When the Empress's maid saw that it was snowing, she quickly opened an umbrella.
Then, while the Third Prince remained untouched by snow, Xiao Xiyou's hair and clothes were covered in snow, his cheeks were red and swollen, and he knelt on the ground to be beaten.
"Slap him twenty times, kneel until midnight before going back. After you're done, stay here and watch over him." The Empress coldly looked at Xiao Xiyou and ordered the young Xu Cang.
"My son, it's snowing. It's cold outside. Let's go back inside." She hugged the child in her arms tightly and turned back to the warm palace.
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