If he were to force himself on Dongfang Wuye today, Dongfang Wuye, for the sake of his reputation, would certainly not tell the Emperor. Then, he could promise him benefits, and wouldn't have to worry about the matter being exposed.
Dongfang Wuye was startled by the possessiveness in his eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Zhang Yuzhi, I'm afraid you don't know who I came out with."
"It doesn't matter who you come out with, you're all alone now, aren't you?" Zhang Yuzhi chuckled, his eyes scanning Dongfang Wuye up and down, actually already fantasizing about what he would look like in bed.
Dongfang Wuye frowned, stopped retreating, and shouted, "Zhang Yuzhi, how dare you actually commit insubordination! Qiangdi, teach him a lesson!"
"yes!"
As soon as the response fell, Qiang Di, dressed in black with a cold and aloof appearance, jumped out and kicked Zhang Yuzhi to the ground.
Zhang Yuzhi clutched his chest, crying out in pain, "Guards, get him!"
Seeing that Qiang Di was alone, and with so many of them, the servants, to bolster their courage, charged forward together.
Qiang Di stood still, grabbed the fist of the person in front, and pushed it aside, placing it in front of the chest of another person coming from the opposite direction, blocking him back.
The man quickly stepped back, bumping into the servants behind him, and a group of people immediately fell to the ground.
Qiang Di kicked the man who was clenching his fist, causing him and the group of servants to fall together.
They weren't seriously injured, and they got up and rushed towards Qiangdi again.
But their fancy moves are no match for real martial arts practitioners.
He collapsed again in no time.
"Fool! Stop hitting me, come and help me up!"
Judging from the situation, even a blind man would know that he couldn't win. Zhang Yuzhi was quite unwilling, as the phoenix he had almost obtained had flown away.
He had thought it was just Dongfang Wuye alone, but who knew he actually had bodyguards!
The servant got up and helped Zhang Yuzhi away.
Facing a prince, Zhang Yuzhi dared not utter any harsh words, fearing that the prince might actually report him to his father, which would mean the end of his life as a young master.
Zhang Yu left angrily, but Qiang Di did not immediately return to the shadows to protect them. There was still one person there, a woman who had been harassed.
The woman wiped away her tears and walked over, kneeling before Dongfang Wuye. "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life. I have no way to repay you but to offer myself to you. I dare not hope to enter the palace; I only ask to do something for Your Highness."
"I merely saw injustice and did not seek reward; to do so would betray my original intention. I have other matters to attend to; you may return." With that, Dongfang Wuye turned and left without a trace of sympathy.
"Your Highness!" The woman tried to chase after him, but was stopped by Qiang Di.
Seeing that chasing after him was impossible, the woman glared at Qiang Di, picked up the vegetable basket from the ground, and left.
Qiang Di innocently touched his nose, then turned and chased after Dongfang Wuye.
Dongfang Wuye returned to the previous intersection, preparing to chase after Qiao Qiu in the direction she had left, when someone called out to him, "Wuye."
Dongfang Wuye turned his head upon hearing the sound, and Qiao Qiu was slowly strolling over. Clearly, she had witnessed the entire incident.
Didn't Dongfang Wuche leave first? How come he's here? Dongfang Wuye looked in the direction he left, then glanced at the place where he saved people.
Qiao Qiu laughed and said, "Are you stupid? I didn't leave. I saw the whole thing from next to that pillar. You did a good job."
Dongfang Wuye looked in the direction Qiao Qiu pointed. It was the entrance of the silk shop. There were stone steps, and the terrain was slightly higher. Although it was a bit far away, he could clearly see the whole process.
"Brother, does this count as me getting a point?"
"I guess so." Qiao Qiu smiled and said, "You're quite talented, and you're not that soft-hearted. You know when to get rid of trouble."
Dongfang Wuye smiled shyly, "I have to thank Qiangdi for this. If he hadn't stopped me, I wouldn't have been able to leave so easily."
"Qiang Di will stay with you until you are capable of protecting yourself." Qiao Qiu glanced somewhere.
Qiang Di, hiding there, gazed at the sky. What exactly was his master? He had hidden himself so well, so why was he still found so easily?
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Dongfang Wuye felt a warmth in his heart, and with this invitation, he had more confidence in saving people. Actually, saving people wasn't that difficult.
"Don't be so polite. Saving people is something you have to do yourself. I won't help. I can only tell you that Wu Sheng has saved about seven or eight people so far. You still have to work harder," Qiao Qiu said.
"Brother, I can't compare to Second Brother." In Dongfang Wuye's view, this was simply an impossible task.
Qiao Qiu tapped his forehead with her fan. "So useless. Do you even remember the magic trick I performed?"
"Hmm." Dongfang Wuye's ears turned red again; he believed he would remember that incident for the rest of his life.
"What seems impossible may actually be possible in the end. Miracles can happen as long as you are willing to work hard." Qiao Qiu began to give Dongfang Wuye some inspirational advice. "If you give up before you've even tried, you will never be able to defeat others. Getting what you want is just wishful thinking."
Dongfang Wuye regained his fighting spirit. "Yes, brother, I know what to do. Don't worry, I will definitely not let you down!"
Qiao Qiu nodded. After all, she was still a child, and she needed someone to verify everything she did. She especially wanted the affirmation of the most important person in her heart.
"Come back and tell me the reasoning behind your success in the competition."
"Yes!" Dongfang Wuye replied with a smile.
"I'm going back to the palace. Are you going back too?" Qiao Qiu asked.
Dongfang Wuye shook his head. "I can't let my second brother outdo me. From today onwards, I will no longer live in the palace. I will live in my own manor."
Qiao Qiu nodded again, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Not bad, you have a good understanding. Keep up the good work and try to comprehend it. I'll come to your residence to see you again in a couple of days."
"good."
"I'm leaving."
"Respectfully seeing off my imperial brother."
...
When Qiao Qiu returned to the palace, she had just arrived at the East Palace when a young eunuch came up to her and reported that the Emperor had sent many portraits and then issued an edict ordering her to go to the Imperial Study to see him immediately after returning to the palace.
Qiao Qiu walked towards the Imperial Study, her expression completely calm and composed. A concubine selection? Hmm, it'll be chaos and turmoil, won't it?
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Imperial Study, Eunuch Gui greeted him with a smile and a bow, saying, "Your Highness, may you be well. His Majesty has said that Your Highness may enter the Imperial Study directly without reporting your arrival."
"Thank you for your trouble." Qiao Qiu nodded slightly and stepped into the Imperial Study.
Not receiving a pleasant look from Qiao Qiu, Eunuch Gui didn't dare to get angry. He smiled and sent her inside before continuing to stand guard as usual.
Qiao Qiu entered the imperial study and bowed to the emperor, who was reviewing memorials, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
The Emperor wrote furiously, finished reviewing a memorial, closed it, put it aside, set down his vermilion brush, and looked up at Qiao Qiu, saying, "Rise."
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