Chapter 16 The Sixteenth Kill

The young guard thought he had no instructions, so he bowed to Zhou Xunran and prepared to leave.

When he retreated to the door, he spoke again: "Since he dares to pass off inferior products as good ones, he doesn't want to do business anymore. Let him not do it anymore."

The young guard was stunned for a moment, then realized that he was talking about the man selling candied haws, and nodded in agreement.

The sound of footsteps outside the courtyard came through the silent night sky. The young guard hurriedly left the room.

The next moment, Xiaoyu came in happily with a tray, "We are so lucky, Junior Brother, Chef Zhang just made some wontons, egg and chive pancakes, and steamed fish."

Zhou Xunran folded the letter paper slowly and put it aside.

"Well, leave it there."

Xiaoyu put the tray on the table and looked out the window curiously, "Junior brother, I saw a figure when I came in just now. Did you see it?"

Zhou Xunran walked to the table and sat down, his face calm: "I see, that's my secret guard."

Xiaoyu's eyes widened in shock: "You still have a secret guard? That's amazing, will he always be by your side?"

Zhou Xunran nodded, looked at her, and said seriously: "They will hide beside me for twelve hours a day, with eight secret guards changing back and forth."

Xiaoyu took a breath in his heart.

[Good boy, I'm glad I didn't do anything to my junior fellow apprentice before. Otherwise, I would have been asking for trouble, but I can still bear the consequences if I didn't suffer.]

There were two pairs of silver chopsticks on the tray. Zhou Xunran picked up one of them and invited her with satisfaction: "Sit down and eat together."

Xiaoyu was also hungry, so she took the chopsticks from him and unceremoniously picked up a piece of burnt cake: "Thank you, Junior Brother."

Zhou Xunran looked at his empty hands, then picked up another pair of silver chopsticks on the tray with a smile.

Xiaoyu on the opposite side had already eaten and drank half a bowl of wontons.

"You're eating so fast, is there anything you need in the mansion?"

The little fish shook his head and said seriously, "I'm upset and worried about you, so how can I eat?"

It was rare for her to be so serious, so Zhou Xunran asked, "What's the matter?"

Just as Xiaoyu was about to speak, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Her face suddenly changed, and she opened her palms towards Zhou Xunran, saying with difficulty: "Junior brother, don't eat, the rice is poisonous!"

***

If we talk about the most difficult moment in life, this moment in Xiaoyu's life would definitely be on the list.

After realizing that he was 'poisoned', Xiaoyu declined and asked Zhou Xunran to help him. He climbed onto the bed using his hands and feet and lay down, coughing weakly twice: "Junior brother, please find me the best doctor. I can't die now."

Zhou Xunran woke up almost half of the palace, and within the time of an incense stick, he found three old doctors with white beards.

The three doctors frowned and took Xiaoyu's pulse one by one. They looked at each other and no one was willing to be the first to speak.

Xiaoyu was lying on the bed. She could no longer feel any pain and felt that she was about to finish her game. Her voice became hoarse and she almost whispered, "It's okay, doctor. Just tell me the truth. How long can I hold on?"

She also wanted to tell her secret to her junior fellow apprentice before closing her eyes.

The three of them remained silent.

The anxious little fish couldn't breathe and began to gasp: "How long do I have left to live? I can hold on. Tell me."

The older doctor among the three doctors bowed to Zhou Xunran and said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. We really can't tell what kind of poison the girl has."

"Can't see? What does that mean?"

The doctor said, "The girl's face looks rosy, she doesn't look like she's been poisoned."

Zhou Xunran seemed to understand something and asked another question, "She was holding her stomach and saying it hurt just now."

"I guess I ate my midnight snack too hastily and got a stitch in the side."

Zhou Xunran: “…”

Xiaoyu, who was lying on the bed, stroking her belly and thinking about her regrets in life and preparing to die: "......"

Zhou Xunran's expression did not change: "Zhou Yi, send the doctor out."

Zhou Yi admired his prince's ability to remain calm from the bottom of his heart. He claimed that he was used to many storms, but looking at Xiaoyu's stiff body and face on the bed, Zhou Yi couldn't help laughing.

He left the room on the pretext of seeing the doctor off, laughing heartily.

Xiaoyu pulled the quilt to cover her head, hoping to block out Zhou Yi's arrogant laughter.

...can't hold it back.

Xiaoyu secretly pulled a crack in the quilt and saw Zhou Xunran standing in front of the bed, looking at her calmly with his head tilted.

Xiaoyu decided to take the initiative and turn the tables: "Junior brother, this guard Zhou is too much, beat him with a stick tomorrow!"

Zhou Xunran bent over and lifted the quilt from her body, saying helplessly, "Come down quickly."

Xiaoyu laughed awkwardly twice and sat up.

The quilt was completely lifted, revealing her shoes and the bed sheets that were stained by dirt from the soles of her shoes.

Xiaoyu leaned over and wiped it with the corner of her sleeve. When she found that it couldn't be wiped off, she looked even more embarrassed: "Junior brother, it's okay. I'll wash it for you tomorrow."

"My tent is inlaid with silk and cannot come into contact with water." Zhou Xunran said in a calm voice.

In other words, this bed curtain is useless.

Xiaoyu carefully withdrew her hand and resumed the tone of her senior sister's teaching: "I'm not saying anything bad about you, Junior Brother. Even if you become the Regent, you can't be so arrogant and extravagant. There are still many people in this world who can't even get enough to eat. Your bed curtains can provide them with food for a year. This habit is not good. You have to change it."

As she spoke, she got out of bed.

After saying that, he lingered in the middle of the room and then ran out: "It's late, I'm going back to my room to rest first, see you tomorrow!"

Zhou Xunran watched her run away with disdainful eyes, and his gaze fell on the half-pack of grapefruit candies she had placed on the table in the living room. He walked over, pinched one and put it in his mouth, a sweet taste spreading between his lips and tongue.

***

After all this trouble, Xiaoyu thought she would not be able to sleep when she returned to her room.

I didn't expect that I fell into a deep sleep soon after I got on the bed.

After a good sleep in the middle of the night, Xiaoyu got up early and went to Qingwuyuan.

The bed she slept on yesterday was in the inner room of the front yard of Qingwu Courtyard. Zhou Xunran slept in the back yard. When Xiaoyu passed by, she saw that the bed in the inner room was tidy and covered with a layer of light green coarse cotton bed curtains.

It wasn't the one she got dirty yesterday. It was said to be an expensive curtain inlaid with silk.

Xiaoyu felt relieved, thinking that when he met his junior fellow apprentice later, he would definitely praise him for being obedient.

Just as Xiaoyu was thinking about him, she heard footsteps coming from outside.

She walked out and saw Zhou Xunran walking in front of her in a thin long gown, and Zhou Yi following him.

Xiaoyu walked out of the room and said, "My Lord, it's cold today, why are you out here wearing only a coat?"

[You are weak and vomit blood easily. Now you are catching a cold. What shall I do? Junior brother, how come you don’t know how to take care of yourself? It seems that I, the senior sister, still need to take care of you more.]

Zhou Xunran said softly, "It's okay. The place we're going to today is warm, so there's no need to wear heavy clothes."

"That won't work either, Guard Zhou," Xiaoyu looked at Zhou Yi, "Please go get another cloak."

Zhou Yi looked at the sun, his brows a little anxious: "It's on the carriage. Your Majesty, it's getting late, we should set off. If it's any later, people will have to leave."

Zhou Xunran nodded.

Xiaoyu heard that they were going out, "Wherever you go, I will go too. I am the prince's accompanying maid, so I should follow you everywhere."

Zhou Xunran said: "Okay, let's talk while we walk."

Xiaoyu followed him happily, and noticed that there was wind blowing on the road, so she took a step to the right and blocked the wind.

Zhou Xunran withdrew his gaze and took her into the carriage.

Xiaoyu didn't care about the destination of this trip, but was always paying attention to Zhou Xunran's condition.

When they got in the car, they sat close to each other. Xiaoyu saw a red patch under his collar, with many small bumps on it. She reached out to touch it, but Zhou Xunran dodged her way and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiaoyu asked, "Junior brother, why is this spot on your neck red?"

Zhou Xunran didn't care: "Maybe it's because it itched at night, so it turned red."

"Then I'll find you some medicine to apply."

"No need," Zhou Xunran looked at her, "You know, I'm weak and can't take medicine indiscriminately. This minor injury may heal by evening."

Xiaoyu thought about it and it was true, but for some reason, she felt guilty. She had just complained about his physical condition in her heart, and now he was staring at her, as if he had heard those words and was deliberately recalling them.

She found a topic: "Junior brother, where are we going?"

Zhou Xunran sat up straight: "Go to Cao's residence to visit the wounded."

"Cao Mansion?"

Xiaoyu remembered: "Is it Cao Ming who was crippled by you in the Imperial College?"

Zhou Xunran leaned forward, approached her, and said in a voice so soft that it seemed to drip water: "Senior Sister, please be careful with your words."

He takes medicine all year round, and there is a light medicinal fragrance on his body, which is a bit bitter, but followed by a light fragrance.

The sky was bright, and the carriage was also bright. Xiaoyu looked at his bright white eyes and saw her own stiff self reflected in them. She blinked twice quickly and leaned back against the window.

[Wuwuwu, Junior finally acknowledged that I am his Senior Sister! I am so moved. Junior, don’t worry, Senior will definitely love and protect you in the future!]

First of all, it’s the reputation of my junior fellow apprentice!

Xiaoyu said firmly: "I'm sorry, Junior Brother, Cao Ming was not disabled by you. He bullied his classmates and beat the teacher, which was a violation of the rules first. You were eliminating harm for the people and punished him according to the rules of the academy."

Only then did Zhou Xunran turn around with satisfaction.

The carriage slowly turned and stopped, and Zhou Yi jumped off the carriage, "Prince, we have arrived at Cao's mansion."

Zhou Xunran raised a smile and said, "It's our turn now."

Xiaoyu helped him get off the carriage and stood in front of the main gate of Cao's mansion. Zhou Yi went forward and explained the reason to the servants in front of Cao's mansion.

The servant of the Cao residence glanced at Zhou Xunran from a distance, lowered his head, opened the door and walked in. He staggered when he reached the door. Fortunately, he was quick to hold the door and did not fall down.

Xiaoyu watched his movements and whispered, "Junior brother, it seems that you have a bad reputation. At such a distance, he would lose his legs if he took one look at you."

Zhou Xunran paused for a moment and let his sleeve rest on his wrist. "That's because he's weak-willed. It has nothing to do with my reputation."

They stood side by side. Zhou Xunran couldn't hear what she was thinking, but he knew that she must be criticizing him for being arrogant.

After the Cao family servant went in, the door was not opened again for a stick of incense.

Zhou Yi was anxious and walked down the stairs: "Prince, look at this..."

"It's nothing. Maybe Lord Cao is angry with me. Just wait here."

Zhou Xunran's expression remained unchanged and he stood straight.

The Cao family was located on Qingmin Street, where many dignitaries gathered. It was early in the morning, and the surrounding mansions slowly opened their doors to escort the owner of the mansion out. Naturally, they also saw the current regent standing at the door of the Cao mansion.

But as people came and went, they only dared to talk in low voices and no one dared to step forward.

The sun was high in the sky, gradually climbing up above their heads. It had been half an hour, and Xiaoyu saw Zhou Xunran's forehead sweating and his face turning pale. She could not bear it any longer, so she rolled up her sleeves, walked to the door of Cao's house, and knocked hard.

"Is there no one inside? The Cao Mansion is so big that it takes half an hour to report a message! Even in the Imperial Palace, it would take half an hour to get a response. Your Cao Mansion is so big, is it more powerful than the Imperial Palace?"

She was angry and her shouts became louder and louder until almost four or five neighboring houses could hear her voice.

Zhou Xunran and Zhou Yi, who were standing below, looked at each other and smiled in tacit understanding on their faces.