Chapter 575 Protecting the Child (First Update)
Huangfu Xian woke up to a series of smacking sounds.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar room with simple beams on the ceiling. The walls looked neither like a palace nor a farmhouse. At the far end was a large wardrobe, and next to the wardrobe was a table.
Opposite the bed was a window, through which bright sunlight streamed in.
Perhaps it's human nature to be attracted to light, Huangfu Xian subconsciously glanced in the direction the light was coming in, it was so bright that he had to close his eyes for a moment.
*smack smack*
The sound of spitting came again.
Huangfu Xian paused for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light before opening them again. He saw a cradle near the window.
The cradle was originally higher than the bed, but its railings were openwork, allowing Huangfu Xian to clearly see the baby inside.
He was sucking his fingers, and the smacking sound was coming from his mouth.
The unfamiliar environment and quiet house were filled with a unique warmth and vitality because of this quiet little life.
Suddenly, a young figure stepped in. He glanced at Huangfu Xian, who was turning his head to look at the cradle on the bed, then followed Huangfu Xian's gaze to Gu Xiaobao in the cradle. He smiled, walked over, and pinched Gu Xiaobao's cheek: "Xiaobao is awake?"
Gu Xiaobao gave him a quick look, then continued sucking his fingers.
"How come you're so well-behaved? You didn't cry even though you were awake and no one was around." He said with a smile, then turned to Huangfu Xian, his expression becoming more formal. "You're awake too?"
Huangfu Xian's gaze fell on his face: "Doctor Song."
Doctor Song asked in surprise, "You know me?"
Huangfu Xian was still very weak. He nodded slightly and said, "We came back from the border together. I heard someone call you that on the way."
Doctor Song suddenly realized, smiled, and said, "Ah, so that's how it is. You have a good memory. I don't even remember anyone calling me and you hearing it."
“I’m in the carriage,” Huangfu Xian said.
Even though they were on a carriage, the fact that Huangfu Xian could remember someone's name after hearing it just once, despite the medical team having over a hundred members, demonstrates that his memory is exceptionally strong.
Maybe it's because I'm handsome?
Huangfu Xian: "Your square face is easy to recognize."
Doctor Song: "..."
Dr. Song cleared his throat: "How are you feeling? Is there anything bothering you?"
Huangfu Xian shook his head slightly, realizing that he didn't actually feel too uncomfortable.
The wound still hurts slightly, but it's much better than before.
Seemingly sensing his confusion, Doctor Song pointed to his leg and explained, "Our boss performed surgery on you. The bone was ground down and the wound was stitched up."
"Then why didn't I feel anything?"
From childhood to adulthood, Huangfu Xian had undergone countless bone-grinding experiences, each time causing excruciating pain. It was not only physical torture but also a form of mental humiliation.
Therefore, he would rather die than suffer this pain again.
Dr. Song smiled and said, "I've given you anesthesia, so of course you don't feel anything. Does the wound still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt too much." Huangfu Xian shook his head slightly.
He was so shocked that he forgot to ask who had asked him to treat his injuries. He didn't want treatment.
"That's good. The master instructed that you should take your medicine once you wake up." Doctor Song poured a glass of water and handed him a few anti-inflammatory and hemostatic pills.
Huangfu Xian was completely bewildered and ate it without really understanding what was going on.
After finishing my meal, I remembered to ask, "Where am I?"
Doctor Song said, "Bishui Hutong is the home of our landlord. You know our landlord, he is Doctor Gu."
Huangfu Xian suddenly remembered that Lian'er had tripped and fallen off the bridge. He thought he was going to die, but in his daze, he vaguely saw a slender figure leap down and pounce on him.
With a splash, they fell into the water.
He doesn't remember what happened after that; he passed out.
Huangfu Xian asked, "Was it Doctor Gu... who brought me back?"
Doctor Song said, "Yes! You're really lucky. I heard that the river was very rapid that night. If you fell in, you would have been swept away by the waves. Luckily, our master is a good swimmer."
Huangfu Xian lowered his eyes: "Where is she?"
Dr. Song sighed: "After she saved you..."
Huangfu Xian's eyelashes fluttered as he looked at him.
Doctor Song continued, "She went to the clinic. There was a fight in the capital that injured seven or eight people. She was so busy that she asked me to come and take care of you."
"Oh." Huangfu Xian's expression relaxed imperceptibly.
"Hey bro! You're awake!"
The little mushroom has arrived.
Doctor Song smiled and said to Xiao Jingkong, "Jingkong, you're here? You keep your older brother company for a while, I'll take Xiaobao out first."
"Yes!" Xiao Jingkong nodded.
Doctor Song carried Gu Xiaobao, who was sucking his thumb, out of the room. Little Jingkong came to the bedside, opened his big, dark eyes, and looked at Huangfu Xian: "Big brother, you've been sleeping for two days! How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"
Huangfu Xian: Do all the people here ask the same questions?
"No," Huangfu Xian said casually.
Little Jingkong lay on the edge of the bed, blinking at him: "Are you hungry?"
Huangfu Xian said, "I'm not hungry."
"You're amazing! You haven't eaten for two days and you're not hungry." Xiao Jingkong pointed to the bed he was lying on and said, "You're sleeping in my bed! Isn't it comfortable?"
Huangfu Xian said, "Your bed is so hard."
Huangfu Xian prefers soft beds, while Xiao Jingkong is used to sleeping on hard beds in the temple. Coincidentally, Xiao Heng has also been sleeping on hard beds during the years he has been living among the common people.
Little Jingkong lay on the bed, his little feet kicking on the floor: "Jiaojiao's bed is very soft, but... but you can't sleep in it. Only I can sleep in Jiaojiao's bed."
Huangfu Xian glanced at him sideways and muttered irritably, "Who wants to sleep?"
Xiao Jingkong suddenly pulled a small milk pastry from his purse: "Little brother, would you like to eat this?"
Huangfu Xian turned his face away: "I won't eat this kind of thing."
Xiao Jingkong stuffed the small milk biscuit into his mouth.
A rich, milky aroma filled his mouth, carrying a light sweetness, and Huangfuxian was stunned for a moment.
Little Jingkong tilted his head and asked, "Is it delicious? Jiaojiao made it!"
Huangfu Xian didn't speak, but just gave a vague "hmm".
On the other side, Gu Jiao finally finished treating the last patient. Without taking a break, she went back to her courtyard to change into a night outfit and was about to go out when she was blocked by Princess Xinyang's carriage at the door.
Yu Jin opened the curtain for Princess Xinyang, who glanced at Gu Jiao and asked indifferently, "Where are you going dressed like this?"
"Cough cough!"
A man coughed from inside the carriage.
"Shut up," Princess Xinyang said, turning her head away.
Xiao Heng shut his mouth.
"Come up here," Princess Xinyang said to Gu Jiao.
"Oh." Gu Jiao took the red-tasseled spear and got into the carriage.
Yu Jin smiled and said, "I'll go get some tea."
After saying that, she got off the carriage.
Only Princess Xinyang, Xiao Heng, and Gu Jiao remained in the carriage.
Xiao Heng was dressed in his everyday clothes when he was caught by Princess Xinyang on the way. After that, Princess Xinyang came to catch Gu Jiao.
Princess Xinyang looked at the red-tasseled spear in Gu Jiao's hand with a stern face: "What? Are you going to destroy that group's stronghold?"
Xiao Heng opened his mouth.
Princess Xinyang: "I didn't ask you."
Xiao Heng became withdrawn again.
Gu Jiao blinked: "Didn't Princess Ning'an run away? I'll go catch her."
"I'm not here anymore, am I? Do you need to go and catch me? You're so young, yet you worry so much!" Princess Xinyang said coldly, reaching out to snatch the red-tasseled spear from Gu Jiao's hand. She tried to take it but couldn't, and looked embarrassed.
"I...I'll do it." Xiao Heng grasped the red-tasseled spear wrapped in cloth with both hands and took it from his wife and his own mother.
"Hiss—"
That's really heavy!
I almost didn't catch it.
But he couldn't show weakness in front of his wife and mother, so Xiao Heng calmly placed the red-tasseled spear on his lap.
"Is it heavy?" Princess Xinyang chuckled.
Xiao Heng said nonchalantly, "It's not heavy, not at all. This carriage is too small, otherwise I could have given you a couple of shots."
Princess Xinyang snorted coldly and said indifferently, "I deliberately let her go that night. I know who I let go. I can't help much in the war, but I'm more than capable of dealing with a few remnants. You can just wait at home."
Gu Jiao said, "It seems that the Yan people have a way to deal with the Dragon Shadow Guards."
Princess Xinyang nodded and said, "I know, don't worry."
Xiao Heng didn't move.
He didn't move, so Gu Jiao didn't move either.
Princess Xinyang said to Xiao Heng, "What are you standing there for? Why aren't you going down?"
Xiao Heng smiled and said, "I just wanted to spend more time with you."
Princess Xinyang said to Gu Jiao, "He can't lift it anymore."
Xiao Heng: "..." Is it really okay to expose my son's secrets like this?
Gu Jiao smiled and got off the carriage with her red-tasseled spear in her hand.
After Princess Xinyang left, Gu Jiao asked Xiao Heng, "Do I really not need to go?"
Xiao Heng shook his head: "No need. Besides Long Yi, she also has four Dragon Shadow Guards, enough to capture Ning An."
Princess Xinyang did not release Ning An to obtain information about the whereabouts of the Yan people, as Xiao Jiu had already tracked them down. Princess Xinyang wanted to know what other tricks Ning An had up his sleeve.
Princess Xinyang dispatched two Dragon Shadow Guards and one secret guard from the princess's residence to keep an eye on Ning An.
Ning An was extremely vigilant, and it took him a whole day and night to finally sneak into a seemingly inconspicuous cave in the mountains.
After that, she arrived at a secret camp that resembled a secluded paradise.
There are a hundred experts in the camp.
This should be the old stronghold that Consort Jing left for Ning'an.
Princess Xinyang, accompanied by Long Yi, four Dragon Shadow Guards, and a group of secret guards from the princess's residence, stormed into the camp and captured Ning An.
In addition, a small box was found in the secret room.
"Open it," Princess Xinyang said to Ning'an.
Ning An sneered: "If you want to drive it, drive it yourself."
Princess Xinyang glanced at the wooden box on the table: "Do you think I can't break it open?"
Ning An said defiantly, "Go ahead."
"It seems we can't just break it open," Princess Xinyang said to her guards. "Take the box back and open it with the key."
Princess Ning'an's expression changed.
Princess Xinyang chuckled: "Are you surprised that your key has been remade?"
Princess Ning'an exclaimed in astonishment, "You!"
Princess Xinyang said, "Take him back, and don't put him under house arrest. Just throw him in prison."
Ning An threatened, "You dare! I am a princess!"
“What a coincidence, me too.” Princess Xinyang looked down at Ning An, who was being forced to kneel on the ground by the Dragon Shadow Guards. “You’d better not try to escape this time, or I’ll break your legs.”
What Long Yi heard was—"Hehehe, I'll break your legs."
Long rushed over and broke Ning An's leg!
Ning An: "...!!"
Princess Xinyang: "..."
This time, Princess Xinyang did not bring the person back to the palace, but instead imprisoned him directly in the Dali Temple's prison.
She then took the small box to Bishui Hutong.
The key made from Gu Jiao's mold has been completed, and it really can open this box.
Upon opening it, they discovered that the seemingly simple wooden box actually contained a very complex mechanism; if it were forcibly split or pried open, the mechanism would shred the contents of the box.
"Let's see what Consort Jing left for Ning'an," Gu Jiao said.
“Alright.” Xiao Heng took out the contents of the box. They were several account books that recorded the interactions between Consort Jing and certain officials in the court over the years. “These officials… are all connections that Consort Jing left for Ning’an.”
Princess Xinyang paused for a moment, then said, "These account books are very important. With them, we can blackmail those officials."
Xiao Heng scrolled down and said, "There's another treasure map."
Gu Jiao hummed in agreement: "There really is a treasure map?"
Xiao Heng glanced at Gu Jiao with amusement: "I was just kidding. It's a silver note, roughly worth several hundred thousand taels."
Gu Jiao's eyes gleamed with greed.
Princess Xinyang took in Gu Jiao's subtle glances and helplessly pressed her temples: "Minister Xing and the others can overturn the case."
Xiao Heng nodded: "That's right, we've got everything we were supposed to have, so there's nothing more to worry about."
Princess Xinyang stood up and said, "Ning'an's crimes should also be announced to the world."
"Princess!" Yu Jin arrived at the door and reported, "His Majesty has awakened!"
(End of this chapter)
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