Jiu Xiao looked up at the Fifth Prince, finding him bathed in radiant sunlight, his face notably amicable, and glowing.
Jiu Xiao was momentarily stunned.
He had seen the Fifth Prince many times.
While serving in the imperial study, he had seen the Fifth Prince pay his respects and converse with Xiao Yunzhou several times.
Previously, Jiu Xiao didn't pay much attention to the princes of Jing Country.
Because they were beyond the scope of his task.
This time entering the palace, his only mission, a one-way mission, was to assassinate the emperor of Jing Country, Xiao Yunzhou.
The Elder of the Earth and Moon Sect, who had raised him, told him to act on the Lantern Festival.
Because the imperial family of the previous dynasty was overthrown by the Xiao family who stormed the palace on the Lantern Festival. So, the day chosen for revenge was the Lantern Festival.
The Earth and Moon Sect had never expected him to return alive.
Jiu Xiao himself had not thought of returning alive.
He was an orphan to start with and completing this task would be enough to repay the grace of the Elder who had raised him.
But for the first time, Jiu Xiao was somewhat greedy for the warmth of the stove in his hands.
"Why?" The Fifth Prince, Cheng Qian, squatting in front of him, looking into his eyes, "Why save you?"
"I simply acted according to the rules of the palace, you need not overthink."
Nonsense!
Jiu Xiao's eyes flickered as he watched the Fifth Prince, Cheng Qian, rise.
The rules of the palace, just like the Elder of the Earth and Moon Sect had said, were that the superior prey on the inferior.
How could the rules of the palace be like the Fifth Prince?
Not only saving him but also giving him his winter clothes?
Jiu Xiao frowned slightly, he had recently heard the Fifth Prince teaching the young eunuchs around him.
Could this be what the Fifth Prince had taught before, 'watch their behavior, observe their good and evil' - judging a person's good and evil based on their actions?
"Thank you, Fifth Prince, for saving me." Jiu Xiao's face reddened slightly.
"No need. I was just passing by."
Nonsense.
Jiu Xiao shook his head inwardly, looking at the Fifth Prince who refused to admit his good deeds, slowly standing up, his body that had been soaked in icy water for too long couldn't help but shake.
Cheng Qian watched him with a furrowed brow, "Xiao Luzi, give him some of the dried meat you carry with you, and your hand stove too."
"Here, take it, go back to your room and change your clothes quickly! Don't catch a cold!" Xiao Luzi tossed him a bag of dried meat.
Jiu Xiao caught it in a flash, as if he had caught a hot potato.
Dried meat...
In the Earth and Moon Sect, he had never eaten such dried meat, nor had he ever eaten anything like instant noodles soaked in boiling water.
The Earth and Moon Sect had saved them, the orphans, but had been strict with them since childhood, punishing them with beatings if they didn't train hard enough.
Only if they won a fight would they get a piece of meat.
Many orphans like him had died from injuries sustained in fights.
"I didn't do anything right, can I still eat?" Jiu Xiao couldn't help but look at Cheng Qian and speak for the second time.
Cheng Qian was taken aback.
Xiao Luzi, however, responded quickly, "Hey, our prince has a kind heart and can't bear to see you freeze to death, so he gave you something to eat. This isn't a reward, what does it have to do with whether you did something right or wrong?"
"Master, the master of the imperial study is about to arrive, let's hurry up and go!" Xiao Luzi urged.
Jiu Xiao remained in place, watching Cheng Qian turn and leave.
You can eat meat even if you don't do anything right?
Because they can't bear to see him die?
Why, the Fifth Prince doesn't even know him.
Jiu Xiao was at a loss.
He had never thought about these things before.
He did whatever the Elder of the Earth and Moon Sect, who had adopted him, said.
For this assassination, the Elder of Earth and Moon Sect promised Jiu Xiao that, if successful, they would establish a longevity memorial for him and burn paper money for him so that he wouldn't starve in the underworld.
'Judge by their motives, observe their deeds'...
Compared to the Fifth Prince, the Elder of Earth and Moon Sect was quite willing to let him die... How cruel indeed.
Jiu Xiao frowned, quickly turning around to return to his eunuch's room.
But just a quarter of an hour later, someone brought hot water.
"Little Jiu, this is sent by Eunuch Wei."
Jiu Xiao was taken aback.
It was a lie, it wasn't Eunuch Wei.
It must be the Fifth Prince, the good Samaritan who didn't want to leave his name...
Jiu Xiao stared blankly at the bucket of scalding water for washing his feet.
*
[Ding, reformation progress 30%.]
[Ding, reformation progress 40%.]
...
[Ding, reformation progress 70%.]
Holy moly!
Xiao Chuchu was stunned, what speed is this?
She didn't even have time to exchange for a live broadcast. Without even uttering a prayer in her heart for the system to exchange a real-time broadcast of the assassin's actions, the task's reformation progress was like a rocket, shooting straight up!
[That's incredible.]
[Aw, I can't exchange for a live broadcast because it's task-related?]
Xiao Chuchu applied to watch the broadcast but was rejected by the system, instantly her face crumpled in frustration.
Concubine Liu, listening in on the side, also became worried.
Was her daughter facing trouble?
Alas, she could not help.
What to do now?
"Qiu Li, after you finish class in the study room, go find Cheng Qian, ask him to come over today." Concubine Liu wanted to discuss with her son.
What exactly does this reformation task mean?
She could not bear to see her little daughter frowning all day, not even enjoying her milk, always seeming sleepy yet stubbornly holding her eyes open.
Concubine Liu felt distressed.
Just as she was pondering, a guard reported from outside, "Concubine Liu, the Fifth Prince asked me to relay a message, suggesting you invite an imperial physician for the young princess, to check if she is injured and whether her health is fine."
Concubine Liu jolted!
[What?]
Xiao Chuchu heard it too.
[What's wrong with me? I'm perfectly fine.]
Upon hearing her daughter's thoughts, Concubine Liu sighed in relief.
But she still dared not let down her guard.
After all, the child was still young, and though she was precocious, she slept for a long time each day. What if something happened while she was asleep?
Not all of the young princess's thoughts could guarantee safety.
"Qiu Li, go find Imperial Physician Qiu, who is proficient in paediatrics, and let him take a 'peace pulse' for the young princess."
Concubine Liu dared not gamble.
When it came to the young princess, Qiu Li knew the importance and hurried off immediately.
*
The Imperial Study.
Xiao Yunzhou was so tired he felt like he was dying, but he had to endure and continue reviewing petitions.
"I can't go on, I'm too tired. Chancellor Fu Cha, do you have any way to wake me up?"
Chancellor Fu Cha: "This..."
"When I was the crown prince, I often fell asleep during lectures. At that time, Chancellor Fu Cha would tell me stories to keep me awake."
Xiao Yunzhou lifted his eyes, shadowed with fatigue, "Now, Chancellor Fu Cha, you've changed."
"..." Chancellor Fu Cha opened his mouth.
"You're not as loyal to me as before, not like the old times, when you saw me tired, you would tell me stories to keep me focused!"
"......!"
Damn it!
Chancellor Fu Cha's corner of the mouth twitched.
The Emperor seems to be regressing with age, acting as if he were five and a half years old!
Chancellor Fu Cha is in a dilemma, unsure whether to tell the Emperor a story or not. Just then, Wei Zheng hurriedly arrives with a report.
"Your Majesty, something's wrong! The Third Princess has called for the royal physician!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunzhou instantly wakes up from his drowsy state, standing up in urgency.
Without waiting for Chancellor Fu Cha, he rushes out.
"What's the matter? She was perfectly fine a few days ago... It couldn't be the work of an assassin, could it?"
Xiao Yunzhou breaks out in a cold sweat from fear, not even waiting for Wei Zheng, and hurries towards Concubine Liu.
Upon arriving at the Donghua Palace's side hall, just as he steadies himself against the wall to catch his breath, he hears his daughter's anxious thoughts echoing like thunder.
"Ouch, the royal physician says my spleen and stomach are unbalanced, I really haven't been able to drink milk these past few days."
"Sigh, I'm just worried about the assassin!"
Hearing his daughter's thoughts, Xiao Yunzhou lowers his head in shame.
It's all because he, as a father and Emperor, is useless, causing his few months old child to worry.
But the next sentence leaves Xiao Yunzhou dumbstruck.
"Oh, but my appetite is back now. This persuasion task is already seventy percent complete, haha!"
Xiao Yunzhou: "?!?"
What?
Seventy percent?
What... What did he do?
Xiao Yunzhou's gaze shifts complexly towards Wei Zheng.
"What, what was I just doing?"
Wei Zheng: "…"
Goodness, when will the Emperor's forgetfulness get better?
"You were just having Chancellor Fu Cha tell a story."
"…"
Xiao Yunzhou's gaze wavers.
