T/N: Sorry for the late update! I drove across the country to visit my grandparents and forgot to bring my laptop…..

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The room fell into a peculiar silence.

A moment later, Qin Xiao spoke again: “Come here.”

Chu Jiubian: “…..Are you telling me what to do?”

Qin Xiao chuckled softly, then seemed to wince from the pain in his chest. He raised a hand and pressed it gingerly against the wound before continuing: “How could I dare?”

He was being sarcastic.

Chu Jiubian ignored him and remained lying down.

However, he soon heard a rustling sound from the bed, and turned his head to see Qin Xiao slowly trying to sit up.

Chu Jiubian quickly sat upright and said while putting on his shoes: “What are you doing? Don’t move.”

Qin Xiao stopped moving, then lay back down.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” he said.

Chu Jiubian froze briefly. He couldn’t see Qin Xiao’s face in the darkness, but he could still feel the other man’s focused gaze.

He got off the couch somewhat uneasily and said: “I’ll go back to Yaotai Residence. Call Qin Chaoyang and have him bring a longer couch so he can keep you company.”

This hadn’t occurred to him earlier. Since Qin Xiao was now out of danger, it would be fine for someone else to stay with him and see to his needs.

Qin Xiao said nothing.

Chu Jiubian picked up his cloak and headed for the door. However, before he had taken more than a couple of steps, the other’s deep voice sounded behind him again: “My wound still hurts a bit.”

Chu Jiubian paused in his steps. He turned to look back.

Qin Xiao continued: “I think I strained something when I was washing up earlier.”

At this time, the System emitted a notification sound: [Host, there is indeed some minor bleeding from the patient’s chest wound.]

Chu Jiubian immediately frowned. As he walked over, he casually threw his cloak onto the couch and took a flashlight from the System Inventory to illuminate the area.

The powerful flashlight immediately brightened the entire room, and the person on the bed closed his eyes in surprise against the sudden illumination.

Chu Jiubian noticed at once that the man’s face was absent of stubble, and that his face looked clean and refreshed.

As for the blood and medicinal scent on his body, all of that had been cleaned away while he was in the Divine Realm.

His alternately heavy and shallow breathing had now returned to normal. Thus, aside from his pale complexion, Qin Xiao looked no different than he normally did.

Chu Jiubian shifted his gaze to his chest, noting that Qin Xiao had changed into clean undergarments made of black silk. The collar was slightly askew.

Beneath the smooth fabric, the undulating contours of his musculature were smooth and elegant, subtly conveying a sense of strength and vitality.

Qin Xiao adjusted to the light and opened his eyes, following Chu Jiubian’s gaze toward his chest before looking up at him.

Chu Jiubian only took a quick look, and before he could tell Qin Xiao to take off his clothes, the other man was slowly undoing the ties to reveal the entirety of his upper body.

His well-developed pecs and uniform six-pack abs came into view. Chu Jiuian’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

There was gauze wrapped around his chest, and although some blood had seeped through, it was only a small quantity.

“System, has the wound reopened?” Chu Jiubian asked internally.

[No, some minor bleeding is normal.]

Chu Jiubian’s heart settled, and he looked up into Qin Xiao’s deep, penetrating eyes.

“The wound hasn’t healed yet, so don’t move around much these next two days,” he said.

Qin Xiao gave a hum of acknowledgement.

Glancing at his wide-open shirt, Chu Jiubian said: “Put your clothes back on.”

“I’m allowed to move?” Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian: “Yes.”

Qin Xiao slowly re-fastened his clothes, but they were loose and sloppy, which looked stranger than when they were halfway undone.

Chu Jiubian averted his gaze, going to the sofa to fetch the blanket for Qin Xiao.

“You’ll be fine if you don’t move around. I’ll come see you again tomorrow,” Chu Jiubian said, and once again prepared to leave.

“What if I need to get up in the middle of the night? Can I move on my own? Drink water?” Qin Xiao asked three rapid-fire questions, his tone casual and playful. “Unless the Young Master personally supervises me, I won’t know what I can do by myself.”

Chu Jiubian looked at him steadily, then suddenly let out a light chuckle: “Do you not want me to leave?”

“En,” said Qin Xiao. “I feel at ease knowing you’re here.”

Chu Jiubian said nothing, simply observing his expression in an attempt to glean something from it.

But before long, he was the first to look away, fearful of finding what he was looking for.

He turned off the flashlight and stashed it away in the System inventory.

The room returned to darkness, and it took a while for both of them to adjust before they could once again make out some vague outlines.

Qin Xiao followed the young man’s figure, watching him walk a few steps before stopping again.

Then, he turned around and went back to the bedside.

Chu Jiubian sat down on the bed, took off his shoes, and twisted to crawl in.

The bed was about 1.5 meters wide, which was plenty of space for two people. And although there was only one pillow, it was long enough to share comfortably.

However, Qin Xiao was sleeping on the outer side of the bed, and it wasn’t convenient for him to move. Chu Jiubian got on his knees and swung a leg over so that he was straddling Qin Xiao, placing his hands on either side of him out of caution. His long hair cascaded down his shoulders, bringing with it a tingling sensation as it brushed over Qin Xiao’s neck and lips.

But in an instant, Chu Jiubian was already lying on the inner side of the bed.

Without removing his outer garment, he lay straight on his back and stared at the bedframe above him.

At this moment, they were truly “sleeping together.”

Chu Jiubian had never been close to anyone like this before, and his entire body tensed up even as his mind went completely blank.

Qin Xiao lay still for a while before turning his head to look at the person beside him.

He seemed to notice how tense Chu Jiubian was, and reached out to share the blanket with him.

Chu Jiubian finally reacted and said: “Don’t move.”

“Cover up,” said Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian froze for a moment. Then, when he reached out to grasp the blanket, his hand happened to brush against Qin Xiao’s.

Those hands had regained their warmth, in stark contrast to their previous iciness.

His fingertips curled slightly, and he quickly grabbed a corner of the blanket and pulled it over himself.

Qin Xiao looked away, gazing up at the bedframe as well.

The room hadn’t been cold to begin with, and now that he was under the covers, it was even warmer.

Before long, Chu Jiubian felt his feet and legs warming up, but his hands remained stubbornly cold.

The room was silent save for the wind howling outside, which made the branches of the trees in the courtyard sway and rustle.

The two lay together in silence, separated by only a few inches. Neither of them were sleepy, but neither of them spoke.

This room belonged to Qin Xiao, and so did the bed, blanket, and pillow. The person himself was even lying directly beside him. Chu Jiubian felt as if he was enveloped in the subtle scent of Qin Xiao, and that some of it had even transferred onto him.

His breathing was light and shallow. Listening to Qin Xiao’s breathing, he knew that the other man wasn’t asleep either.

“Are you not tired?” His voice was somewhat soft.

“I’m not. You?”

“Me either,” said Chu Jiubian. “Did you eat something earlier?”

“No. I don’t know what I’m able to eat,” said Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian glanced toward him. Even in the darkness, he could see the other’s straight nose and the ridge of his brow. “So when you woke up, did you not also consider that you shouldn’t be moving around so freely?”

Qin Xiao smiled faintly and turned his head to look at him, saying: “I was very careful.”

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

As they looked into each other’s eyes, silence descended between them once more.

Due to their close proximity, Chu Jiubian felt as if he could feel Qin Xiao’s breath on his lips.

Suddenly, he noticed Qin Xiao leaning closer to him.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his face away to look back at the bed frame.

“If you’re not going to sleep, then let’s talk about Cheng Shuo.” Chu Jiubian awkwardly changed the topic.

Qin Xiao turned his gaze away, and said while staring upward: “He has been thoroughly interrogated, but we were able to get nothing out of him.”

“Was torture used?”

“Severe torture.”

“Is there a grudge between you and him?” Chu Jiubian then immediately dismissed the idea, saying, “No, his family background is impeccable, and you and the Qin family have even shown him kindness. He shouldn’t have had any reason to harm you.”

Before Qin Xiao took Cheng Shuo with him on the expedition, Chu Jiubian had instructed Qin Chaoyang to re-investigate Cheng Shuo’s family background and recent actions.

People could change, and his worry was that this person might have had contact with someone else without Qin Xiao’s knowledge.

However, after Qin Chaoyang’s investigation, there was indeed nothing suspicious about Cheng Shuo.

“It is also impossible that his wife and children at home are being held hostage or threatened,” Qin Xiao said. “I’ve had people looking after his family affairs, and there is no way anything unexpected could have happened.”

“So he betrayed you for no reason?” Chu Jiubian asked with a frown.

Qin Xiao gave a hum of agreement.

A few moments later, he suddenly asked: “What is your relationship with Nanjiang-wang?”

Outsiders may be unaware of what happened early in the disaster that hit Nanjiang, but Qin Xiao knew that the solution to the grain shortage was all due to Chu Jiubian’s machinations.

Therefore, he must have a connection with Nanjiang-wang.

At the sudden mention of Nanjiang, a thought flashed through Chu Jiubian’s mind, and he turned his head to look at the other man: “Has Cheng Shuo been infected by gu?”

The Great Ning Dynasty existed in a world that combined elements of martial arts fiction, featuring internal energy, martial arts techniques, and many strange or unusual clans and their traditions.

The poisonous parasites called gu in Nanjiang were known throughout the world, and there were indeed occult practitioners who used such gu to kill or even control people.

The most powerful gu masters in Nanjiang were actually the Saintesses of each generation.

The current generation’s Saintess, Situ Anli, was the princess of Nanjiang and the mother of the Situ siblings.

To be able to control a man as strong as Cheng Shuo and force him to assassinate Qin Xiao against his will was a feat that no ordinary gu master could accomplish. It must have been the work of an exceptional practitioner.

Therefore, Saintess of Nanjiang Situ Anli was a prime suspect.

Qin Xiao said: “Hu Fang has witnessed people under gu-induced mind control. Their thoughts are altered, and they will act against their own will according to the wishes of the gu master.”

The way Cheng Shuo was acting now was completely different from before the assasination attempt that day.

Qin Xiao carefully recalled that before the assasination, Cheng Shuo had been acting normally, just as carefree and unrestrained as usual, without any signs of aberration.

But in the wake of the assassination, Cheng Shuo changed.

He became sullen, his eyes devoid of any hint of emotion.

Even the strongest person would reveal some signs of pain under severe torture, but Cheng Shuo, despite being covered in wounds, didn’t even flinch. It was as if he was immune to pain.

Listening to this, Chu Jiubian felt that it sounded somewhat like hypnosis.

Were these gu parasites really so powerful?

“I can’t confirm whether or not this matter is related to the Princess of Nanjiang,” Chu Jiubian said.

He was confident in the character and abilities of the Situ siblings, but he wasn’t certain of their parents’ temperaments.

However, judging by their actions during the drought, these two didn’t seem to be bad people. And since they had raised two such wonderful children, their character couldn’t be all that bad either.

But what if?

What if something bad could give birth to something good?

Chu Jiubian didn’t dare to speak too definitively.

Qin Xiao: “It is also possible that someone is deliberately framing them. Let’s wait until Nanjiang-wang arrives in the capital tomorrow, then find an opportunity to investigate further.”

“Nanjiang-wang will be here tomorrow?” Chu Jiubian had been in the Divine Realm for the past two days, and hadn’t seen Qin Chaoyang upon emerging today, so he was naturally unaware of such an event.

Qin Xiao, however, had already spoken with Qin Chaoyang and met with the young Emperor to reassure the child.

Since Chu Jiubian had asked, Qin Xiao replied: “Huguang-wang and Dongjiang-wang will arrive outside the city tonight, while the other four vassal kings are staying at the nearest post station and should arrive in the capital tomorrow evening.”

Chu Jiubian smiled when he heard this: “Are Huguang-wang and Dongjiang-wang trying to intimidate us?”

“Perhaps.” Qin Xiao smiled as well.

Although they hadn’t said much, the two of them understood each other without the need for words.

In the current situation, it was impossible to say who would intimidate whom.

As they were discussing the matter, two groups of people had already arrived outside the gates of the tightly-closed city.

From atop a tall horse, the leader of the guards escorting Huguang-wang shouted up to the city guards stationed on the wall: “His Royal Highness Huguang-wang and His Royal Highness Dongjiang-wang have arrived! Open the gates immediately and welcome them into the city!”

But a clear voice sounded from one of the people on the city wall, saying: “The city gates are already closed for the night. Hoping Your Highnesses will understand!”

As he spoke, a handsome man clad in soft armor appeared on the ramparts with a sword at his waist, gazing down at the crowd outside the gates.

Huguang-wang Bai Liyue disembarked from his carriage in magnificent robes, his demeanor stern and imposing. Simply by standing there, he exuded an overwhelming sense of authority.

Many soldiers on the city wall lowered their eyes, not daring to look at the other party.

This was the awe-inspiring aura of the most powerful vassal king.

Huguang-wang gazed up at the young commander upon the city wall and narrowed his eyes: “Who might you be?”

His voice wasn’t loud, but the person on the city wall possessed excellent hearing. He smiled upon hearing these words, then performed a formal bow and said: “This humble servant is An Ping, also known as An Wuji, Commander of the Imperial Guard. Paying respects to Your Highnesses.”

The city garrison and Imperial Guard were mostly composed of former members of the Qin Family Army. And although An Wuji was nominally the Commander of the Imperial Guard, the city garrison was also under his jurisdiction.

Therefore, there was nothing wrong with his appearance on the city wall.

“So it’s Commander An. I have long admired your reputation.” A laughing voice rang out, and a man dressed in dark green brocade robes stepped out of another carriage.

An Wuji looked over.

The man stood behind Bai Liyue. Although he was slightly shorter and thinner than him, his demeanor was in no way inferior to Bai Liyue, the most powerful of the vassal kings.

And despite his smiling appearance, there was no hint of warmth in his eyes. They were cold and sinister, sending chills down the spine of anyone who met his gaze.

This was Dongjiang-wang Bai Lihe. His maternal family was a wealthy and influential clan from Jiangnan, and he had also been the most favored second prince during Emperor Chengzong’s reign.

He was once the most promising prince to ascend the throne, but he was unfortunately defeated by Emperor Yingzong. However, due to the great influence of his mother’s family, his life was preserved and he was sent to a fiefdom to start anew.

But it could be said that among these seven vassal kings, these two were the most ambitious and truthful about their real selves.

“This subordinate is merely a humble commander. How could I dare accept a compliment from Your Highness?” An Wuji said.

In the Great Ning Dynasty, there were only two “rulers:” the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Therefore, even when facing a powerful and influential vassal king, officials did not need to address them as one would a ruler, but could simply refer to themselves as “this subordinate.”

“Commander An is too kind. You are a highly-favored figure in the eyes of His Majesty and Lord Ning-wang,” said Bai Lihe. 

“Although we brothers have arrived late today, we hope that Commander An will be kind enough to allow us into the city, so that we may avoid having to spend the night outside the city walls.”

“Rules are rules. Please understand, Your Highnesses,” said An Wuji, completely unmoved.

Bai Liyue gave a faint smile and said: “What a fine rule. Perhaps you could go and inform His Majesty? If His Majesty also believes that we should camp outside the city walls, then we will have no complaints.”

“It is late, and His Majesty has already retired for the night,” said An Wuji. “This matter will be handled according to regulations, so there is no need to report it to His Majesty.”

“Won’t Commander An cause too much offense by handling the matter this way?” The soldier beside him looked a little nervous as he whispered this to him.

“It’s alright,” An Wuji replied softly. “I’ll take responsibility if things go wrong.”

Bai Liyue and Bai Lihe might plan to shift the blame onto the Emperor for being unable to enter the city, but An Wuji wouldn’t give them the chance.

He would take full responsibility.

This way, when the young Emperor later punished him with a mild but public penalty, the two vassal kings would appear to have received justice.

These two had deliberately waited to arrive until after the city gates closed, but their plan had completely backfired.

Not only was it impossible for them to enter the city on the basis of privilege, but they also couldn’t blame the Emperor for being forced to sleep outside the city walls. After all, the Emperor wasn’t even aware of their arrival. All of this was simply the result of An Wuji diligently fulfilling his duties.

They wanted to put on a show of power in front of the Emperor, but now they found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Bai Liyue’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Hadn’t it been said that neither Qin Xiao nor Chu Jiubian would be around? How could a small child like Bai Lihong have anticipated all of this?

Then was this a strategy devised by An Wuji himself, or perhaps by that eunuch, Hong Fu?

Bai Lihong truly had a wealth of talents around him.

Bai Liyue felt a sense of missing out.

How had all of these talents ended up belonging solely to the Emperor?

If possible, he would also like to find a way to get in touch with these people during this trip to the capital. 

It would be fantastic if all of these talents could be pulled into his service.

Bai Lihe fixed his gaze on the young commander for a long moment, his smile unchanged. However, the cold, sinister look in his eyes intensified until they were like those of a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, observing its surroundings.

*

*

Inside the bedroom in the western courtyard of Yangxin Hall.

Chu Jiubian listened with great interest as Qin Xiao spoke of several of the vassal kings.

Perhaps to help him understand more clearly, Qin Xiao even assigned them “animal personas,” which was quite unconventional.

Bai Liyue was a black bear who considered himself clever, but in reality, his fists were more effective than his brains. Bai Lihe was a sinister, venomous snake who liked to manipulate people, while Bai Liyue was a smiling, two-faced tiger who remained indifferent to matters that didn’t concern him.

Bai Lizheng was a rigid, old-fashioned ox who only cared about his small sphere of influence, Bai Lihao was a free-spirited steed who yearned for vast open spaces, and Bai Liyu, lacking sufficient strength, compensated with cunning schemes – a highly aggressive hawk.

“And as for Bai Liming…..”

Chu Jiubian said: “I think he’s a lot like a rabbit.” He was delicate and harmless, and often appeared easily startled.

Qin Xiao said: “I’m not familiar with him.”

In fact, he wasn’t very familiar with the other vassal kings either, and had only gleaned a few insights from their actions.

“Then what about me?” Chu Jiubian asked. “What kind of animal do you think I am?”

Qin Xiao glanced at him and let out a low chuckle.

“Why are you laughing?” 

Instead of answering, Qin Xiao countered with a question: “What does the Young Master think I am?”

“I asked you first,” said Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao: “You tell me first, and then I’ll tell you.”

Chu Jiubian: “Then let’s not talk about it.”

The room fell silent again.

Still not feeling sleepy, Chu Jiubian spoke up again: “Your injury is actually related to the Lu family.”

The Lu family’s ancestral home was Wuwei, located in Gansu. They had a natural connection with Dingbei-wang Bai Liyu, whose fiefdom ran through Shaanxi and Gansu.

It had been Minister of War Lu Youwei’s brother-in-law Pang Ruizhi,  commander of the Northwest Army, who had cooperated with Dingbei-wang to allow the enemy army to occupy Gansu, thus forcing Qin Xiao to go to war.

“En,” said Qin Xiao. “I’ve gathered some evidence, but now is not the time to make use of it.”

Chu Jiubian rolled over to face him.

Qin Xiao froze, and for some reason didn’t turn his head to look at the person beside him.

“The Lu family also has connections with the Tatars,” Chu Jiubian said. In the darkness, Qin Xiao’s jaw instantly tensed.

Chu Jiubian noticed this and unconsciously lowered his voice: “We’ll uncover the evidence.”

Qin Jingzhao and his wife were killed by the Tatars, but everyone knew there was more to the story. There must have been a traitor who leaked or falsified military intelligence, which led to their ambush and deaths in a foreign land.

And now, both Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian knew that this matter was inextricably linked to the Lu family.

But they simply didn’t have any evidence.

With such a major event, they felt that the Lu family couldn’t have been the only ones involved. There must have been other forces at play. Were the other three great families participants, or perhaps one or more of the vassal kings?

Anything was possible.

“Since no external leads can be found, perhaps we can try to find a breakthrough within,” said Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao said nothing.

Chu Jiubian continued: “Regarding the mandala incident, we killed Wang Wenyao, the Xiao family head’s son, as well as that young man from the Lu family, Lu Xingwen.”

“Lu Xingwen’s parents don’t belong to the clan’s main branch, but to a collateral one, and Lu Xingwen was their only son.”

Qin Xiao finally turned his head to look at him.

The young man lay curled up on his side, and even in the darkness of night, Qin Xiao could faintly discern the glint in his eyes.

“Someone heard Lu Xingwen’s parents say that their son’s life had been traded for two Lu family shops. Their tones sounded strange, which suggested that they harbored resentment toward the Lu family.” This was something Chu Jiubian had overheard from some gossiping lower-ranking officials while working at the ministry.

“This might be a breakthrough,” he said.

Lu Xingwen had been killed by Qin Xiao, but it was also true that the Lu family had failed to help him when he was in danger. The couple, having lost their only son, could not possibly see the so-called “bigger picture.”

Therefore, they now hated Qin Xiao and the Lu family to the bone.

If there was an opportunity to let “two dogs bite each other,” why not take it?

Chu Jiubian’s intention was to exploit their mindset and guide them to expose the Lu family’s collusion with foreign enemies, as well as their persecution of the loyal Qin family officials.

With the charges of harming loyal officials and colluding with foreign enemies to plot rebellion, the Lu family would be severely punished, if not sentenced to death outright.

Qin Xiao remained silent. An unknown amount of time later, he asked softly: “Are you looking into this to take on the Lu family, or is there another reason…..”

His words cut off halfway through.

Chu Jiubian didn’t answer, but instead said in an even softer voice: “I’m tired. Let’s go to sleep.”

*

*

For the next couple of days, they stayed holed up in Yangxin Hall to avoid having to go out and deal with those vassal kings.

It was now the 27th, with only three days left until the New Year.

The vassal kings were expected to go to the temple for fasting and ritual practices, and only on the thirtieth would they be able to return to the Imperial City to attend the palace banquet.

But tomorrow, they would certainly come to meet with Bai Lihong and pay their respects.

This was also a customary practice for vassal kings entering the capital.

Bai Lihong had cried again when he saw Qin Xiao today, and it took a considerable amount of effort to comfort him.

Qin Xiao then instructed him to feign illness so that the vassal kings wouldn’t linger when they came to pay their respects, thus preventing them from setting up a pitfall for the child.

For this reason, Physician Zhang was stationed in the main room of Yangxin Hall, and would likely remain there until the 27th.

Ever since obtaining a medical book from Chu Jiubian, Physician Zhang had firmly aligned himself with their cause.

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy was ill at home, and had already submitted a request for retirement. Physician Zhang was the most likely candidate for promotion, and naturally knew who his true masters were. Therefore, nothing was kept from him regarding Bai Lihong’s feigned illness.

As a shrewd and opportunistic person, he was naturally very diplomatic, and after taking Bai Lihong’s pulse, he understood without anyone needing to speak a word.

That being said, Chu Jiubian and the others had nothing to do for the next two days.

He lay on his side facing Qin Xiao, curled up with his hands clasped across his chest.

Closing his eyes, he tried once more to fall asleep.

If he didn’t sleep tonight, he would be exhausted during the day.

He was capable of sharing a bed with Qin Xiao under the cover of night, but it was impossible for him during the day.

Chu Jiubian lay there for quite some time.

Even with his eyes closed, he could sense Qin Xiao’s gaze on him.

Inexplicably, his body tensed up even more, and sleepiness evaded him.

Only when Qin Xiao moved – presumably shifting his gaze away – did Chu Jiubian feel himself relax slightly.

A while later, drowsiness gradually set in.

Qin Xiao waited until the breathing of the person beside him became heavy and deep before turning his head to look at him again.

He still couldn’t make out the other’s features, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to look.

A long while later, when his neck had become stiff, he finally turned his head back and closed his eyes.

However, before he even began to feel sleepy, he felt a weight settle on his shoulder.

He froze, not daring to move.

The young man was now breathing closer to his ear, clearly indicating that he was resting his head on Qin Xiao’s shoulder.

Qin Xiao didn’t sleep all night.

Chu Jiubian also “woke up” briefly during the night, though not with his physical body – it was his soul that awakened and entered the Divine Realm. 

This was for no other reason than that one of his Believers was calling out to him in the middle of the night, unable to sleep.

Chu Jiubian was initially a little reluctant, but had no objections once he realized that it was Qin Chuan who had summoned him.

It was likely that he had heard the news of Qin Xiao’s severe injury, and had come to the High Priest for help.

Sure enough, after offering him a formal greeting, Qin Chuan said in a heavy voice: “High Priest, may this subordinate receive the reward he was promised earlier?”

“You want me to save someone?” Chu Jiubian asked, knowing perfectly well what this was about.

“Yes,” said Qin Chuan. “This subordinate would like you to save Ning-wang Qin Xiao, who is in the Imperial Capital.”

Chu Jiubian considered agreeing, but then thought better of it.

“Grand Tutor Chu” was the one who had saved Qin Xiao, and he couldn’t take credit for it as the High Priest. Besides, it would be a good thing if this incident caused Qin Chuan to regard Grand Tutor Chu with gratitude and respect.

So he said: “He is recovering now.”

Qin Chuan was taken aback, and a look of barely-concealed astonishment appeared on his face: “Truly? Then Chu…..was it the Divine Lord who saved him?”

In the presence of the High Priest, that person should only be referred to as the Divine Lord, the Sacred Star – not Grand Tutor Chu.

When the High Priest answered affirmatively, Qin Chuan’s heart finally settled, and the anxiety that had been plaguing him ever since he heard the news subsided.

Ever since taking on the task of protecting Lu Yao and coaching him in interpersonal relations, he hadn’t paid much attention to intelligence from various sources, leaving it all to his subordinates.

And due to the fact that said subordinates were unaware of his relationship with Qin Xiao, they hadn’t reported the news of his grievous injury with any haste.

They instead continued their investigation, and only after two days, when they had confirmed that Qin Xiao had without a doubt been seriously wounded, did they dare to report it. Their caution stemmed from wanting to avoid incurring the displeasure of the alliance leader by submitting a false report.

Due to this, Qin Chuan was only approaching the High Priest now.

Even with the knowledge that Qin Xiao was in recovery, Qin Chuan was still not quite at ease. Thus, he asked the High Priest for leave, intending to temporarily set aside guarding Lu Yao in favor of going to the capital in person. 

And since the New Year was approaching, he might even be able to spend the holiday with his older brother.

The results of the third exam had not yet been released, so Lu Yao’s reputation had not spread very far, and few people had taken notice of him.

With the secret guards sent by Qin Xiao, plus the two extra men Qin Chuan assigned to the task, Lu Yao would be very safe.

This being the case, Chu Jiubian granted his request and allowed him to travel to the capital to see Qin Xiao.

When Chu Jiubian left the Divine Realm afterward, he inevitably woke up.

He opened his eyes. It was still dark outside, and it seemed to be snowing. The howling wind further intensified the cold, but Chu Jiubian’s cheeks were fiery hot, and his entire body seemed to be burning.

This was not due to the warmth of the room. It was because, without even noticing, he had almost completely plastered himself against Qin Xiao!

He was grasping the man’s arm with one hand, while the other rested over his chest.

His hand had thoughtfully avoided the side with the wound, only touching the pectoral closest to him.

The man’s elevated body heat warmed his hands, startling him and instantly sweeping away his drowsiness.

He closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

Then he slowly retracted his hand, slowly turned around, and curled up with his back to the other man, burying his face in the blanket.

In the darkness behind him, the man’s lips curled into a smile.

---

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Chapter 71 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 73