Chapter 18: Killing Intent
Yuan Jiabai did not want to cause trouble, but he couldn't just stand by and watch a life slip away.
These people were striking ruthlessly. If they were allowed to continue, that young eunuch would either end up dead or crippled.
Fifteen or sixteen years old. in modern times, that was an age still meant for middle or high school. Yuan Jiabai knew he shouldn't equate the two eras, but he couldn't help himself.
After all, he wasn't a native born and raised in this ancient era.
Hearing his words, Zhang Yonggui's expression immediately changed. With a hidden threat in his voice, he said, "Young Master Yuan, you had best go about your own business and refrain from interfering with us servants handling private matters. If this takes too long and delays our service to the Second Prince, neither you nor I can bear the consequences should His Highness lay down the blame!"
Xiao Xiangzi shouted sternly, "Insolent! What kind of lowly thing are you to dare be so disrespectful to the Young Master?!"
Zhang Yonggui hadn't noticed Xiao Xiangzi earlier. Upon recognizing him, his face changed again: "Y-You're from the Eastern Palace?"
Xiao Xiangzi stared at him coldly, ignoring the question.
Zhang Yonggui looked back at Yuan Jiabai, who stared back expressionlessly. The mere mention of the Eastern Palace carried significant deterrent power. The men behind Zhang Yonggui tugged at his sleeve. Although unwilling, Zhang Yonggui had no choice but to back down for now.
Before leaving, he glared viciously at Li Nuo, who was still on the ground.
Just wait and see, he thought. Can this so-called Young Master Yuan stay in the palace to protect him for the rest of his life?
He would eventually find another opportunity, and next time, he would beat him to death.
Yuan Jiabai quickly rushed over to help the boy up. "Xiao Xiangzi, come help me."
The two of them supported the young eunuch on either side. The eunuch's face was as pale as paper, a trail of blood hanging from the corner of his mouth; he looked like he could pass out at any moment.
"Xiao Xiangzi, hurry and lead the way. We're taking him to the Imperial Medical Academy," Yuan Jiabai said rapidly. In this instance, time truly was life.
This place was quite far from the Imperial Medical Academy. At first, the two of them supported the young eunuch, but the boy had so little strength left that they were moving too slowly.
Yuan Jiabai suggested that Xiao Xiangzi help place the young eunuch on his own back. Naturally, Xiao Xiangzi refused to let his master do such a thing and ended up carrying the boy himself.
However, Xiao Xiangzi wasn't very old either. After carrying him for more than half the distance, Yuan Jiabai noticed his forehead was dripping with sweat and he was panting heavily. Ignoring Xiao Xiangzi's protests, Yuan Jiabai hauled the young eunuch onto his own back.
"Doctor. no, Imperial Physician, please quickly take a look at him!" Yuan Jiabai cried out upon arriving.
A young imperial physician hurried over and helped lay the patient onto a cot. After taking his pulse, the physician's expression grew somewhat grave. He fetched a needle kit and quickly administered several acupuncture needles into the young eunuch's body. The sight of the long needles made Yuan Jiabai wince.
The young eunuch turned his head and spat out a mouthful of congested blood, after which his complexion improved slightly. The imperial physician then wrote a prescription and ordered a medical assistant to brew the medicine.
Since they had nothing else to do anyway, Yuan Jiabai and Xiao Xiangzi decided to stay.
Li Nuo propped himself up to sit, saying hoarsely, "Thank you, Young Master, for saving my life. I, Li Nuo, have no way to repay you."
He lowered his head in shame, for he truly didn't know how to repay such a debt. He was nothing but a bottom-tier, unranked menial eunuch.
"It's fine, I didn't do it expecting anything in return. As the saying goes, 'Roar in outrage when seeing injustice on the road; take action when action is needed.' To tell you the truth, since I was a kid, I've dreamed of being a wandering martial arts hero. If anything, I should be thanking you for helping me fulfill that dream," Yuan Jiabai said with a beaming smile.
Li Nuo stared blankly, wondering if he was still trapped in an unawakened dream. Otherwise, why would such a beautiful young master save him and then thank him instead?
It was his first time encountering such kindness, and he was almost completely at a loss for what to do.
The medical assistant brought over the freshly brewed medicine. A pungent, bitter smell hit their noses, and Yuan Jiabai instantly scrunched his face in distaste.
"Hurry and drink the medicine. You'll only get better if you drink it."
Once the medicine had cooled down a bit, Yuan Jiabai urged Li Nuo to drink. Li Nuo lifted the bowl. The pitch-black liquid was so bitter it could almost knock someone out, yet Li Nuo downed it without changing his expression. As he put the bowl down, a piece of malt sugar was offered to him.
Yuan Jiabai smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. "Here, to wash away the bitter taste."
Li Nuo waved his hands in refusal. "No, this is..."
Yuan Jiabai simply shoved it directly into his hand.
"Your injuries are quite serious. You need to drink this medicine for five consecutive days. Make sure you come back here every day; I've already told them to brew it for you. Also, take this medicinal oil back with you and rub it on your bruises. It won't be long before your injuries heal."
Thinking about it for a moment and finding nothing else to say, he stood up to leave.
Li Nuo looked down at the small jar of medicinal oil in his palm. A sudden surge of inexplicable courage compelled him to speak: "Young Master!"
Yuan Jiabai stopped and turned around. "Hmm?"
Li Nuo's lips trembled slightly. He swallowed hard and mustered all his courage to say, "Young Master, Z-Zhang Yonggui and I entered the palace at the same time. Once, I accidentally saw him stealing items from the palace... I don't know how, but the matter eventually reached the Eunuch Supervisor. He thought I was the one who snitched. Ever since then, he's been targeting me..."
Although the Eunuch Supervisor had found out, Zhang Yonggui was well-versed in sweet-talking, fawning over his superiors while bullying his subordinates. He bribed the Eunuch Supervisor with many good things, so the matter was swept under the rug. He was even arranged to serve in the Second Prince's palace.
Yet Zhang Yonggui always believed Li Nuo was the informant. Relying on the bit of favor he had gained in the Second Prince's palace, he constantly bullied and beat him.
Others were afraid of offending him, so they didn't dare speak up either.
He hadn't wanted to explain, but he didn't want Young Master Yuan, who had saved him, to wonder if he had done something wrong to deserve the beating.
After saying his piece, Li Nuo lowered his head.
"So that's how it is," Yuan Jiabai murmured.
But he couldn't say anything more.
What could he say? Go tell the Second Prince to control his people and stop them from bullying others? Even his own father couldn't manage that, let alone him.
"You've had a hard time, Li Nuo."
---
On the way back, Yuan Jiabai barely spoke. Xiao Xiangzi told a few jokes to cheer him up, but he just couldn't find it in himself to be happy.
Ever since discovering they shared a very similar sense of humor, Yuan Jiabai and Xiao Xiangzi had bonded significantly. After that, Xiao Xiangzi had even invented dozens of his own jokes, making the two of them double over with laughter every single time.
This was the first time the young master was "uncooperative."
Xiao Xiangzi sighed.
During dinner, Yuan Jiabai had a poor appetite and didn't eat much. Compared to his usual self, he appeared rather quiet.
Xuan Qiao glanced at him but said nothing. However, after Yuan Jiabai returned to his room, he ordered someone to summon Xiao Xiangzi.
"Speak. What happened today? Why is Jiabai in such low spirits?"
Feeling the Crown Prince's dark, heavy gaze land on him, Xiao Xiangzi's heart jumped into his throat. Daring not to hide the slightest detail, he immediately recounted everything that had occurred that afternoon.
After finishing, he didn't dare move a muscle. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
The room descended into a suffocating silence.
After a long while, a cold sneer rang out.
Xiao Xiangzi quickly lifted his eyelids, only to be so terrified that he immediately looked away, not daring to stare. The normally handsome, elegant, and suave Crown Prince currently wore an expression so vicious and steeped in hostility that he resembled an evil Asura crawling straight out of hell.
A tyrannical killing intent boiled within Xuan Qiao's chest.
The person he treasured so much he didn't even know how best to dote on, was actually bullied into such a state by others!
Comments Box