Xiao Yuheng had just returned to his study when he saw the Little Shadow Guard trotting eagerly after him into the room.
He silently curved the corners of his lips upward before settling at his desk and immediately adopting a stern expression.
“Without this prince’s permission, you dare to barge into the study? Have all the lessons of the Shadow Guard Code gone to the dogs?”
The Little Shadow Guard was fuming. If you hadn’t taken my silver, would I have followed you here? You’re the dog! Your whole family are dogs!
But after a moment’s consideration, she decided to endure the humiliation and take shamelessness to the extreme:
“Hehe, Wangye, you’re a person of noble birth. Surely my humble silver is beneath your notice. How about returning it to me?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
The man frowned. “Barging into the study warrants punishment. Go get the Shadow Guard Code from the shelf and copy it ten times before we discuss anything else.”
Copy the Shadow Guard Code? Only he could come up with such an idea.
Shen Yue felt a ball of fury burning hotter and hotter in her stomach, making her entire face flush red.
But for the sake of her four hundred eighty taels of silver, she still retrieved the thick Shadow Guard Code, sat opposite the man, and obediently picked up the brush.
Just as she had written only a few characters, the man frowned. “Your handwriting is too ugly. Rewrite it.”
Damn it…
She had only been in this world for three months. Being able to write traditional characters was already quite an achievement! Her readers never complained, so why was he demanding quality?
Moreover, the brush was really difficult to hold, wasn’t it?
“Wangye, this subordinate never really learned how to write properly. This is already the most beautiful handwriting I can produce.”
Hearing this, the man’s frown deepened, and he suddenly recalled the statement: “This subordinate often goes several days without a meal.”
If he couldn’t even eat regularly, he probably truly hadn’t received much education in writing. Perhaps he shouldn’t set his standards too high.
“Very well, then. No need to rewrite.”
Shen Yue, surprised by this response, secretly glanced at him and replied with an “Oh” before her brush began dancing across the paper again.
Seeing how seriously he was writing, Xiao Yuheng’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he picked up official documents to review.
Although Sifang City wasn’t large or particularly prosperous, it was located on the border of Daqi, adjacent to Xi Liao and Bei Chu. Various forces were intricately intertwined here—garrison troops stationed at the frontier, bandits dominating the region, and merchants from foreign lands.
Consequently, the area experienced constant disturbances, both major and minor, requiring him to handle a substantial amount of paperwork.
Just today, the documents on his desk had piled up into a small mountain. If he hadn’t been worried that Shen Er might be upset upon hearing the rumors, he probably wouldn’t have left the study all day.
He cared so much for his subordinate, but what about Shen Er? Not only was he not upset, but he also used the rumors as bait to extort money. Truly unruly!
However, compared to seeing Shen Er distressed, he much preferred witnessing his mischievous antics because… it was amusing.
Xiao Yuheng was highly focused when handling official duties, sometimes frowning in thought, other times making notes with his brush. By the time he finished, the sun was already setting in the west.
Rubbing his temples, he slightly raised his head and noticed that Shen Er had, at some point, fallen asleep with his head resting on the desk.
Shen Er lay with his head tilted on his arm, breathing softly and evenly. Those usually lively peach-blossom eyes were now tightly shut, his long eyelashes resembling two small fans gently covering his eyelids and casting faint shadows.
For some reason, Xiao Yuheng saw the word “well-behaved” in this unruly youth.
He couldn’t help but smile, then raised his eyebrows upon noticing the rice paper in front of the young man.
On the rice paper lay a vivid scene:
A man in black robes sat upright before the desk, his ink-dark hair half tied up. Holding a jade brush, he focused intently as its tip lightly touched official documents. Across from him, a youth in white moved his painting brush gracefully across the paper with unrestrained ease. Outside the window, peach blossoms bloomed abundantly. A breeze swept through, carrying petals that danced lightly and settled in the black-robed man’s hair.
“Your handwriting is like a dog’s scrawl, but your painting is quite remarkable.”
Xiao Yuheng’s lips curved into a smile as gentle as a breeze, the tenderness in his eyes seeming to melt into liquid warmth.
However, his smile froze instantly when his gaze fell upon the annotation beside the painting.
The crooked, messy characters boldly read: “Little Shadow Guard and the Dog Prince.”
“Shen! Yue!”
His eyes darkened, and he gritted his teeth in sudden fury.
Shen Yue, who had been drowsing off, was abruptly startled awake by the man’s sharp rebuke. Her elbow jerked involuntarily.
That slight movement was enough—the inkstone at the edge of the desk tilted, clattering to the floor and shattering.
Thick, dark ink spilled out, splattering directly onto Shen Yue’s pristine white sleeve.
The man’s heart leaped, and he instinctively stepped forward to lift her arm for inspection.
“Are you hurt?”
Shen Yue rubbed her sleepy eyes and replied blankly, “It’s just some ink. What could possibly be wrong?”
Only then did he realize his own impropriety and quickly withdrew his hand.
“Ahem, what this prince meant was… whether the Nine-Dragon Pattern Inkstone is all right.”
Shen Yue inwardly scoffed.
Of course—how could a black-hearted boss like Xiao Yuheng possibly care about his subordinate’s well-being?
“The inkstone is broken. You must compensate me for it.”
The man decided to change the subject to mask his unease.
Shen Yue looked up at him in disbelief.
“Might I ask, Your Highness, does your inkstone happen to be worth exactly four hundred and eighty taels?”
Xiao Yuheng nearly laughed but maintained a stern expression. “How did you know?”
…She knew he had his eyes on her money!
“Your Highness, this subordinate does not accept this.”
“Oh?”
Shen Yue pressed her lips together. “The shadow guards started the rumors first. I merely went along with the flow. Winning those four hundred and eighty taels was just a small lesson for them.”
“So you’re saying gambling was justified?”
“Mhm.”
“…Sophistry. This prince doesn’t care. You will pay for it regardless.”
“I won’t!”
“Then I won’t have Sijin give you the antidote.”
“…Fine, I’ll pay! Are you satisfied now?” Damn it!
Seeing her money slip away, Shen Yue instantly deflated. She turned to leave but was called back by the black-hearted boss.
“You haven’t finished copying the Shadow Guard Code.”
Shen Yue: I… I’m going to kill you one day.
The Little Shadow Guard’s face fell. She acknowledged with a “Yes” and was about to return to her seat when Changfeng hurriedly knocked on the door.
As soon as Changfeng entered, he spotted the inkstone shattered into several pieces on the floor and exclaimed in shock:
“Your Highness, this Nine-Dragon Pattern Duan Inkstone is worth at least twenty thousand taels! How could it just be broken like that?”
Shen Yue was equally stunned. “T-twenty thousand?”
Xiao Yuheng shifted uncomfortably. “Ahem, you’re mistaken. It’s a counterfeit.”
“Counterfeit?”
Changfeng scratched his nose. “But this inkstone was a gift from Taifei Niangniang. It couldn’t possibly be a fake.”
“Changfeng.” Xiao Yuheng’s tone sharpened slightly. “First, tell me what has you so flustered.Only then did Changfeng smack his forehead in frustration.
“My apologies, Your Highness. The sight of the inkstone made me forget my urgent matter. Song Shizi has arrived.”
“Song Xianzhi? He should have met the King of Hell by now. How could he possibly come?” Shen Yue had administered the poison herself—there was absolutely no mistake.
“Ah, I meant Song Xianzhi’s elder brother—Song Minzhi. He is the General Who Pacifies the West, personally appointed by His Majesty. Originally stationed at the border, he learned of his brother’s death yesterday and immediately came to Sifang City. Now he has arrived with a unit of the Black Hawk Army and is waiting in the main hall, demanding an explanation from Wangye!”