Gu Xi walked up to the crowd, her gentle and lingering voice reaching the ears of that group. Though her tone was clearly questioning, it sounded very comfortable and carried no sense of threat.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Gu Xi.
Gu Xi picked up a handkerchief and coughed a few times. Based on the original owner’s memories, she recognized most of these people.
Her second elder brother, Chu Ting, third elder brother, Chu Luo, and the legitimate sons of several court ministers—likely the usual gang of troublemakers who attended the academy together.
Chu Ting was the first to react. Suppressing the scheming and malicious intent that had been in his eyes moments earlier while bullying someone, he spoke:
“So it’s younger sister Xi’er.”
“Younger sister has poor health and rarely leaves Moon Embracing Palace. What brings you out today?”
Chu Ting signaled with his eyes to Chu Luo, who shifted sideways to block Gu Xi’s view of the young man on the ground.
“We were just teaching a lesson to a dog who stole a jade pendant. The wind is so strong today—younger sister shouldn’t stay out here too long. If you catch a cold because of it, Father Emperor will surely worry again.”
The legitimate sons of the ministers behind Chu Ting and Chu Luo had already begun kneeling and paying their respects one after another upon recognizing Gu Xi.
Gu Xi looked over each of their faces one by one.
Then, with a gentle smile curling at her lips, she gazed at Chu Ting and Chu Luo with apparent concern, perfectly embodying the image of a caring younger sister.
“Second elder brother, third elder brother, isn’t it almost time for you to be late for the academy at this hour?”
Without waiting for Chu Ting and Chu Luo to respond,
she turned to the Golden Scale Guards behind her and continued, “Go. Use your qinggong—each of you take charge of one person—and escort second elder brother, third elder brother, and the others to the academy.”
“Make absolutely sure second elder brother and third elder brother aren’t late. This princess shares a deep bond with second and third elder brothers. If they are punished by the Grand Tutor for being late, the punishment may fall on them, but the pain will be felt in my heart.”
As soon as Gu Xi finished speaking, the Golden Scale Guards swiftly moved toward Chu Ting and the others.
Having the Golden Scale Guards escort someone—was that really an escort? It was more like an arrest!
The Golden Scale Guards would undoubtedly use qinggong to hoist people up, press blades to their necks, and toss them into the academy.
Seeing that they were about to be seized by the Golden Scale Guards, Chu Ting widened his eyes in disbelief. “Xi’er, the Golden Scale Guards are meant for capturing assassins and criminals. How can they be used to escort people?”
Chu Luo stiffened his neck and shouted, “Xi’er, second elder brother is absolutely right. Quickly order them to stop!”
As for the group of ministers’ legitimate sons, faced with the Golden Scale Guards who represented the emperor’s personal presence, naturally no one dared to resist. Moreover, it was widely known that Princess Yun Xi was the emperor’s most beloved daughter. Thus, even if they were inwardly dissatisfied, none dared to utter a word on the surface.
The smile at the corners of Gu Xi’s eyes did not fade. She instructed the Golden Scale Guards again:
“The faster you deliver them, the better. Make sure my two elder brothers don’t miss their timing.”
Chu Ting kept trying to say something, but Gu Xi began coughing incessantly into her handkerchief, completely drowning out his voice.
“I know elder brother wants to thank me, but there’s no need for thanks between siblings. Go early and return early.”
“This younger sister is willing to lend out the Golden Scale Guards—who protect my very life—to escort elder brothers to the academy. If Father Emperor learns of this, he will surely praise our deep sibling affection and be greatly comforted.”
Without giving Chu Ting and Chu Luo a chance to interject, Gu Xi again covered her chest and began coughing violently. The others could no longer make out what the two were saying at all.
Until the Golden Scale Guards had taken away everyone on the ground one by one, leaving only the young man lying motionless where he had been beaten.
The golden sunlight deepened further, filtered through layers of overlapping leaves, transforming into faint, round, gently swaying halos by the time it reached the ground.
Gu Xi bent down.
Her voice was soft, brushing past one’s ears like a spring breeze and gentle rain, “Are you alright?”
The person on the ground trembled slightly.
After waiting a few seconds, it seemed as though he had mustered all his strength to slowly lift his head.
Their eyes met.
The distance between them instantly narrowed.
The young man’s face now fell into Gu Xi’s gaze.
His eyelashes were long, his skin fair, his thin lips slightly pursed, his features picturesque—especially those eyes, like clear, pristine lakes. When they moved slightly, his cool, elegant brows and eyes seemed tinged with a captivating, radiant beauty, his dark pupils shimmering with a moist light.
He wore slightly worn white robes, faintly stained with traces of blood, yet this could not conceal the gentle, pure aura about him, reminiscent of a snow lotus. The moonlight over the mountains, the snow on a sunny day—even these seemed to pale in comparison to him.
The Celestial Beast, who had been watching the spectacle all along, as a top-tier connoisseur of beauty, inwardly gasped in astonishment:
【Damn, he’s kind of good-looking!】
But why does he seem a bit like…
Why do his brows and eyes seem somewhat reminiscent of…
It remembered now—he did bear some resemblance to Emperor Lord Dongheng.
The Little Beast quickly shook off the thought. How could a mere mortal compare to Emperor Lord Dongheng? If Dongheng ever found out, it would surely be the end of it.
While the Celestial Beast was lost in thought, Gu Xi had long since slipped into her usual acting mode, something the Celestial Beast was already accustomed to.
At this moment, Gu Xi’s brows were knit with concern. Looking at the bloodstains on the young man’s white robes, she said softly, “Your injuries…”
On the ground, Jun Qi had been watching the young woman before him. Her features were exquisite, her palm-sized face pale and delicate, now gazing worriedly at his wounds.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes misty and hazy, clear and pure, seemingly free of any impurities, as if one could see straight through to the bottom.
Especially beneath her fair complexion, her fragile neck resembled that of a small beast—so delicate it seemed it could snap with a gentle twist.
A firm squeeze would likely leave obvious marks, and with a bit more force, it could probably be completely severed.
Jun Qi lowered his head, his drooping eyelashes concealing his expression. Beneath his sleeves, his fingers subtly twitched.
After a few seconds, he forced himself to lift his head once more.
Even after being bullied so severely by the crowd, he showed no trace of hostility.
On the contrary, his words were gentle and polite, his face forever wearing a faint smile—like gleaming snow or the bright moon in the world, a refreshing breeze touched by the warmth of the spring sun, making others feel an immediate sense of closeness.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for stepping in to save me earlier. I am fine. Your Highness’s health is delicate—please be careful not to catch a chill.”
Naturally, from the words of Chu Ting and Chu Luo earlier, both had learned each other’s identities.
The Celestial Beast in the Void Space: 【Look! This is the male lead! Gentle, right? Kind, right? Even though he’s injured like this, he still cares about others’ well-being. Truly the righteous Light of the Heavenly Dao!】
Tao Yao also spoke up at this moment, “Indeed, Your Highness, please don’t stand in the wind any longer. Be careful not to catch a chill. His Majesty will be waiting for you after court soon. Let’s hurry over.”
As she spoke, Tao Yao carefully helped Gu Xi to her feet with extra caution.
Gu Xi instructed, “I am fine. Find two people to carefully escort Young Master Qi back. Then go to the Imperial Hospital and summon Imperial Physician Liang to treat the injuries on Young Master Qi.”
“Yes,” the palace maid behind Gu Xi responded.
Jun Qi seemed to want to rise and bow in gratitude, but he truly had no strength left.
Gu Xi quickly gestured with her hand to stop him, “You are still injured. There is no need for formalities. Let Imperial Physician Liang apply some medicine for you later, and rest well to recover.”
As Gu Xi was leaving,
Jun Qi still forced himself to kneel on the ground and performed a deep bow, “Farewell, Your Highness.”
Gu Xi glanced back.
As the Celestial Beast had said, even though blood had soaked through the back of his clothes, he knelt with his head bowed, gentle and refined, showing no other emotions.
When he looked at Gu Xi, his gaze was tender, his smile warm, and his expression clear and transparent, filled with gratitude toward her.
It was precisely this clear and sincere gaze that made the Celestial Beast never imagine, even in its wildest dreams, how utterly deranged this man would become later on, when he locked Gu Xi in the palace…