Everyone was stunned. The vicious dog was massive and ferocious; none dared approach, let alone rescue the eunuch.
The overseer reacted first, ordering someone to fetch the guards.
Seizing their inattention, Lu Jinghan retrieved a paper packet from his sleeve, opened it, and smeared himself with the green ivy pollen inside.
With such a major incident, the eunuch overseer would surely investigate. He needed to clear himself of suspicion.
The best way was to become a victim of the dog himself.
As a victim, he would appear innocent and vulnerable in others’ eyes.
People either help or trample the vulnerable.
Zhao Qingning had once trampled him; now she helped.
He needed her to see his vulnerability, to make her support last longer.
The pollen’s scent was faint, unnoticeable to most, but dogs could detect it instantly.
Soon, the vicious dog stopped mauling its victim and charged in Lu Jinghan’s direction.
Lu Jinghan waited calmly, bracing for the pain.
Zhao Qingning, snapping out of her shock, saw the dog suddenly change direction and lunge toward her. Startled, she scrambled aside.
Then she realized its target wasn’t her—but Lu Jinghan standing behind her!
The half-human-height beast bared its blood-dripping fangs. Lu Jinghan, dwarfed before it, seemed utterly defenseless, frozen as if terrified.
No one cared about a mere Little Wild Seed like him, all watching indifferently as the dog was about to pounce.
Zhao Qingning’s heart skipped a beat. “Xiao Jiu, move!” she yelled.
Simultaneously, she broke from Qiuhua’s protection—her feet moving faster than her mind—and rushed over, only to stumble and crash into him.
Lu Jinghan, caught off guard, was knocked down. They tumbled together, Zhao Qingning’s head smacking against a water vat in the courtyard. Her brain seemed scrambled, dizzy, stars swimming before her eyes.
“Miss! Quick, save her!” Qiuhua cried sharply.
The eunuchs, aware of the dire consequences if anything happened to Zhao Qingning, hastily grabbed sticks to drive the dog away.
Lu Jinghan glanced at the girl beside him. Her forehead was bleeding, yet she clung tightly to his sleeve.
He was puzzled.
Why did she save him?
Didn’t she know it was dangerous?
If it were him, he’d have fled far away immediately.
In his worldview, self-preservation came first.
The dog, missing Lu Jinghan and agitated by the pollen, charged again before the eunuchs could intervene.
Qiuhua screamed in terror. Zhao Qingning, ears ringing and too dizzy to resist, slumped weakly against the vat.
Just as the dog leaped, fangs bared inches away, a pair of hands suddenly thrust a dagger upward. Blood splattered, drenching him entirely, his gray robes soaked beyond recognition.
It was Lu Jinghan.
His gaze was nothing like a ten-year-old’s—cold and sinister.
The dog, pierced through the heart, died instantly, its body collapsing forward, paws still resting on Lu Jinghan’s shoulders.
Warm blood dripped down Lu Jinghan’s face. A thrill of excitement stirred within him. Acting on impulse, he dragged the dagger downward, gutting the dog, its entrails spilling across the ground.
It lay on the ground like a puddle of mud.
Lu Jinghan stared at its corpse, unable to conceal the brutality in his eyes.
Just last night, this beast had been barking joyfully. When he left, it had snarled at him, baring its teeth.
From now on, it would never make another sound.
“Miss, are you alright?” Qiuhua anxiously helped Zhao Qingning to her feet. “You scared me to death! How dangerous!”
As Zhao Qingning finally regained her composure, she saw Lu Jinghan holding a dagger, covered in blood, his gaze sinister as he stared at the dead vicious dog on the ground.
Her heart sank.
Although he had saved her, his appearance instantly reminded her of the scene in the book where the original host was tortured to death by the tyrant.
For a moment, she felt a faint ache in her own skin and flesh.
Especially when Lu Jinghan, hearing Qiuhua’s voice, snapped back to reality and turned his knife toward her. Though he restrained his killing intent and returned to calm, Zhao Qingning could still see the shadow of the future tyrant in him.
No way, no way… Could he already be showing signs of psychological deviance?
Zhao Qingning, still shaken, was about to tell him to put the knife down when blood slowly dripped from the wound on her forehead, tracing a path over her nose bridge and chin before falling to the ground.
A sharp pain shot through her, and Zhao Qingning’s vision blurred once more.
In the end, her eyes closed, and she collapsed weakly onto Qiuhua.
“Someone, help! Call a doctor! The young miss has fainted!”
Chunlan urgently called for assistance, and Zhao Qingning was carried away. The eunuchs, terrified out of their wits, hurriedly followed to check on the situation.
Soon, the vast backyard was left with only Lu Jinghan.
His gaze shifted to the eunuch nearby who had been bitten into unconsciousness by the dog. He curled his lips, his eyes sharp as blades.
If only he could dissect him too—the sensation would surely be satisfying.
But now that he had killed the vicious dog, killing a person as well would surely arouse suspicion.
At this thought, Lu Jinghan felt a twinge of regret.
However, considering that the eunuch was already useless, he suppressed his desire and leisurely made his way toward the front courtyard.
News of Zhao Qingning’s accident quickly spread throughout the academy.
Many gathered to watch the spectacle, and several students huddled together, gloating with schadenfreude.
“Did you hear? Zhao Qingning got hurt along with that Little Wild Seed.”
“That Little Wild Seed is unlucky—no wonder he was thrown into the Cold Palace since childhood.”
“Did you know? Not only did Zhao Qingning give him food, but she also gave him a box of fine pastries. I really don’t understand her—why is she so eager to associate with a plague and a wild seed?”
“Who knows? She’s so unpredictable. This time, she got what she deserved. Serves her right!”
No sooner had the words been spoken than the speaker was kicked and sent tumbling to the ground. “Ouch! Who was that? Who kicked me?”
Chen Jinbao stood over him, his still-youthful face filled with anger. “If I hear any of you speaking ill of Zhao Qingning again, I’ll beat you to death!”
Recognizing the young tyrant, the group immediately fell silent.
Chen Jinbao snorted coldly and turned to leave.
He was furious—angry that Zhao Qingning didn’t know what was good for her, bringing pastries not for him but for that Little Wild Seed.
See? In the end, it was him who stood up for her. That Little Wild Seed didn’t say a word in her defense.
Once she recovered, he would make sure she apologized.
In the academy’s side room, the doctor carefully bandaged Zhao Qingning’s wounds while Chunlan anxiously asked, “Doctor, how long until my young miss wakes up?”
“Don’t worry, miss. The bleeding has stopped, and there’s no serious harm. Follow the prescription to prepare her medicine, and she should wake within an hour.”
Chunlan thanked him and saw the doctor out.
Currently unable to attend classes, Zhao Qingning was taken back to the Princess Manor by Qiuhua, who also needed to report the incident to the princess.
In the Princess Manor, Yongjia’s teacup tipped over, but she ignored the scalding hot tea splashing on her: “What did you say? Aning is injured and unconscious?!”
Upon receiving confirmation, she swiftly rose and headed to the West Courtyard.
As soon as she entered and saw her daughter lying unconscious on the bed, Yongjia felt her vision darken and her legs weaken, nearly collapsing if not for the servants promptly supporting her.
Only when Chunlan assured her that her daughter was not in serious condition did Yongjia finally breathe a sigh of relief. She then glared coldly at the two maids: “What exactly happened? How did you serve your mistress?!”
Qiuhua quickly knelt and recounted everything.
After listening, Yongjia frowned: “Who is Xiao Jiu?”
Why would her daughter get injured protecting him?
Qiuhua hesitated, unsure how to explain, before finally finding the words: “He is… that prince from the Cold Palace…”
The Cold Palace? A prince?
Yongjia was stunned for a moment before recalling that such a person indeed existed. She remembered the child had been despised by the emperor since birth due to his biological mother’s adultery: “Wasn’t he in the Cold Palace? How did he end up at the Virtue and Abundance Academy?”
“Last month, the young mistress secretly brought him out of the palace and sent him to the academy as a servant.”
Qiuhua spoke hesitantly, and upon hearing this, Yongjia nearly choked with rage.
So during her absence, that wretched daughter had pulled off such a grand scheme!
Although the child’s identity was questionable, the emperor had never explicitly declared him a bastard. In a way, he was still a prince, albeit living in misery.
And she had openly taken him out of the palace!
How was this any different from treason?!
Yongjia knew full well that her brother, as the ruler of the imperial city, was aware of every whisper—perhaps he had tacitly allowed this. But Zhao Qingning was far too reckless.
If this continued, she might truly bring disaster upon them one day.
Yet, gazing at her daughter’s pale little face, Yongjia couldn’t bring herself to vent her anger, feeling only overwhelming heartache and tears.
As soon as Zhao Junyuan returned from court, he heard the news that Zhao Qingning was injured and unconscious.
His expression shifted: “What exactly happened?”
With that, he strode toward the West Courtyard, appearing deeply concerned for his daughter and playing the part of a devoted father.
In truth, he had other calculations in mind.
If Aning were to die like this, Yongjia would likely be heartbroken.
Then, he could blame her, saying her lack of sincerity had invoked divine punishment upon their daughter. Let’s see if she’d still have the heart to stay in the manor practicing Buddhism! It would be best if she collapsed in despair and followed their daughter to the grave.
Suppressing his glee, he entered the room with tears streaming down his face: “My Aning, what has happened to you?”
Seeing him weeping as if mourning a premature death, Yongjia suddenly felt a surge of irritation: “Are you crying so bitterly to curse Aning?”
Zhao Junyuan: “What kind of talk is that? Aning is severely injured and unconscious.”
Qiuhua couldn’t help interjecting: “Imperial Son-in-Law, the young mistress is out of danger now. She’ll wake up soon.”
“Ah?”
Hearing this, Zhao Junyuan felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly wiped away his tears.
Simultaneously, he was deeply disappointed.
Why hadn’t she died?
Seeing his demeanor, Yongjia grew increasingly annoyed. Recalling the misdeeds of her wayward daughter, she couldn’t help but confront him: “Zhao Junyuan, I originally thought Aning was merely a bit spoiled and would gradually improve.”
“But do you realize she’s already brought the prince from the Cold Palace to serve as a servant in the academy? How have you been raising your child all these years? How dare they commit such an act of treason?”
“What kind of father have you been?!”