His master’s calf is thin and straight, and Xiao Shen can almost wrap it with his open palm. Through a layer of smooth silk fabric, it feels both soft and tough when pinched, and it is incredibly good to the touch.
As he rubbed, he couldn’t help but feel distracted. He wanted to put his hands into the loose pants. His fingertips would easily sink into the snow-white and smooth flesh, leaving red marks with every pinch…
Xiao Shen’s hands slowed down as he was full of thoughts. Suddenly, the calf in his palm straightened up. Before he could react, his master kicked him hard on the shoulder.
“Master?” He was caught off guard and was kicked to the ground, sprawled out like an upside-down turtle, with a look of surprise and confusion on his face.
Shen Qingzhuo raised his upper body, blinked his eyelashes slowly, and said innocently, “Well… Master didn’t mean it.”
The dream he just had was so vivid, and his little disciple happened to be massaging his legs, so he accidentally injured him…
Xiao Shen collapsed on the ground in despair, his whole body spread out in a big shape, and his voice sounded quite hopeless: “I was kind enough to massage Master’s legs, but Master kicked me instead. I quit!”
“Aiya… Master didn’t mean it!” Shen Qingzhuo knew he was in the wrong, so he got off the bed with a guilty conscience and walked to the front of his little disciple. He leaned over and stretched out his hand. “Alright, don’t be angry, Master will help you up?”
His long hair was wet and slightly messy, his jade-like skin was white with a hint of pink, the corners of his slightly raised eyes were stained lightly red, and even the teardrop mole under his eyes was red. He exuded an inexplicably seductive aura.
It’s just like…
It was as if he had just been bullied by someone.
His throat swallowed unconsciously, and Xiao Shen stretched out his arms like being possessed, tightly grasping the jade-like fingers in front of him, just like that year when he was in the cold palace, holding his master’s hand like a life-saving straw.
But unlike the panic and confusion at that time, now it seems like there is a wildfire in his heart, burning him every moment. Only when he touches his master can he get a moment of relief.
“Be good and get up first—ah!” The soft ending tone turned into a scream, and Shen Qingzhuo was suddenly pulled hard by the youth and threw straight to the ground.
The expected pain did not come as expected; instead, he fell into a warm embrace.
The youth even considerately used his palm to support his lower jaw to prevent him from hitting his teeth.
Shen Qingzhuo was stunned for a moment but was soon awakened by the thunder-like sound of his heartbeat.
“Xiao Qi!” He cried out in shame and struggled to climb up from his little disciple.
But Xiao Shen did not let go of his master so easily. He wrapped one arm tightly around the willow-like waist and pinched the slender and tender neck with the other hand. He pressed the person firmly against his chest, his eyes dark and gloomy.
This terrifying controlling force made Shen Qingzhuo shudder.
He recalled the dream he had while in a daze. In the dream, he could not see that man’s face, but he could feel that man’s hands restraining him, madly and powerfully, just like…
Noticing that the master who was lying in his arms shuddered pitifully, Xiao Shen said with a smile and a coquettish tone, “Master, you kicked me to the ground, so lie on the ground with me.”
“If you don’t let go, I’ll be angry ah!” Shen Qingzhuo came to his senses and was held down, unable to move. He was so angry that he raised his hands and pinched the flesh on his little disciple’s waist.
“Hiss…” The youth took a breath, and the strength in his hands loosened a little.
Shen Qingzhuo seized the opportunity, broke free from his restraints, sat up straight, punched his little disciple’s solid chest muscles with his fist, and cursed angrily, “You are asking for a beating!”
“Ouch…” Xiao Shen pretended to feel pain, and he frowned, complaining with a trembling voice, “It hurts, Master has such a cruel heart…”
“Why are you pretending?” Shen Qingzhuo hit him again: “You have so much strength that you don’t know where to use it, so you dare to bully Master?”
Xiao Shen laughed quietly and gently grasped his master’s wrist, saying slickly, “Master, you should use the ruler. I have thick skin and hard bones. Don’t hurt your hand.”
“You—” No matter how bad his temper was, it was gone after being harassed by this nonsense. Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t help laughing and tapped his little disciple’s forehead with his fingertips. “Master has already apologized, why are you so vengeful, little guy?”
“How could that be?” Xiao Shen said with a smirk, “I can’t bear to take revenge on Master!”
He loves and cares for his master and can’t wait to love his master…
Hearing this, Shen Qingzhuo threw away the last bit of doubt in his mind. The little disciple he personally raised would definitely not do such a rebellious thing to him.
“By the way, where is Xiao Ba?” Shen Qingzhuo suddenly remembered the parrot and turned his head to look around.
Xiao Shen was confused for a moment: “What Xiao Ba?”
“It’s that sweet-mouthed little parrot.” Shen Qingzhuo joked, “Where did you put it? Did you really return it?”
Xiao Shen shook his head: “No, I took it away and asked the palace attendants to raise it.”
If it weren’t for his master’s soft-heartedness, he would have plucked the feathers of that damn parrot and stewed it into a pot of bird soup eight hundred years ago.
“Alright.” Shen Qingzhuo shrugged slightly. “I thought I could hear it praise me again.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Shen jumped up and said excitedly, “I can also praise you, Master! I can praise whatever Master wants to hear!”
Shen Qingzhuo deliberately teased him: “Your exaggeration is not as good as that of the little parrot.”
Xiao Shen: “……”
Where is that damn parrot? He’s going to pluck its feathers right this minute!
***
The next morning, when Xiao Shen woke up again, he was the only one left in the bedchamber.
He curled up on the floor, calmed himself down, and then climbed onto the bed.
The scent of plum blossoms still lingered on the bed. He took a deep breath, then grabbed the thin quilt that his master had used to cover his stomach at night, tucked it between his two slender legs, and then wrapped the quilt tightly, imagining that his master was in his arms…
His thin and strong waist became more and more ferocious, but the evil fire in his heart could not be vented. He became increasingly impatient, his dark eyes flashed a hint of blood red, he suddenly threw away the quilt and jumped off the bed.
Desires are hard to satisfy, and they become harder and harder to satisfy.
Half an hour later, the eunuch in charge of ceremonies came into the room with a brush.
Pan Dongsheng kneeled on the ground, his posture humble and respectful, not even daring to look up at the Seventh Prince sitting in the hall.
“Master asked you to continue investigating. What evidence have you found?” After a while, Xiao Shen finally spoke.
“In reply to Your Highness, the evidence is being intensively prepared.” Pan Dongsheng said cautiously, “Lord Shen has taught me well, and none of the humble’s actions will leave any evidence behind.”
“If I only rely on you, the opportunity will be gone already.” Xiao Shen sneered, tapping the table with his knuckles rhythmically. “Beizhen Fushi has almost finished the investigation, Dongchang needs to cooperate. This time, I want the Eastern Palace to never be able to recover, do you understand?”
Pan Dongsheng quickly replied, “Yes, the humble understand!”
“Good that you understand.” Xiao Shen picked up the teacup and said, “Get up.”
Pan Dongsheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and stood up.
Xiao Shen took a sip of tea and asked, “How is Emperor Father’s health these days?”
“This…” Pan Dongsheng hesitated, “The humble man is currently mainly responsible for the Dongchang-related matters and do not often serve His Majesty.”
“Stupid.” Xiao Shen raised his eyelashes, glanced at him, and scolded him coldly, “How can you gain Emperor Father’s trust if you are not close to him?”
“Your Highness, please forgive me!” Pan Dongsheng knelt down again with a plop in fear. “The one that His Majesty trusts the most is Grandfather, Eunuch Su—Eunuch Su serves His Majesty on a daily basis. The humble dares not overstep his bounds.”
“Are you planning to be a lowly eunuch for the rest of your life?” Xiao Shen threw the teacup on the table. “What Eunuch Su, Eunuch Li? You have to climb up by stepping on their corpses. You have the final say over the entire ceremonial office. Do you understand?”
Upon hearing this, Pan Dongsheng was stunned.
Climbing from the lowest eunuch to the current position of the Bingbi eunuch was already a pleasant surprise to him, and he didn’t dare to dream of anything more. But today, the Seventh Prince clearly suggested that he could climb higher.
Xiao Shen stood on high ground and tapped the ground with his toes, motioning for him to come over.
Without hesitation, Pan Gonggong walked up to his Highness on his knees.
“A soldier who doesn’t want to be a general is not a good soldier.” Xiao Shen leaned down slightly and patted the eunuch’s shoulder. “An eunuch who doesn’t want to be an eunuch holding the seals1The seal-holding eunuch was a position of the highest official in charge of each of the 24 yamen in the Ming Dynasty. The 24 yamen included 12 prisons, 4 departments, and 8 bureaus, each of which had a seal-holding eunuch in charge. is not a good eunuch.”
Pan Dongsheng immediately replied, “Your Highness is right.”
“What grandfather and little ancestor2Actually what Eunuch Pan called Eunuch Su was translated as sth like ancestor, but in some context calling him ancestor was kinda awkward, so I chose grandfather. But here XS means to say what old ancestor, little ancestor.? When you climb to that position, Su Huai’an will have to lie on the ground and call you Grandfather.” Xiao Shen patted his face again and said in a deep tone, “Perform well and let this highness see your ability.”
Pan Dongsheng’s sparse eyebrows trembled, as if he had made up his mind. Even his tone changed when he kneeled on the ground. “The humble will definitely live up to Your Highness’s expectations!”
The Seventh Prince was temporarily satisfied and quietly left the eunuch’s room.
***
On the way to Changshou Palace, Xiao Shen passed by Yu Garden and happened to bump into the Crown Prince who was passing by there.
Enemies often meet on a narrow road. With a standard smile arc on his lips, Xiao Shen bowed and said, “Second Brother.”
When Xiao Yichen saw him, he couldn’t help showing a hint of disgust on his face, but he hid it well. “Where is Seventh Brother going?”
Xiao Shen’s mind suddenly changed, and he replied with a smile: “I am just about to go and pay my respects to Emperor Father. What about Second Brother?”
As expected, Xiao Yichen’s face darkened. “Gu also has to go and pay respects to Emperor Father, so do it another day, Seventh Brother.”
“Ah? Why do I have to do it another day?” Xiao Shen blinked innocently, “Why don’t we go together to pay respects to Emperor Father?”
He really brings up things that are not related to the topic. Xiao Yichen recalled that the last time his Emperor Father lectured him, this little beast deliberately added fuel to the fire, which made his Emperor Father even more furious. He scolded him severely, and Xiao Yichen was so angry that his eyes were blazing with fire.
“Seventh Brother, have you forgotten your days in the cold palace?” There was no one around except his two attendants, and the Crown Prince finally took off his disguise. “After being treated as a human for just a few days, you already don’t know your place anymore?”
Xiao Shen smiled without changing his expression and said meaningfully, “Your Highness the Crown Prince has shown great kindness. How dare Chendi forget?”
“Heh!” Xiao Yichen heard the hidden meaning in his words and sneered, “Gu doesn’t understand what Seventh Brother is saying. Don’t accuse Gu for no reason.”
Xiao Shen continued to smile and said, “If you don’t want others to know, then don’t do it yourself, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Oh, Gu remember now. The person who tortured you in the cold palace was none other than Lord Shen of the Jinyiwei.” Xiao Yichen thought of this and showed a gloating expression. “What a pity. Lord Shen is already a big shot in front of Emperor Father. He can get whatever he wants. You want to seek revenge on him, but can you do it?”
When talking about his master, Xiao Shen’s smile faded. Not wanting to argue any more, he bowed again and said, “In that case, Second Brother, please go ahead.”
Xiao Yichen thought he had the upper hand, and he pressed the issue with an ambiguous tone: “But, Lord Shen, who is so powerful today, was just a bed-warming servant who comes when he’s called and goes when dismissed in Gu’s Eastern Palace.”
In an instant, the smile on Xiao Shen’s lips completely froze.
Seeing this, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince felt a surge of satisfaction in his heart, as if he had finally found an outlet to vent the humiliation and oppression he had suffered at Lord Shen’s hands for a long time.
At the same time, Lord Shen, who had tortured the Seventh Prince for several years, was nothing more than a lowly bed-warming servant in his palace. What could be more humiliating than this?
Xiao Yichen was immersed in the satisfaction of letting out his anger and didn’t notice the sudden drop in pressure on the Seventh Prince.
Xiao Shen stood where he was, his fingers hanging by his sides moved slightly. The dagger at his waist seemed to sense the emotional fluctuations of its owner, and it became hot enough to burn the skin.
“Didn’t expect that?” Xiao Yichen looked up and down at the person in front of him with his eyes lowered. “As your elder brother, Gu would like to give you a piece of advice—”
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Shen slowly raised his eyes.
The moment their eyes met, Xiao Yichen felt as if a basin of ice water was poured over his head, chilling him to the bone.
He took a step back as if possessed by a ghost.
The author has something to say:
The Wolf Cub: One, two, three, there are not enough people to sharpen the blade, tsk.
[One hundred tragic ways for the Crown Prince to die], author: Xiao Shen
The Wolf Cub: I will never let my master find out this time…
