I'll Be Gentle

Just as Tang Xuan was immersed in a dull theory class.

Elsewhere.

Prince Mansion.

Xue Xing sat in the garden drinking tea and admiring the flowers like a Fatty Fish.

The years were peaceful indeed, and life was quite pleasant.

Suddenly.

A burst of commotion shattered the tranquility.

Xue Xing looked toward the sound.

He saw a bruised and swollen pig head sobbing as it charged in his direction.

Xue Xing leaped up in fright, spilling tea all over his trousers. "Hey! Where did this monster come from? How did you get in here? Guards, get in here! Throw him out!"

The pig head froze for a moment before speaking with a wounded expression. "Imperial Uncle, it's me, Xue Beng. Don't you recognize me?"

"Huh?" Xue Xing's mind went blank. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and examined him closely, only then realizing that this pig head did resemble his nephew somewhat.

"You really are Xue Beng? How did you end up like this?"

Tears streamed down Xue Beng's face, his eyes filled with resentment. "It was all because of that bitch Xue Qinghe."

At the mention of Xue Qinghe.

Xue Xing's expression immediately turned grave, and he hurriedly looked around.

After circling the garden for quite some time, he finally led Xue Beng into a Secret Chamber.

"Watch your words from now on. Who knows whether Xue Qinghe has planted spies around us?" Xue Xing said in a low voice.

Xue Beng gave an awkward smile. "I understand, Imperial Uncle."

"Tell me exactly what happened." Xue Xing sounded helpless.

Xue Beng nodded and recounted the entire incident in painstaking detail, naturally embellishing it along the way.

As for the direction of those embellishments.

Naturally, Tang Xuan had beaten him at Xue Qinghe's instigation.

And every blow had been vicious, with no regard whatsoever for royal dignity.

"Imperial Uncle, while my injuries haven't healed yet, let's hurry before Father Emperor and file a formal complaint. We'll make Xue Qinghe pay dearly!" Xue Beng was ruthless enough.

Even after Tang Xuan had beaten him until his own mother would barely recognize him, he still wanted to cause trouble for Xue Qinghe.

"No, we can't take this to His Majesty." Xue Xing rested his chin on his right hand, deep in thought.

"Why not, Imperial Uncle?" Xue Beng looked utterly confused.

In his eyes.

This was the perfect opportunity to weaken Xue Qinghe.

Otherwise, he could not have taken that beating for nothing.

Xue Xing shot him an irritated look. "Tell me, why did you go block Tang Xuan's door for no reason?"

"Didn't you tell me to provoke a conflict with Tang Xuan and ruin the relationship between Tang Xuan and Xue Qinghe?" Xue Beng answered instinctively.

Xue Xing immediately flew into a rage and raised a hand to smack Xue Beng hard on his pig head.

"Are you a pig-brain? Even if you were going to start a conflict, you needed a reasonable excuse! If Tang Xuan were an ordinary person, that would be one thing, but Xue Qinghe stands behind him. How could you just go to his door and bully him?"

"Xue Qinghe may be bad and hypocritical, but he is definitely not stupid. If we take this matter before His Majesty as you suggest, he can use it to pin all the blame on you."

"And Tang Xuan's talent is so astonishing. If Xue Qinghe casually submits a memorial impeaching you and me, what do you think His Majesty will do?"

Xue Xing truly deserved his reputation for having fought Xue Qinghe for so many years.

His political insight was no joke.

With only a few words, he had inferred Xue Qinghe's intentions.

Xue Beng immediately panicked. "Then what should we do?"

Xue Xing was exhausted by the feeling of dealing with someone like Xue Beng, who only knew how to ask questions and never used his brain.

When it came to schemes and governing.

Xue Beng's abilities were, at best, slightly above average.

If he had any other choice, he would never have chosen to support Xue Beng.

Still, this matter was indeed rather troublesome.

After thinking for a long time, Xue Xing finally said, "You are a prince, after all. No matter why you were beaten, it damages royal dignity."

"We can use that as our opening to hold Tang Xuan accountable and force Xue Qinghe to step in and protect him. Then we can accuse Xue Qinghe of colluding with outsiders and harming his own brother."

Xue Beng's eyes lit up.

If Xue Qinghe stepped in, he would surely draw criticism.

If he did not.

A peerless genius like Tang Xuan would inevitably feel slighted and part ways with Xue Qinghe.

It was an open scheme through and through.

It would kill two birds with one stone.

"Imperial Uncle, before Xue Qinghe can react, let's go now." Xue Beng looked expectant. "Tang Xuan isn't any good either. Remember to bring an expert with us. I have to take my revenge on him properly."

But Xue Xing waved a hand. "No rush. Xue Qinghe's reputation for benevolent rule is his greatest shield. If we don't take this far enough, we won't be able to hurt him at the root."

As soon as he said that.

A bad feeling rose in Xue Beng's heart for no apparent reason. "I-Imperial Uncle, what do you want to do?"

"The injuries on your body are all superficial. As long as Xue Qinghe makes even the slightest excuse, he can turn a major matter into a minor one, so..." Xue Xing gave a sinister smile.

Xue Beng's performance today had left him extremely dissatisfied.

If he did not teach Xue Beng a lesson, the anger in his heart would be impossible to dispel.

"No, no, no, Imperial Uncle. I think I'm already injured badly enough. There's no need to..." Xue Beng backed away in terror.

Before he could finish, Xue Xing cut him off sharply.

"If you can't endure even this little suffering, how will you ever sit securely upon that supreme Imperial Throne?"

"Be good. I'll be gentle."

The Secret Chamber was not large to begin with.

As Xue Beng was forced into a corner.

An atmosphere of despair instantly filled the room.

"Ah—"

The East Palace was unusually quiet that afternoon.

A round, sinister figure suddenly knelt on one knee before Xue Qinghe without warning.

Seeing this.

Xue Qinghe's spirits lifted. "Uncle Ci, is there news from Xue Xing's side?"

The Uncle Ci Xue Qinghe spoke of was naturally Porcupinefish Douluo Ci Xue, Dugu Bo's natural counter.

He had always been responsible for keeping watch on Xue Xing.

"Reporting to Young Master, there is indeed news. However, he did not go directly to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. He first paid a visit to Dugu Bo's residence." Ci Xue's voice was strange, like that of a toad.

Xue Qinghe instantly grasped the key point and curled his lips into a mocking smile. "He wants to use Dugu Bo to create a certain-death situation for Tang Xuan and force me to step in and save him?"

"It seems my Imperial Uncle is no simple man either."

Ci Xue only half understood.

But he did not ask.

His mind was not especially sharp to begin with, since he frequently consumed toxins.

It was better to leave all those twists and turns to people more suited to them.

He was quite content being a bodyguard.

"Then, Young Master, what should we do? Save him or not?" Ci Xue asked.

Though he did not understand why his Young Master valued Tang Xuan so highly.

Young Master was his sky. Whatever Young Master said, went.

"Save him my ass." Xue Qinghe spoke irritably. "Xue Xing's move is an open scheme. No matter what I choose, I gain nothing from it. Leave this matter to that old fellow Chen Xin."

"If it were anyone else, it would be one thing. But against a man like Chen Xin, who is so protective of his own, even if Xue Xing doesn't die, he'll lose a layer of skin."

Ci Xue nodded and bowed. Just as he was about to withdraw.

Xue Qinghe stopped him. "Wait, Uncle Ci. Even with Chen Xin there, we can't do nothing. Prepare my carriage. We're going to Heaven Dou Royal Academy first."

Xue Xing's open scheme could not be ignored.

Otherwise, all the effort he had put into the Kingdom Seizure Operation would not be completely wasted, but it would at least suffer a severe setback.

Only by warning Tang Xuan beforehand could he keep himself out of it.

Only by compensating Tang Xuan could he prevent Tang Xuan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect from developing ill feelings toward him.

Ci Xue did not understand, but he respectfully replied, "Yes, Young Master."