You'd Better Not Let Me Catch You Again

Xiao Yu glanced at the black, slimy water weeds...

They really did look hard to stomach.

He had better not make things difficult for Qinggeng.

He replied, "Qinggeng, go lure it away. I'll get the little crown prince out first..."

Splash-

When Wei Yi, who was waiting on the bank, saw them emerge, he hurried forward. "Your Highness Prince Yu! Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Get hot water ready, quickly!"

Holding the little crown prince, Xiao Yu rushed straight toward the Eastern Palace...

The Eastern Palace.

Consort Wan had just stepped into the Eastern Palace when she saw Xiao Yu carrying the lifeless-looking crown prince inside. Her face instantly went pale, and all the strength seemed to drain from her body in an instant...

Fortunately!

The crown prince's life was not in danger...

Now, as she looked at the crown prince's deathly pale face on the bed, her eyes filled with heartache.

It's all my fault! If I hadn't slept in, would the little crown prince have been spared being pushed into the water...?

Consort Wan looked up at Xiao Yu. Seeing that he had not even changed his clothes, her expression shifted.

"Your Highness, I'll stay here with the crown prince. Go take a hot bath and change out of those wet clothes before you catch a chill!"

No matter how strong Prince Yu was, he was still only a child.

Xiao Yu paused. "...All right."

Before turning away, he glanced at the little crown prince again.

I hope that the next time I come, the little crown prince will be bouncing around again...

The little crown prince was the first friend he had made since coming to the capital, and his first friend across both his lives.

In his previous life, he had devoted himself to cultivation and never left the mountain. The only people he knew were his junior brothers and sisters there.

He was not close to them, either.

As their eldest senior brother, he could not casually play and roughhouse with his juniors.

He was someone they could only hope to catch up to.

He had to endure the loneliness and cultivate diligently.

Xiao Yu looked up.

The sky was pitch-black.

There was no moon tonight.

He walked through the corridor, intending to return to his bedchamber, wash up, and get a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow, he would settle the score with those people.

He would avenge the little crown prince.

"Are you sure everything's in place?"

Xiao Yu stopped in his tracks.

Who else was still awake in the Eastern Palace at this ungodly hour?

He quietly crept closer.

Crack-

He suddenly stepped on a fallen leaf. The person immediately looked over, and Xiao Yu startled, turned, and ran!

Halfway through his escape, Xiao Yu came to his senses.

What was he running for?

They should be the ones feeling guilty!

Tap, tap!

Hearing rapid footsteps, he looked back and saw several men in black charging straight at him!

Xiao Yu could not help spitting out a curse.

Damn it!

So they were coming to silence him!

Xiao Yu took off at full speed, leading them straight out of the Eastern Palace!

After running for a while, Xiao Yu managed to get himself completely confused.

He had almost forgotten.

He did not know his way around the imperial palace!

Looking up, he spotted a familiar figure ahead. His steps faltered, and their eyes met.

At the sight of Xiao Yu, Qi Yunheng instantly stiffened. His hand unconsciously touched his poisoned needles as he watched Xiao Yu warily.

Did this person have some grudge against me?

I only just killed a few of Li Chunlai's lackeys, and now he's turned up...

Had he discovered that I did it and come specifically to settle the score?

Before he could figure it out, Xiao Yu suddenly grabbed his hand, turned, and ran!

He looked back.

A whole swarm of men in black was charging straight at them!

So someone was trying to assassinate him...

Now this was interesting!

"Why are you always out instead of sleeping in the middle of the night? Don't you know how dangerous that is?" Xiao Yu suddenly said.

Qi Yunheng looked up.

The sight of Xiao Yu's profile suddenly made him pause.

Six days had passed since they returned from the Commandant's Residence, yet they still had not caught this person, and the place remained under lockdown...

The tooth marks were still visible. That showed just how deeply he had bitten him!

"Hey, Zhao Yunheng, do you know your way around the imperial palace?" Xiao Yu suddenly asked.

He realized that all his circling had kept him in the same area. He could not shake their pursuers and had only confused himself.

"My surname isn't Zhao!"

He loathed everything about Southern Zhao.

"Oh, Yunheng." Xiao Yu paused. "You-"

Qi Yunheng said, "We're not close. Don't go calling me by my given name!"

Xiao Yu said, "..."

"Then what should I call you?"

Qi Yunheng lowered his brows. "Whatever!"

Xiao Yu said, "Hey-"

Qi Yunheng said, "My name isn't Hey!"

Xiao Yu's face instantly darkened.

Damn it! You're just asking for a beating!

"Don't curse."

"Damn it! I've put up with you long enough!"

Xiao Yu flung his hand away, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded, "I'm asking you one thing. Do you know the way or not?"

"I do."

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered.

Finally, something sensible!

"But why should I tell you?" Qi Yunheng said coolly.

Xiao Yu said, "..." He finally understood why this brat kept getting beaten up!

Qi Yunheng looked at his angry face and paused slightly.

Uncle Fu had told him that after bringing him back that night, this person had even kindly called an imperial physician for him...

It was not as though he could not tell him.

But his attitude was too awful.

"Tell me, and I'll give you this."

Xiao Yu took out the only persimmon he had on him and offered it as a bribe. "It's sweet. How about it?"

Qi Yunheng looked at him as though he were an idiot.

Did I look that easy to fool?

"This is far enough," Xiao Yu told him.

The familiar Eastern Palace was not far ahead, and he did not want to bring this person inside.

As promised, Xiao Yu placed the persimmon in his hand. "Here, your payment! Thanks!"

Looking at the bright red persimmon before him, Qi Yunheng felt thoroughly disgruntled.

He really was rather easy to fool.

"Hiss-"

Xiao Yu discovered that his palm had turned black and had several needle punctures in it.

He asked, "What were you holding in your hand just now? Why has mine turned black?"

Suddenly realizing something, he said furiously, "You poisoned me-"

Thud!

The moment the words left his mouth, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious!

Qi Yunheng gave him a disdainful look.

He was the one who had insisted on grabbing his hand without asking. He had not had time to put his poisoned needles away...

His gaze fixed on Xiao Yu.

This person had ruined my plans several times... why not just bury him?

With that thought, Qi Yunheng dragged him to an abandoned palace.

He dug a hole, then tossed him into it!

Thump-

A persimmon suddenly rolled out of his clothes.

Qi Yunheng paused as he looked at the persimmon on the ground.

He went over, picked it up, wiped it clean, and tucked it back inside his clothes.

His eyes flickered as he glanced at Xiao Yu in the hole.

When Xiao Yu woke up, his entire body was stiff and aching.

He opened his eyes and looked around.

Good heavens!

Most of his body had actually been buried in the dirt, leaving only his head exposed!

Very good! Zhao Yunheng! Aren't you something! You'd better-

"Awake? Looks like you've recovered nicely!"

Qi Yunheng jumped down from a tree and said, "Next time, call me Qi Yunheng. My surname isn't Zhao!"

With that, he turned and left, paying Xiao Yu no further attention.

"Zhao-Qi Yunheng! Stop right there! Come back!"

Xiao Yu shouted at his retreating back, "You're leaving without digging me out first?!"

"I didn't pack the dirt down. Just climb out yourself," Qi Yunheng replied.

"...Very good! I'll remember this!"

Xiao Yu said furiously, "You'd better not let me catch you again, or I'll make sure you get a taste of being buried in the dirt too!"

Qi Yunheng tossed the persimmon in his hand, playing with it, and curled his lips. "I'll be waiting."

"Qi Yunheng! You bastard! You asshole!"

Xiao Yu gritted his teeth in fury!

He angrily climbed out of the dirt, an unshakable cloud of resentment hanging around him.

A palace servant who had gotten up to relieve himself passed by and saw Xiao Yu crawling out of the dirt with his hair disheveled. Terrified, he immediately took to his heels!

He shouted, "A ghost-!"

His shout made Xiao Yu's shoulders jerk, and he nearly fell back into the hole!

When he realized the servant meant him, he instantly exploded!

"You're the damn ghost! I'm human! Human!"

What terrible eyesight!

How did I look like a ghost?

Xiao Yu looked himself over.

Was there ever a ghost as jade... as shabby as me?

I'd better hurry back to the Eastern Palace and wash up!

He looked up.

Come to think of it, where was this place again?