{"id":7009,"date":"2025-05-15T09:52:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T07:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=7009"},"modified":"2025-05-15T09:52:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T07:52:52","slug":"your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-65-like-a-tiger-with-wings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2025\/05\/15\/your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-65-like-a-tiger-with-wings\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Majesty, you mustn&#8217;t! &#8211; Chapter 65: Like a Tiger with Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once Xiao Rong and Qu Yunmie fell asleep, at almost the same time, Sun Renluan woke up.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The private soldiers&#8217; actions disturbed the citizens, but under Yang Zangyi\u2019s deliberate concealment, there were no sounds from the palace. By the time Sun Renluan learned the full story, everything had already been settled.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was easy to imagine how angry he must have been, especially when he found out that Qu Yunmie had personally crossed the Huai River to rescue Xiao Rong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At court, Yang Zangyi was already lower than Sun Renluan in rank. Now that he had made a mistake, he could only endure Sun Renluan&#8217;s furious scolding. Unlike Empress Dowager Sun, who was all show and no substance, Sun Renluan feared no one, including Yang Zangyi. Yang Zangyi, however, wasn\u2019t afraid of Sun Renluan. He didn\u2019t think he had done anything wrong. He had simply been unlucky and trusted the wrong person.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, he endured the barrage of criticism in silence. After Sun Renluan had vented his anger, Yang Zangyi straightened up and argued with him, trying to shift Sun Renluan\u2019s focus from himself to Xiao Rong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if Xiao Rong truly had exceptional insight and could immediately detect Xizhu\u2019s subterfuge, how could Qu Yunmie have known in advance what Xiao Rong was going to do? How did he happen to appear outside Huaiyin City at just the right time? This wasn\u2019t a matter of keen insight but rather the two of them had some sort of foreknowledge.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They both knew that such foreknowledge was pure nonsense. The only explanation for why Qu Yunmie suddenly appeared was that he and Xiao Rong had discussed their plans in advance. They intended to do something in Jinling, but because Yang Zangyi had abruptly interrupted them, they had been forced to abandon their plans and flee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sun Renluan: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In truth, he could tell that Yang Zangyi\u2019s explanation was weak, but what else could he do? The pursuit of Xiao Rong had failed, and it had led to the personal rescue of Xiao Rong by the King of the North, revealing the actions aimed at killing him. The relationship between the court and the King of North was already extremely precarious, and now, even a small misstep could lead to open war between the two.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, Sun Renluan didn\u2019t intend to use Yang Zangyi\u2019s suggestion. Yang Zangyi\u2019s idea was to turn the facts around, to accuse the King of the North of having malicious intentions, thus bringing about this disaster. Most scholars already sided with the court, so this approach wouldn\u2019t be unreasonable. After all, the events happened in Jinling, and those who hadn\u2019t seen it firsthand could only rely on others&#8217; accounts. Xiao Rong and the others had no other evidence, but they had mouths. The court had even more mouths.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This strategy might suppress the King of the North for a while, but the King\u2019s fury was likely already burning with rage. This approach would only buy a little time but would eventually provoke an even fiercer retaliation from the King of the North.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that in mind, Sun Renluan glanced at the graying hair of Yang Zangyi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for handing Yang Zangyi over to the King of North for punishment\u2026. No, he wouldn&#8217;t do that either. The court\u2019s reputation was on the line. Handing over the Prime Minister to the King of the North would be like slapping his own face, and the consequences for the Yang Family would be disastrous. Scholars placed greater importance on their reputation than on their lives. If he did this, the court would immediately fall into chaos.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sun Renluan&#8217;s temples throbbed with pain. Unable to come up with a good plan, he cursed Yang Zangyi for being a self-important, foolish man who thought he was clever. &#8220;You think you\u2019re playing a higher game, but everything you\u2019ve done is under Xiao Rong\u2019s watch! How old is Xiao Rong? How old are you? All these years you&#8217;ve lived, have you been feeding them to the dogs?!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yang Zangyi was seething with hatred, his heart bleeding. This was supposed to be a foolproof plan! If it weren\u2019t for Xizhu\u2019s slip-up. Damn assassins, damn Qingfeng Sect, and damn Sun Renluan! If it weren\u2019t for you all dragging me down, how would I have ended up in this situation!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Southern Yong court was in chaos. The two thousand private soldiers sent by Yang Zangyi returned with only a little over six hundred alive. More than a thousand had died on the battlefield, and the other two hundred, afraid of facing the wrath of the Yang family, had simply deserted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The conflict was neither large nor small, and as for the rumors that spread, it was hard for anyone to judge how much they would ferment at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, Xiao Rong sat on a mat in the corner of the military tent, playing with the silver hairpin in his hand, his mind fixed on one thought.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That thought was \u2014 he hoped the Southern Yong had prepared for great losses. There was no reason to let go of this opportunity that had been handed to him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The beds in the camp were actually made from several wooden planks, with stones used as support posts. A layer of hemp cloth was spread on top, and that was considered a bed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People with lumbar disc herniation would likely appreciate this kind of bed, but Xiao Rong, being a healthy person, found it quite uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He hadn&#8217;t slept long before being awoken by the hard surface. After he woke up, it took more than an hour before Qu Yunmie finally opened his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Xiao Rong, the bed felt almost like torture, but for Qu Yunmie, it was just right. In fact, he felt even more secure on it than on the high, soft beds in the royal palace. After all, for more than twenty years, this was how he had always slept.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep was part of his healing process. Before sleeping, Qu Yunmie felt weak and exhausted, but after waking up, he felt much better. However, the loss of blood had drained the color from his face, and that wasn\u2019t something sleep could remedy. He would need food to recover.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He slowly sat up, the action tugging at his unhealed wound. In front of Xiao Rong, Qu Yunmie acted as though he was uninjured, but only he knew that he was pretending. He felt pain, he was just particularly good at enduring it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first, he thought Xiao Rong had already left, so after feeling the tearing pain, he furrowed his brow. However, when his peripheral vision caught the figure sitting on the ground, he stiffened and quickly adjusted his expression back to calm.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; The Strange Competitive Spirit of Men &#8211;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If Qu Yunmie wanted to move quietly, most people wouldn\u2019t notice him. Perhaps he was well-suited to being an assassin.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong sat casually, elbows resting on the low table in front of him. One hand supported his head, and the other kept spinning the silver hairpin.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether seen from an ancient or modern perspective, the craftsmanship of this silver hairpin was exquisite. The pin was shaped like a bamboo branch, with the head carved into delicate bamboo leaves, a cluster of them together, coated with a greenish paint. However, it wasn\u2019t the enamel that Xiao Rong was familiar with, and he couldn\u2019t tell what dye had been used.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beneath the pinhead hung a tiny lantern-shaped pendant, playful and eye-catching.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silver wasn\u2019t expensive, but the craftsmanship of this hairpin was far beyond what an ordinary artisan could create. The bamboo leaves were carved with lifelike detail, and anyone capable of such artistry would likely have been hired by a prominent family as their family artisan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A female assassin was just a tool, trained from a young age to become a deadly weapon. She had long severed ties with emotions and love, and it was unlikely she would\u2019ve had the time or interest to customize a delicate piece of jewelry for herself. Moreover, Xizhu mightn\u2019t even be her real name. It was probably given to her by her Master, intended to attract those who fancied higher culture and sophistication.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, this hairpin was likely a gift from her Master, and the care shown in its creation revealed how much her Master valued her.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong wondered, \u2018Was her master Yang Zangyi?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The noble families indeed sought to monopolize everything by taking back all the good things to their own families, but when had they started raising assassins? Such lowly and despicable tactics should be looked down upon by noble families, shouldn\u2019t they?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was Yang Zangyi truly unique in his behavior, or was there someone else behind Xizhu?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong was lost in thought. In truth, he had no solid evidence to stand on. He was merely speculating based on his tendencies. After last night, he began to see conspiracy in everything. He had relied too much on historical texts, gradually forgetting that people were far more complex than what was recorded in books. Not everything was written down, and he couldn\u2019t only focus on what had been recorded.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This should have been his advantage, but it had instead become his blind spot.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong quietly reflected on himself, in deep thought. Before he could finish his reflection, he heard a mocking voice behind him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI thought you had suffered a lot in Jinling, but now it seems like you\u2019re living a life of luxury.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He froze and stared ahead, blinking slightly before turning his head. &#8220;Are you referring to the owner of this silver hairpin, Xizhu?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie smiled, but it was a cold, sinister smile. &#8220;So you\u2019re calling her by her real name now? Seems I misjudged you, Master Xiao. You\u2019re quite a man of passion. If that\u2019s the case, why not bring this lady back with you instead of reminiscing over her with this hairpin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong looked at him, then replied, &#8220;I can\u2019t bring her back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie sat across from him. This time, even though he was pulling at his wound, he didn\u2019t feel the pain. All his attention was on mocking Xiao Rong. &#8220;Hmph. What would a Jinling woman see in the land of Chenliu?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a brief silence, he said, &#8220;I can\u2019t bring her back because she\u2019s already dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie froze, and before he could think of how to respond, he heard Xiao Rong change the topic. &#8220;However, if she hadn\u2019t died, I would\u2019ve actually wanted to bring her back to Chenliu.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The King of the North had just made a joke, but you actually dared to think this?!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He angrily said, &#8220;You are now my advisor and part of the Northern Army. The Northern Army cannot be overly involved with the people of Jinling! Even if she hadn\u2019t died, with me here, you cannot bring her back to Chenliu! There are plenty of women in this world. What\u2019s so special about her that you can\u2019t forget her after escaping death?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie felt his words were righteous, but Xiao Rong\u2019s gaze became even more strange.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the end, Xiao Rong didn\u2019t point out the strangeness but instead sighed and said to Qu Yunmie, &#8220;It\u2019s precisely because I escaped death that I can\u2019t forget her. She was the one who wanted me dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie&#8217;s expression changed, and then Xiao Rong explained how he had recognized her as an assassin during the banquet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He went on to say that he had originally intended to knock her out and take some evidence, but it turned out she was faking unconsciousness, and this assassin was so fragile that the head of the guards killed her with one strike.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The head of the guards was a middle-ranking officer in the Northern Army, responsible for leading the charge against the enemy lines. He could easily tear through gaps in enemy formations, so facing a fragile assassin should\u2019ve been no problem.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, Qu Yunmie didn\u2019t plan to tell Xiao Rong that because he knew Xiao Rong well. If Xiao Rong knew that he had assigned such a fierce general as his guard, Xiao Rong would likely lecture him again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie hadn\u2019t expected something like this before the pursuit, and his heart sank further. Fortunately, it was all in the past now, and Xiao Rong had seen through the enemy\u2019s tricks. As he had said, he wouldn\u2019t let Xiao Rong leave Chenliu in the future, so there was no need to keep dwelling on this matter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong didn\u2019t know that Qu Yunmie was serious. He thought Qu Yunmie was just saying something out of anger, so he didn\u2019t take it to heart. At that moment, Qu Yunmie wasn\u2019t foolish enough to repeat himself, instead, he asked Xiao Rong, &#8220;How did you recognize she was an assassin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The truth couldn\u2019t be told, but Xiao Rong had his own explanation. \u201cI don\u2019t know. I just felt something was off when I saw her. Later, when I heard Yang Zangyi say he was going to send those dancers to me, I knew something was fishy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie had never heard of this idiom, but after thinking about it for a moment, he understood its meaning. His expression relaxed a little, and he smiled lightly. &#8220;That\u2019s right. Anyone who\u2019s overly attentive to you, whether man or woman, you must treat them like an assassin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was no need to be so paranoid.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Xiao Rong didn\u2019t agree with Qu Yunmie&#8217;s statement, he didn\u2019t think it was worth arguing over something so trivial. They exchanged smiles, and Xiao Rong asked if Qu Yunmie&#8217;s was hungry, then went out to find Ah Shu and have him bring over the warmed-up food.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie watched Xiao Rong\u2019s figure standing by the tent curtain, and the corner of his mouth slowly relaxed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neither of them mentioned it, and the argument and awkwardness from the morning felt like it had never happened. This was probably how adults interacted: when they encountered irreconcilable conflicts, they just ignored it and pretended it didn\u2019t exist.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some things could be handled this way, but with others, the more you ignored them, the more they would become a thorn in your heart.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie had never experienced this before because there had never been someone like Xiao Rong by his side, making him feel this angry yet having no outlet. Well, he thought, he would take things one step at a time. After all, there was still a long road ahead.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soon, Ah Shu came in with the food. It was all the large dishes Xiao Rong had specifically requested from the cook: pig liver, pig heart, pig knuckles, red dates, red beans, red carrots. Looking at the table, everything was red and glaring.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: \u201c&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He did enjoy eating meat, but not to this extent.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the time Qu Yunmie woke up, everyone else had already eaten, so Xiao Rong sat across from him, watching him eat all the dishes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie had been injured before, and at his worst, he had been near death. Even then, his dining table hadn\u2019t been filled with so much red food. He knew this must have been arranged by Xiao Rong. Xiao Rong always had these strange and stubborn habits, speaking of customs and rules that others had never heard of.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order not to waste Xiao Rong\u2019s intentions, even though he was starting to feel nauseous, Qu Yunmie silently finished all the food. Seeing him so obedient, Xiao Rong smiled slightly and then gave Ah Shu a look.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ah Shu nodded and quickly ran out, bringing in the last dish that had been kept warm in the kitchen\u2014a sweet soup.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ah Shu placed the sweet soup beside Qu Yunmie, who took one look at it and said, &#8220;Take it away.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was already full, and he didn\u2019t want to drink something so sweet and nauseating.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie didn\u2019t think there was anything wrong with what he did. He had already eaten all the food as Xiao Rong had intended, so it wasn\u2019t a problem not to eat this.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as soon as he spoke, Xiao Rong froze. Ah Shu looked caught off guard, and he quietly murmured &#8220;Ah&#8221; before looking at Xiao Rong with some sympathy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was completely confused by the reactions of the master and servant. When he saw Xiao Rong\u2019s lips slowly press together, his pitiful intelligence finally resurfaced.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDid you make this yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong didn\u2019t answer, and when Qu Yunmie saw him unwilling to speak, his heart sank.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This time, he didn\u2019t dare say anything. He picked up the bowl of sweet soup and gulped it down in two large swallows.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He didn\u2019t know what the sweet soup was made of, but it was filled with transparent ingredients. As Qu Yunmie drank it, his face twisted, and he forced himself to say, &#8220;It\u2019s very delicious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He finally spoke. &#8220;Your Majesty doesn\u2019t need to force yourself. Most medicinal dishes don\u2019t taste good, but they help replenish energy and nourish the blood. So, I must trouble Your Majesty to drink a bowl every meal until you\u2019re fully healed.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie stared at him blankly. &#8220;Every meal?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong smiled. &#8220;Yes, the same as mine.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That meant three meals a day, plus afternoon tea and occasional late-night snacks.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It would be better to just kill him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the meal, Qu Yunmie intended to go out for a walk and check on the soldiers who were injured yesterday, but Xiao Rong wouldn&#8217;t allow it. He raised three fingers and emphasized each word.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The doctor said that Your Majesty needs to stay in bed for three days. For these three days, you cannot go anywhere and must stay in bed.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie disagreed. This was even worse than drinking the sweet soup. Regardless, Xiao Rong was determined to watch over him, like he was a prisoner. He crossed his arms and sat at his bedside. Whenever Qu Yunmie moved slightly, his eyes would snap to him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helpless, he gave up on the idea of going out. However, as soon as he raised his hand, Xiao Rong immediately looked at him cautiously.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie raised both hands slightly, adopting a surrendering gesture, then reached for the old clothes by the bed. These were the blood-stained clothes he had changed out of earlier. Xiao Rong had wanted them thrown away, but when a lethargic Qu Yunmie stopped him, Xiao Rong had to toss them into the corner.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He wasn\u2019t sure when Qu Yunmie had retrieved them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His hand rummaged inside, and finally, he found the item. He carefully pulled the paper out of the clothing and handed it to Xiao Rong.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie had an expression of barely concealed pride. &#8220;Look, I\u2019ve deciphered it.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong looked at the wrinkled paper in his hand. It seemed as though it had aged ten years overnight. When he had sent it with the Captain of the Guard, it had been in perfect condition, but now there wasn\u2019t a single flat spot on it. There were even faint stains on it. He wondered how many methods Qu Yunmie had tried, and how he managed to preserve the paper while attempting each one.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, he had succeeded in the end. The faint yellow writing had emerged on the paper, and Qu Yunmie had treasured it just to hand it back to Xiao Rong at this moment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was just something hastily written, meant to pass the time. Even a fool might think it was a blank sheet of paper, but Qu Yunmie was at least smarter than that.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He hadn\u2019t been unable to figure it out, he just trusted himself, so he had put all his effort into deciphering it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were only eight words on the paper: \u2018Congratulations, Your Majesty, your wish has been fulfilled.\u2019 Qu Yunmie waited for a while, and when he saw Xiao Rong remain silent, he couldn\u2019t help but urge him. &#8220;Is it your turn to fulfill your promise?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a light laugh, Xiao Rong folded the paper and put it in his pocket. He stood up and smiled slightly at Qu Yunmie. &#8220;Of course, Your Majesty, please wait a moment, I\u2019ll bring in the gift.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was naturally a joyful occasion when one could receive a gift, so Qu Yunmie pursed his lips and replied with a restrained &#8220;mm.&#8221; He hid his expectation inside, but his eyes remained honestly focused on the tent curtain. After a long while, Xiao Rong finally returned, holding the gift meant for him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wait.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Holding?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong pushed Song Shuo, the eldest son of the Xiangdong Song family, who was licking a malt sugar, toward Qu Yunmie. He then enthusiastically introduced him. &#8220;Your Majesty, please take a look. This is Song Shuo, the eldest son of the Song family from Xiangdong. Young Master Song is talented, diligent, simple, quick-witted, and eager to learn. Having the Young Master Song is like adding wings to a tiger. Does Your Majesty like this gift?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had already lost the ability to speak.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Song Shuo looked at the stunned Qu Yunmie, then glanced at Xiao Rong who was holding onto him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With his innocent big eyes, Song Shuo continued to lick the malt sugar in his hand.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meow meow meow? Diligent, simple, quick-witted, eager to learn&#8230; is this describing me?!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Edited by: Antiope<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/bePatron?u=25191841\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-338 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/become_a_patron_button.png?resize=217%2C51\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/51;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/lajnaa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/kofi3-3.png?resize=185%2C47\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png\" width=\"185\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 185px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 185\/47;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Once Xiao Rong and Qu Yunmie fell asleep, at almost the same time, Sun Renluan woke up. The private soldiers&#8217; actions disturbed the citizens, but under Yang Zangyi\u2019s deliberate concealment, there were no sounds from the palace. By the time Sun Renluan learned the full story, everything had already been settled. It was easy to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-your-majesty","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240106180053_200_280-1.jpg?fit=199%2C280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7010,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7009\/revisions\/7010"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}