Chapter 86 – Change according to the situation to escape the tiger's den
The atmosphere turned cold in a split second.
"Ninth Miss Chu is in the room. Earlier, Honorable Fire Spirit had sent people to search it once already."
The people inside heard the inquiries and the servant's replies outside.
Chu Qing-Yan recognized that one of the voices belonged to Xiao Xu, and her eyes brightened slightly.
The white-clothed person clearly felt the change in her mood, so he pressed the dagger a little closer. He lowered his head and got close to her ear, lightly laughing with a threat to say. "If he wants to comes in later, no matter what method you use, stop him."
The unknown, unique fragrance immediately engulfed her nose, not strongly, but light and faint, making her lift her head to face him. However, that ice-cold surface of the dagger was pressed onto the main artery at her neck, so she instantly sobered up. Under his deterrence, she nodded her head lightly.
The white-clothed figure saw she was going to obediently listen to his instructions, and he removed the seal on her throat. His phoenix eyes turned up, hinting she shouldn't play any tricks.
Chu Qing-Yan cleared her throat and discovered that she could now talk. She was slightly happy, but when she received the other party's threatening gaze, she restrained her mood.
"This king knows." Xiao Xu waved for the servants to retreat and was just about to turn around and leave, but a string in his heart suddenly tightened. He stopped his footsteps and lifted a hand, and was just about to knock on the door
when he heard a half awake voice coming from inside.
"Is that you, your Highness outside?"
"En." Xiao Xu faintly answered.
"I heard a bad person broke into the manor. Everything in Qing-Yan's place here is safe and sound, so you must take care and rest earlier. Qing-Yan is also about to sleep." It sounded like blurred words coming from a half conscious person, as if the person speaking was about to fall asleep.
"En." Xiao Xu lowered his brow and lightly replied in agreement.
The two people inside then saw the shadow under the door slowly turning around and leaving in an unhurried, relaxed manner.
Chu Qing-Yan bit her lip, don't know if big block of ice had heard the background narration in her tone!
When the white-clothed person saw him leaving, his heart relaxed. He was just about to praise this little Miss for being tactful when he suddenly narrowed his eyes. The dagger in his hands was about to move.
A figure broke through the window to enter, a leaf rapidly flying from his hand. Its speed was even faster than the white-clothed person's move.
The white-clothed person immediately turned around and jumped away and that leaf turned in an arc in mid-air and pierced deeply into the wall beside Chu Qing-Yan's bed.
That white-clothed person swept a look at the wall and thought that if he dodged too late, he feared that his wrist would've already been wasted.
He looked at Xiao Xu who flew in and laughed in a low voice. He didn't expect this person would be so vigilant, or maybe that little Miss said something that aroused Xiao Xu's suspicion. He really underestimated Chu Qing-Yan!
Chu Qing-Yan clearly felt the smile that was not a smile thrown at her by the other party and her body stiffened.
Xiao Xu saw her safe and sound. He didn't say a word, he just lifted a hand to attack the white-clothed person.
He only saw that white-clothed person's phoenix eyes lift up, a crafty gleam flashing through it. Then the dagger in his hand flew towards the person on the bed.
Xiao Xu frowned, and the leaf in his hand headed towards that dagger.
And during this pause, the white-clothed person fled through the window that Xiao Xu broke into the room from.
Chu Qing-Yan looked on in a daze at the dagger speeding towards her that fell after meeting the leaf in mid-air. This scene that actually really happened in front of her eyes was like the made up scenario on TV, Chu Qing-Yan felt it was that inconceivable. But immediately following it, was lingering fear.
She held on to the quilt tightly, a thought flashing through her mind. Just a bit, just a little bit more and she was about to report to the underworld again!
She suddenly heard slow, even steps approach, and lifted her head to see Xiao Xu walking towards her.
She originally thought he had already gone to chase after the a.s.sa.s.sin, but didn't expect that he would still be here.
She shakenly watched as he bent down and took her into his arms. That pair of large hands gently patted her back and his tone carried a never before heard of gentleness as he said. "Don't be scared, this king is here."
Chu Qing-Yan came back to reality, so it turned out that he thought she was scared by the scene from just now so he was comforting her.
She admitted that she was frightened to a stop, but the second she saw him appear, she was no longer afraid.
"En. I'm not scared." Chu Qing-Yan hummed a reply in his arms.
Xiao Xu saw her mood was steady before releasing her. He inspected her from head to toe and saw she was unscathed before his complexion resumed its usual coldness.
"What about that white-clothed person?" Chu Qing-Yan looked at the window that was on the verge of collapse, and turned around to ask him.
"Fire Spirit has already gone to chase after him." However, he presumed that Fire Spirit would not be able to catch up, that person's martial arts were not worse than his, this was Xiao Xu’s thought.
Chu Qing-Yan nodded and immediately smiled to ask. "Your Highness, how did you figure out that the a.s.sa.s.sin was in my room?"
Xiao Xu was pulled out of his deep thoughts and he looked toward her. "These days, if you haven't seen this king, you won't be able to sleep, so your words just now were contrary to usual. Therefore, this king was able to guess something was strange."
Chu Qing-Yan face turned slightly red, what did he mean by not being able to sleep just because she didn't see him? However, she was still very happy he was able to know without seeing, and that made it possible for her to leave the tiger's den.
"Your Highness, who was that white-clothed person? Why would he suddenly appear in the prince's manor?" Chu Qing-Yan tilted her head and asked in puzzlement.
"Be obedient and go to sleep, you shouldn't care about these things." Xiao Xu stood up and pulled up the embroidered quilt, covering her arms that was outside and softly urged her.
Chu Qing-Yan very obediently listened and withdrew into the quilt. Since he said it like this, then he must have some plan. So she only needed to eat, recuperate, sleep and become a restful rice weevil, and it would be fine.
Xiao Xu watched her close her eyes and only after her breathing became longer did he slowly leave the room.
At this moment, Fire Spirit and the others were already waiting outside the door.
"Your Highness, this servant did not handle matters well and has let the person escape." Fire Spirit head was bowed very low, somewhat annoyed at himself.
"His martial arts is above yours, you need not blame yourself. Transmit my order to Water Spirit to pay close attention to public figures from outside of the capital and their movements. As for you, reinforce the staff and strengthen the defenses of the prince's manor." Xiao Xu said coldly.
"This servant accepts the orders." Fire Spirit withdraw with the people he brought.
Xiao Xu had his hands on his back as he looked to the horizon. The dark night sky was filled with twinkling stars and the slight light looked pleasing to the eyes. However, it appeared to fall into a bottomless abyss, unable to illuminate that deep pit.
Just now, he could have caught that person but in that split second, he chose to rescue her first.
He looked down at his own hands, his expression unreadable.
Once the heart has worries, it was difficult to make a move.
After Xiao Xu left, a certain person who was supposed to be in deep sleep opened her eyes. She stretched out her hand and opened her fingers. A command plaque was in her palm, emitting a green light.
The moon character was carved inside the jade circle.
She gently closed her fingers, this was inattentively left by that white-clothed person. She had originally wanted to hand it over to Xiao Xu but in the end couldn't take it out.
In this world, there was no hatred that was without cause or reason, neither was there doting without cause or reason. Towards Xiao Xu, she still couldn't completely trust him. Why would he treat her with indulgence and in a spoiling manner? When she finally figures out what kind of mentality Xiao Xu has towards her, she'll hand it over to him then.
That pair of enticing phoenix eyes appeared in her mind and subconsciously, Chu Qing-Yan tightened her grip. She hoped to never encounter him again, because this person gave her a dangerous feeling.
After the white-clothed person managed to shake off the pursuit behind him, he dropped down from a roof.
And there were already two black-clothed people waiting respectfully for him.
"Young Palace Master." The two people bent at the knee in salute.
That white-clothed person took off the white muslin over his face, exposing an exceptionally beautiful countenance. His lips hooked up into a demonically charming smile. "Xiao Xu is much more vigilant than I expected. After today, if there are no orders from me, you guys can't operate on your own initiative in the city."
"Subordinates will do as you bid!" The two people complied to say.