Chapter 57 – Giving advice when only three words are true

As a result, the next several days were unspeakably bitter ones for Chu Qing-Yan.
This Prince Ying seemed to have become addicted to feeding her food. Everyday, on the dot for meal time, he would report for duty in front of her bed. Every time, the kitchen prepared the medicinal cuisines, he would take it over. Then, with his back ramrod straight, he would sit on her bed and feed it to her with scrupulous attention to detail.
Truthfully speaking, Xiao Xu's face was covered by a mask, so his appearance couldn’t be seen clearly, and his whole body emitted a 'strangers do not approach' aura. Even with all these however, if only looking at his outer appearance, he was really attractive to the eyes.
However, eye candy could not be taken as food to eat ah!
Chu Qing-Yan had sausage-like swollen lips everyday, she even had thoughts of wanting to die.
But faced with this respected great Buddha, even if she wanted to rebel, she couldn't ah!
As a result, today, when Chu Qing-Yan's eyes, gleaming with tears, saw Xiao Xu once again sit down holding a bowl of medicinal congee, Chu Qing-Yan felt she must do something.
"Your Highness, three days have already pa.s.sed, and Qing-Yan's body is already much better. Your Highness must be busy with official matters, you don't need to be further troubled to take care of Qing-Yan."
Seeing her looking anxiously at him, Xiao Xu's eyebrow rose up, and he muttered slightly, "Father Emperor had excused this king from morning court for these several days, to let this king take good care of you. Your recuperation is this king's official business."
So it turned out he had a justifiable reason ah!
Chu Qing-Yan couldn't help but complain about this Western Xuan's emperor, wasn't his control of things too broad ah! Although she felt this might be something she provoked herself, still, she could not forgive Western Xuan's emperor! If it were not for him, she wouldn't suffer this absurd calamity!
"Open your mouth." Xiao Xu saw her mouth was tightly closed and said somewhat impatiently.
In the next instant, Chu Qing-Yan subconsciously opened her mouth, and a huge mouthful of medicinal congee was shoved into her mouth. She didn't have time to return to her senses before she choked. The medicinal congee that just entered her mouth was sprayed all over the bed. Even Xiao Xu's body failed to escape this.
"Cough, cough, I, I didn't do it on purpose——" Chu Qing-Yan coughed until her entire face turned red. She nearly coughed out her lungs.
Xiao Xu frowned, extending his hand to pat her back.
However, this male's strength could not be compared to a female's. Moreover, Xiao Xu stayed in the army all year round and very rarely came in contact with females. He also didn't know how to take care of a person, so when he patted her back, it wasn't that gentle at all. This caused Chu Qing-Yan's five viscera and six bowels to nearly be patted out of her body.
"Light, a bit lighter, cough, cough——" Chu Qing-Yan almost cried.
Feeling that the person under his hand was trembling, Xiao Xu couldn't help but pull back. A thin layer of anger dyed his forehead. When she could breathe again, he opened his mouth to say, "You think this king does not know how to take care of people?"
Chu Qing-Yan really wanted to nod her head, but it went against her character, so she waved her hand, "How could it be? Qing-Yan feels Your Highness is omnipotent, able to receive your Highness's care is Qing-Yan's blessing cultivated from her previous life."
Perhaps Chu Qing-Yan's words were too exaggerated and perfunctory, Xiao Xu took a glance at her, then stormed off in a huff.
Chu Qing-Yan soothed her chest with great difficulty until her whole person relaxed. When she lifted up her head, she saw the corner of Xiao Xu's clothing disappear from the doorway.
She couldn't help but be puzzled, this His Highness Prince Ying said he would go and he went just like that. Why didn't he even inform her when leaving?
Only, she would never have guessed that a certain someone threw his sleeves and left because he was ashamed into anger.
Xiao Xu, who had left the room, turned and entered the study, his expression unexpected.
Fire Spirit entered at this time, saw his Master's clothing covered with grains of rice, and couldn't help but be stunned. His Highness was famous for his obsession with cleanliness, how was it that today, he would allow these things to stain his clothing? This really was the sun rising from the west.
"Fire Spirit, what area do you think this king is lacking in?" Xiao Xu let him come in, and he asked with eyes narrowed.
Fire Spirit had just shifted his attention away from the grains of rice on His Highness's body, then heard this question from His Highness that he couldn't make heads or tail of. He was even more shocked. Was it more probable that the sun rose from the West today, or rather, that His Highness was possessed?
Seeing Fire Spirit's facial expression of having eaten a housefly, Xiao Xu somewhat regretted that he had asked this question. However, words that were said were like spilled milk, hard to take back.
Seeing that His Highness's meaningful glance had become ugly, Fire Spirit promptly replied, "Your Highness is wise, a military genius, unrivalled in martial arts, distinguished, elegant and accomplished. The model of a talented person, this subordinate sees that Your Highness only has good points. If to say if there is anything lacking, then there just isn't anything Your Highness lacks."
Hearing Fire Spirit's glib-tongued, unreliable and exaggerated praises, Xiao Xu's expression sunk down even more, "But there is someone who feels this king doesn't know how to take care of people."
Fire Spirit immediately understood, this abnormal state of His Highness must have some connection to that Chu family's Miss. Fire Spirit’s heart was puzzled, this person hasn't entered the manor for long, yet she was actually able to influence His Highness's mood. This really made him have a whole new level of respect for her.
However, even though His Highness was his master, Fire Spirit also couldn't help but lampoon him. Everytime he saw His Highness feed Chu Qing-Yan her meal, even he didn't feel that it was a favor, rather, it was more like a punishment. Recalling that Chu Qing-Yan was supposed to be recuperating, Fire Spirit couldn't help but say a few words on her behalf.
"Your Highness, as the proverb says 'specialize in skills of a certain occupation'. You are good at overseeing the big picture, leading soldiers to fight and working hard in government for the good of the people. Taking care of people, this kind of trivial matter doesn't need you to personally do so."
Xiao Xu stared fixedly at this subordinate who said one thing but meant something different, and his mind already had an answer. On the contrary, all the hairs on Fire Spirit's body stood on ends from being stared at by him. Fire Spirit incessantly whined in his heart.
"Call over all the high-ranking military officers that followed the army for this king!"
What?
His Highness's jump in tempo was rather fast, unexpectedly, he couldn't keep up.
As a result, inside the tightly shut study, was set up four to five long tables, and packed with the officers, aids and advisors from Xiao Xu's military campaign at the border. Arranged in front of these people were pen, ink and paper.
Xiao Xu stood behind the master's table, with his hands behind his back, looking down at everyone from above, "You guys have followed this king for at least three years or more. Regardless of whether it was the order of battle or crossing long rivers and forest, all of you are steadfastly loyal to this king. This time, a difficult problem has been placed in front of this king, hope everyone would undertake the task to help."
"For Your Highness, we won't hesitate to go through fire and tread on water. Whatever instructions you may have, just say so!" Everyone cupped their hands in salute, full of momentum.
As a result, everyone, who was so proud of their success, heard such a 'difficult' problem.
How does one take care of a half-grown child?
Numerous aids, advisors and top officials picked up the brush, you look at me, I look at you. But they didn't know how they should start.
High-ranking military officer A: Your Highness, this humble official is merely a martial arts guy, this kind of literary things of writing with ink, it’s better to have the literary officials do it!
"Just now, didn't you say you won't hesitate to go through fire and tread on water? Correct?" With one meaningful glance from Xiao Xu, high-ranking military officer A's head immediately hung down, biting the tip of the brush. He tweaked his ears and scratched his cheeks.
A certain advisor B: Your Highness, this humble official is good at giving advice on politics, but this kind of matter is a bit hard for this humble official to start.
"Who is it that said that whatever instructions you may have, just say so?" Xiao Xu smiled faintly, but whoever heard this, could detect the deterrence in his words.
Advisor B immediately dipped the brush in ink and started drawing dragon and snake-like lines.
Seeing everyone write at a tremendous speed, only then did Xiao Xu sit down and close his eyes to rest.
Fire Spirit stood in attendance on the side, and swallowed a breath, so, it turned out that the important matter His Highness wanted to discuss was this? This was too outrageous ah! If Earth Spirit and the others were here, their eyes would probably fall out from being scared.
Everyone racked their brains, writing until their vision blurred and they became dizzy. The completed examination paper they handed in was placed in front of Xiao Xu, one after another.
The scripture of raising a child, a theory only a father would know.
Xiao Xu flipped through it one by one, while Fire Spirit on the side stealthily glanced at it. The more he looked, the more his eyes twitched.
All the contents could be summed up in no more than three words.
Spoil, spoil, spoil!