Chapter 06 - In the Garden

Ji Xiaoli was dragged away but it was more like she was being carried off by the servants to Zhu Xing Courtyard that was set aside for her.

She kept asking questions all along the way to the courtyard but the servants of the Guos.h.i.+ Residence were well-trained and they did not even squeak.

In the end, it was the terrified round-faced boy who spoke to her.

"Miss, you're really…… a little too brave.  You'd better stay here for the next 2 days!  I will send you three meals a day and if Miss needs anything, just let me know.  But you must never repeat what you did just now!"

When Ji Xiaoli saw the fear on his face, she pulled back her hands and closed her mouth with a bitter expression.

When she was left alone in the small courtyard, she searched around the house and found a brush and paper.  After a while, a grey wartime powerful pigeon flew out of the small courtyard flapping its wings.

Atop the Guos.h.i.+ Residence, a beautiful figure stood in the empty pavilion.  A round-faced child was holding a slingshot in one hand while the other hand was carrying a wounded pigeon as he ran into Guan Xing Pavilion.

A young man with cold eyes and an icy expression was standing near the window.  The corner of his mouth was slightly swollen.

The child pulled off the copper tube from the pigeon's leg and handed it to the young man who took it with a sneer.

The round-faced child blinked his big eyes and looked up with an expression of wors.h.i.+p.

"My Lord, you truly have the perception of G.o.d!  She really sent a letter back to Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence! This kind of wartime pigeon is used by the Ji Military Family and this is a specially trained strong and healthy bird that can fly hundreds of miles!"

Scoffing in a low voice, Chen Yubai lightly touched the wound on his mouth and the pain caused him to tighten his lips.  He flattened the copper tube between his fingers and in a cold voice, he instructed the child.  "Bring her here."

After the round-faced boy received the order, he left and soon returned with Ji Xiaoli who was on her guard.

When the Guos.h.i.+ saw her hand was still boldly touching the sachet on her waist, Chen Yubai became extremely angry.  His finger flicked and a gust of wind hit her in the hand.  Just as she was. .h.i.t by him, her hand slipped into the sachet and at the same time, she heard his cold voice.

"If you dare to take it out, I will stuff it into your mouth!"

The soft small hand hesitated inside the sachet and she tried to hold back her tears as she looked at the cold man with an icy expression.

A light flashed in Chen Yubai's eyes as he turned away.  He paused for a while and asked coldly.  "Ji Xiaoli, what is the reason for you to be here?"

"To be…….a disciple…….  The Empress said that I am the former Lord Guos.h.i.+'s disciple.  Since the former Lord Guos.h.i.+ is no longer around, so I have to come as a disciple under Lord Guos.h.i.+."

"……..have to?"

"No, no, no……not…..'have to'……it's ……'can only?"  Ji Xiaoli was afraid of angering him and the more frightened she was, the more incoherent she became.

Chen Yubai interrupted her impatiently and threw the copper tube at her feet emitting a clinking sound.  Ji Xiaoli picked up the copper tube and suddenly her expression turned fearful.

"Take it out and read it."  The Guos.h.i.+ said in a cold voice.

Ji Xiaoli looked at him cautiously and took out the paper from the flattened copper tube.  After unfolding the paper, she stuttered as she read.  "I,……I…….um.  I am……good here.  I eat well,…..eat…….extremely well, um……please don't worry……. from Xiaoli."

She read with such seriousness that Chen Yubai's face turned even darker.  He could not help but walk over and s.n.a.t.c.hed the piece of paper from her.  He asked her coldly.  "Do you think I am illiterate?"

The black words on the white paper said ~ ~'The Lord Guos.h.i.+ is terrifying!  Please come and take me home!" 

She actually dared to cook up nonsense in front of him ! !

The little girl glanced at him in astonishment and her expression became miserable.  "If you know how to read……..why do you want me to read it?"

She thought he was illiterate so she could keep him in the dark and her face showed regret.

The mood of the Guos.h.i.+ who was taken as a fool became even worst.

Ji Xiaoli's thoughts turned quickly and she suddenly grabbed the piece of paper from his hand, then stuffed the paper into her mouth and swallowed it straight down her throat without chewing.

If the evidence of crime no longer exists, at least her punishment would be lighter, right?  She thinks so……

Chen Yubai was startled and then he smiled coldly.  "So, you like to eat?"

Ji Xiaoli closed her mouth tightly.

"Xiao Tian!  Send the pigeon to the kitchen.  Grill it and give it to her as an additional dish tonight."  Chen Yubai watched as she instantly revealed a horrified look and finally felt his heart eased a little.

As soon as Ji Xiaoli heard him, she started to cry and bitterly persuaded him.  "Killing due to anger will go against Heaven's will!  You will encounter a calamity!"

Chen Yubai glanced at her and said gloomily.  "Since the calamity had already arrived, it's alright to encounter another calamity!"

Of course, Ji Xiaoli did not understand his meaning and only noticed that he was staring at her for a while before the smile on his face turned colder and colder.

**8**8**8**8**

When Ji Xiaoli returned to her small courtyard, Zhu Xing Courtyard, she hugged the remaining wartime pigeon and shed tears of sorrow.

In the evening, when the meal was sent to her, there was really a dish of grilled pigeon!

Ji Xi had devotedly trained his wartime pigeons and they were worth thousands in gold.  The pigeon was grilled to a golden brown color with a fragrant aroma as it sat sadly on the green lotus leaf.  It made people who see it……..drool over it.

She hid it away as she shed tears of sorrow, and the next morning, she took it into the garden to bury it.

The rear garden of the Guos.h.i.+ Residence is twice the size of Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence and the layout of the garden is magnificent with rare flowers and plants growing all over the place.

However, it is a pity that none of them could speak.

Ji Xiaoli carried last night's grilled pigeon and walked one round in the garden.  She selected a beautiful looking green hibiscus plant and dug a hole underneath it to bury the grilled pigeon.

While she was digging the hole in the ground, Chen Yubai was standing in the high pavilion in the distance.  His black ice silk robe was fluttering in the air and his handsome appearance did not have the appearance of a worldly mortal.

Other than the round-faced boy Xiao Tian who was standing beside him, another two young men were also present.

One man was wearing a complex and gorgeous moon-white robe.  His phoenix eyes that were tilted slightly at the corners seemed to be full of thousands of peach blossoms.  When he glanced at a person, it seems like he could see through him.

The other man looked much younger.  His brocade robe was embroidered with a gold-threaded coiling dragon with four-limbs and bare claws but the arrogant and luxurious robe with rich patterns did not obliterate his facial features.

If the handsome man in the white robe is considered tall and handsome, then this man with beautiful skin can only be described as 'a man with the beauty of a woman'.

To be able to stand side by side with the Lord Guos.h.i.+ of Ye Kingdom, he definitely cannot be anyone of low status.  The two men are the Princes of Ye Kingdom.  One is the Second Prince and the other is the Sixth Prince.  Both the Second Prince and Chen Yubai's names are listed in the first place in the dream lover's list of the ladies' boudoirs in the upper capital city.

Chen Yubai's cold expression is like a Zhe Xian that arouses people's feelings and he is one of the gentle spring breezes that all the ladies are intoxicated with.

The Sixth Prince, Murong Song is the eldest son of the present Empress and is very distinguished.  Since young, he has been close to the Second Prince and there is a strong bond between them.  He is always following the Second Prince around and today, he came with the Second Prince to the Guos.h.i.+ Residence.

Lord Guos.h.i.+ and the Second Prince stood motionless as they watched the little girl in the garden.  Murong Song also watched the girl for a while and he asked inexplicably.  "Who is that?  Why did she go in there?"

Many trap formations were set up inside the garden of the Guos.h.i.+ Residence, When he first came here, he had wandered into the garden by mistake.  Those flowers and plants that looked pleasing at first glance started to become alive and crawled up his feet.  His feet were eventually entwined with tree vines and no matter how he hacked at the vines he was unable to get rid of them.  In the end, his Second Brother had to rescue him and since that time, he never dared to venture into the garden again.

The Second Prince looked at Chen Yubai's cold face and replied for him.  "That is the Young Miss of Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence…….. Lord Guos.h.i.+'s new disciple."

"Oh, oh…….it's her!"  The Empress Niang Niang had specially gone out of the palace to go to Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence to perform the hairpin ceremony for her.  Murong Song knew about this and said.  "That is the sister of that Stinky Tiger!  Release her and let her come out!  Let me see how she looks like!"

When Ji Nan was in Dark Night Valley to take over the Guardians.h.i.+p of White Tiger Gate, Murong Song was also present and the two people have a close relations.h.i.+p.

The Second Prince smiled and did not speak.

Chen Yubai said coldly.  "She walked in there on her own, so she will have to come out on her own."

Murong Song was shocked.  "How will she be able to come out?  Your demon plants and demon flowers will smother her to death!"

"Didn't the Emperor praised her for being 'Born from a n.o.ble family……talented and intelligent……with the ability to endure and brilliant?"  Chen Yubai could not help but sneer.  "She certainly can come out."

Murong Song knew about the Emperor forcing the Lord Guos.h.i.+ to accept a disciple.  He also heard that the Lord Guos.h.i.+ threw a big temper and was very reluctant but he did not expect………  "You want to kill her?"  Murong Song asked in disbelief.  "She is the adopted daughter of Zhennan w.a.n.g!  Ji Nan just returned from a victorious battle and Ji Dong is now outside fighting in a war.  Even at this time, you still dare to kill the adopted daughter of Zhennan w.a.n.g?!"

There was no expression on Chen Yubai's face.  "Sixth Prince, be cautious of your words.  She ventured into the garden on her own, so she is responsible for her own injuries or death.  If Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence is to query, please testify for me since the two Princes are my eye-witnesses."

This is too cruel!  Murong Song screamed in his heart.   Lord Guos.h.i.+ had actually invited them to witness the death of the girl and testify for him!

This is horrifying!

Murong Song turned his head excitedly and rested his head on the railing.  He concentrated on watching the little girl without blinking and waited for the tree vines to strangle her to death.

Holding back her tears, Ji Xiaoli stood up to walk away after she had buried the pigeon.  As expected, the vines had also caught hold of her.  Even though the sound of her screams was so far away, the three men on the top floor of the pavilion could still hear her.

Ji Xiaoli was screaming.  "Wa!  It can move!  It's truly amazing!"

She had thought magic did not exist in this garden!

The host of the crawling vines is a green radish of more than two hundred years old and it is crying tearfully with its head buried in the soil ~~ unable to face anyone.

It must be known that the Guos.h.i.+'s trap formations are ingenious and unparalleled in the world.

To be specially chosen by the Guos.h.i.+, it has been the proudest among all the plants in the surrounding area within 9 zhang* radius.  Whenever a person wandered into its territory and screamed in fear, he would be overwhelmed with pride!

(One zhang is equal to 10 feet i.e. 3.3 meters.)

It would always smirk proudly amid the fearful screams ~~ those stupid humans!

But this girl who looked so delicate and tender…….what is wrong with her?!

What is she so excited about?!

This is her punishment!  If she can't leave, she will have to die here!

I am a spiritual tree, ah……..this stupid human!

The tree vines that crawled up her legs tickled her so much that she burst into laughter.  With interest, she squatted down, picked up one of the vines and pulled it with force to find out the actual length of the vine.  The green radish became angry with her and ignoring the trouble she was causing, it twisted around her and the coa.r.s.e th.o.r.n.y vines forcefully tightened their grip on her.  The force of the grip broke the skin on her ankles and little droplets of blood oozed from the wounds.

As soon as her blood seeped out on the oily green thick strong vines, they immediately withered and the gray color of the withered parts quickly spread out.  Similar to the onslaught of the cold winter, the oily green vines which were twisted around her ankles just now turned into a bunch of dead branches in the blink of an eye.  The green radish host which was 2 zhang* away also failed to escape.  Before its screams could be heard, its face had wrinkled up and it died in the ground with its face drooped down.

In confusion, Ji Xiaoli kicked the withered vines with her feet and the withered vines broke off.  Feeling depressed, she loosened her hand completely unable to understand what had just happened.

In the pavilion above the Residence, the three men watched with wide eyes as the little girl solved one of the most dangerous trap formations of the Guos.h.i.+ Residence in just a short time and then she swaggered out of the garden.

The Second Prince could not help but laugh while Murong Song, the Sixth Prince, gaped with his chin nearly falling off and the face of Chen Yubai…….the Lord Guos.h.i.+ had an icy expression similar to the freezing rains on the mountains.

"Ah Song, let's return."  Murong Yan, the Second Prince, suppressed his smile and called out to his Sixth Brother.

On the way back to the palace, Murong Song kept looking back at the Residence from time to time and felt a little worried.  "Are we not taking that Stinky Tiger's sister away?  Does Chen Yubai really dare to kill her?!"

"Um……he really dares."  Murong Yan said with affirmation.

"However…….if only he is successful."  The smile on the face of His Highness, the Second Prince, was a little bit…….gloating.

Soon after they left the Guos.h.i.+ Residence, Ji Nan was already waiting at the end of the 10-li long road.  The moment he saw them, Ji Nan immediately rode up to them and asked.  "How?  Did you see her?"

Murong Song was about to open his mouth to exclaim in excitement when his Second Brother threw him a warning glance.  Murong Song had to twist his words and said.  "Yes, we saw her!  She was playing in the garden!"

And she nearly lost her little life playing in there!

When Ji Nan heard that she was living a carefree life, he felt relieved.

Murong Song remembered the rumors he heard so he smiled and asked Ji Nan.  "Ai, Stinky Tiger!  Do you really want to marry that girl?  You like…….that kind?"

Ji Nan was taken by surprise by the question and stammered.  He sensed the Second Prince was watching him and felt even more uncomfortable by the stare.  He turned around and changed the topic.  "Ai?  What happened here?  When I came the last time, all these trees were flowering!"

Murong Song was unwilling to let him escape and was about to make fun of him when he heard the Second Prince, who usually has a gentle voice, said coldly.  "It is heard that they were too talkative, so they were destroyed by Lord Guos.h.i.+."

This caused Murong Song who was interested in gossiping immediately clam up.