A raincoat wind and snow to the small garden

Chapter 35: Liangzhou Ghost Soldiers (VI)

However, as the only son of Emperor Xie Zhen, Xie Yunxue's trip was naturally not so smooth.

Just as Xiang Xiaoyuan boarded Xie Yunxue's carriage and was about to report the progress of the matter to the Crown Prince, a black feather arrow filled with power suddenly pierced through the wind and rain and shot towards him.

There was a loud bang.

The sharp arrow pierced through the car board, and the wood chips were brushed by the sharp arrow head, shaking off countless dust.

Xiang Xiaoyuan saw this and hurriedly pulled Xie Yunxue over: "Your Highness, be careful!"

She remembered that Xie Yunxue was not good at martial arts, but the assassin's bow and arrow could penetrate thousands of troops and hit the carriage steadily, which meant that the person must be a sharpshooter who could shoot an arrow through the air from a hundred steps away.

But she was just a little girl. Although she could carry half a pork, she couldn't pull Xie Yunxue at this moment.

Xie Yunxue's hair was not disheveled, and the long arrow just passed through his ear without hurting him at all.

Xie Yunxue heard the noise and then slowly put down the important tasks in her hands.

Xiang Xiaoyuan continued to pull his sleeve.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her expression was tense as she looked up at him.

Outside the carriage, there was a great commotion and chaos.

Xie Yunxue's ears were filled with many sounds. There was the sound of heavy rain, the sound of a gentle snowstorm, the sound of the imperial guards frantically drawing their bows to ward off the enemy, and the sound of the Xuanqisi secret guards emerging from the shadows, searching for the murderer.

None of the countless noises could startle Xie Yunxue, who stood as still as a mountain.

He put down the documents in his hand and his eyes fell on Xiang Xiaoyuan's hand that was tightly clutching his robe.

It was not a pampered hand, with calluses on the fingertips and knife wounds on the back of the hand.

He couldn't help but think of the night many years ago.

He stayed overnight with his father at Xiang Xiaoyuan's home. The little girl lost her playmate and cried for a long time looking at him.

Later, when the imperial carriage was halfway through its journey, my father issued an imperial decree.

He sent two attendants to wipe out the hunter family.

When Xie Yunxue woke up, the servant had already finished his work and returned to report.

He learned that Xiang Xiaoyuan's parents had both died at Xie Zhen's hands, and that his five-year-old daughter had also fallen off a cliff. His eyes widened in shock, and for the first time, he disobeyed his father: "Why did you kill them?"

Xie Zhen just smiled and patted Xie Yunxue on the shoulder, with a stern look and a warning in his eyes.

"Yun'er, we are the kings of Wei, the hope of its revival. Only if we survive can the country prosper. You will suffer greatly in the future for being so soft-hearted."

After Xie Zhen comforted his son, he tentatively asked him, "Or has Yun'er already forgotten your father's teachings?"

Xie Yunxue's face turned pale and she couldn't utter a word.

Of course he remembered what the so-called "teachings" were.

When she was young, Xie Yunxue also raised living things.

A small country in the Western Regions sent this dog as tribute. Its fur was short but soft and smooth to the touch, and Xie Yunxue often fed it mutton.

The puppy is very smart and never barks randomly. He has also been taught by the housekeeper that he will never pull his owner's sleeve.

When Xie Yunxue was practicing calligraphy, it would quietly lie down at his feet and sleep. With a living creature as his companion, Xie Yunxue did not feel that life in the palace was so difficult.

Until one day, Xie Zhen picked up the small dog and handed the blade to Xie Yunxue.

My father laughed and said, "After raising her for so long, you should have developed some feelings for her, right?"

Xie Yunxue stared at the sharp blade in Xie Zhen's hand, not knowing what answer to give in order to save her puppy.

Xie Zhen was not anxious. He gently stroked his son's hair and said to him, "You are my only son. From now on, the whole country will be handed over to you. However, I have paved a smooth path for you. You must not disobey me or make me sad."

"Today you are reluctant to kill the greyhound you raised. What will you do if a beautiful woman becomes arrogant due to her favor in the future? As a ruler, you must not be partial to anyone or anything. Only by giving can you gain."

Xie Yunxue was only five years old at that time.

He looked helplessly at the small dog in Xie Zhen's arms. The small dog held its tail between its legs and whimpered softly. It also felt the murderous intent and was afraid.

Xie Zhen just wanted to teach his son that the emperor should put the overall interests first and not be tied down by these emotions.

He had taught his son from a young age how to rule the country with cold blood and rationality, maximizing profits. Only in this way could he fight against those warlords who controlled a certain area. Only in this way could he be ruthless, eradicate the roots, and show no mercy. Xie Yunxue knew that Xie Zhen's teachings were correct.

But he was just too soft-hearted.

Xie Zhen frowned unhappily and put the knife in his son's hand.

The man's broad hands tightly grasped Xie Yunxue's clenched fists, and he patiently coaxed her.

"If Yun'er is not obedient and can't bear to leave this little dog behind, then your father will have no choice but to leave you behind."

This is the most serious warning.

Xie Zhen favored his son and did not have any other children.

But Xie Yunxue was very naughty, and a naughty child was not his son.

Xie Yunxue was trembling all over and was reluctant to move.

Xie Zhen took his hand helplessly and lovingly, and stabbed the sharp dagger into the dog's bones and blood.

The puppy struggled helplessly.

And the warm blood splashed into Xie Yunxue's eyes.

He was distracted for a moment, but he suppressed his anxiety.

From then on, Xie Yunxue would no longer express any love, favoritism, or tenderness towards anything.

He never kept a pet again.

Until later, in order to please the crown prince who came from afar, the clumsy Xiang Xiaoyuan took out the little rabbit Bai Xue and handed it to Xie Yunxue's palm, asking him to touch it.

This was a dark place that Xie Zhen couldn't see. Xie Yunxue put her hand on the little rabbit and touched it gently.

Very soft, smooth and nice to touch.

……

Xie Yunxue woke up as if from a dream. When he raised his eyes again, Xiang Xiaoyuan had already thrown herself on his knees.

Xie Yunxue leaned back helplessly, but the little girl reached out with both hands, anxiously turning over his sleeves to check if he had any arrow wounds.

Xie Yunxue gradually came back to his senses. He lowered his eyelashes and called out in surprise, "Xiang Xiaoyuan?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan rolled up the boy's sleeves, and she actually saw two burn scars on the inside of his arm bones.

There is a circle of redness and swelling around the scar, which means it is a new injury.

Xiang Xiaoyuan was lost in thought. She couldn't help but ask, "Is Your Highness injured?"

Xie Yunxue glanced at the scar on her hand.

Xie Yunxue recalled that some time ago, after he accepted the mission of the expedition, Emperor Xie Zhen, in order to ask the Taoist God to bless his son's triumphant return, specially invited Zizhu Zhenren from the Astronomy Temple to come to the palace to perform a ritual for Xie Yunxue.

But it was clearly a festival to bless the country and welcome good fortune, but for Xie Yunxue, it was an unspeakable shame.

He wanted to accept the cleansing of his bones and marrow by the holy water, to untie his robes, to let the Taoists draw prayer runes on his shoulders and back, to let them fumigate Xie Yunxue with incense, and to follow Xie Zhen's wishes completely and let them control him.

The incense fell, burning two wounds in Xie Yunxue's arms...

This is something Xie Yunxue doesn't want Xiang Xiaoyuan to know.

It was his self-esteem that was at work, and it was also his nightmare that he couldn't talk about.

Xie Yunxue's brows were stern and she quickly pulled up her sleeves.

Xiang Xiaoyuan was suddenly pushed away and looked at the crazy young man helplessly.

At this moment, Xie Yunxue saw the girl's confused and clear eyes.

He thought of the puppy and the innocent couple from the Xiang family who died in vain... Now it was Xiang Xiaoyuan's turn.

Xie Yunxue's face turned pale. He clenched his fingers and sneered, "Xiang Xiaoyuan, why do you always meddle in my affairs?"

"Could it be that you don't know your place and really want to be the Crown Princess?"

(End of this chapter)