Chapter 181: Stop Dreaming
"The son of the famed general Xiao He actually knows only these crude, third-rate skills. What a disgrace to your family's name." The Crown Prince's words carried a trace of mockery. "With your level, you still want to follow me on military campaigns?"
The words were harsh, but they were the reality.
Xiao Qi was silent.
When the Xiao family met its downfall and the entire clan was executed, he was only seven years old. He hadn't learned much of his father's famous military strategies or martial arts that had shaken the borders.
His level of skill was enough to be a guard, but to follow the Crown Prince to war... it was indeed laughable.
"Your Highness, give me three years. I will certainly train hard in martial arts. After three years, I will ask Your Highness to test me again."
"Even if I gave you thirty years, you wouldn't be qualified. Just guard your courtyard properly. For anything else, stop dreaming."
Xiao Qi took a deep breath and said, neither obsequiously nor arrogantly, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I will go guard the courtyard now."
With that, he truly withdrew.
From that day on, Xiao Qi really did stop being a Dark Guard and switched to guarding the courtyard. He would stand watch outside the courtyard all night long, without moving a muscle.
It reached the point where even the Crown Princess, Sun Jiaojiao, heard about it. Half-angry, half-amused, she went to scold him.
"Hey, you're a Dark Guard, you know? Do you not understand what 'Dark Guard' means? A Dark Guard is supposed to protect me from the dark. What are you doing standing here guarding the courtyard so blatantly? What does this look like?"
Xiao Qi didn't even move his eyes, remaining standing there like a wooden post. "It was the Crown Prince who told me to guard the courtyard."
"You're my Dark Guard, not the Crown Prince's Dark Guard..."
"My life was saved by the Crown Prince. I will do whatever the Crown Prince tells me to do."
"No, wait..." Sun Jiaojiao was dizzy. It seemed this dense-headed Xiao Qi had misunderstood something. "Your life wasn't saved by the Crown Prince, okay? I helped too! I was the one who swapped you out, and I was the one who destroyed the evidence against you!"
Half the credit was his, but half was hers, too, okay?
Clearly, Xiao Qi found this hard to accept. He found it difficult to imagine that this delicate woman before him was his savior. A savior should be brilliant and martial, invincible like the Crown Prince.
"What's with that expression? Are you doubting me?" Sun Jiaojiao shrugged. "I'm not lying to you. That jade pendant you're wearing, it's your family heirloom, right? There are two pieces that make a pair, correct? I'm the one who found the other piece for you."
Xiao Qi touched the jade pendant on his body.
It was true. Originally, he only had one. But this time, it was a blessing in disguise; he had regained the other piece his family had left behind.
Could it be that what the Crown Princess said was true?
But the Crown Princess's usual conduct...
When Xiao Qi thought of all the salacious rumors about the Crown Princess circulating among the guards, he felt a wave of discomfort. He thanked Sun Jiaojiao with a cold, impassive face. "Understood. Thank you, Crown Princess."
"Hey, what kind of attitude is that?" Sun Jiaojiao was dissatisfied. She had heard the rumors-that this Xiao Qi was so grateful he had even refused a title bestowed by the Emperor, wanting only to repay his debt. How come when it came to her, it was just a verbal "thank you" that wasn't worth a single coin?
And just that one word, "Thank," as if every word was precious as gold.
Who was he putting on this long face for?
"I saved your life, you know. You think just saying 'thank you' is enough?"
"What does the Crown Princess want?"
This infuriating Xiao Qi. He didn't even call her "Young Miss" affectionately like the other guards. He called her "Crown Princess," so distant, as if she were just an appendage of the Crown Prince.
Sun Jiaojiao puffed up her cheeks. "For you to repay the debt, of course."
Xiao Qi: "How does the Crown Princess want me to repay her?"
Sun Jiaojiao's mind spun, and the urge to tease him arose. "Since it's repaying a debt, it has to be sincere. But you don't have any money, and you can't afford expensive things. How about... offering your body?"
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