"You brat, being so cheeky in front of me, how long has it been since you last got a beating?"
Yu Nianzhao squinted, turned the little ghost upside down, and fiercely slapped its little backside, one slap after another.
Wuwuwu—
The little ghost that had been arrogant earlier was now crying and begging for mercy.
"Ugh..."
Lying on the ground, Song Ce slowly regained consciousness and sat up, looking dazed.
"A Ce, are you alright now? A Ce, look at me, your mother."
Ms Jiang looked at him worriedly, and seeing his clear eyes, she finally relaxed.
"Mother, Prince, Mr. Dongfang, Mr. Mu...why am I at the Prince's mansion? What happened?"
Song Ce instinctively knelt on the ground, looking very confused.
Ms Jiang quickly explained everything that had happened these past days.
Song Ce's face changed drastically, and he quickly kowtowed to Yu Nianzhao, "Thank you, Miss Yu, for saving me. I have nothing to repay the favor. If there's anything I can do for you, just say the word."
Yu Nianzhao waved her hand, "No need for thanks. I'm helping Ms Jiang. She's been good to me, so I should be good to her."
Such a simple statement made Ms Jiang's eyes redden; she looked at Yu Nianzhao with more affection than if she were her own child.
Where did this girl come from, so lovable?
Ms Jiang wished she could give her heart to her.
She wondered which parents could abandon such a good child.
Mu Hongxuan and Dongfang Chenyuan couldn't help but exchange glances, seeing the admiration in each other's eyes.
This girl might be even better than they imagined!
Xie Jiuxiao raised his hand to touch Yu Nianzhao's hair, seeing her dissatisfied gaze looking up at him.
He silently withdrew his hand!
Hmm, the soft texture was exactly what he imagined!
Xie Jiuxiao turned his head and changed his face, asking sternly, "Song Ce, what exactly happened before? Who did you encounter? How could you be deceived into the gambling house and possessed by a ghost without realizing it?"
Song Ce's eyes reddened as he exclaimed bitterly, "Prince, I've never gambled, you know that. The only time I went to the Shangyuan Gambling House was because my brother Zhang San lost money and was stuck there. He has no relatives or friends in Shangjing, so I went to redeem him and then couldn't remember anything. Since stepping out of Shangyuan Gambling House, my mind has been hazy, constantly feeling compelled to go back, not realizing I was carrying a little ghost with me, confusing my thoughts daily."
"Shangyuan Gambling House?"
Xie Jiuxiao's eyes sharpened, scoffing, "That's quite a similar name. Whose business is this?"
Mu Hongxuan said, "It's the business under the Empress Dowager's family, Duke Luu."
"Oh, confiscate it."
Xie Jiuxiao's offhand remark was about to stir chaos in Shangjing.
"Yes!"
"Using such sinister things on people? Has Shangyuan Gambling House gone mad?"
Dongfang Chenyuan spat in disdain, "The world is already full of evil, does Duke Luu want to foster wicked ways?"
"You don't even have evidence! Such little ghosts are usually raised by people around who know Daoist techniques. When someone needs to take the blame, they just sacrifice the person."
Yu Nianzhao threw the defeated ghost into Dongfang Chenyuan's black leather bag, turned to Song Ce and said, "You've been sold. The talk of redemption was just to drag you down, rob you of your property, then use you. They'd connect you to the Prince's mansion, then shift the blame to the Prince. I don't believe those around you didn't know you're Ms Jiang's son."
Song Ce cried bitterly, "It's my fault, Prince. I'll accept any punishment without complaint, I nearly implicated Prince Su Mansion, I'd feel responsible even if I died."
Ms Jiang also knelt, "It's my failure to teach my son properly, Prince. Punish me along with him."
Xie Jiuxiao rotated the Buddha Beads in his hand, saying coldly, "Since it was aimed at Prince Su Mansion, if not you, it would be others; this time you were tricked, next time be careful. Not everyone can save you in time every time."
Yu Nianzhao looked at Xie Jiuxiao thoughtfully.
Outsiders said Xie Jiuxiao was ruthless, indifferent to human life, more so than the impartial King Yan.
She felt that Xie Jiuxiao still showed great warmth towards his own people.
At least he was protective!
Just like her!
"Thank you, Prince, thank you, Prince!"
Ms Jiang and her son were deeply grateful.
Dongfang Chenyuan shook the black leather bag and asked, "How do we deal with this thing? Kill it?"
Yu Nianzhao rolled her eyes at him, "It's already as dead as can be, how do you intend to kill it further?"
Dongfang Chenyuan, usually eloquent, blinked innocently, "Zhaozhao, I can scatter its soul. For evil spirits, that's what the transcendental gate usually does."
Having witnessed Yu Nianzhao's skills, he was now trying to build rapport, calling her 'Zhaozhao' intimately.
Not noticing Xie Jiuxiao's icy gaze sweeping past.
Yu Nianzhao smiled sinisterly, "If you scatter the ghost's soul, they're prepared for it; it would only hurt them superficially at best. Why let them off so easily? Of course, we must transcend them and convert the evil spirits into good ones. Such crooked Daoists will be doubly harmed by their own backlash!"
Dongfang Chenyuan was chilled by her smile.
He involuntarily gave her a thumbs up, "High, really high! I'll chant scriptures to exorcise this ghost daily, make them sick to death."
With things settled, Yu Nianzhao was already tired.
She instinctively hooked onto Xie Jiuxiao's arm and mumbled, "Xie Jiuxiao, let's go to sleep."
"..."
Yiu Renjian stopped his steps and pricked up his ears.
Mu Hongxuan and Mr Chen also slowed their steps, sneaking glances.
Dongfang Chenyuan and Ms Jiang had a gossiping smile on their faces, almost speaking out.
Prince, quickly agree!
Xie Jiuxiao tugged at his lips and extended his fingers to push her away.
"I am not one for such transactions."
"But didn't you promise me?"
Yu Nianzhao pouted, dissatisfied, "You're tricking me."
Xie Jiuxiao sighed lightly, "Physical contact is fine, but as for sleeping... now's not the time."
Finishing the latter half of the sentence, Xie Jiuxiao silently turned his head away, his reddened ears betrayed him.
"Then when?"
Yu Nianzhao looked weary; she was always scared of hunger.
"Someday, surely."
Xie Jiuxiao spoke vaguely, turning around; those deep eyes gazed at her, slowly raising his hand, gently wiping the blood from her forehead.
"You've got blood on your forehead."
Facing the girl's sparkling eyes, Xie Jiuxiao's gaze wavered, feeling unusually uncomfortable as he took two steps back.
He completely didn't notice, where he had wiped, a streak of red light imprinted on Yu Nianzhao's forehead, the remaining blood blush also sank within...