Chapter Ninety-Six: A Friend Answers the Summons and Comes Bringing the Whole Family

Xiao Jingxuan gave Zhuo Yue’an a nod, and Zhuo Yue’an sprang over the wall in a single bound. Using the same old trick as before, he hauled the crown prince out through the dog hole and then carried him into the courtyard.

“Oh heavens above, I’m finally out. Your Grace, your guard is really something else. He can fly so high and pack such a punch—teach me sometime, will you?”

Xiao Chengze tugged at the trousers Zhuo Yue’an had nearly torn off him and looked up at him with unmistakable admiration.

Xiao Jingxuan was at a complete loss with Xiao Chengze. He had long known the boy was innocent at heart, but because both sides were wary of one another and his relationship with the emperor was distant, they had rarely had any real contact. Only after Yunbai came into the picture did he realize that the child was not only ingenuous, but also almost endearingly dim.

“All right. But tell this prince how you got here.”

Seeing that he had already taken the emperor’s son and daughters into his hands, Xiao Jingxuan’s mood lifted considerably. Still, he remained somewhat guarded; after all, this brood of children had arrived far too suspiciously.

“Yunbai asked me to come! He even told me to bring my sisters in secret, and not to use the front gate.” Xiao Chengze pointed excitedly at Yunbai. It was the first time he had ever been invited by him. Chunying and Qiuh e had also met Yunbai and were very fond of him. As for the youngest princess, Xiahe, she had no real say in the matter at all—the three children never even asked her permission. They coaxed her out with a few pieces of candy and then carried her out through the dog hole.

“He asked you to come, and you came? How did he notify you?”

Xiao Jingxuan thought it odd. It made no sense. Setting aside why Xiao Chengze trusted Yunbai so completely, the very question of how the two communicated over such a distance was a problem in itself.

“He’s my friend. If he tells me to come, it must be because he has something to discuss.”

Xiao Chengze did not think there was anything strange about bringing the entire imperial family’s younger generation out because of Yunbai. On the contrary, he looked perfectly justified.

“As for how he notified me, Your Grace, let me tell you—Yunbai has all sorts of treasures on him. Look at this.”

When Xiao Chengze moved on to the next subject, he was practically brimming with excitement. He took a small clay jar from his robe, lifted the lid, and inside lay a red, beetle-like creature in a dormant state, with a faint golden sheen shimmering over its body.

“Do you know what this is called? You’ve never seen it before, have you, Your Grace?”

Xiao Chengze could not quite shake his habit of showing off. The moment he produced the little insect, his eyes were full of smug delight.

“I truly haven’t. What is it?”

Xiao Jingxuan really had never seen it, and he also had no idea what connection this insect could possibly have to Yunbai being able to summon Xiao Chengze.

“In any case, if Yunbai has something to say, he can tell me through this little bug.”

Xiao Chengze grew even more pleased with himself. Before Xiao Jingxuan and the others could get a proper look, he quickly sealed the lid again and tucked the insect back into his sleeve.

“You’re telling me this insect can talk?”

Xiao Jingxuan looked at him in utter disbelief, as though the boy had gone mad at such a young age.

“No, it doesn’t talk. It writes. A handful of rice is enough to feed it. As for how it works, I’m not really sure either.”

Xiao Chengze was a little embarrassed, because he genuinely did not understand it. The last time they met, Yunbai had given him the insect and taught him how to use it, but had not explained the principle behind it. He had only told him not to show it carelessly to others. For Xiao Chengze, who loved nothing more than to flaunt his treasures, that was pure torment. But Yunbai said he feared someone might snatch it away, so Xiao Chengze had no choice but to hide it away anxiously. When nothing was going on, he would use it to communicate with Yunbai in the palace.

One might say this was the earliest form of an online friend.

Sorry, I had to go out today and spent the whole day on my feet. Here are two updates for you. The update was late, and I ask for your forgiveness.