Chapter Ninety-Seven: That's Right, I Kidnapped the Crown Prince

Xiao Jingxuan turned his gaze to Yun Bai, wearing a look that plainly demanded an explanation.

"This is a mother-and-child worm. One mother, ten offspring. The one Xiao Chengze took was one of the offspring worms. I fed the mother worm a handful of rice and had it spell out words according to my will. The offspring worms can sense what the mother worm is doing, and whenever there is rice or any other granular material nearby, they will arrange themselves into the same pattern or lettering as the mother worm. The same is true if an offspring worm is linked to the mother worm. But offspring worms cannot connect with or communicate with one another." Yun Bai explained with grave, meticulous seriousness.

Xiao Jingxuan and Zhuo Yue'an both immediately bristled. What kind of heaven-defying treasure was this? If it were used for intelligence gathering or for secret-guard communication, would it not be invincible?

"Where did you learn how to use it, and where did you learn about this worm?" Xiao Jingxuan looked at Yun Bai with obvious longing, staring hard enough to make Yun Bai’s hair stand on end.

"The secret records of Spirit Medicine Palace. There are many of them in Mother’s library. The mother-and-child worms came from the eggs in Mother’s storeroom. I hatched and trained them according to the methods described in the books." Seeing Xiao Jingxuan’s expression, Yun Bai was nearly frightened stiff. It felt like an adult trying to snatch a candied hawthorn from a child’s hand.

Spirit Medicine Palace was indeed unfathomably deep. No wonder the royal families of many countries sent their sons and daughters there. As long as one learned even a fraction of its knowledge and obtained even a sliver of its treasures, one could hold the world in the palm of a hand.

"Zhuo Yue'an, arrange things properly for the princess and the prince. Yun Bai, come with me." Xiao Jingxuan took Yun Bai by the hand and led him into the small room in the courtyard.

Yun Bai had a sinking feeling that something was about to go wrong. His father’s face gave nothing away, neither anger nor pleasure, but there had never been a private talk like this before. Still, he could only obediently follow behind Xiao Jingxuan.

"What did you have the crown prince come here for?" Xiao Jingxuan asked straight away after closing the door.

Yun Bai felt a flicker of unease. At only five years old, he was too short to do anything but tilt his head back and look up at Xiao Jingxuan. Backlit by the doorway, Xiao Jingxuan stood in a wash of darkness, his expression impossible to read.

"Mother was taken into the palace. The empress is terribly wicked, but she seems to be rather nice to Xiao Chengze. If she dares to bully Mother, I’ll spank Xiao Chengze’s backside. If she still keeps at it, then I’ll spank Xiao Chengze and all his sisters too." Yun Bai did not know whether what he was doing was right, but since he had already done it, what else could he do? So he stubbornly lifted his chin and spoke with utter confidence.

Unexpectedly, this idea happened to match Xiao Jingxuan’s own. Both of them wanted to use the imperial children as leverage against the people in the palace. The difference was that Xiao Jingxuan meant to be hard-edged about it, while Yun Bai had merely summoned the crown prince with a light call, and the prince had dragged his whole family and younger sisters along to meet them, emptying out the imperial offspring in one swoop.

If Su Jingluo had heard that, she would surely have had plenty to say. Someone had treated you like a friend, and you were actually thinking of spanking his backside. Not only his, but his sisters’ as well. If one spanking did not satisfy you, you would punish the whole family. What a mischievous child.

Yet Xiao Jingxuan actually admired Yun Bai’s cleverness. For a five-year-old to have such thoughts and such schemes was truly extraordinary. As expected, he was Xiao Jingxuan’s son. A genius.

"Don’t pull me away. I want to stay with Yun Bai. Uncle Prince Jing, are you hitting Yun Bai? This has nothing to do with him; I’m the one who brought the imperial sisters out. Don’t be angry with Yun Bai." While Yun Bai was inside the room pondering how to spank Xiao Chengze, Xiao Chengze was outside worrying that Yun Bai might be getting scolded. Yun Bai lowered his head inside the room, and his little face turned red.

Suddenly, Yun Bai slipped past Xiao Jingxuan, pushed the door open, and ran outside. Xiao Chengze was just being dragged away by Zhuo Yue'an. Yun Bai rushed over, grabbed Xiao Chengze, pulled him back into the room, and shut the door. It all happened in one smooth, seamless motion.