Xiao Tian lowered his head.
"Since she could tell that I was poisoned, and that it happened many years ago, she must have said what the poison was. Tell me. I'm listening," Huang Xu said, standing with his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing aura.
Xiao Tian replied, "She did say, but I didn't catch it clearly. I panicked as soon as I heard about the poisoning."
"Xiao Tian!"
"Go back first," Xiao Tian said. "If you stay too long, Yi Qing will get suspicious. She's the smartest woman I've ever met. Let her try on Lu Tianxun first."
Huang Xu gave him a deep look, then his expression relaxed, and he resumed his cynical look.
"Since you say so, what do I have to fear? It's like having so many lice that they don't seem to bite. If the poison hasn't killed me in over a decade, it can wait. What shall we eat?"
"… Noodles."
"I come here so rarely. Can't you make something nice?"
"Take it or leave it."
"I'll take it, I'll take it," Huang Xu said quickly.
Xiao Tian went back to help Yi Qing cook. They both knew better than to bring up the previous topic.
After the meal, Huang Xu lingered for a while before being chased away by Xiao Tian.
Baozi fell asleep during the noon break. Xiao Tian took Yi Qing to the wing where he lived.
Yi Qing looked at him, her eyes full of charm like a seductive fairy.
She said, "It's broad daylight. Isn't it inappropriate?"
But Xiao Tian stared at her with his dark, piercing eyes and said word by word, "Yi Qing, listen carefully. You mustn't breathe a word about Huang Xu's poisoning to anyone. Otherwise, you and Baozi will be doomed, and I won't be able to protect you."
Yi Qing lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Almost in an instant, she looked up and met Xiao Tian's gaze again. Her star - like eyes showed surprise and playfulness, but not the seriousness Xiao Tian wanted.
Xiao Tian reached out and grabbed her shoulders, almost roaring in a low voice, "Did you hear what I said? I don't care if you want to die, but you can't drag Baozi down with you."
Yi Qing raised the corners of her eyes slightly. "You've made it so clear. How could I not understand? I got it."
But her nonchalant attitude made it impossible for Xiao Tian to relax.
"If you don't let go, I'll get the wrong idea," Yi Qing winked at him.
Xiao Tian said, "Yi Qing!"
"Yes?"
"Are you even listening to me? This is a matter of life and death! You woman, why are you so heartless!"
Yi Qing pretended to be in pain like Xi Zi, still not forgetting to tease him. "I used to give my heart and soul, but it was treated like a donkey's liver and lungs. So later I became heartless."
Xiao Tian was about to go crazy. Just when he thought he should find a stick to knock open her head to see if there was only tofu pudding inside, Yi Qing spoke again.
She sighed and said, "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I know you're doing this for our good. I just didn't expect that Uncle Huang of Baozi's is actually the Emperor!"
She pointed to the sky, her eyes full of playfulness.
For a moment, Xiao Tian wondered if he had let something slip.
But he hadn't.
"How did you know?" The hand on Yi Qing's shoulder tightened.
"You told me," Yi Qing said indifferently. "Who else has the power to kill me and Baozi at will? Who else can make you change your face like that?"
If it was leaked, it would mean eternal damnation.
Wasn't this the kind of line usually used in cases of treason?
Moreover, that Huang Xu was unrestrained, clearly a man used to being in a high position with few constraints.
"Xiao Tian, let go. You're hurting me."
Xiao Tian let go and gritted his teeth. "I know you're smart. It's good that you know. Understand the importance of this and keep your mouth shut."
Yi Qing sat down on the chair and rubbed her shoulders.
She lowered her head and thought, silent for a long time.
Xiao Tian thought she was scared and said, "Don't worry. I have some connection with the Emperor. First, save Lu Tianxun. You planned to do that anyway. Prove your ability to the Emperor, and then help him get rid of the poison."
Yi Qing still said nothing.
Xiao Tian gritted his teeth and said, "You have no choice. This is not a negotiation. It's an order! Also, Yi Qing, all you need to know is that the Emperor is poisoned. As for whether he can have an heir, that's a matter related to the imperial succession. I'll investigate it myself. It has nothing to do with you. Remember that?"
The end of his words carried a sharp edge.
Yi Qing slowly looked up at him. "Xiao Tian, was Xiao Jinghan's death related to you? You've been in such close contact with the Emperor in private. Did Xiao Jinghan know about it? Or were you an undercover agent planted by the Emperor beside Xiao Jinghan many years ago?"
She spoke very slowly, enunciating each word clearly. Her calm face couldn't hide the sharpness in her eyes.
Xiao Tian was stunned for a moment, then turned his head away. "That's none of your business."
Yi Qing nodded. "Yes, you're right. I was being silly. Anyway, Xiao Jinghan is dead. The reason why he died doesn't really matter."
She stood up. "Thank you for telling me this. If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."
Xiao Tian thought that she wasn't as calm as she seemed. He decided to let her go and calm down.
He didn't expect her to be so sharp - witted and still... remember the dead Xiao Jinghan.
In the following days, Xiao Tian noticed a subtle but obvious change in something - Yi Qing's attitude towards him.
Yi Qing had never been very talkative, but recently she had always seized every opportunity to tease him with her words, often leaving him blushing and angry.
But now she didn't do that anymore.
Xiao Tian clearly felt that with her attitude, she had built an invisible but insurmountable wall between them.
Yi Qing was like a snail, preferring to hide in her hard shell.
As they spent more time together, she gradually crawled out of her shell, showing a bit of softness. But now, everything had returned to square one.
Xiao Tian felt very frustrated, but he couldn't explain the reason.
Had he gotten used to her teasing?
Yi Qing visited Lu Tianxun and offered to treat his leg.
Lu Tianxun was overjoyed and discussed with her how she would do it.
Xiao Tian stood beside them, listening to their conversation, watching Lu Tianxun clapping his hands in admiration again and again, praising Yi Qing to the skies, and looking at her with increasing eagerness. Unconsciously, he loosened his collar.
What kind of clothes had he worn today? Why did he feel so stuffy?
Yi Qing talked eloquently, "The theory is like this, but there may be deviations when actually performing the operation. I hope you're aware of the risks and make a careful decision."
She was much more polite when talking to Lu Tianxun.
Xiao Tian thought that this was definitely not just because Lu Tianxun was Baozi's teacher.
After this woman misunderstood that he had betrayed his master, she must have set her sights on someone else.