Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 99: Strike the Snake at the Seven-Inch Vital Spot

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Strike the Snake at the Seven-Inch Vital Spot

By the time Lian Hua reached the fork leading to the Harem and the Imperial Garden at the Star Palace, she spotted a Palace Maid walking by the roadside, holding something in her hands. The maid’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had seen a ghost.

Lian Hua passed by the Palace Maid without a hint of emotion, followed by Xiao Linzi as the two made their way into the distance.

Upon returning to Canglan Court, Lian Hua’s gaze softened.

Entering the courtyard, she found Xiao Jizi hunched over with his back to her, looking despondent, while Xiao Qing stood in front of him, speaking about something, her eyes swollen like walnuts.

Seeing them, warmth flooded Lian Hua’s heart, and a heat spread around her eyes. She called out, "Xiao Qing, Xiao Jizi, I’m back."

"Young Master!" They both exclaimed in unison.

Xiao Qing, with her swollen eyes, ran over, tugging anxiously at Lian Hua, "Young Master, are you alright?" she asked.

Looking her over and seeing she was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief, then her mouth puckered, and she began to crying again. While wiping away tears, she sobbed, "It’s so good that you’re unharmed, Young Master. I thought, I thought..." she couldn’t finish, overcome with the thought of never seeing the Young Master again.

The previous day, Xiao Jizi had told her to wait in Canglan Court, to watch the doors carefully before he rushed out.

She stayed in Canglan Court, not daring to leave, feeling more and more anxious as the tears couldn’t stop falling.

A long, long time passed before Xiao Jizi finally returned, only to come back covered in wounds, looking haggard and without uttering a word.

When she asked what had happened, how the Young Master was, he refused to say, only mentioning to wait and see, as he had done everything that he could.

She treated Xiao Jizi’s wounds, crying continually throughout the day. Unable to sleep at night, she cried all the way through, waking with puffy eyes.

Now that the Young Master had returned unscathed, it was truly a relief; indeed, Xiao Jizi must have found a way.

Lian Hua looked at Xiao Qing’s eyes, red and swollen, feeling a twinge of pain for her.

Seeing her engulfed in sadness, Lian Hua couldn’t help but to tease her by tickling her nose, breaking the sorrowful mood with a smile, "Oh my, Xiao Qing, it looks like the walnuts on your face have ripened, even better than those from the wild orchards in the Imperial Garden."

Xiao Qing let out a "pfft" and laughed through her tears, "Young Master, you are making fun of me."

After cheering up Xiao Qing, Lian Hua looked around and asked, "Eh, where’s Xiao Jizi?"

Just before, she had seen Xiao Jizi squatting right there.

Xiao Qing followed her gaze, but didn’t see anyone, and voiced her confusion, "Xiao Jizi was just here."

Lian Hua and Xiao Qing went looking, and it wasn’t long before they heard a voice coming from behind the house:

"Brother Xiao Ji, are you okay? I have some medicinal oil, I’ll bring it for you later," Xiao Linzi’s voice spoke.

So, he was hiding. Lian Hua and Xiao Qing exchanged a glance, Lian Hua nodded, and quietly led Xiao Qing around from another side, ready to catch Xiao Jizi.

"Shh, don’t talk." Xiao Jizi quickly covered Xiao Linzi’s mouth, whispering low.

Speaking further would expose him, and he certainly didn’t want the Young Master to see him in this state.

After summoning His Majesty yesterday, he saw His Majesty’s expression was full of concern and haste, like a gust of wind heading towards Huaqing Palace. He was reassured, and with a limp, followed towards the Huaqing Palace as well.

He had believed that His Majesty would surely save the Young Master, giving him justice, but to his surprise, as he approached the outside of Huaqing Palace, he saw several people escorting the Young Master away. Inquiring afterward, he learned that the Young Master’s sentence was decided by His Majesty and committed to the Imperial Prison.

He never imagined that even with the Emperor’s involvement, it wouldn’t help, and it had only worsened the Young Master’s fate. Subsequently, he returned to Canglan Court, utterly hopeless and in a daze.

Today, early in the morning, he couldn’t sleep, and after waking up, he squatted dispiritedly in the courtyard, until just now when Young Master suddenly appeared and called their names.

He cried out in shock, hardly believing his own eyes, thinking he was hallucinating. He pinched himself, right on his wound, and grimaced in pain, finally sure that he wasn’t dreaming.

Then he realized, with his body covered in injuries and his face swollen like a pig’s head, how could he let Young Master see him in this state?

Young Master had already been frightened yesterday, and seeing him like this would only make things worse.

Zhang Sancai and his bunch were truly ruthless—people usually don’t hit the face, but thinking the Young Master was done for, they cast aside all pretenses and struck him without any reservations!

Thinking of this, Xiao Jizi’s eyes turned red with hatred.

Xiao Linzi’s mouth was still covered. Seeing Brother Xiao Ji’s ferocious appearance, he shivered; Brother Xiao Ji wouldn’t suffocate him, right?

He tried to struggle immediately.

Xiao Jizi, startled by Xiao Linzi’s movement, hastily dragged him back, acting sneakily. After they put some distance between themselves and the others, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Letting go of Xiao Linzi, Xiao Jizi scowled and said, "Why are you following me?"

While Young Master was talking to Xiao Qing, Xiao Jizi confirmed that the Young Master was alright and immediately planned to slip away, but Xiao Linzi, who had come out of nowhere, began to tail him as soon as he lifted his foot.

This idiot, can’t he see I’m hiding from people? Sticking so close, I can’t shake him off!

Hearing the question, Xiao Linzi responded, "Brother Xiao Ji, I see your face is both blue and black with bruises, haven’t you applied any medicine?" He touched his neck again, fearful of Brother Xiao Ji having choked him, but thankfully he hadn’t. It seems Brother Xiao Ji didn’t intend to kill him.

Xiao Jizi was somewhat at a loss for words. Where would he find the mood to apply medicine? This dimwit... but then he let it go, remembering that the boy had helped him yesterday.

Then, remembering that the Young Master was safe, he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. It must be His Majesty who had cleared the Young Master of all charges and restored justice. He originally thought...

Tsk tsk tsk, such a wise ruler as His Majesty must have imprisoned the Young Master to show fairness and strictness publicly. By clearing the Young Master this way, no one in the Harem could gossip.

Just then, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Xiao Jizi turned around to see Young Master Lian glaring at him fiercely, with Xiao Qing smirking at his side.

Oh boy, Xiao Jizi got a start and subconsciously covered his face with a sleeve, ready to take off running again.

"Xiao Jizi, I’ve seen everything. If you run again, you’ll never get to eat the food Xiao Qing makes, nor the food I make! Humph!" Lian Hua said coolly with her arms folded.

Striking the snake at its most vital part is the most effective, and for Xiao Jizi, his greatest weakness was his stomach. She knew this very well!

True to form, upon hearing those words, Xiao Jizi slammed on the brakes and stopped in his tracks.

Xiao Linzi scratched his head, not understanding the situation. He couldn’t figure out why Brother Xiao Ji was running or why he stopped after Young Master Lian’s statement. Could the food made by Palace Maid Xiao Qing and Young Master Lian be that delicious?

He remembered the corn cob and couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.

Xiao Jizi stood nervously, still using his sleeve to cover his face.

Lian Hua walked up to him, silent, circling him twice. This habit she had picked up from His Majesty; knowing full well this applied the greatest pressure on a person!

After two circles, she yanked his hand away.

"Young Master!" Xiao Jizi cried out, extremely uneasy, not daring to look her in the eye.

Lian Hua lifted his chin and examined him from left to right, clicking her tongue, "Tsk tsk, look at this injury, just like a pig’s head. Oh dear, you didn’t even apply any medicine, did you? Truly great!" As she spoke, she pinched one of his wounds.