Chapter 13: The Extra Zhao Xiaosi

Xiao Zhen's voice was not loud, but it was excessively beautiful.

Zhao Shiqing couldn't help but look him over again. Had she not looked, it would have been fine, but upon seeing him, she felt he looked even more like a paper effigy.

What a waste of such a magnificent voice.

Despite her inner regret, Zhao Shiqing maintained a fake smile on her face. At that very moment, she discovered something.

Xiao Zhen did not seem to want everyone to know that he was indeed Xiao Zhen.

Otherwise, why would he deliberately lower his voice?

Indeed, when Xiao Zhen spoke his name, he intentionally lowered his tone so that only Zhao Shiqing could hear him. Meng Hu and the others, standing several yards away, likely heard nothing at all.

Zhao Shiqing's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. She also spoke in a voice that only she and Xiao Zhen could hear: "Since the Eldest Young Master Xiao has come from afar, what guidance do you have for us?"

Xiao Zhen gazed into Zhao Shiqing's eyes and said word for word: "I only wish to see my father and mother."

"Very well. Eldest Young Master Xiao, please follow me."

With that, Zhao Shiqing turned and began walking toward the interior of the manor.

Xiao Zhen hadn't expected this young girl to agree so readily. He felt a flicker of uncertainty, but he followed closely behind.

Jiang Ping stepped forward to block him: "Young Master, beware of a trap!"

Xiao Zhen shook his head: "I have no time left. Even if it is a trap, I must go."

Jiang Ping sighed and prepared to follow Xiao Zhen inside, and Da Zhuang and the others followed closely behind.

However, Zhao Shiqing, who was walking ahead, turned around at that moment. She looked at them with a half-smile: "It seems I only invited this young master inside. As for you all, please wait here."

This time, even the honest Da Zhuang was displeased: "How can you be like this, girl? We are together, so of course we go in together."

Zhao Shiqing: "This is my territory. If I say you cannot enter, you cannot enter. What, do you want to fight?"

"And if we insist on entering?" Da Zhuang roared.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the small eagle that had been perched on her shoulder suddenly took flight. Like an arrow released from a bow, it dove toward Da Zhuang. Before Da Zhuang could draw his sword, the eagle pecked his shoulder, and blood immediately gushed out.

"Xiao Guai, come back!"

With a sharp command from Zhao Shiqing, the eagle named Xiao Guai flew back and landed on her left shoulder again, like a well-behaved child.

Everything happened so fast that everyone was stunned. They looked at Da Zhuang's wounded shoulder and then at the eagle called Xiao Guai, momentarily at a loss for words.

"This lady resorts to using an eagle to injure people at the slightest disagreement. Is this how you treat guests?" Xiao Zhen said in a heavy voice.

Thinking of the events that had transpired from yesterday until today, Zhao Shiqing's tone turned cold: "In that case, no one enters. Men, seize them!"

At her command, a squad of over a hundred personal guards surrounded Xiao Zhen and his companions, their blades unsheathed and glinting with cold light.

Zhao Shiqing sneered: "To be honest, this is only ten percent of the forces here. Young master, do you intend to fight a thousand men alone?"

When Zhao Shiqing had come out earlier, Zhao Yunnuan had already instructed Meng Hu that the personal guards were temporarily under her command. If Xiao Zhen insisted on resisting, Zhao Shiqing truly intended to use her numbers to bully him.

Xiao Zhen took a deep breath and said to Da Zhuang, Jiang Ping, and the other two in a calm tone: "Wait here. I will go in alone."

Zhao Shiqing smiled: "If you had said that earlier, you would have seen the people you wanted to see by now."

Xiao Zhen's heart tightened. This young girl knew he was impatient to see his parents, which was why she was playing games with him, but it also proved that his parents were still alive.

With this thought, Xiao Zhen no longer hesitated and followed behind Zhao Shiqing into the Wisteria Manor.

It was a long walk from the mountain gate to the Star-Gazing Tower, where the Grand Princess and her husband were being held under house arrest. Normally, guests would take a green oil carriage to get there. Given the current tension, Zhao Shiqing had originally intended to walk, but seeing Xiao Zhen's limp, she decided to take a carriage.

She and Xiao Zhen took separate carriages toward the Star-Gazing Tower. Someone had already reported to Zhao Yunnuan that the Second Miss was heading to the tower with that assassin.

"Assassin"—that was the identity everyone had pinned on Xiao Zhen. After all, he had trespassed into the manor today; what else could he be if not an assassin?

Zhao Yunnuan mounted her horse and reached the Star-Gazing Tower ahead of them.

Sitting in the carriage, Xiao Zhen heard the sound of galloping hooves. He lifted the curtain to look out and saw a valiant woman riding past the carriage—it was Zhao Yunnuan, whom he had clashed with earlier today.

Ever since he regained his memories of his past life, Xiao Zhen had regarded Zhao Yunnuan as his primary enemy. But now, he suddenly felt a sense of confusion. Was this woman truly his enemy?

The carriage stopped outside the Star-Gazing Tower. Xiao Zhen stepped out and immediately saw Zhao Shiqing getting out ahead of him. Just who was this young girl?

Standing beside Zhao Shiqing was Zhao Yunnuan. Zhao Shiqing whispered a few words to her, and Zhao Yunnuan nodded repeatedly. Then, both women looked at him simultaneously.

Zhao Shiqing said to Xiao Zhen: "The people you want to see are at the very top of this tower. If you want to see them, go up yourself. If you don't dare, you can leave now."

The arrow was already on the string; how could Xiao Zhen retreat? Never mind just a Star-Gazing Tower—even if there were mountains of blades and seas of fire ahead, he would charge through!

Xiao Zhen cupped his fists toward the two women and, without another word, began his ascent of the tower.

The Star-Gazing Tower was the tallest building in Wisteria Manor and was also a famous landmark from the previous dynasty.

After King Liang took control of the Liang lands, he renovated this tower and built Wisteria Manor around it, making it a detached villa of the Prince's estate.

The Star-Gazing Tower had nine floors in total: three for the base and six for the tower body. Standing on the highest floor, one could look up to see the vast sky and a canopy of stars.

A mocking smile played on Xiao Zhen's lips. Zhao Yunnuan certainly knew how to pick a place, turning the Star-Gazing Tower into a prison.

In truth, Xiao Zhen had misunderstood. Before this morning, the place where Princess Jiayi and the Consort were being held was not the Star-Gazing Tower, but an elegant courtyard within Wisteria Manor.

The Princess and her husband had only been moved to the Star-Gazing Tower this morning after Xiao Zhen's arrival.

Compared to that courtyard, the Star-Gazing Tower was much more secure.

At every turn of the stairs within the tower, guards were stationed. Xiao Zhen passed by them, dragging his unhealed body and enduring the pain as he climbed upward with difficulty.

Finally, he reached the ninth floor, only to hear a gasp near his ear.

"You are... Big Brother?"

Looking at the face before him—which was three parts human and seven parts ghost—Xiao Su was startled. Heavens, could it be that Big Brother had died and turned into a ghost to come here?

Xiao Zhen was also stunned: "Xiao Su? How is it you?"

In the next moment, Xiao Su's eyes turned red. Big Brother, it really was Big Brother!

He grabbed Xiao Zhen's hand. It was ice-cold, without a hint of warmth. His big brother had indeed died.

"Big Brother, I never thought that our last parting would be a separation between life and death!"

As Xiao Su spoke, he even reached out a hand to check for Xiao Zhen's breath. Xiao Zhen...

Xiao Zhen pushed his hand away and said in a heavy voice: "I am not dead. I am still alive."

Xiao Su: "I don't believe you. Let me feel."

Xiao Zhen...

He held out his wrist to Xiao Su. Xiao Su hurriedly checked his pulse. Fine, although the pulse was weak, he was indeed not a dead man; dead men have no pulse.

Xiao Su hugged Xiao Zhen tightly: "Big Brother, what happened to you? Why do you look like neither man nor ghost?"

Xiao Zhen pushed him away in distaste and asked: "Why are you here? Have you seen my father and mother?"

Xiao Su wiped away non-existent tears and pulled Xiao Zhen inside: "The Grand Princess and Uncle are both perfectly fine. By the way, Big Brother, why are you here? Did you hear about what happened last night?"

There were only two rooms on the ninth floor. As Xiao Su and Xiao Zhen walked in, Xiao Zhen saw Nanny Bai standing outside the door.

In her youth, Nanny Bai had been a palace maid, and in her later years, she became the head nanny of the Grand Princess's manor, always staying by Princess Jiayi's side.

In his past life, after the deaths of Princess Jiayi and her husband, Nanny Bai had hanged herself to follow them in death.

Seeing the living Nanny Bai again, Xiao Zhen's heart skipped a beat.

Nanny Bai was alive. And his mother? And his father? They were all alive!

He didn't have time to exchange pleasantries with Nanny Bai; he impatiently pushed open the closed door.

The sudden sound of the door opening broke the silence of the room. Princess Jiayi and the Consort, who had been resting with their eyes closed, were startled. Both opened their eyes and looked toward the door.

Princess Jiayi: "Yan-ge, do you think this person looks somewhat like A-Zhen?"

The Consort: "How does he look like him? Not at all. A-Zhen loves cleanliness most; when was he ever this disheveled?"

Princess Jiayi: "True. So, who exactly is this person?"

Xiao Zhen...

Who was he?

Where was he?

At this moment, shouldn't they be a family embracing and weeping together?

"Father, Mother, it's so good that you are alive..."

Princess Jiayi and the Consort looked at each other, then sighed in unison: "He really is our son."

But in the next moment, Princess Jiayi leaped from her chair and rushed toward Xiao Zhen, grabbing his shoulders to inspect him: "My son, how did you become like this? A-Bai, A-Bai, go call a doctor, quickly!"

Looking at his mother, whose face was streaked with tears and ruined makeup, Xiao Zhen suddenly smiled. Yes, this willful, temperamental, and dramatic woman, yet also kind, strong, and righteous, was his mother, Princess Jiayi.

She was not a fading shadow from a portrait, nor an illusion from a dream, but a real person of flesh and blood.

"Mother, I am fine now. My injuries have improved greatly. There is no need for a doctor; I brought medicine with me," Xiao Zhen said softly, helping Princess Jiayi back into her chair.

The Consort studied his son and asked in a heavy voice: "A-Zhen, shouldn't you be in the palace? What happened?"

Seeing his parents, the weight that had hung on Xiao Zhen's heart for many days finally lifted. They were alive. It was wonderful. He had finally changed one thing.

He calmed himself and began telling them everything, starting from when the Fourth Prince invited him to hunt at Mount Shiji, all the way to his encounter with Zhao Yunnuan and that strange young girl downstairs.

As Princess Jiayi and the Consort listened to their son's experiences over these past days, they felt both regret and hatred—regret for not quietly taking their two sons with them when they left the capital, and hatred toward those who had not only harmed them but sought to pull them up by the roots.

Before they knew it, Xiao Su had also stood to the side. His mouth hung open in shock, and it took him a long time to speak: "Big Brother, so you were also nearly murdered. Me too. If it weren't for Zhao the Fourth, your brother would be a dead man by now."

He hadn't told them what happened on the way here because he didn't want to worry the Princess and the Consort.

Hearing Xiao Zhen mention a strange young girl, he quickly corrected him: "I know who that monster you're talking about is. It's Zhao the Fourth, Zhao Shiqing. She is the Second Miss of the Prince of Liang's manor."

Princess Jiayi chided: "A-Zhen, the Second Miss of the Prince of Liang's manor is our savior. Last night, if she hadn't been so observant, you would likely be here collecting my and your father's corpses."

The Consort hurriedly added: "Don't talk nonsense. It's bad luck."

Princess Jiayi snorted: "We almost lost our lives, and you're still worried about luck?"

Xiao Zhen's heart stirred. The Second Miss of the Prince of Liang's manor, Zhao the Fourth? A savior?

"Mother, what happened last night?"

Princess Jiayi recounted how an assassin had disguised himself as a servant to sneak into the manor last night, attempting to poison the food, only to be exposed by Zhao Shiqing.

In truth, the Princess and Consort hadn't known when it happened. Last night, the manor had suddenly been in an uproar. Nanny Bai had gone out to investigate and learned that assassins had infiltrated the manor. Shortly after, guards arrived to inform them that the assassins had been apprehended and that they need not worry.

It wasn't until Zhao Yunnuan came to visit them this morning that the Princess and Consort learned the truth of what had transpired.

Speaking of this, Princess Jiayi felt a wave of lingering fear. They had been just a hair's breadth away from being separated by death.

Xiao Zhen, however, felt as if he had been struck by lightning!

Could it be that in his past life, there was also an assassin disguised as a servant?

His parents had died at the hands of that very assassin through poisoned food. Yes, the information he had later uncovered confirmed that his parents had indeed died of poisoning.

The difference was that in his past life, the world believed that the Prince of Liang's manor had sent people to assassinate them.

A person as noble as the Grand Princess could not be killed openly; it had to be an assassination, making them die silently and taking all their grievances and resentment to the grave.

In his past life, he clearly remembered that the Prince of Liang only had three children; there was no so-called "Zhao the Fourth."

But in this life, it was precisely this non-existent "Zhao the Fourth" who had saved his parents!

No, Zhao the Fourth had not only saved his parents but also Xiao Su.

In his past life, Xiao Su had died on the road to Liang Capital. The evidence was ironclad: the killer was someone from the Prince of Liang's manor.

Therefore, in this life, because of the extra presence of Zhao Shiqing, his parents and his cousin had all survived.

Seeing Xiao Zhen staring blankly, Princess Jiayi was startled. Had her dear son fallen off a cliff and broken his brain?

"A-Zhen, A-Zhen, are you alright? Do you know who I am?" Princess Jiayi asked eagerly.

Xiao Zhen gave a bitter smile: "You are my mother, of course I know. I was just wondering how the Prince of Liang suddenly ended up with a daughter."

Xiao Su quickly interjected: "If there's something you don't understand, ask me! Zhao the Fourth and I are arch-rivals; I know everything about her. She isn't the Prince of Liang's biological daughter. He rescued her from a kidnapper. She is an adopted daughter, which is why she is the Second Miss and not the Little Princess."

Who would have thought? Princess Jiayi was not a cold and noble princess; at her core, she was a dramatic, high-maintenance woman. It was a pity she had died so early in his past life, never having the chance to showcase her "talents."