Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

36. Troubles Never Come Singly

Translator: Flying Lines

“Don’t let me see you again.” Xiao LuoXuan went ballistic, overturned the table and strode out of the room.

Not until Xiao LuoXuan left the room did Su Jie cough hard. Xiao LuoXuan didn’t pull his punches. The burning pain swept over Su Jie after the kick. He stood up and slowly staggered out, poker-faced, his eyes cold and his body stiff.

“Guqin Master, Guqin Master…” he mumbled, his face somber.

The Guqin Master was a man of middle age with a look of sorrow and sadness all year round. Nobody knew his name, everyone called him Guqin Master. He was Xiao LuoXuan’s advisor, responsible for recruiting and training Men of Sacrifice for Xiao LuoXuan.

Su Jie had spent a lot of time with the Guqin Master and they were sort of close. The Guqin Master gave Su Jie the most care and devotion. He knew Su Jie didn’t have a thing for girls. He even knew Su Jie had deep feelings for Prince Qin.

Su Jie had thought they were close friends who could share weal and woe as the Guqin Master was more of a father than a kung fu master to Su Jie. He was his mentor, and for a time, the only on he could depend on.

Yet this one who he had valued much, who he trusted wholeheartedly assigned him a task he hated the most and lied to him, saying it was the order by Prince Qin, pushing him right into the abyss. At this point, he couldn’t help but reflect on what he meant to the Guqin Master…a disposable Man of Sacrifice, a sharp weapon? Right, a weapon loyal to Prince Qin but harboring sacrilegious feelings.

He was nothing but a Man of Sacrifice, one that was supposed to die as long as the mission requested. He was in no position to ask for concern and care from the Guqin Master. He was already being kind to assign a mission to infiltrate Xiao ShengNian’s Mansion. Even if the mission meant imminent death, Su Jie had to do it. He had no right to refuse.

All families of the Men of Sacrifice were under close watch by the Guqin Master to ensure their absolute loyalty. Su Jie had no family, but he, like the rest of Men of Sacrifice, had this Gu worm in his body, which would kill him should he betray Prince Qin.

Every Man of Sacrifice had to take the antidote that restrained the Gu poison on a monthly basis, or he would die. Su Jie was no exception.

Upon knowing the truth from Prince Qin, he had a strong desire to find the Guqin Master but then on a second thought, he gave up. No matter what the Guqin Master did, he was doing it for Prince Qin’s good. He was Prince Qin’s uncle, which was why Prince Qin didn’t go to question the Guqin Master after learning about the mission and came to reprimand him instead.

It was not his fault. He was merely following an order. Guqin Master was the to be blame, yet Prince Qin couldn’t confront his uncle, so he came to Su Jie.

Su Jie felt bad for being wronged and kicked. He had been hurt by two of the men he trusted most, the Guqin Master, his mentor, and Prince Qin, his savior.

Yet he had to swallow it.

However, Su Jie was still confused. The Guqin Master must have assigned him the mission for a reason, why did Xiao LuoXuan go ballistic?

Recalling Xiao LuoXuan’s reactions, Su Jie began to wonder, was there by any chance that Prince Qin actually had a thing for him?

Stroking his chest, Su Jie immediately drove that thought out of his mind. That was a hard kick. And Prince Qin would never fall for a Man of Sacrifice. Perhaps he was just infuriated by the fact the Guqin Master gave an order without his permission. Anyway, he was the one qualified to the throne. What the Guqin Master did crossed the line. And Su Jie happened to be the scapegoat. It all made sense.

Su Jie forced a wry smile and shook his head to stop his wandering mind before carrying the unconscious Yu Jiang. He walked through several meandering valleys to make sure he wasn’t followed before he came to the main street.

He was greeted by lots of finger-pointing from the pedestrians, who all thought he was going to sell the poor footboy Yu Jiang.

Frustrated, Su Jie didn’t bother to care about that. He just walked in silence with a cold face. All he wanted now was to get back to Prince Rui’s Mansion as soon as possible.

Yet, troubles never come singly. He ran into Yue Wanzhi who had brought with him family retainers in a surprising number – 100.