Little Pink Starfish

That’s Just the Kind of Man I Am

Without any interference from the monks under Mo Wen, Gu Xingnuo walked straight up to Yu Xiaoxiao in a few steps. When he saw the red pill in her hand, he looked at it like it was a terrifying monster.

“Throw it on the ground,” Emperor Xianzong whispered to Yu Xiaoxiao. However many pills they had, they could throw them all away. After all, she was a dignified royal princess—how could she eat something off the ground? His Majesty the Emperor didn’t believe Mo Wen had brought an entire crate of this medicine to Fengtian.

Yu Xiaoxiao cleared her throat with a couple of coughs. This pill might very well be the egg of some kind of red worm. That bastard Mo Wen clearly had no intention of letting her off.

“Princess?” Mo Wen called out to her again.

Yu Xiaoxiao opened her mouth and tossed the pill in.

“Linglong!”

“Princess!”

Xianzong, Gu Xingnuo, Jing Mo, Chengguan, and Xiao Wei all shouted in unison.

A faint bolt of lightning sparked between Yu Xiaoxiao’s lips. The pill met the electricity and instantly turned into a pinch of black ash. Mixing it with her saliva, Yu Xiaoxiao swallowed the ash. Now that it was reduced to ashes, what was there to fear?

“Well then,” the princess said to Mo Wen, opening her mouth, “I’ve taken the medicine. What do you want now?”

Mo Wen glanced into her mouth. She hadn’t hidden the pill. He reached out and gently touched her throat. The pill wasn’t there either.

Xianzong’s voice was trembling now. “Linglong, how do you feel?”

Yu Xiaoxiao smacked her lips. She had taken a hit to her stamina this time. She made up her mind—once she left the Temple of National Protection, she was going for a midnight snack! Oh, wait—no, she had to get the antidote to Wuhuan first. Yu Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. Her heartache seemed to worsen.

“Linglong?” Xianzong wanted to grab his daughter’s slender neck and shake her.

“I’m fine,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Just… hungry.”

Hungry? Xianzong stared at his daughter in disbelief. She had just swallowed a suspected poison pill and all she could say was that she was hungry?

At that moment, the two monks who had gone to the tower terrace to find Mo Wen returned. One of them whispered something in Mo Wen’s ear.

After hearing the monk’s words, Mo Wen’s expression turned cold. He looked toward Yu Xiaoxiao.

Yu Xiaoxiao puffed out her chest defiantly. No matter how many pills there were, she’d dare to take them all.

Xianzong tensed up in fear. Was a fight about to break out? If he had known, he would’ve brought the Imperial Guards and palace bodyguards! There were barely a hundred of them here—wouldn’t even be enough to get stuck in Mo Wen’s bald teeth!

Impossible. Mo Wen was telling himself this inside. Scorched earth? There’s no way Yu Linglong had that kind of power.

“If things go south,” Xianzong said to Gu Xingnuo and Xiao Wei, “you two hold the line here. Once I get out, I’ll dispatch the Capital Patrol Division.”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Dad, are you planning to go all out with Mo Wen?”

Xianzong snorted. “If I die, I’ll still take a bite out of him before I go.”

“Oh!” Yu Xiaoxiao exclaimed. “You’re serious?”

“I’m just that kind of man!” Xianzong slapped his not-at-all-muscular chest. If they wouldn’t let him live, then to hell with it—they’d just tear off the masks and fight it out!

Yu Xiaoxiao thought her foolish father’s words sounded strangely familiar. Some famous historical figure had said something similar, hadn’t they? Who was it again? She thought hard, then once again was confronted with the harsh truth: she was a terrible student.

“Come with me,” Xianzong grabbed Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand.

“What are we waiting for?” she said. “I’m going in now!” She made to charge at Mo Wen.

“Don’t!” Xianzong yanked her back with all his strength. Mo Wen hadn’t made a move yet, and they were going to strike first? Were they trying to die? What if the bald monk didn’t want to fight at all? “Give your old man a chance to live!” Xianzong pleaded. Even as he said the words, he felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

Mo Wen spoke. “Ning Sheng.”

“Here! I’m here!” Xianzong quickly turned to face him and responded loudly.

“It’s late. You should all return,” Mo Wen said, looking at Yu Xiaoxiao.

At that moment, Mo Wen looked like the cutest bald monk in the world to Xianzong. Fantastic—he would live to see another day!

“He chickened out?” Yu Xiaoxiao muttered with a frown.

Xianzong clamped a hand over her mouth and said respectfully to Mo Wen, “Then we won’t disturb the master any longer.”

“No, I—” Yu Xiaoxiao tried to pry off his hand.

“Not now,” Gu Xingnuo whispered. “We’ll talk outside.”

Xianzong dragged Yu Xiaoxiao away by force.

Mo Wen watched the group leave and then said to the monk beside him, “You all go rest.”

“But Abbot, in the courtyard—” the monk hesitated.

“I’ll take a look,” Mo Wen said with a smile.

The monk didn’t dare say more.

Chengguan the Imperial Preceptor couldn’t return to the palace with Xianzong this time. He looked at the unconscious Master Fenglin and asked Mo Wen, “Abbot, what about his injuries?”

Mo Wen gently touched Master Fenglin’s face. “Nothing serious. Find another meditation room for him to rest in.”

“Yes,” the Imperial Preceptor responded.

Mo Wen turned and soon disappeared into the night alone.

Outside the Temple of National Protection, Xianzong carefully examined his daughter. “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

Gu Xingnuo and Jing Mo were both frowning at Yu Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Wei couldn’t get close, so he just stood nearby, clearly worried.

“I don’t think I’m poisoned,” Yu Xiaoxiao said.

“You think?” Xianzong snapped. “Do you hear yourself?”

“I’m a divine doctor, don’t I know my own body?” Yu Xiaoxiao said impatiently. She was eager to get back and save Wuhuan.

“Enough,” Xianzong said. “You’re coming back to the palace with me. I’ll have the imperial physician check you.”

“I’m going back with Jing Mo.”

“What?” Xianzong said. “With Jing Mo? What are you planning? And hey—where’s Gu Xinglang?”

“He went to the Ministry of Justice.”

“At this hour? What’s he doing there?” Xianzong narrowed his eyes at her. “What have you all been up to now?”

“Zhao Qiuming arrested Xiao Zhuang!” Yu Xiaoxiao felt another stab of frustration. “My Little Gu went to rescue him! Dad, aren’t we royalty? How come everyone thinks they can just push us around?”

Xianzong rolled his eyes. The nerve of this daughter of his!

Gu Xingnuo asked, “Your Majesty, should we go now?”

Xianzong looked at the still-smoking Temple of National Protection. “What, you want to stay and help these monks put out the fire?”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Let’s get moving. Dad, you head home first—I’ve got things to do, so I won’t be keeping you company.”

Xianzong reached for Yu Xiaoxiao again. How could he feel at ease without having the imperial physician examine her? Did Mo Wen really have that much compassion, giving her a top-tier healing pill?

As he grabbed her, his hand accidentally hit her mouth. Yu Xiaoxiao suddenly felt something come loose in her mouth. She opened it, and a bloodied molar fell to the ground.