Little Pink Starfish

The Emperor Who Doesn’t Know How to Undress

Yu Xiaoxiao examined Chengguan’s wound. The intestines had slipped out, but as long as there wasn’t major bleeding or infection, it wasn’t a fatal injury. “How would someone die from this?” she muttered, then said aloud, “Xiao Wei, find a clean place. I’m going to treat the State Preceptor.”

Covered in blood, Xiao Wei hesitated. “Princess, how are you going to treat him?”

Yu Xiaoxiao thought about the tools needed for surgery, then glanced around at the environment of Huguo Temple. Clearly, taking Chengguan back to the Gu residence would be better for performing any operation.

Seeing her fall silent, Xianzong panicked. “If you can’t save him, I’ll call for the imperial physicians!”

Xiao Wei looked up. As if they could help…

Yu Xiaoxiao said to Xiao Wei, “This place won’t work. We’re going home.”

“But can we move him in this condition?” Xiao Wei asked. With such a large abdominal tear, wouldn’t every bump on the road just make his intestines spill out more?

Yu Xiaoxiao began to undress.

“What are you doing?!” Xianzong exclaimed. He didn’t even complain when his daughter kept touching Chengguan during treatment, but was it really necessary to strip for this?

Yu Xiaoxiao paused. Her own clothes were already a bit dirty, and Xiao Wei had been running all day too—his were dusty as well. Then she looked at her father. Clean enough. “Take off your clothes,” she said.

Xianzong gaped. “You want me to undress?!”

“Hurry up!” Yu Xiaoxiao barked.

He wanted to ask why, but glancing at Chengguan and Xiao Wei, both soaked in blood, he didn’t dare. Grumbling to himself, the emperor began to remove his robe. Since childhood, he’d always been waited on—even during his miserable years at Eternal Life Temple. Undoing his own belt? Impossible. He fumbled at it for ages.

Yu Xiaoxiao lost patience. He can’t even remove a belt—why is he still alive?

Even Xiao Wei was getting anxious. If he weren’t holding Chengguan, he’d do it himself.

Meanwhile, Gu Xingnuo was still kneeling on the ground, holding Gu Xinglang in a daze.

Yu Xiaoxiao jumped up, grabbed the emperor’s belt, and yanked. “You can’t even take off clothes? And you still have the nerve to sleep with women?!”

Xianzong: …

Xiao Wei sighed and looked down. Now’s really not the time to talk about women, is it?

Yu Xiaoxiao stripped her idiot emperor father down, comparing the outer robe and undergarment. Without asking, she kept going.

Xianzong wanted to resist, but it was too late. He barely let out an “Ah!” before she’d stripped off another layer. Thankfully it was winter and he’d worn enough to still preserve his dignity.

Wrapping her hands in a handkerchief, Yu Xiaoxiao carefully stuffed the exposed intestines back into Chengguan’s abdomen. Then she used the two layers of clothing to bind the wound. It took less than a minute.

Xianzong rubbed his eyes. “T-That’s it?”

Yu Xiaoxiao turned to Xiao Wei. “Check if anyone else here is still alive.”

Xiao Wei nodded, gently laid Chengguan on the ground, and went to inspect the corpses.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Gu Xingnuo. “Big Brother, let’s go home.”

Gu Xingnuo nodded.

“You carry Little Gu,” Yu Xiaoxiao said to Xianzong.

Xianzong didn’t move. He suddenly remembered—he was afraid of blood.

Yu Xiaoxiao stood, carrying Chengguan, and glared. “My brother’s arm is broken. Is yours broken too?”

Xianzong looked at the Gu brothers.

“Move!” she barked.

Xiao Wei ran over, saying, “Princess, I’ve checked—there are no survivors.”

Yu Xiaoxiao gave Xianzong another deadly glare. “This is all your fault!”

Xianzong’s heart broke. He was already waiting for the country to fall—who else could he blame?

He stepped forward, scooped up Gu Xinglang, and followed Yu Xiaoxiao in a half-run, not daring to breathe too deeply for fear of the blood stench.

A shadow guard, just done searching another hall, saw the emperor holding the prince consort and froze in shock.

“Finish searching the temple. Send someone from Dali Temple to guard the place,” Xianzong shouted. “Everyone else, to the Gu residence!”

The guard stared as Xianzong sprinted off, too stunned to reply.

Outside the temple gate, the carriage was waiting. Yu Xiaoxiao looked at the people inside—seemed like she was the only one fit to drive.

Xianzong said to Gu Xingnuo, “Maybe you should drive?”

But Yu Xiaoxiao was already on the driver’s seat. “Sit tight, Father.”

“You know how to dri—”

The “Fast and Furious” start cut him off. Xianzong bit his tongue before he could finish the word.

Monk Wangyue peeked from behind a tree, watching the princess whip the carriage past him at breakneck speed. Gritting his teeth, he tried to chase after them. But the little monk couldn’t do martial arts and had short legs—the carriage vanished in a blink. Standing in the street, wiping away tears, he resolved to try his luck at the Gu residence.

The six shadow guards finished searching Huguo Temple. Not a single living soul. Fenglin was nowhere to be found either. They quickly split up—one headed for Dali Temple, while the others rushed to the Gu estate.

Outside Beicheng, deep in a forest, Qingyu lay dying. She felt someone patting her face and forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurry, but she could see someone standing before her. She reached out and whispered, “Help me…”

Her voice was so faint, it was almost inaudible.

The cold hand moved from her face, and she panicked again. “Help me…” she pleaded.

“She’s dying,” Master Fenglin said to his teacher.

Mo Wen stood in front of Qingyu. Hearing her repeat “Help me” over and over, he nodded. “Take her.”

Qingyu heard those words clearly. They’re taking me… I won’t die. With that thought, she slipped into unconsciousness. Maybe when she awoke, it would be to a new life.

Back at the Gu residence, Yu Xiaoxiao placed Chengguan on a bed and said to Granny Wang, “Bring alcohol and vinegar. I’m going to operate.”

Chengguan groaned and opened his eyes, only to see Yu Xiaoxiao standing over him. His body tensed. He struggled to sit up.