Little Pink Starfish

If He Wasn’t Brain-Damaged, Why Would He Marry Off His Daughter?

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t say the woman’s name, but both Emperor Xianzong and the shadow guards knew exactly who Her Highness the Princess was talking about—Consort Zhao.

The shadow guards acted like ornamental rocks—completely invisible. But Emperor Xianzong couldn’t pretend to be dead. He tried to explain things to Yu Xiaoxiao, talking about how Consort Zhao was when she entered the palace, what she was like when the empress was still around… But in the end, all he could bring himself to say was: “Can we not talk about this?”

Yu Xiaoxiao dragged out a long “Tsk.”

Xianzong said, “Don’t go blaming me. Let me ask you—was that old woman Gu, no wait, Madam Gu, always like this toward you?”

Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “Grandma’s pretty good to me. I’m just always busy and don’t have much time to keep her company.”

Xianzong… Honestly, he’d prefer his daughter stayed home to keep that annoying old woman company!

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “You came to my house for something?”

Oh right—if his daughter hadn’t asked, Xianzong would’ve forgotten. He came to see the State Preceptor.

“The State Preceptor is fine,” Yu Xiaoxiao said calmly. “The surgery was a success.”

“He’s really not going to die?” Xianzong was far less calm. His intestines had literally spilled out, and Chengguan was still alive?

“You don’t trust my medical skills?” Yu Xiaoxiao raised her brow.

“Lead the way,” Xianzong stood up and told Yu Xiaoxiao, “I’m going to see him.”

At this moment, State Preceptor Chengguan was awake. When Xianzong and Yu Xiaoxiao entered the room, he had just finished taking his medicine with the help of Monk Wangyue. “Your Majesty?” Chengguan tried to get up to salute upon seeing the emperor.

“Lie down, lie down,” Xianzong quickly reached out to press him back down gently. “You’re gravely injured. Just stay lying down.”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “State Preceptor, my imperial father came to check on you.”

Chengguan still felt guilty toward Yu Xiaoxiao and forced a smile. “Your Majesty, this humble monk owes my life to Her Highness this time.”

Xianzong sat down on a stool by the bed and said, “Since Linglong has studied medicine, saving lives is her duty. Don’t think too much. Honestly, seeing you and Mo Wen like this, why not just return to secular life? With me here, I’ll make sure you get a high-ranking official post.”

That’s why the emperor is the biggest sugar daddy!

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her dim-witted father and thought, if it were her, a broke nobody, saying that kind of thing, no one would believe it.

Chengguan looked at Xianzong a bit awkwardly. These two really were father and daughter. The princess wants him to return to secular life, and so does the emperor. Just because Mo Wen and Yongsheng Temple were bad didn’t mean all those who practiced Buddhism were.

Little Monk Wangyue looked worriedly at his master and said, “Master, are you going to leave the monastic life?” If the master did, wouldn’t he have to follow?

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “What’s the point of being a monk? Once Little Gu’s injury is healed, Little Wangyue, I’ll have him take you to join the army.”

Xianzong and Chengguan: …

Just how obsessed was his daughter (Her Highness the Princess) with the military?

Wangyue had no interest in being a soldier and looked at Yu Xiaoxiao. “I’ll do what Master says.”

“Idiot,” Yu Xiaoxiao patted the little monk’s bald head and asked, “Ever eaten meat?”

Wangyue shook his head. “Princess, monks don’t eat meat.”

“Exactly,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “So what’s so great about being a monk? You eat grass every day.”

Wangyue said, “That’s vegetables. Green vegetables.”

“That’s grass,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied seriously. “Edible grass.”

Wangyue suddenly felt wronged by her words. Had he really been eating grass all this time?

State Preceptor Chengguan had to chime in at this point. “Princess, you don’t understand.”

“I’m not a nun. Of course I don’t understand,” Yu Xiaoxiao said.

Xianzong said, “I do. Preceptor, it’s just a suggestion. Ultimately, it’s your decision what path to take.”

“Many thanks, Your Majesty,” Chengguan said respectfully.

It looked like he was still devoted to Buddha. Xianzong sighed. If he wanted to be a monk, so be it. It’s not like Chengguan’s religious practice got in the way of anything.

“Your Majesty, any news of Mo Wen?” Chengguan asked.

Xianzong replied, “The men I sent out haven’t found them yet.”

Worry crept into Chengguan’s expression. “I’m afraid there won’t be peace in the future. It’s all my fault.”

“Preceptor, you want to take me with you—”

Xianzong gave his daughter a smack, cutting off whatever upsetting thing she was about to say. The man was already injured, and she wanted to emotionally wreck him too? Did she feed her sympathy to the dogs?

Yu Xiaoxiao pouted and could only change her words. “Preceptor, just focus on recovering. If there’s war, I’m here.”

Xianzong decided he’d send her a few military books. Fighting in war wasn’t the same as beating people up. She needed to learn the proper art of war.

Chengguan sighed deeply.

“Don’t be afraid, Master,” Wangyue said. “When I grow up, I’ll protect you.”

…Oh please.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Little Wangyue gazing at Chengguan with starry eyes. She didn’t want to be perverse, but was this some kind of “raise your own loyal puppy” storyline? In her past life, where was this little loyal pup? She tilted her head in thought but couldn’t recall anyone named Wangyue the Little Monk in the cruel empress’s lifetime.

Xianzong glanced at the little monk and said perfunctorily, “We’ll talk when you grow up.” Did Chengguan even have time to wait for this disciple to grow up?

Just then, Gu Xinglang’s voice came from outside: “Your Majesty, this subject Gu Xinglang requests an audience.”

“Come in,” Xianzong instantly lost all patience.

Chengguan slightly furrowed his brows and didn’t look at Gu Xinglang as he entered.

Gu Xinglang came in, saluted the emperor, and asked, “Is the Preceptor feeling any better?”

Chengguan had to look at him and smiled faintly. “I just took my medicine.”

Xianzong said to Chengguan, “If you’re feeling up to it, tell me what happened yesterday at Huguo Temple.”

Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang both stared at the Preceptor. They wanted to know too.

“There was a fight,” Chengguan said softly. “I still underestimated Mo Wen.”

“Was he injured?” Xianzong asked.

Chengguan replied, “He was already hurt, but this time, we didn’t manage to worsen his injuries.”

Xianzong and Yu Xiaoxiao both sighed in disappointment. So many top experts died, and they still couldn’t inflict more damage on Mo Wen.

“Fortunately, the prince consort is unharmed,” Chengguan added. “Otherwise, how could this monk face Your Majesty and the Princess?”

Xianzong was relieved too. If his daughter had become a widow, how could he face the empress in the afterlife?

Gu Xinglang said, “I… I didn’t really help much.”

Xianzong said, “You’re already injured. What help could you be? Just staying alive is enough.”

“Little Gu will recover,” Yu Xiaoxiao emphasized again to her father.

Xianzong said impatiently, “Fine, fine, he’s not disabled. I’m the one who’s brain-damaged.” If he wasn’t brain-damaged, would he have married his daughter to Gu Xinglang?