Chapter 33 Another Miracle

Chapter 33: Another Miracle

Qin Xiao stared at those restless hands for a couple of breaths, as if trying hard to accept reality, before lifting his gaze back to Chu Jiubian.

The room went quiet.

Baili Hong blinked his large, round eyes, glancing between his uncle and his teacher, then suddenly turned and ran outside.

Soon, the child's voice drifted in from the outer chamber, in a sweet, childlike voice: "Little Eunuch Hong, the teacher is awake. Have the meal served quickly!"

In the child's eyes, the teacher had been sleeping soundly until his uncle abruptly woke him.

The teacher seemed angry—he’d even grabbed his uncle by the collar.

Would they end up fighting?

Baili Hong knew that some people grew irritable if woken before they’d had enough sleep, like his mother. If she hadn’t slept well, she would be in a bad mood all day, refusing to acknowledge anyone.

Only her favorite pastries could lift her spirits.

So, if they served the teacher some delicious food quickly, he might not stay angry with his uncle.

Even if they did fight, Baili Hong knew his uncle would let the teacher win. The teacher was frail and often injured, while his uncle was highly skilled in martial arts. A few accidental punches from the teacher wouldn’t hurt him.

Of course, it would be best if they didn’t argue at all. To prevent any conflict, Baili Hong was doing his best to hurry the meal along.

In the inner chamber, the tense atmosphere eased slightly at the sound of the child’s voice.

Chu Jiubian met Qin Xiao’s deep gaze. Seeing the other man’s lack of reaction, his competitive urge sparked.

Driven by a hint of mischief, he let his hand, which rested on the man’s pectoral muscles, slowly wander downward.

The moment his fingertips brushed against the hard abs, he felt the man’s body tense even more.

Chu Jiubian chuckled softly, but then he saw Qin Xiao smile as well.

Qin Xiao released his grip on Chu Jiubian’s nose and instead grabbed the young man’s slender wrist, preventing any further movement.

Both wrists were held gently—they could easily be pulled free—but Chu Jiubian didn’t pull away. Instead, his smile deepened, and a hint of amusement flickered in his usually indifferent eyes.

"What’s the harm in a little touch?" he asked lightly. "Are you shy?"

Qin Xiao tightened his grip, pinning the young man’s arms beside the pillow.

Then, pinning him down with a knee, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them to something intimate yet not intrusive.

"What identity does Young Master hold now?" the man’s deep voice inquired.

Chu Jiubian countered, "What do you think my identity is?"

"Certainly not a god."

"You still don’t believe me?" Chu Jiubian sounded surprised.

He had thought that after producing the iron wok, Qin Xiao was eighty percent convinced, and after the gunfire that stunned the capital, he must have been fully convinced.

Yet it seemed Qin Xiao still doubted him.

Qin Xiao gently stroked the skin on the inside of his wrist, insinuating, "How can this prince believe you, then?"

Chu Jiubian tilted his head to look at his left wrist, his fingertips gave a slight tremble.

"Suit yourself," he said, pushing Qin Xiao away. He sat up, pulled on his boots, and walked out without a backward glance.

The young man’s tall figure disappeared behind the screen.

Qin Xiao gazed at the ink painting of a landscape on the screen, lightly rubbing his fingers together.

The sensation under his touch was undeniable—he had felt several rough scars on the inside of Chu Jiubian’s left wrist.

Qin Xiao was no scholar; he knew which injuries could be fatal.

Aside from the well-known vital spots like the heart and throat, the thighs and wrists were also critical areas.

He recalled the blood that had soaked through Chu Jiubian’s inner robe last time, and the brief glimpse of intersecting scars.

If he were a god, why would he bear so many scars?

Were they injuries from before he became a god?

What had Chu Jiubian experienced in the past?

Chu Jiubian walked into the outer chamber, his light eyes filled with solemnity.

These scars had been with him for too many years, new scars over old ones, until he grew accustomed to them.

He had even come to see them as normal, and to avoid fidgeting with them, he deliberately ignored their presence.

His agent had repeatedly suggested surgery, but he always refused, preferring to take on roles with a "no revealing costumes" clause rather than change himself.

It wasn’t until moments ago, when Qin Xiao doubted his divine identity because of the scars on his wrist, that he suddenly realized what a glaring flaw they were.

No one had defined what a deity should look like, but in the public’s mind, gods ought to be elegant, remote, and untouchable, looking down upon mortals from on high.

That was why Chu Jiubian’s identity as a "deity" had been so hard for the capital’s residents to accept.

People believed deities shouldn’t descend to the mortal world—or at least, shouldn’t appear as tangible, touchable "humans" in their midst.

Of course, deities could have mortal experiences, leaving behind poetic works like "The Hard Road," but after ascension, they shouldn’t retain such human vulnerabilities, much less bear a body full of scars.

Chu Jiubian habitually scratched at the scars on his wrist, then abruptly stopped.

"System, is there any medicine that can remove scars?" he asked inwardly.

"Thirteen scar-removal products have been found for the host. Given the number of scars and their different ages, the third ointment is recommended for fastest results. It can make all the host’s scars disappear within a month, leaving skin as smooth as a newborn's. Cost: 13 Faith Points."

Without hesitation, Chu Jiubian said, "Buy it."

This was a necessary investment.

The medicine was placed in the system storage, and Chu Jiubian’s tense nerves relaxed.

So Qin Xiao cared about his scars, did he?

Once the scars were gone, he’d make sure Qin Xiao saw what truly divine, perfect skin looked like!

"Teacher," Baili Hong peeked through the doorway, saying obediently, "The meal is ready."

Chu Jiubian arched an eyebrow.

He felt the kid was being a bit cautious, acting even better behaved than usual.

He walked over, intending to ask if something had happened, when he noticed the child seemed to relax and became lively again.

Chu Jiubian: “?”

Baili Hong had been worried that Teacher might be angry, but now it seemed he wasn’t, so he felt relieved.

When his mother got angry, he didn’t dare speak much and had to act extra well-behaved.

Then, when his mother saw him being so cautious, she would laugh and hold him close for some affectionate snuggles.

At this thought, the child’s expression momentarily turned sad.

But it was only for a moment before he pulled himself together again.

His mother had told him to be brave and strong—he could do it!

Seeing the child’s shifting expressions, now happy, now sad, Chu Jiubian guessed he must be missing his mother again.

He bought a bag of fruit candies suitable for children from the system space, took out an apple-flavored one, removed the wrapper, and then, as if performing a magic trick, produced it and placed it in the child’s palm. “This is candy from the immortal realm, Your Majesty. Try it.”

Baili Hong lifted his small hand, sniffed the round candy in his palm, and his eyes lit up. “It smells so good, sweet-smelling.”

No child dislikes candy, not even an emperor.

The child then looked behind Chu Jiubian and said, “Uncle, Teacher gave me this candy—it smells amazing! Can I try a little?”

Qin Xiao usually limited his sweets.

Chu Jiubian turned and saw the man come out, so he took the candy from the child’s hand.

It was a hard candy. He took a clean napkin, wrapped the candy, walked to the table, and used a jar to smash it into pieces.

Baili Hong, his little hands still cupped in front of him, stared blankly as Teacher did all this. Then, the candy was returned to his small palm.

But unlike before, the candy was now broken into many small pieces on the napkin. Teacher even took one piece and ate it.

Did Teacher want candy too?

Baili Hong blinked his innocent, clear eyes, looking curiously at him, then at his uncle.

Qin Xiao had just come out and witnessed the scene, immediately understanding what Chu Jiubian was doing.

He was demonstrating that the candy had no poison.

“Finish your meal before having candy,” Qin Xiao said to Baili Hong.

Baili Hong happily agreed and carefully put the napkin in his pocket.

Qin Xiao glanced at Chu Jiubian’s expression but couldn’t tell anything, which left him somewhat uncertain.

Chu Jiubian truly had no other intentions—he thought Qin Xiao’s caution was reasonable.

If someone else suddenly approached Baili Hong and offered him food or drink, Chu Jiubian would also be suspicious.

But unlike Qin Xiao, he wouldn’t show it openly; he’d simply use the system to check.

He thought this matter-of-factly, not noticing Qin Xiao’s slightly uncomfortable look.

The three of them sat down at the dining table.

Today’s meal was prepared by Nanny Zhong and her apprentices from the imperial kitchen. Knowing that Qin Xiao and Baili Hong would be dining at Yaotai Residence, she had the food delivered.

The cook at Yaotaiju’s small kitchen now also cooked stir-fry in an iron wok. Though not as skilled as Nanny Zhong, she could still prepare a variety of dishes.

However, since Chu Jiubian often dined at the Hall of Mental Cultivation lately, the cook’s talents were mostly enjoyed by Xiao Xiangzi and the others.

Usually, the three of them would chat during meals, creating a fun, relaxed mood.

But today, no one spoke.

Baili Hong focused entirely on eating, not needing any assistance—he was a child who loved his food.

Yet now, his mind was fixated on the sweet candy, and even the tasty food couldn’t distract him.

Chu Jiubian, on the other hand, felt he had been a bit out of line in front of Qin Xiao earlier.

Phrases like “believe it or not” sounded like he was throwing a tantrum.

Now, he needed to maintain his usual cool attitude, as if everything was under control, and hopefully make Qin Xiao forget what had happened between them earlier.

Qin Xiao remained silent, though his eyes kept wandering to Chu Jiubian’s face.

It was unclear what he was thinking.

After finishing half a bowl of rice, Baili Hong rinsed his mouth, had Eunuch Hong wipe his face and hands, and then gave a hopeful look at Qin Xiao.

“Go ahead,” Qin Xiao said.

Baili Hong immediately beamed, took out the napkin, unfolded it, and picked a smaller piece of candy to put in his mouth.

The rich taste of green apple burst on his tongue, and his little face lit up with delight.

Seeing such a young child make that expression was adorable, like a fluffy little animal.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but smile, and Qin Xiao also chuckled.

“Is it that good?” Qin Xiao asked.

Baili Hong nodded repeatedly, offering the napkin to him. “Uncle, try it! It’s so sweet.”

Qin Xiao actually reached out and took the largest piece, popping it into his mouth.

Baili Hong: “?!”

He stared in disbelief at his uncle, then at the now significantly smaller candy in his hand, unable to accept reality.

The largest piece!

He had been saving it, and now his uncle had eaten it!

Qin Xiao rolled the candy around in his mouth with his tongue, savoring the intense sweetness. “It really is sweet,” he said.

Baili Hong let out a loud “hmph!” wrapped the napkin back up, and stuffed it into his pocket, muttering under his breath—something like “Uncle is so greedy”—his little mouth pouting dramatically.

Chu Jiubian’s expression got strange for a moment.

Could it be that these uncle and his nephew would turn against each other over something so small in the future?

It can’t really be called trivial.

At this moment, Qin Xiao taking the candy from the child might indeed seem insignificant, but later, Qin Xiao might take more and more things from him, and the conflicts would naturally grow.

Yet Chu Jiubian could see that Qin Xiao truly doted on this child.

Taking the candy was also out of fear that the child might eat too much and hurt his teeth.

Indeed, after all, this was the only bloodline left by his elder sister—how could he not cherish him?

Even if, in the future, the child grew up and no longer shared his views, he probably wouldn’t actually do anything to the child.

And Baili Hong didn’t seem like an ungrateful child either. There were no scheming servants around him; with Hong Fu’s talent and emotional intelligence, he would absolutely not want to see these two turn against each other and would surely work to smooth things over whenever possible.

Even without someone like Hong Fu to mediate, given Baili Hong’s dependence and admiration for Qin Xiao, he shouldn’t see his uncle as an enemy.

So why exactly did those two in the original story fight so fiercely?

Was it truly that power twisted people beyond recognition?

Chu Jiubian suddenly thought: since he was going to be staying in this world for a lifetime, once the young emperor grew up, would he too become someone the emperor seen as a threat?

And what about Qin Xiao? Would he also turn against him for the sake of power and profit?

If it was inevitable that they would fall apart in the future, should he now change his approach and return to a more detached, "business-only" relationship with the two?

His current self and them seemed to have gotten too close.

"Are you okay, Sir?"

His fingers were grasped by a small hand. Chu Jiubian glanced down and met the child’s worried eyes.

He smiled slightly, gently squeezing the child’s chubby little hand in return. "That’s a good boy, Sir has plenty of candy here, enough for you to eat until you’re seventy or eighty."

Baili Hong cried out, "Wow! Then can I always ask Sir for candy?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sir! You’re so good to me, Sir!"

Qin Xiao tapped the child on the shoulder and said, "Be careful not to rot your teeth."

He had eaten the largest piece precisely because he was afraid the child would eat too much candy at once, but now the child had a lifetime supply guaranteed.

"I know, I won’t eat it every day," the child said with a sweet smile.

Eunuch Hong watched with a smile nearby and added, "My Lord, rest assured, your servant will keep an eye on His Majesty."

Baili Hong nodded eagerly. "Yes, Eunuch Hong will back me up."

"Then this put my mind at ease." Qin Xiao stood up and patted Hong Fu’s shoulder.

Hong Fu and Baili Hong left the Yaotai Residence first, planning to walk a bit longer to walk off their meal so they could take a nap upon returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao did not leave. Instead, they went to the garden pavilion.

Over the past few days, it had been rainy and humid. The rushes Chu Jiubian had ordered to be dried hadn’t dried properly, so the fire starters he had promised to make remained unfinished.

Today, the materials were finally ready.

Chu Jiubian had purchased the method for making fire starters from the system and got the hang of it thoroughly. He worked skillfully, as if he had done it many times before.

The materials were mostly prepared. The most important part, the "wick," had been pre-soaked in a mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and other solutions. Now, it only needed simple assembly.

Xiao Jinzi brought a small source of fire and placed it on the table before stepping back to stand with the others, observing Chu Jiubian’s technique from a respectful distance.

Qin Xiao sat across from Chu Jiubian, watching the young man’s slender, deft fingers nimbly roll the rush—now unrecognizable from its original form—into a strip and wrap it in oiled paper.

Then, he took a bamboo tube about the thickness of a thumb and slowly inserted the oiled paper-wrapped rush into it.

Qin Xiao’s gaze drifted downward, from the young man’s faintly pink fingertips to the prominent wristbones.

As if intentionally, Chu Jiubian did not let him see the inside of his wrist, which was covered with scars.

Qin Xiao looked up again and met Chu Jiubian’s eyes that seemed to mock him slightly.

"Looking at this?" Chu Jiubian showed him openly.

Qin Xiao was taken aback. Lowering his gaze, he saw the messy, overlapping old scars.

One atop another, at least five or six at a rough glance.

And judging by the direction of the blade marks, it seemed as though...

Qin Xiao frowned slightly.

These wounds were self-inflicted by Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian turned his wrist back and used the bamboo tube filled with rush to take some flame from the charcoal basin nearby.

Once the rush ignited, he covered the bamboo tube with its lid.

"The path to godhood is never smooth sailing," Chu Jiubian said lightly, looking at Qin Xiao. "One must die before having a chance to become a god."

Qin Xiao gave him a deep look but did not respond. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the bamboo tube in Chu Jiubian’s hand. "What is this called?"

"A fire starter."

"What is it for?"

Chu Jiubian removed the lid and held the bamboo tube to Qin Xiao’s lips. "Blow into it."

Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow and blew into the tube.

Then, he saw fire ignite inside the bamboo tube.

He was stunned.

Xiao Xiangzi and the others, who had been watching all along, were so shocked they couldn’t close their mouths. If Qin Xiao hadn’t been present, they would have crowded around excitedly to ask Chu Jiubian what was happening.

But now, they could only widen their eyes in silence, not daring to speak.

Chu Jiubian covered the lid again and handed the fire starter to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao took it. Expecting it to be hot since there was fire inside, he was surprised to find it wasn’t.

He opened the lid and saw faint, glowing embers inside the bamboo tube. When he blew into it, the fire suddenly flared up.

This thing can actually store fire!

Qin Xiao's heart raced a bit, a feeling quite similar to when he had seen the ice earlier.

He tried it twice more, and each time the fire striker lit quickly and reliably.

Compared to using flint to start fire, this fire striker was clearly much more convenient.

Truly another fantastic invention.

"How long can this fire be kept burning?" he asked, his gaze intense as he looked at Chu Jiubian.

If it could be preserved for a longer time, its uses would be countless.

The attendants nearby were stunned.

What?

Isn't the fire starter reusable?

Chu Jiubian knew Qin Xiao was sharp and wasn’t surprised he would ask such a key question. He replied, "From the first time it's lit, it can last around three hours. If stored unlit, it can last a month without issue."

Their materials were high-quality, so once lit, the fire could be preserved for five or six hours, or even longer.

Actually, if sweet potato vines could be used, it would be even better, but Great Ning didn’t have sweet potatoes yet.

However, the burn time of the fire starter is calculated from the first time it is lit by an outside source.

If not lit, it can last a month or even several months without issue.

That is to say, if a person carries two fire starters and lights the second one before the first goes out, they can have fire for over ten hours.

The fire starter is so convenient to carry that even travelers could easily carry eight or ten of them.

If used in situations like field operations or covertly burning enemy camps, its value would far surpass its cost.

The flickering flame reflected in Qin Xiao’s eyes.

After a moment, he closed the lid and turned to look at Xiao Xiangzi and the others. Xiao Xiangzi immediately came forward to take the fire starter.

"Have you all learned how to use it?" Qin Xiao asked.

"Yes, sir, we have all learned."

"Go and have more produced, but don’t light them."

Since the fire starter starts depleting once lit, the safest approach is to preserve it without lighting.

"You're all dismissed," Qin Xiao said.

"Yes," Xiao Xiangzi replied, immediately leading the attendants away from the main courtyard.

Once they were out of earshot, the group couldn't contain themselves and urged Xiao Xiangzi to open the fire starter.

When the lid was opened, the fire starter was indeed unlit.

Xiao Xiangzi blew on it nervously, and in an instant, a flame sparked to life.

"My God! It really can light up!"

"This fire starter is truly a miracle, much simpler than flint!"

"Right, if we all carry this with us from now on, it’ll be much more convenient to light lamps for our masters during night duties."

"Definitely, our young master is truly this!" Xiao Yinzi gave a thumbs up.

"Our young master is a celestial being, of course he’s extraordinary," Xiao Xiangzi said, chin held high. "Alright, let’s hurry and pass the message to have more materials prepared and have as many made as quickly as possible."

"Yes."

The group scattered.

In the courtyard, only Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao remained.

There were still some leftover materials on the table, so Qin Xiao began making more fire starters himself.

Chu Jiubian, with nothing else to do, joined in.

There was no rain today, but the sky was overcast, with occasional cool breezes, making it even cooler than yesterday.

"News just came from the Southern Frontier—their food supplies are nearly exhausted," Qin Xiao said casually. "As for Guizhou and Guangxi, we received word just two days ago that their granaries are empty, begging for emergency aid from the court."

Before he had even received the reports from Guizhou and Guangxi, he had already sent a letter to the Governor of Southern Zhili, Wei Yi, instructing him to prepare grain to send to Guizhou and Guangxi. He also sent trusted aides to supervise, ensuring the local prefectures wouldn’t exploit the situation further and cut off the people’s means of survival.

He could temporarily ignore the fiefs of other vassal princes, as they likely had their own grain reserves—especially Prince Huguang, with his thousands of granaries. How could they all be empty?

Prince Pingxi’s petition wasn’t particularly urgent, likely just following Prince Huguang’s lead to test Qin Xiao’s differing attitudes toward the vassal princes.

Qin Xiao wasn’t entirely sure about the Southern Frontier King’s situation, but he assumed it was similar to Prince Pingxi’s.

These three regions could be set aside for now.

But Guizhou and Guangxi were under the court’s jurisdiction. If the court didn’t intervene, the people there would truly have no way out.

Chu Jiubian looked at Qin Xiao.

This was his way of urging him to find a solution to the drought.

Given the current situation, in the original work, Qin Xiao must have also ordered Southern Zhili to send grain to those two provinces. But with the populations of two provinces and so many disaster victims, the grain from Southern Zhili would likely be a drop in the bucket.

Moreover, the route from Southern Zhili to these two provinces would inevitably pass through Huguang. That Prince Huguang, Baili Yue, who constantly cried poverty, would surely find ways to intercept some of the grain, making an already dire situation worse.

"If I have no solution, what do you plan to do next?" Chu Jiubian asked curiously.

Qin Xiao lit the fire starter he had made himself and closed the lid.

Then he looked at Chu Jiubian and said slowly, "How many days has it been since you last saw Qin Lie?"

Chu Jiubian was taken aback.

He realized he hadn’t seen Qin Zhaoyang for three or four days.

He understood immediately. "You sent him to Huguang."

Huguang was also suffering from disasters. With such a large shipment of grain entering the region, even if Prince Huguang didn’t spread the word, the local people would inevitably take notice.

As more disaster victims gathered, even with soldiers guarding the grain convoy, chaos was bound to erupt.

Qin Zhaoyang didn’t go to Huguang alone.

Moreover, he wasn't just there to meet the grain transport team; he must have spread other rumors before the grain arrived, or blended in with the refugees, becoming their leader, and then led the people to take grain from the granaries across Huguang.

Those granaries in Huguang are all full.

As long as one granary is successfully opened, the refugees will surely swarm in and break into the others as well.

Now that's a clever scheme.

But it requires someone like Qin Zhaoyang to pull it off.

Qin Xiao didn’t even need to mention the details; just by saying Qin Zhaoyang was absent, Chu Jiubian put it all together.

Qin Xiao, seeing the thoughtful expression on the other man’s face, couldn’t help but chuckle softly: "It seems I've come to enjoy talking to clever people."

Chu Jiubian raised an eyebrow: "Congratulations, then. The people you like pack the entire court."

"...I don’t like them anymore," Qin Xiao said.

Chu Jiubian laughed.

After a pause, he added: "With all this turmoil, the people of Huguang are likely to take a heavy hit."

Qin Xiao looked him in the eye and said: "So, can you save these people?"

"News from the Southern Frontier should arrive soon," Chu Jiubian replied without flinching.

Qin Xiao’s eyes gleamed: "Then I'll be waiting for the good news."