Chapter 134 Dispute

Chapter 134: The Argument

Yun Xunyu stepped unhurriedly out of the tent, the jade pendant at his waist swaying gently with each step.

He stopped beside Cheng Ge and suddenly reached out to cover the corner of Cheng Ge's mouth, his fingertip wiping at it imperceptibly.

Cheng Ge instinctively recoiled, glaring at Yun Xunyu, his face full of fury. "Third Prince, please behave yourself!"

But Yun Xunyu, as if oblivious to his fury, chuckled softly. "Lord Cheng, don't be angry. I only noticed a pastry crumb at your lip.

If His Majesty sees you like this, you might be punished for improper conduct at court." Cheng Ge felt a flush of heat and subconsciously licked the corner of his mouth.

"Or perhaps..." Yun Xunyu's voice trailed off slowly, then he lowered his voice and asked rhetorically: "Is this the custom of Great Zhou..."

Cheng Ge, speechless, decided to ignore him, writing him off as a barking dog.

Zhou Zhan, watching from the side, frowned and stepped forward to subtly separate the two.

Yun Xunyu suddenly covered the bruise at the corner of his mouth with a soft hiss. "Lord Cheng, I need to get some ointment for this wound."

Yang Guanlan then noticed the wound on his face. As the head diplomat of Great Zhou, he felt it proper to show concern. "Third Prince, what happened?"

"Nothing serious." Yun Xunyu glanced at Cheng Ge, feigning indifference. "Just a little injury."

Hearing this, the pastry Cheng Ge was holding dropped to the ground with a smack.

Yun Xunyu, after saying this, turned to Cheng Ge and feigned concern and asked, "Lord Cheng, why has your face suddenly turned so pale? Could you be unwell too?"

Cheng Ge clenched his teeth, wishing he could stab the man on the spot.

He let out a cold laugh, unable to resist a sharp retort: "I don't know about being unwell, but there is one dog for sure."

Yun Xunyu's expression froze for a moment, but his smile only broadened.

"I've heard dogs are the most loyal. If Lord Cheng spots one... remember to take it home."

Cheng Ge: "..." Destroy it all! Universe...

Cheng Ge took two steps forward, sidestepping to block the others' view, and raised his hand to punch Yun Xunyu in the stomach.

"Third Prince may not know, but Great Zhou has a martial art called the Dog-Beating Staff Technique. No matter how precious the dog, it only ends up dead!"

Yun Xunyu grunted, his body swaying slightly but not dodging. A spark of interest flickered in his eyes, and his smile deepened.

After throwing that punch, Cheng Ge's anger subsided a little. But seeing Yun Xunyu like this made him furious all over again.

Without another word, he punched him in the stomach again—only to find—

Damn, this guy actually has abs! How come I don't have any!

Yun Xunyu let out a low laugh, tilted his head, and raised an eyebrow at Cheng Ge provocatively. His look was as taunting as possible.

Cheng Ge: Damn it! Today I swear to die together with this bastard.

Watching their interaction, Zhou Zhan felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest. He stepped forward and pulled Cheng Ge in front of him.

"You... mmph..." Zhou Zhan was about to speak to Cheng Ge when he suddenly received a heavy punch to the stomach.

Cheng Ge, still fuming, had struck without restraint. Zhou Zhan grunted in pain, his face instantly turning pale.

Cheng Ge: "!!!"

Cheng Ge looked at Zhou Zhan, now bent over, and realized he had hit the wrong person.

Panicking, he quickly stepped forward to support him, his voice filled with anxiety. Instinctively, he rubbed Zhou Zhan's stomach.

"Your Highness, are you alright? I didn't mean to."

Zhou Zhan winced, inhaling sharply with a frown, about to lose his temper.

But then he looked up and saw Cheng Ge's eyes brimming with panic, the corners reddening.

That look—so much like the mischievous stray cat in the palace.

Cheng Ge's hand was carefully rubbing his stomach, the warmth of his fingertips seeping through the thin fabric, trembling with a hint of tenderness.

"Your Highness... are you okay..." Cheng Ge's voice was barely audible, his fingers unconsciously making small circles on Zhou Zhan's stomach.

Yun Xunyu narrowed his eyes, amber pupils glinting with danger.

He suddenly stepped forward and gently pulled Cheng Ge to his side.

"Quickly, take your prince to see the physician!" Yun Xunyu barked at the attendants.

Hearing this, the crowd rushed to escort Zhou Zhan to find a doctor.

But Zhou Zhan waved them off, gritting his teeth. "It's fine, just a minor injury."

Cheng Ge, filled with guilt, tried to bypass Yun Xunyu to help Zhou Zhan again. "Your Highness, you should still see the physician. It's my fault."

Yun Xunyu, displeased, pulled Cheng Ge back again, intentionally adding, "Lord Cheng, don't trouble His Highness any further."

At this point, everyone was gathered around Zhou Zhan, fussing over him.

Cheng Ge was about to push Yun Xunyu away to check on Zhou Zhan when someone twisted his head in another direction.

"He won't die!" Yun Xunyu whispered in his ear, his tone unusually cold.

Cheng Ge froze, his mind blank. By the time he reacted, his hand had already slapped Yun Xunyu away.

The slap was loud and sharp, making everyone turn around in shock. The air fell deadly silent.

Yun Xunyu straightened up, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, and stared at Cheng Ge. The two faced off in silence.

Cheng Ge held his head high, meeting Yun Xunyu's gaze without flinching, a hint of barely concealed murder in his eyes.

As if an eternity passed, Yun Xunyu stirred slightly, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out an old sandalwood hairpin.

Without a word, he held it out to Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge looked at the hairpin, paused, and felt his chest—it was indeed gone.

That was the hairpin Cui Ji had given him before, which he sometimes wore.

But since the riding outfit was inconvenient, he had stored it away. He hadn't expected Yun Xunyu to find it.

Cheng Ge glanced at him, his heart stirred, and took the hairpin.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached, and a palace attendant quickly made his way to Zhou Zhan.

"Your Royal Highness, the Emperor asks you to return to the hunting ground at once. The Northern Di delegation is about to come to blows with Prince Zhou Yinyun."

Zhou Zhan's expression darkened. "What? Has Zhou Yinyun gotten into trouble again?"

With that, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, he immediately turned and rushed back toward the hunting ground.

Seeing this, Cheng Ge’s heart skipped a beat, and he followed Zhou Zhan without delay.

By the time they arrived at the hunting ground, the Northern Di delegation and Zhou Yinyun’s group were already at a standoff, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife.

The Northern Di envoy wore a mocking grin, babbling incomprehensibly as he pointed a finger at Zhou Yinyun’s nose.

The surrounding officials whispered among themselves, their glances darting toward Zhou Yinyun from time to time.

Zhou Mingqi sat on a nearby platform, a cup of tea placed before him, his expression slightly displeased.

In the center of the open field lay a sika deer, an arrow lodged in its leg. Judging by its design, it was a Great Zhou arrow.