Chapter 83 Xie Nai Attempts to Shoot the Second Prince

Chapter 83: Xie Nai Attempts to Shoot the Second Prince

The young eunuch accompanying Xie Chengyi had some martial arts skills. As soon as Xie Chengyi finished speaking, he bypassed Qin Ji and struck at the unprepared Qin Jiao. By the time Qin Ji reacted and tried to block him, it was already too late!

Just as Qin Jiao was about to be seized, an arrow suddenly flew through the azure sky!

The arrow shot forward with incredible speed, unstoppable as a thunderbolt. The young eunuch had no time to dodge.

"Thwack!"

Qin Jiao heard the sound of an arrow piercing flesh, followed by "Ah! It hurts!" The next second, the young eunuch cried out in pain.

Qin Jiao turned to look and saw the young eunuch's arm pierced by a golden arrow. Fresh blood dripped in steady droplets from his black sleeve onto the ground. In agony, the young eunuch's body convulsed and trembled all over.

"Master, it's a Crimson Feather Arrow!"

The young eunuch dared not continue grabbing Qin Jiao and nervously retreated to Xie Chengyi's side.

Xie Chengyi's face darkened as he looked back. From behind the crowd, a tall figure stepped forward, bow in hand.

Qin Jiao froze. It was Xie Nai.

Today, Xie Nai wore a deep green silk robe embroidered with wild geese carrying flower branches in their beaks, the flying geese exquisitely stitched and lifelike. His black hair was tied up with a jade crown. The hair at his temples was sharply defined, and his brows were as if painted with ink.

Holding the bow in one hand, his eyes were dark and sinister, his gaze at Xie Chengyi carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"So it's the Sixth Brother." Xie Chengyi curled his lips into a strange smile. "As the saying goes, 'one does not beat a dog without considering its master.' What does this mean, Sixth Brother?"

Xie Nai paced slowly to stand before Xie Chengyi.

Xie Chengyi was not short, but Xie Nai was taller. Having campaigned for years, he exuded an aura of bloodshed, and just standing there alone gave off an intense sense of pressure.

"I don't have time to play games with you."

With a casual glance at Xie Chengyi, Xie Nai's half-lidded eyes flashed with a hint of mockery.

"Keep your men in check, or the next arrow will land right between your eyes."

Xie Chengyi was unafraid of Xie Nai's threat. His gaze swept past Xie Nai and fell on Qin Jiao, now completely blocked from view. Beside Qin Jiao stood Xie Nai's close bodyguard, Luo Bei.

"If I remember correctly, Qin Jiao is betrothed to Lin Wen. Why are you so worked up?"

Xie Chengyi seemed to have discovered something remarkable, a dangerous cold light flickering in his eyes.

Instead of answering, Xie Nai raised his bow again. Luo Yue handed him a Crimson Feather Arrow.

In an instant, the cold gleam of the arrowhead pointed directly at Xie Chengyi's face. The arrow was nocked, ready to be released at any moment.

The fierce and intimidating Prince of Lingnan stared expressionlessly at Xie Chengyi, as if one more word would make him loose that arrow.

Qin Ji, still rattled, glanced at the confrontation between Xie Nai and Xie Chengyi, then gave Qin Jiao a thoughtful look. In the end, he chose to remain silent.

On the other side, Zuo Mengmeng and Li Xiaohu were already terrified, clinging to each other and huddling in a corner, not daring to utter a word.

Just as tension peaked, a slender, pale hand carefully tugged at the Prince of Lingnan's sleeve.

Qin Jiao said softly, "Your Highness, don't be angry."

Qin Jiao did not want Xie Nai to fall out with Xie Chengyi because of him, even if they were already on bad terms. But at least they had kept up appearances.

Xie Nai did not reply, so Qin Jiao tugged at his hand again. Moments later, everyone saw the once furious Prince of Lingnan slowly lower his bow, like a tamed beast.

"Get lost."

Without even looking at Xie Chengyi again, Xie Nai threw the bow to Luo Yue and strode forward with Qin Jiao.

"Qin Jiao and Xie Nai?" Xie Chengyi's expression twisted. "This is getting more and more interesting."

Zuo Mengmeng and Li Xiaohu, who had come closer, dared not speak, merely standing there awaiting orders. Only after Qin Jiao and Xie Nai's figures had completely disappeared did Xie Chengyi scoff:

"Head back to the residence."

—

Xie Nai led Qin Jiao to the pavilion, where charcoal braziers radiated warmth and the aroma of tea filled the air.

"Qin Jiao..." Xie Nai began, but Qin Jiao interrupted, "Wait a moment."

Freeing his hand from Xie Nai's grasp, Qin Jiao looked toward Qin Ji, who stood outside the pavilion, awkwardly uncertain whether to stay or go, to speak or keep quiet.

Qin Jiao asked him, "Um... do you want to come in and sit?"

Qin Ji gave him a look as if to say, "The Prince of Lingnan was just that ferocious—are you trying to get me killed?"

"No, thanks." His voice was stiff.

Qin Jiao asked again, "Are you going back to the mansion first?"

Qin Ji was silent for a moment, then pointed to the nearby rockery. "I'll wait for you over there."

Qin Jiao replied, "Alright." Although he didn't quite understand why Qin Ji insisted on following him, he didn't refuse.

After watching Qin Ji walk away, Qin Jiao turned back to Xie Nai.

Now Xie Nai was sitting on a chair, watching him with interest.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Qin Jiao sat opposite Xie Nai and asked.

"I recall your relationship with your family isn't good." The fact that Qin Jiao had been abandoned in Nanzhou for three years, along with the crescent-shaped scar on his hand, all attested to this.

"Qin Ji today..." Qin Jiao paused. "He is a bit strange."

Although still as proud as ever, his attitude toward him had softened considerably.

"Ah, forget it. I won't dwell on it."

Qin Jiao always let things take their natural course. If Qin Ji wasn't causing trouble, that suited him fine. Why stress over it? What concerned him more now was, "Your Highness, why are you here?"

He had shown up just in time to get him out of trouble.

Xie Nai cast a seemingly casual glance at Qin Jiao. The young lord spoke softly and warmly, with a smiling face, showing no wariness or sense of danger around others.

"Your Highness?" Qin Jiao waved a hand in front of Xie Nai.

Xie Nai snapped back to reality. "It was Mingjia who sent word to me."

"His Majesty?" Qin Jiao was taken aback. It was Xie Xuanran who had notified Xie Nai.

"You were too reckless today. If I had arrived later, did you think about what could have happened?"

Xie Nai's expression was stern, with a hint of anger in his eyes as he looked at Qin Jiao.

Qin Jiao was confused. "I was here to see a doctor today; I didn't expect to run into the Second Prince." After he spoke, Xie Nai still stared at him without a word.

Qin Jiao, unnerved by the stare, suddenly realized and gasped in surprise, "You don't think I planned this with His Majesty, do you?"

Qin Jiao's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.

Xie Nai raised a brow at Qin Jiao, as if to say, "What else?"

"I see. No, you've got it wrong, Your Highness." Qin Jiao continued, "I already turned down the proposal His Majesty made at Jusheng Pavilion."

As for Xie Nai's worries, that's a long story.

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