Ling Er, "Big Bastard, did you do this? Teach me how! I could scare people so well if I learned this!"
Su Xiaobai raised an eyebrow, his amusement growing. "Big Bastard?" he repeated with a smirk. "If you want me to teach you, at least call me 'Big Brother.'"
Ling Er hesitated, biting her lip in frustration. But the temptation was too strong.
Finally, in a low, hesitant voice, she muttered, "Big Brother..."
"Very good." Su Xiaobai smiled slyly. "I'll teach you... but the time will be decided by me."
"You...!" Ling Er's lips quivered, her cheeks puffing up in frustration as her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
She was on the verge of crying, her soft, pitiful expression only adding to her helpless beauty.
Su Xiaobai just chuckled, enjoying her pouty face as he ignored the glares from the others.
Su Xiaobai gave Ling Er a playful smack on her small, round butt, both hands gripping her delicate waist to push her back toward the carriage.
With that done, he reached out for Xiao Hei, lifting her effortlessly before hopping off the carriage, landing lightly on the ground.
As soon as Xiao Hei's feet touched the dirt, the guards surrounding them immediately tensed up.
It was as if they were staring at a rabid beast, their swords trembling in their hands, ready to strike at any moment.
If it weren't for the fact that His Royal Highness Prince Wei Jun had just shown a hint of camaraderie with Su Xiaobai, those swords would've already been swinging.
"Put down your weapons," Wei Jun said, his voice calm but strained, as if unsure whether he was giving an order or a plea.
His authority was there, but it lacked its usual weight. The situation had gotten out of hand far quicker than he'd anticipated.
Wu Jian stepped forward, his face still cold as ice. "Your Highness, this man is reckless. He dared to kidnap the princess in broad daylight, in front of all of us. He's clearly showing no regard for the dignity of His Royal Highness or the prestige of Yue Country. If we let someone like this go, where will Yue Country's honor stand?" His voice was laced with self-righteous fury, his hand still clenched around the hilt of his sword, practically shaking with the desire to strike Su Xiaobai down.
Su Xiaobai smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. 'Oh, so now he's bringing in the whole country's prestige, huh?' he thought, suppressing a chuckle.
"Oh, Commander," Su Xiaobai replied lazily, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "it seems you've conveniently forgotten something. Weren't you the one who said, not too long ago, that if there was no scar on the princess, you'd be digging out your own eye?"
Wu Jian's face stiffened, his eyes narrowing with barely concealed rage. He snorted coldly, attempting to save face. "Why should I honor a promise made with a man who kidnaps princesses and lives in treason and heresy?"
"Ah, so that's how it is!" Su Xiaobai's smirk deepened, the sneer on his face growing wider. "So, the grand Commander of Yue Country's prestigious guard is a man who makes pompous declarations only to go back on his word. Talks a big game, but when it comes to walking the talk, all we hear is excuses." He laughed softly, his voice full of mocking disdain.
As he spoke, he lightly pinched Xiao Hei's small hand, easing her tense posture.
She had been ready to strike again, but his calming touch seemed to reassure her, keeping the situation from escalating further.
"You!!" Wei Jun started to speak but hesitated, finally sighing in frustration.
To a man like Wu Jian, with his dignity weighing as heavily as his life, being beaten by Su Xiaobai in a fair fight would have earned his grudging respect.
But Su Xiaobai had trampled on that dignity time and time again, making the defeat sting all the more.
Even Wu Jian, with his well-practiced self-control, couldn't hide the burning hatred in his eyes.
But Wei Jun found himself in a tough spot.
His return to the capital was approaching, and already at twenty-five, he could no longer afford to play around the world like before.
It was time for him to establish his standing and consolidate his position for the inevitable power struggle.
Offending Wu Jian, one of the loyal Commanders of the Royal Guard—a man held in high esteem even by Wei Jun's royal father—could cause problems he didn't need.
Meeting Su Xiaobai had been unexpected, and he hadn't planned to reveal his association with him.
He had only meant to repay a favor.
If the friendship grew in time, perhaps Su Xiaobai could be a valuable ally in the future—after all, one ally was always better than one more enemy.
But the capital was a bloody place, and survival there wasn't about being the strongest; it was about having the support of the army factions and the various powerhouses that backed the throne.
If Wei Jun shielded Su Xiaobai directly and angered one of these military factions, it would create a mess that could cost him dearly.
His own grandfather, Wei Zhong, had long since retired from politics, leaving Wei Jun to navigate the tricky waters of court on his own.
Even though Wei Zhong would surely step in if things went too far, Wei Jun couldn't rely on his grandfather's help without making the situation worse.
The Royal Wei family had survived for so long by weaving a delicate web of alliances and nurturing powerful warriors who protected the family's interests from the shadows.
Wei Jun's father, now a supreme figure in Yue Country, had taken the throne at the age of eighteen, backed by none other than Wei Zhong.
No one had dared to question that decision, and now the same man stood ready to pick his successor.
The real power lay in maintaining alliances, and if Wei Jun couldn't keep those intact, his chances of being chosen were slim.
Clang!
Wu Jian drew his sword, the golden blade gleaming ominously. His voice was low, filled with hatred. "I'll give you one chance. If you're a real man, pick up a blade and face me in an honorable duel."
Su Xiaobai shot him a condescending look, the kind one might give to a fool. "You think whether I'm a man or not depends on you?" He scoffed, disdain dripping from his words. "Let me put it this way—if you were a man, you'd cut off both your hands right now. You haven't, so what does that say about you?"
Wu Jian's face grew darker, his grip on the sword trembling slightly with barely contained fury.
"Sure, I acknowledge I am not your match..." Su Xiaobai continued, his tone now sharp as a blade. "But what good is your strength when you can't even protect the princess you were assigned to guard? What use are your skills when you allowed her to be kidnapped, humiliated, and nearly killed under your watch? Think about that before you talk about honor."
Wu Jian's expression darkened further, his jaw clenched as Su Xiaobai's words hit deep.
Su Xiaobai wasn't done yet.
"Why do you think you ended up on your knees earlier, slapping yourself like a fool? It wasn't because of me. It's because 'you' are useless. If I were truly evil, I could have used the princess to make you break your own hands and feet—or worse, let her die under your protection. What does that say about your duty as Commander?"
"!"
Wu Jian's forehead gleamed with sweat, his body rigid with shame and anger. But he couldn't respond.
Every word Su Xiaobai said struck too close to the truth, leaving him speechless.