When Lu Xi returned to the yacht after ordering his guards to fetch the injured, he found his son wearing a foolish, vacant expression.
He frowned and thought to himself, “No, this son of mine is far too stupid. He has no control over his mouth and is always causing trouble. I’ll have to teach him a proper lesson when we get home.”
The moment Sixth Lu saw his father’s expression, he knew he was in trouble. He knew that look all too well. It seemed that when they got home, he would either be punished according to family law or made to kneel in the ancestral hall.
Just as Lu Xi was about to bow, Xi Qingyue waved a hand to stop him. Smiling brightly, she pointed to a seat. “There’s no need for such formalities, Family Head Lu. Sit down and wait. I have something to tell you.”
Thinking it must be something important, Lu Xi hurriedly sat down and straightened his back, looking as though he were all ears. He did not treat Xi Qingyue like a child in the slightest.
With her tender little face and a solemn expression, Xi Qingyue began earnestly, “Family Head Lu, you mustn’t hit people on the head next time. You’ve already beaten this big brother silly. The sillier he becomes, the more trouble he’ll cause, and the angrier you’ll get. Anger is bad for your health.”
At that, Lu Xi’s eyes widened. He turned sharply toward Sixth Lu, assuming that his son must have said something ridiculous again.
Sixth Lu’s body pitched forward with a thump, and he dropped to his knees. Whether it was out of habit or sheer fright, even he wasn’t sure.
He desperately wanted to curse his father, but he didn’t dare make a sound. He didn’t dare say a single word.
Lu Xi cupped his hands toward Xi Qingyue and spoke solemnly. “Commandery Princess, rest assured. When we return, I will give this rebellious son a proper lesson. We were negligent in disciplining him before, but from now on, we will keep him under strict control.”
Xi Qingyue nodded with a smile. “Mm. Just remember not to hit his head. Choose places with plenty of flesh that won’t cause serious injury. Also, he can’t control his mouth and is liable to bring disaster upon the Lu family. He might even be used by others and end up implicating the princess. Have him read more books at home when he has nothing else to do. Make him read until he no longer feels like speaking. That should make him much more obedient in the future.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Xi’s eyes lit up as though he had made some astonishing discovery. He, too, felt that this son of his needed to be properly disciplined. If he didn’t start controlling him now, something was bound to happen.
He even thanked Xi Qingyue excitedly. “Many thanks for your guidance, Commandery Princess.”
Kneeling nearby, Sixth Lu felt as though the sky had collapsed. He stared at Xi Qingyue in disbelief.
Was that even something a human being would say?
Read until he no longer felt like speaking? How many books would he have to read for that to happen? In an instant, he felt utterly hopeless.
The matter was settled just like that. Xi Qingyue and Lu Xi then began discussing other things, and she asked Lu Xi about the Governor of Xinzhou and Prince Kang.
Lu Xi told her everything he knew. He had no favorable impression of either of them. He was especially furious after learning that Prince Kang had ordered people to capture children in Yongfu City, while the Governor of Xinzhou had also been abducting children in Liucheng. The Lu family had children of their own; if this continued, they would surely end up having one of their children taken as well.
“Commandery Princess, the Governor of Xinzhou doesn’t have a good reputation. He has committed countless misdeeds in private. If you kill him, then so be it. But you must be careful with Prince Kang. He is practically the local emperor in Xuanzhou and has his own private army. In public, he puts on the appearance of a benevolent ruler who loves his people. Killing him would be dangerous, and if word got out that you were responsible, it would damage your reputation.”
Xi Qingyue nodded slightly. “Mm, I was only asking casually. Why would I kill anyone for no reason? We were merely making conversation.”
The father and son of the Lu family pretended not to hear her. They certainly didn’t believe a word of that.
Before long, the Lu family’s guards brought over the two injured youths.
Xi Qingyue told the father and son to wait outside while she treated the two boys inside.
The hidden weapons had barbs on them. An ordinary physician could remove them, but if they failed to find the right angle, the injured person would suffer terribly during the extraction.
Xi Qingyue examined the two youths lying there. Since they were already unconscious, she didn’t need to worry about them moving.
First, she used her wood-element ability to put them into a deeper state of anesthesia, ensuring that they wouldn’t wake up halfway through the treatment. Then she extended both hands and made a grasping motion in the air. A powerful suction force pulled all the hidden weapons from their bodies. Before any blood could flow, she used her water-element ability to control it.
Afterward, she used her wood-element healing ability to close the wounds inside their bodies, though she deliberately left them not quite fully healed.
By the time she called for people to carry the two boys out, less than half a quarter of an hour had passed.
Lu Xi was utterly astonished. He had never expected them to recover so quickly. But when he saw that his two nephews’ complexions had become much rosier, he felt greatly relieved.
Then he remembered that the guards had also carried over several injured men from his household. He didn’t know how to bring up the matter. Asking the Commandery Princess to treat their guards seemed improper, but one of the guards had been injured in a particularly difficult location, and ordinary physicians would not dare treat it.
Just as he was gathering the courage to ask, Xi Qingyue seemed to know what he was thinking and spoke first.
“Have the other guards brought in as well. Anyone who can step forward to protect their master at a critical moment is worthy of my help.”
Delighted by her words, Lu Xi immediately ordered the injured guards to be carried inside.
The guards waiting outside the yacht were thrilled when they learned that Xi Qingyue was willing to treat their comrades. They had seen the wounds on the two Lu family heirs. Apart from faint scars, there wasn’t even any bandaging, and they had no idea what miraculous method she had used.
In less than half a quarter of an hour, the wounds of the several guards had also been treated.
Lu Xi and Sixth Lu repeatedly kowtowed to Xi Qingyue in gratitude, while the guards kowtowed outside as well. Their gratitude toward Xi Qingyue came from the bottom of their hearts.
“All right. If there’s nothing else, you may go home. There’s no need to come again. Also, if Family Head Zheng happens to make small talk with you, you can casually let it slip that Big Sister Lu and I are acquainted. Don’t mention anything else.”
Lu Xi immediately understood what she meant. She wanted the Zheng family—or rather, the Zheng family members in the capital—to take the initiative to help Lu Qianning. How truly farsighted.
Even if the Zheng family refused to stand with Lu Qianning, at the very least, they would not dare make themselves enemies of her. That alone would be enough.
After everyone had left, Lu Jinshuang finally led Xi Weilan out of the bedroom.
With a beaming smile, she looked at Xi Qingyue. “You really do think far ahead. Ninth Sister is truly lucky to have met you two.”
Xi Qingyue glanced at her, smiling like a sly fox. “The prerequisite for that luck is getting shot by us first, then having the bullet dug out. Do you want to try it?”
Lu Jinshuang sat down on the sofa, her smile growing even brighter. “I don’t need to be shot. I can still travel around with you two now without being confined to the capital. I’d say my luck isn’t bad either.”
Just then, Xi Weilan ran over to Xi Qingyue with a thick stack of banknotes in her arms and held them out. “Big Sister, I’ve looked through them and enjoyed myself enough. These are for you.”
Xi Qingyue smiled, patted her on the head, and accepted the banknotes. “All right. When you grow up, Big Sister will give you even more banknotes—enough for you to spend for the rest of your life.”
Lu Jinshuang rolled her eyes. “Hey, you two, that’s enough. How old are you, anyway? You’re always thinking about making money. Do you really think you can spend it all?”
Xi Qingyue retorted, “How could we ever spend it all? Everything the two of us eat, drink, wear, and use costs money. Besides, we haven’t even started buying houses in different places yet. What if we take a fancy to some grand mansion? We’d have to buy it.”
Lu Jinshuang stared at her and countered, “No matter how much money you spend, how could you possibly spend it faster than you earn it?”
