Xiao Qi and the Crown Prince pt3

Those days he was young and carefree, his mother who didn't mind much about political affairs as well as the harem, spoiled him in his youth, and only hoped he could live a happily.

A little girl had sneaked into the mansion somehow. When he had spotted her, she looked rugged and dirty, he wondered how she was able to pass the gates with all the guards, though, of course, security was less strict in this area than it was at the palace. But she was still little, looking to be around 5-7 years of age. It was hard to imagine she was able to sneak in so easily.

Xiao Chen was with him that day and wanted to call for people to take the dirty girl away, but he had stopped him.

He walked closer to the little thing that hid behind a big tree. Though she was looking very unpleasant at the moment, she was just so small and thin, looking at her made him have this feeling that he should protect her.

"How did you come in here?"

The girl trembled when she saw him approach, but her eyes were fierce as she stared at him.

"Your highness, be careful…" Xiao Chen spoke up from behind him.

"Tch, it's just a small girl what's there to be careful about?"

But before he knew it the girl bounced on him, took his hand and bit hard.

"You..!"

"Your highness!" Xiao Chen rushed towards him and kicked the girl away, making her stumble and fall.

"Your highness, are you alright?" Xiao Chen helped his Master up, then turned to the girl and scolded angrily, "You filthy child! Do you know who you've offended!"

But the girl, who had fallen didn't rise up, and lay there like she were dead, because she wasn't facing them when she fell the two boys couldn't tell whether she was alive or not.

They quickly rushed to her side when they realized they might have killed the child.

"Your highness…" Xiao Chen looked up at Zhang Zhengyang, who brought his hand close to her nose, "She's still alive."

They were both at lost on what to do though, because none of them had had to handle such a situation before.

"Your highness…look at her…she's so thin and dirty…"

The young Zhang Zhengyang was quiet for a while, "Go tell mother."

"..?" Xiao Chen was speechless for a bit, but he saw that his little master was serious. He could only ask; "What about your highness."

"Of course I have to stay here and keep watch. Now go."

Xiao Chen left and it was just the two of them.

"You can wake up now."

Hearing this the little girl opened her big eyes and sat up.

"Is playing dead that fun?"

"What do you know?" Those were the first words the girl uttered, with a childishly harsh tone.

"I just think you're a smart person."

The girl didn't respond. She turned to him with a perplexed look. "Are you going to throw me out?"

The question seemed to have puzzled the young Zhang Zhengyang, "What do you think?"

The girl pursed her lips as she bowed her head.

"Where are your parents?" He asked her, but she shook her head, he figured that she was an orphan and nodded.

"Then how old are you?"

The girl still shook her head, indicating she didn't know.

"You really are pitiful, aren't you?"

Hearing this the girl glared at him.

"I wonder how it would be like if I were to adopt you?"

The girl's brows creased, little Zhang Zhengyang continued, "In the future you'll have to consider me as your father."

"…?" The girl looked him up and down. She wondered if such a thing were possible. After all she knew that a father was supposed to be big and tall, but this little boy that didn't seem much older than herself didn't fit this criteria.

"If you want to stay here then that's the only way."

Since he had put it that way, she agreed.

He had begged his mother to keep the little girl, it didn't take much words to agree. As long as he wanted, it was given to him.

He named the girl Xiao Qi because she had beaten him for no reason at all the first time they met.

Xiao Qi liked to follow him around, and since he had taken her in to be his 'daughter' he had spoiled her, as years went by, she became more and more arrogant. Zhang Zhengyang made her learn everything a noble young miss would learn and because she spent so much time with him, he also thought many things young rich masters like himself would learn. She was bright, and easy to teach. He made sure she learnt martial arts as well. Things soon changed in the court and his mother became the Empress, soon after, because of his many achievement as well as the support from his mother and her family, he soon became the Crown Prince, he began to build his little underground kingdom, he put his adopted daughter in charge of many things.

Xiao Qi learned many skills, one of them which she excelled the most in was the art of disguise.

Since she had to follow him everywhere, it was important to mask her appearance at all times. As time went by, she became better and better at it.]

End of Flashback.

Xiao Qi was someone the Crown Prince himself was proud of, and happy he had raised. He felt it was a pity that she wasn't his real daughter. There wasn't much of a gap in their age, and it was easy for his people to misunderstand their relationship. Zhang Zhengyang thought of his younger self and the silly things he used to do. It surprised him himself. He knew he had no right to complain whenever Xiao Qi acted like this, he was the one who spoilt her. She didn't consider herself to be under him. She considered herself of higher status to all his people, and everyone treated her accordingly.

But one should know that if everyone swallows it, there would be someone who won't. Today was a good example. Zhao Xing was the only one who was able to fight her and win. He didn't even bother to lecture her sometimes, but Zhao Xing dared to use such a simple trick to subdue her, it was really something.

Before he was worried that Xiao Qi would remain like this, and then no one would be willing to marry her. Now, with Zhao Xing here, she might actually change. There was still hope for her.

Both of Zhao Xing's maids had rushed to meet their mistress as soon as the Crown Prince had left. They were unaware of their mistress' plan and still had worried looks on their faces.

"Grand Tutor…"

Seeing them, Zhao Xing's mood was immediately uplifted.

'That silly prince won't praise me. No worries, I have a whole fans club right here!'

"Aiya, don't worry I'm fine."

The two of them didn't seem to get her meaning and still expressed their concern. "How can we not worry, Grand Tutor, does it still hurt?" Lan'er said.

"The physician left just now, I'll go ask him to prescribe medicine for Grand Tutor." Nuo Nuo turned to leave but her steps stopped halfway when Zhao Xing called her back.

"I'm fine, I'm really fine, see?" She shook her hands, stood up from bed and jumped a little, but winced a bit, because of the pain on her shoulder that still hurt.

The two of them who had finally believed her, suddenly became aware when they saw her pained expression.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. It's because of my silliness, that I touched my wound, I'm really fine. If I didn't pretend to have a heart attack just now, how would I teach that Xiao Qi a lesson?"

The two maids seemed to have been enlightened.

"Grand Tutor is really smart." Lan'er said with sparkling eyes.

Nuo Nuo also looked stunned.

"Grand Tutor, did the Master find out? Did Master scold Grand Tutor?" Nuo Nuo asked.

Seeing their expressions Zhao Xing was elated. Of course, Zhang Zhengyang didn't know how to sweet talk, she had two people who could.

"He dare?" She said smugly. "I can't believe, that Zhang Zhengyang doesn't have some hidden relationship with that Xiao Qi."

Lan'er immediately spoke up when she heard this, "Master indeed indulges Sister Qi a lot, among all those who work under him, Xiao Qi is his favorite, it's said that she had been with the Master even before he became the Crown Prince."

The topic straightway interested Zhao Xing and she sat down to listen.

The gossipy Lan'er began to go over all the information about Xiao Qi she had gathered ever since she came to the mansion.

"…There was once, the Crown Prince had Xiao Qi try female cloths for the first time in a long time, they said when the Master saw it he nodded, and told her she'd surely grow up to become a fine lady, that day, many were shocked and could only assume that Sister Qi had caught the Master's eye.

It's said that Sister Qi was even familiar with the late Empress. She was really lucky."

Zhao Xing shook her head speechlessly. Such deep relationship yet when she had asked him he only replied with a cold 'what other relationship could there be'.

She should have known there was some ambiguity in that statement!

She suddenly became angry for her poor self. She felt the Crown Prince had also contributed to her bullying. Which girl would like it if her man was taking care of another woman like this?

Thankfully she was leaving for her own mansion.

This might be the reason Zhang Zhengyang lied about her saving him. He probably wanted to show Xiao Qi that he was clean.

'What people do for love…'

With this thought she scolded. "I tell you, Xiao Qi did nothing but bully me during my journey, I always felt I was too pitiful. If not for me using my wits, she would be riding over me by now. But it seemed what I did before wasn't enough for her. Today I unleashed my ultimate blow. See if she'll dare to cause trouble next time."

Nuo Nuo and Lan'er couldn't help giggling at their mistress' words.