Chapter 6 – Tyrant VS National Teacher (6)
Seeing that the child was no longer angry, Mu Jin approached him with a smiling face and poked his cheek.
Ignoring the other’s glare, he casually picked up the dagger that he had just thrown aside and examined it.
From the start, Mu Jin noticed that this dagger should be used by the child during close combat training on the practice grounds, with its edge not sharpened.
However, he didn’t know when the child had secretly brought it back to the sleeping quarters.
An unsharpened dagger had no real injury potential. Perhaps, it was just for a sense of security.
As Mu Jin curiously examined the dagger, Mo Yi looked at him, thinking why this person had come to his quarters twice in a single day.
Could it be that after hearing his instructions but not finding the national teacher, they were stuck in the palace after it was locked down for the night and had no other way out, so they came back to find him?
Watching Mu Jin’s carefree demeanor, Mo Yi increasingly believed this possibility.
Since this person was the disciple of the national teacher, it wasn’t a problem to allow him to stay for a night secretly.
Thinking this, the child turned to face Mu Jin.
But before he could say anything, Mu Jin suddenly pulled open his collar.
When the child turned to look at him, Mu Jin noticed a small scar on his neck that seemed to spread out.
Sure enough, when he opened the collar, he found numerous marks of whipping on the child’s back.
These wounds were obviously new, swollen and red without bleeding.
He couldn’t imagine how painful it must have been for the child.
He never expected that just by talking to national teacher for a while, his child would be hurt again.
Mu Jin suddenly felt enraged.
These wounds could not have been from dancing on the practice grounds. He knew without much thought who was responsible for this.
That d*** woman!
The hatred almost burst out, but seeing the child’s embarrassment and panic due to his secret being exposed, Mu Jin immediately regained his composure.
Ignoring Mo Yi’s objections, Mu Jin gently yet forcefully half embraced him.
He lowered his head, hiding his fierce gaze.
Mu Jin took out the ointment he carried and said softly, “Bear with it.”
He took a deep breath, trying to control the trembling in his hands, and gently applied the ointment to the child’s wounds.
Feeling Mo Yi’s stiffness when touched, Mu Jin suppressed the bitterness in his heart and patted the child’s forehead to comfort him.
Perhaps sensing his goodwill, the child in his arms did not resist and allowed himself to be handled quietly.
He didn’t speak or cry out in pain.
But when the ointment touched the wounds, he couldn’t help but shiver slightly.
Mu Jin didn’t want to see the other so obedient. A child of this age should be mischievous.
He would rather Mo Yi cry and scream at him; it would be better than this, a child holding back completely unlike a child.
Mu Jin felt his heart tighten painfully, making it hard for him to breathe.
He had brought the ointment for Mo Yi to use during martial arts training on the practice grounds. They were healing balms, specially obtained from Master Chong Ming, never expecting to use them so soon.
At that moment, Mu Jin’s face was expressionless, with his lips tightly pressed together.
Seeing the scars on the child’s body, he knew just how cruel the Empress had been.
The child across from him was only eight years old. How could the woman, his own biological mother, do such a thing?
The slightly cold ointment slowly soothed the burning pain in the wounds, and Mo Yi could feel the warmth from the other’s palms.
Soon, the burning sensation from the previously whipped areas eased.
Looking at the exquisite white jade bottle that contained the medicine, and considering the other’s identity, it was certain that the medicine he used was also of extraordinary quality.
But wouldn’t he regret using such good medicine for himself?
Why did this person appear in front of him twice in one day, showing such kindness towards him?
After a long while of treating the child’s wounds, Mu Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead and gently held him, caressing his head.
The two children nestled quietly together.
Seeing the transformation of the lively person in front of him into such a state, Mo Yi dared not speak for a while.
Having lived in the palace for so many years, witnessing the complexities of life, he suddenly couldn’t understand the youth in front of him.
It was just an instinct that made him feel that the other person seemed to be upset.
Why was he upset? Was it because he saw the wounds on himself?
But this was the palace; upon seeing his wounds, the other’s first reaction should be to worry if he had offended someone and then stay away, just like the palace attendants.
Why didn’t he make an excuse to leave but instead came to help him immediately, showing such concern for him?
Although he felt his thoughts were somewhat ridiculous, Mo Yi sensed the youth’s distress for him.
The intuition of children has always been accurate; even though they might not quickly comprehend profound truths, they can swiftly perceive who truly radiates goodwill toward them.
Even at his young age, he yearned for care and attention.
At this moment, Mu Jin appeared at the right time, prompting Mo Yi’s instinctive attempt to draw closer.
Especially when Mu Jin looked at the scars on him, there was an undeniable compassion in his eyes.
For Mo Yi, this was the first time in his life witnessing such genuine concern, which made him feel both intrigued and attached.
The two of them leaned quietly together, creating an atmosphere that was remarkably serene for a moment.
However, just at that moment, the child’s stomach suddenly rumbled, breaking the peacefulness around them.
Mo Yi immediately came to his senses and hastily pulled away from Mu Jin’s embrace.
He hadn’t realized he had been leaning against a stranger for so long, and the child’s face darkened in embarrassment.
Coupled with the continuous growling of his stomach, Mo Yi felt utterly ashamed.
Yet, given his young age, it was a period of growth after all.
Having only consumed two small pieces of milk cake and a piece of candy, how could it possibly stave off his hunger?
Thinking about the food left on the table untouched since Mu Jin arrived, Mo Yi felt increasingly sorry, knowing the child beside him had not eaten dinner yet.
Although Mu Jin typically enjoyed fine cuisine and had other sweets and snacks, how much nutrition could these things offer?
With the child also being injured, how could they not eat something substantial and properly nourishing?
With this in mind, Mu Jin prompted his mental servant, 003, to explore the surroundings of the chambers.
After a brief consideration, Mu Jin swiftly got up and opened the window opposite, slipping out with agility.
Mu Jin’s actions were swift, and by the time Mo Yi reacted, the person opposite had vanished from his sight.
The child was caught off guard for a moment, never expecting the other person to leave without a word, leaving him feeling somewhat abandoned.
However, it made sense; in his circumstances, he should be grateful that the other person was willing to tend to his wounds. What more could he expect?
Considering this, Mo Yi’s light amber eyes dimmed.
Before he could dwell in desolation for too long, some commotion sounded by the window again.
Though he should call for help, Mo Yi couldn’t help but harbor a shred of hope.
Soon, a figure flipped in through the window; if not Mu Jin, then who else?
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Mo Yi watched as the person carefully placed a large package on the table upon entering the room.
Only when the person opened the package did Mo Yi realize it contained two moderately-sized jars.
Mo Yi looked puzzled at the jars on the table, and then the youth walked toward him.
Unexpectedly, without a word, the youth lifted Mo Yi horizontally and gently placed him on a chair near the table.
Trying to suppress the exclamation he wanted to make, the child nervously glanced at the door.
Even though he knew the palace attendants outside wouldn’t be guarding him, having probably slacked off and fallen asleep, he still needed to be cautious.
For some unknown reason, he didn’t want any harm to come to the person in front of him.
But being carried to the table like this was incredibly embarrassing, especially considering that the person appeared to be just a young boy like himself.
Mo Yi glared defiantly at Mu Jin, but his attention was quickly diverted by the aroma wafting from the jars on the table.
As the other person opened the two jars, Mo Yi saw delicious food inside.
One of the jars contained rice mixed with various vegetables, a stark contrast to the greasy food he was used to. The dish looked refreshing, and Mo Yi’s appetite was immediately piqued.
Surprisingly, the other jar held half a can of chicken soup.
Realizing that these meals were brought for him, Mo Yi couldn’t help but swallow saliva, feeling increasingly conflicted as he looked at Mu Jin.
Although his pride made him want to refuse, his stomach was genuinely empty.
Mo Yi couldn’t remember when he last had a proper meal like this; the luxurious pastries that the princes around him often enjoyed were never his.
Every time he returned to his chambers, the greasy food made it hard for him to eat.
Apart from the occasional fresh snacks and fruits he could find at palace banquets, mealtime was always a struggle for Mo Yi.
“What are you still dawdling for? Are you hungry?”
“Look at all I found in the nearby kitchen! Eat this and have a good rest; your injuries will heal soon.”
Mu Jin’s voice was gentle, and hearing his words, the child next to him quickly picked up the utensils.
Mo Yi didn’t bother to worry whether the food might be poisoned; instinctively, he felt this person wouldn’t harm him.
Even if it were poisoned, he just wanted to satisfy his hunger at this moment.
Author’s Note: Alright, the suffering of the Xiao Gong ends around here. Let’s start happily raising the offspring and dealing with the scum!
offf yes no more suffering for the child!