How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

Xie Chengze picked up the jade medicine bottle and patted his shoulder, "Can you still move? Go to the couch, I'll apply medicine for you."

Xie Jinyu lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, as if she was a little aggrieved, "Second brother, my knee hurts."

So he was punished to kneel down?

He is the crown prince! The future king! Even if she is his biological mother, there is no need to punish her like this! What's more, Xie Jinyu is already 19 years old!

Xie Chengze frowned tightly, he squatted down, propped up Xie Jinyu's arm, "Come on, I'll carry you."

The pair of drooped black eyes flickered slightly, looking at Xie Chengze's defenselessly exposed back, Xie Jinyu curled the corners of her lips almost imperceptibly, and then leaned over with her arms.

Feeling his back being pressed tightly, Xie Chengze stood up carefully and steadily and walked towards the couch not far away.

"Second brother, is it sinking?"

"It's not heavy. I'm not so weak that I can't even carry someone."

"Am I useless..."

"It's really useless." Xie Chengze scolded, but his voice was very gentle, "You are so old, don't you have your own opinion? She punishes you and you just take it? Don't you have legs to run?"

"Okay, I'll run away next time." Xie Jinyu leaned against Xie Chengze's ear and laughed.

The warm breath hit his ears, and it was like being tickled by fine hair, itching the skin on his neck so much that fine hairs appeared. Xie Chengze tilted his head slightly and asked, "But where are father and eunuch Zhao? Why aren't they here?"

"Father..." Xie Jinyu seemed to be unaware of his avoidance, and pressed her lips against his again, whispering, "It seems that he said he was going to attend the Peach Blossom Banquet."

Xie Chengze paused, then continued walking, "Oh oh oh, so that's it..."

Although he seemed normal on the surface, his heart was already in turmoil. Xie Chengze's heart was pounding and a trace of guilt flashed through his eyes.

That dog emperor went to attend the Peach Blossom Banquet?!

Did you see him pretending to be a woman to trick people?

No, no, no, that wouldn't happen. He was among the female guests. No matter how powerful Emperor Jian was, he couldn't possibly break into the female guest area unless he was also dressed as a woman!

With a slight sigh of relief, Xie Chengze walked to the side couch and carefully put Xie Jinyu down. "Since we are attending the Peach Blossom Banquet, then our father should be back soon. Let's make a quick decision."

No matter from which angle, it would not be good for Emperor Jian to know that the prince was whipped by the queen.

Xie Jinyu hummed obediently, "Second brother... help me take off my clothes."

"Okay." If Xie Jinyu did it herself, it would probably hurt the wound on her back. Xie Chengze did not hesitate and went straight forward to take off Xie Jinyu's coat. Then he reached out to the inner clothes, intending to take them off together.

However, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Xie Jinyu.

"Second brother, have you really decided to apply medicine to me?"

Xie Jinyu's voice was deep and his expression was serious, as if there was something else behind his words. Xie Chengze couldn't help but look at him in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just want to say, second brother, don't be scared." Xie Jinyu raised his head and smiled, and Xie Chengze only then realized that his lips had become much whiter.

"You'd better stop talking." Xie Chengze pressed his head and began to unbutton his collar.

He's a grown man, how could he be frightened?

The action of taking off clothes suddenly stopped, and Xie Chengze's complaints came to an abrupt end. The robe in his hand was only half removed, and the young man's exposed back was broad and well-shaped, with smooth muscles. It should have been very pleasing to the eye, but it was obscured by the long and hideous scars, which were so messy and dense that people didn't want to look directly at it.

Those should be the small scars left by Xie Jinyu when he was whipped as a child. Although they did not grow thicker as he got older, there were still many of them, to the point where it was frightening to look at. The new wounds he received today were even thicker and more hideous. The split skin cells were covered with visible bloodstains, intertwined with the background of misery and violence, as if a ferocious beast was shouting and provoking Xie Chengze.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who is second only to the emperor and above everyone else, should have been handsome and elegant, enjoying the most honorable treatment in the world. But who could have imagined that such a noble body of a crown prince could be so cruel in the eyes of some people.

Xie Chengze clenched the golden palace robe in his hand, and heavily unloaded it to the young man's waist. Then he opened the jade medicine bottle, looked at the transparent ointment inside, stood up and said, "I'll go wash my hands first."

Xie Jinyu's eyes were glued to his face, and when she saw only heartache and anger in his expression, she slowly opened her mouth, "Yeah."

Xie Chengze came back soon, smeared some cold ointment on his fingertips, and carefully applied it to the wound on the young man's back. Looking at Xie Jinyu who was trembling slightly, not knowing whether it was from the cold or the pain, pity flashed in his eyes.

"Brother, it hurts so much. Can I talk to you and relax?"

Chatting can indeed divert attention and relieve pain. Xie Chengze couldn't help but nodded, "Okay, go ahead."

"My second brother left the palace today, saying he was going to meet a friend. Did he meet him?"

"Yes, I see you."

"I really envy my second brother. I have never had any friends. If I could have left the palace with my second brother, maybe I could have made some friends." Although, he disdained making friends.

Xie Chengze paused as he was applying the ointment, a look of guilt flashing in his eyes.

If he had taken Xie Jinyu out of the palace secretly, perhaps Xie Jinyu would not have been beaten.

Xie Jinyu lowered her eyes nonchalantly, but her tone was still weak, "Did Shen Yuan go with my second brother?"

"Uh-huh……"

"Second brother and Shen Yuan have a very good relationship, so good that I am a little jealous." Xie Jinyu raised her hand and placed it on Xie Chengze's thigh, gripping it slightly. Although it didn't hurt, it was enough to attract Xie Chengze's attention.

He thought he had hurt Xie Jinyu, so he could not help but use less force to apply the medicine, "It's okay, we get along well."

"Is it just a matter of getting along? Shen Yuan and my second brother are just friends?"

"Yeah, why do you ask that?" Xie Chengze was very confused as to why Xie Jinyu suddenly asked that.

"Really..." Xie Jinyu's tone was full of confusion, "But that night, I clearly saw Shen Yuan do this to my second brother..."

He paused, as if he was having trouble speaking, and pursed his lips and stopped talking. This aroused Xie Chengze's curiosity, and he couldn't help but lean over and ask, "What did you see? Which night?"

"It was the night when we brothers got drunk. I vaguely saw that Shen Yuan seemed to do something to my second brother..." Xie Jinyu turned her head and cast a probing gaze on Xie Chengze's neck, seeming to be hesitant to speak.

Xie Chengze subconsciously touched his neck, vaguely remembering the red marks left by the little white tiger. Then he looked at Xie Jinyu who seemed to want to say something but hesitated, and he stood there in a daze.

What does he mean?

Isn’t that the little white tiger’s masterpiece?

But——it was chewed out by humans? !

Still, still Shen...

Thinking of something, Xie Chengze's entire neck instantly turned red from bottom to top, as if it was stained with red wine. The red even rushed visibly to his cheeks, making him look like a cooked shrimp.